jigokulogs | JULY CATCH-ALL

[ Kim is not ashamed of his hobbies.

That would be silly. And counter-productive. He simply believes that there are better things to do with his time and money - both of which are precious commodities - and that wasting hours on frivolous things like toys and board games and other such pointless doodads isn't becoming of a grown man. So it's not shame. It's just that he would prefer not to be seen doing so.

If he had greater self-control, that would mean he would avoid these shops altogether. Unfortunately for him, he does not, which is how Barton will run into Kim Kitsuragi here at a locally run games shop - Kim himself being a rather inobtrusive looking man, flatteringly described as shortish, painfully ordinary, middle-aged - going through the available roleplaying and strategy games. He reaches for a particularly dry looking one when he finds he's reaching at the same time as a fellow who does not look like the sort to enjoy some casual six-hour gaming sessions on the weekend, tall and broad and scarred, and immediately retracts his hand. ]

Ah -- please, go ahead.

[ It's fine. He's not seriously looking.

(The game boasts nine distinct nations, punishingly difficult gameplay, and five separate decks of cards and a dense manual weighing the box down; of course he's seriously looking.) ]

[ honestly, this entire experience of exploring some local game shop has been thrilling. barton will admit, despite the amount of flaws he could enthusiastically and effortless point out with the city, this sort of selection is something he would never see back home. ]

[ it's almost led to choice overload. barton tends to be both impulsive and decisive, so being led around by the nose due to his own ceaseless curiosity is a little uncommon. he'd made to grab for some game box, and only stalls briefly as he realizes someone else had a similar idea. the fellow in question receives a brief, passing look; he wouldn't know what a typical patron of this store to look like, but he does immediately make his own assumptions about the man. ]

[ he responds with nothing, going about to turn the box over and read something along the side of it. it's intriguing. after a moment of reading, peeking over to glance at kim, ]

You know how to play this?

Edited (header :">) 2022-07-23 21:42 (UTC)

I don't know this game, no. They have nothing from home here, and I haven't had the opportunity to do more than peruse the local offerings.

[ Board games are expensive, and you'd need a player two, besides. There's Harry, of course, and Kim is more than happy to play with him, but he's also keenly aware that they've likely been spending a bit too much time together as it is without putting some complicated, hours-long board game in the mix. And sometimes he likes playing games as written without being redirected to a long discussion about the ethical ramifications of the fictional war they're playing out. ]

But I can make a reasonable guess as to how this one goes. [ He taps on the little label on the box, denoting that it is not in any way, shape, or form for beginners. ] You'll need a whole afternoon to play this one. And an experienced opponent. La pétanque, it is not.

( ooc: super apologies for the delay - good lord my inbox is a mess. )

[ barton's eyes squint at the brief dip into another language; he can't translate that, but maybe he can piece it together from context. barton's frown deepens as he follows kim's gesture; after a thoughtful pause, he huffs an abrupt laugh. ]

[ he, noticeably, doesn't reshelf it - not quite yet. after all, he sees the player count on its indicated side. it takes at least two people to play. ]

Ohhh, I'm always game for a challenge. If you're saying it's gonna be a goddamn mess... [ messes can be fun. however, he won't lie to himself — kim's explanation hadn't exactly been enticing. ] ... well, we gotta get that experience for ourselves somewhere, don't we?

Is that so?

[ Signing up for a long, difficult game in which you're bound to get into more than a few scuffles over the exact verbiage of the instruction manual isn't something you want to do with a stranger, in Kim's experience. He's competitive by nature and is willing to be as pedantic as he could possibly be to win. But then again, games such as these are his idea of a good time, and fellow players are in short supply. He raises a brow at the stranger. ]

I think we experience plenty of mess just living here. But a fictitious mess is much more appealing, yes. Is this the sort of thing you usually enjoy playing?

[ barton appears to contemplate that. he gives the box a gentle, experimental shake, listening to the rattle of its contents. as much as he loves his home, he will reluctantly admit that it could — at times — be a touch lacking.

so with a slightly wistful tone, ]

I'm most familiar with chess! We have a few types of wargames back home, but the really dense ones — the ones with maps, different pieces and tokens, and nice boards... You gotta try to import 'em, or travel to another nation to find those sorts.

