[F] Bra, Android 17, and Reijin

[Burter Jr]

16. Bra
23. Reijin
6. Android 17

The end was near.

Angels and Demons.

Heaven and Hell.

Akira and Katel were on either side of Reijin, who stood atop the balcony. He had seen what Cell did, and didn't question it...for now. Bra and Android Seventeen were on the ground, with the angels.

The demon army, equally matched in numbers by the angels, moved forward. They stopped about two hundred yards away.

Gabriel, from above the tower. Satan, from in front of the undead. Both raised their hands.

"WAR!"

Screams flooded the night. Both armies advanced.





(Okay, let me set the scene. Imagine it offense vs defense. The demons are going to try and take the tower, because the Watchman is in there. Gabriel is going to leading the defense at the tower. Satan will be leading a direct assault on it.

Meanwhile, the actual war is going to in front of the tower.

You have two roleplays each. No deadline, but don't make me hunt you down for them. I will give events as it's nessecary, so don't leave your roleplay too close-ended if you're running out of things to write.)

[Bra]

The cyan haired girl lay peacefully beneath the thick, comforting blanket which enwrapped her slender frame. Despite having been awakened during Reijin?s absence, she had decided to go back to the bedroom and try to catch up on her missed sleep until he arrived. Short, steady breaths fell hot against the pillow which she had snaked her arms around. Everything within the room - even the wildly unpredictable child - bore an almost serene quality amidst the impending chaos which drew ever closer.

A thunderous explosion hammered against the tower, and rattled the hybrid from her slumber. Bra groaned in agitation, throwing the covers from herself and onto the floor. Another eruption of energy prompted the princess to haul herself to her feet despite the incredible daze she fell victim to.

With a loud yawn, she stretched her limbs and popped her neck; an action she?d seen countless other warriors do. With another yawn, the halfling went to the door, pausing with her palm embracing the handle. Taking in a deep breath, she carefully pulled the door open, scanning the hall for the saiyan who was to wake her.

?Reijin?? she whispered shyly, nearly leaping into the ceiling as a squirrel bolted from out of nowhere, between her legs, and past her, back into the bedroom. Bra whirled around, her eyes trained on the rodent, which darted back toward her before bursting in a cloud of smoke. A confused gasp escaped the girl, who rapidly backed away from the fading smoke, directly into a door. Her own force accidentally threw it shut with a dull thud, leaving her isolated with the vanishing substance.

?What the hell?? Bra demanded, waving the choking smoke away from herself as a silhouette appeared within the haze. ?Were you just a chipmunk?? Reijin simply replied with a shrug.

?We need to get ready. That damn Satan army is on its way here, and it?s not far. I barely made it here, so we need to be ready. Some shit is about to hit the fan.? the saiyan pure-blood turned away from the aquamarine haired princess, rummaging through the night stand drawer. Soon, his face appeared over his shoulder as he addressed her. ?I?m going to try to heal this gash on my chest. I need you to help me out of this armor. I?d do it myself, but I can?t really move that arm too well. Help me bandage this, and then I can try to heal it.?

?Uh...? Bra blinked at him, positively stunned. He wanted her to do what? ?I... I don?t think I can-?

?I don?t have time for this! We need to hurry!? Reijin interrupted, glaring at his friend?s daughter just long enough to watch her apprehensive gaze fade into a look of submission.

?Fine. How do we get it off?? the youth snapped, unaware of how one could take an alternative meaning to the comment. The dark haired fighter merely pointed to the clips which fastened his armor to himself, and began working on one side, while Bra went to the other, struggling to free Reijin of his armor. ?What the fuck? Could you have made this any harder to do??

?My armor is properly fastened. My apologies for taking the time to do things right.? the older of the two retorted. The heiress merely hissed her appreciation for the sarcasm, finally releasing the clip on his shoulder. The second one went much easier, but Bra wound up breaking the third, much to Reijin?s chagrin.

?Oops.? she managed to declare before the saiyan glared at her. She looked away from his eyes, trying to avoid their harsh appearance. ?I?m sorry.?

?Just help me pull it off.? he replied, snapping the final release open, causing the armor to hang loosely from his muscular form. The demi saiyan grasped the armor from one side, while Reijin?s good arm grasped the other side. Bra looked away the entire time, even after they had lifted it over the fighter?s head and placed it upon the floor. Reijin couldn?t quite understand why, but managed to catch a bright red tinge in the girl?s face, even as she twisted on her heel to put her back to him.

Moments passed, and soon the princess could hear the sound of clips snapping into place. Bra turned around to see her companion - complete with two working arms - hastily readying his armor for battle. Working alone, he managed to finish the task in half the time as before, and stood up, heading for the door.

?Tonight you sleep in HELL!!?

?The fuck?!? the halfling exclaimed, rushing to the window. Her senses picked up on what was happening long before she reached the pane of glass. Cell, literally radiating power from himself, smashed into the entangled forms of Kao and Bardock, before erupting in a furious detonation of such power, that even the window from which Bra witnessed the event shattered, throwing blades of glass at her as she covered her face in defense. A brilliant shockwave rippled outward from Cell?s blast, rolling away from the epicenter which was now marked with a gigantic, fiery pillar of smoke. Kao, Cell, and Bardock all became invisible to the hybrid who - even aided with her LENS device - could find no evidence of their existence. They had all been killed by the android?s inexplicable gambit. ?Cell! What were you thinking!?? Bra screamed, leaping from the open window and hurdling to the ground below.

A throng of seraphim surrounded the cyan haired girl as she returned to her full height, unable to see over the height of the celestial warriors. One of the angels cast her a sidelong glance, but none made any reactionary movements to her arrival. Bra floated up just high enough to look over the angelic beings and onto the army of misshapen horrors that grew ever closer. Only minutes now remained.

?Shit.? the daughter of Vegeta spat, flaring her aura of alabaster and cobalt about herself. She glanced up at the tower as her sixth sense caught Reijin?s presence. He stood atop the monolithic building, along with Katel and Akira.

Akira. The name brought back her recent training session with the woman. The first of the two times she?d been awakened had been because of this strange woman. Little did she know that the strange encounter would lead to her learning a new combative technique.

She was wrested from her dreams by a persistent prodding into her shoulder. Finally, the girl lazily rolled over to see a woman she barely recognized, but despite that she rubbed the haze of sleep from her eyes, knowing of this woman?s importance.

?What is it?? Bra demanded crossly, shifting her weight so she could comfortably sit up. Akira glided across the room, pausing to remark to herself about whatever ornaments attracted her attention, before finally returning her attention to the princess.

?I saw your little encounter with Reijin on the rooftop.? she began. The demi saiyan leaned forward, her eyes piercing into the warrior who had both helped and hindered her quest during the previous tournament. ?What did he do to you? Why did you attack him??

?Nothing.? the heiress breathed. ?I was confused... and... why do you need to know? It?s none of your business, anyway.?

?Maybe not, but you attacked one of my friends, and I expect a reason for how you acted, young lady!? Akira retorted, placing her hands on her hips and blocking the exit with her hourglass frame.

?I... he...? Bra sighed heavily, wishing she could avoid recounting the events that had passed. ?My dad. He... he got...? she began to sob, hiding her face from the stranger.

?Oh...? came the reply. Akira quickly understood what had happened, and didn?t want to press the issue. ?I?m sorry. I suppose you?re planning to fight the demons once they get here, huh??

?Yeah.? the 12-year-old confirmed, once again finding herself wiping away tears before being able to face her newest company. ?I?m fighting for my dad... even if I couldn?t...?

?I overheard Reijin talking to your friend Cell, and the other android. He told them to guard you while he was away, so I guess you must be important to him.?

?Not really.? the cyan haired warrior explained, nervously clasping her hands together. ?I?m pretty sure he?s just doing it ?cause of my dad. I don?t think he really cares about me.? the statement was only partially true. Bra knew that a part of Reijin had to have done what he did out of duty alone, but the things he had said to her beforehand, that couldn?t have been for naught. Now that she actually took the time to think about it, Reijin was proving to be more of a friend than just a mere acquaintance.

?So, he?s friends with your dad?? Akira continued her gentle interrogation, which was beginning to get the better of Bra.

?No. Yeah, maybe. I don?t know. My dad?s kind of an important person. It?s hard to tell.? she replied, breaking eye contact with the elemental warrior.

?Well... Reijin did go out of his way to heal your arm. Not to mention bring you here.?

?I guess. Are you going anywhere with this? ?Cause I?m really tired, and I?d like to be as fit as I can be when the demons get here.? the heiress flatly stated. Akira merely giggled at the child?s attitude, taking a seat on the bed next to her.

?Yeah, I?m going somewhere.? the former keeper of the forest paused for a moment, lifting her palms upward before her face. ?I can control both fire and ice at the most precise level you can imagine. I can turn my whole body into flame, or freeze a stream.? as she spoke, a ball of fire came to life in her left hand, while a frigid mix of snow and ice formed in her right. ?I taught Reijin how to use my powers... but only those of fire. I trust him with that power, and I think he?ll need it to overcome these monsters. Bra... I can?t say that I know you very well, but nobody here thinks ill of you, and you?ll likewise need everything you can get to make sure we win. Because of this, I?m going to give you power over cold itself. It?s called ?Cryokinesis?, and it?ll give you the ability to manipulate cold in almost any way you can imagine.?

?Cryokinesis?? the hybrid parroted, tilting her head in confusion. Akira suddenly grasped Bra around the wrist, causing a sharp pain to shoot through her nervous system. The girl recoiled in surprise, nearly punching the older woman in anger. ?What the hell!??

?Don?t worry. I just transferred some of my own strength to you. You now have a latent cryokinesis ability. Using it is tricky, though. You?ll have to focus. Totally. No emotions, you can?t think about your opponent?s next move, nothing. It?s all about total control. Focus on making a chunk of ice in your hand. From there, you?ll be able to move onto harder shapes and different kinds of cold powers completely.? Akira explained, creating a frigid blast which completely enveloped one of the room?s walls with a blanket of ice.

Bra did as she was told, closing her eyes and thinking only about what Akira had told her. A low growl escaped her as moments passed. Her focus remained complete, but she could feel nothing. No changes, no cold, nothing. ?This is stupid.? she declared, shaking her head.

?Come on. Just one more try. Maybe don?t think about ice this time, just think about... cold. The coldest thing you?ve ever felt. Just try.?

?Fine.? the hybrid replied, rolling her eyes. Once again, she concentrated every ounce of her being on the task. Cold, cold, cold... The plains Kooriza had stood on were painfully frigid. The artificially formed permafrost was incredibly chilling; exactly like-

?Already?? Akira inquired. Bra opened one eye to see what she meant. In her outstretched hand sat a jagged, deformed piece of ice. The cyan haired princess wondered at her creation, stricken with disbelief.

?I... made that?? she questioned confusedly.

?Yes, you did. Good job! So, those are the basics of cryokinesis, we don?t really have a lot of time to get into advanced training, so I guess you?ll have to do a lot of it on your own time. You know...? Akira paused on her way out the door. ?Reijin is a master of focus and control. You might try asking him to teach you some of his techniques, Bra. They?d go a long way in helping you control your new ability. Good luck in the battle.?

The pillar of smoke had cleared, leaving an immense crater in it?s wake. The thought hit the child once again. Cell had died. The fact fell heavily upon her, but it was nothing compared to the death of her father. Cell had been a rock for Bra, despite the rivalry they continuously tried to portray both to others and to one another.

?WAR!? the deafening battle cry resonated throughout the air as the two sides rushed each other. The angels drew their swords and spears while the demons brought forth their axes and claws. A thunderous crash thundered outward as they collided. Screams of fury and agony assaulted the ears of Bra, who hesitated to fight.

Why should she? She had nothing left to fight for. Cell was dead. So was Uub, Burter, and his son. Her own father had died before her very eyes. Everyone she knew had been slain, leaving her completely and utterly alone. The only thing she had left to fight for was her own life, which was growing less and less valuable to the princess as time wore on. Tears formed two clean streams down her cheeks, but she wouldn?t cry. Not out loud.

The sounds of metal crashing into metal echoed again and again. This was it. The final, decisive battle. She couldn?t simply sit by and lament, could she? Bra sniffled loudly, taking to the air and rocketing over the swarming legions of angels. Her aura grew in effulgence, becoming a whirling, crackling mass of energy which tore at the very air itself, mirroring the tempest which raged within the girl. She truly didn?t have a cause to go into battle, but something in the back of her mind begged her to.

A large, lanky demon armed with a gigantic scythe stood out from the rest. He was giving orders to the monsters around him, which led Bra to believe he was a general Satan?s service. The princess veered to meet him, planting a kick into his jaw and firmly catapulting him into the earth. He tore a runnel through the soil as he came to a stop, hauling himself to his feet with incredible speed. The other demons converged upon her, and were only feet from the girl before the larger hellion raised his hand for them to stop.

He was tall. At least seven feet tall, if not more. His scythe stood higher than he did, it?s handle black and it?s blade polished to a mirror sheen. The demon was thin, but well-muscled. His skin was the color of blood and his claws black as the night. He bore a razor-tooth grin and eyes that matched his flesh. Pointed ears stuck out from his bald head, and a series of spines lined his back.

?Who are you to assault me!?? he demanded, his voice low and distorted. His grin twisted into a contemptuous snarl as he awaited Bra?s response, readying his scythe.

?Fuck you.? the hybrid retorted. ?We gonna do this, or are you just gonna talk shit all night?? it took all she had to keep her emotions in check; Bra was not about to risk a breakdown in front of this twisted creature for the sake of a snide comment.

?Feisty, are we?? the hell-born warrior flashed her an insane grin. ?That?s alright. I?ve always loved a challenge. I?ll even make it fair. For now,? the creature?s scythe became enveloped in flame, and in an instant, disappeared completely. ?I won?t even fight with a weapon. Come on! I?ll tear you to fucking shreds.?

The malignant spirit rocketed forth with speed unmatched by anyone Bra had ever seen before in her life. A fist struck her chin, then her chest and stomach, then her chest once again. The ruthless pummeling continued as the halfling lost track of her opponent, but the pain that wracked her petite body was inescapable. With a final, vicious strike, the monstrosity raked his claws across the girl?s back before driving his knee into her spine, forcing her face-first into the dirt.

?Heh. How?s that feel, kid?? the devil taunted, his eyes dancing wildly at the sight of the freely flowing blood which oozed from the four deep slashes in Bra?s back. The cyan haired child desperately clawed her way to her hands and knees before leaping to her feet. She staggered forward before finally turning to face her adversary, her stance pitiful at best.

?You prick.? she growled, spitting the foul-tasting blood from her mouth. Her aura burgeoned all around her, flashing to gold before the demon?s eyes. Soon, her hair rose ever so slightly, and began to stiffen and separate before shifting hues to match the ethereal flames which burned brightly about her frame. With one final, brilliant flash, Bra was consumed by aureate flame, and when the light retreated, her eyes had become a striking emerald. ?You fight like a bitch.?

The young super saiyan blazed forth, kicking up dust and uprooting earth as she careened toward her opponent, who somehow managed to dance around each and every strike she threw at him. Punches and kicks flew with incalculable alacrity at the malevolent creature, but each one touched nothing but air until finally, a clawed hand wrapped around the girl?s knee with crushing force. Bra cried out in pain, but was driven into the earth before being punted in the gut, sending her out of control into the sky.

?Pathetic!? he shouted, rushing to meet the rapidly slowing halfling. The golden haired girl had no time to react as a fist buried itself into her stomach once again, forcing the girl to vomit a stream of blood onto the devilish creature?s arm. With a disgusted grimace, he backhanded her across the face, launching her away from him, leaving him free to shake the substance from his limb.

He?s... so fast. So strong! I can?t... I can?t beat this guy! But I have to, or else... I?ll let everyone down again.

The scarlet monstrosity appeared before the youth, arms crossed and flashing his wicked smile.

?How ?bout a breather, hm? Take your time, I?ll wait.? he smiled wider, before driving his elbow downward, into the small of Bra?s back, propelling her downward into the earth, which crumbled beneath her force. Muffled sobs escaped from beneath the upturned soil which the heiress had been buried under.

I wasn?t even around to help Burter. I let him go off on his own. I let him fight Brim on his own! I never even warned him! He wouldn?t be dead now if it wasn?t ?cause of me. And Cell... I coulda stopped him! We coulda taken Kao down, me and him. Everyone?s dead ?cause of me! Even-

?Getting up sometime today, sweetheart?? the hellion inquired from above. A chilling laugh reverberated above the din of clashing blades and screams of battle. The demi saiyan grimaced, pulling herself to her feet, ignoring the dirt, blood and tears which were smeared all over her visage.

?Shut... up.? Bra stated. It wasn?t merely a demand, it was an order. Nevertheless, the monster simply reared his head back, laughing even louder than before. The golden haired youth roared in anger, streaking up through the air before planting a vicious elbow just beneath her adversary?s rib cage. Determined to keep the upper hand, she drove her palm into the creature?s face, throwing his head back and allowing a free punch to the throat. The princess continued her onslaught, driving punches and kicks into the demon as fast and as hard as she could, until she was ultimately defeated by a blast of dark energy, which sent her careening through the sky like a rag doll.

?You?re a savage little bitch, aren?t you?? the demonic general observed, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. He was otherwise unfazed by the child?s attack, and appeared to have sustained hardly any damage.

?Just shut up!!? the young super saiyan roared, rocketing forth once again. She pulled her hand back, forming a fist, and just before coming in range, a hiss of ki erupted as a kienzan dagger was born within her soft hand. Bra thrust the blade forth, and tore deep into the greater demon?s stomach, drawing blood and a hellish scream from the creature who brutally slapped the girl away.

?You whore!!? he raged. ?Using weapons are we!? Fine! All bets are off, you little bitch!? the hellion raised his hand into the air, summoning his scythe to his hand in a burst of flame. The monstrosity rushed forth, raising the weapon high over his head and swinging it down, narrowly missing the princess. Several more slashes clawed through the air, but never did the steel bite flesh. A mighty kick flew forth, breaking the scythe in two. The demon glowered at Bra incredulously, throwing his weapon down in a fit of rage. He rushed forward, batting the girl about with his powerful fists. Quickly, he clasped the child by the forearm, allowing him to drive punch after punch into her ribs without her flying out of range. Each impact resulted in a cry of searing agony from the princess, until finally the demon heard a satisfying crack echo deafeningly through the air. With a horrid laugh, the red warrior hurled his victim into the ground below.

