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[notsolomon]

This is William Twining. I shall reply to your message at my earliest convenience. Thank you. ***BEEP***

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[notsolomon]

Well it sounds expensive, whatever it is.

[But fortunately, William is easily satisfied.]

Try me. As long as it isn't something utterly horrifying, I can manage it.

[Probably. Or he might regret it.]

[babermetrics]

[Damn, it's hard to decide whether to call William's bluff or not. Leon himself isn't a huge fan of weird crap on pizza; he doesn't want to ruin it just to watch the expression on William's face! As funny as it might be. And what if William actually likes it and Leon "loses" twice over?

Better safe than sorry. He's just putting pepperoni and onions on it after all. Lame. He talks as he punches in the order:]

It's just the part of the tuna that's super fatty. You eat it raw . . . I always thought it was pretty pointless. Like, it's all just raw fish, it tastes like raw fish! Why would you pay that much money when you could get cheaper raw fish that probably tastes like raw fish too? I don't get it.

[notsolomon]

Oh, that sounds a bit disgusting then. I don't like fatty meat.

[The raw fish part seems durable, considering some of the stuff that passes for food back home.]

But eating it raw...

Pickled herring is bad enough cooked. I can't imagine it in the natural state.

[babermetrics]

It ain't my favorite thing either . . . y'know when we were stuck out in the jungle I ate a whole fish raw? The whole time I was just like, c'mon, it's just like sashimi, it's totally no different from sashimi! But I couldn't convince myself! . . . I was still hungry enough to do it, though.

[He finishes up ordering and tosses his CereVice onto the cushion next to him, grabbing his controller again.]

You wanna get started on an empty stomach? This'll be practice mode! I'm real generous even letting a prodigy like you practice first, right?

[notsolomon]

[Oh Leon...

What are you going to do when CERES or some other dumb preternatural being drops you in the middle of bugfuck nowhere again?

But that is a concern for another time.]

No problem. And I think you are the one who is going to need the handicap considering how well I have picked this up so far!

[This may or may not be over confidence speaking.]

[babermetrics]

Hey, I've played this game a billion times! And this's just the start, too! We're gonna find a game I can beat you at!

[His true intentions revealed. Okay, no, his true intentions just involved having a friend over. But there's maybe an aspect of this in there too!

He brings up the intro and the menu screen; it's another fighting game, but one that isn't in the arcade. It's Lethal Konflict or something, you know the type. The graphics and gore are both pretty impressive on this one.]

Buuut I figured since this is a rematch and all, we'd start with this!

[notsolomon]

Oh I do hope so, if only for your sake.

[Because it would be pretty embarrassing if Leon lost to him at all of these.

Yeah, William is over confident. He thinks he has totally mastered this, the last frontier of the future.

But wow, this game has a stupid name. It sounds so... what is that word he saw online? Edgelord? Yeah, that's the one.]

But let us see what we have here...

[He looks through the character select screen though and wow, so many generic ninja dudes and ladies that are just palette swaps. He settles for the dude in blue though, because his color scheme is the least atrocious.]

[babermetrics]

[Leon picks the blue ninja princess chick. They make an attractive couple. (She has an attractive couple herself, if you know what I mean. The outfits on the ladies in this game are as gratuitous as the gore, and certainly not meant for delicate Victorian eyes.)]

You know this game's totally unrealistic, 'cuz in real life no guy would ever be able to fight a girl dressed like this, right? Ha ha!

[notsolomon]

[Yeah she kind of is inappropriately dressed, but then again William's seen enough inappropriately dressed demon ladies to be unimpressed.]

You would be surprised what you can ignore when your life is on the line...

[Besides, those those proportions are even possible in real life.]

[babermetrics]

[It's a harmless enough comment, and for a second Leon's about to laugh it off—but then, unexpectedly, it hits him a little too close to home. You would be surprised what you can ignore when your life is on the line. Of course that's true. He hadn't thought about . . . that.]

. . . Yeah, I guess it don't really matter how pretty a girl is if she's trying to kill you.

