#oh yeah hi gamers i got side order! this is my third run ever!

[darkstarcore]

One must imagine Agent 8 happy

[dreaming-of-assclass]

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Group 4 girls are hanging out and Kanzaki gives her friends a bit of a surprise. Or, in the words of Kayano, “A fucking heart attack.”

~~

“Kayano-san!” Okuda squealed as she opened her door, coming face to face with the actress. A bright smile adorned her face as she gently pulled her inside. “I missed you so much!”

Kayano grinned and embraced her tightly, burying her face into Okuda’s dark locks which smelled faintly of honey. “I missed you way more! I’m so glad we could hang out today.”

It was the first time in a few months where Kayano had a relatively free schedule. Since she’d gone back into the acting business, her daily life spun around filming sets, manuscripts, orders from directors, constant coffee to stay alive...

Doing anything to keep her mind off the things that truly hurt...like Aguri...and Korosensei...

She was aware it wasn’t healthy. Her therapist had mentioned that enough times to her, and she came to the conclusion herself. But acting was a big piece of who she was, and she’d be damned if she ever let it go.

She wasn’t even sure if she could.

Okuda released her, stepping back with a shy smile as she adjusted her glasses. “I hope the train ride was okay? I’m sorry, I know my house is pretty far...”

Kayano waved her off. “No, no, it was totally fine! I just listened to music and got to relax. And my mask did a good job of hiding my face.” She smirked, giving a light tug to her pink “kawaii-bear” themed mask.

The chemist’s face lit up again. “I’m so glad! And oh, come in!” She immediately scooted to the side of the doorway, allowing space for Kayano to enter.

Kayano pulled off her sneakers and gently placed them on the shoe rack, her lime green striped socks now visible. She tugged off the mask with a content sigh as Okuda shut the door, grateful for some privacy. She felt a relief from the constant anxiety of being caught by fans. She shoved her mask into her bag and politely followed Okuda through the corridor of the house. 

It was average-sized, which she could tell from the outside. Okuda’s family was reasonably middle-class, given that they were pharmacists. Still, they seemed to settle for a smaller house as their 3-resident home.

“Kanzaki-san texted me, saying that she’s running a bit late,” Kayano heard Okuda say, but her attention was fixed on her surroundings.

The hallway was lined with shiny, polished wooding. It almost looked as if it had been barely walked on. 

More than that, though, a slight scent of anti-septics filled the air. It was subtle and faint, yet easily reached Kayano’s nose by the third step she took. 

Overall, so far, Okuda’s house did not feel like a cozy, welcoming abode. It was such a sharp contrast to her as a person, a sweetheart.

Okuda glanced over at her, a spark of recognition in her eyes. As if she could read Kayano’s mind, she spoke, “I know...it feels very lonely here.”

Oh, shit. “Okuda-san?”

The bespectacled girl sighed as she led them to a sitting room, near what Kayano presumed to be the kitchen. They both sat on the couch, close to one another. “No one is really here, except me most of the time. And even that’s changed since 3-E...and making so many friends.” She ducked her head slightly after the last word, her face reddening.

Kayano felt her chest tighten.

She reached over and gently took Okuda’s hand, clasping it in her own. “It’s okay, Okuda-san. I know exactly how you feel. My house was always empty too, just me and my sister. And then...she...”

Dammit, why does this keep happening? Kayano hated that she could barely speak about Aguri without her voice breaking, her throat closing, feeling like she was about to shatter-

Before she could utter another word, Okuda gently pulled her hand out of her grip and embraced the girl in another hug. A different hug. One that was warm, comforting, and so filled with compassion, and yet it still made Kayano feel like crying.

“My loneliness is nothing compared to Kayano-san’s,” Okuda whispered. “I’m sorry. Please don’t feel like you’re still alone anymore though. We all love you.”

Kayano wiped her eyes with a smile, pulling back gently. “Thanks, Okuda-san. The same goes double for you, you know.” 

She playfully pinched Okuda’s cheeks, earning a sharp squeal. “We need our adorable mad scientist.”

Okuda slapped her hands away with a huff. “And we need our evil pudding-loving actress.”

Kayano laughed, stopping when she felt a faint grumble from her stomach. “Ooh, speaking of food...”

Okuda chuckled, an apologetic smile on her lips. “Sorry, we don’t have pudding...but tons of healthy snacks?”

“Oh, that’s way better. I need to be watching my diet now actually.”

Okuda rolled her eyes fondly, rising and walking into the kitchen, her guest following behind like a lost puppy. “Please, you’ll always stay a toothpick.”

“Actually I’m on my way to becoming a muscular toothpick.”

“Oh?”

Kayano shrugged. “I have my personal trainer Kimi to thank. But gym sessions with Terasaka also help a little.”

