Arisugawa's Locket

New Game! Two

"Any problems with the programmers?" Alpha asked curiously, the green haired android helping waitress that evening.

"So far, no," Ryouko noted, the space pirate tending bar with Mohoro as her back-up. "The one table, with the leads, are getting refills a lot."

"I'll keep an eye on it," Alpha acknowledged. "Anything else?"

"The one girl, Aoba, is underage. Seems like a good kid, hasn't tried to order any booze," Mohoro noted as the maid clad young woman worked.

"Huh," Alpha nodded, even as the conversation at one table got a bit loud.

"Fairy Story 4? SERIOUSLY?" a mildly drunk Ko yelped.

Rin patted Ko's arm as she addressed Shizuku, "No offence, but after just finishing FS 3, none of us even WANT to think about the series."

Aoba, sitting nearby, looked vaguely hurt hearing them say that about her beloved series of games. On the other hand, she had only been working on it a few months, while the rest of them had been involved for years.

"No offense, Aoba," Ko added.

"None taken," Aoba said quickly.

They had been there an hour already, and the drinks had been flowing, along with conversation. They had all pretty much danced, and were now back at their tables munching on snacks.

Making a calming gesture Shizuku noted, "OBVIOUSLY, we'll be taking a break on the series after this. In fact we'll probably be developing a new title."

Umiko gave Shizuku a perceptive look, "But there's a reason you brought it up, yes?"

Shizuku sipped her drink, nodding. "We're still in discussion with our backers," she cautioned, "but they are supportive of a yuri route in Fairy Story."

"Yuri?" Rin blinked.

"It is a popular trend these days," Ko conceded, knowing several companies that had included such things in games.

"That's going to be a bitch to do, though," one of the programers, Yuki, noted dryly.

"Hmm," Umiko agreed. She looked at Shizuku and asked, "Any idea how they would work that into the story?"

"We'd have to discuss it with the teams," Shizuku hedged her bets, "but ideally I'd like it to be a option for one of the lead characters."

"And a drama CD! I love drama CDs," Rin added cheerfully. She had a collection of the Nanoha ones, as well as Hayate x Blade and other series.

Ko chuckled, "Yeah, I've seen your collection..."

"It is probably too early to say much," Umiko noted, "considering we don't even have a story or concept yet. But it is worth while to begin planning."

"You have the oddest look on your face," Nene observed as she looked at Aoba. She smirked, "Sophia was modeled on you... imagining her in a yuri bit?"

"I am not!" Aoba yelped, but she was blushing quite tellingly.

"Imagining a certain co-worker as a prince?" Nene teased.

"Nene," Aoba groaned.

Yun looked amused, listening in on the conversation. She was normally a VERY easy drunk, so she was drinking mixed drinks based around coke. And the occassional energy drink.

Hajime grinned at her as the sporty young woman reminded her, "Don't fall asleep on me again."

Yun pouted, "You're never going to let me forget that, huh?"

Hajime laughed as she said, "Nope."

Yun sipped her rum and coke as she leaned a bit into Hajime. The LAST time she had gotten drunk, she had indeed fallen fast asleep. Hajime, being a gentleman, had helped get her home, then had stayed over as it had been quite late.

In the morning Yun had woken up stretched out over the sleeping Hajime. She had KNOWN her co-worker was fit, in an abstract kind of way, but laying on her brought the nicely rippled muscles to her full attention. It had been VERY nice, indeed...

Hajime drank her beer, trying not to notice how nice it was having Yun leaning against her. She was reminded of the time she had helped Yun home after the group had gone drinking. It had been too late to bike or drive home, so without thinking about it she had crashed there.

Waking up in the morning, Hajime was surprised to find that Yun had rolled over on top of her. With her MUCH cozier body pressed against her. Yun was also a snuggler, and it had taken all her willpower to just lie still and pretend she was sleeping.

"Hmmm," Yun drowsilly purred as she leaned against her.

"No sleeping," Hajime shook her while trying not to notice the boob pressing against her arm.

"She okay?" the cowboy hat wearing waitress asked mildly.

"Just bad with booze," Hajime admitted ruefully.

Amelia smiled cheerfully, "Well, why don't I get you a re-fill and a Red Bull for her?"

"Sounds like a plan," Hajime nodded.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"I have to admit, I'm very confused," Henrietta admitted as the good looking woman in fantasy-novel style garb sat at one of the tables.

"How can we help?" Nabiki offered politely.

"We were in a game, but now we're in a bar in Tokyo?!" Maryelle blurted, the attractive blond sitting beside her.

"Indeed," Akatsuki nodded seriously.

"It's a long story," Nabiki admitted, and began to explain about the bar, alien technology and their existing across multiple dimensions. "So you are in a pocket dimension that's sort of visiting where you normally are," she finished.

