A Very Merry Hobo Birthday... To You!

[tsunbird]

Who: A whole lot of losers (this can mean you). Specifically, Ankh, Eiji, probably all of the Senshi, Martin, Elly and Fei. Nozomi? Possibly more Love Lives?? A WHOLE LOT OF LOSERS... I tagged everybody I knew would be here that I knew the canons for. :<
What: Hino Eiji's birthday!!
When: October 22! All day, all night, as long as y'all wanna celebrate this hobo.
Where: Hikawa Shrine.

He was pretty sure Rei had said something about it being Eiji's birthday. He didn't actually care overmuch, since she had come to him with the request that he take Eiji and distract him until a specific time, and given him the idea of making him buy ice cream. Ankh liked ice cream. In fact, it was about his favorite thing. So when it had been suggested that he could force Eiji into buying him some, whilst still fulfilling some kind of request from Rei, it meant he was getting ice cream and having the grumpy Shrine Maiden indebted to him (at least, in his own mind). So while there was the vaguest of concepts in his head that this was a distraction for some kind of celebration in honor of Eiji, he was mostly interested in the fact that he was making the vagrant buy him something.

And so here they were, Ankh dragging Eiji by the sleeve, heading into town.

"You walk too slow, how do you walk this slow? You're taller than I am."

Comments

[allergictoloveletters]

[Aurora nodded, yes, she is very lucky, which is why she'll protect Ami with absolutely everything she has, and anyone else Ami brings into the fold. She shook her head as she was following Ami to Haurka. Ah, the one that smells like the wind.

Your trainer has such a wonderful smell, Jolteon, a smell that is fierce and strong.

At the mention of "not like the others," Ami gave a light nudge to the Jolteon.]

We found him wandering around giving some shocking kisses. [She giggled.] Aurora had to dispel some of the static shock the two of them built up.

A pleasure to see you again, Haruka-san, and under much better circumstances.

[actsmagnificent]

You look well rested. [ Get back over here, Gold. The Jolteon trots over to his Trainer and only trips over his own paws at the last moment, so that an attempt to coolly turn around and sit next to Haruka turns into him sprawling in a lump on the floor. But he straightens that out quickly enough, then tilts his head so his party hat is no longer lopsided. He is where he should be! ] Jolt!

[ Haruka promises she doesn't judge all Electric-types by this one's example, Aurora. ]

[allergictoloveletters]

Hmm, it helps when you're not being chased within your own dreamscape. [She agreed. She instantly reached out when she saw that Jolteon tripped and tried to assess if there were any injuries.

Aurora, meanwhile shook her head in dismay. Oh, Jolteon, why?

The Luxray padded over to Jolteon, standing several feet above him. She leaned down and took him by the scruff of the neck like she might a baby shinx and picked him up.

Try and have a bit of composure, will you?]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Gold's ears go back and he looks at Aurora sheepishly. You're so nice to help him. He's sorry. He'll be good. ] Jolteon.

[ Haruka smiles - like Pokémon, like Trainer, it seems - and then looks back over at Ami. There's something else they should speak about regarding those dreams. She's not sure a party is the time and place for it, but there is no good time, is there? And if Usagi's had the dreams, and Rei's had the dreams.... ]

Is that your only nightmare?

[ Ami's one of them. She's almost positive. But she needs the proof with her own ears. ]

[allergictoloveletters]

[See that you are, Gold. You are an electric pokemon, you should compose yourself as such. You are a wonderful type! You should be proud to have been evolved into it.

Ami, on the other hand gazed at Haruka and her brows knitted together. Her mind went quickly, it always did, and she thought of various nightmares, their creation, everything that could possibly be related to this question. She tilted her head and gazed at Haruka coolly. She knew, someone like Haruka, and the gravity of her nature, what she was talking about. The dreams Usagi had, that Ami had gotten into in her own form, different and stronger, older.]

I assume, Haruka-san, you are referring to a dream regarding the Great War?

[It was phrased as a question, but Ami had already removed the possible other outcomes and the probability of this being the likely topic in question was incredibly high. Ami hadn't mentioned it to Usagi or to Rei, or to any of the other girls. She had been trying to understand the matter herself.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ And there's that. Haruka nods. Smart girl, to have done the math so quickly. If the dream world was any indication, she should be a valuable enough ally, too. Inexperienced, but that'll change. She'll have to learn under fire. ] I see.

[ She looks off at some hazy point in the distance. Come to think of it, this is a little bizarre. First it was just her and Michiru, then Setsuna, then Hotaru - all of that made sense, but now... ] So many of you at once....

[ If you want to keep your cards close to your chest, Haruka, maybe you shouldn't muse out loud in front of the girl genius. ]

[allergictoloveletters]

[Rei, Minako, Usagi, Makoto, herself, now Haruka, which concluded her earlier suspicions about Michiru, Hotaru, and Setsuna as Haruka was closest to them and they all had that feeling about them, the same feeling that Rei and Usagi had. That feeling that made sense even if they had only spoken a little bit.]

9.

