[ Video ]

[fortuna_tenax]

[ The feed is dark, for the most part, save for the light from the gear, and some street lights peeking through the blinds. It focuses on a rowlet and a hoothoot, both exploring the bedroom to their hearts' content before it turns back around to the gear's owner, a very tired, pale girl sitting in bed, with a stufful, espurr and meowth beside her groggily. When she speaks, her voice is soft- something about night time, and also the fact that she just woke up and isn't feeling too hot, makes one want to speak quietly. ]

So... I just woke up... and. These two were in my room.

[ There's some light hooting off screen. They sound smug and somewhat impertinent. ]

I don't know where they came from. Aaaaand I don't think I can make them leave. The brown one is staring into my soul.

It's too fucking late for this-

Comments

voice;

[machismost]

[ Well she doesn't seem distressed, exactly, and it looks like she's got three pokemon that can help her out... Or are those plushies? Hard to tell in the dark. ]

Yeah that's... kinda creepy. I've been seeing a lot of things flying around tonight but it was too dark for me to see any up close before. Gotta say I'm a little less freaked out than I was before if that's them, though.

How'd they even get in?

[ video ]

[fortuna_tenax]

I have no idea. T'be honest I've been asleep a lot of today- but I think I saw a bunch outside? Is there, like. Some special event or something? Or like, with the snorunt last month?

[ Her meowth mews softly with a big yawn. You and her both, Cinna. Jinx just looks back at the owls. There's another smug hoot, the kind that says no one will ever know how we got here, and if you do find out no one will ever believe you. Which is very specific for a bunch of soft hoots! ]

I don't even know how they got past anyone else. Primrose- my clefairy- was on the couch tonight, she's normally way observant-

[machismost]

[ She can't see it, but mentioning the snorunts are making Kirishima unconsciously tug at his clothes to stretch the fabric a little. ]

There was some sorta big game tonight, I know that much. My job was slammed with guys watching it so I didn't actually get to see or hear any of it myself. I dunno what it'd have to do with all these birds or whatever else is lining rooftops tonight, though.

[ His jock credentials are kind of on the line until he better familiarizes himself with the sports events here outside of gym battles.

Oh! The meowth plush yawned! So that's 1/3 real Pokemon. ]

At least they don't seem scared or like they're there to fight. [ In fact, the one voice sounds downright smug. Kirishima's had enough divas on his team been here long enough he's aware that can certainly be a possibility. ] Maybe they're lookin' for food?

[fortuna_tenax]

A big game... And this place does have a lot in common with back home...

[ Wasn't there a big game every February? Mammoth loved it, would always try to explain it to her but she never got football... wait. Football. Owls. ]

The Super Bowl? ... They probably thought the excitement was for them- Gah!!

[ The rowlet butts in suddenly, hooting happily! Yes! She is superb owl! Look at her, isn't she great?

Jinx only just barely manages to get her to settle back down, huffing with frustration. She doesn't need this right now. And the espurr looks pretty peeved too- all the pokemon with her do, actually, but Allium is probably the most cranky of them. ]

It's like, almost midnight! It is no longer an appropriate time for ruckus-making!!

Man, I hope not. I'm not in the state to make anything right now. But they seem dead set on staying...

[machismost]

Oh! YEAH! THE SUPER BOWL IS A HUGE THING!

[ Kirishima goes from bemused to excited as she solves the big puzzle for them. American sports weren't precisely his forte, though he would have tuned in to the big to-do sports event as mentioned. The fact he didn't even think of it as a possibility is largely to do with his displacement within this world. Santa Claus was apparently real here, but sports occasions were a little less universal in his world.

Also, there's a whole bunch of Pokemon swarming on the video feed now and Kirishima is so very distractible. ]

Do you have something you can throw outta the room? Like it's bright or shiny or tasty? Then you can shut your door once they're out.

