My name is Sylvester von Rouge, and long ago, I have this strange super power...

"Thanks a lot mister!" A young boy in front of me reached up. He isn't older than twelve, with a shaved head like Buddha. His nose is dripping snot down to his t-shirt, as he grinned at me with full teeth; without a care about his looks.

Fuckin' disgusting these kids are.

I made a wry smile at him.

"Sure, thing kiddo." I said to him. I hoped my satirical remark isn't all that obvious to him. But retarded kids like these... I'm pretty sure he won't notice a thing.

I handed over a gigantic, stuffed toy resembling a robot, which I feel is strangely similar to an old mecha-anime I once watched.

The young boy reached for the stuffed toy I held in both my arms, as he took it away with sheer glee.

Suddenly, three children approached me. It turns out they are all friends of the young boy.

"Mister! Me too!"

"I want one too!"

"Get one for me too please!"

These three children, friends with the young lad all said in unison.

"Alright, alright, you'll all have your turn!" I calmed them down. As they expressed an excited tone.

It didn't take long until I also grabbed the three, grand sized dolls for them in the claw machine.

Eventually, four of them, have dolls now. Each doll, all too big for their height.

"Thanks a lot mister! You're amazing!" All four of them thanked me.

"Sure, sure! Don't mention it!" I told them, waving with a gesture of my hand. They waved back as all four of them ran off never to be seen again.

This is the last time they'll appear on this short story. They've wasted my time well-enough, as I'm here for other important matters.

"Now, then..." I looked over to the claw machine on my right. "She wants the one with the pink frills, right...?" I pondered on my question.

And so, I head on over to the claw machine beside me, and took out a coin. The machine had all sorts of dolls ranging from your everyday cartoons for boys, and girls, and even some hand-woven characters fitting for both gender roles. It also has candy of various brands which I won't bother of trying to name which ones they are.

I dropped a coin in, and began to play on this battered claw machine, concentrating on grabbing the prize that I, so desire...

It didn't take long until I reached it, dropped the mechanical claw on this doll desired so much by somebody.

"Aaand... bingo...!"

Another successful grab.

I claimed my prize at the prize slot from the base of this particular machine. After quick inspection of this doll, I began to leave the scene casually with a rhythm like a leaf, falling and gliding without thought or worry across the air.

As I was leaving, I overheard a lovey-dovey couple in line expressing sheer disappointment.

"Aww... let's try again..."

"It's no use, machines like these are rigged... I'll just buy you something like it."

"You'll do that? That would be de—"

Their voices trailed off as I've made substantial distance from them.

Continuing where I left off—I have the power to get anything I want from a claw machine.

How did I find this out...? Well, it first started when I began cutting class out of sheer boredom. And it just so happens that I made my way to the town's open, local, public arcade.

After playing some games there, and losing badly to a bunch of delinquents on several fighting games, I was down on my last coin. Not wanting to spend another coin just to be sheerly bodied, I decided play on a claw machine.

And to my surprise, I won the grand prize in an instant... a giant Kagamine Len doll. Of course, no one bats an eye about this achievement of mine. Just who cares about a bloody machine, collecting dust at the corner, outside of the entrance, right?

I've played on this specific machine for several days whenever I'm on my last coin, and I've always won throughout.

That's when I began to suspect something odd about this machine... so I waited out other people who'd play on this.

But all the time, they've failed in grabbing any of the prizes.

And as I took my turn on playing... to my expectations, I was able to grab another prize for myself on this machine... a humongous KAITO doll.

And so, that's when I discovered about my peculiar super power.

Soon, I arrived in a park with a single bench. I looked around to find the person I anticipated to see, and it didn't take long until I saw her. She's just sitting on the bench in the park after all.

I went to see my beautiful girlfriend. She has long, straight, golden-brown hair, blue pupils, and lush, soft lips— what else can I say? She's perfect... the dream girl who everyone sought for at school.

We're both in our uniforms, cutting class out of boredom. Who needs to go through that nine hour pain in the ass routine anyway?

Crazy people... that's who.

"I got the doll you wanted." I said.

She is texting on her smartphone as I showed the doll to her. She didn't even bother to look at it. I felt that maybe... I shouldn't have tried showing her a sign of affection after all. I'm afraid I might scare her for, she said to me before she isn't used to all this relationship stuff yet.

I sat next to her. "Jen..." I called her. Not knowing what to talk to her about, I said. "So, who're you texting?" I glanced at her phone.

I got her attention at last. She looked at me with her eyes squinted and her brows furrowed. Her lips pursed in discontentment. She's irritated at my sudden call, as she withdrew the phone she held away from me. "Why do you care...?" She said.

I looked away from her phone immediately, locking into her eyes. "Nothing... nothing. I'm just curious. That's all..." I told her.

"Hmph." She said, with a flick of her head turning away from looking at me. She then, pocketed her phone. "So, what did you want from me?" She said.

I leaned the four kilogram weight doll closer for her to see.

"I got this for you... the doll you wanted" I said to her.

