queenofheartsrp | [action/video]

[action/video]

[Now that the automaton invasion has been mostly taken care of at the fortress, Jessica's out to catch up with people. She's been around, Bulbasaur in tow, and has settled down for lunch near the ferris wheel. The bulbasaur is occasionally tugging her toward the ride, occasionally walking toward it and looking back at her expectantly. Jessica doesn't move from her seat on a rock.]

I assure you, there is no chance whatsoever that I'm getting on that with anyone, ever. Well, other than physical threats. Sorry.

[She finishes her meal and turns on the vine.]

Hey, is it just me, or has our population kind of... dropped recently?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yeah, I guess...

[Zenobia what are you smiling about that is unnerving.]

[She looks back at the pamphlet, humming to herself.] Oh, I meant to ask. I don't understand this part about the "ar-cade." A lot of words in this part don't make sense to me.

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that you don't have video games where you're from.

Well, if they have them, I've never seen one. Can I get an explanation, if you don't mind, professor?

Just making sure. Here, it's over this way. C'mon, Bulbasaur.

[She leads Zenobia and a disappointed Bulbasaur toward the arcade, stopping every once in a while to make sure everyone's still following.]

[Zenobia follows, looking at everything curiously.] It's very kind of you to show me in person.

[Shrug] It's a lot easier than trying to explain. Here we go. [She sweeps her arm out to indicate the entryway.] It's... sort of self-explanatory, I think.

[Zenobia walks inside. She looks around and is immediately drawn to the Rainbow Unicorn machine. She just stands there, watching the flashing lights and animations on the screen, not even bothering to touch the controls.]

... ... ...... ... ... ...

[Jessica follows at a small distance.]

...normally you're supposed to play them, but if you're down with just watching, I guess that works, too.

Oh, right. It is a game after all, I guess? Um... [She places her hands on the buttons.] ... ... ... Oh, this one says "Start." [She presses it.]

So... "z" is double jump and "x" is rainbow dash... um...

[The game starts.} Oh, it does! This button makes the creature jump! ... [The unicorn falls in the pit.] It... got its head severed? What kind of device is this?

I don't really play that one a lot. Or any of the ones here, except sometimes Oregon Trail. Except that one sucks because people don't die in it anymore.

... ... I'm not sure what this means... [Starts playing again.] What are these numbers that add up? Where is this creature traveling to? ...I see. So you have to press this x button right before you collide with the stars or the creature will perish. Huh.

That's your score, and up there is your lives. You lose those when you die, and if you lose all of them, you have to start all over.

And... right. It's traveling right.

This ballad that the machine is playing while all this goes on is soothing. It kind of contradicts all the decapitating and falling off of cliffs, don't you think? ...So the beast has multiple lives... but when I lose them all, it seems just fine. Or is this a different beast?

But then the score resets... hmm...

And yes, it's traveling right, but I assume it eventually gets somewhere interesting, right? Like maybe its looking for another beast to cuddle up with or something?

I guess it's a different one that looks the same? I dunno, I never thought really hard about logic in video game setup beyond "Go right and don't die."

Like I said, I don't play that one, so I haven't really gotten anywhere with it. Knowing this place, maybe?

I smashed the star and jumped, but there was a block of land on the top of the screen, and I jumped right into it and died. This landscape is more treacherous than it looks.

So, this box-thing... is called a video game? And it is here for fun, I guess? I can't think of any other purpose, unless guiding these beasts generates energy or something. But the layout of the landscape seems made to be challenging...

It's totally useless entertainment. Well, I guess one could make an argument for increasing reflexes or maybe hand-eye coordination, but that's mostly just excuses.

What!? That's not fair... I went so far and then that star came out of no-where! Okay, I've got to try one more time.

Some of these lyrics really make me feel warm inside. "Always, I wanna be with you, make believe with you, and make-believe with you, and live in harmony..."

Yeah... so, you look like you've pretty much got the hang of it, so I'll just leave you to it...

[Zenobia loses again.] No, I'm done with this thing. [For now. I'll have to come again...]. ...What are those smaller boxes in the corner? [She points to the computers.] Are they more video games?

[She turns back from the door.] Some of them. Dumbed-down Oregon Trail, like I said. There's also some internet stuff, but it's just as useful as the rest of the stuff in here.

[Zenobia goes over to investigate.] Hmm, this one has words on it. "Romance is the pleasurable feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.

In the context of romantic love relationships, romance usually implies an expression of one's love, or one's deep emotional desires to connect with another person."

Wikipedia. [She doesn't bother to check it.] Of course, that's the only page that works. Real subtle, the Queen.

Odd. It ends in the middle of the table of contents. [Zenobia paws at the screen]. How do I turn the page?

Well, maybe she has a reason for wanting people to "hook up." Maybe something good will happen.

[She does not sigh as she heads over to Zenobia's computer. It's tempting, but people who're deprived of video games and computers deserve sympathy. She takes the mouse and jiggles it.] The mouse here controls your cursor. Use the cursor to hit the scroll bars here.

I... really doubt that. Especially with the kidnapping thing.

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