ardent | 005. [Video, and one other thing]

[VIDEO]

[Well! From the sound of the BGM, Ishimaru is currently back in Violet, though he's apparently holed up in Nondescript Hotel Room #356; he seems to have set the device on the table in front of him, and one of his Pokémon is actually out with him today - admittedly, it's a small pink tapir with flowers on it, and while it's definitely levitating itself it's tethered itself to his hair in a way that makes it look more than a little like some sort of really fabulous Combine headcrab. At least, he doesn't seem to mind - if anything, he seems a bit...lost in thought today. Not distracted, per se, just really contemplative.

And maybe a little peeved. Though that might be just his normal expression, it’s sorta hard to tell sometimes.]

So I've been told that I should probably start dressing like a "normal person."

[...okay, yeahno, he’s definitely a little agitated, though it's definitely more frustration than anger; he seems to realize then that his Munna is back and...well, doing the hair-thing again, and he takes a moment to retrieve her, holding her awkwardly in folded arms.]

While I find the way I dress to be completely appropriate and necessary, apparently that isn’t considered to be the case here! I don't see why - I'm a student, and therefore my clothing should reflect that! It's my profession for the time being, and as such the uniform of my profession is something that I should wear with pride!! It isn't proper conduct to do otherwise!

How...ever...

[Whatever he was going to say after that, he falters quite a bit; just...let him get his defensiveness levels down a little bit.]

...As fashion is something I've never really had a grasp on, I would...like to hear about what constitutes "normal" and how it can be achieved, as one's presentation goes!

Thank you for your time, and even if you don't reply, I want you to keep your head up and your eyes trained forward! Today is going to be a good day, I can tell!

[...yeah he kind of doesn't do "normal" well, um.]

[VIDEO - PRIVATE TO DANGANS, ALSO DORUMON]

[A second video will hit shortly after the first, now that he's finished discussing his hideous social failure; still in the Painfully Generic Hotel Room, still with the same setup going on, but at least he seems in somewhat higher spirits this time around, though he's still holding the Munna and seems determined to keep doing so until he's done filming.]

We've made it back to town as of yesterday - safe and doing well, as far as I know! It will be good to see you all again; hopefully you've all been well and keeping yourselves in line during my absence!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Welcome back, Ishimaru-kun. Things have been...pretty quiet for us, I think.

[Even quieter with Ishimaru and Mondo gone, though of course he doesn't mean it like that! Even with the news recently (how about that??), Violet's been mostly peaceful.] Um... How were things while you were away?

[Doing whatever it was that you were...doing...]

Ah, Fujisaki-kun - it's good to hear from you again, and better still to hear that things are going well!

[No, really, he's the sort of person that's convinced he can't leave people alone for five minutes without risking everybody figuratively burning the house down, and they'd gotten dragged to Pewter on such short notice...so really, no news in the form of "it's been quiet" is definitely good news in this circumstance.]

As for us, things were...

[...they...were...]

...they were interesting!

[God, he can't lie to save his life, but at least "interesting" is technically accurate and so comes out more easily than a straight lie would have.]

[Interesting still isn't quite along the same vein as good or even bad. It's too vague to be that reassuring... Not that Chihiro's a constant worrier, but uh. Yeah he does spend a lot of time being concerned.

So instead of just accepting it and leaving it, he winds up asking,]

Interesting...?

[...Okay, there are obviously some things that should be said and some things that shouldn't, but Ishimaru has never really been good at the whole...topic-avoidance dance. He's never seen the point, for one thing; he's always had all the subtlety of a steamroller, for another. For yet another, he tends to have a bit of a hard time knowing what he can say and what he can't - the ability to do the mental speed chess required, to know what will get further questioning and what won't, has always been something he has difficulty with.

However, this is reasonably straightforward, right? Obviously don't explicitly say what he was actually doing (and if he can avoid it, don't bring up the damn tranquilizers, as apparently that worries people), avoid mentioning Rocket activities, just try to power through this as best he can. When in doubt, brute-force it. Come on, Ishimaru, you can do it.]

