(Meanwhile)
Over in West City, despite it being super early in the morning, things had become quite hectic across the downtown areas of the metropolis. Being one of the few cities built along the coast of the mainland, all of the people who'd bothered to wake up early that Saturday had been able to witness the arrival of the alien planet firsthand, as well as the numerous live media reports to follow. Since it was the start of the weekend, you could understand why most of the population was slow to respond to the development. However, as the minutes of the hour ticked by, more and more people began pooling out onto the streets and by the time the sun began to peak over the horizon, there were well over a thousand people now keeping tabs on the situation.
Though it was a normal routine for some people, for others it was a completely new experience; standing out on the front lawn, in pajamas, with coffee in hand, and staring up at the sky.
Thankfully, unlike previous situations involving extra-terrestrial objects coming into close proximity with the Earth, no riots or panics had broken out in the population centers. Perhaps this was due to the fact that the media and experts had yet to determine exactly who they were dealing with and why the planet had come to their solar system. Or maybe it was because the majority of the population on the western parts of the continent, who were still in the process of waking up, had yet come to terms with the fact that a planet had just popped up right next to theirs and was hovering right over their heads. Perhaps they were used to events like this happening and had built up an immunity to panic. Whatever the case, the authorities had very little difficultly in keeping the public's nerves and actions under control, as tempers across the continent were still at a reasonably calm level.
The same could be said for the people over at Capsule Corp. Out on the front lawn of the company's main building, a handful of the staff had abandoned their work on the production room floors and had come out to see what all the fuss was about. The multitude of workers simply stood out there on the grass and pavement, whispering to each other and wondering whether they were going to receive a visit from some aliens sometime in the next few minutes.
In fact, the crowd of men and women in lab coats and button-up shirts were so occupied with making bets, discussing their real place in the universe, and staring up at the sky that they failed to notice a tall woman, clad in black, metallic armor, float down from the clouds and land on the footpath behind them.
Landing gracefully on the concrete and following the footpath all the way to the front entrance of the company's main building, the feline-humanoid warrior Kure strolled towards the glass doors with a spring in her step and a smile on her face. As she closed the distance to the archway, the cheerful and obviously enthusiastic delegate from another world couldn't help but take a moment to admire the diverse colors and atmosphere of her surroundings.
"Hmm. What an interesting facility. I really like the way the paint scheme compliments the building's shape and structure," Kure whispered in a sing-song voice, at the same time completely overlooking the odd stare she received from the male Capsule Corp employee she passed by on the footpath and walking in the opposite direction. The woman's armor clinked against the concrete floor with every step she took, as she focused primarily on the path ahead and on the mission she'd been dealt by her compatriots. "Now then. Let's see where those big power levels are coming from."
Analyzing the dome shaped factory ahead of her, Kure's visor quickly lit up with the same numbers and readings that'd been displayed to the rest of her group prior to leaving on their respective assignments. Upon confirming that these were the exact coordinates where the power levels had been registering from, even though she could no longer see them, the alien visitor wasted no time in strolling through the automatic glass doors and heading towards what she assumed was the front desk. Passing by a couple security guards that were staring up at the wall television broadcasting news of the alien world with their backs turned to the counter, the armored woman stopped in front of the desk and waited for the young woman working behind it to look up.
When the good-looking teenager with brown hair tied up into a bun, wearing square glasses and a purple suit and skirt, turned to smile at her visitor, she literally balked in surprise when she saw the armor-clad warrior staring down at her. The sight of the oddly dressed person had the secretary clear her throat nervously, "Y-Yes. May I help you?"
Approving of the reception she was receiving thus far, the armored woman with the cat-like tail swishing about behind her responded in kind, "Good morning. My name is Kure Aegean of the Planet Savannah. I'm Second-Lieutenant General to Empress Sandra of the New Saiyan Empire, Head of the Department of Science, Research and Development of Corvus, and primary liaison and advance surveyor of the Halcyon Quadrant's Kio-Jin Republic."
