You woke up while it was nearly pitch black. You looked at the clock on your nightstand. It was 1:16 AM. Great, now I can't even sleep through the night. You let your eyes adjust to the darkness and you could just barely make out your phone. You grabbed your earbuds laying beside it and plugged them into your phone. You put one into your left ear and left the right one out just in case. You turned on your phone and pointed it away from your face. It was practically a searchlight. You let it auto-adjust to the dark and you turned on YouTube. You clicked a video from your favorite YouTuber and watched it.
You were about a quarter of the way into it before you heard footsteps. What the heck? Again? Spy said no one was awake and walking around at night. You paused the video and popped the earbud out of your ear. You sat still and was granted with silence. When you were about to put the earbud back into your ear, you heard them again. This time you softly got off of your bed and crept to the door. When the footsteps got closer you opened the door and saw Spy wearing a fancy-looking night coat. Spy?
"Spy?" You whispered and he stiffened. "Is it you who walks around at night?"
"No, not me Strategist. I was looking around for she person 'ou said you heard last night. Unfortunately, it seems zhe night owl decided to sleep tonight," he whispered back.
"You don't have to stay up and walk around like this Spy. Don't infringe your sleep for me."
"Actually, I 'eard zhe owl. Yet by the time I went to check zhey were gone."
"Well, it's nice to learn I'm not hearing things, but they're probably not walking around right now, because you are."
Spy thought for a moment before speaking again: "Yes you appear to be correct, Strategist. Do you mind if I come in?"
"Um, yeah sure, no problem." You opened the door and let Spy in. The room was fairly small with all of the stuff in it, which meant it was a little cramped with two people. You sat down on the bed to make more room. "Do you have a plan for this? Is this a stake-out type thing?"
"You could call it zhat, yes." Nodding, you turned your phone off and sat in silence.
"Before something happens, what did you find in my room while you snooped?"
"What do you mean?" You laughed a bit.
"While I was training with Scout you were following us. I kinda baited you into going into my room so we could have a bit of peace." Spy sighed in defeat.
"'Ou got me, but if you must know I didn't find anyzhing of value. I couldn't get into your computer either."
"I knew it. Anyway, if you wanted to know what was in my computer you could just ask. It's really just for school." You shrugged.
"Another time maybe." He suddenly became still and you did the same. He put his ear close to the door and listened. He waved you over and did the same. You heard footsteps. You made eye contact and nodded. When the footsteps got close enough, you both opened the door and hit someone on the head.
"Ow! What the- Spy?" Scout asked, rubbing his nose.
"It was you? What are you doing up?" You asked him, still whispering.
"Strat? What are you two doing up?"
"We asked first," Spy said.
"Okay, okay. I couldn't sleep so I came ta gets some chicken from the kitchen, but that's it I swear."
"Did 'ou do that last night as well?"
"What? No! I can't eat my chicken every night. I won't have it during the day if I do that." You gave Spy a confused look and he did the same.
"Well, we're sorry for hitting you in the face with the door, I didn't know you were right behind it," you apologized to Scout.
"It's fine, but ya need to answer my question. What are you two doing up?"
"We don't need to answer that."
"If you don't I'll tell everybody."
"Again, we-" Spy started and you stopped him.
"Fine, we heard someone walking around, so we waited until they came by again," you informed him.
"Strategist, why would 'ou-!"
"If he tells everybody, then the person doing it will know and stop before we can find him out." Spy stopped and nodded.
"Woah, like a stake-out?" Scout asked.
"Yeah, something like that."
"I wanna join!"
"That really isn't a good-"
"No, let me join or like you said, I'll let everybody know and let him get away."
"If you do that then you'll never know yourself." Scout stayed quiet.
"Fine, but I'm going ta be the first one to know, got it?"
"Sure, fine, whatever just continue to get your chicken."
"You got it toots!" He walked off.
"Good thinking, Strategist. I thought I would have had to deal with 'im longer than I could stand," Spy thanked you. You softly laughed and walked back into your room. You looked at the time and saw how it was about 1:30 AM.
"Spy, with all of the noise we made, we should cut this stake-out short. The night owl is most likely not coming out tonight, especially now that Scout's out," you told Spy.
"Yes, this would seem like a waste of sleep if we stayed up. Good night Strategist."
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"Good night." Spy left and you flopped back onto the bed. You picked up your phone and watched the rest of the video. When it was over, you tried to sleep and failed. Right, blue light keeps you from sleeping. Watching the video was yet again a bad idea.
You kept your phone in your hand, stood up, and crept outside into the hallway. You walked softly to the living room and sat down on the couch. You put your back to the cushion and stared at the ceiling. You checked your texts from your friends. Tiana was freaking out, but ultimately just saying how much she misses you like usual. Everyone else just told you that they understood and "really missed you." Except for Jack no one asked any questions. It made sense though, most of your friends didn't ask questions. You texted saying that you missed them too and closed the app. You pulled up your logic Flow Free game and played through some levels.
