Spectacular World

There Is No Reason To Feel Hatred Toward Something Like This

A Few Years Ago...

"That's cheating!" Hope whined.

Armin snorted and pressed a button on his controller, causing his character in the video game to dodge Hope's character and hit back with a counter strike. "It isn't cheating. I'm using a basic combo."

"Those are too hard for me to memorize, though." Hope's head dropped a bit. She was over at her best friend's house playing some new fighting game he had bought that had characters based around the Enforcers. Armin was playing as Ocean Empress while she had, of course, selected the Victorian. She was confident the Victorian could win any fight with any other character on the roster list in real life, yet with her at the controls, she had watched her beloved hero lose again and again.

Armin's grin only grew as he entered a series of fast button presses, causing Ocean Empress to spin around and strike out with a fast-moving water whip. "You're just really bad at this game." The boy taunted.

Hope just huffed and folded her arms as her character's health dropped to zero and she lost the match yet again. "Whatever. I'm still way better at Dark Monarch than you are." Dark Monarch was a very challenging game. One in which you played a character who had the ability to come back from the dead over and over, and the goal was to defeat all sorts of bosses and collect their souls to bring the world back to an era of peace. She was proud to say she's done several no-hit runs and almost succeeded at half of them.

Armin just shrugged at her childish response. He slumped down a bit in his chair, and the grip on his controller loosened a bit. "Things have been a bit weird this year, huh."

"Tell me about it." She sighed and fell onto her back, staring up at the roof of his house. "I can't believe the Beast and Lucifer both attacked during the same year." The image of Lucifer caused her stomach to rumble a bit. Part of her was always wishing for power just so she could attempt to stop the monster that ruined her family's life.

"How are you holding up?" Armin asked, nudging her leg.

"I guess I'm managing." She shrugged. "Why are you asking?"

Armin looked a bit guilty for a moment as he stared down at her. "I sort of overheard my dad talking to your mom on the phone. Things haven't been going that well for her..."

Her frown grew, and she folded her arms, still looking up at the roof. "Yeah. I guess money has been a bit tight. I haven't really been able to eat at the house since mom is so busy. I'm glad I can come over here and hang out."

Armin nodded his head, his smile coming back. "That's right. You're free to come over at any time. My dad won't mind." The switched the channels of his TV, turning the game off and putting on some show talking about the life of Pretty Face, who had recently fought the Beast, landing one attack. "Are your grades still good?"

"What are you, my mom?" She rolled her eyes and flipped over onto her stomach, staring at the TV now while Armin sat next to her. "If you really want to know, I've been keeping up a solid B plus grade!" She bragged.

"That's better than me." Armin snorted. "No matter how hard I study, I fail to get my grades up at all."

"Mine are so good because I cheat!" She announced proudly. "I stay up late the night before a test and read my textbook on whatever subject the test is on and memorize it!"

"That's called studying... You just study."

"Calling it cheating sounds cooler though."

"You're a nerd." Armin said flatly.

"Hey, you're the one who looks like the stereotypical nerd."

Armin let out another snort before his look grew serious. "Speaking of nerds, you know that boy Chester? He's sort of that science geek boy."