[D][U] Hyperton Aftermath

[Burter]

Right here. Survivors know who they are

[Grandpa Gohan]

?Hero? the word resonated in the head of the old man. Gohan had not done anything that would?ve put him anywhere near the category of hero. Images of the young child?s face appeared before him; his face as he lay there, dead in the humans arms. He looked so peaceful, at rest.

He thought back to Heartforged Keep, where he had first seen the small child, he was in the courtyard, training. There was another young soldier with him, though he didn?t remember him. Over the short time that Pigero and Gramps served the Dante Forces, they started to get to know one another. Pigero had saved him from certain demise in a battle with Syntech. That single act allowed Gohan to look past the fact that Pigero was just a child. He became something more in the eyes of the old man, his comrade. He acknowledged him as a fellow soldier, a fellow warrior; one who deserved respect in the eyes of Gohan.

The time beaten fighter had mixed emotions on the thought of Pigero dieing. He knew that he was simply returned to where he was before the competition, but it didn?t change the fact that he had held him his last moments. It didn?t change the fact that he was his companion, his ally, but above all that, his friend.

?Hero?, the word boomed in his head again.

?I am no hero, I wasn?t able to protect anyone, and now here I am; half dead.? He thought solemnly to himself unconsciously.

[Broli]

The bodies were innumerable. Death and anguish filled the land that day, that cool morning on the battlefield of Hyperton Fortress. The last bit of smoke filtered into the sky, dissipating into the nothingness that was shared amongst the soldiers that had been closest to the ignited bomb. What had he done? ?Commander!? gave the voice, his word forceful and abrupt. Broli snapped from his daze, looking down at the alien-like fighter. ?I said that my men are finishing off the last of the Outcast troops in the area. The newly appointed Commander Cell Jr. has fled with a large amount of their survivors.? Garlic Jr. appeared impatient at best, realizing that his words were falling upon deaf ears. Shrugging in frustration, he returned to his camp, muttering to himself the rudeness of the Saiya-Jin officer.

The Dante camp lay nearby, King Vejita I sitting on a stool as a medic wrapped his forearm. Injured soldiers wandered aimlessly. Cell Jr. had attacked the Non-Combat camp with no hesistation, butchering his medics, messengers, scouts, and all. ?They weren?t even capable fighters,? Vejita muttered, spitting his crimson fluid to the ground as he winced in pain while being treated. His eyes looked on to the battlefield, surveying the damage. There Broli stood, amongst a spread of corpses, looking to a rain-cloud filled sky. As if losing his balance, Broli fell on his butt, burying his hands in his face. ?Someone get the Commander some help,? Vejita whispered. It was all he could say, understanding himself exactly what his counterpart was feeling.

General Joy approached Broli with two medics. A clipboard was tucked under one arm, no doubt a full report of the battle that had occurred. ?Sir!? she began. With the absence of any reply from her Commander, she nodded to the medics who immediately dropped to their knees and began treating the Saiya-Jin. ?I?ll be fine,? he muttered, the medics continuing their work on him. ?I said I?ll be fine!? He held up his hands as if establishing a boundary around himself. The medics looked to General Joy questionably, the woman nodding to them. Each of them sighing separately, the medics stood and returned to the camp, leaving Joy and Broli alone. ?You need to be treated,? whispered the human woman, glancing upon the shard of metal etched into the Saiya-Jin?s side. It had broken through his armor, now stained red with blood. Numerous other wounds lay over the commander?s physique, though he ignored them to the greatest extent as he buried his face once more.

?Sir,? Joy began, bringing the clipboard to her attention. ?I have a full report here, and if you could just read over it and??

?Read it to me,? came the short reply. Joy hesitated for a moment, shaking her head as she looked down on the paper.

?Team Outland and Unit Undertain engaged Outcast in Hyperton Fortress on the 21st day. Commander Broli led the charge. Artillery shelled the eastern wall as?? she was interrupted once again by the waning voice of her commander.

?I know? I was there. How many dead??

?Well,? the General began. ?We are still pulling bodies from the rubble. It won?t be for quite some time until we?re sure that??

?How many dead, Joy?? The Commander looked up to his General, his eyes sparkling with anguish.

?So far the count is 802. We estimate, based on those who reported to roll call, that the final number will be at least a thousand dead, and more or less everyone else wounded.? A thousand dead. A thousand dead. ?Sir,? Joy began again, taking a step forward in confidence. ?Captains Pigero and King Cold, and Lieutenants Groll, Akane Kimidori, and Reijin have all been killed in action. Captain Gohan and Commander Seventeen are both in critical condition. We?re doing all we can to stabilize Gohan, but it is up to you as to whether you want to treat the Outcast Commander or not. We,? she dithered, unsure as to if she should tell her superior the remaining news. ?We found Lieutenant Minoshia?s tags in his belongings. I think this confirms our fears.?

The Saiya-Jin nodded, as if ignoring the last part. ?Treat him. Keep him alive, but only by a bare minimum. I don?t want him getting anywhere near his strength. If that means only treating a few of his wounds, then so be it. As for the rubble, I want any many capable of digging to find what survivors we can.? Broli was amazed at himself, his mind hearing his words as if he was simply saying what was needed to be said rather than exactly what he was feeling.

?Is there anything else, sir?? The General asked, placing the clipboard back underneath her arm. When no reply came, she turned to go back to the camp. However, it was a solemn sentence from Burori?s lips that halted her steps.

?Did I make the wrong choice?? The Commander asked. Joy looked at him with a face of perplexion. ?Did I? do the wrong thing, attacking Hyperton?? Joy shook her head as a tear rolled down the Saiya-Jin?s cheek. ?Then why are all my men dead? Why are my most trusted friends lying in that rubble?? He had never suffered casualties like this before. Never had he been responsible for the lives of others preceeding this event. Every conflict from day one had involved only the smallest of soldiers killed, causing Burori to believe that Dante was untouchable. He had absorbed the ideal of the invulnerability of his force, pushing thoughts of glory and honor to the forefront at the sacrifice of safety. He had told his men that defeating Outcast at Hyperton would relinquish the greatest glory, even if they should fall. Yet what names would be remembered? What glory had arrived? No one could hinder this harsh realization, not even the encouraging words of Joy that the unfocused warrior could not hear as he fell into a trance of epiphanies and solitude.

This was no real war. It was a game, a game that they were all playing. Yet Broli had taken it to a new level, pushing his men to fight for a glory that would never come regardless of any victory they achieved. Realizing that Broli was not hearing her words, Joy shook her head, beginning to take her leave. She stopped for a moment, speaking over her shoulder. ?Commander? I?m sorry.? With that, she left the Commander to his thoughts of sorrow.

For nearly an hour, he sat there, contemplating step by step the battle that had occurred. Perhaps he should have pushed through the center of the fortress rather than its perimeter. Or, had the set-up itself been where the flaws existed? His thoughts were scattered as the rain in the clouds above began to fall. It fell against his hot skin, the crusted blood running off into the grass on which he sat. The last of the fires in Hyperton were extinguished, leaving three walls as the only real significant characteristic of its existence. The village and checkpoint both were gone, obliterated in the bomb that had left the sweltering pile of debris in its wake. Summoning what little strength he had, the Saiya-Jin Commander rose to his feet.

