Story [Issue 34] Between Tabs - Part II

[Shedinja 1,488]

Part II

 

* * *

Read Part I Here

 

 

“Medic, take the left side and stick to the walls, I’ll take center and try to draw one of ‘em out!”

 

“Got it.”

 

I piloted my way along the ramp and duck behind a small outcrop just in time to avoid a blast from an M1 Railgun.Viper’s already made it up. He’s gotten faster. Instantly, I retaliate by reversing the direction of my Hornet and launching a bolt back in the general direction of the fading cerulean ion trail, only to strike a shattered wall. Seizing the opportunity, viperf50 charges out of his temporary cover into my direction.

 

Not good.

 

I command my topaz and titanium machine to drive backwards off of the small precipice behind my barrier, in hopes to avoid the impending shot. Viperf50 continues his pursuit. I check my yellow charge meter, but to my dismay, it still required a tad less than half to fill. He’s going to be ready to fire within seconds! I just have to delay a bit longer…

 

As viperf50 neared the edge of the platform, I readied myself by driving as close to the wall as I could, front first. As a habit, I checked the top-right corner of my screen for the split second I had remaining. Whatever brawl Medic’s having with Pokes, they haven’t finished yet.

 

Then viperf50 jumped off the cliff above me and my struggle to survive began.

 

Nothing ever moves at the speed it was supposed to. The Hornets were submersed in molasses. The Railgun’s turning mechanism felt as if it was inexplicably sprayed by Freeze. The remaining dark yellow in the charge meter was fighting desperately to hold its ground. C'mon! Just a bit more...

 

The center of my hull dug into the ground beneath me as viperf50 impacted the lofted surfaces of my war machine. Mimicking his original trajectory, I shifted momentum to the back of my hull and mashed the left arrow key, thwarting viperf50's original plan to land behind me. The sound of the M1 Hornet's treads winding uselessly around its engine block confirmed that he had no traction on my tank while I was still moving. Looking to my charge meter, I was dismayed to see that at least two seconds remained for the weapon to be at full capacity. Suddenly, viperf50's treads found a planar surface to grip, pulling him away from the bizzare grappling match.

 

As soon as his hull hit the ground behind me, a vibrant blue halo began to encircle the tip of his turret. I knew I had to act fast, lest he hit me and hid within the ramp. I was never great at retaliation shots, I thought. As Medic said, I don't have much patience for well timed recoil attacks. Instead of retreating behind the platform corner that I knew I'd never reach in time, I switched gears and accelerated towards viperf50. The ensuing Railgun blast I received kicked the front end of my topaz machine skyward for a few brief moments, tearing a large chunk out of my green health bar. Finally, the darkness remaining in the bar was vanquished. I slam the spacebar into its socket and watch in suspense as the end of my now vertical weapon began to glow with a lavender aura. For a split second, there was nothing but the Hornets, the end of my Railgun, and the sensation of the down arrow being crushed beneath my finger.

 

Then the titanium engine came crashing down as I released my own bolt.

 

He was attempting to escape via the ramp when the volley caught him directly in the turret. The impact of the round flicked the Forester coated hull away from the ground. It twirled gracefully in the air for a few seconds before colliding painfully onto its back. He was flipped! I got 'im! Erupting into a cheer, I reset my slightly offset mic. "Medic! I flipped vipes, he ain't going to be taking the flag anytime soon! What's your status?"

 

It took a few moments for Medic to respond. "Good work! I'm in a bit of a jam right now, Pokes has me holed up on the western section of the map. A little bit of sup--" He was interrupted by a shout and the sound of a Railgun blast blasting through his mic. "--support would be nice."

 

"On it."

 

As I readjusted my mental map to fit my surroundings, I raced along the eastern edge of the map, just outside of the main platform. Coming to a stop directly before the end of the stretch revealed to me the thrilling site of Pokemontrainer2 and TankiMedic locked in a nasty war of attrition, with my comrade at less than half of his maximum health. Things were not panning out well for TankiMedic, with Pokemontrainer2 holding a deadly position on the ramp. If TankiMedic reversed his position, it would allow Pokemontrainer2 to slip onto the main platform and hold the oh-so-vital crumbling wall, giving him only further leeway option-wise. Running forward to engage him was obviously suicide. Things aren't looking very good for my ally right now.

 

At least, they weren't until I showed up.

 

Relishing in the level of surprise I was about to deliver, I raced out from my cover and send a mauve volley in the general direction of Pokemontrainer2. Clearly startled, he turned towards me and charged his cannon just as I was snatching the flag. I barked into the mic for TankiMedic to proceed with the flag just as my Hornet exploded into a ball of twisted metal and flame. As the computer processed the fact that I had died, I spied TankiMedic finish off Pokemontrainer2 and proceed to collect the blue banner.

 

Ghosting back into my own base, I accelerated quickly to meet up with Medic heading through the central platform. He was talking rapidly into his mic.

 

"Shed, viper just self destructed and he's spawning behind me, he's sticking close to the walls and trying to get a bead on me, lemme pass the flag! Pokes is about to spawn in as well, he's gonna try to take a shot for the eastern side!"

