Post by Dubs on Aug 29, 2022 5:41:40 GMT -5
“OPEN UP!”
The door shakes violently as CYPH3R frantically tears his computer to shreds. The microwave whirs, slowly destroying the contents of a flash drive. He feels the walls slowly closing in on him, but he wants to make use of whatever time it is he has left. The computer now reduced to a heap of scrap metal before him, he pulls out his phone and scrolls to Dot’s name in his contacts.
As the entrance to his domain is slowly but surely battered down, Cy types a final message.
“Dorothea Carter, I love you.”
[Several days earlier]
August, 2022
Some stupid coffee shop, somewhere in New York
If there was one thing that Cypher knew, it was that he hated coffee. To him, it was liquid ass brewed in the depths of hell, which is where it should have stayed long before loser baristas started pouring it into cups. But here he was, standing in line at a fancy-pants cafe waiting for the hipster in front of him to finish ordering his soy latte. The one saving grace was that at least he wasn’t alone. Someone who was just as hispter-ish, if not more than the one ahead of him, had accompanied him inside.
So he had someone he could whine to.
“This sucks, why did we have to meet here?”
Sebastian Everett-Bryce, the better dressed of the two by far, smirked. It was like he was taking pleasure in his pain.
“It’s called culture, Tyler.”
“Yeah well culture sucks ass, just like this cafe.”
“Mind your manners.”
The man-bun in front of them departed with his soy latte and the barista turned his attention to the odd pair.
“What can I get you?”
“I’d love a breakfast tea.”
Cy raises his eyebrows and shoots Seb a confused look.
“You came to a coffee place to order tea?!”
Seb grabs Cy’s neck and whispers in his ear, all while still smiling at the barista.
“Do you always have to say every single thing that pops into your brain?”
He lets go just as the somewhat mistified barista asks Cy what he wants.
“…I’ll get a long back, like a real man.”
Seb rolls his eyes, while Cy smirks. They pay and make their way over to a table that’s tucked away in a corner, nice and secluded from the rest of the patrons.
“You don’t even drink coffee.”
“Eh, I slipped him a fiver to spike it with Redbull.”
“That’s…a lot of caffeine.”
“Bruh, it’s my gamer juice.”
“For heaven's sake.”
Seb throws his hands up, exasperated. A silence comes over the two. The conversation looms but Cy feels a bit anxious about even bringing it up. Fortunately, Seb does it for him.
“So, about what you said on the phone…”
“Yeah?”
“Well what’s the big drama? You clearly love Dot, why don’t you just tell her?”
The L word spooks Cy and he nearly jumps out of his chair. He leans forward and speaks in a hushed voice.
“Bro could you not say it out loud?! There’s random dudes everywhere!”
“What’s the big problem? It’s true, isn’t it?”
Without warning, Seb stands up and addresses the room.
“If I could get your attention for a brief moment ladies and gentlemen, my friend Tyler here is in love with his girlfriend, Dot, but can’t tell her, because he can’t muster the courage.”
Suddenly all eyes are on Cy, and he feels the attention of the whole room on him.
A woman on a table nearby swoons.
“Aww how precious-
“What the fuck are you losers looking at?! Mind your freakin business!!“
He yells at the crowd, who quickly busy themselves with their drinks and food.
Cy turns his attention back to Seb.
“The hell was that?”
“Just demonstrating that I’m the real man. You know, my girlfriend knows I love her, because I wasn’t a child about it and I told her.”
Cy sighs and leans back in his chair.
“Whatever.”
The waiter drops off their drinks, but Cy doesn’t touch his. He’s looking out the window, wondering if this was all a mistake.
“Look, I’ll be honest. I know it’s not easy, it took me two and a half years to tell Sloane. And I regret it almost every day, because if I told her earlier? She would probably be Mrs Everett-Bryce by now.”
Cy raises an eyebrow but remains silent, deciding to actually listen for a change.
“So my advice? Bite the bullet. Just tell her, because you won't get back the time you wasted waiting.”
