bravenewworld | 001 | Action, Video

[Action]

Shizuru stands outside what used to be her workplace, staring in dismay at the lack of progress rebuilding in the aftermath of the earthquake. It was a hair salon. She's not sure what it is now.

She ducks inside the doorway to see how bad the damage is, noting as she does multiple presences nearby. Purrloins. Some strays have found a new home, it seems. Shizuru makes a face.

Passersby may notice shouts issuing from the once and future hair salon as she fruitlessly threatens the pack of Purrloins. She knows she can't take all of them at once in a fight, but that doesn't mean Shizuru won't try to convince them otherwise.

"Get out now, or you're in for serious pain!"

--

[Video]

[Someone is checking out the new video feature. Shizuru has a cigarette in her hand and a small rueful smile on her face when she starts talking.]

Hey, everybody. The building where I work took damage in the earthquake, and not only are the repairs going slower than expected, I startled a pack of Purrloins in the process of purloining anything they found.

I could use some business. If anyone wants a haircut, come see me at home and I'll take care of you here rather than at the salon.

Otherwise I might get bored.

[She's clearly not the only one bored, as an Eevee jumps into her lap and nudges her while she's talking.]

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[Shizuru just laughs at the first part of that, because Imogen's enthusiasm is a little bit endearing and usually entertaining.] It's nothing all that special. [Having properly warned Imogen, she goes ahead and gives the address.]

Forget talking to the Purrloins. They're all jackasses. Come talk to Mulberry. He's better company he'd appreciate yours.

Of course it is, it's your home, every home is special! *Imogen is a sentimental basketcase.*

Well, they might have bypassed the barricades when the earthquake happened, and not know that the Old City is safe again. So I could try to coax them back to where they should be. But they probably will need more convincing than that.

*Immy has a Purrloin, and Lash is also a jerk. A useful jerk, one who helps out in exploring the old city, but is still a whiny jerk.*

But yes, I ma sure Mulberry will be much more fun to talk to, because he isn't a jerk.

[Still smiling at Imogen. Shizuru doesn't usually mind sentimentality, even if she tries not to indulge in it herself.]

Do they respond well to bribery? Threats didn't work so well for me. [Feel free to picture Shizuru threatening a whole bunch of Purrloins. It's probably an entertaining mental image.]

If by respond well you mean take the bribe and then continue as if you did nothing? Sure!

*Total. Brats.*

Anyway, I will be over soon! Then we can figure out the best way to rid the salon of some unwanted thieves.

I figured as much. It couldn't be that easy.

Sure. See you soon.

To most people, the girl approaching the small house in the lower districts would only share a passing similarity to Imogen Moreno. But most had never seen her hair down, and wearing clothes that were... simple. Imogen didn't feel the same pull to fanciful clothes if her hair was so drab.

She skipped up to the door, humming lightly to herself and knocked in rhythm to the music in her head. Which nobody else heard because Dark Types can't be read that way. Then she waited for the door to open, swaying a little to the tune in her mind, enjoying the peaceful day out.

"Imogen. Come in." Shizuru steps back to let the other girl past. Considering how colorful Imogen usually is, Shizuru still thinks their home might come as a little bit of a disappointment. It's clean and pleasant enough, walls painted pastel colors, but overall fairly plain.

A little like Imogen is right this second. Uncharacteristically so. "Are you traveling incognito today?"

"Ohhh," ignore Imogen as she moves through the room looking at everything, "I always love the homes down here, they feel so much... more alive."

It wasn't just the size, even if that was a big part, it was the... little inconsistencies. The tiny things that made each of these homes unique. The ones that homes like her own didn't have. Worked out by the cleaning staff time and again.

"Oh, just didn't feel like doing something bright and flashy while my hair's all down like this. It didn't really look me, you know?"

Shizuru just shakes her head as Imogen inspects everything on the shelves, chuckling softly. "Everybody's flawed, and so is my house?" She grins. "I suppose it is a little more personal without decorators and with me doing the cleaning, but I'd have thought with your usual tastes you'd find it boring."

Although she'd find that explanation odd from anyone else, from Imogen, it seems perfectly reasonable. Shizuru nods. "Of course. I can take care of that, but you'll have to find new clothes to go with it." There's no point rushing Imogen off for hairstyling until she's done investigating, so Shizuru waits.

"Something like that," Imogen was still moving around exploring, "Our house every flaw is carefully hidden and taken care of. ...Except me!" Lots of Imogen's stories involve her doing things directly in defiance of her mother's rules and social order. The only thing missing is starting a fistfight with anyone.

"I can manage that, I'll just go shopping on my way home!" One of the perks of Imogen's status she hasn't parted with, a rather extensive discretionary fund. Both from her family funds and from her personal earnings (supplemented by a lack of regular expenses). "Hmm..." Imogen held up a photo of both siblings, "Who is this?"

Shizuru frowns. "I like your family less and less the more you talk about them," she mutters. Shizuru can help with that fistfight, though, should Imogen ever want to add it to her list of social infractions. Give her someone deserving to punch, and her fists are ready.

She continues watching Imogen, remarking dryly, "Yes, new clothes. A terrible fate." The smirk accompanying her comment, should Imogen turn to look, says the opposite of her tone of voice. Shizuru likes new clothes too. The photo catches her by surprise, and she leans in to see which one it is. "My kid brother. Why?"

"My dad's cool, if I never had him I'd never have gotten here. I'd still be one of the other girls all waiting to be married and bred." But every other part of her family was much along the same line of any other nobleborn. Lost track of what matters before they were born. "He supported my creative exploits, all the way."

"I know, the worst!" Imogen sounds sincere, but of course Imogen sounds sincere fairly often when she lies. She put the picture down and glanced over her shoulder, "Oh, he asked me to attack him to try and help motivate his partner to fight for itself. It... was a really stupid plan. I don't think he realized how much I work out."

That, at least, is grounds for a very genuine smile. "Dads are nice that way. Mine hasn't hassled me at all about not going into research."

"...My brother did what?" Shizuru's smile has disappeared quickly at Imogen's story. She shouldn't be surprised, though. Really, Kazuma picking a fight is nothing new, especially when it comes to helping a pokemon. Her brother would do just about anything for Eikichi. "Did the idiot know that you're a dark type before he asked you to do it? I'm not the only psychic in the family." Oh, right, one other question she should ask. "He's alright?"

"Yeah, they are," there's a bit more wistful than Imogen usually shows in her words. Like something beyond what's there is at issue. But it's quickly lost with the fact that Imogen attacked Shizuru's brother.

Imogen jumped a little at the change, usually she caused the whiplash in the room, not the other way around. "Part of the reason he wanted me to do it was because Eikichi was freaked out because I was a Dark type. I assumed he was a fighting type and if I hit him with something Dark he'd be fine," Imogen quickly waved off how she phrased that, "And he was fine except he really learned not to underestimate how strong I am. ...Oh and Eikichi attacked him for the whole... trick, thing."

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