Just a little light entertainment inspired by a parody video clip about a new gaming console controller. This story is closer to R-rated than XXX, so YMMV.
*****
The two-story brick house looked like it had seen better days. Things hadn't been the same since Stacy's dad walked out, thought the young man walking up the front steps. He was of average height, but well-built, with a pleasant face.
When the door opened Oliver smiled, expecting to see his friend Stacy. She was a year younger than him: years ago the two had flirted in junior high school and went on a few dates in high school, but somehow never clicked romantically. Still, they had stayed in touch, and while he was home from college on break she had called him for help with a chemistry test.
Instead of his friend, though, an older woman opened the door. Freckles dotted her smiling cheeks, and she wore her blond hair in a high ponytail. Still trim and athletic in middle age, she came to the door in yoga pants and t-shirt. A string of pearls completed her outfit, simple and elegant.
"Oh, hello, Mrs. Wells. Is Stacy here?"
"I'm so sorry, honey." Stacy's mom held the door open. "It's sooo nice of you to help her, but she just called and said to tell you she's stuck at school for another hour at least."
"Oh. Um." He rocked from foot to foot indecisively.
"Helping Stacy with school must be the last thing you want to do on vacation, I bet." Mrs. Wells said sympathetically.
"No, ma'am. I'm not busy or anything." Oliver admitted.
"Well, honey, I know she does want your help; would you mind waiting a jiffy?" She brightened at his nod. "Can I get you something to drink?"
"Thank you, ma'am. Some tea would be great." Oliver followed her inside where he spotted a sleek black box sitting under the TV.
"Cool." He breathed. "I didn't know you had a Zbox Two."
"Here you are, dear." Returning from the kitchen with a tall glass of sweet tea. ""Stacy didn't tell you about that?"
"Ma'am?" Oliver mumbled, taking a sip.
"It arrived last week from Bobby." She scowled at the memory of her absent husband. "I have no idea why, and he didn't even include a return address. Just this."
"Was it a present for Stacy? " Oliver bent down to look at it. He'd heard how awesome the new game console was supposed to be, but hadn't seen one in person. Along with the Zbox Two were two of the new Konect controllers that were supposed to be the hottest new thing in gaming. "Controls like you've never felt before," the box read.
"Have you played it yet?" He asked.
"Heavens no." Mrs. Wells rolled her eyes. "I've only just gotten back from a business trip. I wouldn't even know how to set it up."
"I can set it up for you if you'd like." Oliver offered hopefully, peering behind the big screen TV to find the input jacks.
"Would you please? That would be wonderful, honey." Mrs Wells smiled. "He sent a game, too. You can play it until that ungrateful daughter of mine gets home."
"What game?" Oliver asked as he unpacked the controllers. ΓControls like you've never felt before.' That's an odd slogan, he thought.
"Tennis. Probably Bobby thought he was being clever."
Many years ago she played on her college team, and playing regularly still kept her physically fit. Secretly, Oliver had always enjoyed seeing her in skimpy tennis clothes. Even now he couldn't help sneaking glances at the older woman as he connected the Zbox, and the way her yoga pants displayed the tight curves of her rear.
"All done, ma'am." He said after a while.
"Thank you, Oliver." She smiled. "I bet Stacy will be excited, too."
"Would you like to play?" He offered her one of the Konect controllers in hopes of keeping her around to look at.
"Oh, I don'tΓ"
"Please? This will be my only chance to beat you in tennis." Oliver was a swimmer; balls didn't interest him much.
"Beat me? You think you can beat me?" The older woman's competitive spirit spoke up. "Not a chance, honey. Move over."
She sat down primly beside him onto the plush sofa, legs together. Taking a control each, they went through the instructions. Partway through the game start-up, amazingly lifelike outlines of the pair appeared on the screen. A voice suddenly emerged from the Zbox.
"Confirm player identity?"
"How did it do that? How did it know who we are?" She said, surprised.
"I've read about this on the web. It has a camera, and it can scan the room to see who is playing. Isn't that incredible?"
"Confirm player identity." The voice hardened.
Mrs Wells frowned.
"They really should make it more polite."
"I think we just need to point the controller at our figure and press the A button, ma'am." Oliver said. As he did so, his outline glowed red momentarily. Mrs. Wells followed suit.
"Identity confirmed." The voice softened again.
Oliver continued with game set-up. When it asked whether they wanted to play doubles as a team or singles as opponents, Mrs. Wells arched her brows.
"Opponents. Definitely."
On the screen, a new window appeared. ΓPlayer identities compatible with special rewards mode. Use? Yes/no.'
"Special rewards... What is that?" Mrs. Wells asked.
"I'm not sure. I think that's like when we clear a level we earn something, like getting new ammunition in a shooter game." Oliver guessed.
"Ammunition?" Mrs. Wells looked dubious. She didn't object when he pressed Γyes,' though. When he was done, two lifelike characters appeared on a digital Wimbledon centre court, with anonymous faces lining the stands.
"Practice game ready." The Zbox said.
"That's just weird." Mrs. Wells shook her head.
Unfamiliar with the controls, she fumbled her way through the first game, letting Oliver win easily. He didn't play tennis, but he knew how to play video games.
"Rewards game 1 ready." The voice said.
"No!" Mrs. Wells suddenly spoke up. "One more for practice."
"I don't think it-"
"Practice game ready." The voice agreed.
"Woah..." Oliver looked awed.
This time the game was closer. Mrs. Wells made fewer control errors, and returned more of Oliver's shots. In the end, though, Oliver's skill with the controller was still too much.
"Rewards game 1 ready." The voice repeated.
"Alright. I've got this now." Mrs. Wells told herself.
She almost did, too. Now that she had a sense of how the controller worked, her experience put her almost even with the boy's finger coordination. When it was done, she let out her breath with a gusty sigh of disappointment.
"Rewards mode active. Player 2 select reward." The voice said.
The digital court vanished, replaced by Mrs. Wells' electronic character.
"What is that that supposed to mean?" Oliver wondered. As he moved his controller, though, he discovered that he could make different parts of Mrs. Wells figure turn red. First her shirt, then her pants, then back to her shirt.