OOC: I’ll add coding later, sorry.

“You actually came back.”

The words fall from his mouth, a whisper that is carried through the ash and wind until it bombards Game Girl’s skull. Rattles her physically with the slightest hint of curiosity behind fanged teeth.

He looks at her through a cold glare. His eyes wide. Too wide, not in surprise, not shock. But in an eerie, unhinged way. Like they couldn’t close if he tried. His pupils slide over to Gretchin, the sword over his shoulder sings as it is drawn down his pauldron and meets his side.

His eyes go back to Game Girl. She stood still, her feet dug into the earth. The rain and ash mixed across her face, drenching her in black and muting her color.

Game Boy exhales deeply. “You’re too late, Paige… I killed Mordekaiser, I took from him the power you stole from me and now I’m the hero Narfinex needed.”

“Where’s Princess and Pepe!?” GG shouts, sweat dripping down her face.

Game Boy takes one step forward. A cloud of dust bursts from his footfalls, small shockwaves ebb from his steel boots.

“They’re dead.” He states, plainly and simply.

GG’s eyes widen, a gasp leaves her as her heart tenses. Gretchin beside her falls to her knees, a quiet “no” exiting her mouth.

“Y-you killed them?” Game Girl questions, the sadness turning to anger as she leans forward.

“They killed themselves, Paige.” He squints at her, a sneer crossing his face as the words hit her. “Just as you have.”

There’s a moment.

A quiet, distant moment when she looks at him.

Her breath shudders as her nails curl into her palms and she looks at him.

He looks the same as he always did, the same but… Different. Her friend, her comrade, her enemy... The enemy. Behind the mask of madness, of this corruption around him, he was still Game Boy and Paige knew that.

A small, fragile moment of hesitation crosses her mind as Gretchin looks up to her.

“Game Girl…” A meek whisper comes from her, looking up with those sad yellow eyes. “Don’t do it.”

Game Girl closes her eyes tightly as her shoulders heave with each large breath.

Before they shoot open and she lets out a roar, dashing over the arid ground. Before she can get halfway Game Boy is there. Moving faster than her eyes can register, his dark blade inches from her face but she manages to throw her body to the side and dodges the edge.

Her body rolls onto the ground and she skids up to a knee looking at him, his eyes almost bulging from his skull as he looks down at her.

“Do we have to do this?” He says towering over her, “We both know how this is going to end.”

Game Girl collects herself and looks up and down at the awful greatsword in his gauntlet. She reaches out a hand to the side and concentrates. Game Boy looks at her quizzically for a moment and follows her arm down past the barren wasteland.

A cloud of dust trails behind something flying through the air, whistling as it gets closer and closer until Paige’s Warhammer, worn and plain, reaches her hand-zZZzzTtt The air around her turns to static as the sound warps into pure noise.

No.

Until Paige’s Warhammer reaches her but Game Boy throws out a single hand and stops it before GG can wrap her hands around it. Game Boy breathes a laugh and begins crushing the head of the hammer in his grasp, GG’s eyes widen for a moment before she ducks in low and throws her robotic fist into GB’s j-zzzZZTT-

NO!

-jaw but he barely dodges it, her fist grazing the air and Game Boy kicks her back with terrific force! Spit flies from her mouth as she tumbles back over herself and lands on her heels digging into the dirt.

Game Boy breaks apart the Warhammer with a smirk, the debris of steel and wood crumbles to the ground at his plated boots, he lowers his stance and faces the greatsword toward her. Game Girl spits on the ground, her brow furrows as determination grows and she puts up her fists in defiance.



“Just give up, Paige.” He sighs, almost bored. “You can make this easy for yourself. No matter what you’re either going to lose or run away again… You can’t win this-”

“Will you shut up?” Game Girl lets out, Game Boy’s brows fall as he glares at her, “You weren’t able to kill me at the waterfall, you couldn’t save Narfinex. You think now that you’re the big bad you have a chance!?”

