yogen | Ultimate Gamer Birthday

Entry tags:

hanako-kun: nene yashiro

Ultimate Gamer Birthday

who: the Nanamis & you!
what: birthday gaming tournament!
when: March 14th
where: hallways; Game Club
warnings: idk, excessive fun??

A

[ Throughout the first half of the month, after classes (on days when Nanami hasn't been drawn into the forest again), Nanami can be found wandering the halls of Yogen, putting up posters. The posters have crudely drawn illustrations of all sorts of animals on them, for some reason; those with keen eyes may notice they're the exact same style and quality of drawing that has been on most of the posters advertising the school store recently.

GAME CLUB OPEN HOUSE
GAMING TOURNAMENT!!!!
MARCH 14TH AFTER CLASSES

She'll also hand out invitations individually to every single transfer student she can find. Yes, every one. No exceptions. Please say you'll come.

At other times, you may find Nanami playing on her new Game Girl Advance, barely looking where she's going as she wanders the halls. Watch where you walk, or she might bump into you! ]

B

[ After classes on the 14th, the Game Club has been decked out in its finest. The Nanamis really went to town.

There's flags and banners up everywhere to commemorate the event. To the side, a table's packed full of food - snacks, sweets, hot soup, drinks, the works. There's even a cake. (Maybe somebody figured out why the Nanamis chose this date of all days, after all.)

As for the tournament itself, gamers have options! Anybody can challenge people one-on-one or in small groups, of course. But the main tournament has been designed after the Nintendo World Championships. The blackboard displays high scores for three separate events:

DK Jungle Parkway (Mario Kart 64)
Super Smash Bros. 1P (any character)
Bob-omb Battlefield (Summit Star)
The N64 has been hooked up to the television, and anyone is free to play any of the events and record their times on the chalkboard. A winner will be chosen by the end of the night.

Nanami herself has as much energy as anybody's seen her have, jumping back and forth between playing against people on the N64, making sure the tech is still running, and checking on anybody looking a little lost or out of place at the party. She wants everybody to have a good time - so if you're feeling awkward, she'll probably run up to you directly and challenge you to a game, drag you over to the food table, or just warmly greet you and thank you for coming. ]

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[ Probably unsurprisingly, Joe is actually looking for her! He's found one of her flyers, but he also knows what today is. It does take some time, but Joe manages to track her down eventually. Well, not really actually; she ends up bumping into him while playing her game.

He blinks when she does, and he gently puts a hand on her shoulder with a grin to get her attention. ]

Woah there! Careful you don't wanna drop that haha! [ With his other hand, he holds up the flyer. ] This's yours, yeah?

[ Hold on Joe, she's... almost at the end of a level... just a couple more ships.... there!

She finally looks up at him, slowly processing the last couple minutes and what he said. ] ... Mm! Yeah! Can you come?

Mii~! You really pulled out all the stops.

[It's the fourteenth, and while White Day is definitely a thing, she doesn't expect people to remember that specific holiday in particular. Besides, this is much more important.]

I'm not going to lose today! After all, as a representative of the Hinamizawa Games Club, you always have to strive for first place!!

[Makoto had been resting after his experience with his and others' dreamscapes. The reminder of everything that he had been through and how others here had suffered, had been a harrowing experience. And one that he didn't want to repeat any time soon. So when he saw something about a gaming tournament on a poster, he was thrilled to go.

When he entered the room where the game club resides, he gawked at the decorations. The people who set this all up really did a good job! Instantly his worries faded as he beamed, taking in everything. This is really a wonderful sight after everything.

Letting out a small sigh of relief, he looked around and saw the obvious culprits. Both Namami's were deep in their respective tasks, either playing a game or talking to their guests. When he first saw both of them around school, he had been confused. How were there two of them? But perhaps he shouldn't have been surprised. Regardless, he was happy to see them.

Deciding to talk to the one he didn't know much, he walked to the first Nanami and offered her an easy smile.]

Hello Nanami-san. This all looks great! Both of you did a great job!

[Noah walks into the room, sees the cake, registers all the other food, and then walks out. It's not that he doesn't like parties (well, he doesn't, but that's not the point), but rather that he had no idea it was the Nanamis' birthday, and now that he's recovered ~~offscreen~~ from his Doppelganger Fear™ with them, it's time to add to the food on the table.

Which is to say: Noah returns about thirty minutes later with two plates of chocolate chip pancakes with a shitty wax candle crammed into the top of each stack, not lit because he could not find a lighter, but rather there's a small spark of celestial magic on each in lieu of a flame.

He does this for people's birthdays. He'll play games in a minute, he swears. The pancakes are important.]

Hey! Um... happy birthday. I didn't ask if you like pancakes so I hope this is okay...

