"Infinite Magi-Nation? That has to be the worst name for a video arcade ever." Bart moaned (no relations to famous cartoon character).
"Who cares." Gergory retorted enjoying the graphic of the sign rather than the name. "As long as the games are cool."
"Wasn't this place supposed to be still closed?" Sie injected behind the two, he was actually looking foreword to a beach day today, even if what he heard about having to rent swim suits was true.
"Yea," Answered Gergory. "But apparently some third party company throw some cash at the problem and pulled some strings. Or what's what the place's web site said at least, it was really precise."
"I -still don't see they couldn't keep the name the same." Bart complained. "What if they've screwed with the insides while they were changing the names too?"
"I doubt it." Sie shook his head. "The grocery stores I go to get eaten by larger companies all the time, and what they sell always stays exactly the name."
"Only one real way to find out." Gregory marched through the giant glass double doors, his two friends followed suit.
The place seemed even larger than they remembered it, and much to Bart's relief his favorite games had remained intact, thought most of the pin ball machines had been replaced by shooters and sniper games. And all three high school graduates wondered where the heck they had gotten the room to put in a laser tag arena! But the various fake weapons, target pads, and door way protested that the place did indeed have the room now. Guess the place had bought a couple of the neighboring buildings.
The place was having it's grand reopening, a full two weeks ahead of when it was officially supposed to. Thus there were more than a few extra gamers here to waste their quarters for a few moments of happiness and not caring one bit about those who told them it was a waste of time.
Stepping through the entry way into the game room proper, each young man was given a ticket with a number by a lad with glasses and told simply not to lose it, none of them thought much about it.
Bart instantly went to the air craft simulator, Gregory went over to some new game that seemed to be the opposite of mine sweeper. The graphics were all eye candy, the premise was simple but original, you laid out a spread of mines, and then watched to see how the enemy AI's troop got through them. The less who got through the better.
Sie being the lurker he always was, walked around, looking over the shoulders of pros and newbies alike, all them too concentrated on the game to notice him and tell him to go away because he broke their concentration by sharing their breathing space.
Surprisingly, there were a lot of rising stars, Sie was good at gauging people's skills, and a lot of the people playing seemed to go from inexperienced to speed attack masters as they progressed through the levels.
The two girls playing Dance Dance Revolution went from two left feet on the first stage to a congo line of 'Perfects' on the final round.
Sie smirked, 'maybe it's the next step in human evolution!'
Two pre-teens on Metal Slug 4 were just mowing down the Neo-Nazi paramilitary army and their giant war machines. That game was infamous for eating quarters, but these two kids while Sie was looking didn't have to continue once.
Sie seriously considered telling some of these people about the video game tournaments that were happening in a few months, these people who sail right through it, and might make it worth watching for Sie again.
Nothing prepared him for the blond haired lass who played the drums game and not only played the game well, got the music coming out of the machine to sound pretty. Now Sie had heard everything.
Sie saw the row of people on the shooters and snipers, but they had simply never been his cup of tea.
He was surprised to find a super updated version of Sonic The Fighters, while Sie thought it could be a hack job (which would explain Sie's ignorance of a new Arcade game by a name company) the graphics were just too good and the moves just too true to character. Though it was seriously odd how the Triplet Threat were the only 'organic' players, the rest being robots built by Prof. Eggman in the game's story. Must have been part of the same fad that gave rise to Shadow having his own game with a pistol!
The giant screen on one of the walls flashed the words 'laser tag war' at the same time a calm voice came over a hidden audio system. "Welcome everyone to Infinite Magi-Nation's grand opening! We now have our first playing of our one of a kind 'Laser Tag Wars' game. For those of you who came now's your chance to be something else! Each of you has been given a number, we now select 22 people from you all and those 22 will be split into two teams of 11, it will start out a team battle, but once one team is eliminated, we may, or may -not- chose to switch it a battle royal, so judge carefully who you save, who you aid, and who you betray. Now we will select our warriors!"
