Ajay seemed keen to continue with his taunting, and Jen swallowed hard, remaining behind her dubious cover. She wanted to end it, to put a stop to his barbs and insults, but she could tell that he was trying to goad her into something, and Jen couldn’t let herself get tripped up here at the very end.
Jen took another breath, steeling her resolve.
“Why… Why did you kill Leander?” She called out, not daring to move from her position just yet. With Austin’s death, Jen knew that things had escalated without Ajay doing much, and he’d just throw that back at her, but with Leander… She needed an answer of how he justified it to himself.
No coming out of hiding, not giving him an inch if she didn’t have to.
United by the Moment
SOTF: International - Endgame
Moderator: SOTF International Staff
-
Catche Jagger
- Posts: 743
- Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 7:40 pm
- Team Affiliation: Ben's Crabs
Ajay blinked in response. Leander? That was- not the pink haired poe, the other one, right?
"Yeah..." He replied to his inner self.
"Yeah, you're talkin' about the little white boy I got this gat off, yeah?" Ajay had replied to Jen, unmoving from his spot. The first one, the first body he'd ever dropped, the one he didn't want to. He felt an anger bubbling within his chest, but he held it down, no need to lose his cool yet. Jen was trying to play the victim now, he knew it. He wasn't stupid though, he wasn't like some punk kid you could just tell to look the other way while you take his loot, fuck that.
"Don't take me for a fuckin' moegoe, you fuckin' chop; you know exactly why! I'm running away from gunshots, you poes was running towards them; what the fuck you think? Think I'm fuckin' naive; that I don't know what you had planned?! Come on, nobody runs towards trouble unless they're asking for it! You wanted it, you found it, and between dealing with you cunts or Seychelle again, I'd go through you again in a fuckin' heartbeat!"
They were looking for kills. Simple. They probably were the ones opening fire outside before Ajay had ran into them, but now that they came across him instead of someone dumber, they wanted to play victim, like it weren't their fault. Yeah fucking right.
Eyes scanned the environment behind the reflective aviators.
"I wanna know something myself! You had your chance when I took Leander out! You watched me nab his trash after I poked 'im. Why didn't you finish it then, eh? Wanted someone else to do it for you? Izzat what Austin was for?!" Ajay had to stop himself.
Jen was getting in his head. She wasn't stupid, she was playing him. Prod him, piss him off, make him walk out from the advantage and take a bullet. Nah, not happening. He'd gone too far to fall for that. She knew the answers to the questions she asked, that was the point. She knew what Ajay was capable of, why he did what he did. She just wanted to rub it in.
She thought she was going home. She thought she was going home and that she was gonna play nice on the way out, hide what she was really about. She was playing for sympathy, in case anyone saw what had happened here. Disgusting.
Ajay spit on the ground next to him. There were only two people who had a chance of getting home. Jen wasn't one of them.
"Well?!"
"I'm waiting for a fuckin' answer!"
"Yeah..." He replied to his inner self.
"Yeah, you're talkin' about the little white boy I got this gat off, yeah?" Ajay had replied to Jen, unmoving from his spot. The first one, the first body he'd ever dropped, the one he didn't want to. He felt an anger bubbling within his chest, but he held it down, no need to lose his cool yet. Jen was trying to play the victim now, he knew it. He wasn't stupid though, he wasn't like some punk kid you could just tell to look the other way while you take his loot, fuck that.
"Don't take me for a fuckin' moegoe, you fuckin' chop; you know exactly why! I'm running away from gunshots, you poes was running towards them; what the fuck you think? Think I'm fuckin' naive; that I don't know what you had planned?! Come on, nobody runs towards trouble unless they're asking for it! You wanted it, you found it, and between dealing with you cunts or Seychelle again, I'd go through you again in a fuckin' heartbeat!"
They were looking for kills. Simple. They probably were the ones opening fire outside before Ajay had ran into them, but now that they came across him instead of someone dumber, they wanted to play victim, like it weren't their fault. Yeah fucking right.
