It's Just Not The Same (For Noob)

[CyanDimitrik]

Welcome to Club Sega.

....wait, no. It's not Club Sega anymore. It's GiGO. Sega recently pumped the brakes on its arcade industry, and the fabled Club Segas were either closing or being bought out. As such, the Club Sega of Akihabara Katsumi Oshiro was so fond of has become GiGO.

Behold the glory.

It was a restless night, and Katsumi was out on the town, generally enjoying her new self.

Her new self!

And there was a lot to enjoy about it! She looks remarkably different, wearing her hair long, even some new fashion! Heck, practically no one recognizes her! It's going to make her new debut in LAW exciting! Especially with the new skills she's honed and sharpened! But that's not scheduled for another couple days. For now, she has naught to do but keep herself occupied and prepare.

This is where the late Club Sega enters the scene. It was her favorite place. Her happy place. And now it has a new label. The cabinets are still in there, though some have been changed out. Mostly it's a name-swap. But even as Katsumi button-mashes the Tatarus out of a Tekken, she logically knows it's the same game. It plays the same, even costs the same! But it just doesn't feel the same.

Perhaps a nagging part of it is that she's so unrecognizable, she doesn't have the crowd around her she normally would. There's no recognition in this new reinvention of herself. She didn't herald anything on Twitter, she didn't make any PR appearances, nothing. So it feels... empty. The building certainly isn't empty, but her space is cold, like a lonely moon orbiting a big gassy coin-eater giant.

At least she can still button-ma- "Aw, dammit! Seriously!? You fucking kangaroo bitch! Take care of your babies, why don't you!?"

[Noob]

Today Suzume needed an outlet for a bunch of pent up energy. She had already gone for a run today, quite a long one, but still she felt restless. Perhaps she just needed to do something that required a bit more mental investment. And just like that the brunette had an idea. She was gonna fight! Well not a real fight. She was going to go hit the arcade and deliver a grade A virtual ass kicking. That should work. And with an already inflated confidence as of late, Suzume was ready to head out! She grabbed her green track suit to cover up her white tank top and would head out the door.

It was time to let loose and kick some ass...or at least some video game rear. Seeing a half empty Tekken booth, Suzume hurried on over. "Hope ya weren't planning on a win streak~" A rather confident sounding Suzume said as she planted her hands on the controls. She had yet to look to the other woman, focusing only on the screen with a determined look on her face. As far as she was concerned, there were only wins for Suzume. Or so she'd been telling herself for the past week. With a few swift movements of the joystick she'd land on Jin and smack the button to select.

Spoiler

[CyanDimitrik]

"Oh, you done fucked up, Baby Spice," growls Katsumi without looking away from the screen. "I'm all kinds of pissed off and itching for something to take it out on. I'm about to punch you right in the wallet!"

Katsumi's character is Josie. She's not particularly familiar with the character, she doesn't really know anything about her, and she's invested about as much time into her as any other. That is to say, not much. But Josie's cute and seems spunky. She's into it. Maybe a makeover wasn't the only thing that's seen a little change over her absence.

And so the match begins! Katsumi bides her time, her eyes narrowing steadily. More. More. Waiting, biding her time, baiting Suzume's Jin into approaching. And then it's an all-out spazz-attack, the joystick swirling around like a human desperately trying to figure out how to give a robot a handy-jay, pounding the buttons like it owed her child support.

[Noob]

"Wuuuh? Pfff oh please. Two rounds, two perfects coming up!" Suzume huffed, soon leaning in towards the screen as if that was going to make her play better. As the round started though it was clear that Katsumi had little idea what she was doing. While Tekken wasn't Suzume's game of choice, she still knew her way around a few characters. And after letting out a little growl in response to taking a few shin kicks in a row, she found herself in the zone.

"Aaaand...punish!!" She'd cry, blocking a few moves before landing one herself and starting what was going to be a long chain of combos. The brunette expertly worked those buttons and just watched the other fighter's health bar deminish. "But wait...there's more~" She'd continue with a little giggle. She was ready to punish her opponent for even daring to take her on, barely letting her play this first round as she chained together punches and kicks. "Annnnnd...EAT IT!" She'd yell, watching Josie flop to the ground after a particularly brutal looking kick. She'd turn to flash the other woman a smug grin, her inner gremlin finally showing itself for the first time in ages.

[CyanDimitrik]

Katsumi's fluttery-frantic fingers flash faster and ever-fretfully against the fbuttons.

"ComeoncomeoncomeonBITCH!," balks Katsumi, getting a few stares from people walking by and enjoying their random Tuesday.

The thumps grow heavier and harder, more determined as things get further ridiculous. "Where's.. the fucking.. combo.. breaker..!?" There is none. Katsumi is in Hell. The round ends with the cutie writhing on the ground, and Katsumi's soul doing the same. "No! There's a round two! I got this!," she insists, eyes blazing on the screen. Each breath is a heated huff through her nose, and the moment the announcer declares to start, begins her new adaptive strategy: "I got the hops now, sucka'!"

Hop. Hop. Forward. Back. Forward. And then a sudden low attack! More baiting! The rascal!

And after she gets what she hopes is an opening, the "high roller" strategy kicks in again. Mash buttons. Hope it does something cool.

