ohmyarceus | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER TEST DRIVE MEME

[It's another bright and cheerful day in Goldenrod City! The sun is shining, the Pidgey are singing, and most importantly, plenty of people are milling around the various tourist traps. Someone is currently taking advantage of the crowds gathered around the Goldenrod Radio Tower.]

[Over the gentle background music that constantly plays everywhere in this world, someone is playing their own tune. A hummable, familiar ditty floats through the air, mingling with lots of shiny bubbles. At the foot of the Radio Tower is a busker playing the trumpet. His Popplio is joining in on the act by using Bubble, and performing small acrobatic acts, such as flips, and handstands. Both performers are putting all their enthusiastic energy into their act.]

[Nearby, a Teddiursa is offering an upturned hat towards anyone who stops to look for more than a few seconds. How could anyone resist those cute, shiny eyes? It makes pleading cries to those who dig for the change in their pockets. Surely their moment of happiness was worth a 50 P coin or two! The trumpet-player nods in thanks to anyone who leaves a donation.]

[Hopefully this isn't illegal or anything... It's obvious he means well. And he really is good at his craft! It's not easy to play this song on a horn!]

Edited 2017-09-28 00:28 (UTC)

As Ash passed by, guitar on his back and Pumpkaboo in his arms, he heard the music and paused, taking in the performance. It made him think; maybe he could try basking around Olivine sometime too? He'd never actually thought of making money that way here, he mostly saw people playing music in the tunnels of the Underground back home.

Psychopump appreciated the show as well, and glanced down at the Teddiursa. Ash would give them their due...after a full song. He stood to the side, so he wasn't in people's way as he listened to Kazuki play.

[Kazuki saw Ash's guitar before he really saw Ash-- because another instrument was another opportunity to make new and interesting music!-- and he would have started a conversation immediately if playing a trumpet didn't take up all of his speaking faculties. He nodded eagerly at Ash in recognition, but continued playing with nary a stumble in note. Pretty impressive! He must be a practiced performer.]

[As he launched into the last few bars, his Popplio began the grand finale of it's show as well. It blew a big, sturdy balloon with Bubble, and with a flourish, it lept up and balanced on top of it in another handstand. With one flipper! A few children oohed and awed. Kazuki finished his song nice and loud, and Honky Tonk did a backflip back to the ground, landing on it's tail with an easy grace. It bowed theatrically as two or three people broke into modest applause.]

Thank you! [Kazuki waved to the people that had stopped as his Teddiursa ran around with the hat, begging for change. Then he gave his Popplio a high-five.]

Nice work, Honky Tonk! You're nailing that last jump today!

Ash fished in his pocket, shifting Psychopump to rest in a one-armed hold (she didn't object or really move to help or hinder with that), finding 500P and squatting down to give it to the Teddiursa. "Hey, over here!" He called it over so he could give it the money. Hey, it was a good show. He wasn't huge on trumpets but with the Popplio performing too, it deserved some change!

[After it accepted a few 25P pieces from some children, the Teddiursa happily ran over to Ash, and stuck it's hat out for him to make a contribution. When he put in a whole 500P bill, it made a delighted cry, and pulled it out to wave it excitedly at Kazuki. Look! Look at how much it got!]

Luna, no! [Kazuki chided it with a chuckle in his voice, and jogged over to put the bill back in the hat.] Don't do that with money, it's rude, okay?

[Still, he gave her a friendly pat on the head. He held some very obvious affection for his Pokemon. The Popplio-- Honky Tonk-- was close at his heels as he approached Ash.]

Sorry about her, she really likes money for some reason. [Probably because Kazuki used it to buy her the sweets, as a Teddiursa, she absolutely had to have. Which was a sentiment he completely understood.] Thank you!

Ash simply smiled. "Hey, no problem. It was a good show! How long have you been performing around here?"

From his arms Psychopump gave an eerie hello to Luna and Honky Tonk, not bothering to move from Ash's arms. Someone is a very lazy pumpkin.

Not that long at all, actually. [Kazuki's Pokemon greeted Psychopump in return. She was pretty cute for a ghost type! Honky Tonk stood proudly on his tail and bowed again.] I uh, just got here? Well, I haven't been in Goldenrod for long either, but I mean-- you know, here?

[He made a broad gesture, as if to say, everywhere. He didn't know how else to make sense of it. Most of the people he tried to explain it to laughed him off. They thought he was joking. But he hadn't been here forever like they had! He'd swear on it!]

"Oh, you mean like, here here!" Ash smiled casually. "I mean, I arrived here like...February? But yeah when I first got here, I was confused as fuck. And Fuck is a very confused young man most of the time."

He shrugged. "Feels like both an age ago now and not that long at all, you know what I mean? But some people have been here years."

Psychopump just smiled. It was nice of Honky Tonk to show off, although he'd be better off showing off for Ash's Popplio, Ronan, rather than her.

[Kazuki blinked, startled at the fuckwords-- he wasn't used to people talking like that yet-- but then he nodded in eager agreement.]

Yeah! Oh my gosh, you too! [Boy was he glad to meet someone else who knew what he was talking about!] I mean, people have been helping me over the PGC for awhile, but this is the first time I've met someone else... Ah!

[He gave Ash a quick, stiff bow.]

I'm Kazuki! Kazuki Hihara! It's nice to meet you!

[Jean is visiting Goldenrod because... because Heather and Armin have conspired to turn him into a nerd, that's why. There's a big bookstore here and Jean has clearly been there, carrying a bag laden down with paperbacks. Stupid nerds, getting him into books by telling him about Stephen Kringler and then making him learn about space. They've completely ruined all his coolness.]

[Blitz the Electrode is accompanying him today, and when Blitz hears the music, he rolls closer to investigate. For a moment, it looks like he's going to attack the Teddiursa when it gets too close, but Jean puts a foot out and blocks him, and Blitz settles for glowering and crackling menacingly. Jean gives the Teddiursa a handful of change and crouches down to soothe Blitz, his head cocked to one side as he listens to the music.]

[The Teddiursa jumped in surprise as the Electrode made like it was going to attack, and quickly ran off after being challenged. It only paused long enough to accept Jean's change, and then moved on to other onlookers with less angry looking pokemon with them. Luna was a Breeder's pokemon-- she didn't like to fight much.]

[Kazuki saw what happened too, but it looked like that trainer had his Electrode under control, so he didn't stop his performance. The Popplio with him began to honk in tune with his trumpet, and clapped it's flippers together in time with the music.]

[Blitz is a Trainer's Pokemon, and loves fighting! He also loves fighting because he's an ass.]

[Fortunately, Blitz isn't the only Pokemon with Jean today, and a round, cheerful Spheal peeks out from behind Jean's legs. He barks loudly when he sees the Popplio and comes rolling over, settling in next to it and clapping his flippers too. Fat Ice Dog is... not musical, so he's not clapping in time with the beat, but he's making up for it with enthusiasm.]

Are you going to be good now?

[Directed at Blitz, who crackles moodily but stays where he is. Fine, he won't attack anyone for their money! Jean stands up, and smiles at Fat Ice Dog's antics.]

[Gasp!!! Fellow flipper slapping friend! Honky Tonk didn't mind this interloper in the slightest, and happily began to try and teach Fat Ice Dog the basics of rhythm by facing him and clapping his fins together with slow emphasis on each beat. It was one of the first things Kazuki had taught him about music!]

[And Kazuki had no idea there were any more seal-like Pokemon out there, so it was equally entertaining to him to see Honky Tonk play with his fellow water-type brethren. He crouched down next to the two of them and nodded encouragingly towards the adorable little Spheal.]

[Fat Ice Dog rocks back on his tail as best he can, and starts trying to follow Honky Tonk's lead. He's not doing a very good job, the times he hits the beat more accidental than intended, but he's doing his best.]

[Jean just shakes his head and grins. Fat Ice Dog always makes all the friends, and this is no exception. He'll wait until the other guy is done playing his song to try and talk to him, though.]

[Honky Tonk sat back on his tail as well, and began to play patty-cake with Fat Ice Dog. It evened out both of their rhythms, and made for a better two-man show. Kazuki slowed his song down for the last couple of bars, until their game got on the beat. Then he finished, and Honky Tonk jumped back to applaud for Fat Ice Dog, his lovely volunteer! Kazuki waved to the crowd as well, and Luna returned to gathering busk money with renewed vigor.]

This is awesome!

[Are you supposed to cheer on and clap for buskers? Well, if you aren't, Mavis sure doesn't know. The human world (pokemon included) is still a huge adventure to her, and even after a few weeks of travelling, she's still as excited by every new sight as she was on her first day. Her swoobat shares her enthusiasm, flying in broad swoops in the air, chittering excitedly.

The music is actually something she recognises. Her uncle Murray had once brought Mr Joplin to the hotel back when he was still fresh(ly dead) and hip. Her dad hadn't liked it much. He was such a stick in the mud sometimes.

When the Teddiursa toddles over with his upturned hat, she crouches down to put herself more on eye-level with the little bear, tucking her hair behind her ear as she does.]

Hey little guy. Are you going to dance too?

[Having never seen a busker in her life (she has never seen anything in her life except the inside of a monster filled hotel) she doesn't realise what the deal with the hat is, instead just giving the pokemon a very cheery smile. The other pokemon is dancing though, so she figures maybe this little guy is going to be part of the act too.]

[Luna tilted her head, and then shook it. No, I collect the money! She jangled the change already in the hat a little for emphasis. To be fair, Kazuki had invited her to join in if she liked, but she didn't need attention nearly as much as her Breeder or Honky Tonk did. She'd rather get more money so Kazuki would buy her an extra big candy bar later!]

[As Kazuki continued to play, his Popplio started to hop around him in time with the beat, upside down and on his front flippers!]

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER TEST DRIVE MEME

Kazuki Hihara

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject