Sorry about the wait everyone, school was pressing down a lot, and I didn't have much time to go back and forth between school, work, sleep, and fanfiction.
Also during this time I was reviewing a bit and trying to think of ideas on how to separate the Decoy class from the others, and trying to manage it all correctly while I was offline.
I actually have the next three chapters planned out, as they have been what I have been working on for the past few months in my off time. I'll be posting them seperatly during these next three-four days, giving them a bit of a look over before I post them...However I would like to ask something, if that is alright.
At times I am scrounging a bit for ideas of some chapters, and I would rather like it if I could get some ideas of what Decoy may face in her adventures of trying to settle in completely. If you have any ideas, please leave them in the comments/reviews.
Those I like/fit Decoy well I'll incorporate into the story, or put it on the 'back burner' for a bit until I find their correct nook to place them. If I get a lot that I don't think may fit in the main story, I may start up a 'short stories' to commemorate those that I believe would be great...! But just can't see in this main story.
The Filipina gave a strained sigh as she sat in the respawn building, keeping her eyes closed in hopes to stop her tumbling stomach. Every time..Every time this happened, it both got easier and harder to handle.
The feeling was almost becoming second nature it seemed, to breath back into hungry lungs. Yet the mental effect of it all was troubling. Each respawn gave way to new and more confused questions as she glanced down at her unharmed form.
What was the meaning behind all of this?
How were these things happening?
Just what was going on in this hell hole of a place?
..
Were they just in hell? Was that it?
Had she died in that airplane on her way here, and this was hell?
...
She slapped herself after a moment, shuttering. Stop it woman, this was no time to think such things. Your job was still on the other side of that metal door, so you have to get up and-
"You've failed!"
The woman felt her heart plummet as those words sounded out through her headset, and got up quickly. She didn't race towards the door, but she did run..She ran to the metal supply locker, in hopes that it would somehow save her.
Even after so long, she wanted to hold onto some kind of hope to get away from all of this..To not have to die again..
That didn't happen though as the BLU Pyro entered the Respawn...Before happily setting her ablaze.
The Administrator sighed out a cloud of smoke as she looked over the numbers before her. Total kills, deaths, assistant kills..All of the action of the blood stained field, all packed and neatly wrapped up in these papers.
Throughout the time of her position, she knew the basics of how each person on the teams would react. Some areas and days would work well for some, others not so much..
But since she had gotten there, Decoy had managed to get killed even quicker than she had predicted. She had expected much better results from the Filipino... .Hm...Perhaps a little motivation was in order.
The Filipino blinked softly as she watched Miss Pauling hand out envelops to the team, smiling at them. "Good work you guys."
Each male happily took their envelop as Decoy blinked a tad bit when she saw her envelop had a little red 'X' in the bottom corner...And quirked an eyebrow at the purple dressed woman.
"I'd...Consider, in looking into this rather quickly..And privately, Decoy."
"..Uhm...Okay..." Surely it couldn't be that bad, right? Nonetheless, the woman did decide to follow on Miss Pauling's advice, and quickly left to see what this was all about...
A numb sensation was slowly drifting over Decoy as she sat in her room, staring blankly at a piece of paper in her hands. The walls were slowly closing in it seems as her sight began to decrees further and further until she only saw little glimpses of what was there..
Her breath was held within her chest..
While written English was still away from her grasp, she could at least tell what the numbers were..
She hadn't earned much these past few weeks..She barely earned anything, it felt like.
Her fingers clutched around the white paper, ripping through the thin material easily as her head bowed. She needed the money..She needed to earn more..She needed more.
The brunette paused though when an attached piece of paper slid from beneath the payment one, a little piece of paper that stuck to the larger one..This one had been almost crudely translated into her own native tongue, yet even then she knew what it meant.
"Get better, or else."
That was the first spark to a flame it felt like. Each training session Decoy would be on her toes, glaring through the wind as she would run and jump. Her heart thucked against her ribcage, wanting to burst free from the bony imprisonment.
Pupils dilated as her surroundings blurred, eyes set on the distance that would never come to an end it seemed.
When she wasn't running, she was swinging.
Ax in hand, yelling and grunting as the slick metal ripped through the cloth and board of training materials.
Her tongue tingled as imaginary images and scents filled her body. Blood, flesh, decay...
She needed to get used to this..She needed to get that money..
The woman even pushed back the urges that she felt. Suppressed her hunger and thirst, if only when they arose.
It got to the point though that when the sun had set, Pyro had come outside and dragged her back into the base. That didn't stop her though. Inside she did push-ups and sit-ups, a determined look on her face as she forced past her aching muscles...
