chippedsoul | The Journal [Inbox]

It's one of my personal favorite games, honestly. [He gestured towards the gathering of a line-up of the skee ball machines that they would be passing. All under a tent of course.] It's a fun way to pass the time, of course.

What do you find yourself stronger at- throwing at specific targets or something with more chance to it?

[Oh. That's what they were. He stops to observe the game, sort of getting an idea why it's called skee ball now.]

At specific targets.

[76 could spend hours and hours with skee ball, was something relaxing to him and there was enough skill to it he could do it when he wasn't sober- when he was younger, of course. Hard to get drunk these days.

He hummed a little in thought-] Stationary or moving targets?

Both. [Technically, as long as he's not on something moving, like a horse. Otherwise, stationary. He gives the old man a curious look after the question. Should he be divulging such information to a soldier? Maybe if circumstances where different...]

You have a game in mind?

There are a few games that fit those; Smash!, the bubble darts, a ball-and-basket toss, the pebble one and- well, that's just a few of them.

[Let's not talk about the one with the geese and hoops. He would rather not mess with any sort of geese, thank you very much.]

[He tilts his head at the list of the suggestions. Some he recognized, some he didn't. Should he go with something familiar or try his luck with something unfamiliar...?]

All right, bubble darts and the pebble game...? I'm not sure what that last one is, but we can start with those two.

Pebble game you need to be able to turn the pebbles a specific color with dreamotion- bubble darts you just try to hit as many bubbles of one color as possible. [Either competitively, or alone.

A hand lifted as he combed those painted claws of his through his beard idly-] Basket one you're trying to toss a ball in to a low tilted basket so it stays there.

We can hit up whichever one you'd like first.

[...Gosh, those hot colored painted claws really lowers the threatening aspect of them. But anyway-]

Bubble darts then. [Cause it sounds the most straight forward right now.] You've actually tried all these games already?

[They really did, but he didn't mind if his claws looked less threatening when he couldn't wear gloves to hide them. Some bright nail polish was something he could easily deal with-

He chuckled softly.] Sounds good to mean, and yeah. Have a favorite amongst them that's just fun, while others are a little more- well, if something catches my eye.

[Of course he walked by when prizes we changed out, just in case. Never hurt to see if someone was having trouble and lend a hand, too.]

Huh. You really went to a lot to these festivals. [He hasn't really played any festival games since he was a kid. Maybe a few times with Naruhodo in more recent years.

He'll go ahead and start walking towards the bubble dart game stand. He observes other festive goers trying their luck. Seem pretty straight forward, though he noticed that even when it looked like the darts were going to hit, it just misses the bubbles. He'll also look to see what prizes the game had to offer.

...He's not sure if any of these would suit an old soldier like Jack. He is eyeing a sleeping wolf plush though. That's probably too cute.]

Yeah- had a few dates where we went to them, and when I was a kid I was always excited when was was around. [Bless Vincent for indulging him, honestly. The man had fun himself of course, but he'd still found it sweet that the guy had noticed how he'd perked whenever one was near.

His head tipped a bit, gesturing towards the game as people took their turns.]

Notice how they're playing music to measure the time? Don't pay it any attention, it's meant to make you a bit anxious because it speeds up. Gotta pay a little attention to the breeze and air movement caused by the darts themselves, too.

[Affected how the bubbles moved and all that.]

A few dates? [Why didn't it cross his mind this old soldier who had friends might have been seeing someone at one point in his lifetime? Not that, it's really a big deal or anything. Not like he's pondering about his own feelings for someone right now.]

So the music is just a distraction. [Hearing him explain about the air movement being important reminds him of how archery works to be honest. Bet Naruhodo might excel at this kind of game.]

I think I got the idea. [He puts in a request for some darts. While the idea of ignoring the music should be simple enough, it was blaring rather loudly and probably intentionally at this booth.]

[76 hummed softly.] Yeah, my boyfriend at the time figured out pretty quick how much I liked this sort of thing. It was sweet, and we spent the entire day there well in to the night.

He was a good guy, he got the family he deserved last I ever saw him. [Really, 76 was glad Vincent got what he wanted. To have that family and life that- well, Jack couldn't give or have himself despite the want. Things just didn't work out.

It was a little absent, given just how easily and quickly 76 moved past that with a nod-]

It is a distraction, and works well since it's meant to also be your time limit through the song. That is where they get you, of course, with how the music increasingly picks up speed the closer to the end of said time limit it gets.

[76 stood to the side rather than playing just yet, let Kazuma have his go alone first. See how he could do and get that handle.]

[He blinks, doing a double take. Hold up, boyfriend? Good thing the game hadn't started yet. With how casual he was about it, sounded like it wasn't a strange concept where he's from and his time.

