He stopped because he felt he didn’t need my wake ups, but now… He may well change his mind.

I return home and go to my room immediately. I’m all alone: mom’s at work and dad is out, as usual. I climb the stairs and enter my private sanctum, closing the door carefully once in. I lean against the door in a fashion that seems to communicate I fear some intruder. My Navi notices this and asks “Maylu, what are you so careful about?”

“I just… It’s nothing Roll, I just hope nobody can spy on us here. I still don’t know what present I’ll buy for Lan, but I want it to stay a secret until his birthday comes up.” I reply, putting away my purse and reaching for the pink PET at my hip. I turn to the computer, aim the device and announce “First, let’s meet with everyone at Yai’s homepage.”

“Jack in, Roll, execute!”

All of our Navis arrive at the chosen spot, letting us debate via the cyberworld. The discussion is a tough one…

“As always, you can count on me to host the party! I’ll take care of everything!” Yai announces, her famous forehead shinning even across the digital connection. “But remember not to buy for Lan any of Gabcom’s newest video games. I already reserved a whole collection for him!”

“Whoa! Yai, you do that every year! Why not be original for a change?” argues Dex, feeling our options diminish dangerously fast. He also envies Lan because Yai doesn’t buy the same for HIS birthday!

“Says who? You’re the one who always presents him with a one-in-a-lifetime chance to battle you and Gutsman!” the blonde girl declares with striking confidence. Still, it’s only natural we can’t afford any presents like those to which she has access.

“Guts, guts! But each day awaits a new challenge, guts…” Gutsman argues, striking his own chest so that a metallic noise echoes across our net.

“I agree that Lan needs something new for a change. What about you, Maylu?” Tori speaks up from the screen behind his tiny eskimo Navi. “What are you planning to give Lan?”

“Actually… I still don’t know.” I admit to my dilemma. “I’ve known him since childhood but I’ve never really figured out what present he would most like to get.”

“You just don’t understand Lan!” Dex proclaims with certainty. “He’s a man of action! He doesn’t really need any fancy toys, just a good battle to help him stay in shape!”

Hearing his words, I suddenly discover a solution that slipped my mind before. “A battle… or maybe a new battlechip?”

“Hey, that’s a good idea, Maylu!” Roll agrees at once. “That might just work!”

“Right, now that you mention it, I could well enough add one or two to that collection of games…” Yai wonders, making Dex scream out.

“Hey! It was our idea! Why don’t you just…” and he tries to convince her not to change her mind after all. She appears unmoved though, a mischievous smirk passing her face as she moves her head left and right.

“Why don’t we all just get whatever battle ship we can get and present them to Lan? Let’s keep them a secret until the end, that’ll be fair.” Tori proposes. We all accept his solution and begin to ask Yai about the details of her party. We agree it’ll start at 8 pm in the evening so none of our schedules conflict, loosely set the ending time as “after midnight” and pick other people that we’ll invite. Dingo, Shuuko, Chaud, Anetta, Jasmine… All our good friends who are roughly our age. Dex argues we could ignore Chaud as no friend of Lan’s, but Yai badly wants him there, so the beaten class bully gives up.

After a longer while, Megaman joins us. He’s alone because Lan instantly dozed off after returning home! I am almost unable to believe how convenient the events turn out for us. We fill him in and split up for today.

“Maylu, what kind of battlechip we’ll give Lan?” Roll asks me once back in my PET. “I’m certain he has enough of my Navichips by now.”

“We’ll see Roll… I’m not sure yet, but somehow I feel I’ll find the perfect one for him…” I answer with pride, fighting off my doubts. We finished fast, but by no means can I rest. I leave my room and go to the kitchen, starting to make dinner. By the time my parents arrive, it’ll be ready. My thoughts still float around Lan though.

“Lan… I sincerely hope this year will bring a change. May I fulfill your wishes and you fulfill mine too…”