[SFW, Fluff]

“You can’t be serious.”

On a calm afternoon in Mimoto City, two girls were walking home with one another. It had been a long and tough day of schoolwork, but now they had all the time in the world to be with one another.

“I’m serious, I don’t know what that is.” Or at least, that’s what they would’ve done if not for the fact that the shorter of the two girls, the adorable Mikai Fushimi, just revealed that she didn’t know what a video game was. In fact, it wasn’t the only thing she was woefully unaware of. She didn’t know about a lot of the shows on television, much less the movies that had been in cinema lately. She was utterly deaf to pop culture.

Her friend, Yumeko Watanabe, shook her head ever so slightly as she put her hand on her forehead. “Just how long have you been trying to avoid things, Mikai? I know you looked depressed for ages ever since you joined my class, but…” She sighed loudly, letting her shoulders sink. “I can’t believe it, you’re as dumb as a doorstop.”

“H-Hey! I try! I got a good grade on the last test!” The sandy-blonde girl shot back, her cheeks flaring red in response. “B-Besides, what’s so great about video games anyway? You gotta tell me, Yumeko! If I’ve been missing out on a lot of cool stuff, I want to learn about it!” She was like a short and excitable puppet as she tugged on her friend’s sleeve…

Yumeko took a deep breath as she stood up straight, putting a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “You want to learn about video games, Mikai?” She asked, and her friend nodded rapidly. “First, calm down, stop looking like you’re about to take off when I look away for a minute. Then, follow me, I know somebody who might be able to help you.” The older of the two girls smiled and winked slightly as she moved her hand down, wrapping her fingers around her companion’s as the two took off.

All the while, in the expanse of the younger girl’s mind, a lion’s pelt-wearing woman casually sat on a chair, watching everything unfold. “You know, you could’ve just asked me about these sorts of things, Mikai. I’m here when you need me.” The woman said, her words echoing throughout her host’s mind.

‘Yeah, but if I did that, you would just tell me you dont know either.’ Mikai replied mentally with a smile. ‘You only woke up inside me a while ago, Chimera, how would you know about that stuff if I dont?’

This brought a pause to the strangely clad guest’s lips. “...You’re cheekier than you let on, you know that?” She cracked a grin as she threw her hands behind her head. “Well, I wouldn’t have it any other way. If I had woken up inside her, I wouldn’t be having as much fun! So you better show me a good time, Mikai! I wanna see what’s up with these Video Games just as much as you do!”

Her voice faded from her head as the figure disappeared, leaving her to enjoy the company of her best friend. Surely she had a good place in mind for the two of them, right? They weren’t just going to get into trouble or anything, right?

...Right?

---

“Coming!”

A boyish voice echoed from beyond the door the two girls were waiting in front of, one that sounded just a little familiar to the shorter of the two. One that made her tap her chin, trying to remember just who it could be…

“Don’t worry. He’s a good kid, I think he can teach you a lot.” Yumeko smiled as she patted her friend on the back, wanting to stay as supportive as possible. After all, if she just tried to throw Mikai straight into the thick of things, they’d just scare her away. Or they’d cause an obsession, and that’d arguably be worse.

Before the sandy-blonde had a moment to question who she was talking about, the door to the apartment opened up, revealing a boy wearing a comically oversized pair of glasses. “Sorry for the wait, I-” He paused, noticing who was standing at his doorway. “Yumeko! You don’t come over anymore, why’re you here? And-” Though he seemed pleased to see the model student, he seemed a little… taken aback when he saw her companion. “You… You’re…”

“Mikai Fushimi, that’s me.” The younger girl chimed with a smile, only to be yanked inside by the boy. “H-Hey waitwhat-” She was caught off guard, which earned a giggle from her slightly older friend as the door closed behind the two of them.

As she tumbled onto the floor, she quickly spun around to face the young boy that had grabbed her. “What’s the big idea?” She asked, not really that bothered by the sudden yank. She just wanted to know what was up, not wanting to be left out of the know more so than anything.

“Mikai Fushimi, alias Jõtaider Mimoto, that’s who you are, isn’t that right?” The boy pushed his glasses up onto the bridge of his nose, his glare reflected on the surface of the eyewear. “...Thanks for that save back there, Mikai. If not for you and Miss Hiro, I would’ve ended up a Sheep just like Tiro-senpai.” His worrying expression melted as he started smiling, offering a hand to the short girl.

She blinked a few times before laughing herself, grabbing his wrist and pulling herself up. “You made me really nervous! So you were the guy who threw a book at that Jõtaijin, huh? Who let you know of my identity?” She asked, wondering how and why he had figured it out.

“Oh, great, she asked that question. Here we go again…” Yumeko muttered in the background, knowing what was about to happen.

The boy cleared his throat as he walked over to one of the walls which was currently covered by some tapestry, before yanking on it to reveal the contents behind it. A multitude of merchandise, signatures, cast photos and more… all relating to some show that Mikai knew nothing about. “Allow me, Tsubasa Sato, to illuminate you on what you’ve been missing out on!” He declared in a bombastic fashion as he twirled to the other side of the wall in an overly performative manner.

