etrayalogs | Putting the fun in functional (Closed)

Entry tags:

Putting the fun in functional (Closed)

WHO: Accelerator & Vander
WHEN: January 4
WHERE: Arcade
WHAT: Vander owes Accelerator some fun, and Accelerator doesn't agree with him.
NOTES\WARNINGS: It's all positively heartwarming aside from Accelerator cussing

[Vander had now been here long enough to accomplish his two big goals: he didn't die from Shimmer withdrawal but was still dealing with some of the itch picking at him, and he had walked around the place enough times to know he could not be inactive. He appreciated being alive, but this place was nothing like home and the fact everything was free was not a concept he could wrap his mind around.

So, he required a distraction. That came when he discovered the arcade, which was and wasn't like the one that his kids used to play in. That in and of itself made being in it painful, but he was all for compartmentalizing his grief at this point. He supposed he'd fill the void briefly with another kid.]

I found some technology I need help navigating, and you helped me before. Care to lend an old guy a hand again? And I owe you fun. Meet me outside of this brightly lit up place [Insert address] at [Insert date/time]. -V.

[He didn't leave that much time, simply what he thought was reasonable for him to be able to walk from certain points in this place. He waited around outside, in clothing that actually fit him and was smoking a cigarette since he wasn't able to find the kind of pipe he liked. He stood in the shadow of the building, not used to the brightness even after a few days.

Still, hopefully the kid would show.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Vander had his pride like everyone else, but he put it aside for this sort of activities. Part of having fun was being able to laugh at himself, and he suspected this kid was going to play to win in order to refute his previous 'upset' comment, which was fine by him. He planned on having fun either way, winning or losing, and that's what happened to be important to him.

After all, if he didn't try to have fun, he'd probably be at the bottom of his mug right about now.

He noted Accelerator touched that collar, same as when first encountering him in the hallway. He expected it unleashed this power that the kid said he was capable of, but he wasn't in this to be delving too much into other people's secrets right now. If he could convince the kid to play different game, he had no doubt he would learn the tells.

He still issues an appreciative whistle at the perfect throw, expression impressed and gamely.] Nice throw, kid. Keep that up and you'll have me beat in no time. Maybe you'll set a perfect high score.

[He's very quick to switch the choker back to normal mode when he's done, the light changing back from red to green. It's silly wasting the battery on this, he knows, but he isn't athletically inclined. As long as he's conservative about it, then it's fine.

Accelerator pointedly looks away at the compliment, shrugging. Positive reinforcement makes his skin crawl, and he doesn't think he deserves it for doing something so simple.]

I'm the strongest esper that exists back home, so it wouldn't be a big deal if I did.

[Since he isn't a competitive person, he doesn't care too much about high scores. He just doesn't want to look completely lame (no teenager does).]

Let's see how you do.

[He looked at the score that was blinking on the screen, and he stabbed a thumb at it as he turned his gaze then to Accelerator. He noted that the collar had been deactivated again, and while maybe some would consider it cheating, he was only amused. Most people enjoyed winning overall.]

But it is a big deal. Accomplishments are worth being celebrated.

[He pushed off where he was leaning on the side of the machine and moved to step in front of it. He reset the game and the score board flashed to zero as he picked up the first ball. The timer went down, and he tossed the ball but his advantage was his height and reach, so he didn't perform badly. Of course, no perfect score, but he had a good time.]

Well, not half bad for my first try. Want another go?

[Accelerator's response is to purse his lips. There were times when he was younger when he received praise, but it was always out of a sense of fear from the scientists doing research on him. It was never sincere, and he learned very quickly that it didn't mean anything.

He recognizes this situation isn't like those other ones. Vander is just being nice, and it's weird. He doesn't deserve this praise, that keeps stabbing into his head over and over again, even as he watches Vander take a turn at the game. Of course, he's a perfectly normal human, so he's actually relying on skill and his own strength and not cheating. Accelerator thinks he does really good for not being able to rely on some superpower.

He hesitates at the question, then reaches for another ball.]

....................... [This is dumb, what is he even doing.] Is it an accomplishment if I'm not even trying?

[As much as he didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable, there were certain situations where he would. He had been an uncle to kids first then their parent, and his job had always been to protect and create functional adults for when he was gone. He was certain he had accomplished that, but the muscle memory for how to do that was all still intact.

Kids who weren't provided that kind of good experience needed it more than anyone else he had found. Little feral beasts that was suspicious and angry at everyone. Accelerator wasn't that, but it was clear to him that kid had been done a considerable disservice.

He dusted his hands off and then returned to leaning on the side of the support bars. It seemed that they might at least get another game each.]

Depends. Are you having any fun yet?

[Sighing heavily, he drags a hand through his hair. He knows Vander is only trying to be nice and do the Yomikawa thing of treating him like a child since he is a child, he's just... bad at being one. You don't get to where he is without being forced to grow up really, really fast.]

... Not really. But I've never played a lot of arcade games in my life.

[He's sure Vander's already picked up on that, but being honest is better, right? He's mostly fine with talking about himself, it's kind of a pain but being cagey doesn't help anyone.]

