Block 001 [Text]

[beastfang]

[Normally this is something Genda would never do, but from what he's figured out from just skimming the network the pool of information is a lot more widespread then just one city. That will take too long in regards to one objective.]


The standard syllabus that I've been capable of finding seems overly generic, and hardly tailored for those who did not grow up in this culture. Is this schooling mandatory or are there specialized accelerated programs specifically for those not from here?

[A few moments later, as if added as an after thought.]

Who scored the second point in the Teikoku vs. Raimon elimination match, and what was the final score?

Comments

[beastfang]

I'm a goalkeeper.

[It hasn't really fully settled in that the way he plays soccer back home is so fundamentally different in regards to performance, that he really believes that explains everything.

Instead he gives Josuke a brief glance before blue eyes flicker once more to the screen. His inexperience shows in the last rush as he hesitates briefly in how best to move during certain sequences that don't fully follow the actual cadence of the song. Genda and chaos had never really seen eye to eye so the off beat of certain arrows trips him up more then it should considering his ability until now. It shows when the final score starts to tally on the screen and Genda's usual frown deepens a little at what he considers a poor score. Even as he stands perfectly calm and still in the middle of the dance pad as if he hadn't just did any of that song just now.]

[unbreaker]

[Yeah, no...that doesn't really explain anything. Josuke can see how those kinds of moves would be useful as a goalkeeper, he knows enough about the sport to determine that, but how did Genda learn something like that, and why? Do all players from his world tackle sports in the same fashion?

Just what the hell kind of soccer does this kid play???]

Alright...

[As he looks over his own score and attempts not to frown too hard at it, Josuke smooths back his hair with his hands.]

You warmed up enough, or do you want another practice round before I decide to actually try?

[Please. As if he wasn't already trying after he saw how quickly Genda picked up the various step sequences. He's just trying to save face now in front of their little crowd and, judging by a couple of the giggles coming from behind them, there's more than one spectator who seems to realize that.]

[beastfang]

I believe I've figured out the method well enough to not hold you back in performing.


[He kinda took you at face value there Josuke, because he sucks at reading a lot of social cues, so the crowds reaction? Right over his head. He's now going to be expecting you to school him in this since you were clearly testing him and all.]

[unbreaker]

That's what you think!

[He's all talk as he scrolls through the list of songs for their next challenge, settling on an appropriately titled track and selecting it before the music has too long to preview.

He's familiar with this song. Surely that'll give him some kind of an advantage?

Whatever. The screen loads, and after the ready prompt flashes, they've got just a few quick seconds to go before the arrows start to roll up the screen again.]

[beastfang]

There's only a slight eyebrow raised as any sign of Genda's slight surprise at the quickness of the response and the influx of arrows suddenly scrolling upwards.

There are fewer misses then the last song, but the score still suffers a bit as he finds the new tempo and beat. The alternation between the arrows following the bass line to the melody takes time for him to fully grasp and be able to shift from one to the other in a smoother fashion then the slightly 'strings being pulled' movements in order to keep from missing a sequence when such happens.

He could attempt to calculate his expected score based on what he'd seen regarding the math from the last song, but he's not really interested in knowing the final outcome of such. He's keeping a decent pace and thus there is an effort in regards to this even as his head is tilted a bit to the left in confusion as he tries to find why this is considered entertainment. He could see how it would aide in coordination and balance, along with teaching how to follow patterns. Yet, why is this something people do with no intention of learning those skills from this?]

[unbreaker]

[Perhaps as a pleasant change of pace, Josuke is entirely too focused on his own screen and footing to try and sabotage Genda's playing. As the arrows scroll rapidly up the screen, his familiarity with the song and step arrangement allows him to nail surprisingly more patterns than the last round. Of course his timing is a little off, his speed not quite up to par with the more rapid sequences, and his score suffers for it...but he's certainly not trailing as far behind Genda as he was before.

A fact that might cause him to misstep were he aware of it, but being so intensely concentrated on his own playing this time prevents that. For now.

And he seems to be enjoying himself quite a bit, too. Unlike Genda who struggles with the concept of finding entertainment in this kind of activity, Josuke thrills in the challenge, the attention they've begun to draw to themselves, and in his improved success. It's also nice having someone else to play with...which is a thought that does eventually cause him to steal a look towards Genda. Somehow, that kid's still not smiling, and that's what confuses him.

How could anyone not enjoy a great song like this and be able to cut loose?]

...this part coming up, let's try switching pads! Think you can manage?

[It seemed getting the higher score was less important than trying to see some flicker of enjoyment on Genda's face now.]

[beastfang]

[There's a flicker of something, but it certainly isn't anything you could call amusement or enjoyment. It's more a shifting into confusion before it registers on what exactly it is that Josuke means with that comment. Then it's more of a wary contemplation. Such a move would be as easy as breathing...if this was being done with another member of Teikoku. He knew their patterns and rhythms that they wouldn't even need to signal the other for a seamless transition. However, he hardly knew Josuke and his capabilities. Let alone his pace and what would be done during said switch. Would it have the small flourishes that Narukami would have to his movements due to his music listening, or would it be quick and precise like when Jimon or Sakuma would cross paths on the field?

The attention they are garnering is also not helping as his shoulders unconsciously fold in as if that would make him less noticeable. It was easy to tune out the spectators during a soccer match because he had to devote everything he had to said match. Here though, he barely needed to do more then keep enough attention to the tempo and patterns, which hardly kept him not realizing a crowd was forming. Attempting such would likely draw more attention and thus more eyes to make the itching feeling up his spine grow even more.

He wasn't supposed to draw attention to himself. That had been drummed into him it was second nature. Don't be an individual, be part of a whole. Yet, he had promised to make an honest attempt at this and he wasn't certain just how much that meant in regards to following what was being suggested.