Grandpa Gohan lay in a tent of his own, medics operating around him in an attempt to stabilize his condition. Broli stood in the doorway, looking on as the unconscious human struggled on the operating table. ?Pigero? No? Hero?? The old man moaned as the medics continued to work, one looking up and seeing the Saiya-Jin. ?Ah, Commander. I wouldn?t worry. I think he?s going to make it.?

Broli never broke his gaze on the old man as the doctor spoke to him. ?Tell him something for me?? he asked, beginning to take his leave from the tent. ?When he wakes? Tell him that,? He faltered for a moment. ?? Tell him that? That I?ll understand if he wants to leave Conquest after this.? As Broli took his leave, the doctor couldn?t help but ask, ?After what?? clueless as to what the Captain had been through.

In another tent, the Outcast Commander Seventeen lay on a metallic table. An IV Drip stood near the table, filled with a mixture of liquid that flowed into the android?s body. Broli entered, looking the Commander over. The android watched the Commander with open eyes, choosing not to speak as to save his strength. ?Don?t get up.? Broli pointed to the table. ?Your spine has been bound to that table. You can?t get up without ripping your own vertebrae from yourself, and your wounds won?t let you get far should you try to escape.?

The Saiya-Jin placed a wooden chair next to Seventeen?s bed table, taking a seat and folding his arms. ?I want you to know that I understand.? The Android raised an eyebrow. ?I understand why you chose to fight. I understand why your men fought so valiantly to defend the fortress.? Broli looked to the ground, pausing as if choosing his words carefully. ?What I don?t understand, however, is how you could butcher the villagers of Hyperton, how you could kill your own men?? The android remained silent, as if he himself wasn?t exactly sure. ?Then again, I suppose I have to question myself as to why I sent my men to be killed as well.? The two remained there, alone in their tent, Broli not saying another word. Rather, he sat in the company of the android, as if searching for someone who could share the hollowness he felt in his chest. Hollow was the only word to describe it. It had been a meaningless victory.

[Android 17]

Seventeen let out a silent lamentation as he dwelled upon the events that had transpired. Hyperton Fortress had been lost to the enemy, and as far as the android could tell, everyone he knew and loved was now a distant memory. Their lives had all been snuffed out in the abundant bloodshed, and for one reason or another, Seventeen had been given the gift of life.

Why me? The onyx-haired warrior contemplated, his eyes lost the interwoven strands of fabric that comprised the ceiling of his current habitation?a medical tent. Seventeen could feel the cold steel beneath his bare body, but the pain that ravaged his body served well to mask the icy sensation beneath him. The android let out a sigh as he tried to make himself comfortable upon the metallic gurney, but his efforts were to no avail.

After a few moments, the machine-hybrid capitulated and retired to his observations of the unmoving fabric overhead. To his left, he heard the slight sound of the entrance flap to the tent ruffling as one of the Dante Force?s commanders silently made his way into Seventeen?s dark, silent abode. The android remembered him as one of the two saiya-jins who had attempted to assail him outside the walls of the fortress. Broli, the soldier now standing in the entryway, had been the first of the two commanders to stalk down the cyborg.

Don?t get up,? the monkey-hybrid uttered, pointing at the table that Seventeen was lying on. ?Your spine has been bound to that table. You can?t get up without ripping your own vertebrae from yourself, and your wounds won?t let you get far should you try to escape.?

As if that would honestly stop me... Seventeen pondered as the saiya-jin collected a nearby chair and took a position next to the android?s gurney. The warrior folded his arms over his chest and began to speak with a voice strangely unbefitting of a victorious leader.

?I want you to know that I understand,? Broli uttered, his statement triggering the android to arch his eyebrow slightly. ?I understand why you chose to fight. I understand why your men fought so valiantly to defend the fortress,? the monkey-hybrid looked to the ground and paused as he underwent a moment of silent contemplation. ?What I don?t understand, however, is how you could butcher the villagers of Hyperton, how you could kill your own men?? Seventeen remained silent as he mulled over the saiya-jins words. ?Then again, I suppose I have to question myself as to why I sent my men to be killed as well.?

?Is that all?? The android croaked after a pause?his voice ragged and barely audible. The Commander of the Outcasts turned his attention back to the ceiling as he fought to garner the strength necessary to address Broli. ?While I can never claim to justify why those men and woman lost their lives, I can inform you that I am not the man you should be interrogating about that bomb. That was the work of Super Buu?my best friend in the entire world.

?Like my girlfriend and my other ally, he was unjustly ripped away from me by your armies. I was actually en route to locate him when the bomb exploded, because I figured if he was still alive then he?d do something drastic and insane. Super Buu was just that type of guy,? Seventeen let out a soft cry as a tear fought its way down his bruised countenance. ?That is why I departed the scene of the battle upon your arrival, because I can assure you I am no coward.

?I would have fought you both to the death, but you have to understand that my friends are more important to me than the frivolities of war. I just wanted to see my buddy one last time before the end, and I hope you can see the logic behind my actions. I did not mean to offend your honor or anything like that, Broli. I?m sure you have a friend or two in this world whose safety you?d want to ensure in a time of crisis?

?Nevertheless, I will understand if you kill me, because I did slay one of your lieutenants for personal reasons. Just know that I have nothing left in this world, I am a broken, defeated man. Nothing you say or do to make me feel worse about myself or my actions will work. I accept that I have lost, and I congratulate you and your men on a well-earned victory. Now feel free to do your worst, but I hope you don?t expect me to scream,? Seventeen let out another pained whimper and closed his eyes.

[Broli]

?You don?t lack honor,? uttered the Saiya-Jin to the surprise of the android. ?Sometimes, your friends are all you have. I could learn a thing or two from you?? Another tear rolled down Broli?s cheek. There was no easy solution, no simple way to deal with the Commander. Seventeen had fought to be with his friends one last time, to save them if he could. What right did Broli hold to judge that, to call his actions dishonorable? And furthermore, where had Broli been when King Cold had died, when Pigero had died? Why hadn?t he gone to save his friends? Had he really been so consumed by the thought of victory?

The Saiyan looked away as he attempted to eliminate the awkward silence. ?I hold no grudge against you, neither for Minoshia, nor for fleeing Vejita and I. I don?t know what transpired in the plains. It?s as simple as that. I know, though, that whatever reasons you had were justified. You simply came out on top, and that?s how it is.?

Despite his fa?ade, Broli?s stomach was in knots, the disgust filling up to his throat. What of the other thousand men that had died? Where was Broli?s loyalty then?

Broli rubbed his hands against his face, discarding his thoughts as he looked to the Android. ?Tell me your story. Who are you, Seventeen? What makes you care about people so much?? Broli wanted to know. He wanted to know who the android was. He felt as if the cyborg before him was more of a human than he?d ever had been. He had seen Seventeen fight to near death for his friends. In the luminosity of battle, Burori had seen the inner face of the android. It shunned him. It forced him to hide his head in the shame of his own life, of his own humanity. He had never cared about anyone other than himself and his own race. Any non-Saiya-Jin was regarded as insignificant, as not worthy of his countenance.

Saving Vejita and securing his rule had all been steps to maintain the superiority of the Saiya-Jins, but after encountering Android Seventeen, the cruel question arose in Burori?s mind. Were the Saiyans superior at all, anymore? Were they no longer the powerful race they had once been when he was but a mere child? Was it possible that the time of the Saiyans had come and gone, and now an era existed in which android, human, whatever could rise to the status of a hero? Broli had been wrong, and indeed, the era of the Saiya-Jin was long dead and gone.

