hashtagafreakingghost | First 👻 Story [Video/Action for New Bark]

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First 👻 Story [Video/Action for New Bark]

[VIDEO]

--on't want to, oh my--

[Hello, there, world! You know how a camera looks when two people are fighting over it? ...Or, well, one person and one blob-like candle-thing, in this case. Point is, you do now; the lens is covered in little waxy marks, leaving the girl it's now focused on- the girl who keeps trying to snatch it back from the surprisingly nimble candle- in a light haze. Through the viewpoint, at least, emotionally she appears rather annoyed and frustrated.

Probably because of that Litwick urging her to do an impromptu vlog, huh.

Ashley's kneeling on the ground, her backpack open on her lap and her Trainer's Handbook gripped firmly - open, looks about halfway done - in on hand, as the other keeps swiping at the camera.]

Please give that back to me, you little-- [The angle evens out and Ashley's eyes go wide. Deer, headlights, hello.] It's on. Isn't it? [Bobbing, up and down.] Oh.

[Well. Let's just- ...keep staring straight ahead, okay, good job. A+ kid, gold star. Stage fright?]

I, um. Uh... Is...it broadcasting...? [Dumb question. ] Okay. I...uh- I'm not- ...this isn't anywhere near Canada, is it? Because. I read the- this. [She holds up the manual, a little dismally. Her tone of voice is frazzled, a little weak and helpless.] I know, it said um...New Bark Town, Johto? B- but...I'm just trying to figure out how I...got here. B-because no one's really...been forthcoming about that.

[Maybe she should broach this question carefully-]

And I really really would like to be sure if I'm going crazy or not, because there's a- a candle filming me, and I do not have blood on me and that is not at all what I remember, and I should get back t-to the ranger station because they might still need to- ask me questions- about...

[OH OKAY WOW NEVER MIND THEN

Ashley trails off as it seems her brain catches up with her mouth and oh boy that sure is something to say uh. She pales considerably.]

I- swear that's not what it- I- haven't um- killed...anyone...or...

[Either Litwick is going in for a dramatic close-up or actually wants to see if she's alright (jury's out on which one frankly) because the view of Ashley gets ever-so-slightly bigger- and when it's close enough she reaches out in one fluid motion and snaps it up with one more quick, muttered whimper:]

Sorry, bye.

[So. That's that, then.]

[ACTION FOR NEW BARK]

[If you happen to be around New Bark, you might find Ashley just kind of kneeling on the ground, around the houses, with her Litwick bouncing impatiently next to her. It doesn't look like she's in the mood to leave, not just yet, or. Even stand, really, she hasn't had a great time, lately.

...Though at some point she has decided to get herself up off the ground, because she's really had it with being all crouched in the snow and it KEEPS HAPPENING. Really she's so exhausted after the last...what, twelve hours? Thirteen? She'd kind of lost track, with all the bustling, questioning, waiting. Last she remembers, had...she finally fallen asleep? Waiting for the others to be done, the rhythmic ceiling fan, the distant sounds of the others being interviewed, the dim awareness of Emily glaring daggers at her every few minutes, the feeling of her cheek against Chris' shoulder...

She has to walk. To do something. Litwick trails along with her, pointing toward the trail, but Ashley ignores her insistent taps and pokes. She leaves a trail of footprints, occasionally rubbing her eyes with one hand, looking...rather exhausted, honestly.

There's nothing to do but read the handbook, so she finds a little bench and opens it and browses...and the PokéGear, at some point, she just kind of. Ran from that. Not her finest hour.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That so? Weird.
You're not pulling my leg? Not teasing me?

look i can turn on the video feed if you want

[Well fine, then, challenge accepted. Dave looks cool enough when he turns on the feed, but his half-smile goes kind of sheepish when he puts a hand to the frame of his glasses.]

I don't do this for everybody, okay? Keep this on the down-low, I can't be known to give into every sassy bookworm girl this side of New York.

[Aw, he's shy.]

[Contrary to her friendly and rather upbeat texts, Ashley still looks like she's been through the mental ringer, head supported on her knees on the bench she's set up shop at, all tired and subdued, any ounce of amusement being positively minimal. There is some though, so that's a victory. And at least she sounds a bit calmer.]

I'm from LA. [Give him some kind of reassurance-] This'll be our little secret. Swear.

A'ight. Feast your ganderbulbs, then.

[He lowers his shades down his nose and leans in so she can see.]

