[ 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]

[ 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.

[memors]

[ …You know. He’d been thinking with the gun, but after what he’d gleaned about Yuji from the kaiju battle, maybe a punch to the head is the way to go. With an eager nod: ]

Go with your fists! I can hit it with the gun at the same moment, and then we’ll – have his ass!!

[ Is that the saying. He’s channeling his inner toxic gamer. Junpei's legacy. ]

[eyescar]

Right!

[ Have his ass, though... Yuji gives his friend an odd look before he starts to shuffle around, to try and make his way behind the Reaper. He's already summoning cursed energy to his fists, as if this is the Sim room and it'll work like that.

Hopefully it isn't a hologram. ]

Ready?

[memors]

[ Fortunately, the technology is advanced enough in this game that it does work rather like the Sim room, although in the back of his mind, Ryoji also realizes they could just, like, quit and start the game over and not have dealt with the Reaper at all.

...But that's quitter talk, and they are serious gamers. ]

Ready!! Three, two, one — fire!

[ And he fires a blast of the gun right at the Reaper's head. It's a hit! ]

[eyescar]

[ This is, in fact, the most serious of gaming.

Yuji leaps over their little barricade as soon as he's sure Ryoji is ready, summoning his strength and pusing forward, aiming up to give a solid right hook to the Grim Reaper, right to the head.

Critical hit, for sure, right? ]

Yeah!

[memors]

[ Critical hit!! And as Yuji's punch lands, so too does Ryoji's shot, a neat technical follow-up, which sends the formidable foe tumbling to the ground, stunned.

Which means— ]

— It's time for an all out attack!

[ Jumping over the barricade, Ryoji joins Yuji at the Reaper's side so they can just. Absolutely whale on this guy. ]

[eyescar]

You got it!

[ If there's one thing that Yuji can do, it's punch, so he just goes for it - absolutely does all he can to pummel this thing, just like he did that grasshopper curse in Shibuya.

It might be a little overkill. ]

Woah! We really did it?

[memors]

[ It may be overkill, but it's definitely satisfying — Ryoji has never much liked this guy, anyway...

When the dust settles, the Reaper disappears, leaving a pile of loot behind, some coins and a handful of tarot cards. Ryoji stoops to pick up the cards, sorting through them and examining their sides. ]

We really did! We make quite the team, don't we?

[eyescar]

[ Yuji goes right to the coins, turning them this way and that before he starts to gather them up and trying to find somewhere to shove them all. Pockets? Ryoji's pockets? Do they have a bag?

This is harder than he thought it would be. ]

Yeah! That guy never stood a chance.