Sleepy eyes barely staying open,the sound of metal spoons clanging against almost empty cereal bowls,content smiles all around. If anyone was to tell her this would be in her future years she would have outright laughed at them. How could she not? For so long just the thought of having a future of her own was a joke. Not with what the good doctor had planned for them. Not to mention that stupid little remote of his making sure they complied with every one of his wishes.
A situation for so long she thought along with her twin brother there would be no escaping from. No getting out of making every past mistake of theirs looking like child's play compared to the very one that got them into this mess to begin with.
But she was wrong. So very wrong. They would have a future. A future where they got to choose what was in store for them. Get to choose what they want to make of their lives and it is all thanks to the half asleep little saiyan sitting right next to her. A young man despite their age difference one day could see sharing a happy future with when the time is right. A young man just full of surprises.
When they had first started this training she knew of the possibilities that awaited them. With his father being who he is there was no doubt how strong this young man could grow up to be. She just never dreamed he could become this strong so quickly. A memory that makes Lazuli smile into her mug as she looks towards a half asleep Gohan with a proud look in her eyes.
Not bad. Not bad at all.
It was to be expected. She is afterall one of the strongest fighters on the planet and the number being displayed across the screen just proves this. She just doesn't get why Bulma is so shocked at this? She did warn her well in advance of the tremendous power she and Lapis possess. She would just have to remind the older woman about this later. Right now Lazuli can't help but care less as she stares up proudly at the display screen.
300,000,000
Three hundred million. A number that keeps repeating itself in Bulma's mind as she stares up towards the display screen in nothing but silence. A power level of three hundred million! It was just unheard of! Was simply impossible! No one could be this strong! Even Goku has never been this strong! Not even Raditz had been this strong and he was three times as strong as him but this? This is simply insane! The invading saiyan's messely 1,500 power level would seem like a mere flea bite compared to this!
But deep down she couldn't help but feel relieved as though a huge weight had just come off her shoulders. If Lapis and Lazuli are this strong then there is no reason to worry about the saiyans making their way to Earth as we speak. In fact she can't help but grin inside knowing these invaders will be overmatched the moment these two teenagers make an appearance. The hunters would now become the hunted.
Nodding his head in approval glancing down towards a wide eyes Gohan as a thought comes to the forefront of his mind with a grin coming across his face rearing back with a gentle shove Lapis pushes Gohan forward causing him to stagger over towards a pleased looking Lazuli who can't help but look in their direction with a raised eyebrow when she catches movement out of the corner of her eye.
" Alright it's the moment of truth and I bet my dear sweet Lazuli is dying to know just how strong her knight in shining armor is."
Oh he's going to pay for that one. Just from the way Lazuli instantly starts to glare at him with a faint blush coming across her cheeks. She is gonna get him back for this and he is totally okay with that. Sometimes having to endure her wraith is just worth the risk of seeing that blushing face.
Glancing back and forth between Lapis's grinning face and Lazuli's rapidly blushing face who makes a point to avoid eye contact with him looking over towards Bulma as she simply shrugs her shoulders with a knowing look in her eye deciding to follow in their example slowly Gohan walks past Lazuli to stand on the vacated platform. The only thing Bulma needs to see before she flips the machine back on and watches with anticipation along with Lapis and Lazuli as the display screen displays a rapidly growing number. A massive number making Bulma's smile drop into nothing but shock as it keeps climbing and climbing before the screen goes dead when a small explosion erupts from within the machine sending numerous sparks everywhere causing her to duck for cover.
But they had seen it. The number displayed across the screen. A number for a fracken of a second had been displayed before the screen went dead. A number in which has left Lapis amazed at how much stronger this young saiyan has become in this short amount of time while Lazuli on the other hand grins from ear to ear knowing the best is yet to come.
Snapping back to reality ignoring the grin coming from Lapis for the way she smiles into her mug taking a long deep slip leaning back in her seat just as she turns her attention up towards the ceiling to avoid her twin brother's gaze instantly Lazuli's eyes widen when an unknown energy signature suddenly comes across her display screen. An energy signature she has never felt before. A signature so far away and yet closing in fast. A power level making Lazuli glance over towards Lapis finding him now sitting up straighter in his seat with a knowing smile across his face.
