estoria | [closed] i want to play a game.

Entry tags:

iv,
leia rolando

[closed] i want to play a game.

Who: Leia and IV
When: *vague handwave gestures*
Where: The Game Center/ViViD
What: Dumb shenanigans, bittersweet results. Sweet rewards.
Rating/Warning: They are really dumb.

[Most people who know Leia won't be surprised to learn that she kept both of her jobs when she took on her role as reporter with the Cerealia Times. It's not unusual then, to still find her at the Game Center at times-- a building that's arguably become the heart of the Entertainment District. Tonight her shift is a short one, so she doesn't even mind staying a bit late to tidy up before the late night rush.

Things are quiet as they could ever be in such a busy place. She's still clad in her mascot costume, a cat that's been slowly making its way into their merchandise in the past couple months since she's started--but it's not as though she plans to be in it for much longer. She can't exactly do much "tidying" with her movement restricted so, and ultimately her destination is the employee's break room, which is rather cozy with a bathroom and changing area.

On the way, she passes by the ViViD machines. Their scheduled maintenance is coming up soon, a thought that makes her linger thoughtfully until she sees a familiar face. That's right--it's his job, isn't it?]

Oh, IV! Hey!

[Changing can wait a bit longer, she supposes. It's not every day the area is clear of people enough that she can approach him.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Even though he's yet to build a reputation, the Game Center bustles with activity and IV gets his fair share of interaction with passing gamers. What's one more person to the list? He whirls around on his feet, directing a picturesque smile at a woman in a cat costume as he answers in a raised pitch.

Being so caught up in the moment, he doesn't take the second glance that might have tipped him off on those familiar features.]

Yes! That's me. Can I help you?

[............ okay but did his voice just raise five octaves

how]

[Anyway, right. She's still got the costume's cat head on. Usually, it's the first thing she takes off when she walks in, but sometimes it just becomes a part of her. She shakes her head as she twists it off, revealing her face. Her hair is probably a mess, bun partially undone.

She brings the cat head down to her side, though, holding it like a ball without paying any attention to that.]

That's what I was coming to ask you. [Her voice vibrates a bit with teasing laughter.]

[Yes.

The energetic smile melts and IV blinks as he tames his expression into a more neutral one. He thought there was something familiar about that voice.]

Ah, Leia.

[The mirth in her response doesn't bother IV in the slightest; after all, that was his public character. More importantly, he has better things to be watching out for than her reaction to his little greeting. Recalling their conversation during sunrise, he appraises her apparel.]

That's your costume?

[It's a shame. He has a nice smile, but it isn't like she hasn't seen it plenty of times before--ones that seemed more genuine to boot. She simply nods proudly as she brushes aside some of her hair that keeps falling into her face--her first sign that it's loose and messy.]

That's right. I'm just about to change out of it for the night.

[He's allll torn up about it, she's sure.]

Dare I ask what you think?

Edited 2015-06-03 06:05 (UTC)

[He tilts his head in consideration of his verdict. Putting aside the disheveled state of her hair, which can't be helped if she's been wearing that cat head all shift, the getup isn't as outrageous as she'd made it sound.]

It suits you . . . although I didn't have you pegged as a cat person.

[She's heard every cat pun and seen every stare in the book, so there isn't too much IV could have done to fluster her. Nevertheless, she is a bit surprised by the genuine response on his part, even if it is clearly laced with teasing.

She laughs.]

You've got pretty good instincts. I've always preferred dogs, but cats are pretty cute, too.

[Spoken like a true indecisive teenager.]

[When she mentions dogs, IV perks up just a little.]

Oh? Cats aren't too bad, but I also prefer dogs.

[As a whole, he doesn't mind animals. Dogs are much more prone to go outside than cats, though; for that, as well as their generally more extroverted nature, dogs hold his affection.]

[Leia perks up, too. It's a small thing to be excited by, finding something so insignificant in common with a friend--but in this case it seems to be enough.]

Sweet!

[She pumps her fists to show her approval, which of course translates to her cat paws lifting awkwardly into the air instead. Right, her costume still... She doesn't miss a beat, though.]

