Games We Play Two
By Chash
The first mission in a role playing game is generally basic training stuff. No plot relation, except the possible addition of a new character or something, and really an excuse for everyone to get the hang of what the hell's going on. Every game handles their first battles differently, and most are basic enough it doesn't matter, but still, sometimes a game has a confusing enough system its really useful.
Wing is very confusing. The other four characters are controlled by AI, and Quatre's (Yo's, whatever, I call him Quatre) is under your control. It feels like a flight simulator. It should be very confusing, figuring out how to pilot, use the magic and all that.
But it wasn't. I just could. It was simple, easy, and completely natural. It felt as if I was supposed to be there, fighting. Maybe I was.
I'm not fighting now. I'm running around, occasionally shooting behind me with a handgun or curing Heero and Trowa as we look for the damsels we're supposed to rescue.
Trowa: Where are they, anyway?
Heero: Not much further now.
The pair fire a few shots into the approaching soldiers. A bullet hits Trowa in the shoulder, I heal him at once. Heero stops and Trowa and I skid to a halt.
Heero: This room. Quatre, do you have the lock picks?
I check my inventory.
Quatre: Yeah, here.
Heero: Duo's better at this, but… got it!
The door swings open in an FMV sequence. A girl with black blue hair, a blonde with her hair in two little braids and a final girl with curly brown hair are inside, looking scared. The brown haired one brightens at once.
Girl: Trowa!
Trowa: What are you doing here?
Girl: I was walking home and they took me in.
Heero: Who's this?
Trowa: Sorry, this is my sister…
"Catherine is a nice name," I decide.
"What was that, Quatre?" asks my father.
"Oh, nothing dad! Just talking to myself," I shake my head. They're so strange sometimes…
Catherine: Who are you all?
Heero: I'm Heero. This is Quatre. We came to get the prisoners. You.
Girl: Thank you. I am Miss
Do I get to name everyone in this game? Relena.
Relena: Relena Peacecraft. I appreciate your help.
Quatre: And you?
Girl: I'm…
Hilde, okay.
Hilde: Thanks for getting us out!
Quatre: Not a problem.
Heero: We're supposed to bring you back.
Quatre: …
Tell them to come back
Tell them they don't have to.
Quatre: You don't have to come.
Hilde: Sure we will! Catherine is going anyway, and we don't mind, right Relena?
Relena: Not at all.
Heero: Hn. Come on then. Catherine, ride with Trowa. Relena, go with Quatre. Hilde, come with me.
Accept
Make own parties.
"Quatre!" it's my sister. What does she want?
"Yeah?"
"Phone for you, it's Henry!"
"Thanks, sis!" I root around and find the phone. "Hello?"
"Hey, Quat!" Henry's cheerful voice greets me on the other end of the phone. "What's going on?"
"Not much. Playing my new game."
"Great, what is it this time?"
"Wing. Ever heard of it?"
"I saw an ad. About mech pilots, right?"
"Yeah. Pretty cool. It's scary, though, the main character looks just like me. He's a bit more polite than I am though," I laugh, and he does as well.
"Just about everyone is, Quat. So, wanna do something? It's Saturday, man, and I'm bored outta my mind!"
"Sure. Chris said they were playing baseball or something, and that we're welcome to join them if we want."
"Sounds cool. They're at his house?"
"Yeah. I'll come pick you up and we'll go over,
okay?"
"Sure. See ya soon, Quat."
I hang up the phone and switch off the TV as pick up my coat and dash out the door.
Just because I'm a video game freak doesn't mean I have no appreciation for nature. I love the spring, and playing baseball is always fun. Still, some part of me can't wait to get home and get back to my game. And not just my game. Something else, something more specific, not so broad as an entire universe full of people, something centered somewhere in the game that I can't pinpoint. I don't know what it is, but something in me wants to go back more than I want anything else. So I pulled out of Chris's early and sprinted home to play.
Relena: The quiet boy is Heero?
Quatre: The very quiet boy is Trowa. The blue eyed one who's a bit louder is Heero.
Relena: Yes, the blue eyed one. Is he single?
Quatre: On and off, I'm told.
Relena: Do you think he'd go for me?
Yes
No
Quatre: I'm not sure you're his type.
The three mobile suits thunder across the plains, and a sequence shows the fuzzy little animals fleeing in their path. And then, the ground all around them is ripped apart in a shower of gun fire. Spinning, I can see an army advancing. I let those strange instincts take over and began to fire, heal and fight like crazy. They're almost gone and it then I notice. Trowa is gone as well. Heero's voice buzzes over the intercom.
Heero: Where's Trowa?
Quatre: I don't know.
Hilde: I saw him get swarmed, some mobile suits took him.
Heero: K'so… come on, we have to get back and plan a rescue.
