Dusk Ball 01

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha looks...a little different when the video feed starts up. Her hair, despite being in its normal bun-and-tail combo, has acquired a...quality. Despite not looking any different, it can now only be described as perfect. Movie-star perfect. As she talks and smiles, her teeth flash and gleam a dazzling, photoshopped white. Her golden eyes catch the gleam of the spotlight shining down on her, turning into twin pools of molten gold.

"Helloooo, Hinoto-Ri! I know that you can't bear to be without the sight of my perfect, beautiful face or the sound of my soothing, melodious voice for too long, so I'm graciously appearing to you unwashed masses! You may now bask in my radiance!"

She strikes a pose and holds it for a few seconds so that her audience can bask. And then her face turns sad and uncertain, with large, glimmering tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.

"After all, I'm nothing without an audience to prop me up! If you stopped approving of me, I don't know what I'd do! So, please, tell me what about me you don't like! Am I too pretty? Too smart? Too talented? If it'll make you feel better about your sad, pathetic lives, I don't mind pretending you're better than me!"

With that, Kotoha straightens up out of her pleading stance, her expression suddenly back to smiling.

"So, what'd you think? Was my impersonation spot-on, or what? If any of you see that vacuous simp, feel free to tell her she can keep hiding what she really is - I'm perfectly capable of taking her rightful place at the top of the heap myself."

Comments

[maleenpointes]

Man the network is full of weirdos.

"Kotoha?" he asked, unsure.

[unbroken_chain]

"In the tragically beautiful flesh!"

As she grins, the light goes 'ping!' off her perfect teeth.

[maleenpointes]

Uh... okay?

"You didn't speak like that when I saw you at the hospital..."

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha laughs haughtily behind one hand.

"Oh, that's because she was the faker. I'm the devastatingly talented real thing!"

[maleenpointes]

"The faker?" Sébastien frowned. "Are you the evil twin?" Sébastien you can't ask people that.

[unbroken_chain]

One eyebrow raises in a perfect arch.

"Do you see a mustache and goatee? I'm not the evil twin - I'm the fabulous twin."

Video

[terminally_clever]

Oh for god's sake.

[unbroken_chain]

"Oh? I thought you'd appreciate the thought of someone clawing their way to the top through their own overwhelming talent!"

[terminally_clever]

I suppose I can't really argue with that. But unfortunately, your better half has taught me the meaning of friendship.

[unbroken_chain]

The Shadow clicks her tongue in annoyance.

"Seriously? Ugh, you are such a buzzkill sometimes."

[terminally_clever]

I could hardly continue to call myself Fumi Kanno if I wasn't.

[Video]

[the_tv_is_a_lie]

Another one. Another blasted shadow to deal with. Just what he needed in his life.

He merely stared, just as he did with Minako's Shadow, at first.

[unbroken_chain]

"Oh, the strong, silent type, huh? That's fine; I can be adored and feared even without words, after all."

[the_tv_is_a_lie]

A sigh.

"Feared wouldn't be the right word for this. More like...pitied."

[unbroken_chain]

"Hah, you don't really get how this works, do you?"

A dramatic breeze ruffles her perfect hair.

"I'm going to be on top no matter what, because I'm just that good."