Here Comes A New Challenger
It might come after days of thunder clouds, or it might strike out of the blue, but no matter where you are, eventually, the rain must fall. It had been a clear day, for the most part; but the cloud cover had only grown thicker during the day, and by the time Babs had been let out, the sky had opened up, dropping the temperature from a mild summer to a miserable fall in an instant.
Naturally, sticking around after school wasn’t her idea of a good time. Nor did she cherish the thought of running all the way back to Sweet Apple Acres, back to her bed in the attic. So, as she jogged, Babs rounded a corner and turned toward uptown – towards a small house not too far from city hall. She wasn’t always welcome there, but she never let such niceties bother her, especially when it came to the rain.
Of course, it didn’t hurt that the house she was about to barge into was that of her sorta-kinda coltfriend.
She wasn’t sure when they had become friends; he wasn’t exactly popular and outgoing, after all, and didn’t do much to sell himself. But she was the sort who could barge into anyone’s life; and to be frank, he did so little that it was easy for her to pop right in unannounced. Being after school but before his mother got home from work, she knew right where he’d be. The same place she always found him.
Button Mash was a decidedly average student. He made consistent Cs – with the occasional B in anything related to strategy, like mathematics, or anything historical, which his war sims had given him an unusually early education in. If only he applied himself, his teachers complained; if he would just start putting as much effort into his essays as he put into his game reviews. But of course, their hopes fell on deaf ears. ( One teacher had joked that they would have better results if they stopped handing out grades and started handing out achievements. )
Babs Seed, for her part, was worse; her grades often dipped into the Ds. She was “insightful during group discussions but lacked the necessary work ethic for her age,” the report cards said, just above lines reporting her attitude as “significantly disrespectful towards peers and authority figures.” She often struggled with concepts, but it felt like just as she was on the breakthrough of understanding one concept, they were simultaneously berating her for failing to understand and forcing her to develop brand new skills on top of the base she didn’t quite have yet. It was a race, and she was run ragged – so she had no qualms about letting her teachers know just how she felt about her work.
Button wasn’t complicated, though. He liked video games, and he never minded her crashing over. But still, as she shrugged out of her wet hoodie, she felt like introducing herself might be in order. “Yo, Button. Hope youse don’t mind me crashing a bit, it’s rainin’ bad out there.”
No answer, as usual. She peeled out of one more wet layer, leaving herself in just a black tanktop, before she headed down the stairs. As usual, Button was sitting in the dark, the screen casting shadows over his face and his ears turned to face the screen alone. She grinned, watching him focus on the cutscene with rapt attention, oblivious to the world around him.
“Hey, Button. Youse there babe?”
“Uhmunuh.”
Nothing got his attention off of the screen, the two faux space captains talking back and forth. So Babs rested her hands on the back of the couch, and monitored her prey from above. The moment that the cut scene’s dialouge tapered off – just as the improbable orchestral music reached a crescendo – just as Button was leaned over furthest, in rapt surprise – she struck. Diving in with an incoherent warcry, Babs’ arms wrapped around him, her fingers flying up his sides and over his belly. Caught completely off guard, Button had to gasp a moment before letting out a bright giggle, unable to breathe hard enough to even laugh. She grinned, and finally let up, leaning on him with a smirk.
“Youse always fall for that one,” Babs scolded gently, ruffling his hair.
“Yeah, yeah,” Button said, the taller colt shrugging. “You always strike when I’m watching something.”
“Yeah, well.” Babs shrugged, and stepped over the couch, sprawling back against her side. “Whatcha playing?”
“Zed Space,” Button explained. “They call it that because-“
“Zombies, yah, sure,” Babs said, as she lay back. “Don’t mind me. I’m just waiting out the rain anyhow.”
Button shrugged – and ignored as Babs rested her feet in his lap; it was a short couch, and he had grown used to this arrangement.
Babs turned her head, looking over his game and its pallets of near-blacks and low blues. “So, how far youse gotten?”
Button shrugged, his eyes on the screen, the faux-mechanical sound of slots in inventory being swapped out as he optimized his loadout. “Farther.”
