[D9 ME] Playing Around

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi listens and nods "ok I got it, I'll go right you go left we'll meet in the middle." They look back to her with warm friendly eyes before looking back to the game focused on the task at hand.

"Alright on 3. 1, 2, 3!" On three Kazumi broke cover and took aim at their head firing away taking a few hits and missing a shot but breaking their head before firing at the big one!

[Yūrei]

Kazumi listens and nods "ok I got it, I'll go right you go left we'll meet in the middle." They look back to her with warm friendly eyes before looking back to the game focused on the task at hand.

"Alright on 3. 1, 2, 3!" On three Kazumi broke cover and took aim at their head firing away taking a few hits and missing a shot but breaking their head before firing at the big one!

"Watch this!"
Yūrei teleports to the head of her own dragon and furiously mashes the trigger to combo it down before it can attack before leaping off to fire at the massive central head.

"Give it all you got! No saving consumables!" her figure starts glowing and shooting rockets out of its gun
"The combo is working!"

[Soshi Kazumi]

"Nice moves Rei-chan!" They shout seeing the teleporting antics.

Kazumi pops their other buffs and gets a full suit of techno-spiritual armor, the damage reduction and aoe damage buff allowing them to get right up to the last head and firing as quickly as they can insuring they don't miss any shots "we got this!" They shout before charging their ultimate ability pulling out a big tetsubo crackling with electricity and delivering crushing blows to the Dragon.

In a hail of rocket explosions and electrical pummeling the final head explodes! The game going through the cutscene of the headless dragon wobbling on unsteady legs before crashing to the ground.

"Yes!" Kazumi punches the air and darts out of their cabinet to wrap Yurei in a big hug "We did it! You were awesome!"

[Yūrei]

Snip

She squeezes back, bouncing up and down with glee, one hand fist pumping...clearly the two had very similar competitive spirits
"Wooooh! Damn right we did it! You were just as awesome, I didn't even know you could do that!"
The two are bathed in a bright electric light and cheery jingle from the screen

"Turns out you're actually super good at this too. You gotta stop being so talented at everything."
She smirks.

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi let her down, the look in their eye saying they were grinning like an idiot behind that mask "ahh wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you game knowledge and strategy!"

"That was crazy fun and intense though got my blood pumping." They said with a chuckle "glad you pushed for extreme difficulty, if it had been easier it wouldn't have been nearly as exciting!"

[Yūrei]

Snip

"You get it. Without a little challenge there's no excitement."
Running a hand through her hair.

"Speaking of, any games you got a hankering for. Or can I persuade you to buy a poor ronin a celebratory drink?"

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi gave her a look with a little mischief in their eye "Well I can think of something I have a hankering for though it isn't exactly a game." They teased

"But for now I think a celebratory drink sounds like the move. Let's head that way." They said looking down to her

[Yūrei]

Snip

She waggles an eyebrow and lightly bumps their hip.
"More co-op than competitive though."

With a happy sigh she perches on a stool at the busy bar, the thrum of conversation loud around them as samurai celebrate victories or commiserate defeats.

"I'll take...Court of Flowers, shaken, make it a double." She turns to look back at Kazumi

[Soshi Kazumi]

Mischief turned nearly devilish in their eyes "Oh I can think of some competitive twists to throw in." They said before joining her at the bar

"Virgin rum and cola." They say to the bar keep who gives them a quizzical look.

"So a cola?" They asked in confusion

Kazumi gave them a wink "just so big guy. But my way sounds a bit cooler."

Sitting gracefully next to her "driving and all that, better safe than sorry."

[Yūrei]

Snip

Yūrei snorts into her drink for a moment before recovering.
"No no, driving sober is plenty sexy. And your way did sound cooler. Like an appletini sans the tini."

Spinning with her back to the bar so she can look across to Kazumi or back to the casino.

"This has been fun. Ugggh, the last couple weeks have been so...ugggh."
Sipping and smiling
"Thanks for the invite."

