[O] Seventeen's Squad travelling alone (Day 2 and after)

[Burter]

PCs: A-17, Kid Buu, Kollifum


Split off Koola's group, and now entering Torvus Bog

[Android 17]

?And that was when the mortar round struck the earth around me,? Seventeen said, the ray of light from the flashlight amplifying the shadows of his countenance as he told the story. ?The angel and I were bathed in the atrocious explosions as the heat from the blast began at us like an unholy wave of searing death. As I stared into my oncoming demise, I threw up my energy barrier?saving myself from the oncoming inferno at the last plausible moment in time,? the machine-hybrid smiled as he clicked off the flashlight and set it between his legs.

Above the heads of the small group of soldiers, crickets and other insects chirped melodically. It was the usual midnight chorus that one would expect to hear during a hike through the woods, but Seventeen?s battalion was far from any location that could be considered so placid. In fact, they were marching through the Torvus Bog and it went without saying that the place was an abysmal location. Fortunately for the android and his soldiers, they had all memorized the schematics and maps for the region.

?Then what happened?? On the soldiers seated around the large bonfire inquired. The comment snapped the machine-hybrid from his state of daydreaming and returned him to the task at hand?entertaining his subordinates. After all, if they had to spend a night at the location, the best way to make the situation more enjoyable would be to do something that was fun and engaging. ?You still haven?t told us what happened to Paige and Leo, and what about Vapor? Does that fag make yet another cameo?? The same soldier asked, the last remark laced with sarcasm.

?Fortunately no,? Seventeen chuckled. ?Vapor had abandoned Kala by this point with the Eye to attempt the resurrection of his master, Android Byrk, but that is a story for another night my friends. After I survived the mortar attack, I found myself surrounded by the corpses of my celestial allies. Fueled by my thirst for vengeance, I dove off the hillside and decimated a group of hellions. After I slew the vermin, I became aware of the line of siege weapons amassing on the hillside and took it upon myself to dis?? the cyborg?s tale was cutoff by an epic roar that tore through the bog.

?What was that?? Someone said as the multitude of soldiers camped in the swamp began to arm themselves with the nearest firearm they could locate.

?Calm down!? Seventeen shouted over the shuffling of guns and feet. ?I?ll go investigate that, and I want all of you to just carry on with whatever you may have been up to. This is nothing to worry about, so by all means, refrain from panic, because it will just make matters worse,? once he had gotten his point across, the machine-hybrid made his way into the small patch of trees that bordered the camp.

Pushing aside the bushes that obscured a clear view of the vegetation, Seventeen drew the Power Sword and advanced into the badly lit pocket of trees and shrubbery. The cybernetic warrior began to breathe at a slower pace as he opted for the more stealthy approach to whatever may be concealed. Upon exiting the small patch of flora, he squinted and realized that the disappearance of the sun over the horizon had greatly inhibited his sight.

As if it had been reading his thoughts all along, the Seventeen?s central processing unit initiated a series of commands that switched him to a different optical mode. Shades of greens replaced the blackness of the small clearing as the android?s night-vision activated itself. Once he could see clearly in the darkness, the cyborg immediately noticed the source of the intense roar; however, before he could react, the bipedal monster tackled him to the ground.

Yelping in pain as his skull slammed off the moist, grassy earth, Seventeen threw up his fists to intercept the attacker?s clawed fists. Unable to deal with the beast?s feral assault, the cyborg pulled his knees up and used his superior strength to launch the humanoid creature into the pocket to vegetation behind him. The momentary lapse in action was all that the onyx-haired commander needed to liberate himself from the sickeningly soggy earth and press the assault.

Pivoting sharply upon reaching a standing position, the machine-hybrid hurriedly sheathed his blade and dove at the creature as it reached a standing position. The impact and degree of momentum shattered the bog monster?s equilibrium and sent the two opponents tumbling through the patch of greenery and into the camp. As the pair tumbled and rolled across the ground, Seventeen?s ocular settings reverted to normal?permitting him to see the vaguely human beast.

Landing on the ground underneath the abomination, the cyborg threw up a hand to shield himself from the beast?s strikes as his other hand snaked around inside his coat. After a few seconds, Seventeen produced the Desert Eagle, poked it into his target?s chest, and proceeded to obliterate the swamp monster?s thoracic cavity. Almost as soon as the bullets exploded out of its back, the beast fell dead?its algae-covered form collapsing onto its murderer.

?Fuck,? Seventeen groaned, shoving the corpse off his body and vaulting off the ground a moment later. Once he was standing, the cyborg took a moment to glance at the thing that had attempted to intimidate his men and take his life. Although it could have potentially been a person at some point in its existence, the abomination had been warped by its time in the bog into some type of moist, crusty freak of nature.

?Is it dead?? A soldier inquired, using the tip of his sniper rifle to poke at the creature?s gut. Another gunshot suddenly went off, causing the majority of soldier?s that had gathered near the vicinity to let out gasps of shock. A fresh hole had been blown in the beast?s forehead, and a new column of smoke was drifting up from the tip of their commander?s gun.

?It is now,? Seventeen said nonchalantly, sliding the powerful handgun into the holster strapped to his belt. ?Everyone?s safe now,? he projected, his voice echoing across the clearing. ?Prepare to move out in a few hours though.?

[Belle Hibiki]

The camp fire was pleasantly warm against his rubbery skin. It was a detached sort of enjoyment, of course. He felt warmth as a mere registration of some degree of 'hot', acknowledged but not wholly felt by his brain, just as hurting was a mental signal of 'pain'. All signals. All known, but never truly felt.

Kid Buu rested two hands on his knees and two on his cheeks, having switched to his four-armed state long ago. He stared dully into the flames, licks of ruddy orange flickering in the black depth of his eyes and across his crimson irises. A vaguely grumpy expression had wrested control of his childish face, sending a shadow of gloom spreading out from his seat and contaminating the mood of his fellow soldiers.

The child had not been able to test himself against his counterpart, and the missed opportunity infuriated him in ways that he didn't even know existed. A vague pain - not of the signal kind - squeezed in his chest and caused his fanged teeth to clench together so tightly that they made an audible grinding noise. A soft animalistic growl wound its way up his throat and snorted through his lips. The other soldiers looked at one another before going back to their canned meals, not asking. Not bothering. The majin did not look like the kind that should be interrupted when in a fuming tantrum.

"Something bothering you?"

The voice cause the majin's head to spin, looking sharply behind him in surprise. He had not heard Seventeen's approach, so the android's sudden appearance directly behind him was enough to make the warrior jump slightly on his log. He stared for a moment in surprise before, with the inevitability of the tides changing, his eyes narrowed down into slits. The question had found its way to his brain - found its way, and rankled. Doesn't it look like something's bothering me, you stupid pretending son-of-a-!

"Feh," Buu muttered. He reached down to his side and took a hold of the stick that he had obtained from a tree earlier that day. He poked at the fire with the end, firefly embers soaring up out of the tangled mass of wood. The others had wanted to use his log for fuel later in the night, as the air was already turning chilly. But fuck them, he thought. No one took his seat.

