codeforhope | Voicemail

...Five levels with weird screaming robots. [He is so giving the 'gear a dirty look. But then! Suddenly! He has an idea!]

Hey! You should wear earplugs! If you can't hear 'em then it won't be as freaky!

[That's...a good idea, actually.]

I do know they're coming...it's just the noise...

[He sighs, bringing up a hand to brush his bangs from his face before looking up at Rin.]

You wouldn't happen to have any, would you?

[Occasionally his ideas can be beneficial! He's just about to chirp that he most certainly does has a pair for Chihiro to borrow when he remembers -
- that pair is still sitting pretty on his desk back in his dorm room.

Yeesh.]

No, but we can totally go get you a pair now. We can get more snacks while we're out!

[Because the pokemon snack bowl is looking horribly empty. T-Bone and Brownie are starting to stare down the potato chips.]

[Isamu could probably eat all of those chips in one sitting, do not test him.

Meanwhile, Chihiro nods. He thinks he'd like the break from the game anyway, if only long enough of one to go pick up a few things.]

Okay! Sounds great.

Awesome! You can pick out whichever ones you want!

[Not that it's his treat or anything, but because he doesn't know what sort of headphones (or earbuds) Chihiro prefers. ...Okay, so may it is his treat. But it's not a big deal...

After he sends a quick text out to ask for some information, he'll be ready to go.]

Ready? [Unless Chihiro had to powder her nose or whatever.]

[Thankfully he doesn't, though he did take a minute to tell Isamu to stay behind while they're gone and to not eat the remaining food on the table.]

Mhm, I'm ready!

[Poochy can make no promises about the salvation of the remaining food. She will lead the revolution if they don't return in a timely manner.

Rin leads the way to a small records store not too far from the dojo he was staying at. The music it blasted was not unlike the kind heard from the Radio Tower. It was a cozy little records shop, lined with vinyls, posters, and memorabilia from a time not too long ago. Even if they couldn't recognize the singers, they seemed oddly familiar.

The cashier was a particularly pretty young woman. Not that - okay, he's noticed this for a while but he wasn't going to mention that in front of Chihiro. That was rude.]

Hey, Chihiro? What kind are you going to buy?

[Chihiro looks over at Rin from where he had been examining the posters on the wall, shaking his head a little.]

Mmm...I'm not sure. Anything will do, really, as long as it blocks out the noise.

Shouldn't any kind of headphone block sound -

[...It's with a moment of sudden clarity that Rin realizes that maybe headphones and earplugs aren't exactly the same thing. Wouldn't headphones be the exact opposite of what Chihiro would want? Chihiro didn't want to hear those things bump around in the dark, not have the sound right in her ears! UGH. UUUUUUUUUUGH.

His face is colored a rosy pink with that horribly embarrassing realization. Granted, there might still be earplugs in a place like a records store but that doesn't ease his growing humiliation. Great, he lost the game and now he took Chihiro to the wrong store!]

- ... Uhm. M-Maybe there are noise cancelling ones we can look at? [DO THOSE EVEN EXIST...]

[Chihiro just...tilts his head a little at that, noticing the shift in Rin's expression. Something's a little off, but...

...wait, he did say headphones...didn't he.

...Ah...]

I...w-well, yes! I'm sure there are. Come on Okumura-san, let's look around.

[He's going to save his friend the embarrassment of his mistake, instead reaching out to take his hand and start to tug him toward the back of the store where (hopefully) some headphones may be up for display.]

[Where did this suddenly assertive Chihiro come from and is this kid here to stay? Rin is a little shell shocked ~~from the THE HAND HOLDING~~ from the bit of leadership Chihiro is wearing like a glove.

Dude. That was actually cool and it completely stomped on Rn's first notion of Chihiro being super meek. But did Chihiro already figure out his mistake? ...If he did, then this is definitely a really nice gesture.

Chihiro's bold.]

Uh - yeah, maybe they're in those display cases? [Like the ones that are (probably) looming up ahead? They sure do look fancy.]

[Say what you will about Chihiro- he cares about his friends. And he knows what making that kind of mistake feels like, if someone points it out.

He nods, coming to a stop once they reach the back of the store.]

You're probably right. It doesn't matter how much they cost, but I think I'll be fine with whatever the standard is.

[He's got plenty of money thanks to Rich and Alice, though usually it gets funneled into TMs.]

[St-Standard? Did that mean like the regular kind? Was there an elite kind? Forget the game, this was far more terrifying. But like any challenge, he will meet it head on! Wi-With only a little trepidation.

R-Rin wanted to buy it for her... B-But he's only one of many chefs in a small bakery... His money goes to more supplies to buy for the bakery and occasionally some trinket for his pokemon.]

What's a "standard"?

Whatever is most commonly used.

[So, yes. The regular kind. He looks up at the display cases as they talk before stopping in front of one, pointing at the glass.]

Something like this would do. It's the most basic, looks like.

[So there really are sound cancelling headphones! That's impressive. He eases his hand out of Chihiro's grip and reaches towards the glass. He taps it a few times - just in case there was some kind of glass-possessing-pokemon, like the little ghost Chihiro had.]

Okay! So let's get it! - You think it only comes in one color?

[Because maybe Chihiro liked colorful options?]

[There are no Rotoms in this store, thankfully. Too many expensive appliances for that, but not enough for them to make a lot of mischief with anyway.]

Um...I'm not sure, actually.

[He looks at the tag on the headphones themselves, showing that the basic ones only come in white and black.]

Just two, looks like...but I think white would be okay.

[Okay, Rin, remember that Chihiro likes white. Is that even a color? It must be, because Chihiro likes it. Or maybe she didn't like black. -- ah, whatever! Too much thinking, not enough doing.]

White, got it. ...What's your favorite color?

[THEY ARE GETTING THOSE HEADPHONES. Rin turns to get the cashier's attention. Hopefully she won't take too long to get them checked out and back to gaming.]

Hm?

[Favorite color...]

My favorite color is green, I think. ...what's yours?

[...That is not a girly color AT ALL. But it fits. It fits very well and he must approve. He takes a second to think which color would be his favorite.]

I like green too. [R-Really, he's not saying it just because Chihiro said it first. That would be weird.] ...And I guess orange is okay. It's really bright but - a happy kind of bright?

[NOT THAT IT WAS AN OPTION HERE SO...]

[Chihiro smiles a little as he reaches out to take the bag that the cashier placed the headphones in.]

Orange is a good color, too. Bright colors are always nice.

[BRIGHT LIKE THAT SMILE???? Rin smiles in return. Yes! His color choices are approved. The walk back to his place doesn't seem to take nearly as long. Rin feels like h's walking on clouds.

She thought bright colors were nice.]

[Thankfully, they return to most of the remaining snacks they left behind in tact, though judging by how Isamu is sprawled on the floor asleep, one must wonder just how much he did consume in their absence.

Once inside, Chihiro takes a seat on the couch, pulling the newly bought headphones from the bag.]

Okay. This should be better now.

[Poochy is shooting Isamu the Dirtiest Look in Existence. Once their guests were gone, she would have to have a few words with Rin.

The PokeGear is already in hand, the game just about ready to start up.]

Let's see if it works for you this time. ...Lemme know if it starts to get too creepy for you!

[He nods once the headphones are on and firmly in place. Already they're doing a good job, cutting off the tail end of Rin's sentence just as he starts getting the game ready.]

[Well, Chihiro looks adorably content and Rin is happy with that. All that's left now is to start up the 1st night all over again.

Let the games begin!]

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[action] this was hiding from me jsakfdsf

[action] it's ok!

[action] at least it didn't take me two months this time?

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