Pilot Episode 0.5 - Surprises
Episode 0.5 - Surprises
October 2
Sunset was the last up after her late evening out with her friends. It was almost lunch time by the time she dragged herself out of bed. She was greeted cheerfully by Himari and Missus Nakamura, Mister Nakamura was on an errand. When he got back, he had lunch in his arms.
“I assume you had a good day yesterday?” Mister Nakamura asked Sunset as they sat down to eat.
“It was a blast,” Sunset replied with a wide smile. “It was good to see my friends and it was good to not focus on school. Just eight teenage girls doing what we do. Natsuki’s parents are at a job-related conference this weekend and her younger siblings were with the grandparents, so Natsuki had a break and we had the house to ourselves.”
“That sounds like a relaxing time for you all,” Missus Nakamura said.
“It was odd for a bit, because they have an interesting house rule,” Sunset said. “They don’t speak Japanese inside the house. Both of Natsuki’s parents teach English. Her father teaches at UTokyo, so they keep their dual linguistic minds sharp by designating the house as an English zone. Of course, that is what helped Dash and Natsuki bond. That and the volleyball team. It was interesting switching back to English for a day.”
“It sounds like it was a good break for the seven of you though,” Mister Nakamura stated. “It can’t be easy to make such a switch. And the time Natsuki got with friends sounds like the break she needed from her family.”
Sunset chuckled. “Two sets of twins. One set in second grade, the other in sixth. Apparently, it gets rowdy.”
“I can imagine,” Missus Nakamura said. “I grew up with four siblings and I was the middle child. It is a very different lifestyle than only having a child or two.”
“Did you make any other follow up plans?” Mister Nakamura asked.
“Well, sort of,” Sunset replied. “There is a new video game launching in a few weeks. Natsuki and Dash convinced us to try and get copies so we can all play together. It’s not direct contact, but the game system is that new NerveGear and its premier game, Sword Art Online. We’d be together, virtually. Kind of the same thing, but not.”
“I didn’t take you for a gamer,” Mister Nakamura commented. “Not that being a gamer is bad. I remember when video game systems were first coming out. I was in college when the home systems hit the market. I spent my fair share of time in front of the TV, exploring the new and exciting worlds that were brought to life with the new media. And that was well before you could play with friends from the comfort of your own home. The NerveGear system really changes that interaction between the player, game, and friends. People can really connect with the NerveGear unlike before.”
"It does," Sunset Shimmer shrugged. "Gaming is only a part of my life. I often prefer to pick up my guitar rather than a controller. I was running a gaming stream, but that is on pause while I am here. It would be interesting if I could stream playing SAO when I get back home.”
“That would be very interesting,” Mister Nakamura said. “You would become pretty famous, quickly. A lot of people would want to see that.”
“It would,” Sunset said with a chuckle. “I have to get a copy first. The whole plan hinges on us being able to score seven copies of a limited release all across Japan. Ten-thousand are being sold to start. Natsuki was lucky, she got to be a beta tester for Sword Art Online and it also meant she could buy it when the beta was over. She just has to wait for the server to be opened up to play. Our consensus is that it would be fun and allow us more of an opportunity to get together, since we are so busy with clubs and school, and we are a bit spread out in our locations. If we don’t all get copies, they hopefully will release another wave of copies before we leave when they know if the server can handle it.”
"I think it is a wonderful idea," Mister Nakamura replied with a grin. "It will give you something else to do outside of school. And time with your friends is key. Plus, you will meet people from all over Japan, not just Tokyo. The gamer culture in Japan is an interesting one as well. You will learn a lot.”
“I just hope we can get copies,” Sunset replied. “It sounds like half of the population wants one.”
“I have heard of the game,” Mister Nakamura admitted. “The entire system is revolutionary. Ten-thousand players all logging in at once will be a huge stress on any server because of the amount of data exchanged between the rig and the server. They want to prevent the system from being overloaded and crashing, which would hurt sales and the hype they have been crafting. I hope you all can get copies. I don’t think they will run another release before you leave.”
October 4
Sunset put her backpack on after changing back into her school uniform following the Iaido club ending for the day. She had gotten a text mid-morning from Mister Nakamura saying he had a surprise for her. It was a Tuesday. Usually, a surprise came on Thursday or Friday, and had something they would do the next day or night. On a Tuesday, or Wednesday, a cultural event was unlikely. And if they were going to attend a dinner, he wouldn't frame it as a surprise. For both dinners they had attended, he had always texted her a straightforward message. One dinner had been meeting Missus Nakamura’s parents.
Sunset made it home before Mister Nakamura, as usual. Missus Nakamura had not heard anything about a surprise, so she was no help. Sunset just went to her room to do some homework while she waited.
