citynet | audio, @DONQUIXOT3, beginning of the month

[how do three people have only one decent fashion sense between them. the boots? regrettable, but not as regrettable as junpei's genuine fondness for the goof-ass look of bowling shoes. he is both into sneakers and not into having taste.

but at least he gets to keep his hands!!!!]

Yeah, it's waxed or something. It's for ball speed.

[........ok made it through without laughing at his own 12yo humor, whew!! now then,]

Are you changing your shoes...? Fair warning, it'll be more slippery.

Edited 2023-07-06 04:37 (UTC)

[ ball speed......... yes, the ball did hurl quite fast at her last time.................

looks down at her shoes thoughtfully. well. ]

... Rocinante did not find very good footing last time, [ she'll admit, ] so I shall...

[ she hates to part with her shoes, but the bowling shoes aren't

wait. they have pairs of every size. she has a great idea. she's perking up and looking into the Very Large sized shoes. why? she's looking for a pair to. put over hers. so she doesn't have to leave them. she isn't going to be successful and she'll end up downtroddenly having to set rocinante on the counter so she can see them at all times but damn if don quixote does not sueño imposible!!! ]

[ ... ... ...

a sigh. okay. she'll change them. ]

Fare thee well, Rocinante... Await my return, for I shall not leave thee... 'Tis only temporary, my friend, there is none who can compare to thy speed...

[junpei leans back against the counter to watch her try her best with the shoes... there's seriously no way? but maybe she's on to something, who knows. maybe they keep the clown shoes on the bottom shelf.

he's busy thinking of a snappy bowling team name in the meantime, because why wouldn't he. B Team—no, good god. Team Buddy System; nah...]

Uh, you ready? This place is deserted, our real shoes'll be fine. Who knows, maybe by the time we get back they'll be freshly spit-shined by the quantum pricks.

[not that his old vans need a spit-shine, but still.]

So—time for some Buddy Bowling. [let it wash over you] Bowling or searching first?

I should hope they leave our shoes well alone -- Rocinante has never been cleaned, and every speck of dust is proof of mine existence!

[ jj j just so you know. ]

Ehm, if we bowl, perhaps we may be able to scare out whomever is living here! I am certain I saw shadows last I visited -- but there do not appear to be any now.

[ probably because she's looking for them, actually. it was very much corner-of-the-eye last time, and don's got her eyes glued to the ends. ]

[.....don't say something mean about her nasty-ass boots,] Well, uh, like I said, I didn't see anyone else when I came in, so I think we're good.

[follow him now over to the nearest lane, where they're just going to rely on the liminal weirdness to provide balls instead of having to go pick them. he grabs a super dope watermelon ball and quickly has to hold it with both hands because he wasn't expecting the heft.

he does believe her about the shadows - honestly he's kind of hoping there's some freak living in the bowling alley, if only because that would be someone besides the lot of them kidnapped to this city. maybe the bowling alley hermit has the secret answers! —but he's still going to leave the greater chunk of looking for shadows to her.]

So, obviously the goal's to knock down all the pins. Maybe there's a high score to hit before someone comes out...?

[hmhmhm he too squints briefly down at the ends of the lanes. is it a puzzle. he's been waiting.

he holds out the melon ball. please, take this.]

Here, you try first. Let me see about this scoreboard...

[he's going to Investigate the incredibly outdated digital scoreboard screen for Clues..... but it's just a scoreboard, so inevitably he gives up and just puts in DONQ and JNPY in to fit the charlimit. scoring puzzle solved.]

[ it has been advised to their manager not to say shit about it either, because that and her way of speaking do not impede her from work and so therefore they are non-issue. it's funny. they're the most beat up things on her.

don'll take the ball from him... there's heft, but it's in a familiar way of "her lance is like 8 feet long and made of metal and she wields it only in one hand when she attacks" so this? this is easy. comfy. how had kromer done it...? dominant hand, wiggle her fingers into the hole, swing the arm back and let it soar down the lane!!!!! ]

Fly, and may thee strike well!!!!!!!!