By the time you finished most of the pack it was already 2 AM. You sighed through your nose and closed that app. You pulled up the text app and clicked on your mother's contact.
"Hey Mom. I miss you and Dad. Is he still mad? The work over here is crazy. They wake me up early and challenge me to do things I haven't fully prepared for. It's fun, though. Most of the teachers are nice and they come from all over the globe! Crazy huh? Anyway, I won't be able to talk much, but I do want to hear from you. Love you."
You clicked on your Dad's contact and texted him the same thing, but reversed the order of the names and asked if he was still mad. It would be early in the morning back where you lived, so you didn't expect any response. None came and even after what you told yourself, you were still disappointed. That's stupid, they're still sleeping (Y/n)! Calm down and go to sleep. You got up and walked slowly and softly back to your room. You plugged in your phone and slid back into bed. Finally, you managed to fall asleep.
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You woke up and checked the clock, it said it was 7:01 AM. Oh, that's actually a nice time to wake up. You took a quick shower and got dressed. Taking your phone in your pocket this time, you headed out and sat on the couch in the living room. You checked your text messages, and there were no responses. You put the phone back into your pocket and soon, Scout came into the room.
"Mornin' Strats," he said.
"Morning, how was your bucket of chicken?" You asked him, a smile forming.
"It hit the spot alright, I just wish there were more." You nodded and he sat beside you.
"Hey, after I train with whoever's next today, I need to show you the outfit for your class."
"Aw crap! I forgot about that." He slouched looking disappointed.
"Hey, we'll do it today. Then you can shout at me how slow I am even filling in as a Scout." He laughed.
"That sounds good."
"Huda hudaa!" Pyro cheered, walking to the kitchen.
"Good morning Pyro," you called after him.
"Mornin'" Scout called. You were trying to find something to say when you heard flames from the kitchen and turned to look in alarm. When you were about to get up, Scout put a hand on your shoulder to stop you. "That's how he does it. Just give it a while."
"Right." After a while of hearing banging from the kitchen, you found something to talk about. "I'm really short compared to everyone." Scout actually laughed.
"Wait, what? What do you mean?" He said taking in deep breaths.
"I'm just saying. I'm only 5'4" and you're a head taller than me. I only come up to Engie's mouth and it's weird to have to keep looking up at everyone."
"Yeah, I'm 5'11.5", but put me by Heavy and I know exactly what you mean."
"What is everyone's heights?"
"Oh I can answer dat. Engineer's 5'7", Pyro's 5'10", I'm 5'11.5" that half is real important dere, Soldier's 6'0.5", Spy's like 6'1" and a half or something dumb like that, Medic's 6'1", Demo's a tiny bit taller than Medic so he's 6'2" and a half, Sniper's 6'2", and Heavy's like 6'5"."
"Dang."
"Yeah, I know stuff."
"What about Heavy's height?" Heavy asked, walking into the room.
"Just how you're over a foot taller than Strategist. She says she feels short." You lightly slapped him.
"Yes she is tiny, but she is young."
"See Strats? No worries, you'll get taller." You tried to remember something hearing that, and then it hit you.
"Oh God...," you whispered.
"What?"
"I forgot my growth plates fused. My last doctor told me at a check-up after he took an x-ray."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"It means she can't get any taller Scout. Her skeleton's fused togezher," Medic told Scout, rolling his eyes.
"Oh." Scout thought for a moment before laughing. "STRATS' A SHORTIE FOR LIFE!"
"Hey!" You complained and pushed him. "You don't have to announce it. Besides, that's average for a woman."
"Knowing this base everyone'll know by breakfast about your height," Engie said, turning and doing a silent fist pump to himself. You gave him a confused look. He turned back. "What?"
"Oh yeah, Engineer won't be the shortest anymore," Scout said, still laughing. Pyro called from the kitchen and you got up with Scout. You walked into the kitchen, thanked Pyro, and got some breakfast. It wasn't burnt surprisingly, and it was waffles with syrup on the table. You grabbed a glass and helped Pyro pour the drinks for everyone. Sitting down you all ate. Scout looked at you every now and then and snickered.
You just shook your head when he did it and continued your conversation.
"What's so funny?" Sniper asked Scout.
"Just how Strategist'll be 5'4" for the rest of her life."
"What?"
"Her last x-ray showed zhat her growth plates fused making it impossible to get taller," Medic stated, rolling his eyes at Scout. Sniper looked at you and snickered, then looked at Scout, and soon they were laughing.
"I shouldn't have said anything," you sighed and Engie patted your back in mutual sympathy.
"No, ya shouldn't have," Demo said, looking like he was trying hard not to laugh. Soon, Soldier and Heavy were chuckling. Pyro was clapping like a giddy child, Spy was smirking, and the only one who didn't find it funny was Medic.