[She offered.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Everyone at the birthday party, then. Are they all being drawn towards each other on purpose? Are they all meant to work together?

Well, the Divine Defense Force is meant to worship the gods and Haruka would rather Earthquake certain gods in the face, so she's not very good at following instructions to the letter, but....still....

For now, she just nods. It's hard to focus on saving the world when one has just noticed one's Jolteon's party hat has fallen onto his snout and he can't get it off, thanks to the little elastic band keeping it on his head. ] We'll talk it over later.

[allergictoloveletters]

[She inclined her head and made no notion to continue the conversation. She was able to discern that the matter was clearly something that needed to be discussed in private. She instead tried to figure something out and so, perhaps a bit forwardly she asked:]

Why are you lingering in the corners, Haruka-san? It is not typical, from what I've seen of you, to be so secluded. You usually have many gravitating towards you. [Well, her and Michiru.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka shrugs. She's had a lot on her mind lately and you just learned about most of it, so she doesn't see a need to answer. ] Are you hoping to assuage my broken heart?

[ As if said heart would ever be broken. But then again, Michiru's managing to balance worries about the future with staying pleasant in the present. Haruka had better step up her game. ]

[allergictoloveletters]

I would be willing to keep you company, yes. [She blushed, trying to ignore the joke that Haruka made although her mind couldn't help but think about what Haruka may have meant by "broken heart."]

If you would like?

[actsmagnificent]

[ Eh, she's messing with Ami, but she also wouldn't say no to the company. Haruka shifts on the wall to make room for her companion. ] They did a nice job with this party.

[allergictoloveletters]

Oh yes. It's very nice, and the guest of honor seems to have been truly surprised and pleased with the results. Do you know him, by any chance? I know him only by appearance.

[actsmagnificent]

We've met. [ Darkrai nearly fed him to some sharks. But that's it, really. ] Decency must run in the family.

[ Since, well.....Rei. But honestly. How close can mere cousins get? ]

[allergictoloveletters]

Mmn, I agree. Though I do wonder if Hino-san has similar psychic abilities like Rei-chan. I did not think it polite to ask.

[actsmagnificent]

Wouldn't that depend on typing?

[ Not that she knows Eiji's. But the Analyst here probably knows more about this stuff and its likelihood than she does.

...Unless Ami's wondering if Eiji is also one of them. That thought gives Haruka a little chill, but she shrugs it off. One idealist is bad enough. ]

[allergictoloveletters]

Not necessarily. Some pokemon are capability of things completely separate from their typing, people are no different.

[She tilts her head.]

Typing is not exactly understood where people are concerned. People who may not be any an enlightened or have a type may have children who are. Or alternatively, they are and have children who aren't, or have alternative typing. It is a rather curious thing to study.

[actsmagnificent]

You've thought a lot about this. [ As expected of the academic. Haruka smiles. ] Well, sharing her abilities would ruin the surprise party.

[allergictoloveletters]

Of course. Enlightened abilities are a fascinating course of study, and one I have endeavored to understand as much as possible.

Sharing... oh, you mean Rei-chan, perhaps?

[actsmagnificent]

[ Bingo. Haruka inclines her head.

...And Gold, who had gotten up and left when it became apparent he wasn't part of this conversation, shuffles by with party hats on his feet, three on his head, and an assortment of others sticking up from his fuzz. He and Martelé decided he should model these wonderful fashion accessories, apparently, and he got a bit carried away.

Haruka clears her throat. ] Pokémon certainly are...interesting.

[allergictoloveletters]

[Ami can't help but cover her mouth and laugh as she sees the little Volteon absolutely covered from head to toe. She crouches down and removes the one that fell around his muzzle. She was very used to electric types, have one of her own.]

He's just excited. I bet this is your first party since evolving.

[actsmagnificent]

Jolt! [ It is! And it's also his first party that features party wear like this! He's so very happy Ami took a hat. Will she put it on her own head now? Will she?

Gold looks up expectantly. His butt fuzz wags in lieu of a tail, sending the hats atop it wobbling. Haruka looks away. He's his own individual. Anything he does doesn't reflect on her. La la la. ]

[allergictoloveletters]

[She reached up and put it on her head for the pokemon, really not minding. She tilted her head and lightly bopped him on the nose.]

Maybe you should go give one to your partner.

[actsmagnificent]

Ee. [ Nah, Martelé wasn't in the mood, and her head fin got in the way. She helped him dress in all these, though...

Oh!

Oh, you meant Trainer!

Boy, Gold feels stupid now. He looks up at Haruka hopefully, who looks down without turning her head. ] Really?

[ Gold wilts a bit. But. The pretty lady thought it was a good idea, Trainer!

Haruka sighs and reaches for a hat. ] I didn't pick you as the type to spoil them.

[ Being wrong is amusing, though. And that's the only reason this hat is ending up on her head. ]

[allergictoloveletters]

Indulge, perhaps, not spoil. My pokemon remain on diets and training regiments that not only improve the body, but the mind as well. However, social behavior and appropriate behavior is always important to encourage. Positive reinforcement is far more effective than negative reinforcement.