004 // Video + Action

[actsmagnificent]

Yo.

[ Here's Haruka Tenoh's face on your Warp Band. Don't worry - she'll pause and grin long enough for the imaginary theme music to subside. ]

Gaming news today. The Rhyhorn arena's hosting a big Pokémon race. If it runs, and you can fit on it, you're welcome to participate, though there'll be other races for the smaller ones too.

We'll be putting up flyers with the details. [ It's hard to read the flyer that's being waved about onscreen, however. Probably because the Pokémon doing the waving isn't much bigger than the flyer itself. ] Sewa!

[ ...Yes, you're a big help. Haruka slowly pushes Sewaddle out of the frame. ] I'll be seeing you all in the wind this time, kittens.

[ A wink, and she's gone. Why is it always her. Why is she always the one doing advertisements? Could it be she's a naturally gifted salesman? Is this her true calling?

She doesn't want that... ]

[ action ]

[ As promised, Haruka and her Sewaddle are plastering the town with flyers - or, well, Sewaddle is putting them up at bug-level with silk while Haruka wanders around with another pile tucked under her arm. Every now and then she hands one out.

You could also encounter one of the following pairs of Pokémon helping to advertise elsewhere:

-- A Murkrow slapping people in the forehead with flyers to get their attention while a Cubchoo tugs on others' shirt hems and bashfully offers a flyer with a quivering "Cub?".

-- A Pidgeotto dropping flyers much more gently than Murkrow while a Rotom looks on in amazed admiration. Mother is so clever.

Or, if you're a Divine Theater member, you can meet Haruka collapsed in a mess hall chair after the fact! Sewaddle is fanning her with a folded-up flyer. He is innovative. ]

Comments

[actsmagnificent]

[ Smiling, Haruka allows herself a long pause to drink in both more of her lemonade and the sight of Michiru sitting there - which is really very relaxing after a long day of wandering around smiling at people when there are scrolls to examine - but thinking about Milotic needing a new training regimen jogs her memory. There's something she hasn't given you yet. ]

Ah, right. [ Haruka digs in a pocket as Sewaddle begins leading the way to the edge of the table (you may use his silk to descend, Lulu, if you so wish). Have you met his Trainer's new Machop?? He's kind of lazy. Sewaddle is not sure he's noticed the welcome leaf bestowed while the recipient was napping yet. ] Caldera's got great artisans....

[ Where is that. Oh, here it is. A tiny box emerges, the sort one might keep jewelry in, and she passes it over. She didn't splurge on wrapping or a gift label or anything, but it's for you. ]

[incousinswithyou]

[...the obvious solution is that Machop should get more welcome leaves. Just in case!

And this is a pleasant surprise!] Hotaru wasn't the only one to do some shopping, I see.

[she reaches for the box with a smile, and opens it to take a look.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka shrugs and makes a noncommittal sound, though she's watching Michiru out of the corner of her eyes while affecting modest nonchalance. She didn't shop so much as special-order.

Because there's a pair of earrings made out of a luminescent material that can only have been, at one time, a Prism Scale. Nothing else has quite that vibrant a luster.

Sewaddle, meanwhile, is so on board with the way Lulu thinks. Let's go find Machop and greet him properly! ] Sewa!

[incousinswithyou]

[that's a quiet laugh of pleasure. She holds up one to admire in the light, and then she's putting them on.

Turning to you, an immensely fond look on her face.] Well?

[actsmagnificent]

[ ....beautiful. Absolutely stunning.

Oh, and the earrings aren't bad either. Haruka blinks a lovestruck expression off her face. ] You aren't an ugly fish, either.

[ She needs to stop pushing her luck with this Feebas thing. Maybe if she leans in, good things will happen. ]

[incousinswithyou]

[well, at least you've got good timing about it]

Oh? So what am I? [and she's leaning in too, hand curled on top of yours.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ This is a trap. Haruka's instincts prickle - or maybe that's her skin reacting to being so close to Michiru. She will have to proceed with caution and reason.

Which is totally doable for her, since she is this mature adult. She smiles smoothly, leaning in even further, lips pursed and ready. Michiru.... ]

Fishing for compliments. [ How was that? ]

[incousinswithyou]

I'm not hearing any. [at least she's not denying it.

That's a smile, as she closes the tiny distance between them with a kiss.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ And you're not about to, because she's too busy kissing you. She already used a variation of this particular seduction technique at the hot springs, anyway. And she plans on never becoming repetitive or boring.

...it's probably good the kids aren't here to see this, given how Haruka keeps leaning further into this kiss. ]

[incousinswithyou]

[lack of compliments or not, Michiru is hardly complaining. Her other hand slips forward, fingers carding through your hair.

Thats probably a smile you can feel.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Funny how today suddenly seems so much more okay. Haruka is slow to break the kiss, and when it finally winds down she leans her forehead against Michiru's and mimics her partner's motion, cupping Michiru's head behind her ear to watch the earring catch the light.

And she just smiles. Hello. You're perfect, did you know that? ]

1/I'll let you know (no i'm not sorry)

[threemoms]

[ Hotaru didn't know what she had walked into. What did she walk into? What is this? What is she watching? ]

2/??

[threemoms]

[ She was just thirsty.

She wanted a drink.

This isn't what she signed up for! ]

3/??

[threemoms]

[ They were kissing, weren't they? Like the heroes and heroines of the plays?

Was this "Haruka's seduction technique" that she always heard whispered about? ]

4/5

[threemoms]

[ .......Okay, they're done with the kissing. Finally.

How long had that been? ...Long. That was a long kiss. The ones in the play didn't last that long.

....And they still hadn't noticed her. ]

5/5 done

[threemoms]

[ Hotaru cleared her throat.


Loudly. ]

1/...3

[incousinswithyou]

[sheesh, Haruka. You're going to spoil her.

Heh.] Thank you.

[she'd like to keep this perfect moment forever, but. Huh. That sure is a loud, throat-clearing type sound.

She glances over and.]

[incousinswithyou]

[......






...........ffffffffffffffff]

[incousinswithyou]

[her chair scrapes across the floor as Michiru unceremoniously scrambles backwards. And she stands up, trying. Trying...what is she trying to do? Find an excuse? Run away? Pretend nothing is wrong?

Savior, when had she last been this embarrassed? She manages to look anywhere but Hotaru’s general direction, and at least her arms are folded across her torso, in lieu of hiding her face. Haruka can take care of this, right?]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Unlike Michiru, Haruka's response isn't to spring away so much as to just freeze in place, lips still parted even as her partner's face retreats. Belatedly, she looks at the hand that up till just a moment ago had been running through Michiru's hair -

And curls it into a fist, then coughs into it. ] Y-you're early for dinner.

[ This smile totally isn't carefree, isn't it. She was really hoping it would be.

Drat. ]

1/2

[threemoms]

[ Hotaru can feel the awkward radiating from the other two. Honestly, she didn't expect this big of a reaction. It made her feel more awkward now.

Maybe she should have been thankful they didn't notice her originally. Walked away. Pretended she never saw anything.

Too late for that now. ]

I, um... I just wanted a... drink.

[threemoms]

[ And, then, everything else comes out in a rush- ]

I'm sorry! I didn't mean to walk in on you two!

[incousinswithyou]

That's - [quietly taking a deep breath, and then Hotaru gets a composed smile. She's going to pretend this never happened in three, two, - ] that's alright.

You said you wanted a drink? [she is not above using this chance to escape to the kitchens.]

[actsmagnificent]

Get a snack, too. [ You escape, Michiru. One of them should fly while they can.

Haruka will...keep the kid here for you in the meantime. She already has a drink, so clearly she needs some cookies or something to go with it. Besides, kids like cookies. Yes.

She's working up to being able to look Hotaru in the eye. ]

[threemoms]

[ Hotaru, meanwhile, is going to pointedly not look them in the eyes.

Taking a seat. Yes. Too late to retreat. ]