I walked into the bar to find business-as-usual for the most part. Some of the musicians were setting up their instruments and the tech, others were sitting around with everyone else eating and drinking and talking, and the violinist was fighting the trumpeter at the arcade machine. Personally, fighting games have never been my forte...at least, not standard Capcom six-buttons. Mostly, the problem is in the special moves-I struggle with stick rotations, and “complex” AKA “Shoryuken” motions are downright impossible for me. Dial-a-combos are the only ones I can consistently pull off. I guess my problem is that I’m a pianist and not a violinist (this is a joke), although the brass-lip doesn’t seem to have that problem.
Maybe it’s practice for/with trombone? Or experience playing Big Band.
Regardless, I sit down at an arcade cabinet-encapsulated MAME and select TGM3, settling down for a half hour of “casual” play before I get my keyboard set up. If nothing else, this will loosen up my fingers, get me ready for some of the more insane songs and pieces. (I’m just glad I don’t have to play Dragon Force.)
Nikki was not having the best time. The scanner wasn't picking up anything, despite her clearly knowing there would have to be an anomaly in this world so that she would come here. Couple that with the fact that this world was far off the beaten path, and it not even being a pleasant one...one could be driven mad. A mortal would maybe go for a drink in a situation like this.
Well, drinks don't do it for immortals, but happiness in general can. Nikki found herself drawn to a sign for an "open music night" at a bar, whatever that may be. As if on cue, her "phone" buzzed, indicating what she wanted wasn't too far off. A quick peek told her that a person of interest was in the building anyways; may as well check it out.
I'm no Grandmaster, but I'm close. Even long after its release, this is still the definitive hardcore mode for Tetris...good thing I'm a hardcore gamer as much as I am a hacker. In any case, time to get set up.
While I specialize in software, hardware is a prerequisite for breaking skill ceilings, so by extension I'm pretty good at hooking some of the trickier bits up. This means I have to double as roadie when I'm not outright playing, joy.
Regardless, it's always a fun time to do what I like, whether it's music or tech. I'll just have to ask for negative advances on my tab to keep my energy levels decent. In fact, maybe I should ask about...um...why is my sense of smell doing that? Shit, synesthesia again. Where could the source be?
Lessee...there's a smoker in the back, but there's high amounts of ventilation over there. Alcohol is not totally rampant, and I've been in here long enough to get used to that minor odor. I hear the outside muffled through a person...
I don't hear the person...
There's a person-shaped hole in all of my senses but sight. If I switch my optics, I can't even tell she's there.
If I ever wanted one drink in my life, it would be right now, so that I could either disregard the phenomenon or be courageous enough to ask her about it. But I'm going to remain sober, and possibly confront her about it later. As I previously said, I need to help get things set up...that oughta keep my mind off of things...
Great. Now someone is noticing her. Wasn't he just playing a game? And now he's doing something on the stage.
Well, she didn't want her cover blown, not that anyone would be able to do anything about it. Regardless, better keep an eye on that guy. That man seems somehow important...maybe even what the scanner detected. In that case, she determined, she wouldn't let him out of her sights.
"Bad Apple!"
"Fuck you." After that one virus, I'm not going to play that song again, even though I know it from memory. Fucking Waltz...Oh hey girl I've never seen before. Fancy locking eyes with you again. I swear, if she isn't a spy, I dunno what she is...
After an hour of watching, Nikki decided she wanted to know more about this man, and was glad she was able to receive the knowledge. This "Rez" apparently had quite a history behind him-storied hacker, synesthesiac, savior of the world. Also, as she had seen right in front of her for the past hour and a half, decent roadie and amazing (but not a prodigy by any means) keyboardist.
The coincidences were staggering. But whenever his phone went off, she noticed him suddenly become a bit jumpy. Suddenly his world was bigger than the bar.
"What's so important about that phone?" she muttered.
Hours later...
I've determined it's about time for me to go. That girl is getting suspicious of me, and I'm getting suspicious of her. Seriously, every time I even bust out a slightly offhand reference to Equestria she looks at me funny! Like the "Discord mix" I pulled when someone requested "Gibberish"...or when we were playing Fall Out Boy and I gave a shout out to "the immortals in my life". Anyone who knows me would have thought Eden and not given it a second thought! What gives? And besides, I'm getting tired of taking requests.
And now my phone decides to go off again. Sadly, this time I recognize the signal...the ghost is actually ready to be busted this time. Oddly enough, it's at the exact same time as...
...as her scanner went off. "Maybe he's looking for the same thing I am?"
A few minutes later...
I tried to follow her, but she broke visual contact before I could even ask her a question. So I went home in a hurry, but the whole time I had the distinct feeling I was being watched.