Me Fortress 2, Part 10: I Wanna Talk About Me
And so, the group began its long journey to the first sector of Dustbowl. The Heavy and Engineer led the Pyro and Scout back through their HQ, down the pathways of Sector 3, and finally past the structures and tunnels of Sector 2. On the way, the Scout suddenly realized that the Heavy was carrying his minigun along for the ride, its end lying on his shoulder.
"Hey, man," the Scout mentioned to the gargantuan, "Why'd ya wanna haul that thing along?"
The Heavy turned to the Scout, then to his weapon. "Ohhh, I go nowhere without Sasha," he said as he caressed the barrels of the minigun.
"Heh...Sasha? Ya actually named it?"
"Do not judge, little man, for best way to know self is to know weapon." The Scout shrugged at the thought, seeing the idea as pretty strange at first, but soon he found himself considering his own possible names he could call his scattergun.
This, however, would bring about the memories of his best bud from back home. He thought back to when the two had decided to build their own set of customized weaponry to use before they went off to join a small militia in their hometown. The Scout, not exactly skilled in terms of engineering, helped come up with the basic designs of the weapons and extra ideas, but it was his friend that did most of the manual labor.
After months of testing, rebuilding, and a few personalized additions, the two had found themselves a new weapon for each of them to use: the Scout came to know his weapon as the scattergun, due to its huge change in power by just moving a few inches closer to the target, as well as that it was even less accurate than a regular shotgun from further away.
His buddy, on the other hand, was of a slightly larger build, and therefore made a weapon at a large higher caliber since he could handle it. The customized shotgun had such a strong recoil, in fact, that when the Scout went to try it out for himself, it threw the unprepared runner backwards into the wall just behind him. The Scout's best friend, interestingly, saw a bit of the Scout in his chosen weapon design. As he once told the Scout, "It might be small, but it packs a punch that ya'd never expect…just like you, bro."
"Boys," the Engineer spoke up, breaking the Scout's deep concentration of his thoughts back home, "this here's the mini-base fer the first sector."
Without even knowing it, the Scout had made his way with the rest to their destination: Sector 1. Their first stop was a tiny steel structure just past the gates between the first two sectors.
"I 'spose y'all been informed on what spawnin's all 'bout?"
"Mhmm," mumbled the Pyro.
"Yeah, yeah, Boss-man told me everythin'," said the Scout.
"Alrighty, no use goin' over that again, then." The problem-solver led the group into the small building, which only contained a small wooden locker and supply cabinet.
"This...is where we'll be spawnin' from. It's locked from the inside, so nobody can get ya while yer in here...'less a' course, they get to the second point and capture it. Then I suggest ya run fer yer lives."
"Huh," the Scout uttered, "…Not exactly the most excitin' place I've ever seen."
"Heh, ya better be gettin' used to it, partner, 'cause this is the place that you'll be cleanin' fer the rest a' the week."
The Scout's eyes widened. He quickly remembered the bet he had lost just a few moments prior…and he had just started to forget about the whole thing, too.
"Urgh," he sighed, "…great."
As quick as they had entered, the team made their way back outside. Now starting to think about what the Engineer had said earlier, about 'running for their lives' if the point would ever be captured, the Scout asked him, "Hey...what happens if we can't make it outta here?"
"Uh…whaddya mean? Ya talkin' 'bout if ya spawn over on this side a' the gates after we already lost this here point?"
"Um…yeah."
"Well...then ya'll'll probably be blown to bits, partner; killed as painfully as possible."
This made the Scout cringe, as he started to imagine all of the possibilities…
"Bunch a' the BLU's tend to do that.....it ain't enjoyable," the Engineer stated as he shook his head. The Scout was gulping just at the thought of it. "But...in the end, everyone just spawns again at the next mini-base. So, if y'all were here, then ya'd end up at Sector 2. But don't ya worry 'bout bein' captured, 'cause they know ya won't go down without a fight. Capturin' ya'd just be a waste a' their time."