Seb takes a long sip of his tea as Cy mulls over what he had to say. Maybe Seb was right, maybe he should just tell her. What was the worse that could happen?
Oh…yeah.
“But like, what if I tell her, and then she like breaks up with me or some shit? What if I ruin this good thing we got goin?”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen. I’ve seen how you two are together, you remember when we were chatting backstage before Massacre?”
Cy nods.
“You probably didn’t realise it, but the entire time I was talking to you, Dot was sneaking looks at you. She was chatting with Sloane, but she had her eyes on you.”
“So what?”
“I’m just saying, you can tell a lot about how a woman feels from how she looks at you.”
“Are you serious? You can get that shit just from a look? I never noticed anything different about the way she looked at me to how she looks at…I dunno, a potted plant?”
“Well maybe you haven’t been looking hard enough. Or maybe she just really, really likes potted plants.”
Cy chuckles. Then he meets Seb’s eye, the two exchanging a knowing look.
“Tell her, Tyler. You won’t find much better than her.”
“Yeah…I guess you’re right. As much as I hate to admit it.”
Feeling better about everything, Cy grabbed his mug of coffee mixed with Red Bull and took a swig. He winced as the sweet but sour concoction swirled down his throat.
“Ugh…that’s gross.”
“Shoulda got a tea.”
Cy rolled his eyes, then extended his hand.
“Thanks Seb, I gotta go though. I got a flight to catch.”
He stood up but Seb kept his grip around his hand.
“Before you go…I’ve got something I need you to help me with.”
/~/
August, 2022
Super 100 Arcade, somewhere in California
Alix Mayne was someone that had always fascinated Cypher. She was like no one else on the Level Up roster. Her somewhat robotic personality seemed to deter some people from engaging her, but not him. It intrigued him, and he had made that evident on Twitter. It reminded him of how he used to be, before he truly became “Cypher”. When he was merely little Tyler Norrie, a nerd who was relentlessly bullied all through high school. He had never known how to respond to the douchebags in his grade that made fun of him after he was picked last for football.
He didn’t speak up, not until much later when he gained more confidence and began taking gaming seriously. Soon he was in an echo chamber where no one could speak up to him, because try as the might?
They just couldn’t beat him.
Cypher planned to flex those same muscles on Alix as they walked into the arcade. A bright, neon sign above the door had announced the destination as “Super 100 Arcade”. The place was loud. Alix flinched at the screams of young kids firing plastic weapons at aliens assaulted her senses.
“You OK?”
Cy noticed her apprehension. While her dialogue might come off robotic to some, emotions were visible, even if she tried to hide them.
She took a moment, then nodded.
“Cmon, lets try Daytona.”
Cy led the way over to the arcade machines, which displayed flashing images of cars battling for supremacy on the track. Soon it was them, clashing against one another for first and second! Alix’s pink mustang had a slender lead on Cy’s cyan coupe, but that was all about to change. As the rounded the corner, Cy made his move. Twisting his steering wheel as far as he could to the left, he veered into Alix, sending her car sailing into the barricade on the final corner!
“Ha! Gotcha!”
Alix rolled her eyes and tried to reverse back over the the rough terrain, but it was too late. Cypher along with the whole field had sailed past her, leaving her to trundle over the finish line in last place.
“Inappropriate action.”
Cy jumped at the sound of the first words Alix had said all day. It was only for a brief moment, but he swore he saw a sinister glint in her eye. He stood up from his seat and backed up slowly.
“Well I still won…but how about we play something you wanna play? Suggestions?”
The blonde-haired robot paused for a moment, gazing around the assortment of games surrounding them. She calibrated, then gestured towards the Space Invaders arcade cabinet, which the two kids had been playing earlier.
Cy couldn’t stop himself from laughing.
“You’re challenging me…at what is basically an FPS?”
Unfazed, Alix gave another determined nod.
“Fine, it’s your funeral. And don’t be salty when you lose!”
Alix muttered something about never being salty under her breath as they walked over to the next game. He was cocky, confident, but he had every right to be as he blasted through the main menu, selecting the hardest difficulty. I mean, he was on an esports team for two years, competing at the highest level of Counter Strike…how did Alix stand a chance against him?
