Public Game On! [Arcade Thread]

[Cato Harth]

"It was the Will of the Force that you would suck?"

"Something like that..."

Thankfully for Cato, he did much better with Scree-Ball. A perfect score, just like the Grav-Ball game, "Hell yes," He pumped his fist as the tickets rolled out. "I dedicate this award to myself, for being literally the best Scree-Ball player ever," He planted a kiss on Serena's head, and another on Inanna's lips, like she had done before.

"Another balls-in-holes game," Inanna mused aloud, giggling. "I think you've got a specialization, Cato."

"Damn right I do," Cato smirked, snatching his pile of tickets. Inanna went next and did serviceably. Although by the end, one of the balls was missing. Cato nearly jumped in surprise as he heard a loud metallic thud. He turned to see Serena with her arm extended, and the missing ball rolling away from a nearby machine. The damage was thankfully, not disastrous. He knelt down to examine it, finding a slight indentation on the panel. Would anyone notice? Cato cringed, and put the ball back before picking up Serena, "No, no, sweetie. We don't throw things like that,"

Serena babbled with what sounded like a hint of sass, flailing her arm towards the scree-ball game, "Well- That's the only place you're supposed to throw it, okay?"

He reached into his pocket, considering giving her a chance to try the game (as if she could even consistently roll the ball over the ramp), but quickly realized he had used his last ticket, "Damn. I'm dry. You?" He looked to Inanna

Inanna Harth
Tokens: 0
Tickets: 88​

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

Location: Arcade
Objective: Try to cheer up
Attire: Link
Tags: Daiya / Valery Noble / Kahlil Noble

"Yea yea, thank you"

Cartri gave the driver a heap of credits and jumped out into the busy streets. The teen shut the door behind him with a sigh and looked inside the huge arcade with as much curiosity as he could muster. For the past few days, he had been held up in his apartment sulking away, letting the hours tick by as he did nothing. Since the Denon incident, he could barely live like he usually did. The glue that held him together had been burned away in an instant, now all he felt was a heavy sadness that threatened to drag him under.

However, today he had managed to drag himself out of that apartment and attempt to do something fun. As of late news of a cool looking arcade was flying around, if anything was going to lift his spirits it was going to be that. Walking to the entrance he slowly went inside and let his mind wonder from the various colors and machines around him. This was what he was hoping for and more, a place where his mind could slowly begin to unwind itself from the tight knot it had gotten itself into.

Yet, two figures in particular would soon change that.

Deep inside of him, he sensed a familiar feeling, one that was similar to when he was on the train. Noticing it was getting stronger, he instinctively took cover behind a machine and watched Valery walk past him with a man and a small girl at her side. Why out of all people was she here? he was a wanted terrorist and seeing her only made things even more awkward. Cartri chose to smartly keep his distance and walk to the other side of the arcade to gather himself.

It was probably wise to get out of here as soon as possible, but at the same time he hadn't come all this way for anything. Cartri took a deep breath and glared ahead of him, only to see a girl that had once been a highlight of his life. Staring straight at a happy looking daiya the teen slowly frowned and stood there, silent and unsure of what to say or do. She still looked as beautiful as ever, but his heart was still broken by what she had done.

Oh, why did it come down to this?

 

[Inanna Harth]

Cato's kiss left Inanna's blushing, though Serena throwing the ball provided an amusing distraction. "Looks like she's going to play ball like you. But probably for the best that we get out of here soon. Don't want them charging us for damages..."

"Damn. I'm dry. You?"

"Dry?" She laughed. "I'm all out of tokens too. But look, we have enough tickets to get some prizes." Before they ran out of there like their asses were on fire to avoid a lawsuit, she was getting her money's worth. Never mind that all the tokens had been free...

She pulled Cato and Serena over to the prize counter. "What do you want, cutie pie?" she asked Serena.

Serena pointed to the slime gun. Dread pooling in her gut, Inanna glanced over at Cato, visions of the messes the thing would create flashing through her mind. "Wouldn't you rather get a plushie or something?"

"Gun!" Serena exclaimed, pointing to the slime gun again.

"Okay, you little murder munchkin. But no using it inside the house." After getting the slime gun, she turned back to Cato. "We still got a lot of tickets left. Enough for the really good stuff, like a HoloStation, or a hoverboard..."

Cato Harth
Tokens: 0
Tickets: 116​

 

[Jack aleron]

Jack smirked as pogs died the satisfying sound they made as they did so and as the game ended he had gotten a high score maxing out the score board on his first try. He stood there blinking as the machine made happy alarm bells go off he shot in his initials and collected his tickets not sure what to do with them. As he stood there he scratched his head he came to relax and relax he had.