[ ... i decided to do rng and she only gets four pins, they're the sort that only fall by virtue of one or two getting hit particularly hard and the others knocking over. and the ball comes back......... the singularity of this place must be related to w. corp's. ]

O-ho! I quite like being on this side of the ball, Junpei!

[honestly junpei is so disappointed that the scoreboard computer is just a computer... he gets up to pick another ball that isn't fruit-themed and is maybe a little lighter for his wimpy noodle arms, while she takes her first shot.

......4 isn't bad, not when he's definitely going to get a whopping 0, he's sure. he puts the new ball back down in the return queue so he can dish out some encouraging light applause. sick.]

Nice one. You get another throw before it's my turn. [a beat. this side of the..... girl, hold up.] Wait, were you running through people's games last time?

[he missed this detail entirely somehow,]

[ "beset by balls" "the floor is slippery" "on this side of the ball" they are pretty concerning things aren't they... taking her melon again. ]

I thank thee! And nay, there was no one save myself and one other whom was investigating with me. However, she...

[ ... ]

She was overcome by the urge to play, and proceeded to swing with all of her might in my direction! Whilst I was investigating, at that! I came away with little injury.

[ it's fine now. it's okay. she's rolling again, and....... she's catching a lucky break in striking the other 6 out, yeah. it's that combat experience with her fine control, apparently. ]

[she's in constant danger... sounds like this past episode of the buddy system was not a resounding success!

anyway, oh, look at her go. she's instantly better at bowling than he will ever be.

so that means he's a great teacher!! as he picks up the other ball to make his way to the front of the lane and wait for the pins to reset,]

So she threw a ball at you. [homie,] I promise I'm not gonna throw anything at you, so don't worry about that.

[but now that it's his turn, he winds up to roll using all of the wii bowling knowledge he's accumulated in his life, like how to Add Spin and stuff, whatever that means, and--it's fucking 1. it is so cleanly just 1 pin that he has to stand there for a second in shock.]

...Alright, that's what I'm talking about! Check me out, huh? No gutters here!

[ a fantastic teacher!!!!!!

and

wow. ]

If thy shots are always like that, then even if thee were to throw something at me, I would assuredly be unharmed! It is most impressive, Junpei, how thee managed to only strike a single pin! Especially with a ball as large as one's head!

[a man of great skill, thanks!!! let him ride the high of 1 Whole Pin.]

It's all in the form, you know, like— [he mimes throwing the ball again, since it isn't quite back yet. the form. the form, don. see the form.]

Hah... well. Maybe I'm here to throw off the scoring curve. I just thought it would go straight into the gutter, so...

[he's having a great time with 1 pin. give him a moment to go back and get the ball for his second throw, which is... just 2 more.]

Okay. Huh. I'll give you a run for your money, don't get cocky.

I shall cock as much as I please!

[ but it is better than a gutter actually, which she got to see POV: you are a pin on the lane of a bowling alley

still. that form. she's got it. no one in the sinners really like, throw things, but maybe she should be granted an ID that lets her throw more than nails-- ]

Behold! The fruits of my learning!

[ since that form and i fucking did you not nets her a nine. ooooh. she likes bowling actually this is fun. wait til sinclair hears about how his outfit gave her good luck. ]

Huhu, thou'rt a wonderful mentor, Junpei, alongside a faithful squire. I truly am grateful to have thee at my side. Do thee often bowl? In thy Shifts or otherwise?

[ since honestly his wii form is like, legit to her, answer her while she's waiting for her ball to rumble back ]

[is this use of The Form how she cocks as much as she pleases... they should work on appropriate vocab sometime. but of course she gets a 9, junpei is a great teacher, it's all in the form. the spin. the not being junpei, it seems... jesus...]

I... don't, no. I mean, I've been before, but not in a while. Back when I had more time I had some video games with bowling in them, though.

