Day Two: Early Morning

[Burter]

Day Two
Midnight - 6:00 AM

The moon returned high above everyone's head once again, to signal the end of the first day and the start of the second.

"Wake up folks, I'm sure you've all been quite tired since we've been here a full 24 hours! But it's not anywhere near over!

Here is the death list:

#01 Olibu
#19 Zangya
#32 Metal Koola

And now, it's time to announce the new forbidden zones! These zones will be activated in six hours! If you're in one of these spots at noon...BOOM! Hehe!

F5
E8

That's it! Good luck, all! Keep a steady look out over your shoulder, because we're only 24 hours and already we have record breaking number of backstabs and betrayals!

This is Karl, over and out!"

[Retane]

The mercenay growled low. Something was wrong. His eyes doubted left and right. Tapion stared at him hard. The merenary cocked his head and sniffed. His gut burned deep. He had the sickly feeling urging him to find the issue. His growl turned into a wicked snarl and Lone came up to his side feeling it as well. Retane darted left, Lone went west. Tapion shrugged and moved forward.

Retane felt like a target then. He felt vulnerable. He did not like it.

The renegade dodged trees left and right, he hated this feeling. Sweat caked his forehead ans soaked his brow. His heart pumped, he felt the life force of Lone dying away. And he pushed ahead. Time was being wasted every second that they didn't find their prey. His face got whipped by many tyrees until he came to an opening. He haulted and looked about.

Lone quickly appeared on his opposite and Tapion in the middle. He was furious. His eyes darted about and he circled the edgeing of the wood, hiding and sthinking he had his foe entrapped. He felt and knew that Lone was doing the very same thing. Tapion took the center and Retane had his gun ready.

He kept his charge up and even charged up his Solar Blast. His foe and prey would not get away! He dashjed madly around the trees, his keen eyes and ears nearing the steps. His heart thundered and his insides grinded. He was wanting it and he knew it. THe Savage hunter had tooken over and he wanted to kill. Anyone other then Tapion would die surely, he knew it so!

Thats when it happened. He caught eye of his victim. His adrenaline rushed and he pondered only for a moment to use his blinding flash or to use his darkness. Thats when he saw Lone come out, knowing it was near his time, Lone darted for it's victim and Retane did the same....

[Burter]

Face to Face

Retane, Tapion

Raspberry

Things didn't seem so diffcult for Raspberry, really. He had come into the game with the expectation that it was a fierce fighting competition where he would have to give his all to compete. But really, it didn't seem so bad considering it was like one big, long camping trip.

But people were dying out there, slowly but surely. He heard on the announcements every 6 hours that people were falling around him. It was only a matter of time.

And the time was now.

An animal shaped figure lept forward towards Raspberry on his hike to find a resting place. The gator shaped fighter immediately raised up his ki shield, "Whoa!" He grunted as the shield connected with the wolf, and blasted it back.

From the other side, a namekian appeared, growling as he threw his kick forward. "Ha!" He grunted, but Raspberry caught it and ducked a punch. "Oof!" He grunted as his gut was punched, and then another fist caught.

"Tryin to ambush?" Raspberry asked, "Nice try!" And with that, snapped Retane's wrist like a candy cane and shoved him backwards.

Raspberry stepped forward, ready to finish the job. This was the tricky part. The kill. Could he kill?

"Hey, gator boy," came a voice. Rasp turned to see a glowing Konat, his bio suit activated and flowing energy. "Try that with me." He opened and closed his fists. Time to show the fans who they were dealing with.

The grotor-jin had no problem with that. "Gladly," he said confidently. The bulky figure lept forward, throwing a fist but found it dodged.

With one fluid motion, Tapion uppercutted at Raspberry, ripping through his torso and into his body, then out the other side. The man grunted and gasped, shocked by how quick it had ended. He knew things would be hard...but he wasn't expecting THAT.

Tapion yanked his arm out and smashed his opposite fist into Rasp's skull, shattering it and sending him to the ground.

#30 Raspberry DEAD

33 Remain

Retane's wrist is broken. Minor injury

The ki sheild is there. Decide who gets it

Retane, the wolf thing is getting annoying.

[Retane]

The assassin growled low, his free hand grabbing his injured limb. He wanted to cut it off right then but remembered that it could be healed by a med kit. He then felt like an injured human, sneering as he looked upon his victorious ally.

Tapion wore a viscious expression as he stood over the gator-jin, a free limb in his hand and a bloody, yet irrecognizable head laying beneath his feet. Retane studied the body and realised this had been his foes first fight.

His vigor rose and a smile erupted over his stilled face, "Fresh one, a virgin to this year." Retane meant to insult and congradulate his freind, but insult could not be dealt! The rogues eyes fancied the Konat as he dropped the arm and fingered along the object upon Rasp's dismemberred forearm. The one that easily repelled Lone. Retane grabbed the object and tossed it towards the namek.

"Here! In thanks for the Bio-Suit!"

Retane paused for a moment and remembered that he personally stole the suit of armor and had given it to the brother of Minoshia. He smirked at the fact that he was being repaid. and looked to his aching wrist. Quickly he clasped the weapon upon his forearm and looked upon his only friend. Tapion flexed his broken hand in pain and gave a smile, showing he was full of strength.

Retane did as well, with his good hand, then replaced it upon his hip, desiring the next kill. The konat had got two on him and it bothered him, but all he could do was smile and grin. He felt as if he might make it, injured and all, but he needed Tapions help! He knew thit as well. They were a team. The team.