The screen flashed several times in different colors, until at last two rows of names came up.
Bart and Gregory's number were right at the top of the first column, while Sie took note that his number was right at the bottom of the second column.
"Well this just got interesting." The lurker youth commented. That was when he noted how those abandoning their games, (and promptly being picked up and lost by others) were all from the shooter and sniper section, along with all the 'rising stars' he had noticed before. Sie felt his heart beat faster. "Very interesting."
A pale man with slicked back, dyed green hair greeted each of the players as they walked through the dark door, the projection screens on either side just beyond showing off flashing nondescript graphics. The man's expression was hard to tell behind a pair of one piece rubber framed sun glasses, the material a super reflective purple as he handed each player a letter or strange symbol that Gregory knew were greek letters, heh, he could just imagine the confusion and 'Huh?' from the others.
The befuddled expressions were shared equally among most of them, but a couple of the girls, along with one guy who Gregory didn't know but had secretly written dozens of Mega Man X fanfictions using those letters for names of the robots knew the symbols for what they were.
Passing by a -lot- of eye candy, and set up splash paintings, the eleven players were finally lead to two separate briefing rooms. Each one had a map of the game arena, and the positions that each of the players would be assigned as their start locations.
The game instructor, (he didn't give his name, not that any of them would have bothered to remember it), explained that each player would be randomly assigned a different weapon, and be expect during play to address their team mates and be addressed only by their greek letter. This caused a tad of uproar from over half the players (not being able to chose their own weapons to having to be use some stupid code names). But when the instructor told them the winner of this little competition would get a free hour of gaming time on any machine of their choice, well, people quieted down some, and began to memorize their code names. To helping things along, a list appeared with some meaningless graphics replaced the map for a bit, listing each person's first name with their letter (Sie tried to remember when they had asked everyone for their names, but came up with zilch).
Team One
-Bart -Beta
-Gregory -Gamma
-Donald -Delta
- Edward -Epsilon
- Zelda -Zeta
- Ada-Eta
- Theodore-Theta
- Ivan-Iota
- Catherine-Kappa
- Larry- Lambada
- Mary - Mu
Team Two
- Newton-Nu
- Seth-Xi
- Olivia-Omicron
- Peter-Pi
- Rhoda- Rho
- Sigmund- Sigma
- Tammy-Tau
- Ulyssus -Upsilon
- Fiona -Phi
- Chad -Chi
- Sie -Psi
Bart or Beta, was handed two lasers guns that reminded him of flash lights, Gregory or Gamma was handed a laser made to look at an automatic machine gun. The others on their team were handed a wide mix of fake guns as well. Donald or Delta had a double weapon like Bart, looking like two missile launchers. The guy named Edward code name Epsilon was given what could have been a pair of cannons! Zelda or Zeta, the girl Sie had noticed at the drums game, was given a harness, with plastic weapon barrels going every way on the horizontal plane, good thing it wasn't metal, her frame would have never been able to hold it.
The other six on their team had mostly standard weapons, Ada or Eta had a zapper sniper rifle, Theodore or Theta was given was handed a bunch of black plastic discs that were supposed to be mines. Ivan, Iota, had the strange offering of a white box with a read cross on it.
Apparently he could bring players on his own team back into play if he spent enough time on them and no one shot HIM! Catherine was named Kappa, her laser she was told was shaped like a rail gun, as if anyone knew what that could look like. The last member of their team, a lass named Mary, whose alternate name was now 'Mu', had a pair of odd toys which were a combo of a shield and a double barreled weapon. Reminded her of all her frisbee-football tournaments.
As the weapons were handed out to his team mates, Sie couldn't help but think how much trouble they were going for just some contest game, maybe it was meant to addict the first round of players.
