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You stepped through automatic doors, greeted by a cool breeze of air and a set of screens displaying a different fast-paced game in each monitor. Two elevators and a staircase were on your left, while an open entrance into the shop itself was on the right.
Many customers looked impressed, admiring the games on the screens, while others headed up to the dueling decks upstairs. It seemed that they were here for a very specific purpose — you just wanted some time to browse and explore.
It wasn’t quite what you expected. When you heard a new game shop opened up in town, you were hoping for something a bit more classic, but this was plain fancy. It wasn’t that you weren’t open-minded, but there was something you loved about those rustic Mom-and-Pop shops. You wanted to support local businesses as much as you could.
You veered right. It smelled of a new nostalgia, kind of like how you could put a fresh modern twist on tried and true favorites, like lasagna or mac ‘n cheese. The shelves were lined with a wide variety of games, boxes of pawns, packages of cards, selections of die. It was a pleasant place to be.
As you searched through the shelves for something that interested you, you kept an ear open to the gleeful conversations from the small crowd in the game shop. This was a good way of gathering suggestions and assessing opinions without actually engaging strangers. Several tables in the corner hosted the popular Duel Monsters card game, players utilizing the traditional method with nothing more than a flat surface and decks of cards. Other tables were dedicated to the new Dungeon Dice Monsters game, of which you knew little about.
“Can I help you?”
You turned around from your browsing, only to see that a young man had approached. For lack of a better word, he seemed the edgy type by the way he dressed. His wayward hair was tamed only by a ponytail and a diamond-patterned headband. His sleeveless red vest showed off his arms, golden rings around each of his biceps. He was lanky, standing with his arms crossed in a smug introduction. His left eye was marked with eyeliner, streaking down his cheek. He was either a gamer or a gambler, judging by the single dangling dice earring — you thought one seemed more likely, though both were possible.
“I’m just looking around,” you said. “But thank you.”
“Anything in particular you’re searching for?”
“Oh, I dabble a bit. I really just wanted to check out the new shop in town. The existing shop, Kame Game, is wonderful, but it’s nice to see that our local interest has begged for something new.”
“I’ve done some extensive research on Kame Game and why it’s so popular around here. Turns out it was the only shop for miles.”
“Well, I think it’s homey and nostalgic.”
“But it only services those who play Duel Monsters—”
“Which is the most popular modern card game in the world.”
“Correct!” he said, waving an index finger at you. “But why limit the possibilities? You could be exploring Dungeons & Dragons, PathFinder, WarHammer, Magic the Gathering, or the newest Dungeon Dice Monsters.”
“You sound like you have a preference,” you said, examining the character models and the extensive painting supplies available for purchase.
“I might. If you were to ask for my opinion, which I note you’re not, I would point you in the direction of Dungeon Dice Monsters — it’s my personal favorite and sure to not disappoint.”
“Hm.” You studied the prices, which were decent — actually a little lower cost than what you would have paid at Kame Game. “Not that I’m opposed to learning a new game, but usually these types of games are quite an investment. You’re going to have to sell me a bit more than that.”
He smirked, his green eyes gleaming in mischief. “How about I give you a demonstration? Then you and I can play a game — no purchase necessary! You can borrow my die this time.”
“And?” Based off of his tone, there seemed to be some sort of catch.
“And we’ll see if you like it.”
“And?”
“Hey, no pressure! If you don’t like it, it’s no problem. If you do, I’ll give you ten percent off any purchases you make today.”
“All right,” you said, thinking the terms were fair. “I’m just curious why you’d be offering me this promotion. It seems that there are plenty of people most interested than I am.” You tilted your head over toward the Dungeon Dice Monsters corner, where a small crowd of customers were making their selections.
“I’ve always been partial to the ladies,” he said with a wink.
He was being honest, at least. Most of the people here were boys and men, truth be told. You ran in a nerdy circle, friends with mostly guys. You liked how they were easier to understand and far less interested in gossip than the average high school girl.
But, flirtatious guys weren’t your favorite. When they said they liked ladies, they were usually interested in you — specifically, they were interested only in what you could give them, whether it was affirmation or attention or a relationship, no matter how brief. This one seemed no different, except he was keen on making a sale. His charming antics would not work on you, but you could leverage them.
“How about forty percent?” you asked, starting the haggling game.
“Forty percent? Wow, you’re a piece of work, aren’t you?” he said with a chuckle.
“You’re the one who says he’s partial to women. I’m just playing along.”
“All right. Twenty percent.”
“Thirty.”
“Twenty-five.”
“Thirty.”
“I’m not going higher than twenty-five.”
“Then you’re not making a sale. I know game shops generally have a forty percent markup on tabletop and board games. If you give me thirty percent, you’ll still have a ten percent profit margin, make me a happy customer, and I’ll do some marketing to the local community for you, especially if I like your Dungeon Dice Monsters game.”
“You drive a hard bargain,” he said. “I’ll give you thirty, but I want something in return.”
“What’s that?”
“If I win our impromptu duel, you let me take you out to dinner.”
“Coffee.”
“I’m not so sure I want to make this part negotiable.”
“What about ice cream? It’s a little more date-acceptable than coffee, but it’s not as committal as dinner. I’m saving us both a bit of potential awkwardness. There’s nothing worse than a silent dinner, especially if the waitstaff is slow.”
He smirked, his head tilting to the side as if he were studying you. The dice earring touched his shoulder. “How about you give me your name now, we do the ice cream after my shift is over, and if you’re not completely put-off by me, you let me take you out to dinner wherever you want?”
You laughed at how shameless he was. “All right. For thirty percent, I think that’s fair.”
“I’m Duke Devlin,” he said, offering his hand.
You shook it. “_____ _____.”
“All right, _____, if you would follow me, we can get you set up with some die and get started.”
It turned out that you actually enjoyed your game of Dungeon Dice Monsters. You liked the daring bravado, the chancy roll of the die, the familiar elements it shared with Duel Monsters — but most of all, you appreciated the banter between you and Duke.
Although he certainly was a flirtatious gamer, you liked him. He seemed genuine enough about his interest in you, and he was patient when explaining the rules of the game. Once you grasped the basics, he was competitive without being too forward. He made the match enjoyable.
As soon as you finished your game, which Duke conveniently won — you were close! — he walked you to the checkout counter. “Here’s the starter set,” he said. “Would you like any extensions to go with that?”
“Not right now. I think I still have a lot to learn before investing more in the game.”
“But this might be the only time you convince me to give you a forty percent discount.”
Ah, so he was still trying to make the sale. “Might? How about we have a rematch when I come back, and if I win, you extend the promotion?”
“Deal,” he said, swiping your selection and placing it in a bag for you. “Now, if you’re up for taking off to dinner right now, this one’s on the house.”
You rolled your eyes, feigning mock annoyance. Truthfully, you were impressed by how quick he was on his feet. “Fine, Duke. And you think I drive a hard bargain?”
“We’re on equal footing. I consider you a worthy opponent.”
“You certainly will next time we play.”
He grinned, giving you one of his charming smiles. “I’ll hold you to it, _____.”