12985/Match Day

Match Day
Date of Scene:	08 April 2021
Location:	Metropolis Stadium, Downtown
Synopsis:	Cameron continues her emotional journey to understanding human nature.
Cast of Characters:	John Connor, Cameron

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John Connor has posed:
Understanding that John deserves some semblance of a normal upbringing, to understand what he'll be fighting for in the years to come, his uncle arranged for tickets to a soccer match. The really weird thing was that he had suggested he take Cameron with him, perhaps because she would be better protection, able to spot people in the crowd, or maybe he was just warming to her... probably the protection.

So, John was walking down the stairs towards their seats, a tray that had two hot dogs, two drinks, and some curly fries in it, as well as napkins. "Seems we're here," he said, as he took a seat, the one further from the aisle, as if there were an attack, it was more likely to come from the aisle. What had his life become when he had to think about such things.

He wore blue jeans, a black coat, unzipped, with a Metropolis United t-shirt on underneath, as it would help him blend, and a baseball cap with Metropolis United on it too, as that would help to hide his face from the cameras.

Cameron has posed:
Cameron followed down the steps, looking around at the crowd with a slight frown on her face. The HUD was giving her readings on everyone and everything she saw in her line of sight, picking out details that most humans wouldn't catch.

As he spoke she glanced over at John and then to the seats as he scooted into place. She pushed down the folding seat with her hand a couple of times then finally opted to chance it and sat.

Another glance around before she settled in. At John's urging, she had on a matching t-shirt to his. Also a ball cap although she was not a fan. It felt like it was restricting her view angles, although it really wasn't.

"And what is the point of this event?" she asks simply, never one to beat around the bush.

John Connor has posed:
It was cute watching her deal with the folding seat, but there were people who weighed more than twice her weight who could be supported by them, so it wasn't an issue. But it might be something new to her. Did Skynet really program folding stadium seats into its terminators?

John was about to suggest she just try it, as she kept pushing it down, only for it to rise the moment she removed the pressure, but she figured it out. Still, it got a genuine smile out of John. "Tribalism, basically. Us against them. We're from Metropolis, so we cheer for the people representing Metropolis, even though I'm not sure if any of them are actually from Metropolis, and we're rooting against the guys representing Gotham."

On the pitch, Metropolis United Wore their home uniforms or kit, which consisted of red shirts, white shorts, and black socks. Gotham City FC wore their away kit, which consisted of yellow shirts, black shorts, and yellow socks.

"Same principal as war. Just a lot less bloody... most of the time. And both sides agree to follow a strict set of rules." Figuring that she would want to know, he came prepared, having downloaded the FIFA rules to a tablet, as well as the history of both clubs, which he handed to her, "this'll help, if you want to catch up."

Cameron has posed:
She accepted the tablet but then shifted her gaze out to the field. They were just doing some warm up drills on both sides, the game having not started yet. "So the winner will take the land they are playing on? Or are they playing for something outside the stadium?"

Because war generally meant one was trying to defeat the other to take over their territory. Yet this didn't seem to be fitting that. Another slight frown and she took the table, beginning to read through the rules rapidly.

"It's a sport. For fun?" She looked at him.

John Connor has posed:
"The winner gets three points for a win, the loser nothing. If they tie, they each get a point. At the end of the year, the team with the most points wins a trophy. It's for fun, but also how they make their living. The fans, or supporters, can get really into it."

"Like in gym class, except that's only for fun, where this supports a whole industry." Gesturing at the stadium, the people filling up the stadium, "this... doesn't come cheap. A lot of people think it's a total waste of time and money, but these people dedicate themselves. They're some of the best in their chosen field. Of course, you could probably do anything they could, and better."

Cameron has posed:
"That's not like war at all," Cameron states as she considers the information he has given her. So much for trying to put it in simple terms. "So they do this for fun and people pay money to watch them do it. Or for work. Or both." Maybe that was the best way to consider it.

The game was getting ready to begin so she bowed her head to scan through the pages of rules he had downloaded, reading far faster than most humans could. "You like soccer?" she asked, perhaps not having encountered that particular fact when talking to his older self.

John Connor has posed:
"The game started as martial practice. It was called Game Ball. It didn't have many rules. One group would try to move a ball to a set place, while another group would try and get the ball from them, and move it to some other place. People died. A lot. A few hundred years of refining the rules, and you've got soccer, American football, rugby, Australian Rules, Gaelic, and probably some other types."