" It's time."
Nodding her head in agreement, returning the smile with one last sip from her mug slowly Lazuli gets up from her seat and looks down towards Gohan finding him looking up at her with a confused look and his spoon stopped half way.
" Go get dressed. We leave in ten minutes. Don't want to keep our guests waiting do we?"
Guests? They are meeting someone today? This he didn't know but as he glances between them only to focus on Lazuli as he sees a knowing smile coming across her face with his eyes widening instantly with a nod of his head Gohan gets up from his seat with his bowl in hand and deposits it into the kitchen sink before he makes a beeline towards his bedroom to get dressed leaving a smirking Lapis staring at his retreating form.
" Aww at the tender age of six and already wrapped around your finger. I can't help but wonder what he'll be like once he reaches puberty."
And there it is! That adorable blush he was looking for. Actually it's even better from the way her face gets redder and redder by the second. Just from this reaction alone he knew she has thought about this quite a few times. He honestly couldn't blame her. Out of everyone on this planet who would ever be worthy enough to be with his twin sister then it would be his little pupil. Oh sure he would have to tease them non stop about it until they are red in the face. Even in front of their future kids, assuming the doctor didn't do anything to Lazuli to ensure such a possibility was taken away from her.
Honestly! Doesn't he have anything better to do!?
It was like he does this on purpose. Actually she can totally see that. Could see him just laying on his bed looking up towards the ceiling with a grin just thinking of ways to embarrass her. Has she ever thought about a possible future between herself and Gohan? Kinda hard not to. In fact she has spent many nights just thinking about what a possible future might look like between them and frankly she has enjoyed everything she has imagined so far.
But that doesn't mean she will let this comment slide. No far from it. If he wants to play this way, fine. She'll just have to come up with a suitable punishment for him later. Right now however her mind can't help but stay focused on the task at hand. The incoming saiyan invaders. Oh sure when they had first heard about these saiyans coming to Earth,she had been rather intrigued. To think there truly are other life forms out there amongst the stars.
However over these past few months though the danger these saiyans represent prove to be great to those outside of this hut the intrigue was no longer there. Not after the Goku wannabe and his band of idiots decided to drop by planting that massive tree. What did they call it again? The Tree of Might? Pretty lame name if you ask her though the fruit wasn't half bad. She only wishes they had some more. Perhaps she would just have to pay the site a visit in the future to see if any seeds from this precious tree can be found.
Saiyan invaders that proved to be no match for them. Even the energy readings she is getting right now makes her sigh in disappointment. Two signatures that aren't even worth their time really. Mere pesky little cockroaches in her book. Even the strongest of the two invaders wouldn't be able to lay a single finger on anyone inside of this hut. In fact she would venture to guess all it would take is one hit to end this invader's miserable existence.
But a promise is a promise and she is a woman of her word. She had promised Gohan that they would help take care of these saiyans once and for all. Even if it would be a rather boring experience for her and her twin brother.
The very same thoughts running through the mind of Lapis. Oh sure he isn't one to back down from a fight but this would be no mere fight. It won't even be a sparring contest. In fact he doesn't have words to describe it other than one. Boring plain and simple. These saiyans are not on his level. Even if they trained for a hundred years straight they would never be on his level. This simple fact making Lapis frown as he leans back in his seat with his hands tucked behind the back of his head and his feet coming to rest on the kitchen table causing an annoyed look to come across Lazuli's face.
" So not to be the bearer of bad news but doesn't it feel like our presence isn't really needed in this one? I mean yeah we promised Gohan that we would take care of these saiyans but let's face it they're not on our level."
For once she had to agree with him wholeheartedly. He's right. These saiyans aren't anywhere near close to being on their level. They might be on The Z-Fighters level but they on the other hand are in a totally different league. Still though as Lazuli gives her full attention towards Lapis,she can't help but wonder just where he is going with this.
" As much as it pains me to mutter these words, you're right. They aren't on our level. To be quite frank they aren't even worth our time."
Another fact they could agree one hundred percent on. Just what would be the point? Show up for five seconds to evaporate these invaders with a single energy blast before going home and calling it a day? Rather boring in their book. She knows it and he knows it as well.