“Terasaka-kun? Really?”

“Yeah, the big oaf knows a ton about fitness and muscle-building,” Kayano replied, pride in her tone. “Sugino and Kataoka, too! They’ve all been great help.”

Okuda smiled, setting down the various bowls she’d been preparing onto one tray. “That’s great to hear!”

A bowl of apple slices, a platter of crackers and cheese, a bowl of strawberries accompanied by two tiny forks, and some clementines were spread onto the tray. She carried it into the living room and the two girls happily resumed their conversation while munching on snacks.

About twenty minutes later, the bowls and plates were all basically empty. Kayano was laying upside down, her feet dangling off the top of the couch as her hair fell against the floor. She was clutching her stomach. “I think I ate too fast...”

Okuda was laying on her side over by the opposite end of the sofa, arms wrapped around her abdomen. “Ugh, me too...”

“I wonder what’s taking Kanzaki-san so long...” she muttered.

Kayano sat up properly, flipping herself up from her position. “Me too...I hope she’s okay.” A jolt of anxiety went through her at all the possible issues Kanzaki could be going through. 

Just as the words left her mouth, the doorbell rang, its sound echoing through the foyer. 

Both girls exchanged dumbfounded glances for a moment before jumping up. “She’s here!” 

They dashed through the hallway as safely as they could, since both of them were clad in socks. Okuda unlocked and flung the door open as fast as she could.

“Kanzaki-!” 

They cut themselves off almost instantly, their jaws dropping at the sight before them. Kayano felt her brain momentarily numb.

And then she was back to reality and found her voice again. 

“WHO ARE YOU?!”

Kanzaki laughed good-naturedly, one hand resting on her bag that slung from her shoulder. The other hand was running through her silky locks...which were no longer their usual raven color.

No, her hair was now a shade of stormy blue. All over, not just tips or ombre.

“Wow! Kanzaki-san, it looks beautiful!” Okuda exclaimed. 

Kanzaki beamed and hugged her, leaning over quite a bit to do so since she was wearing healed boots. “Thank you, Okuda-san. It’s so good to see you again!”

The two of them began chatting, still holding each other as Kayano was still somewhat in shock.

She knew of Kanzaki’s 2nd year phase, yes... But hearing about it was entirely different from seeing it, especially so suddenly. 

Kanzaki glanced back at her with a grin and waved her over. “Kayano-san, I haven’t seen you in forever and you still haven’t said hi!” A fake, over-exaggerated pout was present in her tone.

Kayano arched a brow. “Sorry, but I’m not sure I know you,” she replied dryly, in true acting fashion yet she wrapped her arms around Kanzaki regardless.

This earned a laugh from the gamer girl. Kanzaki hugged her back warmly, one hand cupping the back of Kayano’s head. “Do you like it?” 

“Like it?” Kayano repeated, a smile breaking out on her face. “I love it so goddamn much!”

She really did. The icy shade of blue that reminded her of swirling sea thunderstorms looked gorgeous on Kanzaki. It suited her complexion, and totally complimented the shade of chestnut in her eyes.

“Do your parents know...?” 

Kanzaki shrugged, a flash of defiance in her eyes. “No, and I don’t really care what they think. It’s my hair, my appearance, my image. They don’t matter.”

“Spoken like a true badass.” Kayano smirked.

She gently touched a strand of her hair, the faint blue now between her fingers. “It looks amazing,” she said softly, stepping back as they both released each other.

Kanzaki shyly smiled, her cheeks slightly pink. “Thank you.”

Kayano scoffed. “But I won’t lie and say you didn’t give me a fucking heart attack for a second there.”

Kanzaki burst into laughter again with Okuda. 

“Kayano-san!” She admonished half-heartedly.

“What? You know what I’m saying! Last time we saw Kanzaki-san, she was dressed like a church girl with her black hair up in a chignon. And now, she’s-” Kayano gestured to her. “-this!”

Kanzaki’s laughter increased as she doubled over. “A church girl-”

Okuda joined her, a hand clutching her stomach as she giggled. “Kayano-san, stop making me laugh.”

Kayano flipped her hair dramatically. “Can’t help it. I’m just so funny.”

Kanzaki’s laughter died down as she playfully shoved Kayano. “Aaaaaand it’s over. Not anymore.”

“You’re mean!” Kayano pouted. A thought occurred to her. “Wait, weren’t you brining pudding?”

Kanzaki looked puzzled. “I thought you had some, Okuda-san?”

Okuda face-palmed. “Oh no.”

“NOOOOOOOOOO!” Kayano wailed as over-the-top as she could. 

“It’s fine!” Okuda tried to mediate. “We can just get some more at the convenience store a couple blocks away.”

