Side Event: Turbo Tickets Arcade Night RP thread

[Bayushi Mariko]

"Arigatou! I will cherish this for sure!" She almost squeeled, before realizing Mariko might not want a commotion so quieted down. "Ah, I see. The Claw machine is a scam, certainly Fight for Glory is always a good standby, thought it betrayed me today." She glanced around. "Meido Souls, eh? A classic." She nodded enthusiastically. "Are there other games Bayushi-sama enjoys?"

At least one of us will be enjoying these tickets... Mariko maintained her faint smile when Sakura accepted the tickets, glad to be rid of them so that she wouldn't have to find some creative way to toss them.

"It might be a bit of a scam but enough people seem to still play them and sometimes win." She said with a bit of uncertainty. There were a few occasions she had seen people win before but just not tonight.

Her gaze looked around the arcades as she started to wonder about her celebrity-cred when it came to all of this talk of games. She smiled faintly and withdrew her communicator from her old coat pocket. "Uhm...Sometimes I fool around on Fantasy Fight from time to time. Mochi Crush is fun. Kami Kapture Mobile was also good when more people played it a few years ago. I'm a pretty big gamer."

[Soshi Kioku]

Snip

Snip

Oh... the Crane's dangerous friendliness we so often hear about! Can't let my guard down.

The wistful smile on the Scorpion woman's face can't help but widen slightly at the Crane's words, even as some surprise shows in her eyes.

But... he looks so innocent and friendly!

She lowers her face slightly, some actual joy seeming to creep up on the corner of her eyes.

"I... I hope so, Asahina-san. Thanks", she says. Another look at the Claw machine lessens that joy somewhat, her hand quickly wiping out something dripping from the corner of her uncovered eye. But she smiles at the Asahina and the Utaku again, nodding.

"I will work harder. My daughter's spirit deserves at least that. Thanks!"

[Matsu Eriko]

“Oiran?” It took a good few moments for Hide to go from a bit confused to fully processing what Eriko just said. With a slight red tinge to her cheeks, her eyes has gotten a bit wide. “Waaaait. What kind of theme are these costume shoots anyway?”

"Yeah, an oiran," Eriko nodded like it was no big deal. "Oh, you haven't been around the city to see them everywhere? It's kind of a thing they have around the World of Dreams where photography studios let you dress up as an oiran for the afternoon with the big wig and the pound of makeup with it. And the other one gets it easy as either the escort, yojimbo, or customer. Strictly a homage thing. No funny business or you don't get your deposit back and those outfits a very expensive. It's real popular with couples who are into the idea of it. I guess 'friends', too."

[Hotaru Sakura]

At least one of us will be enjoying these tickets... Mariko maintained her faint smile when Sakura accepted the tickets, glad to be rid of them so that she wouldn't have to find some creative way to toss them.

"It might be a bit of a scam but enough people seem to still play them and sometimes win." She said with a bit of uncertainty. There were a few occasions she had seen people win before but just not tonight.

Her gaze looked around the arcades as she started to wonder about her celebrity-cred when it came to all of this talk of games. She smiled faintly and withdrew her communicator from her old coat pocket. "Uhm...Sometimes I fool around on Fantasy Fight from time to time. Mochi Crush is fun. Kami Kapture Mobile was also good when more people played it a few years ago. I'm a pretty big gamer."

"Hai, that is true." She nodded geekily. "Ah, Mochi Crush! I heard of that. I play in the arcade sometimes, but otherwise I haven't had a lot of opportunities." Being poor and ronin meant less gaming consoles. "Bayushi-sama must be really good at them."

[Asahina Hinata]

Snip

Snip

Hinata remained oblivious to the reason of the sadness, just thinking the Soshi was down because of not winning on The Claw. He continued smiling away with his big fistful of tickets.

"What are you getting, Soshi-samaaa?"

[Bayushi Mariko]

"Hai, that is true." She nodded geekily. "Ah, Mochi Crush! I heard of that. I play in the arcade sometimes, but otherwise I haven't had a lot of opportunities." Being poor and ronin meant less gaming consoles. "Bayushi-sama must be really good at them."

