Note: this is set just before the end of season one of New Game. So it will almost certainly have spoilers.

Arisugawa's Locket

New Game!

Shizuku Hazuki smiled as the silvery haired woman declared, "Let's go celebrate the completion of Fairy Story 3!"

Everyone else in the work area pretty much groaned.

The team at Eagle Jump had been working down to the wire on finishing their latest game, and had spent several all nighters on it. To be blunt, most were really, really exhausted.

"No. Just.. no," Rin groaned. The Assistant Director was half slumped over her desk, and was sort of looking at Ko, who was annoyingly still sitting up. The woman clearly still had some Red Bull in her system or something.

"But!" Shizuku actually pouted.

Ko nodded, "I'd like a party as much as anyone, but not now. How about we send everyone home, get some sleep and we'll do something tomorrow to celebrate?"

"Good idea," Rin agreed.

"Awww," Shizuku was still pouting, but at least she could see their point.

"Just the art team or...?" Ko wondered.

"Anyone who wants to go. Even the debugger part timers," Shizuku declared.

In fairly short order everyone was gotten up, shuffled out of the building and headed home.

The afternoon of the next day Aoba Suzukaze and her friend Nene Sakura were heading back to work via train. "I'm kind of worried about this party," Aoba admitted, her twintails swinging with the train's movement.

Nene looked over at Aoba and nodded. "It IS Shizuku's idea and she can be a bit... odd."

Aoba snorted, "Oh yeah."

The older woman had jokingly hit on Aoba a few times. And had said that she liked to have beautiful staff so she could more easily forgive their mistakes. So... yeah.

"Is Umiko coming along?" Aoba asked, referring to Nene's superior over in the debugging department. Aoba had met the intense woman a few times herself, but despite having a gruff exterior, she could be quite nice too.

"I think so," Nene said, smiling slightly.

'Well, well...' Aoba mused.

The group met up at the building housing Eagle Jump in the late afternoon, with a fairly large crowd gathering outside.

"Hey, Aoba!" Hajime Shinoda waved. The boyish young woman was standing by Yun, as usual and was casually dressed in shorts, t-shirt and light jacket.

"Hello," Aoba half bowed to her senpais.

"Don't DO that," Yun Lijima scolded mildly, the much more fashionable animator dressed in a pretty dress.

Nene snickered a bit.

Hifumi Takimoto looked at Aoba, a shy smile appearing on the dark purple haired woman's face. "Hello, Aoba," she said quietly.

Aoba beamed up at her, "Hello, Hifumi."

"God, they're adorable," Hajime noted quietly.

"Hmm," Nene agreed.

"All right, everyone, let's get together," Rin called, standing by Ko and Shizuku and once again acting as 'team mom.'

"So, we're going to a new nightclub that Shizuku discovered..." Ko revealed.

"Oh, this is going to end well," a voice noted dryly behind Nene.

Nene turned and smiled up at Umiko Ahagon, who had again snuck up on her without her noticing. "Umiko, it won't be that bad," she said.

"Want to bet?" Umiko offered, the programming and debugging teams kind of following her like ducklings

Nene bit back a laugh as they listened.

"Eagle Jump will be covering the food bill, and drinks," Shizuku announced.

Nearly EVERYONE cheered at that.

Ko shook her head, "Oh, this could end badly..."

Rin patted her arm comfortingly as they headed out.

The nightclub they ended up at was big, apparently made up of two connected warehouse spaces, with a bright neon sign. 'Arisugawa's Locket' blinked cheerilly in the darkening twilight, with a animated section of a locket opening to reveal a pretty girl.

"Miss Hazuki, welcome," the black haired woman in a tux smiled as they cut the line up that snaked along the wall. Several women looked annoyed, but they didn't say anything about it.

"Cyber Six, hello," Shizuku smiled. "Is everything set?"

"Yes, ma'am," Cyber Six smiled back, "we have three tables set aside, in the back. May will meet you inside."

"Busy place," Aoba noted as she took in the long line.

"Uhm, Aoba.. did you notice it's JUST women in line?" Hifumi noted quietly.

Aoba blinked and took another look. "Ehhh?!"

"Welcome!" the tall brown haired woman in a maid outfit beamed. "As arranged," May continued, "drinks and food will be expensed to Eagle Jump. We'll keep track and invoice the company after. Just be sure to order from your assigned tables."

"Whoa," Yun muttered, looking around. What kind of night club had a LIBRARY?

"Aoba! Look, kareoke!" Nene pointed out.

"We are TOTALLY doing that," Hajime told Yun firmly.

Ko took in the patrons, all of whom were women, and many of whom appeared coupled. "Shizuku, you brought us to a lesbian bar?" she hissed quietly.

"What's wrong with that?" Shizuku shrugged cheerfully as they sat at one table.

Rin looked at her in annoyance, "Some of the staff might be offended!"

Shizuku nodding towards where the programmers had already settled in, ordering drinks and flirting with a waitress in a cowboy hat.

"Okay, well..." Rin conceded.

"Isn't Aoba a bit young for this sort of place?" Ko noted.

"That's a point," Shizuku conceded, "but it looks like the others will keep an eye on her. I'll mention to the waitress not to serve her alcohol..."

As they were talking, Rin noticed several women giving thoughtful and even slightly lustful looks at Ko. Unconsciously, she shuffled her chair a little closer to Ko, to warn anyone off.

"Huh?" Ko looked at Rin, not even noticing the women looking at her.

"Nothing," Rin smiled. She howed the drink menu to Ko, "What did you want to start with...?"

Over at their table, Hajime was watching some of the customers in the various outfits they were wearing. She was SURE some of it was cosplay from various series.

"Stop staring at the near naked lady," Yun scolded.

"I am not! I think I saw a Moon Ranger cosplay," Hajime defended herself.

"This is a very strange bar," Aoba noted mildly.

"I sort of like it though," Hifumi noted mildly, watching the several women swaying together out on the dance floor.

Up at the bar, Umiko was talking with the attractive bartender. "We don't include airsoft guns in our weapons ban," Ryouko told her, "but don't shoot anyone in the club, please."

"Understood," Umiko nodded.

"Have a good night," Ryouko added.

"How did you hear about this club?" Umiko had to ask Shizuku after she returned to the table.

"I met the owner at a business women luncheon in the city," Shizuku admitted. She sighed dreamily, "She's good looking too. Too bad she's taken."

Working the other side of the large room, Juri Arisugawa sneezed suddenly.

"Someone talking about you?" Nabiki teased her boss.

"Probably," Juri conceded good naturedly.

Back at the table Shizuku noted that both Aoba and Hifumi and Yun and Hajime had gotten up and were dancing. "You and Nene should join them," she told Umiko teasingly.

Surprisingly Umiko got up. "You're right," she stalked over to Nene and asked the younger woman to dance.

"How many drinks has she HAD?" Ko had to ask.

"I think three," Rin noted owlishly. She looked at Ko with a cute frown, "Why don't you ever ask ME to dance?"

Deciding giving in was wiser Ko offered a hand, "Well, let's dance."

To be continued...

Notes: Canon wise, there are two lesbian characters in New Game: Shizuku who basically hits on everyone, and Rin who is devoutly Ko-sexual. Umiko likes to shoot folks with airsoft guns when annoyed...

Characters: Aoba, Ko, Rin, Hajime, Nene, Umiko, Yun and Shizuku are all from the anime New Game.

Cast: Cybersix is from Cybersix, May is from Hand Maid May, Ryouko is from Tenchi Muyo Juri is from Utena and Nabiki is from Ranma 1/2.