The Next Phage Begins.
Some time has passed since Pyrrha received her injuries and she had recovered enough to start training again. The time for the next phage was getting closer by the day so she had to make sure she was back in to decent shape for it. She didn't want to risk being left behind for not combat ready ready yet. Right now she was in the gym where she could train without her armor. Wearing basic training clothes, that being a black tank top and black work out pants, and she was barefoot. It felt nice to be training again, sitting still for so long was super boring.
She took a deep breath before performing two punches and a front kick. She then struck to the side with her elbow before performing another punch. She took another breath before doing another two punches and one kick combo. She let out a small cry as she performed several different combos, feeling her muscles loosen up more and more as her body was slowly but surely returning to it's top shape. She kept this up before performing a round house kick... but suddenly felt her foot get grabbed, stopping her kick in midair and forcing her to balance on one leg.
Pyrrha blinked for a bit before she looked to see who was holding her foot and was surprised by who she saw "Tex?".
"Nice kick" Tex said, still holding on to Pyrrha's foot. Pyrrha was surprised that she didn't even notice Tex approaching her. She must be really good at sneaking around.
"Umm, can you let go of my foot now?" Pyrrha asked. Tex was silent for a moment before pulling Pyrrha's foot, sending her down on the floor "Ow! What the hell was that for!?".
"Why did you fall down like that?" Tex asked, ignoring Pyrrha's glare.
"Maybe because you threw me down!" Pyrrha said, stating the obvious.
"It shouldn't have been that easy. You should've been able to recover quickly and land on your feet" Tex pointed out.
Pyrrha stood up "Alright I am a little rusty due to having been bed written for a while. It wasn't until recently until I was allowed to start training again. That's why I am here, I am trying to get back in to shape before the next mission starts".
Tex looked at her for a bit before she spoke "Remember when we fought each other in the training room?".
"You mean when you all but made sure that I would never have children? How could I ever forget that?" Pyrrha said, she remembered that day clearly.
"Yes, but you still lasted longer than the rest. You even scored a hit on me. Had you fought at you full potential, you might've lasted even longer against me. But your problem is that you entered the fight expecting it to be fair. But I don't fight fair, I do what it takes to win, even if it includes fighting dirty" Tex explained.
"Is there a reason why you are telling me this?" Pyrrha asked. Tex was clearly not the social lady, so her being here talking to her like this felt a little strange.
"You have an insane amount of potential Pyrrha, but you are the only one who dosen't see it. If you stopped holding yourself back, you could potentially surpass Carolina" Tex answered.
Pyrrha was surprised that Tex would say that but shook her head "I am flattered you would say that, Tex. But my sister is years ahead of me. I could never be as good as her".
"And there lies your biggest weakness. You don't believe you can succeed, you think you are inferior to Carolina, and not only her, but others as well. The walls you build in your mind keeps you from giving it your all, and become the freelancer you are meant to be" Tex explained.
Pyrrha was confused. Was Tex trying to train her? What has gotten in to her? She never paid this much attention to anyone. Yet here she was, telling Pyrrha about her hidden potential and how she could over come her weaknesses. She was acting like a mentor, and it was really confusing.
"Alright enough. Tex why are you here? And why are you telling me all this? You never talk to anyone else like this, so why me?" Pyrrha demanded.
Tex was silent before she stepped towards Pyrrha "You know, that is a very good question. I am not so sure myself" She reached out her hand and gently grabbed Pyrrha's chin and made Pyrrha look in to her visor "I can't quite put my finger on it. But when I look at you, I feel something familiar, and yet I have never felt it before. For some reason, the thought of you dying really bothers me. So I guess I just want to make sure you don't die because of you holding yourself back".
Pyrrha had no idea what to say to that, if she didn't know any better, she would believe that Tex actually cares about her "Ummm... thank you?".
Tex let go of her chin "You are an interesting little duck, Pyrrha. Stay alive, or I will be pissed".
"I will do my best. Thank you Tex, really" Pyrrha said with a small smile "Maybe you are not so cold after all".
"Heh, maybe not" Tex said before she walked out of the room.
Pyrrha watched her leave with a smile "So she has a softer spot. Who would've guessed".
"Getting friendly with the top dog now?" Pyrrha jumped and saw South leaning against the wall, and like Pyrrha she wasn't wearing her armor.
"Did everyone go through extra stealth training while I was injured?" Pyrrha asked, rubbing her chest.
"You are just spacing out more than normal. You know that can get you killed" South said.
Pyrrha sighed "I know, I know. Did you need something South?".
"Do I need a reason to check on my best friend?" South asked.
"No but you always do" Pyrrha reminded.
"You know me too well" South said as she walked up to Pyrrha "I wanted to make sure you had recovered. And wanted to be ready to rush you to the medical bay in case you re-open any wound".
"My wounds are all healed now. If I keep this up I will be ready to join you all on a mission again" Pyrrha answered.
"Good to know. What was the whole thing with Tex about? I came just as she called you little duck" South said.
Pyrrha shrugs at that "Not to sure. She seemed concerned for me. Not sure why. But she kept talking how much stronger I could be and that I could surpass Carolina".
"Well if anyone can surpass her it would be you" South said before looking more serious "Pyrrha, I can tell that something is on your mind. Are you thinking about that kiss on the cheek I gave you?".
Pyrrha blushed a little "I do... I wonder why you did it. What do you really think of me, South?".
South was silent for a moment "Well you look really sexy in the shower, where I can smack your soft ass".