?And to think Maleficus fell to you imbeciles! You mortals are pathetic!? he taunted, folding his arms across his chest. ?You?re a miserable failure.?

Bra wanted to get up. Bra wanted to grab that demon by the throat and beat his face in until not even the other fiends could recognize him. But she couldn?t. The stabbing pain in her chest prevented her even from breathing, let alone fighting. The hybrid couldn?t understand it. She wasn?t fighting near to her full potential and she knew it. She had been making overly sloppy mistakes and didn?t take advantage of her power. Her heart simply wasn?t in it. With Burter and Uub dead, that had only left Cell and her father. And now, neither of them remained. She failed four times already, and this time, she had nothing to fight for. Would anyone care if she failed again? Would anyone even remember her name?

?Come on, get up! Surely you want some kind of revenge! Your father, was he not killed by our hand? Where?s your fire?? the monster grinned wildly at the look of hate that crossed Bra?s features.

?How do you know that?!? the golden haired heiress demanded.

?Please. My name is General Shuurajou. I?ve overseen every aspect of our operations on this forsaken realm. Maleficus was one of my greatest warriors, you know. It will bring me great pleasure to take you down to hell and torture you ?till the end of time.? he retorted.

The golden haired princess got to her feet once again, her vision shifting in and out of focus. With a stiff roar, she leapt upward, her fist colliding with the hapless Shuurajou, before continuing with a savage knee. Another two fists cracked across his jaw, following a brutal roundhouse kick to the temple which dashed the hell spawn?s equilibrium, sending him careening wildly through the air.

Bra rushed forth again, her dead eyes set on her target. Her foot smashed into the devil?s chest, but he held his ground, lunging forward and raking his claws across the girl?s face. She screamed in horror before being hit by a salvo of punches which launched her far through the air, straight into the watchtower. The hybrid?s hands covered her face as blood flowed through her fingers, and she began to sob hysterically.

Her senses told her he was there, but she ignored him. The stinging pain from the brutal punch that sent her to the dirt was nothing compared to the absolute suffering caused by the wounds on her face. She was - once again - inadequate. Unfit for a fight such as this. But this time there wasn?t someone here to die for her. No, this time she would have to prove herself, and she?d already failed.

?Bloody hell, you?re weak! It?s a wonder you haven?t been cast aside yet. I suppose I should have expected it, though. Vegeta was pathetic. Like father like daughter, hm? And to think, he was the prince of all saiyans.? Shuurajou spat onto the ground. ?He died on his knees. I?ll have you on yours soon enough.?

Visions of her father?s death played through Bra?s mind, happening over and over again. Each time it played out, it happened faster, more violently. Soon, flashes of the others appeared in her mind, until finally, Vegeta appeared, covered in blood. He spoke, no, screamed. ?Why, Bra??

The girl took her hands from her face. Deep cuts marred her once beautiful face, and one of her eyes had been discolored to a pale grey. She trembled as her father died in her mind once more. ?Why, Bra? Why didn?t you do anything? I saved you! I was your father! You let me die!?

?NOOO!!!? she shrieked, her dazzling aura exploding around her, blazing vehemently against the walls of the tower. ?You?ll pay for what you said about my daddy, you fucking son of a bitch! I?ll cut you just like you cut me! I?ll rip your fucking heart out!?

The princess rushed up at Shuurajou, moving with a far more intense alacrity than before. The greater demon could do nothing but gape in surprise as the fists bore into his flesh. A hail of strikes rang out again and again, the force of each one causing blood to literally leap from the demon?s skin.

?You son of a bitch!! You?re dead! All of you!!? the deranged child began to hit harder. ?I won?t let my dad have died in vain! I?ll kill you fuckers for him! You hear me dad!? These guys are fuckin? dead!?

A gargantuan wave of energy flew forth, carrying Shuurajou into the ground with a thunderous detonation. Bra began hurling a rally of energy bolts into the smoking crater, consuming the haze with fires anew.

?Get up!! Get the fuck up you worthless piece of shit!? the princess halted her assault as her sorrow overcame her. Her shining form shuddered as she wept, having lost everything in her time on the asteroid.

?Lost is your soul!!? Shuurajou leapt out from the smoke, shrieking forth at incredible speed, but Bra was quicker. To the demon?s disbelief, the girl phased into sight directly behind him, daggers at the ready. Both buzzing weapons were plunged into his throat and dragged across, flaying him open like a fish, spilling his blood all over his shirt. As the hellion fell from the air, the princess hurled her daggers after him, and each one tore directly through him and into the earth below, where they exploded.

?Fucking asshole!? Bra sniffed, coming to rest near the fallen general?s body. It was fairly secluded from the rest of the battle, and allowed her a wall to lean against as she wept. The child slid down until she hit the ground, and buried her face in her knees. She?d lost her best friend and father, and now she was half-blind. Did the Kais hate her? Was her existence merely some twisted form of entertainment for them?

It didn?t matter anymore. All that mattered now was vengeance. She?d lost everything, so all that was left was for her to take everything from everyone else. And that meant killing Satan. Bra?s eye fell upon the gigantic devil as she climbed to her feet. ?For dad.?

OOC: Wow. Well, the stage for Bra is set. Good luck, 17 and Reijin! Looking forward to your posts! ^_^

[Android 17]

OOC: This may, to some, come off as very explicit at some points. Just thought I'd give a fair warning if you are a person who dislikes graphic violence.

Seventeen relaxed on one of the cots within the balcony of the watchtower. Although he was laying one what was in essence, a thin sheet of cotton wrapped around a slab of concrete, he didn?t mind at all. For someone who had been spending the last few days of his life trying to outrun his mortality, the android could not have been more relieved to be in relative shelter. At least surrounded by the heavily guarded watchtower, he would be momentarily free to collect himself before the armies he had scouted a few hours ago arrived to unleash the full wrath of the pit upon the planetoid.

The highlights of the last few days?still painfully fresh in the android?s mind?repeated themselves as part of his cybernetic half?s preparation for the carnage to ensue. Yet, to the weary machine-hybrid, the images supplied nothing more then depressing memories and reminders of the aches and pains that consumed his entire, war-ravaged form. Still, even against Android Seventeen?s will, the abysmal clip show continued to torment him.

The images, slightly distorted by previous malfunctions of the his cybernetic components, eclipsed the internal display of the battered android. Blinding him to everything but themselves, they replayed to him some of the earliest events of the competition. Angered that he could do nothing to stave off the scenes, Seventeen simply submitted to his technologically superior side and viewed the backlogs of his CPU as they progressed. Piccolo Daimoun had been a bad memory from a darker period of the competition, and it pained the cybernetic warrior to watch as he split open the namekian?s skull like a watermelon.

Following that panorama was the android?s second venture into the hospital, yet before that was his tryst with the seemingly godlike avatar. Seventeen cringed when he witnessed the ebony titan cleave off his forearm with relative ease, but soon there was a change of scenery?this time the android was fighting the human samurai Yajirobe. Although their contest was relatively even, no clear victor ever had the chance to emerge. As soon as it seemed the battle was winding down, a slew of zombies, lead by the nefarious Satan invaded the dome.

Seeing the valiant samurai impaled the first time had left a mark on the android?s psyche, but having to watch it a second time succeeded only in pouring salt onto an open wound. The multiple, near-death experiences the android had with Vapor over the course of the last few hours were replayed for him to painfully relive. They were shortly followed by the very one-sided duel with the demon general Azrael--a confrontation in which Seventeen had never expected to survive?let alone leave the victor.

As the last of the events looped through the machine-hybrid?s internal display, he began to question how he had managed to continue for so long. Nearly everyone that he knew had met a cruel exit from the competition, but somehow, Android Seventeen had been able to outlast them all. With his cybernetic component satisfied that its almost torture-like treatment had possibly given its organic complement an edge in the bloodbath drawing nearer by the minute, everything finally returned to normal inside the tired, strained head of the android. Lifting his heavy eyelids, Android Seventeen noticed that both the mysterious Watchman and the green, winged creature were both in the room as well.

There was a brief exchange of words, but the drowsy android was unable to hear what exactly the two were conversing about. As if the words had struck some undisclosed nerve, the emerald organism spun around to face the aged guardian of the tower. With an expression of disclosure clearly visible on his white features, the tall warrior addressed the robed watchman. Nothing happened for a while after that, and Seventeen was unsure whether or not a few minutes or a few hours had passed.

When he finally found the energy to sit up, he leaned over the edge of the cot and collected his effects pouch. Inside, the android removed his battle visor and turned it on to initiate another massive influx of digits and text. The sheer number of information alone could only indicate one thing and one thing only?Satan?s army had at last arrived. As is he had received the same mortifying information, the speckled warrior took a nosedive off the balcony?s handrail. Uttering an audible gasp, Seventeen rushed passed the watchman and over to the banister.

He only had a few seconds before the winged creature reached his final destination, but that short span of time was all the apparatus needed to identify the two battling figures. They were the same two combatants that the machine-hybrid had observed so many hours ago when he arrived at the watchtower. Kao, son of Brim, seemed to be on the verge of snapping the neck of his saiya-jin opponent when the dive-bombing, energy-consumed figure detonated like an atomic bomb. The heat discharged from the fighter?s body as he was consumed by his own energy was enough to send the android stumbling back into the confines of the watchtower. Still too weak to maintain his equilibrium, the machine-hybrid lost his balance, fell, and landed painfully on his back. A giant cloud of smoke seeped into the room seconds after the blast.

A number of mostly incoherent thoughts flooded the android?s mind. The most prevalent message was one of complete distress at what had just transpired before his eyes. In the short span of time he had to gauge a reading, the cybernetic warrior was able to deduce, due to the uncloaking feature of his visor, that the green man was synthetic. Only androids had the innate ability to conceal their ki, yet the true question Android Seventeen briefly pondered over was why the machination seemed to be organic. It only took the drained machine-hybrid to recall that he was only partially inorganic, and it made perfect sense that other androids like himself existed in the world. Both Bardock and the green humanoid, however, had been contestants?some of the most stalwart still alive, and now both of them had been wiped out of existence in the blink of an eye.

Something within Seventeen was deeply confused at what he had just witnessed, yet the more rational portion of his mentality understood the sacrifice the speckled android had made. By forfeiting his life, even at the cost of a fellow combatant, the humanoid had ended the threat Brim?s seed represented once and for all. Seventeen would remain dazed on the floor for what could have easily lasted an eternity had it not been for the intervention of two very familiar divinities. In a duet of flashing particles, Paige and Leo materialized in front of the fatigued android. Seventeen smiled weakly at the pair of whitelighters and asked for assistance off the stone floor. With a warm smile, the female guardian angel lent a hand to her weary friend.

?You are not looking too healthy, my friend,? Leo said, lightly punching the noticeably worn out machine-hybrid. The android strained to offer a counterfeit smile to the fallen divinity, but Leo just shrugged his shoulders at the behavior of the morose mortal and turned to peer out over the balcony. Something caught his attention as it had done previously with the speckled man. Seventeen, who hadn?t bothered to look out at the hills in the distance earlier, looked up to see the bulk of the unholy crusaders were pouring over the rolling expanses of the wastelands. Much to the chagrin of the woman he was leaning on, the cybernetic warrior staggered towards Leo. Instead of actually going anywhere, he only managed to trip, bringing Paige with him on his downward plunge. When he hit the floor, Android Seventeen felt something new break?probably a rib or two.

?Just lie there and we?ll make you good to go,? the whitelighters said in unison, ?Gabriel needs heroes like you to champion his cause.? With the conclusion of their parallel speaking, the two guardian angels rested their palms on the mutilated back of their fallen ally. An all too familiar feeling spread over the battered android?s figure, and soon enough, Seventeen felt new life exploding across his dead, devitalized tissue in an orgasm of warmth and euphoria.

After a few minutes, the machine-hybrid, once struggling to remain afloat in the chaos that was Kala, began to fell better then ever. Standing up, what had once been one of the single, most straining actions was now as simple as it should always be. Android Seventeen looked at his fingers, raising them up to his face so that he could get a closer look at the lack of third-degree burns that once plagued them. Amazed, the cybernetic warrior reached behind his formerly blackened, bald cranium to run his hand through his rejuvenated head of hair.

?It?s only hair,? Paige giggled, but Seventeen ignored the sarcasm of the lovely whitelighter. He was but a humble mortal, and she was infallible--above both the petty obsessions and sufferings of the android. Still, the machine-hybrid understood that his ladyfriend was only trying to lighten the mood, and for that, Seventeen loved her. Turning to glance back over the balcony, the cybernetic warrior could see that the forces of Hell had ceased their advance a few hundred yards from the elevated tower.

?We need to move, Paige,? Leo said, having broke his silence for the first time in a few minutes. He had returned to the edge of the terrace right after he assisted in the healing of the android. Although he looked to only be in his mid-thirties, the fallen angel almost always had an air of seriousness around him when the going got tough. It was strange that the usually happy-go-lucky whitelighter knew exactly when to get serious. The same trait was one that the android knew he lacked entirely. As much as he tried though, Android Seventeen couldn?t stop running his fingers over his healed epidermis. It was during times like this that the machine-hybrid was glad he had friends in such high places. Leo, not bothering to give a backwards glance, pointed to the battlefield and departed the room in his luminescent normal grandeur.

?Here,? Paige spoke after a period of uneasy silence. She turned around, revealing a small stack of clothes that she must have manifested herself somehow. Raising an eyebrow, Seventeen tentatively reached out and selected the two shirts from the top of the pile. Both articles of clothing were stylized exactly the same as the android?s usual attire, all the way down the stitching pattern.

?Do some shopping?? the machine-hybrid said sarcastically as he pulled the undershirt down over his body. The red-haired angel rolled her eyes in disgust, but Android Seventeen knew he detected the smallest hint of a smile on the woman?s delicate visage. After slipping the ebony tee-shirt over its ivory counterpart, the cybernetic warrior removed the tattered remnants of his denim jeans. When he reached up to retrieve his new pair of jeans, Seventeen had to fight the urge to make a sardonic comment to the blushing whitelighter. After drawing the laces of his brand new boots taut, and tying a clean, crimson bandana loosely around his neck, the android gave a solemn nod to his momentarily silent guardian angel. Paige leaned forward, planting a single, brief kiss on the machine-hybrid?s lips before dissimilating into a flurry of white and blue light particles.

Still staring at where the whitelighter had been with the same shocked look on his face, Android Seventeen cursed beneath his breath. Even though he was content with remaining blissfully enraged at the stunts Paige enjoyed performing, reality soon shattered any mental or emotional fa?ade the android was trying to erect. Outside, both sides had remained stalwart of their current positions, yet it seemed that the hour of judgment was quickly drawing near. Swallowing down the last fears and uncertainties his organic self had concocted over the last few hours, Seventeen began towards the balcony; however, before he could leap over the side and into the imminent battlefield, strong words quickly stopped him dead in his tracks.

?You may covet this, my young technological marvel,? the words, powerful yet soothing had come from the mystifying watchman. Seventeen was initially startled by the old man--the android had completely forgotten that the robed figure was still idle in the center of the chamber. However, now a pasty, skeletal hand was extended from the boundaries of his flowing cloak and clutched between his sunken fingers was what appeared to be the blade of the avatar. At first, the machine-hybrid was stunned because he didn?t know how the strange deity could have come to possess the sword. When last he recalled, Seventeen had forgotten to recollect the mighty weapon after his conflict with the strange, aqueous construct. Without further instruction, the robed figure let the blade of the sword swing downwards, so that the hilt was now pointed towards the android, ?to you I bequeath this weapon young mortal. May it serve you well in the tribulations to befall us all.?

Brushing off his natural knack for asking too many questions, Android Seventeen collected the powerful weapon from the guardian of the asteroid and started towards the terrace. Leaping into the hushed nighttime, the cybernetic warrior landed on the top of the balustrade, both his hands and left hand firmly grasped the chilled stone of the railing. With his free hand, he valiantly hoisted the mighty sword above his head for all beneath him to see and uttered a battle cry as he gazed across the field of battle. Below the android, several of the idle angels, their spirits slightly diminished from the sight of the unholy crusaders prepared to pounce upon them, felt their fears lift a little at the gallant display of fervor by the bizarre mortal. Like a true gargoyle of vengeance, Seventeen remained perched upon the stone, hoping that he would garner the attention of a few of the immobile demons.

Content with his flamboyant display of spirit, the cybernetic warrior leaped from the railing. With assistance from his ability to control his ki, Android Seventeen succeeded in touching down on the dried earth without breaking any of his bones again. Glancing around, the machine-hybrid immediately noticed the cyan-haired girl was standing near the rim of a large crater near the base of the tower. Quickly recalling what had happened only a few minutes ago, he realized that scar in the earth represented the final absolution of the strange green android. At the pinnacle of the lofty watchtower, the android?s battle visor informed him of the presence of Reijin, Gabriel and two other potent ki signatures. Turning his gaze once more to face the battlefield, Seventeen started towards the front of the line, but before he could make it more then a few paces, two voices exploded into the nervously quiet, early morning air.

?War!? the two voices, one clearly human and the other blatantly demonic, triggered a torrent of screams to shatter the once deadly silence of the stand off. With that one, powerful word, both concentrations of troops broke from their immaculate lines and began screaming across the field towards one another. In the thick of the rush, Seventeen was quickly shoved aside by hastened angels, yet it didn?t bother the machine-hybrid to see the divinities show some backbone for once.

Over the entire course of events leading up to this point, all the celestial army had done was stand around at the watchtower and wait for their enemy to tire of all the destruction it had wrought long enough to confront them. Now, Gabriel had exactly what he had hoped for--both the defensive position, and an enemy that was possibly fatigued from nearly a day of constant slaughter. Still, the android, beset by the sudden number of troops violently pushing their way past him, found himself doubting the archangel?s plan.

Standing back as the mass of winged, armored soldiers stampeded past him, the cybernetic warrior took in a deep breath. Looking forward, he watched the initial result of the conflicting armies: several explosions rocked the asteroid to its core as mangled bodies were scattered into the air. Blood rained down on the field, yet none of the combating warriors seemed to be affected by the crimson downpour; however, Seventeen reeled back from the fluid shrapnel, trying desperately to avoid staining himself this early.