“But I just got here,” Kanzaki whined. “I haven’t even taken my shoes off.”

Kayano grabbed her upper arm. “All the more reason you should come. You’re already ready to leave!”

She groaned. “Alright, fine, you maniac.” She shot a dull glare at Kayano, who responded with a bright grin. “I’ll pay, too.”

“Yay!” The other two cheered. 

Okuda locked the door while the other two waited for her at the front steps. “Sooo~” Kayano cooed. “Tell me all the high school drama going in for you girls.”

Kanzaki mimicked her tone. “Only if you tell me all the drama going on in the acting world~”

“Yeah, tell us everything, Kayano-san~” Okuda sang, joining them. 

The three girls set out walking, arms linked. The sun was just starting to set as it approached evening time, a golden glow casted above everything. The air was only slightly chill, a refresher to all of them.

“Oh, where do I even start? Okay, so the main lead in the swan movie? The guy I told you about? He actually ended up being a...”

[xseedgames]

Zwei: The Arges Adventure - Localization Blog #2

Tom here again, for more fanboy gushing over Zwei: The Arges Adventure!

I’ve already touched on the game’s amazing script, and I’ll definitely go more into that in my next blog entry (there’s a lot to talk about there, as this is easily the strangest script I’ve ever worked with, on multiple levels!), but I figured I’d take this opportunity now to instead discuss some of the new and updated features that our amazing programmer was able to cram into this release. I’d rank most of these under the “quality-of-life improvements” category, though some are more along the lines of old but notable features from the original 2001 PC version which have been adapted to run more readily on modern systems and integrated more thoroughly into the game proper.

Note that in all cases (except where otherwise noted), the original functionality from the 2001 Japanese release still applies – there are just additional options now as well. Also note that while the additional options described all reference making use of controller buttons, allowances have been made for keyboard shortcuts that fulfill the same functions when applicable, so you keyboard-and-mouse gamers should reap some benefits of Matt’s coding prowess as well.

Anyway, let’s dive right in, shall we?

Feature: Quick-using food items in the heat of battle.

How it works in the 2001 Japanese release: In order to use an item, you first have to make sure it’s located on your hotbar (which has 12 available slots). Then, during gameplay, you have to either right-click the item with your mouse, or press the item’s corresponding function key (F1-F12) to use it. If you don’t want to drop your controller to use the mouse or keyboard for this task, no problem: there’s a button you can press that moves control of the game down to the hotbar, at which point you can press left and right to cycle through to the item you want, then press another button to use it. Afterward, you can press another combination of buttons to deselect the hotbar and return to regular gameplay. Time does NOT stop while you do this, however, so good luck surviving the enemy onslaught as you attempt to perform all these tasks!

How it works now: Just press one controller button to instantly use the left-most consumable healing item on your hotbar. After doing so, all other consumable healing items contained therein will shift left as far as they can go, ensuring that the slot you just freed up by using that one item is now located along the right side of the hotbar rather than the left. The reason for this? Well, when you pick up new items, they get sent to your hotbar first, as long as there’s space for them there. And if the blank slot on your hotbar happens to be all the way on the left, then whatever item you just picked up will end up being the first one you use next time you press the item button. But if the blank slot is on the right, whatever item you just picked up will be the LAST one in line for use – meaning, you can customize your own personal “eat list” that determines exactly what items you use on the fly, in exactly what order. Bit of an improvement, wouldn’t you say? 

Feature: Switching magic/tools in the heat of battle.

How it works in the 2001 Japanese release: Your hotbar doubles as your equipment slots, so the only way to equip a magic jewel (which determines Pokkle and Pipiro’s attack type) or specialty tool (which allows for various puzzle-solving special abilities) is to add it to your hotbar, then “use” it (via one of the methods listed in my previous feature description), which places the Japanese equivalent of an “Eqp.” symbol over it, signifying that it is now equipped and ready to use. If you “use” that same hotbar slot again, you’ll unequip that item. And if you want to switch to a different magic jewel or tool… well, you either need to open your inventory, drag the new item onto the hotbar in place of the old one, then right-click it to equip it and close your inventory, or – alternately – just keep every equippable magic or tool you think you might be using in the near future on your hotbar (never mind all the food items this is preventing you from prepping!), and press the corresponding function key on your keyboard to equip it whenever the need arises. Siiiimple, right?

How it works now: Whatever your controller’s equivalent of the L1 and R1 buttons happen to be can now be used to cycle through all of your available magic and tools via a single hotbar slot. If you have no such item in your hotbar, but you’ve got one in your inventory, no problem: pressing L1 or R1 will automatically equip whatever you’ve got available into the first available hotbar slot. And from then on, you can just press L1 or R1 to instantly swap it out for whatever the previous or next equippable item in your inventory happens to be. Even unequipping your magic is part of the cycle, for those rare times when you’re attacking enemies who have resistance to all elementals, or when you’re attempting to solve puzzles that call for the use of Pipiro’s base magic.

