buttbuds | (no subject)

[ It's really awe-inspiring, how quickly the fad caught on. Pokemon Go isn't even a week old and the hype it has built has spread through the population like wildfire. Kids, teenagers, and adults alike are all playing it, and Lance is no exception.

He'd been into Pokemon like everyone else as a kid. Played the video games, collected the cards, and had the merchandise, but all of that was stuffed away into his closet during his pre-pubescent years. It had been uncool then, but now it's all the rage. Of course, his innate drive to compete is what really motivates him to try so hard at the game. Rather than appreciate the app as a tool to bring people together, he's entirely set on being the best. And being the best entails catching the most powerful pokemon and claiming the most gyms.

Lance's strategy is simple: collect as many pokemon as he can in his free time and take over any gym that crosses his path. With the game being fairly new, the gyms around his area are easy pickings.

But then SwordFighter123 came along and quite literally stole his thunder. It happens gradually (one gym isn't a big deal), and then all at once. Waking up one morning, Lance opened up the app and was shocked to see that all of the gyms in the immediate area were red - and taken over by the same trainer!

Lance decides to go hard after that. Cutting classes and eating his meals on the go, he uses his days to level himself up like his life depends on it and reclaims every single gym that was taken from him. Only, his comeback is brief, as the team Valor guy comes back with vengeance.

Whoever they are, they must not have a life, because their levels jump every time they take a gym. It only serves to fuel Lance's passion for the game.

At some point, he gets desperate. Late at night, unable to sleep, he finds himself stalking towards one of the gyms he still has claim on with a soft drink he bought from the 7eleven down the street in hand.

This is gonna be a stake-out. He's going to confront SwordFighter123 once and for all and show them who the real tough guy is in real life. He imagines a 13 year old brat in his head as he crouches low behind a brush outside of the memorial plaque. He grins to himself. ]

Heh heh heh... You're not gonna get away with stealing my gym this time. [ His lips purse in search for the straw, blindly fumbling with it as he keeps his eyes on the sign in front of him.

Slurp. Sluuuurp.

Okay, so this is a little tedious. His eyes are already drooping with tiredness and boredom and it hasn't even been ten minutes yet. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[This guy...

Actually, it makes perfect sense that this guy took over his gym. He's frowning, unimpressed. This is exactly why he tries to keep hidden -- not because he pegs other trainers as outwardly hostile and enthusiastic...but just weird, in general. Not people he wants to hang out with long term.

Keith never wants to hang out with anyone long term so this entire explanation doesn't mean much.]

You.

[Just so they're on the same page, though the question's rhetorical. Antagonistic, even. Keith's not moving. He's so cozy by the fence.]

It won't be your gym for long.

[Mano e mano...does this guy wanna fist fight over the gym? Physically? With fists? He's totally not gonna indulge in that. It just sounds like that.

Nerds are terrifyingly weird. Why did he even come outs? He should've waited another hour or so.

At any rate, he's clicking on the stupid Vaporeon and proceeding to set things up for a battle. Gotta wipe the floor with his Pokes and bounce asap.]

You gonna stay down there? [ He gestures to the bars below his feet. ] Do it at the real gym!

Or are you scared? Eh, SwordFighter123?

[ Stupid...goading. Also, Lance can't even fight the guy's pokemon in real time, so he's going to have to rely on distracting him in person. ]

[Oh no, he's blushing from ear to ear. This must be exactly how superheroes feel when their secret identities have been revealed. It's fine for this guy to assume he's the one who's been dominating this (and other surrounding) gym(s), but to call him out by that name........]

It's Keith.

[With his eyes glued to his phone. Just killin ur Pokemons.]

[ He can't see the blushing from up here, luckily. But he's wildly wagging his arms, since there's not much he can do to keep his gym from being defeated. It's all AI. ]

Hey, Keith! I'm talking to you! Get your ass up here!

[ He bounces from one foot to the other, which is impressive... he's just pinwheeling his arms every time he loses his balance a bit. ]

[Could he wait.

A minute.

Three Pokemon or so into the fight, he's wandering in closer against his better judgement. He's not climbing up there with him, but he's glaring up from underneath. This dude's going to bust his ass and now he's going to be involved, physically, unwillingly....]

Stop freaking out. What do you want?

[Pokemon battle music plays softly in the bg.]

[ The boy gets closer... and Lance's whole world shatters.

Not only is his pokemon rival his age, but he's... super good-looking. Despite the mullet. It annoys him even more. ]

What do I want? I want you to fight me on equal ground. Get up here! [ His eyes dart to the screen of his phone. He's only at 25% battery life (he's too poor to buy one of those hardcore portable batteries) and he's pretty sure fighting the gym even once is going to kill his phone. ]

Or are you scared you're gonna get mugged? [ Not that Lance gets profiled much other than being watched closely in department stores. He may be brown, but he's not intimidating at all.

He does enjoy the view of looking down at the other boy, though. ]

I'm not going up anywhere.

[And he wasn't afraid of getting mugged until Lance mentioned it?! And by afraid, he's just aware? Of the fact that this guy might have underhanded intentions.

But he really just seems like a freaking goon.

Fortunately, Keith doesn't really have anything on him worth mugging him over minus his phone.]

I'm leaving as soon as I'm finished. If you split your head open, it won't be my problem.

[Which is more likely than Keith getting intimidated by all of that...posturing? Is that what that is? What a weird guy.]

Oh, yeah? Well, I ain't leaving 'til I take back the gym. [ He crouches now, bending his arms over his knees as he sneers at the other boy from overhead. But by doing so, he leans forward too much and flails as he starts tipping off of the bar. ]

Crap!! [ He pinwheels his arms, but it's too late...he's dropping towards Keith head first. ]

[This is going to be a back and forth all night. Keith's just going to leave and come back once this guy's asleep. He was nearly passed out a second ago...

Unless he gets flattened. The crap along with the motion of Lance deciding he's going to try to crush him to death over this stupid gym (surely) is enough for him to tear his eyes away from the final battle.]

Why did you keep-?!

[On doing that. Why. His arms instinctively extend, still clutching his phone with a hand, except Lance is falling head first which automatically destroys any slight chance that this could end in a princess hold?!

So there they go...both of them colliding with the sand.]