So if you and I were in charge, I might be man's best friend right now.

[He shrugs with a faint chuckle at the mental image. But does a dog girl hold more appeal than a cat girl?]

It's possible.

Anyway, you were going in to change, weren't you? You may be off now, but I've got a mission to run through.

[SHE DIDN'T FORGET... or get distracted... totally not, no. Just think nothing of the way she lights up at that, nodding like she'd been reminded.]

Yeah. I'll be right back.

[It's been a while since she's played though, admittedly. The more she thinks about it--]

You want me to come, too?

[IV pauses midstep of a turn, considering her offer. Welcoming her on a mission isn't technically a violation of his code of conduct. Why not?]

That depends on how fast you change. If you keep me waiting, I'm starting without you.

Ooh, scary. Like you'd be hard to find.

[Leia's chuckling, though she has no doubt he's serious about the threat. Finally, she'll turn and be on her way, with an extra kick in her step from IV's push. Calling back:]

Don't worry! I'll be quick.

[He'll hold her to that. To that end, he doesn't head over to play just yet.

Once Leia's gone, IV turns back to the ViViD machines. A crowd of eager players has gathered around them, and he carries a brief conversation with the one or two who hit him up on his way.

He's got the whole night to play, so he feels no need to rush despite his warning of timeliness to Leia. In fact, he should be wrapping up idle chatter on ViViD when she comes back around. On spotting her, he'll beckon her over with a small wave.]

Are you ready now?

I knew you'd wait.

[Leia keeps her promise, but she'll tease him anyway when she approaches him again, waving back. While she was gone, she managed to pin up her hair more nicely, too; now it's not falling in her face every five seconds.

All in all, she's as ready as she'll ever be, she thinks.]

Let's go!

[He wouldn't say that he was waiting, because he was still productive by interacting with their patrons, but there's no point in arguing semantics. He's done chatting it up with others. It's about time he got something done on ViViD.

Expecting Leia to follow suit, IV wastes no time uploading himself into the game. The familiar welcome message flashes across the darkness, and his vision clears once they're inside the system, which has registered them as a party of two.

He glances around in wait for the next set of instructions. They should be appearing any minute now.]

The mission is . . .

[The darkness is dizzying, but it doesn't last long. Leia materializes near him, barely taking note of the welcome message as she takes in their immediate surroundings--blinded by her eagerness to get started. She's never been a patient girl; she itches to finish IV's thought, and just as she opens her mouth to make something up, the scene comes to life.

First, there's the green. The color of Leia's eyes, the color of the grass and the trees that digitize in an instant. She immediately takes note of the forest at the end of the dirt path they've found themselves on, and the beautiful flowers that line the way. Her eyes widen when she notices even more of them appearing as specks in field that expands further than she can see.

Finally, she gasps. The final piece is the small wooden house near the forest's entrance, lonely and isolated. A house that gives a melancholy atmosphere to an otherwise beautiful setting, ripped straight out of a fairy tale.]

I guess it starts there.

[Though Leia can be caught glancing in the direction of the forest's entrance multiple times. She can't stop smiling nonetheless, and her tiredness from the day melts into childish excitement.]

[With the environment laid out in full, IV gives the verdant backdrop a quick once-over. The forest entrance is indeed suspect, but so is the small wooden house off to the side, and he begins by approaching the latter.]

It seems that way.

[As immersive as the ViViD experience is, it's still a game in all technical sense. Nobody complains when he pushes the door to the small wooden house open, and, even discounting game logic, it becomes clear from the get-go why that is. There, off to the corner, is a character tending to a bedridden child who jolts upon noticing visitors at the doorway. Most likely, this pair has something to do with their as of yet unstated mission objective.]

[Leia follows him half-heartedly, attention still lingering outside. She bumps into IV as they enter, which is the only reason she knows to stop. It's not until she peers out from behind him that she gets a good look at the house and sees a girl who can't be much older than herself.

