Metallic's P.O.V.

"Sure I guess but, behind you-"

*CLANG!*

"O.W.! That's not honorable in the slighest Restroid!" I shout out as he slams something into the back of my head which causes my face to spin around, and looking back at him I can see him pulling back his leg, that was a wicked kick!

Ignoring my, slightly, damaged face I slowly stand back to my mighty height of 6 foot 3 inches and spin myself around, boy his attacks sure did a number on me... but that number is basically 0!

"Listen, Restroid- I like to discipline my pals with slaps and all but this is different, you- y-y-y-y-y-y-y-you really wanna botnap me here! So stop this nonsense already!" I say with a stutter as I swing my arms up, my joints are extra creaky now, NOT good!

"As the leader of the Red Fists I can not. Accept it Metallic: I am only following statistics when I decide to kill. I am not good or evil: simply efficient. We need a new government: and the citizens who can be changed need new mindsets in order to live "happily"."The currently S.T.U.P.I.D. failure of a Kodan wannabe says as he starts to run at me, seems like Amandeath's bullet did effect him a bit, nice one pal!

Anywho right so Restroid is charging right at me, hmmm- I'll have to teach him a quick lesson after all I suppose. Not ideal but, I've gotta, he's utterly defiling Kodan's name! S.O. if he's copying... Kodan's... ol' moves, he's probably gonna do... that attack! Yes!

As expected with my brilliant memory, Restroid quickly launches his fist at my face- AKA my weakpoint. But before it can hit me, I spin my head to the right so it misses!

Without a word I clench my fist- oh darn wrong arm, so be it. So I clench it and swing it up at Restroid's face in the form of an uppercut- but...

*CREEEEK- CLINK!*

"Stupid arm!" I curse the thing as it stalls up in the middle of my throw, as if fighting my old pal isn't hurting me enough! But no time for that, he's probably preparing another attack- but curses I can't see through my other eye to see it-

*CLANG!*

I just barely manage to swing my G.O.O.D. arm up to my head right after he slams the other side of my face with his fist. I grip his arm before it can retreat, and with that I spin my entire torso along with Restroid around to prepare a mighty centrifugal powered throw!

He's still dragging his feet across the ground to try to stop my spin but, he should know how powerful I am!

"Sir- we can hear Hopian Soldiers coming." A buffoon from the outside calls out, he'd better not be hurting Amandeath- anyways I could care less about the Soldiers. My speed is almost at it's peak as I continue to spin Restroid's now flailing body around, his mass is nothing to mine!

"Metallic: I would recommend you stop thi-"

*FWOOSH- CRASH!!*

I release and... slam his body into the brick wall right next to us, with him falling to the floor right after my mighty hit... oh no, I-I-I-I-I-I-I didn't kill him, did I?!

"We both must retreat so I will keep this brief. I have a bounty of 8 million Herin at the moment: which is even higher than your prior target. This was all a test: since I certainly know that it would be impossible to physically force you to fight with me against the Hopian Army. I was measuring your strengths: and you are certainly strong enough to fight me it seems based on your knowledge of Kodan." Restroid says as he slowly stands back up again and speed walks towards the kid on the floor, what's he on about?!

"Metal Man, this was stupid enough, let's get moving." Amandeath whispers out as she runs over to me and grabs my arm, and this time at least I start to follow her lead while keeping my speakers open..

"Wait. Your prior bounty target has obviously fled from this area after hearing our gunshots. So just as Kodan would have wanted it: we shall have a honorable duel to settle our conflicts. If you defeat me in a future battle: you will be able to capture me and claim my bounty. However: if you lose to me: you will serve under the Red Fists. A fair deal: although I do question your loyalty to Kodan since that other female you assossiate with is the one who killed him. Karia." Restroid says- which feels like someone put a paralyzer right on my circuits again!

"WHAT?!" I shout out as I stop my running and spin around, dragging Amandeath with me as I look towards Restroid who's now carrying the sleepy looking little boy in his arms behind us.

"So that is it... King Metallica your blissful ignorance must be a severe malfunction inside of yourself. Yes: I witnessed Karia killing him myself. It has been reported as such for a long time now: her Blessing even states his name. Now goodbye: I will explain more if you come to our duel: you will know where it is." Restroid says, I- no, NO- she, SHE WOULDN'T, I'll never accept it, I never have accepted it- and I never will!

"METALLIC- ya want me to die or what? MOVE!" Amandeath quietly screams which shocks me as I look down at her. But she's right, if we get caught- she'll be toast too... I... I have to move, Restroid- he- he could be lying... no... M.O.V.E. ME!

I spin myself around as Restroid and his men run by me with that youngin in his arms, and at the same time Amandeath runs ahead too. I can hear those Hopian Army people approaching the alleyway behind us... Karia was a... a member too... that VILE WITCH, TO THINK SHE NEVER TOLD ME?!?! No... no... for now I must follow Amandeath's lead... just go in autopilot, me...

A bit later, back in the motel Metallic and Amandeath rented out the night before, near the outskirts of the Hopian Continent...