"Talkative as ever," Seventeen observed, resting his hands on his hips and nodding to each of the men in turn with a half-smile on his face. There was something appraising in his gaze, Kid Buu thought, as if the android were not here on a courtesy call but checking to make sure that no one had yet been maimed or killed under his watch. Finally he spoke to the group at large. "I'm sorry to say that we'll be moving out in an hour or so, men."

The ebony-haired android - too old, Buu thought, to be called a boy but too young to be a man and yet still in command of one of the most powerful forces on this or any other planet - listened to the grumblings and complaints that read on every single face without flinching. They told him without speaking all he needed to know, and Buu hated them for it. "I know," he said with a favorable impression of kindliness. "It's night, and it's cold. But do you recall the sickened creature that I put out of its misery a short time ago?" He thumbed behind him and looked around the loose circle of tired men. He saw the some that were convinced to compete by what accounted for their friends, the some that were just eager for combat, and the some - like Buu - who were morose 'just because'. But all Outcasts, in every sense of the word. Forgotten. Polluted.

Sickened, Buu added privately; just like the creature Seventeen had put 'out of its misery'. He watched but did not take in a word as his commander explained the reasons for the move. Something about there maybe being others. The child didn't care. Unlike the others, he preferred to be doing something - anything - rather than just sitting and waiting.

Still, he wondered privately if the machine-hybrid realized just how much of a show he was putting on. He seemed... Unnaturally peppy. More than anyone had a right to be in a life and death situation. Perhaps he was putting on a show for the troops? Or maybe it was because he was fucking an angel. That could be it.

Buu made a face and poked the fire again, seeing in its depths the only object of his desire. The reason he kept on fighting, even living. 'One day', he thought, stabbing the end of his branch viciously into the center of the roiling flames. ?One day??

[Android 17]

?This is our new location,? the android declared, using his hands to gesture toward the field upon which his battalion had arrived. ?As always, I want you guys to remain on your toes and keep a lookout for anyone who passes through this region. No one is to be permitted passage through this location without my clearance, but now that we are here, we need to set up camp. Prepare to begin construction as soon as the campsite is up and running, savvy?? Seventeen stated?his hands on his hips as he stared out at the vast body of soldiers amassed before him.

?Yes, Commander!? The group shouted, saluting casually before dispersing to the duties they had been commission to do. The machine-hybrid stood on top of the small prominence and smiled at the progress the ragtag group of outcasts was making toward becoming a proficient military unit. Cracking his knuckles, the android planted his posterior on the apex of the hill and placed his chin in his palms as he began contemplating the next phase.

?How much longer do you believe the tranquility will last?? Paige asked, stepping up from the posterior side of the hill and parking herself next to the onyx-haired warrior. Seventeen lifted his head from his palms and let out a heavy sight as he tried to do some calculations in his head. With the assistance of his central processor, he found the simplest of mathematical formulae a walk in the park. Unfortunately, predicting the thoughts and passions of others was something the analytical, cybernetic component was incapable of completing.

?It depends on how obstinate the other armies are to rush their adversaries. For all we could know, they could already be out there slaughtering on another and turning the other quadrants of this continent into ensanguined fields of chaos and misery. On the other hand, they could all be chilling in their castle and sending out their minions on missions of treachery and guile,? the comments elicited a humble nod from the former whitelighter.

?I?m going to see if I can?t get these bums to erect those tents a little faster,? Paige muttered, pushing off the ground and promptly brushing off the back of her pants. ?See you later,? she added, leaning down to light kiss the android?s lips before departing?a smirk proudly displayed on her jade countenance as she sauntered away from the man.

?No peace can last forever,? Seventeen silently uttered, making his way up to a standing position after a final moment of thoughtful meditation. The machine-hybrid slowly descended the diminutive hill and wandered into the center of the campsite. All around him, his battalion was scurrying like ants in an effort to have their makeshift homes assembled before the setting of the sun.

?You?d think, after learning how to march in order and in harmony, that the simple act of making a tent would be child?s play,? the strange voice triggered the android to pivot around and draw his blade. The alien threw up his hands to shield his face as he staggered backwards, a surprised gasp escaping his maw as he retreated. ?Didn?t mean to panic you, comrade,? the creature said, dropping his hands and flashing his superior officer a shaky smile.

?Pardon me, soldier,? Seventeen said, bowing his head slightly in a show of his embarrassment. ?Guess we are all a little on edge as the war looming on the horizon becomes ever more imminent. So what is your name?? The cybernetic warrior asked, extending his hand a show of courtesy.

The alien, his flesh a vibrant shade of indigo, let out a long overdue sigh of relief and shook the android?s pale hand. Seventeen held the grip for an extra moment or so as he stared at the warrior?s white, fur-covered ears. The furry projections appeared to be painfully tucked beneath the soldier?s green helmet in an effort to conceal them from sight. Whether it was because of shame or in order to mask his identity, no one would ever know.

?Private W. Torts,? the foreigner answered?his voice a portent of his seemingly reptilian heritage. ?I joined his competition as a means to amplify my knowledge of combat and the art of the war. I hope to return from this little game with enough wisdom to liberate my people from the chains of serfdom they have endured for generations. No longer will my comrades be slaves! No longer wi?? the revolutionary stopped speaking the moment he realized he was a few lines away from ranting. ?Pardon me,? he said after a short pause.

?It?s all right, Private Torts,? Seventeen said, chuckling softly at the passion that the reptilian warrior displayed. ?That?s the type of passion I like to see in all of my soldiers, and I wish you the best of luck liberating your people. Maybe someday down the road we will have the esteemed privilege of meeting in a more benign situation,? the cyborg added, grimacing as if in pain when he saw a tent collapse onto a group of soldiers nearby.

?Aye, comrade,? the creature said, a malicious smile spreading across his visage as he drew a machinegun from his back. ?Let?s give those fuckers hell!? He shouted, whipping the gun around and holler and he rushed into the campsite. Just as he was turning his attention away from the strange warrior, the android did a sudden double take and caught a split-second glimpse of a furry, white tail tucked up into W. Torts? bulky camouflaged jacket.

??Outcasts? is an understatement,? the onyx-haired commander chuckled, shaking his head as he slowly made his way over to the fallen tent.

[Android 17]

?It?s done, Commander,? one of the soldiers said, saluting the android with one hand and gesturing toward the structure with his other. The building loomed over the plain upon which the battalion had made camp as an unyielding sentry against encroaching dangers. Its completion marked the first hurdle that the machine-hybrid?s unit had leaped, and the resulting morale boost was easily worth the sweat and toil.

?Excellent,? Seventeen decreed, giving the soldier before him an energetic high-five. ?Alert everyone that there will be a short period of rest and relaxation before we continue with our business in this district, savvy?? The onyx-haired cyborg proposed, arching one of his eyebrows as he waited for a verbal acknowledgement.

