03-03-2009, 12:07 PM
Stop.
...
Stop it. Look away.
...
You're staring.
Orion forced his gaze away. His missing eye made it no easier to weaken his mind's hold on where his vision rested. Yet, even though he finally heeded his thoughts, vacantly watching empty space, he could feel his ocular muscles pulling and tightening, coercing him to stare at that one image that aroused an anger stronger than he thought he could contain.
Don't look. Dooooooooooon't ...
Orion looked.
Ugh.
His single eye narrowed. No matter how hard he tried to control himself, he couldn't stop staring at that changeling. There he was, standing around in his brazen, filthy glory, acting better than everyone else. Damnable tyrant though he was, Orion knew at least that attacking him in this setting would be foolish. This Kai person was grossly rich and obviously starved for excitement. 100,000 zeni for each person they captured was nigh on insane. Gathering from his introduction speech, they didn't even need to kill the convicts to earn the cold cash. Not that killing bothered Orion, but it meant that the bags of zeni in his hands wouldn't get bloody.
Attacking the changeling, though, most likely meant expulsion from this once in a lifetime, guaranteed get-rich-quick scheme. And Orion really could do with some fast money. Being on the run, escaping the last planet with only the clothes on his back left a burning hole in his pocket. Plus, knowing he was being followed, maybe even hunted ... staying on Earth wasn't a long term solution.
Which presented another problem. To ensure winnings, he needed accomplices. If Kai chose five people to be these 'hunters', then there must be a wide selection of convicts to claim for reward. If he learned anything from his days working for the changelings, it was commandeering a motley crew of renegade warriors effectively to achieve a common goal. He'd never done it without spilling blood, nor by leading anything but a saiyan. Still, he had to work with what he was given. At least in this Ares beat the heart of a cold hearted tactician.
"Hmph," Orion mumbled, expelling his rage in the only sensible way he could.
Ares turned. "Did you say something?"
"It's just dawned on me. I'm assuming this Kai lunatic wants us to work together, right?"
"I guess," Ares responded apathetically.
The cycloptic nodded once, his theory validated, albeit unenthusiastically. "Good."
"Hey guys," a voice suddenly perked up. The blonde human stepped forward, speaking to no one specifically but everyone in general. He seemed surprised with the outspoken way that he stepped out of silence, quickly realising that he was moving out on a limb.
"I'm, uh, Kaden. I'm one of the Hunters here... I guess."
Ares unfolded his arms. "He's not very confident, is he?"
"That's to be expected," Orion informed.
"How do you mean?"
"The way he stands ... " Orion started, slightly narrowing his eye, "the way he moves, and up until now, avoiding contact with people. He's been sitting back, nervously assessing his options. This is unfamiliar territory to him. But at the same time, he's taking a stand here. He's trying to get the ball rolling. That shows that he's at least willing to make the best of a terrifying situation. And although that might not seem like much on the surface ... it may make up for the things he's obviously lacking."
Ares gave the elder saiyan a curious glance. "You can tell all of that?"
"So how about we, like, come up with a plan? Or something?" Kaden proposed uncertainly.
No one took up the red eyed human immediately; the changeling and the female human were as unsociable as each other. Ares was happy to stay by the other saiyan in the group. The opportunity to lead was presenting itself rather obnoxiously.
"Over here," Orion called out, motioning to the outspoken human.
Kaden, caught off guard by the proposal, but hardly about to refuse it, moved over to the two saiyan warriors.
"Uh ... hi, guys," Kaden added.
"What are you?" Orion asked rudely.
"I ... huh? What does that mean?"
"What are you?" Orion repeated. "Human, saiyan without a tail, miscellaneous ... ?"
"Oh, right," Kaden realised. "I'm human."
Orion nodded. He had nothing against humans. Unfolding his arms, he offered a handshake.
"I'm Orion, human. Saiyan, to be exact. And you?"
...
Stop it. Look away.