Feature: Dropping bombs or dynamite to blow up enemy artillery or large rocks.

How it works in the 2001 Japanese release: Oh, this one is really fun. Or rather, “fun.” In quotes. See, bombs and dynamite don’t work the same way as any other items. You can’t “use” either of them – attempting to do so will simply do nothing at all. Instead, you have to “discard” them. Using a mouse, this is accomplished via drag-and-drop; assuming there’s a bomb or piece of dynamite on your hotbar, you’ll need to click it and hold the mouse button, then drag it onto the main game screen somewhere and let go to drop it at that spot and set its 3-second fuse. This is made considerably tougher if you’re using a keyboard or controller, since you’ll have to press the button that transfers game control over to the hotbar, scroll over to the bomb or dynamite, press and hold the item-move button, then use the D-pad or arrow keys to move that item onto the main game screen, and finally let go of the button to drop the bomb/dynamite and set its 3-second fuse. But even after that, you’ll need to use the previously mentioned button combo to transfer control back over to your characters before you’re able to move out of the way of the explosion, which… doesn’t always happen in time. And worst of all, if you use any of these methods to attempt to drop a bomb or piece of dynamite, but the location you’re trying to drop it is considered invalid (maybe it’s a little too close to a wall, for example)… well, it’ll just cancel the whole operation and force you to do it all over again. There’s no mincing words here: using bombs and dynamite in the original version of this game suuuuuuuucks…

How it works now: Erm… you press the SELECT button. Basically, if you have at least one bomb or piece of dynamite on your hotbar, pressing the SELECT button will automatically drop it (or drop the left-most bomb or piece of dynamite, if you have multiples on your hotbar) at the closest valid location. That’s literally all there is to it!

Feature: Switching characters on the fly.

How it works in the 2001 Japanese release: There are three options. (1) You can click the character portrait on the bottom-left of the screen. (2) You can press the button to transfer control of the game to your hotbar, then move the cursor over to the portrait on the bottom-left of the screen and “click” it with the item-use button. (3) You can press the Esc key twice, though only if you’re standing still and… really, only if the game feels like honoring those keystrokes (it gets temperamental sometimes). Those are your options.

How it works now: …Yeah, uh, there’s a button for this now. In fact, since Zwei: The Ilvard Insurrection allows for two different control schemes (one button to attack, one button to switch characters; or, one button to switch to Ragna and perform a melee attack, one button to switch to Alwen and perform a magic attack), we decided to mirror that functionality in Zwei: The Arges Adventure with protagonists Pokkle and Pipiro. So whichever option you liked better in the other Zwei game, that option will be available to you here as well!

Feature: Playing the “Typing of Ys” and “Mona, Mona” minigames.

How it works in the 2001 Japanese release: These two minigames consist of an Ys-themed typing tutor and a reverse block puzzler (your goal is to avoid making combos at all costs, since you’re trying to build a sturdy block ladder so an infatuated bunny can climb to the top of the level and rendezvous with his true love). They’re pretty awesome. But they’re also a little… unusual in how they’re played. Basically, you have to unlock them in-game through special means, after which point you’re told that “something seems to have happened on the desktop.” Now you can play them whenever you want… from the launcher. You know, the window that pops up when you first boot the game, which allows you to adjust config settings and such? Yeah. You have to exit Zwei in order to play either of these minigames, because they’re only executable from that. They’re part of a small collection of what I’ve come to call “desktop apps,” which also include the likes of a clock, a calendar, and a calculator – all of which are usable ONLY from the launcher.

How it works now: First off, I should note that there is no launcher anymore in our English version of the game. At all. Matt doesn’t believe in launchers, and intends for every configuration option to be accessible and adjustable solely from within the game. So running these minigames from the launcher is simply no longer possible. But that’s okay! It’s kind of beside the point, in fact. The thing you really need to know here is that there’s a third notable minigame as well, called “Zwei Shooting.” It’s a classically styled shoot-em-up (also known as a “shmup,” if you’re rad), and it’s playable (in all Japanese versions of Zwei!! and in Zwei: The Arges Adventure alike) via an arcade cabinet in one specific town. This town has three other arcade cabinets right next to Zwei Shooting’s, but none of them actually have any games attached to them: one just shows you the instructions for Zwei Shooting, and the other two are literally just there for decoration. So we decided, why not assign the “Typing of Ys” and “Mona, Mona” minigames to two of the unused arcade cabinets? And while we were at it, we decided to make them playable right from the start, so as soon as you get to this town, you can play either (or both) of these minigames to your heart’s content! (Which means the conditions for unlocking them in the Japanese version now net you something else entirely, of course…)

Feature: Guiding your pet through dungeons and collecting items via the “Pet Monitor” app.

