Oooh, I didn't consider that. There is a way to frame her Lockharting as a "we all look out for each other, right?" sort of cult-mentality that could slowly twist the close-knit nature of the Pretty-Cure's into a force that Beryl uses malevolently.
Geeze, no wonder Naru keeps seeing her visually as the most toxic thing, she could have literally been the original "toxic friend" of the group.
In a way, shamans might have been especially vulnerable for such toxic friendship.
PreCure's seem to be social, friendly, helpfull, and, possibly to their detriment, honest.
If they lack a constant peer group to ground them, i could see them be corrupted by a toxic source of advice that manages to be, constant, and seemingly helpfull.
Beryl could have started out as a near saint, but if early on their career as a shaman they meet someone like Cloch Glass or Wiseman, then decades, possiby even centuries, of working alone or in regularily changing teams, with constant nudges towards shortcuts and minor, bet ever growing, transgressions for the greater good from her most enduring social contact, and you end up with the Beryl we know and hate, who is then in a position to become such source of toxic advice to generations of future shamans.
This is all obviously just pulling stuff out of my ass because i don't know what happened, but it does not feel that outlandish a hypothesis to me.
It would be funny if, when doing a climactic showdown, we just tell her to go home or we will remember to ground her.
Assuming there are non senshi allies, the looks we'd get would be hilarious.
I think this argument needs to be defused before it explodes more:
Here is my understanding of what happened:
Context: Simon and ilbgar were posting in an argument about how worried we should be about Polyhymnia's DIP skill.
To paraphrase: Simon: "Don't worry about Poly's DIP. She won't choose to rock the boat." ilb: "I don't think we should count on that, especially since it might be unintentional." Simon: "That's not where Poly lives." Chaos:irritated "You're missing the point!" Simon: "Poly won't choose to rock the boat because..."
Summary: Simon went nit-picking without actually addressing ilb's post, Chaos perceived it as an attempt to dismiss ilbr's argument without addressing it, and then... Simon went back to the same argument, without addressing ilbgar's concern. Things got more heated from there.
@Simon_Jester@Chaosmancer: Does this seem like an accurate summary of the early stages of this particular incident, or have I missed or misunderstood something?
I feel like "Just to note: that's not where Poly lives." might be more accurate.
--
To be on actual topic...
Generally speaking, I'd expect what happens to Sailor Moon to be the same as the other when their Sailor Crystal/Star Seed gets taken. Except, of course, it seems that she has a bit more time span between loss of Crystal and vanishing, which probably tracks to the sheer power of the crystal. It could account for NQS going into crystal, to delay things until she can get her crystal back. And present-day Moon might be leaning more into her human soul rather than her sailor crystal side, compared to Crystal Tokyo era her, thus has more time before the loss of the crystal is "fatal"?
Generally speaking, I'd expect what happens to Sailor Moon to be the same as the other when their Sailor Crystal/Star Seed gets taken. Except, of course, it seems that she has a bit more time span between loss of Crystal and vanishing, which probably tracks to the sheer power of the crystal. It could account for NQS going into crystal, to delay things until she can get her crystal back. And present-day Moon might be leaning more into her human soul rather than her sailor crystal side, compared to Crystal Tokyo era her, thus has more time before the loss of the crystal is "fatal"?
NQS is in her Crystal-is (which is noted to be related to the Silver Crystal) for the entire BMC arc, from before Chibi goes into the past, until Usagi and Mamoru and Usagi blow up the planet/star Nemesis.
Act 14: Usagi Jr falls from the sky, with NQS's Silver Crystal, sometime (not more than a couple months) before April 1, 1993 (Usagi is "almost" a third-year middle-school student)
Act 19: Usagi, Mamoru, Usagi, and Minako depart the 20th century to go to the 30th century (the first time) shortly before August 3rd, 1993 (it's "almost" Mamoru's birthday)
Act 26: NQS wakes up and exits the CT Palace, while Minako is still outside holding NQS's Silver Crystal
If we assume San Dimas Time, then she's in her self-powered Crystal-is for probably about five or six months, while her Silver Crystal is in other peoples' hands, often centuries away.
For purposes of this Quest, even "four months" is basically "forever"
EDIT: also, she doesn't enter her Crystal-is immediately when Chibi steals the crystal. She only enters her Crystal-is after the BMC attack and drop a giant flesh-melting Dark Crystal pillar into the city that either kills or comas everyone else except Chibi and Diana.
I think this argument needs to be defused before it explodes more:
Here is my understanding of what happened:
Context: Simon and ilbgar were posting in an argument about how worried we should be about Polyhymnia's DIP skill.
