When the group eventually arrived at the foyer where the presentation was set to be held, every one of them was surprised at the room they found waiting for them. Everywhere they looked across the center, from the stage to the seats, they saw security guards dressed in suits posted all over, with equipment and machinery built specifically by Talos Industries on display on numerous temporary stations. There were also banners with the company's logo inscribed on them hanging high up in the rafters, in a way that made this seem like a military rally or a presidential fundraiser.
After the troop eventually found their way to their seats directly in the center of the procession and watched as the rest of their peers followed shortly afterwards, they were able to get a full view and appreciation of the setup. Over the next several minutes following that, the boys and girls of the institute then waited patiently for the assembly to begin, and occupied themselves by admiring the various inventions and marvels spread out across the hall before them.
As Gohan, Videl, Lime and Erasa enjoyed a very spirited conversation about an upcoming gaming convention, and Touya and Yuki also busied themselves by talking about a place they could go to on their next date, the hall of three-hundred plus students was effectively silenced by the appearance of the district's overseer. Approaching the podium with her hands behind her back, the principal, an anthropomorphic Siberian tiger in a blue suit and skirt, stood before the school and locked eyes with the sea of teenagers. The moment she appeared, the hall went dead quiet and all of the students rose out of their seats in a show of respect.
"Good afternoon everyone," the woman greeted, her voice firm and amplified by the microphone in front of her. A smile also framed her rosy red lips. "I'm sure you're all very excited about this afternoon's assembly, because we have a very special and important guest joining us today. He is a man known all over the world for his big heart, his efforts in helping the disenfranchised, and his innovations in the fields of technology and medicine, which have provided aid and comfort for millions of people across the globe. His efforts have been an inspiration for many and a guiding light for more to follow, so be sure to give him a warm and well-deserved welcome to our ranks. Remember, all of you are representing Orange Star High school, so I expect each and every one of you to show the proper respect and civility you would show any new member and visitor to our community." Once she was certain she'd said her piece and that all of the students had heard her loud and clear, Ms. Valentine then took a step to the side and held her hand out towards the edge of the stage. "Now… without further ado, I would like all of you to welcome Sir Kaiser Talos!"
Almost immediately the entire hall erupted into rapturous applause as the big man himself marched up onto the stage from behind the adjacent curtain, where a couple of suit-wearing sentries could be seen standing guard.
The audience of teenagers cheered loudly and blew the man whistles as he waved to them. When he eventually arrived at the podium and gripped hold of the edges for a secure position, Gohan and Videl saw a person they just did not expect.
This Kaiser fellow was dressed in a suit and shoes, for sure. Though it was oriental in its design and had been neatly pressed for the occasion, this was nothing out of the ordinary for someone of his position and standing to wear. No. What surprised the demi-Saiyan and Videl most about the person when they saw him appear on stage, was the look he had on his face and the air he conveyed when he took position behind the pedestal. He had all the bearings of a gentleman, and as he waved back at the people gathered in front of him, all of whom were cheering him on, the company owner smiled in an incredibly reserved and tame manner, and did his best to return their enthusiastic greetings with a thumbs-up and a V-sign. Hell, despite being a handsome devil, with slicked-back hair, and a tastefully trimmed mustache and beard, he didn't even try to wink at anyone or make a show of himself.
He came across as just some ordinary guy who needed to show his face to the public. It actually put a smile on Gohan and Videl's faces to see that.
"Thank you. Thank you, so much. You're all very kind," Kaiser exclaimed, waving his hands toward the crowd in a gesture for them to settle. "Please. Sit down." In a matter of moments, silence fell over the mass of onlookers, which was quickly followed by the entire collection of students sitting down at once. Upon hearing the last chair squeak into place as the crowd got comfortable inside the hall, the man in the suit beamed and nodded towards his audience in acknowledgement. "I have to say, it is a real honor, a privilege, and a pleasure to be standing up here on this stage, ready to give a speech to all of you young, hard working men and women. Looking across this sea of faces and seeing all of you smiling back at me, I see reflected in all of you virtuous spirits aspiring to make something of yourselves some day. If life has taught me anything about the human spirit, it is that ambition is the element that guides us along the path of righteousness and passion is the fuel that drives us forward, compelling us to reach our desired goals." Breaking off into a few seconds of pause, the man with the goatee then breathed a sigh of relief and tugged on his collar humorously. "Man… and the boys back at the lab said I couldn't give a good introduction. How about that?"
