(A/N): New chapter! Enjoy!
It was another nightmare I couldn't handle: The Syndicate finding me and shooting multiple bullets into my chest without a second thought.
This dream always seemed to be so real, even when I knew it wasn't. I woke up with a pulsing headache and my shivering at its max strength. I stared up at the ceiling, waiting for my shakes to finally subside. I turned my head, staring at my monitor as my logo circled on the screen. I released a sigh and stood up, glancing at the wall clock over my desk: 2:25 A.M.
A pulse to my forehead came and left, making me wince.
"Shit…" I muttered softly to myself while slowly stepping towards the door. I left my quarters for the kitchen that was just a hallway from me. A few of my steps needed support from the walls. Then, it was just a matter of leaning against the counters while I searched through all the cabinets, looking for painkillers. "Where are they?"
"Are you gonna be one of-shit!" I heard a voice begin to say in the doorway of the kitchen, startling them with the first object I found to throw: a paper towel roll.
Mirage was at the door. He was wearing a onesie of his own suit. It took me a moment to realize it.
"What's wrong with you?" Mirage asked as he picked up the roll off the floor and stepped towards me to set it back on the counter.
I looked away from Mirage when he glanced down at me.
"Nothing. Just leave me alone." I said, beginning to step past Mirage to return to my quarters. Maybe I have some medicine stashed in my belongings somewhere...
Suddenly, I felt Mirage grab for my arm. It had caught me off guard, so I lost my balance, and fell into him. My headache beat me down, making me moan in pain.
"Sorry! Sorry! I-I didn't mean to-"
"Shut up!" I shouted, interrupting Mirage. I glared up at him, shoving him away. My head was throbbing and I just wanted to punch him in the face!
"C-can I just say one thing…?" Mirage asked me as I stepped towards the entrance of the kitchen.
I tried to ignore him, going past the doorway, but I stopped in the halls. I was staring down at my feet, fighting myself on if I should answer the man.
"...What?" I answered, giving in.
There was silence between us again.
"...I-uh...I-I just wanted to say...you-uh...you did amazing today in the Arena. Honestly...honestly better than anyone else did on their first day. Still can't believe you won the last match." Mirage said.
My bullets into Gibraltar's skull were faster than my E.M.P.. It was odd dying and waking up on top of Gibraltar, dead and with only half of his head still intact. Embarrassingly, I puked beside his body from the sight. It was all on social media the moment I did:
New Contender: Crypto!
Defeats a full team and pukes as his victory cheer! Is he ready for the Apex Games or is gore too much for the guy?!
I didn't look back at Mirage. I didn't even say a word to his compliment and left him alone as I stepped away to my room. It wasn't long before I heard Mirage's feet stepping up behind me.
"C-can I know why I'm such a bother to you? You can't be pissed with me when you're the one who nearly broke my arm." Mirage continued, following me to my quarters.
I didn't feel like answering him; just registering his question made my head throb. I stepped into my room and began to close the door, but Mirage stopped me before I could. I glared at him over my shoulder and Mirage didn't hesitate to look me in the eyes.
"Are you going to be an adult and tell me?" Mirage asked, looking serious, but it was obviously a joke. I scoffed at his attempt, stepping away to my desk to search for painkillers.
"Funny. The one who acts as a child tells me to be an adult." I responded, finding a small foil package of pills. I opened it and quickly swallowed the two small and circular pills. In the corner of my eye, I could see Mirage watching me, quietly.
"You know, I can take back my damn comp-comp...the nice stuff I said about you." Mirage spat, sounding more frustrated than angry.
"Go ahead."
I climbed back into bed and laid my head back into my pillows, not taking the effort to cover myself up. I looked back towards the direction Mirage was, but he wasn't there.
A few months has gone by since my first day in the Apex Games. I've met a lot more of the Legends and learned more of why they were here, willing to experience pain for dirty cash. Matches with Mirage were still a pain and seeing him around the dropship was just another argument or insults waiting to happen.
I don't understand why he's such a bother to me, but seeing him pissed when I do better than him always seems to make my day a bit better. Though, I will say he's an adequate teammate and I would give him a better compliment if he wasn't so annoying...
It was the month of October, so the Syndicate was planning to make Halloween costumes for everyone and not everyone agreed. Though the Syndicate didn't care, they sent everyone a costume for the unofficial holiday and if we didn't wear it, our pay when winning matches would be cut.
I didn't care about the money. I just wanted to get closer to the Syndicate's weakest point to destroy, so I made sure I wore the costume. Hopefully kissing their ass would grab their attention...