W-Well, I'm sure you remember what we told you back in Cherrygrove - about how we might need to leave on business once in a while! That was what we were doing; business took us to Pewter City for a little while, that's all!

[Yes. Do the brute force thing. If you want, ask Chihiro about it sometimes, he brute forces his way through games when he can't figure them out instead of sitting around too long being depressed.

To his credit, his expression only falters a little. Business... So, he's talking about Rocket business, isn't he? Really, he only has one huge concern about this (besides the whole gigantic criminal organisation aspect and all the bells and whistles attached to that) and that would be:]

Ah... You're really safe? You didn't get hurt anywhere?

Ah - no, I'm fine! Both my brother and I are perfectly fine.

[...now, anyway. I mean you might not have thought that if you spoke to him like a week ago, but now everything is...well.]

...As fine as we can be, anyway, given the sort of work that was involved!

[That's good to hear, at least-- Guys, runnin off and doing dangerous things. 8'( He wishes he could help except...helping team Rocket in any capacity beyond looking out for his friends...]

Did it...have to do with...

--ah, I'm sorry. This sort of thing is probably bad to talk about on these.

[...good catch, Fujisaki; he doesn't know how much the Executives monitor these things, but the last thing he needs is to draw them after his friends.]

Most likely, yes, but I wanted to see you in person anyway! Perhaps we could meet up, if you have the time!

[While Chihiro's confident in his super programming skills and the ability to keep a conversation private...it never does hurt to be cautious with this sort of thing.]

O-- Of course! I'd like to see you too, Ishimaru-kun. [He always wants to see his friends.] Where would be best?

[It really doesn't. And honestly, it's not really Fujisaki that they have to be concerned about in that regard; Ishimaru isn't quite WHERE IS THE ANY KEY??? levels of failure, but he's not exactly the most technologically adept and his luck isn't good. If anyone could figure out a way to screw this up accidentally...]

We've taken out a room at the inn, as we did before - that should be fine!

[You will get a room number as well, assuming that it is, in fact, fine.]

Sure...! Then, I'll be by in a little bit, Ishimaru-kun.

[It's nice to have all the misgivings about inviting a "girl" to a boys' room all cleared out of the way.]

Of course, Fujisaki-kun - I'll see you then!

[It really is, actually; Ishimaru has had reasonably little difficulty with the mental shift, now that he's gotten the initial sense of "...WHAT" out of the way, and if anything it makes talking to Fujisaki feel like less of a minefield. Ishimaru's never been the most socially competent person around (to understate it horribly) and he's got a marked tendency to upset or offend people accidentally, often at really inopportune times; there's a difference for him, though, in upsetting a girl and upsetting a boy who just happens to be particularly sensitive. He can't exactly explain what the difference is, per se, but somehow he's prone to fretting less over doing the latter.

...yeah, it doesn't make much sense to Ishimaru either, given that it's likely the same damn behaviors that'll tend to make Fujisaki upset if he stumbles into them, but somehow this is just easier with a guy.]

[At the very least, after his recent divulging of his secret to his friends, Chihiro seems to at least to have found more confidence than he had-- He doesn't have to hide anymore, though he does have a tendency toward skirts most days. Some insecurities can't be plowed through completely right away!

He packs up his 'gear, makes his way to the inn, and soon enough there comes a series of short, polite knocks before Fujisaki takes a step back to wait.]

[Ishimaru is more than ready for him by the time Fujisaki arrives; his familiar heavy tread can be heard on the other side of the door before it opens rather promptly, and he grins upon seeing who's on the other side of it.]

Fujisaki-kun! Your promptness is appreciated!

[...A+ social skills good job]

Do come in, then - it's good to see you!

[Chihiro just smiles up at him because hey it's sort of like a compliment and yes!! He likes being prompt, anyway.]

It's good to see you as well, Ishimaru-kun...

[And he'll step inside, looking around with his hands folded together in front of him.]

005. [Video, and one other thing]

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