[ Nanami knows about White Day but hasn't really had a reason to celebrate it before. Not that she usually has a big celebration for her birthday, either - and this isn't really one, at least not intentionally. ]

I've been thinking about doing this for a little while! [ It's like a belated housewarming present to Yogen. And a little bit to herself, too. ]

Hmm, if you're gonna represent like that, then we should definitely play a game to see which Club comes out on top! [ She's just gonna drag Rika over to the N64 and boot up a game of Mario Kart now. This is happening! ]

Ah!

[ She's seen him around! In both schools! But they've been in different classes and never had a chance to talk before. ]

Thank you, kouhai!! [ She beams. (Which class is he in... oh well, she knows what class he was in at Hope's Peak.) ]

Please make yourself comfortable! And thank you for coming.

[ Her head tilts as she considers him. Hmm... the best way she knows how to break the ice is the easiest one, she thinks. ] Hey, do you have a favorite game?

[ She's disappointed when she sees him leave, but she understands. Parties aren't for everybody; things can quickly get overwhelming.

It's too bad... but she makes a mental note to go ask if he wants to play games later. She doesn't want him to miss out.

Half an hour later she's fiddling with the TV's settings to get a clearer picture, and startles with surprise when he returns - with food - and magic?? She sees the candles and her face goes extremely warm. ]

P-pancakes are so good!! They have chocolate in them?? [ She cranes her neck around the old CRT to look closer. ] Th-thank you, Noah! I didn't even tell people it was my birthday...

[Makoto paused in shock at the title, before beaming happily at her. Being called something so normal as a kouhai instead of such reverence or hate, made him feel happy.]

I'm happy to be here. I'm always down to play some video games.

[He looked around at the decorations again in appreciation before looking back at Nanami.]

My favorite game?

[He blinked in shock at the question. Really it wasn't a strange question, especially coming from the Ultimate Gamer. But after everything...he had forgot.]

...I loved playing Mario Cart with my sister.

Ah... playing games with your family sounds like a lot of fun!

[ She wouldn't know. But she can guess, because the 77th was sort of a found family for her, and Yogen is slowly becoming that as well. ]

We have Mario Kart here! Would you like to play a round? What's your favorite track?

[ She's already leading him to the console in front of the big CRT, so she can switch the game cartridge out and start it up. ]

Mario Kart? It's really here?!

[Even with all the evidence pointing to it, he still was surprised by its existence here. Why would a school like this have games here? It didn't seem like the kind of school that cared about its students' mental health. Especially considering how things were here.

Still, he wasn't about to complain about it. It had been so long since he'd played Mario Kart 64. Even before the Tragedy, it wasn't played that much after the newer versions came out, whether by choice or lack of availability. The nostalgia he felt when he saw its title screen was indescribable, filling him with glee.]

Well I sometimes chose Rainbow Road to mess with my sister but if I had to choose...DK's Jungle one.

Um— I kinda parsed it by the party and the cake... I'm glad I was right. Here.

[He passes the plate over, silverware included of course, and he'll pass the other one to the other Nanami if she's nearby too! With that out of the way, Noah casually adds,]

Oh, and the candles aren't actually burning. You should make a wish anyway.

[ This time, the scene in the classroom is real, but Alice half-expects familiar faces not here at all to reappear — he tries not to look for them. He agreed to attend this gathering, after all, an easy promise to keep on such a memorable date, and Chiaki Nanami's bustling about is a reassuring sight. She and her twin sister truly went to great lengths to organize the event, from decorations to refreshments to the selection of games!

Evidently, the tournament isn't only that, but a party, something that Alice may be slightly rusty navigating. It isn't complicated to hover around with a plate and a cup in hand, at least, to hang back and watch. When Nanami is free, he even raises his hand to wave in greeting first.

I'm really glad you could be here — he hasn't forgotten her words, elsewhere. The moment he learns that today is in fact the Nanamis' birthday, he'll regret that he has nothing that would make a good gift. ]

[ Ranger isn't one to partake in tournaments such as this, as he doesn't believe that the majority would want to compete with a computer. He's not bound by a reflex arc in the same way that a human might be, nor imperfect motor skills. It's the same perk that Rei and Maple have. But he had been encouraged to come, and so he watches as people work through the games and record their times. He's used to the role of a spectator.

When Nanami comes over to thank him for coming, he rolls his shoulders in response. It doesn't seem to be too crowded, not with people coming and going as they are, and so for the moment he's able to handle this. ]

I had no reason not to. [ Come, that is. ] Ahaha... You kids seem pretty excited about it.