He quickly began blasting the white aliens on the black screen, taking them out with great precision. But as he continued to easily eviscerate the invaders, he couldn’t help but notice the absolute insanity that was happening on the screen next to him. Sure, he was precise, but Alix?
She was like…ugh, do I have to say it?
A machine.
The aliens were disappearing so quickly he was practically watching their entire species being slaughtered right before his eyes.
“How are you doing that?”
“...”
“There’s no way, you’re cheating!”
“...”
“Stop hacking the game!”
“...”
Suddenly his screen faded away and was replaced with a series of spaced out letters.
G A M E O V E R
“No way!”
A satisfied smirk appeared on Alix’s lips. She raised her fist in the air as if to declare victory. Cypher twitched, unable to believe what had just transpired.
“Rematch, right fucking now.”
In response, Alix raised her plastic toy gun and aimed down the sights, right at Cypher. She pulled the trigger and mouthed “boom”.
“Bring it.”
For the next half an hour it was like a scene on a loop. Over and over again they would kick the game off, and over and over again Alix would come out on top. Even with all of Cy’s effort, he only managed to get close to her…but never overtake her.
Finally, as the game over screen reared its head for the fifth or sixth time, Cy snapped.
“Screw this, that’s so bullshit. I don’t even want to play anymore.”
He slammed the plastic gun forcefully down into its holder. Alix flinched again, this time jumping back a little. Everyone's eyes were now on Cypher. But he didn’t care, instead he ignored them and Alix, and stormed off. Alix was frozen in place as the attention on the room now fell on her. The anxiety creeping in from all their looming eyes, Alix waved awkwardly, then shoved her gun back into its holster and started after Cy.
However, just before she left, she quickly turned back to the arcade machine. In a swift motion she ripped out the massive line of tickets which had pooled on the floor out, and brougt it with her.
/~/
Alix found Cypher sulking at a burger joint located in the same mall as the arcade. The so-called “superior” one was sucking on a milkshake, dejected and alone in the corner of the bar. He glanced up at her from his sugary treat as she cautiously approached the table, still sucking the liquid through a shitty paper straw.
Alix opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Cy.
“If you’ve come to gloat, you can save it.”
Her lips pressed into a hard line. Her eyes fell to the ground and she shifted away from him, retreating inwards as some kind of defensive measure. Watching her, Cy felt a strange sensation in his stomach. Was it…guilt? Surely not. Why should he feel guilty? She was the one who was clearly cheating, humiliating him in front of…the class.
Wait, was he no better than them now?
Cy took a moment to put aside his saltiness at being outclassed by Alix. She might be a robot, but she still had feelings.
“Hey, you uh…want some of my milkshake?”
Alix looked at the half-fiinished chocolate shake, and screwed up her nose.
“What about your own then? Or something to eat?”
She considered it for a moment.
Then shook her head.
Exasperated, Cy threw his hands up into the air.
“Then what DO you want?!”
Without hesitation Alix shoved the massive trail of arcade tickets in his face. Rolling his eyes, he grabbed them off of her.
“Fine.”
/~/
Later, the duo were sitting outside the arcade, Alix clutching a massive pink teddy bear and Cy a smaller brown one. She was cheerful, he was still slightly irritated by the fact her dominance had earned her a bigger bear, but he was glad she was feeling better.
“You know I think this is kinda like the big brother training I never had.”
Alix looked at him quizzically.
“I have…had a sister. She was much younger than you, the last time I saw her. But she was blonde, like you.”
“When did she cease to exist?”
“She went missing. I was supposed to be watching her, but I got distracted, and I lost her. Haven’t seen her since.”
“I apologise.”
“It’s fine, you learn to live with it. I know it might not seem like it, but you’re pretty lucky to have the amount of siblings that you do.”
“It is difficult. They are new additions to my life and I do not belong with them due to being incorrect. Prior to recent revelations, I was alone. However, I did not belong there either. I am unable to have proper human connections. Emotional attachment is difficult.”