There’s a moment as the wind whips the two.

“I’m not the bad guy, Paige.” He sneers.

Game Girl laughs at him, “Have you heard yourself? Look at you!” A shaky smile sets on her face, her lip quivering which she bites down. “You’re pathetic, Guy, another story of die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

GB hands writhe below the hilt of his sword as GG shakes her head.

“You’re a hypocrite and a cliche. You couldn’t take back your powers from me so you stole someone else's. This whole scheme of killing Mordekaiser and taking his place seems unoriginal and too stupid even for you. What’s your next plan? Build a death star and stop the hobbits from reaching Mordor?”

Game Boy scoffs, “You’ve been spending too much time on Earth.”

Game Boy rushes in with great speed, his sword slicing the ground under him as he begins to pull it up and slashes horizontally. Game Girl dodges back in the nick of time and plants her feet firmly, a blue aura shines from her as she rushes in, energy leaving her feet as she slides across the ground and goes for an uppercut into GB’s jaw but Game Boy steps back and twists his sword around, thrusting toward Paige’s midsection.

GG holds her breath as the sword goes through her afterimage and she teleports behind Game Boy and throws a palm into his spine-zzzZZZZTRTT!!

Throws a palm towards his back but GB deftly flips his sword behind himself, the blade cuts into GG’s skin briefly and she reels back with a hiss of pain as blood trickles into the air.

Game Boy spins around and swings the sword against GG’s head but she manages to duck low but Game Boy telegraphs her movements, his leg kicking out and belting Game Girl in the face!

Paige is sent barreling over herself, bouncing along the ground but manages to dig her hand into the soil as she roars, her nails digging into the dirt and a pillar of energy blasts from underneath Game Boy’s feet, who manages to side-step it and quickly vanishes from sight for a moment.

Paige gasps, her pupils search her surroundings frantically but she is flung into the air as a fist digs into her stomach and lifts her off her feet. Spit flies from her mouth as she is sent upward and Game Boy throws his sword down, the pommel hitting her spine and a wretched crack comes from her back followed by an ear-piercing scream of agony.

As she is pushed down to the earth Game Boy reels back a leg and boots Game Girl in the ribs. She crumples to the ground, shaking in intense pain, the scream from her mouth doesn’t come as all the wind in her lungs is forced out from the impact.

Game Boy stands over her, looking down with a slight turn of his head, “Are we done?”

GG shakily raises her robotic arm as she grits her teeth. He laughs at her.

“What? You want a fist bump? Is this a way of saying good game? Hahahaha!!!”

As he laughs, the fist of her arm shoots off, expelling fires and smoke, like a rocket flies through the air towards him.

And when he simply shifts his head out of the way, the fist spiralling into the sky.

Game Girl’s body drops, a weak sigh leaving her.

He turns back looking at her, “Cute trick.” He leans down and grabs her robotic arm, inspecting it. “You know, I never asked why you have this? Courtesy of another me from another time?”

Game Girl doesn’t reply, simply staring a hole through him.

Her pupils burning like coal.

He looks at her for a moment, a slight smile on his face as he twists the arm and GG winces in pain, sucking air through her teeth.

He places the edge of the sword against her throat, “I want you to know, Paige.” He looks at her, deeply. “I do care about you. I have a love for you, you could never know.” He pulls her arm closer to him, the blade digging into her throat further as a slight line of crimson forms. “You were something so unique, so special. You weren’t supposed to be in this world. You were a placeholder for something else, a vessel for my power maybe. You shouldn’t exist and yet you had the willpower to persist.”

She looks at him with a frown, disgust and hate in her eyes as a single tear rolls down her cheek.

He gives a soft smile looking her up and down, “I found you… Admirable.” The smile turns to a sneer with a shaky breath, “But you were always too soft… You had this power to save the world, to help us all! And instead you acted like a child.”

“You’re fucking pathetic, Paige.”

GG’s eyes grow wide for just a brief second as Game Boy pushes in with the sword.

