open || ain't no party like a birthday party

[complementing]

WHO: Minako, Sakura, Ragna, and you!
WHERE: One of the arcade bars in the city.
WHEN: March 10th
WHAT: BIRTHDAY PARTY!
WARNINGS: None foreseen! Feel free to threadjack for Minako's Hot Potato Categories game.



[Welcome to the Emporium, an arcade bar that Minako and Sakura have decided to host their joint birthday party at! Come on in and have some fun playing games, eating junk food, and just hanging out with the birthday girls (and guy, if he decides to come).

There are, of course, the numerous arcade games that the place is known for, ranging from the old school 2v2 fighters to the shooting gallery kinds. But there are a smattering of other games as well, like DDR, darts, mini hoops, skeeball, and the pool table, too. There's also a wall of crane games in the back, with plenty of random and mostly cute prizes to win.

Make a stop by the purikura booth if you have time. Make some duck lips at the camera and then take the snaps home! (Or give them to the birthday girls for the memories.)

Oh, and be sure to exchange your money for tokens before you play all these games. The token machine seems kind of finicky, though. Maybe a strong (and hopefully discrete?) kick will help jumpstart it.

Walk to the dining area, and there'll be a feast waiting you! The arcade is providing a ton of pizza and wings, as well as alcohol, if you can show your ID. For dessert, there's the cake that Shuji made for the girls, as well as Minako's lemon tea cakes. Those are limited supply, though, so snag one before everyone eats it up.

Next to the dining area, there's a big sign that says "DUNK TANK OUTSIDE". Maybe take a look? Just be reaaaally sure you want to climb in before you do it, though. The towels provided by the arcade are pretty small.

And finally, if you need a break from the chaos, there's a couple of couches on the second floor. Take a load off and watch from above.]

Comments

[imaginex]

[Well... yes, that was the battle plan. She hadn't wanted to interrupt, and it's not as if Sakura has once picked up a cue.

She'll still wander over once beckoned, however, not wanting to seem impolite.]

Hee-- sorry, I didn't want to distract you.

[sunnymerc]

Hmm, you've got my undivided attention now, so no more not distracting me for you.

[Soleil spins the cue once more before holding it out to Sakura.]

Can I steal the birthday girl away from all her fans long enough to play a game?

[imaginex]

... I don't mind playing, but you won't find me to be much of a challenge.

[Ha... haha... taking the offered cue, but with a hint of nervousness]

I've never played this game before.

[sunnymerc]

Now is as good a time as ever to learn.

[Soleil snatches the white cue ball and puts it where it belongs before stepping away and gesturing for Sakura to step up.]

Go on. Take a shot.

[SHE IS WAITING. SHE ISN'T GIVING INSTRUCTIONS UNTIL SAKURA TRIES.]

[imaginex]

[SOLEIL WHY. She's gonna poke out her own eye.

-- Or maybe not that, but Sakura really has no idea what she's doing. She glances at the cue stick, then ball, back to the stick, then to her friend -- until finally she huffs a sigh and just tries to line up the cue's end with the white cue ball.

Is she even holding it correctly? God no she isn't. She's wielding the poor thing like it's a spear and the ball is her prey, though she is careful to stab the ball gently?

Hey. At least it moves]

[sunnymerc]

[Soleil puts a hand to her mouth to stifle half of her snort-laugh. She didn't quite expect Sakura to be quite so...well, the totally inept attempt is endearing?]

Here, Sakura.

[Soleil steps up behind Sakura, wrapping her arms around her. She takes Sakura's hands in her own to adjust them to hold the cue properly.]

You're trying to knock the balls into each other, not skewer them.

[Her voice is a whisper in Sakura's ear. Her body pressed up against Sakura's back, she moves Sakura's body through the movements to make a shot, but without actually hitting the cue ball.]

See, more like this. Give it a try.

[imaginex]

[... Sorry what

Sakura didn't pay attention to any of that, knowing Soleil is playing with her again and trying her best not to dissolve into an embarrassed puddle on the floor.

She suspects she knows why Soleil is good at this game]

O-okay. [Gonna... do something with her hands, yep, and if nothing else, it does result in the cue ball rolling forward, hitting the black 8 ball]

... Like that?

[sunnymerc]

[ She tries and fails to stifle a snort right into Sakura's ear. Not cool at all.]

A good try, but you need to relax. You're too tense.

[It's only pool. She doesn't know at all why Sakura would be so nervous about this.]

Here. You're supposed to get all of your balls into the pockets before going after the black one. Knock that one in before all your others are in and you lose.

[Still embracing Sakura, she adjusts Sakura's grip again before guiding her into a shot, knocking the striped blue ball into a pocket.]

[imaginex]

[If Sakura didn't already adore Soleil in her own way she'd probably swear to voodoo curse her, and yet here she is, about to sweat into the floor because the other girl hasn't moved back yet. Her poor heart can't take this abuse]

Y-yes!

[To be fair, she did hear that explanation -- shoot the little black ball in last. Other colors come first. Simple in theory, probably hellish in execution, and she is still too nervous to even hold the stick properly.]

Thank you...

[sunnymerc]

You're welcome.

[With that one last whisper in her ear, Soleil finally releases Sakura from her grasp, taking a step back to give the girl plenty of room.]

Okay, take a shot all on your own this time. Keep your hands right where I put them and move the stick like I did. Don't worry, since it's your first time, I'll be gentle.

[And a wink.]