In fact, it was only Broli who had not seen this change occur. Lost in the journeys of his past, Broli had returned to Vegeta-Sei in order to reunite the Saiya-Jins, thinking that their supremacy was still intact. It had taken this long for him to realize that the Saiyans weren?t the proud warriors he remembered. They were fighters like anyone else, and anyone else, not just Saiyans, could be supreme, powerful, and honorable. Seventeen, an android, had proved that much.

The Saiya-Jin era had been dead for years, perhaps since his days as a young child. He wanted to know the story of the android before him, of the warrior that he found himself wishing that he could replicate in other Saiya-Jins. Why did the Saiyans of the present day lack what Seventeen possessed? Why had Broli not seen it until now?

?Tell me your story,? the Saiyan repeated.

[Android 17]

?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.

[Broli]

Silence consumed the two of them. They both held their regrets, their pains that they seemed unable to escape no matter how fast they ran. It shocked Broli how similar he was to the robotic creature. His memory of his past was fragmented at best, a slew of adventures bringing him to be the man he was today. Fight for your allies? The words echoed in the Saiya-Jin?s mind. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he couldn?t help but sob quietly to himself. How could he have ignored them so? He hadn?t fought for his allies. He hadn?t fought for Pigero, or Bulma, or Minoshia, or King Cold, or Akane, or even Reijin, a fellow Saiya-Jin. He had fought for his own glory, for his own right to be the victor of Dante?s Abyss: Conquest. Android Seventeen was nothing without his allies. Was Broli, too, nothing then? He was haunted just like Seventeen was, both of his unspoken past and of his transgressions when he was infected with the Black Virus. What had he accomplished in Conquest? Had he really done anything other than pursue his own honor? Was he even really the Saiya-Jin that he judged Vegeta so harshly for not being?

?I understand now,? Broli uttered, tears streaming down his face.

Seventeen opened his eyes, despite the pain that swelled in his body. ?Understand??

?I understand now who I am,? came the reply, Broli bowing his head to his chest as he sobbed. Seventeen could only lie there. No words could reassure the Saiya-Jin. The android knew that he was realizing not just who he was, but who he wanted to be. Broli had discovered the true Saiya-Jin, a character with shoes that he wanted to fill with the utmost effort. All Seventeen could do, however, was lie there in sympathy.

Wiping the tears from his reddened face, Broli stood, puffing out his chest as he regained his composure. Seventeen closed his eyes, knowing that his end was coming. Destiny was taking control. He had fought valiantly, but his time of elimination had arrived. There was no anger, no grudges, and no strife between the two. Only respect existed, respect that consumed them both. The man that would walk out of that tent alive was the victor, but he would walk out differently than the first day he arrived on the Conquest Island. With his last dying words, Seventeen had imparted a vital wisdom on the Saiya-Jin, a wisdom that would help mold and shape who Burori truly wanted to be.

Broli stood over the head of the table. ?I don?t care what mechanics you have in your body. To me, you will always be a Saiya-Jin, a Saiya-Jin that I hope I can one day become.? Android Seventeen took a deep breath. He knew what was coming next. Broli leaned forward, whispering into his ear. ?The woman you mentioned, Paige. I have no idea where she has gone upon being eliminated? But I hope the love that the two of you share will bring you together again one day. Know this, even when the loves you?ve lost are gone? They?re never truly gone.?

Tears formed in the corners of Android Seventeen?s tightly shut eyes, the image of Paige appearing in his mind. She smiled at him, his memories of her soothing his wildly beating heart. He thought of the times he had spent with her, the Saiya-Jin?s unsteady hands all the while forming around his head. He imagined her laughing, of being in his arms, their love for one another consuming them. The corners of his mouth curved upwards, a smile forming on his face as Paige hugged him with every ounce of her. And then, with a snap, everything was gone.

[Vejita I]

Vejita's body was numbed; severed of any reminder of the battle that he had been engaged in hours ago. His own well-being, Dante's, his fellow commander's - reality had seemingly blurred into an untouchable grasp. Only silence gripped his attention at his current state as he was still seething with so much unwielding hatred. It had been unlocked in its utmost potential and had severed almost all emotions that once binded him of his "ultimate power", or so he percieved this as truth. Even the stench of his brother's and sister's blood tingling in sensation in his nostrils were unimportant to him. This portion of King Vejita that was consumed of so much bitterness had succeeded in overcoming the saiya-jin king of all the creature he once was. His royal blood still trickled from his lip that derived from a wound involving an unknown particle slashing his flesh had even been neglected. The sight of his own blood dripping upon his shredded garments were not able to affect him in the least.

The king's numbed state however was drifting with every second with the faint breath of a medical soldier thunderously adjusted his concentration abruptly. "Commander, you're in shock. Are you alright? You've been mumbling for the past few hours..." Reality clashed with remarkable strength into his unknown world, but were deserted of emotions for the saiya-jin. His auburn eyes could only dwell upon the chaotic scene of Hyperton with limited regard to the casualities. Just the sheer sight of it was almost pleasing to him and his muscles vibrated under the joy of the slaughtering. Even with the brief glance of Dante soldiers, their blood could only amplify his pleasure. The commander's conscience had been abolished obviously and so the concept of guilt was inexistent. Their was only a particular soldier he would dare ever place compassion upon. "My brother Broli, I seek him. Where is he?!" He almost scalded the soldier, and almost in that instance he seemed to supply a response.

"The tent sir, you don't remember? You saw him walk into the tent where Android-17 is imprisoned. He is - " With the symbol of this tents whereabouts, Vejita I attempted to muster the remnants of his strength and placed his faith upon it with his feet planting into the dirt. His pace was moderate, but he wobbled ,without very much control over himself, to the entrance of the tent. The words of the medical soldier weren't capable of comprehension to the saiya-jin; he couldn't recall any moment of ever viewing Broli or being rescued from the abyss of the aftermath. The commander's memory could only detect the seconds following his lack of consciousness with the weight of the rubble plowing him into his own burial. Dying was never dreadful for the king, and especially not in the process of a battle alongside his trusted comrade. With a gulp of unusual agony down his parched throat, he crept into the tent with only the intentions of dismantling the android.

King Vejita had been cheated with such a gift while the mechanical creature's lifeless body slumped upon the floor. His head had been twisted in a disturbing position with wires visible in the region of his throat. Sparks seemed to slightly ignite due to the injuries, and eyes gazed above at the commander of Dante with one of absolute judgement. Almost as if Android-17's ghost was calling of Vejita's guilt to be unleashed, but his heart had soldified with a rotting blackness now. The saiya-jin king almost glided to the direction of the android with such glee while Broli's cheeks were still moistened of tears. It could only be assumed by the king that his fellow commander was actually displaying compassion, and he was dissatisfied with such an assumption. His lips remained of silence of this subject, but his foot was placed upon the cranium of the Outcast's commander.

"Such bravery, such honor, and such things which I care not for. We are officially, with this androids rotting entity as proof, the bringer of death to all who oppose the forces of Dante." Even though he spoke with such loyalty to his team, his words were without meaning. Afterall, the king was only interested in preserving the life of himself and to be absolutely victorious in the competition. He was persistantly referring to his "team" with pride, but this was not the similar Vejita I that existed earlier. The demonic beast was almost unable to concieve the value of life anymore. This was almost a means of providing assurance of his loyalty even with his now malicious behavior. Broli's eyes were set upon Gero's creation while the weight of Vejita I was further utilized. A crackling of mechanics and bones ruptured the silence while a liquid, assumed to be blood, oozed from the depths of Android-17's interior. With a spat directed to the floor, he renounced his position and strutted from his co-commander, remaining still in the tent.

