Year : 771
Around 3 years after the Cell Game
" 17 ! 17 ! "
He wasn't really sure if he would be able to find him. But Ryo was sure he had seen him around a few hours before.
"Raaaaah but damn, where is he ? I hope he didn't leave..."
17 indeed never really stayed in one place for long. Since his first visit to the village, a few months ago, he hadn't been really integrated, and he didn't even try to be.
He had just appeared one day, as if he had "fallen from the sky". The villagers didn't really know how to deal with this strange young man. He had asked if anyone needed help with any work. The elders offered to help him cut wood. Once a year, all the men worked for several days to prepare the wood needed for the whole year by cutting trees in the surrounding forest. 17 had agreed.
But what surprised everyone was that he returned only a few minutes later with dozens of trees already cut down. How did he do ? He didn't answer this question.
The villagers gave him 1000 zenis for his help, and 17 left, as quickly as he had come. Some time later, he returned and asked again if there was any work available.
And so he became a kind of "temporary inhabitant". However, he did not want to settle in the village, he stayed away, spending his time in the woods. He usually stayed for a few days to do some paid work and then left.
Everyone thought he was strange. Besides his superhuman strength, he was not very talkative. Most of the time he remained silent, answering only the most basic questions, but never engaging in real conversation. He wasn't rude, but he didn't really seem to want to engage in real conversations. Nevertheless, everyone agreed that he was not dangerous.
Ryo was the only one who had managed to form some kind of bond with 17. He was the 14-year-old "mechanic" of the village. He had a passion for cars, motorcycles and all kinds of machines and was always available to repair a breakdown.
One day, a villager asked him to repair an old car. Ryo had tried everything, disassembled, reassembled, reassembled, nothing had worked. And it was when he was about to give up that 17 suddenly appeared. You could never hear him coming, he could appear and disappear in a second, but as time went by, nobody really paid attention to it anymore.
- Ah, you scared me, 17! he shouted.
- I'm sorry.
To hear 17 speak was rare enough, but to hear him apologize even more so.
- Oh no, no worries, it's just that I was concentrating so you surprised me!
- ... I didn't want to scare you.
- Hahaha yes I guess, it must happen to you often though, right? To...scare people ?
- ... yes.
- ...
- ...
- ... soooooooooooo, you're back ? Do you still need a job?
- Yes. What are you doing?
- Hmmmm ?
- What are you doing now?
Saying this, 17 pointed to the car.
- Oh, that! I'm trying to fix this antique. But I think it's hopeless !
- ... Can I have a look?
- Uh... yes of course!
And surprisingly, after some manipulations, the car had restarted.
"Wouuuuuuuuuuuuah amazing ! Congrats 17, and thanks ! "The young boy was all happy when suddenly...
" Oh but I have nothing to pay you ! "
17 had turned to him. It was probably the most intimidating thing about him: his eyes. His blue eyes could be fixed on you and seemed to literally pierce you. After a few seconds of silence, however, he had finally answered :
- It's ok, I didn't ask for money.
- Ah, you reassure me (Ryo was REALLY relieved not to have made 17 angry. He had a feeling that this was not a good idea...).
- ...
- ... uh 17, I didn't know you knew anything about mechanics!
- About what?
- Mechanics. You just fixed a car that I've been tearing my hair out for hours!
- You don't look like you've lost any hair.
- ...
- ...
- Uh that's an expression actually... it means I didn't know how to fix it.
- Ah.
- So where did you learn?
- I don't know.
- ... what?
- I don't know.
- But then how did you do it?
- I don't know.
Ryo didn't insist. 17 was a strange person anyway, so there was no point in questioning him any further. But from that day on, the two of them started to repair cars together, whenever possible. 17 was strangely good at it. He couldn't name the parts or tools, but he knew how to use them perfectly and seemed very comfortable. The repairs were mostly done in silence (he had not become "talkative"), but nevertheless over the weeks a kind of complicity had been established between them. Ryo was the only one with whom 17 spent any free time, and he tolerated his presence much more than anyone else.
