012 // action - haruka's misfortunes, union edition

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka Tenoh is always learning new things. Today's lesson: don't walk your Rhyhorn when the roads are icy. It will slide out of control, sprain people's ankles, and you'll be responsible for picking up their slack on what would happen to be the busiest day of the year at their workplace.

On a completely unrelated note, this dairy booth in the market district appears to be doing a booming business! It's also completely pink - pink drapes, heart-shaped balloons attached to the poles, Miltank plushies lining the shelves, and a Rhyhorn wearing a pink blanket squatting outside with a basket of chocolate in its mouth. Behind the counter (assisted by a Wooper in a pink bow tie) is the most brilliantly handsome salesman ever to grace the street, advertising in a voice that could rattle a packed theater. (She's also wearing a pink apron and a baker's hat shaped like a Luvdisc. Today has a theme.) Her sales pitch goes something like this: ]

Step right up, ladies and gentlemen! What you see here's available for one day only: Luvdisc-shaped chocolate for the health of your romance! Strawberry Miltank milk for the health of your body! And, with a purchase of just twenty-five dollars or more, we'll throw in a special four-piece chocolate sampler as thanks for being our sweetest customers! How about it?!

[ A middle-aged woman walking her Snubbull approaches the vendor. Could she have some Miltank cheese and a Luvdisc chocolate, please? Haruka graces her with her very best Divine Theater smile. ] But of course, Madam. If that's what you desire...

[ The woman looks about ready to faint back onto her Snubbull. Haruka would also dearly love to lose consciousness right now. Why is she so good at this? It's absurd to think she might be naturally gifted at spouting nonsense!

At least she's only served strangers thus far. ]

Comments

[actsmagnificent]

Woooop. [ Wooper leaves Corsola to her stakeout, busy musing about what "brooding in the rain" might look like. It does sound appropriately theatric.

Haruka, beset from all sides, tries to cajole with Michiru while still facing her customers. ] That's not true....

[ The girls, for their part, commune quickly upon realizing there's 1) another person here and 2) she's really super gorgeous. But they quickly hit on a compromise.

Excuse them, lady? You're just coworkers, right? Could you get them some chocolate while they talk to this guy? ]

[incousinswithyou]

[Michiru will simply opt to ignore that protest.]

I'm afraid you're mistaken.

[she's not the one who runs over innocent passersby.

Elaboration is apparently beyond her, but she certainly doesn't look like she's getting up any time soon.]

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[ Oh, no, they're harassing Michiru. Haruka jumps to her partner's rescue, though it's hard to tell whether she's more worried about her customers or her partner or herself. ] Ah, she's just...If it's sweets you want, I'm happy to provide....

[ DREAMY SIGHING indicates this probably succeeded. Except for one girl who asks why that lady gets to sit in the back. Can they sit in the back too?

Her friends pluck her sleeve, scandalized. That lady is sooooo pretty and sooooo above them! She's probably mega rich! You don't want to get sued, do you!?

Super Beauty looks at Carol. Do stakeouts usually allow people to come bother their Trainers? ]

[incousinswithyou]

Well, if I'm in the way... [she almost sounds sincere when she says that.

Carol thinks hard about it, looking from their Trainers to the other humans. Uhhhhh. Only if their Trainers are serving as a distraction for something...?] Corsola... [probably! Quick, is there anybody else looking distracted and/or suspicious??]

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[ Shoot. Haruka moves in front of Michiru so the girls won't have a chance to bother her any more. ] I'd much rather look at all of you out here! Now, what can I get you?

[ A few of the girls start ordering things. The ones towards the back of the clump seem annoyed, looking around while waiting their turn. One is staring at Wooper. So Super Beauty stares at her. That one is not doing what the others are doing. She snorts. Is that bad? ]

[incousinswithyou]

[Michiru is blessedly quiet during this - her view may be more than suitable at the moment.

Carol is alarmed! Maybe there's a Woopnapping plot afoot!!] Corsola...

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[ Haruka, for her part, is busy helping these girls. Chocolate for you...and for you....with the lightest brush of her fingers against their palms...This booth sure does pride itself on its service.

Super Beauty is not sure what Carol just said except that it sounds bad. What should they do? Should they run? She could run. She takes a step forward to indicate her willingness. ]

[incousinswithyou]

[from the giggling and the blushing, Michiru could probably figure out what's going on. It's quite distracting really, even if she was busy contemplating your backside.

Carol makes a split second decision born from years months of experience as a caped crusader! Quick, get Wooper to safety! The safety of innocent civilians takes priority!!] Corsola, cor!!

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[ Super Beauty nods and takes off towards the street! She's not sure what's going on, but you said "quick", and she can do "quick." Wooper, on her back, falls over. Where are they going? What are they doing? ] Woop!

[ Haruka looks over around the cluster and gapes. If Super Beauty hurts anybody else, she might be hawking wares all week! ]

[incousinswithyou]

[...that's so not happening. Michiru needs her date.

Carol is busy puffing herself up and getting ready to deliver the best magical girl superhero speech of all time! Something, something, daring to destroy a passionate young Woop's dreams of bringing life and love to people's lives through dance...? Yeah, that sounds like it'll be good.] Cor....corsola, cor!

[Michiru glances over at you. Will you do something or...?]

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...Excuse me. [ Haruka vaults the counter, parts the girls like the Red Sea was made of gaping, weak-in-the-knees adolescents, and strides up to the edge of the street. Then she thinks. As hard as she can. In Super Beauty's direction.

The Rhyhorn screeches to a stop, her whole body reverberating with the word BACK. Back! She has to go back!

