1 ♪

[celebrity_commentator]

[Action]

They'd interrupted one of her songs for that announcement, naturally. She couldn't really be offended, given that she's probably more sick of hearing it than the rest of the city was.

Rise sat back in one of the more out-of-the-way cafés in the entertainment district, playing with her Warp Band and procrastinating going to meet her manager. That announcement had certainly sounded serious, and she couldn't help but feel she should do something about it besides distract people with her sunny personality...

She sat forward again absently popped a berry into her Happiny's mouth while she was thinking. The little oval Pokémon squeaked in appreciation, though she was still more than a little concerned with the look on Rise's face.

"Hey, Toyo. Do you ever think we should be doing something more useful?"

The Happiny tilted her head for a second, then shook it.

"I think you like this job more than I do." Rise smiled very slightly, then fed Toyo another berry.

She fiddled with her Warp Band again. There was time to put a question out there before she had to get back to work, at least...she frowned. She better write it out. People'd probably recognize her speaking voice.

[Network Text]

sooooooo I have an unofficial clueless kid question for all you Rangers and Delvers out there in Union City! Does anyone happen to have an idea of where to find an iron mine out there in the wilderness?? It's awful cold to go wandering around blind, isn't it?

Comments

[Voice] GLaDOS is the robot attached to the icon woman's face, so.

[testingcycle]

[GLaDOS has a very... distinctive voice. Stilted. Stannic. A little flat. Kind of a deadpan lilt, if such a thing existed.]

Honestly, I don't see why they can't just melt down salvage from the Old City. There's loads of it down there. I should know. But if you're asking, I suppose you'd have to walk out there and hope you tripped on it.

You know, before all that frostbite and hypothermia sets in.

[Quiet, slightly condescending laughter.]

Or maybe if you had some kind of Pokemon that ate ore or something, you could use it as some sort of dowsing rod. Then you'd just have to hope that it didn't lead you to something useless, like a nickel deposit.

voice;

[sturzflug]

Uh... if they knew, there wouldn't be a shortage? Duh.

Text

[celebrity_commentator]

I more meant a general idea. Like, just as a guess, maybe toward the mountains? just thought I'd try to help the conversation along since people seem so enthusiastic.

voice;

[sturzflug]

Yeah, but like. No one's been outside the walls for hundreds of years. Warp bands stop working if you get too far... so obviously wherever they are, they're outside wherever people have already been. Again, duh.

[ Again, you're an asshole, Jean. ]

Unless somebody's holding out on us or something, but that's crazy conspiracy kind of stuff, so yeah-- no. Nobody knows. Could be ten mines out there. Could be zero.

Text

[celebrity_commentator]

[You sound auto-tuned, lady. Or would, if those exist in this setting. Rise assumes it's a glitchy Warp Band.]

isn't it harder to recycle steel, though? I think I heard that somewhere.

the pokémon idea is good, though. I wonder if there are any Steel-types that do that.

[celebrity_commentator]

maybe I should have directed this question at geologists, or something.

[flowerofsendai]

[It's hard to say whether or not Sakura recognizes Rise, let alone notices her, but, as she is sitting at her table, a young woman places a flyer down on it.

It would seem that the Union Divine Theater is putting on a production, and are looking for last-minute additions to the cast and crew. Also that tickets are on sale. She'll be placing these on each table, as well as tacking one up on the wall both inside and outside.]

[sturzflug]

Yeah, there's an idea. Somebody who studied the old world or something? We're all as lost as you, get it?

VOICE

[testingcycle]

[Yes, of course. It's her warp band.]

Perhaps your poor, primitive technology has problems with it now. But believe me... fire solves a lot of problems. Maybe it could even solve this problem.

Hmmm.

Actually, that gives me an idea.

Thanks for that.

[celebrity_commentator]

You're...welcome?

[celebrity_commentator]

[Rise picks up the flyer and reads it over while Toyo mimics her action over her shoulder. She's prevented from wondering if her Happiny can actually read or is just copying her when she looks at the part that says they're still casting. She looks up at the girl who's now tacking up the flyer inside.]

Hey! You're...[she thinks for just a second] Sakura Shinguji, right?