The two kids he had seen burst apart Metal Slug, Newton/Nu and Seth-Xi, were both given identical chain guns, one made for the left arm, one made for the right arm. Apparently they were meant to work as a team. One of the girls from the dance machine, Olivia, Omicorn (she didn't like it sounded like crone) was given a rather uncharacteristic laser toy made to look like a pair of flame throwers.
The next in line, Peter, code name Pi (like cherry pie, or the circumference of a circle), was given a very odd weapon that Sie barely recognized as a knife air gun only with a machine gun like chain for if it was real.
The other girl from the dance machine was handed an absurd looking toy that Sie could guess was a spoof of the BFG weapon from the infamous murder sim Doom. After Rhoda was reminded -twice- about how her code name was Rho, the next player stopped in line. The guy Sigmund, now Sigma, was given a one way mirror pice of plastic an a simple looking toy 'space man laser.' The mirror of because being a reflective shield.
The girl next, Tammy (Tau), was given a long line of flashing lights, supposedly she could get more back at the 'base' of her team, the idea was that they flashed the laser light after she disconnected some, Sie honestly didn't get it that much.
A big guy from the arm wrestling machine (using two hands of course, don't you?) was given to shoulder lift a couple of toys that looked like they could launch missiles and grenades alike if they were real, the guy, Ulyssus, took the game name Upsilon with bravado.
The last girl up, a slim lass who looked rather nervous to be there, was handed a very simple looking toy she was told could copy any other player's weapon on the field, but only one at a time. Her name was Fiona, she had been playing Wack-A-Mole as Sie remembered, she was nicked name 'Phi.' She wordlessly nodded, seemly nervous and a half.
The last person before Sie (and the end of the line), named Chad, was handed the name Chi, was a bit insulted thinking it was a girl's name from the slightly known anime called Chaobits, but the gaming official didn't give a blank told him as much as he magically took it much better that time, he was handed what Sie could only compare to a gun grip flashlight and he was up.
At least he'd have no trouble remember his code name, Psi. (Did that make him a telepath? Heh heh.) He was given a black cloak meant to cover everything, and a fake crossbow with a nurf fist as 'back up' whatever that meant. But the game was about to start and since Sie was the last in line, he didn't have time to ask questions.
The last thing the gaming master said before the fight started was, "Remember, BE your symbols! And you will win!"
And so the game began. It was total bedlam as cliche as it sounded, but Sie honestly didn't know he was going to be standing one second, and out of the game next, he almost wondered if, save for life and death of course, if this was how real soldiers felt on the battle field.
"Hello sir." Said the spanish lass behind the counter. "Looking for something?"
"Just a little something for a fighting tournament I'm entering soon, I wanna make a good impression on everybody before the fight starts."
"Well." The lass said taking out a golden ring head band. "I think this might help you.
As soon as anyone went down, and Iota didn't get to them soon enough, they were supposed to leave the gaming area at once through a designated door and wait for the game to end. Because of Iota, Sie found his side at a slight disadvantage in spite of the heavier hitters on his own team. Bart and, non, Beta and Gamma were having a ball, blasting anyone who even dared come close to their home base. Forcing most of Sie's side to go down and out soon enough. Upsilon mowed a path along with Omicron, but Eta pot shot the flame thrower all the way from their home back across the gaming space. Phi was staying near the home base, Sie could tell this had to be her first laser tag game. Poor kid, she was barely older than those Metal Slug players. Chad was shot down a minute after the game started and walked out mumbling going through the dark room to the other much more brightly lit outside. Coming up with a plan, he came to Phi and asked her to copy HIS weapon, hey, if it worked it work. Strangely enough it did, a large pice of black cloth came out of the toy, (these guys thought of everything). She still seemed scared about going out into the middle of the action, but he promised her she'd be okay, after all, it was only a game.
