WORLD 04 - LEVEL -2

"I may be but small, but I will die a colossus." - Ludleth of Courland, Dark Souls III

We go to a cold, dark world. A world of ash. Of crumbling structures and long dead things. We go to our heroes in this wretched land sitting at a lone bonfire next to a long, stone bridge.


The duo sit next to the warm bonfire as snow falls slowly to the earth, Game Boy sits in worn steel armour adorned with fur, he sharpens a longsword. Game Girl sits with her knees up to her chin and her arms around her legs, she's wearing her usual attire. She squints at GB.


"Why did you want to come here again?"

Puffs of steam fly from her mouth with each word; GB ceases his sharpening and replies with a shrug.


"Power fantasy."

GG scoffs.


"I just heard this place was super tough, so wanted give it a go."

GG looks around the area.


"I'll never understand these 'new' games. Like so much grey and brown. The snow's pretty I guess but what else is there?"


"Oh, Dark Souls have a very interesting story."


"Oh really? What is it?"

GB goes wide-eyed as the gears turn in his head.


"Erm. . . Time is convulted here."


"You have no clue do you."


"Not a clue, no."

Game Girl laughs.


"Next time we'll go somewhere you want to go."


"Well, we'll have plenty of time to see everywhere."

GB frowns and places the sword on the ground, he stares into the fire.


"What's the matter?"


"So, we're never going back to Narfinex?"

GG rolls her eyes.


"Maybe, once Princess stops going crazy."


"I hope it's not long."


"Why are you so eager to get back? GB everything is done, we'll just wander around doing nothing until the end of time."


"Just because there are no active quests doesn't mean there's nothing on the horizon. Our friends are there!"


"Our friends? Our friends want to lock us in a dungeon, Game Boy. Gretchin stood by and did nothing. We're on our own for a while, dude."

Game Boy huffs and the two fall silent. After a minute Game Boy laughs to himself.


"You remember when we first met?"


"Of course. You went all one-man army on a base and I knocked your butt unconscious and kinda kidnapped you."


"Yeah . . . Haha, fun times. Been thinking about that recently."


"Why?"


"Well I had my powers back then, if I was a little quicker you'd be dead."


". . . Good thing you're slow."


"Heh, not like I wanted to kill you or anything. I just find it funny, how small moments could change so much. If I killed you; when I fought that Titan to save Narfinex, I would have died. Then it'd be game over and none of us would be here now."


"Yeah. . . You're right. Well, most things that happen in video games are pretty convenient."

The two share a laugh.


"You think Gabe. . . God. Scripted all this? Like, we're meant to walk this path?"


"I'm not sure, to be honest, Gabe is a bit of an idiot. A lovable idiot though. I doubt he could plan all this, he seemed pretty shocked when I went to Urf."


"I guess. It's kinda neat to think about though."


"Yeah, I guess it is."

They smile kindly at one another, Game Girl stands to her feet and dusts off the snow settled onto her, she reaches out a hand to GB.


"C'mon, lets go kill some montsers."


"Good plan."

The two begin a short descent down the steps towards the long bridge. They look around the area as the wind calms and everything goes eerily quiet.


"Spooky."

He says with a hint of sarcasm. GG chuckles.


"Yeah, sure hope no fire balls shoot out at us."

They both snicker, GB elbows GG playfully.


"Or the bridge doesn't start to fall away behind us!"


"Nirva forbid we have to jump over some barrels as they come hurtling towards us!"

The pair break out in laughter, GB stops to wipe tears from his eyes. GG unaware skips down the path, still laughing to herself. Suddenly...

THUD

The sound echoes throughout the area, GB looks up and straight ahead seeing Game Girl oblivious ahead of him.


Paige finally turns around seeing Game Boy limp on the ground, groaning in pain but thankfully still alive. GG's breathing turns heavy as she looks to her friend and up to the beast towering her; the creature reels back and lunges quickly forward snapping at our hero. Game Girl leaps forward and underneath the belly of the beast and sprints to the downed Game Boy, she turns him over and in a panic uses Call of Valor! Buffing Game Boy to give him some health back, small scratches on his face disappear but the large wound in his chest pouring out blood doesn't stop.


"Can you walk!?"


"Y-yeah I guess."


"Good."

GG throws Game Boy's arm over her shoulder and aids him up, she begins to say her input for fast travel before the beats interrupts her with another bite. Game Girl dodges away with GB and the two crash to the stone floor; quickly getting back up as the creature whips its tail back against the two and forces them against the far barricade. The two are hurt but have no time to rest, GG's eyes dart around and look to the end of the bridge, a shine come from the gate. She lifts Game Boy over her shoulder and sprints as fast as she can towards the end. The creature, relentless, gives chase snapping at their heels.