Everybody else calmed down by the time breakfast was finished. You helped put the dirty dishes in the washer and start it. Turning around you asked who'll be training you today.
"That vould be me," Heavy said as he stood up. You nodded. "Come."
You followed him to the open area between the track, tower, and the supplies building. Once you were in the middle of it, he turned around and you stopped. You looked around, there was nothing here except for Medic standing by the supplies building. It made you think of yesterday and you cringed. Let's not do that again shall we (Y/n)? That was dumb of you.
"Some people think they can outsmart me. Maybe... maybe. I have yet to meet one that can outsmart bullet," Heavy said while chuckling as if remembering the times people couldn't outsmart a bullet. Okay... "Now, get ready for lesson." You pulled out Heavy's class disk and pressed the button.
"Oh, jeez!" you cried out when you were met with a heavy machine gun in your hands. You felt stronger, but that make holding a machine gun any easier for you. You barely able to keep it off the ground.
"Good, now name your gun." Say what? Oh well. You thought for a moment until a vine Tiana sent you awhile ago came to your mind and you smiled.
"Her name will be Patricia." Heavy nodded.
"Patricia is good gun, but takes while to start firing. Try it out." You nodded and pulled the trigger on the second handle. Patricia started to spin and after a second bullets fired off. Heavy gestured for you to stop and you let go of the trigger. After a second more, Patricia stopped spinning. "Now just have enemies in Patricia's way." You nodded. "You have other gun. It is shotgun." You gently set Patricia down and whipped out the shotgun from its holster. "You know how to use shotgun." You nodded, shrugging. "If enemy gets too close, bring up fists." Heavy raised his fists and you did the same. "Hit me." You punched his stomach and he didn't even flinch. He laughed. "My turn." Oh shoot. He hit you square in the stomach and sent you flying.
You grunted when you hit the ground, putting your hand behind your head to keep from having your skull hit the hard ground. You saw from the corner of you eye and Medic looked ready to run over. When Heavy started to laugh you did too and stood up. Dusting yourself off, you walked back to Heavy.
"That was fun," you said, still chuckling.
"Good. Time for notes."
"Alright."
"You have sandvich in pocket. Eat it to get strong or give to teammate to make them strong." You pulled out the "sandvich" from your pocket. What the frick? How long does that stay in my pocket? You put it back.
"I see."
"Be aware you move... slower than others. Be careful, but take hit for team. If doktor with you, protect him. He heals you." You nodded, understanding. "That is all. Just get stronger if want to use fists."
"Got it." You smiled. You stood by Patricia, and turned Heavy's outfit off. Medic walked to Heavy and they started talking, not even acknowledging your existence. You back up and remembered Scout. "I'm going to finish something, bye!" You called while jogging off and Heavy waved while Medic's eyes followed you. You walked through the building and found Scout on the couch watching some show. "Hey, I'm ready. I also remembered you have to go over the equipment with me."
"Oh yeah! Come on, put on your actually cool outfit." He said, standing up and acting giddy. You laughed and pulled out Scout's class disk. Pressing the button, you immediately felt lighter.
"So, I can't see myself. Does it look okay?"
"Ya look awesome!" He grabbed your wrist. "Come on!" He practically flew to the track, but this time you were able to catch up, even if just barely.
"I feel really fast. I need to ask Engie what he did to these outfits, because I felt stronger with Heavy's, too. Speaking of which where did they go?"
"Who cares? Run a lap with me and I'll go over the crap ya need to know and that stuff." He started running and so did you. The lap flew by pretty quickly, but you were catching your breath regardless when you came to a stop. Even though you were faster, Scout still finished before you. "Nice work, toots! Now for the stuff you have and the crap to deal with. You have da scattergun right? Get up close to the enemy and hit them. Use your speed to your advantage. Then, you have a pistol which you know how to use. Then, you have this," he held up a yellow can of soda. "Dis stuff makes you so fast you're invulnerable for eight seconds when you use it, which is great for grabbin' intelligence from the other team."
"Alright, sounds legit," you said, nodding.
"Yeah? Okay then. Finally, we have a bat. It's great for smackin' people as you run by." He hit the ground with the bat yelling "BONK!" You laughed and nodded once more.
"I got it, what's the crap you have to deal with?"
"I'm always da first target, so just keep running. Spy likes to disguise as me, but that's just personal annoyance unless it's the Spy from da other team. Anyway, dat's it. Got it?"
"Yep." Until it was time for lunch, you practiced running with Scout. It hurt after a few laps, but Scout was good at keeping you moving. After your twenty-something lap, Demo called you two inside. You thanked Spy for the meal, which was a sandwich and grapes on the side. Not fancy, but you didn't make it. You helped pour drinks and sat down to eat.