redshiftlogs | Let's partyyyyyyy! [open]

Who: EVERYONE.
What: A meet-and-greet party for everybody in Anchor!
When: early October
Where: the VR room lobby
Warnings: none yet
Format: go wild!

[ The day before, a wild network post appears, from the username @aa : ]

hi everyone!
i just wanted to let you all know
the meet and greet party previously discussed in this space
will be held tomorrow afternoon!

it will take place in the vr room lobby
and of course everyone is invited
refreshments and games will be provided
but if you would like a little extra challenge
please feel free to bring something to share!

attendance is mandatory!
(lol just kidding)
seriously though i do hope to see all of you there ;)

[ She's also posted handwritten signs to that effect in the mess hall and several of the staircases. Just in case! ]

The day of, a party appears in the VR Room lobby area, as promised!

Though it's not brightly lit, the lights there are are brightly colored, creating a chilled-out evening atmosphere like you'd find at a club. Plush chairs and couches are interspersed throughout the room, and there's been a solid attempt to clean the place up, or at least do something about all the dust.

A shortage of conventional party supplies has forced Ami and Cho to get creative, so the tables and parts of the wall are decorated with paper flowers, and the buffet table is presided over by a number of ... weird, pink, glitter-covered, vaguely animal-shaped sculptures made out of spare plastic pipes and stuff. With googly eyes. If nothing else they're a conversation piece.

FOOD: The main offering is barbecue! There's a pretty wide assortment of meats, all of which Cho has certified safe for human consumption, and also certified delicious. Chips, dried fruit, and a few different desserts are available, including homemade chocolate chip cookies that Ami made herself (wich Cho's help). All the trays are helpfully labeled, including allergy information.

Any and all potluck submissions are welcome as well! Just set it down over here and make a little card of your own.

DRINKS: Sadly, the coffee machine is still out of order. But there is a cooler stocked with ice and a few different choices of juice and soda. Alcoholic selections are limited to two types of pre-mixed drinks, which are intentionally weak on the alcohol, but at least they're not tequila sunrises. If guests want anything stronger, they'll need to bring it themselves.

ENTERTAINMENT: In fiddling with the controls, Ami got the overhead speakers to play some music, but couldn't figure out how to modify the playlist, so it's just one song on loop. Maybe if she keeps the volume kind of low, no one will notice. No live music is scheduled, but if anyone wants to bring a guitar and jam for a while, they will be more than welcome to.

And most of the arcade games are online! Anyone for Fruit Ninja? Air hockey? Dance Dance Retribution? Virtual Billiards? Or perhaps you'd like to try out a full-simulation game in the VR Rooms proper? Now's as good a time as any!

Oh, and don't forget to enter the raffle! The winner will be chosen randomly and announced a few hours into the party.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Fortunately for Genji, Ami is nowhere near D.va's level. In fact, she's what some might call a "filthy casul." But hey, it's not about winning or losing, it's about having fun, right?

She grins and steps up to the machine with him, backing it out to the menu. ]

Awesome! I think this machine has it loaded somewhere. Dibs on Boo!

[He's competitive, but not so much that he can't enjoy himself.]

You may have Boo.

[He's going to go with Shy Guy because mask bro solidarity.]

The whole of Anchor seems to be falling apart, yet the arcade is in good order. That would have been my priority as well, but likely not everyones.

[ Huh... she hadn't thought of that before. ]

Yeah, that is kind of weird, isn't it? [ Shrugs. ] Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad it's here. It's nice to be able to blow off some steam like this. Mushroom Cup?

You are kind to not throw me into Rainbow Road first try.

Are there any other entertainment options? Television? Movies? Food places?

Uh... there's a library?

[ She shrugs apologetically. That's about it! ]

I think I'll stick with the arcade.

[Race time! He really hasn't played this in a while, but apparently it comes back to him after the first lap cuz it's time to be in first place. Aw yiss.]

[ Ami hasn't played in a while, either, so while she's lucky enough to take an early lead, she can't maintain it, and by Lap 2 she's down to 9th place.

Yeah, she's... she's not gonna win this, she can tell that right now. But winning isn't everything! The silver lining to falling behind is that now, she's getting all the good powerups. And those enable a strategy that has served her well in her many years as an annoying little sister: I May Have Lost, But You Didn't Win.

And yes, it does involve screenwatching.

So just as Genji launches off the big jump, Ami sets off a lightning bolt to stop his forward momentum and drop him onto the track below! And she cackles as the tiny Shy Guy falls.

It... still doesn't allow her to catch up to him, of course, but whatever, she GOT him! ]

[As the little brother he is not used to having his childish tactics turned against him. It's rude and unfair and he forgot what a little shit he used to be.

The tiny Shy Guy falls and he curses in Japanese. ]

You play dirty.

[A small part of him is impressed. He knows a few shortcuts on this track so he's regaining his position, but he's not in first yet.]

I have no idea what you're talking about.

[ She has every idea what he's talking about. The next box she gets is a Blooper, and she inks his screen juuust as he's coming up on a tricky shortcut. ]

[He goes careening off the track and Lakitu has to come and rescue him.]

A likely story.

[There's not much time to get back into first place, so that's probably not happening. His delicate gamer pride.]

[ Two for two! Ami just giggles and continues sabotaging him through the final lap. She ends up finishing dead last (which, yeah, tends to happen when you're watching the wrong screen), but will Genji manage to clutch it out at the last second...? ]

[He manages to get second place, which considering how much he's been sidetracked is still pretty impressive. ]

Proud of yourself?

[ Ami gives him one of those doofy Tobey MacGuire grins. You know the one. ]

Yes.

[ She can't hold it for long, though, and bursts out laughing again. ] For real, though, you're really good at this! I guess that's those ninja reflexes at work, huh?

Perhaps. I tried to convince my father that video games would make me a better fighter but he did not believe me.

I did have all the high scores at the arcade near my home. So I suppose it worked out.

[Til someone beat him.]

Well, I don't know if video game skills are transferable to fighting - except Fruit Ninja, obviously. But it seems like the opposite is true, at least.

[ Anyway, it looks like Race 2 is about to start! Ami squares her feet and gets ready, but as the level's loading she glances over to Genji again. ]

I can quit playing like a jerk for the rest of them. I just wanted to do that once, really.

[ I mean. Unless he wants a little extra challenge... ]

It's like they made a game just for me!

[He's smiling so big behind that visor it can be heard in his voice. He loves Fruit Ninja.]

It is fine. I was not expecting it the first round. Now I am.

[You have been warned. He knows a thing or two about being annoying.]

[ Oh my god she does hear that silly smile in his voice. That's kind of adorable? Ami likes this dude already. ]

[ She grins wickedly. ] Well, all right then. Just remember, you asked for it!

[ So they do the other three races, it continues to be a trainwreck (but with cars), and everyone has lots of fun. Ami may not win the Grand Prix, but the real trophy was the friend she made along the way. ]

Let's partyyyyyyy! [open]

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