In the early morning, right after a quiet breakfast, Nancy and Charlotte were walking around in the grocery store for some last-minute shopping. That and to set up a “You Did It!” party for Charlotte. “I can hardly believe it! For nearly a month you have held yourself back while you change every day. Say, what would you like to have while we’re celebrating your achievement?” But before Charlotte has a chance to reply to her friend’s question, a voice comes out of nowhere and says, “Nancy? Is that you?”
The two ladies looked down the aisle to find an old friend whom they knew. Nancy's eyes grew wide at the woman who knew her. “Oh my god, it’s-” “It’s Roxie! You know, the hairstylist that helps you with Charlotte’s hair problem.” The bubbly woman came up to the ladies and went in to hug Nancy. “Nancy, I didn’t know that you have a twin sister.”
As luck would have it, the nanomachines had picked out that Charlotte would turn into Nancy for the penultimate transformation. As awkward as it was for Charlotte, who was glad to have a slightly normal change for change, Nancy was the one that flipped out the most in the morning. “It’s like looking at a mirror but your reflection is following you,” as she put it simply when she got her act together.
To tell the difference between the two Nancy, the original Nancy had let her hair down while the mimicry Nancy had her hair up in a ponytail. To further tell the difference, Nancy wore a dress with a jean jacket while the pseudo-Nancy put on capri pants and wore a sweater for a top. But even after all of these minor changes, Roxie hugged not Nancy but Charlotte who looked like Nancy.
The real Nancy spoke up to break her two friends and to try to clear the room. “I’m sorry, Roxie. But I’m Nancy. Who you just hugged is my twin sister.” Roxie broke away from the hug and said a quick apology. “Oh, I’m sorry about that. You’re the twin sister that I didn’t know about.” Roxie turned around and hugged the real Nancy and whispered, “What is your sister’s name? I would like to do a better apology than that lame one I have done.”
“Cha-cy,” is what Nancy blurted out. She was about to say “Charlotte” but accidentally ended it with the second part of her name. Roxie broke away from the proper hug with her client and thought about the mash-up of names that Nancy made. “So your twin sister is named Chansey?” Behind Roxie, Charlotte had made a face at her new name.
“Y-yeah, Chansey. You know how twins get names that rhyme, right? Nancy and Chansey,” Nancy said to cover up the lie she made. Roxie turned back to the newly christened Chansey, much to the owner’s disgust at the name. “Oh, so you were named after the Pokemon?” Roxie asked Chansey with Nancy making a quiet apology behind Roxie.
Chansey just smiled and said with as much venom as could in Nancy’s voice, “Yes. My-Our mother loved Pokemon and was fortunate to name at least one of us.” Now glaring at Nancy behind Roxie, “It was either Chansey or Goldeen that she could’ve named me after.” Unaware of the amount of sarcasm that the Nancy look-alike gave, Roxie just smiled and said, “Oh, you’re a Pokemon fan like your mother?” “Let me just say that I know firsthand how powerful Pokemon can be,” and Chansey said this with a wink.
Roxie laughed at Chansey's statement, even if she didn't understand the meaning behind what she said. “Oh too true, Chansey. Too true. Say, how long are you staying in town?” At this point, the real Nancy spoke up before Chansey had a chance. “She is only here for Thanksgiving and stayed to avoid the madness that is air traffic out. Today is her last day here before I take her to the airport.”
Roxie's smile dropped at the news that her newest friend would be leaving. “Aw, that’s a shame. If only I was told that you were here for a short amount of time, I would’ve asked for a Pokemon battle with you earlier. Oh well, there is always next time.” Roxie took out her smartwatch and gasped at what she saw. “Damn, I spent too much time here chatting up a storm when I have errands to do. I’ll let you do your shopping while I finish off mine. And give my regards to Charlotte the next time you see her, I would like to know if her hair has come back yet.”
“Don’t worry about that, Roxie. The next time I see Charlotte, I’ll tell her about you and maybe make some plans so that we can hang out together.” As Nancy said this, the Charlotte that they were talking about just stared at Nancy with eyes set to kill. Once Chansey felt like Roxie was out of earshot, she released her anger at her “sister”.
“Really, Nancy? “My sister's name is Chansey and she loves to play Pokemon because she was named after one,” I swear that if the next transformation is Pokemon-related, I will lose it.” Nancy fired back with a retort of her own. “I’m sorry Charlotte, but I panicked when she asked me what your name is. And just when I said the first part of your name, I had to end it with something. How was I supposed to know that there was a Pokemon called Chansey prior to today? We just learned about Pokemon yesterday so don’t blame me for it!”
Nancy’s clone was quiet for a moment after that outcry from Nancy Prime. Then, unlike what Charlotte would do, she went up and hugged Nancy. “Ch-Charlotte! What are you doing?” “I can’t stand it, Nancy,” Charlotte whispered in Nancy’s ear. “I can’t stand all of these transformations. Unlike being big or having another personality is bad, this is worse. Just when I thought that being you was the least of my worries, I must have got all of your insecurity in the transition.”
At this, the two Nancys hugged each other in the middle of the store, amidst all the customers and workers walking by. When they let go, they both have tears in their eyes as evidence of the subtle crying. “Come on sis,” Nancy said as she led her twin sister, “I know what we should have to celebrate your victory tomorrow.” And with that, Chansey smiled because she also knew what she was talking about.