It wasn't long before he came home at his usual time. Sunset found him at the door juggling the car keys he was trying to put away and a big gift bag. He had taken the car to work, like he did every Tuesday to keep it running well. It was the most use the car had ever gotten since Sunset had come to visit. The road trip to visit his parents was still being planned. They lived in a small, country village which would be a very different side of Japan to visit.
Mister Nakamura finally stepped into his slippers and into the house proper. His smile was big as he saw her. "Now, to preface this, it isn't just for you. I have enough for everyone."
Sunset took the extended gift bag and opened it. She pulled out a big grey cardboard box. It was a NerveGear rig. They were on the shelf and had been for several months. Taped to the side was a plastic case, slightly smaller than a DVD case but the same design. "Sword Art Online" was on the face with a fantastic digital image of a fantasy setting with a floating castle of iron in the sky.
Sunset looked up at Mister Nakamura. The game wasn't set to release for sale for three more weeks. Copies were not even shipped out to stores yet, so that they didn’t get stolen or held to the side for customers. A store wouldn’t know exactly how many they got until a few hours ahead of the opening. There was no way he could have gotten one.
He replied to her stunned and questioning look. "I may have mentioned to my co-workers yesterday about your interest in the game, as well as your friends’ interest. One of them must have talked to someone they knew in Argus. This was dropped off today for me, well you, with two stipulations. First, Argus wants a review from each of you. They will schedule that for a time before you leave and after you have had some time to play. The second is that it has to stay a secret outside of the eight of you knowing, because it is technically an early release. It seems that someone in Argus wanted to take advantage of seven foreign exchange students to help breach the market outside of Japan over the next year or two."
"A review?" Sunset laughed. "A review is the least we could do for this gift. The same with staying quiet. We can keep that a secret."
Sunset squealed a bit and then her reflexes kicked in and she hugged Mister Nakamura. She composed herself and apologized with a slight bow.
"No worries," he replied with a warm smile. "I am happy for you and your friends. Why don't you invite them over for dinner tomorrow, plus the other one you will be playing with? I believe her name was Natsuki. I know we met your friends briefly, but we should have had them over well before this date. For our next exchange student, I will make sure we do that."
"I will," Sunset said, whipping out her phone. "But I think we will leave the reveal of the surprise for after you get home from work."
"I would enjoy that," Mister Nakamura replied.
"I don't mean to push a topic, it seems no one breaches for a reason," Sunset said, hesitating to calculate if it was worth it. "I mean no disrespect, but I don't know what you do, outside of working for the government. How does that have anything to do with Argus or Sword Art Online?"
"I work for their telecommunications bureau," Mister Nakamura explained. "My job is pretty quiet and peaceful. I am a bureaucrat, plain and simple. Argus has been hot news because of the NerveGear's impact in the telecommunications sphere, and we have been working with them on some network logistics and other regulations and such they had to meet. There are not many regulations yet because it is all so new, but someone from Argus always seems to be around on some business, even if it is just sweet-talking us or making us feel important. I didn't ask anyone at Argus for the game or NerveGear rigs, I don't know who did, but I was chatting with several coworkers about your interest yesterday, just catching up over the weekend, and there is a chance one of Argus' employees may have been present in the area? My coworkers are always wondering about how the exchange program is going. It is the most exciting interpersonal thing to happen in the office in the past five years. Before this, the big talk was two co-workers in different groups of the telecommunications bureau dating and then getting married. I do believe some others are thinking about becoming exchange parents from our conversations.
“Either way, someone at Argus believes it is a smart investment to get some exchange students' input and reviews. It will help them prepare for other nation's markets. It is a wise play on their part."
"I'm glad I'm entertaining," Sunset playfully rebutted. "My friends will be thrilled and certainly will agree to give them reviews or any follow-ups about it. I can see how it is valuable information to a company. My game stream would get sponsorship offers all the time for new releases. I didn’t take very many, but they asked for the same kind of input."
Mister Nakamura chuckled happily. "Not much excitement happens in my job. Fiber optic cables were exciting and the next generation of cell phones always has us talking for a few days, but Argus has caused a storm. It will pass, but not anytime soon. You have been a fun light to bring to the job. It has been a pleasure having you join our family. We all talk about our kids and spouses, but an exchange student is a first. It is fun being the popular one for having a life that isn’t normal, in a good way."
"I am honored to be a part of your family," Sunset replied with a bow. "It is nice to hear that you brag about me to your coworkers like I am your own daughter."
"I am honored to be able to,” Mister Nakamura replied with a slight bow back. “I have the rest of the rigs and games in my car. Will you help me get them? And then it should be time for dinner."
"Of course," Sunset replied with a nod. "I can text my friends about tomorrow's dinner on the way down to the car."
