Outcasts S1E2: Every Sentient Needs A Group

The Outcasts are getting used to one another on board their ship. Dinoborg and Extroid study their new friend Ms. Africa from a bit up close.

Ms. Africa: … Are you two quite done yet? I’m a human, what’s so special?

Extroid: Forgive me for staring, but… you’re a fascinating species… You look so closely like other species, like Salvarian, Hinigan or Phylasian, yet you’re infinitely weaker than all of them..!

Ms. Africa knocks Extroid off his suit.

Ms. Africa: Excuse me?! I’ve trained all my life!

Dinoborg: Calm down, we don’t mean to sound insulting… It’s just… even Nidon’s species kinda looks like you..! You… are the new dominant species of Pekopon..!

Ms. Africa: How can I help that? I have four limbs just like you, who cares?!

Extroid: Ey! Let us aliens be aliens and let us watch you a little bit, jeez! No need to bash me off my suit..!

Ms. Africa: But is THAT close really necessary?

Extroid: *sigh* I’m sorry if I got too close for comfort, I guess it’s a difference in culture… Us Zorxumians don’t really give a scrap about how close we get to one another, we can tell when intentions are hostile… I guess your species is different in that… Sorry, okay?

Ms. Africa: *sigh* Fine. Sorry I knocked you off your suit… Friends?

Ms. Africa offers her hand to Extroid, who accepts the friendly gesture with a faint smile, as far as his circular mouth can form.

Extroid: Friends… But do you see why I’m curious? My limbs are at the same level, you have a whole torso separating them..!

Ms. Africa: … Yeah I guess that’s kinda weird… But to me, you’re the weirdest one here…

Extroid: Yeah, all of you have a torso, while I have a cylinder carrying all my limbs at the same height… I guess us Zorxumians are the weirdest~

They all chuckle a little.

Dinoborg: … So… How many dinosaurs are exactly left..?

Ms. Africa: … There’s a lot… But they… don’t exactly look like the way you know them…

Ms. Africa feels very uncomfortable talking about this…

Dinoborg: … 67 million years… Of course evolution has taken a different route in such an amount of time… However… we don’t just… go extinct or lose our position like that… That’s just… impossible…

Ms. Africa: … I’m very sorry to say… but… but… ugh…

Ms. Africa sighs. She just couldn’t get it off her chest to say that dinosaurs are extinct…

Dinoborg: … Just say it out loud already…

Ms. Africa: … It would be a lie…

Dinoborg: My species is extinct, isn’t it?

Ms. Africa: No..! There are still reptiles left..!

Dinoborg: Like me?

Ms. Africa: … No…

Dinoborg: … As I thought… I’m the last of my kind…

A sting of guilt hits Ms. Africa. She didn’t need to say it anymore. He figured it out himself…

Dinoborg: …

Extroid: … Uhm… So… what are the new Pekoponians usually like..?

Extroid tried to change the subject.

Ms. Africa: … You’d be… disappointed…

Dinoborg: So that’s where life on my home world went… To selfish creatures that are out for power…

Ms. Africa: … I’m afraid so… I’m sorry…

Ms. Africa looks away. She feels awful for the poor dinosaur, but she can’t deny it herself either. Dinosaurs have been replaced with humans, and they aren’t a species to be that proud of…

Extroid: … Well… They can’t be THAT bad… can they..?

Ms. Africa: … We differ per individual… There’s good people and there’s bad people… Sometimes it feels like the bad outnumber the good… But I refuse to believe that.

Even with all her years of slavery and forced battles, she refuses to believe humanity is singular evil. Dinoborg, however, just looks down. The cyborg was already completely transformed into something else, and now almost nothing of his species is left. This was a lot to take in…

Extroid: … Where are we going now, I wonder..?

Ms. Africa: I’ll ask Nidon.

She gets up immediately, trying to escape the grim atmosphere of the cabin. She made her way through the narrow hall and enters the cockpit where the God of Fire is steering the wheel.

Ms. Africa: Do you have any idea where we are going..?

Nidon: I don’t… But we cannot stay in that place where we got you for sure. So for now, we fly as far as possible. We will look for remaining specimen of Dinoborg’s species too…

Ms. Africa: … I’m a bit hungry…

Nidon: Then I see we should land. I dare to bet Extroid is hungry too. Dinoborg doesn’t need nutrition…

Ms. Africa: How about you..? Are you hungry..?