Yet his efforts were in vain once again, and a splash of the sanguine liquid succeeded in masking the android?s sight under a scarlet veil. Loudly declaring his dissatisfaction, Seventeen wiped the blood from his eyes, glaring at the small skirmish going on a few yards in front of him. It was clearly evident that the hell spawn had an advantage over the holy legion, yet there was one thing that Gabriel?s forces included that the demon?s lacked--Android Seventeen.

Gliding across the terrain like a phantom, the cybernetic warrior injected himself into the one-sided conflict with fiery retribution on mind. There were only five demons, but by the time the initial shock of the android?s entrance had subsided, only three had kept their heads intact. Their fallen brethren were laid out at their feet, their headless corpses served as nothing but mere geysers of blood. It was a strange emotion, Seventeen had slain countless enemies before, yet before he had never reveled in the bloodshed unless some outside force was adversely affecting him.

This time, though, it was a completely different feeling. Even during the final battle with the changelings back home, Android Seventeen had never relished the thrill of the kill. After all, on Earth the only reason for fighting was the will to survive; however, now the cybernetic warrior wasn?t combating servants to some tyrannical empire. He was fighting the very embodiments of the exact entity that he had been vying to consume his soul since the start of what had once been a game show--Evil.

As he outclassed and exterminated the demonic grunts, the only lasting dilemma simmered in the android?s mind. For the last series of days, the machine-hybrid had slaved to prove his allegiances with numerous powers. He had endured the tedious challenges of the heavenly powers, the mysterious watchman, and the duo of whitelighters, yet among all of his hardships, there was but one person he never felt he had truly atoned to. With each demon he drove to extinction, Seventeen knew he was once step closer to achieving penance within his own mind. After all the bizarre dreams and trials, he was the sole person who contained a single shred of doubt pertaining to who he was underneath.

As the last hell spawn was felled beneath his rage-infused blade, Android Seventeen took a deep breath and took a short glimpse at the surface wounds that had stained his new clothes. Frowning in distaste, he shrugged off the aggravation and glanced up the slightly slanted incline in front of him. He was forced to shield his eyes from the rising light of the sun with a bony forearm as he trekked up the already tarnished hillside. Sloshing through a thin layer of biological shrapnel, he was unexpectedly joined by a small assemblage of divinities.

Although he found himself detesting the armies of Heaven for their inclination towards inaction, on the field of battle, Seventeen was willing to accept the backing of anyone with a weapon. Once at the apex of the small knoll, the ragtag group had a view of the focal point of conflict. Like a living, hellish mosaic, the scene made the android shiver at its level of carnage. Nothing he had ever witnessed since he had woken up in that cabin so long ago was as disturbing as the landscape just a few dozen yards in front of him.

Satan?s army obviously had no feeling for anything, yet without a soul to call their own, Seventeen didn?t blame them. Still, having to observe as the seraph?s were torn apart and scattered into the sky in gory chunks was enough to send the most fanatical of warriors straight to their knees. Having to sit back and watch the forces of Heaven be rent in pieces quickly became too much for the android to stomach, but before he could leap into the thick of the m?l?e, several black dots emerged from the hills several hundred yards away.

?Siege weaponry!? a nearby angel screamed before having his entrails freed from the confines of his abdomen with the swing of a demonic axe. There was a series of reverberations that shook the entire battlefield. The quaking preceded the wailing of some form of hellish mortar as it soared across the central skirmish. Seventeen, realizing all too hastily that he had no place to retreat from the effects the projectile would have, did the only thing he could think of whenever he needed a momentary relief from the mayhem of battle.

?Field open!? With a nervous yelp, he desperately threw up his personal defensive measure. Fortunately for the android, his energy blockade had just the window of opportunity it needed to prepare itself for the earth-shattering effects that the mortar shell would have upon its detonation. Watching the satchel as it struck the earth, no one initially heard anything at all. The clash of swords was nullified by the blinding white light that paved the way for the next effect of the demonic weaponry.

However, even through the protection of the green shielding, Seventeen still heard the titanic explosion that heralded the coming of a massive wave of heat. With no environmental protection in his barrier, the machine-hybrid was staggered by the insane level of heat. Falling to his knees, his shield started to flicker and weaken as he lost the concentration needed to maintain it. Yet, at the last moment, when Seventeen felt as if he was about to faint from the heat, its power over him dissipated. However, upon first seeing it, Seventeen understood the power of the bomb paled in comparison to the aftermath.

Strewn around the immediate vicinity, were the remains of the defenseless angels. With no means of protecting themselves from the vehement fury the bomb contained, they had succumbed beneath its devastating power. What lingered behind was nothing but broken, bloodstained corpses. Across the faces of the seraphs who had no time to flee from the destruction, Seventeen could see twisted expressions of agony plastered. It was an unfitting death mask for such benevolent beings.

Still, the android knew he had no time to lament their passing, and as depressing a picture that it was, the machine-hybrid understood that many would face their mortality at the foot of the watchtower. Meanwhile, a large shadow had fallen over the majority of the battlefield--the by-product of the day?s shifting cycles. The vibrant glory of the sun was peaking in enough time to cast down the blood red hue that the harvest moon had bathed the asteroid in.

Tightening his already strong grip on the hilt of his weapon, Android Seventeen leaped down the full length of the hillside. His eyes were set on the isolated bout occurring near the rim of the major skirmish. Several demons were toying with a pair of wounded celestials. The unholy heathens were relishing in the torment of the angels they had already incapacitated. Having cast aside their barbaric weaponry, the quartet of demons was physically maiming the divine duo. Cringing in pain, the soldiers of Heaven were submitted to having not only their faces and bodies disfigured by the natural weapons of the infernal infantry but suffer helplessly as their wings were ripped apart clump by clump. Appalled by the defacement of the defenseless, Seventeen, once again emulating the angel of retribution he was quickly coming to personify, leaped directly into the fray.

Running off of his abhorrence of the hell spawn, the hate-amalgamated android drove the length of his blade clean through the sternum of the first devil unlucky enough to detect his presence. Kicking forward, the fuming cybernetic fighter sent the foremost demon to his final resting place and pivoted to block against the rusted, archaic machete that the second soldier wielded. Unwilling to engage a pair of the crusaders at once, Android Seventeen batted aside the inferior weapon of his current adversary.

Exposed, hell spawn number two soon felt cold steel rip its way through his throat, and then as his corpse collapsed into a quickly expanding pool of its own blood, he felt no more. Giving a final, hateful glare to the disposed vermin, an adrenaline consumed Seventeen swung the blade blindly, yet much to his dismay, the avatar?s former weapon split flesh. His vision, clouded by the thrill of battle, saw nothing of the weeping demon, struggling to keep his viscera inside his body.

Taking a few deep breaths, he realized that the foot solider would act the same way if he was in the android?s shoes. Even after he had stopped seething, Seventeen ignored the pleas of his dying opponents and dealt out the death blow to its all too deserving recipient. Dashing forward, the sound of metal segregating flesh and bone was heard once again, and as the carcass crumbled into a lifeless heap, its murderer smiled as he watched the severed head roll across the ground for a few feet.

Hurdling over the ensanguined mass, the android came down on the decapitated cranium with a sickening crush--splatters of blood and fragments of bone sprayed out from underneath the machine-hybrid?s boots. Still discontented, the android continued to rub the tips into the shattered skull for a few seconds. Satisfied with his dispatching of the trio of grunts, a primeval Seventeen turned his attention to the line of siege weapons amassed on the tallest hill on the battlefield. He knew that allowing the artillery to become fully operational would directly result in Gabriel?s men losing control of the watchtower.

Fully understanding that course of events would give the forces of Hell and even greater advantage then they already had physically and mentally, Seventeen understood that dismantling the artillery was the most imperative objective. Eying the troops doing battle nearby, the android knelt down, an invisible aura of ki sheathing his entire figure. His muscles tensed beneath his surging energy, and in the next instant, the machine-hybrid was off on his undertaking. Beneath him, several of the hell spawn tried to swing their primitive weapons at the low flying warrior, yet even though he blocked out everything minus the giant machinations on the hillside, none of the crazed demons managed to capitalize on his blind determination. For as fast as he was compared to the meaningless grunts aborting their lives on the ground beneath him, Seventeen failed to reach his targets before they became fully operational.

Still, he pushed on, the lowbrow features of the demonic machinations becoming distinctly visible. Comprised mostly of giant wooden logs cloaked underneath a layer of black paint, the tank-like war machines were decorated to display their demonic origins. For example, the bones of long dead, prehistoric creatures were mounted down the sides of the contraptions, and at each weapon?s helm was the skull of their respective beast. What further harmonized the concept of the machines were the massive barbs of bone, wood, and steel mounted up and down their sides. In particular, the two blood-soaked spikes jutting from what once housed the dead beasts? eyes were testaments to the dominance of the infernal contraptions.

Seated above the skull on each artillery piece, was a single demon, his sole duty appeared to entail nothing more then striking a war drum as a means of auxiliary intimidation. As the android went to touch down, the first volley was unleashed by the siege catapults. Seventeen observed the three bundles of volatile chemicals all the way until they erupted against the walls of the watchtower. Albeit it he was unable to see as well staring in the direction of the escalating sun, the cybernetic warrior was certain he saw the massive structure wobble slightly as it tried to cope with the intensity of the explosions.

Stanch in his will to prevent a breach in Heaven?s sole possession during the battle, the android discarded any momentary doubts he had and leaped onto the side of the colossal structure. He understood that trying to fly all the way to the top of the machination would only result in making him a clear target to all three contraptions.

Using the sword of the avatar as something to ensure he wouldn?t plummet to a very probable death, Seventeen began to scale the side of the tank. His mission immediately attained the interest of a few hell spawn stationed on the weapon as guards, and even though they were unable to assault the saboteur themselves, the forces of Hell had come to the battlefield aptly prepared for the most lowdown of tricks their foes may perpetrate against them.

Cackling at the sight of the machine-hybrid scaling the high, barbed walls, the guards vanished, returning a few moments later with a stack of dynamite in each of their hands. Once again forcing down the taste of bile that accompanied a new wave of fear, Seventeen climbed faster, yet he almost immediately found his upward progress hindered by the defensive measures the seemingly barbaric hellions had implemented.

The first two sticks of dynamite dropped behind the very mortified android, but luckily for him, either the fuses were too long or they had been ignited too late, because the explosives detonated a few dozen feet below Seventeen?s feet. Exhaling, the machine-hybrid sped up his ascent; however, much to his dismay, the next pair of explosives careened off his back before exploding only a few yards beneath him.

Shards of wood and bone bit into the android?s jeans, forcing him to scream in agony as fresh blood oozed from the new wounds. The worst part of that volley, however, was the feeling of the high-powered sticks of dynamite rolling down his back in the seconds before they erupted, tearing a massive hole in the artillery?s side. Just as the pace of Seventeen?s heart started to return to normal, the two guards reappeared over the edge of the war machine. It was at that moment that the android?s CPU did some calculations pertaining to distance and velocity before supplying him with a rather diabolical plan.

Giggling some more, the two sentries dropped their bars of gunpowder upon their ostensibly vulnerable target. Instead of retreating, the machine-hybrid let go off the wall with one hand, unleashing a blast of energy that triggered one of the explosives to detonate inoffensively. With the same hand, Seventeen caught the remaining stick of dynamite and returned it to its senders.

Still giggling and high fiving one another, the two narcissistic demons failed to understand what happened until it was far too late. Their screams were drowned out by the explosion that claimed both their lives. Pulling his body tight against the wall, Android Seventeen closed his eyes to the world as the two sentries corpses were ruined by the fury contained in the small shafts of gunpowder.

One of the bodies could be heard crashing into the side of the next siege catapult, and the other fallen devil was thrown completely from the line of machines, his corpse hitting the ground few hundred feet down and bursting apart. Opening his eyes, Seventeen looked behind his shoulders at the second artillery piece for the corpse. He saw the obviously dead demonic sentry, impaled by several of the defensive measures on the machination?s wall. Blood escaped the multitude of wounds inflicted upon the deceased warrior, yet the android couldn?t find it within his soul to care at all. The crucified hellion knew the consequences of waging war against the throne of Heaven, and now he was nothing but another statistic.

Pouncing up the portion of the wall left to climb, the wearied android was immediately assaulted by a few soldiers. Yet, unlike many of the other demons that the machine-hybrid had encountered, the group of grunts was easily dispatched within a matter of seconds. However, unlike the other encounters, the machine-hybrid suffered a few minimal stab wounds. Jostling the final corpse over the edge of the machination?s crown, Seventeen poked the surface wound and thanked Satan for giving the guards of his siege weapons blunt weapons.

Filled to the brim with determination, the android leaped up onto a small wall. Beneath him, several lesser devils were slaving to reload the catapult each time it was fired. Taking a short look at the parcels laden with explosives, the android noticed that their contents had stained them red. It only took a moment for Seventeen to realize the satchels must be stuffed with blood or some other messy, organic supplement. It was a crude addition to the demon?s desire to incite fear in their victims.

As he brushed off the barbaric tactics of the hell spawn, the machine-hybrid flipped off the barricade into the air. Traveling high above the artillery piece, yellow rays of ki began to escape his clenched fingers. Spiraling back down a few feet for subconscious reasons only, the android threw his aligned, glowing palms forward. With his target verified, Seventeen let a faint smirk creep across his features.

?Final Flash!? he screamed, unleashing his energy salvo at the ammunition depot of the siege weapon. It wasn?t the initial explosion caused by the wave of ki that created the brilliant explosions, but what happened when the heat triggered the barrels of explosive parcels to detonate. Screams of the machine?s crew could be heard for only a few moments before being completely masked by the explosion. His eyes wide with awe, Seventeen failed to notice the remaining two catapults modifying their trajectory, and even when the cloud of smog lifted to reveal the burning remains of the central weapon, he never heard the sound of wooden gears shifting.

Seduced by the sheer amount of carnage he had generated, Android Seventeen failed to detect the two explosive projectiles until they crashed into him from each side. The cybernetic warrior?s reaction was lost among the wrath of the blast, and when the initial explosions subsided, a hush fell over the neighboring combatants as they all took a moment to peer up at the veil of dust and debris still suspended around where the android had been.

[Reijin]

In a flash the dark clothed youth was at the roof of the watchtower, finding himself accompanied by the two sisters that he had become acquainted with. A dark brooding sense filled him with foreboding as he looked down to meet Bra?s gaze from the bottom of the tower. The young girl seemed to be caught up in a heavy cluster of emotions, trying to take in everything that had happened in the last twenty four hours. She looked around erratically as tears began to slowly flow upon her cheeks.

?That girl is going to be essential to the outcome of this battle,? the older Dezmon sister observed. He turned his eyes to her curiously and she smiled at him, her looks betraying nothing more than mystery. ?I have given her a gift, as I have you.?

He felt a chuckle emerge from his lips as the feeling of her kiss reverberated so refreshingly through his memory. ?So you made out with a twelve year old?? he questioned cynically. She returned an exasperated sigh and Reijin touched her cheek for a moment. ?Relax, babe, I?m only joking.? His words were an attempt to lighten the mood, and yet he felt a sharp pain to his heart as he spoke them. He turned, allowing his words to trail off as he saw the girl finally take action below.

A short distance from the tower, a large demon with an impossibly mammoth scythe was issuing orders to the denizens of Hell, inciting them into a battle fury very like that of the Saiyan invasion attempts. The Saiyan girl was closing the distance between the two of them with mind blowing speed, nearly blurring even to his trained vision. She was angered, evident from the tears that streamed down her broken visage.

Katel placed a hand upon his shoulder attracting his attention. ?I think that it is time for my sister and I to acknowledge this battle in our own way,? she spoke, giving Akira a nod. Reijin returned the nod and allowed his trademark smirk to implant itself upon his hardened face.

?Good. I don?t want you two in my way when I kill this army on my own,? he replied cockily. Not waiting for a reply, his feet carried him to the edge of the rail and over, hurling himself to the ground below. Almost on impact, a large horned form was upon him.

It gave a guttural roar in a language never meant to be spoken by mortal tongues, and brought down a large fist to the ground. The Saiyan expertly rolled to the side, rising to his feet with a tumbler?s proficiency before his two Ki katana appeared within his fists. Without preamble, he darted in, slamming one of the blades deep into the creature?s chest before wrenching it out the side of its torso, disemboweling it with ease. It looked down and roared once more as its intestines spilled to the ground, and dropped down to its knees weakly. Reijin gave a laugh as his view turned to look for more opponents.

He barely heard the scraping sound over the clash of weaponry on the battlefield. Luckily, his attention spun back to the creature in time to see it rush at him in an attempt to gorge him with its horns. He fell backwards awkwardly, losing his balance and striking his back against the wall of the watchtower. A curse escaped his lips as he rolled over, attempting to pull himself to his feet.

He felt the thunderous footsteps once more and threw his weight blindly to the side, hearing a deafening crack as the creature?s head slammed into the wall where he had been leaning. He climbed back to his feet, reforming his dissipated weaponry with a moment?s thought. The demon howled in fury as it tried to break its head away from the side of the watchtower, broken remains of concrete wall falling all around it while its head remained firmly lodged. Reijin solved its quandary with a deft slice of his blade, leaving the head to adorn the rock wall as an ornament above the remains of its headless body.

Satisfied, the lust for blood ignited within the warrior as he turned to look for more future victims. It tore at him, screaming for an end to the trained calm of the Saiyan?s mind, but he quickly quelled it while scanning the battlefield for important fighters. In the distance, he could see Bra clashing with the large demon through the broken holes within the armies before they once more converged and covered his sight. She seemed to have the demon pretty well covered, from his point of view. He also felt that she had a bit of learning to do. She was too na?ve, and needed to be broken of it.

In the distance, a loud explosion shook the very earth upon which they stood. Reijin?s legs gave way beneath him, and he hit the ground hard, finding that he was not the only one to do so. He quickly righted himself to see large monolithic structures of warfare being introduced to the battlefield. An angel announced it to the world as ?Siege weaponry!? was heard to the few that could take the moment to acknowledge it.

