A full minute went by without any movement. The lights stopped swaying. Somehow the hum of electrics went silent. They couldn't even hear each other's breathing. But as time demands, moments leave.
Rune slammed his desk and suddenly the room snapped back into reality. He then charged across the room, reaching Riko in only four strides. His fist gripped Riko's shirt and he slammed him back against the wall. The impact rattled the screens. The lights above swayed.
Rune's jaw tightened, his breath sharp. But Riko's gaze— it shifted. Not away. Not down. Just… emptied. Like something had been shut off behind his eyes.
"You wanna fight?"
Riko's voice didn't rise. No snark. No challenge. Just flat. Almost curious.
Before tensions could rise Lumi moved.
She tore her headset off and stormed for the door, slamming it hard enough to make the lights swing wider.
Riko didn't look at her.
He stared at Rune until his grip loosened.
07 days until Riko Rexton's death.
The cafeteria was surprisingly full— workers, people in suits, and a few in jumpsuits like Riko. He had to get out of that room. Both Lumi and Rune had barely said a word since their match. They'd even missed the system alert.
Today's fight was between Sylvia and Huda. For spectators and bookies alike, it was a big deal. Sylvia, despite being one for the highest ranked favourites, were on the brink of elimination with only two pilots left.
Huda's odds had also surged, thanks to how yesterday's match ended. Quick. Precise. No damage taken. Still a spectacle.
Riko stabbed his fork into the scrambled eggs. Too moist for his liking. The fake kind— the kind that was mass produced instead of farmed. He shoveled them into his mouth anyway.
Maybe I should have offered to be co-pilot. Then the old man could've piloted manually.
Most old guys know how to pilot manual. I coulda controlled one half.
Oh well…
It doesn't matter anymore.
A tray slid opposite his own.
Riko looked up. Yellow jumpsuit. Spiky red hair.
"Mind if I join you?"
Riko kicked his feet off the opposite chair and nodded.
Spiky-red sat down across from him,still calm, still composed. Sylvia were down to two pilots, yet he carried himself the same as before.
"You lost your first fight yesterday?"
Riko raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah." You're fighting later?"
"Yeah."
Spiky-red brushed his hair from his face and picked up his burger. One bite. Then another. A surprisingly messy meal for someone so polished.
"Y'know." He said. " I don't hate pirates."
Riko continued shoveling the wet eggs into his mouth.
"Right."
Spiky-red sat his burger down.
"I respect their drive for freedom. The ones I hate are the pretentious that have nothing to offer. Purtia. A colony pretending to be a monarchy."
Riko finished his food and slid his tray to end of the table.
"They really suck don't they?" He smiled.
That comment made Spiky-red smile back at him.
"Yeah… Anyway, my names—"
"Oi, Nero." A girl called out from across the cafeteria.
The voice clearly irritated him. She ran over, smashed her tray down and sat next to Riko.
"Hey." She said then looked towards Spiky-red. "Nero, don't you have a match later, why're you here?"
Nero huh? Sounds familiar.
She quickly looked back towards Riko. She looked him up and down, perfectly analysing him. Then she put the back of her palm against his forehead, which he took weirdly well.
"Blue jumpsuit… weird braid… pretty eyes… decent looking… and on the younger side. I'm going to guess you're the Puppy-Cat pilot."
Then stood up again, proudly, pointing her thumb back at herself. Leaving no gaps for others to join her in talking.
"And if you're wondering— I am the pilot of Punk-Function. Pretty sick right?"
Annoyance was almost bleeding from Nero. He stood up.
"I should get going." He said before leaving the cafeteria.
The girl leaned in closer to Riko. Her jumpsuit was purple and her hair matched— though they were different shades, jump suit mauve; hair violet. Her scent also matched her hair,floral and sharp, perhaps from her shampoo.
"You aimed straight for the cockpit first match right? Pretty ballsy."
Despite her barely being centimetres away from him now, he didn't react. However the smell of her hair grew closer which made him crave something sweet. The thought of violet tea made his cheeks red and a slight smile etched his face.
"You know you're pretty cute." She said now with her head practically resting against his shoulder.
"I don't know why people keep making such a big deal out of the first fight. I mean every match has ended in death since." He said.
"Still it's daunting right?" She whispered into his ear. "I wouldn't want to fight against you."
Riko abruptly stood causing the girl to almost slip.
"I'm gonna go see if they have anything sweet, take care." He waved towards her before leaving.
"Yeah, take care. My name's Violet by the way." She shouted out towards him as he stretched further away.
Riko patrolled between the vending machines, walking back and forth analysing every single option. But then remembered why he was eating those cheap eggs in the first place.
He still had no money.
I guess I'll head back.
He made his way back into the control just in time to see the fight, but the room was empty. No Lumi, No Rune.
He sat down on the cheap leather couch ready focused on the screen but a noise caught his ear. The same sponsors flashed across it once again, followed by the same presenters touting the same lyrics.
Then the announcers nasally voice.
But something else caught his ear.
The sound familiar.