[007 ☿] Dream a little dream

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[It's been a rainy dream, as Mizuno Ami (aged seven) walks home. Her backpack looks quite plump and full, probably due to the extra books she brings to have something to focus on during lunch.

Some things distract even her.

Ami hops across a few small puddles then, after a quick thought to decide it's alright, she hops across a much larger one. She sails through the air- and clears her target! All dry. She giggles in satisfaction.

The rain has stopped by now and there's a playground nearby, where the ground and equipment are somehow dry enough to use. Ami has a long time before Mama will be home, and she knows the people who live around here and play at this spot.

She can finish her homework after dinner (and she really will). Right now, she really wants to play. She climbs carefully into the seat of one of the swings, which turns out to be a touch too high for her and she pumps her legs but barely gets up momentum.

She might need a little help. She could also use a friend to play with.]

Comments

[typeadvantage.livejournal.com]

[While Ami is on the swing, there's a young boy about her age sitting on a bench, reading a large book. Not really sure what the book is about, but he seems to be pretty into it. He doesn't pay Ami much attention, only glancing at her once as she first gets on the swing, since you know, books are fun, okay.]

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[Definitely agreed: books are awesome. When Ami makes no progress swinging, she seems to notice Cheren finally. She isn't quite brave enough to speak up for a long while, but she slips down from the swing and comes closer (while making a laughably see-through attempt not to seem like she's staring) to try to glance at the title.]

[typeadvantage.livejournal.com]

[After a while, Cheren notices Ami staring at him. At first he doesn't say anything, because you know, he's not sure if he cares too much why she's staring. Shortly after that, Cheren changes his mind and decides he does care. He glances over the top of his book at Ami once more before closing the book and turning his attention to her.]

What are you looking at?

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[Crap. Caught! Ami suddenly finds something near her feet fascinating.]

I'm sorry! I just... I saw you reading, and I wanted to see the book, sort of... [Her voice trails off into quiet.]

[typeadvantage.livejournal.com]

[He slides off the bench at that, because it seems rude to him to sit up there and talk to this girl, since you know. The bench made him way taller than she was.]

Do you like books? Most of my other friends don't like reading so much.

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[Ami nods eagerly before finding her voice, becoming a bit more bold with the surer subject.]

I like to read. I can learn a lot that way. And I can read fun stories, too.

[typeadvantage.livejournal.com]

[It's okay, Ami, Cheren would've talked about books anyway even if you didn't respond much. He likes talking about things he knows well, okay.]

I like to, too. I can't go out and see things on my own 'cause I'm not old enough yet, so books tell me about things instead.

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[Cheren, you are a kid after Ami's own heart.]

That's it! I want to travel and see everywhere! So right now, I can learn about all those places until I can go there!

[typeadvantage.livejournal.com]

[New BFFs. Yep.]

Yeah, that's it! The other kids don't get it, so they make me play games with them, which is kinda fun, but it means I can't read as much.

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[Opposite sides of the same problem is go.

It's different for her; she's always wanted to play around with the other kids. But they know Ami is different, smart, already doing hard school work and going to cram school. They say they want to leave her the time and chance to focus on that.

They might mean well when they leave her out because of it, but it doesn't help her feel welcome.]

It'd be nice to play games sometimes. But I like reading, too. I'm used to it.

[typeadvantage.livejournal.com]

[Cheren glances between his book and Ami for a moment as if pondering something. Really, he had read this book before. Many times, in fact. The basics of the Pokemon of the Unova region were something he wanted to be able to recall completely from memory, and it's not like the book wasn't interesting, so he liked reading it.]

We can play games now if you want. I've read this book before.

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

Really? [A smile lights up her face briefly.] If it's alright, I want to play. [She is so close to tagging you right now and calling it a game of tag, Cheren.]

[typeadvantage.livejournal.com]

[Playing usually involves running and stuff he's not the best at, but again. He had already read that book, and he should learn to be better at running and things like that! For the sake of his future Pokemon journey.]

I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want to. What do you want to play?

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[Ami has a different idea of play.]

Papa's teaching me Chess. Do you know it?

[typeadvantage.livejournal.com]

[This idea of play is much better!]

I know how, kind of. I read a book on it.

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[It's a very wonderful kind of play, and what do you know? Someone left a chess set here! Don't worry about if it was there a moment ago.]

We can use that. If someone left it and came back, we can give it back to them then.

[typeadvantage.livejournal.com]

[For all Cheren knew, it was always there. He wasn't paying much attention to the surroundings, really.]

Okay! Which side do you want to be?

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

It's alright if you want to choose. [It was only polite to offer, after all. And she could start on either side.]

[typeadvantage.livejournal.com]

[He considers this for a second, since really, it doesn't matter to him which side he takes.]

I'll be the black side.

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[It suits them for now, and Ami finishes setting up the board for a new match.]

That means you can begin.

[typeadvantage.livejournal.com]

[I actually don't know how to play chess, so we can handwave this if you want! But anyway, Cheren looks down at the board and moves one of the pieces, pawn, I believe it's called, forward.]

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[Ami is, well, a child; but she turns out to know the moves by heart already and makes no mistake regarding how the pieces move.

She has only a basic strategy, but it's a fairly solid one. She leans towards the defensive.]

(ooc: I don't mind fudging! <3)

[typeadvantage.livejournal.com]

[Cheren, being the stubborn child that likes to focus on winning that he is, takes a more risky, offensive strategy. He knows the basics of chess, but because he focuses on winning so much, there are times when his defenses are rather lacking in places.]

[waterfell.livejournal.com]

[Ami is good at keeping a cool and clear head, especially when she has a goal. But she isn't yet the developed strategist she'll grow to be; Cheren subtly gains an advantage.]

[typeadvantage.livejournal.com]

[as quickly as he gains this advantage, it's reduced just because of his own recklessness. Focused so much on victory, he leaves large weak spots in his strategy.]