text; un: geraniums

[rootlessly]

i think i might've found something important
there's a note here in koga birch's apartment

[just casually admitting to a break-in nbd nbd]

YF —
SS IN BK? LGD 2? DM RMC
UGH
— KB

i think YF refers yasuo fern?
not sure about the rest of the abbreviations, but it seems like YF might have been meant to read this
so that could be a clue to what it means

also i'm trying to see what's on his computer, but it requires a 4-digit passcode
has anyone found any numbers that might be significant to koga or team torpedo in some way?

Comments

[softshoes]

Alhydion was similar to games and stories from Earth, too, wasn't it?

[are you gonna show him your mint condition foil charizard newt]

Is there anything you know about that game that might help us work this out? Mr... Maniac?

[groupiedrifter]

Awww you used my second most cool name. :)
Ummm.
They're called Pocket Monsters back home, and they're a lot like this.
They only say their names to talk, they're kept in balls, and they battle to try to be champions and all that. They usually start their journeys super young, too. Like, no parent should be letting their 10 year olds travel the world, but I guess they're just Built Different, yanno? The kid doesn't even seem to age in like 30 years of being in a cartoon. What's up with that, anyway?

[softshoes]

[1. Okay yeah this is definitely Newt.
2. what]

If... it's a serial of some kind... I suppose it serves the writers well for the Pocket Monsters protagonist to always be as young as he was at the beginning of the story with his Pocket Cubits.

[Or something. Also, he said balls? Aren't they in cubes?]

I'm not sure how much that will help, but if there is anything else you recall, please do keep the group apprised of it.

[groupiedrifter]

Sure, man, 100%.
I probably still have Pokemon GO on my phone back on the station if you ever wanna get acquainted... But... now that I think about it, you won't be able to catch any Pokemon electronically around the base. :/

....

Unless................

[NEW PROJECT???]

[softshoes]

[newton geiszler phd⁶, you have the opportunity to completely shatter the world of yujin mikotoba, a boring middle aged man who likes to take middle aged man strolls and ALSO likes cute things...]

What is Pokemon GO?

[groupiedrifter]

... Man, I don't know if I can explain to someone from your time, but I can try?

Basically, you can use a phone to locate and catch imaginary creatures loaded in an app. For fun! And like cubits, you can level them up and battle gym leaders. It's super fun.



Except for the time I accidentally fell into the ocean trying to catch a Gyarados and the Russians had to fish me out.

[softshoes]

I see... that does sound fun. So, you'd encounter them while walking around?

[a second later:]

Don't tell me you got so distracted you fell in?!

[groupiedrifter]

Exactly, I —
NO, I TOTALLY did not get so distracted I fell in anythinG-
OOFFshitOW

[OH FUCK HE GOT DISTRACTED BY YUJIN ACCUSING HIM OF BEING DISTRACTED AND NEARLY FELL INTO A DITCH.]

[softshoes]

[NEWT....]

If you need medical attention I am still on the line.

[groupiedrifter]

IDK what you mean I'm fine.

[He may or may not have missed that he brain-texted his dramatic half-tumble.]

Besides, I've got Cortney! She keeps me on the straight and narrow.
Thanks to her, my chances of dying in a stupid way are DRAMATICALLY decreased!

[softshoes]

[But you're not gonna have Cortney forever, are you, Newt? It's too sad a thought-- he's already missing his own Cubits-- so he doesn't speak on it further.]

I'm sure she would appreciate it if you made her job a little easier.

[groupiedrifter]

Ugh! I promise I will do my best to make her job easier.
I don't wanna hear a word if I show up on the station in another sling, though! Orb-powered Cubit-wrangling ain't easy!

[Don't worry, he'll be relatively injury-free upon return to the station.

Thank god.]