12-20-2006, 11:00 PM
?Tell me your story,? Broli uttered, the statement a repeat of something the monkey-hybrid had inquired about just a few moments earlier. Seventeen let out a haggard breath as his head slumped over?his charcoal eyes barely open as he gazed upon the saiya-jin seated next to him. The machine-hybrid smiled faintly as the warrior?s inquiry was processed by his fatigued mind.
?I?ll be honest when I tell you that I have no recollection of my childhood years, Broli,? Seventeen began, another labored breath escaping his trembling lips as he fought to maintain the strength to speak. ?My ?life? began a little over eighteen months ago on the frigid plains of Earth?s desolate pole. Since that day, I have only been given short glimpses into my life prior to that point, and I?ll be honest when I say that sometimes I don?t want to know who I once was.
?I think I was a murderer,? Seventeen lamented, a few more tears liberated from his weary eyes as he stared at his visitor. ?But ever since I awoke that day?I have been, for the most part, a completely different man compared to the one I see in the reflections of his prior history. I fight so hard, because it?s genuinely the only honesty thing I feel I can do to defend those that I love.
?I?ve had to bury my fair share of allies, and trust me when I say it?s the worst feeling in the world. In less than a year and a half, I have fought in three separate wars and had to watch my loved ones die in each and every one of them. Yet, I always found myself as the sole survivor in all the incidents. I?ve lived almost my entire life with some degree of survivor?s guilt haunting me eternally.
?But I?m no sovereign of justice,? Seventeen remarked, coughing up blood a moment later. Broli seemed to twitch as if he was about to assist the man, but before he had a chance to act on anything, the machine-hybrid had settled back down. ?I fight against succumbing to the hatred every waking moment of my life, Broli. There have been times when I?ve taken out my frustrations on harmless innocents, and it goes without saying that their faces still haunt me to this day as signs of my inadequacies.
?Every action I take is to guard those I love, because in the end, I?m nothing without them. I?ve had to watch Paige, the love of my life, die in my arms twice, and both times, I felt a little bit of myself die with her. Cherish those that you hold dear Broli, and you fight your damn hardest to protect them. You should also know that vengeance always leaves an unsatisfied taste in your mouth. Minoshia poisoned a child in my company, and thus, I slew him when I came across him.
?I?d be lying if I were to say that I?m content with my actions. I believe the only thing I accomplished on that battlefield was poisoning my mind with a lethal dosage of hate,? Seventeen let out another cough as he fought to finish. ?Don?t take your allies for granted, or you?ll just end up stumbling through life in constant battle with your own self-loathing. I know I?ve failed on many occasions, and I won?t be able to sleep at night until I make up for it,? the android paused, his lungs screaming out in pain as he fought to conclude.
?I?m sorry for rambling so incessantly,? Seventeen uttered after a long pause, his voice barely audible amid the light sobs emanating from his weary throat. ?I hope that we can convene someday under circumstances that will permit a more amicable meeting. I hope that even after I depart from this competition that you?ll remember some of this crazy android?s sappy rhetoric. I meant every word of it, and I hope you?ll take some of this delusional ole android?s digressions to heart, Broli.?
?I?? the saiya-jin commander began, but he was quickly silenced by the decrepit android.
?No need for words, comrade,? Seventeen chuckled, his bloodied, cracked lips curling up in a warm smile. ?You and your boys did a good job out there on the battlefield, and I wish you the best of luck with what the future may hold. I apologize that things couldn?t turn out better, but I?d just like you to know that I will not hold a grudge against you. You did you job and acted as any commander would, and for that, I respect you,? with that, the Commander of the Outcasts closed his eyes and fell silent. He had said all that he could muster, and now it was destiny?s turn to deal with Seventeen.
?I?ll be honest when I tell you that I have no recollection of my childhood years, Broli,? Seventeen began, another labored breath escaping his trembling lips as he fought to maintain the strength to speak. ?My ?life? began a little over eighteen months ago on the frigid plains of Earth?s desolate pole. Since that day, I have only been given short glimpses into my life prior to that point, and I?ll be honest when I say that sometimes I don?t want to know who I once was.
?I think I was a murderer,? Seventeen lamented, a few more tears liberated from his weary eyes as he stared at his visitor. ?But ever since I awoke that day?I have been, for the most part, a completely different man compared to the one I see in the reflections of his prior history. I fight so hard, because it?s genuinely the only honesty thing I feel I can do to defend those that I love.
?I?ve had to bury my fair share of allies, and trust me when I say it?s the worst feeling in the world. In less than a year and a half, I have fought in three separate wars and had to watch my loved ones die in each and every one of them. Yet, I always found myself as the sole survivor in all the incidents. I?ve lived almost my entire life with some degree of survivor?s guilt haunting me eternally.
?But I?m no sovereign of justice,? Seventeen remarked, coughing up blood a moment later. Broli seemed to twitch as if he was about to assist the man, but before he had a chance to act on anything, the machine-hybrid had settled back down. ?I fight against succumbing to the hatred every waking moment of my life, Broli. There have been times when I?ve taken out my frustrations on harmless innocents, and it goes without saying that their faces still haunt me to this day as signs of my inadequacies.
?Every action I take is to guard those I love, because in the end, I?m nothing without them. I?ve had to watch Paige, the love of my life, die in my arms twice, and both times, I felt a little bit of myself die with her. Cherish those that you hold dear Broli, and you fight your damn hardest to protect them. You should also know that vengeance always leaves an unsatisfied taste in your mouth. Minoshia poisoned a child in my company, and thus, I slew him when I came across him.
?I?d be lying if I were to say that I?m content with my actions. I believe the only thing I accomplished on that battlefield was poisoning my mind with a lethal dosage of hate,? Seventeen let out another cough as he fought to finish. ?Don?t take your allies for granted, or you?ll just end up stumbling through life in constant battle with your own self-loathing. I know I?ve failed on many occasions, and I won?t be able to sleep at night until I make up for it,? the android paused, his lungs screaming out in pain as he fought to conclude.
?I?m sorry for rambling so incessantly,? Seventeen uttered after a long pause, his voice barely audible amid the light sobs emanating from his weary throat. ?I hope that we can convene someday under circumstances that will permit a more amicable meeting. I hope that even after I depart from this competition that you?ll remember some of this crazy android?s sappy rhetoric. I meant every word of it, and I hope you?ll take some of this delusional ole android?s digressions to heart, Broli.?
?I?? the saiya-jin commander began, but he was quickly silenced by the decrepit android.
?No need for words, comrade,? Seventeen chuckled, his bloodied, cracked lips curling up in a warm smile. ?You and your boys did a good job out there on the battlefield, and I wish you the best of luck with what the future may hold. I apologize that things couldn?t turn out better, but I?d just like you to know that I will not hold a grudge against you. You did you job and acted as any commander would, and for that, I respect you,? with that, the Commander of the Outcasts closed his eyes and fell silent. He had said all that he could muster, and now it was destiny?s turn to deal with Seventeen.
![[Image: A17June08.jpg]](http://frozendust.com/sig/A17/A17June08.jpg)