Mar 22 15:30:00 107 PA - Monkey Business

From Chronicles

Mid afternoon Wednesday is a middling time for Monkey Business, but it's still noisy and there are enough people around to consider it a crowd of the small variety. mostly young kids or those with the air of the Dregs on them. And some older sorts who still enjoy games. Vixen is at one of her favorite machines and is deep in the zone. Ultima Fighter 7 is the flashy title emblazoned on the game, with two places for players and a broad screen that lets lookers on get a good eyeful. Your typical fighting game it is, if you don't find having dozens of prospective warriors to be unusual. Caricatures of Coalition soldiers, juicers, mages, mentalists, d-bees and monsters forming the bulk of the characters. Vixen is playing alone right now, but is energetic enough as she controls a lithe, magic wreathed character named Mytica, hurling magical death as she leaps and flips about the screen. Not that this is much different from any of the characters, who do the same thing in different ways.

Drawn perhaps by the noise, or perhaps just out of clear exploration, Zyvis enters into the arcade and takes a look around. While armored he is not however, wearing his helmet this time. Perhaps enjoying the air some rather than having to be stifled all the time. Everything seems to hold his attention for at least a little bit, the whole idea of the place seems to be somewhat unusual for him. It's the games that aren't about fighting that hold his attention the most. The shooters, sure, target practice. The virtual fighters, sure, general knowledge of what tactics might be useful in a hand to hand fight. Bubbles that pop when a fish spits at them and drop little prizes that have to be caught... those he can't seem to puzzle out.

"That's right, fucker, get in close," Vixen murmurs, her tone rough and her eyes tightly narrowed on the screen. She works the machine with perhaps more seriousness than most, posture tense, but not slow to react as she snaps buttons and swivels the joystick in smooth sweeps as she pulls off moves. She knows this character well as she seems to snap off her moves rapidly and in a smooth sequence. The computer opponent responds just as swiftly. THe difficulty level currently high, but she can hang on. She still utters low, firm curses as she plays.

The sound of a familiar voice tears Zyvis' attention away from the video game he was watching a seven year old destroy with abandon and he shakes his head to himself, apparently still not sure what a game like that does. He looks around and then heads over towards the video game that Vixen is playing on, looking up at the big screen as he just stands behind her, not wanting to interrupt her enjoyment of the game, or distract her and make her lose the battle.

Might seem like not much could distract her with the tight focus she holds. The two characters on the screen dancing back and forth. Her opponent some manner of rabid dog boy, by the looks of the overly muscled, frenzied fighting creature that she faces off against. But skill and overdone, almost comical magic wins out as Vixen beats past the beast's defenses, juggling away the last bit of his life. No flashy finisher, but she does win. "Hell yeah!" She grins broadly, her fist punched out at the screen, though stopping just before it might contact. It seems that was the final opponent for this play, since it goes through some manner of victory sequence after, but she doesn't pay much attention to it. Old news to her, perhaps.

"A smart Dog Boy would have backed off rather than face a sorcerer on their own." Zyvis' notes, "I've seen it happen. They travel in groups of two or alone through the burbs, wearing normal clothes and not appearing to be soldiers until they've sniffed a promissing target out." He shrugs a bit, "I also don't recognize the spells used in that battle, nor have I faced a sorcerer that agile while being that busty." He notes all of this in a serious tone, a slight frown on his features.

Vixen glances towards Zyvis as he speaks, her brows lifted slightly. "Are you being serious? It's just a game. You ever seen a dog boy that looks like that?" She grins and leans against the machine. "They've got a stalker character in this game. But you might not like it. The makers of the game.. they like to take stereotypes and push them to make interesting characters. Usually offensive characters, but they're interesting, at least." She tilts her head, considering the man.

"Some." Zyvis admits, "I believe they were taken from Rottweiler stock, but with much less slobber." He shrugs a bit, "How others portray my race doesn't concern me. We are as we are, and that is that." He smiles, "It would take much more charismatic people than I to try and change the minds of millions. Not that I have any real reason to." He looks back towards the game, "One thing I am not certain of, is if this is a battle simulation why is it so unrealistic?" Trust a psi-stalker to think a game has to be used for hunting or war.

Vixen smirks a little and shakes her head. "It's not a simulation.. its a game for recreation." She motions at the controls. "All that's going to do is give you sore fingers. Maybe up your hand/eye, but I'm sure lots of people will debate that." She shrugs, as it it doesn't matter. "For me, its stress relief. Pour some aggression into this and it won't go other places. THis is an arcade. Games for fun.. not some sort of battle simulation place. Ever done something just for fun? Not for food or for hunting and living and surviving.. something that had nothing to do with any of that."

