The odd pair went straight towards the Weapons and Arsenal Station prior to starting their duty hours, a place right next to the players' games room, hidden away from their eyes. Every staff member in headquarters made regular visits to the station on a daily basis since it was a crucial place to pick up and repair the weapons essential in their work.
The basic weapon used by almost all members was an M5 firearm, which came with a convenient sling attached to it so that it can be handled and carried around more easily. The weaponry was always stocked with them since they were used regularly by all the guards. Whenever the firearms had been damaged or needed a refill in ammo, they were brought to this station to be repaired and reloaded with bullets to be used by their users again.
The Weapons and Arsenal Station was always packed in the morning, where the guards come to pick up their designated weapons for the duration of the day while doing their duty hours. Once the day was finished and it was time for them to return to their rooms, they had to return their firearms back to the station as a safety measure before resting at the end of the day.
As the two strode into the place requesting for their weapons to be given to them, they patiently waited beside the counter for someone to bring them to them before Superior Spades went to a special section of the station for a small item that only he could handle. It was a section dedicated to supplying exclusive weaponry to only a small and specially selected number of guards. Guards who were given extra weapons to fulfil the purpose of efficiently executing any duty or order given by the Frontman quickly. They are given these special weapons given by the Frontman himself to perfectly suit their capabilities and characteristics that were often stronger than the rest who excelled brilliantly in some abilities.
This specially selected group of people chosen by the Frontman himself acted like his own powerful, private army, in which he brings the potential in each of their unique abilities and features to its highest level by giving them specially personalized weapons to maximize their performance. This special weaponry station was known as the Specialised Task Force, located a bit far from the normal one.
After receiving his regular firearm and special weapon, he looked around the station for Junior Bear since it was time to head straight to the games room to find him heading straight to the Specialised Task Force much to his surprise. Interested, he made his way to the small green guard who nodded thanks to the person behind the counter and held two small objects in his hand.
"Junior Bear? I didn't know you were in the Special Task Force. I don't remember seeing someone of your... caliber to be a part of the team." Asked Spades.
"O-oh Superior Spades! yeah, pretty cool for a small guy like me eh?" answered Junior Bear in a proud voice. As he held the smooth objects in his hands, Superior Spades lowered his head to catch a glimpse of them. Wanting to know what they were.
Noticing what the tall purple guard was doing regardless of his face hidden behind a mask, Junior Bear perked up and showed him the weapons by holding them in front of his face.
"You want to know what my weapons are? they're twin pistols specially made for me !" he told him excitedly. "Because of my small hands, body, and lightweight, I couldn't carry the regular firearm that you guys have since it was too heavy and hard for me. Instead, the boss gave me these small, handguns which I can hold and run around firing things thanks to my agility and super speed. Beautiful aren't they?"
Spades nodded in agreement as Bear gave them a final glance.
"Now that you've seen mine," said the green guard putting them in their safety pockets which were black pockets at the side of his legs. "I want to know what's yours!" he piped up excitedly. Slinging the firearm around him he answered, "No, not now Junior Bear Cub. "You'll get to see them sometime today."
"Aww, but I really want to see them you party pooper!" Bear whined in disappointment. But Spades's answer was still a firm 'no' no matter what he did, leaving him with no choice but to wait patiently.
-🔲 △ ◯ -
The sound of carts being shuffled and the synchronised sound of boots kicking the ground filled up the strange games room. With walls painted with blue skies and clouds and a gigantic playground with all sorts of children's playing equipment, the strange, colourful decor of the room made it seem like some kind of children's play park.
As both players and guards streamed out of the main door, the players were instructed to line up behind four smaller ones with the shape of a circle, triangle, star, and umbrella painted boldly on them. Whilst that happened, the staff continued to stand quietly behind them as they scattered themselves all over the huge playground, waiting for the game to start. Other members, the junior ones or circle guards to be exact, worked behind the doors, assisting and organizing the carts of containers that were to be given to the players as a part of the game.
Once that was done, a female voice spoke loudly on the intercom for the game to begin. Instructing players and revealing what the game was much to everyone's unified disappointment as they opened their containers in disbelief. Superior Spades and Junior Bear were some of the last guards to enter, the main door being shut behind them once they came.
As they made their way to a somewhat secluded area to act as a lookout on the players, some of the players noticed the strange duo as something to add more to their surprise. They indeed stuck out as a sore thumb in their purple and green suits, the different coloured clothing catching their interest immediately compared to the pink guards they were so used to. Faces and looks of shock and curiousity spread across the players whilst creating a gentle commotion as the quiet murmurs, turns of heads, and quick glances at the pair aroused feelings of both worry and interest.
Some of the not-so-quiet whispers were:
"Oh wow did you see those two? there's a purple and green one there!"
