[Text - > Action / Backdated to Sunday Morning]

[shiromadoushi]

Arcade opens in about 15 min. Who wants to meet me there?


[[And anyone who skips the reply will find the white haired teen waiting patiently outside the arcade for the doors to open. Or, if they're late to the party, inside already going at one of the games.]]

Comments

[Action]

[shiromadoushi]

Considering how few people show up this early on a Sunday, I doubt--

[[he pauses as the door unlocks behind them, smiling a bit. Dropping that line of conversation now~]]

Yeah, I think so... I'm really not big on racing games, to tell the truth!

[[understatement, that]]

[Action]

[chalicejoker]

Still, if you say you're going to be open, you've got to be open, even if you're--

[Shutting up now. There's no reason to antagonize the guy letting them in, now is there?]

I always liked them...then again, I've got a real bike now. I'm pretty sure most of the appeal they had for me when I was a kid is gone right there...

[Yeah, he's got no idea how potentially awkward that line of conversation might get. At least he's distracted now that they're inside.]

So which fighting game is it?

[Action]

[shiromadoushi]

A real bike's something different. [[smiles as he heads over to get tokens. Less chance of crashing than in a game, right? And you didn't have to go so fast so you would have control of the situation. Totally different.]]

It's one of the older ones in the back, Samurai Shodown 4. They have a copy of it in one of the breakrooms on campus. Have the high score there too. [[a grin. Though he's pretty sure part of the reason is that no one bothers with the older games. But screw them.]]

[Action]

[chalicejoker]

Yeah, you get more of a sense of freedom that way. You're not just stuck on the same track over and over again.

[With the way Hajime drives, he likes to go as fast as possible anyway.]

They still have that thing?

[There is an approving nod.]

I used to be pretty good at it back when I actually had time to come to the arcade more often...

[Action]

[shiromadoushi]

Heeeeeeeeeeh, really? I hope your reflexes are still there! [[Because the idea of playing against someone who's also good at the game makes him nerdishly happy.]]

[Action]

[chalicejoker]

Still there? They've only gotten better with time.

[Yeah, he'll just hope he still remembers some of those combos.]

[Action]

[shiromadoushi]

[[a small laugh as they walk back to the machine.]] Then I won't go easy on you~

[[Not like he would have anyway.]]

[Action]

[chalicejoker]

[There's a smirk.]

Please. As though I'd need you to.

[He's rummaging around in his pockets for some quarters now.]

[Action]

[shiromadoushi]

[[Bakura slips two into the machine before he can, smiling with fake innocence as he shifts over to take the controls.]]

[Action]

[chalicejoker]

Next one's on me.

[Hajime takes his own joystick as well. Once the character selection screen is up, he'll move to select Kazuki.]

[Action] ... so how do we want this to go? RNG to determine winner? :)

[shiromadoushi]

Sure~

[[Selects Shizumaru. Deceptively cute and innocent looking with his umbrella~]]

[Action] Sure! :3 You want to do the honors?

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime has to chuckle a little bit at that selection, because he thinks the umbrella's just goofy. Close combat and fireballs are where it's at, and he feels like those old combos just might be wanting to come back.]

[Action] Calling Bakura as low and Hajime high, 1-100 generated a 31.

[shiromadoushi]

[OoC: Hajime gets 1 round, Bakura gets 2 and thus the win, if that's cool? :)]]

[[It won't seem so goofy when it's smacking your guy around and blocking his attacks, Hajime~

It's pretty clear Bakura wasn't just boasting idly with how fast he is at those controls, and it's not just button mashing either. He's pretty clearly experienced with the game and it shows.]]

Works for me!

[chalicejoker]

((That will work! \o/))

[Hajime's hammering away at those buttons, but, face it, he's still pretty rusty, and the character he's chosen needs to get up close to do any real damage. The umbrella's getting in his way, and it doesn't look like he's going to pull through this round...]

[shiromadoushi]

[[In the end, it was Bakura's win 2 of 3 rounds.]]

Not bad for being out of practice~ [[grins]] Make sure you get some more practice in so you can beat me next time proper!

[[not that he thought that would happen, of course, but the stronger the opponent, the better the game!]]

[chalicejoker]

Hmph.

[Ouch, his pride. His poor, poor wounded pride, getting owned by a high schooler like this. At least he managed to win one round.]

Like I have time to practice...

[shiromadoushi]

...You have to work that much?

[chalicejoker]

My family owns that restaurant. It...well, I guess you could kind of say it's our life. This is the first day off I've had in a couple of weeks.

[He kind of rubs at the back of his neck a little as he thinks about this.]

I've been working a bit harder than usual since this whole mess started, I guess...

[Because overworking yourself to distract yourself from this weirdness is a totally helpful coping strategy, right?]

[shiromadoushi]

Damn... [[There was a mix of awe and a wince in that tone]] How do you keep up with something like that? Can't imagine having to work that hard all the time...

[chalicejoker]

You get used to it...besides, it's been kind of nice, in a way. Can't think too hard on anything that's happening if I'm busy.

[shiromadoushi]

There are other ways to keep busy, though...

[[Ask him how many hours he puts into games. Go ahead.]]

[chalicejoker]

I've tried. Most of my usual hobbies aren't keeping me distracted enough. At least if I'm working, I'm feeling like I'm accomplishing something.

[shiromadoushi]

I guess... As long as it works.

...still sucks you don't have any time for games, though.

[chalicejoker]

Not that I'm sure it'll keep working for much longer. Might force me to look into some new hobbies.

[He's getting tired keeping it up like he's been.]

[shiromadoushi]

Too much work working too much? [[There's a touch of a smile there]]