Cy’s mouth hangs open, momentarily stunned by Alix’s information dump.
“I…uh, I’m sorry to hear that. I know what you mean, sort of. What do you mean by that you’re incorrect?“
“It was how I was born. I was informed of my defect at a relatively young age. I am unaware of the details.”
“What is your…defect?”
Cy felt bad just asking the question but he was naturally curious.
“Like, if you don’t mind me asking, or whatever.”
“I do not communicate nor do I feel like a human should. Emotions are undetectable and many aspects of life cause an overload, followed closely by a shutdown.”
“Damn, that sucks.”
Cy fell silent, his eyes focused off into the distance as if trying to mentally solve a puzzle.
“So if I asked if you had fun today, you’d say it probably wasn’t any different to any other day?”
“I am able to recognize and establish memorable moments. I am simply unable to interpret them properly and require assistance with that matter.”
“Would you say today was a memorable moment?”
“Yes, I would.”
[TO BE CONTINUED]
/~/
So the time has come to finish up my time in Level Up Wrestling. Can’t say it was ever really a pleasure but I also can’t say it wasn’t something resembling fun. I did get to pwn some noobs in the The Last of Us Part 2 Battle Royal, before loser Lissie decided to get involved. Before that I did get to compete at the biggest event LU has to offer - Final Fantasy. There I put that whackjob Ataxia in his place, exposing him in a five-way elimination match. Of course, then the other jobbers teamed up to ensure I couldn’t win, which of course was completely unfair, but I don’t blame them. I was easily the biggest threat in that match.
I would have put Ataxia even further into the realms of obscurity had he not forced me into the most ridiculous match type ever. A house of mirrors match? I mean first of all there’s no way that was even legal, but second of all the fact I never had a say in that match type is total bull. Ataxia clearly dreamt that up, and developer Trent just rolled over. So that was a wash, because there was no way I was letting that freak maim my precious face. Just because he doesn’t have one he can show in public.
After all that, I get thrown in a random-ass three-man tag at Super Adventure Island. With two “Royal” idiots with their heads up their ass. The fact I actually teamed with them still makes me feel sick, especially after Miss Michelle ended Kat’s career like the coward she is. So I take an L on that one too. Wait…that’s a lot of L’s. Have I ever actually got a W here in Level Up?
Oh no.
Oh god.
I’m a failure.
I’ve won everywhere else except for the freaking video game company?!
HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?!
Ok, ok.
All that means is that I have to get this one.
I have to get this W.
Lord Raab?
I need to beat you. Not so much that I think you’re some kind of accomplished opponent that I’ve always wanted to beat, but in the notion that I need to have a W here in Level Up. I’m not retiring from this fed with a winless record. So I have to go through you, all 6’4, 260 pounds of you. This match up is clearly another ploy by that douchebag Trent Steel, who no doubt would love to watch this German monster man brutalise me on my way out.
But let’s be real.
Besides your massive frame, what else do you have going on Raab?
You’re not smart, you’re not talented, you’re pretty much a bottom feeder in this company. I’ve watched women half your size put you to sleep on the mat. How was that for your anger management? There’s no strategy in the way you approach matches, you just throw yourself at the opponent and hope that your size and weight advantage will get you over the line.
You like to come across as a boss fight, but really?
You’re more of a Frankie Fontaine than a Psycho Mantis.
I want to be afraid of you, Raab, I really do. There are many imposing “monster” dudes I’ve had to take on during my time, but there’s nothing about you that makes you more dangerous than them. You’re going to learn, Raab, that I don’t out-wrestle people, I out-think them. And for a dude that uses the majority of his brain power to think about what he’s having for lunch, you don’t pose a massive threat to me.
Maybe I’ll be wrong, maybe you will be able to corner me. But I excel at cat-and-mouse, Raab, you should know that.
This might not be the end of Level Up, but it’s my final level.
You’re standing in the way of my high score and I’m out of respawns.
One way or another Raab, after this match?
It’s game over for me.
So I’m gonna make sure I use my last life to unlock the secret ending.
