[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

[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.