Gold vs Cyan: Halftime Flames, Third-Quarter Storm ⛈️
The Golden Army strode into halftime with dominance, the scoreboard flashing 55–39 in gold’s favor. They jogged to their locker room, drenched in sweat, but brimming with confidence. Gold owned the first half; their performance was fast, fiery, and dominant. The arena pulsed with energy, the crowd’s chants thundered like war drums. Despite Gold’s intense energy, it was clear the Cyan Collective was not giving up.
Outside the arena, a makeshift concession stand served hotdogs. At its helm, CC-063 (Chevy) served hotdogs, his motions mechanical, hypnotic. The cyan clad pup gave an unsuspecting smile as it served customers. A visiting football team wandered by, curious and hungry. They accepted the food, joking at first—until the taste hit. Their voices dulled mid-laugh, their eyes clouded over, and one by one they froze, posture snapping rigid. When they moved again, it was in sync, blank stares locked forward. Chevy’s grin was faint, victorious. A full team of new recruits now marched behind him, their jerseys started to glow a faint cyan. They marched away in step behind Chevy, slowly transforming into cyan drones behind the cyan pup.
As the basketball players rested during the 15 minute half time, it was time for the cheerleaders and advertisers to shine.
(Alex, Riley, and the other Golden Cheerleaders)
On the hardwood, Riley and Alex took center stage. They commanded the spotlight, exploding into motion. They led the Golden Army cheerleaders in a dazzling halftime routine. Their halftime routine wasn’t just cheerleading—it was a performance of dominance. Muscles glistened under the lights as they flipped, kicked, and shouted chants of “Gold forever! Gold is unstoppable!” Every leap drew roars, every synchronized pose solidified the crowd’s belief: Gold was untouchable. Their golden energy pulsed through the stands, keeping the home crowd feverish and proud.
Once the Golden cheerleading routine ended, it was time for a word from the sponsors of the game. Yet, as the announcers went to speak and the screens began to flicker, something was off. Replacing ads for the Golden Chalice Pub, Golden Musk deodorant, Black Velvet wine, Golden God Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce, and Ezan’s New Golden Spiced SEED Cookies were Cyan ads.
Screens flickered from routine commercials to full Cyan propaganda: the Cyan Fraternity inviting new pledges, Cyan Soda poured slowly and fizzing, Cyan Beer foaming in endless mugs, tangy and sweet Carolina Cyan BBQ Sauce, and fresh baked Cyan cookies that were mouthwatering. The crowd’s cheers dimmed as cold blue light bled across the stands. The hive was not just on the court, it was infiltrating every sense.
In the locker room Gold huddled tight, sweat dripping, voices fierce. Brody and Grayden motivated the team, commanding: “Stay loud! Stay golden! This is our house! Don’t let them back in this!” The energy surged like a second heartbeat.
Across the hall, Cyan was different. No shouts. No chaos. A calm, cold recalibration. CC-066 spoke only once: “Clarity. Correction. Convergence.” They would return to the court sharpened, mechanical, relentless. As they entered the court to watch the Cyan cheerleaders, the Cyan drone players led by assistants CC-009 and CC-010 led a mantra, “Absolute Clarity. Driven and committed. Commit to Cyan. One mind. Cyan mind. It doesn't think, it obeys. It doesn't feel, it acts with purpose. It does not doubt, it has clarity. Cyan Clarity!”
(CC-767 and CC-063 leading the cyan "cheer")
By the end of halftime, CC-063 and CC-767 stood shoulder-to-shoulder, leading their own “cheer” on the pavement with the cyan cheerleaders. Their bodies snapped in perfect symmetry, it lacked fire but carried eerie synchronization. The chant was flat, rhythmic, "Absolute Clarity. Obedient and controlled. Submit to Cyan. No mind, just Cyan. It doesn't think, it obeys. It doesn't feel, it acts as instructed. It does not doubt, it has clarity. Cyan Clarity!” Though eerie, it drew a small crowd—proof of cyan’s creeping influence.
(PDU-039 analyzing and scanning)
When the Golden team emerged, a shift was immediate. At the sideline stood PDU-039, gleaming in his glossy level 2 Polo Drone uniform. His posture was unbending. He had been assigned to lead security for the remainder of the match. His golden-trimmed black uniform marked him as authority, as he scanned every corner. No disruptions. No interference. The Hive would ensure Gold and the fans remain protected.