"I like the strategy involved. It's like chess." And perhaps this part might appeal to her. As the game began, both sides set themselves up in formations chosen by their managers. "Watch the way the players reposition themselves based on where the ball is, who has it. There are individual battles," and they were battles as players would try and tackle, while others tried to keep it away. "But there's also the team play. Right now, Metropolis are using the entire width of the pitch, trying to create a gap in Gotham's defense for them to exploit."

And as he said it, one of Metropolis' players found space, getting through the defense, with a sure goal only being averted by some heroic last gasp defending as a Gotham player caught up and managed to kick the ball out for a corner kick.

Cameron has posed:
Cameron watched the players moving down the field, taking in the information he was giving and applying it as the HUD was starting to recognize patternes, now that she had game rules in her memory to add to the information and data she was gathering.

Outside the fact one side was trying to outmaneuver the other, she wasn't sure it would equate to chess but he had watched more often than she. This was her first game.

"Thank you for explaining." She took a moment to look around them, another quick scan of surroundings then pulled up the history of the clubs he had also downloaded onto the tablet.

John Connor has posed:
"The games are different, the rules are different, one's two-dimensional, and the other is three, but at their core, they are about the same things: managing territory, executing sound strategies, and ultimately, defeating your opponent. You have limited resources, and need to be efficient in your attack and defense. In chess, you begin with sixteen pieces, and lose them as the game progresses. A quick counter-attack in soccer from solid defensive efforts can be decisive," and as if to prove his point, Gotham managed to score in what would be described as against the run of play. They had soaked up Metropolis' pressure, only to spring a counter-attack, leaving Metropolis outnumbered, and Gotham led by one.

"Both games involve crafting long term strategies, reacting to your opponent's tactics, sacrifices, and the center is the most important part of the board, or field. Controlling the center allows you to quickly deploy your forces, wherever you need them to go." And Metropolis, which had dominated the game, controlling the center from the first whistle, were able to get an equaliser, as they managed to force a Gotham defender into turning away from the ball to reorient himself."

John, who sounded less the sixteen year old he was, and more like the John he would become, added, "you can't allow yourself to be distrcted by the minor incidents. You have to see the whole board."

Cameron has posed:
At the sound of another whistle, Cameron looked up from her reading to analyze what had happened on the field. She was through with the hisory of one team. The next was pulled up with a few swipes and taps of fingers on the tablet while she glanced around the area again.

As he said those last words, she looked over at him. "You have said that before. Or the other you did. Your lieutenants did not always understand but you did."

Then she reaches over to take a curly fry from his tray of goodies and tossed it into her mouth, chewing as she went back to reading.

John Connor has posed:
John turned his head from the game at the comment. He looked at her, and then seemed to look down, and finally back at her. He let it pass without further comment, but he was thinking about it. He wasn't ready to be future John, not yet, but it was good that he was on that path. He had always had a keen analytical mind. Was that what made him this 'great military leader'?

He wasn't particularly tall, strong, he was a middling soldier, decent but unremarkable marksman, despite being trained from near birth. He was okay or good at things, but never seemed to pass that in any categories, except games like chess, spatial awareness, computers. He was a computer nerd. He just didn't look it. Was that his destiny? He had long wondered what it was about him that made him special. And would he ever live up to who he was described as.

In all his deep thoughts, he almost missed the fry, but he caught it as she began chewing. It still amazed him that she could eat. He would take a bit of his hot dog, the other one was for her, and would wash it down with some of the soft drink. Taking more of an interest in her, "do you like curly fries more than hot dogs?" Can she like something more than something else. Just what were her limits, how human-like was she?

Cameron has posed:
The question had her pausing as she did another quick scan of the area then looked over at the young man she was assigned to protect. "Hot dogs are strange."

As if that needed a sophisticated cybernetic being to figure out.

But she continued, not realizing how it might be a little odd to explain it. "The ingredients in them are processed to a point where they have little to no taste. It seems to be the cooking that gives them more flavor. Yet the fries always have flavor, from the spicing and grease used in their preparation. Both are unhealthy but yes, I do prefer the fries."

John Connor has posed:
"They are, aren't they," he agreed, as she was making complete sense. Hot dogs and sports were just something that always seemed to go together, but John didn't really like them. It was more the salt in them, the ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, the bread tasted nice, but the meat, it was just so bland. It needed all the other things to make it palatable.

Setting the hot dogs on the floor, they were in a cardboard tray; he would focus on the curly fries that they had been sharing, and the drinks, which were now in their cup holders built into the armrests. At one point, they would both reach for a curly fry, brushing their fingers against one another's.

For John, it felt nice, strange, unexpected, but nice. Little did he know that the cameras were searching the crowd, showing people. It briefly settled on John and Camera, with his face largely being obscured as he happened to be looking down, and the cap helped, before finally it settled on nearby young couple, just two rows down, and about three seats to the left.