All the while, his new guest was left rather speechless, and his older friend just continued shaking her head in disbelief.

“For years, I’ve been a dedicated fan of the Natura Couleur franchise! I’ve watched their show since I was a child, and I’ve been buying up figurines and CDs featuring the soundtrack from each episode! I even have a cell from one of the episodes, featuring Rouge and Bleu performing one of their famous combination attacks!” He started prattling on about his obsession, showing off figure after figure, each of them meticulously sculpted to resemble some sort of girl wearing a frilly yet stylish uniform, kinda like her own suit now that she looked at them. The only thing they were missing was a belt and a helmet. “It’s because of this dedication that I’ve learned a thing or ten about the genre of Tokusatsu, where heroes fight against their enemies in bombastic fashions, all to save the world! And you, Mikai! You are one such hero!”

She blinked once more as she pointed at herself. “I’m… I’m lost, actually, can you just say it a bit simpler?” A drop of sweat ran down the side of the girl’s head. He was certainly enthusiastic, and she did see a lot of promise and pride in what he was talking about. Maybe she should try and ask him if they could watch something from that series when she had the chance…

Tsubasa cleared his throat and pushed his glasses up once more. “The truth of the matter… is that you were a loner for so long, so when you end up getting a lot of energy and a hero shows up in the general area, people kinda get suspicious.” He laid out the facts gentler before pointing to Yumeko. “Yumeko also helped, because I noticed you two were hanging out, and she had been saved by that very same hero. So, you know, kinda not that hard to figure out.”

“You were badgering me for information about her hero gig, Tsubasa. Don’t sell yourself short.” The black-haired girl shot back, causing the boy to visibly stagger as she hit him where it hurt most.

Mikai, on the other hand, was sparkling after hearing how he figured it out. “Whoa. You’re really clever, Tsubasa!” She chimed, right before she lifted her shirt up slightly to show him the Jõtai she used to transform. “I guess it doesn’t hurt to let you in on the secret then, huh?” She continued, smiling from ear to ear.

There was a brief moment of silence as Tsubasa gave the belt a few looks, each second punctuated by the boy pushing his spectacles up further… “Dear god, it’s actually real. And it’s not as cool as Miss Hiro’s.” He remarked, a twinkle of appreciation in his eye…

“What do you mean it’s not as cool as hers!?” The sandy-blonde girl dropped her shirt back down and started pouting, crossing her arms and throwing a little fit in an adorable fashion. She wasn’t used to being compared to others, especially not somebody she considered a bit of a rival.

Yumeko, meanwhile, had begun to laugh in the background. “Okay, this turned out way better than I had hoped. If you had started shilling the Natura to her like you tried to do to me back then, I might’ve actually just left right there.” The sensibly-minded girl explained as she walked over to the tapestry and hung it right back up. “Also, you forgot to clean your figure of Akane. She’s looking pretty dusty.” She let one remark slip, showing that she was more versed in the show than she liked.

“Well you liked it when we wat- wait, she’s dusty?? Oh god oh god I’ve not given them their proper rinsing in a week, I need to-” Tsubasa went from one mood to the next right before his taller friend grabbed him by the collar and yanked him over towards his newest friend.

His older friend cleared her throat one more time as she got to the point. “Look, Tsubasa, I’m glad you’re appreciative of Mikai and happy that she saved you and all, but we came here for a different reason. I wanted you to help her learn what a video game is, okay? She’s practically blind in terms of culture, and I’d rather not see her fall out of favor because of it.”

“...Wait, you mean to tell me that she’s never played a video game? Come on, there’s no way that’s possible, she’s just fibbing, right? You’ve played a Nintendo system before, right? Come on, say something, Mikai? Mikai? Please. Please don’t do this to me right after we’ve met and become friends.” The bespectacled boy quickly started blabbering on and on, all while his new friend remained silent.

Only for those crushing words to leave her lips. “What’s a Nintendo?” She asked, and both of her friends fell to the ground in an almost comical manner, with their disappointment clearly displayed in their defeatist body language.

“I can’t believe you made me become friends with an utter tech illiterate, Yumeko. I can’t believe I got saved by somebody that’s never played a Mario game, or experienced the thrill of a Sonic title.” Tsubasa started muttering as his face turned dark from the shadow his hair cast.

Yumeko didn’t seem much better, her own mumbling hitting the same wavelength. “I knew she was bad, but she could’ve at least said that before we went here. I should’ve asked her if she had played anything or ever heard of it, maybe she would’ve heard some from her mom through osmosis…”

Mikai stared down at the two of them with a massive blush on her face. “You don’t have to act like it’s the end of the world just because I haven’t played a thing!” She shouted, her hair fluttering slightly from the force of her voice. “Stop acting like you’ve seen a ghost and help me try a game out, any game, come on!”

“Any game?” Tsubasa was quick to get back on his feet as he adjusted his glasses. “There are so many different games, are you sure you want to try a random game from my list?” He asked, and she nodded in response. “...Yumeko, can you go buy us some snacks? We’re going to be here for a while.”