[Aero]

War, it was the constant battling between factions; this battle was no different. The Outcasts? Coalition and Dante?s force fought courageously, and displayed the type of heart they had, but even though Gokua respected both of them equally, and thought that they both deserved to win the entire competition, something had to give; it was the Outcasts. The epic battle that occurred at Hyperton Fort?Hyperton Fortress at the time of the battle?was of gigantic proportions. It was unfortunate that Gokua was too late in arrival to have played more of a role in the decision, but the past was the past. The fort had been left in almost complete rubble after the battle, for Dante Forces bombarded it with constant artillery until they had to rush in and waste men on hand-to-hand combat. And though the Outcasts valiantly tried to keep the fortress standing strong, crude effort was not enough to achieve their goal.

Gokua had erected a large tent?to fulfill his needs?outside of the fort. He had seen minimal action in the battle, but it was enough to bring back in daunting past experiences of war, which led him out of the Pathosian military. He began to question his decision to enter this competition as well. Why did he participate in this? He had no aspirations in jumping back into war, but did so anyway. He needed the money, but after thinking, the money was not nearly enough to repay him for the efforts of his men, or himself. The truth was, he wanted out. He would not disband from his faction, however, for he was not the type of individual to leave a job undone. He had to admit though, it was tempting?especially after what he witnessed at Hypteron Fort. What kept him going were the bonds he had formed with some of his inferiors; Kiro was one of them. He had built an older brother-like relationship with the young soldier, and he felt compelled to keep the young lad alive, even if it meant sacrificing himself. He saw that glimpse of light inside the boy, and it reminded the alien of himself during that time. It was evident that the boy had an eye for the battlefield, and that he would indubitably become quite the soldier in the future, and would most likely quickly rise through the ranks to the point where he would not have to see the battlefield as often.

* * * * * *

?Sir, Gokua, sir.? Kiro entered the tent, and did so at his own peril.

Gokua was resting against the uncomfortable bed that was provided to him by the United Army. ?Yes?? he answered.

?Oh, I was not aware that you were sleeping,? Kiro replied. ?My apologies.?

?No.? Gokua slowly forced himself out of the bed and to his feet. ?It?s quite alright, I wasn?t asleep anyways. Now, what?s the news??

?Well, it seems as the Outcasts still have life, but it is small,? Kiro answered.

Gokua arched a brow in disbelief. ?Oh really???

?Yes,? Kiro replied as he made his way out of Gokua?s tent; the alien followed. ?Their interim commander, Cell Jr., escaped the grasp of death and did so with a minute amount of men as well.?

Gokua stretched a bit as he continued to walk alongside Kiro, who had been making his way through fellow United men and some Dante soldiers as well. ?This may be a shock, but people do escape seemingly inescapable situations. It?s a part of war, kid.? His focus began to wander as he realized that he was walking passed Dante?s campsite; they had the insignia printed on all of the tents, making it easy to spot them. He then refocused. ?Is that all the news, Kiro??

?Yes,? Kiro confirmed as he turned to face the alien and saluted. ?I shall see you at a late time, when we move out.?

?Agreed,? Gokua replied. ?And you don?t always have to salute me.?

Kiro allowed a small chuckle to release. ?Alright, but I?ll talk you later, sir.? The soldier then walked away.

Gokua saw the fort up ahead, and decided to go inside to see the extent of the damage it sustained. He began to walk towards the fort, and with every few feet, the ratio of Dante soldiers to United soldiers changed. Before he knew it, he was surrounded by the opposite faction, and his vibrant red uniform did not assist him in concealing his identity to the men.

He finally reached the fort, and did not hesitate to walk through the defenseless entrance. Abruptly, his eyes widened, and he came to a halt. ?My god?? Gokua muttered as his eyes laid witness to the causalities and injuries Dante Forces endured to capture the tower. The men were simply left to lie on the cold ground, and only prayer could save them from the seemingly inevitable fate, death. Many were already dead, and were rightfully covered by the black blanket of death, which hid their body, and only reassured the surviving men of their luck. The other men moaned in the open, hoping that an aide would come cater to them shortly before it was too late. The sight only brought a relief to the alien, for he knew that if he would have arrived earlier, he could be welcoming the warmth that the black blanket.

Again, it reminded him of his past experiences of war.

[Grandpa Gohan]

The old man still lay sleeping on the gurney, which had been his bed for the last day and a half. His scarred flesh; the only remnants the battle against Outcasts was clearly visible for anyone to see. His chest, abdomen, and back had received most of the damage caused by the bomb. Shrapnel had tore across his entire body, leaving gashes, tears, and cuts everywhere. Though he was lucky in one respect, almost nothing had impacted his head.

Though in a much lighter state of unconscious than he was the previous day, he was still in a deep state of slumber. The young child, Pigero had been lost in the explosion. Though his name was just one on a long list of fallen Dante soldiers. The list almost had another name put on it yesterday: Gohan. Though if by chance alone he had been saved by a medical team that had been searching for survivors. He made a promise to himself; he would not let this chance go to waste.

The image of Pigero?s lifeless head in Gohan?s lap as he made his peace with his fallen comrade, he had apologized to the young warrior that he couldn?t have been there to save him.

To say that the elderly human wanted vengeance would be saying too little. No, what Gohan wanted was far more than vengeance, he wanted those Outcast bastards to suffer in a way that would make them wish they never crossed paths with him again, to simply run in fear at the mention of his name. Gohan would become the instrument of their death. He would become like a river; unrelenting and powerful.

[Grandpa Gohan]

It had been two days since the explosion that tore apart the mighty Fortress Hypertron. Two days since the bomb tore across the land, Killing Pigero and severely wounding Gramps, leaving him scarred not only physically, but both mentally and emotionally as well. His one comrade in this cruel world, the small child Pigero had died in his lap. Though old man Gohan didn?t hate the Outcasts army. This was a game, his lust for battle had cost him his friends life, and left him disfigured.

The bomb had torn apart the old humans reality, setting him back in his place on the totem pole, a low place at that. Though no constraints could be placed upon the elderly humans thrust for revenge. Though Gohan didn?t really believe in revenge, what he wanted to do could not even be in the same realm as avenging a friend.

Slowly the light inside the medical tent pierced the eyelids that covered Gohan?s eyes, the light burned and quickly he squeezed his eyelids shut. He placed his hand over his face to further shield himself from the light. After a few moments the old man tried to open his eyes once more, though it was not as bright as it had been, it still caused sharp pain to shoot through his face. ?Ugh? he left out a soft moan.

?Doctor!? a female voice sounded from in the enclosed room, ?I think he?s finally starting to come around!?

The doctor came over to him, though the non-transformer still had not opened his eyes to the world, only heard his voice. ?How do you feel?? by the voice of the doctor, it was clear that he was not young by any means, but one that could challenge Gohan in terms of age.

?It?s really bright, and the noises make my head rattle abit?? Gohan mumbled sarcastically.