“Oh? Huh,” Babs said, as she shrugged down into the couch, leaning back to face the screen. “Goin’ farther’s good, I s’pose.”
As she watched, it lapsed into another cutscene – the same military figures with some scientist. Instead of just getting into the plot, they were discussing some political ramification or another. Just like Button Mash – as a completionist, he’d do his best to get 100% on his first playthrough of a game, regardless of how long it took or how many times he’d wind up throwing the controller. All this, of course, meant that a game with ten hours of play would last forty to sixty in his hands. And, of course, that he’d be right there when she wandered by.
And watching him investigate every nook, cranny, and permutation was incredibly dull. She wondered if these things were more exciting if you had the controller in your hand, but she doubted it – then you had to work to see the boring parts.
Babs yawned and looked around the basement. It was cluttered, full of old storage and the abandoned attempt to turn one half into a proper entertainment center – a screen had been set up, but the project was abandoned as soon as there was a console hooked up to it. The lightning occasionally blazed outside the thin strips of windows along the top of the wall, casting strange shadows over the room – which Button hardly noticed, she thought.
She yawned again, and pondered messing with him again, but thought better of it. Once was a joke; twice was rude. But even though she was no longer in the rain, it was little better in this cold basement. She shuddered, wishing she hadn’t worn a woolen hoodie to school that day; even with it off she still felt damp, and that dampness made the basement’s cold bite all the harder. She tried wriggling back into the sofa, trying to bury herself in the old things’ cushions for warmth, but then she just felt damp, cold, and itchy.
She sighed, and turned her attention back to the screen. It looked like some sort of top-down strategy game. With zombies. And spaceships. Just the sort of game to provide Button with hours of statistics and switches and things to do. “Long game?”
“I’ll say. One single campaign can last, like, six to eight hours, and there are dozens of worlds each with their own randomly-generated tech trees, foe archetypes, and terrains, but each has these voice-acted NPCs that you can either recruit or spurn, and the main villain of each world has a great voice actor like…” Button Mash rambled on, and Babs pretended to hear, occasionally nodding or grunting as he described some intricacy or another.
“So just up youse alley, huh?”
“Yeah, it is.” Button Mash frowned, and paused, looking over to Babs Seed. “Did you want to give it a try?”
Babs looked up, and blinked, then waved it off with both hands. “Nah, youse keep on playin’. Video games ain’t my thing,” she said, as she lay back. “’Sides, I’m just here while we wait out the storm.”
Button shrugged. “Suit yourself.” His token attempt to be a good host having been satisfied, he turned back to the screen.
“We’se been doin’ this a while, haven’t we? Just hangin’ out down here.”
“I guess so.”
Babs shrugged, and leaned back. Another few minutes passed in comfortable silence, only the chirps and the strings of the game’s theme making noise. She looked over to Button, and shrugged. At worst, he’d tell her to stop…
… so, without giving him a warning, Babs tucked her legs in, turned around, and rested her head in his lap, tucking her feet under the pillows and nuzzling in over his thigh. “Oh hey, youse warm,” she laughed, as she lay her head back against his belly, giving a content sigh and ignoring the squeak of surprise from above. “I shoudda done this ages ago…”
Button squeaked and squirmed, ignoring Babs’ happy little sigh. “Babs,” he coughed, giving an awkward grin as he looked down. “You’re getting awfully close to somewhere awfully personal…”
“Aw, wassamatta?” Babs cooed, looking up with her best smouldering look. “Can’t youse admit you’ve thought about my head down here before…?”
Button’s mouth opened and closed, stammering as she nuzzled in dangerously close to his belly – then breaking out into a laugh, curling up and giving the tormented colt some space. Button laughed, too, although it was more strained.
“Heh. You really had me going, Babs…”
“Heh. I like youse,” Babs said, giving him a gentle punch on the arm as she sat up. “You’re a good guy, Button.”
“Heh… yeah,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry I haven’t been taking much—“
“No, no, youse okay,” Babs declined, as she leaned in against him. “I’s just coming in from the cold.” She paused, and just rested her head against his shoulder. “This okay, tho’?”
