doctorgneissâ
âItâs not like making a video game is hard or anything. Like I said, I had someone who described how they worked to me and I went from there.â
Was he preening? Only a little. He fluffed up the heavy scarf around his neck in a manner not unlike a pigeon.
âThe first one I made was sort of a play on Breath of the Wild. Have you heard of that one?â
Less of a play-on and more of a rip-off, based on the word of an alien troll, but what Saphir knew without a doubt was that his was the superior version.
âAnd since then Iâve been working on one of those âtalking simulators,â but thatâs still highly top secret; only my most trusted confidants can play it right now.â He was exactly the sort of person to make air quotes with his hands when he talked, and he did.
âBut I could let you take a look at the better Zelda and see if you have any ideas.â How did he move from asking for her opinion to making it sound like he was doing her a favor? Narcissism, mostly. âWhen are you free? Weekends or Wednesdays? I prefer Wednesdays. Saturday is date night, after all.â
He says that, but does she really believe it? Maybe he is that sort of prodigy or something...it does happen. I mean, she exists. It still earns a scrutinous eye, lips pursing in thought. Still, she wonât know until she actually tries it. Then she could rip into this guyâs so-called knowledge and pick him apart like a vulture.
A video game vulture.
âUh, hello? Of course? Who do you think I am, some kind of casual?â So it was a big open-world game, huh. But that still didnât tell her enough about it. âSooo, totally doing you a favor and ignoring the fact that sounds like a rip-off, I guess it does sound kinda interesting.â Kinda. She doesnât want to stroke the ego of a JRPG villain-lookalike.Â
Also ignoring the fact she could totally hack his computer and see whatever heâs hiding from her if she really wanted to, but for some reason, a dating sim by this guy doesnât seem like itâs something sheâd want to see. Despite all the R-15 doujins sheâs consumed, her eyes are still pure, thanks.
âHold the phone...thatâs a bold claim, pal. If you canât back it up, I might have to fine you.â Yes, how did he move on from him asking to making it seem like she had? And she thought her brain could hop from place to place. Yeesh. âThe new Featherman episodes come out Saturday, so Wednesday is A-OK. Just remember: ask, and yee shall receive, whether you like it or not.â
In this world, itâs roast or be roasted, and this manâs skills are on the chopping block.














