35 Celebration

Riley heard a car pulling up outside his house. He had already changed into casual wear, and was browsing social media in his living room while waiting for Mr. X. Stepping out the front door, he waved to Mr. X, who promptly returned the gesture. Entering the car, he saw that Mr. X, for the first time since he had met him, wasn't wearing a suit. Instead, he was wearing just a simple t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

"Hey kiddo. How ya doing?"

"I'm fine, really. It's nothing to be concerned about."

"Nonsense, we're partners, aren't we? Come, let's get some grub and you can tell me all about it."

"Where are we going? I'd rather not stay in this area. Knowing my mom, she would freak if she found out that I was fraternizing with random men that she doesn't know."

"Don't worry about it. We're headed to my favorite Mexican place, about 20 minutes drive from here."

"Yeah, sure."

The rest of the car ride was spent in silence.

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"I'll have the usual, please."

"Beef burrito supreme with a side of rice and a margarita with extra lime juice?

"That's it."

"The chicken enchiladas with nachos for me, please."

"For sure. And to drink?"

"Uh… I'll have a virgin piña colada."

"Of course. Will that be all for now?"

"Yep!"

"So just to repeat your orders: a beef burrito supreme with rice and chicken enchiladas with nachos to eat, and a margarita with extra lime juice and a virgin piña colada to drink?"

"Exactamente."

"For sure! Let me just key in your order and I'll be back with your drinks shortly."

The waitress beamed as she retrieved the menus and walked away. Mr. X smiled back at her before turning his attention to Riley.

"So. What's the deal?"

"Well…"

Riley hesitated.

"Come on. You've been acting funny since just now. We've known each other for less than a month and even I can tell that something's wrong."

"Fine. My best friend got a girlfriend."

Mr. X raised an eyebrow.

"Kyle got a girlfriend? The Kyle that's denser than a neutron star? That Kyle?"

"Yes, that Kyle. I was just as surprised as you are. Except… I felt more than just surprise when he broke the news to me."

"Ah, I see. Just out of curiosity, who was it?"

"Huh?"

"Who's the girl?"

"Oh! Uh, Jane… I don't remember her last name. The three of us are in the same social studies class, but Kyle has history with her on top of that as well."

"I see. And do you like this Jane?"

"Well… not exactly? I mean she's a nice person but I wouldn't say that I have a crush on her? I only see her in social studies and we don't really talk a lot."

"Right. So, here's my take on the situation. What you're feeling is a double whammy of jealousy and envy."

"Huh? Don't they mean the same thing?"

"In mainstream usage, yes, but technically there is a difference between the two. Jealousy is a fear of loss of certain possessions or relationships, and usually stems from a place of insecurity. Envy is desire for another person's qualities or possessions, and will usually include resentment towards that person and possibly guilt over such feelings."

"Huh. The more you know."

"Yep. So, you're jealous because Kyle is going to be spending less time with you because of his relationship, and you're envious of Kyle because of the difference in popularity between the two of you."

"That… makes a lot of sense? I wasn't sure myself, but I think what you said is pretty much spot-on."

Mr. X smiled.

"You don't become a mafia boss without being able to read people's emotions."

Riley's jaw dropped.

"You're the boss now???"

"Yeah, that's actually the real reason why I invited you today. Because we successfully eliminated Lombardi who, if his deal had gone through, would have become one of the most powerful people in the state, and Rodriguez, who was second in terms of influence, I instantly became the front-runner and favorite to win. Furthermore, the Boss was getting on in age and your vigilante work was starting to make him look bad. So, I spent the last week securing my position then pushing for a vote. Well, the results came in today, and I won unanimously. We did it!"

At this point, the waitress came back with their drinks.

"Sorry for the wait. One margarita with extra lime juice, and a virgin piña colada."

"Thanks!"

"Thank you."

Mr. X waited until the waitress had walked away before continuing.

"So, how about a toast?"

"Sure. To well-thought out alliances. Cheers!"

Mr. X laughed, before replying, "Cheers!" and clinking his glass with Riley's.

"So. Back to the topic at hand. You're not sure how to deal with your feelings."

"Well, yeah. I understand that I should be happy for him, but no matter how hard I try to brush away these feelings, I just can't. And honestly, I feel terrible."