And here Mariko was trying to play the part of a 'fake gamer'. However, she supposed that a fan might be impressed with anything she did. That was a good thing, she tried to tell herself, especially if it meant that she had some sway on the public. "It has helped me keep my sanity in between takes and scenes, to be honest. It's become more of a habit than just a game for me. I'm not that great at them but they're pretty entertaining when there's nothing else going on."

After a beat, she opted to switch the tables on Sakura. "And...how about you Hotaru-san? Are you here for Winter Court? Would you like an autograph?"

[Hotaru Sakura]

And here Mariko was trying to play the part of a 'fake gamer'. However, she supposed that a fan might be impressed with anything she did. That was a good thing, she tried to tell herself, especially if it meant that she had some sway on the public. "It has helped me keep my sanity in between takes and scenes, to be honest. It's become more of a habit than just a game for me. I'm not that great at them but they're pretty entertaining when there's nothing else going on."

After a beat, she opted to switch the tables on Sakura. "And...how about you Hotaru-san? Are you here for Winter Court? Would you like an autograph?"

"I'm from the World of Dreams actually, though yes, currently working alongside Hotaru-sama at Winter Court." She opened her mouth in amazement. "I-I would be certainly honored..." she paused. "...if it is truly no bother to Bayushi-sama. You must get a lot of requests." She tensed her hands. Is she turning down an opportunity?! "If Bayushi-sama would just prefer to talk, I would do my utmost to be a good conversation partner." She tilted her head. "It must be intense to work on so many scenes." She recalled Mariko's guest act on Shosuro MD, the serial drama about impossibly hot doctors and their backroom romantic drama amidst treating various deadly illnesses. She did not ask about it. It took all her willpower, but she did not. If nothing else, speaking to Yakumo and Hinata taught her that celebrities are people.

Really hot, awesome people.

[Matsu Hide]

"Yeah, an oiran," Eriko nodded like it was no big deal. "Oh, you haven't been around the city to see them everywhere? It's kind of a thing they have around the World of Dreams where photography studios let you dress up as an oiran for the afternoon with the big wig and the pound of makeup with it. And the other one gets it easy as either the escort, yojimbo, or customer. Strictly a homage thing. No funny business or you don't get your deposit back and those outfits a very expensive. It's real popular with couples who are into the idea of it. I guess 'friends', too."

“Errrr… Not quite what I expected as a themed costume shoot, not gonna lie.” Hide shifted in her spot nervously. “Yeah, I don’t really want to… Dress up like that. If it were some funny dumb thing… But Oiran? I for sure can’t pull that off.”

[Soshi Kioku]

Snip

Snip

Hinata remained oblivious to the reason of the sadness, just thinking the Soshi was down because of not winning on The Claw. He continued smiling away with his big fistful of tickets.

"What are you getting, Soshi-samaaa?"

The Asahina's bubbliness snapping her out of her sorrow somewhat, the Soshi looks at the few tickets on her hand, as if only now actually noticing them.

"Oh... I don't suppose there's much I could get with this, is there?" She looks at the Asahina and the Utaku in turn. "I... ah... I... think Omoi-chan might like another plushie, since I couldn't get this one?" She tries to get on her tiptoes to get a look at the prize stall. "I don't think these could get a Yukumo figure, yeah?..."

[Asahina Hinata]

Snip

Snip

"Oh plushies are always the best choice! I think I'll be getting at least one with my tickets."

He'd given up trying to see the prize stall from here. Far too many overgrown tall people around.

[Bayushi Ryuhei]

Ryuhei joined the crowd, drink in hand.

[Please PM if approached!]

[Soshi Kioku]

Snip

Snip

"Oh plushies are always the best choice! I think I'll be getting at least one with my tickets."

He'd given up trying to see the prize stall from here. Far too many overgrown tall people around.

"Oh... should we go and try to see what we could get, then?"

