Chapter 75
"Riddle, you have to collect the blue and yellow flames." Ortho said trying to help.
"You lose life when you hit the rocks, use the up button to avoid them." Idia informed him.
"What? But none of these say up." Riddle said as he quickly glanced down at the controller in his hand and back up to the screen.
"Wow, you are really bad at this lol. I mean press up on the D pad on the left side." Idia said pointing to it on the controller.
"I've not been on land for long and even I figured that one out Riddle." Azul mocked from behind him.
"There's a big black dog coming up on the right is that an enemy?" Vil asked Idia. He was sitting at the table watching Riddle play.
"Let's go! That's the guard dog of the underworld it kills on sight quick down to the bottom lane." Idia said happily.
"Now you want me to go down?" Riddle asked as the dog bites him and kills him.
"Aww, you lost all your health game over." Ortho whined.
"Ugh, I barely did anything at all." Riddle gasped.
"Boy, I gotta tell you. I've never met anyone who didn't know what the up button was. Then again seeing as I have no friends this is the first time I've gamed IRL with anyone other than Ortho." Idia sighed shaking his head.
"So there is something you are bad at Riddle." Azul chuckled.
"You're using the wrong word. I'm not 'bad' at games, I'm inexperienced. How about you try since you're so smug about it." Riddle snipped as he handed Azul the controller.
"Very well." Azul said taking the spot Riddle had been standing in.
"Same difficulty? Right? Okay here it goes." Ortho said starting the level over again.
"My, the ferryman is actually moving to avoid the rocks this time." Vil mutters
"Hey, you're pretty good for a first timer." Idia praised.
"It's my first time playing this but Floyd owns several terrestrial game consoles. So I've dabbled a bit. Plus Riddle was kind enough to go first and provide an excellent tutorial." Azul corrected as he smirked at Riddle who just glared at him.
"Azul, you've cleared stage one without taking any damage, congrats." Ortho cheered.
"Thanks." Azul smirked.
"Ortho can you out that game on the mini monitors on the table?" Riddle asked.
"Sure why do you ask?" Ortho asked.
"I'm going to practice until I clear that stage with no damage." Riddle declared.
"Oh really? As the first of us to achieve that feat I could offer you some pointers for a reasonable price." Azul offered.
"Not necessary, I just need more practice with this controller I'm sure I can do it." Riddle declined still glaring.
"Good grief so much for being above such things." Jamil mumbled he was sitting across from Vil at the center table.
"Make sure you both take a break every hour." Vil reminded them.
"Tch, all this fuss over a lousy video game? How immature are you guys?" Leona grumbled as he sat up on the couch.
"Considering the average age of NRC students most of them are haven't reached full maturity yet. It's an accurate descriptor." Ortho chuckled as he approached him.
"That ain't what I meant. Can't you guys use your indoor voices? Your yappin isn't exactly white noise and I'm trying to take a nap." Leona snipped.
"You should join us Leona." Ortho said pulling him up and towards the TV and handing him the controller.
"Huh?" Leona asked.
"I have just the game for you. It's called The Hydra strikes Back." Ortho stated as he began to pull the game up.
"Dude Hydra, it's a well known early gen party game. There are tons of mini games on it." Idia informed Leona.
"It's got a sequel right? I remember playing that on my handheld back in the day." Jamil said as he now got up from the table.
"That's right they made a sequel with a wider variety of mini games for the handheld systems. It outsold the original. The original has had a recent resurgence in popularity due to a digital release." Ortho replied.
"Oh yeah? Why's that?" Leona asked looking bored.
"Ortho do you mean?" Idia asked.
"You'll just have to play for yourself Leona and see for yourself." Ortho said starting the game.
"I never said I was gonna." Leona said put starting playing.
"Leona the gold hydra is worth more points." Ortho informed him.
"Ack, don't hit the legendary trainer doll." Idia said.
"The goofy looking guy's the legendary trainer? It's own fault if he barges in and gets smacked." Leona commented not looking away from the screen.
"You're not wrong but that's how the game works, no use whining about it." Idia commented.