Retane snarled and looked to see Lone finally vanish into thin air and only nodded. He took his canteen and drannk the lot of it, leaving him with one. Tapion was raiding his packand he knew he'd get another.... but he needed more.

More victims and water!

[Android-18]

Her footsteps had carried her far. Although her adrenalin had worn off a long time ago, she was delirious and paranoid. She pushed through lush bushes, past towering trees, and through muddy puddles. The world spun around her, and she collapsed. Vomit rose within her mouth and escaped to the sandy ground. She hacked and coughed as blood pursued and dripped from her lips.

Her body heaved as her breathing came heavily, she wiped her mouth with a sleeve, and looked upward wearily. The world was wide open, the sky was darkening, and the ocean moved steadily in and out. She crawled to the shore, her fingers curled within the wet sand, and she let the water engulf her.

It moved about cautiously, as was natural. Before long the white feathered being waddled forth, and its beak gingerly rustled within the parcel. Like victory it gripped a rather large hunk of bread in its mouth and raised it high before dropping it onto the sand. A squawk arose and another one fluttered downward to join its companion. Soon their cries combined, sort of a wailing cry. One more came; however, it did not join the group. It ambled toward the heap that had been washed ashore.

The girl woke, startled, and the bird flew in a frenzy. Its abrupt screech had scared her, but she soon remembered where she was. A hand rubbed her brow, and then she took in a deep breath. Her lips formed in a wince before she struggled to her feet. She was still in pain, and exhausted. The sky was very dark, but she could not tell how long it had been. She then noticed the fiends in her pack and with panic she cried out at them and when they did not leave, she ran toward them.

Not much of her food was left, she groaned. She was hungry, but she decided not to eat unless it was completely necessary. As she sat on the dry sand she began to inspect her wounds. Her flesh was ripped apart by bullet holes. The blood had been washed away, but obviously she was still damaged. She had to wonder why she was still alive. Her body hit the sand, and she stared up toward the twilight.

Agonizing cries filled the beach soon after. She would not do with bullets in her, and so she forced through the pain and extracted them from her wounds.

[Drake]

He couldn?t decide which hurt more, his eyes and now apparent blindness, or seeing Vegeta on Dante?s Abyss with his daughter, while Kakarot had tossed his own family to the side.

The debate raged on internally all afternoon, at least it had felt that way to the blinded saiyajin. Unfortunately he couldn?t really tell now that he?d been blind, but from how it felt as the heat from the sun slowly lessened on his body he could surmise that night was quickly approaching.

With a bit of reluctance, Kakarot was able to roll himself onto his stomach and then force his muscles to pick his body up onto his hands and knees. A groan rattled in his throat as his body cried in protest, having taken such a harsh beating in the last meeting it didn?t want to obey even the simplest commands. Yet, Kakarot pushed through the pain until he was standing- if you could call his hunchbacked stance, ?standing?.

?I?m going to have to take it slow,? he thought to himself, while concentrating on not rubbing his irritated eyes lest they become infected. ?Which direction to go slow in- that?s the real question.?

Being a blind man didn?t help with your orientation, nor did getting shot hundreds of yards by a large energy based attack. At this point the only thing he could do would be to wander aimlessly and hope that he didn?t hit one of the danger zones and get himself blown up; however, someone would consider that putting the saiyajin out of his misery since he?d received such a large handicap.

Kakarot laughed and shook his head at the thought of being put down like a wounded animal, flinching in pain as his sides cried out. Slowly, but surely, the blinded fighter began a slow march out of the area into the unknown hoping to run into something akin to shelter so he could rest.

Today was going to be a long day.

[Yamu]

The fighters took only a brief rest that night, none of them wanted to remain motionless for long. Each had combat drilled into them until it was a reflex, and that reflex told them there was the quick and there was the dead.

Jeice and his new weapon walked out in front, the white haired warrior had nicknamed his saibaman, ?S-man? and was currently trying to teach it a trick as they hiked. Yamu dropped back to the rear, using Kari to swat foliage that hung too far into his path.

His black in black eyes were coals, a frigid death lurked just behind his pupils. He had been on the outs for awhile, dying had a way of doing that to you. He had not been able to keep up with people he had once considered dear friends. Hell, he had not even known that Burter had come back from non-existence. When he killed himself in last year?s competition he had gotten the privilege of actually dying. True, he would never have unlocked Kaioken if that had not been the case, but he had been alive for some time now and none of his old teammates had bothered to look for him. Bra was nowhere to be found, Uub had fallen off the map as had Hellfighter, even BJ didn?t bother to look him up even after the much hyped Dragon Kart and his media covered crusade on Arlia.

The veiny juggernaut felt abandoned, forgotten by those he had stood behind. He did not feel hatred, just a little sadness. The Arlian Guardian felt like the last kid picked, pushed back for those better then he. Yamu was tired of being the sidekick, the support troop for those stronger and better known then he.

Dante was going to change that this year. This was his team this year. He knew he was not a chief or dictator, but he felt his comrades looked to him at least more so then they looked to each other. Fate had lined the game up this year for him, now it was his turn to play it. The end was far away, but Yamu knew there was a chance, at least a chance, that he might at least see it.

Then maybe Big Blue will have the time to at least say ?Hey??




