Chapter 12: Final Showdowns
The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, but were nearly drowned out by the cheering crowd, the constant beeping and booms of arcade cabinets, and the rising hum of anticipation.
This was it.
The finals.
Ethan stood behind the counter with his tournament clipboard, his eyes flicking between bracket readouts and the swirling crowd. Amanda was already clearing a path for the next matchup, while James, now a practiced scorekeeper, confirmed stats and results with a precision that rivaled a tournament referee.
"Final match announcements incoming!" Amanda called, cupping her hands around her mouth.
The noise dimmed—slightly. The energy didn't.
Ethan stepped up with the mic he'd rigged to the PA system the night before.
"Alright, everyone! The brackets are locked, the machines are ready, and it's time to crown our champions! Four final matches—let's make them unforgettable!"
Applause and cheers erupted. Someone in the back shouted, "FATALITY!"
Ethan grinned. "Let's begin with the fight that's had everyone talking all day…"
🎮 Street Fighter Alpha 3 – Grand Finals
Marcus "SpinKick" Lawton vs. Tyler (1v1 Wildcard)
The crowd gathered fast, clustering around the Alpha 3 cabinet, some climbing onto stools for a better view.
Marcus was all calm confidence—tight jeans, Ryu T-shirt, focused eyes.
Tyler, wearing a Mortal Kombat hoodie, seemed out of place at first. He had come for tag matches. But after a surprise series of wins in Alpha 3, he'd claimed his spot in the finals.
They shook hands before sitting down.
Then… ROUND ONE – FIGHT.
Marcus went with his signature Ryu, a character he knew like muscle memory. Every move was tight, every block deliberate. His gameplay was patient, reactive, surgical.
Tyler, however, chose Karin—fast, aggressive, unpredictable. He didn't wait—he chased Marcus down like a storm, using corner pressure and mixups to put the veteran on the back foot.
The first match was Tyler's.
The second? Marcus made a comeback—flawless execution of punishing combos, timed counters, a super finish that made the crowd erupt.
The final match came down to pixels of health. The timer ticked. Sweat dripped from foreheads.
Tyler landed one more juggle.
K.O.
"TYLER WINS!" the machine blared.
The crowd exploded. Marcus stood, nodding with a wry smile. "Good fight."
They shook hands again—this time with mutual respect.
[Final Result: Tyler – Alpha 3 Champion]
Ethan clapped along, a smile on his face as James jotted down the win.
But already, the next crowd was forming.
🩰 Dance Dance Revolution MAX2 – Grand Finals
Kaylee "ArcadeQueen" Morales vs. "Disco Dan"
If Alpha 3 was a mental chess match, this was a full-body spectacle.
Kaylee had been the favorite all day, her form precise, her rhythm perfect.
But Disco Dan—an older guy in bell-bottoms and sunglasses—had come out of nowhere. He didn't move with the same intensity, but his style and timing were mesmerizing. He danced like a pro, like a showman.
The finals would be a best of two—two tracks, average score wins.
First song: Brilliant2U – a moderate track. Dan dazzled with spins and flair. Kaylee focused on form and accuracy. She edged him out—barely.
Second song: Max 300.
The crowd stepped back. This was the boss level.
Dan gave a bow. "You got me on the basics. But now I dance for survival."
They stepped on the pads.
The music hit.
And they moved.
Kaylee was faster than the arrows—her legs blurring, her arms tucked tight, her footwork clinical.
Dan… struggled.
His rhythm faltered halfway through. He caught up briefly—but stumbled again.
The crowd still cheered. He finished with a flourish, laughing. "That one's all you, queen."
SCORE: KAYLEE WINS
She let out a relieved breath, sweat glistening, and offered a fist bump. Dan returned it with a grin.
[Final Result: Kaylee – DDR Champion]
Amanda leaned in to Ethan. "She's getting that poster. And she deserves it."
"Agreed," Ethan said, checking the next match.
Time Crisis II was up next. He turned—only to see James waving frantically from across the arcade.
Something was wrong.
🚨 Emergency Repair – Time Crisis II
Trevor met Ethan halfway. "The Time Crisis cab is freaking out. Right light gun won't register. It's been through like 80 rounds today."
