usedlaserbeam | 003 | Violet City

Entry tags:

003 | Violet City | Video / Action;

[Greetings, Johto! This video is coming to you from some secluded part of the streets of Violet City, courtesy of PhantomCam™, and features one Yagyuu Hiroshi sitting comfortably on a bench beneath the shade of a tree, engrossed in a book with his backpack resting securely at his feet. Perhaps most notably, he's not wearing his yellow-and-black Regulars jersey today, which is largely because it's currently piled next to him on the bench in something vaguely approximating a nest, with what can only be a Pokemon egg resting safely inside.

Yagyuu, for his part, is mostly oblivious to the fact that he's currently on candid cam, but the reason for it quickly becomes apparent—the egg in its nest is beginning to rock gently from side to side, making vaguely egg-like noises, and gradually beginning to glow.

(Fortunately, Phantom is wise enough to the workings of Pokemon hatchings that he's taken the initative to record this for posterity, regardless of whether or not his trainer is as quick on the uptake about it.)

Another few moments pass, and now at last Yagyuu takes notice, setting his book aside and turning his full attention to watch as the egg wobbles, brightens, cracks—]

Vee! Eevee!
[—and yields a bouncing newborn Eevee, still snug and secure in the jersey-nest, taking her first look at the world.

Book completely forgotten now, Yagyuu carefully extends a hand to his newest Pokemon, letting her inspect him a minute; after a few courtesy sniffs and nudges, the Eevee hops out of her nest and climbs up into Yagyuu's lap instead, settling in to ensure his full attention as she carefully inspects the human who's going to be her trainer. A minute later, Yagyuu's hands come to rest on her back, stroking through her fur as he conducts an appraisal of his own. This is, after all, his first attempt at breeding a Pokemon, and he's clearly intent on thoroughly examining just how well it turned out.]

Ah, aren't you a friendly one. Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you, too.

[And as Yagyuu continues to fuss over his new Eevee, Phantom apparently decides that his work here is done, and switches the feed off.]

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That's right. And naturally, there are some people who can recognize skill even in its untapped form and find ways of making something happen to draw it out--which you could say is another way someone's want plays a part in a development.

[A slight shrug.]

The difference is how much control one has over the outcomes. Exposure to choice is one matter. Who is actually directing the choices is quite another.

[ at first all she hears is NAOTO LINGO NAOTO LINGO NAOTO LINGO until she actually listens.

... And then it's NAOTO LINGO-- "someone's want plays a part in a development." Much better, and not just because she can relate to it. Rise's thoughtfully quiet over this, as if remembering something, before she speaks again. ]

I guess there'd always be an audience involved.

[The truth is, the two of them probably have more in common in terms of the pressure of outside expectations than one might think. He earned the title of Gentleman as a result of his behavior, yes, but he's had it long enough to grow into it, too--modulating his actions, giving people what they want to see. In his way, he's as much a performer as Niou and Rise are, just on a much subtler scale. And sometimes with nastier surprises lurking beneath.]

There's no escaping it, Kujikawa-san. Though sometimes it's larger than others.

[ she hadn't had any expectations to answer to as a kid, except her parents', but that was really only because she didn't have any kind of closeness or importance to anyone. The idol life, however, was constant demands and acting, regardless if true intentions or feelings lying beneath that. ]

Yeah. I know, but I also think you can deal with it without escaping.

Are you of the opinion that it's something to escape from at all?

[His expression is nothing but friendly, but he's watching for her answer.]

No. [ whether she's aware of how intently he's watching her or not, Rise's answer is firm. She's been through this before, she knows. ] No matter what, you don't run.

[Ah, so that's a pointed topic, is it? That's interesting. He'll have to poke at that a little more sometime, in learning what makes her tick.]

I wouldn't have taken you for someone who disliked audiences, Kujikawa-san.

Huh? Oh, I don't. [ and she sounds sincere enough, even a little surprised. ] I wouldn't do what I do if I didn't like it.

[ that's more true now than it was before, but she won't say as much. ]

And what you do is...?

[It's more of a courtesy prompt than anything else.]

[ now that she's familiar with, and she only grins. ]

I'm an idol. You get used to audiences pretty quick.

I'd imagine so. And your feelings on them are perfectly understandable.

[He offers her a smile, a little friendlier this time.]

It must've made for quite a change, though, going from that lifestyle to this one.

You learn to adapt, you know? I've got some experience with it. [ her answering smile is a little rueful. ]

There aren't many other options, aside from sitting idle and doing nothing. Which is hardly an option at all.

[He pauses, considering a minute, and then shifts his Eevee carefully back into her nest so that he can get up from the bench. She'll be fine under Phantom's watchful eye, and Yagyuu doesn't want to be in the position of being pinned to the bench by his resting Pokemon any longer.]

You've been acquainted with Niou-kun for quite some time now, haven't you?

[ eyebrow raise; interesting segueway, but when you fight alongside a bear mascot with a penchant for unsubtle puns and spend more than half a year with Fuji, you get used to it. She doesn't rise to her feet just yet, casually working out imaginary tangles in Pepper's fur. ]

Mm, a couple of months.

[It's a segue that was bound to happen sooner or later, particularly with the memory of Niou's breakdown still so fresh in Yagyuu's recent memory. And now he has Rise in person, the girl whose name keeps coming up again and again from a myriad of different sources, and he has questions still waiting for answers.

She kept tabs on Fuji; he knows that firsthand. It's not unreasonable to think she's been watching his partner as well.]

I'm glad he's made friends here. And I appreciate that you've been one to him.

[ she watches everyone, really, but that's just Rise's nature. A support role only amplified it. ]

I'd, um... say you're welcome, but that sounds a little weird.

I suspect you could hardly say it's no trouble, either. Knowing Niou-kun.

[It's a joke. Really.]

It's been interesting when I haven't wanted to kick him!

[ it's also a joke. Really. ]

I imagine that happens quite frequently, really.

Five times. Maybe one was more of a punch...

[And up go his eyebrows.]

You counted. Consider me impressed.

Having a good memory comes in handy sometimes.

[ except when you don't bother using it for studying, but this is why she has Naoto to sit her down with a sheet full of math puzzle problems as punishment. ]

That's reassuring. I was worried the circumstances were so notable as to be unforgettable.

Oh, no, after stalkers, you don't get much more unforgettable than that.

[He's smiling politely, but honestly, he can think of a few things more unforgettable even than stalkers. Most of them involve tennis.]

I see. I hope you don't find yourself in that situation often?

003 | Violet City | Video / Action;

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