strideways | > Dave: Be the pied piper.

[ Oh, look! A blurry thumb! The 'Gear is fumbled for a moment — looks like someone's having trouble holding onto it, or aiming it the right direction, at any rate.

When the camera steadies, the cameraman finally comes into view.

It's a bird! No, it's a... bunch of birds! It's... a really bad scarecrow?

Actually, it's Dave Strider. Guess who left his bird swag on?

Dave is almost literally covered in Murkrows. They're clinging to his clothes, perched all over his arms and his head and shoulders, sitting on his feet.... One of them, nestled in beneath his jaw on the right side, as cloooose as she can get, is wearing an orange ribbon around her neck. She looks like she's sulking. ]

Caught one of those dog Pokémon lurking around — Houndour, I guess. They're Fire- and Dark-type.

[ He's apparently determined to pretend the crows aren't even fucking there, because when one of them pecks at the 'Gear, he just moves it aside slightly and continues in the same tone of voice. ]

Was battling with my Gyarados, but I actually had to break out Tock to knock out a couple of them before I found one that wasn't level Fuck You, Strider. We're probably lucky they're not aggressive.

[ The ribboned Murkrow on his shoulder suddenly puffs herself up and lashes out at her neighbour, scattering a few crows for all of twenty seconds. They settle back down, with Dave's Murkrow looking unhappier than ever.

A few crows are lifted in front of the camera as he raises his left arm. If you're watching closely, he reaches up to scratch lightly at his Murkrow's talon. ]

And I'm pretty sure I saw a Gengar earlier. Those weren't around here before.

[ This is effectively a query: anyone know what's going on?

Before he can actually ask, though (if he was even going to), a bird on his left shoulder makes a grab for his shades. Dave jerks his head away, and his own Murkrow snatches at the sunglasses from the opposite side.

The 'Gear clatters to the ground, landing faceup and with an excellent, if fleeting, view of a crow flying off, an orange ribbon around her neck and a pair of sunglasses in one claw. A moment later, a hand covers the camera completely, and the feed shuts off. ]

[ Feel free to approach; he's near the north edge of Goldenrod. Just don't expect him to be very friendly — or look you in the eye. ]

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[ Hanekoma's on his way to the casino when he spots Dave, and he has to stop and stare at the guy covered in crows. He didn't plan on striking up a conversation, but the man's Persian seems to have other ideas -- immediately she's fallen into a crouch and is slinking forward, intent on a feathery meal or at least a good game of chase.

Her owner hurries forward and recalls her just in time to see the kid lose his shades and fumble the Pokegear. Might as well offer help if he's over here, right? ]

Need a hand?

[ Dave hadn't noticed the cat or the man approach; he was looking into the sky and shading his eyes, more from the world than the sunshine. When Hanekoma speaks, though, he curses softly under his breath and doesn't turn around. ]

She'll come back.

[ Eventually. In the meantime, the bird on his head and the one that's taken Seppucrow's place are fighting over a lock of his hair. ]

Was that one yours? The things sure seem fond a' you.

[ The amusement in his voice is hard to miss. As for Hanekoma, the Murkrow have been mostly leaving him alone -- maybe they recognize him as a fellow guy with feathers. ]

Yeah... always have been. Couldn't keep the fuckers outta my room at home, either.

[ He rubs his eye briefly — balls, that sun is bright — and turns his head as he speaks, but not far enough to show his face. ]

She takes off with my shit all the time, but I taught her early on to lay off the shades. Guess she just got pissed when some other feathery asshole tried to take them.

[ He picks up on Dave's discomfort, but it seems like a big reaction to losing sunglasses. He just nudges his own shades a little closer to his eyes, quietly amazed that they've survived so long. ]

What, were those a special pair?

[ Yes. Is Dave going to say as much? No. ]

More like I don't go out in public without them.

Sensitive eyes or a fashion statement?

[ But now he's curious. ]

[ Dave still isn't looking at him. His head is turned so his face is partially visible, but his eyes are trained on the ground. The height discrepancy and his lowered lashes obscure his eyes from view. ]

Concern for public safety, that's all. I can't just walk around with these gorgeous peepers bared for everyone to see. We'd have chicks fainting left and right, guys questioning themselves in a deeply intimate manner, adults breaking all kinds of laws....

[ That gets an honest laugh out of him. After a moment of consideration, Sanae stops fiddling with his sunglasses and slips them off, holding the pair out to Dave. ]

Well, I wouldn't wanna go breakin' any laws. If it's that big a deal, kiddo, you can have mine.

[ Really, he was going to break them on the road sooner or later, and he's still not used to money being something of consequence. They're designer shades and everything, great for wearing ironically. ]

[ Dave hesitates — because seriously, he doesn't even know this guy, and to be honest, his pedometer is probably a little too finely tuned — but after a moment, he reaches back to take them without looking up. He'll look more retarded walking around with his eyes closed or his hand over them, and anyway, he can give this dude his shades back later. ]

... Thanks. These aren't half-bad, for a dude your age.

[ Come on, man, he doesn't even have his trench coat on. And that's... not a joke, he really does have a trench coat. And a fedora. They go great with the shades and stubble.

Dave's pedometer is tuned just fine. ]

Seems like you need 'em more than I do.

[ They're from Shibuya, pretty damn high-quality, and some too-human part of him does cringe a little to let them go. But... well, he kind of likes the idea of handing them off to a distressed stranger, so long as Dave treats them okay. And he thinks the kid will. ]

[ With the shades on now, he glances up at Hanekoma, still vaguely skeptical. ]

They're not for me. They're for the people of Johto, remember?

[ Straight-faced, even. He looks up at the sky, to the Murkrows wheeling around up there, Seppucrow among them. ]

[ He grins. It's half because Dave looks at him to say it. ]

Right. I'm just doin' my part as a good citizen.

[ Hanekoma follows his gaze, making a point of not looking too closely at the kid's face. If he's got weird, sensitive, or legitly pretty eyes, well. He can stand not knowing. ]

Good luck with the crows, yeah?

[ A tiny bit of all three, incidentally. But Dave appreciates the lack of close scrutiny. ]

Thanks. Pretty much used to it; I'll be fine.

Good to hear it, boss.

[ Still smiling, he turns away, hands working their way back into his pockets and thoughts straying back to the Game Corner. If he ever sees the kid again, well, they'll talk shades then. He's happy leaving it to luck. ]

> Dave: Be the pied piper.

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/delete-edits yet another thing, sorry!

no worries!

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