Moving Day
Act 4
-BAM-
-BOOM-
-POW-
-ZONK-
-KAPOWY-
-ZAP-
-CONTINUE?-
-GAME OVA-
These sounds were pretty much music to Shorty's ear as she entered into the haven of coin-operated video games. All around kids, teens and even the occasional adults were pumping in their hard earned money for brief moments of video game delight, be it on their own, with a friend or against friends as they challenged digital opponents in combat in some form or another. Graneted in this day and age the home console had far surpassed the arcades and places like thes were indeed a dying breed. Despite that though Shorty could always find herself comfortable in places like this, it was roughly her home away from home back in Orchid Bay and now she found it once again this time in Townsville.
"Whoa. They got everything here! Old school and new, ah a perfect mish-mash. And there coin operated too, not like those card swiping systems. I never could use those rig..…OOOOH THEY GOT PUMP IT UP: THE PERFECT COLLECTION!" She nearly squealed causing most of the people there to look at her funny "Hehe, sorry am new here." She muttered then quickly headed for the cashier to get some change. As she does so the camera follows her then stops on an arcade machine with two boys currently at the stick and judging by how fiercely they were going at it. It could only be presumed they were playing a fighting game.
"Ah c'mon stop turtling!" One of the boys complained as he tapped on the controls.
"Heh whose turtling? You just don't know when to block; I thought you said you were an expert at this game. So far your not exactly living up to your claim pal." Answered a boy wearing a blue t-shirt with green jeans and sneakers not to mention brown hair that was able to covered his eyes.
"Well I would if you WOULD LET ME GET AN OPENING IN!"
"Ah you know what. Am a gracious player, see my hands are off the joysticks. One free hit. C'mon and take it."
"Ho ho, you are so gonna be sorry you did that. YAAAAH!"
His opponent's eyes widen for a bit but he then nodded in respect. "Ah not bad, not bad. But…too little too late pal, BAM!"
There was huge scream from the machine followed by a "K.O." from the announcer while the victor of the battle grinned at his opponent who gave him a forlorn look.
"Hehe, you got the moves kid. But next time, do it when you're not on your last life bar. Mmm'k."
"Tch whatever." His opponent, a brown haired boy wearing a white shirt with a black strip design on the side of it, green pants and sneakers entered his initials for the score list then sulked away from the machine "Next time I play with Buttercup, then we'll see who'll be on their last life bar, you cheating…."
"I heard that." His opponent called out but the boy paid it no mind and kept walking till his eyes caught a dance machine in a corner. Checking his pocket to see if he had the right change for it and confirming he did, the boy headed over to the machine only to reach it just when Shorty did.
"Oh am sorry, you wanted to go first?" She asked.
"Huh, oh no you can go ahead. I can wait."
"Nah, let me save ya the trouble, you can play doubles with me."
"Uh I don't know am still kinda new at this game. Don't wanna lose the game for ya."
"No it's cool. I can impress ya and teach ya at the same time. Names Shorty btw." She said presenting his hand to him.
"Yo, Ben Tennyson. Nice meeting ya." He said shaking it "Now lets do some gameage and bust a move!"
"Heh try to keep up with me" She grinned as they put their money in.
We suddenly find ourselves in nothing but dark with no sight or sound. However the sound of machinery is suddenly hear before a loading sign takes over the screen followed by the K.N.D. logo
"Welcome to the Kids Next Door H.A.I.R.C.L.I.P: Human Aura In Really Close Location Identification Placement program, please insert hair sample now."
A slot for the computer opens up followed by a hand that puts in a sample of a red hair.
"Thank you and one moment please."
The front of the arcade where those there are messing around with the crane machines and indoor rides (such as the cowboy one with the western movie playing in the background). However when the entrance doors slide open to let the next game players in, those that saw them quickly did a double take then gasped and got away from the their games in play, hiding behind the machines. The one that was riding the cowboy hit a button on the machine that ejected him from the saddle and into the roof.
However whatever spooked them wasn't interested in them and continued to pass the frighten patrons by and venture further into the arcade.
"Scanning complete bringing up information now"
A 3-D wire fame of a person displayed itself on the screen though little by little it began to come into form. All the while information on this particular individual was beginning to write itself on screen.
At the snack bar of the arcade, a few of the patriots were enjoying some the usual fast food that was being offered there, but when one of the snackers noticed a looming shadow over him and turned to find out what it belonged to. He quickly dropped what he was eating and got out of dodge. Seeing this, the rest of the people also began doing likewise and soon the bar was empty save for whatever spooked them as they began to snatch up the free food left and right.
