Chapter Text
The sun was setting outside the Palace Arcade, as the group watched Max play dig dug like a true champion. She then moved on to other games, and showed her prowess and talent on other machines, surprising the boys further as they followed her around the arcade.
Lucas and Dustin were going estatic as she played. Dustin was constantly smiling, to the point that Mike made an off handed comment to the boys, that he was starting to wonder if he was forcing it in an attempt to show off his pearly teeth to any gamers passing by.
Will was off to the tail end of the group with Eleven. Will didn't want to stand out anymore than he already did these past couple years and so let Max and the boys enjoy the spotlight. He was the only one to notice Jane's awkwardness as she carefully poked and prodded buttons and joysticks seemingly very confused by the process.
Mike watched the latest game, Doom 2, intently as Max played, in an attempt to come up with better strategies and try to get as far as her next time. This was all much to Eleven's annoyance, and even more so Max caught Mike's hard gaze.
"Keep watching Stalker. You're learning from the best." Max smiled and Mike rolled his eyes.
"I think I can figure out for myself." Mike replied roughly.
Max raised an eyebrow and shrugged innocently. "I can teach you a few tricks if you want... In fact I know were the secret boss is located..."
Dustin and Lucas looked at eachother for a second, eyes lit up like christmas then looked to Max.
"The secret boss?" Lucas asked. "What secret boss?"
"Oh just a little something past the devil." Max replied nonchalant as she continued to play. "So you up for it Mike?"
Dustin and Lucas looked to Mike. "Come on Mike!"
Mike looked annoyed at first at the suggestion but then seemed to think it over. "I guess.. It wouldn't be.. So bad.."
Dustin grinned excited. "Tubular!"
Mike leaned in closer now even more interested. "Now what exactly is this secret?"
Will noticed Jane's death glare and suddenly Max's joystick made a hard turn left, landing her character straight into a beast.
"Eleven!" Max glared as the game over screen flashed. "That was my last life! What's your problem?"
Eleven continued to glare as she wiped at her nose. "Mouth breather."
Mike turned to Eleven. "Eleven! We talked about this..."
Jane turned and stomped off to a different row of arcade cabinets. Mike looked conflicted and took a few steps to follow but was stopped when Max grabbed his shirt and held him back.
"Oh no you don't. This is the fourth time this week, and you still keep bringing her! You owe me a dollar, now pay up!"
"I-I would do what she says Mike.." Dustin backed up warily.
Lucas nodded. "After she syringed her brother, I would stay on her good side if I were you."
"And I shouldn't stay on Elevens good side?!" Mike replied annoyed.
Dustin shook his head. "Oh please we all know Eleven like-likes you. She won't hurt you."
"But I need to-" Mike was cut off by Max's own glare and open palm. "Pay up Stalker!"
"Don't worry Mike." Will looked up at the group. "I'll talk to her."
"Thanks Will." Mike nodded as Will left him digging into his pockets trying to count change.
Will found Jane sitting on a stool poking buttons forcefully. When nothing happened she slammed her palms against the machine with a loud bang, making Will wince.
"Y-you need a quarter." Will informed as he cautiously stood beside her.
"Quarter..." Jane looked at the machine perplexed.
"Here. You can have mine." Will dug into his pockets and pulled a handful out. "I wasn't feeling up to playing anyway.." Will places a quarter into the slot and Jane looked up at him.
"Half Happy?" She asked.
"Half happy?.. Yeah.. Guess so.." Will replied forlorn. He should be happy the shadow monster was out of him right?.. But he just felt.. Empty now.. "You as well, huh?"
Jane looked to the machine and nodded. She was finally free of being stuck in the cabin. She was happy about that, but.. She just felt bad things a lot. Jealousy and anger boiling up from some where inside her. "Half happy."
Though to Will she sounded more angry then 'happy'. Will heard a chorus of frustration from the other game cabinets. He peered between the consoles and saw the boys were at it again. Watching anxiously as Max went through a corridor of demons.
Will looked back at Jane, who was watching the screen in front of her, peeved at the boys and trying to ignore their loud voices. Will attempted to distract her and pointed out buttons, trying to explain how the game worked.
"This is called Pac-man."
"Pack... Man?" Jane gave him a questioning look.
"Yeah, you eat the little dots and avoid the ghosts through the maze. The big dots let you eat the ghosts."
"Eat ghosts?"
"Yeah... They get sent back to their box. It's a bit odd isn't it?"
"Like Ghost Busters?"
"N-no- well.. Um-.. Uh.. Hmm.. I guess so? Except they don't eat ghosts."
Despite his best efforts at giving her advice in which directions to go in trying to avoid the ghosts, Jane seemed completely inept at gaming. Which was understandable being it was her first time, but When Jane died three times in a row Jane's gaming rage quit literally rage destroyed the machine.