Zyvis shakes his head, "No. Well, yes." He gestures at the game, "But not like this. I much enjoy talking with new people and exploring new places. I discovered that when I was walking here from the Burbs, so many new places and things to see. I was almost sorry when I arrived." He then speaks matter of factly, "And there is always sex for purely recreational reasons as well. Again," He looks around at all the various games then he changes tracks apparently, "It seems I am not wired properly to understand a place like this." But then he's never seen a movie either.

Vixen smirks at the mention of sex. "Well, I'll give you a little clue. It's best when its more than just for fun. Emotions.. they're big." She then glances around and motions for him to come along with her. "I think you should play a game. And I have tokens left. Something simple to start, like this one." She leads him to a nearby game with the simple title, 'Deadboy Bomber'. It's a simple top down shooter with the requisite single ship that can be moved about the scrolling screen, shooting down sprites in teh shape of various Coalition aircraft and drop bombs on ground craft. "This one is pretty simple, just one button to shoot, another to drop bombs. And the stick, of course."

"Of course it is." Zyvis says with a frown, folding his arms across his chest. "I thought we had already cleared up that Psi-Stalkers do indeed have emotions." He seems to show little interest in the video game however. He opens his mouth to say something else but then decides not to, shakes his head and turns to head for the exit.

"Yeah, I mean more than just play.." Vixen pauses as he turns to go. "Hey, not even going to try it?" She furrows her brow, then turns to go after. "So what's crawled up you, man? Or just not in a good mood or something?" Casually curious for the moment as she looks to match pace with him in his retreat.

Zyvis avoids running over anyone in the arcade, so it's relatively easy to catch up and keep up with him. At her question he stops and looks into her face, studying it intently and apparently taking the time to choose his words as best he can, "I do not need a 'clue' about emotions. I do not need a 'clue' about love, or what it means. I have the full range of emotions that anyone else does and I do not like being treated like I am some... sub-human that needs to be 'educated' on emotions. My people can breed with yours, we can marry, we can love, we can feel loss, anger, hate, sorrow. Even Fear. I am not some backwater animal that needs to be domesticated."

Vixen frowns faintly at his words and shakes her head slightly at the end. "Don't know what others have done with you, but trust me, you're reading way too much into that. I tell that to most guys that talk about fun sex, no matter what they are. Plenty of human guys don't know a thing about what's real, so don't think I'm treating you any different, alright?" Her arms lift and cross her chest. "You know better than them, good. Whoever you end up with will be better for it. I just like to make sure. Met plenty who don't got that kinda smarts to 'em."

Zyvis just continues to study her as she speaks but it's hard to tell if what she says has mollified him any since he doesn't give any real indication one way or the other. "I apologise." He finally says, "I have had exactly two people in this whole city treat me as a person and not a threat since I have arrived. It makes it very..." He shakes his head, "Nevermind. It doesn't matter." He looks away though, looking back out to the streets.

Vixen shrugs her shoulders. "I know how you feel," she says and she glances back towards the game. "So you wanna give that game a try or is this place not for you? Got anything else you do just for the fun of it? Cause right now I feel like something like that. Though I've played enough Ultima Fighter for a week, so I should lay off that." She smirks a little. "Can finally afford enough credits to actually beat the sucker now and then here."

"No. I don't think this is a good place for me. It doesn't make any sense to me." Zyvis says with a last look around. "I don't think I am wired properly for this. To me, amusement and relaxation is hunting something down. A good sparring session. Physical exertions, those relax me..." He eyes the nearest video game, "I do not really see the allure of throwing credits into a machine."

"I guess its a little more of a mind challenge, most of these," Vixen says, considering some of the machines. "Though a few of them are shooters.. with actual guns. Though not real realistic, I guess." She shrugs and looks to Zyvis with a casual grin. "I play Ultmia Fighter because memorizing the moves is a challenge and having reactions fast enough to handle the computer. At the highest difficulties, they make the computer insanely fast." She tilts her head a little and says, "I'm not much for sparing. I like workouts, but I'm no big fighter."

With a nod Zyvis says, "You can play if you wish. I will watch." He gestures, "You mentioned having more credits left for the games yes? I enjoy conversation as well and have no desire to come between your enjoyment and relaxation if these games are such to you." He considers, "Unless there is a gambling den hidden in the back? I enjoy that muchly."

