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[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!]

[As the game starts, the first thing that's evident is the fact that he can't really hear it at all. Not that the game had music before, or anything- the silence is still as offputting and foreboding as ever, but at least now there aren't any unexpected noises to scare him to death.

...and when he talks it's a bit louder than normal, though seeing how soft his voice usually is, he may as well be talking normally.]

Make sure to keep an eye on the power this time.

[It's not a problem to Rin at all. This way he won't have to lean in close to hear what Chihiro has to say. There was something very cool about the way Chihiro seemed to be a lot more calm about the game this time. It was like their time in the records shop, when she led him by the hand.

This was Chihiro's element, wasn't it? So long as Chihiro gave out directions, Rin would follow them. And so far they seemed to be doing good about keeping their power from depleting too quickly. By 4am, they had enough to safely make it through the next two hours - if they played their cards right.]

[The relief is palpable, to say the least. Though...there are five whole nights of this? They've barely made it through the first...but they're doing a lot better this time around, at least.]

Where are they now?

[Five long, terror filled evenings with animatronics... Rin does a quick check into every room to show Chihiro their locations since his voice wouldn't be heard at all. Their special friends seemed to be keeping their distance. It was the power of their teamwork! He doesn't bother verbalizing it as he makes sure to check the vents -

- this time it's Rin who jumps first.]

Dammit, you were supposed to be in the room...

[Chihiro tenses, but only because Rin jumped at the sight of their adversaries making an unwanted appearance. His hands ball into loose fists in his lap, this time a lot less like he's trying to hide behind Rin, and more like he's determined to actually get past this one night.]

Just...keep watching the doors. We only have to keep them out for another few hours.

Voicemail

[action] it's ok!

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

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