[ti]closed[/ti]Bytes to Burn [S][C/Hekate]

Hekate found the shops and merchants in the small town... overwhelming. All the shopping she did in her real life was entirely online, delivery goods she could avoid having to talk to other people to get her hands on. She even avoided talking to the drivers delivering her regular takeout, giving at most a quiet squeak intended to be a "Thank you!" when she couldn't avoid meeting face-to-face. This, on the other hand? Completely different. Boomer memes would have a field day about Hekate's current struggle to know what to buy without a search bar.

So many different shops, each promising useful goods, and she could only know what they had for sure by going inside. But once she went in, she'd have to buy something, right? It'd be rude not to?? But what if they didn't have what she wanted??? And don't even get her started on the prospect of being asked to sign up for a membership card. Just the idea of it kept her outside, no business conducted. Window shopping was her limit, it seemed.

Although, as she peeked through one window, she saw something a little different. Another player, perusing the shelves. Hekate felt a lightbulb above her head. If she just watched this blonde guy's purchases, she could just copy what he got! Then she wouldn't have to worry about whether she was making a bad call! What a perfect decision. Nothing could go wrong!

As if sensing her thoughts, the phantom Torchic in her arms rolled his eyes. Hekate glances down at him, and gasps when she looks back up. She can't see the blonde guy any more! He must've moved!! The hell was she supposed to do now? Go inside the store and follow him? That's ridiculous, Nerea. You can't seriously be considering this.

A few moments later, Hekate is peeking around the edge of a shelf at the blonde trainer. What's he holding? Is that a necklace? Was this a jewelry store?? How was that supposed to help??? She bit her lip in a mixture of frustration and anxiety. Oh, man, this was a terrible idea, wasn't it? How the hell was she supposed to-

"Ow!! What the f-" Hekate yelps in pain, as Lil Guy pecks the inside of her arm. He's had enough of her anxious floundering. She stumbles in shock, bumping into the shelf behind her. The cacophonous sound of the shelf's contents clattering to the floor fills the store. Hekate just stands there, shuddering as every impact rings out, staring at the other trainer. Ohhhhh Nerea, you're really in it now. She lets out a squeak, that might sound like an "oops" if you squint at it.

Josh Devlin

She could see his hand extended, offering help. She could hear him asking if she was okay. But between her perception and her brain a thick, staticky barrier had formed. All her thoughts were awash with white noise, as a million different thoughts all raced for priority. Currently in the lead were two potential responses; a simple and polite thank you, but I'm okay - what's your name?, as she stood to her feet, and a pleading I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I wasn't following you, I promise! As the two opposing thoughts approach the finish line, they collide. A mental wreckage of flaming thought barrels through instead, and Hekate's response is... well.

First, she shoots to her feet, completely ignoring the hand offered to her. Realising she was supposed to take it, she quickly and firmly grasps it - perhaps a bit too firmly. This was a handshake, right? "S-sorry!" She barks out, suddenly vigorously shaking his hand up and down. "But I'm- I'm so okay!" Her hand is so sweaty. She's still shaking it. "What's your- your n-name, I promise??" Nailed it, Hekate.

Her phantom Torchic has, meanwhile, been climbing up her back. He comes to a stop on her shoulder, looks down at her still-shaking hand, and then up at the blonde stranger. Lil Guy rolls his eyes, as if to say Are you seeing this too? to Josh.

Josh Devlin

She spies the clerk, beckoned by Josh, coming over to clean up the mess, and quickly looks away. Should she help?? It was her mess, right??? She tries to avoid making eye contact with the clerk, assuming that they're probably staring daggers at her. (They aren't.)

"J-Josh! Nice to- to meet you!" At this point she realises she's still shaking his hand and quickly lets go of it. Oh, man, was her hand really this sweaty?? She goes to wipe it on her shirt, then stops mid-motion, remembering she's in a public space with real people and not alone in her room. Unlike the stained vest her real body was wearing, her avatar's clothes looked nice. Very nice. Too nice to treat as sloppily as she usually did her wardrobe.

Nice enough that, apparently, Josh had mistaken her for an experienced player. Ohhh no. Oh no! Ohhh no no no. She opens her mouth to retort, and then her brain bluescreens. She'd already embarrassed herself this much already - was she really going to reveal that she was just as new as he was, but knew even less about what to do?? She'd be the laughing stock of the entire store, and who knows how many other people would hear about it- no, no, no, no, that wouldn't do, that wouldn't do at all!

She quickly straightens her back, standing to her full height - not the tallest she could've made her avatar, but pretty close (and the heels help). Hekate clears her throat. "Yes! G-good question! I, uh, always, f-find it helpful, to, uh, stock-" She glances around the room for ideas. Something that looked cool. Something that looked useful. Something... she has no idea what any of this stuff is. What does she remember? From when she played as a kid?? "P-potions! Can't, uh, can't get enough... potions! Always useful when you, uh, wh-when you need... a potion!"

A pause. Wait, she didn't- "I'm Hekate!!!!!"

Josh Devlin

She was so proud of her Potions play. She definitely remembered them from when she was a kid. There was no way there wouldn't be Potions, right?

Wrong!

Hekate immediately deflates. "H-huh??" The wind is quickly leaving her sails, as any semblance of confidence she was pretending to have vanished. And as Josh continued talking, it was clear to her that he'd seen through her play. Whatever ideas he'd had about her potential experience seemed to have disappeared. Ohhhh, man. She'd really messed this one up, huh? Hekate lets out a long-drawn out sigh - an admittance of defeat - as she slouches forward.

"...yeah. Th-that sounds like... like a good idea." She mumbles, seemingly too tired now to have a full-blown panic attack. She is, however, still quietly whimpering. "U-upgrades? C-class? I, uh..." She glances aside nervously. "I-is- is there, like, a school we're s-supposed to be going to? I- I didn't sign- sign up for any c-classes..." Hekate looks around the shop - still carefully avoiding looking at the clerks cleaning up her mess - and tries to make some sense of it all. She could read the labels, of course, but she just couldn't process what it all meant.

"D-do you- uh- do- d-do you know... what all this stuff m-means?" She idly picks up an HP Up. HP was... health, right? But this wasn't a healing item??

Josh Devlin