ArchivedLogs:Video Gaming and Violence Talk

Video Gaming and Violence Talk
Dramatis Personae Kaine Jack
In Absentia	2015-03-12 Kaine and Jack head to the arcade! (Warning: Talk of Violence)
Location <WES> Tilt - Salem Center
Loud, loud, loud; the first noticeable thing about this arcade is the noise. Games of every kind each make noises of their own, from the roll-thunk of skeeball to the wakka-wakka-wakka of Pacman to the stomping beats of DDR to the shots and yells of more modern shooters -- there is something for every taste, here, and over it all the constant backdrop of conversations and laughter, or shouts of anger or celebration as someone dies or claims a new high score. It's shortly after lunch when Kaine drags Jack into the arcade. He's wearing slim-fitting jeans, a red v-neck t-shirt and a pair of worn looking Sperry's. "Just gotta get you out more." he informs the invisible teen as he holds the door open for him. "Though we sure as hell can't do it every day, the allowance I have here only goes so far." In jeans, a Nightwing-logo t-shirt, and a red zip-up hoodie, Jack looks around as he steps into the arcade. "What, three years wasn't enough time being out?" Jack jokes a little. Hood still up, he unzips his hoodie and nods. "Yeah, cash always in short supply." "More than enough." Kaine shakes his head slightly. "Just not enough time being out by choice." His gaze drifts over the machines. "Anything game you prefer?" Shrugging, Jack heads for one of the change machines first. "I'm good with whatever. I'm not too good at most video games. Haven't been in an arcade since I was like ten either," he laughs a bit, getting some quarters. "What do you want to play?" "Definitely Pacman." Kaine says, heading over to change out as well. "Maybe house of the dead. Probably won't pay for guitar hero if they have it, think I saw a copy in the rec room." His attention shifts over the machines and faces. "And with this here? We'll have to come over at least once more before the break is over." "The one with the plastic guitar and drums and stuff? Yeah, there's one in the rec room," Jack replies. "That's a good one." he adds. "Got that one with the camera and the dancing too," he adds. "Got almost two weeks until break ends. Plenty of time." "Bad ass." Kaine replies, tucking change into a pocket before reaching up to tie his hair back. "So.. Which one do you want to hit first?" Jack makes sure his hood is still up and looks around. "Let's try House of the Dead. Wanted to play that when I was younger but never got the chance," he says, smiling invisibly. "And I've got good aim." "Challenging the master." Kaine says with a very visible grin, heading over to one of the unoccupied machines, digging change out load up as player one. "So anything new going on since we headed out last?" Taking some coins from his pocket, Jack picks up the plastic gun. "Not a lot," he admits. "Just trying some new origami things and finished a book I was reading," he explains. "Scared the heck out of someone this morning," he adds, sounding faintly amused as he puts the coins into the machine. "What about you?" "Same old same old. Gym, yoga, and movies." Kaine replies, bringing his gun up when it's time. "Never tried origami. Another shower scare?" he asks, bringing his gun up and popping a few of the zombies on the screen. "I picked it up after Rasa suggested it. It's been interesting," Jack remarks. "Relaxing and decent practice when I use my power to do it," he adds. There's a laugh from the invisible teen as he joins in the zombie popping. "Yeah, same guy as before even. Though this time it was my fault." "The first time must have been funny. But the second time, same person? Hilarious." Kaine replies with a grin, popping a few more zombies. He's surprisingly good at the game. "Yeah, we laughed when the heart attacks wore off," Jack replies. He's not that bad at the game either but definitely needs some work. "For the bes- shit." Kaine starts, only to grumble as he runs out of ammo and gets attacked, reloading and popping the zombie. "Might try origami while I'm out of the pool." "I've been learning from a book I found in the Library. And some sites I found online," Jack remarks. "It makes practicing with my TK a little more interesting than just folding paper plans like I used to." "Still trying to work with water better." Kaine admits, main focus still on the game. "Can move it, but that's about it. Sure there's something else I could do with it, or at least do more with