High Score! [video/action]

[howsitgoindude]

[Soos appears in the middle of the frame, smiling broadly at the camera.]

Uh, hi everybody. So, uh, I know Ms. O'Hara just opened her bowling alley and all, so this isn't-- like, there's no party or anything, but uh. A couple events ago, I sorta made a mini-arcade and I thought, like. Why not go big-mini. Or. Y'know, regular-sized.

[This isn't making sense.]

Uh, hang on, I'll just show you.

[Soos steps forward, grabbing the camera and turning so it faces the way he's going. He goes through a door and the camera adjusts to the sudden change in lighting. Where the hallway where he started the video was bright, in here there's a mix of darkness and bright neon. Everything is blacklit, and everything is loud. Ringing bells, electronic beeps and boops, voices beckoning you to ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE. Soos pans the camera, showing off all the machines and screens. And then he sets the camera up again and grins at it, giving two thumbs up.]

I call it LazArcaaaaaade! [He pulls two air horns out of seemingly nowhere and blows them in a suitably cool fashion.] Heh-heh. There's every game you've ever wanted to play, all kinds of prizes you can use the tickets on, and in the back? A laser tag arenaaaaaaa!

[Soos raises the roof. While blowing the air horns some more.]

So yeah! Uh, come and hang out, y'know? It'll be fun!

[He waves and reaches out to turn the camera off.]




---

[Soos is "working", which mostly means hanging out and playing whatever games he wants. He's pretty sure if he doesn't end up working at the Shack forever, running an arcade would be a nice second choice. The second he spots a new person, he waves and heads over, eager to show them to the game of their dreams.]

Hey! What're you into? Fighting games? Shooters? Racing? I got 'em all, dude. Let me point you in the right direction.

Comments

video;

[powerofmabel]

Oh my gosh. Wonderland's finally becoming a place where dreams come true, instead of just where they go to die.

[video forever]

[howsitgoindude]

Uh, yeah! Heheh, yeesh though. I know this place can be tough and video games are objectively the best, but when you put it like that it sounds like even the smallest nice thing is a huge deal around here.

[powerofmabel]

It's so true. Usually we're just drinking hot chocolate and eating ice cream and waiting for someone to have a movie night or throw a pool party, but now the fun is eternal.

Video

[teamfun]

[Between this and the bowling alley, things are looking pretty damn sweet in Wonderland right now. ]

Soos! You're a god among men, truly. This is awesome!

[video forever]

[howsitgoindude]

High praise, my dude! I'm glad you're still excited. I wasn't sure how different you were during that event.

[teamfun]

Hells yes, I'm excited! And I was still me for that Event. Wonderland passed me by on that one.

[Something he's grateful for. He's not ready for the whole mansion to learn exactly what he regrets the most. ]

Doooes that mean you were effected during that mess?

Video

[shslliar]

[Yes... YES!!]

YES! I knew that arcade was a fun idea! Way to make it bigger and better, pal!

[video forever]

[howsitgoindude]

It is definitely a lot less sad than last time!

[As is Soos himself, though he's trying not to think too hard about that.]

[shslliar]

[Yeah, thanks for giving him a reference.]

Sure is! Your work really shines when it's not bogged down by dumb events, huh? What kinda games you got in there?

Video

[charlastan]

Soos, you built an economy!

[STAN IS STUNNED. IT TOOK HIM YEARS TO DO THAT. Why didn't he think of an arcade?!

...Oh, right. Because he hates teenagers and children that aren't related to him.]

[video forever]

[howsitgoindude]

[Soos's eyes go crazy wide.]

I-- I did? Uh. How'd I do that, exactly?

[video forever]

[charlastan]

Just think of the tickets like money! People come in, they play the games, and they earn somethin' they can buy stuff with! Sure, it ain't perfect since you don't get anythin' out of it, but still! It's an economy!

[HE'S SO WEIRDLY PROUD.]

[howsitgoindude]

Oh, huh! Yeah, I guess that's true.

[Huh!!!!]

...What do I do with it? I never really paid attention to that class in high school.

[charlastan]

What do you do with it? You do whatever you want with it! When you're the one controlling the entire economy, you make all the rules!

[It's an alarming amount of power that should probably never be in Stan's hands.]

[howsitgoindude]

So...I could buy more video games?

[That's pretty small, though. Mr. Pines likes to go big, so if he's saying "whatever you want"...]

Wait, no. I could buy the Shack! Or, well. The Room! And then I could put you in charge as Mr. Mystery!

[Yes! It's all he's wanted! Mostly!]

[charlastan]

[Sometimes it is an actual struggle not to take advantage of Soos.]

So, lemme get this straight. You're telling me you'd actually pay me to keep doing everything I'm already doing?

