Gammy and Gaming! [Taiga]

Right at the back of the arcade, Taiga failed to notice the entry of two strangers into her domain. The “Arcade Queen” as she had been named, recently. Mainly due to her frequency and admitted skill with the various games. Even if she didn’t like to admit it, herself.

Taiga was stood in front of her favorite machine, Kemono World Tour. Hands tightly curled around the left set of joysticks, eyes focused on the screen which flickered slightly, due to advanced age. A smirk playing around the corners of her mouth. To her left stood a young man who looked equally as confident as she did.

“Just a little… more,” she said, more to herself than to anyone nearby. A few people had crowded around the machine. Just to watch the battle between the queen and her newest challenger. Soon enough, it was over. The man crumpled, blank-faced.

The screen flickered again. The panda character raised a clawed fist to the sky in victory. The shark character crumpled at the foot of the bamboo eater. “Good game,” she said, holding a hand out to the man, who took it limply and shook. “I’ll give you some tips on how to deal with that last combo, if you’d like. Next time you’re in!” She smiled brightly at him – with absolutely no sense of gloating in her.

The crowd erupted in cheers as the man walked away dejectedly and Taiga turned back to the machine. Unbeknownst to anyone except Taiga that a tiny creature was hidden in her backpack which sat between her feet. The tiny red dinosaur was likely sleeping at this moment. Unlikely to wake for a few hours yet. Plenty of time to continue gaming!

Definitely time for another game or two. Maybe, even more than that. Well, if there was anyone else to challenge her. Although, she could always move along to another game. Just as long as Aoba continued to sleep in her bag. It was easier that way. Easier than having to explain at the very least.

She turned her head to look at the people still crowded around her. As her pink eyes catch each of their eyes in turn, they’d look away in a sheepish manner or suddenly find the stained carpet ingrained with ten years of filth very very interesting. A different game, it is, then.

She stood up, ready to swap over to one of the various other machines that littered the low-lit rectangular room. Someone then stepped forward between the crowd. Taiga tilted her head ever so slightly to one side and smiled as he introduced himself. “Nice to meet you, Lotus. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in here,” pressing a finger to her chin as she took in the boy’s interesting look and that extremely pointy hair.

“Oh, right. I didn’t introduce myself. I’m...” Taiga began but was quickly interrupted as one of the people in the crowd spoke up, suddenly.

“That’s the arcade queen. You better prepare yourself, new meat.”

Taiga didn’t argue this point but merely smiled and sat back down. Cracking her knuckles as she readied herself for the next round. “I’m Taiga. Nice to meet you.”

Without another word, she took the joystick and turned to face the flickering screen. Her face had begun very solemn and serious all of a sudden. More like she was in a boring lecture than in an arcade. So focused was she on the upcoming game, that she failed to notice the creature hidden in the hood. It was clear that the sleeping creature in her bag had not noticed anything out of the ordinary, either. 

The crowd buzzed with growing excitement as several more patrons of the arcade crowded around the machine. Ready to watch the battle between their “queen” and her challenger. Outside of Taiga’s line o vision. Some people had their heads pressed close together whispering in low voices; maybe even making bets on the outcome of the game.

Without looking away from the screen – Taiga added, “Yeah, lets have some fun.”
The screen flickered again and brought up a menu of all the available characters. Each one a hybrid of humanoid and animal. Some predators, some herbivores. A mixture of both. The most popular character being the power types. The wolf, crocodile and shark. Taiga merely smirked harder.

This really wasn’t Taiga’s style. She had a main and everyone knew it. She even dressed in the style of the character. Without any thought nor effort, she pushed the joystick forward and picked her Panda character and then waited for Lotus to choose his own. “So what’s it gonna be, Lotus,” she asked with a smile upon her face.

Unbeknownst to Taiga as she was so focused on the game. Her little partner had awoken. In the midst of the action of choosing their characters, the tiny red dinosaur-like creature had brushed away the bag which had been keeping him warm and safe. Not to mention away from the prying eyes of the many patrons of the arcade.

Although, still half-asleep, the tiny Gigimon wandered across the carpet and probably into trouble
Though, fortunately most people had their eyes focused on the current battle…

A smile had risen across the face of the young girl. “The wolf, huh. A popular choice,” Taiga mused to herself. Not turning her head away from the flickering screen.

