Little boy blue and the man in the moon

[despairection]

[It's not unusual for Monobear to appear in the main control room in one of his physical bodies, a ball of yarn cupped in his hands. He speaks in Kalosian when he addresses the man seated at the wall of screens.]

...I think this week's going well, don't you think Papa?

Comments

[holocast]

And you don't think those in here would show you mercy, I take it.

[despairection]

H-hey, it comes with the territory of being the frontman of this whole operation, right?

You made me so you'd have someone to hide behind.

[holocast]

Fair enough - though you've proven more than that, haven't you?

[He's bad with feelings.]

I ought to name you at some point, you know. You're more of a person than some sort of Pokémon equivalent as far as I'm concerned.

[...he's bad with feelings and he's spent way too much time alone in this fucking basement, clearly.]

Would you like that?

[despairection]

I guess.

[that might have been part of the motivation behind playing with Beat instead of just waiting until Schuldig was better.]

But do you think they'll really remember that when they get the chance to delete me? They still hate me for executing their classmates.

[That gets the bear to pause and look at Lysandre, and then look around as if he thinks his master might be addressing someone else in the room.]

Name-- Me? I have a name, I'm the cuddly and adorable headmaster Monobear!

[holocast]

Well, yes and no - 'Monobear' is what you are, it's the appearance given to the shell, the receiver. So you're not wrong, no.

At the same time, the previous Headmasters were likewise 'Monobear,' and you obviously aren't them - and hypothetically speaking, should any other classes follow ours, then their Headmaster would probably be 'Monobear' as well, despite not being you.

There's a difference between who you and what you are, and that's why I'm asking you about names - so you can have something distinctive that's yours.

[despairection]

[The bear listens to the explanation, crossing his skinny plush arms over his chest.]

So you want to give me a name that...that makes me different from all the other Monobears?

[holocast]

If you wouldn't mind.

[despairection]

I guess not.

It had better be a name that fits my adorable and cuddly nature!

[holocast]

I'll be decent to you and give you more of a say than most parents give their own children.

[Have more yarn while he considers this.]

Remy?

[despairection]

[Don't mind if I do! Gonna bounce it right back into your hands.

And huff indignantly at that name suggestion.]

That sounds like a name someone'd give a rat!

[holocast]

[He just kind of tilts his head at that; it's fairly clear that he has no idea what's being referred to, but okay.]

Well, if you take up opposition to that, I'll be sure to leave out Ben and Socrates as options as well.

[...Lysandre, that reference probably just dated you so hard. Let's just. Throw the yarn again, shall we?]

Michel?

[despairection]

[Luckily, Monobear doesn't really have more than an abstract grasp on the concept of "age", so your old man secrets are safe with him, gramps.

He bonks the yarn right back, pondering the next suggestion.]

Hm... Nah.

[holocast]

[Lysandre takes a moment to consider before throwing the yarn again; the bear has named himself once before, hasn't he?

What was...?]

...Henri, then.

[Have that yarn while we're at it.]

[despairection]

[That makes him almost miss the return as he considers it.]

Why Henri?

[holocast]

It's technically one you've already chosen, isn't it?

And besides, you wanted one that suits you; I feel that one does.

[despairection]

One I've already...

[BUFFERING...]

OH! Henry Every, right?

Upupupu~ I like it! Henri it is! Henri the Monobear!

[holocast]

...I'm glad to hear it, then.

[And completely unsure with what to do with the fact that that's legitimately sincere, and he is, and he's just...going to move on before it gets too awkward.]

Of course, if we were to do this entirely fairly, I would select a last name for you and you would get no say in what it ends up being.

[despairection]

Since when have we ever played fair, though?

What about Fleurdelis?

[holocast]

[That seems to amuse him, actually, but he shakes his head.]

Armael, I think.

[Bear-prince.]

[despairection]

Henri Armael... Mister Armael.

Headmaster Armael! Upupu, that does have a ring to it, doesn't it?

[holocast]

It does indeed.

[It's...better than what it was, anyway. With any luck, it'll be useful in some capacity; with enough luck, that capacity will be the one he's intending.]

...You know things are going to be fine, don't you? Regardless of what happens.

[It's a nonsequitur and he knows it; he doesn't seem too inclined to amend it, however.]

[despairection]

[The newly-christened Henri contemplates this nonsequitur for a moment, like an automated chat client when you throw it a curveball.]

You've said it before - even if we don't win win, we still won. We brought Kalos to it's knees, with its highest figures either on the run, dead, or...well, here.

The Future Foundation has watched this whole murder game, seen their carefully crafted army fall apart in the longest Mutual Killing game yet. Their reinforcements are lost in the middle of nowhere, and their precious "Hope's Army" is down to nearly a third of its original size. Even if we don't survive, we've already won. Wasn't that what you said?

[holocast]

[There's something in it that he doesn't like; if he were speaking to another human being, he wouldn't accept that as an answer. It isn't an incorrect one, but he's fully aware that parroting his words back isn't exactly answering for oneself.

So that leaves him with a moment where he debates whether he should tell the thing to try again or not.]

...That is what I've said, yes.

[Mnnngh.]

Yet you remain concerned...?

[He...tried.]

[despairection]

[Mmmngh.]

You said if it happens again, there'll be other Monobears who aren't me.

...Does giving me a name really matter if I'm gonna be replaced by the next Joe Monobear to come around?

You're the only one my name means anything to.

[holocast]

No one is going to replace you.

[The response is prompt, almost immediate.]

Besides, that line of thought implies that they'll manage to put me on trial, which isn't guaranteed.

[It's still not exactly answering the immediate concern and he knows it.]