BehindBars420

My knees were practically vibrating. Every gym in the park had been a bust – no Gengar, no raids, just a bunch of Pidgeys and Weedles. Then, salvation! A Gengar raid was just popping up a couple of blocks away. Time was tight, the bar timer ticking down like an angry judge.

I sprinted through the park, the laughter of kids playing tag echoing behind me. There was no way I was missing this. My phone buzzed with raid invite notifications, and I could practically feel that purple ghost looming over my screen. The problem? My username. "BehindBars420"... yeah, not the most inconspicuous thing in the world.

I rounded the corner, sweat streaking down my face. Other trainers were scattered around the gym, eyes glued to their phones. I joined the circle, heart pounding. Then – a voice.

"Dude, is that you? BehindBars420?"

I looked up. A guy in a vintage Charizard tee had me dead in his sights. This was it. Was I about to get called out for smoking before joining a Pokemon Go raid?

He held his phone up. "You tryna get this Gengar done or what?"

I blinked. This guy... he wasn't mad. He was smirking. "Definitely," I managed to squeak out.

The raid battle raged, a flurry of taps and swipes. Each time we synced up, the guy would throw me a sidelong glance. I could practically see the gears turning behind his eyes. Then, a ping. The Gengar fell.

As we waited for the catch screen, a cloud of smoke drifted between us. The guy was a master of timing – he had to have seen that. Then, he sniffed, the grin widening on his face.

"That's not you, is it? It couldn't possibly be you," he said, a mischievous wink glinting in his eye.

We both burst out laughing. He raised his hand, "Respect." I slapped him a high-five right back.

Then it happened. My catch screen shimmered those glorious three stars – perfect IVs! A victorious shout bubbled up in my throat. The dude and I practically danced around the gym, two stoked trainers celebrating not just the Gengar, but this unspoken...connection.

Turns out, my username didn't just get me a raid. It got me a bro. Yeah, maybe I rushed a little bit after sparking up. But honestly, best Pokemon Go experience of my life.