hashtagafreakingghost | Fourth 👻 Story [Video/Action for Goldenrod]

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Fourth 👻 Story [Video/Action for Goldenrod]

[VIDEO]

[It's flashback time on multiple levels. A waxy stub brushes over the PokéGear's lens, leaving the view muddy. A blurred hand swipes at it, as if it's trying to either knock the camera away or snatch it up and away, jury's out on which one. From the frustrated grunt accompanying it, seems like either would be preferable.

Whoever's holding the PokéGear, however, doesn't let go, instead jumping away. "Wick lit, wick!" Okay so it's a Litwick, now...desperately trying to get the camera to focus on the owner of the small hand. After a few seconds it works well enough, waxy fingerprints aside, and the one staring her down is an auburn-haired little girl, kneeling on a hotel bed. Around eight, maybe ten? Her small stature and incredible baby-face make it hard to tell if she's just a late bloomer or not. However old she is, she's pouting something fierce. A blanket's draped over her head and a discarded Pokémon Handbook lays open by her knees.]

Give it back, pl-please, I don't wanna!

[With each word, the defiant expression she's tried to keep up slips a little more, until she's genuinely...less distressed and more shy, and she pulls the blanket down so it's covering half of her face. Ashley is absolutely positively miserable.]

Go away. Turn it o-off, 'veryone's just gonna...

[...And there goes the other half of the blanket and she's just a blanket-girl now. Congrats.

Agatha the Litwick sighs and then lets out a confused "Lit?" The view shifts just a hair to the right, to a Ralts also standing on the bed. She shakes her head as the blanket-girl begins to whimper and just takes the 'Gear as if she's taking a selfie.]

Hello. Something seems to have gone quite terribly wrong. My trainer's somehow devolved, and she has no idea-

I WANNA GO HOOOME! 'V-VE NEVER EVEN PL-PLAYED A- A- [And now just wailing. Jane the Ralts winces.]

...where she is. We are...not doing very well in comforting her.

[Agatha's gone to try and fix Ashley! ...It doesn't seem to be working.]

I hope this isn't going to be a permanent change.

[ACTION FOR GOLDENROD / 3/12-3/14]

[Eventually Ashley will venture outside. At least she has a sensible outfit for this place. She's never out by herself, instead often holding hands with her Froslass (who is just a little shorter than her) or generally with any number of her Pokémon on hand, as she has never been out in a city by herself before. Back when they were actual kids Mike tried to get her to go exploring or adventuring but she always said no, because they could get in trouble or get hurt, and her mom would yell at her, so this feels bad and weird, but staying in that hotel room all the time's not fun either, and she has to find some way to call her parents!

While she has the natural instinct to clam up if anyone tries to talk to her or shy away from interaction, if she spies something that interests her like cute Pokémon or a bookstore or the Game's Corner, she'll get caught in one-track mode and go investigate. Curiosity, it truly is a beast. The earlier on you encounter her, the more withdrawn and upset she'll be, but she has to be brave! Or at least try to be. She's more inclined to get drawn in by an unfamiliar sight the longer the week goes on.

Ashley trips up a little on Friday night, as she...kind of gets distracted at the bookstore for too long, though, and when she realizes it's far too late, it's night. Like, pitch-black-stores-are-closing night. So that's a big problem, because guess who is absolutely terrified of the dark?

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[Oh. Oh, no. Is that...?]

Hey. Hey, Ashley? Is that Ashley.

[The girl under the blanket stiffens and jumps. One hand reaches out and snatches up the gear, pulling it into her little abode of safety. It's. Kind of hard to see since it's so dark, but she holds it very close to her face, and those sure are the same green-brown eyes...]

H-how d'you know m-my name? [Sniffle.] Do you know my- my mom a-and dad?

[Oh, no, honey.]

No, I...here, I'll start over. My name's York, I'm here to help. This device, it connects you with a lot of people who can help, okay? So you're safe. And your Pok--uhh, your candle friend and the little thing with the horns, they're there to take care of you, too. You're not in any danger.

[Why isn't North here, why did York open his big mouth, he does not know how to kids.]

[She appears...suspicious, very suspicious. But there's not much she can do but listen to him.]

Can they get me home? I-I've...never been 'way from home this long.

[Fuckkk.]

Well...maybe not right away, kiddo. How old are you?

[...]

Ten.