To paraphrase: Simon: "Don't worry about Poly's DIP. She won't choose to rock the boat." ilb: "I don't think we should count on that, especially since it might be unintentional." Simon: "That's not where Poly lives." Chaos:irritated "You're missing the point!" Simon: "Poly won't choose to rock the boat because..."
Summary: Simon went nit-picking without actually addressing ilb's post, Chaos perceived it as an attempt to dismiss ilbr's argument without addressing it, and then... Simon went back to the same argument, without addressing ilbgar's concern. Things got more heated from there.
@Simon_Jester@Chaosmancer: Does this seem like an accurate summary of the early stages of this particular incident, or have I missed or misunderstood something?
I personally do feel that you have missed and/or misunderstood something.
1) Fundamentally, I didn't "address" ilb's post because I saw no reason to either refute or add to his point. It was highly speculative, frankly his mention of Noom and Yrucrem spells confused me badly, and if I recall correctly I was dashing something off quickly before going to do something else I had to do, which then kept me occupied for some time. I saw no need to write an essay "addressing" a general statement in favor of "it is good to be prepared and unforeseeable shit may happen." Especially when @ilbgar123 was commendably chill about this realization and discussed the matter without the borderline freakouts or tendency to berate Lunaryon that I've seen from some quarters whenever it's revealed that the Senshi aren't already the preeminent force in the crossover world a fraction of the way into their Season One.
2) Your fifth line, which has me ignoring Chaosmancer "without addressing ilbgar's concern," does not accurately reflect my next post to Chaosmancer or for that matter Ilbgar. A more accurate summary, in my opinion would be:
Simon: "Don't worry too much about Polyhymnia's DIP. She won't choose to rock the boat." ilb: "I don't think we should count on that, especially since it might be unintentional." Simon: "Polyhymnia might not live there." [ignores rest, thinks enough has been said, hurries off] Chaos:irritated "Who cares? That's not the important thing." Simon: "Who died and put you in charge of whether people only get to say important things? In other news, unrelated speculative ramblings about the Muses."
[this is followed by other stuff as multisided discussion wheels ever onward]
...
One can argue, not entirely without merit, that I "failed to address" ilbgar's main point. But this invites the question: who is the arbiter here? Who decides when a poster should, or should not, be 'required' to 'address' a designated 'main point?' When they should be openly challenged on these grounds? Who decides when there is even a debate between Alex and Bob in which Alex is under some kind of moral or quasi-moral obligation to "respond to" or "address" points that are in some sense directed 'against' him by Bob?
Whose judgment is to be used in assessing this process?
In this case, Ilbgar himself seems content enough with the situation. I have not refuted any part of the 'main point' Ilbgar said, nor have I behaved as if I have done so. I have not attacked Ilbgar, nor denigrated the merits of what he said. Ilbgar and I remain on cordial terms. Out of an abundance of caution I even PM'ed him to check, and so far as I can determine, he remains content.
...
is it a good idea for third parties to decide to jump in and "take up the cause" of someone who isn't even offended? To take someone to task this way? To do so even in ways that add little to the discussion because they have a laserlike focus on denigrating the perceived bad behavior of the person being taken to task?
Is this actually conducive to healthy conversation? Or is it conducive to giving the nosy, the self-righteous, and the verbally aggressive a license to create problems where none would otherwise exist?
In a way, shamans might have been especially vulnerable for such toxic friendship.
PreCure's seem to be social, friendly, helpfull, and, possibly to their detriment, honest.
If they lack a constant peer group to ground them, i could see them be corrupted by a toxic source of advice that manages to be, constant, and seemingly helpfull.
Beryl could have started out as a near saint, but if early on their career as a shaman they meet someone like Cloch Glass or Wiseman, then decades, possiby even centuries, of working alone or in regularily changing teams, with constant nudges towards shortcuts and minor, bet ever growing, transgressions for the greater good from her most enduring social contact, and you end up with the Beryl we know and hate, who is then in a position to become such source of toxic advice to generations of future shamans.
This is all obviously just pulling stuff out of my ass because i don't know what happened, but it does not feel that outlandish a hypothesis to me.
I think this argument needs to be defused before it explodes more:
Here is my understanding of what happened:
Context: Simon and ilbgar were posting in an argument about how worried we should be about Polyhymnia's DIP skill.
To paraphrase: Simon: "Don't worry about Poly's DIP. She won't choose to rock the boat." ilb: "I don't think we should count on that, especially since it might be unintentional." Simon: "That's not where Poly lives." Chaos:irritated "You're missing the point!" Simon: "Poly won't choose to rock the boat because..."