Though, she did pause when Pyro had put a bowl of water and a few crackers beneath her. With a nod to him though, she continued on with her training.
..Decoy awoke the next morning on the ground, droll running down her cheek and onto the floor. She groaned as she stood on her shaking limbs, rubbing at the sleep that littered in her eyes. Her muscles ached for a moment as she shuffled into the dinning area looking like she had already gone out onto the battle field.
Medic was the first one up, and went to her with a quirked eyebrow. Instead of ushering her to the dinning room table, he brought her to his little operating room.
Taking out a flashlight, he nearly blinded the woman as he shined it over them..Murmuring to himself, the male carefully took her pulse and listened to her heart... "..You didn't get much sleep, ja?"
"No."
"Dummkopf...Zat von't do."
"Huh?"
"Zee body needs sleep, and vizout it you von't last out on zee battle field, Fräulein."
"...I'm going out t'ere...And you can't stop me."
"So you zink...Trust me, I can make you stop moving for a long time if I vanted...Now go to bed, 'und rest. Maybe if you do zis, I'll let you come to the mission today..But for now? No, you are not going out today."
...Decoy grumbled as she slowly got up and shuffled back to her room, frowning as she fell onto her mattress without closing the door..
Once her face hit that pillow though, she didn't care, it was lights out.
She woke up by a rubber glove shaking her shoulder, and bleary eyes blinking to see Pyro standing over her.. "Oh..Hello.."
The rubber suited male happily waved his hand, before pushing something into the tanned woman's hands...Slowly, her eyes blinked the items into focus.
It was a sandwich, plus a wrapped cookie it seemed..
They weren't given much thought though as Pyro pulled her up and out of her bed, and tugged her along. Through the hallways, out the doors, and into the awaiting van that was filling with their team mates.
Medic gave her a look, glancing her over it seemed...Yet could only sigh once Sniper had pulled away from the building. "Fine...But look, if you feel dizzy, z'en sit dovn. Got it? Ve don't need you just running amok vizout a care in ze vorld."
"Yes, we don't need two Scouts."
"HEY!" The Boston yelled, glaring at Spy.
It was..
It was...
..Control point, right?
Decoy couldn't remember..
Her mind was bubbling slowly, swirling in thought as she leaned against a wall within the Respawn.
They were back at Dust...Dusty..Something..
She had already died by the hands of her BLU counterpart. The other woman looking similar to her..
The two of them had heard the same news, it seemed...
Yet that didn't mean she had to feel sorry for her, right?
After all, it was that other woman's fault...
Yeah..
YEAH!
It was...!
If that BLU woman wasn't doing so good, then it wouldn't make the RED Decoy look so bad!
She...
..Her eyes slowly opened and widened as a thought finally hit her slowly processing mind..
She was part of the reason she wasn't earning so much money..
Rage started to make her arm shake as her eyes blurred in fury. Her jaw set into a clench as her hand grasped her ax's handle.
In a blind fury her feet ran out. Her entire body was in full swing as she slid and stumbled around corners.
She ignored the blaring yells from her team as she ran past their defense. Hell, she even jumped over Engineer's dispenser once she had seen her..
The woman had just come out of the safety of her own spawn, loading up her gun..
Only to look up and get head butted by the other.
With the BLU female down, the RED raised her ax, yelling out incoherant words. She didn't go for the face, as apposed to her usual strategy of attacks.
After all, getting at the eyes was usual quick for her..
Now though?
The ax's blade dug into the blue material of her enemy's torso. Gargled cries and shoats fell upon deaf ears as the metal broke through bones and flesh.
Her swings became a blind act of rage, and continued to dig into the ground once the body was gone..
Scout ended up having to pull her away. "DEC! CALM DOWN! THA' BODY AIN'T EVEN THERE ANYMORE!"
Decoy panted, her chest convulsing almost as she stared at the chipped away ground..And slowly nodded, wiping her blood soaked hand over her face, closing her eyes... "S-sorry, sorry...I-I just-"
She heard a familiar rain-like sound behind her, and turned just in time to see 'Scout' stab her in the back, the BLU Spy's disguise fading away.. "You shouldn't have lost yourself, madam."
Dead.
BLU Decoy sighed as she rubbed the back of her neck...She was frowning softly as she sat on the ground in her respawn.
That had been terrifying to say the least. To watch the unyielding rage of her RED self overwhelm her...To actually see a barbaric side of her other half..
Yet at the same time she felt fear and almost shock...She knew she couldn't hate her.