He can't make himself draw more attention by following that suggestion and he quickly shakes his head. He's going to need to hide in a corner after this, just to not feel exposed once this song is over.]

[unbreaker]

[That's...certainly not the reaction that Josuke had been hoping for, but he supposes it's the one he should have expected. Hazel would have leaped at the opportunity and while it might have taken Tetsuo some arm twisting, Josuke didn't know him to refuse a challenge. Even Kaneki could probably have been convinced to attempt the trick. But Genda...well, he and Josuke didn't know each other very well. Not yet.]

Ah...okay! Don't worry about it!

[He flaps his hand as if to dismiss the idea, quickly turning his full attention back to the steps, though he doesn't miss the audible (and disappointed) awww from the crowd when both he and Genda don't up the ante of their playing.

Whatever, as cool as all that attention is (and nerve-racking) having spectators doesn't matter half as much as making sure Genda's having a good time. In fact, his score matters less in comparison to that, and when the song finally ends, although it takes some doing not to look at if he'd managed to close in on Genda's own score, Josuke's quick to grab his jacket and hop off the dance pad.]

Alright...uh. You're way better than most beginners at that, but you didn't really look like you were enjoying it. Wanna try something else or maybe take a break? We can get something to drink, my treat.

[beastfang]

[The score hasn't even really started to tally before he's off the dance pad and he barely registers Josukes's comments before he's weaving his way through the now much larger crowd surrounding the machine. How he managed to get out of that crush of bodies without actually touching anyone is a mystery, but he does and he doesn't stop or realize he practically abandoned Josuke until he's found a piece of wall not occupied by a machine and with little foot traffic, compared to the rest of arcade, and his back is against said wall.

Genda's shoulders only start to relax from their tense hunch by the time Josuke likely finds him again.]

[unbreaker]

[It's really awkward when you find you've been talking to no one because the person you thought you were babbling at has run off somewhere, a fact which Josuke realizes only after Genda doesn't answer his question. He looks around for a few moments, confused, until one of the arcade goers taps his shoulder and points in the direction Genda disappeared in.

"He's that way, man. Woulda thought someone who could play like that would stick around for the praise, but I guess—"

"Not all imPorts lust after the limelight," someone else chimes in as they hop on the now empty dance pads and smirk at Josuke. A smirk that goes unseen and is followed by a disgruntled huff when, ignoring them, Josuke weaves away through the little crowd and, after a few moments, manages to find Genda off in a corner somewhere.]

Hey.

[He'd ask if the kid was alright, but the answer to that question is obvious.]

Sorry about that. I guess it was a little much, huh?

[beastfang]

My apologies.

[Josuke's appearance settles him back into neutral, and by settle you can see as the unease and nerves are promptly and swiftly repressed back behind his normal, overly stoic look. Even the slight bit of wariness his tone had at first is once more back to the calm tone Josuke is likely used to.

At least you know he's not actually an emotionless drone right?]

I did not expect a crowd to form.

[A crowd that was literally within touching distance of him and directly behind him at that.]

[unbreaker]

You don't gotta apologize, it's fine. Sometimes you just gotta have your space.

[Something Josuke understands a lot more than most people would believe.]

I wouldn't worry too much about them, though. They were just really into the performance. And now it looks like they're really into trying to beat your score.

[He shrugs and grins, deliberately aiming for a more casual sort of consolation. If Genda doesn't like crowds, having someone who's still a virtual stranger be all up in his business being friendly probably isn't something he's too fond of, either. And yet...the kid still agreed to come along. That counts for something, right?]

Wanna take a break?

[beastfang]

[There's a moment where he actually turns to stare back towards the DDR machines and gives a confused look over that statement. He didn't think he did anything that impressive. Then again he didn't actually stop to look at said score before leaving.

Two emotions in five minutes, that's a record. Though that also doesn't last long before he's back to neutral expression and standing as if nothing happened.]

I'm fine. I made a promise.

[And come mental breakdown or not he's going to see it through so he can truthfully say he didn't care for this sort of activity.]

[unbreaker]

A promise you realize I'm not gonna hold you to if it means you wind up having a bad time, right?

[That's like, the opposite of what Josuke was trying to accomplish by inviting Genda here in the first place. Because it's one thing to not have fun...but another to be driven to some corner because you're that uncomfortable.]

If you're really not digging the scene, we can stop if you wanna. But if you really don't mind continuing...how about you pick the next game? Whatever looks interesting.

[Maybe control over that much will relieve Genda of some of his discomfort? Josuke can only hope.]

[beastfang]

It's fine.

[And there's a stubborn look to his normal expression. A promise is a promise and one incident doesn't mean there isn't potential that Josuke may be right. Even if it's a slim chance considering Genda's normal past times and routines.

However, right now the hurdle is the fact that choosing is not as simple as Josuke has made it out to be. To Genda most of these games are just noise and flashing lights, and after the last fiasco even looking at any of the skill based games was asking for more attention.

Okay, this isn't as fine as he was making it out to be. He has no idea what even half of these games are or what is supposedly something considered interesting.]

[unbreaker]

[Josuke can see this is going nowhere fast, and as the oldest one between them, he decides he'll just have to take the reins. There's very little to go on, no telltale signs Genda seems to have an interest in one game over the other, so when the boy's gaze wanders over the games in the arcade, Josuke's only able to make an educated guess on what he might enjoy based on their previous experience at the DDR machine.

So...something with less lights. And much quieter. That won't draw a crowd.]

Alright, how about a racing game?

[He gives a nod in the direction of one of the racing setups, a console where they'll be able to grab a seat and let themselves recover from the previous activity, and where they won't be slammed by the same volume of sounds and brilliance of flashing lights.]