001 | video? nope. video games.

[gentlebrother]

[So whatever means of communication you're using, you're all getting not a voice, not a grunt or even a sigh, but a peculiar tune. It sounded as if someone's playing a game, and an old one at that. And on the screen, aside from the black background, there are tiny colorful sprites running around. One of which is avoiding numerous obstacles along the way. Looks fun, right? But you can't play it, sadly.

Because upon closer inspection, it seems that the sprites, the numbers and letterings, everything is shown backwards. And that background? That background isn't exactly black in color, just dark. But not dark enough to show what seemed to be someone's face from the other side of the screen. It's as if you're looking at a tinted window or something.

And from the looks of it, seems like the player's having trouble. Now that his character has met a Grim Reaper along the way. Whoops.

Hopefully everyone enjoys a good livestream of someone playing and failing a classic game?]

Comments

[Video]

[chalicejoker]

[Well, THAT'S new. Hajime would have responded via audio, were he not fairly certain he was dealing with a kid. A kid might think a disembodied voice was just part of that old game, but...

...okay, yeah, he is probably about to freak out a child and feel terrible for it. If the kid's made it onto the network, he's in for enough trauma without Hajime adding to it.]

Hey, kid.

[SURPRISE. There is a random guy appearing on the screen...and if he looks rather worried, well, what is a child this age doing on this network?]

[Video]

[gentlebrother]

[Thanks a lot Hajime, the kid yelps out loud at the sudden appearance of some man's face on his TV screen. At the same time, he instantly drops his controller and falls back.]

W-Wha... W-Who?

[Video]

[chalicejoker]

Yeah, I know this is probably a bit of a shock...

[He's holding up the hand that isn't holding his cell phone in a peaceful, open-handed gesture. He'll be standoffish all day long where adults and older teenagers on the network are concerned, but kids? Kids are different.]

But did you put a string of numbers into your game?

[Surely this is the best way to approach a kid about all of this.]

[Video]

[gentlebrother]

B-But... what-- how did you...?

[He'll pause for a bit, trying to wrack his brain with this. Because seriously, he knows this is not how video chat definitely works. Especially when he's only using his dad's NES that's hooked up to an old TV. There's no microphone set up either so... What...?

After a while, he speaks up again. Calming down a bit.]

Um, yeah. I mean, this game has a password system and all...

[Video]

[chalicejoker]

Those numbers you put in weren't a password for a game--they get you access to a, well, it's kind of a network. And it can be accessed through anything, from a computer to your game to even a piece of paper, as long as you can put the numbers on it somehow.

[Why is there a child on the network? The teenagers were bad enough, but a kid this young? Hajime's just trying to make sure he understands this isn't just part of the game.]

It's a secret network, and it's got to stay that way, okay? Telling people outside the network isn't safe.

[Video]

[gentlebrother]

[See Lucas sitting there. See Lucas blinking at Hajime and probably thinking he's crazy.]

O...kay?

[He's going to get his controller back, and probably fiddle with it. Just by constantly pressing the start button. C'mon switch back to the game...]

[Video]

[chalicejoker]

[Okay, fine. The one time he tries to be nice about things, and this happens. Hajime scowls.]

Listen to me, kid, this is dangerous. It's not a game. How else do you think I'm talking to you through your Nintendo?

[There's a pause as Hajime tries for another angle.]

Haven't you noticed anything else really strange going on? An odd memory, a skill you never had before, an item that appeared out of nowhere?

( audio )

[argents]

Oh. It keeps noticing you. Can you sneak up behind it?

[ ...Enjoy your console talking? Sort of? ]

( audio )

[gentlebrother]

[Lucas becomes startled upon hearing that voice, and hits the start button to pause the game. ...He's pretty sure that this game does not have voices. Especially from an old game like this one.]

[argents]

Pausing it might work on the game, but I don't think that carries over to people.

[ As an afterthought: ]

Sorry, this must seem pretty weird to you!

[gentlebrother]

Way too weird.

[He thought after talking to Hajime, it'd be done and over with. Nope, it doesn't seem like it. And Lucas will just sigh. All he wanted was to ignore all this weirdness and finish his game. Is that too much to ask for?]

[argents]

No one really means to see this stuff, or to broadcast the first time. The numbers are kind of their own entity.

[gentlebrother]

I still don't get why or how'd this all happen. The numbers, this network, all this weird stuff going on. It's as if something big's going to happen soon...

[Text]

[shiromadoushi]

[[Oh wow, now that one's pretty old school! Didn't he have that on an emulator once...?]]

Looks like you need some help.

[video]

[gentlebrother]

[Now text? The letters may have even blocked the view of his game, but it doesn't take up the entire screen at least. He'll just sigh.]

I... guess so.

[And he's talking to the TV yet again. This is just too weird.]

[Text] And if I knew this game, Bakura could totally give advice.. :D

[shiromadoushi]

The code you entered wasn't a valid one. Try it on something else instead that isn't the game. It'll work better there.

[video] heehee it's fine. /o\

[gentlebrother]

W-Wait, what d'you mean? I mean... what code?

[Is he talking about the password? Because the passwords in the game are used for continuing a stage where you left off. And he's pretty sure he's entered the right one...

...right?]

[Text]

[shiromadoushi]

Try writing it on a piece of paper.

[video > text]

[gentlebrother]

[He blinks at that message, a bit confused. But he'll follow it says and grabs a piece of paper nearby. He'll scribble in his "password" on the paper, and once done, he'll proceed to stare at it.

Now what?]

Text

[icy_heavens]

[... Okay. It's a little hard to see the face as things stand, but Toushirou thinks he may vaguely recognize it. He's pretty sure he goes to the same school. Which means he's not the only kid on the network anymore.

[Not that it makes things any better, but still.]

I think you put in the wrong number for that.

Video

[gentlebrother]

[He'll pause the game and sigh once he sees that message.]

I've been told.

Text

[icy_heavens]

Well, you've just got yourself into something a lot more important than that game.

[Okay, this is probably better to explain over means other than text. Which means:] Give me the number you put it. I can make this conversation private from the network and try to explain.

[He hasn't told the network he's a kid yet. He's kind of keeping that under wraps for as long as possible. Which won't be much longer because werewolf hunt.]

Video

[gentlebrother]

[It will take a while for Lucas to respond and send the other his number. For one thing, he's quite cautious about sending it. It could spell trouble. And... well, he's never met these people after all. Secret network or not. He'll brace himself for what will happen next.

The other thing would be how to send your own number through the Nintendo. This is not a feature the aged console would possibly do anyway. But hey, it somehow worked through... whatever Lucas did with it anyway.]

Video | Private

[icy_heavens]

[And it goes from text to video. Might recognize the kid looking back at you, Lucas. Different class, maybe, but same school.]

This is just because not many people on the network know I'm a kid yet. I don't want them freaking out at me because of how dangerous this all is.

Anything else weird happen when that number came into your head?

Video | Private

[gentlebrother]

[Well he's sure to have seen that face before. He probably saw him passing through the hallways before class. ...At least he's relieved that he's not the only kid in this network.]

Wow, that's a real smart move. But... aren't you worried they'll find out sooner or later?

[He'll rub his forehead, recalling that one incident.]

Um, there's... I... I sorta happen to make things break, bend or explode when I get a headache. That's a weird one.