The wire fame of whom the hair sample belonged too was finished, as was the information that was gathered. Afterwhich, a small screen of the map of Townsville displayed itself and marked the location of the person in question
"Hmm, interesting." the reader of the files muttered
-BONK-
"Hey, who threw that!" Yelled a voice of an arcade patriot only to widen his eyes when he sees who did it "Oh sorry didn't know it was you, carry on." To which whomever he was speaking too did: throwing wrappers, empty candy boxes and soda cups at him before passing him by while those that saw this quickly scampered out of the way. Little by little the arcade was soon beginning to clear of it gamers save for those that were in the back.
"Let's see born in a small town called the Cit-Burbs, stayed there till she was five until after an…incident at a karate dojo with her sensei forced her parents to move from the city after a public out lash. Before that however, reports of fights between some of the students of the dojo broke out…almost all involving her in some way."
The reader raised on eyebrow over his sunglasses on this sentence.
-KO! Bubbles wins again-
"Woot! Alright! Beat the high score, I am officially a gaming legend, err…at least on this machine anyway. Just gotta enter the initials and…"
A hand suddenly slammed down on the console of the machine causing the boy to jump a little. Once he was sure it was a hand, he followed it till he came face to face with the owner of it.
"Oh, hey Ace." He said, his voice transforming to an bored tone that really didn't back up the welcome "Hows it going?"
"Good, good." Answered the oddly green skinned, multi-colored vest wearing, greasy hair teen as he grinned slyly at the boy "I mean you know the usual: shaking kids up for money, sleeping on park equipment, graffiti-ing the buildings, that kind of stuff, but yet something bothering me. I come in here with the boys to relax and have a good time at the arcade and what do I find to ruin the day? MY high score about two rows down and the top one reading someone else's. You wouldn't happen to know whom those initials belong to do ya? Cause as you know my buds and me rule this turf of the area. And one simple, simple little rule is to keep your high score lower then moi. That shouldn't be too hard to remember, eh?"
"Of course" The boy said continuing in his bored tone "You are, after all, the king of this domain. Especially considering "you know whose" hardly ever checks this part of town."
The grin on Ace suddenly got wider once that was mentioned, "Yeah ain't it cool?"
"After that ugly little mishap, she and her family moved to Orchid Bay and lived there till this current date. A few more accounts of her getting into a few fights but nothing as major as the last incident. Hmm"
The reader types in something on his comp activating a separate window, at first nothing of interest comes up to him. Then one website seems to hit the mark.
"Pirates?"
"Hey you lied! You're not half bad at this game!" Shorty proclaimed noticing that Ben was matching her move for move on battle mode
"Heh, yeah. Sorry about that, just a new tactic to throw my opponents off." He grinned slyly "Though obviously you got skills in those feet of yours."
"Thanks." She beamed then suddenly during a lull in the song, jumped on the cabinet of the arcade, flipped then landed on a couple of squares with her hands before turning upright again.
"Whoa!" Ben exclaimed almost losing his place within the arrows "I take that back, your whole BODY a dancing machine."
Shorty smirked slyly "Thankee again and congrats, you survived my D-MESMERISER move. Just a little tactic of my own."
"! You tricky….heh alright then. Now its getting interesting."
Shorty couldn't help but agree noticing that boy had to be roughly ten years old and yet was still managing to keep up with her. "No doubt this kid good." She couldn't help but think however this was interrupted by a huge shadow that loomed over the two of them.
"Thats odd, her description fits in with a bunch of pirate incidents over in Japan a few years before. Huge fight and damages to the surrounding areas from an intense battle. And whats more, she claimed to be in league with the crew. Hmm but if that true then why is she here and not with them?"
The reader queried this as he typed in something more on the computer.
"Well am not sure I've seen the person your looking for, Ace." The boy said in monotone "But I'll make sure to remind him if I ever see him."
"Ah cool and to make sure, let's remember the name of the offender, eh? Let's see, B.I.N." Ace then suddenly gasped in mock surprise "What a coincidence, that's the first three letters in your name."
The boy raised an eyebrow "So it is, what of it?"
Ace shook his head while clicking his tongue "Aw c'mon now. You know am a reasonable guy, especially as long as you've known me. Why don't you just come clean about it and make it easier on yourself."
"I would but then again you have no proof that that's not another B.I.N." The boy pointed out nonchalantly. "Jumping to conclusions a bit aren't we, Ace. Then again that wasn't exactly one of your bright points."
The present grin on Ace's face morphed into a frown as he straighten his sunglasses "Alright then if that the way you want it. BOYS!"