Blinking at the woman's lengthy introduction and title, the secretary then hesitantly turned to her computer screen and opened up today's registration documents. "Do you… have an appointment with us today?"
Kure, puzzled by the sudden question, blinked in confusion, "An appointment? N-No, I don't think so."
"Did you post an online notification to one of our staff requesting a meeting of any kind?"
"Yes. Well, uhh… no. Not exactly. You see…" the armored woman then tried to explain her situation as clearly as she could, but as the eyes of the secretary bore into her visor, the confidence she once held slowly started to drop. "I actually sent out a formal, inter-planetary broadcast over the Earth's airways about forty minutes ago, informing all the population centers and governments that-"
Before she could finish, the naïve but diligent teenager behind the counter quickly cut her off, "I'm sorry, Kure-san. But if you haven't booked an appointment with one of our department officers or staff members, I'm afraid I cannot let you into our building." She said this all with a polite but nervous smile, showcasing how stressful this portion of the job was for her. "You see, due to a recent incident involving one of the president's closest friends, Capsule Corp has been forced to adopt a new civilian and worker's policy, requiring all guests to notify the administration of any visits several hours prior to their arrival. If you have a photo ID with you, I could book you in for an appointment with one of our liaisons at ten o'clock?"
Due to all the information bombarding her right out the gate, it took a moment for Kure to respond to the question before the armored woman finally broke through the ice. "Oh. Y-Yes. Of course." Doing the diplomatic thing, the alien woman reached for her gauntlet and, pressing a couple of buttons, produced a miniature hologram of her picture and profile information to the equally tense secretary. "Is this information sufficient?"
"Yes. That is plenty," the girl in glasses replied, using the hologram as reference as she began typing it into her computer. After getting down all the information necessary and checking the woman's face through her visor for photo and I.D comparison, the clerk nodded in approval before pointing the woman towards one of the couches pushed up against the side of the wall. "Please take a seat, Kure-san. A staff member from administration will be with you in a moment."
"Thank you very much," Kure bowed, deactivating her personalized hologram and slowly making her way over to the designated couch. After inspecting the furniture, the woman then slowly turned and sat herself down. Due to the weight of her armor, the cushions made a low 'urk' sound as pressure was applied to it. When the leg mechanisms locked up, preventing the chair from being squashed any further under the insane weight of her suit, the cat woman then proceeded to wait while the woman at the desk made some calls.
Drumming her fingers against her leg patiently, the armored female then became interested in the Capsule Corp and Woman's Monthly magazines lying on the coffee table beside her. While the security guards continued to busy themselves with the hot news reporter on the television, the interstellar traveler occupied herself with the 'Inventor's Guide by Doctor Briefs' and, for the next several minutes, proceeded to entertain herself with the numerous articles the earthlings had to offer her.
Not the most exciting of entrances she's ever made, but as long as she got to where she was going, Kure was in absolutely no rush…
XXX
(Several minutes later)
(Many miles away)
Back over at Mount Paozu, the peace and serenity created by the sparkling countryside continued to grip the lush mountain regions and the tiny domicile of the Son family. With the white sheets from last night's laundry fluttering about on the line and the birds in the trees serenading away the morning, it seemed like nothing could possibly ruin such a quaint and cheerful setting. Even the grasshoppers appeared entranced by the splendor of it all, bounding around the wide-open valleys with their brothers and sisters, and chirping under the golden rays of the sun.
However, the emptiness and immaculate picturesque setting was soon broken by the arrival of two figures from out of town. Floating down from the sky just like their teammates before them, dressed in black, metal armor and capes, the spiky haired Maya and her tag-along Cal touched down just a few meters away from the entrance to the Son household. Stopping where they landed, the duo then took a moment to analyze the property before the brown haired warrior activated the scanners in her helmet, which quickly projected a series of red numbers and arrows.
Glancing down at her, the enormous bodyguard spoke, "Are we at the right place?"
"Looks like it," the brown haired female replied, the electronics in her visor finishing their calculations on the location and projecting the results to her. "Yep. This is definitely the house Kure sent us to check out… but it seems like only one of the power levels the computers detected is currently inside."