Nidon: Not much… but I will eat. I mustn’t slow us down again by getting hungry later…

Ms. Africa: Okay… Speaking of Dinoborg… I am afraid that… his race is extinct…

Nidon: What..?

The God looks at her in disbelief.

Ms. Africa: It’s true… 65 million years ago, a meteor impact eradicated all of the dinosaurs… It’s common knowledge among the people of Earth…

Nidon: … By Alfather’s beard…

The God looks down, horrified with the news…

Nidon: … How am I going to tell Dinoborg this…

Ms. Africa: He already knows… I’m afraid…

Nidon: …

Nidon doesn’t know what to say. His hundreds-of-years-long friend is going to be in inconsolable pain. He can’t imagine what pain something like this would cause. He quickly focuses on flying again, feeling a little turbulence.

Nidon: I have to focus on flying… I’m not usually the pilot of this craft.

Ms. Africa: You’re… not..?

Nidon: No. Usually, Extroid is the pilot. But I decided to take the wheel this time, since he was so fascinated with your species’ anatomy…

Ms. Africa: Heh… Nice… But I don’t like being studied that closely. I… already slapped him for that earlier…

Nidon raised an eyebrow.

Nidon: Please don’t hit my friends. Extroid won’t do it again.

Ms. Africa: I know… I’m sorry. We’re still just getting used to one another is all…

Nidon: … Best return to the cabin… I’ll get us to the ground so we can eat…

The African woman nods and turns around to return to the cabin, feeling a little uncomfortable in this completely new environment with no humans, but aliens around her. She feels locked in, in this rather small craft, just like that cage in which she used to live... She tries to ignore the claustrophobia and returns to the cabin, seeing the dinosaur looking down, and immediately feels the sting of guilt again.

Ms. Africa: … Uhm… Guys? We’ll be landing soon to get some food…

Extroid: Ooh, nice! I’d love to see some Pekoponian food!

Ms. Africa: … Do you… want to try something too..?

Dinoborg: … I don’t need nutrition… You guys can eat… I’ll stand guard…

Ms. Africa feels so bad for the poor dinosaur. Not even food will cheer him up. She sighs and sits down, preparing for landing. Nidon starts to descend and slowly but surely touches down on the ground. After that, he enters the cabin.

Nidon: All right, guys, let’s go out.

Ms. Africa: Pff… Yes, please… I was starting to feel a tiny bit claustrophobic…

Nidon raised an eyebrow again.

Nidon: Claustro- what now..?

Ms. Africa: It’s a pretty small cabin…

She gets up and turns to the door, anxious to smell the fresh air again. Nidon shrugs off the strange, Pekoponian term and opens the door. Ms. Africa immediately runs out and breathes in deeply.

Ms. Africa: Aaaaahh… Fresh air~…

The three aliens follow.

Nidon: You sure missed the fresh air..?

Ms. Africa: Yes… I most certainly did… Being locked up in such a tight space… I don’t particularly enjoy that…

Extroid: Well that’s our ship..! Sorry we’re too small!

Ms. Africa: It was not meant as an insult..! I’ve just lived in a cage practically all my life, so I’m sorry the tight space called up some memories…

Nidon: You are free, Ms. Africa. There are no dominators around you. No slave drivers.

Ms. Africa: I know, I know, it’s just… still fresh…

Extroid: That’ll go away after some time, I’m sure… Let’s eat!

Nidon: Right. Let’s look for food… What do we feel like? … Is your species carnivorous, or herbivorous?

Ms. Africa: Omnivorous, really… We’ll eat anything.

Extroid: Nice! What a coincidence! That’s exactly how Zorxumians feed as well!

Nidon: Indeed. Gods are fine with anything as well…

Dinoborg: …

Ms. Africa: Well then… Let’s look around, see if we can eat anything around here…

The group looks around for food in the forest they found. The forest was filled with trees with strange, orange-colored orbs attached to the branches. Never having been outside Africa, Ms. Africa doesn’t recognize the oranges and studies them.

Nidon: Are those… fruits..?