And everything moves slowly.

Like the pair were stuck deep under water.

As the pain grows.

The blade inches in deeper.

Her throat about to be clogged with blood.

She closes her eyes tightly.

And the sword runs through.

Cutting through the air as Game Girl teleports out.

And the edge hits the dirt.

Game Boy kneels up, he looks around his surroundings briefly.

But nothing.

Just the ash around him, the mountain and the dispersing clouds letting through a burning sun.

“Typical.” He grunts, “She ran away, again…”


…


…


…


A gasp.

As Game Girl sits up clutching at her throat, breathing heavily. Her chest heaving.

Her eyes dart around at the black space around her.

That familiar void, the stars dull ebbing in and out of the vacuumous darkness.

She tries to speak but chokes on the words and a ragged breath leaves her as she hyperventilates.

She exhales heavily wafting air into her face with her one hand.

A light hits her face.

Not a star or the nebulas she once saw.

But a deep green.

She looks up to see odd symbols in the space.

Cryptic runes appear as though they’re being typed out one at a time.

She squints, trying to register the alien language.

“What… What is this?” Her words echo into the void, falling sweetly and delicately.

The runes stop.

Pausing as if registering her.

Hearing her.

They slowly vanish one by one.

And the words come in one by one.

H E L L O ?

Game Girl gaps, pushing herself up in shock.

“H-Hi?” She stutters, her mouth agape, “I-I’m Paige…”

There’s nothing for a moment.

The words fade again and before coming back anew.

H I - P A I G E. . . I M. . .

They stop.

Hesitating.

Paige stands with a groan clutching her ribs.

W H Y - A R E - Y O U - H E R E ?

Her eyes follow the question through the space, she clears her throat. “I-I… I um… I was in a fight and I tried to escape back to my home but I came here instead…”

Paige awaits a response, but it feels like it never comes. She raises an eyebrow.

“Did you save me? Are you my… My creator? A guardian angel?”

Another moment passes.

N O .

“Oh… Yeah, stupid of me to think so.” GG looks down at her boots, her ruined clothes and her missing hand, inspecting the wrist where Game Boy gripped it. The indents of fingertips pushed into the metal.

Y O U - N E E D - H E L P ?

“Ha.” She forces a laugh, “Yeah… I guess I do…” She looks down at the ground again before sucking in air and cracking her neck, “This… Monster I was fighting… He’s evil… And I felt like he could read all my moves, no matter what I tried he was one step ahead of me. He’s going to destroy my world. He’s going to kill everything and swear it was for a just cause. I need to stop him but…”

GG chokes for a moment with a slight sniffle upwards.

“I don’t think I can win…” Another tear falls from her eye as she quickly wipes it away. “I always thought I was strong enough on my own, but I realised I needed people to help me be better. Scoops, Noah, Dolly… On my own… I can’t do anything…”

She rubs her eyes dry, forcing the tears back as the drops fall off her face and warble into the void away from her.

The words return with a soft glow.

I M - S O R R Y . . .

Paige doesn’t respond. A tremble of smile pushes the corner of her mouth but quickly disappears.

I - W I L L - H E L P

Game Girl gasps, her pupils looking over the words over and over.

“What? H-how!?”

I - W I L L - F I X - M Y - M I S T A K E S

Game Girl takes a step back. “I-I … Don’t understand? What mistakes? Who are you!?”

D O E S N T - M A T T E R

I - W I L L - F I X

Y O U - W I L L

C O M E - B A C K

S T R O N G E R.

Game Girl peers at the words, mouthing them under her breath. “Stronger how?”

::::save_state_loaded::::

Game Girl gasps as her back digs into the arid ground.

The sun almost blinding her as it reflects from Game Boy’s sword.

The blade digging into her neck.

He looks up at him, his cold eyes having a slight glimmer of humanity as his words come, “I do care about you. I have a love for you, you could never know.”

