Dating Tips - SotVD

[banthesun]

Yeah, he told me he used to play a bunch of dating games before moving here! He had to make me promise not to laugh before he told me though! XD

What, those creepy pornography ones I that old politician talks about on the news? He really admitted that to you? (O_O)

That's what I thought! He said the ones he played weren't like that, or something. Honestly, I didn't really undertand it that much. (-_-)

Yeah, me either... But it still does sound a bit creepy! But if you say he's alright now, I trust you on that!


Kyoko lay on her bed, playing with her phone. It'd been over ten minutes since she'd mailed Mariko, so something must have come up on her end. Ugh, having to email everything is such a pain! I wish I could just talk to Mariko about this stuff! She rolled over and began patting down her soft toys. It's no good! I was all prepped to have a conversation and now I have to wait. It took her more than an hour to get back last friday, I can't just wait that long! She kicked her legs in the air, letting herself have a private little tantrum all comfy in her bed, and then checked her phone again. Hmmm... Hey, maybe Miyuki could explain what those dating game things are! That's something a hikikomori would know about right?

Kyoko rolled out of bed, and headed across to the room opposite. Luckily for her, Miyuki was in, and Kyoko ducked on over to her bunk.

"Hey, Miyuki, are you free? Uh, I was wondering if you knew anything about these 'dating game' things? You're pretty knowledgable about computer games, right?"

[A Rainy Knight]

Snuggled up in bed once more with her laptop, Miyuki flips down the top of her computer and looks at Kyoko.

"H-huh? Um, yes, I'm free! Y-you're talking about dating sims, right?" She blushes a little bit, but keeps talking with a certain enthusiasm to her voice. "Sure, I know about those... I mean, I mostly play otome games, but the basic concept is p-pretty much the same. ...Is there some reason you ask?"

[banthesun]

"Uh, for a friend!"

Wait, that probably didn't sound right.

"I mean, a friend of a friend apparently used to play them, and like, you hear all kinds of stuff about them. But, uh, they're a bit weird? Um, not that there's a problem, or anything!" Kyoko quickly clarified. "Just, uh, I don't really know much about them..."

[A Rainy Knight]

Miyuki pokes the tips of her fingers together. "W-well, I guess they do have kind of a s-sketchy reputation, don't they? But they're, y'know, sort of a niche genre... I like 'em, though. L-like I said, I'm more into otome games than bishoujo games and, um, eroge and stuff, but I still know about them..."

Finally, she takes a breath.

"Y-you don't have a clue what I'm talking about, do you?"

[banthesun]

"Uh, games for girls, and, uh, pretty girl games?" Kyoko guessed. "Does that mean 'otome games' are for not-pretty girls? Uh, and I have no idea what 'eroge' means..."

Unable to puzzle it out, Kyoko gives a shrug.

"Okay, you're right. I don't have a clue," she admits.

[A Rainy Knight]

"O-okay. Um, let's see, where do I start..."

Miyuki sits up in bed cross-legged with her computer resting on her lap.

"Well, a lot of them are like visual novels. Um, that is, it's a game that's like a story you read through, and sometimes you make choices and stuff... A b-bishoujo game is called that because it has a lot of p-pretty girls in it. So the target audience is, y'know, guys. And otome games are aimed at girls like me, so they usually have a cast of good-looking g-guys. And eroge is, um, erotic stuff..."

Her excitement seems to be rising a bit as she continues her explanation.

"You t-try to, like, get all the endings and see all the CGs, and they have these really good illustrators and voice actors for all the characters, and um... I r-really like them."

[banthesun]

"So, it's like a book, but sometimes it's like a manga? But you have to make choices sometimes? And there's a bunch of good looking guys?"

Kyoko felt like she was more or less following, but there were still a few bits she didn't understand. She definitely wasn't clear on what Miyuki meant by 'erotic stuff,' for one, but felt a bit embarrased to ask.

"But, uh, why do you like them?" Kyoko asked. That was something she really hadn't followed.

