Cinema City

Lights flashed. Music blared. Even though it was the early morning, the sky became pitch black and dotted with yellow stars as they approached the gate. The second they walked past, an aroma of pop-corn and vain ambition washed over them that wouldn’t leave until they left.

Rides were like fireworks, making shooting stars in the blackness. A large club overlooked the whole city. There were theaters- more than a community would usually have- but most of the attractions were museums and other informative monuments. Almost all the buildings were surprisingly dark on the outside, so that the lights from inside could pass through their windows and contrast the false night, alongside the neon of their signs and plenty of light fixtures in the ground so that you wouldn’t lose your footing in the disorienting urban dreamscape.

Whoever you were, being in this place made you feel like a star. Unless you lived there, probably.

“I could get used to this one!” Katie exclaimed, shaking off a good chunk of her fatigue, or at least pretending to.

“Kinda preferred the trees…” Frankie blinked hard, adjusting to the stark setting.

She was ready to get this over with. But the two of them didn’t know how perfect their timing had been in arriving here. The well-dressed employees appeared to the sides and behind them the second they entered the town square, a simple circular area with some kind of podium set up in the middle. It appeared to be a very recent edition.

“Hey! What are you-“

Frankie didn't have long before her question was answered, the girls ushered in by staff to be the first ones in line. A crowd soon formed around them, as she rose up to take her place on the podium.

In a bizarre garment of film reels, the red-lipped MASCOT smiled upon her first challengers. The only thing more expensive than her dress was the complex robotics running inside her. She looked almost too intense to be beautiful- her ancient-styled blonde hairdo and the fear-inducing grin she struck made her a unique character, to be sure- but she managed.

The employees stood at either side of her, issuing directions to the crowd.

“No bet on your end is required to challenge Mira for her prize of 300 Moon Tokens!”

Frankie swallowed hard, a little frightened at her own luck. Once again, it was a double-edged blessing. She had the first shot to collect the jackpot she came here for. A chance that, if taken advantage of, would let her do whatever she wanted with the rest of the day. The catch being she wouldn’t have a clue what kind of game the MASCOT would be challenging her to. Katie got herself hyped for the encounter, trying not to think of any of this.

“The only prerequisite is a fee of $899.99!”

The young sister just groaned. No escape from greed.