?Well nice to know you still have a sense of humor.? the doctor chuckled. ?You got banged up pretty bad out there, I?m really surprised you made it at all.? He explained. ?Though with me on the team? well there was no doubt. These youngin?s don?t got anything on us old timers? he laughed again.

?The boy, Captain Pigero?? Gohan started ?He?s dead isn?t he?? sadness and anger crept into his voice, and his hand that was not protecting his face from the lamp balled into a fist. It was clearly obvious that he was cursing himself for not being able to save the young life from being extinguished.

?He is? yes? The doctor said hesitantly, revealing the bad news to his patient.

A tear escaped the old mans eyes.

?When can I return to duty doctor? I am a Captain in this army, after all.? He questioned.

?Well?? he began ?Shortly. We will just run a few more tests to make sure your alright, and then you can be added back to the active roster for Dante, though with limitations to what you can do, at least for a little while. You know, until you?re back to 100%? he explained to Gohan.

About an hour and a half later, Gramps lifted the curtain to the tent, exposing himself to the inside of the fortress that they had fought to take over, though not without the help of The United Army. The doctor had checked over the scars that not covered the old mans body.

The blue vest, which signified Gohan was a member of Dante, was slung over his back while he held it with two fingers. The top of his obsidian gi was undone, leaving his bandaged torso open for everyone to see. The elderly human had a much harder time walking than he thought he would have. His legs had become weak over the past two days, though no sort of atrophy had taken place.

Gohan hadn?t even gotten that far when the doctor came bursting forth from the tent, yelling for him to stop. The doctor was certainly not fast, and this agitated Gohan a little, he wanted to be alone, so he could reflect. Though some parts of Gramps wanted to just break down and weep. Though other parts still wanted to take off immediately and kill every remaining Outcast there was.

Finally the doctor had caught up with Gohan. ?Co-Commander Broli had asked me to tell you something?? he trailed off, panting heavily.

?Well? What is it?? Agitation once again seeped into the voice of the old warrior.

?Well you see, he says that he would understand if you didn?t want to partake in Conquest anymore?? The doctor?s eyes lowered, looking towards the ground.

It took Gohan aback, hearing the words coming from his mouth, and looked perplexed momentarily, though he quickly came up with a response. ?If I?m to be evicted from this god forsaken tournament, it will be on the battlefield. I refuse to end my stay here, here and now. I plan to fight, and I plan to win.? Passion filled the voice of Gohan.

Gohan simply turned around and starting walking off, ignoring any further pleasantries with the elderly medic.

OOC: Bam!

[Reijin]

Drip... Drip... Drip...

Once more, Reijin heard that trickle of water in the distance, calling to him for peace with the hypnotic metronome effect. His eyes fluttered open a moment to find himself lying on the ground, water around him extending for what seemed to be miles. He groaned with pain as he pushed himself to his feet, fighting to maintain his balance while seeing no walls within a hundred miles of which to grab ahold.

"Akane?"

Nothing. In the distance, there was a fog; a fog that quickly dissipated into an image of clouds moving fiercely across an otherwise open sky. Was he... there again? His boots began to leave impressions in the water as he burst into a run, hoping to achieve some form of distance to gain his bearings, but he soon found himself slowing to a stop when the world had not changed. Turning around, he saw his foot impressions still within the water, still slowly breaking rings within the surface.

Only this time, there was a figure at the other end of his steps. Cupping his hands to his mouth, he cried out to her. "Aka-" his voice faultered as he realized that it was not her, but another woman. A woman he'd seen many times in this dream world. She was simply standing patiently in the pool, a large silver robe around her blowing to the side in this world with no breeze. Her hair, once again, was a grey hue, matching her cloak while she viewed him through grey eyes. She seemed a lost soul, seeking him for help.

He'd never had time for her, and yet she seemed to believe he was the only one that could help her. Taking a breath, he began to step forward towards her, only to stop when he realized that she was not in front of him. She had never been. Such truths in this world were becoming easier to accept.

Turning back around, he saw her standing a simple meter away, watching him curiously. He opened his mouth to speak, but as he did so, only the sound of crashing rocks came out. Quickly shutting his mouth, his eyes opened wide a moment, looking around to see what had happened. That was my voice! Growling, he began to talk again, only to hear the thunderous roar of an explosion come out as the world around him had changed in a mere instance to encompass a large ring of energy slicing through everything as large slabs of granite and obsidian simply sat in place floating above them. He tried to speak, but she touched a finger to his lips to silence his frustrations.

"This world has begun to reject you, so there is not much time before you awaken. We are still able to hold our own for now, but we do need your help," she spoke, the words a soothing medicine upon his searing flesh.

Searing... His eyes quickly wandered over his body and the pain was as if it'd never been. He bit down on his teeth and looked her once more in the eye. We? She'd never mentioned 'We' before, he didn't believe. He still knew nothing about her, only that she'd been requesting for him to come in as a glorious vengeful angel and save her for quite some time now.

"Please... I need you to contact my father. I need you to contact Tr-"

In that instance, the section of world she had been standing on seemed to suddenly seperate from his at a speed of light, vanishing the two of them from their sights almost instantly.

He spun around to see a large flying rock slam into him, feeling a disruption throughout his body as it burst out the other side harmlessly. His body was covered in sweat and he began to breath quickly, not quite understanding what was happening. He then fell to his knees, and the ground beneath him gave, sinking him into the water to enshroud him in darkness.

[Reijin]

His eyes opened once more, to find himself still concealed in the shroud of night. He could still feel a pool of water under his fingertips, but this time it felt truely real. Looking around, he awaited the time for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, feeling his head covered in water as well. Had he awoken beneath some type of waterfall?

"Akane?" he called out, only to hear nothing. He closed his eyes, not sure what to think of the situation, and then extended his palm, feeling it surprisingly throbbing in pain. It was an effort to move it, so he did so while biting down fiercely.

A small spark of flame kindled itself within his palm before slowly spreading to light the area around him. He looked around a moment hoping to find something that could sustain his fire before finding a few broken slabs of wood nearby, untouched by the water.

Finding it hard to stand, he simply extended the flame to the wood, lighting it before he allowed his own fire to extinguish. His eyes had begun to adjust to the orange hue that had been cast upon the room, and he scanned the ceiling to find that it was a collection of nearly destroyed rubble with a bit of wood interweaving through it. The smoke from the fire seemed to find places to relieve itself rather than collect within the room, so Reijin could only assume that there was some way to reach the outside.

Trying to stand, he placed his arm back down into the water and pushed. A sharp pain cut through him like a knife and he dropped back into place, his face landing directly in the water. "Damn it..." he mumbled, trying go through every mental practice he could to shut out the pain. A bit of the water had trickled into his mouth, so he spat it out before realizing that the liquid was not water.

Throwing himself to his feet despite the pain, he looked at the ground and realized that the liquid covering it and him was his own blood. His eyes were wide as they looked at his arms to find a stream of blood cascading down them voraciously. Thinking quickly, he removed the bandana from his forehead, which itself had been a gift from Videl to help him when he was wounded, a strip of her clothing to soak up the blood. He had still worn it.

Tying it sharply around his arm through telekinesis, he then ripped a shred of cloth from his pants to tied around his other arm. Then a trickle of blood dripped into his eye from his forehead, where his bandana had been. "Damn it!" he cursed again, ripping another strip to place there.

"Unnn..." he heard nearby. He suddenly stopped and spun around, looking to find the source of the noise.