Shaking his head angrily, he darted amongst the warring combatants with a display of agility very few mortals possessed. Angels fought against demons, holding them at bay while fighting with their morals in mind. The hardened warrior stepped between the two warring factions and struck a demon through the chest, creating a gaping cavity in its rib cage with his katanas before turning to the nearby seraphim. ?Remember my training! Those who fight with weakness do not fight alongside me. They will die, by the hellions or my own hand if necessary.? The angel gave him a startled look before drawing his glorious sword, vanquishing a demon with a quick slash to its turned back. Nodding, Reijin turned, seeing another angel waiting calmly for a demon to dispose of his partner before interrupting the fight. He growled with animosity and rushed towards the angel. ?There will be no weakness upon this battlefield!? he screamed, loudly enough for all to hear. The demons even stopped a moment, as Reijin?s sword slammed to the hilt into the angel?s cranium, catching it between wide eyes.

He let the winged corpse drop to the ground with a lifeless thud as he turned to them. ?If you are going to wait for the demons to kill your friends, rather than help them save this world, then I will be giving you something to do while you wait? Do you understand?? he yelled loudly. A few of them, encouraged into motion, broke away from the group and began to double team the demons.

Above him he saw a large chorus of angels diving down upon the denizens like raptors, throwing down large lances into the army and raining upon them penetrating death. Demons found themselves pinned to the ground at their full height with dozens of lances throughout their bodies, and the Saiyan smiled. Returning for a second sweep of the area, the angel?s stopped for a moment, each liberating his lance before taking to the skies again.

Mid-flight, a large cluster of them scattered and fell as a large flaming rock took to the sky, slamming into the force and throwing them from the air. ?Regroup!? he heard them scream, and he spat. Spinning, he found a large toothy grin directly above him. His eyes narrowed as his energy laden blades shimmered to life, but the grin suddenly erupted into a massive blade from behind. The creature turned in pain as the blade pulled out, severing its neck with the second stroke. Seraph, the large monstrosity of an angel that he had trained before, was standing before him, wiping the blood from his blade on the foe?s corpse. He looked to the humanoid before him and smiled sadly. ?Are you a demon?? he asked quietly.

?I am far worse,? was the Saiyan?s reply.

The battle closed between them, and the youth took advantage of the moment to turn, gathering a large pool of energy quickly between his hands. He slammed his palms together, firing out the Final Flash with the desire to rid himself of the claustrophobic nightmare that seemed to engulf him. Dozens of forms were thrown to the ground, and Reijin saw in the distance a large creature walking between the battle, deep red skin seething with the colors of dried blood and pulsing with a hellfire not of this world.

Every step from the great horned beast set the ground aflame, and it casually would reach out and clasp a nearby angel, rending its head from the body with a slight tug. All around it lay the bodies of fallen angels and demons alike, and from Reijin?s viewpoint, this creature had been the executioner of both. The large archdemon was obviously a higher being than most of the scum that they were fighting.

With a renewed interest in the battle, the dark haired youth took to stride to reach the mammoth creature. It towered over the battle at a height of over 9 feet, and looked easily down amongst the lower creatures before it. Fire bubbled up from its eyes, and great horns extended bloodily to the sky. Multiple large spikes grew from its back, extending like an unnatural form of exoskeleton armor upon the greater demon?s shoulders and elbows. Its gaze turned to see the Saiyan a moment before he slammed into the creature?s chest with his swords.

They immediately shattered into broken energy shards on contact, and Reijin slammed into a feeling that sent hard coils of agony throughout his entire cortex. He found himself lying on the ground moments later, trying to pull himself up amidst his ragged breaths before two large hands surrounded his midsection. Instantly flame surrounded his body, but it was not of his doing. This flame burned with an eternal torment acquired only in the darkest nether regions of Hell itself. He screamed in fury, and the creature wrapped its clawed hand around his neck, turning him to face it.

?Have you nothing to say, mortal?? Its voice had a deep booming thunder to it, while somehow echoing with the cries of millions of anguished souls that lay forgotten within its realm. Every word spoken by the creature was voiced by the screams of the damned, and every syllable was a chorus of pain. ?This world is mine.?

He struggled as his very flesh was beginning to sear, turning a deep reddish color and causing every nerve to reach an unbearable level. He tried to black out the greatest pain that he had ever felt, but he could not. All he could do was feel the overwhelming sense of insignificance that passed through him as his skin charred. ?Very well then. You will join me at the core.? Its hands tightened their grips unceremoniously, and a renewed agony coursed throughout every nerve of the forsaken mortal?s broken body.

?Satan! Release him!?

A large booming voice echoed over the entire field, filled with nobility and light that nearly canceled out the suffering that was blackening the Saiyan?s dying body. Reijin?s view was beginning to fade, but something told him that the demon did not wish for him to die yet. He tried to scream through cracked and parched lips, but his moisture ridden breath would not come to him, no matter how painfully he tried. He never felt himself strike the earth with a resounding thunder, nor did he realize that he was no longer in the demon?s grasp.

All he felt was the cool touch that surrounded his body, the loving light that sought to sooth his infernal being. His eyes began to flutter weakly open, and he saw Akira and Katel standing over him, both of them pouring their energy into him frantically, attempting to revitalize him. ?We can only stave off the pain! We cannot heal wounds such as this. Reijin, you must hear us! Only you can heal these wounds upon your body. Gabriel is fighting Satan right now.? Who was speaking to him? He could not see a thing, as they had once more faded to shadow. He could only feel a tiny spark within himself growing dim. Like tendrils of agony, the darkness slowly closed in upon the spark and forced it into the tiniest corner.

?Remember? Your father would fight for you.?

He heard the words echo faintly as if distant to him. My words? His thoughts seemed to grow firm as the spark within him suddenly flashed. I am a Saiyan? He would not die this day. No? I am far worse. The creature that attempted to bring about his end would know suffering. I will not die this day! The spark began to fight back, growing as the darkness fought against it wildly, attempting to stifle it back into inexistence. He would not allow it any more ground to quell him, and the spark grew with an empowered vigor, furious that such a creature so low to him would bring him this close to death. A mere greater demon?

Akira and Katel looked to each other as the Saiyan?s body was overcome with a blue radiance, emanating a glow that bathed over them coolly. Nodding to one another, they released their grasp upon his dismantled form and arose, looking to the catastrophic engagement between Gabriel and Satan. Gabriel was filled with a cold and righteous anger, every blow of his great broadsword emitting a golden explosion upon Satan?s own abyssal blade. With every golden explosion, darkness quickly moved to quell it, acting upon its master?s wishes without a moment?s hesitation.

?Should we interrupt?? Katel asked her sister. The leaf clad girl seemed to have a light amount of blood covering various parts of her vine clothing, and a small amount of stains upon her beautiful face. Akira, on the other hand, seemed completely flawless with a matchless aura shining about her.

An explosion of Ki ignited from behind them, and their spun around to see Reijin standing behind them, completely healed of all wounds with a brilliant golden aura radiating from him as electricity seemed to crackle about his immediate presence. Akira gave a sigh of relief as a smile began to form on her face. ?I?m so glad that you are-? The smile froze as she Reijin suddenly ignited with flame, searing fire coursing throughout his entire form.

His eyes were icy and cold, reflecting nothing more than a desire to kill. They seemed to be focusing intently upon Satan, and nothing more. She gasped for a moment, and took a step back. ?What happened to you?? she whispered.

He stepped forward towards the battle just as Bra arrived, panting. She saw Reijin walking slowly towards the struggling titans and screamed after him. ?He?s MINE to kill!? she yelled passionately. She gave the sisters a quick look of desperation. ?Just what the hell does he think he?s doing?? she pleaded.

Katel could do nothing more than shrug as the words refused to come to her. Bra groaned and turned towards the battle as her own aura embraced her. ?That?s it!? she yelled, and ran after the group of them.

As soon as Reijin reached the two, he found Satan to have a massive claw wrapped tightly around the archangel?s jugular. He looked to the Saiyan and a large toothy grin enveloped him. ?How nice of you to show up? Just as I was about to dispose of this filth!? he chortled. Gabriel struggled beneath his grasp to no avail, and the greater demon looked down at him, spitting into his face. ?You know? I?m surprised that you are not here to do the job yourself, Reijin.?

Reijin stood calmly watching them as his fire burned wildly around him with an illustrious passion, while his visage betrayed no emotion, just stern cold anger. Satan, seeing that the Saiyan would not respond, continued. ?You know that in your soul, you are nothing more than a demon yourself. You may have been born as a Saiyan, but your spirit belongs to me,? he taunted. He still received no form of reaction, and his eyes narrowed a bit. ?You are pathetic!? he spat. ?Always trying to play the good guy when you know what your heart is. That black burned heart of yours.? The words still did not seem to affect Reijin as he focused intently upon the creature at hand.

The demon looked down to see Gabriel?s struggling form attempting to reach a nearby fallen blade, and he laughed at the futility of the struggle. ?Tell them, Gabriel, why I am invading this world. Tell them how I plan to use this useless rock full of death and decay as my gateway to spread further into this world, impregnating it with my own insidious desires. Tell them what the angels have done to help me accomplish my goal?? The archangel?s eyes widened a moment and he screamed in fury. Satan?s hand released enough to allow the angel to angrily refute his claims before he tightened once more, choking the air from his celestial lungs. ?Of course you didn?t,? he spoke, his voice claiming otherwise. That penetrating voice filled with the millions of screams of those from the abyss. He turned to the Saiyan and glowered. ?You should really do the job yourself, mortal. I think that it would finally help you know where you stand-?

?Silence, fool!? Reijin suddenly snapped at him, somehow stunning the diabolic creature before him with his unwavering stance. ?You do not dare speak to me until I have given you permission, you pathetic excuse for a forgotten life form!? Bra was suddenly at his side, her mouth having touched the ground from Reijin?s fortitude. The demon seemed to narrow his eyes at Reijin, and contemplated a response. Reijin?s was immediate. ?When I am finished with you, every being in Hell will know of you as an example of the pain that I can inflict upon you. You may be considered a form of God in the blood boiling mires from which you were spawned, but compared to me, you are still nothing more than filth, a pox that I will cleanse from my path. You do not share the right to even walk before me.?

Taking advantage of the moment, Gabriel?s eyes suddenly flashed golden as his blade leapt to his hand, coming around to strike the demon across the head with its hard hilt. The demon howled as it was thrown to the side and Gabriel, giving it no mercy as Reijin had taught, was instantly upon Satan. He had yet to begin to fight.

[Hellfighter 17]

As Reijin looked over 'pupil' and his work, a small elf was starting to creep up on him. Not daring to go any closer, the small creature merely threw it at the saiya-jin's back and started running away. Reijin turned artound and looked down at the coal.

OCB: Rei Rei gets some coal.

[Bra]

?For dad.? the words were solemn, almost bleak. Bra?s vision was still clouded by tears and blood, and she couldn?t so much as feel her left eye, let alone see or even blink with it. She had been marred, perhaps permanently, by the horrendous general of the underworld. The very image of herself as a disfigured outcast nearly broke the princess? resolve, placing her on wobbling knees ill-fit to support her scant weight. ?For dad!? she repeated, clenching her teeth with a renewed fervor.

Riding the waves of her fading determination, the child leapt forth, launching herself through the air, carving a deep trench into the blood-stained soil in her wake. Clods of dirt and other debris rained down upon the soldiers of both sides as she passed, but their discomfort was of no concern. The hybrid was closing on the monstrous creature who fought with the archangel Gabriel, steeling herself mentally for the immense collision of might that would soon come to pass.

As the golden haired girl raced overhead of the chaotic battle, her mind began to wander back into the dark places she tried so desperately to hide from. It was as if her growing proximity to Satan triggered the horrible memories that suddenly began to relentlessly flood into her mind?s eye, ignoring the anguish caused by the horrible imagery.

Trunks, her strange, happy-go-lucky amnesiac brother with hair of amethyst and eyes that shone with innocence. He hadn?t chosen to come to Kala, and he hadn?t committed any sins during his stay on the kai-forsaken rock. Still, he and Doctor Gero had been slaughtered like cattle by a heinous security device. His death was not quick and forgiving, instead, he was condemned to pass away from asphyxiation due to the shard of steel imbedded into his throat. Worst of all, anyone who could have been with him during his final moments were all unconscious, leaving him to die a lonely death.

Cell had taken his own life in an ill-conceived effort to put an end to the sadistic competition once and for all, but had accomplished little more than snuffing out Brim?s infernal legacy. Bra found it inconceivable that one such as Cell would sacrifice himself for those who remained, but she knew that his death, just like all the others, could have been prevented if she had just been there.

Burter had died in a similar act of heroism, offering his life in exchange for the utter destruction of Brim?s own. The child?s best friend had failed in his endeavors, but she knew he had done it not for himself, but for his son, and for her. Three times he had allowed himself to be torn away from the princess in order to save her life.

The noble prince of all saiyans, Bra?s very own father, had finally offered her the compassion and pride that she had craved since before the girl could even channel the slightest spark of ki. For the first time in the heiress? life, he had shown her love, only to be cut down by a creature borne of the eternal fires of Hell. He fell right before her eyes with a rush of blood and an overwhelming sense of finality. Maleficus mocked him. Shuurajou mocked him. That was the worst feeling; the insults. The pain of Vegeta?s death was unbearable, but the taunting had been utterly vexatious.

Her hardened features gave way to a rush of sorrow, and the cold, damp sensation of tears on her cheeks could be felt once again. The demi saiyan narrowed her eyes, pushing herself through the shuddering sobs she had failed to quell. Tears would not slow her down. Pain would not stop her. For Cell, Trunks, Uub, Burter, and everyone else. For her father. Especially for her father, the pain would not stop her. Satan would wear a pike for a body when this day was done. Prince Vegeta would be avenged, once and for all, and the legions of Hell would be driven back to the horrid Pit from whence they came.

A shriek of wild anger ripped at the air in all directions as the young super saiyan collided with the earth next to Reijin, only feet from the two opposing figureheads. The blades of Gabriel and Satan collided time and time again, sending flares of gold and scarlet in all directions. Neither warrior showed signs of tiring despite having been locked in battle since the very start of the conflict.

?He?s mine to kill!? Bra snarled at Reijin, who ignored her completely, and instead took steps toward the halfling?s destined adversary. ?Just what the hell does he think he?s doing?!? the girl demanded, receiving little more than a shrug from Akira. ?That?s it!? she roared, sprinting after Reijin.

The saiyan pureblood strode toward Satan as the archdemon wrapped a massive hand around the angelic general?s throat. The bulging muscles of the malevolent spirit rippled as he hefted Gabriel into the air in order for his hate-filled eyes to bore directly into the seraph?s own. He exchanged words with Reijin, but the princess came into earshot too late to hear much of what had been said.

?You should really do the job yourself, mortal. I think that it would finally help you know where you stand-?

?Silence, fool!? the saiyan warrior growled with a lack of composure completely unlike what Bra had seen of Reijin before. ?You do not dare speak to me until I have given you permission, you pathetic excuse for a forgotten life-form! When I am finished with you, every being in Hell will know of you as an example of the pain that I can inflict upon you. You may be considered a form of God in the blood boiling mires from which you were spawned, but compared to me, you are still nothing more than filth, a pox that I will cleanse from my path. You do not share the right to even walk before me.?

Satan was visibly shaken by the pure-blood?s speech. He seemed unable to comprehend that one so insignificant as Reijin would have such nerve, such audacity. The fiendish devil?s lapse in concentration cost him dearly, as his hold on Gabriel was broken by an authoritative hammer blow from the hilt of the archangel?s mighty blade. The horned monstrosity howled in pain, his horrible voice tainted with the shrieks and wails of the damned. The mighty seraphim rushed his adversary, connecting with a vicious slash across the chest. Satan raised his blade to deflect the second strike, but could manage only to barely stay on the defensive as he recovered from Gabriel?s continuing onslaught.

Oblivious to the mythical creature who suddenly appeared to pester Reijin, Bra leapt forward, flaring her aura outward in an explosion of energy with such force that all of the nearby lesser demons were cast upon the ground by the shockwave. A streak of gold was all that could be seen as the 12-year-old princess drove her shoulder into Satan?s ribs. Her attack failed to do anything save for put the monstrosity off-balance, giving Gabriel ample time to bring his blade down upon him and send him sprawling to the dirt with a new would on the side of his neck.

?Idiotic child!!? he boomed, leaping to his feet in an instant. ?You will suffer a thousand tortures for you interruption!?

?You killed me dad!!? Bra screamed in retort. ?I don?t care about your fucking threats! I don?t care about Gabriel and his stupid angels!! All I want is to fight you!! I?m going to kill you!? her rage had taken on a nigh-feral level of consciousness, leaving only the girl?s instincts intact. ?Quit fucking around with him! Your fight?s with me now, and nobody else!?

?My fight?s with you?!? the demon scoffed loudly. ?You precocious waste of flesh. I cast you aside like nothing the last time we met, and your precious father fell to one of my soldiers. And look at you! You?re pathetic! Do you honestly believe you?ll fare better than he-?

The swing of Gabriel?s blade interrupted Satan, who barely managed to intercept it with his own, halting it?s movements through the air. ?You opportunistic filth!? he thundered, pushing the angel back and hurling himself onto the offensive.

The half-blood super saiyan rocketed to the depraved archfiend in an arc, summoning her vicious kienzan daggers in mid-flight. Satan glanced up in time to raise a hand to the girl, prompting a swarm of demons to leap into her path.

?No!! You won?t stop me! You won?t stop me!!? the girl roared, slashing wildly at the encroaching hell spawn. Their weapons raked uselessly through the air as the vehement child rent and tore through the flesh of the airborne demons. Tainted blood and limbs filled the air, splattering upon Bra?s face and clothes. She cared little; they were an obstacle in her path, nothing more. One of her blades imbedded itself deep into the eye socket of an axe-wielding incubus, reducing him to a disfigured corpse.

?Get-!!? her blades shredded through more of the hapless legions of the Pit. ?Out-!!? Bra leaned back to dodge a spear which had nearly pierced her skull, before offering a firm retort in the form of a thrown dagger, which lopped off the head of the offending hellion. ?Of my way!!? the princess hurled her remaining dagger into the forehead of yet another demon, before throwing a hand out toward the swarming mass of those who wished to keep her from their master. A swirling mass of energy quickly began to form in her palm while Bra used quick blasts of ki with her free hand in order to keep the hideous creatures at bay. Blasts of electricity snaked about the concentrated energy that began to rotate in place as the golden haired youth channeled as much of her ki as she could muster into the powerful sphere.

