Hello! I have risen from the abyss of inactivity to bring you guys some content.
Things have been pretty hectic over the course of the last few months, and it's definitely had me in a bit of a slump. I've definitely had the opportunity to write now that I've got this new laptop. But to tell you the truth I've been buried under a mountain of work and lack of motivation. I've even contemplated just giving up and leaving this to collect even more dust. But giving some time to myself thinking on it, I decided against it. I'm back to give this story what it deserves.
With that out of the way, let me get into the meat and potatoes of what's going to happen here:
Starting with the bulk of it all, I've decided that everything (from the introduction up to where the prologue had been cut off) will be rewritten. Put simply, I wasn't feeling proud of what I have written (even with BETA READING from the excellent Prince Pokepersona), and I've noticed a few things I could have done better with it. Rewriting this will give me the chance of fix some mistakes, and experiment with something new.
While I'm fairly sure there isn't, there may be some wondering why this is being added to this story. Long story short I don't feel like deleting this and making a brand new story. Everything that's come before this will be marked as "(OLD)" so please disregard them, as they'll have no canon to this improved version.
With all of that, I'll go ahead and shush so you can get to reading the new and improved "Despair's Shopping Center."
It was a day just like every other.
Kai leaned forward, holding his beret out towards a small crowd showering him with applause. Dozens of hands reached out and, one by one, placed a small sum of bills and coins until the cap was stuffed to the brim. Once the crowd gave one final round of applause, they separated and went about with the rest of their day.
Now alone, he sat on the bench behind him with his beret in his lap. Silently he picked through his earnings for today's show. It wasn't much, as usual, but it would be enough to stay another day at the downtown motel and barely have enough for lunch.
It wasn't anything spectacular, but it was simple. Simple enough for Kai Shiguro.
Pocketing the money from today's show in the front of his overalls, the boy pulled out a small towel and went to work scrubbing off a daily application of makeup from his face. The cloth was smudged with black, white and red when he was done. He would wash it out later when he got back to his hotel room. But for the time being, he needed to find a place to eat for lunch.
As he stood, a news van charged down the street at breakneck speeds. Litter scattered across the sidewalk as the vehicle sped down the road and eventually disappeared from sight. Kai watched, puzzled. "Hm. Wonder what that's all about?"
Conveniently, almost ridiculously so, a sheet of paper was picked up by the wind and hovered past his head. It would've sailed over the railing and into the water below had he not grabbed it. The flyer read as followed:
"COME ONE, COME ALL TO THE GRAND OPENING OF HOPE'S PEAK SHOPPING CENTER, THE BIGGEST SHOPPING DISTRICT BROUGHT TO YOU BY OUR VERY OWN HOPE'S PEAK ACADEMY!"
"This new shopping district resides down the road from our prestigous high school, and boasts a size that spans several city blocks! With dozens, if not hundreds, of shops to suit all demographics, five-star eateries from around the globe, and a mass selection of activity centers for all manner of hobbies, we take pride in bringing the public one of the best shopping centers the world has to offer! Come be a part of our extraordinary grand opening! It's simply to die for!"
Kai scratched his cheek once he finished reading, and looked to where the news van had passed by. Sure enough, it was heading to where the grand high school and its now-neighboring mall district stood. He definitely had heard of Hope's Peak, but the new Shopping Center was new to him. Naturally, his curiousity had been piqued.
He looked back at the paper. Maybe he could find a place to eat there?
"No...it might be out of my price range. I might not have enough for another night at the motel..."
He bit his lip, struggling to make a decision. It would be a new thing to experience. It could be fun, too.
"I mean, it is Hope's Peak..."
Kai shook his head and crumbled up the flyer. There was no way he could bring himself to do it. Or at least, he thought he couldn't until he went to throw the flyer in the trash bin.
"Come on Kai, you said you can't do it, didn't you?. So why are you still holding it?"
Kai shoved aside his thoughts and opened the crumpled up paper and read it once again. He looked back at the newly-built Hope's Peak Shopping Center with a firm expression.
