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It was all coming down to this moment—the moment Neil would become the Computer Fighters 2000 champion and beat that plutocratic, no-good, cheater Mitch Dollarton III.
Neil adjusted his glasses as he walked to the machine where Mitch awaited him. He glanced back at Kevin and Ryan, giving him a supporting thumbs up alongside Ryan’s unintelligible incantations. Neil heard a chuckle from behind and turned back. It was Mitch, who leaned against the arcade machine, pretending to yawn with a smirk etched on his face. Neil furrowed his brow and shook his head as he inserted the final token that determined his fate.
Mitch inserted his token soon after, getting into position.
The game booted as a loud voice boomed from the speakers.
COMPUTER FIGHTERS 2000
PLAYER ONE, SELECT YOUR COMPUTER FIGHTER.
Neil moved the joystick, carefully examining each character before settling with Pizza Cop. Neil pressed the button and locked his choice with a sense of confidence.
Mitch chuckled and casually selected his character: Gunfoot.
"I always play as Gunfoot." He said as he glanced at Neil with a smug smile.
The game then commenced! Neil was the first to play his first move. Remembering the moves from the Vid-Kid magazine, he set to use the moves he spent all month practicing. With a quick and methodical move of his fingers, he made his move.
"Feeble!" Exclaimed Pizza Cop.
The millionaire merely chuckled softly at the weak attempt. With the quick and effortless movement of his hands, Gunfoot landed a critical blow on Pizza Cop, effectively killing him. Pizza Cop let out a yelp as the screen flashed black with red text that glowed "YOU LOSE!"
Kevin and Ryan both gasped in shock.
Mitch smiled mockingly. "A pity." The smug, bratty, penny-pincher gave Neil a look of mockery as he spoke coldly. "Next."
"N-No!" Neil cried out, his eyes focusing on the text ingrained in his retinas as he slowly backed away from the arcade machine. Unbeknownst to Neil, he happened to bump against Max the Bully. Max growled at Neil, donning a wide grin as Neil slowly turned around. Neil gulped as he stared wide-eyed at the bully who towered over him.
"Maxamillion, escort these...beatniks, if you please," Mitch commanded. Max immediately got to work, grabbing Ryan and Kevin by the collars. He gave them both mischievous looks and growls before dragging them out of the Pinball Wizard.
It was just Neil and Mitch.
The Brains and the Upperclassman were now alone.
Mitch adjusted his signature red bowtie as he leaned against the arcade machine, toying with a play token. Neil rolled his eyes as Mitch teased him. "'Tis a shame." "Huh?" Mitch pocketed the token with his hands in his pockets as he stepped towards Neil with a grin. "'Tis a shame." He repeated. Before Neil could respond, Mitch motioned for Neil to follow him.
Neil was confused. Why does Mitch want him to follow him? What about his friends? His fate for losing? If only he had those mysterious powers Dapper Flapper was so told to have...
"Come now, we don't have all day, do we?"
Neil was unsure whether to follow Mitch. What if he had something horrid planned for him? What if he was secretly working for the government?! After all, he is an escaped felon. Neil felt his throat get tight. He tugged at his collar as he made up his mind.
Mitch donned a soft smirk as Neil began to follow him. "Hurry on, now. We don't want that scrawny homeless brute arriving any time soon."
Both made their way to the nearby restrooms, secluded enough to pry away any peering eyes.
"Okay, what is going on?" Neil needed answers now. Mitch scanned the area around them, double-checking in case anybody was watching. He exhaled before slicking back his hair. "A little bird told me you would come here and try to defeat me." He murmured. Neil's eyes widened. "What? Who?" Mitch scoffed, crossing his arms. "Don't act coy with me, Neil. You know exactly what is going on. My source even warned me that you would try and deny it."
Neil looked in disbelief, furrowing his brow. "No, I seriously have no idea what you're talking about! Sure, yeah, I want to win, but I had no idea you were playing in the championship!" Mitch wasn't buying it. He had his eyes stern and locked on Neil's. With a soft exhale, Mitch pulled out the Vid-Kid magazine Neil was carrying from behind him. "I don't like cheaters," Mitch murmured, holding the magazine. Neil gasped as he desperately searched himself for the magazine. He was unsure how he managed to grab it from him.
"You see, Neil," Mitch turned his back towards Neil, flipping through the magazine as Max emerged from behind Neil. "it's only fair if we play by the book." Max grabbed Neil's shoulders, holding him in place as he struggled against his grip. "What was it that you said? Those wrong indictments about me cheating?" Mitch tapped his finger on his chin. His lip curved into a cunning smile. "It's true! You have the game at home! It's not fair!" Exclaimed Neil.
Mitch shook his head as he laughed. "It's not my fault I own a copy of the game at my abode. It's called being fortunate, something you're clearly in no position to comprehend." Mitch walked up to Neil, holding up a page where the cheat codes were located. "And speaking of not being fair, I believe this isn't fair either. Don't you agree, Maxamillion?" Mitch was brewing something horrible and Neil knew it. He felt a pit in his stomach as Mitch taunted him. "Oh, I so happened to recall in the rules that no such cheat codes are permitted in the competition." Neil bit his tongue, he was screwed.
"Neil Stephen Cicierega caught red-handed utilizing cheat codes." Mitch shook his head in disbelief as if he was imagining it. "It would be such a shame if I reported you. Get you completely disqualified from the championships and future tournaments." Mitch spoke lowly as he got close to Neil's face. "And I will make sure that happens. You and your sniving band of Nickelodeon rejects will no longer set foot in this establishment or be able to show your faces in public again." Mitch's hazel eyes stared deep into Neil's terrified eyes, allowing his words to sink in.
Neil gulped. He was sweating bullets. He wished Kevin and Ryan were here to back him up and come up with a clever plan to get back at this money hoarder. Alas, they were probably foraging at the dumpsters. Without Neil, they were lost Kids with no one to steer them back on track.
“Now, I won’t play dirty. That would be uncalled for and would risk jeopardizing my image.” Mitch held the Vid-Kid magazine out to Neil. “I can propose you a deal.” Neil looked at the magazine and then at Mitch, curious to hear more. “I will hand your cheat codes if you leave me be.” “But that’s not fair at all! You still have leverage!” Neil shouted. He was right, it wasn’t fair. Mitch simply laughed. “I am terribly sorry, Neil, but that is the only deal I am willing to offer.”
“Unless you want me to report you.” Mitch’s taunting was starting to annoy Neil. He hated this, he had a strong feeling this was wrong.
“If I were you, I’d consider the former. Tick-tock, Neil. We don’t have all day.” A chuckle erupted from his throat as he flipped through the magazine. What other choice could Neil make? He was left with no other decision but to accept.
With a heavy sigh, Neil agreed to the deal.
Max let go of Neil and Mitch and Neil shook hands, sealing the deal.
Before Mitch could hand back the magazine, he ripped off a page containing the cheat codes for defeating Gunfoot. “Oh, you won’t be needing this page. I believe it even things out.”
Neil forced a smile as Mitch grinned rather…oddly.
It looked off putting and unnerving. He certainly screwed up.
“Maxamillion, now you can escort this plebian out of my sight.” Max nodded, hoisting Neil over his shoulder. “Oof!”
“Too-da-loo, Neil.” Mitch waved Max off as he crumpled up the page and placed it in his pocket as he strolled back to the Computer Fighters 2000 arcade machine. Neil struggled and groaned as Max carried him out the exit, tossing him in the dumpster with Kevin and Ryan.