[A Rainy Knight]

Miyuki thinks for a little while, staring idly up at the bottom of Tsubaki's bunk.

"Um, how do I explain it... it's f-fun to get to know all these different kinds of guys, and it's kind of satisfying to go through and try to find every route and every ending. You can get really attached to the characters in the well-written ones... sometimes I get a little depressed once I've completely finished a good game, h-hehe. It feels like you're saying goodbye to the f-friends you've done so much exciting stuff with."

[banthesun]

A look of concern passed over Kyoko's face. 'Saying goodbye to friends?' Is this because she has so few real friends?

Explained differently, Kyoko might have recognised the feeling, but how Miyuki had described it made Kyoko worry about her. She took a seat on Miyuki's bed, far enough away that the shy girl wouldn't feel she was invading her personal space.

"But they're not real people, right?" Kyoko spoke slowly and carefully. "It's not like you can actually talk to them?"

[A Rainy Knight]

Miyuki seems perfectly comfortable with the distance between them, but she still blushes a bit at the question.

"Of course they're not r-real people. I k-know that," she begins. "But... don't you ever feel for a character in a show or a movie? You l-laugh and cry with them, and you feel a little sad when their story is over. I like that experience... I like games that can make you feel those kinds of things."

She pauses for a moment, and continues.

"Well... I say that, but there's always, y'know, the fanservice, too. H-hehe..."

[banthesun]

"Ah, ahuh." Kyoko nodded at Miyuki's explanation. That made sense to her, and she had felt the same way before, after finishing a particularly good book or movie. She still felt a little concerned about Miyuki, but...

"Uh, what's 'fan-service' mean?"

[A Rainy Knight]

Miyuki's momentarily at a loss for how to answer, but finally replies.

"Um, y'know, it's like... those scenes where all the guys t-take their shirts off at the beach, or a girl gets her clothes all w-wet, or you walk in on your crush changing... Like, s-sexy stuff."

Realizing the potential for misunderstanding, she quickly speaks up again. "I-I've never played anything explicit or anything! But, it's out there... mostly aimed at g-guys, though."

[banthesun]

Kyoko blushes at the explanation. She realised stuff like that was out there, but she hadn't realised it had a specific name.

"Uh, and that's in a lot of them?" she asked, "But not, explicit stuff? Uh, explicit stuff meaning, um, sex?" she'd practically mouthed the word, it was so quiet. "So it's sexy stuff, but not, uh," this time she just gave an embarrassed grin, averting her gaze.

This is even more confusing than I realised...

[A Rainy Knight]

"Y-yeah... like sex and stuff," Miyuki says, fidgeting awkwardly. "I g-guess guys are into that stuff. Oh! N-not that I was trying to imply anything about your f-friend or anything..."

[banthesun]

"Uh, apparently he said he didn't play things like that?" Kyoko sounded a bit unsure. "But I guess it would still have, uh, 'fanservice' in it?"

She was still a bit unsure about what 'fanservice' involved exactly, but was much too embarrassed to press the issue. She gave an awkward cough and continued.

"Anyway! So it's like having a boyfriend, on the computer?" she asked. "Or a girlfriend, for guys, I guess."

[A Rainy Knight]

Feeling a bit embarrassed herself, Miyuki claps her hands in her lap.

"Um... yeah, that's about r-right. Usually you have some choices to pick from. Like, maybe I go with the kind, gentle guy who loves cats, or maybe I go with the sadistic guy in the glasses... that kind of thing."

[banthesun]

"Sadistic guy in glasses? Huh?"

Kyoko had been nodding along, feeling she had a vague idea what Miyuki was talking about, but this kept throwing out new surprises. Miyuki obviously knew what she was talking about, but Kyoko was having a hard time following. She glanced down at the laptop in Miyuki's lap.

"Um, you wouldn't be able to, uh, show me, would you?"

[A Rainy Knight]

"Oh! S-sure, let me just find a good one," Miyuki says, opening up her laptop and scooting over so Kyoko can see the screen, too. She clicks through a folder or two on her desktop, and the screen is taken over by the logo of a game.

