Chapter 14: All Fun and Games

(we see Meiko and Luka playing shogi1 in the main room of the Vocaloids' suite) [And so, after a bit of a mishap with Kaito's breakfast plans, we find our heroes (cut to Rin running down the halls with Len in pursuit, trying to get her to slow down) exploring the vastness of the cosmos that is the residence building of (cut to Miku holding a bag of chips and a DVD2 at a counter with a cashier behind it) Crypton Studios, which is kind of odd, since they didn't (cut to Kaito and Gakupo playing DDR in Gakupo's office) do this when they first moved in.]

(music stops; Kaito and Gakupo get off the dance mats3)

Kaito: Why didn't you tell me there was a gym on the ground floor, Gakupo?

Gakupo: This is the residence building of one of the most renowned media producers in all of Japan. Why wouldn't there be a gym? (pause) Also, you didn't ask.

Kaito: Right. So, um, does this place have a-?

Gakupo: No, Kaito. There's no ice cream parlor here.

Kaito: …judo club?

Gakupo: (pause) No.

[Nonetheless, they explore, (cut to Rin and Len playing Soul Calibur 44 at an arcade) and discover more and more of what they've been missing.]

(cut to Miku walking by the arcade on the ground floor, singing to herself5)

Miku: I know these wonderful days
Will all just die away someday.
If only time would stop just for one moment…
My only wish is to sing
That song that only you could bring.
Could you let me off for now?
I need a moment's rest.

(hears shouting from the arcade, stops singing, then walks into arcade)

(cut to Rin and Len at the Soul Calibur 4 arcade; the character select screen is displayed6)

Rin: You got lucky that time, and you know it, Len!

Len: So what if I did? It's not my fault Raphael has such a good ring out game.

Rin: And I suppose letting yourself get beat up was part of some elaborate scheme to get me to lose?

Len: You ran away from me and jumped out of the ring in the final round. How's that part of an elaborate scheme?

Miku: Hi, Rin-kun. Hi, Len-kun. How long have you two been here?

Rin: Oh, hi, Miku. We've been here for the past, uh…

Len: (glances at his watch sleeve) 28 minutes.

Rin: Yeah. Exactly.

Miku: Well, you two look like you're having fun. Mind if I join?

Len: Not at all. Go ahead.

Miku: Okay. I play winner next round.

Rin: Okay, but you don't get to use our usernames.

Miku: Don't worry. I won't.

Rin: (to Len) Okay, Len. You're not beating me this time. (chooses Xianghua)

Len: You're still going on about that? It's just a game. (chooses Random)

Miku: Just try not to get in each other's hair, okay?

Rin: Just how immature do you think we are, Miku?

Miku: Well, I heard you screaming from the outside of the arcade and I saw you acting like a sore loser, Rin-kun. Please try to cut back on that.

Rin: Okay.

(cut to arcade screen; we see the battle commencing7)

(cut to Meiko and Luka playing shogi in the main room of their suite)

Luka: (captures Meiko's king with her knight)

Meiko: (shakes her head) (sigh) You win again, Luka.

Luka: You are improving; this time, it took me 41 moves to win.

Meiko: Yeah. It kind of reminds me of when Miku taught you how to play this game.

Luka: Huh? (fade to white)

(fade from white to scene of Miku and Luka with a shogi board and pieces between them)

Luka: So, Miku-san, what's (holds up a gold general piece) this piece?

Miku: Um, that's a gold general; it can move one space in any direction except diagonally backwards.

Luka: What about (holds up a lance piece) this piece?

Miku: It's a lance; it can move any number of spaces forward.

Luka: And (holds up a chip) this piece?

Miku: (giggle) That's a potato chip.

Luka: (chuckle) I know. I'm just kidding. (fade to white)

(fade from white to Meiko and Luka in the main room of their suite; Luka is setting up another shogi game)

Luka: (sigh) Good times. I wonder what little Miku's up to right now.

Meiko: She went downstairs to get some chips and a movie for us to watch tonight. She's probably still down there, playing some kind of game with Rin and Len.

(cut to Miku and Len playing Soul Calibur 4 at the arcade8; Miku wins)

Miku: Wow. That was a close match, Len-kun. You're really good at this game.

Len: Yeah. (looks down for a moment) Thanks, Miku.

Rin: Aha! You let her win, didn't you?

Len: What? Of course not; I just picked the Random option and wound up with-.

Miku: Both of you stop it. We all had fun, right? (Rin nods) Okay. Now, I've got to get these items back upstairs; Meiko-san wants to watch a movie tonight. See you later. (starts to walk away)

[So our friends' little escapade throughout their home away from home continues. What plans do they have in store for the days to come? Be sure to stay in touch for the next chapter of Project Vocaloid. (pause) This is getting very repetitive. (leaves the booth) I'm going to go balance my check book…or…check my…balance…book…]

1 Shogi is basically the Japanese equivalent of chess.

2 The label on the bag of chips reads "Imitator", and the movie title is "Howl's Moving Castle".

3 The song Kaito and Gakupo just finished is "Byakkoya no Musume".

4 Here, Rin plays as Xianghua and Len plays as Raphael; Rin appears to be winning.

5 This is part of a fandub for the song, "Innocence".

6 Here, we see Rin and Len's usernames: "Rin Rin Signal" and "Username" respectively.

7 Rin plays as Xianghua, while Len plays as Yoshimitsu.

8 Here, Miku plays as Talim while Len plays as Nightmare; Miku's username is "Electric Angel".