The Scout's head dropped to the ground. Hopefully, he thought, nothing like that would ever happen to him…
As he looked down, he noticed another teleporter, similar to the one the team had passed earlier at the entrance to Sector 1. "Hey Hard-hat…this the entrance to your teleporter up front?"
The Engineer turned to where the recruit was pointing. "Yeeee-ep, sure is.....Heh, tell ya what, partner. You go on ahead and use it; it'll warp ya to the frontlines. Me and Heavy'll meet ya there." He turned to the Pyro, and said, "Ya might as well try it, too, Pyro; get yerself used to the feelin'."
The Scout stood at the teleporter's base, watching as it spun quickly and a light glowed brightly around the machine. After a moment of planning how he should approach the thing, he decided to just step on it as quick as he could, straightening himself over the machine as much as he could.
Suddenly, the teleporter began making a whizzing noise and the lights below him started to glow brighter and brighter. In an instant, the lights surrounding the Scout blinded him. However, the lights quickly dimmed back down, and when the Scout opened his eyes...he was standing at the entrance to the sector! He looked around, still unsure of the fact that he had really just instantly traveled hundreds of feet in under a millisecond. The steel gates were just a few feet away, and nearby he could see the Engineer's sentry…yep, he was there alright.
He took a step off of the teleporter exit, feeling a tad dizzy as he moved back onto solid ground. Ahead, he saw the Heavy and the Engineer coming through one of the tunnels, and a few moments later, the teleporter began to spin at a great rate again. The Scout took a few steps away from the machine, and after the lights grew bright once more, he soon saw the Pyro standing right in front of him.
Once they had regrouped, the Engineer continued from where he had left off. "Now...there are a few things y'all'll be needin' to know 'fore we get into any actual shootin'. These here," he said as he stepped towards the sector's entrance, "are the strongest gates y'all'll ever be runnin' into. Nothin' can make it through these things, whether they be a person, bullets, or any kind of explosive; they're mighty powerful. They'll be keepin' us safe 'bout a minute after the BLU's make it out to here."
He then paused for a moment, stepping over to the keypad before going on with his explanation. "These locks we got are state-a'-the-art and key-coded, but it don't take long fer a guy with the right equipment to dismantle it and find the code. So, as soon as that minute's up, y'all be better ready fer a fight."
After finishing with his description of the gates, the Engineer then walked up to his sentry. "This is why I got my sentry sittin' here...keeps 'em off our backs fer a bit. And if they ain't too smart, it'll score us a couple a' kills before they manage to take her out. That's when I'll start buildin' another..." he mentioned as he pointed at the large neighboring structure, "right inside that there buildin'. So, that's my plan fer any attack on this sector: now I'll let the Heavy tell ya what he'll be plannin' on doin'."
The Heavy stepped forward, setting down his minigun in order to straighten his posture. He cleared his throat, and glanced in a very professional manner towards the others as he prepared himself for his little speech. Judging by his seriousness, the Scout and Pyro were expecting a long, important explanation of his importance to the RED team when it came to fighting.
"...I kill all BLU men." The Heavy smiled, and stepped back.
The Pyro, very confused at his choice of words, shrugged at the Scout, who rolled his eyes back at him. ".....Mmm?", the flamer questioned, expecting at least a little bit more from their more veteran fighter.
"…Yes, I kill bad men. That is what I do." A little surprised at faces of the recruits, he looked down at the Engineer, who stared back with an angry frown. "Ohhhh...you want how I kill BLUs!"
"My job…is protecting team. Many shots needed to make me fall, so I use as advantage. I charge at enemy, and always stand in heat of battle as enemies retreat: make them run like cowards they are!" The Heavy then became genuinely serious.
"Friends...I die many times. I not care for hiding, for hiding not win battle. If you are scaredy-cat, then stand behind me, for I will take bullets for you. However…if men want victory, then men must fight!...Is what Soldier always says." The Heavy stopped for a moment, and slowly paced around the two recruits.
"Remember…every death is same. Pain not change, and you get used to feeling. So never fear death, for fear of death cause fear of enemy. And to win...," claimed the Heavy, as he pounded his fist into his palm, "...you must make enemy fear you!"