?I?m Raditzu! No one is going to beat me!? Tommy was the biggest kid on the playground so he naturally got to pick who he wanted to be first when the kids played Dante?s Hill at recess.

All of the children would rather be watching the show instead of being in school, who knows what you can miss over an entire day of classes! Most of the teachers at least listen to Abyss Radio and would give their class updates, but there was something missing when you could not see some rip a fist through someone?s stomach.

The children didn?t know what they would do without ?Tonight?s Highlights? that showcased all the high points for that day.

?Loser! I?m gonna be Reijin! He won Friend or Foe which is harder then Dante.?

The ten kids slowly picked the top fighters until they got down to Jeremy, ?I?m going to be YAMU!? He said, striking a pose reminiscent of his behemoth hero.

The rest of the kids broke out into a cruel crescendo of laughter, ?Yamu?? Raditzu, asked mockingly straddling the top of the hill that played a central part in how they played Dante. ?You always pick Yamu. If your going to be a humanat least be Krillin!?

?No! I?m Yamu! I?m going to beat all of you and Yamu is going to win this year! No one can stop the Ki Shotgun!? The tiny Yamu?s eyes held a slight mist. He would never forget how the strange man had saved his life?more then anything else he wanted his hero to win this year. Jeremy wanted his hero to be better then everybody else?s hero. Maybe if he won King of the Hill, Yamu could win Dante?s Abyss.

[King Cold444]

"The boy was--well, he obviously didn't trust me." Cold stated aloud, his hands poised on his hips and his eyes shifting over the surrounding greenery. The peak of nightfall had returned to overwhelm them and they'd failed to secure a proper a secure hiding spot, but the hunt would ensue. "And he whispers narratives of his ventures, just like this."

Koola eyed his father's mimicry, shaking his head and scoffing aloud as they walked through miles of foilage. Stepping through outstretched twigs and purposely upon landmarks that would mark their trail, Cold could honestly care less. He wished for someone to encounter them, just to remove the gut feeling that they were alone and the announcements were for their comfort. That others were dying and they were still alive; it didn't comfort KC.

"Wake up folks, I'm sure you've all been quite tired since we've been here a full 24 hours! But it's not anywhere near over!" it was the overzealous announcer once again, reminding them that another six hours had struck since his last announcement. Then he went on to read from a list how many perished during the night. It was the final name that caught him off guard. "#32, Metal Koola"

"Wtf..." King Cold grunted, his eyes shifting over everything about him and falling upon Koola. Cold couldn't remember ever skeeting out a metallically enhanced version of Koola. "Maybe its just a coincidence..."

The forbidden zones were announced. Cold had gotten into the habit of marking these on the map they allowed him, though he hadn't been able to remove the zones which were no longer danger zones. "Keep a steady look out over your shoulder, because we're only 24 hours and already we have record breaking number of backstabs and betrayals!"

At this Cold turned to face Koola. He knew well enough that his son would turn on himself should better opportunity arise. Cold couldn't lie, since he felt the same way. But he would do what he could the best he could to keep himself and his next of kin alive and side-by-side. "If you try to stab me in the back, I'll bite your head off."

"Likewise..." Koola shrugged, then turned aside to continue from his narrators perspective. "Father beings to mock my boredom and question my morals. I cannot shun him, since I feel the same exact way."

They were quite the dynamic duo, KC and Koola.

[Orion]

"I'm starting to get really tired."

Koola could barely keep his eyes open. Hunched over and dragging his tail, he found it hard to concentrate on simple straightforward walking. Cold didn't seem nearly as phased by their sleep deprivation as his son. He continued to walk proudly and confidently, unaffected by anything.

Suddenly, the melodic background chirping of the crickets was silenced. Something settled upon Koola, causing him to feel uneasy. He endured it for a moment, but coupled with the burden of his drowsiness, he snapped.

"What the hell's going on?" the prince yelled, spinning around to see nothing in particular. It was then that he noticed his father was gone. A ring of trees shot up around him.

"Dad?" the changeling called out, hearing nothing but the return of his voice. "Where are you?"

The sensation of a million eyes gazing at him sent a chill down his spine. Keeping a vigil in all directions, Koola started to feel the exhaustion overwhelm him again. Suddenly, a black shadow leapt from the treetops and charged for him. The prince dropped into a fighting stance, despite everything that happened, ready to battle.

----

"Oi. Wake up."

Koola stirred, lieing on the grass. King Cold pushed his sleeping son on the shoulder. It had been a few hours since he fell asleep.

"Ah..." Koola rubbed his head. "Wha- where are we?"

"Dante. You've been sleeping, remember?" Cold replied.

"I have? It doesn't feel like it."

"You must've had a bad dream. You were shuffling around a bit." The Cold emperor helped his son to his feet. "Now it's your turn to stand guard." Before Koola could object, his twelve foot tall father hit the dirt and almost instantly fell to sleep.

"Sleep well," Koola spoke quietly, standing guard. "You're gonna need it."

[Retane]

Ten.

Ten had fallen on the first day, a third of those kills belonged to the traveling duo that now wondered through the grassy plain. Retane had to take satisfaction and pride for their antics. Had they been nice and allowed their foes to live, their chances of making it to the top would be further away. Then there was recently slaughtered, Raspberry. He made number eleven. That meant that out there, there were only thirty-two victims left. Retane only grimaced, wishing the number to be smaller.

If he could, he'd be the one to make it so.