How it works in the 2001 Japanese release: Once again, this is a “desktop app” that you can run only via the game’s launcher, though this one is available anytime after you’ve acquired a pet in-game. This particular app, however, is largely passive, as your pet meanders through town and into dungeon areas, only occasionally reaching a crossroads or being forced to make some other binary decision (Go left, or go right? Fight the wildcat, or run away? Enter this new dungeon area, or go back home?). When the time comes to make one of these decisions, the pet will turn to face the camera, and you’ll be given the two possible options to select from. Mouse over the one you want (or wait a few seconds and let your pet make up its own mind), and then just keep on watching as the adventure unfolds. Your pet’s exploits can ultimately net it level-ups that will help it be a more effective AI companion during battle in the main game, or perhaps it can net you some extra food items to be used in your own adventures (which are transferred to the storage chest in Pokkle and Pipiro’s house next time you load a save-game).

How it works now: Once again, since there’s no launcher anymore, there’s no more Pet Monitor desktop app. What there is, however (and I’m going somewhere with this, I swear!), is the ability to leave your pet behind at Pokkle and Pipiro’s house as you go off on your journey. This option exists in the original Japanese version too, but there doesn’t seem to be any reason to ever make use of it – there’s never a time when leaving your pet at home would be more beneficial than bringing it with you. But now, it all makes sense! If you leave your pet behind, the Pet Monitor app will automatically appear as part of the HUD when you leave Puck Village, and it will remain on display (with the option to minimize it) the entire time you continue your adventure. So while you’re off fighting monsters and winning back your stolen macguffins, your pet is out somewhere in the same set of dungeons at the same time, finding treasure and fighting wildcats! And any time one of the Pet Monitor’s binary decisions appears on the screen, you may either mouse over the desired option to select it as before, or – if you’re in the heat of battle and can’t put your controller down, for instance – press the L2 or R2 button to select one of the two options without ever having to disrupt your flow. Finally, when you return to Puck Village, the Pet Monitor will automatically minimize as your pet hurries home to pretend like nothing ever happened. It’s the very model of efficiency, and adds a whole new level of meta-gaming to your journey!

There’s plenty more to discuss, as there have been a bevy of other adjustments made as well (not just mainstays of PC production like widescreen support and achievements, but also simple yet welcome tweaks like the addition of a single button to open the inventory screen, or the streamlining of the game’s formerly rather cumbersome shop functionality). But this blog entry is already quite long, and some of the additions we’ve got on tap are directly tied to the game’s text in some manner… so those are stories best saved for next time around!

Until then, take care, and remember: if you tweeted about this blog entry on behalf of XSEED Games, chances are you Arges.*

…What can I say? When it comes to puns, I’m all about the low-hanging fruit, because it’s just so Ysy. So try not to Mona Mona too loud about it, and just keep on Monitoring this Tumblr for future updates!

Pipi, cheeri-ro!

*Note: This is actually not the case, as the person who Isges is currently off becoming a Mother 2.0. But the pun was deemed worthy of standing on its own merits, and has thus been left intact for your groaning enjoyment!

[deathtouch]

⋆ femfeb day 17 // my femfeb masterpost ⋆ xposted to ao3 ⋆ d.va/pharah // 3k // gen ⋆ canon compliant, concerts, cute, fun, established relationship ⋆ hana and fareeha go see lucio live in concert 

12 Hours

12:07 PM

“When do the doors open, again?” Fareeha asked, squinting through the lenses of her dark Ray Bans sunglasses at the line. There were quite a few people already queued up ahead of them, all wearing neon green or frog emblems on their clothes. Someone even had one of those ridiculous frog helmets only it wasn’t quite as nice as Lucio’s.

“Six thirty.” Hana told her, settling down on the pavement with her legs crossed. She started turning up the edges of the foil lid on her Chipotle to-go bowl. Brown rice, black beans, chicken, corn salsa and pico de gallo. Yeah, she payed extra for the guac too. She was ready to dig in. She usually ate lunch earlier than this.

“Six thirty?” Fareeha repeated in shock. “What are we doing here so early for?”

“We want a spot on the barricade, duh!” Hana explained, mixing up the burrito bowl with her plastic fork.

“We don’t have seats?” Fareeha asked. “Don’t our tickets say like… barricade or something?”

Hana lifted up her head and laughed. “Oh, oh my god. No. We have standing room tickets. We’re garunteed a spot on the floor but if we want a spot on the barricade we’ve gotta get here early and fight for it.” She cocked her head back and squinted up at her girlfriend. The sun was high overhead and it made Fareeha look like a dark shadow. “You’re ready to fight for my honor, right?”