Eyes scanned the environment behind the reflective aviators.
"I wanna know something myself! You had your chance when I took Leander out! You watched me nab his trash after I poked 'im. Why didn't you finish it then, eh? Wanted someone else to do it for you? Izzat what Austin was for?!" Ajay had to stop himself.
Jen was getting in his head. She wasn't stupid, she was playing him. Prod him, piss him off, make him walk out from the advantage and take a bullet. Nah, not happening. He'd gone too far to fall for that. She knew the answers to the questions she asked, that was the point. She knew what Ajay was capable of, why he did what he did. She just wanted to rub it in.
She thought she was going home. She thought she was going home and that she was gonna play nice on the way out, hide what she was really about. She was playing for sympathy, in case anyone saw what had happened here. Disgusting.
Ajay spit on the ground next to him. There were only two people who had a chance of getting home. Jen wasn't one of them.
"Well?!"
"I'm waiting for a fuckin' answer!"
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.
A rejoinder in the form of a gun raised at the footsteps coming her way.
The distant conversation wasn't hers to compute, to understand. She instead kept her gun raised after she had put half-a-mag inside her gun. She kept it raised. Chest level. Her eyes looked around, darting from the left to the right. She was incapable of closing them. They felt sore and heavy and tired. Oh God, so tired. But she kept them open as her finger on the trigger.
Itchy.
The distant conversation wasn't hers to compute, to understand. She instead kept her gun raised after she had put half-a-mag inside her gun. She kept it raised. Chest level. Her eyes looked around, darting from the left to the right. She was incapable of closing them. They felt sore and heavy and tired. Oh God, so tired. But she kept them open as her finger on the trigger.
Itchy.
Clara watched the girl move her gun around, looking for a target. She hadn't been noticed yet, but even from the protection of the treeline, she wouldn't be able to remain hidden for long - orange and blue didn't exactly make for good forest camouflage. A fight was going to break out eventually between them, and at this range, it was clear who had the advantage. The circle wasn't too far from here, and if she rushed in, she'd definitely be noticed, but she'd probably have time to make it behind one of the carvings before she got shot.
Probably.
She took a deep breath, fingers closing tightly around her gun as she knelt slightly, preparing her entrance. It was now or never. With her eyes fixed on the rock, she took off out of the trees, her run turning into a slide as she made it to the mud next to a particularly large carving.
Probably.
She took a deep breath, fingers closing tightly around her gun as she knelt slightly, preparing her entrance. It was now or never. With her eyes fixed on the rock, she took off out of the trees, her run turning into a slide as she made it to the mud next to a particularly large carving.
Her legs were pressed against the statue, half-crouched and half-standing. Her upper body was protruding forward while her gun tracked the motion of the other girl. She knew that she didn't have enough bullets to just open fire on as she moved, and she had to make sure that when she didn't open fire that it would be a killing shot on Clara.
Her opponent had taken cover behind another statue, disappearing behind it. Clara had three options now: stay in cover, go on the right, or go on the left. On the other hand, she only had two options: stay there or hide. And she picked the latter. With her bloodied stomach and her half-loaded gun, she made her own move, and headed toward a statue that between her and Clara.
She was slow, sluggish even. But the gun stayed pointed at Clara's cover.
Hopefully her movement would draw her out.
Her opponent had taken cover behind another statue, disappearing behind it. Clara had three options now: stay in cover, go on the right, or go on the left. On the other hand, she only had two options: stay there or hide. And she picked the latter. With her bloodied stomach and her half-loaded gun, she made her own move, and headed toward a statue that between her and Clara.
She was slow, sluggish even. But the gun stayed pointed at Clara's cover.
Hopefully her movement would draw her out.
A sense of relief washed over Clara as she came to a stop behind the statue, quickly dusting herself off as she rose to her feet and took cover behind the stone barrier. The good feeling didn't last long, however, as her survival left her with one question - what the hell was she going to do next? Jumping out of cover blindly was suicide, but at the same time, the sounds of movement that she heard weren't enough to let her pinpoint where her opponent was. She couldn't just sit here doing nothing either - that was just asking to get outflanked and shot.
