Mondo and Morro...What's in a Name?:., a pokémon fanfic

See Mondo and Morro in their own comic @ http://rocketshipper.freeservers.com! © Kasumi Mizuhana 2000-2001.

What's in a Name?

"Hey, listen to this…" Morro sat up in his chair. "In Pokéforenzu Magazine it says: `Recent studies have shown that, in giving your Pokémon a special name, they feel more loved and important, and therefore battle more efficiently."

Mondo looked up. He had been busy stitching up a tear in the Nyasu balloon for Kojiro and Musashi's next outing.

"Really?" he asked. "I'd always thought about giving my Metamon a name. Maybe it would help him battle…"

"The magazine says to give it a name that has special meaning to you. Like if you have a girlfriend or something, I guess…oooh! Comics!" He quickly shuttled to the next page.

"That's not a bad idea…" Mondo thought to himself. He was interrupted when Morro snorted loudly.

"Boxing Uupas! I love it! Ha ha ha!"

"Hey…hey, Morro. Are you going to do it?"

"Whuh? Naw, Uupas don't have hands, and I don't think mine would go for it anyhow…"

"Not boxing, baka. The name."

"Oh…" Morro reached to his belt loop and unlatched his Pokéball. "I guess so, yeah," he said twisting it around in the light. "It's not really a big deal."

"Yeah, and we don't have anything to lose by it." He considered carefully to himself. "Hmmm…a name that has a special meaning…"

"How about `mineral oil'?" Morro snickered.

"Shut up, I have a digestion problem!"

Morro sat upright. "Hey, I know what I'll name Uupa!" He opened up the Pokéball.

"Uup!" The water/earth hybrid smiled stupidly.

"Hey, lawn filth!" Morro greeted gleefully. "I have a name for you, now!" He spread out his arms, as if presenting the Pokémon with some large, tangible gift. "Musashi!"

Mondo's mouth gaped with horror. "Mu-mu…"

"Aww, you likes it, doesn't you, Musashi?" Morro cooed playfully. "Yes, you does!"

"Yo-you can't name your Pokémon after Musa-sempai!" Mondo shot up, trembling.

"Why not? It's technically a guy's name, you know…"

"But…but I was going to name my Metamon `Musashi'! You know how much she means to me!" He bit back bitter tears.

"Hey, I like her, too!"

"You like Yamato!"

"I like them both."

"Aw, you like anything with a skirt!!"

"Hey!" Morro looked indignant. "That's not true. If you want Kojiro, you can have him."

"Aiyaa! You just don't get it at all! You're not being fair!"

"I am sooo being fair right now!" Morro rolled his eyes. "And besides, I said it first. So poo on you."

"Not fair! You're so not fair!" Mondo fell to his knees weeping unabashedly.

Morro couldn't help but feel guilty. He and Mondo were friends, after all…"Aw, hey, get up! Come on, don't cry!"

"Don't talk to me! I hate you forever!" His sobs grew shuddering and noisy.

"Come on. Don't cry! Mondo…hey, Mondo, lookit, I'm making that face you like!" He twisted his lips and crossed his eyes, shoving his pinkened face into Mondo's. "Look!"

"I don't wanna look! I hate you!"

"Come o-o-n!" Morro coaxed. "You know you love the Koiking face!" He made glubbing noises for effect.

"No, I hate you!" But Mondo's voice broke into giggles.

"There, see! Aww, we're chums now!"

Mondo wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "No…no I'm still mad at you. How could you name your Pokémon after the love of my life?"

"Jeez, it isn't that big a deal…" Morro scratched the back of his head. "Can't you think of another name?"

"No."

"Okay, fine. But I'm keeping it Musashi. Look, he's already started to like the name! Gowan, look!"

He turned to where the Pokémon was sitting and whistled. "Hey! Musashi! Heresaboy!"

Silence.

"Uhm…Musashi! Look here! Over here, Musashi!"

Nothing. Morro threw a stuffed animal at it's head.

The Pokémon fell over like a capsized bowling pin. "Uup!"

"The-e-e-re's a boy! My Musashi!" He scooped the dumbwitted creature into his arms and snuggled it. "My little Musashi…" he cooed again.

"Would you stop saying that?" Mondo begged.

"Why should I? That's his name."

"Fine then." Mondo rushed over to his jacket and grabbed his Pokéball. "Metamon, come out!"

The Pokémon obediently emerged from its shell.

"Hey, Metamon. How would you like a new name? Huh?" Mondo's face was a frantic red and his eyes were maniacally wide.

The intimidated purple ooze eked out a response: "Mon!"

"I don't see how this breaks even, but whatever." Morro and Uupa watched somewhat apathetically.

"Your new name is Musashi! How do you like that?"

"Oooh! Dirty cheater!" In his outrage, Morro dropped the poor Uupa on its head.

"What?" Mondo asked innocently. "I thought you said it wasn't a big deal!"

"It wasn't until you stole my name!"

"Who stole from whom?" Mondo asked cupping a hand to his ear.

"Oh, I see where this is going," Morro said, arms akimbo. "You know, you're being a real child about this."

"No I'm not. You are."

"Am not!"

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Are too."

"Argh!" Morro lunged at Mondo in anger. "Shut up! Just shut up already! We're gonna settle this the right way!"

"What are you gonna do, give me a wet willy?" Mondo stuck his tongue out.

"We're having a Pokémon battle! The better Musashi gets to keep the name!"

"I accept." Mondo said.

The two took their Pokémon and went towards the practice arena. Each took his own side of the battleground.

"Shall we start this?" Mondo shouted from across the way.

Morro nodded. "You know what to do. One Pokémon each; sudden death."

"All right." Mondo grabbed his Pokéball. "Musashi, go!"

"This battle's already won!" Morro said smirking. His Uupa shot out of its ball. "Musashi, attack!"

The Pokémon flew into the battle, each awaiting their trainer's command.

Morro jabbed his finger into the air. "Musashi! Soak that slime with a water gun!"

"Dodge the blast and transform, Musashi!"

Before the blast could be delivered, the area was set ablaze with an alien glow. Mondo and Morro shielded their eyes.

When the light dimmed down, the two were horrified. They ran over to the center of the field, hoping that a closer look would prove them wrong. But they weren't: both Pokémon looked exactly the same.

"Uupa!" they chirruped in unison.

"Aiyaaaa!" Morro shouted. "What the frickin…"

"Which one's my Musashi?" Mondo asked frantically.

Morro grabbed Mondo by the shirt collar and shook him violently. "I thought you told me that your slo-mo Metamon couldn't morph properly! How are we going to tell them apart? The transformation was flawless!"

Mondo's tears were jarred out of his eyes from the shaking. "He…he can't transform properly! At least he never used to…"

"Jeezus Rice, don't you even know what your Pokémon can do anymore?"

"Wait! Let go of me, please!" Mondo struggled free. "I've figured it out!"

"What is it? Tell me!"

"They both have the same face!"

"Obviously!!!" Morro shouted, spittle flying from his mouth. "It's a Metamon. It transformed! They're supposed to have the same damned face!!"

"No, no!" Mondo said backing away. "I mean, Uupa and Metamon, as a species, have the same face."

Morro paused. "Oh…oh, you're right."

"See?" Mondo smiled triumphantly.

"Hey yeah!" Morro said laughing. "Yeah, you're right!"

"I told you!"

The two had a good laugh about it, and started to walk away.

Then something in Morro's head went "Doink!"

"WE STILL DON"T KNOW WHO IS WHO!!"