15

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[In search for a distraction, Natsuki has been wandering the castle. Outside seems too cold, the Seasons Room isn't open, the library...hah. As if. She was at the gym earlier, any attempts at cooking are hazardous to everybody in the general vicinity of the kitchen, and....well. She's found herself in the Games Room.

After idly playing a bit of Bac-Man for the hell of it, her attention is drawn by the ostentatious display centered around a 4-arrow pad as the rather annoying announcer keeps asking if she's got what it takes to play some DDR.]

Comments

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

...!

[oh shi-- the song starts without him, and he quickly catches onto the the fact that he is supposed to play RIGHT NOW, because he is rapidly losing. Fumbling into place on the little stage, he immediately fights to catch up... looking mostly at his feet]

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

Keep your eyes on the screen! [being totally helpful]

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

I am! [he's not. But he's at least trying now. Technically, he's actually pretty good... but his timing is completely off]

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

Then why is the game booing at you?

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

I don't know!

[you are the best teacher ever, Natsuki. ...How did you trick him into this again?]

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[man, this advice giving thing is hard]

Maybe we should've started on Beginner.

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

[his reply is just a wordless angry noise as he fights to keep up with the game. It's pretty apparent that he's falling into all of the new gamer pitfalls-- trying to make up for ones that he missed by hitting them again, moving too fast and hitting the arrows as soon as they appear instead of waiting, etc...]

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[waiting for the song to end, because yelling out 'be patient' doesn't seem likely to work]

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

[she doesn't have to wait long. It ends, proudly proclaiming Zuko's abysmal score! ...leaving him fuming.]

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[sternly reminding herself that it would be counterproductive to laugh]

There are slower songs, if you don't like this one.

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

This thing is broken.

[he's just mad... and mad at the fact that he's mad at something stupid like this. Trying really hard to repress the urge to punch through the screen]

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

You were just unready. Try it again. [small smile; totally her fault]

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

[urge rising!]

I don't want to try it again!

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[oh so subtly glances at your score, still displayed in garish colors on the screen]

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

...

[how did it come to this? He was the prince of the goddamn Fire Nation, for crying out loud. He commanded his own war ship, spent his time hunting the Avatar down across the world...

...and now, here he was, stuck in the basement of a magical castle, struggling to try and beat a stupid game]

...Fine.

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

Tap X when you're ready.

[half a smile] Just keep calm this time.

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

[keep calm, she says. Glaring daggers at the stupid screen, he presses the stupid button, and waits for his stupid turn to start. ...At least he's actually attempting to pay attention to when the arrows hit the top, this time.]

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[sort of wondering if you'll eventually set the thing on fire. Also wondering if she should've started with Ping or something.]

Oh yeah. Remember to hold down the arrow if it's a long note.

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

[...there is a sprinkler system down here, right?]

--What? [taking his eyes off the screen]

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[...for electrical fires?]

If the arrow is stretched out, keep pressing down on the button.

[wondering if you've noticed that you just missed like, 30 arrows]

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

[it might be needed, soon]

Wait-- argh! [....yeah, he noticed]

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[this is why we can't have nice things :|]

We can try an easier game if you want.

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

Stop saying that!

[he's trying... stupid game...]

[sexyhitchhiker.livejournal.com]

[shuts up for a bit. And then...]

For those, you have to step on both arrows at the same time.

[honorinflames.livejournal.com]

[he's so focused... his reply is a growl-- and he miraculously shifts what he's doing and actually gets it, without really thinking about it!]