Fortnite: Project Mecha

Chapter 12: Battle Plan

The sunlight broke through the night earlier in the morning that it normally did; a sign that summer was coming. It was six, maybe seven, when Skye's body clock decided that her waking hour was nigh. She got up and went outside lazily and sat beside the pond. She looked into the pond and imagined seeing her little pink beanie Ollie/Guff on her head, but no. Of everyone, she probably missed him the most.
  John, for once in his life, was not awake at the crack of dawn. Plague had slept over as he said that he'd had enough trouble getting from Sanctuary to the Jonses the first time and couldn't be bothered to do it again. They'd been talking late into the night as well, him saying things like if you want to hang around other people, hang around us and the Scientist will be able to protect you. In truth, Skye was beginning to realise that she was more afraid of seeing them again than she thought she was.
  But was living a lonely life better than better than living one as a target? Plague wasn't wrong - the Scientist would be able to protect her, so the hunting thing wasn't a problem, if it even was a problem. Skye was beginning to doubt if Slone would bother looking for her since she had let her go.
  Skye thought of the people she was missing. Guff. Plague's brother Mothy and Mothy's boyfriend Raz. Her newer friends Drift and Lynx. The Scientist. Shanta. Would Aura be hanging around, too? Possibly not, but Skye wouldn't know. Drift was Aura's closest friend, not her.
  Everything and everyone she was missing... maybe it'd be a good idea to go back after all.
  Now that that was settled, Skye needed to address the other thing on her mind. Skye needed to thank Plague for putting up with her for all of this time. She kept saying she wanted to do things and then stopping herself without a proper reason. At this point, it was getting embarrassing. She was like a switch; she could change her ways with a simple, tiny push. All of those pushes being from herself, of course.
  "Someone's up early."
  It was John, strutting across the tropical green grass towards her as she sat wearily, looking up at him as if she was about to prostrate at any moment. John's footsteps were loud like that of a dropping of a brick or large stone. During stealth missions, he'd clearly be playing a distraction.
  "What have you been doing?" John asked, revealing a fishing rod.
  "Just, ya know, thinking." Skye watched the tall man dip the tip of his rod into the water as he sat on a barrel placed on the ground.
  "If I have permission to ask, about what?" John looked up at her and also checked the water every few seconds in a while for a bite.
  "Going back to my other friends. Maybe I should do it." Skye suggested to him, requesting an opinion.
  "It might be a good idea, but is this what you want?" John queried calmly. Skye wouldn't have guessed what he'd say next.
  Skye though for a moment, "Yeah. When Plague goes back, we'll be separated and I don't want that."
  "Ok. I'll try my best to visit you from time to time." John nodded.
  Skye started to nod as well, but then registered what he was talking about, "What, you're not coming?"
  "There isn't much point for me to do so." John admitted, reeling in his catch, "But I'm honestly glad I even got to meet you, and I'm willing to let you go if it'll make you happy. I'll always be right here if you need me."
  Skye felt herself tearing up but stopped herself, "No, let's... let's..."
  "I'm going to fry up this Flopper and then I'm going to wake up Plague." John leapt up, holding the spherical orange fish in his fist.
  And then he was gone, walking off to start a fire.
  Skye couldn't believe it. Whilst deep within her thoughts, she had been thinking of a life she once had and the same life she could get back, but she didn't even consider the life she was having now, with her secret connection to Plague and her new friendship. Maybe that secrecy was fun, but it was just that. However, Skye was truly fond of John. If he wasn't going to come...
  "Skye!" Plague shot out of the tent, tripping on the unzipped door before picking himself up and launching himself towards her.
  John looked at him before holding the Flopper on a skewer above the newly birthed fire.
  "What is it?" Skye's voice wavered, panic clearly set into the atmosphere like dried cement.
  "I don't know, but the Imagined sent out a distress signal from Condo Canyon!" Plague put a hand to his bird-masked forehead, "Wait, you don't know who that is, do you?"
  "No, I do. Red hair, blue eyes, red armour..." Skye tried to form an image of her in her mind.
  Plague sighed briefly, "Good, ok. We need to go there to help, maybe. I mean, if you're comfortable..."
  "Yeah, let's go. There's no time to waste!" Skye bounced on the balls of her feet as she smiled determinedly.
  John split the fish into three pieces with ease, "We need to eat first."
  "Eat on the way! Skye's right, we don't have time to waste." Plague took his fishy slab and went on.
  Skye looked at John and he looked back before they hurried on after the plague doctor.