Ms. Africa: I… think so? They grow on trees, so I bet…

Extroid: I’ll try!

The little alien picks one of the fruits from the tree.

Ms. Africa: Careful, maybe it’s toxic..!

Extroid: Sweetheart, I’m about immune to any kind of oral torment, especially alcohol~ I’ll be quite fine.

He smiles at her and takes a bite from the fruit.

Extroid: Blegh..!

He takes out the peel of the fruit, unaware he’s supposed to peel it.

Ms. Africa: Maybe you gotta peel it…

Extroid: Let’s try that!

Extroid picks the peel of the fruit with his two vertical teeth and starts peeling the fruit.

Nidon: Well… at least it’s not toxic?

Extroid: Don’t think so! Outside of the peel, these fruits are pretty good!

Ms. Africa decides to trust Extroid and picks a fruit as well, when suddenly an old lady walks up to them, shouting in Indian.

Ms. Africa: Oh dear… Uhh… Do you speak English..?

???: … This my property! Get out!!

Nidon: Oh my, this is someone’s home..?! Let’s get out of here!

???: Hey! What is..?!

The lady suddenly gets pale upon seeing Extroid and faints. Ms. Africa gasps.

Ms. Africa: Oh no!

She quickly tends to the woman and feels her forehead.

Ms. Africa: … She just had a shock.

Extroid: Eh?

Ms. Africa: People have never gotten in contact with aliens before, let alone aged civilians. Seeing you scared her to death… Not literally! She’s not dead! She needs to cool down…

Nidon: …

Ms. Africa: … Nidon? Help, please!

Nidon: … Right, sorry, just a… flashback…

Ms. Africa raises her eyebrow, but shrugs it off as Nidon lifts the old lady in his arms effortlessly and takes her to her house. Extroid is still confused why the woman fainted, those people back in Africa had no problem with him? Well, not in THIS way… Extroid shrugs it off as he follows, but Ms. Africa stops him.

Ms. Africa: Maybe it’s best if you stay outside… If there’s more people in there…

Extroid: I say “hi, I’m Extroid”! Who the hell cares?!

Ms. Africa: Look, dude, I don’t have a problem with you, but people meeting you for the first time will CERTAINLY get scared… It’s because you’re an alien!

Extroid: Don’t go specieist on me, bud, you don’t know a thing about me!

Ms. Africa: … Whatever that means, just please stay outside… Don’t make a scene for God’s sake..!

At that, Extroid frowns and Ms. Africa goes inside. A little agitated, he stays outside anyway, looking around.

Meanwhile, Nidon places the woman on her bed.

Nidon: How do we… cool her off..?

Ms. Africa: I’ll get some cold water.

She goes to the kitchen, makes a towel wet and walks back to the bedroom. She lightly taps the woman’s forehead with the cold towel as she decides to start a talk.

Ms. Africa: “To cool one off”… Is that a phrase you don’t like..?

Nidon: … Bad memories, is all. He is dead now.

Ms. Africa: Who?

Nidon: Someone I wish to forget. What else can we do for this woman?

Ms. Africa: … Keep her company until she wakes, I guess…

Nidon: I see… But we just stole her fruit…

Ms. Africa: Yes… And I’m afraid Extroid is angry with me…

Nidon: How come?

Ms. Africa: He doesn’t understand humans are neither aware nor appreciative of alien presences…

Nidon: … Is that true..?

Ms. Africa: Otherwise I wouldn’t be saying it, would I?

Nidon: Words can create lies. I know all about that…

Ms. Africa: I hope you’re not saying you think I’m lying.

Nidon: I’m not. I just think that… ugh, never mind. Let’s just cool this woman DOWN and get out of here…

At that, Nidon waves his cave as he turns around, accidentally toppling over some of the woman’s possessions.

Ms. Africa: Careful with that cape..!

Nidon: Did anything break?

Ms. Africa looks at the things and sees nothing is broken.

Ms. Africa: Luckily not…

Nidon: Good. I will be with Extroid. Aliens aren’t welcome after all.

Ms. Africa: Nidon, that’s not what I..! Ugh!!