After all, they had both gotten the same news, most likely...
Typhoon season had already started up in the Philippines..Typhoon Phyllis had almost reached the main land.
Sure, it hadn't actually hit the island, but the after effects were felt.
Especially to the two woman away from their home...
The RED Decoy laid in her Respawn, on her back as she had her eyes closed, trying her best to settle the tide of emotions that were drowning her mind..
Slowly her clenched eyes smoothed out as a dream lulled her away from reality, just for a few moments...
(Spoken in Tagalog, translated in English for your easier enjoyment)
A young Decoy frowned as she sat curled up against her mother, shuttering and shaking at the sounds of the rushing wind outside...They were safe for a moment..Tearfully, the little girl looked up at her mother. "Mom?"
"Yes Princess?" The older woman hummed out, gently petting down the young girl's hair..
"Why do Typhoons happen?"
"Because, God wants to make sure that the plants get plenty of water."
"Then..Why do some people die during Typhoons?"
"It's God's way of making the bad people wash away their sins, so they can be accepted to heaven.."
"Oh..."
"Now come, try to sleep, alright? In the morning we'll have to see if we have to replant everything.."
"Yes, mom.." She ended up laying against her though, feigning sleep as the wind yelled against the house's walls..
Slowly, Decoy opened her eyes once more, hearing the final victorious shout of the Administrator as her team had won...
That explanation from back then had felt so nice, it seemed..
It made her think that only bad people were hurt by Typhoons..Her family wasn't bad...
Yet could you really call a family of a killer good?
...
The thought pressed against the woman's mind as she shuffled out of the respawn and went to the van, wanting to run herself over.
But Pyro got to her first, and tugged her inside the van with a rather worried 'mmh', and let her lean against his shoulder so she could sleep.
And sleep she did.
Decoy sighed as she stumbled into the little phone booth and nudged the door closed. Listlessly she raised her hand and dialed the number, head bowed as she bit the inside of her cheek..She felt little tears prickle her eyes as the phone finally picked up.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Ace.."
"Ate! Hello~ It good to hear you again."
"Yes. I..It's good to hear you, too.." Her voice cracked a bit at the end of her statement, and on the other side of the conversation, there was a sigh...
"Ate...I said to you, we no hit by t'e Ty'p'oon.."
"I-I know! I know, I just...Just..." A few more tears escaped from her eyes as she clenched them shut..Slowly, she took off the bandanna around her, and wiped them away with the cloth.. "..What if you had?"
"Ate, you can't t'ink like t'at!"
"But I can't a'p'ord not to..!" She yelled, slamming down her hand. "I'm not t'ere! I won't be able to p'ind out i'p you all die or not until I'm p'inally allowed to b'isit!"
A strained silence befell both lines as the two siblings stayed silent. Decoy's frantic breaths were the only breaks in the fragile stillness...Until finally- "T'en maybe you shouldn't ha'b'e taken t'at job."
She couldn't respond, feeling rage build up inside of her. Yet that was also cut rather quickly when her brother continued.
"Look, I ha'b'e to go Ate. Makisig, Raul, 'n Malaya are waiting. "
"W-wait, let me talk to t'em...! Please, I-I ha'b'en't-"
"Bye Ate."
Ligaya could only sit there as the dial tone filled her ear.
Her body finally decided to move out of the seat after a few minutes had passed. She hung up the phone, put on her bandanna, and walked out of the slightly opened booth..Only to blink in surprise to see Heavy outside, staring at her.
Had he...?
...
She didn't ask, and simply walked past him after a small nod of her head. The Filipino did the same with any other member of the team she would pass on the way to her room.
Once inside the calm and safe boundaries of the four walls, she locked the door...And curled up around her pillow, the tears silently coming as she drifts off to a nightmare filled dream.
In the morning Decoy slowly tugged out of bed and stretched in the bright early morning sunlight..This was the first time since she got here that she didn't wake up early enough to see the sun breaching the horizon.
Slowly she exited her room, only to blink down at Miss Pauling, who was standing right outside her door with a small fist raised. "Oh! Decoy, hi..! I was actually just about to-"
"What you want?" The Filipino grumbled out, rubbing the back of her neck. Damn it, she had gotten a crink in it, hadn't she?
"Oh, well...Heavy had called me last night, saying that you were kind of low on money...I can give you a contract, if you'd like. If you do good, then I'll be sure to give you more when more contracts are starting up...But since you're new, I'll just give you small ones."
"..I..T'ought I already ha'b'e contract wit' you..."