Vixen grins and shakes her head. "Nah.. this is a place to lose your money legit," she replies. "C'mon." She motions and starts back into the place, considering the various games as she goes. "Got some real old stuff here. Don't tend to play most of that. A little too.. boring." She ends up back at the bomber game and considers it. "This'll do," she decides and slips a token in. "You should try some relaxing stuff, though. You smoke?" She glances towards him.

"I do not smoke nor drink as I do not like the feeling it gives, dulls my senses and makes them not work properly." Zyvis says with a little shrug. He smiles a little bit after a few moments, "I would not be a very successful predator if I allowed my senses to be dulled by drugs or alcohol." He looks at the game she is about to play, studying it as he might study a completely alien creature or the like.

Vixen grins casually. "You should try it. Maybe only occasionally. A little pot won't kill you. It's relaxing.. smoke too much and it can fuck with your head, but if you keep it light, it's fine." The game is rather simple, yet that does not mean it wont' get challenging. It starts with a simple stage. Not too many enemies or projectiles to trouble Vixen as she flies the little ship around, shooting at the enemy sprites. "Find a safe place, take a few tokes and let some time pass. Makes you a little hungry.. well, makes me hungry." She glances at him. "But you don't eat food, so.. I wonder what it would do with you."

Zyvis shrugs, "I don't know, but I am willing to bet that whatever differences in our physiology might make it something less than intelligent to experiment with." He watches the flashing screen of the game, arms folded across his chest but he makes no comment on it. "I am uncertain why I should try it however, if I have other things that can relax me just as easily without risk. Such as meditation. I am very good at meditation."

"Its like meeting new people, man," Vixen replies. "You can meet someone. They'll be one way. Don't mean every person's going to be the same," she replies as she rapidly taps the two fire buttons. "You can relax one way.. but it wont' be like others. A buzz from drinks, a high from some pot. Listening to music.. playing music. It's all different. All relaxing. Each one is good in its own way. Doubt it'd kill you. Might make you sick.. or might just make you hungry how you usually are. Which, I guess, ain't so easy to fix as for me and getting some chips or something."

Zyvis tilts his head to the side, "I have seen what happens in the Burbs when people look to outside influences to try and make their reality more bearable. That is not a road I wish to travel. As you said, people are different, and it's all different. For me, such elements are unnecessary." He considers, still watching the game. "I admit to being more... defensive than I might otherwise be. I do not know anyone in this city really. So it is simply safer to keep my guard up as it were. Hopefully, I will get trace of my quarry in the Dregs soon, then I will have a very relaxing day."

"Yeah.. I know all about the heavy abusers. I like a little escape, but nothing like that shit." Vixen glances towards him with a sly grin. "If I was like them, I'd be a withered crone. Pot is light. Makes you a little spacy, that's all. You ever want to try it, let me know. I make sure to get the good, clean stuff. I know some cut in all sorts of bad junk. I have a few guys I trust, they don't pull that sort of bull." She keeps working the game, doing well through the second stage. "You can hang out at my place a while if you want for it. Leo won't mind some company, I think. So long as you two really did get along alright." A little smirk lingers.

"As far as I know we got along fine. We conversed for a time and there was no arguements but I cannot say for certain how he felt." Zyvis says with a shrug, "I have been keeping my natural abilities under tight control so as to not offend anyone. It seems to make little difference in the end however." He shrugs, "And, again, thank you for the offer but I think I shall pass." He considers a moment and then asks, "Have you ever learned how to meditate? It is a most relaxing experience. Almost as good as sleep for refreshing the mind and body."

Vixen smirks. "I meditate ove the keyboard. Still have to sleep, btu that's how I relax. I just let my fingers walk and my mind go along for the ride. Never tried that other stuff. That's for, like, your sort? Mind power types? I hear stalkers got that sort of stuff in 'em." She shakes her head a little. "Don't got none of that sort of stuff in me. So not much point in it."

Zyvis smiles, "You might be surprised. It can revitalize the mind and spirit which is something everyone can use, psychic or magic powers or not." He shrugs a little and looks at the controls, "I think I would be very bad at this game." He changes the topic, "My first instinct is to smash my hand into the screen thus stopping anymore of them to arrive." He smiles playfully, eyes sparkling with mirth as he teases the woman.

