track 001 ✿ smile for the people you like ✿ video; action;

[positivelynormal]

[ As the video screen blips on, you are treated to a dirt road and a row of trees that both stretch into the distance. The scene is tinged in an orange hue, as it is late in the afternoon already. ]

There we go, I think I got it working.

[ The camera swivels around to a girl with brown hair wearing two ribbons, smiling wide. ]

Haruka Amami here, and umm, this is day one on our journey through Johto! [ she raises a fist into the air with a "Yeah!", though she's the only one cheering... ] It's been a long day, hasn't it? I woke up in someone's bed and some nice lady thought I was her daughter, but kicked me out of her house! And then a distinguished man came and told me about pokemon, and then we've been walking ever since. Oh!

[ The camera turns to another long brown-haired girl, traveling beside Haruka. ]

You're live, Iori-chan! Say hello!

[ The other girl, in turn, looks much worse for wear. There's nothing that can accurately describe her expression other than Grumpy as she slogs along beside Haruka, dragging her feet as if every step were a pain. A cute bunny plush hangs from her arm as she holds it close like a security blanket, its ears and feet bouncing along with them. ]

Haruka, quit messing around already! Kgh... My feet are tired! I can't believe we have to walk this entire path. Can't they even afford a driver to take us from place to place?

[ OH WAIT OH SHIT CAMERA'S ON. Iori pulls out of her angry slump in a panic, hurriedly fussing with her hair and clothes to make herself look more presentable to the public eye. And then idol magic happens. ]

Ah, um, hello everybody ♥! It's none other than the world's most beautiful Super Idol, Minase Iori-chan, leader of Super Idol unit Ryuuguu Komachi! It's okay to get excited. After all, you're looking at the face of perfection here!

Let's all work hard and win all the badges so we can go home, okay~? Cute and Perfect Iori-chan and her team will do their very best too! Nihihi~♪

[ ... And how incredible idol magic really is! Which prompts Haruka’s next comment: ] Nnnn, Iori-chan, your group is super talented!

Do you think there is time for everyone to go karaoke together? That would be just so much fun! [ Let's not ignore the elephant in the room, Haruka. ] ... Singing is fun, but I think getting all of the badges would be the best!

[ Haruka turns the camera back on herself. ]

Everyone!! Let's give it our all to be top trainers! If we give it our 100% there's nothing we can't achieve--gyah!!

[ Suddenly, Haruka trips, bobbling and dropping the feed, still on, now recording Haruka awkwardly stumbling and losing her balance, headed toward a sturdy tree, and then--*THACK!!!!*

... Haruka effectively headbutts the tree (with her face), and a Spinarak is dislodged from an upper branch, falling onto Haruka's back and sticking to her jacket. Doesn't seem like she knows, though... ]

[At first, Iori just sighs in exasperation. It seems like Haruka's clumsiness wasn't exactly unexpected. But-

Iori steps back. And then steps back again. And again.]

H-Haruka.... You're... That's- Ahhhh!!

[And then this little idol ran far far away...]

Ouch ouch ouch ouch... [ Haruka peels her face off the tree. Iori's wailing prompts Haruka to hurry! ]

Eh?... Iori...chan?

[ Haruka turns toward her fellow idol and away from the camera, giving you a glimpse of the Spinarak stirring from its slumber.

The feed cuts out. ]

Comments

action;

[nemurihime]

Haruka-san?

[Oh, don't mind Chihaya and her Minun, Adagio, just walking up to them from behind. What, did you expect her to answer her gear? Give her some time.

Also, hi Iori. She'll notice you in a sec.] How long have you been standing there?

action;

[positivelynormal]

[ Haruka is sitting on her knees, rubbing the back of her head, but when she hears Chihaya, she turns to her and smiles her big bright ol' smile! ]

Chihaya-chan!

[ Haruka stands up quickly and starts approaching!!--with that big bug still on her back! ]

[Video]

[tobeyourhero]

[Pffft... Laughing for a good moment from that performance. GOOD WORK, IDORUS.]

Huuuu~ I'm seriously enjoying these new winds passing through. Well... they're a little clumsy, but it's entertaining to see!

[Video]

[positivelynormal]

Hehehe!

[ She laughs along in good spirits!... While rubbing her nose and subsequent face from the super awesome headbutt attack on the trunk. ]

A-As long as you're enjoying yourself, I guess!...

[Video]

[bunnydoll]

It's just Haruka who's clumsy and can't stand on her own two feet.

[video]

[combat_butler]

. . .

If this video post had a subtitle and was on the internet, I get the feeling it would be something akin to "Perfect and Clumsy: Starting Off"...

[video]

[positivelynormal]

I-It sounds like something that would be a lot of fun to watch!...

[ Have a pity laugh, Hayate, because though laughing at yourself is a valuable skill in itself, doing it 24/7 can just get quite pathetic. s o b ]

[video]

[bunnydoll]

Haah? We're not some stupid internet sensation for everyone to laugh at. We're professional idols.

1/??? idk

[femininity]

[ oh man is she glad to see you two. makoto isn't entirely surprised after running into so many others here... she knew there was a chance that more would show up. but the lack of surprise doesn't make her any less excited! she might hide it pretty well, but getting kidnapped and dragged to this place has freaked out a little. ]

Haruka! Iori! You're here too now?