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi smiles at her as the bartender sort of rolls his eyes and gets the dark fizzy beverage to Kazumi who winks back again. ill have to remember to give him a good tip for putting up with me. they think with some humor.

Turning towards Yurei "Well I'm glad you approve and I'm sure you're equally glad I'll have all my wits about me swerving through streets."

Kazumi takes a drink "but yeah it's been a crazy time these past few weeks. Clan business has been off the rails." They gave her a sympathetic look "but you've definitely had the rougher time of it. Glad you're enjoying yourself."

[Yūrei]

Snip

"Approve? I do not want you wibbling and wobbling on that thing, one of us needs to have our eyes open the whole time!"
She mimes holding on in terror

"Yeah, yeaaaah." Her eyes unfocus for a few moments and she sits quietly before sighing quietly "Yup. But I think, you know. I can start moving on now. Start processing everything."
Firmly
"But nope, not gonna think about that. Tell me about your problems so I can be sympathetic, it's my turn for that I think."
She forces a smile.

[Soshi Kazumi]

Hand finds its way to her leg near the knee and gives a sympathetic squeeze but doesn't dwell on it "Well been making a fool of myself at the parties lately so haven't been able to get any of that juicy information boss has been wanting me to but" They shrugged "what can you do?"

Kazumi takes another sip "Other than that it's been more busy than anything bad just with the concert and events and all that it's just been...a lot." They say with a tired chuckle running a hand through their long hair before looking back to her, those black eyes meeting hers, a steady warmth behind them "things slow down with you though. Thanks for always being there."

[Yūrei]

Snip

"Oh yeah, all those sex-parties I don't get invited to. Don't sweat it, sometimes it just comes, sometimes not."
She shrugs lightly

"Yeah, I bet you're still coming down from that. But all those opportunities, soon you're gonna be the one doing the concert for other up and comers."
Yūrei meets their eyes and smiles quietly
"Happy to slow it all down though, make sure you live in the moment." winking "Gotta be there for you so I can tell everyone I knew you before you were cool" She follows the wink by sticking her tongue out

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi laughed lightly "They weren't really sex parties Rei-chan. I mean people did, but it was the purpose and I mean I didn't." They said shrugging and taking another sip of their drink.

At her words their look was soft "Well my hope is that you're right there with me for- awhile." Had They almost said forever? Kazumi flushed ever so slightly.

[Yūrei]

Snip

"Hey, no judgement from me." She seems to find this all very amusing before glancing over at their next statement

"I'm always gonna have your back, if you can tolerate me eating you out of house and home."
She smiles with sincere affection.
"Whatever happens, alright? I'm not going anywhere, unless it's back to a certain apartment somewhere. Besides, now I know you're ace at the arcade I can bring you round to help earn tickets."

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi chuckled the momentary hiccup of embarrassment or awkwardness dispelled "A small price to pay." They said with a sincere but light tone.

They shrugged taking another sip ""No judgment from me either just...not for me, I need to get to know someone a bit before doing that sort of thing." They said circling back a bit

[Yūrei]

Snip

"Oh, really?"
Yūrei cocks her head
"You know, that's not the Scorpion stereotype at all. I get it though, trust is important, right?" sipping her drink contentedly
"I kinda used to be the opposite. Keep it casual, right? Anything long term is just a risk for you or for them. And who would want to be a with a ronin, anyway?"

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi nodded "its how I am attracted to people. Like I can recognize when someone is hot or has a great body but what really makes me feel attracted to someone is who they are." Kazumi shrugged again "I don't know, probably seems silly."

And then after a beat they fixed her with a steady look "I would." They said simply before reaching out and gently holding her hand.

[Yūrei]

Snip

"Silly? What's silly about that? I think it's almost the definition of sweet, who they are is more important than what they are."
She looks down at the hand, blushing deeply

"That was also nearly the definition of sweet."
She squeeze's their hand back, gently
"I...you know it's not easy after what happened to me and my family. But people like you remind me that the Scorpion aren't all grim spies. Some of us are good samurai, good people."
Beat
"Hot too though."

Draining her class in one quick motion
"Hey, you wanna get out of here?"