She looks... sad, for lack of a better word. Something that definitely feels out of place in the middle of somewhere so beautiful. When the child she's tending to sits up, though, she quickly turns as well. Leia can't help but feel guilty. They both look concerned.]

S... Sorry! [Leia laughs softly, feeling suddenly awkward and sheepish. To IV, even softer as she gives him a light nudge:] Should we have knocked first?

[Before IV has a chance to respond, the girl offers her own apology for her ignorance. She launches into a soliloquy about their predicament, where her little brother has fallen ill and lies before death's door; his only hope for a cure lies in the materials beyond the forest entrance, but, as would be the case, the forest is dangerous. And their father, who went out in search for a cure elsewhere, has yet to return.

Despite the solemn atmosphere of the small house, a faint smile touches IV's lips. With a slight tilt of his head, he addresses Leia in a soft voice.]

That's our cue.

[He turns back to the girl, who's joined them at the doorway. Behind her at the corner, the little brother falls into a coughing fit, and IV gives him a brief glance.]

We'll find those materials. Just tell us what you need.

[It's a simple, yet elegant setup. Leia straightens herself at IV's response and watches with interest as the girl walks a short distance away to a nightstand right next to her brother's bed. She can't help but give him a worried look over, too--all quiet and shy. But her attention is broken when she notices the girl grabbing the book that'd been on the nightstand.

She explains how she only recently learned about the ingredients for the cure, and she's still researching it, but she knows everything they need can be found in the forest. She begins to read them off, visibly wincing at her brother's every cough. It's... actually heartbreaking to watch.]

It's okay.

[Leia approaches her finally, stepping past IV to do so. She places hand over her shoulder and peeks over the list, which appears on their screen off to the side for them to study. It seems the game will keep track of their progress, just like it should.

It feels strange to be comforting someone who she knows isn't real, but... she doesn't regret it.]

Like he said, we're going to help you. In the meantime, you've got to be strong, okay? Both of you.

[She gets her first good look at the girl's little brother.]

We'll be back in no time.

[The smile fades and IV watches Leia interact with the NPCs. That's something he doesn't do often, keeping personal interaction to a minimum on his solo runs. The more she lingers, the longer he sees the tension in the girl's body language and the discomfort in the little boy's crinkled expression. Then the screen appears off to the side, denoting their quest list, and his attention snaps away from thhem.

He scrolls through. It's a rather hefty list that'll keep them busy for a while, and that means time's a wasting. He's already halfway out the door when he calls for his partner.]

Hey, Leia. It's time to go.

[Leia grumps hearing that, but ultimately lifts her hand off the girl's shoulder to create some distance. No goodbyes are really needed here; there's not much else to say, so she turns on her heel to meet IV at the door.

She won't forget the look on the little boy's face any time soon, nor the dejected way his sister gave them her approval. She doesn't believe in them at all. Maybe she thinks they won't return, the way her father never did; but that's all the more reason for Leia to work harder, to prove her wrong.]

IV... [They leave the house together, and she's captivated by the forest's entrance once more. She'll turn to her partner anyway, though, after a moment.] Do you have a weapon for this?

It's kind of strange if the game didn't give you one.

[With a curious hum, IV stops as he's about to enter the forest. He's gotten used to going in like this, so Leia's question reminds him of the fact that he is, indeed, without a proper weapon.]

It hasn't been giving me one since this upgraded.

[He lifts his hand in front of him to inspect the bracelet fastened around his wrist. To be sure, Rio's tampering with it has done him wonders. But there are the times when he resents ViViD taking that as his primary equipment and refusing to spare him another.]

[Leia naturally stops, too. When he indicates his bracelet, she'll tilt her head to study it, though it's far from the first time she's seen it. A bracelet as a "weapon," huh... She's actually pretty curious about what it can do.]

Hmm.

[After leaning in to get a good look, she pulls back with a hand on her hip. There's a moment's consideration and a staff materializes in her other one with a bright glow, which is only slightly more flashy than when she does it in real life.]

That's okay. I'm sure we can find you one if you really need it.

[...]

Somehow I get the feeling this mission isn't really about the difficulty.

no subject

1/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject