Yeah, it does. I'm not surprised Rise would have one, she puts a lot of love into her Pokemon, and Eevee evolve into Sylveon through affection.
[Cadence squirms against Maka's hold. Moooom! Put me down!
However, Maka knows better, so she continues to stubbornly hold the Pokemon.]
They're still fairly new for us, they were only introduced to Johto and Kanto last year.
[Finally, after a moment where Maka says to Cadence in hushed tones something about "don't do that thing" she sets the poor Pokemon down. She sits at Maka's side looking a little put out, but nonetheless she sits still as commanded.]
Anyway, I didn't call you out to talk about Sylveon, shall we go in?
[Kaneki nods once Maka has placed Cadence on the ground, reaching out to pull the door open for her. Of course, the moment he does that Hide scurries inside before either of them can move, making a beeline for one of the nearest book shelves.
He does, actually. I've been trying to teach him how to read, since I've been teaching him to write a little...but he's really more interested in being read to.
[Which is evident by the fact that Hide is, yet again, rummaging through the childrens' books, even though Kaneki has already bought a bunch for him to keep.
He walks in after, looking back briefly as the door comes to a close behind them with a soft jingle of a bell shaped like a Chimeco affixed to the door handle.]
Phantom likes them too. I'm not sure if he can actually read at all, but he likes to look over my shoulder when I'm reading at night.
Freya, my Meowstic, likes reading with me too. I'm not sure, but I think she actually does know how to read...sometimes I read storybooks to my younger Pokemon, too. I wouldn't mind reading to your Smeargle and Phantom if you wanted.
[Cadence, however, is distracted by the bell on the door--which she promptly runs back to and pushes with her ribbons to jingle a few times.]
I should get some more storybooks, it looks like there's going to be a pretty young kid in our club and he might like them too.
[jingle jingle jingle!]
...Err...so, you're more familiar with this place than me, where should we head first?
[Don't say that too loud, Maka, or else the Smeargle might take that seriously. He's already got three books in his arms and he's still digging around for more while Kaneki passes by, heading for the shelves lining the far wall of the store.
He stops near a window, running his hand over the bindings of several books as he walks until he locates the one he was looking for, pulling it out to turn around so Maka can see.]
[Also Rikki might assassinate her right then and there if it was taken too seriously, so she won't continue the joke any further than that.
What she will do is look over the cover and grin.]
Ah, right, Edgar Absol Poe. He's one of my favorites, "The Murkrow" is pretty popular but I'd say my favorite story by him was "The Black Purrloin" or "The Murders in the Zorua Morgue." What about you?
"Tell-Taillow Heart" you mean. [She says that with a teasing tone, nudging him just slightly (if only because flicking his bangs or tweaking his ear like she would usually might get her hand ripped off).] I was happy to find him here, too, he's a very famous author in my own world...and from what Lord Death tells me, he was actually very kind and quiet.
[Maka doesn't realize she just invoked Lord Death's name without having told Kaneki once who that is and breezes over to another section of the shelves, standing on tiptoe to try and reach one.]
I should have guessed that you liked Gothic lit if you like horror and mystery.
Hey, it's easy to get these names mixed up. Most of them are so different, now...
[He puts the book he'd been holding back onto the shelf, just as the words "Lord Death" catch up to him. Though he's taken by what she says next and responds to that, first.]
Oh, for sure. I've read a lot more than just the classics, but not all of them are actually here.
[There's a significantly long pause before Maka answers, finally grabbing at the book and was trying to reach and distracting herself by flipping through it. She does not look directly at Kaneki as she answers:] The headmaster of my school. I guess he's a little like a friend of the family, too, my dad was his second in command.
[To put it in more...normal terms besides "his living weapon." Maka turns up the book to show him the cover "The Mankey's Paw and other tales."]
This one was new to me. [The monkey's paw was...a very dangerous artifact in her world.]
[Second in command...that's a weird way to put it, but he decides not to linger on that too much. He just nods a little as he turns his attention to the book she's showing him, surprise flickering across his expression.]
Really? I like this one a lot. It reminds me of the short stories Takatsuki Sen writes; they're a pretty quick read, but all the more powerful for it.
I think there are just some things that weren't...a certain way in my world but are in others. Like Sherlock Holmes and Don Quixote were real people in my world, the "monkey's paw" described in the story was too.
[...Well. Kaneki had opened his mouth to say something, but now it's hanging open slightly with surprise. For a moment, all he can do is stare as he takes that in, blinking slowly.]
If that's true, then...what are your fiction books like?
[...BECAUSE THAT'S THE PRIORITY, HERE. DO YOU EVEN HAVE FICTION?? It's a dumb thing to just blurt, but man he doesn't know how else to respond.]
[That...that was particularly vehement. Guess a nerve got touched.]
Our fiction isn't all that different. I think the biggest issue is that it does exist, just in different forms, like the problem I ran into with "Dark Side of the Moon." So while the monkey's paw is an evil artifact that Lord Death destroyed a long time ago in my world, it's a cautionary tale in other worlds.
[A pause.]
Listen, I...I don't want to freak you out, but I'm not the most normal person, okay?
[Kaneki stiffens at her tone, but more than that he can feel Rikki dig her claws into his shoulder, her lip curling a bit. She doesn't move otherwise, though, her bushy tail flicking to curl around his neck and shoulders.
He turns to face the shelf by the window again, mostly so she won't be able to see how his expression has turned a bit uncomfortable, though not at the fact that her world is weird or anything.]
...it's okay, Maka. I don't really find it all that strange.
[Kaneki reaches out a hand to idly run his fingers along the bindings of the books again, just to give himself something to do with them. His world is far, far stranger, he thinks.]
...[The jingling seems to have stopped in the time they've been talking. Apparently Cadence had been searching through the books along with Hide and picked one to poke at Maka with. Maka clears her throat and puts back the book she had been holding, picking up the one Cadence is wiggling at her next.]
"If You Give a Dedenne a Cookie"? Let me guess, you want this one for the bedtime story tonight.
[The Sylveon nods insistently, taking a moment to look up at Rikki with a chirp. It translates roughly to "hey books are some good shit, you pick one too!"]
Cadence doesn't usually pick kids' books, but I guess she was in a feelgood mood rather than a lovey-dovey mood today. Thank goodness.
[Kaneki appreciates the shift in subject, turning back around to smile a little down at Cadence. Rikki, meanwhile, gives a soft chitter in the back of her throat that basically comes out as being "....nah".
Hide comes trundling over behind Cadence, his arms full of books as he sidles up next to Kaneki's leg, looking pleased as punch with all of the things he has.]
Hide...we have so many, maybe you should just pick one? Then we can get more after we read the ones we have.
[The Smeargle's tail wags slowly as he looks up at Kaneki and Maka, but he doesn't actually make any move to put the books away yet. Maybe if he holds them long enough, Kaneki will change his mind.]
Books like these are his favorite...but he likes "Goodnight Lunatone" the best. I think I've read it at least fifty times since I bought it.
Maka kneels down to be at level with Hide, smiling and holding out her hands to take his books.]
How about you pick one for Kaneki to get and I'll buy the rest? I need more books like this around the house anyway, since someone that would probably like them is going to join our club. I can read them to you, too, whenever you want.
[Maka this is why you can't be a mom, you'll just spoil your kids.]
[You can almost see the excitement sparkling in the Pokemon's eyes as he gives a soft, pleased woof before handing off the stack of books to Maka, immediately turning around to head back to the shelf where Cadence is standing to plunder some more.
Kaneki smiles weakly, lifting a hand to touch the side of his face.]
You didn't have to do that...but it was very nice of you, Maka.
Maka just laughs--it's short and quiet, but still amused.]
Going to the bookstore with my dad used to be the thing I'd look forward to most when he wasn't busy with work. [She stands up to readjust the pile in her arms and shrugs.] Hide kinda reminds me of how excited I'd get.
Well, now he's going to expect for you to buy him books all the time. ...not to mention read to him.
[Kaneki sighs, shaking his head fondly as he watches the Smeargle pull books off the shelf again. Good thing the owners of the place don't mind, so long as Kaneki cleaned up after him.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Oh. It's nice to meet you, Cadence.
[He smiles a little, walking a bit closer to Maka and her Sylveon.]
Rise-san has one of these...Eevee evolves into it, right?
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[Cadence squirms against Maka's hold. Moooom! Put me down!
However, Maka knows better, so she continues to stubbornly hold the Pokemon.]
They're still fairly new for us, they were only introduced to Johto and Kanto last year.
[Finally, after a moment where Maka says to Cadence in hushed tones something about "don't do that thing" she sets the poor Pokemon down. She sits at Maka's side looking a little put out, but nonetheless she sits still as commanded.]
Anyway, I didn't call you out to talk about Sylveon, shall we go in?
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He laughs a little, shaking his head.]
Ah...Go ahead.
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[Better to not just stand there all day, Maka goes in next, Cadence prances after her.]
Not a lot of my Pokemon like books very much.
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[Which is evident by the fact that Hide is, yet again, rummaging through the childrens' books, even though Kaneki has already bought a bunch for him to keep.
He walks in after, looking back briefly as the door comes to a close behind them with a soft jingle of a bell shaped like a Chimeco affixed to the door handle.]
Phantom likes them too. I'm not sure if he can actually read at all, but he likes to look over my shoulder when I'm reading at night.
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[Cadence, however, is distracted by the bell on the door--which she promptly runs back to and pushes with her ribbons to jingle a few times.]
I should get some more storybooks, it looks like there's going to be a pretty young kid in our club and he might like them too.
[jingle jingle jingle!]
...Err...so, you're more familiar with this place than me, where should we head first?
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[Which is what Hide does on a near constant basis anyway, but Kaneki really doesn't mind it. It's endearing, really.
He nods toward the shelves, gesturing for Maka to follow him.]
The Young Adult section is this way. It has a lot of the books that I've been reading recently.
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[She says this in a lighthearted, joking way as she follows after her friend.]
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He stops near a window, running his hand over the bindings of several books as he walks until he locates the one he was looking for, pulling it out to turn around so Maka can see.]
Look at this. "The Cask of Armaldo".
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What she will do is look over the cover and grin.]
Ah, right, Edgar Absol Poe. He's one of my favorites, "The Murkrow" is pretty popular but I'd say my favorite story by him was "The Black Purrloin" or "The Murders in the Zorua Morgue." What about you?
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"The Black Purrloin" is a pretty good one. Mine would either be that or "The Tell-Tale Taillow".
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[Maka doesn't realize she just invoked Lord Death's name without having told Kaneki once who that is and breezes over to another section of the shelves, standing on tiptoe to try and reach one.]
I should have guessed that you liked Gothic lit if you like horror and mystery.
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[He puts the book he'd been holding back onto the shelf, just as the words "Lord Death" catch up to him. Though he's taken by what she says next and responds to that, first.]
Oh, for sure. I've read a lot more than just the classics, but not all of them are actually here.
[Like, you know. His favorites.]
...is...Lord Death a friend of yours...?
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[To put it in more...normal terms besides "his living weapon." Maka turns up the book to show him the cover "The Mankey's Paw and other tales."]
This one was new to me. [The monkey's paw was...a very dangerous artifact in her world.]
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Really? I like this one a lot. It reminds me of the short stories Takatsuki Sen writes; they're a pretty quick read, but all the more powerful for it.
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[Yeah that's...quite a load to drop on someone.]
...Sorry, I know it's weird.
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If that's true, then...what are your fiction books like?
[...BECAUSE THAT'S THE PRIORITY, HERE. DO YOU EVEN HAVE FICTION?? It's a dumb thing to just blurt, but man he doesn't know how else to respond.]
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[That...that was particularly vehement. Guess a nerve got touched.]
Our fiction isn't all that different. I think the biggest issue is that it does exist, just in different forms, like the problem I ran into with "Dark Side of the Moon." So while the monkey's paw is an evil artifact that Lord Death destroyed a long time ago in my world, it's a cautionary tale in other worlds.
[A pause.]
Listen, I...I don't want to freak you out, but I'm not the most normal person, okay?
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He turns to face the shelf by the window again, mostly so she won't be able to see how his expression has turned a bit uncomfortable, though not at the fact that her world is weird or anything.]
...it's okay, Maka. I don't really find it all that strange.
[Kaneki reaches out a hand to idly run his fingers along the bindings of the books again, just to give himself something to do with them. His world is far, far stranger, he thinks.]
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...[The jingling seems to have stopped in the time they've been talking. Apparently Cadence had been searching through the books along with Hide and picked one to poke at Maka with. Maka clears her throat and puts back the book she had been holding, picking up the one Cadence is wiggling at her next.]
"If You Give a Dedenne a Cookie"? Let me guess, you want this one for the bedtime story tonight.
[The Sylveon nods insistently, taking a moment to look up at Rikki with a chirp. It translates roughly to "hey books are some good shit, you pick one too!"]
Cadence doesn't usually pick kids' books, but I guess she was in a feelgood mood rather than a lovey-dovey mood today. Thank goodness.
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Hide comes trundling over behind Cadence, his arms full of books as he sidles up next to Kaneki's leg, looking pleased as punch with all of the things he has.]
Hide...we have so many, maybe you should just pick one? Then we can get more after we read the ones we have.
[The Smeargle's tail wags slowly as he looks up at Kaneki and Maka, but he doesn't actually make any move to put the books away yet. Maybe if he holds them long enough, Kaneki will change his mind.]
Books like these are his favorite...but he likes "Goodnight Lunatone" the best. I think I've read it at least fifty times since I bought it.
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Maka kneels down to be at level with Hide, smiling and holding out her hands to take his books.]
How about you pick one for Kaneki to get and I'll buy the rest? I need more books like this around the house anyway, since someone that would probably like them is going to join our club. I can read them to you, too, whenever you want.
[Maka this is why you can't be a mom, you'll just spoil your kids.]
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Kaneki smiles weakly, lifting a hand to touch the side of his face.]
You didn't have to do that...but it was very nice of you, Maka.
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Maka just laughs--it's short and quiet, but still amused.]
Going to the bookstore with my dad used to be the thing I'd look forward to most when he wasn't busy with work. [She stands up to readjust the pile in her arms and shrugs.] Hide kinda reminds me of how excited I'd get.
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[Kaneki sighs, shaking his head fondly as he watches the Smeargle pull books off the shelf again. Good thing the owners of the place don't mind, so long as Kaneki cleaned up after him.]
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