Kotoha used 'Happy Birthday'!

[unbroken_chain]

Who: Kotoha, Fumi Kanno, maaaaybe Fumi's CR?
Where: Leo Ward, backdated to July 3rd
Summary: Kotoha drags the birthday girl out for lunch.
Warnings: Kotoha, being ridiculous, etc., etc.

Kotoha, having successfully talked Fumi into revealing her birthday was today, has swung by JPs Headquarters at lunchtime to wait outside for her. This accomplished, the young trainer quickly dragged the hacker off to a nearby cafe, where a specially-reserved table had a small croissant with a birthday candle flickering atop it set on a small plate.

"Happy birthday!"

Comments

[terminally_clever]

[Fumi can't help but smile at the sight of the croissant.]

Thank you, Kotoha.

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha grins.

"You're welcome!"

Reaching into her bag, she draws out a small, gift-wrapped box and puts it on the table.

"Okay, blow out the candle and then you can open your present!"

[terminally_clever]

All right.

[Without so much as a pause for a wish or anything silly like that, Fumi leans forward to blow out the candle.]

You really didn't have to do this, you know.

[It's almost embarrassing. Still, though, she can't help but wonder what's in the box.]

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha chuckles.

"Like I said before, I wanted to."

The inside of the box contains two things: a handmade cellphone charm in the shape of a Pokeball, and a flash drive.

[terminally_clever]

[Fumi inspects the charm for a moment before setting it aside. The flash drive piques her curiosity far more.]

What's this?

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha's smile turns slightly shy as she explains.

"My Pokedex has a feature where it can interface with a PC, so...I figured out how to copy and dump the data to a storage device. It's got information on six hundred and forty nine different pokemon."

[terminally_clever]

Oh...

[That's rather surprising, and shockingly sweet and thoughtful. What kind of face is Fumi even supposed to make right now.]

Thank you, Kotoha.

[Just... still looking surprised because she doesn't know how to look thankful.]

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha grins cheerfully.

"I'm glad you like it!"

There's a slight pause as she looks at one of the two watches on her wrist and taps it briefly.

"One of these days, I'll figure out how to copy the programming on this thing, you'd probably like it."

[terminally_clever]

It seems like quite a convenient piece of technology.

[unbroken_chain]

"Well, the stock version isn't much different from the communication watches that come with the COMP, but mine's custom."

Kotoha glances at it briefly before shrugging just a little and turning her attention back to Fumi.

"Of course, without the relays in place, I can't use the teleport function, but it still does some other things."

[terminally_clever]

Yes, that's quite a shame. There was a similar system set up in my world, though only accessible to JP's personnel.

[unbroken_chain]

"Oh, really? This one only goes to the Entree Forest."

A brief pause for thought.

"It's, uh...kind of like my world's version of the Velvet Room, I think."

[terminally_clever]

Except with Pokemon instead of Personas, then?

[unbroken_chain]

Nod nod.

"Yeah, it's where I got Scorpina."

[terminally_clever]

Interesting.

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha smiles.

"According to some of the stories, the Entree Forest used to be capable of letting people visit parallel worlds. But...I guess something happened, and now the bridges to other worlds are broken..."

There's a faraway look in her eyes as she continues.

"It feels...kind of lonely, to stand on those bridges and think that they once lead to other worlds."

[terminally_clever]

And anyone could access this place?

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha nods.

"All you needed was a C-Gear, and Fennel basically handed those out to every Trainer she met as part of her research."

[terminally_clever]

Equipment for interdimensional travel was standard issue?

[unbroken_chain]

"Nah, all the C-Gears do is teleport you to the Forest. It was something about the island itself that did the other world stuff."

[terminally_clever]

Hmm... and you say it just stopped working all of a sudden? No ideas as to what could have caused it?

[unbroken_chain]

"I'm inclined to blame Team Plasma, really. Two years ago they caused a huge underground collapse when they had their giant drill castle burrow up through Victory Road."

She says this as if it were perfectly normal.

[terminally_clever]

Their giant drill castle.

[unbroken_chain]

Nod.

"Yeah, N told me once that the secretly built it underground using enslaved Pokemon. I've gone through the ruins a few times, it's filled with dragons now."

[terminally_clever]

You live in a very colorful world, don't you?

[unbroken_chain]

"Yeah! It's never boring, that's for sure."

[terminally_clever]

Well, all the same, thank you for this. I'll be sure to study it extensively.