“Huh?” Fareeha looked down at her, a perfectly confused expression on her face. “Of course, babe. But, uh, what was wrong with those VIP tickets Luc gave us?”

“Ugh, VIP boxes? Are you kidding?” Hana stuffed a forkful of food in her mouth and chewed for a moment. “If I wanted to sit that far away I’d have bought a twenty dollar ticket all the way up on the third mezzanine in the back of the arena. I want to be front row center!”

“Oh, sure.” Fareeha agreed, going along with what Hana was saying even though it was clear she didn’t quite understand what she was getting herself into here.

12:49 PM

“Birdy…” Hana sang in a sweet little tone, addressing her girlfriend.

Fareeha finished off the last of her burrito bowl, scraping up a few final grains of rice from the container with her fork. “Mm?” she mumbled, stuffing the final bite in her mouth.

“Will you throw our trash away? Pretty please? I’ll hold our spot in line.” Hana offered up her most adorable smile.

“Sure,” Fareeha laughed. She would have done it anyway.

1:13 PM

“Hey, smile.” Hana said, holding up her phone to take a selfie.

“No,” Fareeha put her hand up to hide her face. “Your fans hate me.”

“They don’t hate you.” Hana insisted.

Unfortunately, some of them were a little jealous. There were also plenty of people who were entirely too critical of the age difference between the two of them. If they had an idea how well Hana and Fareeha worked together as a couple they would shut their mouths though. A lot of fans were actually encouraging in regards to Hana’s newest relationship. Mostly her followers just didn’t care either way and they were excited to see new pics, snaps, instagram photos or tweets from Hana whether her girlfriend was mentioned or not.

“C’mon, please? I won’t use the dog filter, I know you hate it. It’ll be just a cute pic of us.” Hana reasoned with her.

It took a long moment but Fareeha eventually lowered her hand. She leaned in but didn’t smile, because she was too cool for that. Hana offered up a bright grin and a peace sign that just barely peaked into the corner of the picture. “Aw, that’s a good one! You look so tough!” She said excitedly, drawing her phone into her lap to add a caption and a few important emoji stickers.

Bunny and Birdy, #LucioInConcert  

3:32 PM

“Hana, seriously, what are we supposed to do for the next three hours.” Fareeha was sprawled on her back in the middle of the sidewalk. She had taken off her sunglasses in order to shield her eyes with her arm. She certainly looked comfortable but laying on her back on the concrete probably wasn’t much fun.

Hana was getting pretty sick of sitting on the ground herself. The hard sidewalk wasn’t doing much for her tailbone. The doors would be open soon, and they’d get a perfect spot in the front, and all this sitting and waiting would be worth it.

“Help me finish this Omega Ruby nuzlocke run.” She suggested, pressing through the prompts of a pokemon battle on her 3DS. It was a purple one that she had adorned with glittery stickers.

“Pfft.”

They both knew it wasn’t a realistic answer. Fareeha was fine at video games, and she was fun to play Call of Duty with, but there was really only room for one gamer in the relationship.

Hana relaxed back on the sidewalk stretching out her cramped legs. Her hair pooled around her on the ground. “Keep working on your tan?” she suggested, holding her 3DS up in the air in order to see the screen.

That was a more realistic option. Fareeha would have unfortunate tanlines from the basketball jersey she was wearing, but those would be better than the tanlines she usually got from wearing racerbacks everywhere.

5: 22 PM

“Why are we standing?” Fareeha asked, stretching her arms over her head a little.

“They’re gonna open the doors soon.” Hana explained.

Everyone who had been camped out in line for the past few hours had suddenly decided to get up and form a real line. The people who had been sitting or sprawled out on the pavement were up on their feet instead. It certainly closed some of the gaps in space and brought them closer to the door.

“Yeah, in like, an hour.” Fareeha pointed out after checking her phone.

“We gotta be ready!” Hana told her, squaring up for a fight. Fareeha held up both her hands, palms facing out. They made perfect boxing targets. Hana threw a few light punches, hitting her marks without any force. “Have you seriously never been to a concert before or something?”

Fareeha shrugged. “My battalion in the army had a band. They played a concert of Bruce Springsteen cover songs to boost morale once. It was held in the common area at base though, it wasn’t like an arena.”

“Oh my god.” Hana’s will to punch left her. She dropped her hands, dejected. “Bruce Springsteen? That’s so tragic, birdy. You’re so old.”

Fareeha reacted at once, reaching out to snatch an arm around Hana’s neck. They wrestled like five year olds, Hana laughing and trying to get out of the headlock to no avail.

"Don’t disrespect The Boss!” Fareeha told her, threatening a noogie.

