3rd Pokeball: Actors Wanted

[unbroken_chain]

As the feed snaps on, it shows Kotoha in profile, leaning back in a chair and looking thoughtful. The chair itself is tilting back on two legs as Kotoha starts speaking without looking at the camera.

"So I found the Velvet Room earlier today, and Caroline asked me to bring her a movie. Apparently they don't...have movies in there."

At this, Kotoha sits up a little straighter, the front legs of the chair falling to the ground with a thunk. She proceeds to flip the chair around so the back of it is facing the camera, and rotates to look directly into it, straddling the chair with her arms resting on the back.

"So, listen. My pride as an actress won't let me just...go out and buy her a DVD."

A pause for a slightly wry smirk.

"Well...maybe if it was one of my DVDs, but fat chance of finding one of those here. Anyway."

A slight cough to clear her throat before she continues.

"What I'd like to do is actually make a movie for her - which brings me, at last, to the actual point. I can handle a lot of the stuntwork and special effects and stuff, but it won't change the fact that it's only...well, me. So what I need are, you know...actors."

Behind her, a large black bipedal fox creature sneaks into the frame, holding up a sign with the lettering OUT OF WORK WILL ACT 4 FOOD on it, snickering under its breath. Not taking her eyes off the feed, Kotoha addresses it, sounding weary.

"Put the sign down, Zoroark, you aren't as funny as you think you are. Anyway, if you're interested in being in a movie, feel free to contact me."

Comments

[travelingtheworlds]

[Sasha's attention was on something other than the ad itself...]

That creature with the sign... is that a Paction?

[unbroken_chain]

Huh?

"No, Zoroark's a Pokemon. What's a Paction?"

[travelingtheworlds]

Huh indeed.

"Pactions are creatures from a world I visited. They're named that because you can make pacts with them and summon them with the right equipment. Now, it's my turn to ask... what's a Pokemon?"

[unbroken_chain]

"The long version is Pocket Monster. They're called that because..."

Hold on while she takes out a tiny sphere. Toggling the button on the front, it suddenly expands to the size of a softball.

"Well, inside the Pokeballs, they fit in your pocket."

[travelingtheworlds]

Cue Sasha's eyes getting about as big as the Pokeball.

"Wow! That's amazing! You can actually carry them around with you that way? I wonder what the Pokemon think about it, though. The pact-making equipment lets the Pactions go anywhere they want before you summon them, and sends them back."

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha glances over at Zoroark and makes a sort of 'feel free' gesture. The fox-like creature nods in response, grinning broadly, as his form shimmers and changes. When it's over, Kotoha suddenly has a twin sister. Zoroark-Kotoha, still wearing a foxy grin, leans over Actual Kotoha's shoulder to address Sasha directly.

"We're fine with it. Any pokemon that has a problem with it simply won't reveal itself to humans."

[travelingtheworlds]

Whooooooaaaaa, more things that are just way too cool. "How did it do that?" Well, since this one can talk, that means another avenue for questioning. "Oh, I see. I guess that solves the problem... but can you really just stay hidden like that? Then again, I guess it's no different than a pact being refused..."

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha shrugs and grins.

"He's a Zoroark - they're masters of illusion. I met one once that was posing as a middle-aged man - we had a pleasant little chat before it dropped the disguise and ran off. That was in...Lostlorn Forest, I think?"

Zoroark, still disguised as Kotoha, grins broadly at this in a way impossible for a human to manage.



"Heh. That was my mother, you know."

[travelingtheworlds]

Goodness, that face. That's... more than a little creepy. Sasha is visibly rather taken aback by the odd expression, but she regains her composure. "So he's called a Zoroark... do you have any others like this, or is he the only one?"

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha frowns at Zoroark briefly and raps on his head gently, causing the illusion to crumble away.

"I keep telling you not to do that, you know."

The fox-like creature sticks his tongue out in response before stalking off in a huff. That bit of byplay finished, Kotoha turns her attention back to the COMP.

"He's the only one I have, actually - wild Zoroarks are basically impossible to find if they don't want to be found. But I do have more pokemon, if that's what you meant."

[travelingtheworlds]

Sasha watches the illusion vanish with some degree of amazement. "Oh? So no others with illusion powers?" Her head moves from side to side, like she's trying to peer around Kotoha to see if there are any other Pokemon behind her. "But can I see the other Pact- er, Pokemon you have?"

[unbroken_chain]

"Nope. Zorua and Zoroark are the only pokemon with illusion powers...oh, but the pokemon Ditto can change shape by copying the DNA of other Pokemon."

There's a slight pause as Kotoha rummages through her bag and draws out a pink Pokeball. Triggering it, she releases a bipedal jackal just an inch under four feet.

"This is Arthur, he's a Lucario. Most of my pokemon...don't really fit in here, so if you want to see the rest, maybe we could meet somewhere outside?"

[travelingtheworlds]

"Copying the DNA...? How does it do that?" Sasha studied the new Pokemon with great interest. "The rest of them are that big? Wow. Perhaps we should meet. Do you have any locations in mind?"

[unbroken_chain]

"Well, it's not so much the size as the side effects...generally, it's a bad idea to let any of them aside from Arthur and Zoroark out of their pokeballs inside."

Brief pause for thought.

"How about we meet in the small park outside the Libra dorms?"

[travelingtheworlds]

"Side effects...?" Well, that's something that requires a little more investigation, but it can wait till they meet. "Sounds good to me! Do you want to meet now, or later, or...?"

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha glances at her watch.

"...hm. Now's good, I think! How's...ten minutes from now in the Pisces lobby?"

[travelingtheworlds]

"Sounds great to me! I live in Pisces, so that's easy. See you in ten!"

Sasha looks like she's about ready to go now, even though there's a ten-minute wait.

video -> action

[unbroken_chain]

"Okay, I'll be right over!"

---------------

True to her word, she is indeed right over.

"Hello!"

action

[travelingtheworlds]

Sasha waves cheerfully when she spots Kotoha. "Hi there! Where shall we go from here?:

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha grins.

"Hey! There's a place just outside where we hang out sometimes, follow me!"

And with that, she'll just grab your hand and lead you along.

[travelingtheworlds]

Sasha lets herself be taken along, though normally she's the one doing the leading along. "It's a place with a lot of space, right?"

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha grins.

"Yeah! Nothing flammable, either!"

[travelingtheworlds]

"Sounds good, especially if your Pac- er, Pokemon are big. And flaming. I'd definitely like to see one of those!" Sasha was wondering if the "flammable" concern was also directed at her, but... it probably wasn't.

[unbroken_chain]

It really, really isn't - as is proven when Kotoha releases Solar Logos, a.k.a. her gigantic flaming moth. The air around his wings visibly shimmers in a heat haze as he hovers. Kotoha rests one hand on his thorax, idly stroking the thick white fuzz.

"This is Solar Logos. He's my strongest partner. Sort of my signature pokemon."

Solar Logos stares down at Sasha with calm blue eyes, small sparkling flakes shaking off his wings and slowly tracing spiraling paths downwards.

[travelingtheworlds]

Sasha just goggles at Solar Logos at first. A fire bug! "He's very cute!" she says, approaching him slowly. "Um... can I try something? Don't worry, I won't set him on fire." Even though she asked, she's already ready with what she wants to try. She has a small flame in her hand, and she's about to hold it up to the Pokemon to see what it does.