?You stupid sacks of shit! Die!!? she roared, unleashing her big bang attack upon the lesser demons who prepared to attack once more. Shrieks of agony rang out in chorus as the immense preponderance of energy destabilized and erupted into a searing wall of destruction. The little devils pushed amongst one another in order to put distance between themselves and the expanding armageddon, but their efforts were in vain. A wave of heat rushed over them just before the blinding purity engulfed them and tore them atom from atom.

Their remains burned with the sickening hiss and stench of burning flesh. Nothing but a great crater marked their final resting place; a fitting punishment for those who stood between Bra and her twisted goals.

The child swooped down upon Satan once again, but this time her path was blocked by Reijin. He placed his hands on her shoulders and tried to forcefully shake her back to reality. Perhaps Bra was deranged. Perhaps she really didn?t care anymore. Not even she could tell now...

?Out of my way!!? she howled, forcing a great column of energy into Reijin?s chest. The wave propelled him out-of-control, straight into one of the approaching war machines, pinning him between it and the furious explosion of Bra?s hasty final flash.

The princess rocketed forward, her target getting closer and closer. There was no opposition anymore. Gabriel was savagely hit over the head by Satan?s hilt, before being booted in the chest and sent to the ground in a heap. It would be just her and the archdemon. How fitting that she would be given her revenge without anyone to taint it?s purity. It would be the only thing that wouldn?t be taken away from her this day. Her twin blades flashed to life once more, and she lashed out upon the massive ogre, only to come into contact with his onyx blade.

?You again! You?re becoming quite the nuisance, child!? he rumbled, both warriors pressing their weapons against the other?s. Sizzling blasts of energy sheared off into the distance as the incredibly powerful weapons fought to maintain their integrity against the might placed against them.

?I?ll be a lot more than a fuckin? nuisance, you can count on that. I?m not leaving today without making up for letting my dad die!? Bra seethed, leaning even harder into her opponent, who was beginning to strain against the girl?s force. ?You?re gonna leave here in a box!?

?You dare threaten me?!? Satan?s spine-chilling laughter permeated throughout the field of battle. ?You said it yourself, girl. It?s Gabriel?s inaction that killed your father.?

?You sent Maleficus to kill us!!? the princess screamed, breaking the deadlock and leaping into the air, swiping each of her blades across the archdemon?s face. He roared in agony, wildly swinging his mighty sword in order to keep the girl away from him as he pressed his arm to his face. The gargantuan devil stamped his foot in frustration before bringing his arm away, revealing two deep, cross-cutting gashes that marked the side of his face. Blood flowed freely from the wounds, but Satan appeared ambivalent to the predicament.

?...Yes.? he finally replied, his demonic visage splitting to reveal a dark, knowing grin. ?I did send Maleficus to kill you. And an admirable job he did, given the circumstances. It?s almost a shame you vanquished him. ...It?s a good thing I can count on you to weed out the weak in my service. We both know you?re far too incompetent to defeat a capable soldier. Isn?t that right around the time that your ?daddy? died??

?You shut the hell up!!? Bra screamed, her eye growing wide with an unfathomable ire that raged tempestuously within her.

?But that?s no fun. Come, child. Meet your death, if you?re so eager to follow in your father?s footsteps. I promise you I?ll let you stay side-by-side with him as you two burn for all eternity.? Satan?s grin widened as the girl dashed toward him with a psychotic wail of absolute hatred, bracing himself for the inevitable.

Wild swipes of her blades came from all angles as Satan swung his sword to meet them. Flashes of gold and crimson much like the ones made by Gabriel and the archdemon lit up the reddened sky. The collisions of weaponry increased in frequency until the sound was near continuous. Despite the devil?s greatest efforts, he was beginning to grow weary of the withering barrage. Before he could summon an effective counterattack, a surprise kick snapped out, catching him in the chin and painfully torquing his neck. Bra quickly threw her daggers at the demon who leapt out of the way, only to be caught by the girl?s furious rage as she laid into him with a salvo of punches and kicks.

?Idiot!!? he roared swinging his mighty blade at the hybrid. She leapt over the weapon, landing barely in time to leap away from the next slash. Satan stayed on the offensive, each swipe coming closer to extinguishing the life from the princess. Finally, he saw his opportunity, and brought his blade down just as the girl twisted out of the way of his previous slash.

?Sh-!!? Bra gasped, watching the weapon as it drew ever closer to her neck. Suddenly, without warning, the velocity of Satan?s attack grew painfully slow, and his blade hardly coasted through the air toward her. At first amazed by the phenomenon, the girl snapped back into action, leaping up and away from the blade and driving her knee into the greater demon?s gut. Reality returned to it?s normal pace, then, leaving Bra panting for breath and Satan doubled over. His fight with Gabriel had obviously weakened him since their last encounter, though Bra could only imagine how the archangel fared in comparison.

Reijin formed up beside the girl, glaring at her. It wasn?t that he had been injured; the attack was meant simply to push the true saiyan away, but the very principle of the matter was likely enough to warrant some form of reprimand from the warrior. Bra returned the glare, and neither of them spoke. Satan returned to his full height, and Gabriel had taken his position before the demonic specter.

?Now is not the time to quarrel amongst ourselves. Reijin... Bra... we need you. Hold your differences until after the fight, please!? the mighty seraph pleaded, raising his holy broadsword as Satan hefted his own diabolical weapon.

The heiress needed little convincing. She could ignore Reijin if it meant she would be allowed to come to blows with the one responsible for so much of the pain that afflicted her. Her tears hadn?t stopped flowing, not for even a moment. They would not. Not until Satan was defeated. With a shrill battle cry, Bra rushed past Gabriel and planted a foot into the hellish creature?s nose. The pain of her broken rib was beginning to flare up again, slowing her down somewhat.

Reijin leapt into the fray, attacking Satan on the other side, landing a brutal series of punches and kicks into his back while Bra continued to break through the monstrosity?s frontal defenses. Gabriel rushed in, then, using that which Reijin had taught him and ignoring the rules of honorable engagement. His shining blade came down upon his antithesis, but the devil caught the attack with his horn while pushing the three away with a pulse of demonic ki.

?You would fight me unfairly? Gabriel, you would abandon honor for an advantage such as this? I thought you angels were above this! Can it be? You fight with the heart of a demon!? Satan laughed heartily.

?Ignore him!? Reijin shouted. ?Look and see! He?s struggling to breathe, Gabriel. He only says this to get you to fight him alone again. He knows he?s losing and he?s trying to exploit you. If we defeat him, the others will fall!?

Bra launched into an attack once more, unwilling to wait for the angel?s response. Her attacks grew with intensity as flashes of the tournament played incessantly through her mind. The death of her friends, of her family. The continuous trials she and the others had been pitted against. The atrocities committed on the asteroid. And the voice of her father.

?You let me die!?

Bra?s eye grew wide as she struck Satan again and again. Her focus was hardly on the demon before her, and she was only hardly aware that she was attacking him.

?You let me die! Bra!? Vegeta?s voice was clear as crystal within the girl?s shaken mind. ?Don?t you love me, Bra??

?YES!!? the girl screamed, bursting into tears as she enveloped her adversary with a mighty blast of energy, sweeping the hulking Satan off his feet and sending him to the ground with a thunderous crash.

Gabriel fell into position on Bra?s left, and Reijin on her right. The girl sobbed loudly, but her aura did not falter. She would see this through, to Satan?s end or to her own, but she would not let anyone else die for her. No... there was nobody else to die for her. She would avenge those she had lost. Nothing in the world would defeat her until Satan's miserable corpse was left without breath in his body!

[Reijin]

Capitalizing perfectly on the moment, Gabriel sent Satan reeling to the ground with a defiant slash of his sword. He allowed no time to pass before he was once more on top of the demon in a flurry of winged fury. Satan?s retaliatory strike managed to fend off the seraphim enough to regain his footing, but in that moment the aquamarine haired girl exploded forward in a furious assault of energy, forcing all nearby demons to the ground. Reijin stood calmly as he allowed himself to bend with the onslaught of torrential wind as opposed to breaking for it. His anger was emanating around him with a ferocity matched only by Bra herself, casting the two immortals into shadow.

The Saiyan found himself cast into a furious internal battle with himself as his emotions raged within. He was a Saiyan! He was meant to destroy and claim, nothing more. He was an animal that was meant to slash and fight, until everything around him was a desolate shell of what it once was. Then he was to move on and continue, fighting and relishing the bloodbath for what it was to be. The glory of the fight.

Inversely, he was trying to quell the rage that was building within him, to use his vast amount of mental training in an attempt to suppress the very instincts of his nature, to allow himself to think clearly while attempting to fight an near deity that tried to use those flaws in his blood to its own advantage.

He saw the silver road between the two paths, one that was comprised of a little of both ends. He was not good. He was not evil. He was both unto them selves, as he saw fit. To him, most things were simply a means to an end, and nothing was personal when it came to business. He rarely allowed his emotions to interfere with his own goals. A dark fire seemed to burn within him as a voice spoke to him. ?You are pathetic!? Pride refused to acknowledge this as so. ?Always trying to play the good guy when you know what your heart is. That black burned heart of yours.? Lies? This infernal spawn knew nothing of Reijin and his goals. Immediately after, the demon had accused him of being as evil as himself.

Reijin?s smile spread almost viciously across his shadowy persona. This creature knew nothing of the potential evil that Reijin could be accused of. This demon, Satan himself, nothing more than a mere spawn of fire, believed himself to be a higher creature than Reijin was.

?How absolutely pathetic,? he spat openly. This creature demanded to know where Reijin?s heart lay, whether he was good, or whether he was evil. ?Then let us be both.? A true warrior could follow the path of the sword without wasting every action contemplating the morality of it. A warrior killed, and that in itself was inherently evil. This demon knew nothing, NOTHING.

Reijin?s burning aura leapt brilliantly around him as he awoke from his daze, an image burning into his retina of a streak of gold encasing the feminine warrior as she slammed headlong into the incarnation of evil, doing nothing more than forcing the massive being back a step. He growled in anger as a sudden shadow above him alerted him to the presence of the angel, falling from the heavens with an impaling strike. He threw his weight to the side as quickly as his body would allow him, receiving nothing more than an open slice across the charred flesh of his neck as he struck the ground with thunderous applause.

His eyes flashed incredulously at the angel before glaring at Bra. He climbed to his feet as blackened blood coursed down his chest. ?Idiotic child!! You will suffer a thousand tortures for you interruption!? he threatened. Reijin nearly burst into applause for the angel?s opportunistic attack. He had nearly given the angel up for failure in the training, assuming that he had not acknowledged what must be done.

The empress screamed back just as passionately as the demon before her. ?You killed my dad!! I don?t care about your fucking threats! I don?t care about Gabriel and his stupid angels!! All I want is to fight you!! I?m going to kill you!? Taking advantage of the interruption once more, the archangel attempted to drive his blade into the greater demon?s ribs only to find the great onyx blade parrying it with ease. Bra?s eyes flashed with rage as she realized he had turned his attention away from her dismissively, no longer viewing her as a threat. ?Quit fucking around with him! Your fight?s with me now, and nobody else!?

Hearing her irate tantrum, he turned to her chortling. ?My fight?s with you?!? Bra nodded furiously at him while her aura coursed through her veins, enveloping her in a loving blanket of death. ?You precocious waste of flesh. I cast you aside like nothing the last time we met, and your precious father fell to one of my soldiers. And look at you! You?re pathetic! Do you honestly believe you?ll fare better than he-? Allowing no moment to pass for recovery, the golden hued immortal was once more upon him, slashing savagely at Satan, who was only able to barely turn it with his own abyssal blade.

?You opportunistic filth!? he bellowed, bringing down his weapon to meet the angel?s own defensive posture, driving the angelic general to his knees as he bit down on his jaw struggling. A passionate flame had taken hold of Gabriel as well, one that was not of this world, as his perfect form seemed emblazoned with a radiance of heaven itself. Satan?s eyes glanced towards Bra to find her in the air, summoning her kienzan daggers with ease. His hand raised and the very earth itself seemed to shift as multiple corpses of fallen demons seemed to rekindle themselves with a burning lifeforce, rising to stand defiantly between the dueling titans.

?Enough of this!? the Saiyan found himself growling as his Ki swords shimmered into being. A howling demon turned to his voice and rushed him, great claws raking at him as he brought one of his blades down into the creature?s neck. Withdrawing his blade with ease, he spun around, emerging himself into the vast flood of infernal creatures, feeling himself surrounded by a reviling taint. True flames embraced him, licking out at all approaching hell spawn. A few of them shied away from the flames as if remembering their usage as a torture in hell, while others just laughed it off, raising an assortment of weaponry as they moved in on him.

He advanced through the crowd, hearing their hellish screams as his blades introduced their nightmarish organs to the ground upon which they stood, flashing out and severing limbs and heads as if it were no effort at all. ?Get out of my way!? he spat, hearing an echo of the same sentiment from across the battlefield, but not knowing where from. He knew that he needed to clear a path from himself to the combatants rather than waste his time dealing with the filth around him. He was tired of this rock, and he was ready to be done with it all. He rose slightly into the air as his swords dissipated, his hands spread around him, fingers wide, as spiraling waves of energy seemed to take hold of his arms. His eyes defiantly sought at the largest of clusters around him in an attempt to somehow find where Gabriel and Satan were.

He felt a massive wave pass over him, as if someone else had detonated a huge bomb nearby. He grinned as the pool of energy grew to an acceptable amount and he thrust his palms forward, screaming ?Final Flash!? as the beam seemed to gather before him for a moment in hesitation before rushing towards the group below. A few of them looked up from their battle with the angel?s that had interceded as the wave of energy suddenly took them all, slamming into the earth and burning the flesh from the heavenly and diabolic alike, leaving no creature to mercy. He immediately capitalized on the momentum by rushing for the center of the encroaching energy field as he burst through the wave of energy at its weakest apex.

He struck the ground running, searching for his sought after adversary. Somehow he found himself colliding with Bra just as his eyes locked onto the demon. She attempted to immediately slide around him as her eyes focused on their one goal, but his hands clamped down on her shoulders in an attempt to shake her out of it. Her response was simple; she spun around, yelling at him with a hatred that was very unlike her as she slammed her palms against his chest. His eyes widened for a moment as a sudden Final Flash caught him off guard completely, hurling him through the crowd until his moment slammed him into a great monolithic monstrosity. He felt a sharp burning sensation pass through his shoulder as a wave of nausea encompassed him.

Rising to his feet was a struggle of its own immensity as the great war machine creaked in its movement forward. Demons immediately rushed in upon him and he closed his eyes, activating his Gravity Well as a method of buying himself a moment to recover. He lay on his chest breathing painfully into the dirt as his insides seemed aflame with agony. That girl had struck him with absolutely no pulled punches. He felt as if he?d been relentlessly been attacked as an enemy. He coughed a slight amount of blood as he managed to pull himself to his knees, grabbing onto the war machine?s stationary wheel for support. He saw a large number of demons lying on the ground in their own liquids while others were simply stumbling around and being pulled to the ground by the bed ridden.

The dark haired youth turned his head slowly, seeing a large blood soaked spike protruding from the center of the wheel, and he felt the warm liquid running through the inside of his arm. He winced, reaching around to feel at the hole with his good hand, hoping that he had not struck anything vital or crippling.

His arm move sorely as he rotated it. ?Die filth!? His attention snapped to a large demon that had risen up before him as the others were beginning to stir to life. They seemed to have a large amount of stability within them, unfortunately. He growled and leaned forward, stumbling a bit until he had righted himself completely, feeling his bones pop back into place slightly from the original impact.

His chest still hurt, but he had no time to deal with it at the moment. The demon?s growl began low and then rose into a feverous pitch, as he drew out a mighty battle axe and rushed to him, slamming the massive weapon forward to him. The youth nimbly dodged out of the way as the weapon struck the vehicle, embedding itself in the wheel. Reijin grabbed the creature by the back of the head and slammed its cranium onto the spike, driving it down until the blade erupted from the back of its skull.

He turned to find a dozen more demons before him, and he held up his sore arm, firing out a blast of energy at the oncoming wave. He could not go one handed for a while. He realized that he?d have to allow for his body to naturally heal a bit before he would be at fighting capacity. He reached around to his back, grasping the Ki Rifle and hoisting it up before him. Both of his hands clasped around the weapon and then, with much practiced fingers, he pressed a series of pressure plates along the weapon to activate it.

Immediately finding a target, he fired the weapon, a series of quick pulse bursts erupting from the barrel into the onslaught. Demons were struck in various vital areas as he pushed himself forward, firing shots into limbs and removing them with aim. It was very hard to focus on healing himself just enough to use his arm while also fighting with the weapon, but at least he didn?t have to waste his own ki on both.

He bumped into one of the angels as it cleaved a blade through a demonic foe. The angel turned to look at him and then smiled grimly. ?I fear we will not win this battle,? his voice echoed. Reijin glowered at him as he slashed his blade across the horned skull of an approaching trespasser. ?You are wounded,? he announced, motioning to Reijin?s shoulder.

The Saiyan nodded slowly as he fired a burst of energy into the midst of the mass of red flesh. The angel placed a firm hand onto his unharmed shoulder and motioned at the angry mob before them. ?Now is not a good time for you to be fighting. I will cover for you while you attempt to heal yourself.? He pushed the Saiyan forcefully to the ground beneath him and then twisted, impaling a leaping demon in the air before slinging it off his golden blade.

Healing himself in the center of the battle was hard, and required the utmost concentration to perform even the simplest of healings. He felt his aura penetrate the wound, moving through his vascular system with an innate knowledge of it, encouraging cellular reproduction and muscular repair. Reijin?s view faded a bit as he entrusted his life to the angel?s hands. All he could see was the playful imagery that flickered across his mind?s eye and feel the sore numbness that had enveloped his shoulder.

He felt himself slowly begin to move his shoulder a little more, although there was a still a half opened wound, when a sudden collision awoke him from his practiced meditation. His irises fluttered open to find the headless form of the angel strike the ground before him. Rolling quickly, a scythe struck into the earth next to him as a head dislodged itself from the end of the blade. The angel?s expression of shock was frozen upon its face as the demon licked its lips tasting the victory.

