Chapter 1:

Chapter 1: The start

As the world marched into the new millennium, so as my adventure.

It has been a long time since my last time to Playdium, let's see what new games they get.

So that's why I was in Playdium this day, the second of millennium - January 2, 2000, when I saw the DDR machine for the first time.

Just the day before, my friend Howard called me.

"Kenny, what's up. Going to Playdium tomorrow?" Howard said.
"Maybe. What's going on?" I said.
"You know what? Playdium got a DDR machine."
"Sorry?"
"DDR, that dance game you told me."
"Is it?"
"Yes, it is. I'm going to try it out."
"I think I may be going."
"Come on. Show me your dance style."
"What? Did I say I am not going?" I said, getting mad at this little kid. Did this guy tried DDR?
"Just come."

As I arrived Playdium, Howard was there already.

"Kenny, you are late again." Howard said.
"Again? It is you who is always late." I gave him a punch as I said.
"Whatever it calls. Let's get inside and have a look of DDR. It is cold here."

As I added some money to the Playdium charge card at the reception, Howard is nowhere to be seen.

"What makes you so excited?" I mumbled to myself as I asked the receptionist to add money to my Playdium card.

It seemed that he was in the arcade already, so I decided to enter the arcade also.

Playdium was the largest arcade in the city of Mississauga where I was living (actually there are less than 5 arcades in my city). Other than the main floor where all arcades machines sit it also has a deck (second floor) which has a pub. One can see the whole arcade above the deck.
I got to the deck and tried to find Howard but failed. It looks like Howard is inside the forests of arcade machines. I decided to wander by myself.

As I was finding Howard, a spotlight had my interest. The source of the spotlight can be clearly seen from the deck. It was from an arcade machine with a strange appearance. It had two giant speakers at the base of the machine. A platform was in front of it with two hand bars, so it looks like this game is for two players. Just above the screen there was a lightbox with spotlights around it. It says Dance Dance Revolution.

I spotted Howard approaching that DDR machine, so I decided to see what he was going to do. He stopped in front of the machine and looked around, as if someone was following him. After confirming there was no one that he knows was around he stepped on the stage. Since I was behind him and I was far away from him, I did not see what he did on the machine, but after a while, he started dancing.

I knew that he is not really good in dancing, so I was very curious how he danced. Afterall, Howard is a fat guy.
I decided to get close to him.

I stopped several meters behind the stage and watched Howard dancing. The beat of Butterfly came into my ears. After several songs he stepped off stage and noticed I was watching him.

"There you are. Show me your MOVES, Kenny." Howard said.
"No, please don't."
"Why not?"
"I am not comfortable with that." "C'mon my friend."
"I just don't want.. HEY! Don't push me on the stage!" I screamed.

That was my first time on the DDR stage, so I chose Have You Never Been Mellow as my very first song. Yet, I failed it.

"Is it your REAL dance? I think you can do it better." Howard laughed at me, mincing the voice in the DDR machine. Whatever you say, dumbass!

"Hey! Don't be so rude to a beginner!" A voice came from behind.

A girl and a guy approached us. The girl was in the age of me, like 18 or 19. She was wearing a red shirt striped with yellow and a blue vest on top of it, along with baggy jeans and yellow-brown shoes. I can tell she is a mix of Asian and North America from her appearance. The boy is about the same age of the girl. He was wearing a vest similar to the girl except it is red and inside of it is a black shirt. His camouflage green pants and spiky brown hair gave a feeling of emote.

"I am Emi and here is my boyfriend. Everyone calls him Rage. We are new to DDR, so nice to meet ya." She said.
"Ah, new DDRer." The boy said. I thought he was Rage.
"Hum?"
"DDRer, people who play DDR."
"I see."
"What school do you go to?" Emi asked.
"Father Michael Goetz S.S."
"St. Francis Xavier." Rages said. "I'm in the mood now. Emi, wanna dance with me?"
"Sure."

The couple stepped on the stage and selected AM-3P and started grooving.
"They surely can dance." Howard said lightly.
"Let's see." replied.

Their second song is Butterfly.

"I've been searching for a man, all across Japan.
Just to find, to find my samurai.
Someone who is strong, but still a little shy.
Yes, I need, I need my samurai."
The machine blasted.
They seemed to like this song by Smile.dk.

After their third song I went to the stage and talked to them.
"Did you know how to dance before you know DDR?" I asked.
"Only some, not much. I just practiced often and getting the hang into it. And you know what." Rage said. "There are more and more people playing this game. Hope it will gin the popularity in Asia."
"Do you think it will?" Howard asked.
"Time will prove anything."
"I hope it will. Then I can dance like hell!" Emi said.
"I will be hanging around now and so. If you have time, come and find me." Rage said.

We did some more dances before we ran out of money. After this, we chatted for sometime before we went home.