On the monitor, there was a red heart around the young couple's faces, and the word 'kiss cam' written below. The people around them, having noticed it, would chant, 'kiss, kiss, kiss..." This had been mentioned in the tablet as one of the things that can happen at sporting events, such as the Mexican Wave, but who would have thought it'd of been such a close call.

Cameron has posed:
As the play continued on the field, Cameron was paying closer attention as she had finished her reading. She did pass the tablet back over so he could put it in the backpack he always seemed to have with him.

She was very aware of everything around them. She wouldn't be a very good protector if she wasn't. Which is why when that camera lined up, she bent over as though reaching for that hotdog down in the carrier. But when she realized the camera was not lining up with them, she resumed her normal position as the crowd around the couple below began the chant and the couple kissed to appease the masses.

Thankfully the play started again and the camera moved along.

"What is this popular?" she asks. "How do they know people are a couple and not friends or siblings? Is it an error if they pick people who are not a couple?"

John Connor has posed:
"Peer pressure, I guess. If they're a couple, they usually kiss on the lips. If they aren't, it's usually a peck on the cheek. They probably know which seats were bought together, so have an inkling that they at least know each other. Not hard to figure out. In this day and age, they could even look up their social media presence to see if they are a couple. If they give it that much thought. It might just be at random. I don't know."

He had a social media presence. It was minimal. With no photos of himself. No face shots anyway. It would be weird not to have a social media presence. So he would always be turned away, blurry, you can't make a blurry photo sharp no matter how much you want to, just out of frame, out of focus, or in some rarer examples, he'd photoshop someone who looked similar to him onto his face, modifying it enough that people who knew him would think it was a bad photo, and any software would not be able to detect it was him.

"And people like to kiss. It's like a handshake, only more intimate, and with a lot more meaning. It feels good." She could tell he was lying on that last one. His voice, his body language. Likely, he had never actually kissed a girl on the lips, or if he had, it was so long ago he barely remembered it. Like at a child's party.

Cameron has posed:
He believed what he said though. He was reacting with a slight increase in temperature, focused on his face and neck. Which usually was a sign of embarassment as the blood rushed to the surface of the skin.

It was an unusual reaction. "It sometimes means something. Other times does not. We learned about this." During programming, she means. She wouldn't be a very good infiltrator if she wasn't able to copy the human she was meant to be portraying.

"Yet most people are uncomfortable with public displays of affection. Here, they chant for it and encourage it."

John Connor has posed:
John would like to explain that one, but he wasn't sure how. He would pause and think about it, knowing she probably did need help. "I think it may be related to the mob mentality, more than the public displays of affection. The same way girls, who wouldn't be caught dead wearing it the rest of the year, will wear slutty costumes on Halloween. Certain cultural situations help to lower inhibitions. It's still embarrassing, but people are willing to do it."

Cameron has posed:
Cameron had learned about that phenomena last year at Halloween. She had done research on the holiday and seen various costumes for sale. Many of the ones for women involved 'sexy' insert word after. It was nothing like dressing as the actual field of study or career, but a caricature of it.

They did not have the lights on or welcome Trick-Or-Treaters in their home like a lot of people. Though she had seen children on the streets with their parents or other responsible persons. Their costumes were more cute.

"To appease the crowd rather than face their displeasure," she summarized.

John Connor has posed:
"Could also be people on their first date? It might take a bit of the pressure off that first kiss, as I can't imagine any kiss with a whole stadium watching could be very good." The second half continued as they talked, with Metropolis going ahead for the first time in the 63rd minute, doubling their lead in the 65th, and putting the game out of reach in the 69th. Gotham would make some substitutions in a hope to get back into the game, but Metropolis' strategic approach proved successful, with the game ending Metropolis five, Gotham two. A pretty impressive win.

Towards the end though, John would suggest that they get up, "another tradition is that some people leave early to beat the traffic. Because if we wait until the final whistle, we'll be two out of seventy thousand or so people trying to leave at once."

Cameron has posed:
"Easier to watch in a smaller crowd. This is an intelligent choice."

Not from the traffic point of view. For Cameron it was more trying to make sure he remained safe. Not that she was expecting a machine to open fire in the stands but the lives of the Connnors was unusual so just because it was not expected didn't mean it couldn't happen.

"Stay close." As though he hadn't heard that a hundred times. She would stay to his side, not ahead because then she would lose sight but not to far behind in case the attack came from the front.

Yet to anyone else seeing them? Just two teens out supporting their favorite soccer team.