The warrior growled menacingly as his aura burst forth around him once more, leaping at the demon who nimbly sidestepped him. Reijin continued his rush, firing straight into the foray and wasting no time to avenge the angel. All of them would be avenged only by the destruction of every demon upon this asteroid. Until then, he would thank him for his assistance on the battlefield and acknowledge his unfortunate fall while doing so.

He saw a flash of red clothing in the distance and immediately fired out a few quick lobs of energy dispatching those in his path. Rushing forward, he found Bra and Gabriel battling the demon alone. Bra turned to him seething as he appeared, and his expression portrayed cold icy anger. The angel?s eyes flickered towards him in recognition and he called out in warning to them. ?Now is not the time to quarrel amongst ourselves. Reijin... Bra... we need you. Hold your differences until after the fight, please!? The Saiyan had nothing to say to the halfbreed girl. If she wished to throw a tantrum to him, then that was her folly.

The angel had seemed desperate, as he his strength were waning fast. Reijin turned as Bra once more rushed forward ahead of him, striking the demon without pretense. Taking advantage of the diversion, the pure breed launched the true assault upon the creature?s turned back, throwing a series of punches and kicks into the horned carapace of the armored demon. The demon turned a bit, managed to keep hold of both of them as the angel suddenly further flanked him, diving from the heaven?s once more with his blade as a dragoon would.

The demon?s horns locked around the great golden broadsword and he coughed in frustration from the surrounding of him. He expanded a large burst of dark ki energy that threw the three of them away from him as he gloated. ?You would fight me unfairly? Gabriel, you would abandon honor for an advantage such as this? I thought you angels were above this! Can it be? You fight with the heart of a demon!? His laughter echoed mockingly within the archangel?s ears, but Reijin could sense the falter in his voice.

?Ignore him!? Reijin warned. ?Look and see! He?s struggling to breathe, Gabriel. He only says this to get you to fight him alone again. He knows he?s losing and he?s trying to exploit you. If we defeat him, the others will fall!?

The tempestuous twelve year old darted in once more, attempting to exact her revenge upon the creature under the whiny assumption that she was the only being here that had suffered a loss. The loss of Vejita had been profound, affecting them all, but Reijin had hope that Vejita was still walking somewhere. The citizens of Kala had lost the most of them all, having been slaughtered by their own kind and then raised into a form of zombie and denying them all the rest that they deserved.

The pair of warriors joined into taking the demon in a flanking triangular movement as it howled in anguish while attempting to fight them off. Gabriel fought viciously, as if every ounce of his righteous anger were erupting at once, echoing the sentiments that seemed to be radiating from both the Saiyan and the half-human. They all had their reasons to fight. They all had their reasons to destroy him. They had all lost so much.

They would all have their revenge. They would all prevail.

[Android 17]

A dark veil of smog was all that could be seen in the sky above the smoldering remnants of the central artillery piece. The somber hush that had fallen over the nearby soldiers ended just as soon as it started. Even as Seventeen?s lifeless body escaped the thick cloud of dust and took a plunge down the back of the hill, the demons and angels continued to slaughter one another like cattle. At least by sacrificing his well-being, the machine-hybrid had spurred a cadre of divinities to amass the courage to assault the remaining two tanks.

Yet, the android still plummeted into obscurity without the slightest inclination of sorrow from the seraphs he had been striving so hard to guard and help. As his figure smashed and bounced off of the rock-laden hillside, the cybernetic warrior started to feel his senses dwindle. Screams of demon and angel alike faded into the night sky, and the light from the rising sun was lost to the blurriness that consumed the android?s internal display. Seventeen tried to reach out to halt the painful tumble, but his entire body was starting to numb.

Unable to feel, see, or hear anything, the machine-hybrid gave into the realization and stopped trying to stop himself from falling. Just when it seemed that blackness was going to completely overwhelm him and death was going to release him from the state of helplessness he was in, Android Seventeen hit the bottom of the incline. As he rolled forward for a few more feet, he felt the lack of sensation lift, and he could see clearly once more. After rubbing his eyes, the android?s momentary glee died, and he suddenly got a feeling that he wasn?t on Kala anymore.

Standing up slowly and using the avatar?s sword as a cane to support his shaky leg muscles, the android started to scan the horizon. A strong feeling of uneasiness swept over him, because a sky that once been in the process of beautifully transforming due to the rising sun was now completely gray. Beneath Seventeen?s feet, the ground was black as coal, and looking forward, he noticed that the sky and earth melded into one another in the distance. On top of that, the black wasteland seemed to stretch to the end of time.

Something triggered a cold shiver that cascaded down the android?s back, and valiant as ever, Android Seventeen immediately spun around to face whatever was there. Gasping, the machine-hybrid noticed that the tall incline he had fallen down was flat as ever. Not only that, what should have been a field rich with carnage was silent and vacant. Realizing he truly was no longer on the forsaken asteroid, Seventeen started to feel a bit queasy. He grasped that if he was no longer on the rim of the battlefield, something terrible must have happened. He knew that either he had lost conscious long enough that the armies of Satan had triumphed and cast the planetoid into darkness, or he must have perished and gone to the afterlife.

I am afraid you are not entirely correct, mortal. The voice in Seventeen?s mind wasn?t the warm, soothing words of his guardian angel, Paige that usually lifted his hopes. They were cold, lifeless, and echoed long after the speaker had finished his statement. Squinting, the panicky android noticed a shifting blur amidst the incoherent scope of black on the horizon. Gliding across the ebony terrain, the figure, light gray so that he stood out among the black backdrop, soon came into perspective, and for the cybernetic warrior, it only dampened his hope and added to his already heightened alarm. The figure?s face was shrouded beneath a giant, black hood that became a cape draped around his shoulders. Concealing his entire body down to his knees, the cloak had a single slit where the visitor?s left arm could be clearly seen. Beneath where the cloak terminated, two obsidian boots coated the length of the creature?s legs and feet. After coming to a halt, the floating apparition flexed his gloved fingers, and by the soft movements of his body, seemed to snicker at the uninformed android.

?Who are you, and where the hell am I?? The raven-haired warrior cried frantically, trying in vain to conceal his swelling fright from the strange figure. After a short period of silence, the cloaked individual pointed towards the ground behind the android and spoke.

?You mean you failed to notice?? The voice of the hovering apparition was the same that had invaded the machine-hybrid?s mind moments earlier. Seventeen, betraying his overpowering feeling of dread, turned around and stared at the ground behind him that the figure had indicated. In some sort of bizarre paradox, lying inert and in a tangled mess, was the android. Succumbing to the insanity of the situation, Android Seventeen dropped to his knees and reached out to touch the representation of himself.

Yet, as hard as he tried, his fingers passed straight through the crumpled mass. What terrified the android the most was that this lifeless version of himself was as gray as the specter, and upon closer examination, the machine-hybrid realized that he was the only thing in the entire realm with color. Even worse, Seventeen noticed that the tips of his fingers were starting to lose their tone and were turning into the same lifeless gray as the inert representation in front of him.

?I?m dead?? The android muttered as he tried in vain to touch his lifeless form?s gray forearm with his still-vibrant fingers. From behind him, he could hear the hooded apparition continued to ridicule him. Swallowing down his dread, Seventeen rose from his knees and turned to face the horrific beast. As he fell deeper into fear and disbelief, the machine-hybrid let his legs carry him towards the cloaked figure in an explosion of abhorrence and ire. Yet, the composed, unruffled apparition seemed to only laugh at the bundle of unmanageable emotion his guest had been reduced to. Stepping to the side, the phantasm raised its visible hand, and in a flash of black flames, an onyx cutlass appeared in his gloved fingers. The sudden manifestation of the sword brought Android Seventeen?s emotional gambit to a screeching halt.

?You haven?t the slightest clue where you are, do you?? The machine-hybrid was too busy looking at the edge of the blade, which had stopped a few centimeters in front of his Adam?s apple. Turning his gaze back to the apparition, Seventeen was taken aback by the creature?s unveiled face. Shadows still concealed most of the figure?s gray, aged face, but these were from a black tricorne hat that the specter wore atop his cranium. Besides the odd choice of headgear, the only thing that stood out was the mask that the ghoul wore over the left half of his face.

Only covering from the left half of his nose to the left half of the back of his head, and simply stretching from the bottom of his hat down to where his mouth was, the ivory mask seemed eerie and out of place in such a drab, gray and black world. Furthermore, the mask had no hole for an eye, only a grove shaped like an eye socket. Seventeen took a few steps back, triggering the figure to lower his cutlass and resume his snicker.

?What the hell is this place?? The android said with a noticeably quiver to his voice. After allowing his weapon to vanish in a burst of black fire, the masked figure smiled for a few moments before bothering to give his frantic visitor a response.

?You are not in Hell?yet,? the phantasm spoke, sounding a bit saddened by what he had said, ?you are in the void between the mortal coil and the hereafter. Although your body has all but succumbed to its humanity, your soul has yet to yield to its mortality, and thus, you are stranded in this astral realm until your soul finally weakens enough that you can no longer exist outside the next dimension,? Seventeen felt his knees buckling beneath the growing weight the words of the creature bestowed upon him, but he was trying his best to be resolute against whatever situation he was in, no matter how hopeless it seemed.

?So what does that make you?? Android Seventeen asked, weakly trying to stave off the reality that was slowly being force-fed to him. Another grin slowly spread across the specter?s wrinkled countenance, and this time the android could see his yellowed, broken teeth, partially hidden behind his cracked, black lips.

?It makes me a reaper of souls, but it surprises me that you do not remember who I am, human,? the beast spoke, soundly slightly agitated near the end of his statement, ?it was your actions that cursed me to this inhospitable place for the rest of eternity. It was you who marred my mortal body and damned me to inhabit a broken, mutilated corpse for the duration of my torment,? reeling back, the android interjected the ghoul?s tangent.

?I have no idea what you are talking about, nor do I recall who you are,? Seventeen said sheepishly, eying the creature that began to fume in front of him. The comment was what drove the ghoulish figure over the edge and into a state of unabridged abhorrence.

?You fucking piece of trash! I am not the only cursed soul who is glad you were pathetic enough to get yourself trapped in this void. I rule this realm, and now not only do I get to have my revenge for as long as your soul holds out, I get to sate the vengeance of a countless legion of bedeviled souls!? Before he could reply to the intense rant of the reaper, it darted forward and drove its observable fist deep into the android?s chest. Ribs shattered beneath the inhuman strength of the phantasm, and Seventeen felt his feet leave the ground.

He was airborne for merely a few feet, but the landing was anything but graceful; however, adrenaline quickly overrode the terror and dread that was contesting to consume Seventeen?s deteriorating spirit. Rolling forward, the android evaded the heel of the reaper as it tore through the ground he had been laying on moments earlier. Underneath the pressure of what would have been a deathblow, the earth split apart until there was deep, jagged hole where the reaper?s boot had hit.

As he gasped for revitalizing oxygen, the machine-hybrid?s eyes fell upon the sword of the avatar. He had dropped the blade after he nearly ran into the reaper?s blade a few minutes ago. Scooping his hands down, Seventeen closed his hands around the cold steel of the weapon?s hilt and felt a small bit of his insecurity dissipate. With a weak smile, the android stood back up and turned to face his ghoulish adversary. The reaper?s partially decomposed features had gone from seething rage back to what seemed to be an overabundance of arrogance. When he saw the sword the mortal clutched in his bony hands like a security blanket, he started to cackle again.

?You truly think you can kill me?? He asked, with that same, supercilious grin plastered across his corpse-like visage, ?I control this entire realm, and that means until your soul finally runs of out steam, I get to toy with you. You may have heard stories about the horrors of Hell, but just you wait, the torment I am about to put you through is going to make and eternity in the Pit pale in comparison!? Android Seventeen watched the specter slowly raise his visible hand until it was perpendicular with his body. He clenched his fingers together, but before they got close enough to make a first, his cutlass assimilated between them amongst a blaze of ebony. It was a bizarre that such a violent, grotesque ghoul felt the need to incorporate so much flair into everything he did, but Seventeen had only a moment to ponder the thought before the phantasm was upon him. For someone who had to veil his deformed and decomposed appearance beneath such a surplus of garments and accessories, the reaper moved with an unparalleled speed.

His initial reaction towards the swiftness at which the animated corpse moved nearly cost the android his head, but just as the blade was moving down to cleave away his cranium, he managed to swing up his sword to intercept the obsidian cutlass. The two weapons met loudly above their respective owners, and the impact sent small sparks of electricity raining down on android and reaper alike. Seventeen bit his lip and tried to force the reanimated corpse to draw back, but it soon became painfully obvious that the masked beast was as stalwart as he was fast. He shoved his sword forward, sending the cybernetic warrior hobbling backwards in a desperate attempt to regain his equilibrium, yet a last minute idea formulated in the android?s mind as he hobbled. Not content to tolerate a recovery of any sorts, the phantasm glided forward, prepared to cleave his prey in twain, but he failed to distinguish the cruel trickery before it got the best of him.

Android Seventeen dove to the side just as the cutlass ripped apart the air where he had been standing. Bewildered by the quick movement of a seemingly staggered opponent, the specter was unprepared for the swift attack that ensued. Fueled by an immense hate for the startled reaper whose identity he still couldn?t decipher, the machine-hybrid swung his sword at his head. For as shocked as was, the ghoul managed to duck beneath the attack in its final moments, yet he was unable to save his tricorne hat from an untimely demise. As its owner stooped below the blow meant for him, the hat was obliterated by the avatar?s sword. Seventeen swore loudly, but before he could move away, a retaliation strike by the reaper sent him skidding across the course, black earth on his back.

When he finally came to a stop, Seventeen immediately sat up, shook the dizziness away, and glared up at the phantasm. The caped monstrosity was twitching with rage once again. With his hat gone, the machine-hybrid noticed the battered, decayed remnants of what was once a natural helmet around the creature?s scalp. Over the central region was what appeared to be a large jewel that stretched from above the figures eyes and to the back of his inborn headdress; however, the luster of the bizarre genetic anomaly was tainted by cracks and permanent blemishes. Two horns harmonized the remainder of the exposed cranium and served to be the final clue that Seventeen required. What had once been a changeling was now something far greater at the cost of both sanity and body.

Still, the question lingered as to who the reaper had been in life, and almost as if he read the thoughts of the machine-hybrid, the undead fiend cleared his throat and spit a wad of coagulated blood and saliva. Mortified that this creature seemed to be perpetually bleeding and deteriorating, Seventeen was more frightened, however, that all of his fingers had become gray. The android knew he had to destroy the monstrosity before he ran out of time, or he would fail the people of Earth whom he swore to defend from the bio-androids.

You still fail to remember who I was? The reaper?s cold, hateful voice invaded the cybernetic warrior?s mind, triggering a few shivers. Perhaps I need to jog your memory a bit, cretin?

As the words dragged off into infinity, Seventeen felt an outlandish sensation cascade over his boy, and then the ground and sky began to shift and churn into one another. Although the lack of color remained constant, the resulting scenery was very different: the rutted, cracked fields that once emulated the wastelands of the forsaken planetoid were now an indifferent stretch of land, save for a few random rock formations. As he shifted his weight and prepared to leap to his feet, Seventeen was surprised by the strange crunching noises he heard beneath him as he moved. Gazing down, he noticed something he hadn?t initially been able to distinguish--the ground was masked beneath a light layer of snow as monochrome as the sky and earth. The machine-hybrid shoveled up a small handful of the gray snow and let it run through his colorless hands and noticed that fresh snow was falling from the sky as well.

?I'll see you in hell!" The voice, which seemed so familiar to the android, came from behind him, and when he turned around, he was shocked by the scene before him. A few feet away, he could see a fallen changeling, his legs pinned beneath a large chunk of earth and standing beside the trounced lizard humanoid was yet another representation of Seventeen. Even though the tattered military fatigues were a dead giveaway, the android already knew exactly where and when he was during the invasion.

"That's really what you want your last words to be?" the grayed emulation of Seventeen questioned, "a horribly overused clich?? So be it!" A small blast of ki exploded from the representation?s palm and tore its way through the changeling?s right eye. Just as the machine-hybrid reliving the events went to take a seat on the rock that had smashed the freshly dead CIA officer, everything froze. Flakes of obsidian snow paused in midair, the blood pooling from the fallen changeling came to a complete stop, and the historical version of Seventeen paused just as he was moving to sit down. The soul reaper assimilated next to what the android knew was his mortal depiction. He knelt down and carefully ran his uncloaked, gloved hand over his mortal head. Although he couldn?t physically touch the simulation, he seemed intent to imagine he could, and the act itself both bewildered and sorrowed Android Seventeen. When he remember that he had done the same thing earlier when exposed to his mortal form, the android shuddered.

?In life my name was Rime, and I was but a humble officer in the ranks of the Cold Industries Army?? The undead monstrosity spoke as he stood back up. Reaching up to his neck, he grasped the collar of his cape and tore it away in a single, swift motion. As the piece of cloth fell to the earth, weighed down by the heaviness of its thick lapel, the terrain around the two ethereal figures shifted once again. When it hit the shifting floor of the realm, the cape vanished, assimilated into the churning blackness, ?and in death I am nothing. A revenant, cursed to make combating souls accept their mortality and move on to eternal peace, while I myself can never truly be free from my fate. A fate you damned me to when you shattered my legs and splattered my brains across the ground!? Seventeen, after noticing the terrain had returned to the shadowy mimic of Kala, turned to Rime and was taken aback by the what he wore beneath the formless cloak.

The former changeling?s boots that were visible beneath his cape earlier continued up to the top of his pelvic bones, and his chest and abdomen were encased in an ebony material similar to his leg armor. After the reaper removed his gloves so he could crack his knuckles, the machine-hybrid noticed how emaciated his exposed hands and arms were. His gray, sunken flesh did little to shelter his bones underneath them, and the issue that bothered Seventeen the most was how this withered, deteriorating corpse could manifest his immense level of strength and speed. Rime lifted his right arm so that his hand was at the same level and his head, and so his palm was facing the android. With his left hand, he raked his black, cracked fingernails across the sunken tissue above his wrist. Veins and arteries, whose destruction would have quickly been the death of any living being, were severed immediately and began oozing coagulated blood.