What about you? This kind of thing fun for you?

[So practice was all that told him. It would require time, effort and exploration to find the kind of game that Accelerator enjoyed, but this was also a small step to breaking down the kid's walls to feeling like he could have fun, that it was allowed. Adults had fun after all, so it was less about the fun and more about barriers to it.]

So we'll find one that you enjoy at some point. Repeat exposure helps. Not all of us can be amazing at games the first go around.

[He knew the type. The same wounds, different pathway to getting there. He had grown up fast too, though he doubted their circumstances had been similar in any way. He was a poor street kid who ran circles around Piltover's finest, causing trouble, forming gangs, thieving, making deals.]

It reminds me of playing with my kids. We'd do this sometimes when they were younger, but they've mostly outgrown having their dad compete with them in games anymore. I'm too old and 'uncool'.

[They'd never said it, and he was busy with the Last Drop and holding the Lanes together. It wasn't that he was absent, but he recognized he had time constraints.]

[A dubious look crosses Accelerator's features. Maybe he's too much of a killjoy to be able to find a game he actually likes. If that's the case, then he's only being a big waste of Vander's time and effort.

... Even though that isn't a guarantee, he still feels guilty. Even moreso when he brings up his kids. That sounds like normal kid behaviour, hanging out with your dad playing video games until you grow out of it and deem it uncool.

He frowns, glancing around at the other game machines, refraining from making any smarmy teenage comments about whether Vander is indeed too old or uncool.

(He doen't think he is.)]

.... And you don't think this isn't just a huge fucking waste of time?

[Vander was easy going enough that he was going to make the most of the situation regardless of if he could convince Accelerator to have fun. He was gamely about the venture that it didn't particularly matter to him what they did. Even if they stood around talking from here on out, he could consider it a success.

After all, the kid hadn't popped his head, and surely that was a matter to celebrate on some level, right? If he had to put up with sullen snotty teenage behaviour, it was still rather entertaining.]

How is this any more of a waste of time than reading a book? You're filling the time and maybe learning a skill or two along the way.

[It doesn't feel like a waste of time for him, but that's because most of his time in Etraya is spent either reading or sleeping, or doing what little paperwork he can for Academy City on his laptop. In other words, outside of missions he doesn't have any important business to deal with, so he has a lot of free time to do nonsense like muck around with arcade games, even if it isn't his style.

In Accelerator's mind, that is not the case with Vander, and he stares at him levelly.]

I mean for you, not me.

[Vander could be doing a dozen things that are a better use of his time than hanging around with a skinny, bad-tempered teenager.]

[Vander was looking for activities and people to fill his time, to build up a baseline of allies for when the inevitable infight began again in the group from his world. He knew it was a matter of time, and he knew that he was the only one who had no particular lines of alliances except one and he couldn't tell which way she would fall when it came to him.

So history, experience and his own personal preference urged him to get out and about, be social and see what this place had to offer. If he was going to have to be a team-player, he would make the most of the opportunity now that he wasn't riding a high that urged him to murder everyone and break everything.

He picked up one of the balls from the catchbasin of the machine front and flipped it underhand in the air, catching it. He repeated the gesture a few times.]

I don't consider being a man of my word a waste of time, no. Besides, you're interesting, and you remind me a little of home.

[Most teenagers where he had grown up were skinny, bad-tempered people. Life hadn't given them much choice.]

[His home must be really shitty if he reminds him of it. Accelerator refrains from saying that out lout, scowling and looking away instead. Vander is way too nice.]

..........

[Clicking his tongue, he turns to start walking over to some of the video game cabinets.]

Let's try one of the games over there.

[Maybe they'll have more luck with something that requires him to be less physically inclined (and therefore requiring the use of his ability). Most of the cabinets are too old for him to recognize but Accelerator can tell there are quite a few different types, and eventually he stops at one that says "Metal Slug."]

[Accelerator was the epitome of a teenager. Sullen silences were all part and parcel of dealing with one, and he had learned to read between the lines some of the time.

He pushed off of leaning on the support bar and followed the kid over to another game. He wasn't surprised that they were going to play a less physical game, and while he wasn't great at these types of games, he didn't mind in the least. This was Powder and Claggor's kind of games, but he had engaged with them on a few occasions.]

Sure, which one looks interesting? [He looked at the game and stepped into the player 2 position.] I might embarrass us both on this one. Let's give it a shot!

[Giving a small nod at Metal Slug, Accelerator moves over to the player 1 position. The game requires two hands to play, one for the joystick and the other for the buttons, so he has to let go of his crutch and lean against the cabinet. Not the most comfortable, but he'll survive. There's no point in using his ability for this, so he leaves it as-is and hits start.]

You're lucky I don't embarrass easily.

[Not compared to a lot of teenagers, anyways. He doesn't care how well they do at the game, he's just aiming to play it and hope that it's fun.

The game starts up. It's in some kind of war zone from the setting, and their characters have guns to shoot down enemy soldiers. Accelerator moves his character back and forth a bit, jumping and test firing to see what the game's input latency between the controls and the screen are.]