“Yeah, that’s fine,” Button said. He looked down at her, and shrugged, so she could rest her head better. “Comfy?”
“Yeah,” she said, as she faced the screen again. Between the field of meaningless data on the screen, the dim light, and the soothing, rhythmic sound of the music and the chimes, she could almost believe she was back in class. So, she did what she always did in class – take a nap. It wasn’t too uncomfortable; closing her eyes without having to worry meant all she had to do was lean in, listen to Button’s breathing (and occasional sotto voce grumbles), and let the day fade away.
She made it almost ten minutes before a bolt of lightning struck just outside, waking her with the thunderclap, the bolt brightening the underground room to the sun’s full brightness. And, with a sickening ‘pop’, the TV flickered and died, before the room could be thrown into darkness, not even the dim light of the console coming on. In the shadows of the room, there was dead silence –
“Aw, really?” Button shouted, throwing the controller against a wall. There was a crash, but all Button did was cross his arms and growl. “The last checkpoint was an hour ago…”
Babs sat up, and looked at Button – or rather, where the colt should have been; she hadn’t adjusted to the sudden darkness as of yet, so she just leaned back in. “Lost all that?”
“Yeah,” he sighed, grumbling and leaning back. “Now what’m I going to do?”
“I dunno,” the filly smirked. “We could just talk about stuff.”
“Talk?” Button shrugged. “I never was much of a talker.” He got up to stand, his hands reaching around in the dark.
“You sure youse want to be doing that?” Babs said, as she batted off a hand that came too close to her face. “I mean, it’s gonna be dark upstairs, too.”
From the darkness, Babs heard a sigh – and felt a hand resting on her shoulder, as Button came to sit back down. “Yeah.” This time, Button leaned in and rested his head on her shoulder, sighing. “Meh.”
“Well, youse was the one wantin’ to be a good host,” she pointed out with a low grumble.
“Well,” said Button, after a pause. “Okay, then. What’re we talking about.” It was a statement, not a question, as he lay back.
“Huh? Well, like… what youse doin’ now, where youse goin’ from here…”
“Alright, then,” he said. “You start.”
“Me? Heh. Wuss,” she teased. “But… yeah. Where I’m goin’… not far, to tell the truth. Got no debts, got no worries, and nothin’ to lose but time. Prolly get a job somewhere – part time, somethin’ where I can sleep in. Youse can get bits anywhere, but time? We ain’t getting that back.” She grinned, and wrapped an arm around Button, giving a squeeze. “An’ times like this? No check’s worth tradin’ it in.”
“Yeah?” Button leaned into her arm. “That’s nice, I guess.”
“Oh, yeah?” She snorted. “And you got better plans?”
“As a matter of fact,” he huffed, “I think I do.”
“Lemme guess. Gonna open up a game store?”
For a moment, Button Mash was quiet. But then, he gingerly lifted himself out of her embrace, and leaned away. “So what if I am?”
“Wait,” Babs said, as the coin finally dropped. “Youse seriously thinkin’ bout it?”
“I have,” Button said.
“Oh.” Babs felt awkward, and she sat up, leaning back to her own side. “That’s… good?”
“Yeah. I think I know more about the industry than most ponies in the industry at this point – at least consumer-side. So I figure, hey.”
“Youse know that runnin’ a game store won’t be all games, right?”
“I know!” Button Mash shouted, balling his hands up in his frustration. “Everypony keeps mentioning that. But I already did the work. I know what it’d take to get started and what it’d take to take to keep running, to the bit. And you know what? I like those numbers.”
“Uhm… Button? Hate to break it it to youse… but it’ll take bits. And youse don’t have a job or anything, so… where’s it gonna come from?”
“That- uhm… yeah.” Button grinned sheepishly. “Uhm. I’ll find a way. But I won’t need much. I mean, lots of ponies start stores as sole proprietorships. All I need is a lot of elbow grease…”
“… and time.”
“Yeah, well. It might take some years, but it’ll be worth it, right?”