[Asahina Hinata]

Snip

Snip

Well he had to spend the tickets before they burst into flame at midnight, or decomposed to sparkly dust, or whatever the Scorpion did to them. The last thing he expected would be for them to be exactly the same in the morning.

"Oh sure!!! I can't see very well from here anyway1 Coming Utaku-samaaa???"

He'd already forgotten that Yesugen had given him all her remaining tickets.

[Utaku Yesugen]

All the while, Yesugen wondered what she had done in a past life to deserve this confusion. One was forever happy, one was forever sad. I best hope that there won't be one who is forever angry. That certainly wasn't her. If she was anything, it was forever dour... but that was also much like sadness. Contemplative.

The Asahina's beckons snapped her out of it. "Oh, yes, I will." She glanced over to the Soshi. "Though it may be a fine victory to, well, claim it via the claw machine, do remember that these plushies may often be purchased from a store." She'd never so much of bought one for herself or others. This shark, much more importantly than being cute, symbolized her victory.

Best not to say all that out loud.

[Bayushi Mariko]

"I'm from the World of Dreams actually, though yes, currently working alongside Hotaru-sama at Winter Court." She opened her mouth in amazement. "I-I would be certainly honored..." she paused. "...if it is truly no bother to Bayushi-sama. You must get a lot of requests." She tensed her hands. Is she turning down an opportunity?! "If Bayushi-sama would just prefer to talk, I would do my utmost to be a good conversation partner." She tilted her head. "It must be intense to work on so many scenes." She recalled Mariko's guest act on Shosuro MD, the serial drama about impossibly hot doctors and their backroom romantic drama amidst treating various deadly illnesses. She did not ask about it. It took all her willpower, but she did not. If nothing else, speaking to Yakumo and Hinata taught her that celebrities are people.

Really hot, awesome people.

"Oh," Mariko said in the realization that she was a local. Despite there being a lot of visitors to Winter Court and 'tourists' filling up the streets, locals weren't exactly extraordinary. She supposed she might have missed Sakura because she was a Hotaru and she couldn't recall dealing with too many of them. "I do hope you have some success this season. It does seem you're taking time to enjoy yourself, which is important when tensions can run high."

"Not at all," she shook her head at the concern with a small smile, especially when it was Mariko that put forward the idea. It did make her wonder if anyone was going to ask for her autograph. "The trouble, I mean. I'm hardly swamped at the moment and it seems you've caught me miraculously on my lonesome. You must be pretty lucky. Do you want me to sign somewhere...? Maybe on your communicator application?"

Oh, yes, Shosuro MD. After the cancellation of Medical Ops, Unit Go!, the studio did float the idea that perhaps her character from the same show could guest star on Shosuro MD as a reoccurring character to put both shows vaguely in the same universe. It was a quirky idea at first but soon became sideline when they figured they could write in a military medic character full-time rather than dragging out Mariko only once in a while. After season 5, she never showed up ever again. Probably best that Sakura didn't bring that show up.

"It really depends on the scenes. Medical dramas were pretty easy to work on, especially when many of them took place on the hospital sets that were shot in the studio. Action movies were a whole different matter, especially ones that had to be filmed on location. Illusions don't exactly have that same dramatic feeling and it's always better to do things with actual scenery." At least, that's what the directors drilled in her head. She never bought into it fully.

[Matsu Eriko]

“Errrr… Not quite what I expected as a themed costume shoot, not gonna lie.” Hide shifted in her spot nervously. “Yeah, I don’t really want to… Dress up like that. If it were some funny dumb thing… But Oiran? I for sure can’t pull that off.”

Eriko chuckled and gave her a pat on the shoulder in reassurance. "I was just sharing what people considered trendy around here and I have to say that watching you squirm was a bit adorable. Yeah, no, you're not going to dress up as an oiran and I'm not even going to go as far as imagine it. Never an option. Thankfully, that's only one of the things they got around here. Maybe we could consider duellists? Or maybe forgotten feudal gaijin outfits? That's a bit out there, sure. Or we can share that bow and arrow...and we could get a shark and give the rest away?"

