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

[celebrity_commentator]

Well, when she starts to get up to speed, she doesn't really stop...

[Neatly demonstrating her partner's point, Rock just sort of keeps plodding along, changing direction only slightly to avoid trampling the Sewaddle, until a few seconds later when she notices Rise has stopped to read the flyer.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Ah, a common Rhyhorn problem. Haruka reaches out to put a hand on Rock's head. Hi, girl. You're beautiful. Stay with your Trainer, okay?

If Rock lets Haruka pet her, her touch is surprisingly light, but firm. She curls her fingers as she strokes the rough surface. ] Mental commands will fix that. They're easier for Rhyhorn to understand. And light touches like this get their attention better than strong ones.

[ Oh, you're beautiful. You're gorgeous. Hello, baby. Haruka looks like she could pet this Rhyhorn forever. She hasn't even noticed Sewaddle has fallen over and then rolled up into a ball. Nearly stomped! How traumatic!

Haruka's expression grows absent. ]

Touch them gently....just like you'd want to be touched.

[celebrity_commentator]

[Rock stops after another step or two and focuses on Haruka's expert touch. Hello, human who knows what she's doing.]

[Rise, on the other hand, doesn't really know what to say to all that. The natural reaction involves blushing, though.]

Er...wow, you really know Rhyhorns, don't you?

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka just grins. Unfortunately she's still leaking serene rapture all over the place because yes, she really knows Rhyhorn, and even if she's accepted her life isn't going to revolve around them they relax her more than anything else except Michiru. And this is such a beautiful young lady you have! You should learn how to treat her right. ] Give me your hand.

[celebrity_commentator]

Um...okay.

[Haruka has a certain effect on people, Rise's noticed - despite being very much in tune with her own thoughts and not really anyone else's, she's still a very commanding person. She's not sure if it's charisma, confidence, or just physical attractiveness, but she is the sort of person you instinctively listen to.]

[That's Rise's excuse for following a direction like that while Haruka's clearly spaced out, anyway.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Much obliged. Haruka slides her own fingers along Rise's palm - in order to reach the girl's own fingers and bend them slightly at an angle. Then, gripping Rise's arm lightly by the wrist, she guides Rise's hand down onto Rock's carapace and touches human skin to Rhyhorn skin. ] See? Like this. Show her you trust her.

[ She moves Rise's hand across the Rhyhorn lightly, so Rise can get a feel for it, then draws her own hand back. Learning is best when done on your own. Hopefully Rock will like this as much as World Shaking does. ]

[celebrity_commentator]

[The Rhyhorn rumbles a bit, vibrations shaking her body a bit under Rise's touch.]

That's uh...

[Focus on the Pokémon, Rise. Focus on the Pokémon.]

That's a good girl, Rock.

[Rock huffs in a pleased way.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka grins. That is a happy Rhyhorn. Which is one of her favorite commonplace things to see.

She's also still standing way too close to Rise but pff what is personal space anyway. ] So should I count you in for the race?

[celebrity_commentator]

The race? Uh, well, I was thinking about it...I did bond a very nice Ponyta while I was in Caldera.

[actsmagnificent]

[ A Ponyta? Well, sure, if that's who you prefer...but you have such a lovely Rhyhorn right here. Haruka is so surprised that she chuckles. ] There's a bait and switch. This lady's listening, y'know.

[ And she nods to Rock. Honestly, with Rhyhorn, it's anyone's guess whether they understand conversations. But this merits a tiny tease. ]

[celebrity_commentator]

[Rock leans her head down to munch on some weeds. Who knows indeed.]

Well, I don't know if she's that interested in racing...

[Just say she's slow, Rise. She's got a thick skin.]

[actsmagnificent]

She likes to run, right? That's all you need.

[ Look at that healthy appetite. What a good Rhyhorn. She must feel so secure and loved.

Also, look at the Rhyhorn otaku masquerading as a shiny human mature adult. ]