"I should have sporked him", came the ecstatic and random outburst of the Elvish warrior as he raised his spork up in the air. Retane took the sight in, dumbfounded at the act, for Tapion looked like a victorious champion weilding his mighty spork, instead of a sword. All the Konat could do was flash a cheesy grin at his jaded freind and thrust his arm out further into the air.

Retane returned the grin and grabbed the broken hand of his comrade and gave it a simple squeeze.

'POP!'

Retane got a hard knock to his head with Tapions clubbing blow. Back stepping and grabbing at his cranium, he could only smirk at the quick reflexes and movement of his ally, "That hurt."

"Like wise', retorted Tapion, his visage still fixed to a happy setting. It was ironic and quite distubing how a killer and a honorable man could be sodifferent in a setting such as the Abyss. How could they have grown so close? Neither of them knew the answer, nor did they cared. They were here for each other, through thick and thin. No matter how thick it got, they'd be the ones to thin it out.

The two collapsed in the open field, hoping to find a bit of rest before they moved on. Though it was dark and Retane's favorite time, they both knew they needed it.

[King Cold444]

His dreams were sweet. Cold sat on a beachfront somewhere, sipping from a gauntlet suitable for his mass and watching the sun soaked waters crash against the white sand. Koola was there too, but Cold couldn't quite determine his purpose. He did determine this was a dream, as he'd never sipped a Pina Colada and the taste that was on his tongue was that of something else. Chicken, fried of course.

"Koola, what is your purpose in my dream?" King Cold called out to his mental reproduction of his son. Koola shook his head and shrugged, his tail slapping against the sand. "I'm fully aware in my dream and I can't even get myself a decent woman to chef me up something proper."

Within the moment the beachfront turned to a beachhead, with military forces clashing where KC had decided to assume his rest. He honestly despised his imagination at times. The earth imploded upwards where Koola stood, spattering the unsuspecting changeling czar with the remains of his son.

"Koola!" he cried out, despite being submerged in the worst of his own subconcious. It was funny how paradise could turn to anarchy in between sips.

Cold dove to the earth, grabbing a convieniently place weapon. It felt potent in his grip, its grip against his palm, its trigger pressed against his trigger finger. Faceless men fell, bullets infused with ki carving a bloodied path through their feeble frames. They weren't as resilient to the weapon Cold held in his grip. Where the automatic had drawn a line through a man they became perforated and torso easily separated from its lower cousin.

They weren't able men, they fell easily. Contenders in a plot that didn't yet concern them. Cold grew bitter.

"You!" someone called out above the rest of the crowd, his finger pointing upon the changeling emperor, his voice gruff and undiscernable. Cold hadn't ever met the man to know what his voice sounded like, so he fabricated one that would suit him. It was the one from those promotional posters that plastered every inch of the signup centers, except now he'd been beaten within inches of his life and left to reclaim the island.

"Ugh..." Cold scoffed, lifting his weapon to face the monkey. There was a ear-straining roar of gunfire, catching King Cold in the chest and sending him backwards onto his ass. It was instinct that caused him to clench his fist and plow hollow-tipped shots into this saiya-jin's face. Cold floated backwards, half expecting to fall forever, right back into the reigns of Hell. However he fell right back into his shiny beachchair, Pina Colada falling into his lap. It was here that his eyes shot open and he sat up in the darkness that was Dante's Abyss. Koola watched him intently.

"I think that's the last time I'll be going to sleep." Cold stated, pondering explaining to Koola. "And make sure I never drink Pina Colada's."

[Bujin]

Profile 0100: Bujin. Please wait?

Dr. Chen, an oriental man in about his twenties, sat patiently in his rolling chair as he stared at the glowing monitor in front of him. It had been a complete day since his newest experiment had started. Having just walked into his office to kick-start his work, he was anxious to see how things were progressing. On screen, he was prompted to enter his password, and he grudgingly did so. Another loading screen popped up, provoking a stifled sigh from the doctor. As he sat back in his chair, a click was heard from behind him as the door opened.

?Oh, it?s you, Janice,? Chen sighed in relief, ?Good, it saves me from having to call my favorite assistant.?

?Your only assistant, Doctor,? she grinned. ?How is my report thus far?"

?We?ll see. For such cutting-edge technology, it?s pretty slow,? Chen muttered as he finished his complaint. Janice lifted a slender hand to her mouth in order to hide a chuckle.

?Deal with it; there are a lot of files to wade through,? she explained, ?The kid has a lot of baggage.?

Chen clicked his tongue and shrugged in semi-agreement. Twirling his pen in his hand, he waited with his assistant for the system analysis to complete. Finally, as a green check on-screen appeared, the Asian doctor leaned forward in his seat with sudden interest. A grouping of pictures could be seen, with text under them. Next to the assortment of pictures was a live feed, which was somewhere inside of a jungle. Chen leaned back again, mouth slightly ajar, and glanced at his assistant, whose eyes were stuck to the monitor.

?There you have it,? she said softly, ?So far, he?s doing very well. He?s adjusted to the situation very quickly.?

?So it would seem, Janice,? Chen smirked, ?Or should I say Rae??

?Hurry up, Bujin,? Celipa sighed, slowing down slightly as she waited for the smaller man to catch up, ?We?re in a danger zone.?

?I have shorter legs than you,? Bujin whined, ?If I have to listen to you order me around one more time, I?ll scream.?