His question drew a collective laugh from the crowd, including Gohan and his friends, all of whom were listening intently. Hearing the man clear his throat and chuckle a few seconds later, they then watched as he gripped both sides of the plinth and, straightening his back, faced the crowd with a warm smile and a firm gaze.
"But all kidding aside, I'd like to take a moment to get a little bit more serious now," the bearded company owner began, before then raising his hand in a very Bill Clinton manner. "Many people believe life is easy and that we can coast through it without a care in the world. We've grown to think in our young lives that things are simply… handed over to us on a silver platter. Trophies… medals… commendations… awards… diplomas… jobs. Many of you may be thinking to yourselves that by kicking back and taking it easy that I can just be awarded on my presence and participation in any kind of event. While in some cases that is true, the hard fact of life is that there is no award for just being around. No one can achieve anything, even a basic cost of living allowance, by simply sitting around and not doing any work. That privilege has to be earned." Kaiser then steeled his face and gripped the podium tightly once again. "I am a man who came from humble beginnings… someone who started out life as a starry-eyed youngster from a far-off country town… with a dream of changing the world and making it a better place. To get to where I wanted to be, I worked hard, I studied hard, I listened to my teachers, and I strove to be the best that I could possibly be. And no matter what obstacles stood in my way, I overcame them with a combination of determination and perseverance."
When he noticed the number of approving and interested looks being directed at him from the many teenagers across the large hall, the man then stepped to the side of the podium and grabbed the microphone. Pushing back his hair and adjusting his collar, he then continued to address his eager audience with a smile on his face and enthusiasm in his voice.
"I believe that education is one of the most important aspects of our society and is a subject that is continuously being addressed by both governments and communities across the globe. My schooling was what helped get me to where I am today, and I think that it is up to all of us, students, teachers, parents, businessmen, officials and politicians alike, to support our schools and to encourage our children's education in every possible way that we can," Kaiser informed, once again raising his fist and clenching it tightly, showing just how passionate he was about this position. When he heard a positive murmur start up amongst his audience, the man with the goatee then stepped further to the side and began making his way over to the edge of the stage. As soon as he did, he pulled out a clicker from his pocket and pressed it, causing the overhead screen to lower and the lights to dim, indicating the coming of a slideshow. "One of Talos Industries' main focuses is supporting schools, early development centers and child care institutes across the continent, to ensure that all children and young adults receive the best in quality education they can afford. To show you exactly what kind of provisions and programs we provide at my company, here is a little informational video that I'm sure all of you will find to be quite insightful…"
And so his presentation portion of the billionaire's speech began. He went on to talk about all of the extra-curricular opportunities and programs that his business provided for various schools across the world, as well as the numerous accomplishments he and his organization have achieved on the side of education. Following up on this, the man then went on to talk about the marvelous career paths that his corporation had in store for students aspiring to move up in the world, and presented them with a whole list of areas they could apply for at the end of their graduation, and the prerequisites that were necessary. He also informed them of scholarships for all those looking to study abroad in preparation for a higher tier position in his company.
These were all fine and dandy, but then he started getting into the real thick of the subject, and that was presenting all of the latest inventions his business had on the market. Not only did he show off a new type of aerial transport and a prototype engine powered solely on food scraps and rubbish, he also introduced to the kids a whole bunch of smaller inventions that have made lives across the world so much more convenient. This included a new type of phone rivaling one of Capsule Corp's latest models, an instant coffee heater, a blood transfusion machine that helped cure people of Hepatitis by switching out the fluids in their bodies, a new laptop with the latest software patches, and an instant plant grower.