The week of Halloween came and I finally had to dress into the vampire costume I was given. I was staring at myself in the mirror, pissed with myself for liking something the Syndicate made for me. Why was I still playing this death game? Why was I not trying to clear my name? Why was I wearing a damn costume?
"It is true! King's Canyon was haunted and you all were wearing your Halloween costumes! And, there was another robot like me who loved to laugh and say funny jokes!" I heard Pathfinder explain outside my door.
Last match, Pathfinder ran into one of Wraith's portals, but Wraith had said it wasn't hers. It could have easily been one of her doppelgangers within the match, but Pathfinder stepped out a moment later with an unbelievable story of haunted King's Canyon being hosted by a robot. At the moment, no one is believing him. I wouldn't either. This story is coming from a naive robot. Why would anyone believe him?
I checked my costume one last time before stepping out my quarters. Everyone, but Pathfinder and Octane had a costume. I was expecting the daredevil to have one, but I guess he wasn't interested.
"You're 'vinning pay 'vill be cut, Octavio!" Natalie said to him in the lounge. She was in her original suit, but it was in red and black with glowing bats scattered everywhere. Her skin was painted like mine, her hair was dyed black, she wore red eye contacts, and black lipstick. I guess it was planned for her to be the vampire…
"Nah! The costume will just slow me down, chica! The higher-ups will understand! No worries!" Octane replied, stretching his arms.
Octane was correct. Weight upon his abilities would just slow him down. He's smarter than he acts sometimes…
"Howdy, Partner! Lookin' for a handsome cowboy in need of a horse?" I heard Mirage say to the left of me, trying to attempt a western accent. I glanced at him for a second, seeing him dressed as a cowboy before focusing back on the chaos in the lounge.
"Leave me alone, old man." I responded, watching Bangalore step into the conversation with Natalie and Octane. Natalie was amazed with the soldier's costume while Octane slapped her in the back for respect. Bangalore nearly killed him that second he did.
"Oh, come on! Roleplay with me here! Nobody else wants to! Well...besides the robot…" Mirage whines. "Look at this costume! I mean, yours is pretty cool too, but look at mine! It took me a few days to decide what I wanted to be and I'm kind of disappointed that the hat covers my hair, but it keeps my curls safe, I guess…"
"Does it look like I care?" I growled, glaring at him with my glowing, blue eye contacts.
I had noticed Mirage flinched when we made eye contact and a little blush appeared on his face. Seeing his reaction to my eyes made my cheeks burn, and I quickly looked ahead again.
"Uh...c-cool contacts. I-I should have got some too..." Mirage said, making it worse.
"I'm not your teammate this match, so you have no reason to make small talk. You have plenty of other people in this room to speak with besides me."
"Who's on your team then?" Mirage asked, seeming to not have heard what I had just said.
I side-eyed him and watched him for a moment while he watched the others in the lounge.
"...Natalie and Makoa." I answered, looking ahead as well. I didn't want him to look at me and find me staring at him. When he wasn't absolutely annoying, he was actually a relaxed man.
"I got Ajay and the robot…" Mirage goaned. "Did you hear his little fairytale story? King's Canyon was haunted and was hosted by another robot. Who would have thought a robot could dream, huh?"
"Didn't Wraith say he went through one of her portals?" I asked, side-eyeing him again.
Mirage frowned as he crossed his arms. He just realized I was right.
"Then...what if he -"
"Attention: The match will begin in seven minutes. Please meet your teammates on the jumping platforms." Said the Announcer, interrupting Mirage.
"Woo-hoo! King's Canyon! Let's do this!" Octane cheered as he ran for the jumping platforms. He was repeatedly jumping beside Bloodhound who nodded to him with agreement.
Their costume was pretty impressive. They wore a jack o' lantern head and dressed themselves as a scarecrow. Their crow, Artur, stood upon their arm, squawking at Octane who had startled him.
"Yes. Let us claim our victory as Champions once again, Silva." They spoke.
Then, Caustic stomped up beside Octane. His looks ahead, ignoring his teammates in an intimidating and terrifying clown costume. I had accidentally made eye contact with him and he kept his death stare on me until I focused my eyes on my feet down. Then, my hands began to shake. I clenched my fists to cover the shiver from Caustic and Mirage.
I haven't been killed by Caustic yet, but making eye contact has probably just decided my fate.
(A/N): Comment & Review! Also, check out my Wattpad for worlds I created! (ashlin_port)