Okay. Ten. That's pretty big, right? Think I had my first overnight field trip around that age. I mean, that was to the moon, but...

[He's half talking to her, half to himself, but he shakes his head and does his best to appear reassuring.]

All right, here's the plan. You know how, if you ever get lost, you're supposed to stay in one place, and sometimes make an announcement so you can get found? See, you're already doing a good job. There anyone else there with you, besides your Pokémon? People you know, a grown-up you can trust?

[Shakes her head, and the blanket slips a little, letting in just a small sliver of light from the rest of the room.]

I'm alone. I- I don't even know...where this is, 'sides...a video game. But that's just supposed to h-happen in...books.

Well...sometimes the things that happen in books happen in real life, too. Just depends on the book.

[Okay, get a grip, York. That's not as helpful as it could be.]

It looks like you're in the hotel in the city where I'm in. I'm...pretty sure you don't remember me, so I'm not gonna ask you to trust me. That'd be weird. But if you stay where you are, I can bring over some food and books and things and keep you company for a while. From what I know, there should be plenty of other kids there, too, so you're not alone. It'll be...kind of like aftercare. After school, right?

But... You're never supposed to take anything from a stranger. Not food, not anything. That's the rules, ever since...forever.

[Even in her distress, Ashley still recognizes Strange Danger rules.]

Besides, I never go to any of those clubs. I just go straight home.

[It's actually a relief that she's got that common sense. Thank god for good parents, or something.]

Yeah, and it's good you know the rules. Not everyone your age remembers them, especially in scary situations like this. Let's see what we can do to keep it safe.

[He rubs his chin.]

What if I met you in the hotel lobby? There'll be people there, they won't let me do anything not on the level. And the food I'll bring, it'll either be sealed so you know I didn't do anything to it, or I'll eat a piece of it so you can be sure it's okay. No Snow White situations, okay?

[That... Okay, that sounds kind of reasonable. She pushes the blanket off her head with one hand. It sounds like she accidentally shoved it on to her Ralts, from the scrambling in the background.]

I can bring the Pokémon? So if anything's fishy they can beat you up?

[It's like she's asking permission- oh Ash, you tried.]

Yeah, of course. Good call, kiddo. Though, mind if I bring my own? Just one. A little one.

[He looks over his shoulder, whistles. A little Dedenne eventually scampers up to perch on his arm, whiskers twitching curiously.]

Iiiiitty-bitty. And friendly, see?

[Look, he doesn't the Jennies to arrest him for not having a Pokémon on him, that would be so unproductive.]

[At first, she can't see what he's talking about. A Pokémon? Where? But no, there it is. A small, tiny rodent, so small she gasps and raises a hand to her mouth.]

I-it's too little!! It's gonna get squished!!

[The Dedenne darts back up York's shoulder, chitters at his trainer, and starts calmly grooming its face. He ain't even bothered.]

Hey, don't worry about Manhattan. If anything tries to hurt him, bam--[He claps softly and mimes taking off like a rocket.]--he's out of there so fast you can't even see him. Like--hey, you know Speedy Gonzales, right? Old cartoon?

That's a city. [Sometimes, when she's nervous, Ashley can't help but sprout facts she knows. Even if the other person probably knows those too...]

Uh, I'mean. Yeah. I do. No one can catch Speedy.

Right. Well, no one can catch Manhattan, either, isn't that right?

[He addresses the last to the Dedenne, who squeaks confident agreement.]

That's why I named him Manhattan. He's faster than a New York minute, see?

[Straightens up her back.] I've never been to New York. But I wanna go. Really bad, really really bad.

[His eyes crinkle a little. Oh no, what a cute kid, no wonder North loved working with Theta.]

Hey. Can I tell you a secret?

[She just nods, leaning in. Ashley really likes secrets.]

York--that's short for New York. It's like a nickname. But...

[He lowers his voice.]

I've never been to New York, either.

[Her eyes get very wide.]

Nuh-uh... Really? Really, actually? If it's your nickname, you have to have been there!

I really, actually haven't. I'm actually from Texas, if you can believe that.

...You're supposed to have a twang...

[He laughs.]

Stereotype much, kiddo? City slickers ain't got as much of a drawl to 'em, bless your heart.

[And just like that, York's slipped into as Texan a twang as anyone ever did see.]

[Video]

hashtagafreakingghost - 2016-06-21 07:26 (UTC) - Expand

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