"I think this where more hydras heads start popping up Leona." Jamil informed them.
"Tch, why am I doing this again?" Leona grumbles as he wins the round.
"Wow, look at the high score what a testament to your sharp vision and quick reflexes." Ortho cheered pointing at the screen.
"Great so how is this game for me?" Leona asked.
"Well, you see, there have been a bunch of viral videos showing cat pawing and pouncing at the Hydra game play screen. Feline fanatics would record their cats then tag the video with #CatvsHydra. Later a researcher saw those videos that person ran an experiment to see if lions would react the same way to the Hydras strikes back. They put some game footage on a screen and sure enough. The loins watch with interest and pawed and pounced just like the house cats did. According to Styx data you're a beast-man with lion genes. So I predicted that if you played this game you'd enjoy it and not get tired of it." Ortho informed him.
"Ortho no." Jamil said trying to stop himself from laughing, making it come out as a snort.
"Oh well played Ortho, a perfect choice." Vil chuckled.
Leona just sighed and rolled his eyes.
"You were focused right from the start and judging by your high score. My prediction was right on the mark I'm glad you enjoyed it." Ortho smiled at him.
"Lawl he's got a point you might've acted disinterested but that's a pretty high score. Did you feel compelled to keep chasing the hydras?" Idia laughed.
"Leona, beholden to his feline nature? Who knew he could be so adorable?" Vil teased.
'I don't think Ortho meant anything by it but these guys they close in like sharks smelling blood in the water.' Jamil thought as he watched Leona began to look annoyed.
"Would you like to try another level?" Ortho asked.
"Sorry kiddo, they're absolutely right, I'm beholden to my feline nature so I get real sleepy during the day. I'd love to play more but I know I'd conk out before ling go ahead and let someone else play." Leona said as he handed the controller back to Ortho and headed back to the couch and laid back down.
"Oh that's too bad." Ortho whined.
"That's Leona for you. He's a real pro at getting out of stuff he doesn't wanna do." Idia sighed. "Have fun guys." Leona yawned.
"Whoa careful now looks like we put him in a foul mood." Jamil muttered.
"Don't worry about it that's how he always is." Vil shrugged.
"Jamil Viper would you like to play Hydra?" Ortho asked turning to him.
"Actually I'm interested in seeing how Vil is at video games." Jamil said turning to him.
"Me?" Vil asked raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, you've only been watching so far." Jamil remarked.
"I don't normally play you know, it won't make for the most entertaining watch. But I suppose I was getting a tad bored just spectating I might as well give it a go. Is there anything you would recommend Ortho?" Vil asked as he stepped up to the TV.
"I was hoping you ask, there's one game you must play, Vil Schoenheit. For a global supermodel and shining star I present Star Rouge: A hero's Dawn." Ortho announced.
"Our legend! Pop off! This is the story of how one man became a hero the year Stellaris 1997 The Chronos Force invaded from the Titan Nubeula conquering the Planet Gaia and plunging it into chaos. The Gaia Dynstay was thought to have been wiped out in the invasion however one of their princes was raised in secrecy his origin concealed from the Chronos Force. When his adoptive parents told him the truth about where he came from he set forth on a journey to bring back his birth parents and restore peace to Gaia." Idia explained happily.
Everyone just stared at him.
"Erk! Uh sorry got carried away. The game's a shoot em up but the story's just so thrilling. Anyway uh you're welcome to play it if you like." Idia muttered.
"Why are you suddenly acting so embarrassed? We didn't say a word." Vil asked.
"Yeah big brother you should be proud of your favorite game." Ortho said.
"They'll get the appeal way better by playing it than from me prattling on. So go on try it out." Idia shrugged.
"I've had minimal experience with this type of game to be clear." Vil said as Ortho handed him the controller.
"Then I'll set it to the beginner mode." Ortho said as the start screen popped up.
"Shoot for glory among the stars and soar like a comet!" Idia and Ortho sang out as Vil hit play.
Thanks for reading and sticking around. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was pretty fun to write. See ya next time.