Please note: I do not play DDR in real life. My only attempt at it led to a broken ankle, which took 6 months to heal. :-) So if what I am writing doesn't jive with the game: Tough. :-) It's a story for a reason. For the two of you who are overtly offended, bugger off. The rest, enjoy.
Saintly
Genesis Club: Shift Shift Revolution
by Saintly
I got up to do my next song. I knew it was not really going to be great. I kept the challenge low. And didn't achieve for much. Stepping up onto the large metal frame, I steadied myself onto my dance pose and waited for the music to start. My large cargo pants hit my feet as I did a few warm up shuffles. My hooded sweatshirt bagged over my frame. I pulled the hood up, adjusted my ball cap. I got my mind into the rhythm and started to dance.
=-=
Got no money..
Talk to my dream..
Time after time I've tried to walk away.
Uh, uh, uh, and you don't break my heart.
Time after time I've tried to walk away.
Uh, uh, uh.
Time after time I've tried to walk away.
Uh, uh, uh, and you don't break my heart.
Time after time I've tried to walk away.
Uh, uh, uh.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Time after time I've tried to walk away.
Uh, uh, uh, and you don't break my heart.
Time after time I've tried to walk away.
Uh, uh, uh.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
=-=
That's how I felt all right. I passed onto the next round of the DDR competition, but it was not the all-knowing experience I was hoping for. I knew I lost her; and it hurt.
I've known Maiko personally since 12th grade, but I was hooked when I first saw her 4 years before. We entered the same high school from different middle schools, and from the first I saw her, I was a drooling idiot. "Yellow fever" one of my less tactful friends called it, so sure it was just her exotic looks - I'd never gotten personally close to an Asian girl before. But once we found our joint interest in Club Dancing, we were hooked. Especially when Vinny's arcade got hold of the hottest game on the planet: Dance Dance Revolution.
For the uninitiated, it's really simple. A large metal arcade game, a big screen, and 4 squares in a "t" shape. It plays music, you need to dance to it by hitting combinations of the "t" directions in rhythm with the music. Good players are dancers, bad players follow the screen. Maiko and I? We were dancers. We were unbeatable. Any doubles or couples meet, we ruled for several years.
I wasn't too bad looking - your typical Germanic-Irish second generation mutt, with a fiery red mane and deep eyes. She however, oh she was a vision. All the girls in the Japanese racing posters? Hags compared to her. She was petite, with gentle girlish curves and a bright smile, with unbelievably black straight hair that she'd had grown since she was 12, always made up in the latest fashions and never without a little hint of makeup.
Then came what always happens. I make some small mistake, I honestly don't know what it was. Then comes the yelling. Oh I really hate yelling. Then the walking out the door. We broke up. Now here I was - in a hard singles competition when, if I had been more careful at something, be ripping up the doubles.
The venue for the event was a new club. It's called the Genesis and it fit in perfectly with the game - loud, neon and shocking. When the game wasn't the focus, it had pulsing techno playing. Just piped stuff tonight, but they had live mixers some nights.
=-=
"Hey."
"Heya."
"Good show. That's not always an easy song."
"Look, I'd rather be alone."
"I know you... you use to double with that little Japanese girl, right?"
"Yeah, what do you care?"
"Your good. You also look like ya lost your best friend."
"I did."
"I see. Can I buy you a drink?"
"What kind?"
"They've got a great club specialty... the Genesis."
"I'll try it."
"Barkeep, two Genesis."
=-=
The drink before me was a garish pink. It was almost the same color of the handlebars of the DDR machine itself. The taste was odd... somewhere between artificial cotton candy flavor, cherry and almonds. It was warm and smooth going down.
=-=
"What's in it?"
"Who knows? Tastes good."
"Sometimes it's best not to know."
"You've got a lot on your mind. I'd like to know about it. But first, ask me anything. We'll be fair."
"Why buy me drinks? I really shouldn't drink, ya know, I do have a competition."
"Not for an hour. And beside, I'm a Genesis Person."
"A what?"
"A Genesis Person. It's our job to help find people who are hurting, and get them the help they need and want."
"How helpful."
"Yeah, well, it's kind of our job. We're kinda like Guardian Angels... but no wings. Too showy."
"Well, then what do you want to help me with."
"I think I got an idea. Enjoy."
=-=
I believe in miracles, infant.
I believe in you.
I believe in miracles, baby.
I believe in you.
They say the day is ending.
Let's watch the sun go down
And plan a holiday for two.
For all eternity
I'm gonna count till you can see
the world I created just for you.
Oh, I saw you standing on the street.
I wanted to meet you and stop for a while.
You gave me a smile when you said hello.
Now everything's so good inside.
Never realized that I didn't hide
the feeling that came when you felt the same.
I believe in miracles, I believe in miracles,
I believe in miracles, don't you?
Lalalalalalalalalala... Lalalalalalalalalala...
Lalalalalalalalalala...
I believe in miracles, I believe in miracles,
I believe in miracles, don't you?
In miracles, in miracles, in miracles...
=-=
Things felt funny while dancing. I felt limber and did some moves I'd never done before. I moved quickly, faster then I usually do. But the rhythm was still there.
The crowd applauded as I walked off... high score for the round. Two more to go, but on the other side of the bracketing was a guy from out west. The west coast dancers are always good, not always better, but almost always good.
There she was again.
=-=
"Good set."
"Talent."
"YouŐre going to win."
"I donno, that guy, he's great, and you know how those west coast dancers are."
"Well, I think you will. By the by, I know what you wanted."
"Seeing as how I'm still a lil woozy, go ahead."
"Your girlfriend. You never really loved having the girl there. You wanted something silently."
"What?"
"To be her."
"Mmm... jees that's on target."