But the call for him to leave hadn't came in yet and as he stood there he saw the Noble family looking like they where gonna leave he was going to offer his tickets to them but he'd find a use for them. As he walked around he noticed a racing game and sat down to race he wasn't an expert pilot but he could at least try and get a decent score.

Tokens 8
Tickets 19

 

[Cato Harth]

"More than enough," Cato concurred. Pooling them together, they'd be able to get practically anything they wanted. Or- the Serena wanted. Obviously.

They headed over to the counter, both eager to redeem their tickets and eager to get out as quick as possible, just in case. The damage likely wasn't enough to incur any serious penalty, but no reason to stick around and find out. Of course, Serena chose perhaps the worst possible reward. At least, for her parents. Cato's eyes widened, as the ill omens that cross Inanna's thoughts did the same for him. "That's gonna suck," He whispered, after they had relented to letting her get the slime gun. Maybe if she kept it outside like she was supposed to, it wouldn't be so bad…

"Woahhh," Cato nearly stuck his face against the glass display when Inanna pointed out a hoverboard, "I always wanted one like this when I was a kid." He glanced back at her, now looking like the kid begging for a toy, "We should get it."

Inanna Harth​

 

[Daiya]

Daiya barely had a moment to glance at the tiny, green alien dancing nearby. The machine led her through a series of moves that pushed the Denonite teen, and she wasn't about to let it get the best of her.

Right foot, left foot.

Alternate.

Criss-cross!

When it was passed, a grin brimmed from beneath her glistening nose, and her eyes shown out from above. Daiya tossed her hair back, settling back into an easier cadence. She glanced over at the tendril-headed little boy, shaking it more directly at his earlier comment. "Don't get so brainbolted on Sparkle-Bop," the teen told him, letting out a huff of her own, "I think I'll ask it for some Corythmics next."

Daiya giggled at the boy's expense, letting her feet flow with the direction of the arrows on her machine. She didn't get them all, but she didn't mind that. It's not like she was about to run out of tokens anytime soon.

When new players stepped up, she barely glanced to find the hulking Zeltron who had set up her bad run at Porg Hunt. Her eyes half-rolled, half-watched her game, almost stumbling at his clumsy way of mounting the machine. "Probably a bit more than rusty," Daiya started to tell him, before she watched the Zeltron's feet fly on the platform. "...or not?"

It only made her try harder, actually focusing on the moves now. With a little time on the machines, it was easier to understand what the game wanted. She didn't understand why the aquatic boy was having such a hard time. Leaning over, Daiya asked him, "Why are you trying so hard? Just don't think about it."

Daiya didn't take her own advice when a vaguely-familiar blonde stepped up to the game.

Or worse, when a too-familiar ginger caught her eyes from across the arcade.

Irritation burned under her skin and down the line of sweat on her back, causing the teen to stumble and falter. Daiya grumbled, and added another token to the machine, making sure to select the loudest Sparkle-Bop song she could find. It drowned out enough of her worries to put a smile back on the teen's face, and she leapt back into the dancing game.

Micah tol Powl Cyran Vaas Zoey Bradiss Cinder Cartri Keswoll​

Spoiler: holojournal doodle math

Tokens Spent: 4
Tokens Remaining: 6
Tickets won: 2+14+1+8=25

 

[Hex]

Tag: open
Location: Zeltros
Objective: play games

Spoiler: Equipment

• Neon Lady suit
• ap-25i SIMP pistol
• 'Candles' Heavy particle blaster
• 'confetti' Rocket launcher
• Party Poppers (2 explosive, 2 gas)
• Dancer repulsor board
• Jade Void Amulet
• Dervish Knife
• Roadrunner chewing gum

Spoiler: Hex dialogue colors

Poor Hex hears voices in her head

Hex speech to others
Hex speech to herself

Hexes inner voices
'...Neutral...'
'...Doubt...'
'...Anger...'
Coloured '.....' are also words that Hex can hear , but I decided not to write them to reduce clutter

Time to whack the mandalorian! She walked over to the mandalorian basher and picked up the mallet. She thought of her time briefly living on Kestri and looked suspicious...

"This hammer isnt real beskar!" she called over, "It should be waaaaay heavier"

'...so some idiot teen can steal it?"...'
"Well duuuh?"

Hex cackled and started bashing, a little comic violence was just what the late Doc Painless had ordered, and Hex was about to cash her prescription she fed three of her tokens into this machine, she didnt really care if she was doing well or not, she was having fun. By the time finished, she was dripping with sweat and had a little pile of tokens at her feet. She spotted some grasping hands of a child hoping to steal tokens, but a quick glance to her hammer shooed girl away.