With an unimpressed look on her face, she said, "Oh, right... I told you to get it for me."

Afterwards, she took the doll from me with both arms. As she started to carry the massive hunk of cotton on her own; gravity did the work of almost making Jen fall forward to me. But she regained her posture immediately.

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"It's heavy..." She said, unimpressed.

Fearful of her reaction, I said. "But you told me to get it." I said.

"Yeah, I did... but I didn't expect you'll pick this up quickly." She said, bewildered with the giant doll she held.

Should this be a good time to tell her my party trick?

After a short pause of staring at the doll, I told her. "Well, actually, I—"

"Whatever." She interrupted. "I guess it's good enough."

"Uhm... yeah." I said. "I'm happy you like it." I smiled.

I expected her to say if she likes it too after that... but after more silent pauses, she said nothing.

The sun was starting to set.

"It's getting late, so... let's go home together... like usual." I said to her.

"Oh." She said. "Sorry, but I have somewhere to go."

"What do you mean...?" I asked her. This is a sudden change of schedule all of a sudden, nor did she tell me about.

"I mean, I have to go visit a friend." She cleared up.

I scratched the back of my head. "Then, let me come with you." I said.

"No. We can't today... sorry but, I'm going home alone."

"But what about the doll I got for you...?"

"Just... take it home for now, I'll get it tomorrow." She said, as she started to walk away from me, and bringing out her phone from her pocket.

"Uhm... then why not—" but before I could say anything else, she's already distances away. I let her go, sitting on the bench, like a loser.

Should I have chased after her like those guys in the movies and T.V Shows...? She didn't even wave a goodbye... I have no actual idea what to do.

"Well, fuck it, I guess." I said to myself, disappointed with what happened. Afterwards, I began walking home with a giant, stuffed toy in both arms.

The next day, Im sitting on the same bench of the park with my girlfriend... We are talking about a fun topic about birds.

"Yeah, and they'd fly away like this you see—" I acted in front of her.

"I see..." she said with the same unamused impression.

It didn't take long until once again, she glanced down on her phone.

"I'll be right back." She told me, as she smiled now. She must want to go to the rest room. Seeing her smile, must mean things are going smoothly after all.

I smiled back at her, and waved, like how most fools who're in love would be. She quickly left without looking back. She must really want to head to the rest room.

"What am I so worried about?" I said with a content smile.

And so, I waited... ten minutes... thirty minutes... until almost an hour has passed.

"What's taking her so long...?" Without knowing any better, I went to look for her. The closest place for the restroom should be the public arcade near the park.

I entered. It wasn't packed with people at all. After all, I just live in a small town. Most kids my age, would be at school at this hour. The lights are out, and the arcade place's manager is nowhere to be seen. Finding myself around this place proved to be easy... but I soon found myself regretting that.

I saw among those group of delinquent students, is my girlfriend. She seems content and happy being with them, leaning on another guy who is playing one of the fighting games in the arcade.

I felt confused on what was happening, but also felt hurt as I began to assume the worse.

"Hey!" I called out. The guy took only mere moments to notice me as I yelled an outstanding cry.

"Huh?"

"What are you doing with my girlfriend?" I told them.

"What? Jen, you know this guy?"

But I felt betrayed as she nodded her head in disapproval.

"What...? Jen, you're with me! Who're they and why're you with them?!"

But instead, she hid behind the guy instead of answering me.

Jen... just what's going on...?

As my thoughts processed the situation, I felt a strong force hit the side of my cheek. Shocked and dazed at the object that hit me, I instinctively pressed my hand firmly on my face, trying to ease the pain. I looked up to find the source that hit me.

It was the guy who Jen is with.

"Just who the hell are you, anyway? If you come here scaring my girl again, I'll beat you up..." Afterwards, he turned to Jen who was behind him. "Jen, do you really not know this guy?"

"N-No I've never seen him before in my life." She said, with a fearful look expressed on her face.

What...?

"Jen... what do you mean...? Just what's going on here...?" I said, with a shaky voice, as I sat up on the floor.

The guy looked back at me, but I looked back to Jen once again.

After which, she made a wry smile at me.

That's when I finally understood... she's double-crossed me.

I began to stand up. "Jen... you—!" I started to yell at her.

But before I could speak another word, the guy Jen is with struck another hard fist, this time on my stomach.

I ended up dropping on my knees with a loud slam on the floor. I couldn't speak at all, as my sights began to be blinded with the tears that began pouring out of my eyes.

"This guy is dangerous. Quick, let's beat him up!" He told his friends.

And so, each of the thugs jumped at me, and began to strike me down with their feet, and punches. I couldn't do shit, as I laid helpless on the ground, trying my best to protect my face.

It wasn't soon, until I blacked out...

I slowly opened my eyes and saw a black sky, with numerous stars. It's the middle of the night.

I was inside a trash can. My body is all bruised, my nose, broken with blood oozing out its nostrils, my eyes bloated... it hurts everywhere.