Battling HeartS ~ Knights of the Shining Tower

A catchy light-rock song plays while scenes of handsome young men in armor move across the screen, along with the soft tapping of Miyuki's fingers against her mouse in time with the beat.

"This one's pretty good, actually... it's got a Western f-fantasy theme to it, like knights and wizards and stuff. I think I've got a save at a good scene in Orlando's route..."

She navigates through a couple of menus, and after a brief loading screen, Kyoko is greeted by a background looking like a set of medieval bedchambers. A text box appears at the bottom of the screen, and it quickly starts to fill with words.

Miyuki: I wake up, open my eyes, and stretch my arms. Ugh... I'm still sore after yesterday's training. We have the day off today, so maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to take it easy today. Rest up, recover my strength before the next time I have to spar...

KNOCK KNOCK

Orlando: "Hello? Are you in there?"

Miyuki: Somebody's knocking at the door - it sounds like Orlando. What's he doing in the women's barracks? Actually, I'm more surprised he's even up and about at all this early in the morning... it's not like they went any easier on him yesterday than they did on me. Should I answer him, or just sleep in some more?

- "Yes, come on in!"
- "J-just a moment, please!"
- Say nothing

Back in the real world, Miyuki looks to Kyoko. "You wanna c-choose here?"

[banthesun]

Kyoko leaned in close to get a good look at the screen. She wasn't overly fond of the fantasy aesthetic, but that seemed like something she'd expect from a videogame. While the game loaded, she looked at Miyuki.

She seems really into this. It's like she's more relaxed than I've ever really seen her. That, and this is probably the closest I've ever been to her. She always seems like she needs plenty personal space.

Once the game was running, Kyoko's attention snapped back to the screen, trying to catch up on what was going on.

Okay, so we're a soldier or something? Like Tsubaki? And there's a guy who want's to come into our room!?

Kyoko was taken by surprise by being asked to make the choice. "Ah, just a moment!" she replied, caught between asking Miyuki for more time and instinctively choosing the second option. "Wait, what would happen if we just let him come in?" she asked.

Oh, if it's actually meant to be Miyuki, she'd probably say nothing, Kyoko thought, a little cheekily.

[A Rainy Knight]

Miyuki giggles. "W-well, let's just see! That's the fun, isn't it?"

>> "Yes, come on in!"

Just the thought of getting out of bed right now seems somehow foreign, so I lie and wait for him to enter. The door opens with a creak, and Orlando steps inside.

The game's background changes to an illustration of a handsome, short-haired young knight in light armor wiping the sweat from his brow.

Orlando: "Hah, you're still in bed? I just finished my morning jog, y'know!"

Miyuki: He says it all with a grin on his face. It's almost unreasonable how cheerful he seems sometimes... I bunch the covers up around myself, and yawn.

"Give me a minute... I feel like I just got back from a real battle, the way yesterday went."

Orlando: "Aw, c'mon, sleepyhead! I've got something amazing to show you, so up and at 'em!"

Miyuki: Before my sleepy mind can even piece together what's going on, he walks over to the side of the bed and playfully starts tugging away at the covers.

...Wait a minute, I'm just wearing my nightgown under here!

Miyuki looks aside to Kyoko, and grins. "H-hee hee! Looks like you made an interesting choice. I almost f-forgot how cute he was, though..."

[banthesun]

"Ah, wait-" Kyoko started protesting as Miyuki mades the choice. Having Miyuki's character say that seems like a big deal! But before she knew it Miyuki had clicked on the answer, and the virtual knight entered the room.

As Miyuki played, Kyoko couldn't help looking at her. It's weird seeing Miyuki like this... She's always hidden in her bed when she's playing, so this is like I'm watching something private... A strange mix of embarrassment and pride washed over her, that she was being allowed to see Miyuki like this.

