Akemi was hyperfocused on repeating the same strategy, her brain completely locked into it at the cost of everything else. So as soon as the enemies started changing patterns, things got out of hand quickly as she proved unable to adapt, and the dreaded "Insert coin to continue" soon flashed on the screen.

"Sh... Commander, it's nice of you to try to help me. But it's not going to work like that. Synchronizing my brain and my fleshcraft for a new activity... It takes time, repetitive exercises, incremental efforts. You might lower the difficulty from a marathon to a stroll, but I'm still learning to walk here."

She raised her artificial hand under his nose:

"Remember. Six months ago? No arm. Five months ago? A heavy dead chunk of metal on my left side. Three months ago? Could barely move the thumb independently from the other fingers to do a pincer grab. Nowadays? Still need to use my whole brain for anything requiring independent actions from fingers. Six whole months from ago? If I keep doing my exercises and tuning sessions regularly, might manage to be able to write again with it."

She clapped her hands:

"It's magic to have two hands again. But it's not the kind of magic that can just cheat time."

"And I'm only hassling you...", he said and scratched the back of his neck. He looked away a little, frowning. "You didn't do anything wrong, anyway."

He picked up his drink and took a swing. "How's swinging a tetsubo with it?"

"Easy. It's a simple movement, all in shoulder and wrist, fingers locked and still. The mechanic is also designed to absorb the shock in return nicely, so I actually feel less the impact that I used to with my biological arm.

Firearms however... Firearms I just shoot with my other hand."

Shokomaru sat against the game cabinet and nodded.

"Must have been pretty rough. I've seen a few injuries in my time, mass trauma, serration all through the abdomen, severed limbs, exploded guts. In a really short time too, honestly I know things and can say I've seen some shit, but I'm not that experienced. If this were a different universe most I think would say it's too much for people as young as us...but we're samurai so I guess that makes us exempt from all that."

He didn't roll his eyes, but it was clear he didn't appreciate a lot of the bullshit that went into their lives.

"I have also seen some bad stuff, though probably less than you. My arm however... Not the same feeling. Less grand guignol, more psychological. I passed out from the pain when the bomb blew it off and awoke nicely sedated when what was left of it had already been cleaned. So... It's hard to explain but... It felt more like an absence than a wound. Like, something was wrong, but my brain was unable to process it, with phantom pain and all."

She smiled softly:

"But honestly? I'm one of the lucky ones. Was only one arm and the replacement graft went well. Could easily have turned far, far worst."

"Yeah, there's people who have it bad, alright."

His mouth quirked, likely in thought of just that.

"I know I've held your hand before and all, but..do you mind if I have a better look?"

"Sure. Let's go sit at the snack bar first, other people might want to play that game."

Once set up on the terrible stools there, Akemi extended her mechanical arm to him.

"It's not fragile, you can fiddle with it as you wish. Not that that has stopped you before..."

She smirked.

"But people tend to overreact with carefulness when they realize how actually different this is from a biological arm."

"Maybe that's because", he started to say as he held her flesh craft hand, turning it, feeling the fingers, turning her wrist. One hand under hers while the other ran a finger along her palm. "People see you as a little delicate, despite what you put forward. Maybe they think you should be cared for, treated well."

"Hey, people wouldn't be far from the truth. For a Crab, I'm basically a pampered princess. Rich, with a dedicated servant to do my every whim, and a powerful relative whose name I can drop in case of issues but who gets to more or less decide my life in exchange.

To be perfect for the role, I just need to change my haircut, buy a nice dress... And find a prince charming of course."

"Doesn't sound like that'd make you too happy", he observed, taking the flesh craft hand in his, squeezing it and smiling that it even had a bit of give in that regard. It wasn't flesh, but it was still pretty amazing.

"Yes and no. The princess does dream of her prince charming... But one that will actually change her life, not one that's just there to play politics with her king's grandpa while she mopes around in her room or barracks."

She folded and unfolded the fingers of her artificial hand:

"Sensations are as acute as for my flesh arm in case you're curious. Arm would be as good as a pirate's hook without that.

Sometimes the sensations are actually a bit stronger, when the calibration is slightly off. But it's more peculiar than unpleasant."

He looked up into her eyes.

"Don't tempt me in public like that", he winked and let her hand go. "So you want to get a snack, was that it?" he snatched his tea and handed hers over as well.

"Let's have something salty and terrible for us."

She winked in return:

"Hey, you were the one who asked to touch me in public first.

A terrible snack is good. I'm not averse to playing more games mind you. Just... Not those requiring independent movements of my fleshcraft's fingers."

"It's all practice though? I don't mind, I didn't come here to smash the arcade like it's an enemy dojo, I'm having fun", he contended and gestured over to a small booth. "Have a seat, i'll grab something."

"It's definitely all practice. But. Remember. Baby steps. Must learn to walk before learning to run."

She grinned:

"Did you actually smash a dojo the old-fashioned way? Walked into one, challenged the master, defeated them in a maybe not so fair fight, and broke the dojo's name plate?"

He just smirked and went to go order food.

And spent most of his time waiting for it by making rude gestures at her.

When he sat back down he seemed pleased with his tray of croquetes, cheese and slightly crispy butter salt rice balls.

He picked up a bottle of soy sauce.

Then he finally answered, as if she'd just asked him.

"Usually I say ask your mom, but that's just Spider talk."

Akemi started stuffing herself with the food.

"If I asked her, Mom would probably look at me with very tired eyes and redirect me to one of my teachers. But I fear this kind of things only exists as a wrestling trope nowadays. Dunno if you have what it takes to pull it off on a scene while wearing only flashy underpants. But sure would love to watch."

"I feel like I've been challenged, right in the fetish."

He chuckled and grabbed some rice before it disappeared entirely.

"Hey maybe? As if you wouldn't enjoy seeing... hum... me, Nakauchi Mumei, Daidoji Ishiyo and Utaku Hyeon-ju wrestling each other in our underwear yourself."

The last two names might have been accentuated a bit.

"I know danger when i see it", he said after he finished chewing. "I would not intrude on lady fun time, but if you want me there I won't miss it."