Letting out a sigh taking a peek around the corner, finding the door to Gohan's bedroom closed leaning back against the sink behind her,Lazuli crosses her arms over her chest.
" And as boring as it may be we did promise Gohan,we would take care of these big bad scary saiyans."
" About that. I was thinking? Why don't we let those precious Z-Fighters handle it?"
Now this certainly catches Lazuli's attention causing her to direct her attention away from the ceiling to look back towards a grinning Lapis with a are you kidding me look.
" Don't make me laugh Lapis. You and I both know none of them stand a chance against these saiyans. Even that disgusting bald headed green skinned bastard is no match against either of them and it took him along with Goku to take down this Raditz according to Gohan."
She is right of course. Even after training for well over a year none of these Z-Fighters are remotely on the same level as these incoming saiyans. If they were to work together possibly but he seriously doubts their combined might would make a difference. Still though it would prove to be quite entertaining for them.
" Yeah but come on! Don't tell me you aren't in the least bit curious to see what these Z-Fighters are made of? If anything it should be fun to watch."
Opening her mouth only to instantly close it for the first time truly not knowing what to say Lazuli stares at Laps with nothing but confusion causing his lips to curl up into a knowing smile.
" So? What do you think?"
What does she think? That is an interesting question itself. What he is suggesting is so irresponsible of them. On the other hand it doesn't seem so far-fetched. Aren't these Z-Fighters supposed to be the protectors of this planet? If they want to play superheroes that's fine with her. She has better things to do.
Before she can give Lapis a straight answer however, the sound of Gohan's bedroom door opening draws Lazuli's attention away from Lapis to look down the hallway. Footsteps also drawing Lapis's attention as he turns in his seat before a wide grin comes across his face when Gohan emerges back inside of the kitchen fully dressed wearing what the young man considers to be his most prized possession. The very sweatshirt gifted to him on his birthday. A sight making Lazuli smile brightly as she makes her way over to kneel down to be at his eye level before she gently pats and smooths down his long black hair away from his eyes causing Gohan's cheeks to blush bright red.
" That's better."
Smirking at his embarrassed look rising up to her feet with a glance towards Lapis seeing him wagging his eyebrows up and down at her rolling her eyes, Lazuli nods her head towards the open doorway.
" Let's get this show on the road."
Nodding his head in agreement, getting up from his seat with a quick stretch of his arms slowly as Lapis makes his way to walk past Lazuli, an outstretched arm makes him come to a pause to look straight at her with a confused look.
" About what you said. Keep it between ourselves. If things get out of hand however…."
Grinning widely at what his twin sister is trying to say, nodding his head,Lapis waives her off and moves past her.
" Say no more. My lips are sealed."
Smiling briefly at his retreating form as she makes to follow after him suddenly Lazuli comes to a stop with her eyes going wide when Lapis stops after a couple of feet to look back her way with a wide grin.
" Your lips however are the ones in question. So tell me little sis when are you going to stop teasing the boy and give him a big sloppy kiss? When he's ten? Fifthteen? Eighteen? Would be ironic for the last one wouldn't it?"
He just had to get one last one in didn't he? And he knows fully well her policy on no energy balls in the hut! Why oh why did she have to come up with that dumb rule!? A rule he uses to his advantage way too much as Lapis just grins and quickly jogs away before Lazuli snaps out of her daze and with a growl chases after him with her left hand starting to glow bright blue.
This is the place.
If her calculations are correct and she fully knows well they are, this will be the place. The very battlefield where arguably this world's greatest threat will be annihilated once and for all. There wouldn't be too much to it really. It is as Lapis has stated many times already. They are on a whole different level. Possess a power these saiyans could only dream of having.
Speaking of saiyans,they sure are taking their sweet time showing up here. How long has it been already? Ten,twenty minutes? She can't recall. What she does know is these invaders were already starting to bug her. Are already starting to test her patience as Lazuli sits on the edge of a cliff with her head in her hands looking bored out of her mind while Gohan sits quietly to her right dangling his feet off from the edge. The exact opposite reaction Lapis is having as he stands upright just staring up towards the sky with a smirk across his face.
