018 // action - union divine theater/ninetales vale/around union

[actsmagnificent]

[ a - union divine theater ]

Ah.....Left.

[ The Machomp and Nidoking holding up the decorative carving nod and move accordingly. Haruka surveys the result from several paces away, arms crossed. ] That's good.

[ A hired carpenter and her Mankey move in to affix the refurbished peace. No longer needed, Haruka glances around the rest of the damage. The dorm is mostly repaired by now, but the Theater is a long, slow process. They won't be putting on any more plays for a while...

...wait. ] Gene!

Woop! [ A Wooper flees the scene, the small rain cloud that'd been forming above some paint cans dissipating. Isn't he even allowed to dance his support anymore?!

He isn't really looking where he's running, and may very well end up lost. ]

[ b - ninetales vale ]

[ Ninetales Vale, while a haven for the physically spiritual, is also a place one can come for less directly spirit-related needs as well. For example, this unassuming building that has just reopened for business, every perfectly-shaped roof tile in place, is widely-known as one of the best places to go for a form of meditative hospitality centered around the drinking of tea.

Haruka is headed there now, dressed appropriately in a robe that crosses across her front. She takes a deep breath in front of the place, smiling to herself. Things are only going to get worse from here. She might need this. ]

[ c - HEADED RIGHT AT YOU, OH SAVIOR, GET OUT OF THE WAY ]

Move!

[ If the shout doesn't get you moving, Union pedestrian, perhaps the sound of a professional racing Rhyhorn thundering towards you on the open street might. It looks terrified, and is being pursued by a tall young "gentleman" on foot, who hurdles over a table of street wares like it wasn't even there in her quest to catch up to the stray beast.

The street is too crowded. So the young man looks for a handhold and begins vaulting himself up...onto the rooftops. Hope you weren't about to open a window! ]

Comments

[nonstopyouth]

[Oh that was fast. She was hoping to have a little more time to go over what she was going to say. The question also catches her off guard because guess who ALSO forgot that little detail. Yes, this Skitty.]

C-Cyan, nya! [AGH SHE DID THE MEOWING THING.]

My name is Cyan Hijirikawa. It's a pleasure to meet you, too Miss....

[actsmagnificent]

Haruka. [ A smile and a nod to the Pokémon here, as well. You are a valued and important member of this excursion, and she will be happy to buy you food as well.

....except she's realizing that in her desire to pay this girl back, she may have imposed herself all over again. ] Am I pushing too much?

[nonstopyouth]

[!!! Pyuru likes this one yes. Cyan smiles and, with less nerves this time, nods.]

This is my friend, Pyuru. It's nice to meet you Miss Haruka.

[To her question, she shakes her head.]

That's not it. I'm ...new here so I don't really know of what kind of places there are to eat so I thought ...I would ask for you to surprise us. If that's okay.

[actsmagnificent]

[ Oh no she's cute. They're cute. Everything is cute. Haruka's smile is far more reassuring, this time, not just drop-dead handsome.

It's that, too, but she can't turn that off. ] I think I can handle that.

[ Places...okay, got one. She begins to walk. ] Sorry about the dust.

[ And by "dust" she means "you moved to a city that an angry god rampaged through". Scale doesn't matter, right? ]

[nonstopyouth]

[She brightens up at that, ears flicking up and she follows after Haruka with a small bounce in her step.]

It's okay. Someone else told me about what happened here. It sounds like it was really scary.

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka shrugs: they managed. ] Where are you from?

[ They pass a storefront where some carpenter Machop are busy repairing a tail-shaped hole in the roof. Now that the snowy season is just about over, there are enough clear days to permanently repair parts of the city! ]

[nonstopyouth]

[Goodness, that must have been quite some tail.]

[She looks back over at Haruka at that question and frowns a little. This was the hard question to answer. It never got easier no matter how often she'd been asked in the last week or so.]

That's hard for me to say. I actually don't remember. I came here to maybe find out.

[actsmagnificent]

[ It beat being in the way of the head Haruka takes that answer (or nonanswer) seriously, but without too much difficulty. She looks down the street, reflecting. ] This is a good city for that.

