compnetwork | 1st Pokeball - An Unwelcome Prank

The camera feed snaps on suddenly, revealing a creature somewhat like a fox staring directly into it before winking and placing a finger to its lips. It snaps to attention as a young-sounding voice calls out from behind it.

"Okay, Zoroark, time for rehearsal! Today it's Brycen-Man, okay?"

The outline of the fox-like creature - Zoroark? - shimmers and distorts, resolving into a strangely-dressed man. It walks away from the camera and takes up a stance across from a young girl in an equally outlandish outfit, who clears her throat before drawing herself up and pointing directly at the masked man the fox turned into.

"Hold it! The Messenger of Truth and Ideals, Riolu Girl, is here! Stop right there, Brycen-Man! I cannot allow your mischief!"

The masked man laughs at this. He snickers so hard, in fact, that the illusion drops, leaving Riolu Girl staring at him, completely unsure of what's so funny. Still snickering, the fox points at the video feed with one finger, the masked girl looking in that direction. Her eyes wide behind her mask, she scrambles for the table the COMP is resting on.

"AAAA! That's not funny, Zoroark!"

Staring directly into the video feed, she starts babbling frantically.

"You didn't see that! NOBODY SAW THAT. THERE WAS NOTHING TO SEE."

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Her eyes narrow slightly, not quite a wince but perhaps close, as if that joke was actually physically painful. She only just barely suppresses the urge to sigh, and her attempt isn't that effective since she sighs anyway.

"I doubt that creature being focused would help."

"Hey hey hey - he's not a creature, he's a pokemon. A Zoroark, if you want to be specific."

A slight pause.

"Hey wait, what's that supposed to mean!?"

A pokemon? She would call it ridiculous and cartoonish if it wasn't a legitimate creature in front of her. Well, in front of the screen, but semantics. The frown on her face tilts upward just a little bit at the corners at that pause and subsequent question. She was wondering how long it might take her to pick up on it.

"It means you don't realize you're embarrassing yourself."

"Of course I realized it! That wasn't supposed to be recorded, after all!"

Kotoha crosses her arms over her chest and grumbles.

"Or are you trying to say there's something inherently embarrassing about being a professional actress?"

And without missing a beat at all:

"When you're basically a talking monkey dancing on stage, yeah."

Kotoha snorts at that.

"Excuse you, I happen to be an amazing dancing monkey."

A sly smirk.

"In fact, call me the Monkey Queen! This is a royal command!"

She manages to keep her face straight after saying that for thirty seconds.

This marks the first time she's ever called someone something similar to a primate and had them react positively in response. For a good few seconds, she doesn't know what to say. She can only stand there and stare at the feed with a look of disbelief.

"...right."

YOU CAN'T STOP THE OPTIMISM TRAIN

CHOO CHOO

Anyway, Kotoha smiles happily and poses a question.

"Say, what's your name, anyway?"

It's a question she's heard plenty of times, but no matter how many times it hits her ears, she hesitates to answer it. Such is the case now, as she wonders if it's wise to mention one of the two names at all.

"Why is my name of that much importance?"

Kotoha tilts her head to one side and looks curious.

"Well, it'd be nice to know what to call you, after all. Unless you want me to make up a nickname for you!"

She taps her chin in thought before flashing a friendly grin.

"Hmm...how does Red-Eyed Cutie sound? Or, uh...oh! If I'm the Monkey Queen, how would you like to be one of my knights? You could be the Baboon Banneret!"

Well, neither of those nicknames will do as far as she's concerned. She muses on what to answer with, and with a glance down to her hand, she discovers a solution.

"If you have to call me anything...it's Mercer."

"Alright! Nice to meet you, Mercer."

A pause and a teasing grin.

"Sure you don't want a knighthood?"

Were she the type, she would laugh just to humor her before giving a flat "no."

"I'm sure."

Kotoha shrugs, still smiling.

"Ah well, I guess my royal court will have to be empty for a while, then."

It's getting harder and harder to stay curt toward this girl the more she talks. She's just too bubbly, too lively, to be mean to for very long.

"You'll live."

"But I'll be so lonely!"

She flashes a sly grin before placing the back of one hand on her forehead and swooning in an exaggerated fashion.

"Oh alas and alack, what will become of me? How will I ever drown this empty feeling?"

As she straightens up, an overdone look of realization flashes over her face as she smacks her fist into the palm of her hand.

"I'll just have to drown my sorrows in ice cream!"

With that, she drops the ham acting to address Mercer directly.

"Wanna join me? I've got an entire quart of Fudge Ripple, and Zoroark has forfeited ice cream rights for tonight!"

Lucy is, once more, at a loss for what to say. How can someone this bright and bubbly possibly exist? She's almost like Nana if she were a regular human.

Thinking of Nana has her mood going sour, unfortunately, and she only barely suppresses a growl.

"I think I'll pass."

Kotoha shrugs easily, her smile never wavering.

"Alright, suit yourself. If you change your mind, I'm in Pisces 10-1!"

"Yeah...sure."

She doesn't know what else to say to that, so she decides to end the call there.

1st Pokeball - An Unwelcome Prank

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