Ron and Miles in "FINISH HIM"
Miles: *On his way home from his walk with Pess, Edgeworth collects the mail and brings it inside. He unhooks Pess' leash and follows him to the kitchen where he sifts the mail - as usual - into neat and orderly piles. At the bottom of the stack, there's a colored notecard. He eyes it: a preregistration confirmation card from Samuraicon.* Hm. That's right. I really ought to call DeLite. *He pulls his phone out and dials the man's number.*
Ron: *a few rings, and Ron picks up on the other end.* Hello?
Miles: DeLite, it's Miles Edgeworth. I wanted to speak to you regarding that commission.
Ron: Oh, hi! *there is some background noise, but it stops abruptly* I was going to call you about that today, actually. But I found myself being distracted and before I knew it, I forgot...
Miles: Well, I'm glad you haven't forgotten, given that you were in jail and all the other major and minor crises you have. *He does sound somehow a bit pleased.* ...Your wife, is she home?
Ron: Jail gave me the opportunity to do a lot of thinking about the costumes. *happy* I came up with a lot of ideas! And no, Dessie isn't home at the moment.
Miles: All right then. I'll be over to discuss it with you shortly. I'll bring the measurements.
Ron: Oh. Okay. Dessie will be back in at least a couple of hours... Would you like to wait until then?
Miles: NO! *He swallows.* Er, that is. No. I'll be there shortly. Goodbye.
Ron: Um... O-okay? I-I'll see you soon, then.
Miles: *He hangs up and sighs.* I will not get roped in to riding that bike again. *He kneels down and gives Pess a pat, pretending to scold him away from doggy kisses on the face, and then, he grabs his briefcase and goes out the door.*
Miles: *A few minutes later, he's arrived at Palazzo Pelpepe. He rings the DeLite's apartment.*
Ron: *opens the door, smiling at Miles politely* Hello! That was quick.
Miles: The traffic is quite good at this time of the evening. *He brushes his shoulder off.* I am much more comfortable driving at ridiculous speeds in my own car. *A grim smirk*
Ron: Please, come in. *steps aside for Miles* You never did tell me what you thought of Dessie's bike ride! *eager to hear his feedback, expecting a positive response* Well? Please tell!
Miles: *He gives DeLite an incredulous look, the fact that he's looking for a glowing reply is clear from his tone of voice. Edgeworth sniffs.* Not for me, I'm afraid. I thought you'd have realized that when I fell over getting off the bike.
Miles: ...And the part where I kissed the ground...
Ron: *cocks his head* Well, you walked off without a word... so I wasn't quite sure.
Miles: Hmph. *He pulls on his sleeve.* I was a bit stunned.
Ron: *closes the door behind Miles and goes into thought* If Dessie were here, she'd offer you coffee. ...Would you like some, then? You see, when we have company, it's usually because Dessie's invited them, so I'm filling in for her, you could say...
Miles: *He seems to mildly disapprove.* Not really, I don't drink much coffee. I prefer tea.
Ron: *he takes this as a hint* I'll prepare some! *walks off to the kitchen*
Miles: *He raises his eyebrows, but turns to the television, seeing a familiar set of characters on screen, and an unfamiliar set as well - Japanese characters. He recognizes it as the latest offering from Japan, Tonosaman Budoukai 3. He lifts the case from the TV stand and opens it, paging through the manual, looking at the art.*
Ron: *comes out a few minutes later with some white tea in mugs, and sees Miles with the game manual* That's the Steel Samurai game that was released in Japan a couple of months ago.
Miles: I know. I ordered it, but I haven't gotten around to getting the system. *He inspects a bonus comic in the back, wishing he could read it.*
Ron: *sets down the mugs on the coffee table* It's received reaaaally good reviews over there. If you play it, you'll see why. *seats himself on the couch* Do you have the measurements?
Miles: *He's looking at the screen, trying to decipher the display, and then he glances at DeLite.* Oh, of course. *He opens his briefcase and takes out two neatly handwritten sheets of paper.* Here you are. Those are from my tailor, but the other ones I did by hand, so they may not be professional-level accurate. That shouldn't be too much of a problem if you leave enough fabric to take it in.
Ron: *takes the papers, inspecting them* Great; these will work perfectly! *his eyes linger on Angel's measurements*
Miles: Problem? *And yet, there's a smirk on his face.*
Ron: *points at them* Er... H-how accurate would you say these are?
Miles: Well, like I said, not professional-level. But I've had measurements taken enough to know how to do it, and I was sure to research the best places to measure from. *He takes a seat on the couch and lifts one of the mugs to his lips.* So they are unlikely to be off by much.