The chase continues, GG losing speed as her breathing turn erratic; the beast is almost on them. Some distance away from the gate, GG pushes against GB's body and hurls him pass the gate, he crashes onto the ground and rolls on the floor. Game Girl turns in her sprint and skids on, facing the creature. She lifts her hands high and a ball of blinding light blasts from her palms, blinding the demon! It lets out a high pitch screech and flails on spot, shaking its head and thrashing in all directions before hitting the barricade and falling over the edge with a blood-curdling roar. GG stays still, watching where the beast fell, she's breathless and quickly turns to GB, rushing towards him and coming to his aid.


"GB! Game Boy! Can you hear me!?"

Game Girl cradles Game Boy in her arms, his eyes are hazy but he cracks a weak smile.


"Yeah. . . This game is pretty tough."

GG laughs through some tears and embraces GB in a hug. Game Boy smiles, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

To be continued. . .

---

"Lux."

"Honestly it doesn't surprise me that you're the only one with the foresight to know that we could be fighting each other. I knew you were smart. I apologise for what I said before, it's just I know this is part of the competition and that power that I use gives me an edge. Makes me says things that I think in my subconscious but would normally never say and somehow, that helps. Being a bad person and saying mean things, helps us all win. Which is sad, but I don't want to break Urf's rules. If this is what you do, this is what you do. However, without using said power I can say this."

"Lux, I have the utmost respect for you. You are by far the most impressive newcomer this place has ever seen and I'd be honoured to fight you if I beat Dolly and I know it'll be a great fight So best of luck to you. With that out of the way."

"Power of trash talk to 30%. . ."

". . ."

"The actual fact you believe me to be the underdog truly proves just how dense you are. I mean come on, dude. I was here while you standing in front of the mirror trying on girl's clothing to see if it felt more natural, in between getting bullied and training with that prop katana on your windowsill, which you'll say was for defence but was so obviously dull and only bought because you think anime is just that neat. Yes, I haven't been around in recent times but I still came here years ago and made a heck of an impact, still came in and beat Sebastian Duke who at the time was riding higher than anyone here, I still came in and won Star of the Month, an accomplishment which you know the pride of winning too and I still came in and won the now defunct Intercontinental Championship without dropping the ball as you did, kid. So don't come at me with that weak 'underdog' crud because the fact is, even though you and Lacklan have impressed people you two are the underdogs. Dolly sucks but I'll give her her due as a real competitor here. You failed to capture the Xtreme title here because I don't know, the pressure got to you? You peed your pants and gave up? Whatever the reason, that's what is happening here."

"You couldn't beat VV (Hi VV!) so you bounced back with a belly full of fire and proved that you, in fact, could hang with the big boys but the fire is quickly dying down to embers. Getting yourself a big head because Lane patted you on the back and people complimented how well you can roast the developmental talent like Cadryn. All it's done is make you soft and overconfident when you must realise yourself your material is taking a bigger dip than Lacklan mid s drop. I mean please man, I allegedly rip off your material and you say I 'rehash your savage dunking'? How full of yourself are you? I talked about what was blindingly obvious about Lacklan because she's too dumb to not speak about me yet because she doesn't consider me a threat? Despite me obviously rattling her cage when she calls me out outside of her promo. Did you have that effect? Or did you just get dunked on by her? Listen dhead, while you're playing a friendly game of Mario Tennis with Lacklan, with your back and forth, I'M the one actually hurting people."

"I made Lacklan jump."

"I made little baby Doll angry."

"I surprised you didn't I? Do you really think I'm the underdog rehashing points made? How about what I said to Dolly, about how no one is talking about her? Where you rehashing the point I made and turning it on me? How about when you clearly yoinked a point I made to say again to her? You plagiarising, oblivious imbecile. Well, at least I can take pride in teaching the new kid a thing or two."

"Lastly, to answer a couple of questions of yours. I'm 17 and my world is indeed real and even if it wasn't I don't think I'd be stupid enough to pull back the curtain just as people were interested and show myself to be just another plain boring face in the crowd."

"Respect the heck out of you though, good luck."

"F Lacklan. Prissy b isn't worth my time. Not like I'll even face her, see Lux I am still nice when I use this power."

"Dolly."

"When you say stuff as stupid as you do, it seems like the whole 'screw management' thing you were going for was indeed in hindsight, a terrible and stupid idea. I and Lux aren't part of a fan club, we're just pointing out the fact that you can't face how sty you actually are. The fact that you say all this and get so defensive about it gets YOU triggered is hilarious to everyone watching, it's like the cruddy teenager who asked to be roasted now crying saying 'get off my D' it's pathetic. Honestly, pathetic."

