Decameron: And There Becometh A Mayor [I/2]
“No trips, no friends, no bocce.” There was a crackle on the other end of the Discord voice chat, a headset microphone being bumped. “The only thing I’ve got to look forward to,” Abe continued, “is Doom Eternal.”
Miles away, in his own living room, Geoff rolled his eyes. He knew it was a lost cause, but he couldn’t help feeling the old urge to prod his friend into expanding his narrow taste in games. He’d tried introducing him to rhythm games, dating sims, and all sorts of games by indie developers, never with much success.
Most of all, Geoff had elbowed Abe to try Animal Crossing.
“It’s genuinely fun,” he’d insist, innocently. “You chill out and make your house look nice.”
“Sure, buddy,” Abe would reply, tone flat. “Sounds like my kind of thing.”
Today, his voice was anything but flat.
“Doom Eternal is going to be the most metal thing ever,” he declared.
Three days later, Geoff heard the tonal click of someone logging onto the voice channel and was surprised when no voice followed it.
“Hello…?” he tried, speaking into the silence.
A few more seconds passed. Then Abe’s voice came through, sounding rough from disuse.
“Listen, Geoff,” he began. “I found r/AnimalCrossing two nights ago.”
Geoff grimaced. Of course. Abe had found the fandom, had seen how hard people went for their achievements. How far they would go to deck out their home. So much for Geoff’s plan to sell him on how relaxing it could--
“I’ve been playing nonstop since then.” Abe said. “I haven’t slept.”
Geoff paused. His hands reflexively went to his earbuds, checking to make sure they were firmly in place and that he hadn’t misheard.
“I thought only the most metal of games could have that kind of fan base. I… I bought it to experience it for myself.”
Abe went on, ragged: “I’m 96,000 Bells in debt to Tom Nook. I need 3,000 Nook Miles to afford Top 8 Stylish Hair Colors.” His voice was harsh, broken… determined. “I need 30 iron ore to be able to build the shop, but I broke all the rocks on my island while my strength was powered up from eating pears, and I can’t…rest.... until they respawn.”
He’d been going about it wrong all along, Geoff realized. Abe had never needed to be tricked into this.
“Good,” Geoff whispered, approvingly. “Good.”