We have a lot of games! [ While she's starting the game up and setting up two controllers, she slides the box of N64 cartridges over to him. It's stuffed full - Smash Bros., Mario 64, Zelda games, sports games, pretty much anything Naegi can think of - Nanami and the Game Club have been hard at work collecting.

Meanwhile Nanami navigates over to the Special Cup and hits start. She passes her kouhai a controller. ] Jungle Parkway's actually part of the tournament, if you want to record your time!

[ Nanami stares transfixed at the glowing, as she tends to be whenever Noah does a magic. She tilts her head, considering... screws up her eyes as she thinks of a wish.

Then blows out the candle - if that can even be done with magic like this. ]

Mm... I didn't mean it to be. I just wanted everybody to have a good time. [ She scuffs her feet, a bit embarrassed.

But she does take a bite, and her eyes widen. IT'S GOOD. ] Ah... thank you so much!! And thank you for coming, that really means a lot...!!

[ She's happy to see him when he waves her down, but it's a smile with a hint of embarrassment, because she remembers the last time they were in a similar situation... ]

Thank you for coming... again, Alice-san. [ She swallows her embarrassment and gives him a warmer smile. She has to be a good host! ] Please make yourself at home! Is there a game you'd like to play?

[ She beams at him. ] I've been wanting to do this for a while... sorry for taking over the whole club space for an afternoon, though!

[ She bounces on her feet. She doesn't really get to play against Ranger that often. ] Are you going to participate in the tournament?

It's fine. I don't see anyone complaining. Not like they weren't invited.

[ Or if they are, that's their problem. Either way, Rio doesn't care. As for the tournament... ]

I dunno that I should be joining in though. I figured I'd let you kids fight for the top spot.

[ It's said lightly, without any malice. There are some pretty competitive people running around. ]

[ It's true. Nanami invited literally everybody in the school. Including a personal invitation to everybody in Game Club. ]

Hmm... what if you did the tournament, but then wrote down the scores just for you? Then when we do it again, you can see if your time improves!

[ She doesn't want him to feel left out. This way he can choose to post his scores if he wants to... but either way, he still gets to play. ]

It's already not fair cause there's the two of us [ pointing at her twin ] and Hinata-kun. [ Three nerds with Ultimate Gamer talent. ] But the point is just to have fun! So one way or another you should definitely join in if you want to!

[It can't quite be done, blowing out magic, but Noah happily makes the magic flicker out in time with Nanami's breath so that it looks that way.]

I'm just glad I figured it out. It's your birthday, so we should be celebrating you, too.

[He just wishes he could give a gift or something. He doesn't quite have anything worthwhile, so pancakes will have to do.]

I hope it's been okay so far.

[Makoto stared at the cartridges in awe as he sat down on the floor with the controller in hand. There were so many games to play! So many trips to a better time.]

I-I...Are you sure?

[Holding the controller in his hand reverently, he clicked the button slowly and stared at the screen blink into life in shock. It looked the same as when he was a child. He could almost see Komaru pushing him for her turn on it. Unexpectedly, tears started to gather in his eyes as he started to play.

Memories of his sister fighting him for her turn on the console, their parents staring at them with adoring exasperation...It was almost too much.]

T-Tell me if I'm taking too much time on it. I don't mind w-waiting my turn.

[Just the ability to see it being used again was a blessing.]

Of course, the day has finally arrived... Now all of Yogen High School shall witness an unforgettable gaming tournament!

[ They seem to be thinking along the same lines, but that's hardly a reason for Chiaki Nanami to be embarrassed! Alice, for his part, has decided to treat their experience as a preview of the real event. Perhaps today will be a timely distraction for some.

Besides, if anything, it's a relief that it wasn't a case of his mind fabricating the entire thing on its own — their wishes merely intersected, in the forest. Here, in the waking world, it surprises him somewhat that Chiaki Nanami looks no less happy when he makes his entrance, despite her self-consciousness. It's genuine. It goes beyond being polite and serious about being a good host, given that she could easily excuse herself whenever she pleases to focus on her friends, not to mention her sister.

Lowering his hand, Alice glances at the television to consider his options. He'd been prepared to wait in line! ]

I've made my decision... I'll choose Mario Kart...!

[ Joe patiently waits for her to finish before nodding with a big grin. ]

You betcha! I wouldn't miss it for anything hehe!

[ He glances down briefly at the flyer again before looking back up. ]

Actually I came to find you to see if you needed any help! With the set up and stuff I mean. I'm not good for a lot, but I can move stuff!

Oh!! [ She thinks. There's not a ton to do... but, well, she does have to set up the food, and the games, and decorations and-- actually maybe there is a lot. ]

Please! Yes! I was on my way-- [ Sort of, meanderingly. ] Mm, the food's all in the dorm fridge, let's go get that first!

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Ultimate Gamer Birthday

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