EPTThe Red Bull Battlegrounds qualifiers had just finished, and Scarlett had just fended off QXC in a rather close series. We had arranged to get dinner after the tournament, and I approached her as she was just finishing up packing her things.
Me: You ready for dinner, Scarlett?
Scarlett: I dunno, they have pizza here. *points*
(You can always count on pizza to be served at WCS events)
Me: Didn't you say last time you wanted Korean chicken?
Scarlett: *lights up* Ok, let's go there.
We met up with a friend of mine and headed to the chicken spot, where we ordered basically every type of chicken on the menu.
Me: Ok so I think we got our bases covered, which kind do you want to take?
Scarlett: The spiciest. As spicy as the one you're getting.
Me: This isn't a competition, Scarlett.
Scarlett: I know.
We started eating, and while I was slowly realizing that the spicy chicken wings were being depleted at an alarming rate, various conversations sprung up.
Scarlett: All the korean players... they make fun of my accent. Especially Jaedong... it's non-stop.
Me: I can see Jaedong being the teasing type. But it's not so bad being teased by the greatest zerg of all time?
Scarlett: No, I guess not.
Me: So who would you say is your favorite korean player?
Scarlett: Probably Ryung... he's really silly and he makes me laugh.
Me: Ryung is also your teammate... seems like you have a pretty good relationship with your fellow pros.
Scarlett: *laughs* most of the time they're poking fun at me. But they're all very nice and we joke around a lot.
Me: Seems like you don't have too much trouble communicating with the Korean pros
Scarlett: They all speak English somewhat... but they say my Korean isn't bad
Some time passes, and Scarlett suddenly gets up from her seat.
Scarlett: What was this, the... spicy wings?
Me: You're gonna get more? :O
Scarlett: My two favorite foods are Korean chicken and Mexican. I don't usually eat this much... really.
Me: I dunno Scarlett, first impressions.
![[image loading]](https://scontent-a-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1463177_10102814252337576_1501755468_n.jpg)
greedy zerg.
After dinner, it was too late to go out (it was Sunday), and due to Scarlett being underage for drinking in California, we opted to visit some more esoteric parts of LA. We headed up to a local spot on Mullholland Drive, where the view of the night city usually sparks up some good chats (sorry no pictures guys, was dark).
Scarlett: Mullholland Drive? Like the movie?
Me: Yeah... except nothing like the movie, that movie was fuckin weird.
Scarlett: Good movie, though.
Me: Aren't you a tad young for it? I didn't get it at all when I saw it.
Scarlett: I didn't either.
Me: So tell me a little about how you grew up, what was life like for you?
Scarlett: Hm... well, for a long time I was actually depressed... it wasn't always easy for me growing up. There are some chunks of time I'd rather not remember, if that makes any sense.
Me: It's alright, we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.
Scarlett: I've always been a very shy person. It's been really hard at times.
Me: But now that you're internationally known and locally respected, hasn't that changed a bit?
Scarlett: Maybe. *flashes a smile* I guess so.
Me: You are pretty shy though, you don't even like me taking pictures.
Scarlett: I've gotten a lot better, actually. I used to be a lot worse
Scarlett: I used to play the stock market, back in highschool.
Me: Whoa, like what, day trading?
Scarlett: Yeah. I used to trade during class with my iPod touch.
Me: I have no words for that.
Scarlett: I did extremely well in simulations.
Me: And in real life?
Scarlett: Not quite the same. But I did ok.
Some time passes, and we both sit in silence, listening to the roar of the city far away.
Me: Are you cold, Scarlett?
Scarlett: *stare* Are you... joking?
Me: Oh... right, yeah, you're from Canada.
Scarlett: I'm only wearing this jacket as a formality right now.
Me: -_-
And then this happened:
![[image loading]](https://scontent-a-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1450112_10102814359482856_2045026714_n.jpg)
While Playing:
Me: It was fun drafting with Goswser a few months ago. How did you get into Magic, Scarlett?
Scarlett: My dad taught me, and gave me a bunch of cards. I'm in the process of making a cube right now, I only need like 6 more cards to finish it.
Me: Hell yeah, cube's like the best way to play Magic.
Scarlett: *looks at the board, then her hand* Our decks are terrible.
Me: Be nice.
After a few hours of senseless Magic playing, it was time to call it a night.
I met up with Scarlett the next day, and some Mexican food was in order. The promise of Southern Californian Mexican cuisine was yet unfulfilled for Scarlett, and that is just a shame.
![[image loading]](https://scontent-b-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1467441_10102814249129006_528722891_n.jpg)
Scarlett: This food is excellent.
Me: Huh, I didn't think you'd be into authentic Mexican food.
Scarlett: My parents used to take me to Texas when I was young, and I got to eat a lot of good Mexican food there. Since then Mexican food has always been my favorite.
Me: Guess that makes sense.
Scarlett: I make really good salsa.
Me: What?
Scarlett: Ever since little, whenever I made food for myself I would make salsa. I'm really good at it.
Me: This must be verified in the future.
I attempt to take another picture.
Scarlett: You're like a teenaged girl instagrammer
Me: Don't you dare, I don't even have an instagram account.
Scarlett: But look at you, taking pictures everywhere
Me: D: I'm just taking some pictures so that the people can see it on the interwebs... they like pictures
Scarlett: You know, first impressions...
Me: Well played.
After lunch, Scarlett had only a couple of hours before she had to meet up with the players and casters along with the Red Bull team to go go-karting. We decided to drive around for a bit before she had to return to her hotel.
Scarlett: What are those tubings on the ground?
Me: Those are sprinklers. They keep the vegetation here alive.
Scarlett: I did see rows of sprinklers on the way here.
Me: There's rows and grids, all across the land.
Scarlett: So none of these plants actually belong here...
Me: Wanna see our man-made lake?
Scarlett: ...
![[image loading]](https://scontent-a-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1392080_10102814386503706_723597842_n.jpg)
Scarlett: So the water here... where does it come from?
Me: Underground sprinklers that inject water directly into the lake.
Scarlett: ....
Scarlett: This water never freezes over?
Me: You're joking, right?
Scarlett: Back in Canada, we have a lake in our backyard... a huge lake. You can't see the other side... the other side is the United States.
Me: Wow that must be pretty wild to live right next to a lake like that. What do you guys do on the lake?
Scarlett: Well it's cold, for the most part... that's why we played video games. But sometimes when the weather was right we would get maybe... 3 foot waves on the lake, so we could play in it kind of like a beach.
Me: So, you're kind of making me feel inadaquate about our lake here.
Scarlett: It's very peaceful.
After a few more stops at random places, I dropper her off at her hotel (which is an insane journey on its own, maybe I'll write about it later).
Hope you guys enjoyed this report.
-karaokesalesman