[ It's such a temporary solution that doesn't figure in beaks banging against a closed door.... ]

[fortuna_tenax]

[ Jinx shakes her head. ]

Sorry about that. But with the... non-bird ones, they're just curious- and a bit cranky. They like to stay with me when I sleep. The owl, though... Allium, can you get me my bag please?

[ And the espurr stalks off- leaving things a little less crowded for now. ]

I don't think I ever watched the Super Bowl. I knew someone who was way into it, but I'm just not a sports girl- and he was pretty obnoxious about it all too. And the 'superb owls' aren't much better.

[ She's quickly distracted from her griping by something though- probably Allium bringing her her bag! What a big strong kitten. There's a moment where she dotes on him just off screen as thanks- it's somewhat interrupted by a couple coughs- and then the sound of two pokeballs going off. The owls... are at least quiet and smug somewhere else. ]

I was kinda tempted to see if they'd leave on their own but I'm not big on getting interrupted so rudely. They're going to learn some manners. [ oh she miffed ] ... Still, now that I'm awake, I'm awake I guess. Fuck.

[machismost]

[ It's a little bit surreal for Kirishima, even if he has been here for a few months. It's sort of like all the dolls on a girl's bed are animating themselves and peeling off - blinking, yawning, stretching, etc. He blinks for a moment, watching the Espurr wander off before snapping back to Jinx mid-sentence. ]

I've seen it! I just wasn't expecting this place to actually have anything to do with it, you know? It's pretty different from where I'm from.

[ Kirishima waits patiently enough, though his eyes widen a bit at the sound of pokeballs going off, which he's well familiar with now. Does it look like Jinx threw them or...? But there was that coughing... and now that statement. ]

Wait. Did you just catch those guys just to punish them?

[ UNSURE. ]

[fortuna_tenax]

It's kind of crazy how much this place does have in common with home- and yet it's so different too... How's yours different?

[ She laughs at that, though it's clearly strained and leads to some coughing- whoopsies. Once she can clear herself up though, she shakes her head, still clearly amused. ]

No, of course not. I'm not heartless... and I do think they're neat. But it's the best way to assure I don't gotta worry about them when I do fall back asleep, and if they don't want to stay with me I'm not going to make them. But also they're rude lil' shits who broke into my room and that's not okay.

[ Yes, she knows she sounds a little hypocritical here- not that the other boy would know. But like, she kept her crimes to chain businesses? And not peoples' homes. It's totally different. ]

[machismost]

Um.

[ They can put a pin in how his world is different for now. Kirishima's figuring out the coughing wasn't some sort of sound to cover up the sound of pokeballs going off, like it'd originally seemed to him.

She can't see Kirishima relax, but she might hear it in his tone. Something about Jinx's response to his query has satisfied him. ]

Okay. So you're gonna let 'em go if they don't wanna stay after you sleep...

Are you sick? Sounds like you've got a cough.

[bestswordmaster]

[It's dark where Felix is, too, just the Gear's light illuminating him where he also sits in bed, hair still up but only just. He hasn't gone to sleep just yet, but Sylvain has, and if Jinx looked carefully she might catch a glimpse of red curls at the bottom corner of the screen. As a result, Felix is speaking at almost a whisper.]

That brown one reminds me of our professor at the academy. It's uncanny.

We saw a lot of owls today, too. Like the Snorunts last moon, I suppose.

None of them broke into our rooms, though.

[ video ]

[fortuna_tenax]

I'm pretty sure it knows all of my sins and transgressions.

[ And then the hoothoot is behind her, staring at the Gear. ... What the actual hell, bird.

She can't hide her irritation, but she's not making nay effort to chase it off. Can't blame a spooky bird for looming, after all. ]

I heard the snorunt showed up everywhere, do you think it's the same with this...?

Re: [ video ]

[bestswordmaster]

So it really is just like our professor, huh.

[Is that a joke or is he completely serious? Hard to say. But his opinion certainly doesn't change when the bird just...just kinda appears out of nowhere behind her in the dark.]