Summary: Simon went nit-picking without actually addressing ilb's post, Chaos perceived it as an attempt to dismiss ilbr's argument without addressing it, and then... Simon went back to the same argument, without addressing ilbgar's concern. Things got more heated from there.
@Simon_Jester@Chaosmancer: Does this seem like an accurate summary of the early stages of this particular incident, or have I missed or misunderstood something?
That seems to hit the broad points fairly well. Though, I still struggle to see how I've gotten heated at all. I've mostly just been pointing out when I've been derided and attacked, and not really said anything at all about Simon beyond that first post.
You chucked two blatantly hostile effort-posts at him. Yes, I realize that this is your standard means of interaction for basically everything, but it still comes off as really heated whether you want it to or not.
2) Your fifth line, which has me ignoring Chaosmancer "without addressing ilbgar's concern," does not accurately reflect my next post to Chaosmancer or for that matter Ilbgar. A more accurate summary, in my opinion would be:
Simon: "Don't worry too much about Polyhymnia's DIP. She won't choose to rock the boat." ilb: "I don't think we should count on that, especially since it might be unintentional." Simon: "Polyhymnia might not live there." [ignores rest, thinks enough has been said, hurries off] Chaos:irritated "Who cares? It doesn't matter." [direct quote] Simon: "Who died and put you in charge of whether people only get to say important things? In other news, unrelated speculative ramblings about the Muses."
[this is followed by other stuff as multisided discussion wheels ever onward]
Point of Order: Who cares? It is literally the least important part of what they were talking about. That's like taking a discussion talking about how we deal with the Youma crisis on the horizon and asking "But what color is Beryl's Dress?". It doesn't matter.
Is this actually conducive to healthy conversation? Or is it conducive to giving the nosy, the self-righteous, and the verbally aggressive a license to create problems where none would otherwise exist?
Also, to add to the growing list. I am now supposedly
-trying to be an arbiter of what is important
-consider giving you "shit" a high priority
- An attack dog
- chasing you to the ends of the Earth
- should have used the Report button instead
- Harrassing you
- an off-the-clock vigilante
- "Such a big man"
- trying to get the last, nastiest word
- A bully
- Nosy
- Self-Righteous
- Verbally Agressive
Did I miss anything? Would you like to call me a Troll as well?
You chucked two blatantly hostile effort-posts at him. Yes, I realize that this is your standard means of interaction for basically everything, but it still comes off as really heated whether you want it to or not.
Sure, you label my writing as "effort posts" as some sort of derogatory term, but where is my hostility? What have I said to Simon that is so hostile to deserve the LONG list of slander that he has thrown my way?
For this, I apologize. In all fairness, I genuinely misremembered because I did remember the first two words and then got scrambled on the rest.
But I did misquote you. And I will amend the statement.
...
With that said, as to the proposition: "Cutting out HALF the post and then declaring it a direct quote is bad form..."
The entire point of the exercise here is to summarize things for brevity. Thus, cutting out extra verbiage that doesn't materially alter the point of what is being said is pretty much necessary.
...
As to the list, all I can say is that you are the one who decided to start a confrontation, then to persist when asked to stop on the grounds that your behavior was excessively confrontational. And on the grounds that you are willfully getting involved in a 'problem' largely of your own imagining, in which the supposedly wronged party shows no desire to pursue the matter himself.
Like it or not, this is not a good way to cover yourself in glory and good vibes. A realist should not expect to be seen in a good light for having chosen to do this.
The entire point of the exercise here is to summarize things for brevity. Thus, cutting out extra verbiage that doesn't materially alter the point of what is being said is pretty much necessary.
Maybe so, but the usage of the phrase 'direct quote' doesn't work well with such an exercise unless the quote itself is short. And you didn't use just the first or last lines, but instead edited out the the middle and not even using the full sentence, which does frame it differently.
Sure, you label my writing as "effort posts" as some sort of derogatory term, but where is my hostility? What have I said to Simon that is so hostile to deserve the LONG list of slander that he has thrown my way?
Have you ever actualy READ any of your own posts like you were the other guy?
You spend a HUGE amount of words criticizing anyone and everyone for relatively minor offenses with the tact and subtlety of a neon-pink ogre. And then act surprised and aghast when people get offended. How exactly do expect that to NOT come off as hostile?
As for the effort post thing... it's mostly that you tend to respond to five-sentence posts with five-paragraph ones, and well, what do you think of the guy who barges into a room and dominates the conversation through raw volume?
