GameBun

Video games held a special sort of nostalgia for Nemesis. The sounds of the buttons clicking down onto their switch, the low quality speakers trying their best, the tiny screens where the pixels were so visible they were a part of the game. The designs had to work with the low quality, and that made them so much more special. Every time he got out his old GameBun, it threw him back in time to when he got it.

The demon looking over him had no reason to extend the kindness that he did. Between the frequent outbursts and general moodiness, everyone had started to steer clear of him. Nothing tended to stay around him very long. When the demon approached him, he was certain it was just for another scolding. “You said you’d stop that!” or “How many times do we have to tell you this, Nemisis?” As ironic as the name was, it fit him unreasonably well. 

“What are you doing out here on your own?” the demon asked in a gentle voice. When they started to speak, Nemisis jumped a bit. His head tilted slightly in confusion. Nobody had asked him that before. 

“I’m staying out of trouble,” he replied quietly, looking back at the ground. There were several electrical components around him. “I didn’t break anything more, I swear. These were from last week. Nana said I could keep them if I was good.”

Instead of taking his parts away, the demon knelt down beside him. Nemisis felt so small at that moment. The demon was more than four times his size, yet their posture didn’t seem fitting of the usual demon he would encounter. “I see… What are you doing with them? These look really complicated for such a young bun,” they said, and despite the kindness they were trying to extend, it just felt condescending. 

“It’s just circuit boards and wires,” he mumbled quietly, what he swore was too quiet for the demon to hear. “There’s nothing really special about them. A baby bun could do this.”

The demon was silent for a moment. He was certain that he’d done something wrong again. Was that back talking? Sugar, he should have been more careful. How stupid could-

“You know, I used to be really interested in this sort of stuff,” they said, in that same voice. Nem looked up to them now, his attention fully grabbed. “When I was a bit ‘younger’, or at least, less experienced, I was fascinated in the advancements of you guys. I’m not all that old, only 200 years, but so much has happened in that time. T.V.s weren’t a thing. The remote you took apart? The technology is only a quarter of my age. Succubuns make these things, computers, to make their lives easier, to make them more fun. It takes a very long time to make them, and it took them a very long time to figure out exactly how to make them, but they got there in the end. They went from fumbling through giant and clunky computers that could just tell you the answer to your math homework to something like,” they paused as they reached into their bag, pulling out a small silver brick, “this.”

The demon handed the item over, allowing Nem to curiously turn it over and fiddle with the buttons on the outside. When it flipped open, he gasped softly at the little screen and simple buttons within. They looked to have been modified to work with hooves. “What is this?” he asked as he played more with the buttons, jumping when one brought it to life with an 8-bit tone. The demon gave a warm laugh. 

“That’s a GameBun,” they informed, smiling down at the enamored little one. “It’s very old by today’s standards, but it holds a special place in my heart. I worked at a job for several weeks to buy one for real carats. It was the best thing I think I’ve done.” 

Nemisis listened intently, nodding along quickly. As the menu came up, he recognized the words on the screen. “What’s… ‘Super Coolio Bros?” he asked, head tilting adorably. His ears slipped out of place against his back, one ending up in front of the screen. He grumbled slightly as he pushed it back, focusing on the screen the entire time. 

“One of the most popular games they made for that,” the demon said. 

The little bun looked shocked at the statement. “This can play games? Real games? I thought only the play room had stuff like this,” he said, disbelieving. The demon seemed pleased with themself, placing a hand on the bun’s back and helping with the buttons. Music started to play, electrifying the young one. 

“Here, I’ll show you how to play.”

The kindness that the demon showed was never forgotten. As Nemisis looked down at his worn and scratched but well-loved GameBun, he almost wished to be back there. At least to give the demon a hug. He never caught their name, and none of the other workers seemed to know who he was talking about when he asked about them. It was a while before he returned to the place he met that wonderful stranger, only to find the same console he now held in his hands left on a rock with a note attached. 

‘May this always bring you joy and brighten your day. I believe in you, Nemisis. Never forget to take a breath and have fun every now and then.

P.S. - Don’t let the staff see you play this.’