Paige sneers and spits into his face, a glob of saliva landing on his cheek. He looks down at her with a frown, “Really? So unbecoming of you.”

As he pushes down a voice rings out, “Get the fuck off her!” And a knee appears over Paige’s vision and nails Game Boy in the nose.

GB is forced off Paige as the grizzled form of Scoops McGee stands above her and lets down a hand to pick her up.

“Scoops!?” GG exclaims, partly in delight as Scoops pulls her to her feet, “What are you doing here?”

“Beats me, kid.” Scoops grips her shoulder tightly look over the damage with soft eyes and the lump in his throat being swallowed, he puts a worn hand to her cheek briefly before chewing his lip and looking back at Game Boy “Who the fuck is that guy?

GB sits on the ground putting a thumb against his nose and inspecting the trickle of blood, his pupils flicker as he looks at the pair with a growl, stepping up to his feet.

Game Girl pushes away from Scoops “Game Boy.”

“Tsk.” Scoops stands beside her, “What kind of dumb fuck name is that?”

“Oh…” GB smiles, “Is this the old man that’s been caring for you, Paige?”

“I’m the old man that broke yer fucking nose, ya jackass.”

“Lucky hit.” He sniffs up, “Won’t happen again.”

He rushes the pair and GG pushes Scoops to the side to get him out of the way of the sword strike; Game Girl jumps into the air and throws her leg down into the back of Game Boy’s neck-zzzZZZZZZZzzzTTTTt

Throws her leg down but Game Boy quickly darts back and throws a hand to catch Game Girl’s throat but Scoops is right on him, hitting his temple with a nasty right hook and knocks Game Boy to the side.

GG lands on her feet and looks between both men as Game Boy covers his temple with a grimace. “... He can’t read your moves…” She mumbles to herself, “Scoops he can’t read YOUR moves!”

“I was told I’m unpredictable.” Scoops puts up his fists as he circles Game Boy, “That like his weakness or some shit? Thought you kids had like, giant glowing weak spots or something.”

“Doesn’t matter, just keep hitting him!” Game Girl lets out before rushing in with Scoops at her side.

Game Boy throws up his sword to block a strike from Game Girl but Scoops catches him off-guard as he throws another punch into Game Boy’s cheek; Paige teleports behind GB to strike-ZZZZzzzTTttTT-But Scoops is at his front and grabs his sword arm, wrenching it back, the armor creaking as he does.

Game Girl punches with a fist of red energy into Game Boy’s spine-zzZZZZTt Game Girl goes to punch but Game Boy throws his elbow back to stop her!

But Scoops pushes down on the arm and wrenches Game Boy forward, making him immobile in the heavy armor and Game Girl’s punch goes through--ZZZZ.zhzzztt!!!

Game Girl’s punch goes through-zzzZZZZZtTTTTT!!!!

Game Girl’s punch goes through and rips away steel as her fist connects with Game Boy’s spine who lets out a blood-curdling scream as he slumps forward.

Scoops tears at the arm as Game Girl teleports to Game Boy’s front and a pushes out a palm, energy collecting in the center as a beam begins to emit.

His pupils quake in fear.

“Wait- … Paige! Please! I’m sorry!” He cries.

Game Girl looks at him, a slight tilt of her head. Scoops looks at her with a raised eyebrow.

“I-I-I just wanted to be strong, like you and th-this thing took over me! I swear it wasn’t me, Paige! Please! Please!”

Game Boy breaks down in tears, begging over and over under his breath as drool falls from his mouth, mixing with the tears staining the ground.

The energy collecting in GG’s hand ceases as she lowers it to Scoops dismay, “The hell are you doing, girl? Don’t fall for this shit.”

“He’s given up, Scoops.”

“The fuck he has! He’s just trying to pull some shit! If you don’t end it, I will!”

Paige scoffs, “You don’t even know him, Scoops! He hasn’t done anything to you, it wou-”

“It don’t matter if he ain’t done nothing to me!” Scoops yells, “He hurt you! That’s reason enough.”

