People are probably wondering what my upload schedule is. I'm planning on posting a minimum of two chapters per month. I've prewritten the eleventh chapter and I'm currently working on the twelveth chapter AND a Christmas one shot that will not be related to the story but will involve the characters.
Chapter 10 - Realization.
I walked in a single file line behind a large group of men and women, metal food trays in everyone's hands. I halted in front of a guard, a massive spoon full of unknown mash was dumped onto my tray before I'm forced to keep moving along the line. Alice waved me over from the dingy little table that she was sharing with pair women. I sat down into a stiff metal chair and picking up my fork before scooping the terrible prison food into my mouth. "How were your first tests with Doc Crazy?" One of the other woman asked me. I looked up from my tray with a slight smile on my face.
"Absolutely crazy. His practices are completely insane. More so than mine were." I mutter, snickering.
"What was your job again?" Alice asks me. I had recently befriend Alice after I helped her clean the unknown mush off the tables after someone began a food fight on our table.
"I was a field medic."
That memory flickered into my head before as I talked to Amber about what was happening. After that conversation, I followed Engineer outside and around the building where we entered through the exit and went through another door which lead to the storage resupply room. I un-clipped my axe, putting it down on the wooden bench. I grabbed a pile of clothing out of another locker, it marked with permanent marker as the 'Spare Clothing Locker'. I placed the clothing down on the bench beside me before I sat down. I pulled off a mud-covered boot and tossed it across the room with a loud thump. I removed the other one, tossing it in the same direction. I unzipped my uniform, it tumbling to the ground and bunching together on the floor by my feet. Feathers flew out as I ruffled my wings, they too falling to the ground.
I removed the rest of my clothing, getting up and dumping them into the laundry basket in the corner. I grabbed a small pair of scissors, cutting holes in my shirt and the lab coat I had grabbed after I had sat down again. I pulled the long grey pants up over my legs, my socks poking out. I slipped the shirt on over my smaller frame, doing up the buttons and fixing the tie around my neck. I put the lab coat over my body, doing up the clasps on the right side and doing up the belt. I slipped my feet into the boots, the fabric from my pants gathering at the top of the shoes. I pulled a pair of thin red rubber gloves over my hands before picking up the medi-gun that was sitting on the bench. I slipped the straps across my shoulders, hissing in slight pain as it pressed onto my wound and wings but like before, my wings adjusted themselves automatically and my wound already was healing itself due to exposure to the formula inside the medi-gun. I walked over to Medic's former cubby where the rest of his weapons sat. There was an old, worn bonesaw that was sitting next to a pristine unused one. I grabbed the newer one, clipping it on my belt before grabbing the only other weapon that was in the cubby. He must of kept the rest of his weapons with him. I assumed, picking up the crossbow looking weapon. It looked like it was used more than the new bonesaw but it wasn't as worn as the older bonesaw. I hooked it onto my other side, it swinging for a moment. I turned around and looked at the large mirror that was hanging on one of the walls.
After staring at myself in the mirror for a moment, I picked up the same pair of scissors from before and chopped off hair had grown until it fluffed up around the back of my neck. My hair had lost its dark black colour, the years of dying making it seem as if black as my natural hair colour. The roots of my hair had faded back to its dark brown colour, in certain lights looking black. I looked back and over my shoulder at the axe that was sitting on the bench with an upset expression, sad to see the weapon I had grown to hate and then love, being abandoned for newer ones. I picked it up anyway, exiting the room and heading back towards the exit. I snaked my way outside, walking towards the open window and entering the common room. Scout was talking to Amber causally, as the pair eat lunch on the couch. Everyone else wasn't in the room, most likely outside by the pier. Amber turned, getting up without spotting me and walking towards the closed off kitchen. I pushed off my medi-gun, it landing on the ground with a thump. I lower the axe before I sat down and turned towards Scout.
"We uh.. n-need to t-talk." He stuttered unconsciously, fiddling with his hand wraps so much they began to loosen. I sigh, placing a hand onto his knee.
"I know.." I replied, going silent afterwards.
"Why didn't you speak ta me before?" He asked, the questions beginning.
"I didn't remember."
