Be More Chill, Dante! {Vylante BMC AU}

Chapter 4: Two-Player Game

*Dante*

{***}

"Apocalypse of the Damned!"

"Level nine!"

"The Cafetorium!"

It's the same night, after Garroth told me about the ZANE thingy. I tried looking it up on the internet, but found nothing! Nothing at all! But, I'm still intrigued, and needing someone to help influence my decision... Which is why I invited Travis over, to talk and play video games, while we're at it.

"Find the bad guy, push him aside, then move on forward with ya friend at your side! It's a two-player game, so when they make an attack, you know ya gotta brother gonna have ya back! Then ya stay on track, and- AH!- remain on course, if they give ya smack ya- GAH!- use your force! If you leave your brother behind it's lame, 'cuz it's an effed-up world, but it's a two-player game, HEY!"

"So? What do you think?" I asked Travis. I had just got done telling him everything Garroth told me, before we started up this video game we've been trying to beat.

"He's scamming you. He's scamming you super weirdly," Travis stuck his tongue out the corner of his mouth, as he spammed down on the buttons.

"What if he's not? This could be huge!" I exclaimed, slicing a zombie in half. "All I need to do is give the guy who torments me six…hundred..," I paused, groaning, "...he's totally scamming me... I'm doomed to be a loser 'til the end of the world. No, probably then too..."

"No way," Travis smiled, flashing a sympathetic look my way. "Dude, you are cooler than a vintage casette. It's just that no one else but me thinks that yet! You're just a nothing, in the High School scheme. But it's no big, 'cuz you and I are a team. We like out of print games, retro skates. Got a Pac-Man tatoo! Nobody here appreciates, but soon we'll be together where they do..."

Travis chuckled, assisting me in helping shoot down a small horde of zombies, in our game. I couldn't help but smile a little bit. There's a reason why Travis is my best friend.

"'Cuz guys like us are cool in college! Cool in college!" Travis glanced my way, leaning back in his beanbag. "This I know... Guys like us are cool in college! We rule in college! Listen, bro... High School is Hell, but we navigate it well. 'Cuz what we do, is we make it a two-player game!"

"ZOMBIE!" Our attention was brought back to the game, as we were being bombarded from our distraction by talking. "WATCH OUT! AAH! WAH!"

The game over screen appeared before us, and we groaned in unison. I glanced back at Travis, to see him already spamming his buttons, to restart the match. I sighed a little, joining him as well.

"As losers we have fought together for years. Both Nintendo zombies," I gestured towards the screen with my shoulder, "and our popular peers... Now we're stuck on a level, and I want to move on."

"Just wait two years, whereupon, you'll realize guys like us are--"

"Cool in college! Cool in college!" We looked each other in the eyes, for a mere moment, and I noticed a small smile present on Travis' face. Dork. "Won't be lame."

"Dude, I know, I get it," I gritted my teeth, as I moved basically my entire body, as I struck a few straggler zombies.

"Guys like us are cool in college!"

"But we're not in college..," I reasoned, and Travis shrugged.

"All the same..," he chuckled a little, nudging me with his shoulder. "High School is whack, but we have each other's back! It's me and you! We've made it a two-player game!"

"AGH!"

"OH!"

"ZOMBIE!"

"Hello?"

Was that a knock at the door?

"BLOOD!"

Nah, I'm probably just getting too into this game, with Travis.

"Son?"

Aww, great. Now, my hypothetical father figure has invaded my thoughts.

"CLAWS!"

See, it's already disappeared-

"Dante?!"

Aww, man. He's real...

"Pause..."

Travis paused the game, and I dropped my controller onto the ground, by our beanbags. I stood up, and stretched quickly, as the door swung open. My dad stood in the doorway, but...he was still--...

"AAH! Dad! Pants!" I dragged my hands down my face, frustrated he didn't listen to my request earlier.

"Is that a girl? Are you in here with a girl?" Dad looked around, his eyes locking onto Travis. "Oh. Hi Travis."

"Hey, Mr. Heere..."

"I was going to order pizza," my dad shook the phone out in front of him. "If there's something you boys want--"

"Did you get dressed today? Like at all?" I glared at him, crossing my arms.

"Oh... They didn't need me at the office. So I worked from home."

"Most people wear pants at home."

"That's why most people…aren't your father," he gave a weak laugh, before clearning his throat, and backing out of my room. "Good talk."

"How is he doing?" Travis looked over at me, as I plopped down beside him with a groan.

"How does it look?"

"You heard from her?"

I bowed my head, hiding my face in my hands. "No. And who cares? It's like, Mom moved on, why can't he?"

"Hey--"

"I don't want that to be my future!" I snapped, looking up suddenly. "Garroth said his hook-up's at the Payless. What if we go there ourselves? Just to see if his story checks out?"

"And if it does? Will you be too cool for..," he swooped up the cord of his controller by his finger. "...video games?"

"No way," I smiled sweetly at Travis, putting an arm around his shoulder. "You know that you are my favourite person... That doesn't mean I can't still drean..."

"Is it really true?" Travis leaned into me further, smirking. "I'm your favowite pewson?!"

I shoved him off of me, laughing a little. "We're never not gonna be a team..," I paused, aggressively gripping my controller. "High School is SHIT! ...And you gotta help me conquer it... It's just what we do, we make it a two-player game!"

"Find the bad guy, push him aside! The move on forward, with ya friend at your side! It's a two-player game, so when they make an attack... You know ya gotta brother, gonna have ya back! Then ya stay on track, and- AH!- remain on course, and if they give ya smack ya- GAH!- use your force! And if you leave your brother behind it's lame. 'Cuz it's and effed-up world but it's a two-player game! HEY! Two-player game! Two-player game! HEY!"

~~~