"Now, I don't know why you're kicking yourself about being late to the party, I mean everyone knew you'd show up late and play catch up, and that's coming from me lol, everyone knew Dolly Waters would wait until all the pieces where laid out so she can pick and choose at what to go after. You're lazy,you're scared and you're a s liar. What was it you said?"

Dolly Waters Said:'Cept fer' Game Girl. She can find herself f by a Koopatroopa' in the Mushroom Kingdom fer' all I care. Honest.

"Yeah, that. Apart from being another generic reference to a video game that every no talent loser here does because it's just so fun and easy and why should you have to work hard for an insult!? It's also an outright fallacy."



"Waters legacy lol. Remember saying that Dolly in that stupid, aggravating overexaggerated accent of yours? It's a while back but do you remember running up to me, smile and autograph book in hand? I do, it was sweet and you come here now pretending that never happened? Please. I know people grow up and change but no one forgets their heroes and you actually come at me trying to stop that shaking in your knees and pretend to not even show me the right amount of respect you know I deserve? This is why people don't respect you because you're flaky and you flip flop. Go f yourself."

"Also, you can control what people say about you moron. By impressing them, the only reason you're fortieth on that list is that you were around long enough at that time that management would have felt bad for leaving you out, hey, maybe you should thank them for that! I'm not salty that my name isn't there, why would I be? I know I don't deserve it, I wasn't around long enough and didn't fight enough TO deserve it. I'll cop that but if I was number forty I wouldn't exactly brag about it lol, maybe top twenty-five, least management actually thought about them before making the list."

Dolly Waters Said:If I was "underperforming" as you suggested, then what'll happen when I up and decide to perform?

"I'm not sure but I know everyone would love to find out. Listen, Dolly, I was talking about recently. I know, you have been good in your past. I'm pretty sure the point I was trying to make last time was you are good, just not good enough. Either you're done caring or you've run out of talent. Well done, you beat VV who honestly didn't seem to into fighting you, look at her now defending her title, putting out those fire promos. Why would she care if she advanced? She has her briefcase now, she is capable of being a number one contender for the Universal title. The reason I brought up the fact that you're lucky is that you did beat a drunk Hanari Carnes! I'm not going into gibberish and I'm not twisting words like you're trying to do. I'm being clear, the only reason you're here is that Hanari didn't try and that, unfortunately for you, is the truth."

"So, since you can't understand in the slightest let me speak clearly for you. I used the same amount of effort to beat Hart as Hanari used against you, meaning, little to none. So, in words you may understand, you balloon headed little t, imagine if I actually tried against you. We clear hun? Maybe if you clear the tumbleweed out between your ears you may have actually got that or blame management for having the volume too low on my promo."

"I honestly have no memory of Lethal Lottery 4, like you said I was glitching out and I lost, this was around my game, my home, was getting shut off for maintenance so it makes sense, not making excuses here, if I lost I'll fully admit that I lost. I'd honestly take the fact that I messed up so bad to lose than ever admit I lost to Peter Gilmour hahaha. Ooh. . . You lost to Gilmour. Oh well, in the past. I just find it funny how I speak just a little bit of truth and it's enough for you to finally break your vow of silence and get you so gosh darn riled up. Dolly, you're not going to win this carrying on like you are. This isn't a diss, this is the honest truth. You're a mid-tier mini-boss, see here's a generic video game reference to make you feel more comfortable, you're good, but the face of the company? Doubtful. You're destined to have a lacklustre career, breezing through the XWF with a will she here and a won't she there only to follow the footsteps of your daddy and fall face first into a pool of irrelevance."

"You're a bratty, blonde haired, stupid little c who is so far up her own butt it's astonishing you haven't created a black hole of inflated ego and swallowed Urf up in the gaping mass of mediocrity. Your accent is grating, your charisma is non-existent. You flip flop between sweetheart who sleeps with the kitties to wannabe edgy bad girl who says what she wants and doesn't take any s . . . Kinda like me with my power, huh, I guess I am still your hero. At least I have a reason for split personalities. I'm not just faking it and phoning in one mode and switching to the other."

"As I said before, I do have some respect for you and in a way, I do like you. I just don't think you're good enough to win this thing or even go far enough in this business, at least you have that Hart title to fall back on. Good to see it's still a 'developmental' title like it was when I first popped up."

"Power of trash talk off."

". . ."

"Well, good luck to you all and most importantly, have fun!"