The Engineer knew his little talk was over, so he moved up to the group and added, "Hey, nice speech as always, Heavy. Yer really good at settin' the mood."
"Many thanks, Engineer."
The Scout, however, was not as impressed by the Heavy's words of wisdom. "Hey, look man, I ain't no coward. Just 'cause I can run don't mean I run away. Let me at 'em, I'll take 'em all down with a good ol' bonk to the head!", he gloated as he made a gesture of an umpire calling a player out.
Noticing the Scout had begun his bragging ways again, the Heavy decided to speak up and call the recruit out on it. "So...you think you have courage to fight? Then…see how you good you are against Sasha....."
The Heavy proceeded to pick up his weapon, and placed it into its firing position. Suddenly, a small noise generated from the minigun, and its barrels began to turn.
"Now is time to run!", shouted the Heavy. The Scout, frightened by the mere sight of the gigantic weapon of death, took off in the opposite direction towards the gates. From behind him, he heard the gun spinning faster and faster. He finally reached the gate, but when he tried to make it open... it wouldn't budge! And then.....
ZING! ZING ZING ZING! Bullets screamed by the Scout. He jumped into a corner, curling into a ball as the gunfire flew by him. But then, just as quickly as they had started…the bullets suddenly stopped hitting the wall. The Scout opened his eyes, and turned to his team as they looked down upon him. None of the bullets had hit him…and the Heavy was staring towards him with great disappointment. He shook his head as the minigun stopped its rotation, everything now going quiet over the sector.
The Heavy quietly chuckled, "Ha ha ha...I see no bravery. All I see is coward." The gargantuan placed his minigun back onto his shoulder, seemingly disgraced by the Scout's lacking display of heroics.
Of course, the Scout was very ticked off by the Heavy's actions. He walked towards the group, shooting his mouth off again just as loud and quickly as the minigun had.
"Hey, man, I just had a bunch a' bullets flyin' straight at me! Without any warnin' or anything! Ain't my fault that I don't wanna die, like some a' ya bozos."
"Enemy sometimes strike without warning," the Heavy pointed out. "You must think under pressure if you want to survive, tiny baby, and since you think best thing is running away when I fire Sasha at you, it must mean you always run when any danger nearby. Believe me, Scout…you are coward, and little baby-man."
"Oh…that so, Lardfat?"
"Now, now, boys," the Engineer tried to interfere, "that's enough."
"Well, tell ya what," the Scout continued, "you teach me how to run in and get myself killed, and I'll teach you how to run away! Hell, I'll even start right now! Lesson 1: eat a friggin' salad!"
"Ohhh ho ho ho…must always be funny man, hm? I never hear fat jokes before…is most original."
"Chh…whateva'. Bet ya think you're a real tough guy just 'cause you're bigger than me, huh? Bring it on, tough guy, I can take ya."
"Now, fellas-"
"You are not worth effort, nor time." Undoubtedly trying to be the "bigger man" of the two, the Heavy began to walk away, leaving the Scout to continue with his whining and cursing.
"Yeah…that's what I thought! Who's afraid now, eh Lardfat? You're just afraid a' dyin' as I am!"
The Heavy instantly stopped. He turned to the young, inexperienced recruit, having been insulted by the Scout's wording, despite it becoming more and more desperate.
"I not fear death," he replied.
"Hmph…then sorry I care more 'bout dyin' than you do, big-man."
The Heavy was unusually angered by the Scout's choice of words. He began to take huge steps back towards the group, and shouted as he approached them, "You think I not care about death? I have bullet shot in head, head chopped off, knife shoved in back, and am blown to million pieces hundreds of times…and you say to me death not easy?!?" By this time, the Heavy had his face lowered down to the Scout's, his angered frown seeming to stretch past the Scout's entire head.
"You not know what is like to lose everything or feel real pain, puny-man. You know nothing of battle," he growled angrily into the Scout's face. The Heavy then stomped away, shaking the ground with every step he took.