"Didn't remember?" He looked at me with confusion. Tears were appearing in the corners of the young runner's eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Jay." I said, gripping onto his hand. He wiped back the tears with a hand, the hand wraps loosely dangling from his arms. He grabs me into a hug, ignoring the feathered wings and clinging to me tightly. My heart fluttered, overwhelmed with emotion and feelings. Sniper walked into the room from the window, a mug of cold coffee in his hands. He sat down in another chair, sipping his drink whilst watching. He went unnoticed until he gave out a large cough. Startled, Scout clambered off the coach and rushed out of the room. My wings flared in anger and slight embarrassment. "D-dad!" I choke out, stuttering over my words.
"Engie sent me to get you all out to the dock. It's great to have the real you back." He chuckled, downing the last of his coffee. He was always drinking coffee.
"Hey, I thought you liked it when I burnt that bloody Spy. Sometimes, to create something new you gotta burn down the old stuff." I state, lifting my medi-gun off the floor and strapping it back on. I picked up the axe from the floor, slipping the wooden handle into my belt. Sniper looked slightly startled at my words and actions. He abruptly got up and leaving via the window. He's acting as if I changed. Have I changed? I think, watching as Amber came out of the kitchen, carrying a brown backpack over her shoulder, tossing an apple up and down in her hand. She was missing her signature gasmask, her gloves were turned into fingerless ones, similar to Sniper's, and her suit more tight fitting than normal. She must have raided the spare clothing closet as well. She still had the bandages around her forehead but small tufts of ginger hair puffed out randomly. She looks at me, a stern look on her face.
"You can't wear that. You'd get too hot in it all." She sighs, dragging me out of the base and back towards the storage room without hearing my protests. She sits me down on the bench, digging through the same locker as before and dragging clothing out.
"What do you mean, 'I'd get too hot in it all'? I question, crossing my arms and draping my leg across my thigh.
"We're going to head towards Australia. We're on a small island between Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The closet being Australia. It's the middle of summer there and Sniper said that he knows someone who lives in a house located in the bush of New South Wales." She explained, tossing the lighter clothing at me along with a large grey backpack. "Also, pack a bag. You'll need it. Engineer found an old boat and was fixing it up while the others got food, water and medical supplies. Anything such as clothing or weapons is up to you." She added. I stuffed the clothing into the bag despite Amber's protests of me not putting them on. Silently, I stuff a lab coat into the thick bag and leave the room. Amber follows behind me, grumbling about something under her breath. Engineer had been working on the boat quite a bit. The boat was bigger than before, metallic and wooden sides floating in the waves that crashed against it and the dock. Engineer lifted the sail up, it catching in the wind. I walked up the wooden ramp, it's old and peeling white paint catching in the wind. The BLU Demo walked down an opening under the main deck, a stack of large books in his arms as he vanished under the deck. I wandered over to Engineer, my bag slung over my shoulder. He looked like he hadn't slept for days, the bags under his eyes thick and dark. Sniper looked equally as tired, the coffee mug in his hands empty. Amber moved in front of me, informing Engineer that everyone was aboard the boat and that almost everyone was ready to sail. I walked across the large wooden deck, bits of metal occasionally becoming the flooring. Engineer had definitely worked hard on this.
I walked down the steps of the same opening from before, the lower deck darker than above. There were two doors that sat on the left of the hallway in the mildly small space. One opened to a storage room whilst the other was a small bathroom. I kept walking down the cramped hallway until it opened up to a large room. Ten bunk beds were roughly hammered down into the floor, all lined up in two rows of five. Wooden crates of supplies were stacked up against the walls and circular peep holes were everywhere, lighting the large, yet still small, space up with natural light. Scout sat on the bottom bunk of one of the bed, a book on his lap. The new Demo was curled up on the far right side, asleep. I walked over to the same bunk bed where Scout sat, dropping my stuff on one side before sitting down beside him.
"What are you reading?" I asked, leaning against his shoulder.
"Somethin' 'bout fishing. That Demo suggested it when he brought down a bunch o' books." He pointed towards the sleeping form of the man across the room.
"I meant ta ask ya but what's with dose wings?" Scout asked, poking the feathery appendages.
"Long story short, Medic. Crazy experiment and the results were even crazier…." I explained, pausing as a thought jabbed at my mind. Doc Crazy…. The words appeared in my head but before I could process anything, Scout tore me from my thoughts as he began to ramble about something.
"It was kinda cool how you were Pyro the whole time, Cat. Wait. What do I call you now? Medic or Pyro?! Gah, I'm confused!" Scout rambled, asking more questions than I had answers for.