They were so bad... so bad with girls that they can't even identify one when she's staring right into their faces.

That's just how it is when it comes to the collective of nerds, geeks, dorks, and the sort...

Girls were their weakness whilst video games were their only solace.

Making it quite rare for something like Metroid to appear. Poking into that sensibility of theirs.

It was frustrating and rewarding at the same time.

At least, when the truth about Samus becomes widely known, they can say that they interacted with a pretty girl.

Albeit with AB and XY buttons.

They're even rewarded if they do a good job at it.

The quicker, the better!

Erm... that sounded wrong... but it's a speedrun... so...

So... the less time, the less clothing!

Although the power suit was cool and all but wowie... even with the pixels, Samus was such a hottie...

Despite the trickery, whoever designed her and this whole game to be this way should get a raise.

Given that it's most likely to be Alexander Creed again... his fanboys could only come to hope that his greatness be great some more.

------

To all of that... Alexander could only yawn.

He's never really cared for the praise since all credit is due to those that he plundered from.

Making him just bored and not so guilty about what he's done.

Not that they'll ever know.

Then again, he really came close with the swiping once again.

October 1986. The same month in which old Nintendo would have released their own Metroid.

Too bad. Their whole company, rather the whole game development community, was in a bit of a reshuffling.

Putting a pause and delay to game releases that could have been... with Creed Games having quite the picking.

It would seem that his jump to 4th Gen really caught them off guard.

It's just one of those moves that were actually pretty elaborate, the further along the line.

Even the new Metroid game is pretty elaborate... and the decision to incorporate the Predator in the mix is just part of it.

Alexander can't depend much on the guarantee of a fox like Diller, after all.

It had to be said that the game is quite inspired by the Alien franchise. Even Ridley, the game's main antagonist, is alluded to director Ridley Scott.

On the off-chance that Alien's side of things falls through, the Predator still has something to pull back to.

With all that somewhat covered, Alexander can't help but elicit a yawn once again.

Not out of boredom.

He's just gone through another 5-hour drive from UC Berkeley, so...

In a way... he's a bit sleepy.

-------

In spite of the sleepiness, the grind continues...

Which was why as soon as they got back to the Burbank-San Fernando territory... Alexander directly headed for HQ.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

To get back on top of things. Especially when there's a lot to get back on top of.

Business, mostly.

At the top executive floor, by his exclusive room, on top of his table... quite a few files piled up... and he really had to grind his way through it.

Drowsiness got to him again though.

With an urge to snooze and another yawn... there's just something about that combo that puts one to pause.

Making it quite the situation wherein he could only set aside those Halloween charts and sales figures...

Then again, Alexander, ever the busy body, shifted to a new task.

After all, grinding and being on top... kind of applies to a lot of things. Girlfriends, included.

Well... that sounded wrong and a bit utilitarian...

It's not as if he lay Milla on the office couch... parted her legs to make way for him... and did the unspeakable.

Yeah... no... dirty minds tend to blur innocent meanings...

Alexander just wanted a comfortable talk and to get on track with things he missed out on.

As a boyfriend, it's the least he can do.

At least, that's what he hoped to do.

However, when he thought about it and came face to face with it, he can't help but yawn again.

For sinfulness' sake... maybe he should just get around to sleeping.

Even Milla, the ever-observant when it comes to all things Alex, can't help but notice.

Of course, Milla, also ever-curious about all things Alex, can't help but ask out. "Was your trip that tiring?"

"It's just about alright." With such, he appeased. "I slept on the drive home and thought that that would be enough."

Snitchiness aside, Mr. Driver was quite the driver. If anything, there's still the other culprit he could turn to.

"Probably just the long coding sessions that got to me."

"Overnight sessions, huh." Milica sighed and advised. "You really should tone it down, Alex."

To his girlfriend's reminder, Alexander just shrugged.

It's not like it's his first time dealing with lingering lethargy.

He was more than willing to sacrifice a night's rest considering what he was setting up while he was away.

After all that advice and nudging, he had to start on the hypertext-based prototype as well. So it really was quite a lot of coding and overnight sessions from there.

It didn't help that Chaos had to be withheld and he was working on archaic 80s computers... but it is what is.

Rome was not built in a day and something like the World Wide Web sure couldn't fit into a day's work.

Of course, as his thought's unraveled on that, Milica rolled her eyes at the familiar dynamic.

Getting lost in his thoughts. It's not something to be missed but she did.

"I missed you, by the way." She bashfully butted in... and added. "How about you, Alex? Did you miss me?"

Well... that put Alexander to a pause... which he easily regained with a smiling jest. "To be honest, I kind of thought we'd be broken up by now."

Based on future-past relationships and most 6th-middle school relationships in general.

One-night stands and 7-day flings, not that those applied to both of them. Childish fickleness is more likely.

So likely that they really should have broken up by now.

To that, Milla just rolled her eyes and jested back. "I sure hope you're not breaking up with me just to get with your other girlfriend. That will be very, very cruel. Even for you, Alex."

"Haven't we had a long talk about this already?" Even Alexander somewhat grimaced. "There's really nothing for you to be jealous about, Milla."

"Yeah, yeah..." Milica just waved him off and added. "She did brag so much about being your inspiration for Samus Aran though. To the point that she was looking for a Power Suit costume for Halloween."

"That's just a coincidence." Alexander nodded assuredly. Then again... it's just hair color and most proportions of the future. "Besides... even if it is... don't you have a lot more than her "

"True, true." Milla noddingly hummed at that but she still inquired. "She's spreading around that she's the little mistress. What's that about?"

Alexander found his smirk at that as he inquired back. "What's this I hear about you taking up the mantle of little madam Milica then?"

"Erm..." Well... she got sheepish at that as she embarrassingly explained. "I-it's not my fault. Miss Marker and the others know about us being boyfriend and girlfriend. Since you're the little boss, they were the ones that started calling me that little madam thing... and the whole company just followed suit."

A turn of events that Alexander just found amusing.

Of course, that was not the only thing that they talked about.

They talked about Miss Galina's birthday which he missed. Granted, he did send a gift.

How Mister Jovovich was popping up from time to time? Probably the family drama of a burgeoning star.

What he missed at school? Not a lot, really.

Their upcoming Milla and Marshmello collaboration. With his voice coming to a change, this sure was something that had a final countdown on it.

And a whole lot of other things...

As mundanely routine as it was... it was quite interesting for Alexander. Relaxing even.

Too bad, it was too relaxing that his yawns and sleepiness spoiled the banter.

As he drifted off to sleep... his last train of thought was the fact that he really should start considering strategic breaks and add them to his already stacked schedule.

Quite the workaholic approach but his new secretary should be able to squeeze it in.

And so... he dozed off under Milla's sighing supervision...

------

Strangely enough... as dreams are...

With his last thoughts before dreamland being about his new secretary... and squeezing it in...

He was stuck in a body of a boy close to his age...

Peeking at a sexy and semi-naked figure... squeezing lemons to her lemons...

Wait... wasn't this scene familiar?

From Malena.

Sort of understandable... after twists and turns... she's his new secretary, after all.

Granted, the imagery of squeezing in lemons and squeezing in schedules is a bit much.

Also, how come he was stuck as pervert Renato?

Alexander wondered... but as dreams are... they are strange, indeed.