[open] so many quarters and tokens.

[searchforpeace]

Who: Audrey Burne and anyone else who shows up.
What: First meeting of an organization/collective number group masquerading as an as-yet unnamed gaming club. This is mostly a meet and greet, get to know one another and bring up pertinent issues to look into/discuss in future meetings sort of thing.
Where: At one of Locke's largest Arcades, straight across the street from a pizzeria. Yes, pizza might be involved.
When: Backdated to July 21st (Sunday), from 5pm to midnight.
Warnings: None so far.


[OOC: The top thread here will be for speeches/questions/general meeting matters. These proceedings will all be streamed on the network for those interested who couldn't/didn't wish to attend.

The rest of the log is for mingling. Feel free to make your own threads and get into whatever hijinks you wish.

And forgive the backdating please.]

At one point in time, arcades were a dime a dozen. For the most part it's been a dying trend, though this particular one in Locke is standing against the test of time. It's likely due to it's size - it's easily one of the biggest arcades around - and the inclusion of party rooms in the back. The pizzeria nearby has quite the happy partnership with the arcade thanks to those.

For most of the night the arcade is a loud, bustling place. Enjoy dodging children here and there, maybe having this machine or that eat your very last quarter. Some of them take quarters and some tokens so enjoy carrying pocketfuls of both.

Around 7:30 once most everyone has had a chance to arrive, Audrey will try to herd people into the party rooms in back for the actual 'game club' meeting itself. During this time, anyone is welcome to bring up issues, questions, concerns and the like they may wish to see addressed or would like help with.

Comments

THE MEETING

[searchforpeace]

[OOC: Again, those who wish to bring up issues are welcome to comment here once the floor is opened to them. This section will be broadcast over the network.]

[reapsthewind]

Chris is killing it at the Stargate Pinball machine, yes she is. And she will totally challenge all comers to Asteroids.

[searchforpeace]

Then welcome a challenger, Chris. At some point in the night Audrey will likely run across the other woman, pausing briefly to watch her play at the pinball machine.

[reapsthewind]

"Hey, Audrey," she says. "You want a turn at the machine, or..?"

[searchforpeace]

"Actually, I thought I might see if you wished to play a game together. If you're up for it, that is."

[shiromadoushi]

Bakura's... oddly not playing any of the games. He's hanging back, just watching everything with a distant expression on his face, looking almost... tired.

He almost had blown it off, not wanting to deal with much of anything at the moment, but in the end, had decided to go anyway. He keeps checking his phone, though for what is anyone's guess. He's not letting anyone get close enough to see it.

[argents]

Though this was supposed to be a chance to get to know those networkers he hadn't already bullied his way into meeting one way or another, Banagher unsurprisingly still finds himself first drawn to a familiar face rather than that of a stranger. Haro in tow, since he figured no one would look twice in a place like this, he approaches Bakura after saying his hellos to the others he recognized.

"This is the one place where I wouldn't have expected you to be a wallflower."

[shiromadoushi]

"Forgot my wallet." It was an effortless lie and an easy way to wave off of concern as he pocketed his phone again. "Everyone's high scores are safe for now~"

[argents]

"You say that like they're not mostly yours anyway," he quips in turn, though it's halting, because he's not exactly buying it. Haro is less polite about it, plodding along right into his ankle.

"Bakura! Not happy?"

[searchforpeace]

"Thank you for coming, Bakura. I appreciate it."

Audrey's mostly making the rounds of the place, introducing herself to this person and that. It's the first time she's been able to see many of them in a casual setting after all.

[shiromadoushi]

He nodded, pocketing his phone. "I said I'd show," he returned with a small smile. "Forgot my cards, though, so getting you on the nerdy road to obsession will have to wait 'til next time."

[searchforpeace]

Par usual, Audrey laughed at the reply. "Don't worry, I'll be around if you truly want to take me down such a dark path in the future."

[doomedtheworld]

Vanessa had shown up to the meeting place a little while before the actual meeting was set to begin, just to get an idea of what kind of building it was. She hadn't actually introduced herself to anyone, of course, just kind of lurked around the arcade to see who she recognized from the network.

It didn't take long before she realized that nothing incredibly dangerous or dramatic was going to happen and she now had a bunch of time to kill before the actual meeting began. Bored and with little else to do, Vanessa wandered over to one of the game machines and stared at it curiously. Road Puncher II? She'd never really played video games before except here and there when one of the homes she'd lived in had had a video game machine but it looked simple enough. Just beat the other guy up, right? She shrugged and stepped forward, dropping a quarter into the machine.

That was an hour ago.

Now Vanessa can be found hogging the fuck out of the Road Puncher II machine, with a stack of quarters next to her and a glare of laser-like focus on her face as she attempts to button-mash her way to victory. And by victory we mean past the first five guys.

There was a time when this arcade box simply housed a game. That time is passed. There are no games. There is only life and death now.