"Oh! Oh nonono, these contracts are kind of like...Well, jobs within your job. When you complete a contract, then I'll give you either a weapon or some money."
"I'll...Take money, please..."
"Sure thing..!" Miss Pauling smiled, nodding a bit as she handed a file to Decoy...Before slowly handing her a sealed envelop. "Also, this was in your mail.."
"Oh..Salmat po..."
"No problem. Anyway, see ya...!"
"Bye.."
Decoy slowly closed the door, and locked it as she stared down at the two items in her hands..Slowly she put down the manila file, and ripped open the envelop.
Her eyes widened as she saw several hundred dollar bills in there..Along with a letter, from an even more surprising sender.
(written in Tagalog, put into English for your convenience)
Hello, RED Decoy.
It is BLU Decoy. Hello.
First off I would like to say that while I should that I know this is odd..Yet I do not mean you any harm or negativity in all of this. You and I are facing same problem.
I also see how this is troubling you...As a fellow Pinay, I do not want you to fear for your home. So I wish to give you these few bills. I know a little can go a long way, especially back home..
Yet if you ever need help at home, please, do not be afraid to ask me. I know how hard it is back home, and to be worried about them...
I wish you the best of luck.
Signed, BLU Decoy.
RED Decoy could only blink in surprise at the letter, and slowly blinked away the tears that were forming once more.
Slowly though she let the grateful droplets fall onto the paper as she smiled. Thank you..
Once she had calmed down and cleaned up her tears, she exited her room and made her way to the dinning room. Yet Medic ended up pausing her trip as she rounded the corner, putting a rubber glove on her shoulder.
"Ah, Decoy! Just zee woman I wanted to see..!"
"..Oh?"
"Ja, look..Heavy has told me about your little..Money, issue.." Decoy winced a bit at this, frowning a tad under her bandanna. "And I think I have a way to help you out."
"I don't want to take mo-"
"Nonono, I'm not giving you ze money...You'll earn it. You see, I need a few...Organ donors, if you vill, for ze team. What wiz Demo's drinking and Spy's smoking...Respawns don't heal ze decay, only ze actual death..And I zink ze men would follow you a bit more...Easier, zan zey would come wiz me. Less chance of damaging one of zee organs I need..."
The Filipino blinked her eyes...Before grinning and nodding her head, not fully understanding what she was signing up for..But if it got her money, and she earned it, then she was in. "Alright..!"
"Ah-Vonderful! Oh, and if you ever go out on ze field like zat again after I tell you no? I'll slice your tendons to vhere you can't valk, and vill leave you like zat until I feel like you have learned your lesson. Auf wiedersehen~ See you in ze dining room!"
Decoy stood there with a rather shocked look on her face..Yet slowly snapped out of it in favor of continuing onto the dinning room for breakfast..Only to be stopped by Engineer, who gave her a small smile. Damn it, all she wanted was food right now...
"Decoy, ya mind if I talk ta you?"
..Decoy supposed the pig strips of glorious bacon could wait, given it was Engineer..."Oh...Sure, what wrong?"
"Well...Heavy kinda came ta me 'n Pyro...'n told us about...Well, your situation...If ya need any help-"
"I...Salamat po, really, Engi...Howe'b'er...I do not want money p'rom you all...But, if I can..I would like help."
"Oh?" He quirked a small eyebrow, humming softly. "Well, sure..What can I help ya with?"
"Well..."
During lunch Decoy, Engineer, and Pyro were all hurdled together in one of the corners of the table. The masked male was carefully feeding the female as she wrote in a journal, listening to Engineer as his fingers skimmed over the book between them.
"-Remember, the G 'n the R go ta make Gr. Two E's make it a long 'e', 'n n finishes it off."
"Oo.." The woman murmured, nodding her head as she stared down at the page.
"So, c'mon, read the title for us."
"Gr..Ee...N...E..Ggs..An..D..H..A..M...Green...Eggs...And..Ham..." Decoy slowly spoke out, straining at the moment as her eyes flickered between the book and her journal of notes.
"Mrfer!"
"...What...The heck are you guys readin'?" Scout asked as he finally passed them, plate full of food.
Decoy gave him a bright grin from beneath her bandanna. "Green eggs and ham!"
"...Ooo..Kay then..."
The Filipino didn't care about the odd look she received by the some of the males at the table. This was her first big step into finally being able to read and write in English!
Haha! This was wonderful!
"Now, onto the first page.."
...Oh, there were more words..Right...
This'll take a while.
Filipino Fun Fact; Pinay is a term for a woman of Filipino origin or descent. The more non-gendered term for this is Pinoy.