[3] The Road

[Orion]

Fifty thousand zeni. Fifty thousand zeni for doing absolutely nothing but listening to Sebastian's proposal. He weighed it in his hand, moving it up and down. Although he was expecting his drugged hostages to earn him in the market of two hundred thousand zeni, the new proposal was indeed enticing. Not only would he receive the aforementioned sum of money for Dimitri and Zena, but if he ended the lives of Kaden and Piper, another four hundred thousand zeni would be piled on top of that amount.

Orion had killed thousands of warriors in battle, demolished entire cities filled with innocent life with the blazing energy that coursed through his veins and never gained the amount of money that stared him blatantly in the face. Six hundred thousand zeni ... the one eyed fighter never even dreamed he would come across so much currency, let alone this easily. Two quick attacks and him and Ares were free to cash in on the biggest pay day of their lives.

Ares ... Orion's lone eye watched the hybrid mercenary as he made the trek back to the stationary jeep. What that skinny human said about him was intriguing. During the hectic battle with Zena and the ferocious scorpions, he hadn't paid a great deal of attention to him. Was he secretly about to end the saiyan and take his share for himself?

He watched him. Ares stood still, surveying the crew that rested in the jeep. His arms folded, he rested against the closed door of the vehicle, his back facing, awaiting the return of the cycloptic saiyan.

And there's where you made your mistake, Orion thought to himself.

He looked over his shoulder to where Sebastian had been standing, but he was long gone. Truly, weaving suspicions into otherwise solid foundations certainly was that lanky man's talent. Orion knew Ares' type. If there was some sort of plan boiling in the back of his head, there would definitely be some outward sign of the halfling's betrayal. Especially since, as far as he knew, Orion wasn't approaching.

There was something inside Ares that resonated with Orion. It wasn't obvious, nor identifiable, but it was undoubtedly present. That something was a character trait that was forged and twisted by the unmistakable misfortune of betrayal, of struggle and unjust hardship. Ares, despite his young age, suffered from an event or person that created a level of coldness and distance within him, yet at the same time, a sense of honour and loyalty to those that placed authentic trust in him. Indeed, that very event that damaged his openness spurned a greater appreciation for those whom honestly and truly worked with him and by him, and did no wrong to him.

The floodgates opened. It all started making sense to him now. Somewhere since the start of his journey, he heard that this entire competition was about making a movie, or perhaps television show. What better way to spice up the action and improve ratings than turning an otherwise trustworthy saiyan team against each other? Whatever cynicism the saiyan race had planted in Orion's heart was not absolute; Tirak and Cabbis were of his race, and he entrusted his life into their hands more than once.

So Sebastian was pandering to the warrior's greed to get a rise out of him. Yet, why was he doing it behind the back of Kai Demolic, the tournament operator? Surely any tension and team related conflict would bode well for him too. This was his production, after all.

But in that case, why would he want Kaden and Piper dead? Is he somehow afraid of what these two investigators might uncover in their quest to stop Demolic? If so, why does that affect him, if he's going behind the back of the man he seems to be trying to protect?

Not to mention the new enigma of Kaden, the ki adept human. How did such an battle inexperienced kid learn to harness his inner energy like that, to a degree where he could pump it directly into another to reinforce their strength? The blonde haired man gained a great deal of respect from Orion for his actions which, apart from his energy techniques, displayed a compassion and desire for justice. Orion held onto both of those things also, however much they managed to fade from his eye.

Then the thought of the zeni came back. Six hundred thousand zeni. If he ignored all of those thoughts swirling through his head, he would have all the money he needed to start rebuilding and restoring what he was responsible for losing. None of these people mattered to him before he entered Friend or Foe; yet, who was Aldrina to him before he crash landed on that planet all those years ago?

Orion grunted. This situation was far more complex than a simple walk to the jeep would fix. Two sides tore at him, pulling him in a separate direction, but ultimately, he could only take one.

As he approached the jeep, he knew he needed more time. Kaden was the first to acknowledge the presence of the full blooded saiyan, whom tapped Ares on the shoulder.

I hope the drive back to the mansion is a long one.