?Aye, Captain,? the man replied, saluting his leader once more before departing for one of the larger, communal tents to relay the commands. Seventeen kept an eye on the soldier until the entry flap for the tent obscured his vision of the abode?s interior. Once the machine-hybrid was certain that everything was moving along efficiently, he turned his attention to the gray tower a few dozen yards to his left.

The cybernetic warrior reached forward and closed his nimble, white fingers around the cold, stone handle. Seventeen pried open the heavy door and stepped over the threshold and into Tower Aran?s poorly illuminated foyer. The android let out a soft whimper as he rubbed his forearms in an effort to stimulate increased distribution of heat within his internal systems.

Once he had successfully adapted to the slightly diminished temperature within the building, the cybernetic warrior spotted the stone staircase a few feet away and began toward the spiraling flight of steps. The ascent itself, despite entailing a few hundred vertical feet, went by in almost the blink of an eye?as the android felt his mind drifting off the other thoughts and contemplations.

Upon his arrival at the top level of Aran Tower, Seventeen let out a sigh of relief and quickly scanned the small room for the door to the observation region. After a few seconds of brief surveillance, the ebony-haired warrior noticed the door he sought and advanced toward it with a smile displayed on his pale fa?ade. With a flick of his wrist, Seventeen flung open the door and opened his mouth in a declaration of his adoration for the view the room provided.

?Wow?? was the only coherent word that exited the android?s mouth as he advanced toward the observation deck. The window that have been carved from the gray stone wrapped around the entire circumference of the structure?only terminating in certain locations where small pillars were needed to insure structural integrity. Still wearing the same amazed, boyish smile, Seventeen put his hands on the cold stone of the ledge and leaned forward.

Below him, the plains stretched out into the horizon like an endless sea of rolling green waves. Another gasp escaped the youth as he ambled down the room?his widened eyes fully aware of every imperfection, diminutive or grand, on the landscape that was in his field of vision. To someone who had never visited a skyscraper or climbed a mountain summit, the view from the top was enthralling.

?King of the world?? The female voice snickered. After releasing a pent-up sigh and removing the goofy, astonished expression from his face, Seventeen turned around and flashed Paige and warm grin. The jade-skinned woman was leaning against the opened doorframe, her body relaxed against the wooden casing as she smirked at her cybernetic significant other.

?It?s kind of like that,? Seventeen murmured, shifting his attention back to the landscape beneath him as he waited for the former whitelighter to join him at his side. ?I can?t help but be amazed that the men managed to build something so elegant and magnificent in such a short span of time. After all, this tower is anything but stout if you ask me!? The android said, a soft chuckle following afterwards as a means to punctuate his lame joke.

?Well men built you,? Paige giggled, resting her head on Seventeen?s bony shoulder after joining him behind the stone balustrade. The mere mention of his conception elicited a slightly depressed expression to infect that android?s usually chipper visage. After all, when he thought about it in detail, the android was nothing more then another orphan. Seventeen?s only real link to his heritage was the library of knowledge spouting from Android Seven, but it had been ages since the machine-hybrid had visited that hermit.

Would a future visit serve to aid the android in unraveling another piece of his enigmatic past, but then again, what if the cyborg did not like what he witnessed? After all, in the fleeting scenes from his past he had relived on Snakeway, a group of men had hunted him and sealed him away in stasis. Most of the time, persons locked away in stasis don?t have ?Employee of the Month? plaques hung upon at their homes.

?It?s true,? Seventeen stammered after a long pause. ?But that?s not who I am,? he said, turning to face the woman who represented his entire world. ?I?m who I am not because of wires and advanced cybernetics, but because of the people who have left their imprints on my mind and soul, people such as you, Piccolo, Violet, and even that MC Hammer wannabe Super Buu. Maybe someday I will uncover what I was back then, but for the moment, I enjoy who I am right now?thank you,? the machine-hybrid ended the small speech by kissing the woman before she had a chance to speak.

While Paige was still fathoming what drove his intricate mind, Seventeen bowed out and began his descent back to the ground. Even with Aran Tower fully operational, there was still much work for the onyx-haired commander and his gang of ragtag misfits.

OOC: I liked this roleplay =)

[Belle Hibiki]

Chance whirls around us, a constantly churning chaotic storm of shifting probabilities, of alternate paths, of 'for better or for worse' futures that we continually pass up. Obscured by experience's blinkers, we make our tired march through a life that seems at times as if it has no branches at all; a straight line, an unmoving path. Undelineated. We feel as though we slog through it all only for some dimly burning point of light; a small satisfaction, something different than the norm, something fantastic. Perhaps death. Most people never see their other paths, but sometimes - very occasionally, to the most hapless and (un)fortunate of people - Chance makes itself known.

It was Chance that allowed a maniacal wizard to find the planet Puttalin, mere Chance that his rivals would make their way to Earth and cause an almighty uproar, and an even more terrific effort of Chance that brought a father and son, brother and brother, rival and rival together on the battlefield. Chance had done all of these things for Kid Buu, had smiled on him with its dubious graces. It had plucked him, as it were, from its exotic flowerbed, and marveled at his pink color. With a twinkle in his starry-eyes-of-all-colors, Chance had decided to make something out of him.

Frankly, Buu thought Chance was a giant douche.

But regardless of what he thought, Chance brought Buu to the foot of the tower and let him hear, as if from a great ascended distance, the unmistakable sound of Paige's angelic voice above the usual humdrum of activity. It trickled down through the air, through stones, through his brain, sliding gently through from ear to ear. Words like pebbles lodged in the muddy bank of his consciousness, glimmering like pearls out of the deep.

Men built you.

The majin glanced up, his traditional scowl firmly settled on the simplistic (deceptive) features of his rubbery face. To the casual observer he might have appeared to be a petulant child, alone, one whom had built a giant tower out of toys and spare parts and found, at the end of it all, that he could not break it down. He could not take it back. But they would be wrong.

For it wasn't that the child's tower was too sturdy, or that his fortress was too secure. It was precisely the opposite, in fact; it wasn't secure enough. Words like water flitted through his erected defenses as effortlessly as a dove soars through the air. They soaked into his foundations; stirred from bedrock a hidden virus - one he had freshly buried only scant months before. One he had tried to keep down because it rattled, rattled the walls of his carefully constructed castle, his bastion of defense against a universe that he hated because it hated him.

Men built you.

He listened, head cocked as another voice joined the first: his 'commander', their 'leader': the ever-collected and overly patronizing Seventeen. A man built, just as Paige said; like Sixteen, Super Buu, and even himself. They were alike, at least, in that respect. The majin waited, pairs of arms folded as the voices faded away into nothing, replaced by the dull echo of footsteps as someone, probably the android, made their way down the spiraling staircase.

As the men-built-man stepped out into the sunlight, eyes wincing away from the sudden change, he caught sight of Kid Buu. The child seemed to be waiting for him, all twenty fingers tapping, his dark eyes with glowing red hoops fixed on him expectantly, as if the child expected some sort of explanation for the unwarranted feeling of connection that had suddenly sprung up. But Seventeen, blessed as he was with a cybernetic sub, co, and superprocessor that were together capable of rendering the Earth down to the finest blade of grass, could not at that moment calculate what lay behind the child's enigmatic armor.

