[Shoot looks between the two games, considering. Well, if he has to gauge his own competence in speed and accuracy against driving a vehicle (even a fake one), it's pretty obvious.
It helps that it's in the back, while he builds up some shallow confidence about button mashing in public. Aha. He doesn't let go of Knuckle's hand just yet, so he nods toward the ancient fighting one.]
That one. You can be Player 1. [y'know before he insists, like a child.]
[There's not even a character selection screen on this game. You're just either the street punk looking guy or the blonde muscle man with sunglasses. They're still holding hands... Which is kind of cute, Knuckle thinks, focusing more intently on the game when it comes across.
Embarrassing thoughts... He tries to hide them even from himself, honestly.]
It's easy! A good warm up game. Just hit the button to punch, got it? [A little regretfully, he releases Shoot's hand so he can ready himself, holding the coins in front of the slot with an excited grin.]
[That pixel punk looks as much like Knuckle as it can, maybe. Shoot has nothing to say about his little character (was Morel blonde when he as younger??), giving Knuckle a sideways look.]
There's only one button, Knuckle. [JUST saying. Infants could figure this out. He's ready, though, with his hand on the button and tapping it a little without pressing it down. Suddenly he's impatient to beat the shit out of that pixel punk, come on...]
[Calm down Knuckle. But no, he does not calm down. He puts the coins in and stands up, readying his own hand over the button as the screen begins to countdown. 3...2...1... FIGHT!
This little box isn't big enough for two grown men to stand side by side comfortably, but that doesn't stop Knuckle from gripping the side of it with one hand and smashing the other down into the button repeatedly. His character is probably moving faster than the graphics can load... They're going to wreck this game together.
His shoulder probably bumps with Shoot's tattooed one more than a few times during this button mashing. But most notably of all, he is yelling as he does this, and everyone in the arcade is slowly turning their way.]
[why is he always yelling... Shoot, by contrast, is not yelling or making any noise at all - he's very, very intently mashing the button and staring at the screen, all the same. He's so into the game once it starts that he hardly registers being bumped or the yelling (although that could just be a sign that he's Used To Knuckle).
The game is somehow surviving this very intense nerd battle, and while Shoot's little character is not going out of its mind like Knuckle's, he's managing to keep up with more ~strategy. This is dumb... When will it end...
Given all of the yelling and attention they're getting, it's only a matter of time before someone else in the place comes over to at least ask if something is going horribly wrong. Not that they manage to get the question out - the mere presence of another body and a throat-clearing noise seemingly out of nowhere!! are enough to get Shoot to jerk his hand away from the button and recoil abruptly away from this Strange Interloper, smacking right into Knuckle's side.
[After just yelling to yell, some substance was added to Knuckle's speech, but it's pretty much the usual. His mashing next to Shoot's attempt at strategy... Knuckle seems more focused on why he's not getting as many punches out. It's a simple arcade game! There's no strategy to it!]
You trying to back away? HUH? Fool, just try and--
[Just when he was revving up to increase his mashing speed, Shoot smacks into him from the side. Knuckle hadn't heard the man show up at all, so his own hand slips off after one last "FINISHING BLOW" to Shoot's defenseless character, and he grips his friend by the shoulders to steady him.
By now, the screen is flashing in Knuckle's 'victory' and he's giving the both of them a confused look.]
Huh? What's goin' on? [Why did they stop, did he miss something. A careful squint at the stranger has him lifting one hand to point in his direction accusingly.] Hey, is this guy bugging you?
[He came here to play video games, but he can always beat up punks...
He was too wrapped up in his gaming for any of this, really.]
for ironic purposes i'm not going to announce my return
[Shoot hears the victory music follow the lame, sad tune that plays when his character finally falls, but he's already stopped paying attention. The stranger who approached them switches gears from curious and slightly concerned to definitely concerned (possibly for himself), though whether it's Shoot's sudden panic or Knuckle's manner or both isn't clear.
Shoot blinks, looking between Knuckle and the other guy, waiting for someone else to do something so he doesn't have to. But, ah, don't start fights in the arcade—]
No! He's— I don't know what he's doing! [yes, this helps]
[The stranger, meanwhile, has taken to shuffling backwards, before some old punk hits him... don't harass teenagers]
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It helps that it's in the back, while he builds up some shallow confidence about button mashing in public. Aha. He doesn't let go of Knuckle's hand just yet, so he nods toward the ancient fighting one.]
That one. You can be Player 1. [y'know before he insists, like a child.]
no subject
[There's not even a character selection screen on this game. You're just either the street punk looking guy or the blonde muscle man with sunglasses. They're still holding hands... Which is kind of cute, Knuckle thinks, focusing more intently on the game when it comes across.
Embarrassing thoughts... He tries to hide them even from himself, honestly.]
It's easy! A good warm up game. Just hit the button to punch, got it? [A little regretfully, he releases Shoot's hand so he can ready himself, holding the coins in front of the slot with an excited grin.]
no subject
There's only one button, Knuckle. [JUST saying. Infants could figure this out. He's ready, though, with his hand on the button and tapping it a little without pressing it down. Suddenly he's impatient to beat the shit out of that pixel punk, come on...]
Ready when you are.
no subject
[Calm down Knuckle. But no, he does not calm down. He puts the coins in and stands up, readying his own hand over the button as the screen begins to countdown. 3...2...1... FIGHT!
This little box isn't big enough for two grown men to stand side by side comfortably, but that doesn't stop Knuckle from gripping the side of it with one hand and smashing the other down into the button repeatedly. His character is probably moving faster than the graphics can load... They're going to wreck this game together.
His shoulder probably bumps with Shoot's tattooed one more than a few times during this button mashing. But most notably of all, he is yelling as he does this, and everyone in the arcade is slowly turning their way.]
am i real i whisper as i slam these all down
The game is somehow surviving this very intense nerd battle, and while Shoot's little character is not going out of its mind like Knuckle's, he's managing to keep up with more ~strategy. This is dumb... When will it end...
Given all of the yelling and attention they're getting, it's only a matter of time before someone else in the place comes over to at least ask if something is going horribly wrong. Not that they manage to get the question out - the mere presence of another body and a throat-clearing noise seemingly out of nowhere!! are enough to get Shoot to jerk his hand away from the button and recoil abruptly away from this Strange Interloper, smacking right into Knuckle's side.
this poor child (which one)]
you are the realest and shoot is precious
[After just yelling to yell, some substance was added to Knuckle's speech, but it's pretty much the usual. His mashing next to Shoot's attempt at strategy... Knuckle seems more focused on why he's not getting as many punches out. It's a simple arcade game! There's no strategy to it!]
You trying to back away? HUH? Fool, just try and--
[Just when he was revving up to increase his mashing speed, Shoot smacks into him from the side. Knuckle hadn't heard the man show up at all, so his own hand slips off after one last "FINISHING BLOW" to Shoot's defenseless character, and he grips his friend by the shoulders to steady him.
By now, the screen is flashing in Knuckle's 'victory' and he's giving the both of them a confused look.]
Huh? What's goin' on? [Why did they stop, did he miss something. A careful squint at the stranger has him lifting one hand to point in his direction accusingly.] Hey, is this guy bugging you?
[He came here to play video games, but he can always beat up punks...
He was too wrapped up in his gaming for any of this, really.]
for ironic purposes i'm not going to announce my return
Shoot blinks, looking between Knuckle and the other guy, waiting for someone else to do something so he doesn't have to. But, ah, don't start fights in the arcade—]
No! He's— I don't know what he's doing! [yes, this helps]
[The stranger, meanwhile, has taken to shuffling backwards, before some old punk hits him... don't harass teenagers]