Mr. X nodded his head as a show of sympathy.

"Riley. I'm not going to pretend that I've experienced what you're going through now. As you know, I didn't have much of a childhood. All the close friends from my youth are dead, and it's very difficult to form meaningful relationships as an adult; especially if your entire life revolves around the mafia."

"But don't you have friends in the mafia?"

"Hahaha, hell no. Any relationships I form are on the surface level, because I don't trust any of these people. Let your guard down, and you'll get your back stabbed by a conniving subordinate looking for a promotion, or someone looking to steal your influence."

Riley raised an eyebrow.

"Just like what you did?"

Mr. X laughed.

"I'm not going to pretend that I'm some paragon of morality and virtue. I'm not going to make any excuses either. I've done things that I'm not proud of just to survive. But I truly believe that I can reform this gang into something better. And sometimes, in order to do some good, you need to get your hands dirty. Someone has to do it. Might as well be me."

"Sounds exhausting."

"It is. My barber told me I started getting grey hair when I was 21. So anyway, I just wanted to tell you that it's okay to feel this way. Such emotions are part and parcel of being human, and most people will experience something like this at least once in their life."

"You just said that you couldn't relate."

"Yes, but I'm not most people."

"Fair enough. Continue."

"So yeah. Don't beat yourself up over something like this. The human mind is a complicated beast, and it doesn't always act the way we want it to, as contradictory as that may sound. Movies and books always tell you to be the better person; that you must be happy for others who've found their own happiness, even if you aren't, simple because it's the "right" thing to do."

"But are they wrong though?"

"They're not exactly wrong, per se. Self-sacrifice is a noble act, and should always be commended. However, remember that these types of media usually fall under the category of "fiction", and for good reason; because they're imaginary. Of course, that's not to say that they're completely outside the realm of possibility. Life and art imitate each other more often than you think."

"Sorry I'm kinda confused. What's your point?"

"What I'm trying to say is, it only becomes a problem if you believe that you're in the right. If you go your entire life thinking that you're entitled to friends and women, then you will probably end up with neither. Just like many other things in life, you must always be willing to put in the effort. Of course, some people will have an easier time than others. That's just the way it is. What's important is to acknowledge that these feelings are unhealthy, accept that the world is unfair, and strive to better yourself. You have already achieved the first step; now for the other two. And remember, it doesn't have to be an overnight change. These things take time."

"I don't know…"

Mr. X placed a hand on Riley's shoulder.

"Riley, look at me."

Mr. X waited until Riley was looking him in the eyes before continuing, "Over this past month I've seen you do miraculous things bordering on the impossible. You can do this."

Riley stared at Mr. X, trying to glean his intentions. He saw nothing but genuine sincerity.

"Thanks. That means a lot to me."

Mr. X smiled.

"Here's your food! Beef burrito supreme with rice, and chicken enchiladas with nachos."

"Finally! I'm starving!"

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Patch 34.0

- Regular biweekly update

Name: Riley Petesgeralt

Age: 16

Job: The Roleplayer

Class: Vigilante

Level: 19

HP: 250

MP: 220

EXP: 535/538

Strength: 43

Dexterity: 46

Vitality: 25

Intelligence: 32

Wisdom: 22

Charisma: 26

Luck: 31

Skills:

Roleplayer's Mind

Virtual Body

Analyze (Level 5)

Blunt Weapon Proficiency (Level 4)

Physical Endurance (Level 3)

The Cinderella Effect (Level 1)

Dodge Step (Level 2)

Counter Flip (Level 1)

Leg Sweep (Level 2)

Power Punch (Level 2)

Extreme Agility (Level 2)

Sense Danger (Level 2)

Trash Talk (Level 1)

Power Swing (Level 4)

Quick Draw (Level 1)

Minimap (Level 2)

Incognito (Level 4)

Bullet Party (Level 1)

Bullet Time (Level 1)

Bind (Level 1)

Virtuoso (Level 1)

Equipment:

Vigilante's Mask (Level 3/5)

Vigilante's Cloak (Level 1/5)

Vigilante's Pants (Level 2/5)

Vigilante's Gloves (Level 1/5)

Vigilante's Shoes (Level 1/5)

Vigilante's Gun (Level 3/5)

Full set bonus unlocked: Shadow World