Maybe so, but the usage of the phrase 'direct quote' doesn't work well with such an exercise unless the quote itself is short. And you didn't use just the first or last lines, but instead edited out the the middle and not even using the full sentence, which does frame it differently.
Yes, you're right, I screwed up. After some realization of the nature of the screwup, I went back and did some further edits, both on the original quasi-quote and on my previous post.
I hope that I have now addressed the matter, at least to the point where I am not making a misleading quote, and also additionally not passing off a not-direct-quote as a direct quote.
That was a genuine mistake which I regret making, and I have hopefully fixed the matter.
As for the effort post thing... it's mostly that you tend to respond to five-sentence posts with five-paragraph ones, and well, what do you think of the guy who barges into a room and dominates the conversation through raw volume?
In fairness, sometimes things are just really interesting and you want to talk about them a lot. And sometimes it takes a lot of space to explain a complex idea, or just the act of talking about it brings up all kind of curlicues that one wishes to explore.
What's a bit shocking is when a post is both very long and also very hostile. Because most of the good reasons to write a lot are things that boil down to "for the sheer love of self-expression," if you ask me. So someone who's writing bigposts that are very hostile is presumably someone who is, in that moment, quite upset and in a mental place where they sustain that upsetness for a long time.
Trying to be somewhat calmer and more descriptive.
I don't have a problem with large posts in general.
I DO have a problem with large posts wherein the poster doesn't have anything nice to say to soften the hammerblow such a large text block tends to deal. Because if I have to read 500 words of text to get what someone is saying, I'm already slightly annoyed by the end at a baseline for having to put in so much time.
And if one person is putting in noticeably large amounts of effort into their posts to make them large and wordy, I expect them to actually consider how their post will be read, and take the time to make it not come across as a scathing critique that offers only denouncements and no solutions or positivity.
In short, if you're going to put in the effort to write a five-paragraph post, I expect you to also put in the effort to make it actually NICE.
Trying to be somewhat calmer and more descriptive.
I don't have a problem with large posts in general.
I DO have a problem with large posts wherein the poster doesn't have anything nice to say to soften the hammerblow such a large text block tends to deal. Because if I have to read 500 words of text to get what someone is saying, I'm already slightly annoyed by the end at a baseline for having to put in so much time.
And if one person is putting in noticeably large amounts of effort into their posts to make them large and wordy, I expect them to actually consider how their post will be read, and take the time to make it not come across as a scathing critique that offers only denouncements and no solutions or positivity.
In short, if you're going to put in the effort to write a five-paragraph post, I expect you to also put in the effort to make it actually NICE.
let's stay on track please
This looks to be cooling down, but please don't continue it.
If you have an issue with a user's tone or think the way they post is a problem, ignoring them or using the report system are the correct responses. Please don't try calling them out on it in-thread, especially in an accusatory manner.
Considering a Mod did get involved, I will leave it at that, since I don't think any other response I make to you or @Razzocnor would do anything other than set things off again.
The entire room is silent as one of the commanders of the "Black Moon Clan" vanished, leaving the blonde twins behind.
Usagi: And I'll tell your mother what you've been up to.
Twins in Tandem: Ahaha, is that the time, we gotta get home for dinner, Bye-Bye, Auntie!
The room is still as the twins also teleport, dead in it's silence, the dust itself seemingly frozen in defiance of the mere concept of time as they struggled to comprehend the fact (?) that the smallest Senshi on record is apparently the oldest by far...and a mother, to boot.
Usagi flushes, annoyed at just how relaxed the boy is, but before she has a chance to say anything, Makoto just cocks an eyebrow. "And if I am?"
"Well... Then I'd say that while I can be a gracious loser at times, I'm also something of a... Double or zilch kind of guy." Master Fives says, "So I have an idea."
"Oh?" Makoto says, and for all that Usagi herself wants to say that they should just be ignoring her rival, the fact of the matter is that she is a little interested in what he has to say. "And that would be?" The girl asks, a slight grin on her face.
"Let's play a game. You and me." Master Fives says.
"But what about me?" Usagi asks, and the boy leans in close, his eyes glimmering in the light like gemstones, and Usagi feels her face going warm from just how close he is. This... This feels a lot like how she used to feel around Motoki. Usagi very distinctly avoids thinking about how similar this feeling is to being around the Senshi one on one.
"Every competition needs a reward, doesn't it?" He asks slowly, licking his lips all he does.
"Wha-wh-wh-what?" Usagi barely manages to stutter out, her words entirely lost as images start to assail her head and her mind. Usagi's eyes bounce between Makoto and Master Fives, silently begging for Makoto to say something, anything.
"...You're on." The taller girl says.
ANYTHING BUT THAT. That is not what Usagi wanted the other girl to say. She's not a reward! With that, the two give one further shake, before each lets go. Five flexes his hand once, before turning and looking across the arcade. "All right, let's start over here, and I'll explain the rules."
There is a little part of Usagi that isn't sure if she wants to laugh or cry. It might be something of an exaggeration to say that the whole arcade went quiet as Master Fives challenged Makoto for... her. But she knows that it's not all exaggeration. Only the closest handful of machines went still right then and there, but word's going to spread.
Something like this used to happen pretty much every time that BUNI3 and MSTR5 were both at the Arcade at the same time. Ever since she was just ten, and he was just a little boy always swathed in a giant hoodie with the brim of his baseball cap sticking out. The two players that consistently score the highest on nearly every machine in the arcade have a... Well, had a habit of going up against one another whenever they crossed paths, regardless of the game. And those battles against one another almost always built something of an audience.
And this may be the biggest audience yet. Just a few months after he finally cast aside the hoodie and actually learned to dress himself properly, one of the two reigning champions of the Crown Arcade disappeared for more than a year. And now he's back. And more than that, this is the first time that he's actually thrown down a gauntlet like this since his return.
As dozens of people watch, Makoto and Master Fives shake hands. Thus, the accord is struck and bound between the two. This is the way of those who trawl the arcades of Tokyo, a situation solemn and sacrosanct. Everyone watching is able to feel in their bones exactly how serious a challenge like this really is.
...
Which is a dramatic, sarcastic way for Usagi to say to herself that all of this is just in good fun. Even if there is still a part of her that is a little annoyed at being side-lined for the duration and made into some kind of Trophy for her rival and her friend to compete over... Whatever that even means.
Usagi might be a little annoyed at the situation, but that isn't the whole of her emotions. Not by a long shot. If she really was upset over all of this competitive nonsense, there isn't anything stopping her from leaving. It isn't like the doors of the arcade are locked or anything like that. If this ends up getting tedious, she can let Makoto know that she's heading off and just go when she gets tired.
Not that she's really thinking about leaving.
Because if Usagi is going to be honest with herself... there is a part of her that is kind of... excited? over the fact that Makoto is fighting for her like this. It might not be the most important situation around, but even so the girl can't help but feel her cheeks going a little red. After the past few nights' dreams, after that statue, the idea that the tall dark haired girl, her knight, who looks so much like the figure from those dreams, is fighting to keep her out of the hands of some...
some...
Wicked villain.
Just thinking like that about Master Fives is enough to make her giggle a little.
Lost in thought, Usagi nearly misses the way that he and Makoto quietly point to a handful of different machines, before nodding and heading off towards the far end of the arcade. She hurries after the two. She just has to see what game they are going to be playing for this first little round of their challenge, and of course, she has to make sure that Makoto puts on a good showing to 'save' her.
But once the three come to a stop, Usagi can't help but laugh quietly. Because if there is any one game that Master Fives should have done everything in his power to avoid having to play against Makoto, it would be Devil Blasters. For two very good reasons.
There are a lot of games that Master Fives could have chosen in order to keep an advantage over Makoto. After all, he knows nearly all these games inside and out. He's been playing here at the arcade for years now, just like Usagi herself. Devil Blasters is brand new, though. So new, in fact, that it wasn't here the last time that Usagi and Makoto came to the Arcade two weeks ago.
But that might actually be why he's chosen this game. If it is this new, then there is all the chance in the world that Master Fives hasn't had the opportunity to really try and get a look into it yet, which would mean that both players are going to be on equal footing.
Or at the very least, that's probably his idea... except for the second thing. Light-gun games rely a lot on the reflexes of the player. Now, Master Fives wasn't slow on the draw before he disappeared. But that doesn't mean that he's going to be able to match the speed and the skills of a Senshi. Not that Makoto is going to be able to bring all of that power and skill to bare. Usagi remembers well what happened the last time that Makoto really let loose when competing against someone like this. That spar ended up bringing down an old building on their heads. Sure, both of the girls were fine afterwords, but Usagi can't say the same for the likes of Master Fives or the other ordinary people here at the arcade. Usagi can't imagine how things would get that far here, of course. And even if they do, Usagi is here and can intervene. She's not letting anyone trash the arcade!
Things somehow even manage to get more interesting as Makoto steps up to the first of the two Devil Blaster Machines. She pulls two coins out and slots them into both of the slots. Makoto doesn't just grab one of the two light guns. She grabs both.
