Indigo (NaNoWriMo13)

Chapter 35 - Black and Yellow

She went to move away, but Shift pulled her back. "What, don't want to lend me some colour in case things get hectic?"

Athira gave him her best withering look. "It wasn't just your charming personality that soothed my colour before. I'm well aware what you did."

He patted her cheek before she could cringe away. "You needed all the help..."

A flash of memory at the touch had her reeling. Blue streaks that danced across her sight, broken by the white scleras of faces that were too close, irises that wanted her secrets and pupils that threatened to suck her in. 

"The monks," breathed Athira, grabbing Shift's forearm for balance. She risked a glance at the Elite. "That's where her markings are from. The monks! The... the group that tried to get Trian to give me up so they could unbind my colour and study it, that's where--"

"Initiate Athira!" 

Athira stepped back, jerking her hand away from Shift as she looked up to find herself staring at Discord's approaching face. 

With a breath, she took control. 

"Yes, Discord?" 

He frowned. "Elite Discord, if it's not too much trouble for you to remember, initiate Athira."

Discord paused, obviously waiting for her to correct his ego. Athira continued to stare expectantly at him in silence until the tattooed woman coughed politely. 

Discord released a puff of breath through his nostrils. "Well. I am required to explain the rules to the initiate before we begin, as we wouldn't want a certain someone getting hurt because they're eager, yes?" 

Athira gave him a concerned look. "Are the medical bills for an Elite such as yourself not covered in hazard pay? If you're concerned about meeting next month's water bill, I can go easy. There's no shame in asking, Discord, really."

Surprisingly enough, Discord wasn't impressed. 

"Initiate, you'll be reconsidering your words very, very closely in the coming weeks, I can assure you. Over which sanitary block, I haven't quite decided yet. Now." He straightened, leaving the top of Athira's head at his chin. "This match will be conducted in the span of fifteen minutes, or until one party is unable to continue..."

There was a glint in his eye that said the fifteen minutes wouldn't be required. They wouldn't, of course, but not for the reasons Discord was expecting. As he continued to outline the details--no going outside the arena, no destruction to the environment, no kill attempts--Athira tried to suppress her yawn. She failed. 

"Something boring you, initiate?" said Discord, puffing his chest up like some kind of frog. 

"Just you, really."

"If you think you can just--" began Discord. 

"Technically, at this point, she still can 'just'," said the blue male Elite beside the woman. Like Athira, he looked as though he'd rather be anywhere but with Discord. "Because you're too busy blithering about to actually bring her under your command as a member of your team. So if you mind, would you get on with it? Some of us have more important things to do with our time, like check the media feeds. Hashtag 'StalkTheRainbow' says Amber was spotted heading out from Elite HQ without the twins. Quite fascinating, really." 

Discord ground his teeth. "Fine. We'll begin in two minutes. No restrictions other than those already outlined. Don't shake the building too much, and..." He looked her up and down. "Remove that cloak. You're not allowed to keep it in my team."

He'd transgressed to giving her direct commands. That made her life easier. 

"I'd rather keep it on," said Athira, touching her shoulders thoughtfully. "Since it's such a disadvantage, I'm sure you won't have much trouble proving it in our match. May I make my requests for the match?"