Chapter 21: A Vision Shared

They sat at the small round table near the front window of Level Up Arcade, sunlight streaming through the glass and casting soft patterns across the carpet.

Victor watched from a distance, leaning quietly against the Time Crisis II machine, arms folded. He didn't interfere—just observed, occasionally nodding as Carmen and Ethan began to talk.

The arcade's usual hum faded into the background.

This wasn't just a casual conversation.

This was something more.

The Conversation Begins

"I read your pitch," Carmen said, flipping through the copy Ethan had printed for her. "Impressive for someone learning everything on the fly. You've got natural instincts—especially in community engagement."

Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, sheepish. "A lot of it was just trial and error. Learning as I went."

"That's how the best businesses start," she replied. "But instincts only carry you so far. If you want to grow, you need systems. Process. Structure that can support the weight of expansion."

Ethan nodded slowly. "I know. That's why I wanted to meet with Victor. I've been thinking more long-term since the bank meeting."

"And you should," she said, setting the packet aside and leaning in slightly. "You've proven this arcade is viable—now the real work begins. Tell me—how are you handling daily operations right now?"

Ethan exhaled. "Uh… I open every morning. Handle walk-ins. Fix machines. Clean. Restock tokens. Check social media in the evenings. I track income manually and run nightly cleanups. I built an event planning template for future tournaments, but it's all on my laptop and notebook right now."

Carmen gave a small, amused smile. "So... everything?"

He laughed, because yeah—everything.

"Delegation," she said, tapping the table. "It's not about giving up control. It's about making sure your energy is going toward the things only you can do."

She pulled a notepad from her bag and drew three boxes in a triangle.

"Operations. Community. Strategy. You've been holding all three—impressively—but if you want to grow, you'll need to shift focus."

"To strategy?" Ethan asked.

She nodded. "Eventually. But even now, someone needs to think beyond next week. You're not just a tech. Or a host. You're the vision."

He sat quietly with that for a moment.

Then said, "So… where would I even start?"

Insight and Ideas

Carmen flipped the page.

"You need to build operational redundancy. For example: if a machine goes down, someone other than you should know what steps to take—who to call, how to swap it, or at least how to tag it for triage."

"Trevor's been helping more," Ethan said. "He's great with cables and basic stuff."

"Good. Train him. Give him real roles. Define responsibilities—even casually."

She pointed to the second box.

"Community. You've nailed this. But it needs consistency. Newsletter. Schedule. Maybe loyalty rewards."

Ethan perked up. "James has been talking about building a points-based system tied to the token machine."

"Perfect. That's scalable. Connect it to marketing—track what brings people back, not just what gets them in the door."

She moved to the final box.

"Strategy. This is you, Ethan. You're the only one who can look five steps ahead. Things like…"

She paused, then leaned forward slightly.

"Have you ever thought about franchising?"

He blinked. "Franchising?"

"Maybe not tomorrow," she said, "but in two years? Five? What if Level Up wasn't just a place—it was a brand. Pop-up events. Traveling tournaments. A network of connected community arcades. With the right foundation, this place could be a model."

Ethan stared at her, overwhelmed but intrigued.

"You really think that's possible?"

Carmen smiled. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

The Walkthrough

They stood and made their way across the arcade, Ethan guiding her from machine to machine, pointing out the repairs he'd done himself.

"This Galaga cabinet? Completely gutted when I got it. I had to salvage parts from three different boards."

"Rebuilt this pinball setup with Trevor. We didn't have proper legs at first, so we used furniture shims until I found replacements online."

He showed her the token dispenser he'd recalibrated, the spare CRTs in the back, his basic inventory system, and the framed posters from the Retro Showdown.

Carmen listened intently the entire time—nodding, asking sharp, practical questions, occasionally jotting something into her notebook.

Finally, they reached the front counter.

Ethan leaned on it, exhaling. "I know it's a mess. But I'm trying."

"It's not a mess," Carmen said. "It's real. You've built something that works. You've proven it has heart. Now it's about growing it responsibly."

He nodded. "That's the part I'm scared of."

"Good," she said. "It means you care."

A Surprising Offer

Victor stepped away from Time Crisis and joined them as Carmen tucked her notebook away.

"You've done well, Ethan," Victor said. "Better than most in your position. But now that you've bought yourself time, it's what you do with it that matters."

Carmen folded her arms and looked Ethan in the eye.

"Which is why I want to help."

Ethan blinked. "Wait. You mean—like... advice?"

"No," she said. "I mean officially. I've been looking to step away from high-level corporate work. Not to retire, but to do something meaningful. And this? This feels worth it."

She took a breath, then continued.

"I want to help you grow Level Up Arcade. Long-term. I'm not here for control—I've had enough of that world. But I know operations. I know scale. I know how to take something good and make it sustainable."

Ethan stared at her.

"I don't have… I mean, I can't afford to—"

"I'm not asking for a salary," she interrupted gently. "Not now. We'll work something out—part ownership, if it feels right. Or just an interim advisory role. But I'm offering this because I believe in what you've built."

Victor smiled, clearly not surprised. "Told you she was sharp."

Ethan swallowed. "I… I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll think about it," Carmen said. "This isn't a pressure pitch. It's an invitation. You've got something amazing here. I can help make sure it lasts."

He nodded, heart pounding.

"Yeah. I'll think about it."

She offered a hand again—same firm, steady grip.

And just like that, everything shifted again.