"Hello there. Men doing well?" Seventeen asked, offering a small smile. Buu shrugged, still staring. "Well, let's go down and celebrate, yes? I think we've all earned it."

Buu watched as Seventeen turned and made his way down the hill, away from Aran Tower. Somewhere, Chance was smiling as the majin reluctantly levered himself off the stone, leaving the cold roughness behind as he followed, trotting after Seventeen and towards the camp.

[Android 17]

There was something about Kid Buu that the android was unable to decipher, and it wasn?t just the monster?s inability to communicate. There was just something immensely enigmatic about the golem that wasn?t present in his taller counterpart. After all, Seventeen usually understood what drove Super Buu the majority of the time, whether it be his arrogance or the recent streak of benevolence that the young saiya-jin Aurilani had instilled into his seemingly cold, unyielding heart.

On the other hand, Kid Buu represented something akin to a dense nut that showed no signs of breaking despite how many times you strike it with a hammer. In all seriousness, the machine-hybrid felt genuinely perturbed by his inability to decipher the mystery behind the puttalin-borne construct. Even with an entire biography of the teeny monster available on a whim, Seventeen?s central processor was drawing a blank.

?What?s on your mind,? the cyborg asked?his blunt nature getting the best of him as he paused outside the large tent and turned his attentive eyes down toward the now motionless golem. Kid Buu convulsed suddenly as the words effectively halted his forward progression. Glancing over his shoulder, the bubblegum-colored creature flashed a slightly bewildered expression at his cybernetic leader.

?Hmm?? The primitive beast grunted; the sound being the only apparent means for him to convey his thoughts and feelings in a spoken dialect. Why was Kid Buu suddenly mute anyway? Hadn?t the fearsome creature talked up a storm during the entire span of last spring?s Dante?s Abyss? All of the contemplations regarding the monster?s vocal habits succeeded only in raising more questions pertaining to the elastic monstrosity.

?I may not know much about you Kid Buu, but I understand enough about how living beings work to recognize that you must have something on your mind. Would you like to talk to me about it?? The android continued, stepping forward and reaching his hand toward his alliance mate?s shoulder. The benevolent act elicited a grunt from Kid Buu, who was quick in his escape into the large tent.

For a few more beats, Seventeen remained motionless?his right hand still extend toward the child-sized powerhouse had been a few moments prior. The sudden motion had swiftly derailed the android?s efforts to chip away the dense layer separating his mind from the Kid Buu?s, but the machine-hybrid would not prepared to capitulate just as he was getting somewhere.

Batting aside the leather entryway flap, Seventeen ducked below the low-hanging ?door? and entered the communal tent. The ?celebration? transpiring within the structure was nothing more then a glorified show of idiocy?at the center of the shindig was an overturned keg of liquor. As he advanced toward the epicenter of the makeshift abode, Seventeen noticed a pyramid of emptied kegs erected near the far wall.

?Sweet lord,? the cybernetic warrior groaned, reaching into one of his trench coat?s many pockets and producing a small plastic canister. With a sigh, the android popped the cap off the bottle of pills and shook the container until two of the capsules landed in his greedy palm. Tilting his head back, Seventeen casually tossed the pain killers into his throat and proceeded to down them with a swig of vodka.

Sighing as the effect of the pills initiated a wave of relief across his tormented mind; the cyborg slid the container and flask into his pocket and returned to the task at hand?Kid Buu. After a moment or so of fruitless observation, the android finally noticed the pink midget partially concealed behind a group of drunken louts. With another smile creeping across his sun-deprived countenance, Seventeen dematerialized in a swirl of white and blue light particles.

The sudden departure of their onyx-haired commander triggered a bunch of nearby drunkards to back away from the man?s prior location. The bewildered expressions displayed upon their otherwise unintelligible visages conveyed the message of shock rather wall. As Kid Buu leaned his head out from behind the crowd in an attempt to figure out what was causing the ruckus, he heard the familiar, melodic sound of light particles humming into existence to his left.

?So tell me about how Bibidi and you got along,? Seventeen announced upon exiting the dispersing cloud of light left in his wake. Gliding forward, the android planted his derri?re beside Kid Buu?s and rested one of his elbow?s upon the magical construct?s shoulder. ?That?s the dude that created you and Supes, right? I think he told me about Bibidi once before, but I?m not entirely sure, because my data files seem to be engorged lately,? when the android finally stopped talking a mile a minute, he turned his inquisitive smile toward the disgruntled majin.

?Tch,? the sound was punctuated a moment later when Kid Buu sucked in his shoulder enough that Seventeen?s elbow slid off his pink joint and struck the wooden bench the two were seated on?the action elicited a gasp from the cybernetic warrior and a giggle from the child-like puttalin.

?You can be as resistant as you want, but I?m not just going to go away,? the android declared, crossing his legs and staring at the Neanderthal-browed monster seated next to him. ?I don?t even care if you want to talk in Morse code, because I have all-night,? the machine-hybrid stated, crossing his arms across his chest and smirking at his bubblegum-colored associate.

The expression on Kid Buu?s face was a myriad of several emotions that even Seventeen?s technological component had a hard time correctly classifying. Nonetheless, the ball was now in the child?s court, and as stoic and driven as he was in his apparently vehement loathing of all those around him, Kid Buu had found his match in the onyx-haired leader. Even if it got him the finger and the immense ire of the child-sized puttalin, the machine-hybrid was not ready to give up on Kid Buu just yet.

[Burter]

Sazuaa has been found and bound. He is now a captive and can be accepted, killed, released or imprisoned.

He has officially left Syntech

[Belle Hibiki]

But despite the android's unwillingness to give in, an hour later he found himself right back where he had started; albeit slightly more inebriated thanks to the copious amounts of discarded mugs and cans that - half-full - dotted the nearby tables like forgotten pennies. He had tried wheedling. He had tried cajoling. He had tried convincing, preaching, coaxing, and even appealing to the majin's better nature - always assuming, of course, that the little beast had one - and all his hard work had done was earn him a few hard, contemptuous stares from the four-armed youngster, as well as an even more impressive collection of random grunts. Seventeen swallowed his irritation as a fresh attack was rebuked, chasing the bitter taste of failture down with a swig of what passed for beer on Dante.

It is a funny thing, but if you drop a frog into cool water and slowly bring it to a boil, the amphibian will never notice its danger until it is too late. If one drops a frog into scalding water immediately, however, the creature will waste no time in scrambling for safety. Had Seventeen found it significant to scribe this fact into his databanks - perhaps recording it under one of those literary analogies that is used too often - he might have realized which kind of water he was and understood, even if dimly, why it was that his prey continued to elude him. That is, that he had all the social nuance of a gold brick applied directly to the skull.

