Saturday, 15 November 1992
Not long after the ZAGE arcade machines were delivered and installed at Bakudan Arcade, the doors officially opened to the weekend crowd. While Zaboru enjoyed a quiet breakfast nearby, sipping tea and reflecting on the mont, a steady stream of regulars began to filter into the arcade, completely unaware of the surprise that awaited them.
Among the early arrivals was Sakaki, a recent college graduate still bouncing between part-ti work and the elusive search for a stable job and he still has a part ti job at Bakudan arcade. He strolled toward Bakudan Arcade with his backpack slung over one shoulder, ntally preparing for another shift behind the prize counter.
"Sigh... I love working here, but I really hope I can land sothing more permanent soon," Sakaki muttered to himself. "If only I could work at ZAGE..."
As he stepped inside, his eyes locked on the three unfamiliar arcade cabinets standing boldly near the entrance.
"Huh? What is that?" he blinked, puzzled by the machines' sleek designs and glowing marquees. Then he spotted a familiar figure standing beside them, sipping from a paper cup.
He just wants to ask Toki what is that new arcade "Toki-san, wha— ZABORU!?" Sakaki blurted out, nearly dropping his bag.
Zaboru looked up with a grin and raised his cup. "Yo, Sakaki. Morning."
Sakaki rushed over, still stunned. "What are you doing here, man? What is all this?"
Zaboru gestured to the trio of arcade machines. "That's my latest project. Brand-new ZAGE arcade systems. Want to try them out?"
Sakaki's eyes lit up with a mix of awe and envy. "I'd love to... but... actually, Zaboru, there's sothing I've been aning to ask. I just graduated, and... well, is there any chance I could apply at ZAGE? Maybe join the team?"
Zaboru chuckled. "Well, we do have a dedicated recruitnt process. Drop off your resu and application with HR on Monday, and I'll make sure they see it. I can put in a good word for you, but the rest's up to your skills."
"Hell yeah!" Sakaki said, practically bouncing with excitent. "I'll submit it first thing Monday morning!"
"Good. But for now," Zaboru said with a wink, "go try the arcade while there's still room. These things are going to draw a crowd fast."
Sakaki turned and gaped at the growing line already forming behind him. "No way... they're already packed?! Damn it!"
Zaboru chuckled into his coffee.
In less than half an hour, Bakudan Arcade turned into a buzzing hive of excitent. Players clustered around the new cabinets, cheering, shouting, and waiting for their turns. The arcade floor pulsed with energy.
Zaboru leaned against the wall beside Toki, watching the chaos unfold with a satisfied grin.
"Looks like you're going to need to order more machines, Toki-san," he said.
Toki exhaled with a half-laugh, half-groan. "Yeah, no kidding. These gas are unreal. I didn't expect this level of reaction."
Inside the arcade, the frenzy was building.
A group of high schoolers took turns on ZAS - Rampage, hollering like maniacs as they demolished pixelated skyscrapers. One kid playing George the gorilla was nearly foaming at the mouth.
"Hahaha! Die, puny humans!" he cackled.
"I'm a destruction god!" his friend shouted, smashing tanks with glee as Lizzie.
On the ZAS - Streets of Rage machine, two older teens coordinated their attack on a stage boss.
"Distract him while I grab the barrel!" one said.
"Got it, bro!" the other replied, piloting Blaze into position while Axel flanked the enemy. They pulled off the maneuver perfectly, bursting into cheers.
At the Street Fighter cabinet, Sakaki finally got his chance to play against Rikki.
Rikki chose Chun-Li with glee. "Dude, Chun-Li's thighs are lethal. She's my new wife."
"Every hot female character is your wife," Sakaki shot back, laughing. "You have no standards."
Rikki gasped. "That's slander!"
Sakaki chose Zangief and grinned maniacally. "Ti for the power of Soviet muscle!"
The two launched into a heated battle. Zangief grappled Chun-Li mid-air and body-slamd her.
"Cheating!" Rikki scread. "How can that gorilla beat my queen?!"
"This is real strength! Real n use grabs!" Sakaki shouted triumphantly.
"You're heartless! Chun-Li deserves better!" Rikki wailed.
Their trash talk echoed through the arcade, drawing laughs from onlookers.
anwhile, the queue of eager players grew more impatient with each passing minute.
"Hey man, hurry up already! I've been standing here forever!"
"Co on, stop hogging the machine! I've been dying to try Rampage!"
"Dude, wrap it up! Let others get a shot at Street Fighter too!"
A chorus of similar complaints rose behind each cabinet. So players paced back and forth, craning their necks for a better view, while others clutched coins tightly in hand, ntally rehearsing their combos or strategies. Despite the tension, the air was electric with excitent—a reminder that sothing truly special had just landed in their local arcade.
Zaboru couldn't stop smiling.
He turned to Toki, still chuckling. "This... this right here is why I do what I do. Watching people have this much fun? Nothing beats it."
Toki nodded slowly, watching a group of kids stare in awe as the machines lit up with sound and color. "I get it now. You didn't just bring arcades back. You made them magical again."
Zaboru folded his arms, pride swelling in his chest. "This is only the beginning. Just wait till the next wave drops."
He stayed for another hour, taking ntal notes and enjoying the players' reactions. Every grin, every laugh, every competitive shout added fuel to his fire.
Finally, he waved goodbye to Toki. "I'll be back soon. For now, duty calls."
Toki gave a thumbs-up. "Thanks again, Zabo. And tell Nando these machines are worth every yen and i will order more soon"
As Zaboru rode off on Silver Wrecker, the echo of excited voices followed him.
A similar case is happening at Dream Catcher arcades too and Satonaka wants to order more New Versions of ZAS Arcades.
To be continued...
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