[Noob]

This was just what Suzume needed today. "Not gonna be bouncing much in like...oh I dunno ten seconds." She'd respond with a roll of her eyes. "Maybe this time learn to block?" She'd taunt. Just as the first round Suzume got baited in. She wasn't exactly thinking too strategically. "Ugh...hecking..." She'd whine, struggling for a few moments to find her way around the other character. Then came the button mashing though. That wasn't too hard to beat.

"Oh god...you're one of those..." She'd groan upon realizing what was happening. "Oh well...free wins~" She'd continue as she put her combos into action. Despite an early lead, that soon dwindled as Suzume had Jin just pounding the other character, presumably into the ground where Suzume wanted to bury them. She was intently focused on the screen until her victory was a bit more ensured. "Oh wait, what's this? Jin punches some rando who can't block a high kick into dust?" She'd taunt. Just as the last match, the result came pretty quick and Suzume was victorious. "Hope that wasn't your last credit"

[CyanDimitrik]

Katsumi's heart sinks as nothing seems to work. She all but visibly deflates in the final moments, right up until the ending KO. Her hands slip from the cabinet with her arms hanging limply at either side, her head hanging in similar fashion with silky blueblack tresses curtaining her face like some kind of onryo.

But rather than spook an audience with croaking noises, her shoulders just lift and drop again with a defeated sigh. "Stupid... GiGO or whatever. It's not the same," she laments through her hair. "Wouldn'a happened at Club Sega. I was the queen of Club Sega." It's still kind of Club Sega. It just has a different name plastered on it. Details.

"Whatever."

Her hands lift to paw the hair back from her face again, finally turning. "I'll be back for sweet Suzu-bean?!" Can you guess where she suddenly caught a look at who the smug gremlin was? She stares for a few seconds, vivid emerald eyes blinking a couple times before the corners of her lips lift in a smile. "Holy shit! It's you! Wait, why didn't you tell me it was you!? The hell's the matter with you!? Are we under a bridge right now, because you sure look like a fucking troll!"

[Noob]

Suzume tried hard to stifle her laughter. Queen of Club Sega this woman was not. She could barely find her way around a joystick. Still she felt there was at least a kindred soul there that was nostalgic for the old Club Sega. "Yeahhhh I know. It feels kinda different...buuuut If it means I can kick ass some more, I'm all for the change." She'd respond. "But hey, you can always be the...umm janitor GiGO." She'd continue before turning towards Katsumi.

"Hmmm?" Her head tilted as she tried to figure out what was going on. "Why would I..." She'd start before it suddenly hit her. There was only one person that had ever called her Suzu-bean. But this couldn't be her. "W...wuh? Wait! Nooooooo way!" She'd gasp, her jaw dropping as she realized who she had just been playing. As the sudden realization hit her, her face would flush a bright red. "Oh shit! Shit shit shit I'm so sorry!!!!" Suzume squeaked, now mortified not only at how she had acted but at how she had just completely not recognized her friend with their new look. "Aaaaaaaaah I totally didn't recognize you like thaaaaaat!"

[CyanDimitrik]

"Shut up I hate you hug me!," blurts Katsumi, arms suddenly opening with enough gusto to accidentally smack the cabinet screen. Her fingers hurt now, but screw it! Suzume is such a welcome sight on so many facets. Forget the game just a second ago; she has a storied past of torturing the poor girl, but she occupies a very special place in her weird little heart. Her one friend. The only one. The one who weathered her horribleness and stuck it out with her, despite it. That meant a lot to her in the moment, more than she would've admitted, and seeing her again does her heart good. Especially with some lingering, subtle insecurities about the new her. Everything feels foreign, embracing it though she is.

Whether or not Suzume accepted the hug invitation, Katsumi springs forward to overwhelm her in an embrace. Tight, secure, a little bit of rocking at the shoulders. That's her Lil' Bit.

"Oh my God, you were being a jerk!," she fusses as she finally releases her from the hug - assuming it landed in the first place! "And I missed you. But- but wait, um, does it look okay?," she asks, allowing herself a little vulnerability with the girl who had just been a hobgoblin towards her. She lifts a hand to awkwardly rake a few fingers through the luxuriously long hair, a sort of fidget in trying to emphasize the newness.

[Noob]

Suzume was all smiles after the sudden little outburst. Before she could respond though Katsumi smacked a hand against the machine, causing Suzume to jolt a bit in surprise. In an instant though she was wrapped up in a nice tight embrace. Her arms quickly wrapped around Katsumi before squeezing as tight as her tiny frame would let her. "I knowwwww....ahhhmmm suuuh sorrrrrrrrrehhhh" She'd say, a bit muffled while she was just burying her embarrassed face against her friend's shoulder. She hadn't seen them in forever and that was not how she should have greeted them. Although perhaps after enduring what felt like endless teasing, Katsumi deserved a bit back. There would be plenty of time to be sweet later though.

Pulling away slightly, Suzume looked up at the new and improved Katsumi. "I haven't seen you in FOREVER!" She'd exclaim. Soon she was left examining her friend's new look. She paused for a few moments, unsure of what exactly she should say. Thinking on the fly was never her forte. Finally she spoke. "Well it's totally NOT ok." She'd huff, waiting a few seconds before flashing Katsumi a smile. "It's making me totally jealous and that's super not cool. Why don't ya try not looking so great huuuuh?" She'd tease.