"YESSSSSSS?" A slender looking equally green face boy in a white shirt and orange cap answered, almost slithering up to their leader. This was followed by a short stumpy looking boy in a red dress shirt and his hair covering one of his eyes, And lastly a very hunched over looking boy that seem to have a hump and was dressed in rags while his eyeballs were bulging out of his sockets.
"Seems we have a trouble maker in our little slice of paradise who doesn't like telling the truth." Ace's glasses slide down his face showing a very menacing glare "Let's show him what happens to lairs in our neck of the woods."
His gang laughed in response to the idea and soon began to advance on the boy. However their leader perked up and rose an eyebrow "Whoa whoa whoa, hold on a minute? Something feels out of touch here." He then looked over the group "One, two, three, four…oh for the love of…Wheres Big Billy!"
"No known records of the pirate crew save for a couple of pedestrians who witnessed the incident. Let's see then."
He clicks a link that brings up a rather blurry picture of the battle sight in question.
"-Sigh- Typical, always count on tourists to get the Kodak moment." The boy said sarcastically before announcing "Computer, enhance the picture."
"Processing"
Slowly but surely the picture started to focus bring the blurry images into view until finally the picture could be viewed…and the reader's eyes widen.
"………Whoa"
"Um can we help you?" Shorty asked a rather large looking and very portly green skinned boy wearing a green shirt and blue jeans with his orange hair covering most of his face, And judging by his stance he didn't look at all smart neither.
"Duh, Billy likes music from the game. Billy wanna dance! Let Billy dance!"
"Um, were still playing here. So your gonna have to wait your turn." Ben told him trying to alternate talking to him and watching the arrows on the screen.
However the dope wasn't giving it up. "DUH BIG BILLY WANNA DANCE! BIG BILLY WANNA DANCE!"
He then started jumping up and down, throwing Shorty and Ben off balance from the shakes.
"Hey, KNOCK IT OFF!" Ben yelled trying to hold onto the game's railing, "WE WERE HERE FIRST!"
-DOM-
Suddenly a very dark shadow appeared over Billy's face much to the shock of the two gamers.
"Billy said he wanted to dance. So Billy IS GOING TO dance!"
His arm suddenly reached out and grabbed Bens'' who then started to tug against it.
"Hey let go me of you big loser. I said this is my game, LET GO!
Shorty begin to growl as she watched this, her grip tightening on the handle bar before starting to approach the brut by but then something suddenly came to mind.
-FLASHBACK, Shorty's house the day before-
"Now Strawberry" Mr. Cakea starts "We know living in Orchid Bay was no picnic and that you needed to protected yourself.
"But did you think we wouldn't know that most of those fights were on your behalf?" Mrs. Cakea asked sternly "What have we told you about starting fights young lady?"
"Uh…but mom they were for good reason." Blurted Shorty "They were causing trouble around the area so…."
"WHAT they do is their own business and that of their parents. Just make sure that YOU don't start it yourself." States Mr. Cakea
"Or get involved in other people personal problems." Ms. Cakea adds "Because then they become our problem and this cycle of fighting will keep continuing till someone is badly injured…or worse.
"Like that incident with the karate scho…" Mr Cakea started but he quickly stops himself while his wife shot him a nasty glare and Shorty gasped a little before hanging her head down.
"Am…sorry Strawberry. I didn't mean to bring that up, what were trying to say is promise us you won't get into any unnecessary fighting if you can help it okay?"
Shorty sat on the couch in silence for a minute before finally answering
"Okay, I promise…for you guys."
-Back to present day-
"I…made a promise. I told them I wouldn't fight unless I had too."
"BIG BILLY WANNA DANCE!"
"Well go dance out in traffic, am not handing over my game to…MY GAME!"
He turned toward the screen but by then it had reached the grading screen…with Ben being given a big fat "D"
"You…you…MADE ME LOSE MY GAME! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH IT COST TO PLAY THIS THING!"
Apparently Billy didn't "BIG BILLY WANNA DANCE!"
"Oh I'll give you something to dance about, A SNEAKER TO THE FACE!"
-POW- Ben's kick hit dead on toward B.B.'s face and remained there for awhile with no response from his victim for a few minutes. Least till B.B. suddenly started laughing.
"HAHAHA, You kick like a old lady, it tickles" The idiot said muffled through the shoe "Let me show you how Billy does it!"
Billy grabbed Ben by his leg, the one he hit him, and then effortlessly pried it off of him before throwing the boy into a photo booth.
"Ugh….ow. So…wanna fight huh?" Ben groaned shaking getting to his feet "Well bring it on!"
"No please!" Shorty pleaded in her mind "It not worth it over a video game!"