But today, it was impossible to find it.
" 17 ! 17 ! I don't know if you can hear me but it's important! "
Only the silence of the forest answered him.
- Ah but damn! Damn! What can I do now ? That's so baaaad that he had left just now !
- Why? answered a calm voice behind Ryo, who cried and almost fainted of stupor.
- Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh you almost killed me !
- ... sorry.
- I thought you were gone again!
- I was going to do it tonight.
- ... and ?
- ... and I didn't leave after all.
Talking with 17 meant accepting to have a conversation with long moments of silence, and few answers to your questions...
- Anyway, it's great that you're still here! Ryo answered
- Why ?
- Well, at first I thought I had found you a job, but now I have the impression that we'll need your help.
- ... what kind of job and what kind of help?
Ryo explained to him what had made him come looking for him:
- Look, a girl came by the village this morning. Her car started making strange noises and she was looking for someone to look at it. So I offered to do a little check-up, she's really nice this girl. And she's super beautiful too? Kind of hot actually, you know?
- ...
- And anyway, we talked, we talked, and we talked again, you know ?
- ...
- ... yeah so I continue. And then she explained to me that she works with animals or kind of, I don't know exactly because she talks really fast and I didn't understand everything. She's a girl, you know what I mean?
- ...
- ... soooooooooooooooo then she told me that she needs a bodyguard, a super strong guy to go with her on something because it's really dangerous. Super strong, you know, I thought of you !
- ... ok.
- ... because ... You are.
- I'm what?
- Super strong.
- ... I guess so.
- So there you go. And she said she had the money, right?
- ... okay.
- You really should talk to her.
- And that's why you came running and screaming so loud?
- Noooooooo damn I almost forgot! Actually I told her about you and she wanted to see you but at the same time she had a job to do in the nature park.
- The what?
- The park, in fact it's a special space for animals, it's in the forest just behind. Anyway, she told me that she had to do something about animals to protect and I don't know what...
- I don't know what?
- No, but she talks a lot, a lot, a lot, I didn't listen to everything.
- ...
- So she left and she was supposed to come back. But a little while later I saw some weird guys with guns and stuff driving by, and they were also going to the park. I don't know why but I'm afraid she's in trouble.
- ... What does this have to do with me?
- Well, if she's in danger, you should be able to help her, right?
- ... Why should I?
- We can't leave such a beautiful girl in trouble !
17 crossed his arms, and began to think. At first he had come to this village by chance, as he wandered around, to try to get some money. He didn't need to have much, just enough to wash his clothes, or to make himself comfortable. Since his resurrection, he now knew that this planet was inhabited by beings much more powerful than him. He was also aware that Goku's companions had not really wanted to bring him back to life and that some still considered him a threat. His power had always allowed him to get everything without ever having to pay, but while he was happy to be alive and was well aware of his strength, he had never wanted anything more than to live free and didn't want to cause any particular trouble.
C
18 had told him that as long as he didn't stand out, he had nothing to fear. That's why he occasionally tried to earn some money so he wouldn't have to steal, and this village was a convenient place to go. But that didn't mean he wanted to deal with problems that didn't concern him.
"Are you listening to me? "
17 raised his head. Ryo was looking at him. He looked really worried. 17 didn't want to bond too much with humans, but this kid was special. IHe didn't find him uninteresting and had enjoyed the mechanical sessions.
"Well," he finally replied, "after all, I can take a look. "
And immediately, 17 flew away and headed in the direction shown by Ryo. While flying away, he heard the young boy shouting:
"Thanks 17! You shouldn't miss her, she's super pretty ! And her name is Ruriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ! ".
Once high enough to have a good view of the forest, 17 accelerated. Might as well settle this quickly and see if this job this girl was offering was worth it.
"Ruri, huh? Well, come on, let's settle this quickly" he thought then...