diamondo | THIRD RIDE ✦ TEXT / ACTION [VIOLET CITY]

[ TEXT ]

[A strange text post goes out to the network today. It appears to be a list of some kind.]

▶ get a motorcycle
▶ mod the fuck out of it
▶ fuck up ryder's shit
▶ find a fucking gym
▶ train
▶ train
▶ train
▶ fucking train
▶ get stronger (physically/emotionally/mentally??)
▶ find a sauna!!!!!
▶ actually get a date
▶ somehow
▶ god this is gonna fucking suck
▶ ~~see every city in johto~~
▶ fuck that's a lofty goal isn't it
▶ see every major city in johto
▶ that's better
▶ get all the badges
▶ (it's a matter of fucking pride)
▶ round out pkmn roster (no more dark types!!!)
▶ um
▶ fuck
▶ i'm forgetting something aren't i
▶ shit

[Five minutes after that's accidentally posted to the network, a proper text follows.]

oh shit ignore that last post, that wasn't supposed to go public
...actually, tell me about the things you want to do here
i need more shit on my to do list
are there any awesome places to see or anything like that?

[ ACTION - VIOLET CITY ]

[It's not surprising that Mondo's out training on the outskirts of the city. What is surprising is that he isn't fighting his Pokémon today. He's ditched the usual coat today and if one looks closely, they can see a massive bruise over his shoulders and leading down toward his back. That might be from fighting his Pokémon. Maybe. But that's not what he's doing today - today he's got his Pokémon out, situated in teams of two facing off against each other.]

Alright, we're gonna practice double battling today. Ryder! Quit trying to punch Pierce, he's your partner!

[The Scrafty shoots him a dirty look, but she knocks it off. At least until Mondo's back is turned, then she socks the Lucario in the gut and knocks him over.]

Lex, Tory! If I see the two of you biting at each other again I swear I'm gonna stick you in the fucking PC and never let you see the light of day again! You got that?

[The Sharpedo and Deino pull faces once his back is turned, but at least they seem to be listening.]

Alright, on my mark... go!

[...This can only end well.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hey, I'm not that weird!

[But he doesn't sound offended, he's a bit more preoccupied with what she's saying.]

Yeah, that's it exactly! I guess I haven't been doing a really good job of it back home; I mean, I never really talked to girls much back home. But here I talk to you and Asahina and I'm not trying to act differently or anything. I'm just being myself.

[He grins then, as if that solves every problem in the world.]

So yeah, you're right! I just need to be myself and get to know the girl before I ask her out, and when I'm doing that, I need to make sure I'm not trying to act any differently! I mean, I usually try to hold back on the cussing around girls 'cause I feel like that'll offend 'em, but I haven't been doing that around you or Asahina and neither of you guys seem all that bothered by it! So I'll just fucking be myself and everything should work out, right?

[She gives him one of those classic shrugs that better conveys the sentiment of "seems legit" than any spoken words could manage.]

So you want to try it one more time? I've got a good feeling about this one.

[She says, with a grin that lights up her whole face, because holy shit this social thing. They're nailing it.]

[Aww, Alice, you're cute when you smile like that! It vaguely reminds him of how Ishimaru lights up when he gets ridiculously happy, but that makes sense. You're female Ishimaru, after all!!]

Yeah, alright! Let's do it!

[Mondo takes a moment to prepare himself, to set the scene in his mind's eye and to figure out exactly how he's going to start this. It sounds much more natural this time around.]

So, we've been really good friends for awhile now, right? Normally I'd say I'd never fucking change it, 'cause we make great friends and all that, but well... I've kinda been thinking about maybe being more than friends, y'know? Will you go out with me? I mean, I'm not gonna be great at it, but I figure we'll figure out how this fucking thing works as we go, right?

[...well, he tried... At least this time he was much more confident?]

[...so how is it that she can apparently teach somebody how to social when actually doing it herself is still so far out of reach. But such is Parker's life, really. The basic mechanics, she can recite without a problem; it's the substance and nuances that tend to trip her up.

But she does end up sounding genuinely enthusiastic in her not-punchy reply.]

Great! So where are we gonna go?

[...Hopefully his confidence won't get completely thrown by that follow-up.]

Wh-what?

[What was that about his confidence?]

...I thought we were just practicing!

[Oh my god did he actually just get a date accidentally because this has got to be the craziest shit that's ever happened to him.]

[LUCKILY, SHE WILL SAVE HIM BY...laughing at him. Or, well, in his general direction, at least.]

You better come up with something better than that when you really ask someone out.

[DON'T EVER SCARE HIM LIKE THAT AGAIN]

W-Well yeah, obviously...

[And now he's just embarrassed. Good going, Alice!]

[She does that. GET USED TO IT.

Luckily, though, when she gets done laughing, the humor ends up softening back into one of those genuine smiles of hers.]

Hey. If it wasn't practice, though? I probably would've said yes. I think a lot of girls probably would. So you should try sometime. Especially if you think they're nice, because you're pretty nice, too.

[Well that just gets him to go even redder, thanks.]

Y-Yeah? I... shit, I really appreciate it, alright!

[Oh, there's the volume!]

That... that really means a lot to me! Thank you!!

SURE THING!

[And in return guess what he gets? THAT'S RIGHT, A PUNCH IN THE ARM.]

THIRD RIDE ✦ TEXT / ACTION [VIOLET CITY]

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