The Arcade of Echoes

[Chorus] Faded stickers on the wall, A ghost of every youthful call. Claw machine's grip is weak, But I hear the battle, can you speak? Fifteen years, a distant sound, Where friends and fury could be found. Street Fighter's roar, a vibrant hum, Beneath the dust, the memories come. [Verse] Thirty years have spun around, Back to this hallowed ground. Rust on the coin slot's grin, Where did the golden age begin? Empty wrappers on the floor, Echoes knocking at the door. Outside, a toaster's gentle chime, Lost in the currents of lost time. [Pre-Chorus] Through this old camera's hazy eye, I watch the younger me go by. A promise made, a challenge thrown, A debt of honor, yet unpaid, unknown. [Chorus] Faded stickers on the wall, A ghost of every youthful call. Claw machine's grip is weak, But I hear the battle, can you speak? Fifteen years, a distant sound, Where friends and fury could be found. Street Fighter's roar, a vibrant hum, Beneath the dust, the memories come. [Verse] Each pixelated, glowing screen, Recalls a vibrant, youthful scene. My knuckles white, my spirit high, Beneath a neon-colored sky. We swore we'd meet again right here, To conquer all our gaming fear. A challenge held, a rematch due, When I was bold and brave and new. [Pre-Chorus] Through this old camera's hazy eye, I watch the younger me go by. A promise made, a challenge thrown, A debt of honor, yet unpaid, unknown. [Chorus] Faded stickers on the wall, A ghost of every youthful call. Claw machine's grip is weak, But I hear the battle, can you speak? Fifteen years, a distant sound, Where friends and fury could be found. Street Fighter's roar, a vibrant hum, Beneath the dust, the memories come. [Bridge] That voice inside my head still cries, "Next time, I'll beat you!" with surprise. I search the glass, I strain to see, That challenger who waits for me. Was it a dream, a whispered plea? This arcade holds a part of me. [Outro] Next time, I'll beat you... Next time, I'll beat you... Just you wait... Next time...