The one where I finally stand victorious in the Level Up ring.
The door shakes violently as CYPH3R frantically tears his computer to shreds. The microwave whirs, slowly destroying the contents of a flash drive. He feels the walls slowly closing in on him, but he wants to make use of whatever time it is he has left. The computer now reduced to a heap of scrap metal before him, he pulls out his phone and scrolls to Dot’s name in his contacts.
As the entrance to his domain is slowly but surely battered down, Cy types a final message.
“Dorothea Carter, I love you.”
[Several days earlier]
August, 2022
Some stupid coffee shop, somewhere in New York
If there was one thing that Cypher knew, it was that he hated coffee. To him, it was liquid ass brewed in the depths of hell, which is where it should have stayed long before loser baristas started pouring it into cups. But here he was, standing in line at a fancy-pants cafe waiting for the hipster in front of him to finish ordering his soy latte. The one saving grace was that at least he wasn’t alone. Someone who was just as hispter-ish, if not more than the one ahead of him, had accompanied him inside.
So he had someone he could whine to.
“This sucks, why did we have to meet here?”
Sebastian Everett-Bryce, the better dressed of the two by far, smirked. It was like he was taking pleasure in his pain.
“It’s called culture, Tyler.”
“Yeah well culture sucks ass, just like this cafe.”
“Mind your manners.”
The man-bun in front of them departed with his soy latte and the barista turned his attention to the odd pair.
“What can I get you?”
“I’d love a breakfast tea.”
Cy raises his eyebrows and shoots Seb a confused look.
“You came to a coffee place to order tea?!”
Seb grabs Cy’s neck and whispers in his ear, all while still smiling at the barista.
“Do you always have to say every single thing that pops into your brain?”
He lets go just as the somewhat mistified barista asks Cy what he wants.
“…I’ll get a long back, like a real man.”
Seb rolls his eyes, while Cy smirks. They pay and make their way over to a table that’s tucked away in a corner, nice and secluded from the rest of the patrons.
“You don’t even drink coffee.”
“Eh, I slipped him a fiver to spike it with Redbull.”
“That’s…a lot of caffeine.”
“Bruh, it’s my gamer juice.”
“For heaven's sake.”
Seb throws his hands up, exasperated. A silence comes over the two. The conversation looms but Cy feels a bit anxious about even bringing it up. Fortunately, Seb does it for him.
“So, about what you said on the phone…”
“Yeah?”
“Well what’s the big drama? You clearly love Dot, why don’t you just tell her?”
The L word spooks Cy and he nearly jumps out of his chair. He leans forward and speaks in a hushed voice.
“Bro could you not say it out loud?! There’s random dudes everywhere!”
“What’s the big problem? It’s true, isn’t it?”
Without warning, Seb stands up and addresses the room.
“If I could get your attention for a brief moment ladies and gentlemen, my friend Tyler here is in love with his girlfriend, Dot, but can’t tell her, because he can’t muster the courage.”
Suddenly all eyes are on Cy, and he feels the attention of the whole room on him.
A woman on a table nearby swoons.
“Aww how precious-
“What the fuck are you losers looking at?! Mind your freakin business!!“
He yells at the crowd, who quickly busy themselves with their drinks and food.
Cy turns his attention back to Seb.
“The hell was that?”
“Just demonstrating that I’m the real man. You know, my girlfriend knows I love her, because I wasn’t a child about it and I told her.”
Cy sighs and leans back in his chair.
“Whatever.”
The waiter drops off their drinks, but Cy doesn’t touch his. He’s looking out the window, wondering if this was all a mistake.
“Look, I’ll be honest. I know it’s not easy, it took me two and a half years to tell Sloane. And I regret it almost every day, because if I told her earlier? She would probably be Mrs Everett-Bryce by now.”
Cy raises an eyebrow but remains silent, deciding to actually listen for a change.
“So my advice? Bite the bullet. Just tell her, because you won't get back the time you wasted waiting.”
Seb takes a long sip of his tea as Cy mulls over what he had to say. Maybe Seb was right, maybe he should just tell her. What was the worse that could happen?