"Oh?" Master Fives says, grinning. "Cocky, are you?" He pulls out a little coin purse of his own with a handful of coins, putting a single coin in and picking up just one of the light guns. "You don't actually think that you're going to be able to beat me playing two-gun like that, do you?" He asks.
Makoto just smiles, carefully twirling one of the two guns around a finger in a way that makes sure to not tangle the cord. "Playing like this means that there are more devils spawning in the game." Makoto points out. "Which means that I'm going to have the advantage when it comes to points."
"Hmmm... Maybe," Master Fives admits, nodding quietly, then he grins broadly at Makoto. There is something familiar about that smile, but you just can't put your finger on why you'd think that. It's not quite the way he smiled at you a few times, in the last few months before he disappeared... but not exactly. "But on the other hand, I'll have the advantage when it comes to the shot multipliers. And with less enemies on screen that means less chances for me to get damaged." Makoto has to nod, admitting that that is true too. "So I don't think either of us will have an advantage over the other. We'll see."
Makoto opens her mouth, about to say something more, but before she has a chance to, her eyes go wide. One hand snaps up, and with a bang, the first of the digital demons shatters apart into pixels on screen. The battle is joined.
Usagi's played enough games like this that, with time to watch, she quickly notices distinct differences in the way that Makoto and Master Fives approach this game.
Master Fives holds onto his gun with both hands, bracing himself as if he expects the gun to try and jump back against his grip. The boy moves with an almost mechanical precision, quickly and quietly adjusting his position in order to quickly fire off shots in an arc across the screen. After each arc, he flicks the gun down for only a moment in order to reload, then brings it back up and crosses back over the other way.
Makoto's method of playing is vastly different. She bobs and weaves like Ippo in the ring, and as she moves she fires off quick bursts with one gun or the other. The larger number of demons Makoto's set herself up to deal with is noticeable here. She's almost never not firing off a shot, and if she weren't covering with shots from one gun while she reloads with the other, she'd be taking hit after hit.
But she isn't, and Master Fives isn't either. The declaration between them had already drawn a crowd. But they're halfway through the first level and have yet to take a hit, and that's starting to draw still more attention, more murmurs, more eyes on the contest.
The demons pour in faster and faster. The levels become increasingly difficult as Makoto and Master Fives hurry towards the ends. Devil Blasters has some degree of choice involved in it, despite being a rail shooter, and as the two arrive at the first decision point in the game, there is almost a solid moment where Usagi sees their eyes meet. Then as one, with a synchronicity that Usagi has only seen matched by her Senshi- or exceeded by the various Pretty Cures- two guns snap up and two shots are fired at once.
Master Five goes to the right; Makoto to the left.
There's a little part of Usagi that honestly isn't even sure if she'd be able to pull off this game as well as these two are. She's good at rail shooter games, sure, but this is a level of perfection that she'd never be able to pull off on a game that she was playing for the first time. Not without one hell of a motivator, at the very least.
The scores climb higher and higher, demon by demon, until nearly thirty minutes later, when the game's final score screen appears.
The grades for each level start to appear side by side. S rank after S rank after S rank. Neither Makoto or Master Fives missed a single shot over the course of the game, showing off a level of skill that's left the spectators- Usagi among them- watching silent in awe. That silence is finally broken as Usagi starts to clap, and the others begin to cheer.
There's a part of Usagi that can't help but be so proud of Makoto, not only for the girl doing something so impressive, but also because...
Well, the fact of the matter is that both players played perfectly. And that allows the question to be asked and answered. If you are trying to get the highest possible score, then the right way to play is two-player. Because with two players- or one as good as Makoto- the sheer number of demons means that the two individually lower scores combine to nearly twenty-five thousand more points than an equally perfect single player run.
Master Fives looks at the screens for a moment before he shakes his head, grinning and chuckling. "Damn..." The boy says, leaning back and tilting his head back a little. She overtops him by six or eight centimeters. "That was one hell of a showing, Makoto. I guess this first round goes to you. You've well earned it, but don't think that just because you managed to outgun me means that I'll lose the other rounds."
"I can say the same to you." Makoto says with a feral grin. "Don't go thinking that just because I chose the game this time means that you can go and pick any old game for this second round and think that you'll handle me any better."
Master Fives laughs, and there is a part of Usagi that once more wants to just push in there and demand that they both pay attention to her. She doesn't do that. That isn't why she's here after all. A big part of this is to make sure that Makoto relaxes, and her friend is definitely having fun. "Actually." Master Fives says, glancing over towards Usagi. "I have an idea." The boy says. "You chose the first round, so why don't we have Usagi choose the game for the second round, and then we can finish off with a best two out of three."
