[PRP] How Can I Help You?

[Akira Midoriyama]

It was another late night for Akira working as a shop clerk. He skimmed over the list of things he was required to do that night - count in his register, dust the shelves, return go-backs, replace stock, record inventory, categorize back-stock, sweep, mop, count the money in the safe, and various other tasks if he managed to finish all those before his shift was up. At least he didn't have to worry about having nothing to do, even if it was a slow night.

Since he had already counted in his register in preparation for customers right after he clocked in, the young man grabbed a duster from the back, a paper towel, and a bottle of sanitizer spray. Turning to grab a stool, he stepped up to start with the shelves on the back wall behind the counter. At least if he began near the shop front, he could greet any customers who decided to enter the store.  

[Tori Honoo]

Finally, after what felt like far too long, Dove had been released from her confines of the hospital and had been allowed to go home. Though she was glad for the freedom, or what she had at least assumed would be freedom, she quickly found that it was little more than illusion; they had allowed her to go to her own home and bed, but the prescriptions and advising had been numerous, and as she made her way back to her apartment, she decided it wasn't worth locking herself in just yet. It had been a while since she had been outside, and the day was nice... she would enjoy it for a while.

However, as the sun had finally hidden behind the horizon, the girl was finding a more immediate need to slow down, and as she made her way home, a heavy reminder to pick up her medications tugged at her chest-- she had nearly forgotten completely, as there had been no need to fend for herself while under the doctor's care.

With a sigh and an ache all throughout, she made her way back and to the shop, hoping she would still be able to pick up the painkillers that had been called in. If not, it would be a rather uncomfortable night. Upon stepping into the store, the girl made her way slowly through, looking for the counter at which she could purchase her medication...and maybe some soup.  

[Akira Midoriyama]

"Hello," Akira said as he heard the door open, speaking automatically before he saw the newcomer. When he looked up casually, he had to do a double-take as he carefully stepped back off the stool.

Wiping his hands, he tossed a dirty paper towel, set the sanitizer on the counter, and asked, "Is there something in particular you're looking for? Something I can help you find?"  

[Tori Honoo]

Jumping slightly at the sudden address and question, she turned her attention from the assorted items on the first row and looked back to the young man dismounting the latter, speaking before she truly registered the voice. "Oh, I, um... Is it too late to pick up a medication that was called in earlier today?" Her words dwindled a bit at the end as the voice became a familiarity.

Swallowing her unsureness--it had been weeks since the last time they had 'spoken'-- she turned to more comfortably talk to him. "Hey... I didn't know you worked at this store..." she admitted calmly, hoping the tiredness in her voice wasn't affecting her calm speech.  

[Akira Midoriyama]

"Not at all," he said with a polite smile, clasping his hands together. "I'll go in the back and see if they have that ready for you. Sorry, what name would you have called it in under...?"

"Hmm? Oh, well, I don't exactly make it common knowledge," the stock clerk said with a laugh. "I wouldn't call it a career I'm proud of, but it pays the bills."  

[Tori Honoo]

She stood in silence for a moment, blinking openly at him. Arceus, it hurt. However, tucking her hair back, she answered him. "Oh, um.. Tori. Tori Honoo. I-I think Doctor Geyer called it in for me earlier today..."

Quietly, she watched him, and smiled a little at his laughter. "Hey, it's a job," she added with a one shouldered shrug. The other was still too stiff. "That's plenty to be proud of."  

[Akira Midoriyama]

Akira nodded. "I'll see what I can do." As he went to the back room behind the register, he sneered at her reply, looking through the prescribed medication. "Yeah, well...most people our age should have one. Especially if we're living on our own. Self-sustaining and all that." He paused. "Oh, here it is."

Snatching the medication from the shelf, he went back to the register to wring it up, dropping it into a small bag with the prescription. "Anything else I can get you?"  

[Tori Honoo]

She nodded, then watched in surprise as he moved back to fetch her medication, her brows furrowing a little. Weren't only pharmacists supposed to handle the medicines...? In any case, it looked like it had been pre-packaged as he brought it to her. "I agree... I'm actually in the middle of switching careers, so...Do you at least enjoy it here?"

At his dismissing tone, she looked away, then to him again. "Yes, actually... Do you have a heating pad, by chance, and some soup? I should probably stock up on bandages again, too..." she sighed. Fine, if he wanted to play along, she would continue.  

