Dark Deceptions

The Knife

The sound of an mp5 echoed through the shipping container on the aircraft carrier as Delinquent narrowly missed getting shot by the enemy Phoenix and the Beret who just appeared behind him. Delinquent was running out of stamina and would soon have to rest, not an option since he's being trailed by two enemies and all he has to fend them off was a peppergun, not good at all.

The enemies came closer, Delinquent's breaths begame more ragged as he collapsed from exhaustion. In a final burst of strength, one last shot of adrenaline, he flipped over and fanned his shots, managing to kill the beret but not Phoenix who smiled a grim and menacing smile at Delinquent who was certain now that he'd die.

"It's over for me. I'm going to die like this, aren't I? I'll never be able to tell Rabblerouser my feelings for her, I won't get to have fun with the boys again. It's all over for me."

Seconds slowed, the wait was becoming more agonizing as Phoenix raised his mp5 towards Delinquent's head to finish him off.

All of a sudden, as if by some strange miracle, Phoenix stopped in place, eyes widened from surprise and maybe a bit of fear as he was kicked to the ground by The Boi who was breathing heavily, bloody butterfly knife in hand and that's all Delinquent managed to catch before his world slowly faded to black, his exhaustion taking hold of him and dragging him down to the void of his unconscious.

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When Delinquent woke up hours later, his vision was blurred and his senses in general were overwhelmed with the sounds of beeps from the heart monitor, the stale air smell, the whiteness if the room, and the hushed words of what he assumed to be Red Panda and Broadcaster.

Slowly, he came back to the world and sat up, the pain spread like fire and do Delinquent laid back down on the bed while wincing in pain which caused Red Panda to drop her conversation with Broadcaster and check up on the injured Delinquent.

It had been a few days since that fateful day with Boi and Phoenix and everybody had assumed Delinquent as dead as soon as he was dragged back to base by The Boi and Flanker all bleeding and bruised with some broken bones. They tried to ask The Boi what happened afterwards but he was nowhere to be seen and nobody really knows where he goes after matches.

Everybody assumes that he goes outside the team apartment to the small town nearby to walk around but wouldn't people get suspicious seeing a pale white guy in heavy winter clothes walking around in the hot sun? Even Iceborne changes when he goes to town for things.

With all that aside, Panda still had no clue on what happened to Delinquent or why he simply didn't just let himself die since his health bar was extremely low anyways, 2% isn't a great number to be at, yet Delinquent somebow survived there without using the health bottles that replenish one's health if they're low.

Red Panda finally finished changing Delinquent's bloody bandages with fresh ones and went out of the small hospital run by the Scientist to grab something to eat quickly at the restaurant situated within the small town surrounding the Red team's apartment complex, Red Panda looked over towards the distance where one could catch a small bit of the Blue team's own apartment complex.

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It had been four years since Red Panda had been recruited to join the Red Arsenal team against the Blues, Greens, Yellows, and the ever-elusive Purples. She liked it here but she did miss her home and parents, she had at least made great friends with Ace Pilot and Rabblerouser and had gotten a decent amount of kills with the Golden knife but still something picked at her, specifically it picked at her when she thought of Delinquent and she couldn't figure out what it was.

As Red Panda ordered herself a sub sandwich her train of thought continued. How she felt when she thought about Delinquent and the memories of who she was before they recruited her for Arsenal.

Panda had been an above-average college student to say the least. It was a dull life but in a way comforting to her until he happened. Her very controlling ex-boyfriend that had shot up the campus in a fit of rage after Red Panda broke up with him for his abusive and narcissistic behavior. Before that point, Panda had never held a gun before, not even a BB gun, yet when she took the gun off her old friend that had died by the hands of her abusive ex, she knew what to do. It was a whirl of excitement that she didn't like to remember but it landed her in Arsenal faster than his blood could drip off her hands.

Panda's thoughts were interrupted by Flanker throwing open the door, his eyes frantic and breathing heavy as if he was being chased by something, their eyes met. "Apartment... now... Boi found.. Big knife." Flanker stopped to catch his breath momentarily before running back to the apartment, Panda quickly finished the rest of her sandwich and threw away the trash before running back to the common area in the apartment where she assumed everybody would be.

Her intuition had been right, everybody was gatheted around Boi and a table where a peculiar knife laid. It's "handle" was either covered in feathers that melded with the blade itself or the feathers were the handle, the blade itself looked damaged with scuff marks and to add onto that, the blade was chipped and uneven in some places. As if that wasn't enough, it was very large. Too large to be called a knife, maybe a strange machete reskin or peculiar-looking sword.

Brute tried to pick it up, it was seemingly too heavy for him to carry for some reason and this delved into the entire Red team taking turns to try and pick the weapon up, or in the case of some people, try to impress their love interests by picking it up. Finally, it was Panda's turn, she carefully gripped the surprisingly sturdy feather-covered handle and attempted to pick the knife up, just like the rest, she failed to fully lift it up and then it was The Boi's turn.

People laughed because The Boi didn't really look strong, his winter coat made him look chubby and well nobody expects the new kids to be able to lift something that the strongest member can't, so when Boi slowly lifted the knife in the air so that it was above his head as if he was preparing for the final blow, people were amazed. Even Broadcaster who usually keeps to himself and his work was awed at the sight of Boi lifting the unliftable weapon, like watching King Arthur pull the sword from the stone.

Whatever this weapon was, either only Boi was worthy of wielding it just like a strange verson of Mijonir or he was freakishly strong. Everybody cheered as Boi put the sword back on the table and Red Panda went to check on Delinquent whom she hoped didn't escape to see the excitement going on downstairs.

She walked in the room to see Delinquent propped up while Scientist was scribbling notes on a sheet of paper nearby, he gave Red Panda a smile that caused the strange feeling to come back "So, what was all the commotion going on downstairs?" "Oh, nothing, just some strange thing that Boi brought back."

Red Panda hoped that Delinquent would buy it since he had a way with derailing people with the confidence in his voice that sounded more mature than what a 16 year old should sound like if he suspected a lie. Panda was already 17 and had a mild uncertainty in her voice that she hated.

"Delinquent, you should rest a bit more, your injuries were quite severe." Delinquent nodded and relaxed himself "How's Rabblerouser doing by the way?" Red Panda swallowed, she knew that he would ask this. "She's doing great, albeit worried about you though." It was the truth, Rabblerouser had constantly asked Scientist and Red Panda if Delinquent had woken up and Red Panda knew that she would come in sooner today to see if Delinquent had awaken. "Good, if you see her, tell her that I'm alright."

Delinquent gave Red Panda a small smile and Red Panda gave him a small wave as she exited the room to go tell Rabblerouser the news. Today was a strange day indeed, it would get better though, it usually does.