Reeling away from the self-mutilation that the former changeling was inflicting upon himself, Seventeen glanced down at the pool of blood forming on the ground. Because of how the realm was dyed, the liquid, which should have been sanguine, was black, and to the passerby, could have been mistaken as dark chocolate syrup. However, much to the mortification of the android, the fluid started to bubble and swell, and then as it bulged upwards, it began to divide into several portions. Each mass that fell away hit the ground with a wet smack and quickly took shape, and within seconds, Seventeen was looking at four vague humanoid creatures. All of the blood-borne constructs promptly began to diversify from each other and take on forms the android found horrifying familiar.

From left to right, the cybernetic warrior easily deduced who each of the aqueous shape-shifters was emulating. Grayed facsimiles of Android Sixteen, Piccolo, Yajirobe, and Kirano were staring lifelessly at the android from their black eyes. Seventeen took another step back, a common precautionary measure he was starting to exercise quite frequently in bleak situations like this.

?You wouldn?t imagine how fun it is to control an entire plane of existence, but yes, let?s see how you fare against these shadows of a few warriors that seem to constantly perpetuate inside your mind,? the reaper spoke as he stepped through the line of immobile monstrosities. Seventeen reached for the bag always tied to his belt and felt nothing. When he realized that his effects had vanished and his boots were almost completely gray, his eyes widened with sheer terror, ?the accessories you seek are on your mortal body, Android Seventeen, you should know that the dead can?t bring anything with them,? just as he was about to submit, the machine-hybrid remembered the weapon that he was clutching in his scrawny fist and smile.

?If I am dead, then why do I still have this?? Seventeen inquired, his sarcastic attitude becoming prevalent for the first time in ages as he twirled the avatar?s sword around like a baton. After flashing the android a smug grin and spitting up another wad of blood and saliva, Rime cracked his neck and motioned for the creatures he had created to attack. As they darted forward, the cybernetic warrior had only enough time to listen to the phantasm?s response before he had to turn tail to avoid the blood-borne constructs.

?You hold the weapon of an avatar, an agent of the afterlife not restricted to the laws and principles of life and death?how I despise loopholes,? Seventeen flipped over the ebony fist of Sixteen as it swung at his face and was surprised when he realized that the liquid duplicates had become, to a degree, dense enough to be a real threat. Sword held high, the android went to carve the automaton?s back apart with the mighty blade, but his attack was halted when the weapon of the samurai Yajirobe decided to interject. However, from the power that it could exert, it became apparent the black fluid replica was physically inferior to the valiant warrior that was its basis.

Although he failed to quickly deal with the Android Sixteen reproduction, gravity aided the machine-hybrid by burying the samurai?s weapon in the ground. With his target momentarily defenseless, Seventeen threw his free palm towards the face of the emotionless construct and let out a primal roar; however, the battle zeal of the cybernetic warrior fizzled out the second he realized nothing manifesting in front of his open palm. Once again, at another all-too inopportune moment, Seventeen was left gawking and wide-eyed. Two namekian fists shattered his daze and sent him soaring through the air like a child?s play thing. When he landed on his right arm, the android was certain he heard something pop out of place, but he was too busy being dumbfounded by what had transpired a few seconds ago.

?You just now realized that you?ve lost the ability to harness you inner energy? You?re body is in a different plane, you idiot!? Rime?s words stung, but the cybernetic warrior knew that he should have realized his earlier. He hadn?t received any assistance from his internal processing unit, nor was he able to sense the ki of any of the monstrosities in the gray void. Too resolute and high on adrenaline to let his lack of supernatural powers diminish his fighting spirit for too long, Seventeen collected himself and took note of his sword lying several yards away. Ignoring the demonic chorus of laughter spewing from the reaper?s mouth and the wave of gray slowly spreading up his legs and arms, the android immediately realized that both the Kirano and Sixteen ?shadows? were advancing rapidly. After eying to immobile clone of Yajirobe walking over to sword, the machine-hybrid deduced his only option.

Just as the duo of blood-borne replicas jumped forward to bury their black, semi-solid boots into the skull of their pray, Android Seventeen made a leap of fate of his own. He dove beneath the kicks of his obsidian opposition and rolled across the ground, traveling the precious few yards he needed to reach his final lifeline. Collecting the sword from the earth, Seventeen swung with as much strength as he could muster, so the edge of his weapon wouldn?t miss its rendezvous with the stomach of the Yajirobe clone.

Shooting off the ground while his sword cleaved through synthetic tissue, the cybernetic warrior made it to his feet at the same moment that the halves of the obsidian duplicate hit the ground. The machine-hybrid pivoted and watched as the bisected construct twitched a few more times before falling still. When the last signs of life vanished, the two parts of the aqueous replica shattered into a million ash-colored particles. It was a neat way for a mindless eidolon to make his leave, but unfortunately for Seventeen, the time he spent enraptured by the pile of ash the creature had become, the remaining facsimiles found the perfect opportunity to strike. Speeding ahead of the other, inferior clones, the Piccolo shadow drove his fist into the arm that his first strike had intended to break. After releasing a high-pitched shriek of agony, Seventeen retaliated, blindly swinging at his attacker.

Instead of cleaving through what was mimicking the namekian, the android was greeted with the massive form of Sixteen?s recreation. With its overwhelming amount of brute force, the imitation drove his armored shoulder through the chest of his smaller target. Just as the wind was being forcefully stolen from his lungs, Seventeen fought through the agony and retaliated with a vengeance. With a well-placed stab, he drove the entire span of his weapon through the replica?s throat. The sword tore apart the artificial android?s next, decapitating it and reducing it to a pile of ash moments later. Retribution, however, cost the android the precious time he needed to alert himself of the others. Another painful punch by the namekian duplicate threw the android to the ground.

Accepting the equilibrium destroying blow as an invitation for a breather, Seventeen quickly started to suck in several lungfuls of air. Nonetheless, it seemed like every breath he took in drained the life from his body, and an action that would normally fill him with the strength and stamina he so desperately needed was going to lead directly to his demise. After glancing over his grayed legs and arms and attempting to ignore the growing terror welling up within him, Seventeen prepared to deal with the remaining clones.

For as prepared that he believed he was, the cybernetic warrior was still taken off guard by the aqueous duo. Four fists punished the android?s face, obliterating most of his facial bones and triggering several, new wounds to open the bloodgates. Unable to cope with a frontal assault, the bewildered machine-hybrid stumbled away from his assailants. Brushing aside his budding fatigue, he forced his battered legs to advance once more. Evading a lethal, jade punch, Seventeen bashed the Piccolo recreation in the jaw with the hilt of the avatar?s sword; however, as a spun to face his other adversary, he was upstaged by the Kirano replica. With a dazzling right hook reminiscent of the real blonde-haired warrior, the obsidian duplicate succeeded in sending Android Seventeen back to the black earth.

Kirano?s copy unleashed some type of a war cry, but the sound seemed more like someone furiously gargling water. The drained cybernetic warrior knew that he had to defend himself or he would be killed by the first person to ever befriend him. When he heard the replica?s partially-solid boots kick off the ground, Seventeen brought up the avatar?s sword. Pointing the blade towards the wraith descending upon him, the android watched as the construct inadvertently impaled itself on the blade. Seventeen bit down on his lip, another little habit he had picked up during his stay on Kala. Flailing, the ebony duplicate of Kirano swung his fists as his body started to revert back to its fluid nature. Although only half the sword had impaled the construct, it still had enough space to reach out and claw apart the android?s already scarred, bloodied face.

With an audible groan, Android Seventeen shoved the blade forward, and in doing so, he slowly moved up to a sitting position. The machine-hybrid propelled his weapon in the direction of the copy once more, and with a final, gurgled cry, it detonated, leaving nothing but a faint cloud of ash. Using the sword as a walking stick, the cybernetic warrior leaned on it and tried to brush away the suffering recently inflicted upon him. When he dropped his head down to catch his breath, he noticed something that scared him more then the quartet of the aqueous monstrosities: his chest was completely gray. Grabbing a lock of his hair, the android breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was still jet black. Still, Seventeen understood that he was running out of time, and if he couldn?t do something, his life would be void. Although it stung painfully, the machine-hybrid wiped the fresh blood from his face and prepared for what could be his termination.

?And now your life ends!? Rime?s voice rang out from several yards away, and when he turned to face the phantasm, the android became the victim of another vicious attack from the namekian reproduction. Before he could retaliate, Android Seventeen felt an aqueous fist close around his throat. Dropping the avatar?s sword, the panicking machine-hybrid started to scratch helplessly at the massive forearms, but despite his best efforts, he started to slowly lose consciousness. All he could hear was the laughter of the reaper, and the bubbling snickers of who would become his second murderer for the day. At that time, when nearly all his hope had faded away, Seventeen heard the beast strangling him cry out in anguish. Opening his weary eyes slightly, the cybernetic warrior found the blood-borne construct twitching in agony. As its strength vanished, it released its vice-like grip on the android?s throat.

When he hit the ground, a new wave of adrenaline was triggered at the sight of his savior--Paige. She must have shed her formless robes prior to the battle on Kala, because the whitelighter now wore two, simple pieces of armor. Around her bosom, she modeled a simple band of ivory plating, and the only other protective garment she wore was a short, plated skirt. All the android?s former views of her as being overly feminine where shattered in that instant. The look on her face as she buried her pearly white sword through the spine of the namekian recreation was a new experience of Seventeen, because he had never seen the placid women running of such pure, unadulterated rage.

With the same look of hatred plastered across her delicate features, she ripped her weapon free from the innards of the construct, and a split second later, the final blood-borne clone was nothing but a pile of ash. When her gaze moved to the fallen machine-hybrid, it quickly reverted from hate to compassion. Lowering her bloodstained weapon, she darted forward, her ivory boots lightly clicking across the coal-colored terrain. Reaching her fallen charge, the fiery-haired guardian angel discarded her impressive weapon and immediately went to Seventeen?s aid.

?Paige,? the android gurgled through the grayed blood bubbling over his lips and down the sides of his face, ?I?ve run out of time,? he murmured nearly incoherently. As if to prove his point, he referenced his grayed physique with a weak nod of his head. Paige, fighting against the tears welling up in the pristine pools of brown that were her eyes, placed the machine-hybrid?s head on her lap, gingerly brushing her fingers down his monochrome hair.

?Don?t worry, Leo is on the other side resuscitating you as we speak. You?ll be free from this nightmare momentarily? she said, tears starting to stream down her immaculate visage. Rime, who had been standing a few feet away, took Paige?s revelation without a grain of salt.

?What the fuck are you talking about!? The reaper screamed erratically, ?he?s already dead; there is no escape for him! His soul will be completely absorbed into this realm in a matter of seconds!? Paige had already noticed the color returning to the face of the fallen android. Leaning forward, she delicately planted a kiss on his bloodied, torn cheek, and after a moment of thought, whispered something into his ear.

?I love you,? she spoke before laying the recovering android on the ground and standing up to confront the reaper, ?are you as ignorant as you are ugly?? The guardian angel asked the beast with a smirk. Her voice was filled with a wit she had developed from an overexposure to Seventeen, ?no matter what rhetoric you babble, this mortal will not perish. In a few, brief moments, my mentor will have revived his broken, corporeal form. You lose, and we win,? Paige?s stern words shattered Rime?s fledging composure. After summoning his ebony cutlass, he took a menacing step towards the whitelighter.

?Imbecile,? the reaper spoke as he watched Paige retrieve her weapon, ?here your immortality is null, and a minute is all the time I will require to dispatch both you and your pal over there!? Although he felt his strength returning, Seventeen could do little but watch on with blurry eyes as Paige and Rime locked swords a few feet away from him. Sparks of electricity became the byproduct of the contest between the two warriors and were being thrown all around the battleground. When his vision and other senses returned to their full compatibilities, the cybernetic warrior was instantly stunned by Paige?s swordsmanship. Even her movements and style reflected the pinnacle of elegance that she embodied; however, this realm of shadow was Rime?s canvas, and that was a fact that he soon took cruel advantage of. Android Seventeen saw the shadowy creature sneaking up on the woman he adored, and unable to stand, he screamed a warning without delay.

After she heard the brief warning, Paige parried another one of the former changeling?s attacks, knocking him off balance. She followed up with a high kick to Rime?s face, shattering the white mask he wore over the left half of his face. With a mortified shriek, the reaper spun around and fell to his knees, both his hands quickly shooting up to conceal whatever had been hidden the eerie mask. Twirling around once again, the whitelighter decapitated the beast that had been creeping up on her. Seventeen?s breath of relief was cut short when the demasked Rime let out another earsplitting shriek. The undead monstrosity turned to face his two attackers, and the sight of his uncovered face was enough to sicken even the strongest of stomachs. His death wound--a massive hole, bordered by what had to be years of decay, gave a clear view through his head. The region that had been concealed by the mask was still charred by the fatal blast of ki that had taken Rime?s life.

Unleashing another primal scream, the changeling lobbed his sword towards the fallen android like it was a minute throwing knife. Seventeen tried to get out of the way, but the strength still had not returned to him; however, Paige took it upon herself to save his life once again. In the moments before the lethal projectile would have split his chest apart, the machine-hybrid?s whitelighter leaped into its path. The force at which it was thrown merited the weapon enough power to travel all the way down to its hilt when it tore into Paige?s snow-white skin. The impact of steel against skin unleashed a torrent of blood, and the android had the mortifying pleasure of being dowsed in the blood of his love. By the time she hit the ground, the desecrated guardian angel was nothing but a twitching, ensanguined memory of her former glory. Android Seventeen rushed forward on his hands and knees, ignoring the aches that were still slowly being cured from the mortal realm.

Upon reaching her, the android hugged the dying woman close to him, never wanting to relinquish her. The floodgates behind his eyes gave way, and the machine-hybrid was soon lost in the influx of sobs and tears that overcame him. A soft mutter escaped the blood-glossed lips of the whitelighter, but before the cybernetic warrior could ask her what she had said, Paige exploded into nothing but small orbs of blue and white. Still wrought by the uncontrollable sobbing, Android Seventeen could do nothing but watch the small specs of light fizzle out, and along with them, the last remains of the only person he truly loved. Seventeen stared down at his arms, still cupped as if the frail, broken body was still there, and then he suddenly felt a new sensation flush over his body.

Hate and rage were something the android tried to keep under wraps, but as his strength reached its pinnacle, he knew that the reaper deserved to experience Seventeen?s unadulterated dark side . The machine-hybrid clenched his fists until he could see fresh blood dripping through his clasped fingers. Rime laughed at the trembling android, but the reaper soon noticed his former victim had been completely restored to full vibrancy. Yet, it was the fact that the twitching, black-haired fighter was holding a brilliant, golden sphere of ki in each hand that brought his fun to an immediate end.

?Impossible!? The phantasm shrieked, but before he could react, the formerly expiring machine-hybrid slapped his palms together. As Rime recalled the attack that lead to his death in the first place, his eye widened to take in its painful brilliance. He threw up his withered hands as a final defense, but the power of the Final Flash threw him to the earth and dragged him painfully across the terrain for the duration of its lifespan. When the dust settled and the layer of dust dissipated, Seventeen was already standing above the fallen reaper. In an act of retribution, the android closed his right hand around the neck of the walking corpse. With a swift, violent motion, he tore the monstrosity of the ground and placed him on his feet.

?I will be reincarnated in no time?destroying me will do little to bring her back to life or rescue your soul,? Android Seventeen spit on the deformed face of the former changeling.

?It will be a start,? the machine-hybrid said, clenching the small orb of ki in his free fist until it became the weapon he desired. With a rapid, upward motion, the android cleaved through the reaper?s black heart with the yellow sword. Rime screamed out in agony, and white cracks started to fan out from the ki saber. Seventeen pushed away the sniveling changeling and watched as light because to spill out from the thin cracks originating from where the sword had pierced his heart. Falling to his knees, the dying phantasm was wrought by a fit of uncontrollable spasms that consumed his entire body. The wounds began to hum like florescent lights as they stretched across Rime?s gyrating from. Soon the brilliance became too much to handle, and Seventeen had to shield his eyes with his forearm.

Beneath the powerful humming and the blinding light, the android heard a final shriek, and then Rime ceased to exist. His withered, splintering form?s detonation created a radiance powerful enough to put a super nova to shame. Rime?s painful shrieks of agony persisted long after the side-effects of his death faded away. When he finally dropped down his arm, Seventeen was startled by the sudden change in atmosphere. After rubbing his eyes to make sure he was seeing straight, the android concluded that he was, in fact, back on the asteroid. Shrieks of dying warriors returned along with his hearing, but it wasn?t the wailing of the dead that brought the machine-hybrid to his knees. It was the reality that the object of his adoration was dead. With Paige gone, the android felt his will to live die as well. Leo suddenly interjected from somewhere behind the cybernetic warrior.

?Seventeen?? It was all the former whitelighter could offer to console the shattered man?s heart. Leo had spent the last few minutes watching his prot?g?e die a horrid death while he could do nothing but look on. Brought off his knees by the man?s words, Seventeen turned and noticed the avatar?s sword in the fallen angel?s hands. Succumbing to his emotions, the android wrenched the weapon away from him. Leo tried to calm down the machine-hybrid, but his soothing words fell on unresponsive ears. Gripping the hilt of the weapon until his knuckles were as white as he could make them, Android Seventeen exploded into the sky. His rage left an admirable impression on the ground in front of Leo--the ex-whitelighter had to leap back to avoid falling into the crater left behind by the cybernetic warrior.

Quickly blazing above the span of the hill, the black-haired fighter?s shoulder?s slumped forward. Seventeen had lost everything to this horrible competition: Paige, Piccolo, and for a while, his mental well-being. Above all that, he was finished dancing around the point, and inside he wanted nothing more then to end the hellish game. He was through watching people die for him, and he was finished getting embroiled in a war that he shouldn?t even be fighting in. Android Seventeen recognized the leader of the demonic forces near the heart of the chaos. He was combating both the archangel Gabriel and the two surviving contestants.

?It?s impossible for you to think you can take on Satan,? Leo said, arriving behind the floating android, ?the leader of Heaven?s army and the two strongest fighters from the competition haven?t been able to slay him yet,? although he was only trying to advice the troubled youth, the former whitelighter?s words were again wasted on an unappreciative audience.

