Day 21: Video Games

"Hey, Ulrich. Wanna bet I can guess who you're going to pick?"

"Oh? Why?" Ulrich took his finger off the Gamecube joystick, bringing his pointer to rest on Young Link, and turned to give Odd an incredulous look. "Do you think you know?"

"I think I have a pretty good idea." Odd leaned back on the rec room couch, and moved his own pointer to Luigi's picture. He'd always played Luigi, and he'd feel horribly out of place if he'd had to play anyone else. "Hmmm…let me think…"

"If you have a pretty good idea, then why do you need to think about it?" Yumi grinned, ostensibly at Odd, but she was still glued to the screen, moving her pointer back and forth between Samus and Mewtwo.

"I think Ulrich seems like a 'Mario' kind of guy," William said, crossing his legs and tapping the side of his controller. "He's ordinary, he's well rounded… he plays soccer sometimes…"

"Says the guy who picked Fox," Ulrich snapped.

"Hey, Fox is a top-tier fighter!" William turned and jabbed his finger toward Ulrich's chest. "He takes skill and precision to master, and if you think you can brush him off-"

"Hey, cool it," Yumi shouted from across the couch. "It's just a game, guys."

"Yeah, and besides, this is my show right now," Odd said quickly, before too many sparks could fly from their eyes. "I'm still thinking, still thinking…"

He thought for several more seconds as Ulrich and William slunk back into their seats, still looking a bit tense. "Well?" Ulrich said.

"I'm narrowing it down," Odd said. "I thought you'd be a shoe-in for Captain Falcon, but then there's Mewtwo, and Samus, and DK…"

"So all brickhouse characters, then," William said. "Is that what he usually picks? They might have a lot of power, but when it comes to speed-"

"You said you'd predict one, so pick one," Ulrich interrupted.

"Alright, alright!" Odd put a hand over his eyes. "I got one - quick, hit the mute button!"

Odd kept his eyes shut for ten seconds while Yumi muted the TV and Ulrich tapped at his controller, narrowing his eyes at the screen, and finally made his choice. "MR. GAME AND WATCH!" Odd yelled, just before he made his choice.

"So, so close," Yumi said, "but actually, not at all. Open your eyes."

Odd peeked through his hands first - and then threw them down in shock at what he was seeing. "MARIO?! Ulrich, wh-"

"It's cause he's just like me," Ulrich said, glaring at William, who looked just as dumbfounded. "He's ordinary, well rounded, and plays soccer sometimes. Isn't that what you said?"

William smirked. "If I didn't know better I'd say that sounded like a challenge."

"Maybe." Ulrich gripped the controller handles and glared directly at the screen. "If you think your skill and precision is all it's cracked up to be."

"Wasn't this just supposed to be a friendly game…?" Yumi mumbled. "Honestly, guys…"

"Yeah, honestly, Ulrich," William said. "That's not very sportsmanlike of you."

"Hey, I was talking to both of you," Yumi said, her eyes narrowed. "Let's just, keep it cool, alright?"

Ulrich looked from Yumi to William, taking in their facial expressions before finally sighing in exasperation. "Yeah," he said. "I'm sorry. I'll keep it cool."

"Well, I'm glad that all got settled without any bad blood," Odd said, turning his attention back to the screen. "And now, it's my turn. Who to pick, who to pick…"

- Carth