hashtagafreakingghost | 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

[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?

It's no L.A., but it's all right. Quiet. It smells too nice, it makes me miss Houston.

Quiet sounds good. Maybe...if it's not as far a walk I'll head there after a few nights of rest.

Mmm, it took us about a week. It'd probably go faster if you had something big enough to ride...

[He trails off, thinking. There's something he could catch, maybe...]

You're not very big, right? Like, no judgment or anything, I'm just trying to think for physics purposes.

[Skeptical lineface.]

Uh, not very... Like, 5'3, about. I'm not really into telling you how much I weigh, Dave. Why? What are you thinking?

[He fiddles with his 'Gear for a second, then sends her a photo.]

You think you'd be able to ride something like this?

[It's a picture of a girl delightedly letting a Stantler eat out of her hand.]

It's like a deer or something, but I mean, if that's good enough for Santa...

[!! They can send photos? Aw heck that's cool. ~~and now's the time we're glad she didn't see that brutally mangled elk in the forest or almost experience death by charging mammal~~]

Like that? Ohhh... Maybe. Horseback riding and I had a...creative differences split after a week or two. There's always York's bird, iiif she lets me?

Wouldn't count on it. Birds are just big feathery asshole turd machines. And flight mechanics are way different from land travel, the kind of effort a bird's gotta put in after adding just a little bit of mass is basically ridiculous. That's why their bones are hollow, you know? They gotta save on weight.

...Also, if you don't have enough badges to show for yourself, other people's Pokémon tend to blow you off. Just one of those obnoxious video game things.

[Le sigh.]

Yeah, should've figured my luck wasn't that great. Ugh, video game logic.

Whatever, you were asking about that...deer-thing with a strange face? Why, can I find any around here?

Dunno, but I can. They come out to the ruins a lot. I could send one your way and you can pick it up in Cherrygrove.

What? You'd really do that? But- I- the book said you have to trade, and I don't...have anything to trade you.

'S all right, I mean I don't have it yet anyway so no rush. But if you wanna trade, then...okay.

I want the most hilariously stupid-looking thing you find on that road.

...Okay. Okay, then. Weird reindeer for whatever I can find. It'll give my walking candle a chance to fight something too, since it looks like she would looove to do that.

[The smallest member of Fight Club or something.]

Yeah, she's cute.

[Is that really the appropriate answer to tiny Pokémon violence, Dave.]

Okay, I'll probably head out to find one of those things tomorrow then. Good luck and let me know if there's anything else I can do, okay?

Gotcha. And...you know, thanks, Dave. Really.

Sure. Ain't no thing.

First 👻 Story [Video/Action for New Bark]

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