================================================================
Bl.An.C. Battle Prologue: Olive and White over Green and Black
Walls and pillars lay scattered about haphazardly, the aftermath of the intrusion still lingering around. There were neither gunshot marks nor even a sign of a visible struggle, just one massive explosion that forced a few pillars to give way crippling some other parts the same way in a consequential domino effect. A single blast mark radiated from a huge hole on the wall, the entry point of the military's Spec Ops that had invasively kidnapped the only inhabitants of the desert compound. Their mission was done swiftly and efficiently; retrieval of valuable information. The fires that have started were long gone, leaving only ashes of what they had burned. Spherical drones wander about, apparently cleaning the base -- though very less efficient since they were made for combat and not sanitary measures. The drones fiddled about with brooms and mops, clumsily dropping some of them and they had floated down to get it back to their tiny little arms (which replaced the laser emitters).
"Are you sure about this, Coop?" A woman's voice echoed through the metallic corridor, its once metallic sheen replaced with a dusty white color. Shadows played along the walls, as she and her companion walked towards the upward chute; the shadows mocked the liveliness of the compound in its past years. LED lights provided adequate light, powered by energy claimed from the solar cells on the surface.
"I...I am sure." He told her, having obvious second thoughts. "I will survive as I always do."
Alice was in her usual lab coat, a bit tattered here and there with its white a bit stained with oil and other mechanical liquids, and her brown hair was tied in an arcing pony tail that reached the nape of her neck. She casted her worrisome eyes onto her fiancé, trying to convince him to reconsider.
Cooper had just made his eyes accustomed to artificial light but he still squinted as he was still unused to it. His grey green eyes peeked through his eyelids and he tried to put on a smile. "I can't be sure that I can return unscathed. Every battle I have had, I've always returned with more than just a few scrapes on the armor." He said comfortingly with half a smile but to Alice, it was less than that.
Alice held Cooper's face closer to hers, feeling the roughness of his skin under her fingertips. The removal of the helmet wasn't all perfect. The armor was really fused at some areas and when the helmet was removed, parts of his cheeks, skin and muscles were ripped off as well. It seems that Mason was considerate enough to fix that with a few prosthetics and enhancing Cooper's regeneration. Perhaps to prove that he still is human...bah! She thought. "You need rest..." She whispered.
The pseudo-android slowly gripped Alice's wrists and pulled them away from his face. "I have to go." he said calmly. He pried himself away from those sparkling blue eyes. "My next battle is coming up."
"Yeah, I suppose it is." Alice frowned. She placed her hands into her pockets and watched Cooper walk away but she had to ask one thing. "Who is it?"
Cooper stopped mid-walk and looked over his shoulder. A swift movement of the suit covered his head within seconds. Replacing Cooper's human face was the face of the Blast Android. The singular green eye at its center glowed as the three grey rectangular locks slid into place around it. "Reply: It is the Olive Archer and the White Shifter; Rhami and Astor." He stated mechanically. Bl.An.C. had returned.
"I see. What's her record?" She asked again, trying to prolong Cooper's stay.
"Recitation: Four wins. One loss. Singular loss to Parasite." He tilted his head up as if he was remembering whereas he was actually staring at a screen within the helmet.
"...and you?" Alice smiled.
"Recitation: Three wins. One lose. Singular lose to Kasai. Loss is shared with SinkHole within the clan war against the Night Creatures." He stated plainly.
"Then you're the underdog." She pointed out.
"Observation: After fighting a supernatural card user, an energy sponge, my own clan leader and the fire master of a rival clan, I can say I am always the underdog." The Blast Android stated monotonously. "Continuation: I am merely a human within a shell of high tech weaponry against super humans or more but I have proven time and again that the powers they hold mean nothing against skill."
"Then stay, you've proven enough" Alice pleaded. She walked a bit closer and held Cooper's arm.
"Reply: I must keep myself busy." He ignored Alice's plea, removing Alice's grip on his arm. "Explanation: I have also examined her battles and noted her strategies. I will keep safe but I cannot promise that I will come back without a scratch or dent." Keep those thoughts away...keep them away.
The pseudo-android walked away from the conversation, his steps echoed through the silent halls of the once lively place, now a desolate compound of machinery. Alice was left alone in the hall, left there to whisper to the air but meant for her lover. "Be careful."
================================================================
The week of Bl.An.C.'s disappearance was troublesome. By the time he came back, his old clan, The Rising Stars, were unofficially disbanded. Each member was lost entirely one by one; either went on permanent leave or simply vanished. Just like how his old team had. It was mentally scarring for the already pain stricken man, only his determination for vengeance against an old friend kept him going...
================================================================