Those guys showed hardly any mercy with me... why did they even leave me alive...?

I couldn't speak my thoughts due to the amount of pain my mouth feels right now.

"Hey... So, you've woken up..." A feminine voice told me, with a gentle tone, not wanting to disturb my awakening.

I looked to the direction of the sound, but I couldn't find who it is anywhere.

"Up here..." She told me. As I looked up, I saw the starry, night sky.

"A... A Godd...ess...?" I said, with a weak, and croaked voice.

"Not quite... a little to your left." She told me.

And to my left, all I saw is a claw machine, illuminating a gentle, green light.

"Y-your name is Sylvester, right...?" The object  told me. I processed just what is going on right now, looking at this machine.

"I'm glad you're alright. Those bullies almost left you for dead." It told me. "You're so tough... just how many punches can you take anyway?"

All I could do was stare in awe at this machine. Maybe those guys hit me too hard and this was the result. It wasn't long until I snapped back to my senses.

"You're... you're a talking a claw machine..." I said in astonishment, with a weak, and raspy voice.

"Yes, but I suppose you've already seen a lot of other unusual things in this world... like you, getting beat up."

That is indeed unusual... but I was thinking more on the lines of oddities!

I would like to say a retort, but as of right now, I'm too tired and injured to do any kind of conversing.

"Good point... you have name...?" I asked it instead.

"My name isn't present in your tongue." It said.

"Then, at least tell me... what you'd like me... to call you." I said, wanting to cut the trouble of referring to this machine.

The machine paused, as it thought of a reply. In those moments of silence, I was confirming whether this machine really did talk or not. After a long pause, I finally thought, 'so I was hallucinating.' However, this proved not to be true after it made another short reply.

"Milla." It said. 

And that night, wasn't the last I heard of Milla. As days passed, and gone by. Every day, I kept going back to Milla and play on her claw machine, winning in all the games.

I ended up achieving a lot of things for a lot of people just by playing on this claw machine. 

I gave kids, elderly people, and sometimes, poor street kids dolls, leaving them in the park for others who pass by. And it was all done with a single coin from Milla, the Claw Machine each day.

When no one is around, I'd talk to Milla, and we'd enjoy each other's company, me a human, and her; a claw machine in a rusty, town arcade.

It was evening, as I hung out with Milla.

"Sylvester, it's time that I tell you something..." Milla said.

"What is it? Is it something important?" I asked Milla.

"These days were fun, Sylvester. But now, it's time I should tell you who I really am..." Milla said.

I made a look at the claw machine, with a raised eyebrow.

"Listen... I'm not always a Claw Machine. I used to be an underling of the demon king... but after some misconduct, I was sealed here."

This was all surprising to hear from her. "Why? What did you do...?" I asked Milla.

"I... helped you humans once, and this is the punishment I was given. Not as a claw machine, but as a soul stuck within the metal of what made this peculiar machine you humans made."

I stayed quiet, listening to her sorrowful voice. "Tomorrow, my soul will finally be set free... all this will end, all will be nothing once again. I won't have to experience this torture... this seal of being stuck in the confines of metal any longer."

Not knowing what I could do to comfort Milla, I asked. "How can you be so sure it's tomorrow...?"

"It's part of the curse of the demon lord who I once served... I've been counting over a millenia, and that day, is up."

"I see..." I said. "Can't I free you...?" I asked her.

"No..." Milla said. "No mere human can lift this curse."

"Why're you telling me all this...?" I asked her.

"So, at least someone would know that I once existed..." Milla said.

So this is her decision... I asked because I knew giving her further hope would be cruel. She's already accepted this fate, after living for so many years, and now, all she wants is peace.

”There’s still one more thing I should tell you...”

”And what is that...?”

”All those times you’ve played the claw machine... It was me all along... letting you win.”

I was surprised as I heard Milla’s reply. “I see... but why did you do that for me...?”

“Because I...”

I waited for her reply... but it seems the longer she paused, the longer she hesitated in saying whatever it is that she kept in her mind.

”Because I admire you humans... especially you, Sylvester.” She said. “You’re the one I admire the most.” 

I couldn’t say anything else after that.

That night, was the longest night I've stayed out with Milla, the claw machine. I ended up staying until morning, about 2 AM. I didn't fear whatever may happen to me that late night, of any robbers, or thugs... in the end, I was able to go home that fateful night.

The next day, I was expecting to come back to see Milla once again. But, something has changed.

The claw machine is no longer there...

I approached the arcade store owner. But all he said is, "Sorry, but that machine was scrapped. It was getting dusty in the corner, and we don’t want the children touching it and get tetanus." The arcade owner told me.

And so, that was the last time I saw Milla, the claw machine. I graduated high school, and I never encountered any other strange occurrence such as that again. Was it just a hallucination from being beat up? After all, I was still a teenager back then. But it's strange, how vivid it is how, I can win anything from a claw machine back in high school.

Any other claw machine I played, never got me any chances of success on winning any more dolls since that day.

The End