"The pretty clothes, the trendy look, even the long straight black hair. You were looking for your little fix of that through her. The thing you did, to cause her to get so angry? You wanted her to stop her from getting her hair cut off."
"Ya.. I think that could been it."
"It was."
"So what does your information, which I'm not sure where you got it, do for me?"
"Don't worry."
=-=
Ay, iyaiyai,
Ay, iyaiyai
A-a-a iyaiyai,
Where's my samurai
I've been searching for a man
All across Japan
Just to find, to find my samurai
Someone who is strong
But still a little shy
Yes I need, I need my samurai
Ay, ay, ay,
I'm your little butterfly
Green, black and blue,
Make the colours in the sky
Ay, ay, ay, I'm your little butterfly
Green, black and blue,
Make the colours in the sky
I've been searching in the woods
And high upon the hills
Just to find, to find my samurai
Someone who won't regret
To keep me in his net
Yes I need, I need my samurai
Ay, ay, ay,
I'm your little butterfly
Green, black and blue,
Make the colours in the sky
Ay, ay, ay, I'm your little butterfly
Green, black and blue,
Make the colours in the sky
Ay, iyaiyai,
Ay, iyaiyai
A-a-a iyaiyai,
Where's my samurai
Ay, iyaiyai,
Ay, iyaiyai
A-a-a iyaiyai,
Where's my samurai
=-=
I got off the dance pad, and yes, it was almost flawless. I was facing the west coaster in a final dance off. I also knew what she meant. I felt my body changing. I was much shorter, a solid 5" off of my previous 5' 10" frame. My skin was darkening slightly, changing in hue. I realize what she said. I was almost putting my own desire on Maiko. I wanted it. I knew, however, I never could be it. But... it appeared like I was going to be it... I was slowly changing into an Asian woman... and I loved it.
No one in the club seemed to notice the formerly taller and formerly Caucasian young woman (not girl, it occurred to me) before them as anything else. My nametag, about 10 minutes before the final show down had changed. It said "Megumi", all my other data was similarly changed, though I didnŐt change age, just body type apparently. I loved my name; it was like one of my favorite singers. And my clothes - they also changed. the pants fused into a skirt, not too short (I was dancing) but it showed off beautiful legs. And my old kicks turned into a pair of soft sneakers, pink. And the sweatshirt molded into a smaller, more form fitting hoodie, which gave me only a vague notion of the new developing form under it. My hair grew out and yes! I had the long straight black hair I had dreamed of so often.
I didn't have much time before the final showdown now. I got myself ready. All my excitement didn't cloud my head too much. I was feeling so powerful, so brilliant and so ready, I barely heard the announcer call my new name. I had to get ready.
We stood on opposite dance pads. We had our songs chosen, and we got ready. My pink sneakers were worn in and comfy... just the kind of dance shoes I liked. I was all ready. He was derisive, but he didn't know what he was up against.
=-=
Boys, boys be my boy.
I wanna feel your body.
Boys, boys be my boy.
Tonight I'm ready honey.
Boys, boys be my boy.
I wanna be your lovergirl,
Be my loverboy.
Boys, boys be my boy.
I wanna feel your body.
Boys, boys be my boy.
Tonight I'm ready honey.
Boys, boys be my boy.
I wanna be your lovergirl,
Be my loverboy
Hot summertime always something on my mind,
a kind of magic in the air.
I'm on the road to a sunny paradise,
with crowded beaches everywhere.
I'm just a girl that's looking lots of fun.
It's time to get things started, so c'mon move your body.
Boys, boys be my boy.
I wanna feel your body.
Boys, boys be my boy.
Tonight I'm ready honey.
Boys, boys be my boy.
I wanna be your lovergirl,
Be my loverboy.
Boys, boys be my boy.
I wanna feel your body.
Boys, boys be my boy.
Tonight I'm ready honey.
Boys, boys be my boy.
I wanna be your lovergirl,
Be my loverboy.
=-=
I danced my heart out. The smaller frame made the quick motions I was now favoring much easier, and the freedom I was afforded in my new clothing was no hindrance either. He couldnŐt' keep up, and soon, he faltered. He couldn't keep up with my skills.
He congratulated, and I was embarrassed when he asked, "Where did you come from?"
I answered, "Heaven."
The prize was a 1000-dollar gift certificate for our mall. I figured it might come in handy, considering. When I went to my apartment, I found it changed too - there was quite a bit more feminine, and on my message machine, I had two messages.
=-=
"Megumi? It's Maiko... we've been ignoring each other too long, come on over to the Coffee Kat and we'll have a blast... a girl's night out sounds like a real time tonight. Call me if you can, bye!"
:beep:
"Megumi, I hope you like everything. I know it's a big change, but I am certain it's what you wanted."
:beep:
=-=
I curled up on my couch, holding onto a plush Batz Maru. I loved those Sanhiro characters even as a guy, and now it was socially acceptable too! I realized how I must almost look like a parody of Japanese womanhood, but for now, I'll indulge. There's plenty of time to be serious later. Beside, I didn't have anything going for me before, now at least, I had a friend.
Two weeks later, after getting back together with Maiko as friends rather then as a couple now, and forming a new Pairs DDR team, I went back to the Genesis Club, to thank them. I saw just a shattered store front, where a vibrant club was not long before.
I wasn't sure how to take it. Maybe they're magic. Maybe they are angels. But what ever they are, they made a new life. And for that, I'll always wish them well.
I walked back, with a little tune in my head.
=-=
Boys, boys be my boy.
I wanna feel your body.
Boys, boys be my boy.
Tonight I'm ready honey.
Boys, boys be my boy.
I wanna be your lovergirl,
Be my loverboy.
=-=
-fin
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