Chapter I - Game on!
Crowd noise, buttons being mashed, coins being counted, lights flashing, loud music coming out the speakers. This is the arcade, where many fans or addicted people come to spend their money. Achieving high scores and bragging about them is what everybody desires. Whether you come alone or as a group, there is always a suitable game for everyone. Fighting games, shooting games, puzzle games, rhythm games, you name it.
"Awesome"
"Great!"
"Perfect!"
"Supreme!"
"M M M M Mix Master" the speakers echoes a few times.
Mack's hands and fingers were moving lightning fast. The symbols for hitting the correct buttons moved rapidly over the screen. The score counter and high score counter were rising with each successful hit. A combo counter showed he hasn't missed anything for a while yet. This was a DJ style rhythm game which represents a small mix panel, equipped with several buttons and a jog wheel. At the right moment you press the right buttons or scratch away with the jog wheel. Various rhythm games exist, but Mack prefers this one.
Ever since his dream was to become an Audio Engineer, he's been taking any form of music serious. After his summer break, he will become a fifth year student at Jupiter High. Fifth year meant that exams were going to take place and things were going to become very serious. After all those years at school he still retained his style: He always decorated his appearance by trimming and shaving his head. Each half year he would change the patterns. This time he had two lightning look alike strips running from the sides. On top his head many little arrows were located, pointing in various directions. Mack Back, his full name, was already was dark tanned and the summer holiday made him even look darker. His muscled and tall appearance made him look like a wrestler but his personality is quite gentle.
"Well done player! New high score!"
Leo whistled: "Wow, that is a good score Mack."
"Hah! I managed to erase this person from the Top 10 too" Mack boasted while entering his name into the machine.
Leo looked at the list. It only contained TGMB as player names, all ten in fact.
"TGMB?" Leo asked.
"The Great Mack Back" Mack explained.
"Isn't that a bit lame?"
"No, it is the truth. I am great."
Leo didn't know how to respond to that he shrugged. He checked his photo camera whether it had enough batteries. It was required, as one needed to be ready for mini-skirts. In a dark setting such as an arcade, he required his flash. Leo Knight, blonde haired was like Mack becoming a fifth grader. They have been together with two of his close friends, John and Rico, at Jupiter High. They are the notorious group of boys called The Smooth Gentlemen. While you might think it implies a true gentle and humble man, you're wrong. Mack, Leo and his buddies were and are known to be minor harassers and smooth talkers all for the sake of their stupid perverted desires. Now before we start pointing fingers and calling them criminals we need to consider a few things. A quick check to remind us of our friends.
Mack Back, also known as the notorious The Assman, had an irresistible desire for the peachy hills of a woman. He claims he cannot help it when a girl walks in with a well developed peach. But he won't just openly assault them. As said, they will smooth talk their way towards their goal, only if they are being challenged and tempted. After four years they've become slightly more adult. You would think.
Leo Knight, fancy dressed young lad who kept his blonde hair styled at any cost, was marked as the Upskirt Snapper. His blue eyes would never miss a mini-skirt passing by. Mini-skirts are an opportunity for him to take snapshots. Dutch Angle or Action Shots? He manages them with devious methods.
His other two friends? Also two hopeless perverts. John Butler, a breast loving freak and Rico Martini who prefers the elegant legs. Combining their powers won't yield you a captain pervert or any kind of super power. Recently two more hopeless perverts have claimed to be part of their group. We might encounter them briefly. For now, we have to follow the harassment of these four lads.
Besides, it was Mack's idea to hit the arcades then have some food somewhere this time. For the last days of their holiday they have been hanging out together again.
On the other side of the arcade hall, John was breaking a sweat on the fighting game machines. The fighting game machines were sometimes placed opposite from each other. Connecting the two together would allow players to fight each other in a competitive form or just for the fun. John's favourite game quickly showed that he was quite skilled at it. The K.O text appeared for the opposing player. He put up quite the fight, as it was 3-2 in score for John. They played first to three wins style, a classic setup unlike the default up to two wins.
The losing player peaked around the edge of his screen and noticed John for the first time. It happened, some players would blindly line up on a side to take a shot. John hasn't been moving from his seat since he was non-stop winning.
"The legendary Mr. Butler?"
John didn't really consider himself legendary. Unlike Mack, he really never boasted about his arcade skills. He nodded to the young lad and shook his hand.