So it should come as no surprise that, as the leader of the Outcasts opened his mouth again - fortified for a fresh attack with the best booze Dante could muster - he felt the pressure of a certain set of familiar fingers fall onto his shoulders. Immediately he quieted, a wry smile playing across his countenance as he turned on the bench to look behind him. He caught Buu's same movement out of the corner of his eye. "Paige."

"Leader," the jade-skinned woman returned, her eyes twinkling with warmth as she reached up a hand to run her fingers through his dark hair. There were a few catcalls from the soldiers nearby, but no one at the bench cared. Well, not her or Seventeen, anyway. The ex-angel had been waiting at the back of the tent for nearly an hour, hoping that her significant other would be able to find his way on his own. But while forthrightness and persistence were favorable characteristics in a leader and part of why she loved him - one of many parts - in this particular case he was simply too blunt, too honest. She kissed the top of his head.

Let me speak to him.

Seventeen blinked at the unexpected telepathic message, his expression one of surprise. Buu, in his irritation, brushed off as mere idiocy. But I was just about to-...

No, you weren't, Paige interrupted, chiding as she rested her cheek against his mass of onyx locks. You've been trying; I've been watching. It was a noble effort, but I think this is something that would be best left to me.

Silence. You've been watching? Seventeen shifted, a bit embarrassed, not to mention tense. He relaxed, however, when he felt a soft giggle ruffling through his hair. She had always had that effect on him - soothing, even in the height of rage. But I'm the Commander, and also the leader of Civil Unrest. People depend on me to handle things like this. How can a lead a child I don't know?

Part of being a leader is also knowing when to admit your faults, Paige reminded him, adding a bit of extra pressure to her squeeze. She kneaded her fingertips into the android's shoulders comfortingly, warmth seeming to slow out from her hands and into his frame, although he was sure it had absolutely nothing to do with her technique. Let me speak to him. I promise, dear, I'll tell you everything later.

There was another short silence, although this one was not filled by the void of awkwardness from before. Seventeen looked up into the face of the woman he loved from the scant distance of a single inch that, to him just then, seemed like a very long distance. His inky black eyes were radiant, expression soft as he seemed to drink in the sight of the woman he loved, drawing strength from her perfect image. Although reluctant to do so, he resigned himself to the inevitable. He nodded and got up, taking what remained of the ale and his pride in his mug with him. "Well, it was nice chatting with you, Buu. Don't think we're done; though." He waved his tankard nonchalantly, kissed Paige on the cheek, and sauntered off. The men were screaming something about a blue-skinned frenchman outside; obviously something that needed attending to.

Paige took Seventeen's place at the bench, settling herself in in a soft rustle of clothing. She neglected to order a drink and simply waited, listening as the uproar outside of the tent slowly died away. The android apparently had gotten the situation under control. "He means well," she murmured. "He wants to be a good leader, but you're a puzzle to him. He can't not try to solve a puzzle once he finds it." She smiled at him, and was rewarded with the child's usual scowl.

It was not bad enough, Buu thought, that he had had to endure an hour of the clumsy verbal antics of a self-absorbed scarf-wearing fruitcake... Now the woman whom had said 'men built you', the words that had stirred such a strange thing inside of him, wanted to talk. Paige's smile held something alien in it, and it was not just because she was as green as a forest had leaves. No, it disturbed the child because she was smiling at him. Not at a thought. Not at the beer. Not at the fact that someone had loudly suggested pantsing Sauzaa. (He had smirked at that.)

No, she was definitely smiling at him.

"You don't need to be afraid," Paige assured the majin, raising a hand as if ready she were ready to give benediction and cleanse him of all his sins. I'm not going to hurt you.

Whisper-quiet, the telepathic thought slid into Buu's brain like the edge of a knife. He started and stared at her, brows furrowed. Rather than an answer, a single image filtered through on the surface of his thought. It was a question mark. When Paige nodded it felll away, replaced by a pervading sense of doubt and disbelief. There was no possible way, after all.

If you don't want to believe me, that's fine, Paige soothed him. You don't have to believe anything you don't want to believe. Think of it as a figment of your imagination. Maybe you've had a few too many beers with Seventeen. Or maybe you're dreaming? It can't hurt to pretend, can it?

Buu's face ticked. Try as he might, he could not escape that logic.

So, why don't you tell me a bit about yourself?

The majin's thoughts were quiet, placid as the surface of a lake in the still hours of the morning. Undisturbed, even by a ripple. He continued to stare at the former whitelighter, anger and resentment twin-lighted in his blood-colored eyes for what seemed like a long time. The surface of the water tweaked, dimpled, and the image on the canvas abruptly changed. She was looking into a dirty lab, dimly lit and filled with glowing tubes. Lacking words, he had decided to show her from the very beginning...

Maybe then she would understand why he hated so very, very much.

[Android 17]

?God damn kids these days,? Seventeen hiccupped, teetering to one side as he stumbled away from the scene of his debacle with the unyielding Kid Buu. The machine-hybrid took a final, gracious swig from the steel tankard gripped mercilessly between his fingers and proceeded to discard the mug into a nearby pile of bottles and shattered glass. The android paused mid-gait and felt a warm sensation permeate his trousers. ?What the fuck was that?? The onyx-haired leader gurgled, his eyes scanning his black pants for an indication of the commotion.

Unfortunately for the inebriated android, his alcohol-dampened mental process was unable to register any type of visual change in his pant?s region. Shrugging his shoulders and ignoring the strange, new smell, Seventeen struck out a hand and wobbled toward an overturned medical box lying nearby. Along the arduous journey, he was confronted by many a drunken louts, who the android merely shrugged off with an incoherent ?outta my damn way.?

Despite his precarious footing and the almost unbeatable odds, the cyborg somehow managed to reach the small canister and collapsed on the ground next to it. Upon his rendezvous with the ground, Seventeen retched but once?enough of a window of opportunity for a stream of multicolored fluid departing his maw at a bullet-like velocity. The android let out a groan as he used the sleeve of his coat to wipe away the rancid dribble from his lips and chin.

Turning his half-open eyes to the medical box, the machine-hybrid reached out toward and it managed to loop his trembling fingers around its handle. With a halfhearted smile, Seventeen pulled the box of supplies through the pool of vomit and began to loot through it for anything to help his condition. The pillaging continued for a few moments until the android?s cybernetic component alerted him that there were no medical means to magically accelerate the oxidation process.

?Thanks for telling me that ahead of time,? the cyborg lamented, pushing away the small box of medical supplies and rolling onto his other side. Despite the potent effects of the liquor on his mind, it brought a sense of relief to the android that his inorganic component remained immune to anything that ailed his organic form. With an anguished groan, Seventeen sat off the ground and grabbed his head in a drastic effort to stop the world from spinning so much.

Once his three views of the world stopped revolving and came back together, the machine-hybrid rubbed his bloodshot eyes and climbed off the cold earth. All around the cyborg, a large percentage of his troops had settled down for the night. It was either that or they had all collapsed from over intoxication. Unfortunately for the android, a loud commotion outside the tent stole him away from potential sleep.