Tch. It had better not be. Dimitri believes that mess with the Snorunts caused us misfortune in Goldenrod. I don't know whether that's true or superstitious bunk, but if I have to endure another month of screaming lunatics following me around, I'll be forced to deal with the problem myself.

[ video ]

[fortuna_tenax]

I mean. You're talkin' to a girl who can weaponize and enact superstitions, so maybe I'm a bit biased- especially given how magical creatures could be back home.

[ The hoothoot hasn't stopped staring. Do you see his eyes, Felix? He's looking into yours. ]

Still, I think those girls figured it out though, I saw a few things online about that band people thought you were having been in... Kalos? Since Christmas.

Re: [ video ]

[bestswordmaster]

That's...a good point.

[Wow, that thing has even perfected Byleth's unblinking power-stare. His gaze shifts slightly from Jinx's face to the owl behind her and he narrows his eyes, glaring back at it.]

Hmph. I'll bet none of them will ever apologize for the month of torture they put us through. But I don't care if it means I never have to see a single one of them again.

[ video ]

[fortuna_tenax]

Mm. That would require self reflection and an analysis of their behavior and entitlement, as well as a critique of the treatment of celebrities and the public's entitlement to everything they have.

So, no. Probably not.

[ Jinx just... keeps it real when she's sick, apparently, because this is not the first tangent like this she's been on since.

The hoothoot is unfazed by his glare. If anything, its gaze intensifies. Jinx is too tired for this nonsense, and yet. ]

Re: [ video ]

[bestswordmaster]

[Felix nods, as though abrupt scathing social commentary in the middle of a casual conversation were totally normal. ...he's been known to do it, too, even when he's not half-asleep.

Speaking of which...his brow furrows.]

You look tired. And you sound tired. More tired than the hour would suggest.

[ video ]

[fortuna_tenax]

[ She might have flinched a bit at the statement- he wasn't supposed to realize! What if he's disappointed in her?! Not unlike a child fearing scolding, she looks away, concern and shame evident in the twist in her eyebrows. ]

I- I caught a cold. I can't sleep for too long without coughing myself awake. Razor was able to get me some medicine... Maybe that's when the birds got in?

voice;

[apshot]

Just forget it about getting rid of them. Might as well just catch them.

[ voice ]

[fortuna_tenax]

Yeah, that's... probably my best bet. I just don't understand how they even got in. I didn't see any open doors or windows when I checked.

[ Oh that is some smug fucking hooting in the background. ]

[ voice ]

[apshot]

Maybe one of the others did.

[ It would be just like one of his other 'mons to do something like that. ]

[ voice ]

[fortuna_tenax]

[ ............... They wouldn't. ...... Would they? A glance at some of the ones still sleeping on the floor of her room isn't enough to tell. The owls are giving nothing away. ]

... They're getting questioned tomorrow.

[ voice ]

[apshot]

[ The silence is kind of telling, right? ]

What? Don't feel like getting to the bottom of it tonight?

[ voice ]

[fortuna_tenax]

I'm currently nursing an awful cold, and I legitimately don't have the energy at the moment. Only reason I'm even awake right now is because I heard something.

[ Tellingly, she does sound exhausted- but she has politely muted whenever she needed to cough, and she doesn't expect a stranger to be able to tell her voice sounds funny. She legitimately didn't expect anyone to just... reply, this late at night. Oh well? ]

[ voice ]

[apshot]

[ Eh. Fair enough. ]

So you'll just curl up and sleep it all off?

[ voice ]

[fortuna_tenax]

That's... kind of the plan, I guess, but fuck if it'll be that easy. [ It usually isn't. ] Might just set my froslass on guard duty. I definitely trust her to not fall susceptible to shenanigans like mystery owls. Shoulda done that earlier.

[ Should they still be talking? Probably not. But she's unfortunately wide awake, with absolutely no spoons and nothing to do but stare at the owls angrily and talk on the Gear, so this is just her life right now. ]