Oh…yeah.
“But like, what if I tell her, and then she like breaks up with me or some shit? What if I ruin this good thing we got goin?”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen. I’ve seen how you two are together, you remember when we were chatting backstage before Massacre?”
Cy nods.
“You probably didn’t realise it, but the entire time I was talking to you, Dot was sneaking looks at you. She was chatting with Sloane, but she had her eyes on you.”
“So what?”
“I’m just saying, you can tell a lot about how a woman feels from how she looks at you.”
“Are you serious? You can get that shit just from a look? I never noticed anything different about the way she looked at me to how she looks at…I dunno, a potted plant?”
“Well maybe you haven’t been looking hard enough. Or maybe she just really, really likes potted plants.”
Cy chuckles. Then he meets Seb’s eye, the two exchanging a knowing look.
“Tell her, Tyler. You won’t find much better than her.”
“Yeah…I guess you’re right. As much as I hate to admit it.”
Feeling better about everything, Cy grabbed his mug of coffee mixed with Red Bull and took a swig. He winced as the sweet but sour concoction swirled down his throat.
“Ugh…that’s gross.”
“Shoulda got a tea.”
Cy rolled his eyes, then extended his hand.
“Thanks Seb, I gotta go though. I got a flight to catch.”
He stood up but Seb kept his grip around his hand.
“Before you go…I’ve got something I need you to help me with.”
/~/
August, 2022
Super 100 Arcade, somewhere in California
Alix Mayne was someone that had always fascinated Cypher. She was like no one else on the Level Up roster. Her somewhat robotic personality seemed to deter some people from engaging her, but not him. It intrigued him, and he had made that evident on Twitter. It reminded him of how he used to be, before he truly became “Cypher”. When he was merely little Tyler Norrie, a nerd who was relentlessly bullied all through high school. He had never known how to respond to the douchebags in his grade that made fun of him after he was picked last for football.
He didn’t speak up, not until much later when he gained more confidence and began taking gaming seriously. Soon he was in an echo chamber where no one could speak up to him, because try as the might?
They just couldn’t beat him.
Cypher planned to flex those same muscles on Alix as they walked into the arcade. A bright, neon sign above the door had announced the destination as “Super 100 Arcade”. The place was loud. Alix flinched at the screams of young kids firing plastic weapons at aliens assaulted her senses.
“You OK?”
Cy noticed her apprehension. While her dialogue might come off robotic to some, emotions were visible, even if she tried to hide them.
She took a moment, then nodded.
“Cmon, lets try Daytona.”
Cy led the way over to the arcade machines, which displayed flashing images of cars battling for supremacy on the track. Soon it was them, clashing against one another for first and second! Alix’s pink mustang had a slender lead on Cy’s cyan coupe, but that was all about to change. As the rounded the corner, Cy made his move. Twisting his steering wheel as far as he could to the left, he veered into Alix, sending her car sailing into the barricade on the final corner!
“Ha! Gotcha!”
Alix rolled her eyes and tried to reverse back over the the rough terrain, but it was too late. Cypher along with the whole field had sailed past her, leaving her to trundle over the finish line in last place.
“Inappropriate action.”
Cy jumped at the sound of the first words Alix had said all day. It was only for a brief moment, but he swore he saw a sinister glint in her eye. He stood up from his seat and backed up slowly.
“Well I still won…but how about we play something you wanna play? Suggestions?”
The blonde-haired robot paused for a moment, gazing around the assortment of games surrounding them. She calibrated, then gestured towards the Space Invaders arcade cabinet, which the two kids had been playing earlier.
Cy couldn’t stop himself from laughing.
“You’re challenging me…at what is basically an FPS?”
Unfazed, Alix gave another determined nod.
“Fine, it’s your funeral. And don’t be salty when you lose!”
Alix muttered something about never being salty under her breath as they walked over to the next game. He was cocky, confident, but he had every right to be as he blasted through the main menu, selecting the hardest difficulty. I mean, he was on an esports team for two years, competing at the highest level of Counter Strike…how did Alix stand a chance against him?
