[ open ] birthday time!

[picky]

WHO: Marcille, Ryoji, and YOU!
WHAT: A party for the April (and May) birthdays!
WHERE: LILICO Game Center in Akihabara
WHEN: April 20th
WARNINGS: TBA

No matter who you are, you receive a text early in the morning from Ryoji (memors):

Good morning! Did you know it's a special someone's birthday today? Actually, we have several birthdays to celebrate, so join us today at the LILICO Game Center! There will be cake! Lots and *lots* of cake. Hope to see you there!

This is an open log, so feel free to tag out or top level or respond to the prompts below. Have fun!

Comments

[memors]

[ Arcades make him nostalgic. He can be in an entirely different Japan than the one where Paulownia Mall exists, but if he closes his eyes...it's the same chatter of chiptunes and odor of potato chip-encrusted carpets. Just like home!

He's developed a love of video games despite having not played very many. At present, he is approaching one of those full-body, immersive arcade games advertised as Crypt of the Undead. There's a sign outside the machine painted with bloodlike lettering: "enter if you DARE!" ]

This sounds serious.

[ Waving any passersby down!! ]

Want to give it a try? It can't be as scary as it sounds. [ Probably. ]

[picky]

[ SHE DOES NOT LIKE THIS. But she is unfortunately the one who's been tailing Ryoji since they arrived. ]

You mean you haven't played it before?!

[memors]

I've played something like it...you hold a toy gun and shoot zombies on a screen, but they're pretty obviously fake, so there's nothing to be afraid of.

[ Words spoken moments before disaster. ]

[picky]

[ She grabs her braid with both hands and smooths it out. ]

Okay... You're gonna have to show me what a gun is, though.

[ She does not know. skdhdkfjs ]

[memors]

[ you mean you don't point a gun at your head to summon your inner soul demon, marcille ]

Oh! It's this thing —

[ He hefts one of the glow-in-the-dark guns into his hands. It's heavy and bulky like a laser tag gun, with a little flickering light that directs the crosshairs on the screen before them...and behind them. Maybe above them? It's very immersive. ]

You just point it at the zombies and when you've targeted where you want to hit, you pull the trigger. Pew pew!

[ Helpfully, he taps his finger against the trigger. ]

[picky]

[ SHE WOULD RATHER NOT TY!!! Especially not after seeing how huge and complicated(?)-looking this device is. The flickering light on the thing makes it even more intimidating.

(This contrasts with how unfortunately cute it is when Ryoji taps the trigger and goes pew pew.) ]

Target...?

[ It doesn't help her much as she steps into the booth and is met with the 5K ULTRA HDR SURROUND SOUND immersive experience of a zombie shooter game loading screen. The fact that she's used the simulation room and been around ghosts is her only saving grace here.

She hesitates before she brings her hand to the grip of the gun. Then, still looking on in horror at the screen, she grips Ryoji's sleeve. ]

People here actually pay tokens to get chased by zombies?

[memors]

[ The zombies in question are also ultra realistic. Ryoji has already loaded in a few Kryptos via his implant, so the machine is all ready to go by the time Marcille steps inside. The ominous dirge of a zombie groan comes from the hi-definition speakers behind them. ]

Sure. It's more fun to get scared than you might think! If you're having second thoughts, though, we could try one of the racing games.

[ Though as he says this, in the illuminating light of the arcade's screens, there's the distinct shape of a pout on his features. Whether he's aware of it or not, his puppy-dog eyes are active. ]

What do you say? If you're nervous, I'll protect you!

1/2

[picky]

How can it be fun to get scared on purpose?!

[ This has to be one of the worst decisions she's ever made, she thinks, but she's also no stranger to actual zombies and ghosts. These monsters are exceptionally gory, but if she were a squeamish person, she'd never have gotten this far in her studies.

She is also weak to pouts and puppy eyes and earnestness. She makes this face for a second. ]

2/2

[picky]

F-Fine. Don't blame me if we lose!

[ There's like a 50/50 chance she will die right away, but fine! Fine!! She pulls the gun from the dock and turns to face the screen, looking nervously determined. ]

So you just— [ She looks at Ryoji, (badly) tries to mimic the way he holds his gun, and taps her finger on the trigger. ] Like this? That's how you hit them?

[memors]

[ Good thing for Marcille that Ryoji is prepared to continue to charge kryptos for her extra lives if needed. Down to his very last savings! …Such as they are. He has terrible financial management skills.

Anyway, he reaches over to help adjust her grip on her weapon just slightly, guiding her wrist back so the gun’s grip falls into it a little more easily, as he nods, eyes bright as a sunny day, even in the darkened interior of the arcade machine. ]

Right! Aim at the monster you want to hit — crosshairs should show up on the screen to help with that, I think — and pull back the trigger when you want to hit it. Like firing spells from your staff! I’m sure you’ll be a natural.

[ ….And also he chose the easiest difficulty, just in case. Reaching forward, he presses the start button on the screen, and an abandoned castle filled with ominous music begins to manifest on the screens around them. ]

This is the tutorial level, so it should give you an idea what to expect. Remember, just take it slow and trust your instincts. You’re going to do great, Marcille!

[ Why does it sound like he’s teaching her to drive. ]

[eyescar]

No way is it that scary, not compared to all the monsters we've fought here.

[ Yuji leans close, frowning at the display and shaking his head. ]

We've definitely got this, Ryoji-kun.