Pyrrha blushed even more and glared "That wasn't what I meant!".
South laughed "Just messing with you. It was just a friendly kiss, Carolina kisses you all the time".
"South, people could misunderstand and think I make out with my sister, which is gross! She only kisses my forehead, and sister kisses are different!" Pyrrha said.
"Teasing you never gets old. But really it was just a friend kiss. What did you think it was?" South asked.
Pyrrha looked away "Well, a kiss can mean many things so I don't know".
South put an arm around her "Maybe we should discuss it in the shower?".
"Stop teasing me!" Pyrrha demanded.
"I'm not" South said, making Pyrrha look at her "You really need a shower, you stink".
Pyrrha groans "Forget it. But yeah, I do need a shower".
Pyrrha headed towards the shower room. South smiled and followed her.
Some time later, a computer was showing a game, while an Insurrectionist sleeping in a chair with his feet up.
"And now the moment you've all been waiting for, from the far distant system of Sanghelios...I hope I'm pronouncing that correctly, the bad boys of Grifball; Team Heretic! And your home playing favorites; Slipspace!" The man narrating the game said.
The monitor begins to go haywire and show different clips of videos. Delta appears and startles the Insurrectionist, waking him up and almost making him fall out of his chair
"I hate to intrude, but you have not performed any work in the past 13 minutes and 42 seconds. That strikes me as rather inefficient" Delta said.
The Guard quickly began working again "Oh uh, sorry I was just trying to uh, yeah, how how do you get a new window? You know, like the, you know, like a new window, what's the button thing for that, you know?".
"I believe the keys you are looking for are Alt, Tab" Delta told him.
The Guard opened a new window on the computer "Oh yeah, thanks little guy. Wait, who are you? You don't look like the normal holo-projection".
"That is because I am the A.I. designated as Delta, from Project Freelancer" Delta explained.
"Wait, you're from Project, Freelancer? Wait, aren't those the bad guys?" The Guard asked.
"There is no need for name calling. I submit that Project Freelancer is neither good nor bad, much like your own forces. We are merely two groups dedicated to obtaining different results" Delta told him.
The Guard seemed impressed with his wisdom "Whoa man that's, that's deep... Its like-it's like there's different universes but you know there's-".
York suddenly grabs the Guard by the shoulder "Don't encourage him, he's already long-winded as it is" He slams the Guard's head on the desk and he flips onto the ground "Thank God. I thought you two would never stop chit-chatting".
York begins typing on the computer as Delta speaks "I'm not sure that was entirely necessary. He seemed open to the logic I presented him. Perhaps he would have allowed us to carry on our mission".
"Sorry I knocked out your new friend. Now you two will never get to have a beer together" York said sarcastically.
"I believe that would have been unlikely, regardless" Delta said since AIs can drink.
York successfully activates a holographic lock "Show time".
"Come in Agent York, are you in?" The Director asked over the radio.
York begins to access the holographic lock "Yes, sir. These guys love their holographic locks. I'll let Delta take a peek in their system while I try to disable it manually. You're up D".
"Curious" Delta said.
"What's curious? That's code for bad, isn't it?" York asked.
"I have detected an anomaly inside of the system, something that is not supposed to be there. Diverting sub-routines to investigate" Delta said.
"Don't get too curious in there, I need your attention on this lock" York reminded.
"Do not worry Agent York, I have already rectified several instances where you would have tripped the alarm system" Delta assured.
The Guard begins to get back up, dazed and confused "Oh... Ow, my head... What-wait hold on. Why-give me back my leprechaun!...".
York kicks a chair into the Guard's stomach, knocking him down again and the Director heard it over radio "What was that, Delta?".
"Nothing sir!" York said continues on the lock.
"Agent, may I remind you that we are running short on time?" The director asked getting a little annoyed.
"Warning, an alarm has been remotely triggered" Delta said.
"What, by who?" York asked, he was sure they avoided the alarms.
"They knew we were coming. Agent York, abort intrusion immediately. We are moving to more direct measures" The director said.
"Wait, wait, wait, I can do this, I can do this, just give me a moment sir" York insisted.
F.I.L.S.S. spoke "System online, Director; awaiting your command".
"I agree with the Director. I have yet to see you successfully open a lock in the field, and this alarm will only hamper your progress" Delta said.
"Okay, now don't you start now in on me, too! ...You've been talking to Wash again, haven't you?" York asked as he kept working.
"Agent York, we are out of time, I repeat; abort" The director ordered.
F.I.L.S.S. was heard again "Target locked".
"Um... what target is locked? What's the target? Delta, what are they doing?" York asked.
"Taking more direct measures" Delta answered.
"You knew about this?" York demanded.
Delta was silent for a moment "...Possibly".
York sees a hole being created in the side of the ship before looking back at Delta "Why you green little cockbite" Delta disappears and an explosion occurs, sending York flying across the room "Whoa!" York flips over and is being pulled by the vaccum of space while the ship alarm is sounding. He grabs onto a table "Whoa! Holy shit!"
York is hit by the chair and is soon sent drifting slowly into space, along with the Guard.
While all that was going on. Pyrrha had finished putting on her armor and was looking at her helmet "Well... back in to the fray...".
She puts her helmet on, grabs her weapons and heads out to join her team on the mission. The next phage was on the way.
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You can thank the Red vs. Blue: ZERO Trailer for this. The season looks awesome!
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Tell me what you think.