Will watched as the machine sparked and the screen flickered to black. The back of the machine started to smoke and Will took Jane's hand, dragging her away in an attempt to escape before Keith noticed it was them. There was no way he had enough quarters to pay off a whole machine.
"How about a different game.. One that you'll.. be good at.." Will looked around warily as Jane looked back at the other boys and Max having fun without her. She squeezed Will's hand hard in jealousy. Will's eyes light up at skee ball as he took the lead.
"Here how about this one. It's called Skee ball. You just have to get the ball in the hole."
Jane tilted her head as she looked at the circles with a ramp. Wil put in a quarter and balls rolled down for them. Jane grabbed one and threw it at the thing.
"I.. I meant you're supposed to-" Will watched as Jane picked up more balls throwing them at the holes. "Roll them in.." Will whispered intimidated by Jane's determined face.
After several ball throws missed, Jane used her telepathy to perfectly shoot the rest in the biggest numbered hole. She ended on a score of six thousand, five hundred and eleven. Tickets fed out of the machine and Jane turned to Will. "Next game."
Will silently nodded and helped hold her tickets as they wandered the arcade. Jane stopped in front of a claw machine. Eyes transfixed on stuffed animals.
"Oh you want a toy?" Will looked into the machine, remembering the time his family had gone to a fair where his mother had won him his stuffed lion. It was shortly after his father had left and his mother was trying to soften the blow. She had saved up money from her job and was determined to give her boys a good time after everything. When she had saw Will's interest in the lion she played the machine multiple times to get it for him. That day was a good day.. Just another memory Will was grateful to have after loosing his memories to the shadow monster.
Jane looked to Will. "Yes." He nodded and put in six quarters. He then showed her how the joystick worked with the claw.
Jane got the claw over a cat and pressed the button. The claw descended over the animal and it's claws encased the animal, it lifted but the joints were weak. The animal barely budged.
Will frowned. "It's rigged."
Jane pointed at it with annoyance. "Liar?"
"Yeah, most claw games are scams from what I've seen. This happens all the time."
Jane glared at the machine and the stuffed animals floated. Will looked around frantically trying to make sure no one was watching. It was luckily nearing closing time as time had gotten away from them. The only others nearby were an adult with a girl. One by one Jane dropped multiple animals into the drop bin and grabbed an arm full. She shoved them into Wills arms and Will found himself caring an arm full of animals including a wolf, a lion, a raven and a goat. Jane, after another nose wipe, had her own arms full and walked off happily already looking for a next game.
Will tried to think of a game that wouldn't be as obvious if she used her powers. "How about pinball?"
Will watched as Jane concentrated on the ball. The subtle movements of her eyes and jerks of her head as she controlled the ball with her mind. Chimes and sounds kept erupting from the game as Jane kept racking up points. 'MULTI-BALL' the machine shouted and soon Will watched in wonder as Jane practiced focusing on them all at once. By the time Jane was struggling to focus on six balls at once, Jane began to faint. Will stood behind her quickly trying to soften the blow of her fall.
Will winced as he landed with a thud on the ground with Jane and the mass of plushies on top of him.
Jane's eyes fluttered, dazed and confused. Blood leaking bad from her nose.
Will sat up on his elbows and looked around for the group but didn't see them. He looked down at Jane and felt worried for her tired state. He looked up at the clock. It was nearly 12!? Where had the time gone?! Jane must have been playing the game for hours. No wonder she over stretched herself.
Jane's eyelids had closed and Will wondered if she was just going to fall asleep right there. He gently shook her arm to keep her awake.
"Mike?" She asked still dazed.
"He's probably home, we should get going." Will answered and wiped at her nose with his sleeve trying to help clean her up.
"Hey! What are you kids still doing here?!" Will looked up startled to find Keith, lollipop in mouth, and broom in hand, sweeping up. His eyes looked them up and down, noting Janes position on Will. "You better have kept it PG."
"Yeah, we're leaving.. Come on Jane." He helped her up and picked up their things as she leaned on him tired.
The two passed Keith and the door chimed as they exited the arcade. Frigid night air hitting their faces.
Mom was going to be freaking out- Oh wait, she's on a date with Hopper tonight right?.. Maybe they wont get in trouble..? He could hope.
The two walked on and they heard the door chime behind them, Will thought nothing of it, assuming Keith was leaving as well.
Will felt a cold chill as they went to the bike rack. He grabbed his back pack and stuffed their prizes inside, then knelt down to unchain his bike. He heard the crunch of footsteps and looked back to find Jane's eyes rolling back with a needle stuck into her by an adult and a hooded girl at his side. Will attempted to scream but soon found his vision go dark after the syringe's fluid was injected into him.