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Loner, Kazetatsu, Kaze
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Post by Loner。 on Aug 14, 2017 2:01:08 GMT
Loud noise comes from the floors above the first, electronic beeps, and automated shouts of 'you win' The stairway leading to the second floor flashes with colored lights reflected from the assortment of games up there. One section for dance and rhythm games, another for racers, a whole section of fighting games, and of course an adult floor where you actually could win a jackpot by a combination of luck and skill all loom above.
The first floor is the gatchapon, and other prize winning games. Two walls are all entrance, open doors to entice people in with glowing lights, and various things to be won.
A joystick moves in the hands of the player, intently controlling a movable claw. It hangs above, then with the push of a button drops, grabbing onto the limb of a large one eyed plushie lying on top of a heap within the confines of the machine. The claw drags the stuffed critter upwards, looming slowly towards a chute on one side of the transparent box.
The stuffed creature's limb begins to slip from the claw's grip. The player growls. She is close to winning the one eyed plush. It falls.
It lands on the edge of the plastic wall before the chute and the edge of the bin of assorted stuffed creatures. "Aww shoot. So close." A hand bearing slender scars across the palm gives the machine a firm hit in an attempt to push the plushie over the edge and into the claim bin below. It does not budge.
The girl with hair pixie cut hair with the tips dyed green, reaches into the pocket of her torn denim skinny jeans, and searches to see if she has any more change she can toss at the machine to see if she can win it this time.
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Post by 0 on Sept 14, 2017 0:01:35 GMT
Headphones clasped over his ears, SunnyD slipped into the building, the array of lights flashing over the crowds knocking him dizzy.
He paused at the front counter, showing the ID he carried with him before following in the exchange of dollar bills for arcade tokens.
Dropping the handful of tokens into one of his pockets, he began to step through the aisles between rows of machines with glass-enclosed prizes.
Winning prizes was rarely the reason for him to be here; as such, staying on the first floor never lasted long, but it was always worth giving it the rounds, just in case someone he knew was here, or something interesting just so happened to catch his eye.
The ginger-haired man was stepping through one of the last aisles before the stairs when such a thing did occur.
A girl with green-tipped hair seemed to be loosing at the claw machine she was playing with, slamming a hand into the glass in an attempt to shake a plush toy loose.
As she reached into her torn jeans, he dropped in to one side of her, pulling out a few silver coins from his other pocket.
"Here ya go," he offered.
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Administrator
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Loner, Kazetatsu, Kaze
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Post by Loner。 on Sept 17, 2017 12:34:38 GMT
Her eyes turned before her head followed. She schooled her face into a mildly grumpy, no-nonsense expression, which she generally used around strangers and people she didn't actually want to interact long with.
She watched the man for a moment of silence, speculating his reasons for coming up to her. Was there something he wanted/expected by offering her the tokens? Few things in this world came free.
At least a few coins were cheep. With the hand which was not in her pocket, she took them quickly. "Thanks man." She added in a monotone, somewhat breathy voice as she stuffed the correct amount of change into the slot on the machine.
The claw machine booted up, the number of tries resetting to the minimum number one could buy. Hands returned to the joystick, the girl watching the claw with intense, nearly competitive focus as she began to move the claw towards the fictitious looking and probably cheeply made doll.
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Post by 0 on Sept 18, 2017 19:28:37 GMT
The man was patient, observing her cautious reaction before finally she took the coins.
He lowered his hand, taking a few steps back so as to give her some space, remaining to watch as she tried to pull the strange-looking doll out with the machine's scrawny claw.
For all the machine was, he couldn't help but notice the lock-on focus the girl seemed to have; either she was bent on winning, or she just really wanted that stuffed toy.
Whatever the outcome, he would wait for a moment to speak that wouldn't break her focus.
"Yanno," he'd say, "much-a the machines down here are rigged.
Point o' the prizes is to draw people in, and there ain't no profit if they get gone."
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Administrator
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Loner, Kazetatsu, Kaze
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Post by Loner。 on Sept 19, 2017 16:11:45 GMT
The claw came down, barely able to grab the stuffed toy due to how close it rested on the barrier. It pushed the toy down certainly, but only into the pile of assorted plushies, right up against the dividing glass.
The girl hissed, a short early vowelless expletive. Getting the toy from that angle would be near impossible. The claw would fail to grab it if it was even an inch too far.
There were still two tries left.
Steady... Steady.
Perfect aim! The claw slid into place, lifting the plushie up and...
It was slipping. The claw was as always just a mite too loose to keep a hold on the stuffed creature.
This time the plush fell into the prize claim, voiding the remaining try.
Lin didn't look at the man still, bending over to retrieve the one eyed plush. "I know." She answered to what he was saying. "They make sure the claw is always just a little loose. It probably cost only ten cents to make this." She guessed, holding up the toy. It was easy to tell the seems were weak, a sign of poor quality.
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Post by 0 on Sept 19, 2017 18:23:48 GMT
A lucky drop sent the toy tumbling out for the girl to grab; as she drug it out, the man pushed his fingers into his pockets, making no gesture that suggested he wanted his remaining cents back.
He looked at the toy when she showed it to him; it looked poorly stuffed, yet the seams seemed ready to burst.
"Why do it, then?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"With all the money wasted, you'd be better off just buying from a store."
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Administrator
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Loner, Kazetatsu, Kaze
PLAYER NAME
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Post by Loner。 on Sept 19, 2017 18:51:33 GMT
The girl gave him a look of disbelief. Did this man really not know why people wasted money on games like this one? "The same reason people play the lottery." She stated as though it was blatantly obvious. "It's the thrill of the chance."
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Post by 0 on Sept 19, 2017 19:13:57 GMT
Chance.
The man gave a smirk, eyes glancing away from her as he uttered a short, chuffing laugh.
One set of fingers dug deeper into a pocket, from which he pulled out a silver coin.
He casually tossed it into the air and caught it, telling her, "Gambling is mighty dangerous.
Better to take a dive when you know you'll win."
Reaching around her, he slid the coin into the machine, then began to walk off towards his original goal, offering only a brief "Good luck to ya" as he walked past her, disappearing behind yet another row of machines.
The coin was spat out, turning circles on the floor, and the machine began to malfunction, rumbling and shaking.
With much clicking of straining gears and whirring wires, the lights inside it flickered, even a few wisps of smoke began to trail from its cracks.
The scene would rise in intensity over the course of a minute before the machine finally shut down, its back panel, where the toys were traditionally stuffed in by the staff, suddenly popped open, and the prizes began to spill out and pile up against the wall.
Those playing on nearby machines would take notice once the machine began to malfunction, and if the girl didn't remove herself quick, she might be mistaken for the one who caused it to break.
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Administrator
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Loner, Kazetatsu, Kaze
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Post by Loner。 on Sept 21, 2017 1:48:00 GMT
Lin watched the smoking machine for merely a moment before deciding she better get the f**k out of here.
that machine was going to blow.
She walked quickly, making a getaway so that she would be nowhere near the machine when it finished breaking.
She didn't want to know what the man had done to cause that.
actually she was a little curious, but she told herself she wasn't.
If you see something say nothing.
and let others deal with the fallout.
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