Stained (Red vs Blue)

Changes

Iowa and I surveyed the damage that was spread across the training room, watching the others stand and slowly peel the sticky pink substance off their armours. The agents who already broke it off were starting to stand and help the others, watch the others like me, or move out of the way to catch their breath. I just wanted to sit and relax for more than a couple minutes, at least. The Director is going to be the death of me one of these days.

"What're we gonna do now?" Iowa asked from behind me, stretching her arms out all the way with a series of cracks that made my shoulders ache from just the sound. I furrowed my brows at the tall woman.

"How do you even?" I asked with a light chuckle. She didn't respond to me, only gave me the signature Iowa-smile and continued on her way in front of me. I turned before I left the arena, watching as someone broke the paint off Georgia and attempted to pull her to her feet. She took a few steps, stumbled over thin air, and landed back down on her ass. I smiled at her, hiding a laugh, and jogged up the stairs towards the observation deck.

"Lunch? We have plenty of time for once," Alaska asked as he caught up to me, an almost excited tone in his voice. I nodded quickly and rushed up the rest of the steps.

"Of course," I smiled, nodding, "lunch is always my favourite time."

He let out a small, tired, laugh and clapped my shoulder. "I know. Actually, I think all of us know," he motioned to the other Freelancers behind him. "I'll go find Mich. Wait for us?"

I nodded, coming to stand beside Iowa at the top of the stairs. Groups of the other Agents were beginning to move out of the arena, still picking off specks of the paint. Alaska and Mich rejoined Iowa and I at the top of the stairs

Michigan spun in a circle in front of us, trying to find more of the paint that he might have missed. "See anymore?" He asked, still spinning. He tried to take a step but stumbled, dizzy. I heard Iowa laugh quietly, and pat him on his shoulder.

"Good on you, bud," she congratulated sarcastically. He rolled his eyes at the tall woman, but smiled nonetheless at her.

The walk to the mess hall felt like it took longer than it actually did. There was an awkward silence that none of the four of us attempted to fill. We did, occasionally, glance at one another as if waiting for one of us to talk. Iowa released a loud relieved sigh as the door slid open, revealing the interior of the rather boring hall.

We took our usual seats in the far back corner, the awkward silence not horrible now that we were in the room with so many other people who were all having their own conversations that filled the silence with us. The tables are rectangular slabs of metal with plain metal legs -no more, no less. The seats are benches, and, so surprisingly, they're metal as well. I sat closest to the corner, with Iowa directly to my right. Alaska was across from me, with Michigan beside him.

This is our table. No one else has sat here besides Iowa, Alaska, Michigan and occasionally Oregon and CO. I heard, but I'm not one hundred percent sure, that the marines that work here in the cafeteria put the table up when none of us are here. Apparently, we have a reputation.

"Nev, you want anything?" Iowa asked standing up, hitting her knees on the table, making a metalic thump echo through the cafeteria. The other Agents fell silent and all looked towards her at once. She gave me a face and closed her eyes.

I laughed into my palm. "Yeah, sure. Something that's not mashed potatoes, preferably," I smiled at her as I leaned back to rest against the wall. She rolled her eyes and nodded at me, walking off with the other two men at our table.

I sat at our table alone, staring at my helmet that was facing me. The crack didn't look as bad from the inside. I don't know how I didn't see it immediately after it happened. I traced one of the fractures with my finger, following it until it reached the end of my visor. Iowa slid a small salad towards me, topped with cheese and torn chicken. "She loves me," I joked.