it. Maxed out at a hundred gallons or so." "Maybe you can work it like a muscle," Jack suggests. "try to approach it like how you were if you were trying to get physically stronger," he pauses as they reach the level boss. "What the hell is that..." he trails off. "Looks like a giant headless set of armor." Kaine grunts in reply, opening fire on it. "But yeah, that's how you do it. Just don't do it until you get a nose bleed.. That's when it's time to call it quits for a bit." "And a squeaky, shrieking puppet monster," Jack mutters, winces a little as he gets hit. "Nosebleed's the least of my worries," Jack sighs. "I push too hard and its blackout city." "That's life." Kaine says with a sigh, taking shots once more. "The squeaky puppet monster, that is. Not sure if I get black outs, never pushed that hard." "Only happened twice to me," Jack replies. "Thankfully. Pushed too hard, got a hell of a headache and was out like a light. Woke up feeling like hell," he says with an invisible frown. "Hopin' I learn better control and it doesn't happen again." "Hell yeah!" Kaine cheers as they kill the boss. "Er, the boss. Not the blacking out." he amends quickly. "Yeah, don't push that hard." Jack laughs. "I figured," he replies. "I'll try not to. Did it on accident the first time. And to save my ass the second," he shrugs, letting out a breath as the scores come up. "You be careful how much you push yourself too." "I don't try too often. A little bit at a time." Kaine reaches up to rub at his neck. "This game is a bit harder than I remember." "It's way harder than it looks," Jack agrees, stretching his neck. "But I've never been that good anyway," he adds with a chuckle. "You play this one a lot?" "Nope, didn't have an arcade up in Barrow. Only got to play it whenever we'd visit family, which wasn't very often." Kaine takes a moment to shift, arching his back until it pops. "If we don't have a copy in the rec room, I'm going to have to pick a copy up next time we head into the city." "They make this for the home consoles?" Jack asks, as surprised as an empty hood can look. "I figured it only came in these big machines," he admits, rubbing the back of his neck. "Only ever saw these on a vacation at the boardwalk or at the movies," he adds. "They released a home version a while ago, Overkill. For the wii." Kaine replies. "Not sure if it's the same as this one, but it should be pretty cool." "Wii's Nintendo, right?" Jack asks, making a vague motion-control gesture with his free arm. "We should check when we get back," he suggests. "Yeah, that's the one." Kaine confirms. "Hopefully they have it, but it should only be ten or fifteen dollars if we get a used copy." Nodding, Jack takes a breath and prepares for the next level. "Here's hoping you find one," he says. "Can't you always check that on-console shop too?" Kaine taps out a salute before turning his attention back to the screen. "Probably could, yeah. Forgot about that." "Saw someone downloading something this morning," Jack shrugs. "Things still going good with you and Tristan?" "Yeah, he doesn't make too much noise." Kaine replies. "And I'm not in the room too often, so if that's where he goes, he doesn't have to deal with me. Win-win for everyone." Jack nods, humming a little as he slowly improves at the game. "Good to hear," he remarks. "Run into Hailey again since the other day?" "Unfortunately no." Kaine pops a few more zombies before reloading. "Been meaning to get permission to practice with my rifle some more." Jack pauses, glancing at Kaine and then back to the screen. "Rifle?" he asks. "You've got a gun?" "Obviously didn't bring mine." Kaine says with a slight shrug. "Should have one, or an air rifle I could at least shoot with." Jack nods a little. "Oh," he gives half a shrug. "Maybe you can convince your advisor to give you permission. What're you looking to shoot anyway?" "Just a bit of target practice. Don't wanna get rusty." Kaine takes out a few more zombies. "Might get a handgun and learn to use it, after graduation of course. Shouldn't be any harder than the rifle." Jack hums a bit. "They have more of a kick than I ever thought," he remarks. "I think getting one might be hard," he says, scowling and cursing under his breath as zombies stop coming and instead small jumpy enemies appear. "I mean you have to get a permit and take a test, right? I don't think that'll be easy for guys like us..." "I've been a responsible shooter for years. It'll be a load of fuck shit if they make it where I can't buy