[Matsu Hide]

“Errrr… Not quite what I expected as a themed costume shoot, not gonna lie.” Hide shifted in her spot nervously. “Yeah, I don’t really want to… Dress up like that. If it were some funny dumb thing… But Oiran? I for sure can’t pull that off.”

Eriko chuckled and gave her a pat on the shoulder in reassurance. "I was just sharing what people considered trendy around here and I have to say that watching you squirm was a bit adorable. Yeah, no, you're not going to dress up as an oiran and I'm not even going to go as far as imagine it. Never an option. Thankfully, that's only one of the things they got around here. Maybe we could consider duellists? Or maybe forgotten feudal gaijin outfits? That's a bit out there, sure. Or we can share that bow and arrow...and we could get a shark and give the rest away?"

“Honestly…” Hide gave it one more moment of thought. “Bow and shark! Those sound like the maximum dumb fun for the tickets. The shark’s pretty big, yeah? Big ol’ pillow shark.”

[Soshi Kioku]

Well he had to spend the tickets before they burst into flame at midnight, or decomposed to sparkly dust, or whatever the Scorpion did to them. The last thing he expected would be for them to be exactly the same in the morning.

"Oh sure!!! I can't see very well from here anyway1 Coming Utaku-samaaa???"

He'd already forgotten that Yesugen had given him all her remaining tickets.

All the while, Yesugen wondered what she had done in a past life to deserve this confusion. One was forever happy, one was forever sad. I best hope that there won't be one who is forever angry. That certainly wasn't her. If she was anything, it was forever dour... but that was also much like sadness. Contemplative.

The Asahina's beckons snapped her out of it. "Oh, yes, I will." She glanced over to the Soshi. "Though it may be a fine victory to, well, claim it via the claw machine, do remember that these plushies may often be purchased from a store." She'd never so much of bought one for herself or others. This shark, much more importantly than being cute, symbolized her victory.

Best not to say all that out loud.

The Asahina's energy almost contamined Kioku somewhat. The wistfulness was still there, but she managed to smile as she got ready to follow the Crane through the crowd.

To the Utaku's words, she nods, although some of the pain quickly returns to her eyes as she does so. "Oh... I know you can find some of them, Utaku-san. But... not all. That Rainbow Olm..."

It's the first time she actually says the name of what that odd, old and somewhat battered-looking plushie she was trying to dig out from the bottom of the Claw machine, and for some odd reason she seems particularly emotional when saying it.

"I... don't think I could find it. Hardly anyone even remembers them now. The real ones have been extinct for five years now... since the accident."

Which was a sad story in its own right, to be sure. But there seemed to be more to it.

[Matsu Eriko]

“Honestly…” Hide gave it one more moment of thought. “Bow and shark! Those sound like the maximum dumb fun for the tickets. The shark’s pretty big, yeah? Big ol’ pillow shark.”

Eriko bowed her head in full agreement. "Bow and shark! We have 1200 Tickets and I think that will leave us around 300 Tickets to potentially give away? Anyway..."

She clapped her hands together as if to show a lack of shark plushy in her arms. "...I can't exactly pretend to speak for the shark plushy when I don't exactly have it in my hands yet. It was a bit more fun when we were at the con and I got to pretend to be a silly rock-swallowing reaver while it lasted, even if the booth didn't seem too enthused with me borrowing it..."

[Matsu Hide]

Eriko bowed her head in full agreement. "Bow and shark! We have 1200 Tickets and I think that will leave us around 300 Tickets to potentially give away? Anyway..."

She clapped her hands together as if to show a lack of shark plushy in her arms. "...I can't exactly pretend to speak for the shark plushy when I don't exactly have it in my hands yet. It was a bit more fun when we were at the con and I got to pretend to be a silly rock-swallowing reaver while it lasted, even if the booth didn't seem too enthused with me borrowing it…”

“Don’t forget the festival where I had to carry your giant bird plushie.” Hide just shook her head, chuckling. “Oh, I’m gonna have to carry the shark, huh? Well, I guess we can give the leftovers to Akodo-sama. Think she’d want them?”