As Nidon leaves, Ms. Africa’s frustration increases. These so-called advanced creatures don’t understand how underdeveloped this planet actually is, and with Nidon’s words, she was convinced he had trouble trusting her. Why? He was so sure about saving her from her captors, so why did he suddenly suspect her of lying? She sighs as she looks at the woman… who lays there with her eyes open. Ms. Africa gasps.

Ms. Africa: Oh dear..! I’m so sorry about this, miss, I was about to leave your homestead..!

She stands up, but the woman grabs her hand.

???: Don’t… go…

Ms. Africa: Eh..?! But… uhm…

???: You… are… nice… Ugh…

The woman tries to sit up slowly. Ms. Africa gently helps the woman up.

???: Thank… you… W-What… your name..?

Ms. Africa: Uhm… I am Has-…

Hasina was the name of the girl that lived in the camp. She no longer is that person in her eyes, so she quickly corrects herself by faking a sneeze.

Ms. Africa: Hatchie..! Ugh… Excuse me… Eheh…

She gives the woman an awkward smile.

Ms. Africa: I am Ms. Africa… And I am sorry for trespassing… and for the scare… I didn’t mean to alarm you…

???: Is… all right… You… nice… … girl…

The aged, Indian woman is obviously struggling with her English, since Ms. Africa is a “little” older than just a girl. Ms. Africa doesn’t mind, however, and gives the woman a small smile.

Ms. Africa: Are you feeling a little better..?

???: Little… yes… What was… little monster..?

Ms. Africa: Oh, no, it was no monster… It’s a friend, really… HE is a friend… We are… the Outcasts… and we were hungry… I’m sorry we stole from your trees… We will be leaving now…

???: You… beggars..?

Ms. Africa: … I think wild people is more appropriate… Do you know where there are some wild trees..? That don’t belong to anyone..?

???: … Forest… up north… Fruits, animals… everything…

Ms. Africa: Thank you… I will take the scary folks with me… Get well soon, miss..!

???: Kyna…

The woman named Kyna gives Ms. Africa a small smile as she starts getting out of bed.

Ms. Africa: Thank you… Miss. Kyna…

Ms. Africa smiles at Kyna as well and walks out of the little house… only to find Extroid fighting with a peafowl.

Extroid: GET OVER HERE, I’M HUNGRY!!

Suddenly, the peafowl raises its intimidating feathers, scaring Extroid white.

Extroid: HOLY SH-!!

Nidon: What kind of creature is that?!

Ms. Africa: It’s called a bird, leave it alone!

She picks Extroid up and places him on his suit again.

Ms. Africa: Come on, there’s a forest up north, according to miss Kyna!

Nidon: That’s the woman’s name?

Ms. Africa: Would be polite to introduce myself, no? Let’s go back to the ship.

Extroid: How would that bird taste..?

Ms. Africa: I swear, if you kill a bird, I will kill you.

Extroid rises with his suit.

Extroid: Come at me!

Nidon: STOP IT, both of you. Let’s just go to the ship and get our food. The hunger makes us snappy.

Extroid: Or the lack of some trust!

Ms. Africa: I’m traveling with three alien strangers whom I know only for a day. Yeah, I wonder why.

Nidon: Must I really grab you both by the feet and fly to the ship myself?

Ms. Africa: No need.

Still angry at Nidon’s words, she heads back to the ship. Extroid isn’t much happier either.

Extroid: I’m telling ya, Nidon, taking her with us was a bad idea…

Nidon: Easy, Extroid, she is only hungry. And she’s right. We don’t know each other so well.

Extroid: If this is how she is, I don’t need to stay around her. Specieist witch…

At those words, Extroid starts walking after Ms. Africa, still insulted from the lack of tolerance towards alien species. Nidon shakes his head and walks after them. Once they arrive back at the ship, they meet up again with Dinoborg, who still can’t do anything but gaze forward in depression. They traveled this far already, and there is still no sign of dinosaur activity. He still can’t accept being extinct… Who could…



Meanwhile…



???: HAAH!

???2: Hrm..!!

Two mysterious figures appear out of nowhere in the skies of the planet Pekopon, locally known as Earth. The first figure wears a yellow jacket and blue pants, covered with a white cloak, covered with scratches and bullet shots.

???: Hrgh… That accursed machine..!! … Huh?! Where did he go?!

The second figure shrugs. It’s a small, red creature with a black cloak, looking around for something.

