005 // Action

[actsmagnificent]

[ action; around Union ]



[ There is an egg on the ground.

It used to be on the windowsill of a room on the first floor of the Union Divine Theater housing complex. But whatever's growing inside this egg is already restless, and a few wiggles and wobbles sent it tumbling over the edge to land safe and sound in a grassy patch. Though the going is slow, it's begun to unconsciously roll its way down the courtyard and out towards the street.

There's a saying about how stifling eggs are, after all. If it cannot break its egg's shell, a Pokémon will die without being born.....

....there's also a Cubchoo running around, a panicked look on her drippy face. She had one job! Where did the egg go?! ]

[ action (?); Flower Grove ]

[ Unaware of the commotion caused by her absence, Haruka is taking it easy today. She's gone out to the Flower Grove to train against types of Pokémon not commonly found in Union, and ended up intrigued by the flora. She's seen these before....oh, when the foliage sprouted everywhere. So she's clipped a few flowers to take back to Union for investigation. Setsuna or Pamela might be able to help with that.

In the meantime, she and Swadloon are relaxing among the flowers, eyelashes slowly fluttering shut. A Spritzee is sitting next to Swadloon; every now and then she snuggles against him. He's just so green! Green is an amazing color!

Haruka sighs, content; ethereal sparkles play around her face as she relaxes further into the now-glittering flower bed, awash in pastels. ] There's a soft wind blowing today.

Comments

it shall be her secret, then

[actsmagnificent]

Chooo....

[ Lowering the egg, Cubchoo looks around in an attempt to single out the proper direction and point to it. Then she realizes that in her hurry to rescue the egg from certain peril, she.......forgot to keep her bearings.

Audible gulp. ] Cub. Cubchoo.

[bleeding_heart]

It's okay. I still get lost too. Let's look together.

[actsmagnificent]

Choo. [ Cubchoo nods, holding the egg nice and firmly so it can't wiggle away again. Even this isn't enough, however, so as they begin to walk she wraps her arms around it as if she's hugging it.

This is a really, really important egg, okay. ]

[bleeding_heart]

It looks like it's going to hatch soon. Would you rather go to the Breeding Center?

[actsmagnificent]

[ Cubchoo shakes her head. It has to wait! It has to wait for her Trainer! Her Trainer is looking forward to this egg more than she will ever, ever say! ] Choooooooo.

[ ...Oh. She thinks she recognizes that street corner. Her ears perk up slightly, and the egg settles down. ]

[bleeding_heart]

[Merrill shakes her head, smiling a little.]

Hatching eggs don't wait. They open up whenever they're ready.

[She glances back at the egg when they reach the next corner.]

...But it looks like we may still have time.

[actsmagnificent]

[ Cubchoo sniffles and hides her nose behind the egg. Now that the crisis has passed, her self-consciousness is returning, and she doesn't want to show a runny nose to someone who's being this nice to her. It doesn't seem proper. ] Cub.

[ You're being so nice, too. You aren't looking down on her yet. She doesn't want that to start happening. ]

[bleeding_heart]

[Merrill smiles down at the little bear, tearing a strip of fabric from her other sleeve to match the one she ripped off earlier to bind the wound on her hand.]

Here. Use this.

[And she hands it down to the Cubchoo as a makeshift handkerchief.]

[actsmagnificent]

Cubchoo.

[ Cubchoo isn't sure she wants to use a ripped piece of fabric; that doesn't seem proper either. But so is ingratitude, so she does her best to blow her nose around the egg. It rattles in her hold, but she keeps her grip.

You don't want this back, do you? ]

[bleeding_heart]

You can keep it.

[Merrill manages to look only slightly awkward as she smiles.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Cubchoo nods. Thank you. ] Choo.

[ Oh, she knows this shop, too - they're still cleaning up from when she ran into their apple cart. She shrinks to hide behind Merrill as they pass it. At least they're going in the right direction. ]

[bleeding_heart]

This way?

[She's fine with shielding the little bear from view as they make their way along, pointing down the street with a questioning glance.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Cubchoo nods, keeping quiet and clutching her egg very carefully. Let's just creep on past...

Was it right or left, now? Oh dear. ]

[bleeding_heart]

Let's try... left.

[She has no basis for this whatsoever.]

[actsmagnificent]

Choo!

[ Neither does she for her enthusiasm. Who knows where they'll end up? It's an adventure!

...Or are ladies not supposed to get excited about adventures? ]

[bleeding_heart]

It's okay. Everyone gets excited about adventures.

[actsmagnificent]

Cubchoo. [ That's reassuring. This woman knows a lot about a lot of things. Cubchoo walks a little closer to her, glancing at Merrill's legs. If she'd had a paw free, she might have tried latching onto Merrill's clothing. Nothing bad is going to happen to her while she's with this nice lady.

Where are they headed, though...? Is the theater around here? ]

[bleeding_heart]

Do you want me to carry the egg for you so that you can hold on to me?

[She may not be able to understand exactly what Pokemon are saying, but she can at least get a general sense, and she's picking up that this Cubchoo wants to feel close and safe.]

I'll treat it like it was my own, I promise.

[actsmagnificent]

[ "Her own"? Do humans...lay...eggs...? Is that where the Rotom came from? Her Trainer and the fancy lady do spend a lot of time together...

The offer is tempting, but Cubchoo shakes her head and puts her nose in the air. Responsibility for this egg was entrusted to her. She wants to stick this out herself. ] Cubchoo!

[ Her head lowers, and she smiles shyly. But...thank you anyway. ] Cub.

[bleeding_heart]

[Merrill smiles down at it.]

You're a good girl.

[And just to reinforce that notion, she pauses briefly to lean down to the Pokemon's level and pat her on the head.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Cubchoo beams. ] Choo!

[ Even the baby wiggles inside the egg. She's holding on tight, though. It's not going anywhere. ]

[bleeding_heart]

Let's just walk around until you see something else you recognize. I'll stay with you until you get home.

[actsmagnificent]

Cubchoo. [ A grateful nod. Cubchoo has learned something new today: thoughtfulness is also part of being a fine lady.

This isn't the right street, but an advertisement for the theater catches her eye. Wow! That picture looks just like her Trainer's elegant friend! What a pretty dress she's wearing. Cubchoo bumps against Merrill's legs to catch her attention and bobs her head at the poster (though this makes her have to sneeze again.) ] Cubchoo! Choo!

[ That sure is a drawing of Michiru Kaioh that's got this Cubchoo so excited. ]

[bleeding_heart]

Oh, did you see something?

[While she's leaning down to take that scrap of cloth from earlier to help wipe Cubchoo's nose, she looks up at the poster.]

Is this your trainer?

[actsmagnificent]

[ Cubchoo looks uncertain. Not.....exactly....but....

She jumps up and down. The place where they put on the plays! She has to go to the place where they put on the plays! ] Choo! Choo!

[ And she strikes her best "just finished a musical number" pose, which is kind of hard while holding an egg. But she'll try. She'll even get a few sparkles to generate around her head.

She's learning. ]