"Amandeath... you knew about what Karia did, didn't you?" I ask, as I'm standing in the middle of our small room... as I've been doing in silence for the past while now.

"...Yep, I mean it was kinda obvious. I was gonna tell ya but Seric didn't want your feelings to get hurt..."

"SERIC?! What does he know, I'm meant to protect you all- N.O.T. the other way around! He... oh Lords, he was working with her. He probably assumed I would be furious at Karia if I knew she killed one of MY CLOSEST PALS! And I AM FURIOUS- but what right does that give him to keep secrets like that?! Here I am trying to change myself, and yet Seric and Karia... and you. All along, you've been fooling me! AHHHHH- YOU- I..." I scream out as I stomp towards Amandeath who's simply lying on her bed with her arms by her side and chewing her gum... but I stop as I see her face...... she's just rolling her eyes at me... I am... just a fool...

"Easy, I won't give you a mouthful this time for breaking my eardrums since you're stressed, and because the walls here are soundproof. To prove my "palship" to you, I'll even help you out. Kodan was a criminal just like you. Both you and him have done bad and good things for this place, like when you and the other two helped save that island... Birzion. But in the end, you and him are still just vigilantes, who inspire other worse people to do crimes- and flat out do "horrible" shit too yourselves sometimes."

She continues, "Plus, Kodan made the Hopian Army waste their troops on him too. So yeah, in the end... people like that are still just criminals. Not even defending her, but Karia was just doing her job when she killed him I would think... ah, kinda did defend her. Whatever. Anyways, ya get my point so far?" Amandeath asks as she blows a bubble with her gum... as she wasn't directly involved with those secrets...... I fall to my knees next to her.

"I don't. Kodan... he was so kind. A "job" should NOT define a person, their morality should come from the heart! Sure, Kodan messed up sometimes... and he let Restroid be in charge, perhaps knowing how he would lead. But no- why did Karia have to kill him?! C-could she have not just- just taken him hostage?! No even then, he didn't even deserve that! I can see it everywhere, I still love this continent but it is certainly not in the right hands. So many of my old pals were miserable, or killed on the street by thugs... Kodan was the one man who had the charisma and wisdom to flip this place on it's head. And yet... and yet SHE killed him- my very own pal whom I called one of my favourites!"

"Thaaaaat's just your opinion, maybe Kodan would've made things worse, who knows. ...So what, you leaving us now? Or are you gonna kill Karia? Hope not... I already vowed myself to stay with you all. I'd really think this through if I were you but, hey, not my call..." Amandeath says with a long sigh.

"I-I-I-I-I don't know... she stole his powers to use as her own, she didn't just simply kill him! To this day, she must be holding his poor spirit hostage... I feel like an oil-licker for being a pal with someone who's doing that to Kodan. I know one thing for sure... I'll see Seric and Karia ONE last time to clear things up, and they W.I.L.L. tell me the truth. Depending on their responses... I... I may kill Karia t-to save Kodan's soul... or just leave... or stay... CURSES I DON'T KNOW, SHOULD I EVEN SEE THEM AGAIN?!" I shout in frustration as I punch myself in the head, causing it to spin around... what have I come to, threatining my own pals...

Suddenly, Amandeath starts to... pat my head...?

"Erm... what're you doing there pal?" I ask as I furrow my robotic brows and glance up at her with my one functioning eye...

"I dunno... my ex boyfriend used to do this to me, used to calm me down a bit. So hey, thought I may as well try it on you while you figure this stuff out." Amandeath says... she really does care about me... I... so does Seric and Karia, don't they...? More so than my other pals at least, but, they lied to me! But so did those Long Sleeved pirates with that boy Popshot and all... why did I love them, when they clearly didn't love me?

"Ah. Well, thank you pal... yes that feels nice. My pals... I just realized. Why DO I care so much about them... every single lot of my 100 groups of them, I unconditionally loved them... but I've come to accept that hardly any of them loved me back. Except you guys... or I hope so at least. Why was I ever so desperate to keep all of my pals bittersweet company then?" I question myself as I stare at Amandeath's purple eyes, with those words even being difficult to push out of myself.

"That's something you've gotta find out yourself. But weeeell... maybe try thinking back to when you were first created or something? Maybe you were programmed to help people or some shit..." Amandeath adds as she stops stroking my head, and flips over onto her side on the bed to face me. That's it!

"B.R.I.L.L.I.A.N.T. idea Amandeath, maybe YOU truly are my pal! Yes, I do recall those times... but oh boy, that sure was a while back..." I declare as I close my eyes, I've gotta have those memories somewhere up in my storage... AH never mind, found em'!

A/N: Restroid challenges Metallic to an official duel, while revealing a devastating truth to him at the same time...

Welcome to flashback hell as I call it all of you, this will be the first of 3 flashbacks this arc- enjoy!-

Anyways, hope you all consider voting or commenting if you enjoyed, and (maybe) see you next week, may go on break but I'll see.