Ethan cursed under his breath.
Of all the machines to fail now, Time Crisis II was the one he couldn't afford to lose.
He sprinted over, dropped to one knee, and popped the cabinet open while the crowd gave the space a wide berth.
[Maintenance Intuition Active]
Light gun tracking sensor overloaded from extended use.
Recommended fix: Cool sensor + recalibrate wiring.
He grabbed a can of compressed air, blew out the dust, and pulled the sensor board free. The wire harness had loosened under the heat—he tightened the connection, secured the wiring, and did a fast recalibration with the internal service menu.
Reboot.
The screen flared. The targeting reticle flicked to life—centered. Clean.
Ethan exhaled.
[Emergency Fix Complete – +10 XP | Repair Skill Progress: 34% to Level 8]
He stood up, brushing off his hands, and gave a thumbs up to Amanda.
"Alright!" he called. "Let's bring out our shooters!"
🎯 Time Crisis II – Grand Finals
Old Man Rick vs. Alex (Kaylee's younger brother)
The contrast was wild.
Rick, stoic as ever, wore his bomber jacket zipped halfway, sunglasses still on.
Alex, barely 14, adjusted the light gun awkwardly, eyes wide but determined.
The rules were clear: solo run, fastest time wins.
Rick went first.
He moved like clockwork. No wasted motion. Cover, shoot, reload, repeat. He played like he was remembering something. The screen filled with headshots and flawless dodges.
He cleared the run in 4 minutes, 51 seconds.
Then came Alex.
No finesse—but lightning-fast reflexes. His aim was jittery but effective, spraying targets with panic accuracy that somehow worked. His reload timing was fast, but he missed one sequence, costing precious seconds.
He finished in 5 minutes, 12 seconds.
Rick didn't gloat. He simply nodded.
"Not bad, kid. You'll beat me in a year."
[Final Result: Rick – Time Crisis II Champion]
Ethan couldn't help but smile.
This? This was what he wanted. Not just winners—but respect. Community. Connection.
But there was still one match left.
The main event.
💀 Mortal Kombat II – Tag Team Finals
Tyler & Nico vs. Marcus & Jun
The crowd gathered tight. This was the most brutal, chaotic bracket all day. Fist bumps turned into rivalries. Shouts of "Get over here!" had echoed all afternoon.
Marcus had returned with Jun, his longtime friend. Tyler and Nico had burned through the bracket, surprising everyone with their synergy.
Best of five rounds, switch-off between teammates after each KO.
Jun led with Liu Kang. Tyler opened with Raiden. Their first match was a brawl, ending with a clutch teleport combo from Tyler that brought the crowd roaring.
Marcus came in next with Scorpion—and annihilated Nico. Clean, efficient, brutal.
1–1.
Tyler returned and took out Jun, then Nico squeaked past Marcus with a single roundhouse kick at the last second.
3–1.
Match point.
The final round: Tyler vs. Marcus. A rematch from Alpha 3. The stakes higher. No more smiles.
Fight.
Scorpion and Raiden went back and forth—fireballs, uppercuts, blocked fatalities.
The crowd held its breath.
And then—Tyler nailed a teleport punch. Followed by an uppercut.
FINISH HIM.
He hesitated—then tapped in the simple three-button combo.
Raiden's Fatality. Thunderstorm.
VICTORY.
The crowd exploded.
[Final Result: Tyler & Nico – MKII Tag Champions]
Tyler stood, flushed and breathing hard, hands trembling.
Marcus grinned, offering a handshake.
"That was beautiful, kid."
Aftermath
As the noise died down, Ethan stepped forward with the mic.
"That… was one hell of a tournament."
Applause echoed, full and genuine.
"Four champions," he continued. "But the real victory? This place—our community—came alive again today."
He called each winner forward, handing them their framed vintage posters, now wrapped in protective sleeves.
Kaylee held her DDR flyer like it was a trophy.
Rick chuckled at the Time Crisis poster.
Tyler stood in stunned silence, holding two.
As the crowd thinned and the arcade began to quiet, Ethan sat behind the counter, exhausted but glowing.
He had done it.
Level Up Arcade wasn't just back.
It was legendary.