The older girl held out her hand, expecting the cash that she’d need. Once she got it, she darted off with a speed that her shorter friend hadn’t seen before, capped off by the door to the apartment rudely slamming shut.

“Now then… Mikai? Please, take a seat. I’m about to teach you about what you’ve been missing out on for most of your life.”

---

“No, look, you have to press the button to jump. You can’t just hold it, you gotta press it once and then let go.”

“But then I won’t run as fast!”

“Yes but you have to jump to actually dodge things, and going too fast means you’ll accidently bump into enemies!”

“But we gotta get there before the clock hits 0!”

“It’s called a timer, and you’ve got more than enough time, slow down!”

---

“What’s with you and speed, Mikai? First you go too fast, and now you’re too slow!”

“Well you said I should slow down, so I’m taking my time!”

“This is a RACING GAME, MIKAI! YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO GO FAST!”

“You don’t have to shout at me!”

“Sorry, sorry, okay, let’s take this from the beginning. Just, press the button and try to complete the course, I’ll try and tell you what you need to know.”

“Okay, complete the course. Thanks, Tsubasa.”

---

“...Did you just beat me?”

“I think I did?”

“You didn’t just push buttons, did you?”

“I… I kinda did? But I also turned the stick like you said, and that made things happen, so… I tried and do those things when you came closer, and…”

“...Maybe there is a game you’re good at by instinct, huh? Okay, here, let’s try that again. Keep doing what you were doing.”

“Ehehe, are you proud of me, Tsubasa?”

“Yeah, I am, Mikai. Come on, we’re going ten more rounds!”

---

By the time the black-haired girl finally returned, the two youths were in heated battle. Both of them using their preferred character in the Natura Couleur fighting game. Rouge for Mikai, Bleu for Tsubasa. Each of them matching each other blow for blow. The sweat running down their faces was glistening, and you could feel the tension in the air. To think they went from chumming it up before she left, to going at it like there was blood in the air…

“You two’ve become fast friends.” Yumeko chimed as she rested against the back of the couch, carefully slipping a bottle of soda between the two combatants. “So, how’s she doing, Tsubasa?”

As he managed to land a decisive blow on his enemy, the bespectacled boy adjusted his glasses once more. “She’s been able to match me, Yumeko!” He shouted, his face bright red from how heated he had gotten… but at the same time, he wasn’t frustrated. He wasn’t even upset.

He was happy. Happy that he finally had somebody that could challenge him. “Come on, join in! I wanna have a go at the multi-versus mode!” Tsubasa chimed, grinning from ear to ear. It wasn’t often that he got to be this ecstatic, especially not without stuttering every few seconds. It was only around these two that he got a chance to be… himself.

“Yeah, Yumeko! Play with us, it’s really fun!” Mikai chipped in, grinning just the same. Her grin was just as happy, but for a different reason. She had made a new friend, and one that had shown her what she had been missing out on. It was like a dream come true.

Yumeko let out a small laugh as she took a seat on the couch the two were sharing. “Alright, alright. I’ll have a…” She paused, blinking as she noticed something flickering on screen. “...Guys? Is the game supposed to be doing that?” She asked, directing both of their gazes towards the TV.

The static that had been flickering in the middle grew bit by bit until a hand stuck its way out of the screen, slowly pulling itself out. “At… Last..! I’m… FREE!” The pixilated voice of the creature that crawled out of the TV echoed throughout the room as it stood up straight, nearly bumping against the ceiling in the process.

All three humans blinked a few times as they gave the figure a casual look-over. While she was tall, she also had a sense of grace to her. Parts of her body were clearly mechanical, due to circuitry being exposed on her grey skin. Not to mention that you could see an occasional line of binary being processed in her irises. She was like a massive living computer. A personification of the AI that served as the common enemy in the game they were playing, perhaps? If so, whoever brought her to life were attempting to catch Mikai off guard by bringing her an opponent in such close quarters.

“Finally, I can get my revenge on the players that’ve crushed me again and again and again..! Starting with-” The mechanical woman started ranting, only for the sandy-blonde heroine to get up from her seat and reach out, offering her controller. “...What are you trying to do?”

She just smiled. “Get a fourth player. We were gonna try the versus mode, and that requires four people. You’re just in time.” The hopelessly positive girl’s bright smile illuminated her intentions as she took a seat on the couch, patting the seat beside her. “Come on, if you wanna beat us, you gotta play with us!”

The mechanical Jõtaijin stared down at the Heroine and her friends, the latter of which were just as surprised as the Monster herself at this display. “...Very well, let us have a bout. I’ll show you what I can do when faced against more than one player!”

What would’ve turned into a fight was defused just like that, as the four began playing their game together. It showed that no matter what might transpire, people that were supposed to be natural enemies could be friends just the same. Even if there might be a bit of vitriol thrown around during matches, In the end, they were brought together by the video game.

Thus, Mikai learned a valuable lesson about something she had been neglecting. Something she had missed out on for so long. And she made two new friends in the process, who could’ve thought!

Video games were great.