All things considered about this fad...

[Kiarax]

Now my mom started to worry as I began on the other hand, didn't mind. He encouraged me to perfect my skills, in part, I presume, because I had no other talents apart from video games and baseball, the latter of which I was no longer very good at. One evening, my dad came home from work and asked to play the game with me. I obliged, being careful not to warn him of my skills. I wanted to surprise him in-game. He played like shit. I remember him choosing Houngan, the witch doctor, and losing within seconds. I mained the Blob of course, and he subsequently chose to use that character as well.

[Kiarax]

We played for hours. Every single round, the fucker lost. He started accusing me of cheating as the night wore on and eventually sent me to bed. I still recall staring up at the ceiling and trying to sleep while listening to Houngan's shamanic hollers as my dad practiced through the night. The next evening, he challenged me again. I could tell he had improved somewhat. But as I had honed my abilities so carefully through the months, he never managed a single victory. He sent me off to bed again and practiced until about 3 A.M. We continued this religiously, he becoming more irritated and me becoming more wary of his irritation. By the end of the week, I could sense his rage beginning to effervesce. His need to beat me at that game became unbearable.

[Kiarax]

Then it happened. He finally shouted at me for always maining the Blob, so I decided to quit playing. Furious, he stormed out of the room and returned with one of my wooden baseball bats. First he swung at my Nintendo 64 until it fell to pieces. I swore at him all the while, crying. He turned to me, screamed something about me rigging the game against him, and beat the ever-loving shit out of me. He beat me so fucking hard, I still have scars along my chest and on the back of my head. Fucker beat me until the bat itself cracked beyond use.

[Kiarax]

I don't remember much past that point, since I drifted into unconsciousness pretty quickly. I now know I had brain trauma from the incident--my tongue is slower and my locomotion somewhat stunted nowadays. The doctor told me I would have probably died had my mom kept me from the doctor any long. She tried nursing me herself for a few hours, since she didn't want her husband to go to jail. But eventually she gave in and called an ambulance, claiming I had been brutally beaten and mugged on my way to practice. I was in the hospital for three weeks. On the day of my leave, a nurse came by and informed me of some packages delivered to the hospital that afternoon. I opened them. The first gift was a brand new Nintendo 64 and a handful of new games. The second was a new baseball bat. There was a note too. It read: “Please forgive me. Dad.”

[Kiarax]

My mom came and checked me out of the hospital. I stayed with some friends for the rest of the day, then sneaked out in the middle of the night with my baseball bat and broke into my home. I hadn't seen my dad since the incident and didn't know if he'd still lived there (I figured he might have left my proximity for security reasons), but I luckily found him sleeping upstairs with Mom.

[Kiarax]

I beat him. I beat him hard. I swung at his back first. Then at his legs. I didn't go for his head because I wanted him to feel it. And he did feel it too. He thrashed and tried to scream, but I had beaten the wind out of him so he could only open his mouth and grunt frailly as my mom tumbled out of bed and held her arms over her head and wailed. I stopped once I felt warm blood on the grip and sat on the edge of the bed, breathing deeply. The sheets were much darker now, even in the dim light from outside. He smelled strong. Blood always does when it’s out of the body. He turned a little, moaning quietly, and whispered, "Carry on.” I lowered my bat and stared at him, stunned. He spoke again, clearer this time. “Carry on my wayward son, for there'll be peace when you are done. Lay your weary head to rest...now don't you cry no more. Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond the illusion
I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high
Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man
Though my mind could think I still was a mad man
I hear the voices when I'm dreamin',
I can hear them say

[Kiarax]

Carry on my wayward son,
For there'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Now don't you cry no more

[Kiarax]

FIN

[Ksandra]

holy fucking shit I remember playing clayfighter for hours on the snes!

[Shiroikage]

I had not read that before now. That is my one regret.

[Howard Roark]

oh my god I lol'd at wayward son

was I just carry on'd? that was one hell of a bel air

[archibaldcrane]

I didn't realize you could Bel Air with Kansas. I approve.

I sang and danced to that song in show choir in high school.

Yeah, I was in show choir, what?

[Sera]

Yeah, I was in show choir, what?

/internet high five
me too homie

[Laude]

I like this fad.

[Charismatic]

It is very easy to like isn't it?

[Laude]

Indeed it is. Makes me wanna play my 00/01 copy for PS2.

[_chuchu]

I had not read that before now. That is my one regret.

^. fucking lol. ilu kiki bb

[Chicomagiko]

I think KoF '99 was the best with Maximum Impact ranking in as one of the worst.

[Colenzo]

how do you dance to carry on my wayward son

[Conrad]

I imagine interpretive dance would be the best option