The Engineer could only look on as the Heavy walked towards the nearby tunnels, and began to rub his eyes at the sight. "Damn it...damn it, damn it." He then leaned over to the Pyro, and whispered, "Son...could you go try to cheer up him for me?" The Pyro nodded, and quickly followed the Heavy down his path. After they were both long gone, the Engineer quickly turned around to the Scout, and yelled, "Are you crazy, partner?!? What the hell is wrong with you?!?"
"Psh, what?", the Scout replied with his arms crossed. "I didn't do nothin'..."
"Son...do you take pleasure in makin' everyone else hate ya?"
The Scout had no idea why the Engineer was "gettin' all up in his grillz." "What?!? What'd I do? He just started yellin' at me, called me a coward, and even almost friggin' killed me! Now…you're tellin' me, that this was all my fault!?!"
"Yeah! 'Cause it was! You have any idea what kind a' bull he's had to go through his entire life? He lost his entire family 'cause a' the war! Ya know why? 'Cause there weren't no respawnin' back when the war started! Then he lost all a' his friends he was fightin' 'longside; every single, doggone one! And now you, some brand new, know-it-all, good-fer-nothin' recruit just comes along, actin' like ya know everythin' there is to be fightin' in a war and puttin' everythin' ya have on the line fer a 'cause that ya believe in, blabberin' yer mouth all around the place with no respect or care fer anyone else but yerself?!? Well, guess what, partner? Ya don't! So, try gettin' this through yer thick head, dumbskull: fer once...shut. Yer. God. Damn. Mouth. Got it?!?"
…That was it. This was the final straw for the Scout. He had been yelled at every single time he spoke, and this was going to be the last time he was just going to sit there and take it.
"Alright…ya know what? I don't care. Yeah, that's right, Hard-hat. I. Don't. Care. It ain't my fault ya didn't tell me 'bout this crap, and it definitely ain't my problem that he can't f***** talk to someone without losin' it! I mean, seriously, he can take a bunch a' bullets, but he can't friggin' take a few words from a guy? He's the one that needs to work more with talkin' to people."
"Oh, really now, partner? 'Cause I think yer the one who needs to work on his communication skills!
"Oh...that so, 'partner'?!?", the Scout shouted sarcastically. "Well, seein' as how we're already talkin' 'bout just how much I suck, would ya like to add anythin' else to the list? Too thin? Too fast? Not as smart as ya?.....Too much better than you at shootin'?"
"Ohhhh...so that's what ya think, eh partner? That I'm jealous of ya? Well don't be worryin' 'bout that none, 'cause I don't think anyone in this here canyon would wanna be you!"
The two glared at each other, hatefully staring one another down. Finally, the Engineer turned, and began to walk away to where the Heavy and Pyro had wandered off to. But suddenly, something stopped him, and he turned back around, having one last thing to say to the Scout.
"…Ya know what? There is somethin' else ya need to work on, partner.....Ya wanna know what it is?"
"Pfft...what?"
"Teamwork, son. Ya don't care 'bout teamwork…all ya care about's yerself."
"Oh…really? And how'd ya figure that one out?"
"'Cause, son, what other people think a' ya...it ain't important to ya. Anythin' we say, anythin' we do...ya just don't care 'bout any of it. You just keep on thinkin' that yer the best. After all…that's all that matters, right?"
"Hey...for your information, I am part a' the team. But, ya forgot about one simple thing there, Hard-hat: when a guy's team sucks, then somebody's gotta pick up the slack. It ain't my fault that everyone out here's against me, includin' my own team." The Scout stepped over to the nearby wooden shed, and leaned his back against it. "They're always blockin' me, takin' my stuff.....they don't even try to help me out when I'm in trouble. All they care about's themselves.....that's why ya can't count on nobody. Just go do your own thing, pally...and let me do mine."
The Engineer sighed at the Scout. "...There's no 'I' in 'team', son."
He turned, and continued towards the tunnels. After a few seconds, however, the Scout came up with and gave his response:
"Yeah, well...there sure as hell's a 'ME' in 'team,' Hard-hat."
The Engineer held his head, and shook it side to side. There was no point in arguing about it…nothing he could say or do at this point would change the Scout's mind. He just kept on walking to the tunnels...leaving the Scout to stand alone at the gates.