Oh, so she dares feign ignorance now? “ I do not at all understand what you mean, ” she says right after being caught by the person whose exact likeness she was masquerading as — what a feeble counter! In fact, to deem it a half-assed excuse would be Understatement of the Year! Girl, you might as well cut the bullcrap and confess now, while you’re still breathing ( confess and plead for mercy ). There’s no squirming your way out of this predicament.
❝ Like hell you don’t understand me, ❞ Hikari retorts in a low voice laced with poison. If the other could turn ‘round for even a glimpse, though, she’d notice the former Champion’s face doesn’t quite match with her tone ( it is plastered over by a deadpan expression, but make no mistake — that cool exterior belies irritation and malice ).
❝ In case you truly failed to grasp the severity of this situation the first time, I’ll repeat that for you. ❞ The girl presses her hand even more forcefully against her duplicate’s back, as if to remind her that she has no other option but to cooperate. ❝ It is a grievous crime in Sinnoh to impersonate a Sinnohan citizen, especially a well-known figure, especially if said figure was a Champion and a savior. ❞
The pair are clearly snaring the gazes of many curious passersby on the sidewalk, earning whispers along the lines of “ I never knew she had a twin! ” and “ They dress so alike, howadorable! ” … but not much else ( and thus Hikari couldn’t care less about the attention they’re gaining ). No questions, no interference. The doppelganger’s on her own.
Now, they’re nearing the mouth of the closest alleyway — soon, they’ll be stepping out of public view.
❝ Well, did you get that? Or do you need me to reiterate myself with elementary-level vocabulary? Not a problem if you still need help, though. I’ll have plenty of time to get it through your head. ❞
With the ever-approaching periphery of the boulevard now in sight, Platinum’s heart sank into the pits of her stomach. Her window of opportunity had diminished significantly, and persisted to do so with each individual step. Now by a series of very unfortunate events, it was near infinitesimal.
She sought one final time to catch the eye of a passing denizen, her lips on the cusp of forming a silent plea for help--an indisputable testimony to her predicament. Her appeal was intercepted by the introduction of additional force, being applied to the very small of her back. A subtle whine was drawn unbidden from the heiress’ lips, disrupting the gesture at its very origin.
“ Please, do not be so rough. ” Politeness was next to godliness if you were to ask her, and though she made an effort to maintain that, there was undoubtedly a sharpened aspect to her tone.
Her expression then faltered, and her shoulders nearly sank with the heavy lull of defeat. These final precious moments were devoted to contemplation. There had to be some sort of means to out-manoeuvre her assailant; to writhe free for even a handful of seconds and deploy a member of her team. Perhaps the key to that was to keep her talking, to impose a sense of co-operation from her end before orchestrating some manner of retaliation.
Thankfully, she knew just the thing.
Though very much so occupied with her predicament, Platinum had been all-too aware of observations that had been made towards the duo. Mentions of their likeness, which she reasoned might have been the cause to Hikari’s allegations.
But if anyone were a fraud, it simply had to be the one who lingered far from her line of sight, no matter how vehemently she insisted otherwise. She had never made a conscious effort to replicate another, having always been very comfortable in her own skin.
“ I am well aware of the penalty for committing such an offense. ” She collected herself on a whim, rolling her shoulders back to correct her posture once more. Despite the malice in her glare, the Understander’s tone hardly gave it away; projecting civility amidst their conflict.
“ To present oneself as another is an egregious thing, and I would not succumb to such lowly capers. I swear upon the Berlitz family name--that if there is any similarity between the two of us, it is a matter of coincidence, and nothing more. ”
jbbartram-illu
origamiaround