?I don?t care,? Seventeen said, starting at the four warriors, ?I don?t care about anything or anyone. Whether or not my death will be obligatory or not, I am going to see to it that this ends now,? Leo tried once more to talk logically with the android, but Seventeen was gone before he could speak. Holding the avatar?s sword close to his body, the android--physically and emotionally wrecked--made a direct beeline towards the foursome of superpowers. His decision was made, and he was going to see this thing through to the very end. With that final thought, he arrived at the scene, landing with a scream and moving to attack Hell?s general.

OOC: I know it may be long, but I felt justified that I needed to end my tenure in this saga with a bang. So, uh, enjoy.

[Burter Jr]

THE FINALE
Part 1

The scene was set.

Angels bursting into flames. Demons melting from the angelic touch. The battle of battles -- the war of wars. Blood spilled, bodies piled, and swords clashed. Lives were ending, all over again.

Even though hours had passed, and even though the demons had somehow penetrated the angel forces, both sides still had extreme numbers. The war was, seemingly, far from over.

At the foot of the tower stood the huge, shirtless, and bloodied body of Satan. Hell's General was squaring off against two super saiyans. "The princess and the soldier," he noted with a smirk, "How admirable."

From above and behind him, a single figure flew from the sky. It dropped down like a missle from the stars above, both hands clenched into tight bony fists.Seventeen dropped onto the back of the living corpse like an anchor slamming into the ground at an unspeakable velocity. Several cracking sounds could be heard as the android's feet pushed into the base of Satan's spine. The man was grunting from the surprise attack, pushing back against the cyborg on his back. Any normal person would never get up again, but the monster stood like nothing happened, forcing Seventeen to backflip onto his feet.

"Sorry I'm late," the android smirked. "I hope it's not too late to join the party."

"Who invited you!?" The deep, croacked voice of Satan crackled with annoyance as he now had to keep track of all four of the oppenents. "This is hopeless!" He growled at them. "You don't have a chance!"

"Enough talk!" The saiyan warrior said from the side. Satan turned to face Reijin who was crouching into a leaping position. No more words were spoken. The man lept into the air, his pride on the line.

The bulky arms of Satan rose up quickly to block the attacking Reijin. Rei threw his kick at a speed that could shatter bones, only to have it hit the brick wall that was Satan's tricep. The demon general caught Rei just in time to realize Gabriel and Bra were attacking. "Hell's FEILD!"

A raging fire erupted from his rotted body, and flung all four of the warriors back. The fire turned into a huge energy feild, which eventually cleared the area in a thirty foot radius.

----------

When Bra stood up, she could immediately sense the evil presence behind her. "Son of a..." she muttered, dusting off her already worn out clothing. The young girl looked back over shoulder, seeing the unsurprisingly figure of the horned demon approaching at a steady pace. "Don't you ever take a break, ugly?" She asked sarcastically. With that, she turned around fully

"You don't have your friends to save you now, little girl," the demon informed her, quite honestly.

This processed through Bra's mind. Her eyes seemed to go downcast for a moment. He was right. She was alone. But the whole battle had taught her not to believe that...not yet. The little girl looked up again, this time her eyes a raging inferno. Her golden hair rose up from where it lay and started to shimmer a bit more. She let her arms loose to the sides, her aura brightening. "I don't need them to take care of YOU!"

Satan unsheathed his seemingly rusted blade, grinning. "Then let's see what you really have, Princess of Saiyans!"

The two moved fast, heading right towards each other. "Kienzen Daggers!" Bra shouted as they got closer. Though they moved at ultra speeds, time seemed to slow as the two got closer, as if a force had stopped them to get a look at every single detail. The burning battle in the background. The daggers in her hand...the sword in his. Her shining aura. His decayed horns. For a moment, it was peaceful.

The swords was knocked to the side by the flickering weapons of ki, which promptly blinked out of existance by the insane force of the collision. The arms and legs of the two warriors meshed and fought each other, as if each were in their own seperate battles. Hundreds of thousands of moves were thrown in that small period of time, with neither side gaining an advantage. For Satan, it was about honor. For Bra, it was revenge. It seemed like it would never end, the two forever locked in melee combat.

Then, Satan struck Bra.

Her body crumbled against the huge rock so hard that both her spine and the boulder crumbled under the immense pressure. Her small, slender form lay in defeat. The general moved forward towards her.

Bra was trying to get up. Her spine was all but shattered, but still, despite the logic science of the saiyan body, she found herself able to move. Her sheer will allowed her to somehow pull herself up to her knees.

"You lost." The general spat. "Your a failure."

Bra looked up at him, shivering with pain. But not disappointment. Her face had a very small visible smirk. "I may have lost...but I haven't failed." Her voice was but a whisper, trying to sound as mysterious and intimidating as possible.

"You haven't beaten me, girl. You failed."

"At least...I tried."

This struck Satan in a very strange way. A saiyan, not concerned with the she lost. She had put up a fight and this made her happy. Even Bra would admit this was very much unlike her, but the whole situation had temporarily changed her. It had made her realize things she normally wouldn't at her age. It made her grow up.

Satan grew a look of frustration. He was done with her. The man struck her in anger, this time ending her second journey to Friend or Foe.

Bra - DEAD. Wins Large or Medium Ship

[Hellfighter 17]

THE FINALE
Part 2

A scowling demon scurried across the battlefield, moving on all four appendages and moving in and out of his brethren. As he grew closer to one of his adversaries, the hellish being?s face scrunched up as he jumped up into the air, with his arms scratching at the air, reaching for his holy opponent. The valiant warrior, serving the ?right? side, did not see his attacker in time to stave him off. The angel let out a piercing scream as he could feel the blood trickling out of his shoulder form the demon?s bite. As the red-bodied imp tried to sink his teeth in further, the seraph began to raise his other arm in defiance to the creature who had taken home upon his chest, clenching his toes into the celestial torso.

A beam of light began to surface over the darkened and smoldering area as the angel refused to let himself be drained by the impurity. The sucking hellion turned to see the bright light and his eyes automatically closed at first sight, but he could not turn his head for some reason. The light began to move closer towards head of the monster, and eventually the heavenly being forced his hand down past the yellow fangs and down into the creature?s throat, causing it to expand at an alarming rate, and eventually the throat reached its maximum and the skin tissue burst, causing an array of blood and muscle tissue to spurt in every direction, covering the victor.

As the angel was just about to celebrate the small victory, however, he heard a high-pitched shriek from behind, and before he could respond to it, the back of his skull was being torn off by the massive jaw of one of the larger demons, and the sprite fell forward, with the apparent carrion-eater continuing to feed off of his person.

The greatest hellion of them all began to smile at this, with his head bobbing slightly in laughter. He turned his head to see his latest victim, the saiya0jin girl who he had taken down from her super saiya-jin state. Her face was lifeless, with her sprawled out across the ground and her limbs askew to the left. His face grimaced, not pleased that she was even able to lie a blow, but the infidel had received her just dues. He began to draw saliva in his mouth, and reered his face away from the girl, which would allow him to give the loogey some velocity. Just as he was about to spit his rancid acid at the corpse, an elbow made contact with his jaw, sending him spiraling away from the girl?s body.

***

?Where is he?!? shouted the saiyan, soaring over the countless bodies that were accumulating below. Reijin was searching for Gabriel in-particular, but could not find the angelic general. His face sneered as he grew impatient, but eventually he thought that he saw a blur of light in the distance, and decided to squint his eyes to make it out better.

The light that he saw was indeed emanating from the leader of heaven?s crusaders, and thus the saiya-jin was able to relax, if even just for a moment. ?We need to find that demon now and defeat him already.?

Gabriel didn?t seem as worried and uncertain as the prideful being before him, but more lucid as to what would happen. ?I need to go. . .do something,? said the cosmic guardian, shifting his eyes around, looking for the watchtower.

?What do you mean, ?do something??!? Reijin was obviously outraged by the seraph?s decision and quite confused as well. ?We are fighting a war if you haven?t noticed.?

?I know,? said Gab, without much remorse. ?Satan?s that way,? he continued, pointing to the left of himself. ?I need to go, just hold off Satan for now, you?ll know what to do when the time comes.? With that, the angelic commander blasted off for the watchtower and left the saiyan to venture to Lucifer on his own.

Reijin blasted off, leaving a trail of thick, heavy aura behind him to dissipate into the air. Soon enough he could see the android fighting the supreme demon, but it looked as though Seventeen was beginning to lose an upperhand that he held at the moment of the surprise attack.. Stopping for a moment mere feet away, the arrogant being began to summon a dosage of ki within his palms. The power was lackluster at best, but once the saiya-jin powered up to max, allowing his hair to transform into its more pleasant-looking golden state, the ki that attack would contain rose dramatically, and with that Rei launched it towards where his foe would be, and his calculations were right as a small explosion arose over the ground, knocking Satan to the ground.

?Miss me?? asked the saiyan, smiling widely as the humanoid embraced his small break. Before seventeen could respond, a roar erupted from ground as the hellish being jumped up form his proposed grave.

?Foolish saiyan! You shall perish much like your princess over there.? Reijin looked over to see Bra lying on the ground, looking helpless, which she or any other true saiyan never was. She may not have been of pure descent, but she fought like a warrior as did the rest of race, which could not disrespect here for.

?Let?s get this over with already,? scowled Reijin as he leapt forward, with his hand enveloped with pure, unadulterated energy. The super saiy-jin come forth with all of his speed and allowed his momentum to be carried forth into the red demon and the energy flowed into the point of impact as well, throwing Lucifer back several meters and burning his cheek. The saiyan?s mouth seethed as he regained some of his lost air and watched Satan slowly get back up.

The potent being was laughing as he stood back onto his hind appendages, brushes off some of the dust that had gathered on his chest. ?Nice indeed, saiyan, but I?m afraid if you want to live you?ll have to do better than that,? screeched the devilish man, allowing his voice to elevate in decibels as he brought his fist back, forcing Reijin to draw up his arms in defense, but threw the fist at the android instead, which had been unexpected by both of the demon?s opposers. The saiya-jin quickly rushed in, engaging in hand-to-hand combat with his foe, and as soon as the humanoid had regained his composure, he joined in the fray as well.

The three exchanged blows at frighteningly fast paces, but with the humanoid slightly behind the other two. Satan could see that the robotic creature was lesser than the pure-blooded warrior, and started to devise a plan of how he could make this fight quicker than it was appearing it would be.

Lucifer gathered a large amount of energy and threw it into one punch which would break through Rei?s defenses and hit him square in the jaw, sending him flying backwards, but this allowed for Seventeen to land a kick on the satanic man?s torso, causing him to envelop around the robotic leg, but Satan was bale to recover form that immensely quick. Grabbing the artificial leg, the demon threw the humanoid behind him while clenching tightly onto the appendage. However much the android tried escaping this hold, the strength of the supreme demon was just too much.

Walking to an edge, Lucifer looked down, gazing upon the battle between his minions and the guardians of heaven. Wings were being torn off and tails were being disintegrated. Good versus evil, the age-old story, was unfolding on the planet of Kala, where the latest attempt at Friend or Foe had occurred, and failed miserably. Satan embellished in the glory of the nightmare he was causing. Even if many of creatures died in this battle, the blood that was being shed before him was of immense proportions. ?Look at that; it?s all so beautiful, isn?t it? Even with all of you and your friends? interferences, I?d say this has turned out lovely so far, wouldn?t you? Pah, what would you know, you don?t know what true enjoyment is. Soon, there will be nobody to stop me.? Satan paused for a moment and inhaled the smell that was being caused form the heat of battle with the minerals of the planet?s surface. ?I think right now, though, you will have to be exterminated.?

Reijin was finally getting up by this point, as he had suffered a considerable deal of damage from that punch he had been dealt. Seeing that Lucifer was about to try something, he started running towards the edge at which the two had transpired at.

[Hellfighter 17]

THE FINALE
Part 3

Reijin?s arms pumped with fierce as he tried to cover the distance between him and the devil. As flames roared into the sky from attacks unleashed by the unholy monsters, the sky was illuminating the scene below, which appeared to be Satan conversing with the breathless android and a golden-haired man running to gain the upperhand. The saiyan?s mind was racing, trying to devise a plan that would quicken this endless battle once and for all.

What? What? What?! It was as though his mind was under the effects of his environment; the heat that was rising with each second making him sweat, his pride on the line in a battle that many other great fighters had lost, and the energy that he was outpouring which made it harder to concentrate. Despite all of the retardants in line of stopping him from devising a masterplan, a devious smirk overcame his face as he turned his head back forward with a sparkle of ingenuity in his eye; the true saiya-jin warrior had done it again.

?It appears as though your little friend is coming to save you or something,? laughed Lucifer, basking in the joy that the ?ingenious? saiyan did not know that he was being sensed all of this time whilst he was running. Reijin had a brilliant plan in mind, which might have actually worked, had his ki be undetectable to the might of the underworld?s lord. ?Or, maybe, he merely want to get a cheapshot in one me and not care about you at all.? His lips curled; the enjoyment he felt right now could not be underestimated, and all the while Seventeen wanted to tell the beast that he did care if he died, as long as the monster was stopped.

?It looks like I?ll get the chance to end this?now!? screeched the lord of the unholy as he twirled around, holding onto the leg of the original Seventeen within his arms. To Satan?s surprise, the saiya-jin was in the air, with his leg extended towards the prince. Having swung the robot just in time, the android impacted with Reijin?s side.

The saiya-jin immediately felt the pain of the machinery impacting with his ribs, and even heard a bone or two shatter. He was thrown far to the side, where he skidded along the line of impact, which further worsened his injuries. A large grunt could be heard by Reijin within the near area, but it was stifled further away by Lucifer?s actions.

The demon king was taking great pleasure in his action; swinging the robot vessel around aimlessly, and hitting rock every now-and-then. Skin tissue from Seventeen, which was organic unlike his counterpart?s, was the first off his layers to be torn away, along with the odd piece of metal. Next came the main structure of the body; the intricate workings of machinery mixed with organ and muscle tissue and bones was simply amazing to say the least.

Much of the metal casing that protected the bones and organs were being shaved away, bit by bit, which was beginning to make the machine shut down. Blood loss was become critical at this point, with the demonic being having himself doused in the lifesource, and appeared to take much please in doing so; a pure sadist. Nobody could see what was happening on the plateau save that of the one who was inflicting all of the damage. Reijin appeared to be out of commission, lying on the floor and coughing up blood, while Seventeen was basically terminated, and all of those below were too indulged into the holy battle that they did not notice the de-mechanization.

After a great deal of damage had been dealt to the robot, Satan decided that it was time to dispose of the chunk of flesh and bone and wires that was in his hands. The head was lying somewhere near the edge where Lucifer had threatened the teenager earlier. Walking over to the cliffside, the Devil smiled fiendishly before letting hatred flush over him. His leg extended backwards, then come back forwards and made contact with the head, causing the last sign of light from the cybernetic eyes to die out. Satan then threw the body overboard to go along with its central processing unit. The two pieces landed below atop of the miniature demons, who then quickly tore apart what was remaining of the carcass, and the android was no more.

Amidst the disposing of robots, the saiya-jin fighter had mustered the strength to at least stand up, not allowing himself to be subjugated to the demonic lord?s will of surrendering. Holding on hand onto his side, the saiyan?s face sneered with anger as he waited for Satan to turn back around. The moment seemed to be extended for a long while until Lucifer finally whipped around and looked at Reijin.

The satanic being was covered in the blood of his latest victim, and he planned to have the same happen with the arrogant humanoid.

Just as the demon was about to step forward, a bright flash of light came from far away, form the watchtower. Both of the fighters saw it, along with all of the minions and angels below. Gabriel had came to the top of the tower and was now doing something atop there, which was resulting in a large amount of energy being gathered, which all those present could sense. Satan did not worry, as he knew that his underlings would annihilate the menace once and for all.

The smaller creatures did start advancing on all fours towards the general guardian, but they were all stopped as the holy army decided to give this bit their all and hopefully conquer the demon forces now. Not feeling this set-back, Lucifer started advancing towards Reijin as he had planned earlier, but the saiyan continued to look at the angel.

?What the fuck is he doing now?? asked the super saiya-jin in extreme confusion. The prince of darkness was going to attempt an answer, but he felt a surge of power which stopped him dead in his tracks before he could.

A massive bolt of power started racing towards the saiya-jin, and the target?s eyes widened up immediately, which brought forth pain and caused him to wince, not allowing Reijin to see the massive surge strike him.

At first, all the saiya-jin could feel was immense pain, different from any he had ever been induced to before, but definitely not the worst. Next, he could feel an incredible numb, which helped free him from the circumstance momentarily, but eventually he was brought back to normal as his bones began to heal, as did his internal organs. The scrapes that were littered about his body had now disappeared, and it looked as though Rei was emitting a holy glow form himself.

Lucifer was astonished at this sight, but did not want to give his foe the upperhand and decided to throw a punch?terrible mistake. After his upperbody had come one meter away from the super saiya-jin, he felt an extreme force push at him and was flung backwards, towards the edge where he had thrown away the android. Reijin was even more shocked completely unaware of what was going on. After the glow faded away and he lost the feeling that he had, a new one arose in him. It was one he had felt before, but he could not place his finger it. It was rising in him, causing his blood to boil over. There was no force driving this anger other than Satan, but it felt good, it was empowering.

The saiyan moaned as he could feel it starting to flood over him in immense density. Eventually, it seemed as though it would be too much for him to take and that it would kill him, but that didn?t surface in the siayan?s mind?nothing surfaced in the saiya-jin?s mind.

His eyes fading to white and his hair perked up and the aura began to engulf him and shroud him in the bright intensity. Soon enough, it snapped. His minds snapped, his body snapped?his power snapped. The snapping only had one thing that could bring him back, and that was transcendence. The power that Reijin had felt from Vegeta and Raditzu before was now coursing through his veins. The saiyan?s mind was clearer now, but before it would be given the opportunity, there was one matter to take care of.

The coward of the underworld was now trying to get away from the super saiya-jin two, but it was futile. Reijin knew that Lucifer was no longer a threat, but he thought it would be fun to take care of him anyway.

?Don?t, saiyan, we rule together. Don?t you see?? His final plea was put onto the table.

?Shut up,? was the simple response he received. And with that, the saiya-jin raised his boot into the air and brought it down onto the head of the monster.

Android 17 ? DEAD. Wins Kai Kai Teleportation
Reijin - Wins Super Saiya-jin 2