The Legend of Laurinda [Open/Closed]

[extremelycute]

Who: Ayu Maruyama (Miu Matsuoka) and open; Ayu and Natsume Maruyama (Nakigitsune)
Where: A local video game store; Ayu's house
Summary: It's time to treat herself, so Ayu heads to her favorite place to forget about the app; later, she and her brother tiptoe around discussing the same app while playing an old video game
Warnings: N/A

[Game On; Open]

[It’s been a rough...what, week and a half now? She’s just a kid, it’s not like she’s keeping track of the days or anything. That strange app she can’t show mom. She hasn’t even showed Natsu. Part of her feels like she’d be in big trouble if they found out she’s be talking to strangers with the cavalier attitude she’s been employing, like some sort of internet troll. Part of her is just...worried. And it’s not fair, Ayu thinks, it’s not fair to be worried about something so intense when she hasn’t done anything wrong.

As a result, Ayu decides that Wednesday is the perfect day to treat herself. She can forget all that stuff about Miu Matsuoka, people stealing vegetables, real and fake Baalberiths, and creepy chatrooms. She wanders into the local video game store (GameShop?) and starts looking for a cheap game to enjoy. Of course, she gets distracted several times along the way. Anyone looking to buy video games (or maybe comics or other nerd items, come on) might notice Ayu putting the display figurines in questionable poses.]

They’ve decided to embrace a life of sin and divorce.

[That’s what she’ll say if she gets caught. She’ll also flip through the latest comics and peruse the DVDs before finally settling on an old game from the portable game section and rushing home with some sodas.]

[The Legend of Laurinda; closed to Natsume/Nakigitsune]

[When he gets home, Ayu has already invaded his room. But that’s okay. He’s not like other teenage boys. There aren’t dirty socks on the floor or dirty magazines in his mattress (she pretended to check once just to get a reaction from him), so she feels pretty safe about invading his personal space. Instead, there’s a giant bowl of potato chips right on the floor like it’s not a great way to attract ants. She’s also busy hooking up an old system to her big brother’s TV, and he enters just in time to hear a familiar chime, a start-up movie movie playing right after.

The Legend of Laurinda: Chain’s Wakening.

She steps back, proud of her handiwork. She might not have the newest system, but the older ones come with all those cool gadgets so you can play handheld games on them.]

Wow, this game’s even older than I am. Hey, what’s that look for? You should be excited! You love Chain. Or you will. Probably.

Comments

[foxhands]

[It's been a rough week for Natsume, too; he'd been planning to come home, flop on his bed, space out for a bit...a nice short break from thinking, from all the stress of both the increasingly worrisome mystery app and helping the theater club prepare for the flower festival.

And then that familiar sound rings out from his room.

He looks at Ayu, at the TV, back at Ayu again.]

...Maybe this is my excited face. [Dumping his backpack by the wall, he plops himself down next to his sister and grabs a handful of chips.] Is he going to wake up before or after saving Laurinda?

[extremelycute]

Well, he looks awake dead right now.

[She points at the screen. In the opening cinematic, it does indeed look like he's just lying on a beach, dead to the world.]

But what do I know? I've never played it before. If we don't press start, maybe he'll rot away eventually. It's like he keeps getting back on the ship and dying on the beach.

[foxhands]

[It's true, he definitely looks dead right now...but we all know he'll be alive again once you press start. It's the way of video game protags.]

Maybe you can play as a zombie, if you wait long enough. [Or wait 180 times for that special color intro!

....Not that he can wait that long. His patience is about as long as this bowl of chips, I gotta be honest here.]

That egg looks tasty.

[extremelycute]

I doubt it. This game probably isn't that fancy. Not like the later Laurinda games, anyways.

[Ayu has a few of them herself. Or they share them. Either/or. She prefers competitive go-karting games, but these are pretty cool.]

I bet the egg is the final boss and you have to soft boil it. I always leave my eggs in the water too long for that. If they ask us to boil it for a few minutes, I'll just walk away and forget, so we're doomed from the start.

[But it's time to play! This system has a wired controller, so she helps herself to sitting on the edge of Natsume's bed.]

Ah, what should we name him? We're not going to stick with Chain, right?

[foxhands]

That sounds like a pretty tasty boss, though. Maybe you could fry it instead, that sounds more interesting.

[Edible either way! Also let's say they share their games, that's the sibling thing to do.]

...There's not enough space for Usamin......how about Fluffy?

[extremelycute]

I think you're going soft on me.

[Get it? Fluffy? She's hilarious. She hums for a second, but eventually Ayu keys in a name. It's the most hilarious name.]

There. I named him Umaibo.

[She stares at Natsume expectantly. Is he going to take the controller and re-enter the name, or is he going to accept this fate? She even leans forward a little...the controller is right there...time to see how tough her big brother is.]

[foxhands]

[If Ayu stares at Natsume she'll see him staring thoughtfully at the screen, an uncrunched potato chip held up to his mouth. Hmmmmmm.........crunch.]

Sounds good to me.

[Your brother is an Usamin-loving nerd, the toughest guy in town! He hides issues of Cat Fancy under his mattress! Naming your character Umaibo is encouraging him to eat the rest of the snacks while you're busy playing!]

[extremelycute]

...You're too easy.

[She mock-sighs and swings her legs over the bed so she's facing the television more squarely.