Her attention back on the game, Kyoko replied, "Huh, that really is interesting. Now I'm wondering what would've happened if we'd taken the other choices. But, uh, would anyone actually say something like that?" she asked.

[A Rainy Knight]

Miyuki shrugs. "Well, if you're c-curious, we can just go back and see. A lot of people k-keep save files at some of the branching points, so they can see the result of every choice... I'm not a d-diehard completionist or anything, but it's fun now and then."

She opens up a menu, reloads the same point she had shown Kyoko before, and starts again.

>> "J-just a moment, please!"

I can't just let him barge in while I'm still in bed! Even so, I can still hear his voice through the door as he teases me.

Orlando: "Ho ho... don't tell me you're not decent in there!"

Miyuki: "B-be quiet! I'll be out in a minute."

Orlando: "Alright, but don't take too long! I've got something amazing to show you, and you're going to miss it if you're late!"

Miyuki stops clicking through the dialogue boxes, and leans back. "See, s-sometimes things go a little differently based on what you choose to say. I g-guess it's a little like real life in that way, h-huh..."

[banthesun]

"Huh, that is interesting..." Kyoko repeated. "And there's lots of games like this?"

Kyoko was still a bit unsure if she understood the games, but she felt Miyuki had at least done well explaining them. If I'm going to learn more, I guess I'll have to do some 'research'.

"Um, Miyuki, where do you get these games?" Kyoko asked sheepishly. "Uh, and are there any you'd recommend?"

[A Rainy Knight]

"Y-yeah, there's a lot of games in this genre. I g-guess they're easy enough to make, since the only real gameplay is reading the story..."

Miyuki clicks through a few menus and closes out of the game, returning to her desktop.

"Oh, um... I'm sure you could find them in a game store or s-something, but I always ordered them online instead of, y'know, l-leaving the house. Some of them you can just d-download, and sometimes I ordered a real CD. Anyways, um, r-recommendations..." She pauses, and then seems to light up a bit. "W-wait, are you interested in trying these on your own? I've got a bunch I'd recommend, and I might have a couple of them here I could l-lend to you. O-only if you want."

[banthesun]

Kyoko waved her hands in front of her, as if trying to brush off Miyuki's question.

"Ah, I mean, it's not like it's really something I'm interested in, but, uh, it looks interesting, and I haven't really seen much stuff like this! I've never really played many games before; I don't really think they're 'my thing,' uh, but I'm willing to try"

A new thought struck Kyoko. I was just thinking of checking them out, but if this is something Miyuki really cares about, maybe she'd like to talk about it. She is pretty hard to talk to otherwise, after all.

"Uh, and if you like it, I guess they could be pretty good!" Kyoko added, with a flourish of her finger.

[A Rainy Knight]

Miyuki waves her hands in return. "O-oh! I didn't mean to, um, imply that you..."

She takes a breath, and calms down.

"Y-you don't have to if you don't want to. But I'd be happy to l-lend you one anytime," she says, with a little smile.

[banthesun]

"No no! I definitely do want to try!"

Their mutual freak-out was beginning to get silly, so Kyoko just gave an amused smile. She took another look at Miyuki's computer, but Miyuki had gone back to her desktop. On her quick glance over the desktop, Kyoko spotted something else.

"Oh! Is that one of your stories?"

[A Rainy Knight]

Miyuki glances down at the icon in question, and nods.

"Y-yeah, that's right. It's, um, one of my more recent works. I guess you could say it's not p-pure romance like I used to write, since it's more like half romance and half adventure... it's a little tough coming up with an interesting plot, but it makes me t-try new things, at least. And, well, my real life lately is a lot more 'adventure' than 'r-romance,' so I guess it's pretty fitting."

[banthesun]

"Your life was romance before?"

Kyoko's hand flew to her mouth. Ohshi- I didn't meant to say that aloud!

"Um, I mean, I think it's cool that you're writing from life."

Nice save! Uh, hopefully...

"Uh, is it alright if I take a look?" Kyoko asked, hoping to distract Miyuki from her slip up.

