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

[Android 17]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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