Sixth Curse

[bondsofsuffering]

[Video/Action for Cancer Ward Arcade]

[Hey guess who's calling during work at a game center? If you guess Hizumi, you are 100% correct. He's got an extremely excited!!! expression as he talks, having clearly made the most wonderful of discoveries and being eager to share them with the world.]

Great news Hinoto-Ri! According to studies, playing video games can reduce stress-- going off of that, if you happen to be suffering from stress due to unexpected demonic kidnappings, playing some video games to let off some steam is a fantastic solution. And it just so happens, the arcade is pretty much empty right now, so what better time to drop by and try to heal some of that trauma?

...Also, if anyone brings me snacks, I'll seriously owe you one.

[Please. He's hungry and bored and desperately needs someone to pester.]

Comments

[bondsofsuffering]

Ah... Yeah, that'd explain it. It took a long time for relations to get better - and that was when it wasn't getting way, way worse.

[Putting it nicely.]

[hachitaro]

Yeah. Let's not talk about that part.

[Just. No. We're not going there.]

This is supposed to be a fun outing, anyway.

[otakuro]

[DELICIOUS FOOD AT YOUR COMMAND actually it is wasabi potato chips Atsuro had made a grave miscalculation while shopping earlier this week and now he desires to spread the pain.

He shows up at the arcade within the next 15 minutes or so.]

Hey, Hizumi!

[bondsofsuffering]

Fair enough.

Know what kind of pizza you're in the mood for?

[bondsofsuffering]

[Wow Atsuro way to be a jerk.

There's a small flurry of movement when he enters - it may have looked, just for a moment, that Hizumi was resting his head on the counter. But obviously that can't be right because now he's sitting up straight with as bright a smile as ever.]

Hey! About time you got here!

[otakuro]

[Whether or not Hizumi wanted to rest his head on the counter wasn't exactly Atsuro's business. He makes his way inside with a wave.]

I brought snacks.

[Have some wasabi potato chips. ...And OK, he brought a normal bag, too.]

So you're really that bored, huh...?

[frequent_flyer]

[The more Otonashi talked, the lower Hinata's stomach sunk. This all sounded like... a lot more work than he was willing to put in for a job that didn't pay well. Especially since he had to juggle this along with Yuri's insane whims and his own strict diet of video games back at his apartment.]

Should... I ask if there are any musicians here? [He seems to miss the point about Iwasawa's crowd drawing abilities, assuming it was specifically the guerrilla concert part that Otonashi was referring to.]

[Hizumi's sarcastic remarks and lack of input are bothering him, he rounds on the "nice" green-haired kid.]

W-well how else are we supposed to get people to come here!?

[bondsofsuffering]

[So of course he goes for the normal ones first.]

Thanks! And... Well, yeah. Arcade's dead today for some reason, so I don't even have anyone to play around with.

[Munch crunch crunch.]

[trainwrecking]

Ahh, I don't have very many friends...

[Quality over quantity, right? And unfortunately, none of them are musicians.]

Um, Hinata... Do you think you could start a music group--some other talent, just something that people would want to see or do-- the same way you start a baseball team...? You wouldn't need as many people, and you were moderately successful...

Unless someone else has a better idea? [Music is just an easy go-to, and performances are attention grabs.]

[hachitaro]

Something weird. Like weirder than Hawaiian pizza.

[otakuro]

Maybe you scared them all away with your Taiko master skills. I know I feel depressingly inadequate when I'm around you now.

[Atsuro rudely reaches into the bag while Hizumi is still grabbing from them.]

[bondsofsuffering]

That’s up to you to figure out. You’re the one who wanted it, so don’t wimp out now that it’s tougher than you thought it was going to be.

[…Not that this was the entire point of the conversation or anything.]

…Haah, I guess I could try to come up with something interesting on a harmonica if it came down to it, but… You [He stares rather pointedly at Hinata] -have to be ready to put in a lot of work. A plan like this won't get off the ground unless you're willing to put in the hours.

[And then he looks to Otonashi.]

As long as we attract attention, a jingle should be fine on its own, right?

[bondsofsuffering]

Heeeh… Now I’m kind of curious!

[bondsofsuffering]

Then they should've taken the time while I was gone to sneak in a high score! It's the perfect opportunity to do that, right?

[He doesn't seem to mind, so long as he still gets his chips.]

[Video]

[capitalbackup]

It was for research. [For that "date" thing.]

[otakuro]

...Maybe they rigged the Taiko machine to shoot processed cheese at you the next time you came to play.

[Atsuro would totally pay to see that.]

[hachitaro]

Have you ever put apple slices on a pizza? It's actually really good.

[Video]

[bondsofsuffering]

...Ah.

[Yeah, that sounds closer to what he'd expect.]

Can I ask what you were researching?

[Video]

[capitalbackup]

How to get someone to go out, have fun and pick up a hobby.

[The oddest thing she ever agrees to...]

[bondsofsuffering]

Uwah-- that'd be scary!

...But why cheese?

[bondsofsuffering]

Apple slices? Seriously?

[Video]

[bondsofsuffering]

Let me guess: a Velvet Room request?

[Video]

[capitalbackup]

Correct. Caroline requested that I helped William to go out and have fun.

[Basically a date.]

[frequent_flyer]

[Hinata's little suggestion had gained power, feeding on the blood of the innocent until it was a giant, unbeatable beast ravaging the arcade and most of the tri-city area.]

[There was no way out now.]

I could... try asking around... [Being forced to do things he didn't want to do for the sake of companionship... this all seemed very familiar to him.] Are there any holidays or anything coming up next month? We could make it tie into that maybe...

[otakuro]

When you beat people's high scores, they get cheesed off. Duh.