?And if I have to hear you bitch one more time, I?ll beat you to death with my shoe,? Celipa countered. Bujin shrugged; he couldn?t argue with that. They woke up to the piercingly annoying voice of Karl, spouting out the names of the recently deceased and the ever-important danger zones. Bujin was half paying attention, to be honest, but once his square was announced, he jerked his head toward the loudspeaker. Sadly, the announcement was over by that time.

Bujin ran a little faster to keep up with the saiya-jin woman, as much as it killed him inside. He hated moving, and ironically, the game required it ? and a lot of it. Still, Bujin had to do it, or he would never see the light of day again. Hell, he wouldn?t see another tree again, as sick of them as he was at that point. Everything around him suddenly became more valuable as he thought about the chance of never seeing them again. He would have had the time to enjoy it, too, if it wasn?t for Celipa prodding him along the path.

Suddenly the sight of trees gave way to a large structure in the distance. There were pens separated by fences and filled with little pieces of grass scattered about. Bujin didn?t recognize the type of building, but judging purely by the size (as midgets were prone to do), he figured it was a very important structure. With a childish laugh, Bujin hopped on one of the fence posts and stared at the red building hard, searching for any possible sign as to what it was.

?What do you think, Celipa?? Bujin grinned. ?You think it?s some sort of secret military base? Or a supply building??

?What are you on?? Celipa teased as she shoved Bujin off of the post, ?It?s a farm.?

?What the hell is a farm?? Bujin groaned as he lay on the ground in slight pain.

[Jeice]

Day two and the island began to take its toll on the red warrior. It wasn?t as glorious as he thought it would be, fighting worthy opponents to see who is superior. It wasn?t like that at all, it was a game of deceit, and came down to who?s the better liar not fighter. It came down to who can convince someone that they are safe with them just long enough for that person to take advantage. He didn?t see it that way for his crew, he refused to. Jeice had known Paragus for a long time now and had faith that the old saiyan wouldn?t turn his back on him, and even though he had just met Yamu he detected sincerity in words. Besides the fact that he was able to read their minds and neither of them gave any sign of treason.

?So?? Paragus said as he stuffed a remaining crust of bread into his mouth. ?Who do you think we will come across next??

?Hopefully another person with a gun.? Jeice replied as he glared into his bloodstained mirror.

?It could be anyone, so we have to stay alert.? Yamu instructed in a more serious tone then usual.

Jeice knew that the next fight could bring the entire group to their demise. He would like to have thought that it had been skill carrying them along for the last day, but a lot of it was luck. It just meant he would have to be ready for anything, like Yamu said, ?Stay alert.? His heart rate increased as he prepared himself for a battle, even though there were no signs that one was coming. Veins protrude from his skin as the blood rapidly rushed through them. He was now prepared to go toe to toe with anyone, mentally anyway; chances were that wouldn?t physically be able to keep up with someone who was equal to his past opponent?s stature. He shifted his head to face his team. Paragus held the automatic weapon as if he was ready to fire it at any second, and Yamu swung the bat sporadically around.

The lack of sleep was deffenently evident in each of the fighters. Jeice noticed small circles forming under his teammate?s eyes, which meant that they were forming under his as well. It didn?t seem to affect their performance though, but if there were going to be more nights like the previous one then it would definitely make a difference. Jeice looked around the area for another person, in bushes, up trees, behind rocks, no one was in sight. The only thing that stuck out to him was a big red barn, immediately he wanted to investigate the barn in hopes of finding more food.

?Hey?look over there.? He said as he pointed to the farm area. ?Maybe we can find some food in there.?

?Alright.? Yamu paused. ?But we need to still be aware of the surroundings, somebody could be waiting in there for a group like us to just walk in and that?ll be it. Paragus, be prepared to pull that trigger and fill the first son of a bitch you see up with bullets.?

The one eyed warrior nodded and pointed the gun in front of him and walked towards the barn, the other two followed his lead. Adrenaline now began to coarse through the red fighter?s veins, causing muscles to slightly bulge. His hand tightly wrapped around the mirror shard, he was ready to stick it into another opponent.

[Tapion]

Standing idly within the confines of a naturally formed rotunda, surrounded by jungle on all sides and with the faint but nauseating odor of freshly spilt blood dancing around his nostrils, Tapion couldn?t help but wonder what toll this ?game? was having on his mind. The sight of death was one that no mortal deserved to face, but on this particular island in only the last day or so, that very image had grown to become almost a normalcy.

With his eyes glancing over the disembodied reptilian before him, the non-transformer mentally went over the events which had lead him to this particular moment in time. In only the last few hours so many lives had been taken with his very own hands, hands which now trembled at the mere thought of what they had done. But it was not the lives which he had taken that concerned Tapion; it was the feeling which had overridden his senses the moment before each kill.

To describe it was impossible, it was like ecstasy flowing through his body. If not only for a moment it was a feeling of warmth that made him forget his fatigue, his fear, and seemingly the game itself. Then after committing the sinful action a gentle calm would overtake his consciousness, a comfort comparable only to an after sex cigarette.

Raising his right hand and brushing it slowly through his sweat soaked hair, Tapion wondered. Am I addicted to murder? The question was rhetorical because he feared that he already knew the answer.

?You should eat something kid, your not looking so good.? The uncharacteristic words came from Retane, a fighter whose concerns normally would never be wasted on the looks of another. Knowing this Tapion figured if his namekian ally would actually show concern for his appearance, then he probably looked like total shit.