He might have regretted inquiring once he hears the old man talk about how he had a family now. He may not be showing it, but he sure there was probably some bittersweet feeling about it all.]

... [Right. He's getting the wolf plush. His ears twitch as the music starts and the bubbles start forming. All right, just ignore the music and fire away. Easier said than done when these faun ears are more sensitive to sounds. He's mostly doing all right though, nearly hitting all of his marks with hyper focus concentration.]

[Didn't really bother him- he'd let go a long, long time ago. He was happy for the fact that Vincent had moved on, settled and gotten what Jack himself would not have been able to give. Let Vincent be happy with his husband and their piece of life, their family.

It was a symbol for him, that was the sort of thing he still fought to protect. Why he could not leave his mission, no matter the side-tracking to keep some outside force from interfering more than it already was. That was what he had always fought for, stood against the tide and- well, took the brunt of a lot of things as a public face. Why he now kept to the shadows and still continued a war for a world that did its best to kill him and think him dead-]

Memories are good, no matter what changed in either of our lives. [Vincent's life and his own.

He did grow quiet once the game started, settling back to watch Kazuma work, arms folded loosely just near his chest for comfort's sake.]

That's good, but that wasn't what I was thinking about. [Why does this man have to continue to live in the shadows for the "greater good"? The world has already forgotten him and he's paying for it. A click of his hooves as he misses the last few bubbles as the game comes to an end. The music and the distractions in his mind got the better of him.

He scored reasonably on his first attempt, but he knows he could do better. Definitely not enough points for what he was after.]

I'm going to try again.

He and I parted ways a few years in to peace after the Crisis ended. [When he'd been promoted to Strike Commander, and felt the full weight of the title- the way his life was aimed.] Lives going in two different directions, even after years of being together.

Don't think about him too much, other than some good memories. [A guess at something, even if he could also guess that might not have been the exact thoughts either. Still, he certainly wasn't a man most would recognize anymore- he'd buried that man personally after crawling out of the rubble.

A nod-]

Go for it, consider this a practice round to get a feel since you've got the idea well.

[...So it was a mutual decision, not something that abruptly separated them. As the music starts to play again, signaling the start of the game once more, words were sitting in the back of his throat.

Would it be inconsiderate to ask? For the time being, the game keeps him focused on that. His aim improves, but he struggles once again toward the end. Too many targets all at once, with that distracting music playing. Deep breaths. Ask the question.]

What about now? [Where were his feelings? Especially while in this world?]

[Could see where the improvement was needed- and that, too, could be all part of the trick for this game. Unlike balloons, bubbles were a whole lot more on the move and could overwhelm in number as the production of them continued. The music making so much noise, make everything feel rushed and cluttered—]

What about now? Not much has changed. [He couldn't afford it with how he lived- how he planned to keep going. Though, there was the chance he wasn't completely understanding the question either.]

Even while here in this world...? Away from your personal duties? [He calls for another set of darts.]

What I'm trying to say is, would your heart be open to another?

[A hand rubbed the side of his neck, even as arms remained mostly folded—]

I don't know. [There was too much damage, he wasn't the type most would be looking for. Had nothing to offer, was old and bitter. Just-

Who the hell would...?] Don't really think about the possibility.

[Old and bitter, and yet he's here babysitting Kazuma so he's not doing something stupid.]

...Well, that's not a no. [What 76 does in the end is his choice, but...he would like to see the old guy allow himself to be with another. Especially while he's pulled away from the troubles of home. Something Kazuma really should consider himself, but he won't-.]

Tch. The last wave keeps catching me off guard.

Not a no, but I'm likely not mosts' type. [Most men anywhere around his own age. Too old to even think about dating on top of that, set in his ways and an unwillingness to put anyone through the disaster that was him. Less a lack of want and more a lack of interest.

He gestured a little bit towards the bubbles still floating around-]

You need to concentrate at getting most of your points before the last wave, as the last one is going to always be a little hectic. Give yourself the room to be a little more loose in the end since wrong hits don't count against you.

Maybe, but most doesn't mean everyone. [Keep yourself open old man.

With a huff, he takes 76's input into consideration and fires away. Wrong hits not counting helps, though he ends up thinking about his friend. How he'd probably throw with reckless abandon.] Ryunosuke would probably throw everything at once and hope for the best. [And would somehow win.]

[Mostly kids and younger folks about here-] There's a lot that counts against me when it comes down to it.

[Absolutely 0 self-esteem when it came to any man being interested in him these days- for anything meaningful, at least. Didn't bother to think about it, nor entertain any thoughts that did manage to come about.

A low noise in his throat; amused.]

If it was against someone that could score points for the other people, but solo it's not a bad method for a bit- more so when there's a lot of bubbles.

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