He quickly began blasting the white aliens on the black screen, taking them out with great precision. But as he continued to easily eviscerate the invaders, he couldn’t help but notice the absolute insanity that was happening on the screen next to him. Sure, he was precise, but Alix?
She was like…ugh, do I have to say it?
A machine.
The aliens were disappearing so quickly he was practically watching their entire species being slaughtered right before his eyes.
“How are you doing that?”
“...”
“There’s no way, you’re cheating!”
“...”
“Stop hacking the game!”
“...”
Suddenly his screen faded away and was replaced with a series of spaced out letters.
G A M E O V E R
“No way!”
A satisfied smirk appeared on Alix’s lips. She raised her fist in the air as if to declare victory. Cypher twitched, unable to believe what had just transpired.
“Rematch, right fucking now.”
In response, Alix raised her plastic toy gun and aimed down the sights, right at Cypher. She pulled the trigger and mouthed “boom”.
“Bring it.”
For the next half an hour it was like a scene on a loop. Over and over again they would kick the game off, and over and over again Alix would come out on top. Even with all of Cy’s effort, he only managed to get close to her…but never overtake her.
Finally, as the game over screen reared its head for the fifth or sixth time, Cy snapped.
“Screw this, that’s so bullshit. I don’t even want to play anymore.”
He slammed the plastic gun forcefully down into its holder. Alix flinched again, this time jumping back a little. Everyone's eyes were now on Cypher. But he didn’t care, instead he ignored them and Alix, and stormed off. Alix was frozen in place as the attention on the room now fell on her. The anxiety creeping in from all their looming eyes, Alix waved awkwardly, then shoved her gun back into its holster and started after Cy.
However, just before she left, she quickly turned back to the arcade machine. In a swift motion she ripped out the massive line of tickets which had pooled on the floor out, and brougt it with her.
/~/
Alix found Cypher sulking at a burger joint located in the same mall as the arcade. The so-called “superior” one was sucking on a milkshake, dejected and alone in the corner of the bar. He glanced up at her from his sugary treat as she cautiously approached the table, still sucking the liquid through a shitty paper straw.
Alix opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Cy.
“If you’ve come to gloat, you can save it.”
Her lips pressed into a hard line. Her eyes fell to the ground and she shifted away from him, retreating inwards as some kind of defensive measure. Watching her, Cy felt a strange sensation in his stomach. Was it…guilt? Surely not. Why should he feel guilty? She was the one who was clearly cheating, humiliating him in front of…the class.
Wait, was he no better than them now?
Cy took a moment to put aside his saltiness at being outclassed by Alix. She might be a robot, but she still had feelings.
“Hey, you uh…want some of my milkshake?”
Alix looked at the half-fiinished chocolate shake, and screwed up her nose.
“What about your own then? Or something to eat?”
She considered it for a moment.
Then shook her head.
Exasperated, Cy threw his hands up into the air.
“Then what DO you want?!”
Without hesitation Alix shoved the massive trail of arcade tickets in his face. Rolling his eyes, he grabbed them off of her.
“Fine.”
/~/
Later, the duo were sitting outside the arcade, Alix clutching a massive pink teddy bear and Cy a smaller brown one. She was cheerful, he was still slightly irritated by the fact her dominance had earned her a bigger bear, but he was glad she was feeling better.
“You know I think this is kinda like the big brother training I never had.”
Alix looked at him quizzically.
“I have…had a sister. She was much younger than you, the last time I saw her. But she was blonde, like you.”
“When did she cease to exist?”
“She went missing. I was supposed to be watching her, but I got distracted, and I lost her. Haven’t seen her since.”
“I apologise.”
“It’s fine, you learn to live with it. I know it might not seem like it, but you’re pretty lucky to have the amount of siblings that you do.”
“It is difficult. They are new additions to my life and I do not belong with them due to being incorrect. Prior to recent revelations, I was alone. However, I did not belong there either. I am unable to have proper human connections. Emotional attachment is difficult.”
Cy’s mouth hangs open, momentarily stunned by Alix’s information dump.
