Bunny Talk (Rookie Season Wrap Up with Allie Bunson)

[Beavie]

The second season of Rapid Magyar’s existence is in the books and after the Hungarian based club has cleaned out its lockers after one final workout, ending the club on a high by knocking off the higher ranked Montreal United, the media is doing a round of interviews for the young team. The cameras are zoomed in one a backdrop for a press area in the practice grounds of the club. Black with the team’s lavender logo repeated over with sponsors and their parent club of Shanghai. After a somewhat light practice just to work over off-season goals, and bond as a team, several team members have made their way through this area to answer questions. One of the more anticipated interview recipients is coming.

There is some chatter among the audience as someone walks up. The camera keeps focused as the orange tips of rabbit ears make their way into frame, but not the rest of the player. One of the shortest players in the league, the Scorbunny wonder, Allie Bunson is here. The camera pans down to show the rabbit. She’s got a white practice kit with black shorts, her number 3 visible on the front. She has a lavender bow in her fur next to her ear. Some of the fans have enjoyed her adding that small ‘personal touch’ to her on the pitch.

She wiggles her nose as a woman with a microphone walks up to her. She kneels down slightly to meet the eye level of the fire-type.

“Heyya Allie, Mika Fionne here from Football TV. Today was the last practice of your rookie season here in the SSL minors, and as the second overall pick from the most recent draft you had high expectations. First after a whole season, have you felt you’ve lived up to the hype?”

The rabbit gives a somewhat modest answer. You’d think she was a hockey player with how she answers.

“Mate, I’m not too sure. I’m happy where I landed and I’m chuffed to bits to go that high. In the academy I did not consider myself the best player, but I played with a lot of passion and that enthusiasm spread. I know when things were rough in Victoria I tried to keep my mates motivated and that made that whole experience great. So I guess there’s some value to that, hehe.”

She rubs her nose and the interviewer mentions a big development from early on in the season.

“Well, one of the big headlines early in the season is that you made a switch from a Right Attacking Midfielder to Right Wing Back, how has been the adjustment and what was the rationale behind it?”

“Back in Galar the type of footy I played we had less players on the pitch so I had to play some defense and offense. They knew I had some good speed and was able to adjust, so when they asked if I was open to trying a new position I was open. Just meant I had to do some extra adjustment.”

Fionne presses her for some more detail.

“In what sort of ways?”

“Well I had to keep my eyes moving to watch how the opposing players moved to cover them, I ran a lot more.” Allie points to her paws which don’t have cleats on them. She’s quite the bold rabbit not wanting to wear cleats while playing soccer. “And I can still pitch in on offense, I got a handful of assists this past season and set up some good plays, but I had to be a lot more active and aggressive on defense.”

“And you said you have played it before, was there not much adjustment needed?”

The Scorbunny snickers.

“Nah, mate. I still had a lot to do. I’m the smallest one on the pitch! It took time in the academy to develop to a mostly human game, but now to a new position? It’s twice the work! The manager told me he was happy with how I was progressing though and we got some ‘goals’ to work on throughout the off-season.”

Mika Fionne has her phone out and checks on some stats.

“Well, is one of them your discipline?” As soon as she says that, Allie’s ears drop over her face and she has a slightly embarrassed look on her face. “One notable thing is we saw an increase in tackling from you and you had an over 90% tackling rate, one of the best in both the majors and minors, but it came with 40 fouls and 9 yellow cards.”

“Hehe, oops.” She gives a nervous laugh and answers. “When you are on defense you are bound to make more fouls to try to get possession changes. I still  hope to bring it down a bit next season if I can. That or not get injured in a match again.”

“Wasn’t that against North Shore?” Mika recalls. “What happened?”

Allie gulps thinking back

. . .

In the young rabbit’s mind, she remembers after a tackle gone wrong, her on the pitch, grabbing her ankle, shouting.

“AAAAHHH! SCOR BUN! BUN BUN! SCOOOOOR!” She swears her head off in her native tongue. “SOMEONE GET ME A BLOODY POTION!”

. . .

"It was not fun. No further comment."

“Well, this organization is still young and you’ll be entering your sophomore season, so what are your hopes?”

“I hope we can continue to progress and be a close team.” She gives a surprisingly wholesome answer as opposed to being focused purely on cups. “They keep us and Shanghai closely connected and occasionally we have some practices together when our travel overlaps. So I am already getting familiar with some of the lads and lasses at the main club. Tony, Vito, Takechi, Voda, all of them. It is not easy to become champions over night but we are taking some steps forward each season and even if the new expansion clubs may throw some challenges for us, we are eager to see where we can get with a few more seasons as a team.”

Fionne looks at her notes on her phone and clarifies.

“Well, Shanghai did protect you in the recent expansion draft, so you are projected to be a player long-term for the organization, but with ImJust Ken seemingly ‘stalling’ out in his progress according to outlets, do you think an early call up to the majors is possible?”

Scratching her chin, Allie thinks.

“Where do you get rumours like that? But as much as the dragons on their kits are bloody cool, I think forcing it would not work out well for me. Plus I want to enjoy my time with my teammates.”

“Who are some of your closest friends on the team?”

“Stig, Lind, and I always hang out after matches as sort of a ‘back field’ thing. But of course Snor and I always find the best spots to eat at when we’re on the road.”

She has a huge grin talking about her big buddy in the goal.

“Guess it is a Pokemon connection, but they made sure to keep our lockers next to each other and we always have orange slices together at half time. In fact after I got hurt, he let me nap on his belly after the game. So we’re great mates. I’m really looking forward to us spending our careers together. . .”

The interviewer pulls her collar and has some bad news for Allie-

That she has spent her last practice with Lax.

“Well, actually-”

Allie the next hour in the locker room: 



RIP POKE-PALS DUO
S21-S21

[DivogoJota]

The Thick Fat that Snorlax had made them a great companion for Bunson, as well as a great pillow. Always hard to say goodbye to friends :(

[norththegreatestshowman]

So sorry little bunny :,3

[Hero19]

"Don't cry because it's over, smile that it happened". That's the unfortunate reality of the draft. But we soldier on.

Media Grade 3/5