I seemed to suddenly realize the cold, because I started shivering violently.
My breath hung in a dense cloud just above my nose, but the other guys didn’t seem to mind, strolling down the street with hands in their pockets and puffs of breath streaming behind them like steam engines.
Oblivious to the weather, they focused on the steep slope that we were descending. a large converted factory loomed over the corner of the end of the street, it's walls bare, except for a large sign facing out of the corner of the building, which had been converted into a large arch and door. the sign was in neon lighting and read ‘ARCADIUM STADIUM’ in red, blue and green. there were yellow accents and underlining.
The wizards went right on ahead and opened the door, then Vince and Finn scuffled for something just inside, then as I approached I saw Vince holding the door open for me and the guys, Finn giving him a sour look and rubbing his jaw.
The sight of the Arcade was amazing, they had bashed in the part of the 4th, 3rd and 2nd floors just overhead, then installed glass windows so that you could gaze down--or up--from those floors. There were millions of games, oldies to the modern zombie games were lined up and lit up.
I looked around in awe, then up to the second floor which was lined with more games, onto the third, which was blacked out and then to the fourth, which appeared to be a cafeteria by the look of the tables peeking out from behind the glass windows. I heard music bouncing in the background.
“Where first?” said Cas, startling me from behind,
I shrieked a little, then nudged him, “You decide.”
He surveyed the loud floor, when something caught his attention and he grabbed my hand to pull me over towards a ‘clearing’ in the games, where air hockey tables had been set up.
“Air hockey!” he smiled, “Me versus you?”
“Sounds fair.”
“Wait.” I said, making him look up from the mouth of the machine where he’d been stuffing in quarters, “Just.. how good are you at this game?”
“Uh.. I don’t know.. havent played in a while.”
“Oh really? Should I go easy on you then?”
“Oh never!" He smiled,
and at that the machine woke up, and a hockey puck dropped into the ‘drawer’ by Castiel.
About half an hour later, he had me beat in a never ending game of 32-5.. I was that measely 5.
“I thought you said you hadnt played in a while!” I flopped onto the side of the table in resignation,
“Yeah. but I do remember--now--being this good.” he flashed a million dollar smile that said he'd known it all along.
“Ugh.” I sunk again.
“One more round?”
“Never!” I nearly shouted, “We are playing something else!”
He smirked, then led me away from the hockey table, and towards some darkened gunfight games.
“You realise shooting games aren't really my style?” I said,
“Well, what then?”
“Howsabout..” I surveyed the floor, and spotted something happily familiar, “That one!!”
“What!? that looks like a girly game!”
I glared at him a moment.
“Fine.. fine.. I’ll play your damned ‘robot unicorn attack’”
About a whole hour later, it was impossible to pull him away from the damn monitor, muttering about beating his best score, seing as he’d beaten all the previous ones already.
Another two hours went by, we played any and every game that was a go between both of our styles, shooters--but no graphic gore--and oldies--as long as they werent dull. Dull, he said. I took him to pac-man and he thought it was a joke, but, oh, he was hooked and getting super intense as he eventually got to level 6. I happily kicked his ass with a level 10 record breaking score.
Ecanus found us by the pinball machines on the second floor, looking bedraggled, and rubbing his eyes.
“Oh, hey guys”
“What happened to you?” I asked worridly
“Played a little too much ‘house of the dead 7”
I laughed at him, Castiel smirked too.
Just then, my stomach growled unnecessarily loudly, and we all stopped to look at it.
“Hungry?” said Cas.
“Apparently” I smiled, rubbing my stomach, which growled grumpily in response.
“To the cafeteria!” said Ecanus, in a ‘we ride at dawn’ sort of voice.
The cafeteria was full of neon decorations and the walls and chairs were all black, so that it wasn’t dark, but it wasn’t bright either, more of the fuzzy line in between. There were booths along the walls and chairs and long tables in the center of the room, leaving a bar along the window-wall. I looked to my right out of the staircase, and saw a long bar filled with snacks and the such. that’s when I noticed something.
“Hey, where are all the people?”
Ecanus tore away from the sight of cakes to look at me, “Sorry?”
“Where is everyone?”
“Everyone?”
“the .. people..? A town this big can't run on it's own!”
“Oh, they’re not really the out-doorsy types. Most stick to their privacy, movies and magic.” he smiled.
Castiel came up behind me, "Really though, the town was created mostly for us students not to get bored and become tempted to go out into the 'human' side of the forest."
"Then there are some old timers from our world who live here and keep the magic circulating properly, hell, some even refuse to have magic run their shops."
"That's.. really something. But don't you all get bored being just among your own kind?" I said, thinking about the guys being along together all the time.
"Not really, It's not like we will join the human's world once we graduate. That's when we get to take on our father's rules."
"What about daughters?" I asked tentatively, unsure of what I was going to do when I graduated,
"They don't come around often.." Ecanus Mused, "I've never heard of one myself even.."
"Your just a special case Ava" Cas smiled, ruffling my hair.
We started to move towards the snack bar, when we heard some boys shouting, and when we turned, the wizards came running in. I was about to pick up a tray when who else but Kayden came running in ahead of the others and kissed me on the cheek.
I flinched for a moment.
Suddenly everyone seemed to yell death at Kaydon, Vince jumped on him. Finn on top, while Castiel shouted ‘Hey!’ threateningly.
I stood there stunned, then regained my senses to see Ray leaning on the door frame, he gave me a cool look, then looked at the pile of boys.
Suddenly I felt the urge to slap someone. But as I moved towards the rubble, Ray was suddenly beside me, holding my shoulders. I felt myself calm again, and I smiled up at him weakly “Thanks, they weren't worth it..”
Ray nodded.
It was a good thing I hadn't gone over there in a hot and quick rage, I would’ve regretted breaking all of Kaydons bones. I'm sure.
I stood next to Ray, arms crossed, and waited for Ecanus to pull the boys apart. though they were fighting, I could tell is was lighthearted enough, seeing as the boys started laughing when Ecanus had separated them--with the help of Castiel--and patted them all on the shoulder and checked for anything especially bad.
All the guys playfully punched Kaydon in the arm, although their eyes read with something else.
“You gonna finish those Ava?” said Duke, who had quiet the appetite for anything but seafood, which he said he couldn’t bring himself to eat (he’d lived by the sea most his life, and loved it a lot. never bring up marine pollution.)
“Nah you can have them.” I passed him my fries.
“We should head out,” said Ecanus. “it’s already 1:20, and we have a few stores to raid before we go back at 3:00”
“Sure thing.” smiled the guys,
We got up to leave, and as we did so, Finn pushed on ahead a little to hold open the door for us.
“Thanks Finn” I smiled sweetly.
He blushed bright pink and I giggled.