You're lucky. [ Enjoy this moment. It is probably using up her supply of vocal goodwill for Union for the next several months. ]

[nonstopyouth]

[She looks up at that. Ah...that was good to know. She'd been nervous, coming here, but ...so far things were going pretty well. It was relieving.]

I don't know if I'd say I'm lucky, but I'm glad for this city so far. The people have been very kind.

[actsmagnificent]

Where are you staying?

[ Or is this a trick question? ]

[nonstopyouth]

Oh- Um. I'm staying at Redwall right now. Until I can get enough money to get on my feet, anyway. I don't want to impose on them for too long.

[She actually has a good answer for that!]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Consider Haruka reassured! The city is full of bleeding hearts so it's good that Cyan's found a few. ] There is something to be said for independence.

Still - [ A chuckle. ] You seem to be doing just fine.

[ And, when she passes the next building, she holds the door open. After you. ]

[nonstopyouth]

[So nice! She scurries inside and looks around. Oh! It was very nice in here. Of course it's not like she has much to compare it to, but she just has a feeling. This was a Nice place. She smiles a bit and then waits for Haruka to come in as well.]

I play music by the fountain. I'm saving up everything I have so maybe in a few weeks I can find someplace of my own. I am looking for another job in the meantime, though...

[That's been ...harder... handing in applications was scary.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ This place is indeed Nice. There is even a string quartet in the corner playing classical music, conducted by a snobbish-looking Kricketune. Haruka flashes a smile at the hostess as they enter, holding up two fingers. ] Two, please.

[ They're shown to their table. Behind the staff door there is a muffled commotion. "Haruka is here!" ] I don't suppose you're secretly a carpenter.

[ Would you care for a menu, miss? The hostess has one for you. ]

[nonstopyouth]

[oh goodness. She will take that menu. She looked around as they were seated with awe and- Miss Haruka must be some kind of regular for them to be so excited to see her.]

[She turns her head to address her again as she sits down. Her ears drop sheepishly.] I'm not... But if you know someone who needs a guitar player- or maybe a maid? I could probably clean.

[actsmagnificent]

[ This is a pickle. Being in the entertainment business herself, Haruka is in a position to offer Cyan a good introduction to the city's cultural centers. But. Having civilians working at their base of operations is always a tricky process to navigate... ] I'll keep that in mind.

[ Her next comment is studiously offhand. ] What genre?

[nonstopyouth]

[She smiles gratefully at that and drops the subject. There's no sense in being pushy, after all.]

...Hm? Oh!

[And then she looks a little flustered.]

I don't actually know if there's a name for it here, but I could play something.

[actsmagnificent]

[ Interesting. Haruka looks around the place - that Kricketune looks in no mood to be interrupted - and tilts her head towards the door. ] We could step outside.

[ She can leave her jacket at the table, and a nod to the hostess, to indicate they'll be right back. For some reason, these things always seem to work when one is Haruka Tenoh. ]

[nonstopyouth]

[!! Well, if it wasn't too much trouble. She nods and quickly gets up so they can move outside.]

[Now that they'd gone through all that effort, the pressure to make sure she did well was on her. She didn't want to waste Miss Haruka's time, after all.]

Knock it out of the park, kiddo.

[Ah- okay. She felt better now. She takes a deep breath and smiles at Haruka before she starts to play.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ From the look on Haruka's face, there is no way she would possibly rather be spending this time. She leans against the shop, hands in her pockets, to listen. So.

What kind of music do you play, Skitty? ]

[nonstopyouth]

[It's nothing that sounds like typical Union music. The guitar doesn't sound like a normal guitar, there's a certain electric sound to it. The music, however, is very upbeat and cheerful. Though ...maybe retrospectively, Haruka might have heard something like it in a City far, far away.]

[She may or may not be sparkling a bit while she plays. Fairy typing and all.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ ...That does seem vaguely familiar. Which is disturbing, but not enough for Haruka to hold it against Cyan until she learns more. Acting on incomplete information is not the Divine Defense Force's way. Hence all the skulking in ruins.

It's a cute song, though. So Haruka smooths the concern out of her features and smiles along. ]