Game On

Chapter 5

Honto's POV
We arrived at the studio at an unholy hour of the morning, even for the time zone of where we were, it was very dark. I could see that Cal was rubbing his eyes groggily and yawning through the fog that rose around me as Ricky opened my metal pod, it kept me at the appropriate temperature for my skin's flexibility.
Amalia tapped Sena's shoulder in a useless attempt to wake her up but she groaned and buried her head in her pillow.
I'd rather suffocate myself. Her voice drifted through my head as she communicated with me telepathically, she loved using this method and used it often since I had made the link between our heads, it's only possible if I feel a connection with the person, so she loved the fact that she was one of the only people I chose to link with. I laughed loudly but only she could hear the laugh, the rest heard a series of grunts and snorts. I heard her muffled laugh through the pillow.
You should probably get moving before- Before I could finish the thought Cal had swooped her up and was spinning her around. She screamed first from the shock and secondly of just pure laughter and adrenaline. Cal put her down and she hit his arm.
"stop lifting me without permission." she looked up at him through narrowed, deep blue eyes.
"or you could stop taking the fun out of everything." he retorted with a shrug.
You see what I'm talking about don't you, buddy? Ricky's voice floated into my mind. Ricky was always pointing out how they always teased each other. Amalia disagreed but I saw how they behaved around each other. They brought out the best in each other, when they weren't fighting. I thought she could do better, but I think anyone less wild would bore her. I nodded in response at Ricky. He turned into the next compartment to get some breakfast and I heard him greet amalia cheerfully, Ricky was almost always in a good mood, even, somehow this early in the morning.

We all ate in silence, too tired to make conversation. Amalia's leg was shaking, she did this when she was nervous but insisted it was just a habit, she didn't like to admit to being nervous, I think it was for us, she wanted to appear strong so we'd feel calm. Cal rubbed his eyes groggily as Sena yawned and stretched her arms. Ricky ate his cereal calmly and read a magazine article about the newest technology for spaceship panels. When we were all done Amalia stood and took a deep breath.
"ready?" she asked, it was clearly rhetorical as she turned to the door without waiting for a response. Sena met my gaze and rolled her eyes. Cal pat my back as he walked past me.
"you ready for this, buddy?" I grunted and nodded. He smiled and hopped down the steps and onto the soft ground outside the studio. We all made our way through the large glass doors, Mr Gaad was waiting beside a desk, he was wearing a suit and flashed us a horrendously insincere grin so wide you could almost could count every tooth.
"hey there, you must be another gang! " he had clearly forgotten us from the last time. His enthusiasm was too much for us all and Sena flinched at the volume, her ears weren't ready for it so early. Amalia nodded and stuck out her hand, he took it firmly and shook. "Arrafi here will show you to your dressing room, where you'll prepare for your show later tonight, the common room for you to mingle with the other gangs and there's food there, free of charge, then she'll lead you to your rooms in the hotel nearby." A girl, Arrafi apparently, with deep pink skin and short black hair stepped out from behind the desk and smiled at them. Amalia thanked Mr. Gaad as we followed Arrafi down a narrow corridor, with harsh lighting when we came to the end of the hallway. It was large and square with many doors. She pointed to the door across from us
"dressing room" she barked, then turned to the door closest to us to our left "common room. Have a look around, when you want to go to the hotel, come back to the reception and ask for me." she turned and walked away.
"She's a piece of work"  Ricky blinked after her.
"She seemed so friendly in front of her boss" Sena frowned, she seemed to feel victimised by her falseness.
"Well, I'm glad she left us to look around ourselves" Amalia said and turned and headed towards our dressing room.

The room was large and clearly meant for more than 5 people. A large full length mirror covered the entire opposite wall. There was a clothes rack to our right and a desk to our left and couches and a coffee table in the middle of the room. Cal dropped into a couch and put his hands behind his head.
"ah, yes. This is nice" he nodded appreciatively. Sena nudged his legs and sat beside him, she sank into the couch and closed her eyes, enjoying the comfort.
"I haven't been anywhere so homey in such a long time" she smiled to herself, a sad smile as though a memory from a long time ago was playing in her mind. I sat on the other couch and appreciated the furniture myself. Amalia ran a hand through her waist-length hair and she looked at her reflection, I didn't know if she was thinking or just making sure she looked good. She blinked as if snapping herself out of a deep thought and looked over at Ricky, who was slouched against the desk looking up at the sky light, the early morning sun above shining on his dark face and short curly hair, he yawned loudly.
"wanna go and see the common room?" Amalia asked, looking at him, but asking the room at large. Cal leaped up and nodded be held out a hand to Sena and snapped it away at the last second. She rolled her eyes an looked at me.
Asshole she complained telepathically. She looked up at him, with wide innocent eyes, and then slammed her foot down on his and hopped up.
"oh sorry! Was that your foot? I'm so silly!" she put her hand over her mouth in fake shock. I snorted with laughter as Cal opened his mouth to retaliate but Amalia cleared her throat and led us out of the room.

