Level 1

'Final Boss Level, Are You Ready Player?'

The exaggerated deep, ominous goice from the the hologram above the game box asked.

North looked at the screen, a smirk pulling at his lips at the audacity of this this game to sound so smug. "Oh you know I was born ready."

"That's what you said the last two...wait...three times." Migos, his best friend said looking up from his phone, he had grown bored of watching North stare at the screen in contemplation. According to North he was, 'thinking' but Migos called it 'stalling'.

"I mean it this time." North scowled at his friend, he turned back to the game, grip tightening on the controller. Video games were always technical, these days, they just got worse but that was the fun. The combat, the characters, the repetitive but still gripping stories and the puzzles. He loved that, it made him think in a way schoolwork would never achieve. Speaking of schoolwork, he glanced at his backpack at the other end of the room. He shrugged, homework could wait.

"Time me!" He snapped at Migos.

"Whatever you say boss." The brunette sighed before pulling up the timer on his phone, "And you can start...now."

North waved no time in starting the final battle, the last two times he had he had being too fast or too slow or too cocky but now he had finally figured out a pattern. That and he had upgraded his character so his chances of losing were 40 to 60, those weren't to bad. Migos would have disagreed but the brunette had long learned to let North figure things out on his own.

"You skipped the dialog idiot, it may have held tips."

"No time, I'll wing it." He said rapidly pushing the buttons.

"Of course you will."

"Don't distract me, I'm making headway you damn pessimist."

Migos leaned in closer and gwaked as he saw that his friend was actually making it this time, but he kept silent, not willing to inflate North's ego.

"To all those who doubted me, I say, in your face." He gloat as he finished off the boss with a deadly combo attack finally ending the game of Wiccan 'n' Warlords Battlefield IV. The fifth most played game of the year. He relaxed into the fluffy red bean bag which was almost the color of his hair. "My time, if you please, doubting Thomas."

"One minute less than your previous boss fight record. I'm impressed." Migos met his fist bump halfway. "I'll see if I can get my mum to get a more challenging game."

"Please do." North sighed, studying the shelf of games in his best friend's room, he had played everything from start to finish at leat twice on several different difficulties. Sometimes they just got easier, or maybe he was getting better. He wanted a real challenge. Too bad his parents would never buy him his own game set, not to talk of a game itself.

"My Ma said lunch will be ready in a few, but before then, let's watch some YouTube."

Another thing he wished his parents got for him was a phone. A real one which could hold real apps and not just call people. He didn't even know phones with buttons still existed until they gave him one. He dragged his bean bag closer to Migos' and looked at the YouTube homescreen which was mainly filled with anime or gaming related videos.

"I will find where you hide your hentai one day Ramirez." He said in his most creepy foreboding voice. "And once I do, I'll show your hot mum so she'll be disgusted in you and adopt me as her son instead."

Migos gave and unamused snort to brush off that threat.

North glanced back down at the screen and that was when he saw something that caught his eye, "Hold it!" He screamed causing Migos to almost drop the phone.

Migos swore in Spanish, "North, you yelled in my ear!"

"Drop the Spanish, Blaise Fury put up something-"

"Its actually a live stream."

"Play it goddammit!"

"You're a terrible friend, you know that?" He hissed playing the video.

'And so Furyheads, say good bye to the so called unbeatable level of xxx game' Blaise Fury said smugly and he ended the game he was playing on the stream, 'As I said before, no level is unbeatable, you all are just not trying hard enough.'

North found it hard to believe this guy still had a legion of followers despite how low key harsh he could be. He huffed in disdain at the cool demeaning smirk.

"He's reading comments, wanna ask him to play something?" Migos pointed out, he was already pulling up the keyboard.

North had one game in mind, the latest version of Wiccan 'n' Warlords that just came out a few weeks ago and was so very expensive. Surely, there was no way Fury could have gotten to the boss level so fast. Just then, another viewer mentioned said game in the comments.

Blaise Fury smirked, 'SledgeHammer490 just suggested the latest version of Wiccan 'n' Warlords, lucky for you all I just got to the boss level last week, I've been a bit busy to continue but I guess now is the perfect time.'

North felt his jaw nearly drop as Fury started the game play, as usual his movements seemed flawless, not a step wasted or a hit out of place. Within five minutes the 'Victory' sign flashed across the screen.

North was awestruck, thus was the skill of a pro. He had watched videos about so many of them but Blaise would always have this flair to his gaming. North didn't like his attitude but the jerk knew how to play, and he respected that.

'Almost broke a sweat there.' Fury chuckled, 'Oh, and that's my time for today my adoring public, I'll see you all next week. Hope I don't need to remind you to like and subscribe. Ciao'

The stream came to an end. North scoffed, "I would have figured that out eventually."

"Just admit he's that good North."

"Whatever." He grabbed his bag, "I'm heading to the arcade."

"Thought you were saving up for a new game."

Shit. "Then I'll go to the shore and get some sun."

"Just stay for lunch then go home, Rivera."

Thing was, North hated going home, that thing he said about being another wasn't really a joke. He wanted to be part of Migos' family cause his just sucked ass.

"Nah, I'm not hungry." They made their way out to the living room where Ms. Ramirez, Migos' hot Latino mum was watching a soap on TV. She was actually a model and anyone could see why. North put on a shy smile as he explained why he couldn't stay over.

"One day I'll force you to stay over and eat, young man." She chided tapping his cheek lovingly.

"I'm sorry but my mum really needs me."

She flashed a warm smile, "Take care little man."

North an Migos made their way outside, "Adios, buddy." Migos said.

"Sure, see you at school tomorrow, and please do your homework...just in case."

"Same goes for you."

They exchanged a bro hug before North bounded down the street, he didn't really have that many friends in town but he could make do with playing video games, he wished his parents understood why he needed them. These days gaming could make alot, if only there was a way to show them that.

...If only.

~Flip to next level!