"You're really strong! How many wins do you already have?"
"I don't know, not many I think?"
"Stop being so modest, John." Rico said: "You've been at this machine for almost forty minutes."
"Holy shit!" the losing boy shouted: "That is at least more than twenty wins! Assuming that each game lasts 2 minutes!"
Rico grabbed a rose from his jacket, sniffed it briefly and placed it on top of the screen. Twenty four roses. At least Rico was keeping a track of his wins. Except the arcade machine became a bouquet of roses at this rate.
"I am slightly getting tired though" John complained. He stretched his arms and moved his shoulders in a circular motion to suppress the stiffness.
"Want to resign?" Rico asked
"I'll beat you up!" a voice female voice said.
Rico and John both looked at each other trying to figure out who said it.
"Let's go freak, I'll smash you into pieces!"
John and Rico leaned checking around the console when they both recognized the girl taking her seat.
"What the?! You!!" Rico started.
"Miss Verezis?" John asked.
"Sit the fuck down and start the game already."
Avelia Verezis, a good looking but truly short tempered girl who practiced kick boxing as a hobby. She seemed to have let her blonde hair grow longer. Before it was short, now it was around her neck. She also seemed to have dye several parts and applied dreadlocks or braids around. Not sure what to think of the hair style, it did reflect her unstable temper. She recently won the summer amateur championships both versus men and women. But even kick boxers had the right to rest during the holidays but why would she even attend the arcades?
John suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking over, he saw Amy standing with a big smile.
"Uhm, is there anything wrong miss Northwind?"
"Sit, Mr. Butler. And play. You'll be relieved from your winning streak very soon."
John glanced at Amy and scanned her from top to bottom. A fine girl who had the right bonus measurements for his taste. Her long brown hair was this time hanging loose. Usually was either a pony tail or braided. She seemed to have cut her hair bit shorter, normally it would reach almost to her knees. So somewhere during the holidays she decided to make it shorter.
Both Amy and Avelia are students of Venus High, a popular school which had lots and lots of good looking female students. Other male students called it heaven on earth because even the most nerdy girl from that school looked beautiful and elegant. The school had been going some renovation for the past two years but has finished all constructions. Upcoming school year it will start taking in their students again who were spread around the country. Amy and Avelia were from Venus High, but have been attending Jupiter High for the last years.
The crowd around them slowly hushed. An strange atmosphere took place. Whispers and gossips started taking place. Some people pulled in their friends to witness the battle.
"The Silky Ladies" people whispered
"Didn't the Smooth Gentlemen and them held a truce?"
"I heard both sides are seeking revenge"
"I don't like the Gentlemen, I hope she kicks their asses."
Amy gently pushed John down on his seat and turned his head gently towards the screen. Slowly she backed off walking around the machine towards Avelia. It was quite troublesome for John to face the Silky Ladies here, a group which kind of is the nemesis for them. Originally they carried no name, but due to some incidents they have summoned their own group.
"Yo John" Rico said leaning whispering. "If Amy and Avelia are here, that means.."
"Shimuka and Melisa are here too" John said. "How troublesome."
"What shall we do?"
"Nothing." John said smiling.
"Huh?"
"Yo Rose-freak." Avelia shouted from the other side. "Take your shitty roses away, the scent is annoying me. Do it fast else I will stick them up yo-"
Rico shook his head in an dramatic way: "I rather not let you do that to my precious roses." He began collecting them one by one.
"Ok here is the deal Butler boy, first to three wins. Loser hits the road."
John rolled his eyes "And here I am wondering why I cannot leave this chair?"
Avelia jumped half on top of the machine: "If only I could reach out and stick your annoying face into this game and beat it up."
"Hey, you could always pay a game developer to hire me as a model for the next release!"
"I'm going to pulverize you." Avelia hissed. Her green eyes flared up with excitement and rage.
The crowd became dead silent. Nobody talked, nobody whispered. The characters were selected. John would fight with some character who keeps shouting 'ora ora ora' when performing combinations. Avelia selected a character who had straight up going hair which looked some fencer with his abilities.
The announcer from the game sounded, ROUND 1......
Avelia focused, grasping the joystick firmly. It is futile butler boy, futile!
FIGHT!
☆★☆ To be continued ☆★☆