"Akane?" he called once more, to hear a groan of pain to answer him. Quickly wrapping the strip of cloth around his forehead, he limped over towards where he had heard the noise, using the fire's light to attempt to find her. Finally, he saw a crumpled form in the corner of the room, a large rock on top of her legs, seperated from the rest of the rubble.

Reaching it, he looked her over to find that she was once more a simple girl of thirteen years, no longer displaying the ferocity she had when they were fighting. Pushing his hands against the rock, he groaned as he attempted to push it off both physicaly and mentally, but found that it would not move. Her eyes slowly fluttered open in pain and she cried out, tears collecting in her eyes.

"Shut up! I'm trying to think!" he growled before extending his two blades of Ki from his palms.

"What's happening? Why can't I feel my legs? What was that explosion?" she screamed, panicking from lack of information.

"Just stop talking a moment," he demanded, slamming his two swords deeply into the rocks before straining to pull them apart from each other like the jaws of life. He finally felt the resistance crumble as his honed blades began to slice through the rocks, cleaving the top half off so that he could shove it from the rest of the rock.

He then dissipated them and pressed his weight against the lower half, feeling it roll off of her to hear her crying in pain. Dropping quickly, he ran his fingers over her legs while extending his Ki to check her for injuries. His own would have to wait, he decided. This girl's legs were broken. Running his fingers along the rest of her body, he realized she was mostly alright, not counting psychologically.

He took a deep breath, shutting out her sounds to hold his two hands over her legs a moment before removing his fingerless fighting gloves, his palms hovering over her. A deep aura surrounded him as it spread over her body, numbing her senses for her benefit to ease the pain. He then began to attempt to align his aura with hers, hoping to heal her broken legs.

[Reijin]

Time passed, although Reijin had no idea how long had actually gone by, before he finally felt his energy expended, unable to continue. Thankfully, she was now able to move her legs and she only had bruises left.

Smiling slightly, he fell backwards into the dirt, his own pain and lack of energy combining with his injuries to take him out. He slowly closed his eyes, and slept alongside her, hoping that he would awaken before she did.

He didn't, however, as he opened his eyes to find her sitting beside him with her arms around her knees, resting her chin on her knees to observer him. Seeing his eyes open, she followed his immediate gaze and turned a bright red, slapping him quickly. "Pervert! Stop staring up my skirt!"

He hadn't realized where he was looking, since his vision hadn't cleared up yet, but he couldn't explain that to such a young human girl. She suddenly grabbed his arms. "I'm sorry! I forgot you were hurt," she explained, pulling him up and helping to lay him against a wall.

She pulled yet another peach from her clothing and handed it to him. "Here, this should help," she offered, her face showing her hopes that things would get better. He looked around to see that she had yet to actually explore the cave, and had instead opted to simply watch over him.

He graciously accepted the peach and took a bit, feeling the cool juices trickle down his chin while the foot seemed to begin satisfying him. "Where do you get these from?" he mumbled, wondering how she always seemed to have an unending supply tucked away within her clothing.

She gave him a curious expression of not understanding. "From the store?" she answered, not sure what he had meant.

He simply sighed, and then looked at her. "Are you ok?" he asked.

The girl looked to the ground and nodded slowly. "I guess you could say that I am. It hurts though..." she trailed off.

His brow rose a moment. "What hurts? The bruises? You'll get over those," he grumbled, taking another bite of the peach.

Shaking her head, she answered him. "No... I killed. I killed a lot of people. I killed in cold blood." Tears had begun to form at her eyes as she began speaking the words. "I ended lives, and I enjoyed it. What happened to me?"

Reijin took a deep breath a moment before reaching out and lifting her chin up to look at him. "Personally, I'm proud of you. You can be disgusted at me if you want. I've killed many people and I've taken pleasure in it, but I've never killed simply for fun. I'll kill a man in a fight. Or if I think he's going to start a fight. Or if he's standing in my way. Or if we have a disagreement. Or if..." he realized he was rambling and she was growing scared. "The point is that I kill when I have to in order to accomplish my goal. You did exactly that. You killed them, and yes, you did enjoy it, but you wouldn't have done it if not for the fact that you had to in order to achieve victory."

He pointed at the rocks above him. "Think of how many innocent villagers that other team killed by causing this explosion? Villagers that were under their protection. We at least fought only the other soldiers. This is what I view as honor. Pacifism be damned, I will not allow myself to fail my goal simply because I don't want to hurt someone too much or possibly kill them. Its something I accept as a Saiyan. Killing is necessary."

The raven haired youth glanced back at her to find that she had averted her eyes, not really showing her true thoughts, so he leaned back against the wall and took one final bite of the peach, tossing it over to the fire for kindling. "You'll have to explain to me how you did that, by the way. Its not like we are getting out of here anytime soon. I could possibly power up and evaporate half of this rubble myself, but I can't say what it would do to you due to the power difference. So we'll have to wait it out and think over other options. So what happened up there?"

[Vejita I]

The bitter silence was unappreciated by the saiya-jin warrior whose maliciousness had conquered over all emotions. He was rendered into this bizarre scenario; compelled to patiently flock throughout the region without the speculation of war anytime soon. All of his weaknesses had been decimated due to this overpowering darkness surfacing from within. He almost longed for the satisfaction of being in the tomb of rubble once again; swelling with fierce rage at the sheer thought of the Outcast forces. After deliberation, he had been enlightened with the fact that they had succeeded or at least that was the belief in his mind. They had outsmarted the dominant unit of Dante apparently and had done unto them as Vejita I had proclaimed Dante would do unto them. They had scarred the group with wounds that would never be healed again and they were forced to suffice with the outcome of it all. An astounding amount of Dante soldiers had been butchered with the bomb forged by Outcast soldier. Unfortunately, with Vejita's monstrous self gradually fading into the shadows once again, his guilt was spawning similar doubt that had been shared by Broli.

It was almost as if the king had wielded that bomb and thrust its great strength into the horde of his brothers to spiral them into the realm of hell itself. King Cold, Pigero, Reijin, and Akane had all apparently been thrown into a single error in his commands. The souls of these men and women, as well as unnamed faces, were placed with great weight upon his conscience. With his injuries endured from the battle, he debated on which was more agonizing: his battered flesh or his heart crumbling with the thoughts of his soldiers being executed solely for his poor decisions. The mayhem out-stretched at unfathomed distances with a river of blood the only saturation for the war ravaged land. No one dared socialize during this event; only guided by the thoughts of the deceased on the battlefield. The bothersome buzz of flies stalking their prey, otherwise known as the Dante and Outcast forces, could be heard through the scene.

King Vejita crouched to a knee, the only limb of his body that seemed capable of possessing any excess strength. Blood spewed forth from the injured with every attempt the medical soldiers tried to stabilize them. Their screams haunted the saiya-jin commander while they were forced to view their fellow soldiers being launched into pits that were apparently "burials" to the masses. This was the only option in properly displaying respect to those who had been infected with death on the Dante side; but this was unsatisfactory. The Dante commander could only gulp the trauma down his throat and rekindle a period that this devastation was shown regularly to him, but he couldn't trigger it. This was as devastating as ever; even during the numerous battles he had lead his people into. He gazed down below into the reflection in the blood, noting of his facial expression. It had reverted once again into the Vejita of before, untainted by this world, and actually compassionate for his army. The hatred that was consuming him throughout the battle had dimmed once again.