[it worked? the form? huh,]

You're apparently a natural, but I'm not totally out yet.

[he says as a spare vs his 3 hover above his head on the scoreboard. details.]

Oh, and—spot any shadows yet?

[ a pause as she lifts her ball.

...................

she's gutting this one. ]

Ehm, I began to have so much fun that I had forgotten to keep any sort of eye out. I shall begin in earnest.

[ let her... go sit down while he takes his turn... shadows alike to those they know or not around the city every now and then, she can almost feel the burn of her upper management's gaze on the back of her neck. coward she is not, but it's not like he was wrong to say... ]

We do not have downtime ourselves, [ resting her chin in her hand as she staaaaaaaares at the other lanes, ] so this would be unthinkable, unless we were to have a job which took place in one and required us to play as thou and I do now. We are somewhat similar in that way as well, I suppose.

[oh... is that gutter his fault for bringing up the Work... sorry.]

Uh, I just meant you're the one who knows what to look for.

[but here he goes for Turn 2. he winds up the form annnnnd it's a 5. progress! he will celebrate more silently, to be polite after her gutterball, which is mostly a whispered hell yeah and a fist pump he turns awkwardly to do in the opposite direction. Hell Yeah.

ahem. anyway.]

Anyway, you guys really don't get time off? I guess when you have a job as weird as either of ours, it feels like cheating to take a break, huh? Can't even tell you how many times I tried to just stay home and not think about anything and instantly felt like I was doing something wrong. You know?

[does she know. is it this specific kind of dire on the bus.]

[ wow... he's just a slow start. look at him go, half of them down. despite her wanting to stare at other lanes, the clatter does draw her attention back, bright-eyed and eager to catch the next. ]

I suppose some of my compatriots must feel the same as thee, but I do like to treasure the time that I am afforded off between our missions! Sinclair and I play chess together, and I at times like to draw as well.

[ she likes fighting! gets a lot of energy out! feels good to be dismissed at the end of the day! but, ]

Much of our time is spent upon the road, travelling from one district to the next, as well as feeding Mephi -- we sit and wait to be instructed one way or another until sundown, and then we are dismissed to our rooms in the back. Though we are lucky, for there are many whom work from morning's light 'til the moon has risen high into the sky, peeking from behind the clouds which shadow The City -- all so that they may live yet another day.

In contrast, there is far less to do here, and thus I am eager for anything at all, be it useful to our ends or not. It is affecting some worse than others.

[ gregor............. ]

[thanks for admiring his 5... he leans on the end of the ball return as he waits, listening. hmm! well, it's nice to hear that life on the vore bus isn't always the worst, even if the fact that the bus has to be fed is bad by default.]

How big is this bus...? [rooms in the back?? this bus is bigger than his apartment.] I guess I kind of see what you mean. It's been a while since I had a real hobby.

[like bowling, speaking of, as the ball returns. give him a moment to go make his next roll... it's a 3. he's catching up. calculated.]

Hell yeah. [AHEM--] So, some of your people are going a little stir crazy? Before I got here—and uh, before the whole thing with the murders and the SHIFTING—I was in this... test site, to see how a bunch of people could live together in space. Uh, that's not really like this, exactly, but it's getting there...?

[he forgot what he's getting at. maybe they should play cards?]

Well, sticking together's the best bet we've got so nobody goes nuts all by themselves. Ultimate buddy system.

O-ho, congratulations, squire!!! Thou hath bettered thyself so quickly, though thee still have a ways to go to beat me!!!!

[ ......... she's getting too into it again but she's up anyway, let her come stand by him to get her ball ready. though she's just holding it for now, staring at the outer lanes for a quiet, attentive moment before her lightbulb smile flicks back on and she looks forward at the resetting pins of their own. ]

... In space? Thou were among the stars? What is it like up there?

[ sorry now she's interested in something else. ]

Yeah, yeah, I'll make a comeback.