Seems straightforward enough.

[Vander had to lean over to look at the screen and he took the joystick and pressed the buttons to check if they dragged or stuck. Way too common of a problem in the undercity. He mostly watched Accelerator check the controls but otherwise, it wasn't a complicated game.

It was about timing, movement and responsiveness of the game itself.]

Never been much of a fan of firearms, but many of these games seem to lean into them.

[He moved his character around the screen and jump before he was learning to fire the weapon as a practice before they were to progress with the game itself.]

If you jump and shoot, let me know. I'll keep low so we have the screen covered.

[This feels a little more his speed, and not because he has to rely on his ability or his (nonexistent) physical prowess. It's easy for his brain to catalogue the latency and compensate for it in conjunction with the game's frame rate. It means he doesn't quite have to rely solely on his twitch reflexes.]

Okay, good plan.

[He starts firing on enemy soldiers as their characters move forward.]

You're not the only one around here who dislikes guns. I'm good with them, but there's another guy here older than you who's not a fan, either. [He snorts lightly.] Which is ironic, because his partner's a gun nut.

[He noted that the kid seemed to relax a touch more than with the physical games. He filed away that information and intended that they would keep this up to see if it might inspire a little sense of fun in the teen.

Well, that would come with time and effort perhaps. He moved his joystick to follow close behind, his fingers hitting the buttons to shoot as soldiers became available. He had to be a bit more careful as his fingers were too big for the buttons and he was at risk of hitting both at the same time. Beyond that, this was a higher tech game than he was used to.]

What is he a fan of instead of firearms? [Ah well, it took all kinds, didn't it?] Opposites attract or so they say.

[Computers. Creating artificial intelligence on par with Aurora. Birds. The usual.

Of course, with Harold being as private as he is, Accelerator just shrugs instead. His eyes remain on the screen as he takes out a few more enemies, finding this game a bit more comfortable than skee ball.]

.... They're diametrically opposed on a lot of things, I think. They're very different people.

[He took Accelerator's lead when it came to the game, using his character to bring up the rear, matching an opposite stance. He took high when the kid took low and vice versa. He was no where near as coordinated as the teen, but he could keep up just enough to not die and he took down some of the enemy soldiers.]

Oh yeah? Those types somehow find a middle ground from my experience. You sound like you know them pretty well, huh?

[They aren't doing too terribly at the game. Accelerator grabs a machine gun power-up at one point which is completely ridiculous, but the whole game is kind of ridiculous, and gradually he's getting more and more into it.

He doesn't glance away from the screen at the question, though he does grit his teeth a bit. The conversation is edging towards the implication that he's friends with Harold and John, which - nope. Nope. He is fervently not friends with anyone.]

...... I don't know about that. [He knows more than most people since he read both of their files, but is having background information on someone the same as actually knowing them?] I just talk to them sometimes. That's all.

[Vander wasn't nearly as competent at the game, and he didn't know what the power ups even were at this stage. He thankfully wouldn't embarrass them even if his character was hit with a bullet or two because he didn't get out of the way in time.

He can tell the kid was more relaxed with this kind of game, and he aimed to keep them to these kind of console ones. See, basically having fun already.]

And thankfully getting to know people usually involves talking to them. Maybe don't like or are not used to getting to know people, huh?

[He doesn't mind that Vander isn't as good at this game compared to skee ball. It's kind of like another challenge - make sure player 2 stays alive on top of not dying himself. He makes a point of falling back when he needs to, to provide additional firepower for that.]

Tche. They're both private people. It's possible to talk to someone and never really know them.

[For him, this had never been about winning or losing. They could play this single game over and over, and he wouldn't mind in the least. It was about forging connection for him; he was a social person by nature so not having personal connection would be a struggle, especially with all that he had lost very recently.

Kids were easy to get lost in, be the adult of the room but still have a good time. So he played, noting the way that Accelerator occasionally protected and supported his less smooth control of his character.]

It's true. That sounds very isolating. Humanity is at its best when its social. [And at its worst, but he didn't add that.]

[At the very least, Accelerator is feeling a little less prickly towards playing games. This is kind of sort of verging on being fun. Mostly he supposes it's what doing something normal and mundane feels like, which isn't typical for him. That would normally bring up a whole lot of overthinking and conflicting feelings, but he's keeping his attention on the game and their conversation to avoid all of that.

With some effort they're getting past the first few minibosses to the first real boss, an airplane with enemies that have rocket launchers. They have evade the rockets while firing back on top of a moving train.]

Does that mean you've been talking to a lot of the people here?

[He is getting the impression Vander is a very sociable guy.]

[A momentary distraction for the kid, he had no doubt. This was all about filling the time with something that could be considered enjoyable and he had the benefit of potentially building connections. After all, the kid hardly pulled verbal punches, and he appreciated that.

He took one hit too many against the boss and his character died. Thankfully, he had another life to respawn with, but the game was increasing in difficulty as they continued.]

I'm making the effort. I like people, but being trapped inside hasn't been great for social connections. I figure I'll ask for a job somewhere and build from there.

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

no subject

no subject