Cal, hearing her puzzled tone, shrugged in a suggestive manner, "The rest of them are probably out at the moment." He then looked over his shoulder curiously. "I'm not picking up anything else. That means their power levels are probably being suppressed."
Marching forward, the armored woman decided to take action, "We'll chase them up in a little while… maybe even ask where they went so that we don't have to waste time and energy flying around in circles. I can't sense jack shit in this stupid helmet." She then rapped the side of her headgear, creating several loud 'ding' sounds every time her knuckles struck the heavy plating. "But first let's find out exactly who's hiding out in this little home." Since their power level was registering at such a high level, even for a normal fighter, Maya imagined that the person it was attached to must've been absurdly intimidating… or at least had the appearance to match their strength. Acting on her adventurous instincts, the armored woman and her partner stopped in front of the wooden, mahogany door, inspected it and, taking a few moments to collate their story, knocked.
It didn't take long before the duo heard a light pattering of footsteps inside the house, shortly before the entrance to the house opened. As soon as the gate swung away, the two armored fighters were greeted by a happy and smiling Chi-Chi.
Adorned in her usual yellow kimono with her hair done up, the raven haired mother spoke in a cheery voice, "Hello. How can I… help-" Her grin quickly faded when she finally registered to the two people standing outside. "Hang on. What? Oh, great. Security salesmen." When she saw the pair of masked figures glance at each other, Chi-Chi rolled her eyes in an exasperated fashion and crossed her arms impatiently. "Listen, if you two guys are here to sell us some sort of top-of-the-line, groundbreaking alarm system or an anti-burglar mesh to put over our doors and windows, we're not interested."
"Uhh…" Maya murmured in confusion, before turning to stare at the woman awkwardly, "We're… not here to sell you any of that. In fact… we're not here to sell anything at all."
The woman's response had Chi-Chi blink in surprise, "Oh? Really?" A smile quickly reappeared across her lips, "Then… are the two of you lost or something?" Looking them over, the owner of the house chuckled and gestured towards them. "Judging from your outfits, I'm guessing you're not exactly here for a company function. Camping holiday? Hunting trip?"
Cal then stepped forward to speak in place of his partner, "No, ma'am. Nothing like that. We're… not actually from around here."
"In fact, we only just arrived in this system a couple of hours ago," Maya concluded with an affirmative nod of her head. When she saw the puzzled look appear on Chi-Chi's face, the woman in the armor elaborated further, "My friend and I have come down to this planet because we're looking for someone."
Chi-Chi blinked, "Looking for someone?"
"Yes." Raising her hands, the armor-plated female then began making descriptive motions with her hands, "The target we're searching for has an outward build and appearance very similar to you humans, with only one or two noticeable differences. The person has a visibly more muscular figure, ideal for exercising enormous bursts of super strength and power, and was born with a brown, furry tail, just like this one." She then pointed behind her, where she then unraveled the monkey-like appendage she had wrapped waist and waved it about in the air for emphasis. The sight of the fifth limb brought an astonished look to Chi-Chi's face, the woman quickly placing her hand over her mouth to suppress her gasp. "Only members of the race known as Saiyans possess these kinds of appendages. Do you happen to know any living on this planet… or perhaps in this general area?"
Sweat breaking out on her face as the woman quickly realized who these two strangers were and what they were looking for, Chi-Chi swallowed nervously and, through a trembling hand, did her best to hold her ground and stand firmly against her visitors. Though in most circumstances she would've taken up arms and tried to chase these two hoodlums off of her property, or at the very least slammed the door in their faces. However, seeing as how both of them appeared armed and battle ready and that one of them was apparently a Saiyan, she knew in her gut that she didn't have a chance of fighting these two off.
So, deciding on the best and most tactful course of action, the brave human woman straightened her back and began to speak, "Okay. I'm sure you two must have traveled a long way to get here and that you're probably tired from your trip, but-"
"Mum? Who's at the door?"
Damn it. Talk about bad timing.
