Butter-Fly Effect

You adjust the box on your lap, still not sure where to actually put it given that you don't have a bag or anything- huh. Something to buy once you're back in File City, if that ever happens. You aren't entirely convinced that it will.

Izzy's computer is plugged in to an outlet in the corner. Very back of the store, covered with dust, you wonder how he can possibly be comfortable here.

And then you remember what Haruka's apartment looked like when you visited, and the fact that it's apparently worse. Right, mystery solved. You also make a mental note to never again visit Haruka's apartment.

"Right, so we need to run a few basic tests before using this on the laptop itself. Can you see if there's anything electronic here that nobody would mind breaking?"

"I've got a calculator right here." You hand him the piece of technology, and he removes the battery before typing away. You try to pay attention to what he does, just in case you need to fill in for him one day.
(Sora's Digicode Programming skill has increased!)
It's always been something you wondered about, how he could make something so complex look so simple. But he's always been that way, for as long as you can remember- technology is simply his best friend. Well, until Tentomon entered the picture, but even then, you think you see him on his computer more often than not, even when talking to his Digimon.

That's probably not healthy, but what do you know? Sometimes, when you get focused on something, it's all that your parents can do to remind you to eat. And you like food.

Eventually, the symbol for lightning appears on the calculator, and it sparks to life for a few seconds, before dying away. "Right, forgot the infinity symbol..." Izzy mutters, and starts over. "Sora, take notes in case we need to do this again."

Well, that much you can do. "Got it!" And thus, you fall back into your old friend, the realm of happy experimentation. It's been a while.

---

It takes six hours, but eventually the setup is complete. Izzy's laptop will now never run out of battery power in the Digital World. You think that, with some creative applications of coding, you could extend that to your own world, but that's probably a bad idea, even if the thing's already upgraded so far beyond factory standards that your friend could probably market it as a new technology.

...Yeah, this is definitely what most people probably feel about Haruka.

Not that you're complaining about it. Actually, it's about time that you started figuring out what you're going to do for dinner, assuming that Mimi and Palmon don't already have that covered. Trail rations are decently filling, but sort of bland compared even to the mushrooms from your first night here.

And speaking of Mimi and Palmon... here they come now.

"Sora, Izzy, we saw- we saw!" She pauses to catch her breath. "We saw Kari and Bukamon floating past us in a bubble!"


...What?


[ ] No, seriously, what!?

[ ] Catch that bubble!
-[ ] With just Biyomon/Birdramon
-[ ] With just Tentomon/Kabuterimon
-[ ] Use both flying Digimon
-[ ] Forget flying- just run!

[ ] Stay put. They'll probably be fine, really.

[ ] ...Wait, where's Tai?

You pause for a moment. Blink. Think through what Mimi just said. Blink again. Check your Digivice. Yep, there goes Kari's dot. "...What?"

"Well, we were outside, trying to find something we can eat," Palmon tries to explain. "And then we heard her calling for us, we looked up, and... well, heart-shaped bubble."

"That sounds like something a Monzaemon would do," Lunamon remarks. "But the only one I know of lives in Toy Town. That's... pretty far away." She doesn't mention whether casting someone off like this is like him or not. On an island covered in Gears like this, it doesn't always matter, in the end. Some things just... are.

"We should probably go after that bubble," You decide. "Wait here."

Unlike before, when you were desperate for an escape, here everything comes to you instinctively. You leap from the cliff, and Biyomon flies beneath you, growing into Birdramon as she does so.

You're glad it goes well. You've never actually practiced that move before, and you're sure just about anyone who knows that would have a heart attack at seeing your first attempt, but you've always wanted to do something like this.

You see a speck at the edge of the horizon, though it mostly just blends in with the sunset. Thankfully, you have your Digivice, and you're in the air, so you can really just point and go. It's that straightforward.

"Full speed ahead, Birdramon!" You call. Like she'd ever do anything but. There's a reason she's always been your preferred mode of transportation.

---

Getting to Kari is the easy part. She and Bukamon are floating in the bubble, not really trying to make it move anywhere but where the wind takes them. Still, now that you've almost caught up, it's time to think about what you want to do next. You're pretty far above the ground, after all.


Sora's DS: 458/462


[ ] Try and pop the bubble.

[ ] Just talk to Kari. (About what?)

[ ] Follow the bubble.