Well, you may have overslept, but there’s still time to catch what looks like a gorgeous day.
The sun, positioned high in a cloudless blue sky, beams down upon the bustling metropolis, its light casting a slight shimmer on the horizon. On most days your schedule’s packed; from time spent racing through the city streets, fighting off the Rokkaku Police and rival gangs, and doing everything in your power to recruit newbies, those in the GG’s rarely have time to slow down and appreciate the scenery.
Today was different, though. Today was your day off, and you figured you’d make the most of it and visit some of your favorite locales in the great city of Tokyo-to for a very different type of adventure from your typical day-to-day craziness.
The Garage
But first thing’s first; time for a warm-up session. You strap on your skates, tune into Jet Set Radio, shoot the shit with Roboy, and then get going. The Garage was always the perfect place to practice, with its grind rails that seemed to transition into each other perfectly, easy access to much of the city, and not to mention its half pipes, telephone poles, and did I mention Roboy?
Surrounded on all sides by bustling city streets, the Garage, nestled between several buildings and hidden away, was where you went to unwind and lose the heat. Your fellow GGs had the same idea, spending much of the time between their various escapades just hanging out on the couches, maybe hitting the punching bag a few times or learning some new tricks or playing a game of pinball or two before setting right back out again.
You’d had enough practice. People-watching at the Shibuya Terminal seemed like a fun way to spend the afternoon, and to get there you decide to take the slightly longer route via…
Dogenzaka Hill
Like much of the rest of the city, this neighborhood in Tokyo-to always seemed to be busy. You knew that you could keep up with the cars zipping by on the outer roads if you wanted to, but instead you take your usual left down the staircase, blasting through the various hills, jumping off rooftops, and even pushing your way through a bustling marketplace as unsuspecting customers dive out of your way.
Dogenzaka Hill always gave off a very distinct and vibrant energy, and today was no different. But today there were no Rokkaku Police to knock down, no graffiti to tag over, and no street races to win. At least, none that concerned you. Today was your day to relax, and you took a deep breath in anticipation as you prepared for the sensory rush that is…
The Shibuya Terminal
You’ve traveled through here countless times on your journeys elsewhere, even fighting your occasional apocalyptic battle in this very place. Still, visiting the Shibuya Terminal always felt like a brand new experience. This is where the many neighborhoods in Tokyo-to meet, the place where residents could hop on a bus and travel to pretty much anywhere in the city that they desire. It was always busy, always a place that felt alive, a place where the walls seemed to breathe and radiate life just as its residents did.
You decide to lean up against a grind rail, watching the endless sea of people as they disembark and re-embark from the various buses. You spot the occasional Poison Jam member grinding up and down the Terminal’s iconic staircase, but you ignore them for now, knowing that there would always be tomorrow.
The temperature seemed to be cooling just ever so slightly, you realizing with a jolt that the sun was beginning to set. You really did sleep in late today, but that was alright. You remembered that you were supposed to meet Yoyo for a race along the Sky Dinosaurian Square’s famous roller coaster, so you decide to save your energy and take a bus instead of skating to…
99th Street
99th Street is the heart of Tokyo-to’s entertainment district, the neighborhood where its citizens flee at the end of the day to escape any prospect of sleep. Always a scene of construction and change, the now-completed Rokkaku Expo Stadium being the latest example, 99th Street truly stands as a symbol for the future of the city.
Plus, it was always just a fun time, and a place where there was never even for a second a dull moment.
Regardless, the bus hit some traffic, the night having fully set in by the time you stepped off, and you made an immediate beeline for the amusement park, bypassing the Skyscraper District as best you could, knowing that Yoyo never likes it when his challengers are running late.
Sky Dinosaurian Square
You show up, slightly out of breath, but ready to race. Yoyo had won the past few times, just like he almost always seemed to, but this time you’d memorized the layout of the roller coaster and perfected your skills.
Without much more than a word, the two of you make use of your skates’ rocket blasts to propel yourselves along the tracks at an incredible velocity. The wind seems to tear through your very skin and into your soul, but you don’t mind; this is what you live for. This is what you all live for.
It’s a close race but you reach the end, snatching victory away with the smallest of seconds to spare, Yoyo swearing that he’ll win the next time. The two of you catch your breath on the platform, the roller coaster’s cars roaring through on the tracks above your heads, the beautiful world of Tokyo-to in all its glory spread out far below…
And….G’nite
It had been a fun day off, you think to yourself as you settle into bed later that night.
Tomorrow will be business as usual: being a GG was never easy. But for now, it was time to rest easy.
With some reluctance (as Professor K was playing some incredibly awesome music right about then) you decide to lower the volume on your radio as you prepare for a glorious, well-deserved rest. The streets of Tokyo-to are still as packed as ever, their sounds timidly wafting up through your slightly open window. You’d see it all again tomorrow, you knew, the city fading from existence as you close your eyes and drift off to a warm sleep…
…until next time.
Ad:
