Irhaboggle Pride (2020) Quarantine Edition

Video Games

At the turn of the century, there was a pandemic. Organs failed left and right, and people dropped like flies. It was only thanks to the timely arrival of GeneCo that humanity saw a chance at new life. But even though GeneCo had saved them from one pandemic, that didn't mean they could do it again. In 2057, a second pandemic struck the globe. This one was from the east, from the ruins of China, and it was called the Corona virus.

The moment it began, people panicked, neither ready nor willing to face another pandemic, but it was too late, the virus was already sweeping across the globe. Sanitarium was quick to respond, enforcing very strict laws surrounding masks, gloves and quarantine. In some rougher parts of the city, one could even be shot for not following the new safety regulations. But that was only because nobody wanted to see the Corona virus turn into the next Neuro-Overstimulation Syndrome.

But though Sanitarium was, understandably, viciously strict, there were some places in the city where the rules were almost nonexistent. One of those places was, ironically enough, GeneCo itself. Although it was indeed forced to undergo a lot more health and safety precautions on the medical side of things, the entire company was still up and running. Amber would even still throw parties, plays and operas! She decided that performers were essential workers, so they remained in business while everything else was shut down.

As many would come to realize, Amber was not as strict of a leader as her father, but that did not necessarily make her better. She was extraordinarily selfish, and whenever she decided that quarantine was too boring, she was more than happy to break it for her own benefit. For example, she still snuck out to meet with Graverobber all the time, for Zydrate. Even though she now owned GeneCo, she still liked the street stuff, and having an excuse to get out of that accursed old building.

It was during one of Amber's Zydrate runs that she brought Graverobber a laptop.

"A house with working wifi probably should've been your first gift," he snarked as Amber gave him the laptop.

"This is the only way I can stay sane during quarantine!" she snapped back.

"By giving me gifts?" This was a snide remark too, but there was a genuine question in it. But the answer would make itself clear very soon...

ooo

"Oh, come on!" Graverobber snapped in frustration as his videogame character died yet again.

"Isn't that like the sixth time you've been killed by those mobs?" Shilo snickered through the voice chat. Her character was still alive and fighting!

"Shut it, kid," came the unamused reply. He was quickly drowned out by an obnoxious laugh from their third player, Amber Sweet.

"Guess the big boy is all bark and no lung!" she taunted, her character also still alive and kicking.

"Well excuse me, princess," Graverobber growled. "Not all of us usually have such easy access to this fancy-shmancy gamer-gizmo-gadget stuff!"

"That's called using what you got!" Amber bragged back.

"You got to eat out of the palm of Daddy's hand, so of course you have an unfair advantage!" Graverobber continued to complain.

"It's not my fault you're not rich!" Amber snorted. And on they continued to fight, both with each other and the monsters swarming the screen.

Yes, that was right, Amber had given Graverobber a laptop so she could play videogames with him. It sounded absurd, but she argued that she'd done a decent job handling this new pandemic, so she deserved a break every now and then. Videogames were escapism for her. It was the least she was owed after being a good girl and installing lots of new safety protocols for the city. And if anyone wanted to laugh at or question her, she had an army of Repo Men they could talk to instead.