Day One: Evening

[Violet]

Camp.

Flames danced across the faces of the diminished, lethargic group. Quiet was their only comfort, but also their greatest fear, for it is the solitude, that aura of safety that had brought the demise of three of their clansmen. It was a misleading trust, but something that they couldn?t do much about?they had nothing else to go on except instinct.

The fire crackled in its makeshift pit, sending small fingers of red embers reaching towards the black, inky sky. Seventeen?s head rested on Violet?s lap as she was busily grinding herbs and berries she had found along the way in a crude, but effective grinding bowl. The mushy red paste was meant to hold back the pain, but with a wound like her brother had, she wasn?t sure if she?d ever have enough of the medicine.

The android grunted beneath her. Pain etched itself across his deep, black eyes; he was trying to hold it all back, but even Seventeen could only take so much.

?Hold on, Seventeen?just a few minutes more, honey.? She cooed, grinding faster. Finally, it was done, the paste thick enough to mix with the pan of water she had Buu make for her especially for this purpose. ?Buu? Could you please hand me that pan??

He rose from his rock and grabbed the pan, shoving it in Violet?s free hand, and then promptly returned to his rock, laying his head on it and staring straight up at the sky, lost in his own thoughts.

She had no idea what was running through his head, but never had the girl seen the majin so stoic as he was now. There was just no erasing what had happened.

Mixing the hot water into the small bowl a little at a time, she stirred it with her finger and tasted it. Bitter?but it will work. Years of living in the woods paid off at times like these, and it made her happy that she had chosen that path. It paid off, after all.

She placed the pan at her side and lifted Seventeen?s head, eliciting a growl of pain from the android?s throat. He glared at her dangerously, but it affected her none. He would be patched up soon, or at least knocked out long enough for the pain to subside.

Bringing the edge of the bowl to his pale mouth, he parted his lips, so trusting?It was good to have that trust. She treasured it. There weren?t many instances in her life that she could remember someone just trusting her like he was doing now. Maybe it was the pain. He slurped the potion slowly, biting back the urge to retch at the bitterness. ?I know?? She sighed, petting his black locks comfortingly. ?But it will make you sleep, and get rid of the pain until we can find some way to fix you.?

?Forget it.? Super piped from his rock.

?Forget what?? Violet shot back.

?Getting him healed. We probably won?t be able to find anything before the damage is already done.?

She was getting irritated with his emotional constipation. Sick and tired of it. Easing Seventeen off of her lap, gently placing his head on her sack, she stomped over to the puttilan construct, her azure eyes glaring. ?I am tired of all this pent up bullshit, Buu. If you have a problem, fucking talk about it already.?

?I wish you two would just get it over already. Shit.? Kid Buu grunted from his makeshift bed.

?Get what over with?? The two asked synchronously.

?Fight.?

?AARRRGH?? Violet, irritated, stalked away from the campsite, not too far away, however, she could still see the flicker of flames through the trees. Only a few minutes?.just a few minutes?she needed to be alone.

One blazing fist tore through the trunk of an unfortunate sapling, then thudded to the ground.

Violet suddenly got an idea.