It was a disgustingly warm autumn day, which was seasonably normal for Arizona. For his entire life, Alex had been living in the hell city of Phoenix with his father. There was one point where he could remember a woman being present, but that was another story. As for his father, the man was usually busy running business-like errands and doing business-like things for his business-esque job, but Alex didn’t complain. That was just the way the cookie crumbled. The air was wet with humidity when he opened the front door. Almost immediately, he closed it again. There was no way he was going outside to check the mail, even if the raised, red flag was tempting. He was expecting a delivery. A game, as a matter of fact. It was called SBURB, and he and some of his online friends were supposed to be playing it together. His best friend and next door neighbor, Rich, was playing it as well. In fact, the thought of Rich gave him an idea. Instead of trudging all the way out in the heat to see if the game had come himself, he could just ask his friend if his own copy had come. He quickly dashed back up the staircase to his bedroom, successfully avoiding an encounter with his father. [hider=Show Pesterlog] -- ratifiedRebel [color=8DB3EF][RR][/color] began pestering memeticPhallus [color=E58A12][MP][/color] at 11:24 -- [color=8DB3EF]RR: Hey.[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: hi whassup[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: First of all, can I just reiterate how much I really hate your handle?[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: theres nothing wrong with my handle[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: It's kind of immature tbh.[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: no it isnt[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: It is, but okay. Anyway, did your copy of SBURB come yet?[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: i havent checked[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: But it's noon.[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: it is? MP: oh it is[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Yes. RR: It is. RR: Can you go check?[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: right now??[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Well, yeah. RR: I'm gonna ask Abbi if she got hers.[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: oh MP: cool[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Yeah so are you gonna check?[/color] [color=E58A12]MP:[/color] https://i.ytimg.com/vi/W1-qbiMbUUk/maxresdefault.jpg [color=8DB3EF]RR: ...Thanks.[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: okay i checked MP: its not here[/color] [/hider] That concluded that Rich’s copy wasn’t there yet, Alex supposed. That also meant it wasn’t coming today, considering the mail had already been delivered. Maybe his other friend had received her copy already, but talking to her made his heart do weird, uncomfortable flops. He hovered over her handle in his contacts and debated with himself about contacting her, when a slip of the finger clicked on her name against his will. Oh, shit. That meant she could see he’d started a conversation with her. Panicking, he switched back to the conversation with Rich. [hider=Show Pesterlog] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Oh, shit. I opened a conversation with Abbi and now I don't know what to say and now she sees that I started pestering her.[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: just say hi[/color] [/hider] [i]Right. Just say hi. What’s so hard about that?[/i] he thought sarcastically to himself, opening the other conversation. [hider=Show Pesterlog] -- ratifiedRebel [color=8DB3EF][RR][/color] began pestering buzzingElectra [color=FFD700][BE][/color] at 11:45 -- -- buzzingElectra [color=FFD700][BE][/color] changed their mood to OFFLINE -- [/hider] [i]Ouch. This was not going well.[/i] [hider=Show Pesterlog] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Shit, she changed her mood to offline. RR: She's back on. RR: Okay. I said hey.[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: ask how she is[/color] [/hider] Asking how she was; that was a thing Alex felt like he could do. It didn’t have any kind of other implications or undertones. Not that there needed to be any. [hider=Show Pesterlog] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Hey, Abbi. What's up?[/color] [color=FFD700]BE: hey alex, not much, it'zz juzzt raining and i need to check on the power but i'm not wearing clothezz outzzide of a zzweatzzhirt BE: it'zz a zzad time tbh BE: it'zz fucking freezing zzend help[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Oh no! That sucks. I'm guessing you haven't been able to check if your game copy has come yet, then?[/color] [color=FFD700]BE: i don't even know if it would be here in thizz inzzane weather.. wait hold on[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Hm?[/color] [color=FFD700]BE: i juzzt looked out the window, the little red flaggy thingy izz up[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Oh yeah. That means mail's there, right?[/color] [color=FFD700]BE: yeah[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Sweet. I wouldn't go out there right now, though! Don't need you getting sick.[/color] [color=FFD700]BE: it'zz juzzt a game alex, mizzzzing out on playing for a little bit would not be an izzzzue. and with you azz my zzerver player, what elzze would need to be done? BE: you're probably a natural[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Aw, haha. Thanks. I HAVE read up on some of the walkthroughs and such where some people have already played. One guy was streaming on Twitch, but it blacked out and he hasn't started back up yet.[/color] [color=FFD700]BE: that'zz weird, maybe the game crazzhed? BE: what happened before the crazzh[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Idk. He was using a bodycam, naturally, and they were running around and talking about putting Cruxites into an Alchemiter to Alchemize an Entry Item. But there was a Pre-Punched Card that they got when they booted up the game that already had the customized Entry Item in it or whatever, but it's only activated through the Alchemiter. RR: And for some reason, you only get it when you boot up the game. Not when you actually receive the copy.[/color] [color=FFD700]BE: wait what BE: doezz it juzzt materalize?[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: I guess. Afaik, it was just...in their Sylladex. It was pretty weird.