"What's your story?"
Phoenix was quick to give Lexi a doubtful look, starting to get a Dozer vibe from her. They walked quietly down the enriched hallway, hearing classical music play from somewhere but Phoenix couldn't pinpoint it. What's my story played in his head, tasting like a bad brew. He licked his tongue against his canines and huffed in defeat. This wouldn't be his first time saying it, everyone did when a newcomer came in. Phoenix just got to the point he stopped saying his and stayed in his room, knowing the others would gladly inform them about his life. "I've been here for four years now." he started with a dry throat, clearing it. "Got kidnapped and showed up here." He stared ahead, "Next thing I know I'm on a table getting jabbed and cut up. Just like the rest of us." His eyes swiveled on Leix who pushed her hair behind her hair and pulled her hands behind her back. "And you? Let me guess, same stor-"
"Different story." She smiled at him, fighting something. "Us people on the Midnight floor are different from the rest of the floors." Her attention turned to the hallway when a door opened. Oliver stepped out of his room and shut the door behind him. By the messenger bag and clean converse, Phoenix quickly got the feeling he was going out. He slipped his keys into his pockets and turned to them, nodding. "Are you heading out, Oliver?"
"Of course." he smirked, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Tell the boys don't go too rabid while I'm gone."
Just then the lights in the hallway flickered, all of them looking us to see the Chandelier gently rock. Lexi and Oliver exchanged smirks, Lexi snorted. "I think it's too late for that."
"Right." Oliver chuckled, his eyes landing on Phoenix then. "If you're not here by the time I get back, it was nice meeting ya'." He spun around, raising a hand and walked toward the grated guard wall.
Phoenix fluttered his eyes when he watched Oliver swipe his wrist under a censor and the door opened, shutting it behind him. "You guy can come and go as you please?" Phoenix shifted, "Aren't you guys held here against your will?"
"That's the thing about us." Lexi whispered it and the two locking eyes. "This floor is different because we volunteered. Some by no choice and others with nothing to live for in their normal lives." She started to walk. "Come on, you're going to love this."
Phoenix couldn't help but watch in horror as this girl walked with a happy bounce in her step, growing furious about what she and the others were doing. Was Oliver bored and decided he wanted to poison the world? The question bubbled in Phoenix's mind like lava, biting his tongue as he forced himself to follow quietly.
They headed off through the game room down another hallway, now blank white tile and bright LED Lights. It was like the hallways of the Sunnyside floor, it gave Phoenix goosebumps. Phoenix's goosebumps worsened when he heard a deep thoom rumbled from down the hallway. All of a sudden, a plume of black smoke erupted into the white hallway from a pair of open double doors. Phoenix flinched back, another eruption thrashed but this time Debris rained out onto the floor. Lexi giggled and hugged herself, "They're really not holding back today." She smiled back at Phoenix who was on high alert. "Do you want to see who is your other source?"
My other source. Phoenix gulped and watched the smoke dissipate and now only rocks and pebbles were on the white tile. "Who is it?"
"Come on." She waved.
"To meet the person who made me this way." Phoenix sneered, making Lexi turn halfway around. "What do you expect me to make me feel when I meet them? Happy?"
Lexi stared at him, silent. A moment passed between them before she softly smiled, "I expect you to feel different and more in control over yourself."
Phoenix opened his mouth but Lexi already turned and started walking. He groaned low and bit his tongue hard, following after her. His mind raged a little. She wasn't even listening. They came to the doorway, Lexi crossing her arms and smiled at the sight. Phoenix held his breath, gawking in awe.
The was a female and a male down in the middle of a destroyed arena, rumble surrounded them and sprawled throughout the empty stadium. Phoenix grimaced at the boulder not far from them off to their right, Lexi grabbing his wrist and gently lead him to the left. The female was dressed in short shorts and a tattered long sleeve crop top, her black hair matted and draped over her shoulders. She dug her nails into the rocks and gritted her teeth, lunging forward. Within a blink, she vanished into thin air. Phoenix hiccuped a breath, fluttering his eyes, he scanned the big room. The guy took a step back and threw his arms up in defense. The girl reappeared right in front of him and in mid air, spinning and kicking out at him. A wall of black flames erupted in between of them, licking the ceiling and walls. The room temperature aggressively grew hotter, as the a bright orange orb grew in the center where Phoenix saw the two clash. A scream echoed throughout the room, making Phoenix's leg stiff a boards. The Orb suddenly shrunk out of existence and a bright white light filled the room insteead. Lexi sucked a breath in and moved in front of Phoenix and threw her hand out. Phoenix saw her lips move but couldn't make it out, glancing past her hand when a massive eruption silently shot towards them. It raged like a hydrogen bomb, destroying the stadium. Heavy debris and rocks flew up in the air, Lexi yelling something. The debris caved and flew around them, driving into the wall and ceiling around them.
