Impactful Connection 3 - or 'The Tale of a Writer and a Medic from Different Worlds' (When Genshin Impact unites Dimensions!)

"So, I can say now that you were right."

I raised a curious look as the usual session with Yorra in Genshin started. This was the first thing she said, and while I had been indeed looking into this myself and could tell she wasn't anywhere in this planet but... still on the web somehow, I had expected her to keep quiet about this until after the 'play-date' that we had set up for today.

Yes, today would be the time I was supposed to meet Jules, Yorra's friend, and I was already nervous about it. Yorra bringing up this topic was not helpful with my poor nerves.

"I checked stuff myself. It's like you are there, just not traceable."

"Same with you. The hell is going on?"

"I have no fucking clue..." I mumbled, then leaned back on my chair. "So, Jules-"

"She should be here any minute now," The Fren- I mean, the 'Zircan Girl' replied. "So, remember the Treaty."

"No swearing- at least, not as excessively as we usually do but... Yor, I know you're going to renege on that. I know what you are."

"Heh, of course," She replied without hesitation. "Aaaaaandd, she's here."

"Hello~!" A new voice happily chirped from the other side and I refrained from speaking as Yorra asked to 'deal with this'.

She spoke with Jules for a while, helping her with the her setup and then helping her with the account creation. From what I know, Yorra already had her play on a 'dummy account' and Jules got at the right Adventurer's Level to have the Co-op option available once she was online.

So, she had most of the freebie characters already, but hasn't been given instructions on how to level those up properly in regard to their Talents, Artifacts' Builds, and even preferable weapons. Her current favorite was, unsurprisingly, Noelle. I wouldn't say the Maid-Knight was a bad character, but compared to some of those other characters that relied on Claymores that came out recently, she had lost a lot of value.

Still, building this one up was kind of fun due to her unique 'High Defense = Huge Potential' mechanic. The higher the DEF, the higher her stats could get. Thus, the plan was to get her some Artefacts build that worked around that.

Since she didn't have the map fully unlocked to the latest area, we all entered Yorra's world and... and I couldn't help but notice something she clearly took out of my book: she wasn't using Tartaglia, like I wasn't using Ganyu. She had switched for Yun Jin while I had picked Gorou.

The idea was that instead of being the team's heavy hitters, we would buff up Jules' Noelle and let her have a test of how strong her character was getting with each improvement we let her go through. She was absolutely delighted to see how the 'funny colored numbers' were as they increased and got more damage on the foes.

In the meantime, we also had a bit of a casual conversation, with Yor zoning out as Jules and I treated this for what it was set up to be: an online date. Jules was a cheerleader, her brother was the Seventh Gym Leader, and she was actually part of a noble family.

"But we hardly have much to worry about in that regard. Since Zirca is a democracy, nobility no longer have much to deal with. Well, if it isn't about parties- then we have to dress 'regally' for the event."

"I bet that kind of limits the choice from the wardrobe."

"Oh, you don't know, Johnny. Still, I am glad to hear you're pulling up despite how difficult it is to live in Unova."

Ah yes, I had to kind of lie about where I live, and since Unova is European enough, I went for that choice.

"Thanks," I smiled eye-to-eye due to how swimmingly this was going.

Hell, if things had been more normal, I would have been a bit happier but... fuck, getting this relationship to work was going to take either some long-distance bullshit, or I had to find a way to get in Zirca without being somewhat mauled by random Pokémon. Or found by the government, mistaken for an alien, and treated with the same respect of a frog in a highschool's class of Biology back in the 90s.

Jules was... mildly surprising. I didn't get to know much about her beyond what Yorra told me and what little our interactions offered to expand on what little knowledge I had on her. All in all, solid gal, definitely a 'rich girl' kind of situation but not bratty.

There was the 'accent', but not the 'attitude' so to speak.

As she left since she had a big family dinner at home, Jules was soon done with this first (and hopefully not last) 'playdate' and soon it was just me and Yorra to consider what was to happen next.

"...When are you going to break it to her you can't date her?"

The question was valid, and I actually missed the subtle hint of 'concern' Yorra had aimed towards Jules. I was too focused on... Well, not giving that one up just yet.

"Once I am sure I can't visit somehow."

"John-"

"I am not planning to hurt her, Yor. But... Jules looks like a fun gal, and I really want to exhaust the options."

"While also leading her about it. Fuck's sake, John, I know we are shitheads towards each other- but I know you don't want to hurt her. I give you a week- that's all, then I tell her you're full of shit or something."

I leaned back, wanting to claw back at that since she was putting me in a spot but...

She is not wrong. I can't exactly lead around someone just because I can 'get away from potential repercussions'. Plus, I would lose the friendship I have with Yor and... Fuck.

"I will tell her in a week. If I can find a way in-"

"Then you may as well rail her if she is up to it. I just... She doesn't deserve to be hurt like this. Comprends-tu?"

"...I get it," I replied quietly. "I am sorry if this sounds... so callous of me. I just... well, she sounds like someone I want to explore the possibility with. So... I am a bit stubborn."

"I am glad you're not as prick as you are... beyond being a shitty Ganyu-stan."

"You and your fucking Tortellini can go take a pole in your asses," I replied with a shit-eating grin.

We both shared a pleasant moment of silence as the tension was broken. For now. I wasn't lying to Yorra that I wanted to have a proper date with Jules and... I had to find a way.

I know there has to be one- a way to get in that Pokémon world, and actually meet Jules... and maybe meet Yorra too. I just couldn't stop wondering what kind of bitch I was having fun playing a gacha game with.

AN

Next time, Jules' POV! Plus Yorra being Yorra.