Project Mage

"By the way, Risebelle," Angie began, "I saw you talking to that Harty guy from the chess club. I don’t normally see you two together outside of that and you looked kind of like you were talking serious business. What's up with that? Is he your boyfriend?"

Risebelle raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by Angie's directness. "Oh, no, no! Nothing like that. We're working on something important together. It's related to a situation Jess is in."

Angie's frustration deepened and she let out a big sigh. "Jess the troublemaker again? Seriously, Risebelle, you're way too involved in her drama. Bitch always causing trouble and it always affects you too."

Risebelle frowned, "Angie, Jess is my friend and she's in trouble. I can't just ignore that. Besides, she’s not as bad as she looks you know…actually I take that back."

Angie crossed her arms and looked away, her irritation evident. "I just don't get why you're always so willing to help her out when you know she’s shit. It's like you're her personal savior or something."

Risebelle sighed, realizing that Angie had strong feelings about the situation. "Look, Angie, I know you might not understand, but helping friends in need is important to me. I hope you can respect that."

Angie let out a big huff, clearly not satisfied with Risebelle's explanation. She continued to play her game, a scowl on her face. She muttered under her breath, "Friends in need, huh? More like friends causing trouble. Angie’s just like a succubus in a game trying to seduce you into doing her bidding. If I was you, I would ditch her before she ruins your reputation." Risebelle didn't press the issue any further but she gained an idea.

"Speaking of Jess, do you remember her ex-boyfriend, you know, the one she used to game with a lot? I haven't seen him around lately. Do you know where he's been hanging out?"

Angie glanced at Risebelle, her annoyance subsiding slightly while considering the question. "Yeah, I know that guy you're talking about. His name's Ryan. We used to be gaming buddies until... well, things changed."

Risebelle nodded, her interest piqued. "Changed how?"

Angie hesitated for a moment before explaining, "He started getting involved in some shady stuff like underground gaming tournaments where he competed for cash prizes and stuff but it was always risky stuff like his whole identity was on the line in one of those shitty tournaments. Can you believe that crap? I told him ‘I’m not into that’ and like, he kinda got super pissed at me so, you know? And I haven't really seen him since."

Risebelle furrowed her brow. "Shady stuff, you say? That might be related to what Jess is going through. Do you have any idea where he used to hang out, or who he might have been associated with?"

Angie shrugged. "Not really but you know, I’ve heard rumors about some of the places he used to game at. There's this run-down arcade on the outskirts of town where some of the underground gaming tournaments were happening. He might have been gaming down there."

"Thanks, Angie," Risebelle said, her tone appreciative. "I know it's not your usual crowd but your insights could be really helpful. If you happen to hear anything else about Ryan or the underground gaming scene, please let me know."

Angie let out a resigned sigh.

“Fine, I'll keep an ear out. But seriously, Risebelle, be careful. You're getting into some dangerous….DANGEROUS territory...”

Risebelle nodded, appreciating Angie's willingness to help despite her reservations. "I will, Angie. And I promise, I'll be cautious. We just want to make sure Jess is safe."

As an hour passed and Angie continued to play her game while waiting, her phone suddenly rang. She quickly answered it with an irritated look, not bothering to check the caller ID.

Angie shouted into the phone, “MOM WHAT THE HELL! You're so! Freakin! late! I've been gaming here for ages!"

On the other end of the call, Angie's mother sighed. "Angie, I'm sorry but I won't be able to pick you up today… I really hope you can--."

Angie turned to full rage, "Are you being serious right now?! You should have called earlier damnit! I would have started walking home if I knew you weren’t coming!"

Her mother remained apologetic, "I-I know, Angie. I'm really sorry about this. It's just one of those unexpected work emergencies. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. Can you take the bus or call a friend for a ride?"

Angie pouted. "Fiiinnnneee, I guess I'll figure something out...”

After exchanging a few more choice words with her mother, Angie ended the call while still being annoyed. She turned to Risebelle and grumbled, "Looks like I'll have to find another way home. My mom's stuck at work again. This day just keeps getting better and better..."

Risebelle offered a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry to hear that, Angie. If you need any help or if there's anything I can do, just let me know."

Angie waved with a dismissive gesture. "Nah, I'll manage. I'll probably just take the bus or something. Thanks, though."

Risebelle nodded, standing up from the bench. "Alright, Angie. I'll catch you later. If you need anything, just give me a call."

Once Risebelle started to walk away, Angie called out, "You're going back to meet with Harty and Jess in that Make-shift detective's room aren't you?"

Risebelle paused for a moment.

"How did you know about that, Angie?"

Angie rolled her eyes and folded her arms, her irritation replaced with a hint of amusement.

"Come on, Risebelle. You're not exactly subtle when it comes to your friends in need. Plus, you were asking about Jess’s Ex. I've heard some rumors about that shady guy. You're up to something, and I figured it had to do with Harty and Jess."

Risebelle chuckled, realizing that Angie had a knack for putting the pieces together. "You're smarter than you look." she accidently blurts out.

Angie’s eyes grew big at Risebelle's comment and her mouth swung open. She suddenly swung her arm, landing an unexpected slap on Risebelle's shoulder with a temporary surge of raging fire in her eyes.