[memors]

[ That's right! What's a pack of zombies compared to fighting actual kaiju? He survived the apocalyptic Small World, this will be a walk in the park. ]

Right! This is nothing. Let's do this!

[ Puffing out his chest, he steps through the doorway into the arcade machine. Inside, it's dark, but eerie music plays, and there's some glow in the dark guns attached to the machine. Tentatively, Ryoji picks one up. ]

Have you ever played one of these before?

[eyescar]

That's what I like to hear!

[ Yuji grabs one of the guns without hesitation, wrapping his fingers around it before he looks around. What could go wrong? It's just an arcade game, and it's not as if he never did this kind of thing with his middle school friends before he transferred to Tokyo.

Walking forward, he peers back at Ryoji with a nod of his head. ]

Yeah, I've played it before! We should just be able to shoot the fake monsters when they pop out.

[memors]

[ It's pretty novel to Ryoji that despite everything they've been through, both in their own worlds and here, that they can still seize moments like these to just play a silly arcade game. These are the moments that really count, aren't they? That's the sentiment he likes to cling to, anyway.

Grabbing his own gun, Ryoji deposits a few kryptos into the machine via his implant, and it flickers to life, staticky, ethereal music filtering in from hidden speakers. ]

Oh! What level should we choose? Maybe the castle, or the abandoned factory...the fair ground kind of reminds me of Disney Land.

[ Is that a good or a bad thing? Who can say. ]

[eyescar]

[ Yuji being used to the game doesn't mean he's used to the level of experience the new technology brings: it had been the same when he had been out here on his 'date' with Bakugo. It's incredible, as they let themselves slip into something a little more innocent than fighting real life monsters.

Turning his head to Ryoji, he beams, all bright smile and warmth. ]

I don't know if I'm ready to head back there just yet... The factory might be cool?

[memors]

[ He's not so ready to go back there just yet either — better to stick to something less familiar. This factory level actually reminds him a little of some of the stages in that FPS game that he played with Junpei...Silvereye.

Except, you know, with much better graphics. As Royji selects the level on the screen, the stage starts to populate around them, and the panels of the machine all around them start to simulate the environment of a dark, dingy factory. For a moment, it's quiet...

Too quiet. ]

Is that you breathing, Yuji-kun?

[ Or is something sneaking up on them? ]

[eyescar]

It's me, I think.

[ Is he really breathing that loud? That's a little embarrassing... He steps forward, peering around, attention flicking one way and then the other. His reflexes are pretty good, but without some kind of sense of what the enemy is...

Turning back to Ryoji, he waves his hand. ]

I think we're fine. Let's keep going?

[memors]

[ A solid nod, more than willing to follow Yuji's lead. ]

Right! Let's see...how about we start down this way? [ He turns towards a nearby hallway that glows dimly, like maybe the way out could be at the end of it. The machine, hi-tech as it is, tracks their movements as Ryoji starts to move —

Though he freezes, when he hears the distinct rattling of chains now. ]

Is that...

[ Out from a nearby doorway pops...the Grim Reaper?? ]

me: THE GRIM REAPER????

[eyescar]

... Huh?

[ Yuji frowns as he peers, trying to see what his friend has picked up on, and then there's... Some kind of monster? Frowning, he stares at it for a moment before he takes an awkward step back, not sure.

Especially with that kind of reaction? ]

What's going on? What is it?

skdkskdk iconic

[memors]

[ Ryoji wasn't expecting to see Shadows in here, but maybe the Reaper's presence is just so influential he exists in multiple worlds?? He wouldn't be surprised. Regardless, Ryoji is lifting his gun and aims it the ominous being that floats (menacingly) towards them: ]

It's the Reaper! Get behind me, Yuji-kun!!

[ ...Oh, right, it's a video game. ]

It'll be difficult to defeat. Running might be our best option.

war flashbacks to p5

[eyescar]

[ Yuji frowns, considering for a moment as he lifts his weapon. It's not real, right? So why is Ryoji so... ]

It's just a game, isn't it? Why is it such a big deal?

[ Difficult... Yuji isn't the type to give up, so... ]

Can't we just shoot it?

[memors]

W-we can try...

[ It is just a game, and there's nothing that says this Reaper follows the rules of the one that Ryoji is familiar with. Renewing his grip on his gun, he follows Yuji's suggestion and opens fire on the Reaper, who takes some damage before blasting a spell right back at them. ]

Ah — watch out!

[ He grips Yuji's arm to urge him out of the way of the spell's beam. ]

[eyescar]

[ Yuji goes with the grip, shoving himself and Ryoji out of the way of the beam and sliding back, looking around. There's some cover to the side, so he darts that way, grabbing his friend and pulling him towards it. ]

Back here! We can shoot over the top.

[ What were the rules to this game again? Damn. ]

Does it have weaknesses?

[memors]

[ Oh! Taking cover, Yuji's a genius! He remembers well the art of the headshot that Junpei showed him, leveling his weapon just over the barricade they hide behind. Even so, would the perfect headshot be enough?

Actually, maybe with a coordinated attack... ]

It has no natural weaknesses, but if it were to take a critical hit, I think we could knock it down and ambush it. [ All out attack!! ] Do you think you can hit its head, Yuji-kun?

[eyescar]

Hit it's head...? With my hands, or the gun?

[ There's no doubt he's better at punching than he is at shooting, but he could give the gun a solid attempt if it was necessary. Frowning, he tilts his head and peers over at the monster, just a little cautious. ]

I can try either one if you think it would work.