I'm intrigued. However, I just want a bit of clarification about whether or not this coincides with your Engineer/Soldier stuff, since in that story it's implied there is no respawn. If they're unrelated then I don't have any issues at the moment; just curious where this is going (although I have an idea).

>>4782

Despite involving BLU Engie and Solly, these guys aren't the same as the ones in the Engie/Solly Writings. I would have kept it in that thread if it were the case.

This seems interesting. I can't wait to see where you go with it. (I'm a sucker for Solly fics)

You have my interest. Please, continue.

I am intrigued.

I look forward to this, yes I do

[Author's notes: This is way more dialogue heavy than a lot of my other stuff, so crits and feedback on that would be awesome.]

---

The next mornin', Spy sauntered toward me and Scout in the courtyard just after we had finished breakfast.

"Nozzing," was all he said. Scout and I exchanged looks.

"Nothin'?! Whadda mean nothin', cockfag?!"

Spy wasn't even fazed by Scout's jab. "Zat eez what I found."

"Nothin'?! You can't find nothin'!"

"Well, I found eet."

"Oh come on, man! You just didn't look hard enough!"

"Trust me, I looked. Soldier eez not in ze RED base."

"I had a bad feelin' about this," I muttered to myself and suddenly I felt all eyes on me.

"Do you know somezing we do not, laborer?"

"Well, I didn't wanna say anythin' without knowin' fer sure Solly wouldn't turn up." I hung my head a bit. Suddenly, I was bearin' a weight on my shoulders. It felt like sayin' it out loud would make it true when I really didn't want it to be. "I think...it might be a glitch in the respawnin' system. Ya see, even somethin' that sophisticated is gonna have some hiccups now and then...I reckon information can get lost along the way...I think...I think Solly's -"

"Oi, anyone there?"

Without continuin' my theory, I fumbled with the radio on my tool belt. "Uh, what's goin' on, Sniper?"

"I think you blokes oughta have a look at this. Somethin' ain't rioght across the bridge."

I gave Scout and Spy a wary look before pressin' on. "What do ya mean? What do ya see?"

"I'm not sure, mate. But from the sounds of it, it ain't good. The REDs looked plenty panicked."

"I'll go check it out!" There wasn't even any hesitation in the boy's voice. "I bet it's Solly!"

"You should see Medic about your 'earing," Spy scoffed. "Ze laborer 'ad just said that ze respawn eez malfunctioning and I 'ave told you that Soldier eez not in zheir base. 'Onestly, boy, you cannot believe that someone like Soldier is adept at 'iding? The imbecile is no longer with us."

"I hate to say it, Scout, but Spy's gotta point. We gotta be practical about this."

"You go do that, Hardhat." Before I could even tell 'im otherwise, Scout had bolted out of the courtyard, no doubt toward RED base.

"Dagnabbit!" I called out on the radio. "Boy, you better turn yerself around this instant!"

"Why don't you make me, ma?!"

I sighed. There weren't no way I could convince Scout to come back at this point. "Okay, look, boy. If you come across any REDs, do NOT try fightin' 'em yerself, got it?"

"Yeah, mate, just lead 'em out to the front of the base and I'll take care of 'em for you," Sniper added over the radio.

"Whatever, man, those RED fags can't catch me!"

"Don't get cocky, Scout, I mean it. We don't know if the respawn's on the fritz, so you best be careful."

"Alright, Ma. Quit worr- WHOA! Freakin' shit, man!"

"Scout?!" I didn't like the sound of that. "Come on, boy, this is jes' stupid, get back over here!"

"N-no way, man! Solly's gotta be over here! Their medic was missin' his head!"

"Zhat certainly sounds like ze neanderthal..." Spy flicked away his cigarette only to pull out another one. He had been standing there over my shoulder to listen in on Scout's mission, prolly more out of curiosity rather than any concern for Scout.

"What else you see, Scout?"

"I dunno, man, there's lots a blood 'n shit. Not that we ain't seen a lotta that before, but I dunno, it's just freakin' weird!"

I hummed in thought. "You know if they're respawnin'?"

"...ow the f... would I kn...!" Scout's feed started breakin' up. I couldn't hear 'im over the static.

"Scout?! Can ya hear me?" I fiddled with my radio to make sure it wasn't somethin' from my end. "Scout?! ...Dang it!" The noise seemed to get louder, Scout's voice cuttin' in and out occasionally. It didn't make much sense for there to be so much interference. "Sniper, can ya see anything up there?"

"Eh, 'fraid not, Truckie. The runt's gone too far in."

"I 'ope you know that I am not going to fetch ze boy," Spy sighed. I have Spy a look, but he didn't care enough to notice it.

"You won't need to, mate. Here comes the runt now."

"He bein' followed?"

"Naw...wait, there we go! ...Crikey, it's the jarhead!"