[A Rainy Knight]

Miyuki chuckles. "H-heh. I was a r-real charmer back then..."

She opens up the document and maximizes it over the screen, leaving it scrolled into the middle of the story.

The Emulators keep coming, even though their numbers should have long been exhausted by any reasonable reckoning. I thought I could hold them off here... I really did! But with every stroke I make, the core of my broom grows dimmer and dimmer...

There's just one of them left in front of me, for now. I run towards it and slash the tip of my broom across without a shout, melting it away into fog.

With a heart-stopping click, my broom shuts off. Barely a second passes, and I can see the gleam of the Emulators' eyes from the hall ahead.

This is it, isn't it? It's over. I plant my useless broom on the floor before me, lean my weight on it, and shiver. I couldn't even buy time properly... I don't even deserve to call myself a Wizard.

I whisper, to no one but myself. "I'm sorry, everyone," I mouth, as I wait for them to devour me.

Their jaws never come.

In a flash of black, a figure darts in from behind me and dives into the assembled Emulators. The glint of a rapier is the only light to be seen in the haze of the dying monsters, as the lone vampire dances his one-man waltz of death among their ranks. His blood takes flight with that of the enemy as their attacks mar his ivory skin, but his assault is ceaseless. I can only watch slack-jawed as the enemy is decimated before me.

Heinrich licks a trickle of his own blood from his chin, and turns to me.

"Giving up already, girl?"

Miyuki looks aside at Kyoko with a sly smile. "M-maybe this sounds a little weird, but I took a bit of inspiration from Tsubaki for the hero this time. N-not the part about being a vampire, of course."

[banthesun]

Kyoko leant foward to read Miyuki's story.

What, is this some kind of magic girl story? I think Miyuki said something about adventure and romance... Hmm, it actually seems pretty well written, but it's definitely not my kind of thing. Oh well, if you don't have something nice to say...

"It's very original!" announced Kyoko. "The vampire's the hero? And he's like Tsubaki because of how he fights?" Kyoko wasn't sure if she was stretching for the resemblance. "Oh, and what are these 'emulator' things?"

[A Rainy Knight]

Miyuki giggles. "H-hee! I guess it's p-pretty original for a fanfic, at least. It's based on this role-playing game I played once... the Emulators are these monsters f-feeding off human life, and the Wizards are all the kinds of heroes that fight them. It's kinda funny, when you think about the Shadows and all of us..."

She lets out a breath, still glowing with the enthusiasm of her explanation. "Yeah, the h-hero in this one - the vampire, Heinrich - he doesn't care if he has to come across as frightening or dark. He willingly gets his hands dirty and fights, even if he gets hurt, so other people like the heroine don't have to. I think that's p-pretty noble."

[banthesun]

"Oh, so this is based on a game too? So you're meant to have played the game first?"

Well, I'm clearly not in the intended audience then...

Kyoko leant back. "I guess that does sound a bit like Tsubaki." She paused, "But he's a guy based on Tsubaki? I mean, Tsubaki is pretty boy-ish and all..."

[A Rainy Knight]

Miyuki shrugs. "W-well, it's one of those systems where you make your own party, so it's not like you have to know the characters already... but I guess it wouldn't hurt to be familiar with the s-setting, yeah."

She fidgets a bit and continues. "Oh! H-heh. It's more like I took a part of her personality that I like, and stuck a handsome face on it. M-maybe a little too simple, now that I think about it, but it works. I t-try not to spend too long deliberating and thinking about my stories now that I've got other things to do in the day."

[banthesun]

"Oh, okay." Kyoko nodded to Miyuki's explanation. If that works then it must be okay! It's good you can still work on your stories, I guess. Um, have they changed a bit now that you're basing them on real people?"

Or, half real people, half pretty boys, as it may be...

[A Rainy Knight]

"Hmm..." Miyuki thinks a moment, putting a finger to her chin. "I g-guess you could say I've left my comfort zone a bit. Added variety. Tried writing more personalities that just the ones that appeal to me m-most. And... I think it's a good thing."