“Yeah? Yeah. I guess.”
Button Mash frowned, and turned to face Babs, the dim light casting shadows over her face as she blew a tuft of hair out of her eyes.
“So, that’s it. I’ll go all over Equestria, and youse gonna settle down and work your fingers to the bone.”
“Yeah,” Button said, sitting up. “Gonna try to make somethin’ of myself.”
“Make somethin’? I thought youse already got a pretty good head on those shoulders.”
“Yeah. But for what?” Button Mash smirked, and gave a nod down at his hips. “Video games in my mom’s basement? Yeah, that’s a life,” he shrugged.
“Hey, hey,” Babs said, sitting back up. “Nopony’s giving youse any guff about that, are they?”
“What? Nah. We’re not in grade school, Babs. Ponies don’t do that,” he smirked. “But that’s my talent. I don’t have to do just that. And if I mess up? So what? You gotta keep playing to win.”
Babs nodded, and turned to face Button again. “I guess that’s right. And if youse lose – well, youse don’t stop playin’ just ’cause one game’s over.”
“Something like that,” Button agreed.
“Hmm. Well, if that’s the case…”
With a little smirk, Babs leaned in and wrapped her arm back around Button, tugging him closer. She grinned, looking into his eyes for a moment – then leaned in, her nose pressing to his. There was a question in his eyes – and a little smirk in hers – as she leaned her muzzle down just a little, brushing her lips warmly to his. She let her lips linger there, her eyes darting between his, before gently pulling back.
“I… wha?”
“Whassamatta? Cat got youse tongue?”
“I… wha… buh… wow.” The confusion on his face soon gave way to a broad grin, and they giggled together.
“You look confused, Buttons…” She gaspsed, then giggled again. “Don’t tell me youse never done this?”
“Ah… no. That would be a no,” he grinned. “That was the… uhm, the first time I ever…”
“A first kiss? Nah,” she grinned, as she climbed up into his lap, the shorter mare straddling the taller colt’s lap, rising on her knees so she could look down to him. “Now this, this’ll be worthy of a first kiss…”
This time, when their eyes met, his was matching her, meeting her smile with his own as they pressed their lips to each other. This time, though, her lips parted – and, catching the clue, his did with hers. When he tilted his muzzle, she took advantage of the situation, inviting herself into his mouth. After a moment or two of awkward meshing, she found he was quite inviting indeed.
The kiss wasn’t constant; it was constantly interspersed with small breaths, and gentle giggles. Babs threw her arms around his neck, high; Button rested his hands on her hips, low. Together, they spent a moment like that more, before parting again, their eyes still meeting each other’s.
“I think that had to be some sort of record,” Button said, giving her a little squeeze and breaking out into a grin.
“Nah. Felt great, tho’,” Babs laughed, as she leaned back a bit. “Hope I wasn’t too much…"
“Hey, no, you were fine,” he smiled. “I didn’t think I’d be lucky enough to get my first kiss from someone like you…”
“What, short?”
“Nah, hot.”
Now, for the first time, Babs was on the defensive, and she was blushing. “What’re youse sayin’…?”
Button shifted awkwardly, but continued. “Well, you’re strong, for starters, that’s awesome. And with your hair like that, you’ve got a style. Anyone can pick you out of a crowd…”
“… really, now?” Her blush was making her tan cheeks match her pink hair.
“Yeah,” he stammered, trying to keep a grin on. “So… yeah. I’m glad I… I got my first kiss from you.”
Babs cooed and gave Button a tight hug, leaning in. “That’s the nicest thing anypony’s ever said to me, Button,” she smiled, leaning in.
“Heh, not really,” he shrugged, as he rested her arms around her, giving her a squeeze. “It’s just what I see.”
There wasn’t anything to say to that. There was something else on her mind, of course, but she didn’t want to push her luck just yet. So, Babs just closed her eyes, resting in Button’s lap and letting her head rest under his muzzle. For a moment, that was all there was in the world: two ponies cuddling to the sound of the falling rain outside.