Ron: Wow. *that's all he says before he puts it down on the table*
Miles: Indeed. *His mood seems elevated now,* So, show me what these ideas you mentioned are. And what kind of tea is this...? *He sounds curious, he can't quite recognize the flavor.*
Ron: Oh, the ideas have to do with what fabrics to use, how to sew certain parts, what materials to use for props, that sort of thing... That's Darjeeling white tea, from India.
Miles: Hmmm, I don't drink much white tea. It's a nice change. *He sips at it.* Have you checked out the thread on the forums about it? *He sounds a bit dubious.*
Ron: *picks up his own mug and blows on the liquid to cool it down* No; I don't visit any tea forums.
Miles: *Rolls his eyes* I meant the Neo Olde Tokyo forums, DeLite.
Ron: *a beat passes before he realizes* ...Oh, the game! *takes a sip* Yes; they're going to hold a tournament at Samuraicon, right? I see many people getting pumped up about it.
Miles: I was actually talking about the costumes, but- *He pauses* Really?
Ron: *nods* Rumours are there's going to be a booth where con goers are free to try their hand at it... and then, the tournament! There might be some very rare prizes!
Miles: *He looks keenly at the screen over his mug of tea.* Really...? *Then he sighs* I'm sure Cody will be entering. I've seen his scores.
Ron: I'm sure. But... there might be age divisions. As much of an expert Cody is, I don't think they would let an adult play against him... *sips as he ponders this*
Miles: You think? I'm not sure. He could easily beat any but the most skilled adults. Then again, I don't know much about the game. *Glances over* How good are you?
Ron: *a modest smile* I'm okay. I've beaten some of the storylines, but I have yet to do versus mode with anyone.
Miles: Your wife won't play with you...? *He smirks.* Not enough of a thrill?
Ron: She's not much into video games. She says she'd rather get into real fights, instead of sitting on a couch... *sips, a disappointed look on his face*
Miles: *A mild look of alarm.* And does she?
Ron: *laughs lightly* No no no no. No. *pauses and looks off to the side* Not that I know of...
Miles: Hm. She wouldn't get herself into a bad situation without you there to swoop in, I daresay. *There's a flatness in his tone.* At any rate, *he picks up the controller.* How is it played? I confess, Japanese is not one of the languages I'm able to speak.
Ron: *points out the buttons as he explains* These are for slashing, these are for kicking, this is for jumping, and this is for special moves. This one here blocks, this taunts, tapping this one gives you a dash, tapping this while holding that down gives you double dash, pressing both of these together lets you roll, these ones lets you use the use the built up energy...
Miles: *He raises an eyebrow* I'm in over my head.
Ron: You'll get the hang of it as you play. *smiles* Would you like to play against me?
Miles: *A light sigh.* All right... *He's feeling more competitive than he lets on, of course, and a determined look settles over his features as he takes a more natural grip on the controller.*
Ron: *picks up the controller he was using and un-pauses the game, exiting the match and going to the selection screen. He selects Explosion Monk.*
Miles: Explosion Monk? Why is he a playable character? His combat skills are not great, and his most powerful attack is instant suicide!
Ron: *frowns* Please don't say such things about him! Everyone who criticizes him only does so because they don't know how to use him properly!
Miles: Can you win by using the final explosion attack? *raises an eyebrow*
Ron: You can! Er, but it's considered cheap and is banned in most tournaments, I've read... I don't see why; it's a perfectly legitimate move... So, I try to avoid resorting to it.
Miles: Hm. Well... *After some deliberation, he chooses the Steel Samurai, but one of the alternate versions with special attacks that only appeared in a couple of episodes.*
Ron: Unlocking him was so hard... *the game moves onto the handicap screen* Do you need a handicap?
Miles: Of course not. I'll struggle through on my own merits.
Ron: B-but... Alt-Steel is considered one of the most difficult characters to control.
Miles: *He grimaces* Are we going to sit here and have this utterly ridiculous argument or are we going to play this game?
Ron: *leaves the handicap screen as-is and moves onto the match. There is a "loading" screen.* I'm not arguing! I'm warning you!
Miles: I fully expect to lose the first few times, until I get used to it. I won't have some foolish handicap making me think my skills are above where they actually are. *He shrugs off his suit jacket and drapes it over the arm of the chair just as the loading screen fades away.*
Ron: All right... *readies the controller, and the match begins. He does nothing.* I'll give you a minute to figure out the controls.
Miles: *A nod. He runs through the functions of each of the buttons in sequence, and then does a few combinations. Suddenly, one of them succeeds in throwing off some sort of beamed wave attack that causes autumn leaves to fly around the screen for a moment, hitting Explosion Monk for a solid amount of damage. Alt-Steel shouts "Akiryou Momiji Taisan!" * Oh, they included the seasonal attacks, did they?