[ he shifts the box to balance it in just one hand. ]

You got one you prefer? [ a favorite, maybe, whether here or wherever the other man hails from. ]

Chess is a good, solid game. A little lacking when you want to sink your teeth into something, but I enjoy it all the same.

[ In his youth, Kim's favourite board game was Wirral, a famous tabletop roleplaying game, but admitting to enjoying moonlighting as fantasy creatures going on magnificent journeys upon first meeting is a bit much for him. He goes instead for the much more socially palatable option. ]

I haven't had the opportunity to play any board games here. Except for chess, back when someone already had a board set up. The last game I played back home was... Suzerainty. It's an economic strategy game, where each player competes to gain the most resources. It takes an absurdly long time to play.

[ He nods at the box. ]

If such things are a luxury to you, why not buy it? It's reasonably priced.

That right? [ barton feels something like relief - finally! someone who admits to enjoying the magic that is chess. unfortunately, he seems unable to show a similar amount of restraint, his tone jumping to take on a challenge edge, ] We should play sometime. Soon!

[ even the mention of an economic strategy game is barely enough to temper his spirits - he'd asked, after all. while he could speculate the same principals might apply across a selection of board games in terms of resource collection, he still manages to wrinkle his nose at the explanation. it may be a trivial distinction, but it's the spirit of it. ]

[ his gaze flicks down to the board game. coming to an affirmative decision, he tucks it beneath his arm. while he doesn't stick out a hand to shake, or anything of the like, he does give the man a nod. ]

My name's Barton, by the way.

Kim Kitsuragi. Good to meet you, Barton. I happen to have been gifted a set at that beach party a while back - [ it was not gifted to him but, in fact, thrown at his face by a furious oni, aggravated by his loss, but Kim had taken it as such ] - but I haven't had the opportunity to take it for a proper spin yet.

[ Normally, Kim's not one quick to make friends. But it has to be said, he has met few people here appropriately adult enough to make acquaintanceship that doesn't lead directly into some odd sort of mentorship, let alone anyone properly interested in the art of entirely too violent boardgames. ]

Though if you've the time to peruse a board game shop, there's no time like the present. Unless there's a different game you'd rather match wits with.

"Kim"? [ he runs the name through his internal roster of familiar department names, finds it unfamiliar. ] You're not from the Enma. Which?

[ frankly, this man seems amicable enough (barton may have strange standards) that he might guess tamamo. ]

[ and at the follow invitation, he barks a laugh - sharp and sudden. his mouth widens into a grin again. ]

Hell yes. [ he's in no hurry - gave himself plenty of time to luxuriously, indulgently!, browse a game shop. besides, he always has his phone tucked away into a pocket in case of some emergency cropping up. ] You're on!

[ If Kim were able to read minds - which would be an unfortunate thing for him much of the time - he would be surprisingly flattered to hear anyone would think the likes of him would wind up in Tamamo. He would never cop to that pleasure, but few have ever described him as being approachable. It's not by choice; it is simply something inherent to him. ]

No, I'm not Enma. I'm from the Sutoku clan. [ He smiles a little, charmed by Barton's enthusiasm. ] And you can tell me what clan you belong to while we head out. I just need to pick up the board from my place and... hm, perhaps the park? That's always a good place for a match.

You want to play me at... the park? [ spoken somewhat incredulously, his tone laced with dry amusement. the suggestion brings to mind a bunch of geezers (precisely: stodgy nobles from lumopolis) playing rotating matches against one another in a courtyard. ... then again, they both are to play chess, after all. that's just a solid portion of the demographic.

but it's not a refusal. barton takes the suggestion to file into the cashier line to pay for his glorious new board game. the place isn't exactly swamped, and he's soon to be assisted. ]

Can't say I've been there too often. I'll meet you there at [ insert the suggestion of some precise time here, such that neither should have to rush. ].

JULY CATCH-ALL

for barton!

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same here!! don't worry about the wait, my pace is also v slow!!

hooray!!

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