...
You're staring.
Orion forced his gaze away. His missing eye made it no easier to weaken his mind's hold on where his vision rested. Yet, even though he finally heeded his thoughts, vacantly watching empty space, he could feel his ocular muscles pulling and tightening, coercing him to stare at that one image that aroused an anger stronger than he thought he could contain.
Don't look. Dooooooooooon't ...
Orion looked.
Ugh.
His single eye narrowed. No matter how hard he tried to control himself, he couldn't stop staring at that changeling. There he was, standing around in his brazen, filthy glory, acting better than everyone else. Damnable tyrant though he was, Orion knew at least that attacking him in this setting would be foolish. This Kai person was grossly rich and obviously starved for excitement. 100,000 zeni for each person they captured was nigh on insane. Gathering from his introduction speech, they didn't even need to kill the convicts to earn the cold cash. Not that killing bothered Orion, but it meant that the bags of zeni in his hands wouldn't get bloody.
Attacking the changeling, though, most likely meant expulsion from this once in a lifetime, guaranteed get-rich-quick scheme. And Orion really could do with some fast money. Being on the run, escaping the last planet with only the clothes on his back left a burning hole in his pocket. Plus, knowing he was being followed, maybe even hunted ... staying on Earth wasn't a long term solution.
Which presented another problem. To ensure winnings, he needed accomplices. If Kai chose five people to be these 'hunters', then there must be a wide selection of convicts to claim for reward. If he learned anything from his days working for the changelings, it was commandeering a motley crew of renegade warriors effectively to achieve a common goal. He'd never done it without spilling blood, nor by leading anything but a saiyan. Still, he had to work with what he was given. At least in this Ares beat the heart of a cold hearted tactician.
"Hmph," Orion mumbled, expelling his rage in the only sensible way he could.
Ares turned. "Did you say something?"
"It's just dawned on me. I'm assuming this Kai lunatic wants us to work together, right?"
"I guess," Ares responded apathetically.
The cycloptic nodded once, his theory validated, albeit unenthusiastically. "Good."
"Hey guys," a voice suddenly perked up. The blonde human stepped forward, speaking to no one specifically but everyone in general. He seemed surprised with the outspoken way that he stepped out of silence, quickly realising that he was moving out on a limb.
"I'm, uh, Kaden. I'm one of the Hunters here... I guess."
Ares unfolded his arms. "He's not very confident, is he?"
"That's to be expected," Orion informed.
"How do you mean?"
"The way he stands ... " Orion started, slightly narrowing his eye, "the way he moves, and up until now, avoiding contact with people. He's been sitting back, nervously assessing his options. This is unfamiliar territory to him. But at the same time, he's taking a stand here. He's trying to get the ball rolling. That shows that he's at least willing to make the best of a terrifying situation. And although that might not seem like much on the surface ... it may make up for the things he's obviously lacking."
Ares gave the elder saiyan a curious glance. "You can tell all of that?"
"So how about we, like, come up with a plan? Or something?" Kaden proposed uncertainly.
No one took up the red eyed human immediately; the changeling and the female human were as unsociable as each other. Ares was happy to stay by the other saiyan in the group. The opportunity to lead was presenting itself rather obnoxiously.
"Over here," Orion called out, motioning to the outspoken human.
Kaden, caught off guard by the proposal, but hardly about to refuse it, moved over to the two saiyan warriors.
"Uh ... hi, guys," Kaden added.
"What are you?" Orion asked rudely.
"I ... huh? What does that mean?"
"What are you?" Orion repeated. "Human, saiyan without a tail, miscellaneous ... ?"
"Oh, right," Kaden realised. "I'm human."
Orion nodded. He had nothing against humans. Unfolding his arms, he offered a handshake.
"I'm Orion, human. Saiyan, to be exact. And you?"
![[Image: OrionAug11.jpg]](http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/captain_civic/OrionAug11.jpg)