Scoops bends GB’s arm back further.

Game Boy cries out in agony and his sword finally falls from his grasp, clattering to the floor.

Paige hesitates looking between the two and swallowing a lump in her throat before letting out a sigh.

She wants to say a million different things, all running through her mind at once but none coming out.

End his suffering.

Maybe we can save him?

I can’t do it.

Running through her mind over and over.

But she can’t make the choice.

So Scoops makes it for her.

As he gives her one last look he reaches down to grab the sword.

The corrupt, dark greatsword.

That isn’t there.

As Game Boy’s other hand deftly grabs it from under Scoops’ legs and tears through his achilles heel.

Scoops hisses in pain as he releases his grapes and falls back as GB pushes him to the ground. The sword raised above him driving down into Scoops chest.

Game Girl lets out a scream as she dives into to save Scoops, her robotic arm reeling back for the blow but the blade drawing in quicker.

Until…

A small pebble, coated in runes, lands over Scoops’ heart and the blade can’t pierce through it no matter the force.

Game Boy’s eyes widen as he looks up at Gretchin, her shoulders heaving with heavy breaths.

GB looks back, throwing up his sword to block Game Girl’s strike.

But he’s just too late.

His eyes meeting hers, the anger and fury coursing through her.

As the stump of a robotic arm flies in to him.

Into his nose.

The cold, heavy metal driving in deeper and deeper.

Pushing past skin.

Past sinew.

Pasts muscle and bone and brain.

And leaving the back of his skull.

Game Girl shudders in horror, Game Boy clinging onto her arm.

As blood drips down what was once his face.

One eyeball hanging from a tendon as the other glares at her, a spluttered and visceral noise coming from his ripped maw.

He finally falls limp.

Scoops pushes himself away from the sight and looks to GG who is stood frozen.

He gets to his feet as Game Girl backs away looking at what she’s down and GB’s body falls from her arm into a heap.

His body bubbling into black ooze that lets out hisses of static before becoming a rainbow of sharp pixels that erupt but stick into the ground.

Scoops gets to Paige and puts a hand on her shoulder, “Paige.” He says softly, “C’mon… Let’s go home.”

GG stands there, looking down at the mess before her, her arm stained in the black liquid.

“I-... I didn’t mean to…” She whispers, tears streaming down her face, “I thought he’d… I didn’t.”

Scoops wraps her into a hug as she breaks down into tears.

“It’s okay.” He pats her back gently, “You’ll be okay.”

And the two hug.

In the barren wasteland.

In front of the mountain.

In the harsh sun.

No game over.

No “You Win.”

No credits.

Just… An end.

---

---

Paige sits at the table in Scoops home drinking a cup of tea.

She looks down at her mug and glances at the nasty scar on her arm stump, before looking up at Noah who is behind his laptop clicking away.

He takes a sip of tea and looks to her with a smile, “You doing okay?”

Game Girl smiles sweetly at him, “Yeah.” She lies, “I’ll be fine.”

“You’re tough, Paige, and y’know if you ever need to talk we’re here for you.”

“I know, Noah.” She sips her tea, “Thank you.”

There’s an awkward silence after that.

“So.” Noah perks up. “Bobby Sales, huh?”

“Yup.” GG nods. “Huuuuge match.” A rather large hint of sarcasm comes from her.

“Ah, you can’t be fighting bosses all the time. Sometimes you gotta beat the shamwow guy.”

“Yeah, I guess it’ll distract me for a bit. Plus, nice and easy, Wall Street Kid match… Very cute!”

“Hey,” Noah chuckles to himself, “Bet you wish you had a shamwow after what a happened with Game Boy, huh?”

Paige cocks her head as Noah’s joke does not land and there is a longer and more awkward pause then before.

Noah clears his throat and goes back to his laptop. “Sorry.” He mumbles hiding behind the screen.

GG nods, tapping the table with her finger before getting up and leaving the room with her tea.