"So when we leave we'll be back in the game universe," Henrietta said regretfully.

"Pretty much," Nabiki admitted.

"Well," Mary said with a smile, "at least we can have some drinks, food and party a bit while we're here."

"Not too much partying," Akatsuki noted disapprovingly.

"Don't be mean, Akatsuki-chan," Henrietta purred. "Dance, later?"

Akatsuki blushed, but muttered, "Well, maybe."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Up at the bar, two old friends were having a conversation. "Kobayashi-san, it's been awhile," Umiko greeted her.

Kobayashi, who was also profoundly embarassed by her first name and also didn't use it, smiled at her fellow programmer. "Still at Eagle Jump?" Kobayashi asked.

"Indeed. Still at Jigokumeguri?" Umiko asked. She smiled wryly as she added, "Still have the asshole boss?"

Kobayashi snorted. "He got fired, newer guy is much more personable," she told her.

Umiko grinned, rather suspecting her friend had a hand in that. The red headed Kobayashi was kind, good hearted yet someone you did NOT mess with. She was occassionally tempted to sick her on Shizuku, if only to see what happened.

"I haven't seen you at Arisugawa's before," Kobayashi noted thoughtfully. "I didn't know you were that way inclined."

"I don't publicise it," Umiko calmly admitted. "Nor was I aware YOU were, actually..." she added thoughtfully.

"Yeah, there's been some changes in my personal life," Kobayashi admitted. She looked around and waved, "Hey, Tohru!"

"Kobayashi!" a VERY busty blonde in, weirdly, a maid outfit hurried over, beaming. She practically glomped Kobayashi, while looking at Umiko warily.

"Tohru, I'd like you to meet Umiko. We worked together at Jigokumeguri before she got smart and changed employers," Kobayashu explained.

"Nice to meet you," Tohru smiled.

"Have you been seeing each other long?" Umiko asked with her usual bluntness,

"A few months," Kobayashi said as she drank some of her beer.

As they chatted, Umiko noted that Kobayashi seemed less than happy with Jigokumeguri. Not surprising, considering the rumors Umiko heard about the insane hours their programmers worked.

"I don't normally try to poach people from other companies, but have you considered applying at Eagle Jump?" Umiko suggested.

"I'm not sure it'd be that different," Kobayashi noted, but seemed open to hearing more.

"Better hours," Umiko noted, "good pay, and we only have to pull all nighters when it's close to deadline. Unlike some companies, we have Assistant Directors who are very organized."

Rin, over at their table, suddenly sneezed.

"Getting a cold?" Ko asked mildly.

"Or someone's talking about you," Shizuku teased.

"That's just a superstition," Rin waved it off casually.

Back up at the bar, the three women were still talking. "All right, I admit that sounds good," Kobayashi conceded.

"AND," Umiko nodded at Tohru, "Eagle Jump has same sex couples benefits."

"Oooh!" Tohru squealed.

"I'll think about it," Kobayashi promised, laughing softly.

Up on the kareoke stage, Yun and Hajime were singing the theme from Moon Ranger. Badly. But that was the fun of kareoke, really...

"You couldn't MAKE me get up there and do that," Hifumi noted to Aoba quietly.

"Not even in a cosplay costume?" Aoba teased.

Hifumi blushed. She had confessed liking cosplay in front of the others, and had nearly been caught by them while cosplaying at the game expo. And honestly, she DID find being in costume quite... liberating, in a way.

"Everything okay?" Ko asked as she did the rounds like a good team leader.

"Yes, we're having fun," Aoba beamed as Hifumi nodded.

"They're closing up in a hour or so... we've made arrangements for cabs and such," Ko added as she moved on.

"Aww," Aoba pouted at the night ending soon. She looked over at Hifumi, "Another dance?"

Hifumi blushed a bit more but smiled warmly, "Let's."

To be continued...

Characters: Aoba, Ko, Rin, Hajime, Nene, Umiko, Yun and Shizuku are all from the anime New Game, Henrietta, Maryelle and Akatsuki are from Log Horizon and Miss Kobayashi and Tohru are from Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid.

Cast: Alpha is from Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou, Ryouko is from Tenchi Muyo, Mahoro is from Mahororomatic, Amelia is from Trigun the Movie and Nabiki is from Ranma 1/2.

Notes: YES that's a random Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid crossover. I was going to just have a random fellow programmer chat with Umiko, but it occurred to me to use Kobayashi. We don't have a canon first name for Kobayashi, so I'm just assuming she doesn't like her's, like Umiko.

For Log Horizon, I like to think that Henrietta and Mary had a THING back at their girls school when they were younger. But that's me. Admittedly it IS canon that Henrietta has a fondness for cute AND that she at least was attracted to Mary and Akatsuki.