But to no avail Ben charged at Billy and threw a few swings at his stomach. But it was no good, Billy just stood there laughing as each blow came, it was obvious they wasn't reaching more then a tickle. Eventually Ben began to tire, indicated by his speed slowing down.
"Awww, you don't wanna tickle Billy no more?" The brut grabbed Ben's arm and hoisted him up to his level "Then it Billy's turn to tickle."
He then through Ben into the air then let him fun, however once Ben was near Billy's stomach, Billy charged and knocked him into a couple of arcades. But it wasn't over, Billy soon rushed over to him.
"CANNONBALL!"
And did exactly just that trying to crush Ben. Luckily the boy recovered enough to move out of thewas as the lummox impacted. However something suddenly caused him to fall over and Ben saw his leg was once again grabbed.
"Oooh new game, let's play ROUND THE WORLD!"
Billy once again threw Ben into the air, this time catching him by his legs and spinning him around the room. As he did so, he crashed into different arcades, though most of this was due to Billy's girth Ben still was taking damage from it. All the while Shorty stood there watching it.
"He brought it on himself. He brought it on himself. Remember that." She thought and closed her eyes to block out the sight while tightening her grips even more on the handlebars of the dance machine.
"YO! BIG BILLY! THERE YOU ARE!"
"Huh?" Both he and Shorty sounded out and turned to see it belong to Ace as he and his posses came onto the scene dragging the boy they were talking to in tow. "Geez, if I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times! When were going to teach somebody a lesson stay with the group! How are we suppose to look all intimidating when our biggest man isn't there?"
"Duh, sorry Ace." said Billy who still had a very hurt Ben in his hands "Billy forgot, wanted to play dance machine but the mean boy wouldn't let me."
"Oh, another trouble maker." Ace grin devilishly "Oh this is too perfect cause you see I stopped by the security office on my way over here and happened to notice you two were really going mano e mano on the Powerpuff machine. Since you two seem to be the best of competitors how about this, a game of truth or dare: Gangrene-style!"
-DOM- -DOM- The screen splits in two to show Ben and the boy gasping at this. Before the screen rips down the middle to revel Shorty who is just as shocked.
"Here how it works, either you" Pointing to the boy he talked to earlier. "Tell me the truth that those initials are indeed the first of your name or…well let just say that whatever I dare, Billy will make happen to your little friend here." Pointing to Ben "Oh and did I mention there is a time limit, ten seconds and counting"
Both Ben and the boy gritted their teeth at this, the boy that the offer was made too clenched his "fists" and slowly spread his legs apart without the gang even notice.
"And five, four, three, two, on…"
"Isn't this all a little extreme just for some video game!" Shorty blurted out causing Ace to almost fall over and all heads to turn toward her. " I mean really a high score, whose gonna care about that! There nothing but shallow prizes within a virtual and fictional world and they mean squat in the long run. So it worth hurting a couple of innocent boys over, so GET OVER IT AND LET THEM GO!"
Silence hung in the air for a few minutes before Ace regained his composure, straightening his sunglasses before walking up to her.
"Just….who are you, toots? You're a face I've never seen in my arcade before."
Shorty narrowed her eyes and glared back at him "Just someone who getting used to this city and hates pointless violence, that's all."
"Ah, well let me laid some ground rule down on ya noob." Ace said "Around here, WE make the rules. We're gracious enough to share it with the other game goers in this part of town as long as they remember what we told them. Then everything peachy keen, but often times examples have to be made such as these fine gentlemen are proving today. Now I rather not have to do that to a girl if I can help it…well save for three little annoyances" he muttered under his breath "But DON'T think I don't have the guts to do so, so I'll overlook your little outburst this once and let you leave here with a warning. Otherwise, heheh."
He stepped back and motion to the others in his crew to move aside, which they did forming a pathway to the entrance for her. Shorty continued to glare at them before looking at the Ben and the other boy.
"They brought this on themselves, its none of my business." She said to herself then faced forward and started walking toward the exit.
"Heh, nice to see people have brains in them. Smart decision, toots." Ace grinned, "You see guys. She knows the rules of the game and her place here even if this is her first visit. You could really learn from her, unlike you guys she could tell that me and the boys aren't to be messed with if she knows what was good for her."
Shorty roughly ignored all of it and reached the door putting her hands on the handle
"Hmph, so what if she does." Ben growled, "You think am afraid of you and your puke colored friends. I don't care how many rules you have here, this arcade is for everyone and I won't stand by and let you take it as if it was you own playtoy. Unlike her I WON'T QUIT!"
The other boy then smiled and nodded "I have to say I agree with him. Every last word of it."