Looking to her left, Chi-Chi saw her youngest son skip out from behind her and into the doorway. Dressed in his orange and blue gi with long sleeves, the chipper and ever-curious Goten was quickly brought to the attention of the two armored figures in the doorway, who looked down to see the hybrid child peering up at them with the cutest, most innocent expression on his face imaginable.
Looking each suit over and tilting his head at the towering figures, the spiky haired boy blinked, before speaking in his typical, country boy manner, "Oh… hello."
Puzzled by his appearance, the visor on Maya's helmet then lit up with various numbers and windows, which began scanning the child in front of her. After several seconds of analyzing the newcomer, the woman's eyes widened in surprise. "Well… what do we have here?" Smile appearing underneath her visor as the readings of her mask dispersed, the armor-clad warrior then took an eager step forward and spoke in a more excited tone of voice, "Looks like we found our first big power level."
Initially perplexed by her words, Goten then raised a finger and pointed at himself, "M-Me?"
"Yep. Who do you think I was talking about?" The spiky haired traveler placed her hands on her knees, bent over, and looked the youngster square in the eye. "I have to admit, you're a lot smaller than I was expecting." She dropped down low enough so that the glass of her mask was just a few inches from the boy's face. "But, since you're still so young, I can see why your energy could go a little wild sometimes… especially when you're running around inside the house. Did you have a big breakfast this morning, short-stack?"
Despite the woman's intimidating appearance in the suit, a smile quickly formed on the demi-Saiyan's face as he gazed back at the woman crouching down in front of him, "Uh-huh." He then raised a hand with two-fingers held up, "I had six of mum's special egg and bacon plates, two bowls of stir-fry, and seven slices of toast. It was delicious." He said this while sparing a glance up at his mother, who smiled back at him nervously.
Maya chuckled at the child's energetic and cheerful nature, which had her tilt her head in a cheerful way, "I'll bet it was." Glancing momentarily towards her comrade, who continued to hold his place and listen in on their conversation, the alien visitor then looked back at the child and gave him a curious stare. "Tell me, squirt… you wouldn't happen to know of any Saiyans living around here, would you?"
"Wha? Saiyans?" Goten repeated, before realization soon clicked on his face, "Oh. Are you and your friend looking for Saiyans?"
The woman answered the boy's innocent question with a nod, "That's right."
"Well… I know that Trunks is half-Saiyan and that his dad is full Saiyan," Goten replied while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. After looking up for a moment and scratching his little noggin, the child then beamed and turned back to the woman squatting down in front of him. "And I'm not sure if I count, but I'm a half-Saiyan too."
Maya tilted her head curiously at this info, "Is that so?"
"Uh-huh," the youngster responded proudly. "I can even transform into a Super Saiyan."
It was this revelation that had the spiky haired fighter murmur in an impressed sounding manner. "Ooh. A Super Saiyan? Now that is interesting." The woman then grinned at the eager and cheerful look on the boy's face. "Do you think you can you show me, squirt?"
"Yeah. No problem," Goten chirped, before clenching his fists and concentrating hard. Scrunching his face up and showing the amount of effort he was now exerting, the boy summoned the huge well of energy stored up inside of him and, with a yell and a flash, he transformed right there on the spot. His golden aura exploding around him prompted his hair to spiky up and turn blonde and his eyes to turn green, a sight that put amazed looks on the visitors' faces. Even Chi-Chi had to take a little step back when she saw her boy assume his race's legendary form right in front of her eyes.
When the winds from the aura eventually died down, the transformed child smiled once again. "What do you think? Pretty cool, huh?"
Shaking off the initial daze, Maya cracked a big smile, raised her hand, and ruffled the blonde's hair in encouragement, which earned a giggle from the super-powered child beneath her, "Not bad, little man. Not bad at all."
While she made this remark outwardly, on the inside, a completely different thought crossed her mind.
"Bingo."
Without needing any further evidence, the young woman reached up and pressed a button on the side of her helmet, causing a small, blinking red light to appear on the side.