"That is, if I don't end up winning this next round." Makoto shoots back with a lazy tigress smile of her own.
Master Fives just laughs, shaking his head. Both the boy and the girl glance over to Usagi, grinning. "So, BUNI3?" The boy asks, "You up for choosing the next round?"
Choosing the next round... Usagi has to admit that there is a part of her that likes the idea. Partially because that means that she can try and give Makoto the best chance of actually winning... But at the same time, another part of the girl whispers in her ear that she can't do that. She can't try and shift the results of this contest. Partly because it ruins the whole point, but mostly because she should have faith and trust in Makoto. Her champion is strong and smart and wise and a Senshi.
No matter what kinds of strengths that the boy has, they aren't going to match up with what Makoto can do. "You know what... Sure." Usagi nods once and turns back to look over the arcade, trying to think of the perfect game for Makoto and Master Fives to play next.
Game Two: Racing
MAKOTO = 1d10 + Int = 7 + 8 = 15
MASTER FIVES = ??? + ??? = 17
But that just raises the question of what the next challenge that the two run should be... Usagi thinks about it for a moment, looking across the arcade with a critical eye. There are a lot of different kinds of games out there, ranging from puzzle to racing to the fighting and light-shooters. There is a part of the girl that wants to choose something that the Senshi haven't done over the course of their visit today, and there is something to that idea...
On the other hand, there is a distinct part of the girl that wants to choose something that is more on the new side. Every Friday the contents of the Arcades shift slightly as older less popular machines disappear and new machines pop up in their place.
Tilting the odds in Makoto's favor isn't something that Usagi wants to do, but at the same time she most certainly doesn't want to go the other way and tilt the odds in the favor of that wicked villain. So the best thing would be to try and limit things to the newest games. The ones that Master Fives wouldn't have had the chance to learn and master yet.
Thinking for another moment, the girl's eyes alight on a single machine. Forza Formula One 1991 Edition. It's a racing game, sure, but it is a racing game that Usagi hasn't had a chance to play yet. And if she hasn't had a chance to play it yet, then there is all the chance in the world that Master Fives hasn't had the chance either. This might be the perfect choice to make sure that both competitors are on as even a field as they can be. That's what Usagi wants after all.
"How about that one?" Usagi asks, pointing over towards the race machine. Makoto and Master Fives glance at each other, and there is a moment where they seem to be weighing and measuring each other. Master Fives is the first to grin.
"I'm down." He says, and Makoto scoffs, but there is a grin on her face as well.
"I see no problem here either." The taller Senshi says with a grin. There is something there again, but Usagi still isn't sure what she is seeing, what she is hearing that keeps scratching at the side of her thoughts like a burr caught on the inside of a sock. Whatever it is, Usagi really wants to figure it out just so that she can finally put these distracting thoughts to the side once and for all.
As Makoto and Master Fives start to settle into the seats of the new race machine, Usagi notices the way that the crowd starts to swell a little. More people are noticing the fact that there is something huge going down, and they want to see. As the girl stands there, another thought clicks into her head, and she can't help but grin. This is a silly idea, this is a bad idea, but that isn't going to stop her.
She is Usagi Tsukino, and if there is one thing that she can most definitely say, it would be the fact that she owns her own ideas. Both good and bad. So taking a moment to try and psyche herself up, Usagi closes her eyes and thinks about the way that she's seen those girls in the movies walk. Particularly those movies about racing.
She saunters forth, trying to look as confident as those girls, before she leans forward, over the side of Master Five's chair. Reaching out, the girl grabs hold of the controls, before sliding them over and choosing the particular map that she wants to two to race on. It's nothing particularly special. In fact, the Berlin race track is right in the middle of the difficulty curve, but it is one of the longer tracks. "I think that this is where you're going to play." She tries and whisper out as sultry as she can, but really it just sounds airy and a little silly.
That's... That's fine. It's not like she actually wanted to be sexy for Master Fives. It's all just part of the contest is all. Of course, the fact that Master Five's face goes a bright red even so, the boy unable to look at Usagi while she press against his side makes the girl trying to say that she wasn't trying to be sexy sound a little fake, even to her ears.
At the same time, the fact that the boy isn't being gross about it does make the girl feel a little like she was being too forward when she called him a wicked villain. As if the boy himself was able to hear the girl's thoughts, Master Fives swallows loudly, before putting on an almost lazy grin and looking up to Usagi. If anything his face goes even a little redder, before he speaks. "H-how about a kiss for luck?" The boy asks, and Usagi feels her own face going a bright red.
