/megatokyo/cave, An "Elseworlds" fork

Next time I decide to use a post milestone for a fanwork, I'm finalizing it further in advance. >_< I'd like to thank Philweasel and VRMaster for peer review (and apologize if I didn't make good enough use of it).

Before I start, I'd also like to note something. You may recall that the thread I made to explain this format ended with a rather ...accusatory last post. I PMed Demetrious and worked the issue out; he seemed to accept my arguments, at least in part. In any case, justing from subsequent IRC conversations (and a forum post or two), he doesn't seem to consider me the biggest hypocrite he's ever seen anymore. Now that that's done, on with the story fork.

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"Shhhh... Don't worry. Piro can take care of himself."

Even while Miho reassured Largo, she knew her words were beside the point. Piro was about to face nothing more dangerous than listening to the recent target of his affections, an up-and-coming voice actress speak on a radio talk show. Still, Miho was almost certain that the actress had rejected him earlier that day; the American was a depressive sort, and he was not likely to leave the club any happier than he had entered it.

Miho was very closely involved with the nightclub called the Cave of Evil, enough to be able to give Ping - the gynoid, designed by Sony as a PlayStation accessory, in Piro's care - a free pass to offer him. Largo, on the other hand, needed no invitation; the mere news that his best friend was falling into Miho's clutches, so to speak, was plenty enough to make him barge in to try and come to the rescue. Judging from his bloodshot eyes and the actual presense of a beer can in his tangled red hair, Largo seemed to have been through some emotional trials of his own.

Just to be sure, she checked to see the others behind her. Yes, her associate Kenji was leading Piro and Ping away to his office. Satisfied, Miho turned forward again to face Largo, casually reaching out to pluck the beer can out of his hair.

"And it will give you and I some time to talk."

"Talk? I've got nothin' to say to you," slurred Largo.

That would change, of course. Miho had planned this very carefully, from all she knew of Largo, and all she had studied on conversation - and other "activities." She had even ensured both his and her friends, few and far between as they both were, would be out of the way so she could devote her full attention to the task at hand. She knew perfectly well how difficult even one extra person could make a conversation.

This night, there would be no such difficulties. She knew what to do and say. She could do this, starting with a drink. Nothing would stop her-

-Miho hesitated. No. No misgivings. Not now.

Why did it have to be now that she started seeing problems?

No. It wouldn't work. But now what? Maybe...

"Well, we don't have to talk." Pause. "There's a room in the back where I go sometimes, when I want a break from the noise. If you'd like, we can go back there-"

"Whuddya have there, some torture chamber?"

"I have a GameCube. With extra controllers."

For several seconds, Miho heard nothing but the music and her own unusually loud heartbeat.

"If y've got Smash Bruddz, I call Marth."

She exhaled. "I do. And I prefer Sheik anyway." Miho stood up and began to walk to the back. "Come with me, then."

"Why d'you have extra controllers?"

Miho felt her face flush, but kept walking, pretending she hadn't heard him ask. She may have planned everything out before, but now she didn't know where things were going from here, or what to do once the two of them was playing...

...but at least Largo was following her.

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Now then, aside from the usual stuff (comments welcome, suggestions for improved dialogue welcome, sorry if Miho's GCN is OOC, blah blah blah), I would like to say that the floor is open. I have some ideas, but I don't know what's going to happen next in this storyline. All that has been changed is the thoughts I inserted into Miho's mind, with her thinking they were her own, thus nudging everyone onto a different path. Now, it's all the same characters Fred made - as best as I/we can judge them - and they will act in accordance with who they are. What does that mean specifically? That's what we have to figure out.

Granted, it might not have been such a good idea to start this with Miho, little that we know about her, and infusing extra plot elements probably should be avoided in these. But given the significance of the CoE scene and its status as one of the major "fiasco" scenes of MT (like Anna Miller's in chapter 7), I thought it was a decent enough place to start.

Ah, so this is a 'what-if?' deal?

It's looking pretty good to me.

If I may, could I put forward some of my ideas on the short term consequences of this change?

It is, of course, somewhat difficult because Miho's mind and motives are as mysterious as they've always been.

One of the most obvious changes is not only is Largo not going to be hitting the hard liquor (as was Miho's original intention) but she is moving the battlefield to the gaming world where it is likely he will be more at ease.

Miho may or may not take advantage of this not so much relaxed as less antagonistic atmosphere to try to pick Largo's brain as she did in the original plot-stream. This could be as disastrous as it originally was with Largo's denial of her victory which escalates into Miho emotionally sniping at him.

Of course, being less drunk then he was in the other plot-stream, his reaction to her advances or different responses to her probing. I do not think I can accurately portray what those responses would be as I have a little trouble getting into Largo's head.

A third path is that Miho will choose a different line of conversation or just avoid serious conversation all together in favor of gaming with Largo.

This could very well cause Largo to reevaluate his position regarding Miho. While his gaming avatars always reflect his true identity he is not unfamiliar with the concept of a person adapting a whole new personality in games. (Ex. he sees the clear line between Piro and Piroko/Pirogoeth.)

Up until now all evidence he has considered has directly or indirectly pointed to Miho being all too like her Endgames avatar. Being in close proximity to her for a prolonged period of time in the context of a different game may cause his opinion of her to change.

I believe that since the change occurs after Piro departs from Miho and Largo, it is safe to assume that the series of events that occur with Ping are unchanged.

It will probably take longer for him to located Miho and Largo then in the alternate stream as they are no longer out in the open.

If he still arrives in time to see a repeat of what happened before then he probably will react the same way. Of course, I cannot accurately judge how he'd react if he'd arrived at a later junction of the same train of events because he broke it up last time.

If Piro comes across them just talking and/or gaming, he may view this as confirmation that she isn't a truly malicious person.

Well, at this point I've run out of steam so I'll stop here for now...

Please do. That's what these are for - to the point that I wonder if it would've been better placed in SD main. I'd like this to be a collaborative effort, to some extent.

I think it's worth noting that in the primary "plot-stream" (guess that term works) things probably started going wrong (from Miho's perspective) when Largo said he didn't care when she beat him. If they're playing SSBM, it could potentially make the conversation go in other directions, or more quickly in that direction. There's also the fact that they both have something else to focus on, maybe even take out their anger on. I'd even go as far as to suggest Largo might not be so quick to walk away if he's committed to a game.

That also depends on whether she plays substantially differently. Plus, this is just three days after another game they'd played, SMMB.

Right. He's definitely not hearing Kimiko on the radio tonight. First change for him is when he doesn't see Largo and Miho...probably asks Walter where they went, and then finds them a minute later. Guessing Ping catches up too.

Then again, setting up a game takes some time as well. And if they're playing, it may also take longer to start really talking. Then again, we also don't know how long Largo was drinking in the original plot-stream, before Miho said "small sips." Probably not too long, but still.

And, of course, Ping's still a part of the equation. How will she respond, once she catches up? And how would Miho or Largo respond to Piro and/or Ping's presence, if they make it known?

Also, as we've seen during the SMMB game, after the opening banter there was NO dialog between Largo and Miho. Most of the speech that occurs is Largo talking to himself or talking to 1337 d00d. It could be that they will be playing in near silence.

Of course, the game of SMMB occurred in a highly competitive atmosphere with the entire class watching. Perhaps a more private game will yield different results?

Her response will probably depend on the events that occur between Miho/Largo and Piro's reaction to that, of course. However, if things go considerably better then they originally went, then Ping won't be forced to pursue one or the other during the fallout.

I cannot really predict Largo's response other than the potential that he'll be more comfortable with 'backup.' Miho will probably be forced to measure her words more carefully with the additional ears.