Ron: *leans forward in shock when Miles pulls the special combo move on him* H-hey! I didn't say you could work on the combos! *huffs* I guess I can start playing now.
Miles: *He hunches his shoulders over the controller.* Feel free.
Ron: *with determination* All right! *begins pressing at the buttons. His movements are deliberate and well-placed -- far from button-mashing. With a series of punches and kicks, he overpowers Alt-Steel quickly, pushing him further and further backwards*
Miles: *With a distressed grunt from Edgeworth, Alt-Steel leaps over Explosion Monk's head, and with a frown he presses a combo of buttons much like the one he did before, though mid-air it seems to do something different. The screen is filled with scattered cherry blossoms and Alt-Steel yells "Haru Daisakurasen!" A chunk of Explosion Monk's health is taken away, though it doesn't really do much good as, directly after, Alt-Steel doublejumps off the edge of the stage.* ...what?
Ron: *simply* You fell off the stage.
Miles: ... *He grunts.* I know that. *He shrugs his shoulders as he waits for the victory animation to stop.* Next time...
Ron: *when the next round begins, Ron shows no mercy; Explosion Monk knocks Alt-Steel off his feet with a sliding kick move immediately, then follows up the attack with a chain of quick karate-based moves that whittles down at Alt-Steel's HP bar. He then pulls off some special attack that causes one explosion after another by Alt-Steel's feet, causing enormous damage*
Miles: Dammit... *He jerks the controller side to side, desperately trying to regain some semblance of the upper hand, but he is actually unable to do any damage at all. Explosion Monk ends up with a perfect victory, and Edgeworth's lip curls irritably.*
Ron: *reassuringly* You were doing quite well at the beginning there...
Miles: *He glares* Don't patronize me. I'm choosing another character.
Ron: *glances at Miles, shrinking a bit when he sees him glaring* I-I'm not patronizing! I'm being truthful... *when the character selection screen comes on, he sticks to Explosion Monk*
Miles: *He spends what seems to be an excessively long time making his choice. Finally, he ends up just going with The Steel Samurai* All right. I'm ready. This time a stage with no freefall?
Ron: That's a good choice; he's a very well-rounded character. Now, let's see... *selects a basic ground stage with a large sakura tree and a night sky in the background* There. Now you won't accidentally fall off!
Miles: *He tries not to bristle* Thank you. *He just about manages it.*
Ron: *the new match begins, and Explosion Monk throws ancient Japanese fireworks that resemble bombs at him. They explode as soon as they hit, one after another, knocking down Steel's HP more and more. He then goes into a block-position, anticipating Steel's next move.*
Miles: *Steel jumps backwards, thrusting his spear forward aimlessly without hitting Explosion Monk for a little bit, but then the computer recognizes the pattern and Steel Samurai sends a whirling hurricane towards Explosion Monk.* Dynamic Hurricane! *Edgeworth says with a half-smile.*
Ron: *he spots the beginning animation of the move, so with a few quick clicks of the buttons, he's able to execute his counter-attack in time. Explosion Monk sends a wave of flames at Steel which flares up from the ground and hits the hurricane, canceling both attacks*
Miles: Hmm... *Edgeworth lifts the controller and twists it to the side as he presses a series of button combinations and Steel jumps over Explosion Monk and does a spinning attack in midair.*
Ron: *Ron has considerably better control over his character, and it shows. Explosion Monk rolls out of the way, though it wasn't necessary -- Steel would have completely missed him anyway. Explosion Monk puts down the giant dynamite he carries on his back and says something in Japanese to Steel with a cocky smirk. Though neither Ron nor Miles knows what he says, it's clearly a taunt*
Miles: *Edgeworth's lip quirks, it doesn't really annoy him at all, just makes him appreciate the game a bit more. Steel dances back and then turns, Edgeworth's clearly not sure whether the giant dynamite stick is going to explode.*
Ron: *since it's just a taunt, Explosion Monk quickly goes back into his default stance. When Steel hesitates, Ron furiously presses at some buttons and takes the opportunity to pull of a super combo. Everything freezes for a moment as the screen flashes, and Explosion Monk puts his fingers to his lips and blows fire at Steel. A number pops up to indicate it counts as 1, 2, all the way up to 16 hits in a row*
Miles: Ngh. Not again... *As soon as Steel recovers from the combo, despite his one sliver of health, he runs at Explosion Monk, hitting him for some very negligible damage in a very kamikaze-esque move.*
Ron: Oh! I have you now! *Explosion Monk's HP goes down, but it's not enough. He grabs Steel and thrusts him in the air with one hand -- he utters something in Japanese, and emits an explosion from his hand, finishing Steel off.*
Miles: Eh. I just didn't want to let you have a perfect victory again. *He waits through Explosion Monk's victory pose scene.* You know, you could skip that.
