Part I: 1999
Win and Loss
Just got back from battling my bro.
I won, and he lost,
But it wasn't from lack of trying.
Let me tell you: he fought hard
And long and brought everything to the arena.
I honestly thought he was gonna take me in that fight, but…
I came out on top.
Saw him after I posed for my victory,
Standing there, battered and clapping.
I saw his eyes and read his thoughts,
Nothing new, the big bro is always better,
But that's not true;
He gave me one heck of a fight back there.
Man, you should've seen us!
We fought on a stage reminiscent
Of our side-scrolling adventures.
It was warm and bright and happy and sunny
And the arena was packed to the brim
To see us. Oh, how we fought…
Me the one in red, my gloved fists delivering
Such forceful punches and red fire
Knocking coins away with a single uppercut,
While he, the one in green, defiantly flashed his eyes at me.
I'll never forget his eyes. Blue starlight
And green fire countering my red flames.
His body lunging at me, his power pushing
Against my power.
He knows my tricks and I know his;
We're brothers, after all.
Almost equally matched.
Almost.
And in that moment, in that moment
I didn't care
If I won.
I didn't care
If I lost.
I didn't care
Who won and who lost.
All that mattered was present.
Here.
Battling my bro,
Testing him,
Tested by him,
Discovering his secrets…
Unraveling his mysteries…
Seeing
The fighter within…
His energy
My energy
Our energy
Pulsing and crashing together again
And again and again and again…
Till that last stock was taken,
Till that shout of GAME,
Till our sweat drip-dropped
And our essence lingered,
The crowd roaring for us both.
Standing here in the minutes after
And seeing him taking the loss in stride,
I feel the warmth of our dynamic
Spread flush along my chest,
Like the way it was splattered
In many vibrant colors
Against the battlefield.
Please R&R.