As he staggered toward the large tent?s entryway, Seventeen flashed a look in the direction of Paige and Kid Buu. The two were still seated on the bench, but words were no longer the currency being exchanged between the pair of soldiers. Content that his woman was getting somewhere with the little, unbending tyke, the android lurched forward one last time and fell onto his knees outside the tent.

It had not been a graceful or painless entrance, but the job had had been completed to some level of success. Breathing laboriously as he moved, Seventeen pushed off the ground?trying his hardest to maintain his composure while still giving off a respectable aura. Despite what his mind may have been feeding him, the cybernetic warrior?s efforts were for naught, as most of the men amassed outside the tent were equally as intoxicated as their leader.

?What?s the ruckus about?? Seventeen slurred, lifting his head up and staring at the group of eight soldiers and the man huddled on the ground between them. The drunken troops were hooting and hollering as they marched circles around the blue-skinned outsider. In an almost melodic manner, they were kicking and taking swipes at the soldier, who remained in a fetal position for the duration of the torment. ?Cut it out!? The android finally screamed, the words shocking his soldiers out of their adrenaline and beer-fueled frenzy.

With expressions of shame on their face, the drunken men hung their heads and went back into the tent. Stepping forward, Seventeen put his hand on the alien?s shoulder in a comforting gesture. Upon registering the fact that his oppressors had been dispersed, the lonely soldier lifted up his head and flashed his weary, red eyes at the android. His face was heavily bruised and his ruffled blonde hair was dotted with specs of dirt and blood.

?Who are you, and what happened to you?? Seventeen inquired, helping the man onto his feet and brushing some of the dirt and grass from his clothes.

?My name is Sauzaa,? the soldier said, his accent clearly French despite his appearance being clearly alien in nature. ?I am from Syntech, and I fled here after my army and leaders were slaughtered at the hands of the Dante Forces. Please, I don?t mean any harm, and I don?t have anywhere else to turn. Everyone just died around me, and for once in my life, I am afraid of my well-being,? Sauzaa continued, trembling slightly from either the cold of the fear.

?Go sleep,? Seventeen finally replied, the Sauzaa?s omen of Dante?s coming serving to sober up the android quite well. ?You are welcome here as long as you don?t cause any trouble, but I trust you to be prepared to fight in the even that the murderers of your allies decide to bring their tyranny here,? the commander of the Outcasts decreed, his expression and tone of voice a dramatic, upward shift from the drunken, idiotic fa?ade he had been wearing a few minutes earlier. As Sauzaa entered the tent to rest for the night, Seventeen stared into the horizon and frowned.

?Bring it on, you bastards,? he muttered, his voice conveying the flames of hatred now burning within the depths of his charcoal eyes.

[Saz]

It was inevitable, Dante's forces had arrived at the Raytar tower. The adrenaline rushing through his veins Sazuaa thought through his options. Stand up and fight, even though he was greatly outnumbered and out matched, surrender and become Dantes whipping boy. Or, flee, the chances of him getting away were slim, but out of the three options, running away was clearly the best. Yes it was cowardice, yes it was pathetic, but better to be a coward and live, than be a hero and die.

And so Sazuaa put away his pride and did what he had to do, he fled. Darting through the woodland as fast as his legs would let him he finally collapsed from exhaustion. He had been running for what seemed like hours, somehow against all odds he had managed to escape from Dantes clutches.

The sounds of hoots and shouting abruptly brought Sazuaa back from unconsciousness. With the little strength he had left he lifted his head up just enough so that he could look around at his surroundings. The non-transformer began to chuckle to himself, it appeared that whilst fleeing from the Dante forces, he had unknowingly ran right into the Outcasts territory.

Several soldiers surrounded the blue beings body, circling him like sharks. Sazuaa attempted to get up to his feet but a swift kick to the ribs by one of the drunken louts sent him back to the ground. Suddenly the other soldiers began to join in with the abuse, the alien was pelted with kicks and verbal abuse, all he could do was curl up into a ball and hope they grew bored and ended his life quickly.

Suddenly a dark haired youth stumbled out from a tent. "What's the ruckus about?" he slurred, noticing the crowd of soldiers surrounding the mysterious fallen warrior. The intoxicated youth made his way up to the blue alien, "hey cut it out," he yelled, the thugs backed off instantly.

"Who are you, and what happened to you?" the youth asked, helping Sazuaa up to his feet.

The bruised and battered alien lifted his head and laid eyes on the onyx haired teenager, "my name is Sazuaa. I am from Syntech, I fled here after my army and leaders were slaughtered at the hands of the Dante forces. Please, I don?t mean any harm, and I don?t have anywhere else to turn. Everyone just died around me, and for once in my life, I am afraid of my well-being."

Sazuaa hated being so vulnerable, never before in his life had he been so completely helpless. The feeling of having his life in another persons hands was worse than any other he had ever experienced. He awaited 17's reply much like a prisoner awaits their death sentence.

"Go sleep" 17 replied, it was clear to the android that the alien was no threat to him or his army. "You are welcome here as long as you don't cause any trouble, but I trust you to be prepared to fight in the even that the murders of your allies decide to bring their tyranny here." Sazuaa gave the kind-hearted general a half-smile, it was a strange occurrence for someone to show compassion towards him, it was even more surprising at such a time as it was, when life was being thrown away without the batter of an eyelid.

With the youths approval Sazuaa limped off into a nearby tent, his body was wrecked, with the last of his strength he flung himself onto a bed on the floor. Within seconds he fell into a deep sleep.

(Ooc I just needed to post to take the pressure off. Anyway Sazuaa's now in the Outcasts army.)

[Android 17]

Seventeen awoke after a long, silent night to find that word had just been completed on the principle structure at his location. The soldier who had stirred the android from his slumber saluted the yawning machine-hybrid and departed while his leader was still lying on the floor. The incoherent shapes and masses took form as the cyborg pushed off his wavering legs. A moment after he established his equilibrium, he fished around in his coat pocket until he produced the bottle of painkillers.

?I?m never drinking again,? the android murmured as he tossed a pair of pills down the hatch and swallowed them unaided. After shuddering as a result of the uncomfortable taste, the onyx-haired man capped the container and returned it to the pocket of his malodorous trench coat. ?Needs washed,? Seventeen groaned apathetically as he made his way out of the communal tent and into the overwhelmingly bright world that lay beyond the tent flap.

Shielding his eyes the grueling sunlight with his forearm, the machine-hybrid trudged across the grass in a beeline for the structure. Once he was within the perimeter of the fort?s looming shadow, the android let his arm fall back to his side as his eager eyes began to scan the impressive building constructed before him. With a smile upon his usually weary visage, Seventeen made his way toward the front gates that loomed a few feet away from his current location.

?Ahoy, Commander!? A voice bellowed as the fortified gates began to creak and whine as they swung outward. Slipping through the entrance following the opening of a small enough space, the cybernetic warrior immediately waved to crew operating the gates, and they returned the smile as they moved to close the doors behind their leader.