Back she comes. She hasn't noticed Wooper fell off and is now lying face-down in the sludge. Don't mind him, heroes. You saved him! ] Woooooooop.

[incousinswithyou]

[Carol pauses in the middle of her speech when she feels a certain stillness in the air. She gulps and then slowly turns around to see that her Trainer had edged around the counter and the gaggle of awestruck girls. Aaand was looking at her, arms crossed, with that Smile.]

C-cor... [eheh...?]

You're jumping to conclusions again. [Michiru glances outside to see a Wooperless Rhyhorn.] Go find your new friend, and then come back and apologize.

Corsa... [Carol's spines droop, but she heads on out to try and find their wayward Woop]

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[ Super Beauty has finished coming BACK. She is now being told to SIT, so she does. She should have waited for her Trainer to say "run".

Haruka gives her a look - we'll talk later - and then turns back to the girls. ] Who haven't I helped yet?

[ She'll finish up over here while the Wooper Rescue Squad goes into action. Wooper looks in need of it, too: he hasn't budged. Mostly because he still isn't quite sure what happened. ] Woop woop.

[incousinswithyou]

Cor...! Corsola? [oh no! Wooper! Do you need help getting up?

At least the relatively little dramatics going on probably meant Michiru's words sunk in (for the moment).

Meanwhile, Michiru is going to go wait by the door, keeping an eye out for the Pokemon.]

[actsmagnificent]

Woop. [ Oh, hey. He's fresh out of arms for the moment, so that'd be nice. Up he goes! Whoooooo(p).

The girls aren't sure what to think of Super Beauty, so Haruka manages to speed them on their way with only a bit more sweettalking and a promise that they'll, like, totally come back tomorrow she doesn't have the heart or energy to disclaim. Once they're out of earshot, she looks up at the sun. ] Does that look like it's setting to you?

[ She could probably be persuaded of the fact. It's certainly low in the sky, isn't it? If you squint. Or count the buildings as the horizon... ]

[incousinswithyou]

Corsola, cor... [as soon as Wooper is back up on his feet, Carol starts apologizing. Sorry. She totally thought they were trying to woopnap you, but her Trainer said they weren't... Not that it's an excuse...or at least that's what her Trainer says...

Michiru just smiles] It is, where I'm standing.

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[ Haruka checks the cash drawer and the remaining stock. They didn't quite sell out, but they came very close. ] Well, I'm about to have to turn people away anyway.

[ And that would just be awful. She pays for the last two bottles of milk and hands one to Michiru. ] Good job today.

[ You rocked that chair in the back like nobody's business! And here come the Pokémon, Wooper leading in pleased puzzlement. What's a Woopnapping? He's going to go ask Trainer. ] Woop woop woop woop!

[ Super Beauty sneezes. Lucky Carol got to run. Walk. Move. But look how well she can SIT. ]

[incousinswithyou]

[well, she couldn't really fault the view from back there.

She'll take that bottle though.] And the same to you. [great job with all those teenage girls, right?

Carol kinda slumps next to Super Beauty, using her friend's bulk to partially hide her from view.]

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[ Super Beauty is fine with this. They can SIT together.

Popping the cap off her milk, Haruka shrugs and yanks that stupid hat off her head before taking a sip; it gets stuck in her apron pocket never to return. ] You hungry?

[ She's been on her feet all day. Preparing dinner at home sounds like it might be more trouble than it's worth. Perhaps they should visit a restaurant.

Wooper wanders over to Haruka but waits his turn to ask about Woopnapping. ]

[incousinswithyou]

Shall we go eat? [Michiru will pause, however, and study a glum looking Carol. That wasn't heroic at all, was it?

Michiru crouches, offering a hand, palm up as a peace offering.] We'll be more careful next time, right?

[it takes a moment, but then Carol boops that hand with her nose and then nods, spines lifting slightly.]

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Woop woop. [ Trainer doesn't know what Woopnapping is either. That, or it's nothing important. She just told Wooper they'd discuss the matter "later". (Super Beauty, on the other hand, thinks that Michiru's hand is there for everyone to boop. So here. Have a horn.)

Haruka divests herself of the apron, in turn, moving around the stall to lock things up and yank down a shutter. Are the decorations her problem.....? They were up when she got here. So she's thinking no. ] Well, we're out now.

[ It'd be kind of silly to go home and then head back out later. If they're careful, the menagerie should behave.

Should. ]

[incousinswithyou]

[Michiru smiles and Super Beauty gets horn pets too. Sorry for her Corsola.]

Let's go, then. [before anything else happens/more high school girls pop up]

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[ Super Beauty makes a happy snuffling sound. She has a friend, and now she is being petted. She's not really sure what "friend" is, but being with Carol makes her happy. That is good.

Haruka nods, putting the finishing touches on closing - goodbye, apron; goodbye, pink wrap on Super Beauty; goodbye, keyring hidden somewhere in the booth so the actual owner can find it tomorrow (tucked deep down in the hiding place so no Murkrow will spy it). This stand is done for the evening! ] Yeah.

[ And let us never speak of this day again. ]

[incousinswithyou]

[Michiru might smile to herself whenever they come across Luvdisc merchandise, but really, she won't even need to mention it.

She stands up and offers her hand to you too.]

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[ Haruka accepts that hand with all the grace and class of someone who has already put her stint as a dairy vendor behind her. She tilts her head to indicate to the Pokémon that they're leaving.

Super Beauty stands, ready to go. Wooper, though. Wooper doesn't get it. And thus as they begin striding off, cool as can be, they have a rather panicked escort. Oh, no! He's being left behind! ] Woop woop woop woop!