Saving is Key

This afternoon, at lunch, I discussed my blog topic with Jaclyn and Anne. Both were overjoyed, but relatively hesitant as to what would be expected of them. If they swore, would I write it down? Was I going to be boring and explain each level in detail. No, I told them. I was mainly documenting their reactions to each other and the game. After they were finally completely comfortable with the arrangement, we left lunch, headed back to my room, and started a brand new file on Donkey Kong Country 1, Anne as Donkey Kong and Jaclyn as his little red-hatted sidekick, Diddy Kong.
They started off doing quite well. Switching back and forth with ease, no arguments, but only because they were in the first level of the game. When it's Jaclyn's turn to play, Anne plays along on her controller, pushing the buttons as if she's the one in control. It annoys Jaclyn, but Anne does it anyways. As they continued playing, they would switch after each world, giving each other a chance to play. But it didn't last long. After beating Monty Mole, the boss of the first level, they entered the second level, played two worlds, and took a break when Breanna, a friend of ours, came in.

A main rule of mine when I'm playing a game on my Super Nintendo is to save as many times as I possibly can. It's an old system and it's very temperamental. If it is kicked or moved even the slightest bit, the cord disconnects and whatever you were just playing is ruined. The girls know this and are normally very cautious about it. Our other friends, they don't know the rules. In an effort to go around Anne and take a seat on my bed, Breanna nudged the game system, disconnecting the cord and shutting off the game. The girls gasped as screen went black.

"Bre. Are you fucking serious?" Jaclyn yells, frustrated with the fact that they have to start their file all over again.

"What did I do?" Bre sounds nervous, mainly because she and Jaclyn don't get along too well.

"You fucking kicked it and ruined our game. Awesome."

Bre apologizes, and I can tell she feels awful. It's a game. Who cares?

They turn the system back on and within 25 minutes they're back to where they had been before the incident. This time, they save. Something is different now though. The yelling has begun, the tension has risen, and the intensity has increased. It's no longer just a game. Now it's life and death.

When they restarted their game, I started some homework. They were boring me. It wasn't what I wanted for my blog. I wanted excitement. And then I found it.

"You have to go..."

"Shut up."

"Not that way. Over..."

"Seriously, shut up."

"No. Over there!"

"Jackie. Shut the fuck up or I am going to kill you."

Jaclyn laughs. Anne is serious.

The arguing continues as they reach a new world. It's Jaclyn's turn to play the world, but Anne won't relinquish the control she has over which character is playing. It's one of Jaclyn's favorite worlds because you can ride an ostrich named Expresso, and he's the only animal sidekick in the game that Jaclyn enjoys. Anne knows this and uses it against her, breaking Expresso out of his crate and riding around on him to make Jaclyn jealous.

"Anne! It's my turn!"

"Oh well."

"Come on! I want to ride the fucking ostrich!"

"Sucks to be you then, doesn't it?"

"Fucking switch with me!"

Jaclyn's screaming at Anne by now, but Anne just laughs. It doesn't affect her at all.

"You're such a fucking twat. Let me play."

"Yeah, because that helps." She continues to laugh.

"Cunt! Let me play!"

"Sheesh. Fine." She switches as she continues laughing.

Jaclyn, full of excitement jumps on the ostrich as quickly as possible. She tries to make the ostrich fly, but fails. "How do I do it?" she yells as she jumps, unable to figure out what button makes it fly and she falls to her death.

Anne laughs. Jaclyn's death means that it's Anne's turn now. A devious smile is stretched across her face. Her plan...a total success.