[Android 17]

?Eureka!? Seventeen shouted, thrusting both of his fists toward the sky. Upon hearing the yell, Raditzu promptly spun around to face his ally?his eyes darting to and fro as he gripped his lethal yo-yo in his right hand. After realizing that there was seemingly no imminent danger, the long-haired warrior relaxed his posture and shifted his gaze onto his giddy traveling companion.

?What?? The monkey-hybrid inquired, stuffing his weapon into his survival bag as he waited for an answer. With a smirk on his pallid countenance, the cybernetic warrior took a step toward his burly ally and gave him a jovial slap on the back.

?I finished my poem!? The android answered, placing his stolen pen back behind the top part of his right ear. Shaking his head slightly as a faint smirk appeared on his visage, Raditzu turned away from the onyx-haired warrior and continued down the path they were on. ?Do you want to hear it?? Seventeen asked, grinning widely as he skipped forward to catch up to his saiya-jin partner.

?I have a bizarre feeling you?re going to let me hear it regardless of my answer,? Raditzu responded?the faintest inclinations of a smile still on his face as he marched along the dirt pathway. Noting the mannerism, the android chuckled softly straightened out the dirty piece of paper upon which he had scribed his poetry.

?So run and hide, when I walk by,
the women scream and the children cry.
Born from the dead a putrid child,
cast out of society my rage I can?t hide.
I am a teenage Frankenstein,
coming for you, revenge is mine.?

With a grin still on his face, the android rolled up the piece of paper and set it into a ditch he had made on the upper side of his duffel bag. Once he did that, the two continued to walk in relative silence?the sounds of their boots thudding off the earthen walkway the only ambient noise. The silent march dragged on for a few more minutes before it was broken via the interjection of the cyborg?s traveling partner.

?Too much anger,? Raditzu finally responded, his eyes still focused on the road in front of the duo. ?For the look you sport, your poetry lacked enough angst and depression to really click with you?it?s writer. Instead of getting angry and vengeful, the protagonist should have just sat in his room, listening to Panic! At the Disco, and lamenting about his life as he cut himself,? the saiya-jin concluded, turning finally to face the raven-haired android.

?Damn,? Seventeen quipped, crossing his arms over his chest as the two made their way up a short hill. ?Thanks for the good C & C, man.?

?No problem,? the long-haired superpower shot back?his gaze once again moving from his cybernetic partner to the environment around them. ?If you really want to nail the feel of the genre, you should try to start with a simple clich? and go from there. You know...something about how life isn?t fair because roses have thorns. Steer away from the anger unless you plan to invest in some chains, buckles, and gel to spike your hair in the future.?

?Good point,? the machine-hybrid muttered, nodding his head slightly as new thoughts began to formulate in his mind. For another minute or so, a shroud of silence fell over the unlikely twosome as they reached the apex of the hill and began to descend its other face. ?Hey Rad,? Seventeen whispered as the two strode into the shadows on the other side of the prominence.

?Yea?? The saiya-jin asked.

??Life is pain??? Seventeen shot back.

?They grow up so fast,? the long-haired warrior replied sardonically, a half-smirk visible on his chiseled countenance.

?Tch.?

[Yamu]

Fields filled with only weeds surrounded a small house and barn that stood about three hundred yards form the tree line. The three fighters crouched down in the behind the wooded barricades, examining the quaint structures from a distance.

?Alright,? Yamu said turning to his two companions, ?Jeice, S-man, and I will rush the house, Paragus stay back here and give us cover fire if anyone pokes out from the house. Once we reach the building follow us in.?

They nodded, each hoping to find something in the abandoned living quarters that would be useful. Yamu and Jeice along with his new pet-weapon rushed the house, their speed making them blurs across the bare fields.

Jeice gave the front entrance a mighty slam and sent his saibaman in ahead of him, quickly following already slashing with his shiv so the weapon would already be in motion if he found an enemy.

The second Jeice kicked in the door, Paragus set off across the dirt fields after them, half of him hoping there would be someone or something for him to unload his machine gun into. He dove through a window into the living room, rolling through a shower of glass and sweeping the barrel of his gun across the empty room.

Yamu leapt over the roof and came in the back door, Kari practically vibrating in his hands from excitement. From their different entry point all three walked into the kitchen at the same time. The only sound was the final pieces of the window Paragus had smashed falling to the ground. ?Well,? Yamu said, ?that was anti-climatic.?

The one eyed Saiya-Jin was already walking towards the fridge, ?But, hopefully, not in vain.?




Within twenty minutes the three fighters had sat down for their first real meal in over a day. S-man was sent outside to keep an eye out while the three nearly feasted on some heated can goods and glasses of water from a still working tap.

Paragus followed a healthy belch with, ?I swear I could go without sleep as long as I had a decent meal.?

Jeice nodded contently as he rummaged through the drawers after their meal, ?Perfect?? he pulled out a bottle of unknown brown liquor from a cabinet and brought it to the table. ?While we shouldn?t get drunk, I do believe we deserve a toast.? He filled their glasses with about a shot and a half of the strong smelling drink. ?To making it to Day Two!?

?To Day Two!? The others cheered and greedily gulped back something besides water.

Yamu slide his chair back, ?I?m going to search the barn for anything useful, do you two mind grabbing whatever food we should carry??

