67th - Action

[ceasetoexist]

[Pokey was getting used to the fact that he didn't recognize much of the crap the town kept sending him. He supposed it made sense, since he didn't have that much left back from home he could get after two years of being trapped in town. And in the end, maybe it would give him some idea what he would end up like in the future beyond what he knew so far. Any kind of clue would, in its own way, be welcome.

He's kind of surprised to find a film reel as his next regain. He has no clue why he would have one. Sure, he loved movies, but the idea of actually making one had never really crossed his mind. But there was a first time for everything, and while he doesn't have the equipment to play a film reel at his own house he does know a place where he could play it. Even if it would be stupid to do so without knowing what's actually on the film before doing so.

But hey. How bad could it be.]

[Action - Atomic Cinema]

[If you happen to go to the theater today, you're going to be treated to something far different from usual.

Instead of the movies that the theater is renown for playing over and over again, relics from the 1950s and generic ones at that, the film currently playing seems far newer. The story of it seems basic enough, if a bit weird: four children with special skills are chosen to save the world from an alien threat planning to invade Earth. Throughout their adventure the children encounter several creatures and people - some benevolent, others malevolent, and all of them quirky and weird in their own way as the children grow in their own way as they head to their final battle with an alien warlord at the beginning of time.

It's cheesy, and quirky, and in its own weird way seems as if it would fit in with the movies of the 50s in its own weird way. And at the same time it's clear that whoever made the film put an incredible amount of care in it. As weird and kooky as it might be, the story is one that was apparently captured and filmed as well as possible. Filmed as if it had some kind of meaning beyond just being a story to whoever made it.

One other thing that might be worth noting.

One of the main villains of the story is, in fact, another child. A lonely, mean-spirited bully of a boy who gets progressively worse as the story goes on. A boy who goes simply from sneaking out at night to lying to joining a cult and kidnapping to participating in political corruption to finally betraying his own world and race by working with the alien forces that want to take his home over.

Considering his blue skin and general temperament, the boy is pretty easily identifiable as Pokey himself for those who know him. And for those who don't, it won't be too hard to identify the bad boy when they see him seated in one of the theater seats, quietly just watching the movie until it finishes, before getting up again.

Even then, Pokey just looks at the blank screen for a moment before heading out to the lobby and leaning against one of the walls, blank-faced and thinking. Which he doesn't do for long.

Soon, he heads back up to the projector room and just starts the movie over again. And again. Throughout the entire day. He's watched it four times at least by now. What would be a fifth.]

Comments

[ceasetoexist]

[Guess who noticed you as you walked in Picky.

He'll tail you for a moment before sitting in the seat directly behind you. And the moment you're sitting down and getting cozy and pinching yourself, he's going to kick the back of your chair. Hard. Not hard enough to hurt Picky, but enough to jostle him quick.

And he'll just smile if Picky looks over at him.]

[imjustpicky]

[A kid can't stand in the aisle forever. His legs'll get sore. So Picky does eventually scoot into a seat not far from the back, still pretty disbelieving of this whole movie, and...]

AAAAAHHHH!!!

[That kick didn't just startle him, it got him to shout AND it got him to toss some popcorn around. He was up on his knees on the seat, looking around... and there he was.]

Pokey! Hey!

[That was accusational shouting, yeah.]

[ceasetoexist]

[Pokey just snickers at that, leaning back in his own chair as he smirks at Picky.]

Quiet, nerd. I'm trying to hear.

[imjustpicky]

[He does quiet down (it is a theater, after all), but he's still a bit upset. He doesn't turn back around. He's still got questions, too.]

Why's the movie got Ness in it? And... and you, too?

[ceasetoexist]

[Pokey just stares at the screen, looking past his little brother and getting lost in the world on the screen. Remembering it all again.

He gives a small shrug once Picky's question reaches him.]

Dunno.

I just got it in the mail. No clue where it came from.

[imjustpicky]

[No answer? Picky sighed, turned back around in his seat, and munched on a handful of popcorn. It was a pretty neat movie to be watching. He hadn't even known how some of this stuff really went!

He tilted his head back when he heard Pokey's answer.]

No clue? They send you stuff that's YOURS though, right? Maybe you forgot you had it...?

[ceasetoexist]

Picky, I think I'd remember making a movie.

[And he figures he probably did. Sometime in the future. But he doesn't know how to explain that to Picky.]

So shut up. Just enjoy it.

[imjustpicky]

Well... maybe someone made it and gave it to you but you didn't open it so you... stuck it somewhere, and...

[He trails off, gives up, then turns his head around so he can watch the movie. It's a pretty cool movie.]

...am I in it? At all?

[ceasetoexist]

You were at the beginning. You know. When the meteor falls and we went to look at it.

[Pokey leans back in his chair, still smirking.]

