Second Solo - Video/Action;

[cutiepanther]

[ video ]

[ At the start of the video all a person can see is the lower half of a girl's room, expensively decorated in what must be some kind of mansion. Nothing moves on screen, even as Maki's voice speaks up. ]

D-Does anyone know anything about Shifters? I-It's not like I need help or anything, I-I'm just trying to learn more about them.

[ Even though she says that, her tone of voice, the awkward stammers, it's clear that she's not being 100% truthful. ]

What if someone ended up getting stuck completely transformed...and didn't know how to turn back? N-No, wait! What I mean is... not like that but...

[ If the person in question isn't completely clear by now, it's made even worse when a woman's voice is heard off camera saying, "Maki, are you coming down for dinner?". ]

M-Mama! [ Suddenly scrambling to turn off her Warp Band, a purple, feline looking Pokemon comes into frame for just a moment, and then the video turns off. ]

[ action ]

[ If you happen to see a slightly off color Purrloin wandering the streets, or perhaps just sitting and listening to someone playing a violin somewhere in the city, it might just be Maki. This is the first time she's ever fully transformed, and is still afraid of people, though she will try not to run away from anyone who approaches her. She's also not sure how to turn back, worried that the more she stays like this, the more permanent it might become. ]

Comments

[actsmagnificent]

[ Oh, so it is you with the problem now? How about that. Haruka won't comment, though. ] I believe in you.

[ Okay. She won't comment directly. ]

[cutiepanther]

S-So what were you saying...about racers?

[ Maki doesn't know anything about racers, and well...it will mean she won't have to talk about her own problems and embarrass herself in front of Haruka. ]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Oh, that. Just the source of her metaphor, really. Haruka laughs. She probably takes for granted that people know her background....though on the other hand, she's always surprised when she's recognized on the street. ] Nothing much. You're not interested in sports?

[cutiepanther]

[ Maki's never really had many interests outside of music, aside from maybe astronomy or gardening. So she doesn't really understand Haruka's metaphor. ]

Not really, I prefer music. But I don't mind exercising..

[actsmagnificent]

You'd be good on the catwalk.

[ HARUKA. ]

[cutiepanther]

C-Catwalk? What's that supposed to mean?!

[ Because she's a cat?? ]

[actsmagnificent]

[ It was a compliment to your grace! But explaining things is for people with less abstract screenwriters other than Haruka. She smirks harder. ]

It's good you're energetic.

[cutiepanther]

[ Right now it's a little difficult for Maki to take any compliments...more so than usual. ]

Right now I just wish I could be an energetic normal girl..

[actsmagnificent]

[ .....why does the concept "normal" even exist. Haruka has never understood it. ]

What'd be wrong with being abnormal?

[ You might not be in the proper mood to notice her verb tenses, but she hasn't committed to calling you abnormal just yet. Just asked for clarification. ]

[cutiepanther]

[ It's not even so much that Maki wants to be completely normal, she just thinks she is already. And finding out that there's strange things about her is difficult. She still thinks its normal to believe in childhood fairytales and having a personal chef. ]

N-Nothing it's just... I don't know. I feel like I'm strange all of a sudden. Like I'm different from everyone else.

[actsmagnificent]

You always were.

[ Haruka, you'd better clarify. And she does for once, speaking slowly at first but then warming to her topic. ]

I can't really put it into words well, but concepts like "everyone else" don't exist. If you're different in this way, some other person's going to be different in another way. Sometimes you'll find people who are different the same ways, and sometimes your differences are something special only you possess. And that's worth treasuring.

[ She sighs, and tries her best to get a smile across in only sound. ] According to me.

[cutiepanther]

H-Huh?! [ That first answer really does make Maki freak out a little, leaning in about to go off on her own tirade, until Haruka continues. ]

..Treasuring... [ Maki repeats that word, before growing quiet in contemplation. She's never had friends, pokemon or human, and yet, lately she seems to have all these people being nice to her, and she's not sure where she stands anymore.

But then again, no one has even thought less of her as a Shifter, and that's a big deal to her. Not to mention that itty bitty little crush she may or may not have on someone.. ]

I never really thought about it like that..

[actsmagnificent]

You'll sort it out. [ And even if you draw a different conclusion than Haruka did, as long as you arrived at it on your own, and it enables you to be yourself, that's all good.

Her audible smirk is back, though. ] Who knows? Might even help you get back to two legs.

[cutiepanther]

[ She has a lot to think about now, as even off screen she scratches idly at her ear, where she would usually be toying with her hair when she's contemplative. ]

If I accepted this part of me...you think I could get back to normal?

[actsmagnificent]

Couldn't hurt. You'd be calmer, anyway.

[ Nothing good ever happened to Haruka while she was worked up. She's really lucky to have Michiru in her life to help out with that. ]

[cutiepanther]

You don't think that I'm strange, or weird or anything?

[ Why does she care about what Haruka thinks so much? Probably because of that little dance they shared.. ]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka doesn't get why her opinion should matter so much, either. But it clearly does, so she should honor that. She thinks over her answer carefully, but it's not an uncomfortable silence. Maki's....well, part of growing up is discovering new things about oneself. But that's not the sort of answer she's looking for, either.

So Haruka gives her honest opinion about the question she thinks Maki's asking. There's a laugh at the beginning, but it's earnest. ]

I think you're fine just the way you are.

[cutiepanther]

[ She probably cares about Haruka's opinion because she's never really had someone like Haruka, cool, mature, pretty, interested in her in anyway. ]

Ah..T-Thanks...I guess.. [ Yeah, she's more than a little flustered, turning bright red. ]

[actsmagnificent]

Good luck with the paws. [ Just because she doesn't see anything wrong with being a Shifter doesn't mean she thinks there's no problem if you can't switch back. Shifters are supposed to...shift. Yeah. ]