☀ 04
Do Americans celebrate Christmas for this long? The tree's back up in our house. [and of course he's suspicious, who wouldn't be after all of what happened? of course, Red being Red, his curiosity overcomes him. he relents after a few minutes, frown pursed across his lips, and gently sets the phone receiver on the kitchen counter. you can hear his footsteps as he shuffles into the other room.
there's only one box for him under the tree. it's rather large with little circular indentations under the wrapping paper that remind him of air holes, although those are details that can't be made out from over the phone; the only sounds heard for the next few seconds are quiet breathing as Red takes the sight in. a minute or so later, there's a soft thud as he nudges the box in a half-hearted kick.
it responds by shaking violently.]
...
[he doesn't even hesitate this time and barely a half a minute later, a multitude of sounds can be heard - paper being ripped violently and crumpled, something scratching against cardboard, and the muffled, squeaky cry of Piii! Pikapi!]
Pika...chu?
[whatever it is repeats the cry--Pi-ka-chuuu!--enthusiastically and continues chattering even as the phone receiver lays unattended to in the kitchen and even as Red, sitting cross-legged on the floor surrounded by wrapping paper, feels his heart start to thud rapidly.]
[throughout the day, you may find Red and Pikachu doing any number of things!
A) at the park under the very same tree from Christmas, Red is laying on his back amidst the snow, eyes closed with a face that is undeniably content. Pikachu is curled up in a ball on his stomach, snoozing. every once in a while, the Pokemon's ears will twitch and it'll stretch its legs out to fidget in its sleep.
B) in the backyard of 507 Ricardo Street, the air will smell thick with electrical discharge. investigate and you'll find Red with his arms folded and a placid look on his face. there's a few crudely made scarecrows set up around the yard, and looking at them makes it very apparent that they were made with whatever he could find around town and the house; the torsos are big, feathery pillows, the heads are buckets, the arms are yardsticks, etc.
when he speaks, his voice is loud and clear and firm.
"Pikachu, Volt Tackle."
"Thunderbolt."
"Iron Tail."
and each time, Pikachu responds to each command by either zapping the dummies with bolts of lightning or slamming into them with his tail, hard as metal. you can imagine they don't last very long, at this rate.
C) at the supermarket! You'll find him wandering from aisle to aisle looking at rows of fresh produce, meats and breakfast foods, looking contemplative and wondering whether or not the cheese they sell would be healthy for Pikachu. the aforementioned electric mouse is sitting in his backpack, poking its head out from between the flaps and taking in its new surroundings curiously.]
there's only one box for him under the tree. it's rather large with little circular indentations under the wrapping paper that remind him of air holes, although those are details that can't be made out from over the phone; the only sounds heard for the next few seconds are quiet breathing as Red takes the sight in. a minute or so later, there's a soft thud as he nudges the box in a half-hearted kick.
it responds by shaking violently.]
...
[he doesn't even hesitate this time and barely a half a minute later, a multitude of sounds can be heard - paper being ripped violently and crumpled, something scratching against cardboard, and the muffled, squeaky cry of Piii! Pikapi!]
Pika...chu?
[whatever it is repeats the cry--Pi-ka-chuuu!--enthusiastically and continues chattering even as the phone receiver lays unattended to in the kitchen and even as Red, sitting cross-legged on the floor surrounded by wrapping paper, feels his heart start to thud rapidly.]
[throughout the day, you may find Red and Pikachu doing any number of things!
A) at the park under the very same tree from Christmas, Red is laying on his back amidst the snow, eyes closed with a face that is undeniably content. Pikachu is curled up in a ball on his stomach, snoozing. every once in a while, the Pokemon's ears will twitch and it'll stretch its legs out to fidget in its sleep.
B) in the backyard of 507 Ricardo Street, the air will smell thick with electrical discharge. investigate and you'll find Red with his arms folded and a placid look on his face. there's a few crudely made scarecrows set up around the yard, and looking at them makes it very apparent that they were made with whatever he could find around town and the house; the torsos are big, feathery pillows, the heads are buckets, the arms are yardsticks, etc.
when he speaks, his voice is loud and clear and firm.
"Pikachu, Volt Tackle."
"Thunderbolt."
"Iron Tail."
and each time, Pikachu responds to each command by either zapping the dummies with bolts of lightning or slamming into them with his tail, hard as metal. you can imagine they don't last very long, at this rate.
C) at the supermarket! You'll find him wandering from aisle to aisle looking at rows of fresh produce, meats and breakfast foods, looking contemplative and wondering whether or not the cheese they sell would be healthy for Pikachu. the aforementioned electric mouse is sitting in his backpack, poking its head out from between the flaps and taking in its new surroundings curiously.]