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[unbroken_chain]

Hello! You've reached the voicemail of the beautiful genius Kotoha! I'm not here right now - I'm probably off doing something amazing (or buying groceries, whichever) - so please leave a message and I'll get back to you!

Comments

[terminally_clever]

[Fumi seems to be taking all of that in, but her expression turns stormy at that last part.]

That, unfortunately, is the most frustrating part of all. I wasn't done learning from her. I hadn't even scratched the surface of understanding the sorts of things Agatha could do. I never even came close to the slightest glimpse of the sort of intuition she possesses. Probably because it's easily the most counterintuitive thing I've ever witnessed. And now she's gone, and I don't know that I ever will.

[Fumi grits her teeth, closing her eyes for a moment to try to calm herself down.]

Agatha understood. Her methods were vastly different from my own, but she understood, respected, and encouraged the way I'd chosen to live my life, and my approach to research. I'd never seen the merit in seeking validation from others, and I certainly never asked for hers either, but when I received it from her... it meant something.

[unbroken_chain]

"You'll meet again."

Kotoha leans forward a little, intensity creeping into her voice.

"The hardest part about contacting a different world is knowing that they exist in the first place, right? We've got that down, we've got that crystal thing that can breach the barriers, and if it comes down to it I have a Celebi, so I can just travel back in time to before Entree Island was cut off from the alternate worlds. If you really want to keep learning how she does things, I will make that happen."

[terminally_clever]

[Fumi is honestly a little speechless at that for a moment. Half because she's trying to piece together whether that would work or not, and half due to Kotoha's determination on her behalf. Finally, she settles on a very small smile.]

...I knew there was a reason I liked you, Kotoha. You and I have a similar attitude toward perceived obstacles.

[unbroken_chain]

Kotoha grins.

"Got that right."

[terminally_clever]

In the near term, however, what would you recommend?

[Kotoha, this may be your only chance to drag Fumi around and make her do girly things.]

[unbroken_chain]

"How about a girl's day out? I know a shop that sells Visitor-themed merchandise; we can probably find something to serve as a memento of Agatha!"

[terminally_clever]

If it's another of those places that sell perverted mousepads or hugging pillows, I reserve the right to set the entire shop on fire.

[unbroken_chain]

"Oh, no worries, the last place that sold stuff like that had some issues with structural damage and flooding so they had to close down."

Butter would not melt in Kotoha's mouth.

[terminally_clever]

My, what a shame for them.

[unbroken_chain]

"Yes."

Kotoha is perfectly composed.

Really.

"So, we good for tomorrow, then?"

[terminally_clever]

Tomorrow.

[Fumi nods.]

...And thank you, Kotoha.