Quatre: Let's go!
I've never been worried before. I've thought they were gone before, thought they were going to die before, and had them die before, but I've never been worried. I'm worried about Trowa now. I don't know if he's coming back. I want him to come back. I want to go play so I can get him back.
Duo and Wufei were worried when we told them. Wufei swore some; Duo swore more. Heero sent and e-mail to those doctors and told everyone to get some sleep. I did sleep, but I was worried. Well, *I* was worried. My character slept unaffected. None the less, I'm sitting here, pecking at my dinner and wondering if Trowa will be all right. It was only the first mission, I tell myself, of course he'll be all right. Why do I even care? It's just a game. Yeah, I am a video game freak, but I don't get worried. Not like this, never like this. Never real emotions. I am worried. As if a friend were in trouble, I'm worried he won't come back, worried he's gone for good.
It must be a good game, to make me feel these things. A good GAME. Nothing more, nothing more, nothing more.
So why can't I concentrate? Why can't I think about anything but whether or not Trowa's all right and what will happen next?
"Quatre?" my mother's voice pulls me from my contemplation.
"Yeah?" I ask.
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah! Why wouldn't I be?"
"Anna has been telling us a story and you weren't listening at all," mom replies, gesturing to my little sister, who looks sad.
"Sorry, Anna, I was just a little distracted," I smile, ruffling her hair. She smiles happily.
"It's okay!"
"Go on," my older sister, Sam, instructs. Anna continues a little tale of her day and I smile at all the right places, refusing to let the worry show on my face.
Quatre: Any word from the scientists?
Heero: Yes. They want us to get Trowa back.
Wufei crosses to read over Heero's shoulder.
Wufei: Who do they want going?
Duo: All four of us. A lost pilot is important, after all.
Quatre: When do we go?
Heero: As soon as we're ready. Just come talk to me and we can get moving.
I contemplate a moment, standing in place. Part of me just wants to get Trowa as soon as possible, but the logical, game freak part of me realizes I should look around first. Items can help with Trowa.
Relena: Here, take this, it might help.
Quatre received Heal All!
Hilde: Good luck! This might come in handy.
Quatre received Oil!
I run as fast as I can to all the rooms, checking around for anything useful. A little from Wufei's room and the kitchen, I'd already raided Heero and Duo's and mine and Trowa's. Trowa… I save and dash out to talk to Heero.
Quatre: I'm ready.
Heero: Hn. Let's go.
Duo: Sounds good. Come on, Changipoo!
Wufei: MAXWELL!!!
The base is better guarded than before. But there are more than us than before. And I'm angrier than before. They fall faster than before.
Quatre: Do we have any idea where he is?
Duo: None. We're splitting into two groups to look for him.
I decide to take Duo with me, I'd rather not have him and Heero alone together. After all, we want to find Trowa, not have those two make out the whole time while Wufei and I get shot at.
Duo: Come on!
Inside is a maze. Duo does know the prison area, but it's huge and who knows where Trowa was in that mess. Door after door yields empty cells. One has Heero and Wufei in it, another some men, another some women, and one a child. We let all of them go, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I find some items, some weapons and upgrades, but I don't really care. I want to find Trowa. He had to be around here somewhere. I kick open another door and see him and Catherine. She's on the floor, out cold, and Trowa has his face set in a cold stare. It melts as he sees us. I try to run and hug him, but I won't move.
Then I realize it. That is not me, that's a character. And he can't move as I want to, as I would in his shoes. He's not me, he's Quatre Raberba Winner. And I'm not. Which means all I can do is sit here and watch.
Quatre: Trowa!
Now he does run and hug Trowa, but it doesn't feel right. I don't want that Quatre to hug Trowa, I want me to.
Trowa: I'm glad you guys came. Here, help Catherine.
Duo: Gimme a sec, I'll go get Heero and Wufei to help us out. Oi, Heero, Wufei! Get over here!
Duo runs out in search of the other two, and I'm left alone with Trowa. I walk over to him to talk, but those damn dots are all that come out. I try talking to Catherine.
Trowa: Wait for the others, they'll be back soon.
Quatre: Okay.
"I'd be much happier waiting if you'd just talk to me!" I fume, and jam down the controller to run out.
Trowa: Wait a second.
"I don't want to wait!"
Trowa: Before you go, I want to say something, Quatre.
Quatre: Hm?
Trowa: I love you, Quatre.
"Great, more lovebirds," I am about to throw the controller when Trowa turns away from the blond boy on the screen to face out of the TV.
Trowa: No, Quatre, I mean *you*. I don't love him, I love you.
"Oh my god," I drop the controller, and don't hear as it bounces on the floor. "My video game is in love with me."
And the scariest part is, I think I love him too.