[howsitgoindude]

Well, yeah. You're really good at it!

[And people should get paid for doing a good job.]

[charlastan]

I mean, I gotta say it's a good offer. But I'm gonna have to turn you down. If I did that, you'd be my boss, and you know what's better than anything? Being your own boss! No one can tell you what to do or how to run your business! You can charge whatever you want and commit all the tax fraud you feel like and best of all, you get to make all the rules! Even the stupid ones!

[Making stupid rules for no reason is a great way to assert your authority as Boss!]

[howsitgoindude]

Huh, I guess that's true. Still, I thought you'd like being in charge of the whole economy.

[Shrug.]

Oh well! I'll figure it out. I can always get more tickets and prizes out of the closet, anyhow.

[charlastan]

Oh, sure. I'll love it once it's my hostile takeover of all the neighboring businesses!

[THAT'S NOT SINISTER AT ALL.]

Eh, the best thing you can do's learn on the go. That's how I got my start! By jumping in feet first and making a whole lot of bad decisions along the way!

[howsitgoindude]

I suppose that's all I can do. It's not like I know anybody who could mentor me on running a business, after all.

[He says, completely sincerely.]

[charlastan]

Yeah...I can't believe you don't know anyone here with oh, I dunno, thirty years experience who would be willing to teach you a thing or two. You sure you can't think of anyone

[HINT HINT. HINT HINT.]

[howsitgoindude]

Uhhh. I mean, I haven't met many folks, yet. That's kinda why I made the arcade!

[charlastan]

Soos. Soos, think real hard. You don't know anyone who fits the bill? Really?

[howsitgoindude]

Huh, well. It'd have to be someone really old to have 30 years of experience. And it looks like a lot of folks here aren't even 30 yet. This is gonna be a toooooghie.

[charlastan]

Yes, Soos! If only there was literally only one old man here to help you!

[SOOS GOD DAMN IT.]

[howsitgoindude]

[???? Why is Mr. Pines so--]

OH.

Mr. Pines! You could teach me to do businessy stuff! Like an apprentice or whatever!

[charlastan]

[Stan gasps, pretending like this is a surprise after he laid it on so thick.]

Who me? I guess I could teach you a thing or two, show you the ol' business ropes!

[howsitgoindude]

Yeah! I'm so ready for all these ropes!

[He's...pretty sure these are metaphorical ropes but he wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Pines involves real ropes somehow.]

[charlastan]

Oh, there are going to be so many ropes, Soos! With every vaguely business-sounding knot I can think of!

[The metaphor is slipping farther away from him each second, but oh well.]

[howsitgoindude]

Does this mean I'll work at the arcade full time? Like a promotion, kinda?

[Oh man, he hasn't gotten a promotion in ten years!]

[charlastan]

Nope! It means you're gonna work there and you're gonna work at the Mystery Room, so you can watch a master businessman and learn from the best - me! It's a double promotion because you're working twice as many jobs.

[And that way, Stan doesn't lose one of the only remaining bits of help he has at his own business venture! Everyone wins!]

[howsitgoindude]

That...makes sense! Wow, I'm really moving up in the world.

[Now if only Stan would say he's proud of him. Then he'd have everything.]

[charlastan]

You sure are, Soos.

[That's close enough to pride, right?]

Action

[like247]

[Of course she's totally going to stop by. Mostly to win a prize. Or try and snag one maybe. Who knows.

Grinning when she sees Soos, loving how excited he is by it.]

Totally here to win all the prizes.

[She's started a collection in Wonderland, after all.]

[action forever]

[howsitgoindude]

[Soos grins back and throws a hand up for a high five.]

Nice! It wouldn't be right if you didn't walk away with your weight in stuffed animals that smell like a glue factory.

[He points at a crane machine.] That one's got a reject Ducktective plushie with a leg that I think was supposed to go on some kinda lizard.

[like247]

[Definite high five!]

Dude, that will be awesome, and I love it. I have a collection because there was a space station once with toys, and a carnival too.

[But then, he mentions Ducktective.]

We're totally doing a movie with Ductective and a zombie sidekick.

video

[krmvgivv]

Soos, you're a genius!

[Dipper bounces in place, eyes wide.]

You got Tiger-Fist: the Game?

voice;

[truefriendship]

Let me guess: they all depend on you having hands to play them.

[Don't mind the cranky pony.]

video;

[thisismadfreaky]

Aaaand I've just found the newest place I'll spend my time when my projects are giving me issues. [Because they do, from time to time, problems arise in making gadgets and sometimes, a step away from it for awhile can bring a fresh look on things. Cisco sounds truly, wholly pleased about this new venue in Wonderland. An arcade? How was there not already one here, to be honest.]