Generation Antihero 2

Where grown-up children liven up

In the next night Ilus came back to work and called in a meeting. In front of his desk he told proudly: "The past few days we've had some terrible tensions. But now we know more about each other's sides and I still want to call you my family. Every single one of you. Really... everyone. I don't want to have to throw somebody out". Lucky stood beside Koi and kicked his ankle. But Koi didn't react. Ilus continued: "We actually moved here to start anew. With a better reputation and a better cover. We're going to keep the police out of our fight, under all circumstances. We really don't need them, unnecessary. That's a thing between Whitefur and me. We're going to have a race in which only a few of you will play a role. Like during car races with pit stops. Until then we still have a little time left. I know Whitefur, he's going to pump his ass full of tuning parts". Laughter filled the hall.

Ilus came to his main point: "Yesterday Henry suggested that we - as we want to start fresh - go to an arcade before the competition. No tiny one, but a really big game hall with lasertag, dance machines, digital car races and all that. Barely anyone of us had a fulfilled childhood, so I hope that this is alright wi-". His speech got interrupted by cheering and they all were ready from the get-go. He wasn't able to talk anymore. Smiling he leaned on his desk and observed his gang celebrating. Zigz ran up to him: "We're always glad not having to work!". "Your honesty really is astonishing", Ilus raised an eyebrow.

~~~

Shark mentioned confused as they stood in front of the dark arcade: "Is closed?". From his backpack Ilus suddenly grabbed a crowbar: "We're still gangster. We don't ask with pretty please". In the following, he broke the doors open and unexpectedly the lights turned on. Inside of the hall stood Koi with a key to the maintence room. Conciliatory he meant: "I guess I have to make up for a few things". Ilus walked to him and spoke from the heart: "If this fight is over, then please give me more reasons again to put you back into first league". Afterwards Chef called out: "Let's have fun!". They all stormed the building and split up to different kinds of games. Koi put his finger on his lips and winked at Lucky. There Lucky oppressively looked down at the floor.

Shota also had his doubts when turned to his brother: "Are you really normal again?". "I've never been normal. Remember when I was almost put into a heavily secured sanatorium. Come on, let's dance!", he pulled him to the machine. In the lasertag room Zigz already ran around very attentive. Not attentive enough, so all of a sudden he got eliminated by Kiki. Startled he looked around: "What are you doing here? You should be sleeping!". "Wanna gloss over your defeat? I wanna have fun, get out!", she laughed bossily. He let his head down and walked around the corner. Kiki kept going and got eliminated out of nowhere by him. Appalled she looked at him. He grinned: "Extra-life, collected it right at the entrance". "I'll get my revenge!", she threatened. Henry also played lasertag. It trained him well in his movement for actual shootings. Plus, he got to know his teammates better.

At one of the motorcycle-simulators stood Ilus challenging, but everyone rather walked past him and pretended not to know or even see him. At some point Ilus got impatient and went to get Lucky, who remained in the same spot like a floor lamp in the corner: "Obviously you're going to race me". Lucky let himself get dragged. After all, he promised Koi to keep the secret. Meanwhile Shark stood behind Shota and Koi and tried to follow their almost flying steps with his eyes, but they were way too fast. All sweaty Zigz walked up beside him: "Whaddup?". "How you call that?", Shark asked impressed. -"This level of difficulty you call asian". Though the brothers were fully concentrated, Koi yelled: "My glasses are slipping down!". "Don't whine so much!", Shota laughed, winning. From the entrance to lasertag Kiki called: "Jeremy~ One more round~?". As an excuse Zigz grabbed Shark and ran away: "Back there's karaoke!".

Laughing and out of breath Henry rolled out of the lasertag area still with all the gear on. Catching his breath he stumbled over to Ilus who was teasing Lucky: "What's wrong? I'm winning! Get off the brake and get some speed on!". Henry clapped: "You're doing amazing". "Don't distract me now, sweetheart", Ilus meant concentrated, yet grinning. Weird noises came from Lucky's nose. With a winning warcry Kiki was last to leave the lasertag area: "Wooh! Who dares to play Pacman against me?". Another member turned to Ilus: "Chef, she isn't an actual member of our gang". He focused more on the screen: "Shut it and turn around. I'm winning here". In contrast Koi fell down on the dancing machine and rested on the floor: "Haven't played in too long...". Shota leaned against the railing all cool: "Whoops, I've got more points than you. Highscore even. But I'm the older one". Still, he helped him up: "What am I glad to have you back. Ilus doesn't pay me and without you I got no money". Koi laughed and bumped his shoulder.

With a pale face Zigz came out of a side room: "Did you know that Shark can speak full sentences in Spanish? L- let alone sing...?". Henry smiled: "He's not verbally limited, our language is just hard for him". "But... he can sing...", dumbfounded he stood there. Curious Henry walked over to the karaoke room. He had to repress a giggle as he saw Shark's score being much higher than Zigz. Shark himself drank a glass of lemonade and looked at Henry silently. Cheerfully Henry joined: "Let's go for a round too". First of all, he got a call from Dexter. He picked up and Dexter puffed: "You never care about giving updates, do you?". Henry smiled: "I'm sorry, we've got a lot going on. Do you want to watch? Oh-oh! Join in!". Dexter squinted: "Where are you even at?".

They kept the doors open so everyone could hear. Also Henry, how he couldn't speak any Spanish, but still tried. That also didn't matter; one by one the people gathered to dance to the melody. By far that was not their last station. Until dawn they played games and had so much fun that they got a headache and pain in their jaws from laughing. After a while they were tired. The only one still gambling was Lucky on a slot machine. All the others were at the entrance ready to leave. Ilus asked him: "Do you want to become a gamble addict again? Come one, let's ditch. They're going to open this thing soon". But he just stared at the screen and actually relapsed. Koi stepped in, Ilus stopped him: "Rule 33, you can't yet". "Our shift ended an hour ago. He's my best friend", Koi shook his head and went anyway. Savagely Koi grabbed him and threw him over his shoulder: "Alright, enough playtime. Now it's time for sleepy-sleep". Lucky started fidgeting around and wanted to go back to the machine: "I almost had it! Let me down!". "Back then you almost had it too. Don't make the same mistake again. Humans who repeat their mistakes could become dangerous. And stupid", he taught him and carried him outside.