another gun." Kaine says. "No police record or anything." "Yeah but we're mutants," Jack replies. "And you'd probably have to register that long before ya could get one for a gun," he points out. "And they could use that to deny you." "And I'd spread the news far and wide. Wouldn't change anything, but would make the government look bad, at least to those who are neutral and pro-mutant." Kaine replies with a shrug, shooting the jumpy creatures. "I doubt they care," Jack sighs a little sadly. "I mean I can already see some of those nuts saying 'you can make ice, why do you need a gun?' or something stupid like that." "Because I have a right to relieve stress and have the assurance of protection, without having to rely on a mutation I gained." Kaine says with a grun, popping a few more creatures. Jack smirks a little even if its unseen. "Kaine, good luck. You're gonna need it getting into that kind of argument," he says. "Me...I don't really like guns. Game ones are fine," he gives the lightgun a little shake as he reloads. "But I've used a real one...been shot at a few times too. Just don't like them." "Ouch. Haven't been shot yet, thankfully." Kaine gives his head a slight shake. "I know they aren't getting the rifle I /do/ have. Even if I have to keep it under a floorboard." Jack laughs a bit. "I come from Newark. High crime," he points out. "Not even sure if it was the actual bullet that hit me or something it broke or whatever but some jackass was shooting and I ended up bleeding a bit," he shrugs. "Getting stabbed hurt worse," he whistles. "Yeah, probably a bad idea to try hiding a weapon at school at all." "Yeah, no. That's still up with my parents. I mean after I graduate." Kaine explains. "I'd flip my shit if I got stabbed. Probably fill whoever did it with ice spikes." Jack hums a little. "I can't say I reacted much better," he admits with a sigh. "Think I broke her arm. Just glad it wasn't a deep cut or anything. Got a scar," he pauses a beat. "Not that anyone can see it." "When did you get stabbed?" Kaine asks, arching a brown, though he's still facing the game. "Back in Newark," Jack replies. "About two years ago. I was kind of hanging out on the edges of this group of other street kids. Found out this girl was a mutant too. She could turn her nails metal. But when she found out that the reason I never got close to anyone and always stayed covered up was because of the invisible thing," he scowls, shooting a virtual zombie a few more times than he needed to. "she freaked out and stabbed me. Said said she didn't want me anywhere near her since she thought I'd blow her cover and let everyone else know she was a mutant." "Breaking her arm is nice compared to how I'd have reacted to that." Kaine shakes his head, popping a few heads before glancing aside at Jack for a moment. "If anybody ever stabs me, they better kill me. Or at least make sure I can't get up." Jack is tenser than he was before thanks to the memory but only his body language gives it away. "I wasn't trying to hurt her or anything, I was just worse with my TK back then," he sighs. "In the past now," he shrugs. "I'd prefer to avoid ever getting stabbed again." "Amen." Kaine says. "And I wouldn't have tried until I was stabbed. Then all hell would have broken loose." He grunts a bit, shooting a few more zombies. "But anyway, when is the last time you actually went out to eat?" "Depends how ya define going out to eat," Jack replies. "I mean I've stopped at Evolve for food before," he says. "Other than that, I just get food in the cafeteria like anyone else." "Let's grab Lia and go out to Harlem, hear Busboys and Poets won't kick us out." Kaine suggests. Jack hums thoughtfully. "That sounds like it'd be pretty cool," he says. "Sure, if she's good to go the three of us can go get something to eat and maybe pick up a book or two." "And if anybody has a problem with it, I can make them a batch of shut the fucupcakes." Kaine says, popping more heads on the screen. Jack pauses and starts laughing, a few of his shots missing. "Dude," he shakes his head. "Seriously?" he laughs a bit more. "Sounds like a plan though." Kaine shoots Jack a grin, picking up his slack for a moment before reloading. "Yeah, seriously. But I've heard they have some good food. Never been there though." Jack nods. "Haven't been there either," he says. "But I heard the same. Should be fun." Kaine dips his head slightly, "Should be." Then the game steals his attention once more as they get ready for another boss fight.