Vixen snorts faintly, glancing towards him. "That don't sound so meditative to me," She notes before looking back to the screen. As she progresses further, bullet hell starts to set in, with more targets and more projectiles on the screen. She does adequate, but starts to take hits. "Well, I don't know much about it, so not much sense worrying. You got your ways, I got mine. Though mine can make other people happy if I'm feeling like it, I suppose. You listen to music?"

"Occasionally." Zyvis says, "But not often. Sometimes when I feel safe and don't need to hear my surroundings." Which probably doesn't happen very often. He doesn't comment on the meditation thing since his joke obviously failed or wasn't recognized as one. "I am beginning to wonder how we both grew up on the same world." He says with a smile, "You and I are like worlds apart." His smile turns a bit sad at that and he sighs, looks out towards the exit again, lost in thought that has him pursing his lips.

Vixen shrugs her shoulders and is quiet a moment as a fierce hail of round blob bullets pull in her attention. Though only until she finally loses her last life. She grunts and smirks, giving the console a casual knock before she looks back towards him. "Got no problem with that. We got similarities." She then notes, "You sound a bit too uptight, though. I mean, sure you got your meditation.. but you can let your guard down sometimes. People call me paranoid, but I let it hang loose sometimes. You got it worse than me." She smirks casually.

"No. I can't." Zyvis says. He looks back to her, "I am alone in unknown territory. I couldn't 'let lose' like you seem to wish even if I wanted to." He gestures around, "This is a strange environment to me, with people I don't know. I don't know who is my friend, or who is my enemy, or which friends are really enemies trying to get close. Maybe if..." He shakes his head, "Doesn't matter, she's not here and won't ever be. If she did come here, I'd probably have to kill her anyways." He looks back to her, "You might think you understand, but you really don't. It's not a switch I can just 'turn off'." He folds his arms across his chest and goes expressionless, just staring off into the distance again. "Sorry." He says, "Killing your relaxation time."

Vixen shakes her head. "She what?" She leans against the machine, eyeing him. "You messed up over a girl? Doesn't seem like it, if you're talking about killing." She lets her eyes wander. "We ain't really friends yet, I suppose. Not the real sort. But I don't got no reason to mess with you. If you want to reason out some stuff. I guess I don't really understand your head, but that's usually how it is."

"My little sister joined the Coalition instead of leaving the Burbs with me." Zyvis says simply and hollowly. He shrugs, "Her choice. I don't really fault her for it. I know why she did it, but next time I see her I have no doubt it won't be as brother and sister. If she survives Tolkeen." He straightens up, "As for the rest, maybe I am an animal. Some things just can't be turned off, no matter how hard I try."

Vixen shrugs. "I can't turn off how I am," she says. "In some ways, anyway." She seems content to leave the past alone after the reveal. "Though you don't know until you try." She grins casually, "Open offers, man. So don't worry about it right now, but later, if you're feeling adventurous, you know who to look up for something new." She considers him. "You look like you're ready to go out and do something. You can go do it if you want. Do what it is you do. Maybe later you can show me about meditating. Won't promise I'll be any good at it."

Zyvis half-smiles, "For some reason, I don't think anything that lowers my inhibitions or relaxes my control would be a very good thing for anyone nearby." He chuckles, "Just getting antsy... I like to be -doing- things, been kind of... I don't know... cooped up? I get that feeling, that I'm cooped up here. Like everything's pressing in. If I could afford the recharges I'd go practice my marksmanship or something..."

Vixen points over at one of the shooting games. "I've still got spare tokens. They're cheap. Want to try out one of those, see if it works for you better than the other games? Worth a shot, don't you think? Maybe you can go.. I dunno, run in the park? Not real outside, but it might be enough?" She tilts her head a little, considering him.

Looking over towards one of the shooters he studies the demo for a time and then Zyvis shakes his head, "No, I don't think so. They move to so, keep themselves presented as targets to much." He looks back towards her then, "Go ahead and have fun, I think I am going to go hunt for my beasty... that's always relaxing." Yep, he's nuts, going to the Dregs to hunt an invisible killer is relaxing. "It'll help me take my mind of things and be productive at the same time." He smiles a little apologetically, "I apologise for not being the most fun person to hang out with." And he turns to head towards the exit once more.

Vixen grins a little. "Yeah, well.. you come see me when you need something made to catch the thing for keeps. Or just ice it." She waves off the rest with a casual hand, then adds a light, "C'ya." She then turns, considering her options for the place, wandering her way amid the machines to find her next diversion.