[video/action]

[notvaljean]

Video

[Was anyone sleeping, at this completely random hour of the early morning? Hopefully not, because there's going to be a commercial blasting across every communicator in Pokemon world, loud and proud and completely ridiculous.]

[Picture this commercial, but with some noticeable differences. First of all, it's not a pretty lady having difficulties going about her boring life: it's an Incineroar, looking sad and disappointed by his lack of options for entertainment. Is his brother here to fight with him? Is Big Hose Face? No! All he has is his sketchpad and some terrible coffee out of a machine. It's very sad.]

[But then! But then, introduce a Cofagrigus, one wearing a visor with dark hair attached to it and some blindingly white eyeliner that it got on its face somehow, holding up a sign that says FCAB. And suddenly the mood of the video changes, suddenly getting bright and aggressive and colorful, and with a new cast of characters, including an Electrode, a Mimikyu, a Blaziken, and a shiny Gallade. They're all clearly excited about FCAB, and the Cofagrigus is the leader here, pouring a cup of coffee while making all its shoulders on one side move in time to the beat.]

[The video ends with a Gyarados, holding a sign between its teeth that reads FIDDLEFORD'S COFFEES AND BANJOS: OPENING SOON EVERYWHERE before the video snaps off and the screen goes black.]

Action, Wherever Your Character Happens to Be

There's a new business in town! Which town? It doesn't matter, because this business is mobile.

It's local, but it's local everywhere.

At some point in August, a monstrosity made out of an abandoned train car will come stomping into town. It looks something like this, except it's longer and doesn't have a dinosaur arm. Instead, it simply trots around the area until it finds a Starmiebucks. Then it very deliberately settles down right across from the Starmiebucks, the arms and legs suck back up into the train car, and the whole thing sighs as it settles in.

After a few moments, the door to the train car busts open, and a small army of Voltorbs and a Charjabug bustle out and start patrolling around it. They may get a little aggressive trying to lure people away from Starmiebucks, but it's only because there's so many of them. They've been instructed not to zap anyone, punishable with banishment back to the Sevii Islands, and none of them want that.

Up close, the sign above the train car door reads "Fiddleford's Coffees and Banjos," and if you go inside, you'll find an independent coffee shop, one that is aggressively trying not to look like Starmiebucks. There are comfortable beanbag chairs around, and lots of throw pillows, and sometimes those throw pillows might be a Spheal. The walls are decorated with random photographs, usually black and white, taken from all over the regions. The main barista is the Cofagrigus from the advertisement, wearing an apron and a name tag that reads ROBBIE, and although he never speaks, he has the glowering disdain part down pat.

On the counter, there's a sign loudly and proudly declaring "Pumpkaboo Spice Lattes with ACTUAL PUMPKIN."

Come have a drink?

[OOC: Jean will answer responses to the ad, and he's around in the coffee shop as well. Let me know if you'd rather interact with the Pokemon for awhile first!]

Comments

Video;

[schachmeister]

[We all know what it is like. You end up reading, and the book is just too good to put down, so you end up reading far past your normal bedtime. It is what happened to Armin last night, the hours slipping away as he had been lost to a great story. Today is his day off, so he had figured it would be all right. That he'd be able to sleep in a little and make up for it.

He had not accounted for Zappy and Blue: social media marketing geniuses.

The sudden noise practically has Armin shooting up, ready to put on his uniform and fight the titans because that is what is happening right, they are under attack and they are going to die if they don't get into their gear right now and--

Slowly Armin's senses return as his brain wakes up and starts processing what is going on, and he falls back onto his mattress with a groan, dragging his gear close. The face that greets Jean on the video is a bit wan and tired, his hair is standing out in all directions and his voice is a little croaky with sleep still.]

Jean, what the hell.

Video;

[notvaljean]

Hi, Armin!

[Someone is feeling bright and perky, despite the late/early hour. Does five AM count as super early or super late? Don't ask Jean, he's living that coffee house lifestyle now.]

Did you like my ad?

Video;

[schachmeister]

[Jean is looking far too energetic and awake to be allowed to exist.]

I probably would've appreciated it a lot more if it wasn't so early. Or so loud.

» action | gimme sum pokes

[spacebaloney]

[Lance is a fool. A fool who thought he could stay up a little later than usual because he just had to get through this one stage in a video game where the boss decided it was time for Pissy Boss Mode twice. And since this fool can't ever leave well enough alone, Lance would not go to bed until he beat that sucker into the ground. Nevermind that he had an early Starmiebucks shift. This was important! His RPG pride was on the line! Pidge would never let him live it down if he gave up that easily!

So he persevered and not only smashed that boss, but got some console achievements. Aw yeah, aw yeah, who's the master? Not Lance because it seemes like as soon as his head hit the pillow, his 'gear cames alive and there was this obnoxious hipster ad blaring through it and it took everything in him not to throw the device across the room. He mades a mental note to set his 'gear to silent at night from now on because fuck this.