Ace just smirked at the two before raising his head up to the ceiling "-Sigh- Have it your way. Boys, LINE EM UP!"
The other members of the gang did as told and threw Ben and the unnamed boy against a wall at the far side of the arcade. Ace put his hands together in a square shape as if he were trying to focus an angle then turned to Billy.
"Billy, I dare you…to crush these guys like bowling pens!"
"Oh but Ace, won't they really be crushed if –SMACK- Ow!"
"That the whole point Snake!" Ace answered annoyed after smacking him but then brighten up "Because unlike real bowling pin, they won't be intact!"
"Duh hahaha. BILLY LIKE BOWLING!" Billy tucked his hands and legs into a fetal position taking on the properties of a ball. The other four in the group then began to push him til momentum took over and Billy was on a rolling collision course with his two targets.
-WOOOT WOOOT WOOOT-
"Huh what?" A chubby boy in a blue shirt, kaki pants and fly gear on his head asked as he looked up from his workstation underneath a school bus that had odd flight attachments on it.
"It's a level 5 alarm c'mon!" The girl known as Numbuh 5 yelled. Pretty soon she, him, the Japanese girl and the orange hoodied boy were soon racing down the wooded pathways of their treehouse to a central room and quickly sat around the tire wheel that was their "war desk".
"Okay were here, Numbuh One. Whats the emergency!" Numbuh 5 asked
"Team, I have come across a startling discovery during the routine check of this new teen that has entered the neighborhood." He said with grave concern. "It seem my suspicious of her weren't just coincidence."
"HA I KNEW IT" The boy in the orange hoodie jumped up "I KNEW WE SHOULD'VE TAKEN CARE OF HER FROM THE START! BUT NOOOOO! YOU HAD TO PLAY THE PACIFIST NUMBUH 5 "SHE MAY BE AN INNOCENT" WELL SHE AIN'T LOOKING SO CUDDY INNOCENT NOW DOES SHE!"
-KONK-
He falls over in his seat with two X's dotting each eye. A turnip suddenly falls near his face.
"Hmph, you also said keeping these turnips around would be a bad idea. But Numbuh 5 seems to keep finding uses for them. Heheh. Um -ahem- so continue Numbuh 1 whats so bad about her?"
Cut back to the Billy the "bowling ball" rolling toward Ben and the unnamed boy, the two pinned by short space. The unnamed boy squat his knee and rears his hands back just as Billy about to reach him.
-BAAAAAM!-
Cut to Ace as he eyes begin to widen, so much so that they knocked off the glasses from his face, to his gang are who are also beginning to bulged their eyes from socket (the one in rags even moreso). Then To Ben whose expression is that of absolutely shock and finally to the unnamed boy as his eyes widen through his strains of hair. Camrea zooms in on these eyes to shown the refection of Shorty's back in them.
"Seems this teenager is far from being defenseless" Numbuh One voice tells as he talks over the scene "Since she is well versed in the ways of martial arts, not only that but her style is very unique as there is no certain category for it but it is powerful all the same."
"Okay so we know she a fighter. Not like we haven't dealt with them before" The chubby kid's voice said "Why the alert?
We then cut to Shorty's backside as her hair slowly moves out of the way to reveal her face that has a very dark and stern expression on it.
"Am getting to that." Numbuh one's voice continues " During her period in Orchid Bay, the girl took part in an exchange program that sent her to the continent of Japan. All seemed well and good till a visit to the city of Tokyo where she encountered a group pirates also visiting there, a fight broke out between them and her and the battle raged on for hours."
The camera then zooms out to show that Shorty has her leg raised and her foot implanted on Billy who seems to have come to complete stop.
"It is unknown what the reason was that sparked the fight or who this pirate crew was but what it is known that the fight ended in a draw and the pirate crew named this girl as one of their own, settling the matter peacefully."
Shorty looks up and focus toward Ace before a wicked grin comes across her face.
"Oh did I forget to mention…" Numbuh One's voice adds
Shorty then rears back her leg.
"That their fight…."
She suddenly grits her teeth and her eye go wide as her leg reaches the maximum limit.
"…Leveled an entire section of the city!"
Split screen shots of Numbuh's comrades come across the screen as they gasp at this news, save for the one who got beamed with a turnip as he still on the floor. Suddenly the screen cracks then shatters like glass revealing Shorty behind it as she brings her leg forward yelling…
"HAWK…LEG…MISSILE!"
The screen suddenly flashes bright as the attack impacts against it.
"To say the least this is very, VERY bad." States Number One's voice through the whiteness of the screen.
End of Act 4