[That's the sort of thing he'd normally say with a laugh, but he doesn't this time. Instead his tone is flat and cagey, and he occupies himself with the screen and the rules selection rather than look anywhere else.]

[notsolomon]

[The change in tone is hard to miss and William has to wonder if he said something offensive, though he can't figure out what would have been offensive about it.

So he decides to say nothing for a moment, assuming his mistaken, reading up on the rules along with Leon.

the controller feels different enough in his hand that he takes time to memorize the buttons, even though the layout is pretty similar.]

Do you want to begin then?

[babermetrics]

—Yeah.

[He takes a deep breath, shaking it off, and turns to flash William a smile. It's a little less convincing than usual . . . but he's not entirely faking it or anything. What's the point of dwelling on all that, anyway? It's not like he wants to talk about it or anything. How would he ever explain . . .

It's better like this, with William here to give him something else to think about instead of sifting through all that crap again. He does that plenty on his own.]

You ready? You've never used a console before, right? That's just like a video game in your house instead of the arcade.

[notsolomon]

I understand that much about them...

[Yeah continuing on to the next topic in full was definitely a good idea.]

But it does seem to be too different otherwise. I mean, I will still win in the end.

[babermetrics]

Dude, you really gotta stop sayin' stuff like that to a guy who's totally treating you to pizza 'cuz he wanted to hang out . . .

[They're like one button-push confirmation away from starting their battle, but it's time to take a time out to complain about William's sore winning propensities first.]

[notsolomon]

and I appreciate that. A lot.

[He does actually. And well yes, he will tone it down.]

But fine, I will try not brag too much.

[babermetrics]

. . . Heh.

[He eases off, leaning to bump up against William's shoulder, companionable. Good answer.]

Thanks for comin' over! . . . For me to kick your ass!

[Can't get too touching now, can we?]

[notsolomon]

Glad to see you in the spirit then!

["Because it will be so much more satisfying to beat you then." But he did promise to chill a little.]

But we should get started. It will take a bit to get used to this one.

[babermetrics]

So you're admitting you ain't perfect! Heh, we'll see how you handle this . . . go!

[He says, and presses his button to confirm.

Of course, William needs to press his too, so it's not as cool and dramatic a moment as Leon was hoping for.]

[notsolomon]

Oh I am about as close to perfect as any human can be.

[Since human beings were inherently imperfect, he was admitting to nothing.

But he's presses his button and wow this is a lot more nitty gritty.

But he's going to try a few punches and kicks first just to get a feel for the game.]

[babermetrics]

[Wonder if this guy's ever met Togami . . .

he thinks. Sounds like it would either be hilarious to watch, or torture to be in the same room as. Well, right now, Leon's got to focus on not getting totally owned this first round, because how embarrassing would that be? He advances on William's character from the other side of the screen—better get one of those punches in soon.]

[notsolomon]

[The feel of the game is pretty different and it's taking him some time to adjust and he's probably pretty wide open.

Wow blocking is terrible in this. So terrible. He's probably gonna get punched.]

[babermetrics]

[Yep. He sure does. Leon doesn't gloat too much; he's pretty aware of his advantage right now, and savoring it while it lasts. It'd be overdoing it to act like he just totally got in an awesome hit.

But he does grin over at William. He can't help it.

(That leaves him open, too.)]

[notsolomon]

[Smile while you can Leon. Revenge is coming.

Like right now, where William manages to land a really good kick. He's beginning to get the hang of this, though he still has a way to go.

so he's going to resist the urge to get smug for a bit.]

[babermetrics]

Ow, hey! I totally let you have that one! Don't make me get serious on your first try!

[Please don't, that'd be embarrassing. But he can tell that time is fast approaching, and turns some of his attention back onto the screen to launch a counterattack.]

[notsolomon]

Do not take me so lightly then.

[No please take him lightly. It makes it easier to win.

He isn't able to block the counterattack fast enough. It doesn't connect entirely, but it still does more damage then William would like.

He needs to rally and quickly.]

This is trickier though.