01 🔥 [journal entry]

[empyreancatastrophe]

Sender: Joshua
To: Everyone
Subject: Request for Assistance

Esteemed fellow Dreamwalkers,

I extend my heartfelt greetings to all in a moment of personal and restive rumination.

Within the intricate tapestry of our shared experience in this world bolstered by dreams, I find myself weaving a humble thread, seeking solace in the wisdom that resides in the bonds of our community. At this juncture, I pen my thoughts along the parchment of shared understanding, for in unity lies the strength to weather any tempests looming on the horizon, yet to beset us.

As the echoes of battle ring in my memory, it is clear that I cannot delay training, despite my insipidness. To clarify, my aversion stems not from the intention to undermine the value of such a skillset, but from the need to face my diffidence so that I may improve.

I respectfully ask those who are proficient in the physicalities of battle if you would be willing to share insights and advice on the intricacies thereof. In return, I will offer what I can, within reason. I’ve little in tangible possessions, but I am not adverse to providing reciprocal services. For your consideration, I’m adept with the casting of fire magicks, I can perform manual labor, and I can also assist with research. If none of these credentials suffice, I am willing to negotiate other fair compensation for your time and efforts.

Pray accept my deepest gratitude to all who have read my entreaty. As we act as conduits of dreams and magicks, let us fortify our knowledge together.

In camaraderie,

Joshua Rosfield

Comments

[empyreancatastrophe]

[Mad respect for sticking to ur fashion, fellow fire dude.]

'Tis something to consider.

[He should probably hit up the board sometime, too...]

We could aim to walk to the boards today so that we may peruse them tomorrow.

[belheir]

[It's shonen protag chic. You can't NOT wear it!!!]

They should be getting updated soon, right? Unless they already have been...

[He just does not pay enough attention to this stuff.... Whoops.]

[empyreancatastrophe]

[Don’t worry, big bro gotchu.]

I don’t believe they’ve been updated just yet.

Would you still like to take a look?

[belheir]

[!!!]

I don't see why not... Even if there's probably nothing that can be finished this late anyway.

[empyreancatastrophe]

All the better to see that anything that requires last minute attention is seen to.

[With that, Joshua takes the lead with a bit of a spring in his step and a grin on his face. Something about heading out to do something productive while chilling with a friend is both novel and invigorating.]

Pray tell me more about arcades along the way?

[belheir]

Sure... lets see.

[ He has to think about it for a second as they walk. Arcades are definitely more Atsuro's thing, but that doesn't mean that he's never been in one. He's been in them plenty, thanks to him. ]

Most people go to them after they're done school to kill time and relax playing video games. Either before cram school starts or to wait for the next train home. Some of them are pretty dimly lit, which is usually fine because the screens the games are on are pretty bright. There's some you can play solo, or some you can play with other people... And there's all sorts of types of games, including ones where you can win prizes and the like.

[empyreancatastrophe]

[There's a lot to absorb. A lot.]

[...Enough that Joshua's stride actively slows down while he tries to process it all.]

[Considering all of Kazuya's words, it seems that a lot of understanding is based on knowing one specific concept. So he asks about that.]

What is a video game?

[Oh, the irony.]

[belheir]

[... Yeah, okay. Kazuya somehow didn't expect Joshua not knowing what a video game was. He also slows his stride in time with his.]

It's... Sort of like a digital- [... Joshua is going to have no clue what digital means, so Kazuya just stops there.] Hang on.

[Thankfully he never leaves home without his COMP, because even if he doesn't need it, it's his own personal safety blanket. But he'll open it up to show the menus, though most of them are greyed out. Basically only the Profile, Data, Config, and Mail options still exist.]

They're games that are played on screens like this, but the screens are way bigger. And there's all sorts, there's tactical games, shooter type games, horror, adventure. Basically anything you might find in a book, you can also find it in video game form. Most video games usually have a story but some of them are pretty simple where you just stack blocks to eliminate them, or shoot bubbles at other bubbles of the same colour to remove them from the screen. And there's games where you race too...

[There's A Lot!!!]

[empyreancatastrophe]

[Joshua nods. Processes. Nods again. Processes some more.]

[He thinks he gets it. Maybe not completely, but a good 75%. He's going to try to put what he knows to use.]

Then in an arcade, one could play these games to test their skill, or against other people in competition? Or to hear stories together?

[belheir]

That's right. [He'll nod.]

The types of games with stories that are in arcades are a little lacking in most situations, but that's because you have to pay money to play them, and there's no way to save your spot in a game like that, unlike if you had a console type game at your own place.

[empyreancatastrophe]

[Processing... processing...]

When you say 'at your own place', do you mean you can play video games outside of an arcade?

[belheir]

Yeah, there are a bunch of different consoles for various video games. Some can be played between different consoles, but some are specific to certain ones... But a lot of people have them at their houses in some capacity, and there's even games you can play on these- [He waves his COMP.] or on phones too.

[empyreancatastrophe]

[Joshua nods along with Kazuya's list. He's paying attention, and even if some of the explanation is going over his head, he's learned enough so far to understand more than he ever thought he would.]

I have many more questions.

Is it alright if I ask them along the way?