The king remained in his stance with this scene imprinting itself into his memories with the most vivid of detail. With his emotions intact, he was still unwilling to confront this creature inside of him. Not out of trepidation of its power, but out of sheer belief of its power. He had embraced this power inside of him altogether. He shifted himself upon his feet, scrambling in the direction for the rubble that was buried a top of the soldiers. The commander paused momentarily with a sigh, and resumed his actions with the stones of the fortress being cast over his shoulder behind him. Whether he approved of his actions during the Hyperton battle or not, his soldiers were in dire need of his assistance.

OOC: Shitty RP, but felt like posting something.

[Nori]

The words of Reijin echoed through her head, the silent visions of vaporizing bodies clouding her mind. Thousands of people died in that one moment; All the same, all living. Dante, Outcasts, civilian. It made no difference, all were swept away in the explosion. Foes, friends, innocents. Nothing mattered to Super Buu; no compassion was in his body. They had all been slaughtered, only a few surviving, Reijin protecting her despite the fact that he needed to use his energy to protect himself. She had tried to help, but the little energy she could put out compared to Reijin?s was miniscule, barely making a difference. Terrible destruction.

?Well, its kind of a long story. But I guess we do have some time to ourselves in here.? She spoke quietly, before taking a rather long intake of breath. ?I was raised on planet earth, in the artic settlement that is called Penguin Village. At a early age I began my training under the Village elder, and he unlocked my Ki potential. I trained for him for several years, leaving Penguin village when I was ten. I traveled Earth, training and fighting multiple people for three years. During this time I was almost killed by Pigero; the Pigero that died in the fight..?

Akane stopped suddenly, looking at the rocky ground by Reijin, unable, or unwilling, to look him in the eyes. Speaking once more to the young Saiyan, the golden haired youth continued. ?I beat him, which I think he will never forgive me for. Ever since then he has tried to beat me, even though I have never tried to act better then him; or struggle to be stronger then him. I think that is the reason actually, he struggles to surpass me and yet I am always stronger, without giving it the effort he has. Not that I don?t train, fight, and everything as much as the next person; if not more, but Piggy struggles.? She shook her head, giggling to herself actually.

?Anyway. After the fight I fell unconscious, on the border of dying. A figure intervened however, and gave me the chance to survive. I completed his three tasks, and then fought him as he tried to kill me; the figure revealing himself to be a ancient demon who steals the power of warriors. I defeated him, but I couldn?t bring myself to kill him. During my training with the figure my power grew, much higher then I am at this moment. However because it was in my mind, I cannot have that power in the normal world. Unless I open the barrier between my body and my mind, allowing me to transform. My power is increased, but my personality is different.? She stopped, breathing in and out quickly, having said the following statement without breathing or a break. Continuing Akane said. ?It depends on my mood. Last time I was full of vengeance.. I-I, wanted revenge. They killed Bulma, Minosha. They deserved the same. All of them. They killed.. Him.?


Tears started to stream down her face, her hand quickly trying to wipe them away; but to no avail, the girl crying as if she was a baby. ?They killed Boyach, a shot to his head. His blood was all over me, his head just.. A hole. They killed Pigero, his body so limp.. So lifeless, so not him.? With that Akane collapsed into Hysteria, tears coming down her cheeks. Although it was just a game, it was far to much for the girl; for the deaths of her friends and allies had appeared so real; the death?s on her hands to much to clean off. She tried wiping her hands on the stone, her mind seeing blood on them; although they were in reality clean.

?I know I could have saved them all, I know I could have!?


(Unfortunetly I have to go now, and won't be able to come on until later tommorow, or the day after tommorow.)

[Reijin]

Her voice echoed through him but mostly went back out the other way. "I don't see what you are so worried about. Hardly anyone that dies from this event will truely be dead. They simply get eliminated and sent back to where they came from."

He rose to his feet and followed the smoke that was going through the cracks, wincing a bit from the sharp pain that washed through him. "This must be your first event of this type. You experience 'death' of a realistic sense, but you aren't actually going to the afterlife. I've truely killed. Can you say this? Not if you are counting what you've done here. In these events, nearly everyone of us are going to die because that is the nature of the beast. If you don't like it, don't join the tournament."

He trailed off and left his words coldly lingering over the air for her to think on. He hoped that she would realize his point behind it and stop being so over sensitive, but if she didn't, he didn't have time to stand around trying to comfort children. Children were never meant to be on a battlefield. Akane would have to prove to him whether she was a child or something more.

He mused a moment over the smoke. Seeing faint glimmers of light, he finally spoke up to the weeping girl. "I think they may find us soon, with the smoke coming out from this hole. It may tell them that we are down here if they see it."

[Nori]

She paused, standing to her feet as well when Reijin pointed out that they may be found soon. Looking at him with her teary eyes Akane spoke, sniffling slightly. ?I didn?t know what I was getting into. People said this was like a game for amusement of other people, like a tournament. But this isn?t anything of the sort. When people die in this game, they don?t just vanish. They.. Die. I mean, I know that they are not dead for real. But they just look so.. Dead. I can?t help but cry.?

Lunging at Reijin she clung around his waste, hugging him. She doubted that he would like this procedure, but she felt the need for comfort. Burying her head in his lower abdomen she exposed herself after several moments of sitting there, a death grip on the man. ?I?m a dreamer, a pacifistic being who believes in a world without death. I believe that no one has the right to take the life of another, not even if they have the ability. No one has the right to choose the course of another beings life, no one. Just because you have the ability doesn?t mean that you should. If that happened then the entire planet would be up in arms with guns, no one would survive.?

?I came here to prove to myself that I can handle fighters from all over the galaxy. They lack compassion, all of them. Only a few have the belief that I do, and those are always the first to die. Thou shall not kill. I made that promise, I will hold to that promise. Dreamers have a place in this world.? Smiling up at the man she hugged him tighter, knowing that he was a dark spirit and yet, hoping not to feel the aggression from anger towards the kindness that the youth was showing him. ?Reijin. I doubt you feel the same way about me, but, your like a brother to me. A older brother. I?m a pain in the butt to everyone, I know that. Everyone gets annoyed with how I act, and what I am. I have seen the looks on soldiers faces as I play. Maybe they forget that I?m not grown up yet, or something. I don?t want to grow up.. To be like what they are.?

?But, I hope you think differently about me. You saved my life, even if it was just in a game. You risked your own for mine. You protected me, like a older sibling. I hope you feel the same way about me, Reijin.? Akane had calmed down upon learning that people who died in the game did not actually die, as she had not properly read the rules of the contest before hand. This was a great releif to her of course, although it slightly angered her that the makers of this contest would make it look so real. ?Reijin, what I?m trying to say is. I?ll be there for you when you need me. If you ever do.?

Smiling brightly and in a happy matter the golden angel turned away from Reijin, towards a rather large crack in the ceiling, humming to herself. Turning around quickly she inhaled a deep breath. ?You wanted to know about my past, right? "I'm...actually, I'm a super-magical human. I have been hiding this fact for a long time. But I have this precious kingdom to go back to. The reason why us super humans have long hair is that our great king Rubalru had a miracle vision when he was about to die. The person who gave him this vision is called Great Kandora! When Kandora used his super magic power, King Rulbaru's Super-Ultra-Magical-Force was freed like a bird and made him grow Ultra-Strong-Magical white long hair from his head! Just then, what happened was when King Rulbaru was resting, an emeny kingdom suddenly attacked him. He was in such a terrible situation! He then asked Kandora for power! And then-!"