Around her, Babs could feel Button’s hands moving; first up her sides, and then down her back – and then back up, in slow, idle rolling motions. She gave a half of a sigh, and nuzzled in against his chest again, as those hands made to grip a controller instead kneaded into her back, making her squirm. Occasionally, a hand would stray forwards or downwards – but then immediately slide back around her.
She was short and strong; the magazines called her build a ‘battleaxe’. Not something she, nor most of Equestria, would call ‘beautiful’. So as she felt his hands sliding across her, she blushed, and grinned. Well, fortune had favored the bold so far today…
“Hey, Button.”
Button Mash pulled back, looking up to Babs in the light. “… yeah?”
Babs did her best to smile, although without the teasing mood of earlier, it was chagrined at most. “Button Mash, I’ve been thinking. Do youse wanna go… further?”
Button Mash perked up – then immediately shrank under her, gasping. “Wait, what? Us? I– uh–” His eyes looked over her. “I mean… I’d love to I-I’d really love to, but…”
Babs blinked in confusion – and when she saw his eyes wandering over her body, she blushed – but didn’t do anything to stop him from looking. “I wasn’t talkin’ about that, ya dork,” Babs smirked, leaning back to show off.
“Oh… wait, what? You weren’t?” Now it was Button’s turn to smirk. “And here you were the one joking about putting your head in my lap…”
Babs opened and closed her mouth a few times, to which Button laughed, leaning back and looking down to her.
“No, ya dork,” Babs said, turning away. “I mean… Are ya seein’ anypony?”
“Like… going out with anypony?” Button was quiet for a moment. When she said nothing, he continued. “No… I’m not. But I could be.”
Babs looked towards Button, and blushed.
“So… I guess we should make this official,” Button laughed, as he leaned over to one side, so he could see Babs’ face. There was a nervous grin on his face, but when he looked up to her, it disappeared in a wave of nervous energy. “Babs… will you be my special somepony?”
“Y-ouse ain’t gotta be so formal ’bout it,” Babs stammered, looking away. “But… youse serious?”
Button shrugged. “I… I guess. Well, I won’t be a great coltfriend. You know me,” he rolled his eyes, looking towards his collection of game systems. “But… how long have we been doing this already? Just – hanging out down here?”
“Yeah,” Babs agreed, turning away. “I… I guess we kinda are.”
“So, I’ll ask again,” Button smirked. “Can I be your special somepony?”
“I…” Babs held back a laugh, because if she started laughing she’d lose it completely, but she couldn’t keep the grin from her lips. “Yeah. I’d love that.”
“Great,” Button said, resting his muzzle atop her head, squeezing as he nuzzled into her hair. “I’m glad.”
“Hey,” Babs teased, giving a squeeze again. “I was the one who asked youse…”
“And you chickened out and made me ask you,” Button Mash countered, lifting a hand to tousle her hair. Babs growled in frustration at the show of affection, and gave his own teasing warcry as she ran her hands up his ribs, tickling fiercely; his hands shot to her ribs and slid underneath, pushing her arms out of the way and seeking her weak belly. They battled like that for a few moments more until Babs started laughing. Button quickly caught the giggle fits from Babs as they rocked together; soon, they were both collapsed on the sofa, laughing until they ran out of breath.
As they both started to recover from their fit of laughter, the power flickered on – first dimly, but brighter, as lights in the basement chased away the shadow. When they realized where they had wound up – sprawled on the couch, with Babs’ hips between Button’s – both blushed. But neither quite moved. It was the first time they could actually see each other properly.
“So… I guess youse wanna get back to your game now,” Babs said, pushing to rise back up on the couch. “Youse got all that work to make up for, an’ all…”
Babs was caught by a hand on hers – the fingers linking.
“Actually,” Button said, with a small grin, “I was going to ask you a favor.”
“Oh yeah?” Babs sat up, still kneeling between his legs, and tilted her head curiously. “Whatcha thinkin’?”
“Because you’re closer – could you go hit the lights?” Button grinned sheepishly. “I mean, I was thinking… it’s going to rain for a while yet…”