"Oi!" Makoto calls out, and there is a part of Usagi that relaxes. Makoto wouldn't dare let anything like that happen. "No being unfair about it!" The girl calls out, much to Usagi's conf- "If he gets a kiss then I demand one too!"
The red on Usagi's cheeks has to be reaching all the way past her ears at this point, something that only gets deeper and heavier as she hears a familiar laugh. Whipping around, Usagi spots Mamoru standing there among the watching crowd.
"Go on bunhead." The ancient prince of the Earth calls out. "Give your champions a boon as they fight for their lady." He calls out. Thankfully, before the girl has a chance to try and come up with a response to the two fighting over her, there comes an electronic beep as the game finishes loading. The race is about to begin, and that means that Usagi has to back off to avoid getting in the way.
"Sorry, race is already starting!" The girl babbles out, before falling back. There is a smattering of laughter from the crowd, and there is a part of Usagi that wants to frown at it, but there is another part of the girl that knows this is all in good fun.
BEEP
BEEP
BREEEEPP!
And as the last of the three lights on screen flash from red to green, the two are off. The race is begun, and the second round of the competition for Usagi herself is now underway.
"I've got to say," Mamoru says quietly as he steps up next to Usagi, watching the race, "It's nice to see that Master Fives is branching out. I've really only ever seen him compete against you." The older boy points out, which makes Usagi blink a little as she thinks back. Mamoru does have a point...
She can't ever remember Master Fives getting into a really competitive spirit against anyone else... But that is probably because there really wasn't anyone else in the same league as the Moon princess and the unknown gamer. "I guess..." Usagi says quietly, not entirely sure what Mamoru is getting at.
The older boy just laughs. "What, jealous?" He asks, and there is part of Usagi that wants to deny it, but the reason why she wants to deny that she's jealous is exactly because she is.
"Honestly... A little." She says quietly. "Master Fives has always been my rival. More than Jadeite or Cendrellion or even Beryl and Metallia. Master Fives was something of mine, of Usagi's." She explains quietly.
"And now it's just another example of part of your life where the past is invading the present?" Mamoru asks quietly, which makes Usagi nod. "I wish I had the answer on how to stop that, but..."
Usagi chuckles. "Nah, I have the answer to that. And we've been working on the front for a good while now. Haruka and Michiru said that they think that they might have a lead on where Cendrellion is." Usagi says. "Once we beat her, and save the other members of the Shittenou, then take down Beryl, there won't be any more history to come and batter it's way into the present."
There is a long moment of silence as two ancient entities stand there in the midst of the modern day, enjoying the sights and the sounds of the arcade.
"Do you plan to retire when all of this is said and done?" He asks, and there is another moment of silence, before Usagi finally shakes her head.
"No... I might not want to rule over anything the way that Jadeite thinks I want to... but I still want to wear the suit. To work on fixing the world."
Mamoru just chuckles, a grin on his face. "I had a feeling that you'd say that. Of, and talking about Jadeite." Mamoru says, "I spoke with him about what you had asked before. He's not only okay with the idea of Ramua taking the Courses like you asked, but he's actually spoken with Samui about it. She's talking with the elders of her clan about possibly enrolling the children of the clan in as well. Putting them in a situation to start acclimating to the modern world in a safe environment."
Usagi hums, thinking about it. "I'm not against that, but if that is going to happen, then I might need to talk with Samui about getting additional security for the building. We've hired a new enchanter to help shore up the defenses of the building, but at the same time I'd feel better if there was a little more defense against the Onogoro if there are going to be Yokai children there."
"...That's entirely fair." Mamoru says, grinning. "I'll talk with Jadeite about getting Samui to set up a meeting."
Samui: So how do you feel about flash frozen intruders?
Usagi: That doesn't sound very safe...
Samui: You can fix frostbite can't you? We learned to make ice guns thanks to that shotgun we confiscated. The Diet loves the more professional look of ice gun magic apparently.
...For some reason, Onogoro trying to attack the Senshi building leads to me imagining Sailor Jupiter cracking her neck like a DBZ character before she starts juggling some Agents like a MvC character.
...I need to stop playing fighting games for awhile.
...Actually, Street Fighter II: Champion Edition should be out now. That'd be a good final round for the Fives Vs Makoto duel!
...But if you fidget the timeline juuust a bit, they could have an early Turbo. Or, heck, maybe Crown Arcade came across a mysterious hacked cabinet labeled "Rainbow Edition".
