Hu Tao hooked her fingers in her mouth, sticking out her tongue saying bleh in a muffled tone, as her Gengar snickered at her attempt. Gengar opens his mouth wider, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, his body shifting into a taller form, his spiked back extending making him look more like a puffy blowfish, his red eyes narrowed, as his teeth grew sharper, starting at his partner, he bellowed out a blehagaha to her face, Hu Tao giggled maniacally, kicking her feet up in glee, her smile hurt from the laughter.
"Chongyun and Qingqui are going to love this~!" Chirps Hu Tao, jumping up to her feet, she speeds past Zhongli, who looked through papers, clinging to his shoulder was a bagon, tilting its head curiously at the papers in front of him.
Hu Tao skidded to a stop, ignoring the murmurs of people, whispering about her, their disgust evident, as she walked past, it was a normal day for her. Jumping onto the back of Chongyun, startling the cryo user, and choking on his meal, before coughing, Hu Tao placed herself on his side, grinning unapologetically at him, his steely glare disappeared with a sigh, grumbling about her behavior under his breath. His glaceon ears were perked up slightly, still, its eyes were closed, curled up next to Qingqui's vaporeon, who raised its head, blinking up at the sudden noise, sleepiness evident on its face.
Qingqui eyed her warily, placing his bookmark in his book, he set it down, greeting the director cheerfully, scooting closer to Hu Tao.
"Not that it's not lovely to see you. But you gave your ace with you, so you must want something." Responds Qingqui, Chongyun moving away from the two tricksters, wary of what they were plotting.
"My, thinking about me, Qui? Someone might think you have a crush on me~" teases Hu Tao, pinching Qui's cheek, as he swatted her hand away, her smile never wavering. Chongyun snorted undignified at that, taking his eyes off the two, he took another bite of his meal.
"mm, sorry to say, miss. Director, but you are too much of a free spirit to hold." States Qui, humming, Tao pouts, batting her lashes, and she leans on him dramatically, sighing in defeat.
"Ouch, you wound me, qui!" Linking her arms around his neck, looking down at him with a pout.
"Please, you have much thicker skin than that." Quips Qui, untangling her arms around his neck, and pushing her to sit by him rather than leaning. Gengar lets out a hollow-like screech, piercing the ears of the eeveelutions, startling them up to their feet, scrambling to their owners, shaking from the freight.
"Is that what the secrecy was about? Another scare?" Snaps Chongyun, glaring daggers at Hu Tao, who smiled back sheepishly.
"Don't be boring, Chongyun!" Chirps Hu Tao, pulling both Qingqui and Chongyun into her arms and squeezing them tightly in false reassurance. Chongyun shrugged her arm away, going back to his meal, ignoring the conspiring whispers between Qingqui and Hu Tao. His Glaceon headbutted its head on his forearm, Chongyun looked over to see them have their paws weighing on his arm, looking up at its owner in curiosity, nose twitching at the smell of food. Chongyun pushed the bowl closer to his Pokemon, sniffing the content inside the bowl, and yowled in surprise, as a dark shadow emerged from the liquid, Chongyun stood up, knocking into the table, causing the bowl to fall, shattering into pieces, as the food spilled all over them, flinching Glaceon as they whined pitifully. The shadow laughed, doing somersaults in the air at the collision it caused. Chongyun readied his incense, glaring at the mischievous spirit, he threw it at the target, only to get shortsighted by Tao, who blocked it, hitting her forehead, as she dived in front.
"Wha? Hu Tao?!" exclaimed Chongyun, rushing over to her. Qingqui poked her cheek with his bookmark, a smile stilled on his face, as he continued to chant as he poked her.
"Come back, Tao. Come back to us."
Chongyun began to get more flustered, unsure if he actually harmed his friend or not. So he sat down by them, worry plastered on his face, as he chanted along with Qingqui. The ghastly spirit floated behind Chongyun, with quick reflexes turned only to be paralyzed with disgust, as a huge tongue licked him from his chin to forehead, his bangs sticking up. Shivering, Chongyun tried to speak again, only to get licked again and again, trying to push away at the eager spirit, he froze at the voice behind him.
"Gengar, that's enough~! Chongyun is already covered~!" Chirped the happy tone, amusement ringing in her voice.
"You-!"
"Aww, Yunyun! It was just a joke~"
"Jokes are funny."
"But, Gengar was playing! Plus, you know exercising actual ghost Pokemon will harm them!"
"Then Gengar should've kept himself in check as well as you! They're your responsibility."
"C'mon! No harm was done"
"..."
"Yunyun? Hey!"
"As fun as this was, I have business elsewhere. Have a good day, director."
"mm, alright. Bye-bye, Qui!"
Hu Tao got up to leave the restaurant, Gengar in tow, as she wondered deeper into Liyue, the woods becoming a calming presence, as spirits and ghost Pokemon alike played among her, either avoiding her completely or giving her a friendly scare, which was received right back, letting herself forget about Chongyun's rightful anger.
"Jeez, yunyun is too hot head when it comes to spirits. I don't get why he's so mad, aiya~ We were playing like usual." Murmurs Hu Tao, laying on a tree stump, her legs kicking in the air, as she views the night sky. Popped out in front of her, was a shuppet, looking at her dead in the eyes, his cries hurting her ear drums, as the shuppet danced(?) in the air, gliding away from her vision, the shuppet peered at her again, before disappearing once more. Hu Tao sat up, noticing a duskull beside her head, floating around her, her Gengar watching, keeping themselves near their trainer just in case. Duskull sat on her head, his nubby hands clinging into her bangs, as he looked down at her, meeting her eyes, he let go of her bangs, scooting on further away from her face, curled up, nesting in her hair. Hu Tao hummed letting the duskull stay on her head and used her finger to pet its head, the air was chilly, being surrounded by ghosts, but she felt welcomed among them. After all, ghosts and spirits alike are the same types of company. Fun.