?Seventeen,? Paige articulated whilst the heavy door to one of the sentry towers slammed shut behind her. The woman wore an enchanted smile upon her visage as she strode over and embraced the man. ?You smell like vomit, alcohol, and piss,? she giggled, reeling away from her aficionado. ?By the Elders, bathe,? she stated, the tone of her voice ambiguous as to whether or not she was being serious or sarcastic.

?I?ll get on that soon, but I have some matters to deal with beforehand,? the android declared firmly, his eyes wandering to a soldier dashing toward him. The reptilian creature was waving a scroll of parchment in the air and mouthing the machine-hybrid?s name. ?A message?? The cybernetic warrior inquired, taking a moment to kiss Paige before stepping around her to converse with the messenger.

?From General Cell Junior,? the replied, dropping to his knees and presenting the letter toe the android. Seventeen procured the document from the alien and proceeded to dismiss him. The man energetically pushed off the ground, saluted his commander, and departed for the nearest mess hall. Smiling at the display of vigor within the ranks of his soldiers, Seventeen untied the small band of rope around the parchment.

In the matter of a few seconds, the cyborg mumbled the contents of the letter beneath his breath and tucked it in his coat pocket. Once he had completed his initial check of the structure, Seventeen would sit down and send a response to Mr. Cell Junior, but for now, he had to ensure that the new facility was operating efficiently. After all, peace was ephemeral, and the cyborg and his men had been far too lucky for too long a period of time.

?We have to talk later,? Paige whispered, parting one of the android?s ebony locks as she spoke the soft words into his ear. ?I have some interesting things to tell you about Kid Buu, but we?ll talk more when you have time,? Seventeen, partially enraptured by the woman?s sultry voice, shook his head to disperse the daydreams and nodded at the former whitelighter.

Once Paige vanished back into the sentry tower, the onyx-haired commander smiled?the expression the manifestation of all the recent events that had turned out so well in his favor. Even if he was destined to be incapable of leading his men onto victory, the android would still be able to relish in the positive happenstances that had so graciously decorated his life as of late.

On the other hand, Seventeen could not deny the fact that Lady Luck was a massive whore with a staggeringly massive case of bipolar disorder. Over the fifteen months of his life, she had constantly shifted from supporting Seventeen with all her powers to trying to be his downfall. It was usually a simple, unlucky occurrence that accounted for each and every time the android faced ruination or defeat.

?I can?t let any of them down,? Seventeen reassured himself. ?I owe it myself to guide these men to the greatness they are all capable of achieving. Come hell or high water, I am going to succeed, and even if by some stroke of fate I am destined to falter, then I shall make one hell of a show before I go down,? the machine-hybrid?s soliloquy, unbeknownst to him, had garnered the attention of several soldiers positioned on the battlements above his head.

The small applause that followed soon snowballed until the android found himself red in the face at the immense level of applause and cheers that he was receiving.

[Android 17]

A few minutes after the impromptu monologue with members of the garrison stationed inside the fort, Seventeen climbed the stairs of the great hall and made his way to the room designated as his personal chambers. Compared to the lavish throne room back at Castle Sanguine, the room was filled with nothing but the bare essentials necessary for a military strategist.

On the far wall, the android spotted a large map adorned with all the information his army had acquired during the first week of the games. The cybernetic warrior ran a hand over the grid and frowned at the blue territory?the Dante Forces. From what Sauzaa had reported, his entire army had been torn asunder in the ensuing battle, and their commander had lost his life at the hands of one of Dante?s commanders.

Clenching together his pale, skeletal fingers, Seventeen drove his fist into the heart of the blue region. The android swore vengeance upon the victims of Dante?s blitzkrieg?if not to avenge their fruitless deaths, than to also make a point. After all, the Outcasts at their core were a group of individuals exiled from society for being different in some extent, and Dante was symbolic of that society.

Sure some of the people he had met were freaks, bastards, and even completely and utterly insane, but no one deserves to be treated like they were sub par life forms. Maybe the android was a bleeding heart, but he still felt as if everyone deserved equal footing in the world. Was he at fault to extent a comforting hand to someone that the rest of the world had shunned?

If Seventeen could strike a definitive blow to their juggernaut then maybe, just maybe, he would be able to symbolically put the social order in its place. Even if he faltered on the battlefield, which he understood was a possibility; the onyx-haired man understood that martyrdom had its perks. After all was said and done in the end, Seventeen just hoped that he wouldn?t be forgotten.

?You have such beautiful thoughts,? Paige spoke, walking into the large room and shutting the door behind her. ?You wear your heart on your shoulder, Seventeen,? she added, striding over to the android and sliding her arms around his waist. ?I had a nice little ?chat? with the elder Buu, and it goes without saying that your little comrade has a rather intriguing mental process,? the former whitelighter said, chuckling softly as she stared into the cyborg?s black eyes.

?Tell me your interpretation,? Seventeen requested, pulling the woman with him as he backed up to his 9 and took a seat. Once she was comfortably resting on the android?s lap, the green-skinned woman nodded her head and began to relay the tale.

?He was rejected by his creator Bibidi for Super Buu; more than anything else, it seems to be the prime factor that turned him into the mute bundle of contradictory anger and apathy we know him as.? Paige stated, letting out a sigh upon completion of the little tale.

?So he?s all pissed at his brother for taking daddy?s attention?? Seventeen inquired, shifting slightly as he tried to find a comfortable spot on the wooden desk.

?It?s more complex than that, Seventeen. It?s like he?s?? Paige began, pausing right after the introduction to mull over the information. She seemed to be grasping for words; how could one sum up a life, especially one so filled with contradiction? Noticing the expression on his companion?s jade visage, the android rested his hand on the small of her back?the small amount of pressure causing her to suck in breath and close her eyes. ?Some people stumble through this life, lost to the world, alone and isolated. But he... He is... A lost among lost, lost even to himself.?

?Fuck?? was all the android could offer, but the bland, bewildered remark was enough to elicit a few chuckles from his whitelighter companion. The simple, eloquent statement had enlightened the android to a little bit more of the enigma that is Kid Buu. ?I figured the little guy was screwed up, but I never knew it ran that deep. I feel like a douche for bothering him so much,? by the time he abruptly stopped talking, the machine-hybrid was donning a dissatisfied frown.

He was angry and disappointed at himself for his moronic behavior the night prior. Why had he just gone off the rocker in his attempts to establish a connection with someone whose personality he barely knew? Seventeen would be amazed if the little creature didn?t loath him entirely for his incessant, prodding attitude in the tent.

?You have letter to write, mister,? Paige added, her telepathic powers sensing the android?s plan before he even bothered to move. The cybernetic warrior shook his head in disbelief as he motioned for the woman to evacuate his lap.

[Android 17]

?Dear Mr. Cell Junior,? Seventeen said, reading aloud as he wrote on the piece of parchment. Paige stood behind him, keeping an eye out for any mistakes or errors as the android wrote. ?I am glad to hear that you and your men have managed to complete all of your duties in such a fluidic nature. The news here is a little more morose, as it seems that the army due east of us was destroyed by the Dante? Forces. One of Syntech?s officers, a blue alien named Sauzaa, managed to stumble to my campsite before collapsing from fatigue.