The common room was large with even more couches and a large holographic TV. To the right of the room was a counter with a sink and appliances with presses beneath it and a fridge beside it. Cal rushed to the fridge and swung the door open, he peered at us over the door and raised his eyebrows twice. He grabbed something purple and bit into it.
"mmmh" he nodded enthusiastically. "ith guh" he mumbled with his mouth still full. Sena rolled her eyes but smiled begrudgingly. She flung herself on a nearby couch and sunk down into the cushions , she patted the cushion beside her head and Cal took a running jump and a spring in the cushion creaked in complaint as he landed. 
 "Be careful-" she sat up and pushed him so he tumbled off the couch.
 "Even the carpet is comfortable!" he sat up, his eyes alight looking around the room. "I like this place" he smiled in approval and his eyes settled at the door. He raised himself to his feet surprisingly gracefully for someone who had just landed in a heap on the floor. The rest of us turned in the direction he was looking. A man with with large all black eyes and pale red skin walked in. He smiled uncomfortably under all our stares and nodded at us. Ricky stepped forward with a large grin and held out his hand, the man took it and shook it once as Ricky introduced himself.
 "Hey, I'm Ricky and this is our team of contestants" he gestured behind him at us all. Sena hopped up from her seat and crossed the room with her hand outstretched and a warm smile. 
 "I'm Sena." the red man's eyes travelled over her quickly as he took her hand, returning her smile with wide, sharp, dazzlingly white teeth. Cal made it across the room in four large steps and cleared his throat.
  "Cal" he nodded at him, but didn't take his hand. To diffuse the tension I swooped in and greeted him with a snort and a wave. Amalia then stepped in front of me , her lips pursed as she gazed at him appraisingly, remembering that he was probably competition.
  "I'm Amalia, our team leader. And you are?" she asked, her hand not moving from  her hip to greet him.
  "Clardol" he smirked to himself at how hostile she was coming across. "My team is just settling in our room."
 "And you're not with them? A good team moves as one." she raised an eyebrow, challenging him.
 "A good team is made up of individuals who can think for themselves." he retorted. Sena raised a hand to her mouth and looked at me, her hand unable to mask her amusement. Cal glared at him.
  "Now, guys. The competition hasn't even begun. There's no need for this." Ricky interjected, putting a hand on Amalia's shoulder. "Does anyone want a drink?" Clardol stepped around Amalia and joined Ricky at the fridge. Amalia turned and glared at him with such ferocity it would make anyone squirm but he turned back with two glasses walked right up to her so they were inches apart and passed a glass behind her to Sena, whose mouth dropped and took it slowly, as if hoping that if it was slow enough that Amalia wouldn't see. But Amalia's eyes didn't move from Clardol's until he turned away. I don't know how he stayed looking at her for so long, I would have passed out. Sena put the glass down on the counter, threw Clardol a dirty look, pat Amalia on the arm and left the room. We all followed except Ricky, for some reason he was playing the part of peace keeper today. 

   Amalia shoved the door open and marched into our dressing room.
 "What was that?" she demanded. "Who does he think he is?"
 "You did kind of start it Am." Sena pointed out, which was never a good idea when Amalia was mad.
 "What's that supposed to mean?"
 "Come on, you were trying to intimidate him." Amalia opened her mouth again but Sena spoke first "Am, I'm on your side. What was with him giving me a drink? As if giving me a drink is going to make me take his side."
   "This is what he wants, for us to fight. To be his friend. What is Ricky doing out there with him after he disrespected me like that?" She dropped onto a chair and folded her arms, looking at the door waiting for him and his explanation. It was times like this I suspected that she cared more about Ricky than she let any of us think. Sena sat on the arm of the chair she was sitting in and patted her back. 
  "Cal, you're being very quiet, not that I'm complaining." Sena looked over at Cal who was leaning against the wall near the door, he shrugged.
   "I don't like the way he treated you two. Sexist, if you ask me. Basically ignored me and Honto." 
  "How was he sexist towards me?" She responded.
  "thinking you'd fall all over him because he gave you a drink. Making a move on you like that" he looked to the ground and Sena laughed loudly.
  "That is not a move!-"
  "Yeah, and now he's kidnapped Ricky." Amalia scowled, clearly having ignored most of the conversation.
  "I'll get him and we'll go see this hotel, okay?" Cal straightened up and marched out of the room. He returned a few minutes later with looking very dishevelled, dragged by Ricky.