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[They'd talked about the arcades and Mikasa had mentioned asking Rey to go later. It'd taken a few days before Mikasa sent another message, a little back and forth over a time when they were both free. Where to meet.

When it got to the right time Mikasa left. Wearing her normal long skirt and button-up shirt combo. Her long-suffering straw hat perched on her head as she made her way to the area. Looking around, trying to spot Rey. It was pretty hard to miss her, just look for the country bumpkin amongst the people dressed normally.]

[Among the glamor and colorful gems, Rey ends up unintentionally standing out as well. Her dull hues and stiff body language doesn't match well with the natives of this world, who sometimes cast fleeting glances her way wherever she goes back into the city.

[This is why she tends to stick to the woods. It's weird coming back here, but she hadn't gone to the Sapphire District much since she arrived to Sumarlok and it's been a long time since she ever picked up a gaming set. When Mikasa mentioned it, it reinvigorated her curiosity.

[A keen observer as ever, Rey finds Mikasa easily. She approaches, shoulders square and hands stuffed into the pockets of her cargo pants.]

Nice hat. [Did Mikasa always have that?]

[The dull duo is here. Because the brightest part of Mikasa's outfit was the red ribbon tied around her hat. The comment got a small nod.]

I had to get a new one to keep the sun off. [Tragically the sunhat she'd arrived with had taken too many beatings. There was a limit to how much something could be repaired and Mikasa had to get another.

The odd glances didn't bother her as she started walking towards the Lucky Star's entrance. She was used to them now, it happened everywhere she went. Here, back home. She was aware and didn't like it, but it was a waste of time complaining.]

Have you been here before? It's very bright... [What with all the neon lights and such.]

[Rey tends to get odd looks, but in different ways, for different reasons.

[Here, they've all got the "privilege" of being Gembonded, setting them far apart from the native gems, that the occasional glances are inevitable.]

Not really. Haven't been to one of these places yet, though there were a few back in Chicago...

[It's not like she spent the entire four years trapped in a brownstone, though it was where she stuck most of her time. She'd snuck out to explore the city every now and then, though.

[Nowadays she doesn't have to worry about being stopped at the door or stealthily slipping through windows. She can just walk right in and not think about being a walking time bomb.]

Let's see what kind of two-player stuff they got here, maybe in a darker area... Never got to try those much, anyway.

[It was fine. It wasn't like it was possible to stop people from looking, even if one started a fight, that'd only draw more attention.

Mikasa just dully nodded. Chicago meant nothing to her, but she doubted Shinganshina would mean anything to Rey. Just Noctium things. Like the bright lights inside the darkened halls of the arcade. Blinking at them as they flashed.]

Two-player..? You mean like the drums. [She'd played some of those. Taiko drums... It'd gone badly. But she kept moving, letting Rey take the lead.] Are you looking for anything in particular?

[It's easier to give a place a name, even if someone doesn't have a direct association with it. The fact remains that Rey has seen her share of flashing lights before, and expects she'll see more in the future.]

Was thinking of something more like a shooter, or some fighting game. Never really got to play anything like that with another person before.

[Mostly because she wasn't supposed to go out much, and not even her brother would've felt comfortable letting Rey into an arcade.

[Eventually she does find the latter thing, though -- an arcade machine with joysticks and some buttons. Rey nods at it.]

This looks like it could be fun.

[Well that made Mikasa pause midstep. It was only a little pause though, she soon caught up.]

Why shooting? [Quietly, just a sigh really. Shooting, fighting. Mikasa wasn't sure how those could be fun. But Rey's chosen game didn't look too bad. Not that she was sure what to do with it. Just staring blankly at the joy stick then Rey.]

What is it?

[She is tech challenged.]

[Rey makes vague gestures at the machine, as if that might help Mikasa understand better while she tries to explain:]

It's not real fighting. You just use those controls to make the characters on screen fight each other. Like that...

[While she's talking, the screen shifts to one of the game's idle movies, displaying some of the mechanics.

[It's... more brutal than Rey expected it would be, for a world like this.]

[Mikasa looked to the pointed-out screen. Eyebrows raising as she watched the little intro clip, the clip of gameplay... Lips thinning as she watched the characters. Namely, one guy just straight up punching the head off of another guy, blood shooting up out of guy 2's neck and raining down the top of the screen.

She just blinked at it. The clip changing to fight between a man and a bear... A bear that killed the main...by farting.

Okay that was pretty funny. But it didn't stop Mikasa from slowly turning her head to stare at Rey. Gauging her reaction. Because Mikasa wasn't sure how to feel.]

[Whatever Rey's reaction might be, it's not showing on her face. She's mostly just pokerfaced at the display, before announcing flatly:]

Am just... going to get us some coins for a few rounds with something.

[Since it looks like these arcades need something physical to exchange.

[Rey turns, about to head to the front desk before waving her hand dismissively at the floor.] See if there's anything you'd like to try out...