[ she actually recognizes where they are too... she passed that spot not too long ago! she can run back and meet up with them! haruka seems like she might need some help with... that... ]

2/??? still don't know

[femininity]

[ ...thing on her back...

what is that, anyway? ]

1/??? i'm sorry okay it won't be that long

[femininity]

[ sure has a lot of legs doesn't it... ]

3/??? this is so weirdly unnecessary but whatever

[femininity]

[ what has that many legs again... ]

4/??? blame the heat

[femininity]

[ oh right! spiders! ]

5/7 i finally decided

[femininity]

[ ... ]

6/7 you thought i was done spamming your inbox but i messed up

[femininity]

[ OH WOW THAT'S A BIG SPIDER. ]

7/7 okay now i'm really done i promise

[femininity]

[ oh right she can make it go away. in an effort filled with flailing and ineffectual button mashing on her part

she eventually turns off her device.

uh see you two in a little while in person... ]

[audio]

[hurtitselfinconfusion]

More idols?! This is just rid-

[...]

Hmph! This is why I hate singing! It just creates idiots like you two.

[audio]

[bunnydoll]

Wha-? Who's the idiot, idiot?! Just because you can't appreciate high talent like mine doesn't mean you have to be rude about it!

action.

[amiroll]

[ from not far away, Ami heard calamity that could only be produced by one group of people: idols. She roused from her group's encampment, and set off, Kou-kun at her side, to see what all the hubbub was.

Obviously what she saw was wildly unexpected but still somehow predictable for the idol in question. Ami sprung into action. ]

Kou-kun! Shiny-Shiny Mindpower Thingie!

[ She still hadn't bothered to learn the attacks' names. At the very least Kou-kun seemed to know what she meant, hurriedly casting a confusion on the assailant. The poor thing only wanted to sleep, but was now scurrying away in a frenzied daze. ]

Aha! Did a maiden call for Sexy Pokemaster Ami-sama?

action.

[positivelynormal]

[ JEEZ KOU-KUN MIND THE CONFUSION because pretty sure there's residual damage there that might impact Haruka's already nigh-vegetative mental acuity.

But regardless! Disgusting spider pokemon taken care of! ]

Ami-chan!--Ami-chan?

[ Haruka looks at her a bit dumb-founded! ]

Umm, how long have you been here?

video;

[honeygatherer]

No fair, no fair. Miki didn't have anyone to perform a duet with when Miki first showed up...

[ By this point, Miki's seen three videos like this and while she's happy to see all of her friends, the knowledge of being away is taxing. It would take so much work to get back to that other continent that she's just going to have to adjust to being so far away.

Plus, there's no way this is recording right now. She hasn't hit the button to return the call or anything like that. Right? Riiiiiight? A simple glance down and--! ]

Oh! Hello Haruko--[ And more flatly: ]--Deko-chan. Miki was wondering when you would show up here. Are you really going to hunt down all of the badges?

[ The Spinarak doesn't even bother her, even if it's gross. She's had to deal with TRASH POKEMON already. She's still trying to wash the stench out of her hair. ]

video;

[bunnydoll]

[swiftly ignoring the rest of your words in favor of--]

--Who are you calling "Deko-chan"?!

[video]

[idlewanderlust]

*... Azusa was ready to make a flighty, air headed comment but then.

Giant spider on Haruka.

she froze up a little there, give her a second as she gawks at the video hoping it won't come back on to a spider face.*

[video]

[positivelynormal]

Azusa--woah! Your hair is so long again!

[ How?! It was a super cute short cut a few days ago! ]

[ video ]

[uuing]

[ Totally ignoring the spider here.. ]

Uu-! More idols, more..? It sounds like there's a whole lot in Johto now!

[ video ]

[positivelynormal]

[ What spider? The one unseen, hiding behind Haruka and waiting for the opportunity to strike the vacant idol? Psh! ]

There sure are! We may not know the ropes here in Johto, but please support our endeavors here as well, okay?

[ Have an enthusiastic bow! Also, from this vantage one could see said spider clinging to the backpack. ]

video.

[gyaooon]

Amami Haruka-san and Minase Iori-san... Is it? There really are a lot of us here...

[Ryo hasn't talked to them much, though he's seen them in ads and such. Plus, there's that one time 876 Pro gave the 765 idols some fried shrimp to eat... Either way, he's kind of nervous talking to people so experienced---

Um, are they okay? Ryo couldn't help but wince when Haruka headbutted that tree... He can see why Ai gets along with her so much... they're quite alike.

He's about to ask if she's okay, but OMG SPINARAK. Ryo kind of wants one now that he's seen it, but he doesn't think a normal girl would like such a Pokemon on her back.]

Haruka-san! Haruka-san, your back...!

video.

[positivelynormal]

Ryo-chan!

[ Haruka just beams positively, despite there still being bits of treebark on her face. ]

E-Ehh? I'm back? [ She taps her lower lip and looks to the side (a la nonowa-face). ]

Umm, I'm sorry, but I don't think I've been here before.

video; 1/2

[thewhite_symphony]

How very nice to meet you, Miss Haruka and Miss Iori ---

video; 2/2

[thewhite_symphony]

--- oh no! How horrible ...

... are you alright? [ Wait ... she knows that idol. Oh. No wonder ... it was Haruka-chan. She should have known from the tiny bit of clutsiness. ]

Miss Haruka? You're back!

1/2 - [Video]

[10yen_idol]

[ OH MY GOODNESS it's like all her friends from home are just falling out of trees or something! Yayoi waves super-energetically, causing her Pokegear to wobble back and forth even though it's held in the non-waving hand ]

Haruka-san! Iori-chan! Uuuu~, I'm so happy to see-

2/2 - [Video]

[10yen_idol]

- eeeek!?

[ AND SPEAKING OF THINGS FALLING FROM TREES- Yayoi's greeting turns into a truncated squeak ]

H-Haruka-san!! Your back! Y-Your back!!