Winking Akane turned away from Rei once more, giggling to herself. Looking up at the crack in finality she heard the cracking of the stone, hoping that it was diggers and not just it about to collapse. Repeating her humming the female finished her song.

"..And a drop from the moon dropped and disappeared into a room into my heart?"

[Broli]

OOC: I think this RP is terrible.

Burori stepped from his tent, buttoning his tunic as he looked forth to the new dawn. The destruction of Hyperton Fortress had been cleaned away, yet the scars would always remain in the hearts and minds of those who had experienced it. He stretched his arms, his Co-Commander Vejita I stepping to his side. ?Good morning. You look better.?

?I feel better,? Broli replied. ?I guess we all just needed a break.? He glanced over the horizon, noting his own men hard at work.

?I noticed you gave the order for the Outcast soldiers to be burned with our own?,? the King began, the disapproval thick in his voice.

?They fought as we did, didn?t they?? The Saiya-Jin replied, his eyes attached to the fortress before them. ?I thought I gave the order for all the fires to be put out.? A small tunnel of smoke billowed up from one corner of the fortress. King Vejita peered into the distance, shrugging his shoulders.

?I guess they missed one.?

Broli motioned for a guard, whispering in his ears. The guard, nodding to the smoke, gave his Commander a ?Yes, sir!? and was off. ?Let?s get back to business, shall we?? Broli spoke to his counterpart. The King nodded, the two of them making their way to the operations tent. Inside, General Joy and Lieutenant Kerry stood at a table, already enveloped in a conversation of tactics. Joy spread her fingers across the map as the two whispered. The two looked up as they noticed the entrance of their Commanders, saluting them both.

?At ease,? announced Broli, stepping forward and looking at the map. He recognized their current location. ?Brief me.?

Kerry took a step back as Joy motioned to the northwestern corner of the map. ?The new Outcast Commander, Cell Jr., has taken the last of his force and holed up in Sanguine Castle. We can breach it, but it won?t be easy. We won?t be facing mere guards this time.? She sighed, almost hesitant at the idea of a siege with another defensive position.

?If we can take down a fortress, we can take down a castle,? the Commander spoke confidently.

Joy frowned, looking back to the map as she thought over the possibility of attacking Sanguine. ?We took the fortress with nearly three thousand men. We have no where near that number now, we lack the support of United, and Cell Jr. knows we?re coming. Not to mention that we have to go through Bajir first. Isn?t there some other way??

?There is no other way.? Broli?s reply filled the room with tension, a tension so thick that it seemed as if no one could breathe without sucking in its deep presence.

?Yes? Yes, sir. It will be as you say.? General Joy marked a few notes on the map.

The tension was broken as a soldier came rushing in, face covered in dirt and sweat. ?Commanders!? He shouted, nearly knocking over a table as he stumbled in. ?It?s the Lieutenants. They?re alive!?

The Commanders were taken to Hyperton immediately, Broli himself jogging despite his still healing wounds as they approached the previously noticed tunnel of smoke. The messenger ran with them. ?We were going to put out the fire, as you ordered, but when we realized that it was a pile of debris that we had somehow missed, further actions were taken to remove the debris in case there was fire smoldering under it. That?s where we found the Lieutenants! They?ve been in the cavity of a collapsed room under the debris!?

Broli could barely understand his messenger. All he could focus on was the possibility of his Lieutenants being alive, of being able to still fight. He needed their leadership. As he pushed his way through the crowd of soldiers forming, his eyes caught the forms of his Lieutenants. Reijin and Akane sat on the ground, their skin dark with dirt and soot. Reijin looked up, matching his eyes with that of his Commander. The two exchanged glances, both having been rescued in one way or another. ?Well, what are you standing around for?? Broli barked to his soldiers. ?Get your Lieutenants cleaned up!? The soldiers could only cheer as they helped Reijin and Akane to their feet. What lied in wait for the two were hot showers, clean clothes, and warm meals.

?It?s too bad, really,? Broli whispered to Vejita I. ?I want to let them rest, but we have to move on to Bajir.? The two Commanders watched as the soldiers cheered for the two Lieutenants, who moved towards the camp as if attempting to get through a crowd of screaming fans. Broli smiled. ?I guess this is the price of victory.?

[Vejita I]

The cheers of unknown faces ruled over the attention of the saiya-jin king. The absence of life aboard the Dante forces halted in his thoughts and his ears coursed with this wonderful display of support for the warriors. It was reminiscent of an age of Vejita's dominance on his homeworld; ruling over the dynasty of the saiya-jin race with only intentions of broadening the strength of his people. Children, women, and men all congregated in a flock of appreciation for the soldiers of Dante, and even Vejita was inclined to present a smirk over his typically numbed lips. He huddled through the audience with his limbs contorting and twisting to slither through the almost inpenetrable fortress of civilians. He groaned slightly under the injuries he had endured from the skirmish between the Outcasts armies, but they were subsided by the thoughts of locating both Akane and Reijin.

The tremendous weight that had been cast upon his shoulders had slightly been reduced, but his mind would never be content with just two survivors of this devastating loss. As he shuffled through the mayhem, he ducked into his tent with arms of unknown citizens being yanked from his own body. The saiya-jin's arms resorted to an alternate form, placing themselves alongside his backside with his fingers interlocking between one another in a fashion utilized by only a commanding officer. The war was placed heavily upon his thoughts, launching both positive aspects of Dante's current state as well as negatives into his pondering. Hyperton had effected his forces in unseen ways that not even stats and figures could predict. The once juggernaut image of Dante had been shattered and in it's substitute was this fragile stature of five commanding officers whose arrogance had possibly paved their own demise.

To be victorious in this competition, this couldn't become a game of numbers. Dante could not dare march into battle any longer without strategy or reassurance of success. They had been plowed forth by the Outcast warriors, and desperation had flourished them with unforeseen potential. Vejita I and Broli had symbolized the goal of Dante's Abyss: Conquest. They had conquered all who confronted them of their might, shunng the probability of failure. Now, stripped of their dominante reputation and stripped of their weakening overconfidence, the ultimate power of this force would be recognized. The lips of Vejita dared not curl under this realization, but his mind could only chuckle with glee. Although he was cautious of the days ahead, nothing could unravel the logic of the saiya-jin warrior. He had demanded battles with super saiya-jins, mammoth figures, and even conquered over endless numbers of races. War was transporting its splendid addiction into the veins of the king and had been since the moment of his conception.

Besides, this savagery that existed inside of him, the demonic form of Vejita I that seemed to claw itself in moments of war, was enstilled with dependance by the saiya-jin warrior. This encouraged his exhilaration for the battle ahead, and he signaled for a messenger outside of his tent. The soldier, assuming by his figure, was barely capable of posing a threat to no army. He showed his respect for his commander with a slight bow, and his eyes were set upon his commander's. "The forces of Dante move now. Let the men hear that revenge will be cast upon the scum of Outcasts and those who are damned to sit with injury will be carried to the sight of Cell Jr. We will be guided only by our souls, not by our wounded and battered bodies." Even the messenger was enthusiastic about eliminating Cell Junior and his unit as he allowed not another sentence to be spoken by Vejita.

OOC: Yeah yeah, my RP sucks too.