After a brief pause in which she looks anxiously back and forth between her computer and Kyoko, she speaks up.

"U-um! Uh... I know I've t-talked a lot about what I'm into, but w-what do you like to do, Kyoko?"

[banthesun]

"That does sound helpful..."

Kyoko was taken by surprise by Miyuki asking her what she liked.

"Uh, shopping, I guess? There's a few shows I like too. Mostly just hanging out with people though? I dunno..." she concluded lamely.

[A Rainy Knight]

"Snrk!"

Miyuki barely restrains a laugh, then blushes with mortification.

"Ah! S-sorry! It's just... that's such a n-normal answer." She smiles timidly. "Um, I'm not m-making fun of you or anything! I mean... if it's alright, can we g-go out together sometime and do something normal? Ugh, I made that sound so awkward...!"

[banthesun]

Kyoko was already unsure about her answer, so she immediately got defensive.

"What- well- I mean-" but before she could come up with a proper rebuttal, Miyuki had disarmed her with her earnestness. "I, uh, sure. It was fun going shopping last time, even if it was a bit embarrassing with Lenora there..."

[A Rainy Knight]

"H-hehe, yeah, that one store was p-pretty intimidating." Miyuki sighs. "W-well, anyways, it doesn't absolutely have to be shopping if you don't w-want. It's just... how do I say this..."

She seems to be pondering her words for a moment.

"I r-really enjoyed showing you the kind of stuff I'm into, but I don't want to take all our time for myself. So, whatever it is you want to do, I'd like to do it with you, if that's alright... W-within reason, of course."

[banthesun]

Kyoko took some time to process Miyuki's explanation.

"Okay... Thanks. Uh, for your consideration and all, I mean! Um, I will let you know if I'm doing anything. That'd be nice." Kyoko gave Miyuki a smile. "Um, and I do still want to try out one of those games too, if that's okay!"

[A Rainy Knight]

Miyuki nods vigorously. "R-right! Um, for someone like you who's just starting out, instead of the more niche stuff like I was showing you I might recommend something a little more vanilla and highschool-ish like ~Melancholist Lover~ or *Twinkle*Twinkle* since they're both pretty good but still play things mostly straight or maybe, um..."

She finally takes a breath.

"Um, s-sorry. L-let me just find it..."

She makes her way off the bed, and starts rooting around in her drawers.

[banthesun]

Melancholist Lover? Twinkle Twinkle? What are these games!?

Kyoko stood up to look over Miyuki's shoulder as she searched for the games.

"Uh, I'll trust whatever you choose for me! You know these much better than I do, after all!"

[A Rainy Knight]

After a little more rummaging, Miyuki finally seizes on something. "Gotcha!"

She pulls a colorful CD case from the pile of her stuff, and hands it up to Kyoko. The front cover is illustrated with a group of handsome young men lined up along a high school hall way, and in bright print is the title: *Twinkle*Twinkle*

"T-this one's a good start, I think," Miyuki says, climbing up onto the bed. "Kinda classic, at least to me. There's nothing t-too crazy going on, just an ordinary high school romance with a good variety of routes - er, I mean, d-different characters you can get to know. Different personalities."

[banthesun]

Kyoko took the CD from Miyuki and looked at the cover.

Hmmm, it doesn't look too interesting... And I still have no idea what that title means... I guess I'll have to play it to see!

"Thanks! I'll try it out and tell you how it goes." Kyoko smiled. "Oh, and I wont forget to let you know if something comes up. We really should hang out more!" And with that Kyoko excused herself and went to return the game to her room.

Well, I'm sure she could use some more time with other people, at least...

[A Rainy Knight]

"S-sure! Definitely! We r-really should!" Miyuki says, waving good-bye as Kyoko leaves.

When she's by herself once again, she flops back onto her bed and lets out a long, relaxing sigh.

I think that went well! I mean, even after all that, she doesn't seem to think I'm too much of a weirdo... right?