???: Hrgh… No matter… He must have gotten lost in time and space… Guess we’ll never see him again. Let’s go down, see where we ended up…

The two entities head lower, where they see a fairly large castle in the land of Romania, Europe. They land on a tower.

???: Hmmm… Interesting architecture… Reminds me of the good old Enigman days…

???2: Zhyrwryzhryw…

The small, red creature can’t speak English, only communicate in an alien language with snapping atomic nuclei, the energy of which, it contains. Interestingly enough, the second, humanoid creature understands what it says.

???: I know even Enigmus was much more advanced, but let’s go inside, perhaps we will be surprised…

At those words, the humanoid smirks and walks inside. With the large staircase circling down, he doesn’t care to walk anymore and starts floating. The second creature doesn’t even touch the ground at all and floats as well. They head on down, eventually ending up in what appears to be a laboratory.

???: Hm! I told you we could be surprised? This looks far more advanced than its pathetic exterior…

???2: Hrm… Zhryw…

The humanoid chuckles and looks around. He comes across a very long coffin.

???: Oh? What do we have here..? A coffin…

The humanoid opens the coffin, revealing a white creature with a long, mechanical tail with barbs on the side.

???: Hmmm… Is this what a native of this planet looks like..?

The second creature shrugs. Suddenly, the creature in the coffin opens its eyes and glares at the humanoid with blood red eyes.

???3: Whoooo… daressssss… interrupt my ssssslumberrrr…

???: I guess that’ll be me, oh, creepy one.

The humanoid says sarcastically. He isn’t afraid at all.

???2: Hrm!

He suddenly points his finger at the pale monster.

???: Easy, master, there is no need to threaten this creature.

Suddenly, the pale creature bites the humanoid in his neck.

???: Agh!

He pulls the creature off his neck, leaving a large bite wound which heals itself. The humanoid was obviously not a human at all. But neither was the snake-like vampire which the humanoid is holding by the neck. The second creature points again, but the humanoid signs the red creature to stand down.

???: Good morning, hungry monster… I’m afraid you woke up in the wrong hands. My name is Halagan, God of Ice. And what is your name?

The humanoid spoke nonchalantly, obviously not caring about what this creature could do, since he was immortal anyway.

???3: Hrrrrrm… I am Count Radu von Hohenssssstein…

Halagan: I’ll just call you Mechatail, considering the mechanical tail you have.

Noticing the tail only now, the vampire hisses in surprise.

Mechatail: WHAT KIND OF SSSSORCCCCERY ISSSS THISSSS..?!!

Halagan: You have obviously been napping for a while… Can you perhaps tell me on what planet we are? Because my master, Neutron Star, and I are quite lost…

The creature called Neutron Star nods in agreement, still on guard of the cybernetic stranger.

Mechatail: Who could have done thissss..?

Mechatail clearly ignored Halagan, still in shock about his new lower half. This irritates Halagan, causing the latter to grab Mechatail by the neck and lift him.

Halagan: Don’t ignore a God now!

Mechatail: A GOD?! Hahahaha! Pleasssse… You are a hooded stranger… I don’t care much about your fate… Get out of my cassssstle!!

Halagan throws the creature back into his coffin and shuts the coffin tight.

Mechatail: HEY!! LET ME OUT!!

Halagan: Master, this creature is rather unconvinced of our power. Destroy his castle.

Neutron Star nods with a smirk. Halagan hurls a torch-like weapon through the ceiling, blasting a hole into the tower. He grabs the coffin and flies up, through the hole he made, while Neutron Star starts shooting transparent rays everywhere, which combust into nuclear explosions, destroying the entire castle. Thirty seconds later, Halagan lands and opens the badly burned coffin again. Mechatail looks around in horror, to find his entire castle blown to smithereens. His black clothes were burned as well thanks to the radiation.

Halagan: Now, let me repeat my question. WHERE. ARE. WE?

Mechatail looks at Halagan in fear, obviously convinced these creatures are more powerful than he could possibly comprehend...

While our heroes are looking for food, two extremely powerful creatures from space meet a cybernetic vampire. The universe is filled with oddities… What’s gonna happen next..? Who are these creatures? Will our heroes find food and become able to get along?

TO BE CONTINUED.