[Mikasa just remained stoney face as she stared. Rey... She thought you knew these things. Help? Because Mikasa had no idea what passed for normal. But she nodded.]

I'll stay near here. [Not that it'd be too hard to find her. How many people were dressed like someone's gran here? She drifted, staying one the aisle Rey had lead her to. She'd ended up at a claw machine, filled with cute plush animals. Mikasa was just looking in on them, squinting at the animals she didn't know... Which was most of them.]

[Good thing the line wasn't too busy, so Rey isn't absent for long. She returns shortly after to find Mikasa by one of the claw machines.

[With a small plastic cup of coins in hand, Rey glances from Mikasa to the toys in the machine. Studies them for a moment. Then looks back to Mikasa.]

Want one?

[That's why she's staring, isn't it?]

[She spent most of her time away from Rey looking. Some creatures she knew, others she had no idea. Were they creatures that really existed, somewhere out in the world or?? Rey's return didn't surprise her. Her words though...They made Mikasa hesitate, even if she didn't turn to look at Rey, her reflection in the glass showed her mouth open then close once again.

Then she pointed at one of the plushies behind the glass.]

Some of them look strange, like the unicorn fish.

[Mikasa... Mikasa that's a narwhal. But she moves on.] Why are they in a glass box?

[Unicorn fish...?

[Before she can try to look for the plushie that Mikasa is talking about, she just had to call it a "glass box" then. Rey snorts.]

It's a claw machine. You put money in and it gives you the chance to win whatever's inside. Usually these things are rigged as fuck, but...

[Then she squints, assessing the pickings and their placements.]

Some look like they're in the right position.

[That makes her squint, taking another look at the machine. Her hand reaching up to point at the crane at the top.]

So...it's like fishing?

[Then she turned back to Rey, tilting her head. Did she get it??]

[Brows scrunching, Rey glances from Mikasa to the claw machine.]

Huh. Guess you could think of it as fishing, only... without actual fish.

[Close enough, if it helps her get the gist.]

[She nodded, turning back to look at the machine. Taking a small, half-step closer. Pointing at one of the 'unicorn fish' with a soft snort.]

There are fish, you just can't eat them. [At least someone was amused or that confused her brain had given up. Even as the hand fell away with a sigh.] I've not gone fishing since training...

[Though she'd been called a cheat for using a net. But it wasn't hurt fault Eren and Jean argued too loudly to use a line.]

[Brow raised, Rey glances to where Mikasa is pointing, to find the narwhal in the claw machine.]

Er, yeah. You're not supposed to eat them. They're just for like... [She waves a hand vaguely.] Decoration? Or maybe people like to hug them.

[Some of the stuffed animals in there look pretty huggable, at least.]

[Okay, that got a small, breathy laugh. Feel blessed Rey.]

I know that. I used to make things like this wi-When I was younger. [With mother had been the words on her lips, even if she caught them before they could escape. Then after a beat.]

The dolls. I made dolls, not of fish... Though I've only made blankets and clothes here.

[Oh. Thank fuck Rey doesn't have to explain the concept of dolls further. She is so not the person to come to about that shit.]

R-right. Knew that.

[Don't mind her, trying not to feel like she was being a condescending ass just then.

[Rey huffs, waving a hand vaguely.] Well, if you'd like anything like that here, it... should be easy to get one.

[Or more. Maybe she could win Mikasa a whole fuckload of cute stuffed animals.]

[It cool, Mikasa was nearly an expert... Okay, not really. The dolls she'd made when she was younger were a bit lopsided. Made with scraps of material that couldn't be used for anything else. She wouldn't know what to do with some nice fuzzy minky.

But she did completely miss Rey's awkwardness. Too preoccupied with looking. There was so many lights and things that moved here, she wasn't sure what to focus on.]

Does that mean you're good at this fishing game then? [That made her look though. Did Rey fish out on her camp?]

[Mercifully sparing Rey from further embarrassing herself through the awkward, she fiddles with the brim of the cup.

[Then she shrugs.]

Don't know. Never tried anything like this.

[She sets the cup of coins down in front of the machine's window, scanning the placement of the prizes within.]

Can't be that hard, though.

[That got a snort. Mikasa joining her in peering at everything. Though Mikasa wasn't quite sure what to look for, she wasn't sure how the machine worked exactly. 'Somewhat like fishing' didn't help much there.]

If you say so... [Lightly, this would be good. Yes, Mikasa was setting herself up for a show.]

How hard can it be?

[Famous last words.

[Rey slides in a coin anyway. A chipper tune chimes. Some blinking lights later, she casts a sidelong glance to Mikasa.]

So, there anything in here you'd like?

[~~'How hard can it be?' A question they'd ask again later in the month.~~

The not so sudden noise got a jolt from Mikasa, a little step back as her eyes scanned it. Trying to work out what exactly they had to do. But she soon bounced back, humming at the question. Then pointing at a small plush that was standing off to the side. One she could name...Almost?]

How about the frog-cat?

Edited 2021-06-08 22:25 (UTC)

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