God, this sucked. Understatement of the year, maybe, but more colourful descriptions of exactly how bad of a situation she was in were the domain of someone not mere centimetres away from getting shot to death at any moment. Every option available felt bad, like she was in a losing game - and in terms of skill, she kind of was, given that she was dealing with one of the most prolific killers on the island. It wasn't all bad though. Clara definitely had the advantage in terms of speed, and at this range, a bullet was a bullet. If you got hit, you died, no matter what gun the other person was shooting you with.
All that said, however, probably the worst thing she could do here was overthink this. Strategy was Lex's department, not hers, and now wasn't a good time to start learning how to make complicated battle plans, especially without knowing exactly where her enemy was in the first place. She swallowed hard, steeling herself for the risk she was about to take, and poked her head out slightly from behind the rock, trying to see where Seychelle was holed up.
God, this sucked. Understatement of the year, maybe, but more colourful descriptions of exactly how bad of a situation she was in were the domain of someone not mere centimetres away from getting shot to death at any moment. Every option available felt bad, like she was in a losing game - and in terms of skill, she kind of was, given that she was dealing with one of the most prolific killers on the island. It wasn't all bad though. Clara definitely had the advantage in terms of speed, and at this range, a bullet was a bullet. If you got hit, you died, no matter what gun the other person was shooting you with.
All that said, however, probably the worst thing she could do here was overthink this. Strategy was Lex's department, not hers, and now wasn't a good time to start learning how to make complicated battle plans, especially without knowing exactly where her enemy was in the first place. She swallowed hard, steeling herself for the risk she was about to take, and poked her head out slightly from behind the rock, trying to see where Seychelle was holed up.
She knew what she was doing.
She had taken the first move, picking a side at random, and waiting for the other girl to peek out from it. She didn't have a good aim, usually prioritizing on the amount of bullets she could shoot than shooting a bullet at a specific target. A spray of bullets did the job as a well as a pinpointed bullet to the skull, or at least usually.
Here? The cover was problematic. She wasn't sure which side would the other appear from. Maybe it would be the right, or maybe it would be the left. If it was on the same side - the left side - she would probably be able to land the hit. On the right side?
Not so much.
But then the head peeked out. It was a very small target. She couldn't hit easily. If it was an arm or a leg, she could hit and leave, waiting for Clara to bleed out. But the head? The head is small. Even if she only needed one bullet to land, she wasn't sure if shooting was the right option. But her finger was itchy, and it shot before she could rationally stop herself from doing so.
She had taken the first move, picking a side at random, and waiting for the other girl to peek out from it. She didn't have a good aim, usually prioritizing on the amount of bullets she could shoot than shooting a bullet at a specific target. A spray of bullets did the job as a well as a pinpointed bullet to the skull, or at least usually.
Here? The cover was problematic. She wasn't sure which side would the other appear from. Maybe it would be the right, or maybe it would be the left. If it was on the same side - the left side - she would probably be able to land the hit. On the right side?
Not so much.
But then the head peeked out. It was a very small target. She couldn't hit easily. If it was an arm or a leg, she could hit and leave, waiting for Clara to bleed out. But the head? The head is small. Even if she only needed one bullet to land, she wasn't sure if shooting was the right option. But her finger was itchy, and it shot before she could rationally stop herself from doing so.
-
Catche Jagger
- Posts: 743
- Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 7:40 pm
- Team Affiliation: Ben's Crabs
Why hadn’t she taken that shot?
Ajay was right, wasn’t he? Jen could’ve pulled the trigger back at the village, back where this awful dance between the two of them began. If she had, maybe Austin would still be alive, as might that girl Philia. The same might even go for Alexander. Maybe, maybe, maybe…
Jen let out a hiss as the pain that had plagued the side of her bandaged head ever since that boy who had called himself Adrian had thrust her down into darkness at the start of this long nightmare turned sharp once again, accompanied by the feeling that her legs would slip out from under her as well as a burning sensation which rose in her throat.
Was Ajay telling the truth? Was every step of this just some stupid piling on of mistake after mistake and body after body? No, he’d shed first blood because Leander had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. He probably had some weak excuse for why it was okay to attack Clara and Alexander, too.
Ajay’s shouting faded out, that the words became little more than flat noise.
So why hadn’t Jen taken that shot? She hadn’t even managed to keep her own hands clean, after all.
Her mind snapped back to the caves, to Katherine, a girl trapped in darkness just like Jen herself had been been. And yet she couldn’t save the girl, couldn’t be like Leander or Austin had been. She couldn’t save anyone, just end things.
And she owed it to the others to end this.
“Because…” The word came through slurred and hoarse, so she swallowed and tried again.
“I was naive.” Jen croaked, rage finally driving her out from behind the tree and depressing the trigger of her rifle, firing off in the direction of Ajay’s voice.
“And I won’t make that mistake again.” She pressed down again and again. She would stop him, for everyone.
Ajay was right, wasn’t he? Jen could’ve pulled the trigger back at the village, back where this awful dance between the two of them began. If she had, maybe Austin would still be alive, as might that girl Philia. The same might even go for Alexander. Maybe, maybe, maybe…
Jen let out a hiss as the pain that had plagued the side of her bandaged head ever since that boy who had called himself Adrian had thrust her down into darkness at the start of this long nightmare turned sharp once again, accompanied by the feeling that her legs would slip out from under her as well as a burning sensation which rose in her throat.
Was Ajay telling the truth? Was every step of this just some stupid piling on of mistake after mistake and body after body? No, he’d shed first blood because Leander had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. He probably had some weak excuse for why it was okay to attack Clara and Alexander, too.
Ajay’s shouting faded out, that the words became little more than flat noise.
So why hadn’t Jen taken that shot? She hadn’t even managed to keep her own hands clean, after all.
Her mind snapped back to the caves, to Katherine, a girl trapped in darkness just like Jen herself had been been. And yet she couldn’t save the girl, couldn’t be like Leander or Austin had been. She couldn’t save anyone, just end things.
And she owed it to the others to end this.
“Because…” The word came through slurred and hoarse, so she swallowed and tried again.
“I was naive.” Jen croaked, rage finally driving her out from behind the tree and depressing the trigger of her rifle, firing off in the direction of Ajay’s voice.
“And I won’t make that mistake again.” She pressed down again and again. She would stop him, for everyone.
Ajay heard the voice begin to reply. He took a deep breath, than another. Let’s end it.
He peeked from the tree and crouched, ready to pop off a shot.
He saw Jen. He fired. So did Jen. He went wide.
So did she.
“SHIT!”
Ajay had ducked behind the tree once more as more rounds trailed behind him smashing into the tree.
He’d fucked up. He lost the momentum. Five more rounds was all he had left to spare, five chances he didn’t have a shot in hell to make.
He gritted his teeth. This was gonna suck. This did fucking suck.
“Goddamnit, godDAMNIT!” He yelled to himself, racking the bolt back once more, ejecting the spent shell as another went into the chamber.
Naive. Naive this poe said. She didn’t take this shit seriously before. Not when it was the other’s necks on the line. But now it’s down to him and her? Oh, now she’s serious. Now she means business. His continued existence was merely her mistake.
Ajay seethed as the bullets battered what little cover he had. That’s all this was to her, that’s all he meant. Fucking bitch. Fucking mistake.
He’ll show her a fucking mistake.
His heart pounded. He didn’t get a chance to see her coming now. She had the momentum. All she had to do to win was keep it. Ajay was trapped. There was nowhere for him to run.
He didn’t bother peeking. He just poked out from the side and panic fired a shot. Despite face being covered by his shades, his gritted teeth betrayed his feelings for the split second it was visible.
