[open] network/action; pew pew pew

[hopefragment]

» WHO? Hajime Hinata and NERDS
» WHEN? anytime after 5/17
» WHERE? the observatory OR the bar, either place
» WHAT? come play copyright-infringement-free galaga with him
» WARNINGS? none??? please i hope we don't need them he just wants to play vidya

[A text goes out over the network from username hinatahajime, sometime midmorning of the 17th.]

hey, uh, i found my gamegirl just sitting in the cafeteria earlier. the only game in it was my copy of gala omega, but if anybody's as tired of staring at the walls as i am, you're welcome to come play it with me. i'll be in the observatory for a while, but i might head to the bar later

[When he gets tired of sitting on the floor, that is. Either way, he can be found in one of those places playing his totally-not-a-gameboy. He called it Gala Omega on the network, but it's clearly Galaga.]

Comments

[oculusriffs]

So you just randomly found it?

[Dave is bored out of his mind, and not all that interested in engaging in the great space station job search, so the second he read "game," he was pretty much on board for checking it out.]

[this also means that there may be hope for him yet. he'd love nothing more than a computer, any old computer, with his usual mixing software. he wouldn't even care if the speakers were half busted, as long as he could get some sound out of them.]

[hopefragment]

Yeah. Weird, right?

[He turns blue handhold around, showing the title screen for what's quite obviously Galaga, just titled Gala Omega. Can't get sued if it's a Nantendo Game Girl, it's fine.]

I kind of don't want to question it that hard. What's that saying about gift horses...?

[He says that, as if he hasn't been investigating and trying to figure out just how the heck this got here.]

[oculusriffs]

[it's only slightly copyright infringement, it's all good.]

That you shouldn't stand behind one, probably.

[that's. that's not the saying, Dave. but he holds his hand out, as if to ask if he can have a go at Gala Omega.]

Whoever left this thing out here for you couldn't resist giving you an ironically fitting game, could they?

[hopefragment]

[No, that's not it... that was a rhetorical question, Dave... Between Ryuji and Dave, Hajime's going to have to learn alternatives to what should be common phrases.

But he laughs a little, shrugging helplessly as he hands the console over without hesitation. His top score is visible at the top, and while it's not game-breakingly-high unlike some people he knows, it's actually pretty good. The one (1) thing he's good at, and it's still not enough for him to be talented.]

It is kind of fitting, isn't it? I didn't even think of that, it's just the last game I was playing before showing up here.

[oculusriffs]

[time to tear this high score a new one. and, because Dave has little tact when he's not in the mood, and because it seems like a natural subject to segue into:]

So they let you have video games in the Project, or whatever it was?

[hopefragment]

[Hey wow that. sure was a topic change that Hajime doesn't care for one bit. His expression freezes, his shoulders tensing as he looks down at the table.]

No. I... thought this was the Project, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Meaning I never started it in the first place. This is just... something I was playing with someone I knew.

[In an attempt to get away from that, he adds with a wan smile,]

I'm surprised they let us have video games in space jail.

[oculusriffs]

[that reaction was noted, even though he doesn't seem to acknowledge it outwardly. and Hajime changed the subject pretty much immediately — Dave doesn't really mind rolling with that.]

[besides, they're both in on the space jail joke now.]

Probably didn't want the prisoners to revolt. [he says it slightly absently, focused on completely owning some digital space nerds. it's not really much his style of video game, but it's entertainment. something new to focus on. it goes unsaid for now, but the fact that Hajime is sharing is appreciated.]

Not that I even know who we'd be revolting against. The assholes yelling in the walls?

[hopefragment]

[Hajime's just watching the other boy's screen upside down, resting his chin in his hand to get a little more comfortable. It's nice watching someone else play; Chiaki had always wanted to do co-op, so he was always paying too much attention to his own screen to try to keep up with her.]

I was thinking we should go against whatever keeps trying to grab me.

[He brings a hand up to briefly touch his forehead, seeking the goose egg from when he'd slammed face-first into the wall near Ren. The bruise seems to finally be gone, but he's half-expecting it to just keep happening. That's kind of just the way his life goes.]

You've had that happen too, right? I'm not clumsy, it really feels like something's grabbing me sometimes.

[oculusriffs]

I've seen it happen, but no — they seem more keen on yelling and faking spacequakes when I'm wandering around.

[he'd never admit it, but it's the screaming and the sound of metal grinding that get to him. Dave would much rather be flung into the wall like a floppy torso than have to put up with those noises for longer than a minute.]

But all right, I'm up for a mutiny against all of those options. When do we start?

[hopefragment]

Spacequakes... yeah.

[Hajime had just been calling them earthquakes, because he's not that creative, but spacequakes makes way more sense. He laughs, shaking his head and drumming the fingers of his free hand absently against the table.]

Well, maybe we can start by trying to ignore them. You know, like... mutiny would be doing the opposite of what it wants, and it obviously wants us to pay attention. Playing video games instead of ripping the walls apart seems like a good start.

[A mediocre start, really, but shhh.]

[oculusriffs]

... So, rebelling by being lazy asses?

[maybe it's a mediocre start, but Dave pretty much loves it? that's basically what he was doing anyway.]

Like the way you think, dude — dammit.

[some pixellated enemies sunk his spaceship :(]

[hopefragment]

[That's one way to put it. Hajime shrugs.]

Until we can figure out just what else we're supposed to be doing... I guess it has to be.

[Oh no. :C His spaceship.]

Try looking for a pattern. Once you get the pattern of each stage down, it's a little easier.

[But he's still thinking about mutiny, humming quietly to himself.]

I mean... do you think there is something we can do against... whatever these stupid things are that brought us here?

[oculusriffs]

Not unless we had a way to make them tangible. Not saying that's out of the realm of possibilities, though.

[wait, that's pretty much the plot to Ghostbusters isn't it? man, John would love that. he'd probably like this Game Girl, too, now that Dave thinks about it.]

[he pauses that thought for a minute, though, focused on decimating sum space ships.]

Wouldn't be surprised if there was something useful behind one of those locked doors, anyway.

[hopefragment]

Mmhm.

[He hums again in agreement, bringing a hand to his lips as he tries to puzzle out just what someone like him can do against those locked doors. If all the weirdly superpowered people can't do anything, then what the heck is Hajime Hinata, Reserve Course student, supposed to do?

Play videogames, obviously.]

I can talk to Mishima. She's good with programming and stuff. Maybe she could figure out a way to get into the system and, you know, force the doors open that way. Instead of us just trying to use brute force.