Spoiler: running totals

Tokens spent
2 - Shooting porgs
2 - Topple the Troopers
3 - Mandalorian Striker

Winnings (108)
12, 19 - shooting porgs
13, 20 - topple the troopers
12, 14, 18 - Mandalorian Striker

​

 

[Micah tol Powl]

"Why are you trying so hard? Just don't think about it."

Okay, that? That right there? Good advice.

Any other time, Zak solidly followed this advice.

But music? "This is like the only time I think about stuff," the Nautolan quipped in reply, his head bopping from side to side as he gave a goofy smile and a slight giggle.

He wasn't sure if she heard him, as the human teen seemed to have cranked the sparkle-bop up to an eleven over there.

Man, she really loved Saylor Twift or some chit.

Now that he seemed to be getting more of the hang of things, the Nautolan realized that he now had enough tickets to get the slime gun -- which had caught his eye as soon as he'd come into the arcade.

He was definitely using them for that.

Daiya Yula Perl​

Spoiler: Napkin Math

Tokens Spent: 6
Tokens Remaining: 4
Tickets won: 3+2+11+6+4+14 (40)

 

[Daiya]

Daiya shook her head to clear it, letting her curly locks fly behind her as she stepped more in tune with the game again. The beat thrummed inside her muscles, moving her limbs as if they were the ones deciding her moves instead of the game. Corythmics made for a workout with their hypnotic melodies, but Daiya couldn't imagine a better tune to dance to for tickets.

"Then you're taking it too seriously!" Daiya told the green Nautolan boy. She was breathing heavy and thin from the dance, making her words thready. The teen pushed on anyway, grinning over her set jaw. This was her chance to shine, out of all the games in the arcade this one was definitely her calling. "It's not a fighting game. Dance, boy, just dance!"

She danced like it was an infection, a fever ravaging her body. It may as well have been, the teen couldn't imagine ever planting both her feet on the ground again. They were made to move, the game and tickets were just a bonus for her.

And if Daiya was a little competitive about it, was that really so bad?

"C'mon, try to beat me at this next song," she goaded the boy. Daiya flicked her head toward Zoey and the pink Zeltron on the other machines, letting them know they were more than welcome to join in. "Dance-off, I bet you can't!"

Daiya grinned, knowing he probably could. It didn't matter, so long as she got to dance some more.

Spoiler: holojournal doodle math

Tokens Spent: 5
Tokens Remaining: 5
Tickets won: 2+14+1+8+2=27

 

[Cinder]

No matter how flashy the dancing machine game was, it didn't hold Cinder's attention for long. Even though, she had to admit that Daiya was pretty good at it. Cinder wandered off again.

The young cyborg was pleased with herself. She stuck her hand in her pocket and felt the thrill of... actually having something of very her own. It wasn't much, but Cinder had earned these tickets.

This time, she found herself standing at the prize counter.

Tickets were one thing, but a prize was another... something even better! Cinder's finger pointed directly at a large plush. "That one," she said, in case the worker hadn't noticed. She handed over the tickets, finding her hand reluctant to give them up. But she wasn't empty-handed for long. A wide smile grew on her face as she looked down at the plush creature.

Many people had the same one, but she noticed most had the small one. Ha! Cinder may have given the plush a squeeze before tucking comfortably (and securely) into the crook of her arm. Now, she was happy to even just watch the others continue to play.

Fin. ​

 

[Zoey Bradiss]

Location: Astral Arcade
Attire: Red t-shirt and denim trousers
Tags: Daiya , Cinder , open!

​

Turning, she saw another teen standing near the row of dancing games. "How..." she started. "Do you play this game?"

​

Zoey gave the other girl a side eye of scepticism. Dance, Dance, Regeneration. It was pretty obvious what you were supposed to to on this flashing platform that just waited for someone to enter the game, but the girls innocent ignorance was also kind of cute, and not at all something Zoey would hang her for. She was about to answer the girl, before she strangely took off in another direction. Maybe it wasn't a game that appealed to the girl. Who knows. Also, the appearance of another girl already dancing and competing against a Nautolan boy caught Zoey's attention.

''Queenie...?'' Zoey uttered, peering at the girl while thinking of their first quite funny encounter. ''Oh my stars, it's you! What are the odds?!'' she chuckled, amused that she had bumped into the trophy thief from Denon once again.

"C'mon, try to beat me at this next song," she goaded the boy. Daiya flicked her head toward Zoey and the pink Zeltron on the other machines, letting them know they were more than welcome to join in. "Dance-off, I bet you can't!"

Queenie were about to bite off more than she could chew. If not the Nautolan boy would dance her socks off, Zoey would definitely be in to take her on if he lost to her. What Daiya didn't know, was that Zoey actually practiced in dancing and as a hoverblade hockey player, she weren't that clumsy either.

''C'mon, nauto boy! My credits are on you!'' she cheered the green alien boy. This was going to be fun!