[/color] [color=FFD700]BE: what to heck BE: the* zzorry richie izz rubbing off on me ugh[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Haha yeah... RR: Anyway, I guess we'll find out when we actually get to play. RR: So, I'm your server player?[/color] [color=FFD700]BE: yeah![/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Cool! Nice. It's gonna be awesome playing with you. RR: Playing the game with you. RR: And everyone else.[/color] [color=FFD700]BE: yeah i'm mozztly excited to meet Lyra BE: and you of courzze BE: cauzze there'zz gonna be a lot of video chatting BE: i prezzume[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Yep! Haha. It's gonna be cool.[/color] [color=FFD700]BE: i've heard reviewerzz compare it to the zzimzz but with your friendzz inzztead of thozze faux-people[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Oh man, that's awesome. Yeah, it's gonna be GREAT.[/color] [color=FFD700]BE: I'm really excited[/color] [/hider] Realizing that he’d completely forgotten about Rich, Alex switched back to his other conversation to check up on him. [hider=Show Pesterlog] [color=8DB3EF]RR: It's raining. She's cold. RR: My transportalizer doesn't work so I can't send her anything warm.[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: oh MP: that blows[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: She got her copy. RR: Of the game, that is.[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: man i hope my copy gets here soon MP: wait MP: maybe my aunt took the mail in oh no[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Go ask her.[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: i cant just do that she thinks i should always be doing homework or reading or something[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: I don't think she'll punish you for asking about the mail. RR: Come on, Richie. RR: Please.[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: yeah i should ask soon or she might return it MP: brbrbrbrbrb[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Okay, awesome.[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: okay so the game is here and i have it in my hands right now i cant believe i managed that lawl[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: I just don't know how you live with your aunt's constant concern for your academic benefit despite your circumstances. It must be awful. RR: Anyway, come over.[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: sure i can install it while im over there[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Well. RR: Actually. RR: Run it on your desktop to begin with. You can come over after we all get it up and running. RR: And plus. RR: I don't want you installing it before everyone else.[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: oh ok ill just bring my kazoo hahaha[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: No, I mean. RR: I changed my mind about you coming over. RR: I gotta go get my copy from the mailbox anyway.[/color] [color=E58A12]MP: oh okay MP: ill just wave at you from my window[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Sure.[/color] -- ratifiedRebel [color=8DB3EF][RR][/color] ceased pestering memeticPhallus [color=E58A12][MP][/color] at 12:38 -- [/hider] [i]Awesome![/i] Alex thought. Now that both of their copies of the game was in, he could work on making sure everyone else had their copy. Then would come actually playing the game. The hype was so real. [hider=Show Pesterlog] [color=8DB3EF]RR: I am too! So, Rich got his copy, and that means mine should be here, too.[/color] [color=FFD700]BE: huh BE: how lucky we all got ourzz at the zzame time BE: probably juzzt coincidince haha[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Yeah. I hope the others get theirs soon.[/color] [color=FFD700]BE: me too[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Anyway, I should probably go get my copy. It's still in the mailbox.[/color] [color=FFD700]BE: i have no clothezz to wear but i want to get it zzo bad!![/color] [color=FFD700]BE: gotta wait for the wazzh to be done i guezzzz[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Aw man. :( I wish my transportalizer was working. I'd just send you some warm, fuzzy stuff to wear.[/color] [color=FFD700]BE: omg the thought meanzz a lot <3 :)[/color] [color=8DB3EF]RR: Ahaha. :) Haha yeah. Anyway. :) Gotta go ahaha.[/color] -- ratifiedRebel [color=8DB3EF][RR][/color] ceased pestering buzzingElectra [color=FFD700][BE][/color] at 12:43 -- [/hider] That was probably the worst and most awkward sendoff Alex had ever felt leave his mind. That was the most awful to ever say goodbye to anyone that he’d ever had a crush on. He felt like he wanted to just crawl under his desk and never come out; to never speak to her ever again. Of course, he was sure she understood, so he wouldn’t do any of that. The most important thing was retrieving the mail without having to suffer the consequence of being forced to listen to one of his dad’s long rambles. They usually made no sense and made Alex incredibly uncomfortable. Because of that, he did what he could to avoid encountering his father in the hallways. Peeking out of his bedroom door, the coast seemed pretty clear, captain. He snuck out on tiptoes, heading for the staircase. Much like himself, his father was a very minimalistic person -- there wasn’t much decor. Sometimes it made the place seem boring and ready to be sold. Sometimes, it was comforting. As Alex neared the bottom of the staircase, crouched low, he saw his father sitting on the living room couch. Damn it! It looked like he was absorbed in the newspaper, so maybe there wouldn’t be an encounter. Carefully, Alex pressed himself against the wall and started half-crawling to the front door. The television drowned out the creaking floorboards underneath his feet. His father stirred and made a weird face. Alex held his breath. There was a long moment of silence before the man let out a violent sneeze and seemed to return to reading the newspaper. Close one. He dashed out of the house and out to the mailbox. The heat was already making him sweat. Having lived there his entire life, one would think he was used to it by now, but he was not. The mailbox felt like it was a good mile from his front door, even though it was, in reality, only a few feet. But it was a fruitful journey. Opening the mailbox revealed his copy of SBURB amongst a pile of bills and junkmail! Without further interference, he ran back into the house and up to his bedroom.