Once all the displays were over and Kaiser returned to the stage, he once again emphasized the importance of education, before going on to say how he was hosting a charity banquet in a couple of weeks time. After all that was said and done, he thanked the audience for their attendance and received a standing ovation in return. Sometime afterwards, the teenagers in the foyer were dismissed by their principal for lunch, and while most of the people their vacated into the hallways, those who lagged behind were unexpectedly graced with the presence of the billionaire philanthropist himself, who came down from behind the stage to interact with his fans and supporters.
Gathering in the middle of the isle, Gohan, Videl and the others of their troop watched Kaiser from several yards away as he spoke with several of the students and shook hands with them. As he was setting up to have selfies taken with the girls, the demi-Saiyan smiled in the magnate's direction and nodded in approval.
"He seems like a really great guy," the spiky haired hero exclaimed. "He's calm, collected, he speaks highly of all of the people working at his company… and he's really approachable as well."
"The same can be said for a lot of other celebrities in the world," Videl added, her arms wrapped around Gohan's as she looked across at the billionaire along with her group, "The only difference here is that Kaiser is a businessman… not a rock star or an actor."
"Kaiser is regarded as one of the most powerful and influential people on the planet, who has shaken hands with leaders and kings across dozens of nations from here to the West Coast. Though his company isn't as popular or as wide spread as Capsule Corp's, Talos Industries is definitely one of the most active, daring and intrepid in the service. It helps that they are being spearheaded by an equally bold director," Touya said with a proud smile in play. Folding his arms as he watched the kingpin of the corporation chat with the girls and boys gathered around him, the sportsman then glanced across at his girlfriend with a look of amazement. "Can you believe that he climbed the highest mountain in the world just to scout the perfect location for a space elevator?"
This was just a concept though. They were still working out all the details and design ideas, something that the boss wanted to share with the school as part of his post-graduate induction program.
The doe-girl Yuki smiled and shrugged, "I guess eccentric billionaire businessmen are like that sometimes… particularly if you've got enough money to buy out several cities at the same time, just to have all of the roads and highways redone with eighty percent fewer traffic lights."
"That's a really awesome way to reduce roadblocks and jams," Erasa remarked, smiling agreeably with Gohan and the others. "It makes it a heck of a lot easier to get to where I'm going."
"Especially since you still drive like a madwoman," Lime added with a teasing grin.
This earned a mock glare from the blonde standing across from her, "Shut it, Lime. You're no better at driving than I am."
"At least I haven't been pulled over yet for going ten miles over the speed limit." The brown haired girl flicked her nose towards Erasa in an all-knowing manner. "Remember that ride we took a few days ago?"
"That? That was just a cop pulling over random cars for inspection, that's all."
"Yeah. Sure. Just keep telling yourself that."
"Girls, please," Videl breathed exasperatedly as she held her hand out and glared between the two bickering friends. When she saw them stop but continue fuming at one another, the crime fighter continued, "If there's ever a time for you to be acting like a couple of kids… this isn't it."
She was so set in pushing the two tigresses apart that she missed the snickers from Touya and Yuki behind her.
Grinning down at the sight of his girlfriend breaking up the squabble, Gohan then looked back across at Kaiser to see the entrepreneur bid farewell to the people around him. Over the last forty five minutes they'd gotten to learn about this man's history, his skills, and his character, as well as learn about the ins-and-outs of the enormous company he ran. Though the demi-Saiyan already had intimidate knowledge of what the atmosphere of a world renowned corporation was like, along with how the staff and president went about doing their work, seeing another business owner outside of Bulma Briefs and hearing the ideas he had to share with them was a surprising breath of fresh air. At least in this case, the man didn't have to juggle responsibilities between dealing with a multi-billion zeni company and a full-blooded Saiyan Prince and a half-Saiyan child at the same time.
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