He peeked from the tree and crouched, ready to pop off a shot.
He saw Jen. He fired. So did Jen. He went wide.
So did she.
“SHIT!”
Ajay had ducked behind the tree once more as more rounds trailed behind him smashing into the tree.
He’d fucked up. He lost the momentum. Five more rounds was all he had left to spare, five chances he didn’t have a shot in hell to make.
He gritted his teeth. This was gonna suck. This did fucking suck.
“Goddamnit, godDAMNIT!” He yelled to himself, racking the bolt back once more, ejecting the spent shell as another went into the chamber.
Naive. Naive this poe said. She didn’t take this shit seriously before. Not when it was the other’s necks on the line. But now it’s down to him and her? Oh, now she’s serious. Now she means business. His continued existence was merely her mistake.
Ajay seethed as the bullets battered what little cover he had. That’s all this was to her, that’s all he meant. Fucking bitch. Fucking mistake.
He’ll show her a fucking mistake.
His heart pounded. He didn’t get a chance to see her coming now. She had the momentum. All she had to do to win was keep it. Ajay was trapped. There was nowhere for him to run.
He didn’t bother peeking. He just poked out from the side and panic fired a shot. Despite face being covered by his shades, his gritted teeth betrayed his feelings for the split second it was visible.
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.
-
Catche Jagger
- Posts: 743
- Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 7:40 pm
- Team Affiliation: Ben's Crabs
Jen grit her teeth, watching as her bullets failed to find her target, one flying off into nowhere, while the other only connected with a tree, driving out splinters in its wake. Before she could fire off another, she saw movement behind one of the trees she was facing, and quickly depressed the trigger once more.
Another blast rang out in concert with her own, its missile sailing off somewhere far from her, while the discharge ripped through the side of the tree. Jen realized then that she had Ajay pinned down. He couldn’t get a clear shot off at her, while she knew exactly where he was.
Jen looked down the sights of her gun—it wasn’t all that different from taking a picture, she tried to remind herself—and she pulled down on the trigger twice more, bullets slamming into the tree.
She just needed to drive him out from hiding, then she’d have him. Easy. That was the word she repeated in her mind over and over, readying herself.
Another blast rang out in concert with her own, its missile sailing off somewhere far from her, while the discharge ripped through the side of the tree. Jen realized then that she had Ajay pinned down. He couldn’t get a clear shot off at her, while she knew exactly where he was.
Jen looked down the sights of her gun—it wasn’t all that different from taking a picture, she tried to remind herself—and she pulled down on the trigger twice more, bullets slamming into the tree.
She just needed to drive him out from hiding, then she’d have him. Easy. That was the word she repeated in her mind over and over, readying herself.
Shit, SHIT! Fucking SHIT!
Rounds were bouncing off the tree in front of Ajay. Jen had the momentum, the control of the flow. He couldn’t-
Ajay couldn’t get a shot. He was trapped, corned. Each round got closer and closer, pecking away at his cover. Splinter after splinter exploded next to the South African as Ajay tried desperately to shrink away.
He couldn’t leave. He couldn’t shoot. Jen had enough bullets to guarantee at least one hit had Ajay tried anything. She had the speed to ensure a round would hit. She had the advantage that she could see Ajay’s movements before he could make do on any attempts.
He was defenseless. His weapon was slower, his scope was busted, and he only had four shots left. Every round had to count and he didn’t stand a chance in hell to line a shot up- he was fucked.
Rounds drew closer, and closer.
“Fucking-“
Closer.
“S-stop! STOP!”
Closer.
Rounds were bouncing off the tree in front of Ajay. Jen had the momentum, the control of the flow. He couldn’t-
Ajay couldn’t get a shot. He was trapped, corned. Each round got closer and closer, pecking away at his cover. Splinter after splinter exploded next to the South African as Ajay tried desperately to shrink away.
He couldn’t leave. He couldn’t shoot. Jen had enough bullets to guarantee at least one hit had Ajay tried anything. She had the speed to ensure a round would hit. She had the advantage that she could see Ajay’s movements before he could make do on any attempts.