"I didn't know there were other different coloured ones, but it seems like it's just them two that are different."
"Uhm... I'm not quite so sure of the new guards here, What if they're here as extra security and are much more stronger than the rest? they can kill us all instantly!"
"Oh look! they even have different masks. I think one is a spade and, is that... a bear?"
The lively buzz of the players soon died down as they met the icy stares of the surrounding guards, including Spades's who stared at them ominously. The intercom repeated the instructions again before being interrupted and commenced the 10-minute timer on the wall.
-🔲 △ ◯ -
The room was now filled with the sweet, sugary scent of the honeycomb as the players concentrated hard on scratching the delicate shape out. One crack and say farewell to your life, a game of pure life and death as all of them are which made all of them on edge. Scanning the players, Superior Spades slowly made his way through the sitting figures of people along with his partner who walked close to him. Looking for any unlucky person who had already damaged theirs just minutes after the second game began.
It wasn't long for that to happen as a couple of gunshots cut through the silence as some gasped in shock and fear. The purple guard strode through them carefully carrying the firearm in his hand, turning around in different directions to catch anyone who was to be eliminated. Once he heard the soft gasp of a person not far from him who trembled in fear, he whipped his head around pressing the trigger of the firearm lightly in his hand which responded with a soft click.
Quickening his pace, he came charging towards him in long fast strides as he lifted his hand forwards. Pointing the weapon at him made the player panic even more. Before he could pull the trigger with one quick glance of the man's cracked star cookie, he was met with the gradual, loud sobs of the man who clasped his hands together in fear begging him for mercy.
"Please, please just let this go once! I-I don't want to die here - I CAN'T." Pleaded the man desperately as snot and tears ran down his face. He looked as if he was in his thirties and his eyes were clouded with despair and fear.
"I'm sorry." Replied Superior Spades coldly, pointing the firearm at his head.
"N-N-NO! PLEASE! JUST ONE MO-"
With one pull of the trigger, he shot the man straight through his head as the deafening sound was released, radiating through the air. The man's body was soon soaked with blood as a river of red streamed down messily from his forehead, His eyes turning lifeless an dull. Unwavered by this, Spades made his way toward Junior Bear not feeling anything from the sickening scene as more bodies collapsed with the sound of gunshots being fired at every passing minute,
This was the role of every guard, seemingly absolutely ruthless and inhumane, it was their job to eliminate others from the game.
-🔲 △ ◯ -
"Wow, that was pretty brutal of you," said Junior Bear to his partner. Having to tilt his head all the way up just to look at his face. Patting him on the back, he went ahead of him and placed his hands in his pockets, playing lightly with the triggers of his pistols.
"It is a clear responsibility and an order from the Frontman himself to all us guards here. Defying his orders will mean severe consequences and make one unworthy of being a guard." Explained Spades, feeling no guilt as he adjusted the firearm in his hands.
"I am just simply doing what is commanded, the elimination of others. I do not feel anything after each one, no matter how much bloodshed I caused."
"Well I do," replied Junior Bear, turning around to face Spades as he kicked a bleeding corpse away with his boot. Tilting his head childishly to the side, he swept up his pistol pointing it to the ceiling.
"EXCITEMENT." Giving a soft chuckle.
Some of the players who were around him suddenly looked up at this small green guard, accidently hearing his words. Some responded with terrified whimpers while others immediately returned to work on their containers, not wanting to catch his gaze.
"My job in the Special Task Force is to CLEAN UP ANYTHING after any game, excluding the survivors of course. Basically, it's just finishing off the players who had failed when time runs out, like one big clean-up duty! That's why sometimes the boss calls me 'The Cleaner' or the 'The Finisher.' " He informed. There were only 4 minutes left on the timer as the boy looked up, grinning to himself behind his mask since he knew his job was going to start soon.
As time passed by, more players succeeded and at the same time more were killed. Everyone was on edge right now as they frantically tried to cut out their shapes, worried about their lives. Superior Spades had managed to shot down a few others along with Junior Bear Cub. It wasn't long before there was only 1-minute left of the game, the minute which could change everyone's lives forever. The purple guard was watching a certain player for awhile - Number 456- during the last few minutes as he observed his strange actions. The man was licking the honeycomb repeatedly as a means of possibly melting the sugar. Stopping to look at the cookie through the light to gradually see the outline.
Though it was a foolish and half-baked idea, it seemed to work out for him in the end as the cookie finally broke out, an umbrella, just in time when the timer stopped. He seemed relieved, greatly overjoyed as he pumped his fists in the air jumping around. Sighing heavily , he went to be beside Bear as they walked away to the main door. Giving Bear some space for his final task. Seconds before Junior Bear's main duty begun.
-🔲 △ ◯ -
-𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆𝒅-