356/Just a little freetime

Just a little freetime
Date of Scene:	03 September 2023
Location:	Game Crown Arcade
Synopsis:	Cho decides to walk inside, rather than walking by. Chiyo decides to reach out a hand, instead of playing alone. Together, they do something magical... They get sailor V killed a lot. I said magical, not good.
Cast of Characters:	Cho Konishi, Chiyo Sakai

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Cho Konishi has posed:
Cho Konishi was uhhhh... for lack of a better term... in the grip of choice paralysis. She... wasn't a gamer. She'd never really been one. But she'd passed by the arcade today. She'd passed by it a hundred times before. She always told herself 'I should go in sometime'. Really, she meant to! She really did.

But she never would.

So today, she decided to just do it. To gather that bit of energy she had, to force herself to, once again, be the person she WISHED she could be, not the person she was. And now she had a fist full of quarters and was looking around like a deer in the headlights. What was a 'good' game? What did girls her age play? Was there a scoring system? Did she need experience, first? What if she committed some kind of social faux paux? There were... groups here. People in groups. She was alone. Should she have asked Coco? GAHHHHHH!

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
It wasn't just Cho that was here alone. Chiyo herself had been here only a few times before and with similar thoughts: It would be fun to play some games. Usually she was busy at the shop helping out her grandfather, or busy off doing something else as of late. For the moment she had some precious free time that didn't involve club activities, work or her 'second' job as a Culinary Guardian. So she took had a nice purse full of quarters as she makes her way into the arcade.

She'd seen Cho around a time or two, but never really spoken to her. It's why the girl who seems frozen in place on the racetrack (that's apparently what they called the walkway around the games she'd learned) catches her attention. With a quiet clearing of her throat she speaks up, just as quietly, to suggest, "I hear the Sailor V game is very good. If you don't know where to start."

Cho Konishi has posed:
Cho Konishi looked to the other girl when she started to walk towards her. She... she... It took a moment for her to remember the girl. She DID know her. What was her name? Chi... chik... Chi... Chi something? CHIYO! Chiyo Sakai! They met once, before, during curry. Sakai-san! Right! She knew her!

And wait, was she in the way? Was--

And then the girl offered a suggestion and her eyes lit up. The other girl saw her in need and stepped forth, like a beautiful angel of salvation. She reached out and clutched Chiyo's hand. "Sakai-san! Come play with me! My treat!" she said, in a very excited, borderline desperate tone... Only for her cheeks to go red a moment later when she realized just how incredibly awkward she likely sounded right now. But she was already in it, so why not roll in it? "It'll be fun! Also, I don't really know how to do it, soooo... please?"

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai wasn't expecting a reaction quite that enthusiastic. Blinking rapidly as her hand is grasped she listens to the excitment and ... was that a hint of nervous energy? She could understand being nervous though. The first time she came in here she certainly was as well. A small, reassuring smile comes as she nods slightly to Cho.

"Of course. If you don't mind if I tag along, I'd love to. I don't get to play often myself. Usually I'm busy with work or club activities or... Work, mostly," she repeats herself unnecessarily. Usually that's what it was.

"I'm not very good either. We can learn to play them together."

Cho Konishi has posed:
Cho Konishi nodded. "Yes! Exactly! Work! I mean, between the student council, clubs, school work, other things, like, who has the time? Right? I... maybe I shoul--" Then shook her head. "No! This is going to be fun! Because social experiences and making friends at the arcade is one of life's joys and a hallmark of school life!" Probably. Maybe? She didn't know. But if she blundered at it fast enough it WOULD become it! "Also, like. We've met at least. So this isn't that weird!" she said, letting one hand slip off hers, but then keeping the other on her hand, dragging her along towards the games.

"So, have you ever met Sailor V? I mean, she must be really popular if there's games and... uhhhh..." Blink blink. Was... Chiyo... magic? "I-I mean, like. The actor. Is there an actor? Now that I think about it, I don't actually know if there... is one." She'd... met a sailor something, she was sure. Or had she just heard about it? Maybe she should focus on more magic lately and less school work. But old habits died hard...

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai is dragged along easily enough. Though she was strong she didn't really like to show it, so she doesn't fight Cho's tugging toward the video game cabinet that she had suggested. Luckily it was currently unoccupied as some new zombie shooter game had come out that drew the attention of the frequent arcade visitors.

"Oh? Met... Sailor V?" That was an unexpected question. It was at least one that she had an answer to: "No. I just know it's a popular game and ... and she's supposed to be really pretty, too." Maybe Usagi knew something of her. She was 'Sailor Moon', right? Were the Sailor names like the Culinary Guardians, titles of sorts?

But then why a video game? That seemed like a great way to get caught, though Chiyo was learning about the Veil. Maye it made it all better.

"I did play this once before at least the first time I was here. It's kind of fun." Smiling again at Cho she takes up a spot at one of the control spots, pausing to fish out a few coins to drop into the machine. "It sounds like you need to relax some. School only just started again."

Cho Konishi has posed:
Cho Konishi eyed the console. Right. Joystick, buttons. That one did jump, that one did shooty things, that one did... specials? Okay. Yeah. Yeah, she could do that. what in the world was a special? Eh, she'd figure it out. "Yeah, a lot of girls in games are pretty, people probably don't want to look at a plain girl. But I guess most guys do too. Well. Either mega tough and masculine, or really soft and feminine," she said after a moment. "Though I guess they do that to girls too, huh," she mumbled.

She tossed in some coins and then blinks. "Oh... I.. I said I'd treat you," she said, a hint dejected. "Since I was wasting your time, I didn't want to waste your coins, too," she said softly.

"You know, though, you're not the first person to tell me that I need to relax," Cho said with a soft sigh, before moving her hands over the controls. "You're probably not wrong. But... soon I'll be able to relax a lot more, you know? Those times like, right before a big paper is due and you have alllllmost finished the paper and as soon as it's done you just know it's going to be sooooo much easier and you can chill? That."

... School just started though?

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai pauses as Cho reminds her of that. A look of sheer embarassment comes over her earning a red-faced look of apology glancing her way again. "Oh I-I'm sorry. It was just reflex. I don't mind, really. Maybe you can pay when I end up dying?" She suggests looking back down to the controls to find her place with her own character. "I probably will, after all."

Her expression softens just a bit as Cho continues to speak talking of work, and stress, and tension. "I know. I'm having to tell myself to relax too. I've been trying to... To be more social. I'm usually just kind of quiet." That had led to her not having a lot of friends though. She was trying to change! Her grandfather certainly encouraged her to have friends after all.

"Oh, I forgot to ask what grade you're in? I think you mentioned before, maybe."

Cho Konishi has posed:
Cho Konishi gave a chuckle and then put a few quarters on the console. "It's okay. I'm probably overthinking it anyway." She began the tappy tap dance! And... and she was awful. She missed a lot of shots.

"Yeah, being social is hard. Meeting people is hard. They're terrifying. But it's worth it. Making friends is great. My roommate is a lot better at it than I am, but I'm working on it still and intending to get a lot better at it. Oh, thanks for approaching me back there. I'm awful at groups. I'm getting better, but I still suck."

"As for grade? Nine. You? I might have mentioned it, but I don't always say those kinds of things. What kinds of things do you normally do for fun? If not, you know, games?" she asked.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"That's okay. I know what it's like to be standing on the sidelines hoping someone will invite me along." Chiyo smiles faintly while her attention focuses on the game. While she missed a good deal of shots she was pretty good at dodging attacks from combatants, so it kind of ended up balancing out so far as she didn't get pushed too close to the edge of the screen. It's enough to keep up and keep the game going even if her score wasn't very high compared to some of the top scorers on the machine.

"I'm grade ten," she informs simply in turn. Most of her friends so far were from the grade below her. Maybe it had something to do with not knowing them beforehand? A lot her own grade were already aware of how quiet she was and easy to overlook.

"Oh, I'm in manga club. I like reading shoujo manga a lot. I know it's kind of silly at times, but I like the thought that there's someone out there for everyone if we keep our hearts open to it. I'm also in floral arrangement club," one of the culture clubs. "And I help my Ojiisan out at his shop, Nounamu Sweets. What hobbies do you have?"

Cho Konishi has posed:
Cho Konishi nodded. "Yeah. It... it sucks. Getting... feeling like you're always the one on the outside looking it. But sometimes we do it to ourselves. Well, I did it to myself. Sometimes it's comfortable being unhappy, I guess. I decided to stop that," Cho said. "Still, sometimes hard to not go back. People do what they know, you know?" she said with a chuckle. "Wow, that sounded less depressing in my head, sorry."

Manga club, shoujo? Oh gosh. She was such a romantic. It was cute, made her smile. "Stage magic, gymnastics and school council. Well. Okay, I guess being on the council isn't really a hobby. It's just trying to help. Though, I'll admit, climbing up on a tree so I can drop down and whisper 'Prince' in the Prince's ear is hilarious. He always freaks out, it's great," she said with a happy laugh. "Err, Tadase, if you don't know him. And if you don't... well.. you may be the only girl in school who doesn't," she said with a shrug. "Flower arranging sounds fun. And... heh. I... like that idea too. Someone is out there for all of us. Just waiting to meet us. That'd be great. I think I think that sometimes too. That maybe there's the right person out there, just waiting for me to have enough time to find them," she said with a light, happy giggle. "It'd be quite a journey... but, um. Not until after my-- annnnd I'm dead," she said, before pushing a few coins in with a sigh.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai giggles a little at the dying part though it doesn't take her more than a few seconds longer to end up dying, too. "It's okay. These games are designed to make you spend money after all. It is impressive to watch the really good players, though, that can manage without it."

"Ah, isn't Tadase the one that wore the really... colorful... outfit at the dance?" She wasn't one to talk about that in the god awful hot pink tule get up her mom had sent her. Tadase was COLORFUL though. "Why are you dropping down from trees to whisper to him though...?" That part she didn't quite get.

Cho Konishi has posed:
Cho Konishi couldn't find any flaw in that logic. "I guess. I mean, it's cheaper than buying a whole console though, right? More social, too," she said with a light giggle. "And it's nice you can just buy your way to... victory. Huh. I guess at that point it doesn't mean much though, does it? Ehhhhh. Oh well. If you have fun, it doesn't matter. Well, if you have fun and nobody got hurt. And there wasn't any property damage. Those three," she said with a light chuckle.

"I... don't think he was? I mean, I was there but I wasn't paying too much attention. I was nervous as heck, first dance. But I had my friends there. I even got to dance and I only stepped on his feet like... twice. Heh. I don't even remember the guy's name, but he was really nice. I hope whoever he ends up dating is a better dancer," she said with a light giggle. "I don't think Tadase would even wear an outfit like that. And... hmmmm. Probably because he's fun. Very serious, all the time. 'The prince of the guardians', or whatever. And mostly because he never expects it. But nobody expects someone to drop from above, that's why if you launch a sneak attack, always go for the elbow drop," she said... then urked. Yeah. Okay, you know what? Maybe she should listen to that voice in her head that said 'shut up' sometimes.

Still... it was nice. To her, at least. And Chiyo seemed to be enjoying it as well. Sometimes all it took was a little bit of extra movement. To walk by the arcade and instead of walking by... going inside. MAybe it didn't always work out. But... those times it did? They were worth it.