Rank 1 - Viper Balls

-So when do I get to see Commander Handsome?- I asked for the third time while I was walking through the long corridor. I was accompanied by a higher ranking officer of Team Viper. –Oh dear god, please make it stop.- Was the only answer I got off my companion. –But the other guys said that…- My superior interrupted me with an exhausted sigh, stopped in his tracks and stared at me with a frustrated look in his eyes. -Look, pink princess, I don’t care about you, I don’t care about you life, your crush, your outfit… Nothing! So please do me a favour and shut up.- His answer was beyond rude, but his exhausted and pissed of expression made me think twice about opening my mouth again, at least for a while.

He led me through several corridors and then stopped by a white metallic door. He unlocked it with a key and we both went in. –Linda, I found you a second pair of hands.- He greeted a woman who was working there. She was quite plump, had dark brown hair and a pair of massive glasses that made her look a bit like a bug pokemon. –Oh! Yay! I’ve been kind of swamped here today!- She immediately smiled when she saw me, something I hadn’t gotten very often since I accidently came into the hideout last night. She left whatever she was doing and came to greet me. –It’s lovely to meet you! Are you a newbie? It’s so good that you’ve joined us. We’ve been severely understaffed in some of the sections. Oh my god I love how well you pull off the uniform. You're like, super pretty and all.- She started talking non stop, shaking my hands and speaking with a very emotive tone in her voice. I liked her immediately, she seemed like someone I could become friends with.

My superior looked at us with utter disgust and without saying a word just walked out and slammed the door shut, locking it again. Linda and I stared at the metal surface for a second. –Phew, that guy needs to lighten up. Anyway, it seems like you work for me now! Have you ever made a pokeball?- She asked with an excited sparkle in here eyes. I looked behind her and saw several heaps of what seemed like metal scrap and next to them a big basket with black and violet pokeballs. My eyes lit up instantly. My parents had always told me that Santa had helpers around the world who made pokeballs for him and captured pokemon to give to good children. –You’re the one who makes the pokeballs for Santa!? No way!- I shrieked with excitement. –What? No, no, no, no, I make the viper balls we use to catch pokemon. Not to brag, but they are waaaay more efficient than pokeballs.- She looked very proud. –And today you’re going to help me.- She smiled and showed me to her desk.

A good twenty minutes later we were both working side by side. Linda was working on the inside of all the viper balls and I was assembling the two parts into one, making them into the final product. After that I had to polish them and then throw them into the basket. Al throughout that working sessions we talked non stop. It turns out we were into the same romantic TV show and we both absolutely loved fashion (although our preferences were quite diferent). She was also incredibly friendly and listen to the story about how I saw Commander Handsome for the first time and followed him here. Unfortunately he didn’t know about his identity since she rarely ever left her lab, but she promised she’d help me find him as soon as we both had a day off.

Many hours later, when it was already night time and I had a massive back ache, we were finished with the daily work. –Good work Kath, you’ve helped massively. The lab was a lot livelier with you around too! I know they probably won’t assign you to this section of the building, but it would be great if you would come down for a chat occasionally.- She led me to the door and waved me off with a massive smile. –Of course I will! We’re besties now, aren’t we? Besides, you have to help me find Commander Handsome!- I promised that I would come down whenever I could. It felt really nice to have a friend here.