[ursoreckless]

"You need to kick the last guy."

Ever so helpful, Shou was leaning a little against the side of the game, looking on in amusement at her button-mashing technique. After the third time of her not getting past the fifth guy, he decided to impart with a tiny bit of knowledge.

"That's a combo of the L button with the stick at the same time."

[doomedtheworld]

Vanessa scowled at the screen as the AI character knocked hers out for the third time in a row. Her tactic of frantically smashing the buttons had served her well for the first few fights but this guy was proving to be more of a challenge.

She was already reaching for her next quarter when Shou spoke up and she jumped, scattering her pile across the control board. She had gotten so wrapped up in the game she hadn't even realized she apparently had an audience.

"Um. Right, I'll--" crap, the Continue thing was counting down. She quickly went about putting in her next quarter, also thankful for the excuse to not have to make eye contact after that reaction. "I'll try that."

[ursoreckless]

"You can do it," he replied, smiling and nodding. It always was fun watching other people play games, especially people who aren't exactly good at it. It wasn't the amusement factor - though he would be lying if he said it didn't amuse him - but more watching them figure things out as they suddenly got a combo working.

"The game likes to catch you up with some of the purple-colored AIs. They usually need combo hits - that is, use the buttons and stick at the same time."

[argents]

Given that this was a more productive immediate plan of action than rushing out into Locke with guns blazing against a force they knew precisely zero about, Banagher was alright with counting himself among the attendees. He'd always been of the mind that knowing who was who among them would benefit them in the end, rather than having an equal amount of no information on both sides. Luckily, his opinion happened to (in so many words) line up nicely with Audrey's, which is why he's currently feeding bills into the quarter machine and chewing on half of a breadstick.

At his feet, Haro waits patiently, tipping this way and that to get a look at those nearby. Occasionally, over the medley of arcade games, he'll belt out an enthusiastic Hello! to anyone within earshot.

Hey, with more extravagant looking prizes to be had at the ticket counter, Banagher didn't have the heart to leave him at home this time.

[doomedtheworld]

Vanessa kept one eye on the Road Puncher machine as she crossed the floor to the coin machine, just in case anybody tried to grab it while she was gone. A few potential hijackers had come along and tried to grab the second player spot but had been sent packing after a quick glare. She was not done with that stupid thing yet.

She stopped behind Banagher to wait her turn, silently fuming and vowing all sorts of terrible revenge when she got back.

"Hello!"

What?

Her head snapped from side to side looking for whoever had greeted her before she looked down, blinking at the little robot... ball... thing flapping its ears at her.

... What.

"Hi?" She attempted lamely, still staring at it.

[argents]

He's gotten so used to Haro commenting on things like a little mechanical peanut gallery that he's all but tuned him out at this point — until he hears a distinctly human greeting right behind him.

"Huh?" he glances over his shoulder, wolfing down the rest of the breadstick as the machine finally spits out the last of his quarters with thick metallic plunks in the change well. Haro blinks twice, hydraulics whirring: "Waiting! Waiting!"

"Sorry about him, if he's bothering you," Banagher opts for instead of a second greeting. With a lopsided smile, he shuffles Haro to the side so he can grab his change and get out of the way. "He doesn't get out very much."

[doomedtheworld]

Vanessa looked up, realizing that the guy in front of her was probably the little robot ball's owner. Where did you even get something like that? Or did he build it?

Or was he here for the meeting too?

"No, it's fine." She glanced down at Haro again, blinking. "Um, what is it?"

[searchforpeace]

Somehow, Audrey has managed to miss ever seeing Haro. And while she had been heading over to say hello to Banagher himself? It's Haro that manages to thoroughly distract the young woman so that in the end she leans down to peer at the little green thing tipping this way and that.

... What in the world is it?

[argents]

Though Banagher is sure Haro would have zero problems following him everywhere, as he's done since he left his apartment earlier, taking him everywhere just wasn't realistic, as far as trying to keep things on the down-low went. This was something of a special case, though. Her approach makes him smile, even when he opts to skip the greeting in light of her focus on the little robot.

"Have you really never seen him before?" Banagher asks, picking up on the wonder in her gaze as she looks at him.

[lightedprincess]

Kairi had abandoned her game for the moment, moving to try and find someone she recognized. She recognizes Banagher, at least, and heads over to say hi before... whatever that thing is beats her to it. "Um. Hello..."

Seriously, what is that?

[argents]

Luckily he hears her over the drone of the arcade, tentative as her voice sounds. Glancing over to the source, his smile lights up. Haro is the first to take the initiative and roll forward, however.

"Hey! Kairi, right?"

[lightedprincess]

Kairi wanders in a little late, not having had the time to drop her gym bag off at the apartment after her shift so that's slung over her shoulder, but if you find her playing a game it's probably along the lines of DDR or something,