[can you make a comeback if you were always behind...... details.]

And no, not me... Uh, so, they want to send people to space, but living in a tin can you literally can't leave without dying in space isn't great for people, right? So they had us in a simulated version of the space thing, just, uh, in the desert somewhere. Testing it out.

[he shrugs. another womp womp from junpei.]

Most of the time the testing site was pretty boring, honestly. I'm not really into the whole make friends with the whole group and be a great team for synergy and whatever the hell else thing.

[yes he is. ultimate buddy system. cringe. luckily he hears himself speak and adds--]

I just mean, well... not for somebody's science project.

[ she doesn't believe him for a second, mr ultimate buddy system. the addendum makes more sense. ]

If thou hadn't added that on, I would have called thee a liar! Thou hath been one of the most friendly people I have had the pleasure of meeting, Junpei, and happy am I to have done so.

[ maybe because he's a nice guy by nature or because they bonded over similarities in their jobspace others just can't.

okay let her bowl. assuming the Form, she is hitting five down!!!! ]

It's too bad that thou hadn't gone to space, though! I wish to be among the stars myself, for it is seen as impossible and thus worthy of reaching towards. There is not one in The City who hasn't looked up and wished the same at least once.

[wow, being called out on his soft center like this, so overtly... he's going to clip through the floor in awkward guy embarrassment. or: he clears his throat and shrugs, like, well maybe that's the case!!]

Oh, I, well... [anyway,] What's the punishment for liars...?

[ah, but he gives an appraising nod for the Form, and holds his hand out for a fist bump after her throw. put it here, homie.]

I dunno if I'd want to go to space. Maybe I could make it to the moon or something, but what do you even do on the moon? [laughtrack] Uh, good luck, though?

[ she'll think of an appropriate punishment for liars that isn't taking their tongue since she likes talking to junpei........... good thing there's no time limit on ball throwi-- oh

...

she'll place her hand on his fist? ]

Liars shall be made to tell ten truths about themselves in order to cleanse the foulness from their tongue.

[ good punishment, probably. ]

And I thank thee for thy well-wishes! It is no easy feat to become so recognized within The City where I am from, but every step forward is another step to the top!

[ you can't get anywhere just sitting around, hoping it happens to you -- you have to reach for it yourself, and take the steps towards that future... even if it's dangerous and like, mostly everyone learns their place or dies before they do. some fixers just are not meant for greatness. ]

[you know....... he really should have seen the lack of fist bump awareness coming, but does he correct her, no of course not. instead he puts his other hand down over hers and then does a sort of one-bounce, let-go-and-wiggle-fingers maneuver, like this is actually a secret handshake and not a failed bump. it's stupid. he does it anyway.

but that moment is now blissfully over, so first:] What the hell, ten? That's going to take forever. I guess that motivates people not to lie...

[and there's so much he doesn't understand about this city, and honestly, the drive to get to the top of anything? junpei just wants to lead a quiet life, etc, etc, so it's only well-wishes he can provide, really. maybe the bowling helps. the Form.]

Anyway, uh... you've got my vote? [do they vote. regardless it means nothing, they're not from the same place,] Squire-vote?

[ omg she learned a secret handshake this is the best day of her life. she'll follow it up a little clumsily as she learns the end by watching him, but now this knowledge is sitting in her brain forever. prepare to be greeted with this every time now.

okay let her score... a solid 3, no sweep this time. junpei really does have the chance to catch up!!!!!!! ]

Squire-vote! [ haha. that's cute. it makes her giggle, patting junpei on the shoulder. ] One is graded on their capabilities and strength rather than voted upon, but thy confidence and belief...

[ ... she isn't shy, not by a long shot, but. for some reason she trails there, hand lingering on the other's shoulder as she stares at a lane three down. maybe even junpei can catch the slight movement of what feels like something there in the emptiness wholeness of the bowling alley. ]

audio, @DONQUIXOT3, beginning of the month

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