I do not own any characters from Microsoft or Bungie's "Halo" title or any characters created by Roosterteeth in Red vs. Blue.
---------------------------------------------
"Ready mates?" Wyoming's voice crackled over their headsets. He was perched high above the outdoor arena, watching through the scope of a sniper rifle. Tex and York positioned themselves in front of the teleporters. "Right then. On 'Mark.' Count down, Gamma."
"10... 9... 8..."
"Last chance to back out," Tex challenged in a sing-song voice.
"6... 5..."
"You'll be the one who wants to quit," York retorted.
"3..."
"We'll see," Tex said.
"2..." Both Spartans tensed, ready to spring at any moment. "1..." Legs coiled, fingers itched at the triggers. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. "½…¼…"
"Dammit, Gamma!" Tex yelled into the microphone. York stumbled forward, barely catching himself before he went through the teleporter. "I said no more jokes!"
Gamma replied over Wyoming's laughter, "Orange you glad I didn't say banana?"
"I swear, if this weren't paint, I'd…"
"MARK!"
They ran through the teleporters and opened fire, dodged bullets and searched for cover. York was quickly forced back by the spray of bullets from Tex's MA5C. He leapt to the left and rolled behind a crate; scant cover, but it would have to do. He reached around and fired his battle rifle. He may have been shooting blind, but it was enough to send Tex ducking for cover.
York took in his surroundings in an instant. They were in a field affectionately dubbed "Ruined City." It was a dusty, fenced in arena filled with crumbling buildings, crates, concrete blocks and a variety of platforms and catwalks suspended from a spider web of chains. York could already see he was at a disadvantage. The field was asymmetrical, the majority of the cover and buildings grouped on one side with a central tower providing easy access to the platforms above. It was the side Tex was on.
York moved to more substantial cover as Tex fired again. He could hear the paint rounds burst and splatter off the concrete around him. He swung his rifle around and fired back when Tex reloaded.
But she wasn't reloading. Instead, Tex grabbed a handful of small rocks, took careful aim and threw hard. At those speeds, they might as well have been bullets.
York heard two sharp cracks as the rocks found their mark and looked up. The chains supporting the catwalk above him went slack. The metal screeched angrily as it twisted and fell, coming down where he was crouched.
Instinctively, he leapt forward and realized too late he was out in the open. Tex unleashed hell from her dual SMG's. York pivoted and scrambled up the fallen walkway until he reached a stable section and sprinted down the catwalk. Legs pumping, he leapt and landed in the heart of the demolished village. He rolled behind one of the buildings and stopped, sliding himself down the wall as he caught his breath.
"First mark," Delta said over the comm.
"What? Where did…" York asked and twisted around trying to find the mark. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."
"Nice shot, old girl," Wyoming chuckled over the radio. "Center butt plate." They were never going to let him live this one down.
York heard the signature clicks of an assault rifle as Tex reloaded. He quickly moved, hopefully putting distance between them, and caught a glimpse of Tex's shimmer as she tried to close the gap between them.