What's the verdict. Are they lustrous ruby orbs limpid as pools of, I dunno, Kool-Aid, or do I gotta find myself some new adjectives.

[A moment of silent judgment and...]

Well, jeez. Color me surprised. Red as red can be.

Yup, thought so.

[He slides his sunglasses back up and settles again. He's actually lying on his stomach on his bed already. It has been a very busy day facilitating fraught teenage reunions, don't judge his terminally-low-on-spoons ass.]

I have trouble with light sometimes, but that's probably less about my genes and more about my lifestyle.

[As long as there's no judgment for how she seems positively envious of his warm, comfy position. Litwick - who is still hanging out by her side, was she watching her texting, what a shameful little candle! - leans in a bit and Ashley shamelessly warms her fingers above the flame.]

Don't like the outdoors much? [A taut smile.] Same.

Ssssomething like that.

[But Ashley Williams has had enough of A Day without his telling her about Homestuck.]

Most of my hobbies mostly took place inside. Mixing music, drawing, darkroom shit...I guess the most sun I tended to get was up on the roof with my Bro.

[You are a good soul for waiting, Dave. A very good soul.]

Oh, like...watching the sunrise? How nice. [uh sure] That's really...cool, all that art. One of my friends ca- could draw really well. [She wavers.] What...what style do you do? Or...what kind of music? Photos?

[Dave isn't exactly what one might call perceptive--at least, not with people. But he's been trying this whole time to listen, to pay attention, so he catches it. He notices.

Let's go with music, then.]

Well, for music, I do a couple different things. Rap, obviously. I write my own, and most of them are sort of culturally relevant, social commentary type shit. But I'm an okay turntablist, too. Sometimes I'd mix my friends' more traditional stuff and send it back to see what they thought.

[He tricked all of them, made her think so many horrible things, played her like his own little puppet, and yet- and still--

Ashley tries to focus on what Dave's saying instead.]

Really? So you're all music people. That's so nice, common ground... I've never really listened to a lot of rap before, though.

Aw, girl, you're missing out. I'd send you some good stuff, but I haven't gotten a handle on Johto's musical scene yet, and I don't have the equipment on me to drum something up myself.

--Oh, but if you ever run into someone on your Gear calling himself DJ Zack Attack? Definitely hit him up for some tunes and conversation. He's so fuckin' cute and funny, I love him.

I... DJ Zack Attack? [A subdued half-smile, a tiny...not-quite-laugh.] Sounds like a character. I guess I should expect that, being in like...a video game.

If you ever get set up with something, let me hear your music? I love seeing people create things.

[He starts to say something, maybe about how hard it is to do that while traveling, maybe about how his ill stylings will blow her mind, but for some reason, he stops. Instead he offers her a small, shy smile.]

Sure. Got any genre requests?

[Having just met Dave Strider and not used to his...particular brand of communication yet, she thinks nothing of it.]

Ummm... Something...sweet? Sweet and alternative-indie and... I kind of like a lot, though so...whatever's in the moment. I love anything with a piano baseline.

Alt-indie and piano...

[Dave actually rolls over to his nightstand to write that down. "sweet alt indie piano b line - ashley." Hopefully he'll remember what all that means later.]

A'ight, I'll see what I can do. Might be a while, now that the weather's warming up some me and the girls might hit the road again.

[Is he taking notes...? That's sweet. This sweet down-south guy, she likes him.]

There's no rush. Creativity's fickle, after all. You've got people you're traveling with? ...Ohh, your friend. Of course, that makes sense.

Uh-huh. Jade and Penny. Jade's the one I know from home, and Penny got here the same day I did. Probably a lot of people do that, travel together with the folks they meet early on until they get somewhere with more going on.

I...could do that. Maybe.

[She appears contemplative and then shakes her head.]

Or it might feel too weird, camping with people I don't know.

[...because of the inevitable nightmares.]

The others around here, they all- they mostly all seemed really nice, but... [A shrug.]

...Yeah. I guess maybe it gets easier once you make it to town and you can get your own hotel room? I had some time like that to get used to Penny on my own terms before we decided to buddy up.

Eh. Maybe. ...I'd probably slow everyone down, anyway. Really not into exploring and adventuring right now.

Amen to that, girl. Amen to that.

[...]

Though if you ever are up to a small scale, family friendly escapade, the Ruins of Alph around Violet City are pretty cool. Just make sure to pack a water bottle.

The handbook had a little blurb about Violet City. It sounds...kind of nice?

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