Friday, October 3, 1992
Today marked Zaboru's final full day in Japan before his departure to the United States, where he would oversee the upcoming release of the ZGB for the Western market. The release was tentatively planned for late October or early November, and everything had to be meticulously prepared in advance. Fortunately, Zaboru had already briefed his development team and his father, Zanichi—ZAGE's CTO—about the October release lineup: three new games for ZEPS and two for the ZGB.
This month's issue of ZAGE Power Magazine was also getting a special treatment. Zaboru had arranged a bonus poster to be included with each copy: a striking print of Ryu Hayabusa from Ninja Gaiden, a gift he was sure fans would love.
On this busy day, one important meeting remained: his visit to Miyagi Batteries, where he would reconnect with his old high school friend and the company's heir, Ryo Miyagi. As Zaboru arrived at the Miyagi headquarters, he was ushered into a meeting room where Ryo was already waiting with drinks prepared.
Zaboru smiled and leaned back in his chair. "Sup dude, how you doin', man?" he said casually, taking a sip of his drink.
Ryo grinned. "Never been better. And seriously, thanks for trusting Miyagi Batteries with those Z-Batteries. It's done wonders for us."
"The feeling's mutual," Zaboru said. "Actually, one of the reasons I came here today is to talk about the next-gen Z-Batteries. I want you guys to work on improving their efficiency, maybe expand their lifespan. I'm also open to investing more in Miyagi Batteries, but let's hold that discussion until my legal team's back from their current assignments."
Ryo nodded. "Absolutely. Working with ZAGE has changed everything for us. Even my dad's been in a good mood lately. He doesn't say it much, but I know he's proud."
"That's great to hear," Zaboru said warmly. "Anyway, you better prepare for a larger production run. If the ZGB hits it big in the U.S., demand for Z-Batteries will skyrocket."
"Don't worry," Ryo replied confidently. "You already warned us about global expansion last month. We've been stockpiling and fine-tuning the supply chain since then."
Zaboru gave an approving nod, then leaned in with a smirk. "Hey, did you know Satoshi dropped by ZAGE recently?"
Ryo's eyes widened. "Wait, seriously? It's gotta be because of Pokemon, right? And the fact that you actually used his catchphrase—'Gotta catch them all?'"
Zaboru laughed. "Exactly. The guy practically thought the game was made just for him. He's still completely obsessed with animals—and honestly, he's not entirely wrong. The spirit of Pokemon really does line up with who he is."
Ryo shook his head, chuckling and Zaboru then said "That guy really is the real-life version of a Pokemon trainer. So, are you playing it too? Pokemon i mean"
"You bet," Ryo said with a grin. "I'm all in on it. My favorite's Onix."
"Onix?" Zaboru raised an eyebrow. "Unique pick. Respect."
Ryo chuckled. "Yeah, somehow I really love his weird look. Also man i definitely always bought the ZAGE game i want to support you!" Ryo said with vigor.
Zaboru smiled and said "Thanks for that , but just bought a game that interests you, that's all I ask bro".
The two friends spent the next hour catching up, sharing laughs and memories of their school days. Eventually, the conversation wound down, and Ryo leaned back with a thoughtful smile.
"Hey," he said, "we should reunite properly sometime soon. Just the three of us. You, me, and Satoshi."
Zaboru nodded. "Good idea. Let me know when you two are free. I'm game."
With that, the meeting ended on a high note. Zaboru hopped onto his trusty Silver Wrecker bicycle and pedaled back toward ZAGE headquarters to finalize his preparations. That evening, Ayumi mentioned she'd stop by the office to see him off.
Tomorrow, he will fly to America. But today, he was reminded of the strength of old friendships—and how, with the right people beside him, anything seemed possible.
Now it was 8:00 PM, and the ZAGE office was quiet, its usual buzz of activity replaced by the peaceful hum of evening. All employees had gone home, and only Zaboru remained behind—joined by Ayumi, who had stopped by to spend some time with him before his departure to America.
They were seated on the couch in his private office, the glow of city lights spilling through the windows. Ayumi leaned her head on his shoulder with a small sigh.
"Sigh... Zabo, you're always so busy. I'm happy for you, really... but I miss you," she said with a pout.
Zaboru chuckled softly and wrapped an arm around her. "Relax. You're just as busy, aren't you? So, what about you and Akechi-san—any new game ideas? Are you two collaborating again this month, or going solo with your own projects?"
Ayumi giggled and poked his chest playfully. "Hmm, that's a secret. But I think you'll be impressed when you see it. I promise, once you're back from the U.S., I'll let you test it first. Deal?"
Zaboru nodded with a smile. "Deal. I'm looking forward to it." With that they decide to "Spend" Night Together before Zaboru drives her back home and he back to his home too.
To be continued...
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