[Video, Goldenrod City]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[The Goldenrod Christmas Market is open but once a year, and Heather usually enjoys it.]

[But her expression as she trudges between the stalls with the PokeGear pointed at herself is not full of Christmas cheer]</sub>

This is... hour three.

Stall number... uh, seven.

Five hours of sleep. Got here at six.

_{[And if you don't believe her, there are deep shadows under her eyes. Well, more than usual anyway.]}

And folks, I have still not found what I'm looking for.

_{[There's a jump cut, and now she's talking to some portly fellow with a stall full of oddities, from tropical Sevii berries to weird stone idols. There's probably a Pokemon holding the 'Gear this time, because the PoV is from roughly Heather's waist.]}

Really?

Yes'm, the last one just got snapped up maybe ten minutes ago.

You're kidding.

No ma'am, seems like they're just in vogue this year. Ever since that Cara Liss lady came onto the scene, everybody and their grandma wants fossils.

Jeez, and just last year these things were everywhere...

Sorry 'bout that, might be getting some more but not for a couple weeks... can I interest you in a Helix Fossil instead? Those got popular a few years back but after the hype wore off there's plenty to go around.

Thanks for the offer, but no... I'll keep searchin' around.

<sub>[Another jump cut, and now Heather is just sitting there on the cold gray sidewalk, looking defeated.]

[She stares up at the sky. DESPAIRINGLY. And whispers;]</sub>

I just wanted to make an elaborate Jurassic Park joke on Christmas morning.

Comments

[video]

[foolishwren]

_{[She drags a hand across her face blearily.]}

Hnnghhhhh... I mean, I guess...

_{[But man, it would be so much funnier if it were real. She's seen how big those golden orbs of ancient tree-blood are and having it glued to the flimsy little bamboo cane she found would just be *chef kiss*]}

I'm just usually the 'Go big or go home' type when it comes to stupid jokes, you know?

[video]

[paladinlost]

It's true that the details often matter very much, especially when they are otherwise minor.

[Admittedly, he's thinking more about buying original artwork over reproductions or prints than stupid jokes, but same concept, right?

As he tries to think of a solution, he raises his head to look at the ceiling.]

If there are none to be found at the market... Where do you think their suppliers get their stock? From whom?

[video]

[foolishwren]

I... didn't ask, honestly.

The dig site on the Sevii Islands, probably?

<sub>[She's never truly explored the whole chain of islands properly. Or bothered learning much about fossil revival, honestly.]

[Only enough to make Jurassic Park jokes.]</sub>

[video]

[paladinlost]

The one that is willing to trade fossils for a few days of digging?

[Cecil obtained all of his fossils from zombie attacks and good old fashioned distributions, but he's learned that much. He truly should visit that island someday...

But this is not the moment for these thoughts.]

That's... perhaps a bit more work than a joke deserves, unless you truly are determined.

[video]

[foolishwren]

Yeah, I haven't been back to Sevii since all that... Ultra Beast nonsense went down.

I don't know if I'm that dedicated.

_{[She has enough other shopping to do that going all the way out to the Islands for something so dumb would be an... ill-advised decision. Unless she wanted to just throw in the towel and get everybody "ALOLA! WISH YOU WERE HERE~" keychains.]}

[video]

[paladinlost]

It did somewhat ruin the fun of the beach trip. Besides, if you're going to visit, it might as well be to fully explore the islands, rather than tire yourself out for a week and rush back before Christmas.

[Lousy keychains as presents are one thing, overly-complicated jokes another, but spending a week in a tropical paradise and not even taking the time to enjoy it? Cecil cannot condone it.]