Risebelle winced at the unexpected slap, rubbing her shoulder, "Okay, I deserved that one. Sorry, Angie."

Angie's cheeks turned a reddish color. She averted her gaze from Risebelle and fidgeted her hands together. "You get weird at the worst of times, you know that Risebelle?”

Risebelle chuckled, "Sorry about that, Angie."

Angie cleared her throat. "Yeah, you better be. Now go do your detective thing with Harty and Jess. I'll see you around."

Risebelle waved goodbye to Angie and went to meet with Harty and Jess, her thoughts filled with the mysteries and challenges that lay ahead.

As Risebelle joined Harty and Jess in their makeshift detective's room, she could sense the tension in the air. Harty had his notes and evidence spread out on the desk, while Jess appeared anxious, her fingers nervously tapping on the tabletop.

Harty looked up at Risebelle with a hint of bitterness in his tone. "I've been trying to dig deeper but I haven't found anything more than what we already had...”

Jess sighed. "I asked around too but people are being really tight-lipped about it. All I got was vague mention of a few gaming joints. Nothing specific."

Risebelle nodded, deciding that this was the right moment to share her own findings. "Actually, Jess, I think I might have something that could help. Angie mentioned that Ryan used to hang out at some gaming Arcade. It might be the same location where this meeting is supposed to happen."Harty perked up, his curiosity piqued. "Ahhh? That could be a lead."

Jess's eyes widened with realization and she perked up. “Yes! That could be it! Do you know the name of what we’re looking for?"

Risebelle stopped for a moment before answering, "I don't know the name but maybe if you combine this information with what you know from your contacts, it could lead us to the right area."

Harty was quick to support the idea. "That's a good point, Risebelle. Jess, anything you can remember about the name or location could be crucial."

Jess closed her eyes, deep in thought, trying to recall any details that might help. After a moment, she opened her eyes and spoke, "I remember hearing the name 'Silver Star Arcade' in some of the conversations. It might not be the official name but it's a start."

Risebelle nodded in agreement. "Silver Star Arcade. That's something we can work with. Let's focus on that and see if we can find more information about its location and any connections to tonight's meeting."

Jess's memory jogged by the mention of the Silver Star Arcade, she furrowed her brow in concentration trying to recall her past experiences there. She leaned forward with distant eyes while she spoke, "You know, now that I think about it, I've been there before. It was a while back when Ryan and I were still together. We went there for a date but that’s also when something strange happened."

Risebelle and Harty leaned in closer, their interest piqued by Jess's revelation. "What happened, Jess?" Risebelle asked curiously.

Jess continued her recollection with unease. "We were playing games and having fun but then Ryan suddenly disappeared. He left me at the center of the joint without saying a word. I waited for what felt like hours and when he finally came back he had a bunch of coins with him."

Harty furrowed his brow, processing the information. “Coins? That's definitely strange. It's possible that he was involved in something related to this old area even back then. Jess, did he ever tell you where he went or why he had those coins?"

Jess shook her head. "No, he never told me. He brushed it off as a surprise and said we could keep playing but I dunno, it felt like he was hiding something. After that day, our relationship started falling apart. Then we eventually broke up."

Risebelle exchanged a knowing glance with Harty, realizing that this piece of the puzzle might be crucial in their investigation. "So, Jess, you're saying that this could be connected to whatever trouble Ryan got himself into. It's definitely worth checking out."

Jess nodded in agreement. "Exactly. If there's any chance that this meeting tonight is related, we need to find out more. Maybe there's a connection we're missing."

With the location of the Silver Star Arcade now firmly in their minds, Risebelle, Jess and Harty wasted no time in getting to investigate the gaming center.

Once they approached the building, it became clear that it was just as they said: a run-down and slightly neglected establishment. The neon sign above the entrance flickered sporadically and the exterior had seen better days. Despite its somewhat shabby appearance, it seemed to have a nostalgic charm that drew in visitors.

Risebelle, Jess and Harty entered the Silver Star Arcade. The first thing that struck them was the surprisingly large crowd inside. The insidewas buzzing with activity and the sound of various games, from classic pinball machines to modern digital consoles filled the air.

Despite the run-down exterior, the interior seemed to be thriving with life and energy. Rows of gaming cabinets were occupied by enthusiastic players who were very competitive.

Risebelle couldn't help but wonder aloud, "Why is this place so crowded? Something as low quality as this shouldn’t really attract such a large crowd, should it?."

Harty glanced around in curiousity. "It's odd when you really think about it. Maybe there's more to this case than meets the eye. Look out for any suspicious things your eyes can see guys."

Jess, however, was more focused on the screen themselves. Her eyes lit up with excitement. She spotted a classic fighting simulator that she used to enjoy playing with Ryan. ‘Rage of the streets 2’. Jess moves her hands out reaching for the game before Risebelle slapped it away.

"Hey, guys, let's not forget why we're here. We need to find any clues or information related to this meeting."

Risebelle's eyes suddenly widened. She gasped in surprise once she saw something out of place. “What the f...”