Game on

A new long (ish) form piece. Your partner, your dominant, just challenged you to a 1v1. You pick the game. You can beat them. Right?

This started out as a microfiction, then I realised that I was 500 words in...

* * *

So maybe you hadn’t been thinking clearly (though let’s face it, when are you thinking clearly?) when you had said that you’d be able to beat them in a game, even if they were hypnotising you. You certainly hadn’t expected them to say what they said next.

“1v1 me then. If you’re so sure. Prove your skill. You pick the game.” You laughed. No way was your hypnotist being serious. But they didn’t smile. They were serious. They hadn’t actually asked you to 1v1 them. You thought for a moment, then told them your choice of game.

They grinned. “Okay. If you’re sure that’s the one you want to go with.” And as they stalked away to their computer, you loaded up the game, and put on your headphones, and waited. Waited for them to join the discord channel, waited in the lobby.

After a minute, ping of them joining your channel came through. “One last chance before I humiliate you. Are you sure you want to continue?”

You chuckled, and said “yes.” You could beat them. Couldn’t you?

As they joined the lobby, you hit start.

And the numbers began to count down. Along with their voice. And then your mind was spinning, spiralling down. Maybe you hadn’t thought this through. And then you heard the snap of their fingers, and you were back up. The game had still just started.

“Oh, did you think I was going to go all out so soon? No… I don’t think I need to. Not when I can just tell you to freeze.” That was unfair. Your body locked in place. And your character on the screen, was frozen too. Unable to move, because you couldn’t move.

And that was when you saw their character, walking forwards, towards yours. Were they going to just start taking you down whilst you couldn’t react? Their voice floated in through your headphones. “How does it feel? To be unable to do anything?”

Their character turned away from you, right infront of you, and they continued speaking. “Is it frustrating, sweet one? To be able to see your target. To know what you want to do but being unable to do anything. Impotent. Powerless.”

They laughed at you. Their character spun, and before you knew it, it was over. Round one, to them. They unfroze you before the second round started. “Oh, was that unfair honey? Now you never said I had to be fair. But fine. You can move. First though... Focus for me. Focus on the timer that’s counting down to the next round. Listen to me count down with it.” And quickly, as they spoke, your awareness faded. When you came back up, the round timer was half gone. But you could move your body. You brought your hand back to the controller and… And…

Crap. How did you play this one again? You tried a button. That was crouch. You pressed it again, but this time you changed weapons. Was that the same button? What was going on? Oh, crap. Their character was here. They were… Just emoting at you? Waving. Blowing a kiss. “What’s wrong sweetie? Can’t remember how to play? It’s okay. I decided I wanted to play with your mind a bit first. You know if you lose here, you lose the match, right? Best of three, and I’ve already got one round under my belt. I’ll give you ten seconds. Before I beat you. If you can beat me in that time, then you get to go another round. Starting… Now.”

You panicked, pressing buttons at random, as your character started crouching, reloading, changing weapons, rolling, and… Finally, just as you were right infront of their character, they threw out a punch. It didn’t do much damage, but it did knock them backwards. Over the cliff they were standing on. The fall did the rest.

You heard them laugh, they sounded… Surprised? Impressed? A mixture of the two? Quickly they snapped their fingers, giving you your trigger to drop you back into trance. As you faded, you were aware that this might be them stopping playing nice.

Which was why you were surprised when they brought you back up as the round began again, and you could play normally. You checked, going through the well practised and remembered button inputs, but you knew what you were doing. Were they giving you a chance?

“Okay honey. Final round. I hope you’re ready, because I won’t make this easy for you.” What was happening? Why did you feel so spacey? So… relaxed. “I’m sure you’ve already realised, but the trick for this round is that every word I say makes you feel more relaxed. More mindless. Before long, you’ll be deep under, and unable to do anything to stop me beating you. So try. Try to resist. That’s how you win. Resist for long enough, and maybe you’ll be able to beat me.”

There! You saw their character round the corner, and quickly backpedal back around it as you flung a projectile at them. Your aim was off, it was getting hard to move your hand on the mouse. And they laughed. “Oh, not good enough honey. Try again.” And you stepped round the corner they had vanished behind, only to see them standing before you, ready. And like that, it was over. You clicked just a second too late. They had won.

You could hear them walking over to where you were sitting. “Well, I think that proves that you’re just and weak and powerless as I thought you were. Now, come here, I think I deserve a prize. Aaaand, once I’m done using you... Play you again? I reckon I can win even without the tricks.”