“I mean, you must know that the Wolf is a counter to the Panda. Although, most things are considered a Panda counter, these days. Anyway, this is the exciting part.”

Taiga’s face fell back into a look of severe concentration. Almost like she was looking at a very difficult question about fractions at school. The screen flickered brightly as the game loaded. Soon enough, the characters appeared and took on a battle pose. Then a number began to count down in the middle of the screen.

5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1

The battle had begun. Taiga wasted no time. Her fingers began to press the buttons and rotate the joystick as if they were acting of their own accord. Difficult combos were no problem for Taiga.

Meanwhile, far out of the sight of his tamer, the tiny red dinosaur-like creature had wandered to the far side of the room. The tiny plodding feet sticking slightly to the carpet with each step. As the sleepy creature wandered without much thought – a group of excitable kids ran past. Thankfully they were so excited to jump on a nearby machine, they failed to notice him.

Aoba yawned and then turned his head. A glint of metal beneath one of the machines caught his eyes and as he wandered towards it. Before the tiny dinosaur had a chance to do anything else. The same group of kids charged across the room and jumped on the machine just above Aoba. To avoid the stomping feet, Aoba was forced to squeeze under the base of the arcade machine which was slightly raised off the ground.

Still not yet having noticed the fellow Digimon in the room.

Taiga was quite impressed with this guy’s skills. Although, she was unsure if it was just button-mashing luck or untapped skills. Either way, it was fun! The challenge was what made the game more exciting.

The Panda took some damage from the Wolf’s assaulting Z-Combo. But, Taiga wasn’t done yet. The girl merely smiled. “You’re pretty good. I’m actually impressed. But, how about this!”

Her hands increased in speed as she moved the control stick up and down, left and right at incredible speed. Implementing as many combos as she could in a short space of time. Exploiting the opening left wide after that particular combo.

Meanwhile, underneath the machines – far out of sight and out of mind at this very moment. Aoba was still hidden from view but nervous of extracting himself on account of the number of feet that were passing. He assumed he could just wait it out until these humans passed by or left. Hopefully, Taiga wasn’t worrying too much. Aoba peeked his muzzle out of the gap between the bottom of the machine and the thirty-year-old carpet.

Out of nowhere, just as Aoba was considering his escape back to the safety of Taiga’s backpack. Something surprising happened. Another creature flew and landed at Aoba’s side under the machine. Shocked, it took a moment for Aoba to remember the advice he had been given.

Her voice floated back to him. “If you’re ever in a human-inhabited area, just play dead. Like one of the plush dolls on my bed, okay?”

The little dinosaur hesitated for only a second longer and then fell sideways and lay perfectly still. Legs splayed and mouth slightly open.

Visible sweat drops appeared across the head of the little dragon Digimon. The silence between the two dragged on for several more seconds, before Aoba spoke in a low, hushed voice. “I was told if I was ever seen in public… I was to do this,” he said, barely moving his mouth before hardening once again into like any old plush toy that might be seen in a shop front.

After several further minutes of silence, Aoba’s mind caught up with himself. He opened his mouth, closed it and then opened it again. “Are you… a...” Before Aoba could finish his sentence, several kids ran past in an exuberant fashion, causing the Digimon to flinch. “Are you one of me. A Digimon?”

“I didn’t know… I didn’t realize there was more of us in this world,” Aoba said, sitting up and looking directly at the small white Digimon. “My name is Aoba, nice to meet you!”

Remembering the words of his tamer once again... “always be polite to people around you, one day it might save your life!”

Meanwhile, the fierce battle between Taiga and Lotus continued. A crowd of people had gathered around the pair and everyone was cheering for one side or the other. Thankfully drawing attention away from the two Digimon who where, for the moment, still hidden.

“Give me your best!” Taiga said, without turning her face away from the screen. “I wanna see everything you got!”

Just as she was about to deliver the final attack, her phone beeped twice. The screen lit up against her pocket, taking her attention for just a second. “Oh man, I gotta get home soon. But not before… I do this! F I N A L combo! Bamboo Cosmos!” She moved her hands even faster, with speedy button pressing and moving the joystick with a spinning motion.