codeforhope | 008 | Video/Action for Goldenrod

[It's around midday, and a shaky video suddenly appears on the Network. At first it's pretty blurry and staticy, as if the Gear itself is malfunctioning a bit, before Chihiro finally comes into focus. He's standing...no, he's crouching behind what looks like a desk not too far from a wall of televisions, and tucked behind his ankles is a Flareon whose fur is glowing softly. It looks like he's in a store of some kind.]

Does anyone have any suggestions for catching a Pokemon that is, um...very fast?

[Chihiro whispers, glancing up when something falls off of a shelf offscreen and clatters to the floor. His Flareon growls softly, peering around the edge of the counter as Chihiro turns his attention back to the screen.]

I haven't caught many Pokemon myself, since I breed them mostly...and this one won't-

[All of a sudden the feed cuts.

For a while- like, five minutes or more- there's no further activity on the Network. Then, as abruptly as the first one appeared, a second one comes, this time with Chihiro sitting on the floor instead of crouching, his Flareon in his lap and both of them looking rather frazzled.]

A-actually, I think I maybe should jus-

[Before he finishes the TV screens flash rapidly behind him, and the set nearest him seems to suddenly change appearance, a cheerful giggling sounding before all of the lights turn off in the store. After that, the feed cuts again.]

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[And soon enough (given some trial and error to find the right appliance store and the correct location within it), along comes Parker, armed with a Mightyena and what appears to be a Gloom.]

Fujisaki? If you can hear me, stay low and cover your eyes and mouth, okay?

[...oh now that sounds ominous.

Chihiro shares a quick glance with his Flareon before sliding down to sit on the floor again, covering his eyes with one hand and his mouth with the other. His Flareon jumps into his lap, still keeping an eye out for changes in the darkness.

The lights are still flickering, and the TVs are going haywire as the Rotom jumps from one to the other.]

[Quietly, Parker and her Mightyena, Nate, take up refuge themselves behind a set of shelves; Gloomy, her Gloom, trots out bravely toward the flickering TVs and hunkers down as if to lie in wait.

...

Or is it?

In the darkness, it's difficult to tell, but there's a shower of powder beginning to fill the air near where those appliances are having fits — gradually and steadily enough that sooner or later, it's going to accumulate even with all that jumping, and perhaps the ghostly menace will end up neutralized on account of its own inclinations.]

[Henko, Chihiro's Flareon, starts to catch on to what's happening right away, scooting back away from the edge of the shelves to avoid getting touched by the powder herself.

For a while all is still and nothing seems to happen, save for the appliances whirring and switching on and off at random. Then, rather abruptly, the commotion seems to stop. Any TV that was turned on is left that way, and the other things that had been active regardless of not being plugged in go still.

Out of one of the TVs the little ghost materializes, his body flickering as he hovers over the edge of the shelf. It seems dazed, clearly affected by the poweder that Gloomy sent out.]

[Carefully, Parker sidesteps just enough to give Nate a clear shot, resting a hand on his fedora-topped head as she fixes her eyes on the newly-arrived ghost.]

Do you want it knocked out, or caught?

[Chihiro lifts his head a little and peeks out through his fingers, his voice a little muffled where he still has his hand over his mouth.]

I- I was trying to catch it!

[The Rotom tips its head up, trying to focus on whatever it is standing in front of it, but with the spores affecting it it seems to be having a bit of a hard time.]

So, catch it!

[Meanwhile, Nate is still standing at the ready, just in case Chihiro doesn't act quickly enough to take advantage of the opportunity before the Rotom can try to make its escape; if it does, he'll circumvent it with an attack of his own.]

[..OH, RIGHT.

Chihiro jumps up quickly, unintentionally spilling Henko off of his lap and onto the floor as he does, digging a hand deep into the bag hanging at his side. He manages to get his hands on a pokeball and enlarges it, unceremoniously chucking it at the dazed Rotom.

The ball strikes it on the head, and it has only a second to look up and wonder what just happened before it disappears into the ball with a jagged flash of light. The ball hits the ground and rolls for a few feet toward Nate's paws before shaking once, twice, three times...

There's an audible click, and then silence.]

008 | Video/Action for Goldenrod

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