 

As if on cue, viperf50 took a 60° angle leap away from the wall and blasted a hole through my comrade. Off to the far left, I saw Pokemontrainer2 discreetly wall-crawling on the eastern edge of the platform. They're both waiting for me, I realized. I started this game of tag, and now they're it. Looking forward a few steps told me everything I needed to know; I ran ahead, grabbed the flag, and launched a volley at Pokemontrainer2, clipping the top edge of his turret and rocking him back and forth intensely. A shot to the rear of my retreating Hornet was what I received in return. A message flashes in an ominous yellow at the top of my screen:

 

[viperf50 has taken our flag]

 

Instinctively, I whip my turret around to face my base's assailant. Sure enough, viper was driving off down the western path with TankiMedic hot on his heels. Upon turning around, I noticed Pokemontrainer2 was speeding back towards the wall of the main platform, ready to reclaim his base's flag. Trying to avoid a new conflict anytime soon, I edge my way behind the small stone outcropping, praying that Medic will take care of viperf50. I wait there for a few moments, keeping a careful eye on Pokemotrainer2. Then, a series of messages float into the corner of my eye:

 

[viperf50 has lost enemy flag]

 

Hmm. Did he get flipped? I was about to reopen my mic when another message appeared:

 

[viperf50 destroyed TankiMedic]

 

Now how'd THAT happen? I tap 'Q' several times to reveal that viperf50 in fact was not flipped: He used the old bait 'n switch tactic. Seems like someone's been listening to Pokes. Pokemontrainer2 suddenly sprung to life and came charging up the eastern ramp. Instantly alert, I hammer the down key in an attempt to steer myself into the southern ramp and back to the alleged safe zone of the red base. The ion trail of the shot indicated that it barely zipped over my turret.  Furious at myself for losing focus, I send a shot in his direction in return, only to be stopped in its path by one of the concrete foundations. Blast it! Where are you, Medic?!

 

As if he read my thoughts, I saw Medic steer past me up the southern ramp and give chase to Pokemontrainer2. I seize the opportunity to hide myself behind the small shed in the southeast corner of the map as viperf50 and Pokemontrainer2 swap flag possesion. "Medic, d'you think you can handle both Pokes and viper? I'm not so sure I can handle much more heat."

 

"You got it, mate. Keep your eyes peeled, though; I can't find viper anywhere."

 

"Wait, you mean he's not--OH!" I shouted as I saw viperf50 come barreling out of the northern edge of the map with a cerulean aura aimed directly at me. I gunned my engine as quickly as I could, but I knew that it was too late. I watched in defeat as my tank yet again erupted into a mass of fire and titanium, leaving only in its destructive wake one item: the blue flag. Viperf50 immediately remedied this by returning it to the blue base as I sat there watching helplessly from the limbo of respawn. "This could get tough" was the only response I could give when the lower right hand corner of my screen burst from double zeros to 0 - 1.

 

 

 

 

 

Six more blue and 4 red flags captured later, I was mentally defeated. As I typed a halfhearted 'GG' into my chat box, I opened my mic.

 

"Wow, that was the first time we were beaten in a long time."

 

"Yeah, and by three flags, no less! Maybe it was a bad day...?"

 

I start idly watching the chat conversation. Well, I suppose there wasn't really much more we could have done in that situation. I was flipped three separate times during a seven-flag game. Either that means I'm getting sloppy, or... and suddenly, as Pokemontrainer2 and TankiMedic were discussing where they should try to parkour next, it dawned on me.

 

...or simply because my team is getting much better.

 

I digested that idea for a few moments, and to my pleasant surprise, found a confidence settling over me. We're getting better. Suddenly, Medic called out on the Skype channel. "Hey, Shed, you ready to dismiss for the day?"

 

I pull myself back to my surroundings. "Yeah, I'm set. After this, let's grab a few Bobruisk TDMs; I'm tired of having to chase everyone around the map."

 

 

 

 

 

Later that evening, after putting away a few thousand experience points with M2 Isida/Hunter/Sakura, I hopped onto the forums to check the clan page. Probably not much activity, unless AR12GAMING's coming around to check in again. I should take a look at the .:IN:. page sometime.

 

After logging back into my main forum account, I start scrolling through the Content I Follow section. Let's see... 1,000,000 posts, Let's Discuss Railgun, Tanki Memes... After scrolling though more miscellaneous threads, the page I started finds its way to me. Ah, here it is. No news, as usual. Might as well put another update on the title post, at least...

 

When the page finally reloaded, I was caught off guard by a red blotch in my peripheral vision. Oh? What can this be? ieatcookies usually isn't on this late. Flicking my mouse towards the little envelope, I tap the crimson number and find a brand new message sitting in my mailbox, calmly and nonchalantly:

 

[Clan War Request]

 

 

Read Part III Here

 

 

 

 

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Edited July 29, 2017 by Hexed

[genak138 950]

Nice! :)

Not sure what to make of that signature though...

[liverpoolaum 811]

nice

[jazz20 1,181]

Nice work shed  ^_^

[Firenze_PRO 80]

Keep up the good work! :D

[hogree 4,179]

Entertaining. Liking this series!

[Shedinja 1,488]

Thanks, guys! Glad y'all like it!

 

...Not sure what to make of that signature though...

Lol, what?

[newrohan 1,040]

Is TankiMedic very famous? :o He's my friend!