They made good space across the gaming field, their 'camouflage' enabling them to mostly move via plain sight. However, just as they were outside the 'main base room' Gamma spotted them, or at least him, and his chest plat flashed underneath his black cloth, declaring he was out. As per the rules, he began to walk out, however, he did notice that Gamma and Beta were totally ignorant of Phi sneaking up behind them for the flag, Sie wished he could stay to see if she pulled it off, but he knew he'd just make trouble for her and the rest of the gamers if he just stayed put after being put out. So, hoping she managed without him, he walked through the covered black cloth door way to the overly bright room beyond.
E-122 'Psi' walked from the battle arena on it's perfectly silent bird like legs over to it's designated spot next to E-121 'Chi' like the other E-series who had been declared 'destroyed' during the raging battle simulation. E-114 'Omicron' stood a row or two behind them, standing at perfect attention until the testing was over. Master Robotnik was watching the battle intently on his monitors. E-100 'Zero' was standing patiently by their master, having not needed to participate in this mock battle among their brothers and sisters that Master Robotnik had declared for them.
Psi turned it's scanner head towards the arena doors, wonder how it's 'little sister' E-121 'Phi' was doing. While she was technically older than him, her AI, being more complex than his, took more time to develop, and thus he had taken the smaller, rather strangely designed e-100 under it's wings the best it could. Everyone knew what happened to failures in the Eggman Empire. Well, if she was able to disable E-101 Beta, and E-102 Gamma, the most early, and as their kill ratio spoke for, the best of them, it was unlikely any of the much older (by several months at least) e-100s would mock her. And Psi would feel 'pride(?)' at her accomplishment.
Gamma and Beta, walked and hovered out of the arena, so she had done it! She had done it! A few more of Psi's older siblings walked out, before the signal was sent, the battle was over, Team Two was the winner. (which meant they wouldn't have to repair -themselves- for a little while.
"NO!" The orange Echidna swore. "No time! No! It's can be! No!"
"Tikal?" Asked her partner. "What is it?"
She looked at him with eyes red from crying.
Master Robotnik gave speech number E32-7b short hand version two. (At least it wasn't speech number E32-7c!). With a surprising addition of saying that a 'friend' (check mean of word later Psi noted), had arranged a very special treat for them, someone who was 'returning' for the enemy, but would be redirect for their special entertainment.
A giant clock appeared behind on the screen Master Robotnik as a diamond glass (Eggman Empire Patent Pending) shield lowered into place between him and the mass robotnics lab floor.
Precisely as the clock hit zero, there was temporal distorting, and Target Monkey Kahn was in front of the E-series army. Master Robotnik made a polite 'Bye' to his enemy before telling the e-series to give him all they could. The warrior ape drew out his red combat pole and charged head on, having destroyed countless numbers of Psi's family in the past. But they were not simple minded EggPawns, or foolish SWATbots or even the rigid Com-Bots. They were the E-series! And the organic was simple unprepared for such larger numbers, and different attacks, and intellect from mere robots.
He would not go down without a fight however, the Target stabbed his pole into E-103 Delta, paralyzing the early E-100, and sweeping it under the feet of E-107 Theta, and moved into truly destroy e-102 Gamma, e-101 beta speed shifted above the other, making use of it's anti-grave ability, charging up to take out the Target with the rest of it's brothers and sisters. The Target was totally unprepared for a combat pole just like his to got right into his chest, knocking him off center for the precious five seconds the e-100s need to terminate the target. E-121 Phi stood indifferent to her part in the successful mission. However the various e-series had to relocation her file from their 'worthless' and 'destine for scrap pile' folders. Psi would have smiled if it had a face.
The Diamond Glass (Patent Pending) shield rolled up, and Master Robotnik took the now red organic oil stained 24K Gold ring from the target, saying something about a 'present' (look up word later) or a 'trophy.'
He said nothing to the e-series on the subject, and they knew their place not to ask. He did however tell them how proud he was of all them, particularly E-121 Phi. Everyone knew who was going to be leading the next few missions.
E-100 Zero drummed it's chest, silently transmitting the message: "Long live the Eggman Empire."
-Fin