[flowerofsendai]

[Sakura stops and turns. She's a bit surprised that someone knows who she is just from looking.]

That's me. Can I help you?

[celebrity_commentator]

[Rise's a fan of the Theater - it seems a lot more legitimate than what she does, somehow. She knows better than to call herself a fan to one of the actresses, though, even one who only debuted like a month ago.]

I was just wondering what I needed to do to sign up. [She waves the flyer slightly to make it clear what she's talking about.] I've got some acting experience, myself.

[flowerofsendai]

[Please don't tell her that, Rise. You'd make her little chorus girl heart burst at the seams.]

You're interested? That's great! All you need to do is go down to the theater and they can get you started. I can even take you there, if you want.

[celebrity_commentator]

Really? That'd be great!

[She checks the time on her Warp Band...well, blowing off her manager was probably the smart thing to do anyway if she wanted to go have fun without someone making a big deal out of it.]

If you don't mind, I can go right now.

[flowerofsendai]

Sure, let's go!

[She heads to the door, opening it for her.]

[celebrity_commentator]

Helpful and chivalrous! I think I'm going to like working with you.

Come on, Toyo.

[Rise's Happiny hops down and waddles after her out the door, giving Sakura a friendly bow as she passes.]

[flowerofsendai]

[That is how the Sakura do. Rise might also note the sheath tied at her side. YOUR KNIGHT, RISETTE.]

So have you been in any theater productions before?

[celebrity_commentator]

[Well at least it's not princes this time. Rise pulls her coat tighter around her and lifts Toyo up onto her shoulder.]

I've done a few stage shows around, but never a full play, you know? I'm mostly a singer.

[flowerofsendai]

Really? That's neat! They're a lot of hard work, but fun too. I've only been in two so far--this one, and one before--but I've enjoyed being on stage a lot. I'm not one of the principle players, but I do get a few lines from time to time.

[celebrity_commentator]

I try to come by Union Divine whenever I can. I definitely noticed you were having fun up there.

[Toyo sort of bobs in agreement.]

[flowerofsendai]

You noticed me up there?

[Have a surprised blush.]

T-thank you! That means a lot to me!

[celebrity_commentator]

I just like to see people enjoying their jobs, especially on stage. Makes me feel like mine is less of a hassle than it is.

[flowerofsendai]

What do you do?

[celebrity_commentator]

Well, I actually sing professionally...

[Toyo looks at Rise impassively for a couple of seconds before prodding her seriously in the side of the head twice.]

Okay, Toyo, it's not like it's really a big secret.

You've heard of Risette, right?

[flowerofsendai]

. . .

YOU'RE RISETTE?!

[Wow loud.]

[celebrity_commentator]

[Rise and her Happiny wince in an oddly synchronized fashion, either due to the volume or due to the number of passerby whose heads turned at that exclamation.]

Could you keep it down, a little? I'm still sort of on lunch break...

[flowerofsendai]

O-oh! I'm sorry!

[celebrity_commentator]

It's fine. I just...get enough attention when I'm making an appearance, you know?

[Toyo nods seriously as Rise thinks about it.]

Well, you will know if you stick around in the theater long enough, I guess.

[flowerofsendai]

[She looks impressed.]

I've heard about people going crazy for celebrities, but I've never seen it myself. I couldn't imagine. That must be hard to deal with.

[celebrity_commentator]

It'd be a lot worse if people took singers more seriously here, I guess. The real problem is I have to treat everything like a public performance...

[flowerofsendai]

That sounds like it would be pretty tiring.

[celebrity_commentator]

[Rise and Toyo both nod seriously.]

I shouldn't complain, though. Not many people can make a living out of something like singing or acting, so I guess we're both lucky.

[flowerofsendai]

I'm not sure I could do it myself. I have a lot of fun with the theater, but it seems like so much work. I really admire you in that regard.

[celebrity_commentator]

Thanks!

[She giggles slightly.] I'm not sure I've ever been admired for my work ethic before.

[flowerofsendai]

I've only worked on one show, and that has been pretty hard. From what you've said, I imagine you perform a lot, and between performances and practices, you must have a lot of discipline. That's not something everyone has.