“I…uh, I’m sorry to hear that. I know what you mean, sort of. What do you mean by that you’re incorrect?“
“It was how I was born. I was informed of my defect at a relatively young age. I am unaware of the details.”
“What is your…defect?”
Cy felt bad just asking the question but he was naturally curious.
“Like, if you don’t mind me asking, or whatever.”
“I do not communicate nor do I feel like a human should. Emotions are undetectable and many aspects of life cause an overload, followed closely by a shutdown.”
“Damn, that sucks.”
Cy fell silent, his eyes focused off into the distance as if trying to mentally solve a puzzle.
“So if I asked if you had fun today, you’d say it probably wasn’t any different to any other day?”
“I am able to recognize and establish memorable moments. I am simply unable to interpret them properly and require assistance with that matter.”
“Would you say today was a memorable moment?”
“Yes, I would.”
[TO BE CONTINUED]
/~/
So the time has come to finish up my time in Level Up Wrestling. Can’t say it was ever really a pleasure but I also can’t say it wasn’t something resembling fun. I did get to pwn some noobs in the The Last of Us Part 2 Battle Royal, before loser Lissie decided to get involved. Before that I did get to compete at the biggest event LU has to offer - Final Fantasy. There I put that whackjob Ataxia in his place, exposing him in a five-way elimination match. Of course, then the other jobbers teamed up to ensure I couldn’t win, which of course was completely unfair, but I don’t blame them. I was easily the biggest threat in that match.
I would have put Ataxia even further into the realms of obscurity had he not forced me into the most ridiculous match type ever. A house of mirrors match? I mean first of all there’s no way that was even legal, but second of all the fact I never had a say in that match type is total bull. Ataxia clearly dreamt that up, and developer Trent just rolled over. So that was a wash, because there was no way I was letting that freak maim my precious face. Just because he doesn’t have one he can show in public.
After all that, I get thrown in a random-ass three-man tag at Super Adventure Island. With two “Royal” idiots with their heads up their ass. The fact I actually teamed with them still makes me feel sick, especially after Miss Michelle ended Kat’s career like the coward she is. So I take an L on that one too. Wait…that’s a lot of L’s. Have I ever actually got a W here in Level Up?
Oh no.
Oh god.
I’m a failure.
I’ve won everywhere else except for the freaking video game company?!
HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?!
Ok, ok.
All that means is that I have to get this one.
I have to get this W.
Lord Raab?
I need to beat you. Not so much that I think you’re some kind of accomplished opponent that I’ve always wanted to beat, but in the notion that I need to have a W here in Level Up. I’m not retiring from this fed with a winless record. So I have to go through you, all 6’4, 260 pounds of you. This match up is clearly another ploy by that douchebag Trent Steel, who no doubt would love to watch this German monster man brutalise me on my way out.
But let’s be real.
Besides your massive frame, what else do you have going on Raab?
You’re not smart, you’re not talented, you’re pretty much a bottom feeder in this company. I’ve watched women half your size put you to sleep on the mat. How was that for your anger management? There’s no strategy in the way you approach matches, you just throw yourself at the opponent and hope that your size and weight advantage will get you over the line.
You like to come across as a boss fight, but really?
You’re more of a Frankie Fontaine than a Psycho Mantis.
I want to be afraid of you, Raab, I really do. There are many imposing “monster” dudes I’ve had to take on during my time, but there’s nothing about you that makes you more dangerous than them. You’re going to learn, Raab, that I don’t out-wrestle people, I out-think them. And for a dude that uses the majority of his brain power to think about what he’s having for lunch, you don’t pose a massive threat to me.
Maybe I’ll be wrong, maybe you will be able to corner me. But I excel at cat-and-mouse, Raab, you should know that.
This might not be the end of Level Up, but it’s my final level.
You’re standing in the way of my high score and I’m out of respawns.
One way or another Raab, after this match?
It’s game over for me.
So I’m gonna make sure I use my last life to unlock the secret ending.
The one where I finally stand victorious in the Level Up ring.