Phoenix scoffed and stumbled back, "Wha-...what the hell was that?!"
Lexi narrowed her eyes, seeing the tiny spark with the black plume of smoke. "Cover your ears. It's going to break the sound barrier."
"Wha-"
An tremendously loud clap! whisped through the room, driving cracks through the ceiling and walls. The black smoke filled the room, hearing fire spew. Lexi threw her hand down, sending the smoke close by away. She danced her hands around, swirling and clearing the smoke. When slightly cleared, the guy was now in the air and kicked out at the girl. Planting a hit on her chest, the girl went flying into the destroyed stadium. A plume of smoke and debris erupted, no longer see her but rumble shift over her crash site. The guy rolled once he hit the ground, getting back to his feet and ran at her. Phoenix nervously gulped, taking a step forward but Lexi planted her hand on his chest. "Trust me, you wouldn't last a second in the middle of those two." She muttered.
"They're going to kill each other."
"This isn't even bad." Lexi snorted, dropping her hand as the guy threw his hands down and jumped. Black flames sprayed from his knuckles, flying high into the air. About thirty feet in the air, he spun around and dove down.
"Eh, they're noisy today." Maverick suddenly spoke, making Phoenix flinch. He staggered back and double glanced, when did he get here?! Maverick was sitting on a rock, cutting an green apple with a knife and slipped a slice into his mouth. "Whose winning?"
"Not Amelia." Lexi whispered, watching the guy drive a fist into a rumble. Another eruption of flames and rumble sprayed over the room, Leix holding her hand up and threw up a shield.
"Who is he?" Phoenix gulped, feeling sick. His right hand twitched, "What's his back story?"
"Riot." Maverick calmly said it, "Or so it is. No one knows his real name, including himself." Phoenix and he exchanged looks, "He's the second-longest Successor. Doesn't recall how he got here, but he's a dangerous fire bender. Or I guess you can call it fire."
"No one knows what it is." Lexi informed, dropping her hand and cleared the smoke again when a raging scream hit their ears. Both of them were up and fight close, the girl was fighting with brass knuckles while the guy was repeatedly slapping each attempted punch away. His feet practically glided over the sand as he backed away from her, the girl growing more irritated with his dodging tactislc and threw a punch with all her weight into it. The guy grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to him, wrapping his arm over her neck. He sensed it the same time Phoenix saw it, watching three boulders flying straight for him. The first one slammed into him, rag dolling through the air. His body bounced off the ground twice before it snapped into action. His right hand engulfed into black flames and sunk into the ground. He slid fifty feet before he stopped into a crouch, snapping his head up and glared through his hair. He flared his nostrils at the two boulders soaring at him, standing up and threw his fist back. The flames around his fist violently ate up to his shoulder and fanned feet behind him, forming into a giant fiery black wing. He took a step and threw his punch, without contact, making both boulder explode into black ash. Out of blackness, the girl slid between his legs and rolled out into a crouch and kicked his back.
"You think they'll ever stop trying to beat each other?" Lexi smiled at Maverick who groaned and bite into his apple. He shook his head, stabbing the knife into the tattered seat next to him.
Phoenix swallowed as the guy spun around and grabbed the girl by her throat and picked her up with no trouble, noticing he wqsn't squeezing but just holding her. Black flames emitted from his back into large ghastly wings, curling around them. "Is he a dragon too?"
"...He's an abomination." Maverick spoke coldly, making both Lexi and Phoenix look to him. He lowered his apple to his side and gave the two down below a smug look. "Take little blackbird here back to his room, Lexi."
Lexi frowned as she watched Maverick leave the destroyed arena. Phoenix quickly glanced back to her, "What's his problem?"
"He's..." Lexi debated, lying. "They don't get along."
Down in the arena, the guy narrowed his eyes and glanced pas the girl who grabbed his wrist but accepted defeat. Spotting the guy with white hair, he felt his veins burn hotter the longer he stared. He dropped the girl and forced himself to exhale. "A strand?"