Closed Post: The only way to learn is by playing

[futaille]

There has been a seismic shift in the pinball status quo and Grantaire unwittingly brought it just by mentioning the game at the wrong time. Or the right one, really. Watching Magnus play was honestly kind of amazing, but it also was a very fast shift in fortune, especially with tales of Alex even beyond that. And if Grantaire wanted any hope of keeping any Rs at all on the high score list long-term, he needed to refine his game. (Sometimes it's easier to be spurred on by someone clearly ahead of you than someone coming up behind.)

So he is, of course, in the game room one dark (and Dark) evening, working on improving. Of course, as always, his plans are fully subject to change when previous offers come back to the forefront.

Comments

[futaille]

He pauses. "Huh. You're right. He's writing more just by virtue of being here, I suppose. That's fascinating." He watches a few of Lan Wangji's trap cycles. "Oh. Magnus taught me something the other day. You can bump the table a little to adjust the path of the ball. Helps save it sometimes if it's going to be lost. Just not too much."

[lightbearinglord]

Faintly surprised, Lan Wangji shoots one short-lived glance toward Grantaire, not one lengthy enough to disrupt his game. "That is within the rules?"

[futaille]

"Oh yes! He very specifically said it was part of the game. And since there are actual consequences for doing too much, I believe him." Yes, he may or may not have discovered the tilt after learning of this strategy.

[lightbearinglord]

"Thank you," Lan Wangji tells him, then, solemn. Naturally this would be one of the many topics about which Magnus is knowledgeable. He returns to the game, intent and seeking an opportunity to deploy this technique. He can see the value; there are times when a minor redirection would be incredibly helpful.

As the ball threatens to spiral into one of the gutters, he taps the side of the cabinet briskly with one palm. Unfortunately, the entire machine stutters to one side in answer, and a tilt warning begins flashing on the display.

[futaille]

"I should probably point out that that would count as a bit too much," he says wryly.

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji levels a flat look at Grantaire. The efficacy is slightly undercut by how quickly he needs to look back at the machine to prevent himself from losing the ball entirely. "Thank you," he says, very dryly.

[futaille]

He only just manages not to burst into laughter. "You're welcome. I do try to be as helpful as I can."

[lightbearinglord]

"I do not believe that was the upper limit of your abilities." Lan Wangji is back to lightly frowning down at the pinball machine with his hands at the buttons. It is obvious that he will need to master the technique Grantaire described.

[futaille]

He does laugh now. "It warns you like that when it's close. If you do go too far, the flippers turn off and you lose the ball."

[lightbearinglord]

"Mn." That would be an undesirable outcome, of course. Lan Wangji refocuses, all of his attention on the game; the frown disappears, leaving his face smooth and calm as he plays. After a stretch of easy saves, he again taps the side of the cabinet. The machine does not move quite so obviously this time, but it still tips slightly. The display informs him that he has accumulated another tilt warning. He pauses, balancing the ball on a flipper, and says, a bit darkly, "It is too sensitive."

[futaille]

He shrugs easily. "I don't think it's quite calibrated for cultivators. Just relative weaklings like myself."

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji indulges briefly in the amusing thought of introducing this game to the Cloud Recesses. Most Lan cultivators have, at the least, above-average arm strength. He can picture his uncle's outrage at the distraction of it all. Lan Jingyi's education would become unsalvageable. "The handstands are to blame," he says as he sends the ball flying again.

[futaille]

"The clear and obvious lesson to take from this, then, is that I need to do more handstands."

[lightbearinglord]

"I have been teaching Magnus." Once more, his attention is trained on the cabinet and on honing the timing of the flippers. There will be nothing close to a high score from this game, but he would like to glean as much from the learning experience as possible.

[futaille]

"And I am sure that Magnus is a very diligent student."

[lightbearinglord]

If there is the slightest upward twitch at the corners of Lan Wangji's mouth in answer to that, Grantaire will never be able to prove it. "You would not be?"

[futaille]

He can't help but laugh a little. "I think the next person to call me diligent would be the first."

[lightbearinglord]

"Then you do not want my instruction in the art of handstands." As he says this, Lan Wangji finally loses the last ball of the game. He takes it in stride without any visible disappointment.

[futaille]

"I think I can manage well enough without those particular lessons. That said, that was impressive for a first game."

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji, who has no particular metric for what constitutes an impressive game of pinball, merely watches the high scores scroll past, mildly dubious. "It is impossible to win, then? One must play until the inevitable loss."

[futaille]

He shrugs. "Like life, in a way."

[lightbearinglord]

Lan Wangji considers this, serious but unperturbed. Grantaire has a point. Then again, he thinks for the second time of his recent conversation with Claudius in the kitchen. There is an inevitable loss, but then one begins again. With that in mind, he presses start again. "To second chances."

[futaille]

He grins and turns again to watch. "To second chances."

[lightbearinglord]

It most likely comes as no surprise that Lan Wangji performs somewhat more admirably from the beginning this time around. He descends into unimpeachable concentration, perfectly still aside from the flicker of his fingers on the buttons. He manages, regrettably, to accumulate one more tilt warning in his efforts to redirect the ball -- but then, at last, he pulls off an appropriately-calibrated nudge the next time he tries. The machine truly is unreasonably sensitive, but at least now he knows how to coax it without aggravating it.

[futaille]

Grantaire watches with interest, unable to stop smiling. "I am absolutely going to credit this to my unimpeachable coaching."