Only he would be excited about something like this. Wasn't he the one who made the case why participating in this whole thing would be rather pointless? After All these saiyans are no threat to them. Only a threat to the weak minded inhabitants of this planet. Just like those precious Z-Fighters down off in the distance looking as brave as ever just waiting for these saiyans to arrive just like they are.
A band of misfits in her book. A group of fighters that don't impress her. Not in the slightest. To think these fighters have been training nonstop for the last year in preparation for this day only to turn up here with such weak power levels. To think Piccolo's messely 3,500 power level is the strongest of the bunch.
Pathetic! And this is supposed to be this planet's last defense? They mind as well kill themselves right now.
It's true. Just from her readings alone even if every single one of these Z-Fighters were to gang up on one saiyan,they still wouldn't stand a chance. The reading she is getting from one of these saiyans alone is 4,000 and that is from the weakest one. The other however slightly interests her but not by much. His power level of 18,000 might be impressive to others but not to her.
Energy signatures she can sense getting closer and closer by the second but not fast enough to her liking. Still though she can't help but feel disappointed. Not one of these Z-Fighters has even noticed they've been sitting here watching them. In another universe they would already be dead for this mistake.
But that is something she'll never have to think about again when suddenly Lazuli snaps her head up along with Gohan when a small dot can be seen descending down from high above. A dot that grows bigger and bigger followed by another with no signs of slowing down. These pods of some kind. These circular space crafts that without any warning smash directly into the ground back to back causing large dirt clouds to erupt from the ground and cover the air. An entrance that makes Lazuli raise an eyebrow in annoyance from the way her view is suddenly blocked by this inconvenience while Lapis looks on with a widing grin as Gohan leans forward hoping to get a better glimpse of these saiyans.
And he isn't disappointed when the dirt clouds evaporate revealing the damage from the saiyans' arrival causing his eyes to widen. These two large craters smashed in the ground with these two space crafts surprisingly undamaged resting in the center. Pods he has seen before but not like this. Not like how the moment they open up with two opposing figures stepping out of them.
One in which he could be considered to be the biggest man he has ever seen. This towering baldheaded man with a nasty smirk across his face. A man who looks around for a split moment before his eyes come to rest on the Z-Fighters and he ascends up out of the crater to tower over the much smaller fighters.
As for the other? Something about him just makes his skin crawl. Makes him feel nothing but anger inside. This jet black long haired man wearing some kind of protective armor. A saiyan who doesn't bother hiding his cocky smirk as he too ascends out of his pod before he comes down to land on the ground with his saiyan comrade following in his wake.
He just wished he knew what they were saying. Gohan might not know but that doesn't apply to either Lapis or Lazuli and what they are hearing coming from down below is quite interesting.
Namek huh? Well, I guess that explains where that pointy eared bastard came from. Did that idiot really think he was an earthling? Hmph moron!
So he's from another planet big deal. It won't matter in the end anyways. Before the day is over this namekian will be dead either by the hand of one of these saiyans or her own. One of the main reasons why Lazuli even decided to come out here in the first place. Just the image of seeing this namekin's shock and horror filled eyes as she squeezes the life out of him makes her smile inside.
Interesting they're learning. Perhaps I didn't give those idiots enough credit.
Suppressing their power levels. Not terribly hard to do but to think these Z-Fighters actually have the smarts to do such a thing. A thought alone that makes Lazuli mimic Gohan and lean forward to get a better view with her eyes showing nothing but interest to now what is unfolding down below.
Maybe I was wrong? Just maybe those idiots actually have a….oh god! That is so disgusting!
She has no words to describe what she sees happening down below. Lapis on the other hand does however. The way suddenly these little green soldier-like creatures pop up from the ground like a crop waiting to be picked. What did one of those saiyans call them? Saibamen? Regardless of the name Lapis can't help but feel fascinated by these little beings. How somehow each of these little minions possess a power level of 1,200. A power level almost matching every single member of The Z-Fighters.
Oh I've got to learn how they do that.
He had been right all along like he knew he was. They were about to be treated to a good show. Now it was a matter of watching the fireworks fly.