Paragus was already sorting out the various vegetables and meats he wanted, ?Full bellies make strong fighters!?

As the two filled the three sacks with provisions they heard a loud smacking sound coming from the barn, ?What the hell is he doing out there?? Jeice asked his partner while he tossed a can of spinach back into the cupboard.

The elder Saiya-Jin merely shrugged as he refilled the canteens.

Yamu strode back into the kitchen with a mischievous smile. ?So, turns out they had a hammer and some nails out there.?

His teammates already knew before he pulled her from behind his cloak, ?You didn?t??

?Ha-HA!? Yamu whipped Kari out form behind him, now sporting a series of long nails running through her head for about the first three inches, ?Kari?s got a new hairstyle!?

[Burter]

Face to Face

King Cold, Koola

Celipa, Bujin

Koola was already starting to drift off again. It was almost 4 in the morning and neither of the Cold men had actually gotten real sleep. Bad dreams were common in the middle of the Abyss, so the only sleep they did get was riddled with nightmares. He was just about to get some sleep when his father called to him.

"Koola," he whispered, "Wake up. We got company."

This woke up the changling quick enough. "Who is it?" He asked as he joined his father behind a rock next to the lake. He didn't risk peeking out, as his dad already was.

Cold examined the two intruders. "Looks like a human and a blue...thing." The elder of the two responded. "Both packing guns. I'll surprise em, you back me up."

"Fair enough," Koola nodded. He had content leaving the strategizing to his father, as long as he got to see some action.

Meanwhile, Celipa was telling a joke about three saiyans and a bar with Bujin only half-listening (as he was dealing with commentary from Rae the whole time). Finally, as they moved closer to the lake, he had an excuse to stop the horrid joke in the middle. "Check out the view."

Celipa halted the punchline to look up at the moonlight radiating from above. "Whoa," she said, pausing. They both stopped walking to see the beautiful sight. They were so caught up in it that they failed to notice King Cold appearing behind a rock.

Firing a shock rifle.

Bujin noticed it first, leaping sideways. "Look out!" He said without thinking. Shoving Celipa to the side, the blast of lightning spazzed into his blue body and shot backwards, sparking around him.

Celipa rolled back to her feet, catching the situation. Reacting fast, she raised her gun, pumped it, and fired.

"Shit!" Cold shouted as the ki shotgun blasted into his shoulder, ripping apart his joint. His rifle hit the ground as he dove behind the rock. "Go!" He ordered, looking at his son.

As Koola appeared on the other side of the rock, Celipa was just getting a handle on the situation. No longer was she smiling her cute smile, or giggling after a funny joke. Now Bujin was down, and it was only her. "I'll get you for that!" She shouted. With a loud crack, her aura turned red. "KaioKEN!"

Koola was already transforming as he ran towards her. His weapon wasn't as long range as Celipa's, but it would do the trick. By the time he got to the powered up saiyan, he was in his third form form and ready to fight. Celipa dodged the punch, but the stun gun zapped her good enough to send her backwards.

That was when King Cold fired the shock rifle. Celipa turned to look just as she was struck. "Damn!" She cursed, flying backwards.

Koola was going to finish her, but Bujin was up by then, raising his machine gun. "Leave!" He demanded. "Leave her be, or you're done!" Before Koola could decide, he pulled the trigger and the changing was forced to run back.

"Dad!" Koola shouted as he ran back, taking some bullets. "I need some back-up!"

"Got it right HERE!" As he said the last word, Cold fired a zap of power, missing Bujin but providing the distraction. "Too many guns, let's get outta here."

"I heard that," Koola agreed as he moved behind the rock.

Bujin swallowed hard as the changlings disappeared. Better to fight another day, as they say. He turned to see Celipa, recovering. If he wanted to kill her, could have. Right there. It'd be over. But he didn't.

Nice job, Rae said in his head. That was close.

"Too close," Bujin said aloud, as if to Celipa.

The saiyan stood. "Aw, they're gone? That was fun."

33 Remain

Celipa and Bujin are burned bad. Minor injuries

King Cold has been shotgunned in the shoulder, almost completely tearing his arm off. It's just dangling, barely usable. Major injury

Koola's been shot in the arm/sides. Minor injury

Celipa is tired for 24 hours

[Kami]

"Checkmate." The old Namek smiled as he moved the last piece into place. Jack took another look around the board before knocking his king down. There was a brief pause at the conclusion of the game, with neither man saying or doing anything. Kami decided it would be best to stay on Jack's good side and extended a hand across the table. 'Well played my friend." Jack looked up, somehow upset by the loss but nevertheless still as staunch as ever. He firmly shook the old Namek's hand.

The two got up from the table. The sun was shining in through the windows of the lighthouse. The beams of light casted in through the spiraling windows ran all the way up the tower like the spokes of some divine wheel. Jack was going through the bottles again, tucking a few away in his bag. "I don't know about you old man, but I think we should move around a little bit. Might not be a bad idea."

Kami raised an eyebrow. He had planned on waiting for a while, letting some of the more eager and foolhearted fighters wipe themselves out. Of course there was the occasional wrong place, wrong time combatant which was something he was glad to have avoided. Now might be a good chance to start picking off stragglers from day one before the huge groups start forming up. Plus since his solo status was currently null, it couldn't hurt to try and recruit another compainion or two.