"I can do this. I can do this."
"I can't do this. I CAN'T do this."
Kai hadn't even arrived for ten minutes, and already he was regretting his decision. There were people everywhere. They stood eagerly outside the closed doors, ready for when they finally open to the public.
While trying to avoid anyone's gaze, Kai saw the news van from earlier parked at the far end of the lot. A slender woman spoke into a microphone in front of a cameraman while a boy in a cream-colored jacket scribbled down notes furiously on a notepad. He could just faintly hear what the female reporter was saying.
"Are we rolling? Okay! We're here at the grand opening of Hope's Peak Shopping Center, interviewing future patrons..."
Kai dared to step just a little closer. He was fairly intrigued to hear the report. All seemed pretty well...
...but then the reporter and the cameraman turned to face him, and Kai stopped. He quickly looked away.
"Please do not come over here...PLEASE do not come over here..."
"You there, sir!" He heard footstops coming in his direction. His heart started beating rapidly.
"No no no no...Please no..."
Kai swallowed hard and turned to see a microphone held close to his face and a camera pointed at him. "May we get your thoughts on Hope's Peak Shopping Center, and how you plan on spending your first time here?" The woman asked, grinning ear to ear in a way that set Kai on edge. His hands felt clammy, his legs weak.
"I...I shouldn't have come. I should've just went back to the motel..."
"Sir?"
Her smile started to fade as Kai stood there silently. Nervously, Kai shook his head as quickly as he could, earning puzzled looks from both the reporter and the man behind the camera. They looked at each other, and shrugged.
"I see. Well...thank you for your...time?" The woman responded, unsure of how to respond to that. She quickly forgot about it, though, as she spotted a married couple with kids. "Oh! Hello, excuse me ma'am!"
Kai watched as they shuffled past him and approached the family of five. With no more attention on him, he could finally relax.
"Thank goodness..."
"HEY! WAIT FOR ME GUYS! WAIT FOR MEEEEEEEE-"
Kai's eyes widened as he was suddenly knocked aside flat on his bottom. Brushing the hair out of his face, he looked up and saw the boy from the news van following after the news crew.
"OH GOSH, I'M SORRY!" He shouted over his shoulder without stopping.
Kai rolled his eyes as he got back up and dusted himself off. As he fixed his hair, he noticed that his beret had fallen off when he was pushed aside. He brushed off the dirt with his gloved hands before putting it back on. "The nerve of some people, I swear..."
Once everything was normal again, Kai lurked away from the more crowded area and sat next to the bushes. He silently observed the news reporter as they interviewed a small group of eager patrons. After what felt like hours, but in reality only twenty minutes, all turned quiet as a man walked out of the building. He brandished a pair of oversized, golden scissors. Behind him were several officers and guards that ushered the mass of people back.
Clearing his throat, the man's voice boomed over the silent lot.
"I would love to thank you all for coming! Now, you all have waited a long time, haven't you?"
The crowd erupted into cheers and shouts, bringing a smile to the man's face.
"Of course you have, but now it's time. Ten long years to bring this dream into a reality. I am proud to announce the grand opening of Hope's Peak Shopping Center..." He raised the large scissors and held them to the delicate ribbon. "...has begun!"
The ribbon was cut in two, and the crowd roared with excitement. It was so loud Kai covered his ears and grit his teeth.
"This better be worth everything..."
Once the many sets of doors have opened, people started flooding in. People were pushing and shoving, trying to be in before the other. Kai watched the crowd slowly shrink and disappear behind those doors. He stood once the crowd was tiny, looking up at the gargantuan structure before him. Never had he felt so intimidated by something so massive.
"Well...here I go..."
Kai stalked towards the building. He wasn't aware of it, but once he opened those doors it was going to change his life...but not for the better...
And that's all for this improved version to the introduction of Despair's Shopping Center. As I've said, I was in a bit of a slump for many months. So my writing may not be as top-notch. It's been a while since I've written anything.
But I do hope you all enjoy, and I'll see you in the next chapter. Toodles!
- Not-Your-Uber-Driver