barring emergencies

[the_very_best]

Bella's not sure where she has wandered. She thought she was about to walk into a shop, but this appears to be an unattended bar. With none of the windows associated with the shop she thought she was entering. It could be an elaborate psychic assault of some kind, but it doesn't feel very... assault-y... and she was in the middle of a town and doesn't think any humans want to sic their 'mon on her. It's strange. She approaches the bar, looking around warily, hand hovering near her belt.

with Max (Benedict)

with Earth and Lightning (kappa)

with Ann and Sabrina (kuuskytkolme)

Comments

[can_i_help]

"What do you want me to say? I was frustrated and it just… boiled over."

[can_i_stay]

"Uh-huh, keep talking."

[can_i_help]

"Look, I know it wasn't the most rational thing to do, but for a moment I just had so many ideas."

[can_i_stay]

[can_i_help]

"But that's not relevant, I know. I'm sorry I was an ass. And before you say anything I was going to apologize to Bella anyway. Besides, I don't think it would have worked."

[can_i_stay]

"Hm? What do you mean?"

[can_i_help]

"The critter would have been dangerous, so I would've had to keep it away from Lucy. And you know her, she would have found it eventually and then she'd do what she always does with things she finds interesting."

[can_i_stay]

"Hug it to death?"

[can_i_help]

"Yes, but this time it could have been her death and not the critter's."

[can_i_stay]

"She's not as fragile as you think. Besides, Bella said they're controllable."

Ann yawns. It's been a long day.

[can_i_help]

"Yeah, but I don't think I could have taken the risk. And she'd hate us if we kept secrets."

[can_i_stay]

"Yeah, you might be right."

[can_i_help]

[can_i_stay]

Another yawn.

[can_i_help]

"Do you want to take a nap? I can just sit here and think of what I did wrong."

[can_i_stay]

"Oh, stop acting like a five year old."

But she still raises her voice so the Security Lady hears her: "Is it okay if I nap here? I'm an expert at sleeping while sitting down."

[teleia]

"I don't really care."

[can_i_help]

So Ann sleeps and Sabrina stares at the walls, takes catnaps and thinks of what she did wrong until their six hours are up.

[teleia]

The security lady does something inscrutable and the transparent wall disappears. "Free to go," she says. "Don't let me catch you trying to punch people in the main bar again. Keep it upstairs or out back."

[can_i_help]

"I'll be good, and sorry for the inconvenience."

[can_i_stay]

They get back to the main bar.

"There's one good thing about the wait, maybe the door's back."

[can_i_help]

"I hope it is, I'm sick and tired of this place."

The door has, indeed, reappeared.

[the_very_best]

Bella is reading something the bar gave her. One of her Pokémon is drinking a bowl of something slushy. She looks up warily when Sabrina and Ann come out but doesn't address them.

[can_i_stay]

"Oh you're still here! I didn't think... Oh yeah. Magic bar. It was six hours subjective, wasn't it."

[can_i_help]

"Hi Bella."

A pause.

"I'm sorry for trying to hit you. I shouldn't have."