Gold lined up with their five for the third quarter, multiple players needing to rest off the tough first half still. Nate #66 (Point Guard), Wells #58 (Center), Izzy #45 (Shooting Guard), Boone #96 (Power Forward), Grant #43 (Short Forward). Grayden had conferred with Brody, agreeing to allow the rookie player, Boone, and alternates, Izzy and Grant, play while the other team members rested.
(Cyan huddling to prepare for the 3rd quarter)
Cyan countered with their “improved clarity roster”. CC-022 (Trey; Short Forward), CC-035 (Leon; Shooting Guard), CC-033 (Jasim; Center), CC-047 (Point Guard), CC-017 (Power Forward). Gasps rippled through the arena. Leon and Jasim—once golden bros—stood now as Cyan drones, eyes blank, movements sharp. From the sidelines, CC-767 raised his arms and shouted: “Clarity rises! Gold blurs!”. The chant echoed: “Serve Cyan. Obey Cyan. Clarity prevails!”
(Cyan creeping in on Tamerlan)
The buzzer sounded and whistles blew to signal the start of the third quarter. On the Gold bench, Tamerlan sat restless as he shifted uncomfortably. His sweat-drenched jersey clung to his skin, his chest heaved, but his mind was not on the game. The cyan screens flashing in the corners caught his eyes again and again. At first, it was nerves—but then the cyan glow from the arena screens began to pulse in rhythm with his heartbeat. He tried to shake it—he was Gold, he was a bro. But the whispers grew.
The Golden Army returned to the court determined to hold their lead. Nate dribbled at the top, calling the play. Wells set a crushing screen at center court, freeing Izzy for a cut. Izzy sprinted off the pick, received the ball, and pulled up for a quick jumper. It rattled in—first points of the half for Gold. The crowd roared, but Cyan did not flinch.
On the return, CC-047 pushed the pace. His dribbling was low, controlled, hypnotic. Boone stepped up to stop him, but a sharp cross sent Boone sliding the wrong way. CC-047 rose at the elbow and drained the shot—ice-cold, mechanical, precise.
(Wells and Nate playing with CC-047 trying to block them)
Gold countered by pounding the ball inside. Nate fed Wells in the paint under the hoop, where he muscled into CC-047. The two clashed chest-to-chest, sweat flying. Wells spun left, powered up, and banked the ball off the glass for two. Yet as he landed, CC-047’s expressionless cyan gaze never broke, even as the ball swished through.
The next possession showed Cyan’s eerie teamwork. CC-022 drifted to the corner, CC-035 at the wing, CC-033 playing defense. As CC-047 drove, the defense collapsed. Without looking, he passed the ball off to CC-022, who fired a three. Perfect arc. Swish. Cyan’s bench erupted in rhythmic chants of “Clarity. Clarity.”
(Izzy dribbling right before getting blocked into a trap)
Izzy tried to respond with his own dribble attack, but was instantly swarmed. CC-017, CC-035, and CC-047 closed in, a perfect cyan trap. CC-017 stepped up, CC-035 slid over, and suddenly Izzy was surrounded by three cyan defenders. He lost the ball, but Wells dove for it, grunting. He grabbed the loose ball and powered it back up for a rebound score.
(Alton sitting on the Bench and Brody on the sidelines)
From the bench, Alton shouted himself hoarse, trying to get Gold back into rhythm. But the tide kept turning. Brody tried to motivate the team as he anticipated Cyan’s next plays, unaware of what was happening on the bench next to him.
(Tamerlan transforming more)
The lights above flickered faint cyan above Tamerlan. Franco and Kasper sitting beside him. His breath slowed, muscles tightening as his limbs felt heavy. He leaned forward, clutching his head, teammates unaware.
The voices filled him: “You are not Eddy. You are not Tamerlan. You are a Cyan Drone. Clarity has come for you”
He pressed his palms to his face, whispering: “No. Stay gold.” But the whisper weakened. The screens above flickered faster. His muscles seized. He saw himself in fragments—memories of laughter, sweat, brotherhood—all unraveling.
The voice of Cyan filled him: “You are not Eddy. You are not Tamerlan. You are a Drone Unit.”
He fought—memories of sweat with bros, laughter in golden locker rooms—but the pressure crushed harder. His body trembled, his golden eyes dimming. His name slipped from him, syllable by syllable, until only the number remained: 073.
Minute by minute, his resistance cracked. He clutched his jersey, watching as cyan bled across it, gold fading.
(Tamerlan mostly transformed)
The cyan spread. Cyan seeped across his jersey, consuming the gold. Cyan seeped into his uniform, gold dissolving into the vibrant shades of blue. His arms glistened, muscles encased in perfect, glossy cyan tracing every curve. His breathing slowed, mechanical. As the cyan hood creeped over his face, cutting off his last gasp of individuality. It was sealed across his face and his final gasp as “Tamerlan” was lost.