Sorry runt. It takes a special personality to be a star and you just don't have it.

[imjustpicky]

Aww, I missed it?

[That just sucked. He sank further down into his seat, pouting.]

Hey, no way... I punched that Starman guy, remember? I punched him! They'd better show that! I was really cool!

[ceasetoexist]

Calm down nerd, you can watch it later. And YES you punched the stupid Starman.

I still can't believe you did that. That was so stupid of you.

[imjustpicky]

It... it wasn't stupid! Besides... you didn't do anything.

[He stuffs a handful of popcorn into his mouth, muffling anything else. Last time I played Earthbound, Picky totally crit that Starman for 1 HP it was so awesome]

[ceasetoexist]

Uh, I totally did. I came to find you, didn't I?

[He huffs some, getting annoyed. Dammit Picky why do you have to ruin the movie.

And on that note give him some popcorn. He'll just be reaching for it.]

[imjustpicky]

....yeah. Okay. You came to find me, and I punched the Starman guy, and... yeah.

[He saw Pokey start to reach, and lifted the bag of popcorn so he could get a really good handful. Brothers should share.

[ceasetoexist]

[And Pokey will just take as large a handful as he can muster, chewing it patiently. He just sits, watching the screen again, before something comes to him.

Namely, when he notices they're going to start talking about the Happy Happyists.]

You know what runt?

I think this movie may be too extreme for you. You should probably go.

[imjustpicky]

What?

[Picky jolts in his seat, turning partway around.]

It's not extreme! It's cool! I'm not scared! We watched Slime Critters 3 and 4 and 6 and those were AWFUL and I only had ONE nightmare, so...

[Picky, you are not arguing your case well. And also, you are being kind of loud.]

[ceasetoexist]

[Okay this works too. Maybe he can argue with Picky enough to keep him from watching the screen during scenes featuring him too heavily.]

Yeah, and then you went over to my bed and were like "Pokey Pokey I had the worst dream!" and kept trying to scramble under the sheets and hide because you thought one of the Slime Critters was waiting under the bed and was going to swallow you up.

Hey.

Maybe there's one in town.

[imjustpicky]

[This is an excellent plan, Pokey. It seems to be working. He's paying very little attention to the screen and to those blue cultists and just how that brother of his was involved...]

Well.. well I was 7 then! And now I'm 8 and a lot smarter and older and...

And there are not any slime creatures in Mayfield!

There... there totally can't be! [Oh no but what if there are, those things would swallow a person and leave NOTHING BUT BONES]

[ceasetoexist]

[Pokey's smile just grows larger and larger, and he leans closer to Picky.]

Think you're forgetting something twerp!

The slime creatures are created by an unstable combination of garbage and radioactive waste! And with all the stupid crap people have here, who knows. Maybe someone has something that could mimic that.

Maybe there's a slime creature attached to the bottom of your chair right now.

[imjustpicky]

I am not!

[Wait. Wait. Yes, he is forgetting something. Pokey might be right. And then, horrified at the prospect of having one on the bottom of his chair right now, he shouts, crumples his popcorn bag in one hand, and is rapidly scrabbling over the back of his seat and into the row next to Pokey.]

[ceasetoexist]

[And the theater soon booms with Pokey's loud, uproarous laughter as he watches Picky try to scramble to "safety".]

Calm down nerd I was messing with you. There aren't any slime monsters in town.

Yet.

[imjustpicky]

[The seat next to his big brother is TOTALLY SAFE. Especially if he keeps his feet pulled up off of the floor.]

I... I know there aren't. I know...

[LIES. He's not willing to rule out anything, now. Especially because they're not here yet.]

You'll... totally shoot missiles or lasers or something at them, right?

[ceasetoexist]

[...Alright. That kind of got to him. He's tempted to keep screwing with Picky, to tell him he'd be on his own. Which is exactly what he'd have done in Onett.

But after being here so long, and with all the ways Picky has managed to get hurt or in trouble already in the few months he's been here...he can't bring himself to say that. Even as a joke he can't say that he'd think of abandoning his brother.]

...Course I would nerd. They wouldn't even stand a chance.

So stop being so scared.

[imjustpicky]

[Picky expected this to go on, possibly until someone told them both to get out of the theater. He'd ask for help, he'd be denied. He'd plead, he'd be denied. He'd say he'd make his own help, he'd be told that's impossible....

And it was different. The breath that Picky had saved up for shouting and continuing the whole preposterous argument left him slowly. He settled in his seat (feet still careful not to touch the ground), uncrinkled his popcorn bag, and silently offered it in Pokey's direction.]

Yeah. You'd totally vaporize 'em. They'd all... shrivel up and just be slime dust.

M'not scared at all.

[ceasetoexist]

Sure would.

Now shut up and enjoy the movie nerd.