Ron: But I like watching the animations...
Miles: *raises an eyebrow* It can't be that entertaining if it's the same character each time.
Ron: W-well. Maybe. But... *tilts his head* You have the power to change that... just to let you know...
Miles: *He scowls and as soon as the match begins, the Steel Samurai lets fly with a volley of spear attacks that seem to form one cohesive mass, hitting Explosion Monk six times in a row. Edgeworth seems to have mastered the jump, and Steel flips and jumps around the stage, trying to avoid Explosion Monk's attacks.*
Ron: *Explosion Monk does nothing, staying perfectly still as Steel jumps around*
Miles: *Edgeworth screws up his lips and Steel continues moving around the stage, knowing that if he stops, EM will start his attack.*
Ron: *After another moment, Explosion Monk taunts Steel again*
Miles: *He once again attempts the flying spear attack, managing to aim it slightly better this time.* Just attack already!
Ron: You weren't attacking, either! *Explosion Monk blocks the spears with his giant dynamite, and jumps up in the air to deliver a powerful flaming kick that rapidly propels him towards Steel*
Miles: I'm attempting a new strategy. *He's not quite able to make Steel dodge, but when Explosion Monk lands, he chains six or seven spear attacks at him, trying to keep him from regaining control in between.*
Ron: *a few of the spears hit, but they're enough to push him back enough to be able to block the rest. Explosion Monk does a rolling fall and leaps back to Steel, grappling him and tossing him across the screen.*
Miles: *Steel falls and then rolls backwards into a block.*
Ron: *Explosion Monk brings his hands together and they become fiery fists. He dashes towards Steel and knocks him down with a sliding kick attack, punching him repeatedly as soon as he gets back up, trapping him against the side of the screen*
Miles: *Edgeworth jerks the controller from side to side, but to no avail, the attacks don't let up enough for Steel to recover and let out any of his own attacks. He growls low, his eyes narrowed as Steel's HP drains.* Hardly sportsmanlike, Ron. *He mutters distractedly.*
Ron: *finishes off the 23-hit chain with an uppercut, ending the round. Ron looks at Miles in surprise and blinks* ...What?
Miles: You pinned me up against the wall! *He gestures irritably at the screen.* There's no way of getting out of that.
Ron: Oh, er... *glances at the screen, still facing Miles* There is a way out of it, actually, but it's all in the timing and it involves an advanced trick which you may not be ready for...
Miles: I'll just have to practice before the con, then. *He sets the controller aside.* You should enter the tournament, though, if you know so many advanced tricks. *There's a hint of smirky sarcasm in his voice, but his eyes are focused on the screen, as if he's replaying the fight.*
Ron: Maybe I will! *puts the controller back on the table* There's no harm in trying, is there? And it would be fun to play against strangers and... see how effective my moves are on non-AI controlled characters and... Did you call me "Ron?"
Miles: What? *He looks over.* What? *He frowns* When?
Ron: *repeats* "Hardly sportsmanlike, Ron." That's what you said, isn't it? *his tone is more curious than anything else*
Miles: *He scowls.* I don't remember.
Ron: *smiles* I think you did!
Miles: What possible difference does it make? *rises from the couch with a shrug of his shoulders.*
Ron: Well... *turns his gaze to the paper on the table* I'll get to work on the costumes immediately. *after a pause* Are you going to enter the game competition, too?
Miles: That depends. If I can manage to gain some skill, I'll attempt it. I won't enter a competition I don't think I have any chance of winning.
Ron: What? *frowns* That's hardly the best attitude to have! I thought you realized winning isn't everything.
Miles: *He smirks.* I have, but it would be laughable for me to enter at this level of skill, don't you agree?
Ron: *stands up* Ahaha. Yes, it would be!
Miles: *His expression falls.* Hmph. In any case, I'll be leaving. *He retrieves his briefcase.* Have a good evening.
Ron: Bye, then! *folds his hands behind his back* Thanks for playing with me, Edgeworth.
Miles: *He turns halfway, fixing Ron with one eye. There's a pause, and then he turns away again.* You're welcome... *He rearranges his lapels.* I'll be checking up on your progress. *Without a further word, he opens the door and walks out of the apartment.*
Ron: *beams* I won't let you down. Promise! *closes the door after Miles leaves*
Miles: *He walks out of the door and out of the building, and as he unlocks his car he pauses, looking off into the distance in thought. He shakes his head, tosses his briefcase on the passenger seat and gets in with a light sigh, driving off.*