He was defenseless. His weapon was slower, his scope was busted, and he only had four shots left. Every round had to count and he didn’t stand a chance in hell to line a shot up- he was fucked.
Rounds drew closer, and closer.
“Fucking-“
Closer.
“S-stop! STOP!”
Closer.
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.
-
Catche Jagger
- Posts: 743
- Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 7:40 pm
- Team Affiliation: Ben's Crabs
Each time even a flicker of movement could be seen from behind the tree, another bang would roar out as a bullet tore through the air and into the wood, splinters flying freely from impacts at the edges of the trunk and through low-hanging branches.
Was Ajay begging? Trying to issue some command? Had he ever “stopped”? Jen pushed back all of the questions. She’d decided on her course and that was that.
Another twitch, another blast, more splinters.
Was Ajay begging? Trying to issue some command? Had he ever “stopped”? Jen pushed back all of the questions. She’d decided on her course and that was that.
Another twitch, another blast, more splinters.
If he did not move, Ajay was going to die.
If he left cover, Ajay was going to die.
He was trapped, waiting for death. He gripped his rifle close, wide eyed behind shades, shaking. No matter which side he'd take, Jen would be ready to blast him away. He didn't have time to-
Which side?
Boer's gotta plan.
There was a flash of silver.
If he left cover, Ajay was going to die.
He was trapped, waiting for death. He gripped his rifle close, wide eyed behind shades, shaking. No matter which side he'd take, Jen would be ready to blast him away. He didn't have time to-
Which side?
Boer's gotta plan.
There was a flash of silver.
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.
-
Catche Jagger
- Posts: 743
- Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 7:40 pm
- Team Affiliation: Ben's Crabs
Jen caught sight of it almost immediately, aim shifting only slightly to the left before letting loose another bullet. It ripped through the air, through fabric, and then… nothing.
A jacket with a fresh hole fluttered to the ground, empty.
No, no! She had Ajay! She had him!
In an instant, an explosion of light and sound erupted just to her right. A sharp blade of air ran its edge across her cheek, but did not break the skin as it hurtled off into the afternoon haze.
Panic.
Jen turned as fast as her body could manage, pain in her leg flaring up again. Rifle raised. Finger on the trigger.
Finger on the trigger.
A jacket with a fresh hole fluttered to the ground, empty.
No, no! She had Ajay! She had him!
In an instant, an explosion of light and sound erupted just to her right. A sharp blade of air ran its edge across her cheek, but did not break the skin as it hurtled off into the afternoon haze.
Panic.
Jen turned as fast as her body could manage, pain in her leg flaring up again. Rifle raised. Finger on the trigger.
Finger on the trigger.
Ajay had regained the momentum. The figure in the red and black striped shirt had ran his ass out of cover not one second after tossing his coat. He didn’t have time to afford to know if it worked, just had to work like it did.
A last ditch effort. That’s all it was. Equal ground now, you’re not as brave when they shoot back he’d learned. Now it was time to apply it. He squeezed the trigger.
Unfortunately, he missed.
Three left, or two left?
Bliksem, fire until it clicks!
Ajay racked the bolt back and ducked. This was it, one of them was falling here. Rounds exploded near him. He was frightened, but it was muted. It wasn’t the terror from before. He didn’t have time to afford to know why.
He stood up, and aimed his barrel in a general direction.
Squeeze.
Bang.
A last ditch effort. That’s all it was. Equal ground now, you’re not as brave when they shoot back he’d learned. Now it was time to apply it. He squeezed the trigger.
Unfortunately, he missed.
Three left, or two left?
Bliksem, fire until it clicks!
Ajay racked the bolt back and ducked. This was it, one of them was falling here. Rounds exploded near him. He was frightened, but it was muted. It wasn’t the terror from before. He didn’t have time to afford to know why.
He stood up, and aimed his barrel in a general direction.
Squeeze.
Bang.
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.