6:21 PM

“I’m running straight for the barricade, okay?” Hana said pointedly. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet.

“Okay.” Fareeha nodded.

The event staff had apparently decided to open the doors to the venue a little early. The line was slowly moving as tickets were scanned and bags were checked. There were only about fifty or so people ahead of them in line, fans who had come much earlier than noon to get a good spot for the show.

“I’ll leave you in the dust, I mean it.”

Fareeha laughed. She didn’t doubt it.

6:41 PM

The Arena was huge. It seemed huge from the outside but being in there, seeing all of the seats, the open pit, and the massive stage really put things into perspective.

Unfortunately Hana didn't quite make the barricade. There were two full rows of people separating her from the from the four foot tall metal rail.

"There's space around the sides." Fareeha pointed out, literally pointing with with her finger. On the outer edges of the barricade there were less people clumped up.

"I want to be in the center." Hana said, huddling in close to the concert goer in front of her.

"Okay." Fareeha wrapped her arms around Hana's slender waist, holding her from behind.

"Just don't let anyone in front of me!"

"I won't." Fareeha promised.

She looked up at the stage. Someone's equipment was up there, a microphone and some sound cabinets and other a few other things. She didn't see Lucio's DJ equipment anywhere.

"Is there an opening act?" Fareeha asked, feeling it as ranks of fans closed in behind her. The seats were filling up in the arena on all sides. The noise of people filled the space.

"Yeah, two I think." Hana told her.

"What time do they start?" Fareeha asked, nuzzling Hana's soft brown hair.

Hana shrugged her shoulders. "Seven thirty or eight."

"What?" Fareeha face planted in the back of Hana's head. "This is too much waiting. Concerts are torture."

She could feel Hana's body shake with a giggle but the sound was lost in the crowd.

8:34 PM

"Is everybody excited to see LUCIO!?"

The opening act was a Jewish rapper who wore his hair in curls and had a yarmulke on his head. His music was fasr past, frantic, and full of hope. He was whipping the entire arena in a frenzy.

Hana tipped back her head and screamed. Her voice got lost with the thousands of others screaming with her. Everyone was excited to see Lucio.

9:02 PM

"I'm not hurting you, am I?" Fareeha shouted over the impossibly loud music the PA was blasting between acts. She was crushed up against Hana's body.

There was still two full rows of people between them and the barricade but they were closer to the stage than ever. All the gaps between the people in the standing room only section had disappeared. Every single body on the floor was smothered up against the other. It had gotten plenty warm. Hana and Fareeha both were starting to sweat.

Hana pulled the pink scrunchy from her wrist. She gathered up her long brown hair and pulled it into a bun.

"You're fine." She shouted when she was done, turning her head so that Fareeha could hear her. "This is part of the fun of being this close!" She insisted.

She was facing the stage so she could see Fareeha roll her eyes and smile.

9:17 PM

"LU-CI-O!" "LU-CI-O!" "LU-CI-O!" "LU-CI-O!" "LU-CI-O!"

The crowd had stared chanting spontaneously. Hana had her hands raised over her head, clapping along with the chant. Fareeha was chanting too. Goosebumps had prickled up all over her skin.

"LU-CI-O!" "LU-CI-O!" "LU-CI-O!"

9:30 PM

The lights in the entire arena changed. It went dark everywhere except for the stage. A green glow began to emanate from from seemingly nowhere. Curls of atmospheric fog started to billow out.

The crowd collectively lost their minds. Screams and frantic cries made a deafening roar. Fareeha was being pushed and shoved from all sides. She tried to cage her arms around Hana to keep her safe.

Lucio's equipment rose up from the center of the stage, up and up and up. The rising podium stretched nearly ten feet tall. He was standing in the center of it all, smiling proudly from behind his turntables.

It made Hana smile to see him.

The Jumbotrons on either side of the stage showed him at five times his normal size. Behind him an intricate LED light display lit up in curious patterns of green. Music erupted from the speakers as he began to play.

Everyone seemed to recognize the song from the first note alone. As if the crowd wasn't wild enough they went even crazier.  Fareeha found herself smiling. Being on the ground floor in the chaos was such a unique experience. Staring up at Lucio's bright smile was like looking at a thing of beauty.

10:12 PM

Neon green and yellow glow sticks lit up the crowd. Some were wearing them as crowns and necklaces while others were waving sticks. Fareeha couldn't tell if they had been thrown out from the stage or if fans had brought their own. Maybe both. Hana had a few of her own.

She turned, squirming between the bodies around her. "Will you put me up on your shoulders?" She shouted, pointing as she spoke.

They hadn't talked about this beforehand but Fareeha certainly didn't mind. She nodded eagerly. They had played chicken with their Overwatch teammates on the shores of Ilios a few times so the two of them were plenty familiar with this position.