The others got back to her quickly. They were all on board for dinner the next night. Sunset had neglected to tell them she had a surprise, because it was hard enough not blowing it to her friends. It was not going to be an easy day at school tomorrow either.
October 5
It was nice having her friends over to the house, but difficult to not spring the surprise. Staying silent all day at school had been difficult too. Staying focused on school was also tough. Sunset hadn’t even hinted that there was a surprise coming. That had been really grueling.
Once Mister Nakamura got home, Sunset went to get the gift bags hidden in the closet. He helped and they gave each of them one except for Natsuki. They assured her she would understand in a minute. The others waited for permission and then together opened their bags. Natsuki understood immediately why she hadn't been given one. They all were shocked and grateful.
Mister Nakamura let them celebrate briefly and then calmed them down to explain how Argus most likely learned about them, and the two stipulations on the gift.
"That sounds like a lopsided trade, in our favor," Rarity stated.
"They will use the reviews to break out into international markets," Mister Nakamura explained. "I believe they are getting the better deal out of this. Your information will pave the way for their initial marketing tactics in new countries. Marketing research is very expensive, breaking into a new market is even more so. I don’t think I could put a price on the value each of your reviews will be worth, but they are getting a very fair deal out of it. It is a win all around."
"A review is certainly the least we could do," Applejack said.
All of their phones buzzed or chimed except for Rainbow Dash's. Everyone looked at the odd one out. Dash shrugged. "I just set up the group chat for the game because you know we will have to talk about this. We can't tell other people but we can plan. And we have our very own booster, Natsuki, who was a beta tester! We can totally start off ahead of the others because of it."
"A reminder,” Natsuki stipulated. “I never made it off the first floor. I fought the boss three times, and failed each time. If I hadn't been running solo, I would have gotten to higher floors, but I never bonded with anyone in the game. My info will be limited to the starting area.”
“Well, you have a good group here to make a big party so we can beat that first boss,” Applejack said.
“Party size is restricted to six members,” Natsuki added. “But we can use two parties of four when we are all online together and, at some point, guilds will be able to be created. Then we can really be together, regardless of party structure.”
They were unable to continue as Missus Nakamura announced that dinner was ready. The dining room table had to be used to seat all of them. It was a fun meal and Missus Nakamura made sure she made an impression on them with her culinary skills. Rarity had been jealous of Sunset’s school lunches and had been looking forward to dinner. Pinkie Pie was asking a lot of food questions, trying to learn from her.
Having copies of Sword Art Online was fun, and important, but it was much more satisfying having her friends over. The house had never been as lively as it was, but it wasn’t a bad lively. As still as he often seemed, Mister Nakamura knew how to laugh and make jokes. After dinner, they even pulled out his original game console and things turned old school. There was experience in his hands and mind that shocked everyone as he outperformed them all with practiced ease.
Things didn’t go too late because they had school in the morning and Mister Nakamura had work. They were able to post up a lot of fun photos taken over the evening to their joint account. They couldn’t share the news about playing SAO, but that was okay. They would be able to make posts the day of the release and after. So far, they had not missed a day posting to the account and their followers were adoring all of the updates; be they friends, CHS classmates, family, or others who supported them in their fundraising endeavors.
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Sunset got hit with the early name change again in this paragraph and the second paragraph below it.
Argus has some spies around, are we sure they weren't supposed to be named Argo? Still, it does at least neatly sidestep the issue of getting seven copies, so hopefully Nats will go let the guy that spoke to last chapter know not to worry about getting copies any longer without spilling the beans.
"I don't mean to push a topic, it seems no one breaches for a reason," Subset said, hesitating to calculate if it was worth it.
I think this is a Sunset
Marking research is very expensive, breaking into a new market is even more so.
And I think this is marketing
Very exciting reveal of the NerveGear, let's see what happens next!
11570809
Thanks! Fixed!
Oh man, I feel sorry for Mr. Nakamura. He's going to feel awful for getting the Rainbooms the NerveGear rigs and the game copies once the death game starts. Okay, he may not have jumped through hoops to get them, but I still get the feeling he's going to feel some sort of guilt for his role in getting them...
11571242
He will certainly feel bad. The whole family will. It's none of their faults, but that won't help much.
How very generous of them.
You know, the fact that Mister Nakamura is treating Sunset like his own daughter leads me to believe that he is going to be VERY pissed off when she and her friends wind up trapped in SAO. He will also most likely feel somewhat responcible since he was the one who gave the girls the NerveGears and SAO. I have not even gotta to the trapped part yet and i already feel sorry for the guy. I hope he and his family watch over Sunset in the hopspital while she's diving in SAO
11604982
The family does grow on you quite quickly.