And then Ayu starts to play. She talks to the village girl Karen, and then Umaibo is off to find the sword at the beach.]

So, Natsume...you know, you're a pretty quiet guy. Sometimes, I worry your voice is just going to up and leave someday. I've heard of it happening before.

[foxhands]

I've never heard of that.

[He gets where she's coming from though, even if it's kinda of exaggerated...it's not like he talks much normally. There's lots of things he doesn't talk about, like who ate the last weasel pop or the fact he's pretty sure Ayu's got the same app from hell that he does.]

Would you like if I tried talking more? I could sing a song or something. [Don't actually ask him to sing.]

[extremelycute]

Yes. Please sing, big bro.

[She doesn't even miss a second. She pushes some urchin enemies out of the way with her shield...so far, it's pretty easy. Suspiciously easy. Weren't old games supposed to be harder?]

But it's really true. It happened to Emma at school. They say that if she doesn't stand out more, she might just disappear altogether.

[foxhands]

No thanks.

[Also not missing a beat. Ayu sure is good at this game, though. Long years of practice? Video game practice.]

I'm not gonna disappear. I still talk to you, right? And to customers at the store. [Barely. He barely talks to customers.]

[extremelycute]

Boo. What a disappointment. You can't get my hopes up like that.

[She's never even played this game, she's just going south...but now, instead of going to the beach, she's killing enemies over and over for money.]

Natsume, those are both sort of good things, but I think it's time I asked. Have you been talking to any cute girls your age? Or any cute guys, I'm a progressive girl.

[foxhands]

[Don't get lost, Ayu, you gotta find the village! And the chain chomp! And then maybe rob the item shop! Also Natsu just bit his tongue, please don't ask questions like that when he's snacking!!]

I--why do you ask? That's not exactly...I mean, that's kind of a weird question... [Is it?]

[extremelycute]

It's a normal question for a little sister to ask her big brother, right? Soon, you'll be at college, faced with all sorts of evil temptations.

[Nope, she's going to keep slicing enemies. Bow Wow can wait forever, she doesn't care.

You know, like...capitalism. And hipsters. Hey, how much does a bazooka cost in this game? This game has a bazooka, right?

[foxhands]

That's definitely not normal. Not even a little.

[If this was the kind of game with level ups this random slicing would be great for experience. But yes, ahem, he's totally not bothered by this conversation at all.]

I don't see what capitalism and hipsters have to do with anything... [A pause.] You'll probably have to stick with bombs or something.

[extremelycute]

[Oops, now she's slicing up villagers just to see if Natsume says anything. Of course, they don't respond. They just stand there.]

They're both bad guys. Bombs will do nicely, but they sound like a lot of work. I guess they're a Laurinda staple though, huh?

[She focuses on the game very intently as she talks to the chain chomp and then runs off in search of the first dungeon key.]

..I mean, you've been using your phone a lot. I assumed it was because you made a new friend or something.

[Or 'something.']

[foxhands]

[Why are you slicing up villagers, Ayu...he's not gonna say anything though. Watching his sister play tends to be pretty fun, because she does stuff like this that he'd never do himself.

Also watching her play is nicer than the turn this conversation is taking.]

...It's not that. They're not really friends, I think. [Staring fixedly at the screen. Gosh, this sure is a fun game.] ....You've been on your phone a lot too.

[extremelycute]

Have I? Oh, that's right. You don't play Flame Seal: Champions as much as I do. There's a special event right now where Rukimi can be won in a swimsuit. I've just gotta have her. Her defense is so high because her chest is so big.

[AYU.]

But you don't play any mobile games, right? Not since the one where the cats come over to visit you. So, what is it, huh? A classmate? Or maybe you've fallen for a teacher?

[foxhands]

[Wow Ayu...he's not all that surprised, but still! He also wants to argue the game thing but no, it's true, cat collector is the only game he plays religiously.]

I-I don't like anyone that way. Especially not a teacher. [He looks super awkward right now, probably.] ...I've just....been busy.

[Natsume is too honest for his own good...avoiding the subject is the best way to hide things, but that's getting kinda difficult here...he's trying!!]

[extremelycute]

Especially not a teacher, huh.

[She pauses the game. She's in the Misplaced Forest, seconds away from getting the key to the first dungeon, the Rearward Cavern. Unceremoniously, Ayu tosses the controller at her brother.]

Here, you should do this part. You're gonna have to get used to the controls, too.

[If he's focused on the video game, maybe he'll be easier to trip up!]

[foxhands]

I'm not into that.

[Why are you questioning the teacher part...he fumbles the controller when she throws it at him, but settles into playing without any complaints. There's just something about cutting down these digital enemies that's really calming, y'know? Grab the key, do the little victory pose, slice his way back out of the forest...definitely focused.]

[extremelycute]

So you are into things, though? Do you want to elaborate?

[Now that she's stage two into her plan and her brother seems to be none the wiser, she has to act sneakily. She looks around the room. Did he maybe set his cellphone down when he came in? Is it in his pocket? There's a reason she set the game up in his room.]

What's that spin supposed to be? Are you making him dance whenever you defeat an enemy?

[foxhands]

No.

[A curt answer, unwilling to talk about his nonexistent love life with his baby sister. But he's sufficiently distracted now! His phone's in his jacket pocket, and his jacket is...draped over his backpack. Yes.

He makes Chain do another sword spin, just for the fun of it.]

I'm figuring out the controls.