Jack continued to scrounge up supplies while quietly singing some song to himself. Kami only caught a couple words about a "pirates life" as he made his way up the stairs. The cot he had been resting in was rocking back and forth, the book he had been reading sitting inside. He decided to tuck the book into his bag, it turned out to be a rather interesting read. Picking up his bag he made his way back down the stairs. When he reaced the bottom, Jack was nowhere to be seen.

"Captain Jack!" the Namek bellowed out. There was a crash from a closet and a few choice words soon followed. "Oh! I thought you'd left!" The pirate came out of a storage closet, his bag looking a little bigger than before.

"Just trying to secure some effects. Shall we?" He motioned for the door. Kami bowed and motioned both arms towards the door.

"After you, I insist." Jack suprisingly perked up and swaggered out the door. The old Namekian closed the creaking wooden door behind him and the two were met by a lonely island bathed in sunshine.

"Shall we get moving Jack?" Kami said, "That is if you can keep up with me." Jack gave the Namek another one of his trademarked odd looks.

"Of course mate, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy?" Kami laughed and gave the pirate a good pat on the back, which caused him to flinch a little.

"You seem wound a little tight..." Kami said as they started moving.

"Well, I've had some bad experiences with strange islands in the past."

[Super Buu]

Buu watched in wonder as his fingers danced with electricity. Like a crackling tapestry, it enchanted the eyes and the mind. A loud bzzrt sounded, shocking him out of his trance. Supes sucked on a blackened finger and got to his feet.

It was ironic that for so long he?d had this ability, but only now had it chosen to surface. The golem remembered talking to Paige all those months ago. She had sensed a power within him, and she could have woken it up ? if not for Buu?s stubbornness. What he?d seen in the dream was the cause of the power. The root of it, where Paige would have had to dig in order to bring it to the surface.

His past was his own. Nobody else could even begin to fathom the things that he, the ultimate creation of Bibidi, had to endure.

Still ? Buu felt a small victory over his once-father figure. The irony of it, that he could come to bend electricity to his will after bowing for so long. It made sense ? his skin was an absorptive substance, and his body was malleable, able to integrate the powers of others with ease. After so much exposure, it was a wonder it had taken Buu so long to discover the ability.

He hadn?t moved much in the past few hours, having spent so much time trying to master his new art. The monster figured that it could save his life in an encounter, so it was worth practicing.

So far, though, it was difficult to focus. He could make electricity appear, or ?happen? ? but he couldn?t decide where. Making it rise to the surface and back down was easy enough, but there was a big different between sparking uselessly and frying an opponent?s head off.

Raising up a fist, Buu began to concentrate. He could feel the euphoric energy, like an excited crackle moving up his arm. His eyes furrowed as sparks began to overflow from his hand, and his limbs began to shake. The tension was building, and it felt like his arm was an elastic band, being stretched and stretched and stretched until ?!

The crackle of lightning must have been audible for miles. Buu?s punch had burned a line through the clearing; rocks and dirt were cast aside where his boots had scraped the ground. Behind him lay a few trees, shattered with twigs and branches everywhere. The electricity had burned some of the wood, but for the most part it had been used as a propellant ? kinetic force to push him forward.

For a few minutes, the monster breathed quietly and listened to the silence. Jedi Knight? he thought, looking down at his ki saber.

Fuck that. He was a goddamn Sith Master.

[Bardock]

It was dark out. Bardock was running. Both eyes shuttled back and forth, scanning the area ahead. Suddenly, he stopped. A long line of people stood in his way. His teeth ground together. He knew each and every one of them. Had they all come to get him? Would he fall to their power?

No!

Bardock grabbed the pistol at his waist. He was no stranger to this weapon. The saiyan whipped it out and aimed. Pan stood at the end of the line, completely silent, eyes staring sightlessly forward. Bang! She dropped. Keeping his pistol level, Bardock moved to the next in line. Android 16, strong and stout. Bang! Hasky stood while the android fell, a distant look on her face. Bang! Bardock felt the power of gold tingle through his veins, and as he turned to Selipa, his hair stood on end and a brilliant yellow flash surrounded him. He roared as he pulled the trigger. Bang! Android 18 was next, and she stared right through him. Bang! Raditzu was next, holding a shotgun over his shoulder and posing as if he?d conquered a planet. Bang! Super Buu, swinging a sword. Bang! Garlic Junior, who turned to flee. Bang! Kakarot, Goten, Gohan, Bra, Burter, Burter Junior?bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!

Everyone the line fell down, dead. But a creeping sensation make the skin on Bardock?s neck crawl. He whirled around, startled to see himself standing there, index finger and thumb positioned in the shape of a gun, and aimed right at him. The clone bent his thumb.

?Bang, you?re dead.?

Bardock slowly felt himself falling backwards, the grip loosening from his pistol. He fell. He fell forever.

Gradually, both eyes closed.

?WAKE UP, FOLKS??

Bardock was shocked awake by the overly feminine, operatic voice of Karl Jak. He must have fallen asleep. Limbs moving dumbly, he crossed off the new danger zones and looked around. A new day was dawning. He had survived the evening, despite the fact that a nightmare had stolen him away.

But now it was time to go. He couldn?t stay here for long. This place seemed like a magnet of activity, and the fighter preferred to be the hunter versus the hunted. Slinging his bag over his shoulder and resetting his scouter, he leapt off the tree and bounded off.

He could only hope that he had been the nightmare for someone else.