bakerstreet | Where a kid can be a kid...or something

The Discovery Zone / Chuck E. Cheese's / Arcade Meme

If you were a kid during the 80s or 90s, I don't have to explain. Everyone remembers those meccas of fun that were awesome, yet somehow still smelled vaguely of stale pizza and shame. Whether you're hanging out in the tubes, jumping in the moon bounce, or shooting some hoops, you're sure to have a blast.

Well, even if you don't, it's not like you can leave. As big as this place is, there seems to be no door. So you might as well just sit back and win some tickets.

HOW TO PLAY:
1. Comment with your characters.
2. Others will reply, rolling the RNG for the scenario.
3. Have shenanigans. Feel free to make wacky crossovers, since you're all stuck in here together.

SCENARIOS:
1. The slide
2. Ball pit
3. Climbing wall
4. Moon bounce
5. The tubes
6. The little viewing bubble
7. Skeeball
8. Hoop shooting
9. Arcade games
10. The claw machine
11. Laser tag
12. Harassing the poor guy in the mascot suit
13. It's your birthday party!
14. For some reason, you work here.
15. Wildcard

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He nods at this confirmation of his very mild and obvious statement which was in no way meant to disguise any true and quite different intentions.

Through all these festivities, Sephiroth's been doing the usual polite greeting and intimidating looming that's expected of him, but where the amusements are concerned, he's remained aloof and uninvolved, because the general can hardly jump into a ball pit or slide down slides or things of that kind.]

Of course.

[The usual thing does get boring, however. Though Sephiroth can wait through the most long, boring meeting with the best of them, here there are numerous distractions not normally found in a boardroom. He never did go to places like this when he was a child ~~thanks, Dad~~, and he thinks it's ridiculous, the way they're jumping around aimlessly like that, probably upsetting their stomachs. What's the point of it? He can jump far higher on his own, as a SOLDIER, very easily, whenever he likes. Not that doing that is quite--as bouncy as this seems.]

You've been in one before, I assume? As a child. [Because no responsible adult would want to do such a thing, right?

He shouldn't be thinking maybe he could try it this once.]

[ Of course, of course. It's the same basic principle of professionalism Cloud's been valiantly attempting to uphold, himself (though at a station so much lower that were he to ever think the comparison, himself, he'd surely dismiss it as unbelievably absurd in a second).

No bounce houses, no ball pits, no getting hopelessly lost in endless mazes of tubes.

Those things don't even sound like very much fun, anyway. Or at least not alone, which is how he expects to spend the majority of his time, yet. This incredibly strange and stilted pseudo-conversation with the General is about as close to basic social interaction as he's come, today, and naturally it'd have to be, what with his paralyzing terror of saying anything but exactly the right thing each time he's expected to respond. ]

No, sir. I haven't.

[ And a petty part of him is maybe still a little proud of that, because why would he want to be some little kid? Or worse, yet -- to be seen as one. Especially if by, say, his hopeless idol mancrush over here. ]

[They are both extremely professional, serious people, with no interest in frivolity or merriment of any kind. There is no reason for either of them to have any fun or any interest in a funlike activity. Especially not such completely childish activities.

So, how did he come to be having this conversation with a member of the infantry? Ah, well. There seems to be no harm in it. He's not exactly fraternizing here, and at times he gets a little weary of being the cool, aloof general every minute of every day. Zack probably would have climbed into the moon bounce, if he'd wanted to try it, and people would have thought it natural for him to do so, because of who he is. Sephiroth doesn't have that luxury. However, as he is the general, he should be able to do as he wishes, shouldn't he? Even though it might look odd.

For instance, bouncing in a bouncy castle.

He nods, his expression placid, as if this were the most ordinary conversation in the world for them to be having.]

I see. Do they not have them where you're from?

[Small talk: his one great weakness.]

[ Damn straight, they're pros. And fun is for people who aren't, so consider this the most meta metaphorical high five.

As far as Cloud is concerned, the only really strange part of this conversation is his involvement in it at all. It isn't like he's never been in the relative proximity of his hero, so maybe the chances of getting incidentally roped into very uncomfortable small talk with him aren't exactly as astronomical as he assumes (or would have assumed, prior to this earth-shattering experience).

But still. It's pretty far out there, isn't it?

Cloud shakes his head promptly, glancing sidelong at Sephiroth, again. ]

They don't have anything like this [ and the short shrug of a shoulder, now, means to indicate the whole place ] where I'm from, sir.

[Complete and utter fun-shunning professionals in every way. They wouldn't even say "fun-shunning", because that sort of rhymes, which is too much fun, dammit.

But I have some terrible news for you, Cloud. Your idol mancrush is secretly kind of a weird guy. Like the kind of guy who would think really hard and also very seriously about jumping in a bouncy castle for no particular reason.]

From a small town, then? [He's going to forgo the dramatic irony of asking what it's called or saying he doesn't have a hometown.]

Have you ever wanted to try it?

[ Buh

What

Wait.

Cloud must be getting hard of hearing, in his old age, because there's no way Sephiroth is asking him something like that. He barely has time to nod his head as they narrowly avoid rehashing canon for the nine thousandth time in history before the absurd implications of that question start to sink in. All the loud arcade noises are giving him brain damage, that's it. Or maybe he was hit by a stray skeeball in passing, and somehow amnesia plus a concussion equals...

Yeah, no. That'd just be too easy.

Much as he'd like to save face (his confused, confused face), Cloud still can't manage to lie to his idol. ]

Um. Yeah, I guess. Sir.

Where a kid can be a kid...or something

He's probably going to break it...

lmfao No REAL gravity-defying in the bounce house, please.

he's too powerful for his own good ;_; (or anyone's)

poor bb. obviously the VR room needs a bouncy castle setting, just for him

I think Shinra needs to get on that, stat!

They really do. The stress relief alone could've done him wonders in the staying sane department