Magic Touch

I stopped for a break as my adoring fans gathered around for a word, a kid with a mess of brown hair and a propeller beanie on his head held a notebook in his hands and asked, "Mr. Resolution? are the rumors true that your really in a relationship with tonight's competition?" It was like a combo of 2000's G4 TV and TMZ, OK I know low hanging fruit, but what else was I supposed to compare my situation too?

"Listen kid, I challenged them to a test of skill in the realms of pixels and joysticks, but I'm a professional and a good sportsman, okay?" I said ruffling his head softly, gee you be nice to your competition one time, suddenly everyone assumes there's something between you and them. I saw my next opponent sitting on a metal bench by the splat ball court, (think paintball only less...painful and wackier guns and settings) she sipped a bottle of her family's famous fizzy cider. and smirked at me with those freckles of her's. "So you ready for round two AJ?" I asked as she sipped looking up at me lazily.

"Ah may not know much about goofing around with these video games, but ah know a challenge when I see one." She says flipping her hat up and strutting over to the still working Donkey Kong cabinets. "You're going down fancy glasses." She said shaking the quarters in her plaid shirt pocket.

"No you are Applejack; remember, You're looking a world class champion when it comes to this stuff, weather it's MK X rounds in NY or kicking it retro as I am now." Neither I nor Applejack meant anything malicious by out remarks, I just liked to milk the whole completion angle for all it's worth. The crowds resumed their places beside us as button his position as the referee of sorts.

"The rules are the same, each competitor goes until one set of lives out, and the highest score when they both run out is the winner, if Pixel loses, then the competition ends with a victory for team Rainboom." He said holding up two flags, mine with my signature eye wear on it and the other with the Rainbooms logo as seen in the school music fest.

"Break a leg, AJ." I told her as I dropped my coin into the machine, the familiar jingle of the game starting as o'l DK began climbing the scaffolding. Long before he'd be bouncing off the heads of Kremlings, he was bouncing on steel beams to bend them into platforms.

"Ah don't need the sympathy sugar cube, I'm born ready to take on any competitor no matter tha kooky choice of competing."

"Just remember, you may be playing as Mario...but...oh you can figure it out on your own." I say as I snicker and jump a set of barrels to rack up a quick three hundred. I'm determined to finish level one with a....2600 bonus, get it? My Discman tuned to a classic from the era some would say I look like I just stepped out from, Ace of Base, the sign, 1996. A direct contraction to the hectic and sporadic nature of the game, I could see that for all her spark, Applejack was not used to the nature of these old games.

"Ah see what ya'll warned me about partner." She said looking over at me when she lost a life to a fall on level two.

"Sorry AJ, but as much I'm willing to treat you girls to jalapeno poppers, I was nice to Fluttershy for how sensitive she is, your're a girl who looks like she's got more mettle to her, so I can't help beyond wishing you well." She sneered at me before smirking as she learned quickly, she learned to dodge the incoming fire balls on the last level, and to not walk over the missing bolts. She especially learned to not actually touch DK, as there was no way to actually fight him. The scores were neck and neck; the crowds were on their toes, their heads shook form screen to screen as the scores racked up faster and faster.

"Bet ya a slice he chokes on only his second match." Babs Seed said to Button. "You're on Jersey girl.

"Hey! I'm from Brooklyn!" Was all I heard, they were so close their conversation made me almost end up in the cement.

"Kids! Don't shout in my ears okay? I need to...." Do DO do DOOOP! "Concentrate." Last life, it was all down to the wire, Applejack and me were down to our last lives, I was on one the speed courses for the final level, and she was on the first. We stared each other down with determined sneers so into our face off, that we almost forgot the games! I jumped the two flames and undid the set of bolts, she grabbed a hammer and began mashing and smashing.

"Feeling pooped yet hot stuff?" She says as I'm only a few more inches to the last bolt when...I didn't see that fire the climbed up one of the ladders. It cost me my last life, game over. Luckily for me.."AHHH BLAST IT! MAH LAST LIFE!" Applejack said just looking like she could rear up and kick the living heck out of the machine. Button resumed his place above us on top of the robot strength tester game and addressed us all.

Both competitors are out of lives...final scores; Pixel Resolution: 53,000,594 Applejack: 53,000,494. By just a hundred points, Pixel Resolution is still in the competition!" Their cheers and shouts of approval made me feel, accepted. Not a care in my world. Even Applejack looked impressed as she looked over at me, she smiled with a look of satisfaction...

That made two of us.