Fareeha got down on one knee, dropping as low as she could go. She ducked her head down. She could see a hundred different pairs of shoes from down there, the crowd thick on all sides. It was oddly quieter down there while still being so loud.

Hana mounted Fareeha's shoulders with ease and grace. She squeezed her thighs tight, steadying herself as Fareeha rose to stand up. It was a quick fluid motion where they both found their balance.

Hana bent in half, leaning down to kiss the top of her girlfriend's head. "I love you!" She called out.

Fareeha couldn't hear her over the music.  

10:56 PM

Fareeha's back was aching. Her shoulders and the back of her neck were hot and damp with sweat. She had her hands wrapped tight around Hana's shins keeping her locked into place.

She wouldn't dream of putting her down though. Not with the entire crowd screaming for an encore. The lights had just kicked in again, brilliant green lasers that combed the stadium.

Lucio came happily skating out from a side of the stage. He left a trail of green light behind him as he went. He stood at the edge of the stage, taking it all in. Hana caught eyes with him and he grinned.

He played another song.

11:05 PM

Hana stood on the tips of her toes and stretched her legs as Fareeha reached her arms above her head and rolled her shoulders. Concert goers passed by them like moving water around a rock.

They stood staring into each other's eyes. They were both sweaty and messy. They were both sore and aching in different places. They were both grinning.

"Am I shouting?" Hana asked, definitely shouting. "I can't even hear myself, oh my god!"

"That was amazing." Fareeha shouted back. She leaned in for a kiss, capturing Hana's pink lips in her own. The five hour wait in line, the rush to get a good spot, the cramped crowding in the pit; it had all been worth it. "Thank you for taking me." She said as she pulled back.

"Thanks for coming with me." Hana grabbed Fareeha's hand and squeezed it.

11:43 PM

Thank God for twenty four hour fast food.

Fareeha leaned back in the booth she was sitting in, stretching an arm across the back of it. She had packed away a double cheeseburger, six chicken nuggets and an entire carton of fries all by herself.

Hana was still happily chowing down in her burger, and dipping her fries into her milkshake like the little gremlin she was.

"Disgusting." Fareeha shook her head as she watched.

"Noo, delicious." Hana corrected her. She reached across the table with a frosted fry in hand going for Fareeha's mouth.

"Don't you dare accost me with that food combination abomination." Fareeha warned before breaking into a fit of laughter and pushing Hana's hand away.

Both of their voices were raspy from all the shouting and screaming. Their ears were still ringing. They were probably talking a little too loud for how quiet it was in the restaurant.

"I'm glad we went." Fareeha said after a beat. "It was cool to see Lucio in his element, the whole thing was incredible. The stage, the set up, the songs; all of it."

Hana nodded in agreement, eating a few more fries. "Thanks for letting me sit on your shoulders." She said happily. "You know that's totally like true love right?"

Fareeha raised up and eyebrow. She was incredulous but still smiling. "Hn?"

"The fact that you let me sit on your shoulders for a full hour? C'mon. I know I look small but I'm pretty heavy. You have to really love me to do that."

"Please," Fareeha waved her off. "You know how much I like spending hours with your thighs wrapped around my head."

"Fareeha!" Hana squawked, face lighting up with an embarrassed blush. She tossed a fry at her in offense, laughing brightly. "I'm trying to be romantic here!"

Fareeha winked at her and grinned.

12:20 AM

Hana unhooked her bra through the cloth of her shirt. She pulled the straps down her arms and yanked it out through the arm holes of her tank top. The pink push up fell carelessly to the floor. She crawled gingerly into bed, clearly tired from their long night out.

"I texted Lucio and told him how amazing the show was." She said. Her pink cased phone was sitting on the bedside table, plugged in.

Fareeha's eyes were closed. She only hummed in reply, too tired to do more than that.

Hana crawled up next to her and cuddled into her side. "He's gonna be in London next. We should totally go see him there."

Fareeha let her arm come to rest comfortably around Hana's back. She hummed again, an affirmative sort of sound to show she agreed. They could go to London, that wasn't out of the question for either of them. They could even invite Lena and Emily to come with.

"Would you want to do it again?" Hana asked her. "Even with getting their early and waiting and the crowds and stuff."

"Sure," Fareeha agreed with her eyes still closed. Her voice cracked a little as she spoke, still recovering from the shouting. "I'll let you sit on my shoulder for the whole show next time, even during the opener."

"Are you being naughty right now or romantic?" Hana asked.

Fareeha cracked a smile. "Romantic." She clarified.

Hana stretched, and tipped up her chin to kiss her girlfriend on the jaw. "Oh good. In that case, I love you too."