?With the potential threat of invasion looming on the horizon, I have begun to prepare my men for the conflict. I understand that you and your soldiers may be getting antsy, but I we must keep our heads straight. After all, from what Sauzaa told me, his allies were slain after a haphazard offensive of theirs was countered by Dante?s superior military power. Along with this letter, I am going to enclose a smaller piece of documentation listing some finer details.

?I am sorry to hear about the death of Jackie, because I was acquainted with the old man in a previous production by the producers behind this ?show?. Just keep your composure and prepare for anything in the coming days. Update me on any news, because I can assure you that I will try my hardest to keep in touch with you.

?Sincerely?Commander Seventeen,? with the application of a final, flashy line below his signature, the android rolled up the paper. Lifting his head up from the desk, the cybernetic warrior began to scan his desk for the other article to be included in the package the Mr. Cell Junior. After a moment of dumbfounded searching, Seventeen felt a tapping upon his bony shoulder.

?Here you go,? Paige said, smiling widely as she handed over the smaller piece of parchment. Returning the expression of happiness, the onyx-haired warrior fished out a leather mailing tube and placed both documents inside the minute container. Once he had screwed the cap onto the container, Seventeen tied a small rope around the entire length of the small shaft?the cords sole purpose to ensure that the package remained closed for the duration of its travel.

?Thanks for your help, beautiful,? the cyborg replied after he verified that the message was prepped for delivery. ?Now to find the messenger who brought Mr. Cell Junior?s letter,? Seventeen added as he pushed away from the desk.

?He?s in the mess hall,? Paige answered. ?I think I?m going to return to my post at the observation of Aran Tower, but I?ll keep in touch if one of the other sentries or I spot anything out there.?

?Acknowledged, soldier,? Seventeen chuckled, taking an extended moment to share a kiss with his companion before departing for the mess hall. While he was en route to his destination, the machine-hybrid found himself spotted several times by soldiers interested in hearing a little more about him.

Each and every time, the android smiled broadly and shared a wee bit of his history with the eager soldiers. Although most of the troops were more interested in the blood and gore of Seventeen?s stories, a few of them seemed more interested in hearing the moral or words of advice that the android gave after each tale he told. The cyborg couldn?t help but cherish the intrigue and wonder that the soldier seemed to breed within their ranks.

Despite having to take quite a number of drawn-out stops, Seventeen still managed to make it to the galley before the greater portion of soldiers departed for their posts. With the assistance of the visor apparatus installed into his system, the android managed to weed through the crowd until he made his way to the reptilian envoy.

?Take this parcel to your General,? the android commanded, handing the package over to the messenger. ?Good luck,? the Commander of the Outcasts added, prompting the creature to salute him prior to his hasty departure. With that matter sorted out, Seventeen slipped through the crowd and made his way into the mess hall. After the dinnertime rush came to an end, it seemed that only a handful of people remained to peacefully gorge themselves on rations.

As he made his way to where the rations were being handed out by some woman in white, Seventeen noticed Kid Buu eating by himself near the corner of the room. Eying the child warrior as he collected his tray, the onyx-haired youth made his way over to the small table upon which Buu was eating his meal.

?Mind if I sit here?? The cybernetic warrior asked, the sound his voice apparently triggering the puttalin?s shoulders to convulse in aggravation. Nevertheless, after a moment of no rebuttals, the android sat down across the table from Kid Buu and started to eat his meal. After a few seconds, the kid-sized monster went to depart, but he was almost immediately halted by his cybernetic acquaintance. ?Wait,? the machine-hybrid requested.

?Tch,? the unspeaking, elastic golem spat, but despite the avarice conveyed by the tone of his vocalization, he paused with his back still to the android.

?I know you hate me,? Seventeen replied, his voice low and devoid of his usually spastic twang. ?I know you probably won?t accept one of these due to your nature, but I apologize for being a douche last night. I just wanted to get to know you, and I?m sorry if all I managed to do was make you loathe me even more. I just want you to know that I?m here for you, Kid Buu, and at my core, I genuinely want to be your friend and ally.

?There are no ruses or conspiracies to me, but you are still free to judge me as you see fit. Furthermore, I won?t be mad or angry at you if you choose to continue ignoring me, because that goes against my nature. Just keep in mind that even if you shun me, I will still look out for you?my friend,? Seventeen finished talking and let out a sigh.

For a moment or two, Kid Buu lingered as the android?s words looped within the twisted confines of his mind. After a pause, the golem of puttalin continued on his way, his judgment of Seventeen remaining a mystery for the time.

[Saz]

"What is commander 17 thinking letting this guy join our army? For all we know he could be a spy, even an assassin." The conversation coming from outside his tent awoke the blue alien abruptly from his deep sleep.

Sazuaa looked around his surroundings in confusion, it took several seconds before the memories of what had happened and where he was came flooding back into his mind. The narrow escape from the Dante armies grasp. Being captured by the Outcasts. The barbaric beating he endured. And, the second chance given to him by the mysterious youth known as Android 17.

Sazuaa leap out of his bed and began stretching out his limbs. The rest had done him the world of good, he felt as good as new.

?I know how you feel." A different voice from the first one replied. "I don?t trust him either. I?ll be keeping my eye on him, one wrong move and it's over for him.? A rapture of laughter from the two paranoid soldiers followed the sound of their footsteps as they walked off.

Sazuaa brushed some dirt off his uniform and attempted to restore his hair to its original state of what he thought of as perfection. After spending some time trying to the best of his ability to clean himself up, he made his way out of the tent.

?Oh my. What have we here. Look who?s finally decided to show his face," a odd goblin looking creature with horns protruding from his head remarked with a grin. "Had a nice rest did ya? Must have had, you were out for about two days.?

?Two days!?? Sazuaa gasped, the news coming as a shock to the non-transformer. "Guess I needed the rest more than I thought?. You look like you could use some beauty sleep yourself if you don't mind me saying so."

The goblin grunted with displeasure, leering down at Sazuaa with his crimson eyes. "You're lucky the commander?s got your back. If it wasn't for him you'd be hanging upside down by your ankles as me and the other soldiers beat you like a pi?ata right about now."

The alien chuckled as the horned creature stormed off. He realised it probable wasn?t best to antagonize the Outcast soldiers, especially since there was already quite a bit of hostility and suspicion directed towards him, but he simply couldn?t help himself, when he saw someone or something with a obvious flaw, it was his natural response to pounce on it.

With one quick glance around it was clear to Sazuaa that he was not the most popular being in the Outcast camp at the present time. For that to change he would have to altar his attitude towards his new comrades, and prove that he was trustworthy. It was going to be differcult, no doubt about it, but if he was to survive in this contest it was something that had to be done.

(Ooc /Randomness, just wanted to try and stay in the habit of writing. )