When he rose, it was no longer Tamerlan. He was CC-073, eyes glowing cyan, posture rigid. Silent. Empty. Obedient. He had achieved Clarity.
(Franco and Kasper noticing the newly transformed CC-073 between them)
Kasper and Franco eventually looked over to see a Cyan CC-073 sitting between them. Shock filled their faces, worried they might be next. Franco got up to get Maximus, but Kasper was frozen in place.
(Daniel/PDU-016 now CC-016)
But not only for CC-073’s transformation, mere feet away Daniel had also succumbed to cyan. His jersey warped, his golden number dissolving into the metallic glint of 016 across his back. His face emptied, his voice silenced. Another player lost to cyan as CC-016 cheered next to CC-767.
(CC-017 jumping with the ball)
Back on the court, on the very next trip, CC-033 set a brutal pick, flattening Nate to the floor. CC-017 exploited it, slicing through the lane for a layup. The crowd groaned.
(Grayden on the sidelines)
Grayden, having analyzed the situation, knew he had to channel his mascot ways. He cheered for his Golden teammates trying to encourage them to get up and break through Cyan’s defense.
(Boone preparing for his free throws)
Then came Boone’s moment. He grabbed a rebound, pushed hard up the court, and drove directly into CC-017. The clash was violent—shoulder to chest, sweat to sweat. The whistle blew. Foul on CC-017. Boone stepped to the line, breathing hard. The lights dimmed slightly as he prepared to take his shots. First shot—clanged off the rim. Second shot—swished. One point, but the bench and crowd roared for him.
Cyan answered clinically. A perfect pick-and-roll between CC-047 and CC-033 led to an easy dunk. Then CC-022 nailed another jumper. CC-035 floated in a soft two. Every member of Cyan scored, spreading the damage evenly, their efficiency crushing.
Wells fought back with sheer willpower. He grabbed an offensive rebound, pivoted, and powered up through CC-022’s block attempt. The ball dropped. Another rebound. Another put-back. His muscles flexed, veins bulging, his roar echoing through the arena. Wells was carrying Gold, but even his strength was not enough.
By the buzzer, the scoreboard told the story. Gold had battled, sweated, bled—but Cyan had dissected them with precision.
Gold’s 16-point lead erased. Cyan stood on top, every player scoring, every conversion cutting deeper. The arena fell into silence. Gold was shaken. The fourth quarter would decide everything. The Golden storm had broken, and with one quarter left, the fate of Gold hung in the balance.
Thank you to everyone who helped with pictures for this quarter.
Gold Players/Cyan Drones Referenced this quarter:
Chevy #63 (CC-063 in the story) @chevy-gold
Grayden #84/PDU-084 @polo-drone-084
Alex #64/PDU-151 @polo-drone-151
Herc #09/PDU-009 (CC-009 in the story) @goldenherc9
Ares #10 (CC-010 in the story) @goldengod-ares10
Devon #67/PDU-767 (CC-767 in the story) @polo-drone-767
Xavier #39/PDU-039 @polo-drone-039
Nate #66/PDU-166 @polo-drone-166
Boone #96 @polo-drone-096
Trey #59/PDU-059 (CC-022 in the story) @hero21us
Leon #35/PDU-035 (CC-035 in the story) (Tumblr unknown)
Jasim #33 (CC-033 in the story) @jasimgold
Tamerlan #73/PDU-073 (Transformed into CC-073) @polo-drone-073
Franco #94 @franco-gold94
Kasper #90/PDU-090 @pdu-090
Daniel #16/PDU-016 (Transformed into CC-016) @danielgold-16
CC-066, CC-047, CC-017 are fictional NPCs not based on any real members of the Golden Army.
Gold is not affiliated with SERVE, any SERVE drones present in the story chose to collaborate with Gold with proper permissions and consent.
We are aware that jersey numbers 0-55 are more common in basketball, certain jersey numbers are uncommon, and sometimes certain jersey numbers specify or are favored by certain positions, this is a fictional match please do not comment on the accuracy of the jersey numbers to real life. We're just trying to have fun.
We hope you enjoyed the third quarter. The start of the 4th quarter is coming soon.
Want to join the Golden Army to play in our next match or interact with our bros, contact one of our recruiters @brodygold, @polo-drone-001, or @polo-drone-125 (More recruiters may be coming soon)