[Akira Midoriyama]

"Ehh...like I said, it's not terribly rewarding, but at least it's something." He shrugged. "Switching careers, huh? From what to what?"

At her question, he nodded once before heading to the aisle with the general medical supplies. "Heating pad and bandages...got'cha. There should be some soup in aisle three." He poked his head around the last shelf. "Any particular kind of bandages? Cloth, band-aids, a general first-aid pack...?"  

[Tori Honoo]

She watched him quietly, then tucked her hair back again. "Um....modeling was my first career." An uneasy pause. "I can't anymore...Um, so... I'm switching to...something," she said lamely, now rubbing her arm. "I've picked up a few shifts at the pokemon center, but it's nothing too big. I haven't had the proper training for anything more than just... simple therapy and basic healings."

She moved around to another aisle, following his direction, though she continued speaking to him, turning to look as he peeked around the row. "Um... whatever is the widest. It's got to wrap around my middle, so..." Even though it was mostly just for piece of mind... she wanted it.  

[Akira Midoriyama]

"'Can't'?" he repeated curiously. "Or don't want to? Either way, that sounds pretty nice. Do you like it?" The Pokemon center seemed as good a place to find temporary employment as any; actually, probably better than his current occupation. However, he wasn't about to question the specifics of what he had been given and the Pokemon center was a little too busy for his liking.

He blinked as she mentioned wrapping bandages around her middle, feeling as though he might have stumbled onto something he should have. "Oh. Um...okay," he said, turning back the the selection. "Cloth bandages it is." It wasn't any of his business what she needed the bandages for, after all. It would have been rude to ask.  

[Tori Honoo]

Another slight pause, before a weak laugh. "Well.. I guess a bit of both, really," she explained, looking through the shelves of soups. "My agents were really elite, and given my new.. um..." A sigh. There was no use beating around the bush, especially not with him. "My scars are too much for modeling now. Even with good editors, it's too much work to be worth anything, so I'm worthless to them until fall spreads anyway. I just thought that given the situation with Team Rocket, I'd find a way to be useful... More useful than just.. showing people what fashions to wear..." A small smile as she came back around the corner. "It's nice. I'm...actually not bad at it, surprisingly enough."

She looked slightly embarrassed at his blinking, lowering her eyes a moment before she stepped around to look at the selection with him anyway. "It's more just for stability anyway... I'm fine, just... a little raw, I guess."  

[Akira Midoriyama]

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that," Akira answered, his gaze falling to the supplies as he placed them in a small plastic basket on his arm. "I felt the same way, though. About Team Rocket, I mean. At least you seem to have been doing something towards that end, unlike me."

Headed back up front, he went to her with the contents of the basket. "Will these do? Oh, and did you find a soup you liked?"  

[Tori Honoo]

"Its okay... It's... not a good industry anyway. Just kinda sucks to have to keep the reason for ending with me at all times, you know? Not exactly...'pretty'." She offered a somewhat sad smile, shifting the brace under her shirt just a little. "But yeah, it's something at least. They actually stocked me up pretty well before we chased them out of the desert. The pokemon center nurses, I mean. I knew it would come in handy, but ... you know. And you're doing something. I bought my first pokeballs from here, you know. I'm sure there are multiple trainers who get their gear from here that went to fight. You probably helped a lot without knowing it."

When he brought her the bandages he had found, she picked them up to look them over, then sighed. "They should work. Do you have any that are like...um..." A second of hesitation, before she lifted up the hem of her shirt just a little to expose a bit of her side, to give him an example of the width. "This width?" Angry red skin could be spotted along her hip.  

[Akira Midoriyama]

Akira looked at her a little quizzically before answering, "If you mean your scars, I wouldn't worry about those. I was once told they've been called badges of courage. They're a good thing," he assured her. "And as I said, they show you've been taking action unlike a lot of us."

When she mentioned him doing something, he shook his head. "That's this store, not me. I just work here. And in the dead of night, no less. Hardly anyone sees me, which I guess is the point, but..." He sighed. "It just isn't the kind of freedom I'd hoped for."

Swallowing a little as she exposed her skin, Akira backed up involuntarily, putting up his hands. "Whoa, there...no need to show me," he said, glancing around. "I'm...pretty sure there's a roll in here that you can just use to wrap around until it covers the area to your liking."