Spy raised a brow. "You are joking, non?"

"Of course I ain't, you bloody spook! I'm lookin' right at 'im through me scope! He ain't lookin' so hot."

I was just as surprised by Sniper's news as Spy. Where could Solly have gone off to all this time? I started runnin' toward the front of the base, Spy followin' at my heels. About halfway I ran into Scout, leanin' against a wall, catchin' his breath.

"What happened, boy?!"

"Solly's...he's gone nuts, man!"

"Ze man has always been insane," Spy remarked. "What you are telling us eez nozzing new."

"No, I mean, geez, he didn't even freakin' know who I was!" I could hear the disappointment in Scout's voice. He musta been closer to Solly than I thought. While I wouldn't say Spy was wrong about Solly's mental stability, this certainly didn't sound like the Solly I knew.

"Hey, Sniper? You still see 'im?"

"Yeah, mate, he's headed right for ya. He ain't walkin' rioght..."

I had to see this for myself, because I wasn't believin' what I was hearin'. I left Spy with Scout and made my way to the front of the base. By the time I stepped stepped out, Solly had made it to the end of the bridge. He seemed to be walkin' with a limp, draggin' his shovel behind him. He was covered damn near head to toe with blood, which I was beginnin' to think belonged more to the RED team than him.

"S-solly?!" I uttered in disbelief, and just loud enough to get 'im to notice me. I couldn't see his eyes with them being covered by that helmet of his, but I could tell he was lookin' at me with a burnin' stare. There was interference comin' through my radio again, much louder than before. The hairs on my neck were bristlin' as I looked at 'im. Somethin' ain't right at all!

"W-what happened to ya, Solly?! Where'd you go?!" I could always reason with Solly before, so I was hopin' maybe I could calm him down, but all I got outta him was a dark growl as he raised his blood-stained shovel. I couldn't shake the knowledge of knowin' this man had been a close teammate of mine, but it was clear he was a threat. "Come on, now, Solly! Don't do anythin' stupid! I know yer better than that!"

"Filthy...maggots...every...single...one of you..." Solly's voice was quiet and low. Nothin' like how he normally talks. He was approachin' closer at a faster pace, his movements gettin' more erratic. Nothin' I was sayin' seemed to get through to him, and fer once, I was shakin' in my boots.

"Don't do this, Solly! We're a team, remember?!" Then I saw it. Sniper's sight fell on the dead center of Solly's helmet. I flinched as a shot rang out, and when I opened my eyes, there was Solly lyin' on the ground. "Dang it, Solly..."

"You alrioght, Truckie?" The inference in the radio seemed to have cleared up.

"Yeah...thanks, partner," I sighed, hoverin' over Solly's body and waitin' for it to get picked up by respawn. I didn't know if Solly would turn up normal again or not, but at least the ordeal was over for now, right?

Well, I reckon if you've been payin' much attention, you've prolly figured I was wrong again.

---

To be continued?

I would certainly hope it continues. D :

I'm definitely curious as to see what's going to happen next. By the way, are Engie and Soldier romantically involved in this story, or just teammates?

Okay. Now I am really, really intrigued. I do hope you continue this.

>>4856

That's something I left to be vague. I hope it's clear that they are close teammates, but so far nothing's suggested they are more than just friends. We shall see, da?

...will there be zombies?
I am excited.
Please continue.

you definitely have my attention. At first I thought Tentaspy, then zombies, but this
> There was interference comin' through my radio again, much louder than before.
silent hill came to mind
either way, I am excited to see where this goes C:

I am digging this so far.

I would love to see more.

>>4862

I must echo the Silent Hill vibe which I kinda got too from the radio. And yes, please continue! My interest. You have snared it.

>>4862
>>4867

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGUi6spQ9M0

By jove, I say! :3c

>>4868
Engie's gonna enter a room later on to find Guard Dog behind all of this isn't he, hehe. C:

If this becomes a solid allegory for Silent Hill 2, I will bear your children Kilo.

>>4868
That is most certainly creepy, and I am assuredly not going to listen to it at 1:30 in the morning.

But yeah, this is looking gooooood. More, if you will? My interest is definitely snagged.

>>4869

good end.

>>4871

The biology of this is more of a mindfuck than anything I could produce. A direct allegory? I don't think so, but there will be some themes "borrowed" from the series, for sure.

>>4886
Then I will continue to read. I mean, I would have kept reading anyway, but now I want to read more. I think this has a lot of potential.

Silent Hill, eh? TF2 already has the same kind of creepy-ass sirens...

Waiting with anticipation for more, though I'm over here quietly rooting for the UFO Ending. *grins*

Spooky. I insist that you finish this spookyness so it resolves into something that will at least be only ONE of the horrors in my imagination, rather than all of them at once in the present Schroedinger wave-form of me wetting myself.

C'mon, do it man, do it!