And now he's paying the price for all that halfway through his eight hour shift where the coffee just isn't hitting him like it should. He's stifling yawns all over the place and just really would like to take his break so he can eat a nap for lunch, but things just never work out in Lance's favor. As soon as the clock ticks over, his shift manager is in his face asking him to do something other than nap. A glance outside of Starmiebuck's plate glass windows shows a hot mess of a vehicle parked directly across and since the manager is a bit of a wuss, he's sending Lance to go deal with it.

Really? He does not get paid enough for this. But Lance needs a job to fill Bruce Whalis' black hole of a stomach, so he reluctantly trudges outside to deal with the interloper and that's when he gets a good look at what's supposed to be Starmiebuck's new competition.

What kinda country fried hell is this?

Lance has seen some weird shit in his life, but this train car that's badly decorated with random bits and bobs and serving coffee? Whatever. He needs this thing off his territory (yes, his) stat so he can go prop himself up on some boxes of cups and stare at the back of his eyes for a while.]

Hey! You can't park that here!

» action, I renewed my paid account just for this icon

[notvaljean]

[It happens to be fairly quiet in FCAB when the noisy interloper barges in. The morning rush has died down, and it's mostly just Pokemon hanging out here now; cleaning up, restocking, relaxing on the cushions and chattering to each other. When Lance comes in and starts yelling, though, they all go quiet. Several pairs of Pokemon eyes stare at him for a moment, and then they all turn towards the counter.]

[The counter where something large is looming.]

[Robbie the Cofagrigus slowly emerges from behind the counter. He does it like flowing dark water, gradually getting taller and taller, until he's looming somewhere near the ceiling. He doesn't say a word, doesn't make a sound, but all of his arms--are there four? six? ten? who the hell can say?--are waving back and forth, like they're caught in a current only Robbie knows about. He stares at Lance for a moment, then one arm stretches out towards the wall and taps a sign.]

[NO HOOTENANNIES.]

[Don't make him get security, buddy.]

» action | bless you frend

[spacebaloney]

[It's not the first time an entire crowd has their eyes on him. In fact, Lance prefers it that way. Most of the time. Right now, he's too exhausted and full of Don't Care to really take advantage of the spotlight from some Pokemon.

Besides, he has to save his energy for that large sarcophagus that seems to be growing far too rapidly for Lance's liking. His eyes follow one of the hands over to the sign. Oh, he'll hootenanny them, alright. He fought one bratty boss today and he can do it again.]

Yeah, yeah, whatever. [Lance waves a dismissive hand.] I said you can't park this here. You gotta go. Your shack is in the way.

video;

[shiro2hero]

[You know how it is. You finally get to sleep after long hours of staying up to wait for your boyfriend to finish work. You lie down, you're actually getting some rest that isn't Haunter Assisted...]

[And then all of that happens.]

[Not because you left your 'gear on. Not because you left the TV on. But because Blue comes skittering into the room to shove it in your face. Because LOOK!! LOOK AT HIM! Look at him on TV with his friends!!]

[Please excuse the sleep-rumpled video, Jean. Also please excuse the fact he took the 'gear outside for this.]

What... am I looking at...

video;

[notvaljean]

Hi, Shiro!

[Jean just assumes Shiro wasn't sleeping. It's a valid assumption, right?]

It's an ad for my new business! Fiddleford's Coffees and Banjos!

video;

[shiro2hero]

It's... very loud.

Very, very loud.

action

[forsaintcecilia]

Oh. Oh wow.

[When Jean told Kazuki to meet him in Lavender Town, he definitely was not expecting a train car super robot to be waiting in front of the local Starmiebucks. He thought this was supposed to be a truck, not a gundam cobbled together from garbage.]

[Still, it's the right place and the right time. Sticky is at Kazuki's side, and Puff is relaxing in his hair, and he's got a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies with him. He's been practicing his baking with Sticky ever since he evolved, and they've gotten pretty good! Maybe they'd be the thing Jean's amalgamation of a coffee shoop needed?]

I guess we just... go in?

action

[notvaljean]

Kazuki!

[Jean comes out the train car's door, smiling broadly. He bounds down the steps and claps Kazuki on the shoulder.]

Good to see you! Thanks for coming!

[He gestures to the train car behind him, which has been doing a steady business all morning. It seems like Zappy and Blue's viral marketing strategy has been paying off.]

Come on in, I have some new drinks to show you.

Video

[thumbsdown]

[After squinting at that ad for the entire duration, Boone is understandably looking pissed. His Drapion was just sleeping too, but now it's up and running because Boone is up early! Yay! Time to be loud and obnoxious!]

Pointy, for Christ sake. Go back to sleep. And you-

[He narrows his eyes at his Gear.]

What the hell kind of time do you call this?

Video

[notvaljean]

Good morning!

[Jean is not put off by this grumpiness. He's on coffee shop time now, and while he might crash out around 8 PM, he's bright and perky early in the morning. Or late at night, depending on one's perspective.]

Time for a coffee before work time, I think.

[Video]

[maybeitsmabelline]

[Mabel loves it. It's the perfect commercial holy crap!!!]

Grunkle McGucket would be so proud!!!

[Her eyes might be a little watery.

Wait--hold on! The person responsible for sending this video out just clicked in her head and excuse her while she lights up in excitement.]

JEAN!!!

[Video]

[notvaljean]

MABEL!

[Hey, kiddo! Jean's face lights up too, and he grins broadly at her.]

You're back!

[Action] Goldenrod City, is that alright?

[agent3]

[Thida usually isn't the kind of girl to stop by the local anything-bucks for her coffee - it's way too pricey, for one, and she prefers tea or cheap instant stuff anyway. But today she headed down towards one to treat herself, because sometimes you're tired and a little lonely and want to treat yourself, and.

And what even is this new building across the street? It is very important to investigate!

So in walks Thida into FCAB, open-mouthed, ooh-ing and aah-ing in wonder at the decor.]

What's this place...? [She notices the Cofagrigus, and wanders over to the counter.] New place?

[She knows he's a Pokemon, but he'll be able to tell her what's up, right? Or someone can.]

[Action] Goldenrod is great, the shop is mobile!

[notvaljean]

[Robbie the Cofagrigus watches the new person come in, and sighs and rolls his eyes. Clearly a newb, someone who'll ask for a small instead of a klein, and not known whether she wants it iced or hot or...]

Thida!

[Jean thought he heard a familiar voice, and comes hurrying out of the back. He's wearing an apron too, and looks tired but happy, and has nothing but smiles for Thida.]

Thanks, Robbie, I've got this one. Why don't you go take a break?

[Robbie rolls his eyes again--constantly repressed by The Man, his life truly is suffering--but then floats away and disappears into the back of the train car.]

It's really good to see you! How've you been?

[And what does she want to drink? Jean's covering this one for her, whatever she decides to order.]

[tookashirototheknee]

It's not necessarily normal to have someone stumbling into a coffee shop at about three in the afternoon, looking like they need a stiff one, but there's Matt, looking blearily at the menu, and blinking.

There might have been coffee at home, but he's not entirely sure. Someone was in the kitchen being extra noisy, and he just wasn't in the mood.

Standing there, he just waits, trying to make the menu make sense. He's a responsible adult, he swears.

[notvaljean]

"Hey, Matt."

Jean is manning the counter right now--Robbie is taking a break in the back, silently blowing ghostly rings that emulate smoking with the empty vape canister he found somewhere, much to the considerable admiration of some young Voltorbs--and he immediately starts brewing a pot of something... something strong. Something that gives out literal fumes of caffeine.

"One Blackest Heart of Space blend, coming up!"

[lordofthefries]

[It's later in the day when Sasha rolls into the shop. Literally. She's got her rollerblades strapped onto her feet and clad in her Fed-Exeggcute uniform, a giant grin completes the look as she drifts up to the counter, using the friction of her hands sliding against it to stop her momentum.]

Jean, why didn't you tell me you were going to start making the jiggly juice?!

[That's her name for it because the first time she ever tried it, she downed five cups in a row and vibrated into a new space-time continuum. Or something close to that, anyway. She'd have to ask Shiro to be sure.]

[notvaljean]

Same reason you didn't tell me you were wearing the wheel shoes!

[Because they've both been super busy and haven't seen each other lately, that's why. Which means now is time to catch up!]

I've got something I want you to try, all right? Are you working right now? You can handle some caffeine?

[Beware: all of Jean's friends are getting pressed into taste-testing his new concoctions.]

[pikapikajankenpo]

[Yayoi's just watching the spectacle from across the street. That was quite the accomplishment, and she wandered over curiously.]

I'll get a coffee, [she said once inside.]

[notvaljean]

Sure thing!

[Jean is behind the counter at the moment, and grins cheerfully at his newest customer.]

How do you feel about Pumpkaboo Spice Lattes? Because the ones here have real pumpkin in them.

Video

[starry_forehead]

[Well someone is looking a lot happier since the last time you saw him. Given you've already talked to Mabel, it's probably obvious why. Either way.]

Oh man that's awesome. Grunkle McGucket would love that.


....are you actually selling banjos too?

Video

[notvaljean]

Hey, Dipper.

[That smile is a much better look on Dipper than the sad face he'd been wearing last time Jean talked to him, and Jean grins back.]

I hope so. It's named after him, and his Trubbish is the only one who can drive it.

Not yet. It's a lot harder to find a supplier for banjos than a supplier for coffee.