*The EDC decided, with his permission, to put a tracking chip in Jiban for just such an occasion and they haven't found it's signal which means one of two things, either the enemy discovered and destroyed it before a trace could be started or...*

*Or Jiban's dead, right?*

(Sighs) *unfortunately you're correct*

*Then we'll have to hope it's just that the tracking chip was discovered*

*Agreed*

*In the meantime though you have paperwork you need to deal with for us, it's about the incident that started this whole mess two days ago*

*Wait why do I?...oh guess I forgot to actually write the report, sorry guys thought I had done that and you just reminded me that I actually haven't yet*

*Nope you haven't or if you did you did it at the EDC base and they didn't give it to us as is standard procedure*

*Right, guess I should get working on that now, and fair warning the EDC doesn't expect me back at base for a few hours so I want to do some training with you guys after the report is finished*

*Understood*

Thirty minutes later and the officers were getting an intense training session with Zoe, even if it was just hand-to-hand combat training per an agreement made right before training began which lasted for three hours before a mandatory two hour break was called since the group had imposed five minute breaks between bouts at Zoe's and the Chief's insistence and during lunch Yoko speaks up after a thought comes into her head

*Hey Kerenai, do you remember the day we first realized how often you might work with Jiban due to that alliance?*

*Yeah...yeah I remember alright*

Just under two years ago

Zoe and Naoto were simply enjoying time together in the nearby park when suddenly they hear signs of trouble and decide to investigate just in case it was something Naoto as a police officer or Zoe as an EDC kid should get involved in since the signs of trouble might not actually be trouble as they well knew

"Naoto, is it just me or does that look like human criminals joining forces with Bioron?"

"Not sure, think we should investigate though just in case it is"

"Indeed, especially because it looks like, and this is without my special contacts being used, those weapons are EDC weapons, or at the very least weapons that EDC allies use"

Ultimately it was regular criminals teaming up with Bioron and so Naoto managed to get away long enough to change into Jiban, now then part of the plan was that Zoe would pretend to be an innocent bystander who managed to accidentally get caught up in everything and thus she was captured but also quickly broke her bonds though the enemy wasn't aware of it. And she simply waited for the moment to act come and managed to hear a very valid comment that she also knew wouldn't be believed

*I should warn you that even if you stop me I'm not the only threat present here at the moment*

*Yeah right, like we'd really believe that*

*Believe me or not it's true and I felt it best to warn you*

*Well we don't believe you*

The group brutally cuts Jiban down right afterwords but they wouldn't manage the killing blow they intended because Zoe had activated her shields for Jiban's protection and once he was down she got up and spoke in a very low, dangerous tone of voice

*You know, you should really have paid attention when Jiban said that he wasn't the only threat present here against you guys*

*Oh really, like a child is going to stop us*

*That was your last and final warning, Arranyan swords*

Suddenly the criminals were very, very scared because a child was suddenly holding very sharp weapons in her hands

*You...you wouldn't*

*Oh yes I would and I'm going to prove it now*

And with that the fight started and Zoe proved just how competent she was with the weapons and with the help of the police that arrived soon after she took care of the criminals that had knocked Jiban out cold

*Kerenai, is Jiban?...*

*No, he's alive but unconscious, want me to call the EDC to take care of him?*

*Please do*

And with that Zoe calls her family and they pick both of them up at the same time and take them back to base so that Jiban aka Tamura Naoto could be given the treatment he needed for his wounds. Four hours later and the doctor comes out

*Good thing we have the ability to treat him, he might not have survived otherwise*

*Wait, but I...*

*What you did helped keep him alive Kerenai, there's no doubt about that but somehow the weapons went past your shields and did enough damage to non-critical parts that critical parts were affected*

*Understood*

*Zoe, you're going to need to go to the station and make some sort of excuse for Tamura*

*Right, guess I'll have to think about something quickly then*

Fortunately Zoe succeeds in making up an excuse for Naoto and within three days he was back on duty

Present

*That was certainly an interesting time, and even then it took us another three months to find out about your unique abilities*

*That's because they weren't exactly needed, that and the fact that depending on the situation there's So. Much. Paperwork. I just really didn't want to deal with unless absolutely necessary*

*Hang on, we didn't have to deal with any paperwork when you revealed your powers to us though*

*That's because all the paperwork was on my end this time, as police officers you have basic clearance for my special abilities meaning that just using them in front of you doesn't force you to sign paperwork stating that you'll not tell anyone about said powers*

*You have to justify your use of powers in front of civilians every time it happens don't you?*

*Yep, when it happens only in front of officers there's not nearly the same amount of paperwork but unfortunately I do still have to deal with some of it*

*How much?*

*Not a lot, just mainly filling out an incident report that's combined with a police report if such is needed plus explaining in detail how many officers saw me use my abilities and why I needed to use them in the first place*

*Still, to think that we never knew about the chip until now...*

*That was Jiban's request guys, he has his reasons for that, let's just hope that we find him even without the chip working like it should be*

*Agreed, now then we still have an hour before we get back to training unless something comes up so since lunch is over with let's just do some backlog paperwork while Kerenai here can use the shooting range*

*Good idea, I need to get in some shooting anyways and the range at the base is currently down for everyone, the Cybertronians are not happy about that by the way so if you suddenly get requests from the smaller members of the Cybertronians to use your gun range don't be surprised*

*Understood, how long will the range be down anyways?*

*Um...not sure actually*

*Right we'll be on the lookout and warn other stations as well unless it's just your base that's having the problem*

*It's just this base fortunately*

*Got it, in any case though we really do have paperwork to do until we can get back to sparring unless something comes up*

*Right, I understand*

Thirty minutes later though the radio blazed to life and the officers had to rush out on an urgent case which involved a potential Bioron sighting and Zoe had overheard it because of the fact that she was in the office at the time due to the fact that there were a few reports that needed her signature on them as well that she had been unaware of at the time the reports were initially made

*I'm joining guys*

*But Kerenai...*

*No buts, Jiban taught me how to fight his enemies and that's what I'm going to do in his absence*

*Fine, just be careful*

*Will do*

The group gets to the fight and it ultimately takes them about fifteen minutes to deal with the enemy and that was with Zoe using her most powerful attacks

*Finally I was about ready to call in backup*

*I bet you were, at least things are calmer now though*

*Agreed, and now we all have paperwork to deal with and that means once I'm done I have to go home because the EDC needs to know about this*

*Right, want a ride back to base?*

*No thanks*

*Fine then, but you're getting a ride back to the station in any case*

*Understood I won't argue against that since I know better*

Once the report was done at the station Zoe went back to base and made her report for her family and the EDC and then helped in the search for Jiban

"Zoe, what if we don't ever find any trace of his chip?"

"Then we look the old fashioned way and hope that we find him alive"

"Very well let's hope it's soon"

"Agreed"

The group didn't know it at the time but it would be quite some time before they managed to actually get any leads regarding Jiban that were deemed solid leads in the meantime though they had plenty to keep them busy

*You know, one would think that with Jiban...missing Bioron would give us some sort of a break*

*Not likely Yoko, my family figured that the enemy would take advantage of the situation*

*Right, let's get going in the meantime*

*Agreed*

*For Jiban?*

*For Jiban*

And so the group fought Bioron for the first time without Jiban and while it wasn't easy they managed to do so and also deal with the emotional fallout from having to fight Bioron with the knowledge that Jiban wasn't going to come help bail them out

*Jiban...this is what you would have wanted right?*

*I'm sure it is Zoe, I'm sure it is*

*Yoko I...never mind*

*No Zoe, something's bothering you*

*That may be the case but I can't talk about it right now, maybe sometime in the future though*

*Maybe but...in the meantime I have a request*

*Let me guess, taking Naoto's place until he's available?*

*Yes*

*I'm sorry Yoko, but Naoto made a request that we're honoring which is that he's the only representative from the police, I know you want to help us now that he's gone at the moment but unless you decide to learn English for yourself and not a job we can't accept your help*

*But I...*

*Listen Yoko, it takes time to learn a new language, plus...well we have our reasons for not accepting anyone else from the police as a liaison*

*Understood but...I actually still want to come to base regularly to practice learning English because this is just for myself...mostly anyways*

*Yoko...*

*Look, there's a lot more tourists coming to Japan and many of these tourists are from English speaking countries, it would be nice to facilitate communication while waiting for an official translator*

*I see, makes sense actually*

*Plus well I...I've always wanted to visit America or Britain and...*

*Right, guess learning English will really help with that*

*Indeed it would*

*We'll send someone besides our liaison to the police here on a regular basis but for now you still aren't allowed on base, we have our reasons for that*

*Very well I understand and will comply with restrictions*

*Thanks, now then for now I have reports to write so I guess I'd best be getting back to base*

*Guess so, see you soon though Kerenai*

*Right, see you guys soon*

Two hours later and Zoe was finished with her reports

"Finished, now then make sure these also get to the police, there's some training suggestions in there that will help in the future I hope, training that's needed with Jiban...well you guys know"

"Right, we'll make sure to send these reports over immediately"

"Thanks, now then I need to get some training in myself so don't expect to see me until dinner time at the earliest"

"Understood, but still I think Ratchet has something to say regarding your training lately"

"Don't care Jazz, right now I need to get stronger so that I can protect Japan in Jiban's place, until he's found or he's confirmed dead I'm one of the only people who can fight against Bioron properly"

With that Zoe goes to the simulation room and does several hours of training and still doesn't feel like she was making much progress in being able to properly fight Bioron, this was because she was training not only with her powers but also without since she knew that the enemy might have a means of neutralizing her abilities at any given point

"Zoe, enough"

"No First-Aid, not yet, I'm not strong enough"

"Well for now it's time to eat so enough is enough, besides you have school tomorrow and I don't think you've done any homework recently"

"Yes I have, but in any case I didn't realize the time so I'll stop for the day"

"Good, now then wash up and then come join us for dinner"

"Understood"

A month later and the officers finally asked a question that Zoe had been expecting since she had first gotten to know Naoto nearly two years earlier

*Hey Zoe, how is it you're able to take and dish out hard punches and kicks?*

*I train with EDC training robots almost daily, after years of doing something like that you build up endurance and strength* (thinks) "though my powers also affect things and make me stronger than the average EDC kid who's had my level of training with regards to the training robot level I'm currently at"

*Oh, okay makes sense then*

*Indeed it does, how goes the language lessons anyways Yoko?*

*Slow, making time for practice and having someone come isn't as easy as I thought it would be*

*I'm sure it isn't, and quite frankly the only reason I know as many languages as I do is because for whatever reason languages come easily to me*

*Got it, so practice should still be a thing right?*

*Yes*

*By the way, superiors want to talk to you about your fighting Bioron a month ago*

*I thought they read the report?*

*They did, they still want to talk to you though for some reason*

*Fine I'll meet them tomorrow, but today I have some where's else I need to be*

The next day Zoe meets up with the police superiors and finds that what the police wanted to know was if she could have a pager for whenever there was a Bioron attack on her person and if she could also be part of the training that they were implementing for officers to learn how to fight Bioron

*Sure but...if I'm at school...*

*It's okay we'll talk to the school and figure something out for you I promise*

*Thanks and if I don't answer the call it's because something else more important is going on*

*But of course*

Zoe would keep the pager for the next two years when shortly after turning seventeen she decided to take the American GED which she knew would be accepted in Japan through a special agreement for EDC kids and passes said test graduating from High School

"Zoe, while we're happy for you why did you decide to push graduation forward by a year?"

"I can't stay in school any longer because I'm going crazy in there, I've not only learned everything I need to know to graduate already but I...I can't stay away from the Jiban investigation any longer, I can't, there's been too many times where me being involved in the investigation would have helped and you guys can't deny that"

"Okay, so what are your plans then?"

"Getting a job at the police station, I'm not going to try and join the police force at this time but I do want to work with them"

"Very well"

As it would turn out the police had been waiting for Zoe to graduate from high school before offering her a job, though they had expected the graduation to happen at eighteen and not seventeen

*Still, are you sure you can handle this Kerenai?*

*Oh yeah I can handle it*

*Very well then*

And with that and some paperwork Zoe was a junior police dispatcher and only two months into the job the group learned just how crazy she could get sometimes when dealing with a criminal because she wasn't a normal police dispatcher, depending on what was called in she was out in the field

*This guy is tough*

*What do you expect? It's an EDC enemy after all*

*You'll never catch me*

*Oh yes we will*

*I doubt it*

Suddenly a portal opens up behind the enemy and said enemy jumps through the portal right after it opens

*Get back here you creep!*

*Kerenai wait...don't!*

Zoe doesn't listen though and goes through the portal and lands hard

"Oof, oh man that isn't something I would want to repeat, now to find out where exactly I am...and maybe when too now that I think about it"

Zoe questioning where and more importantly when was because she didn't recognize any buildings around her

"But first I need a disguise to safely get around as a precaution"

Once she gets a disguise she ultimately finds out that she was in an alternate reality where her family didn't exist, but Jiban still did and it was the exact same year in this reality as it was in her reality though separated by a few months. She also found that she was in Japan through finding out what time it was

"At least I already know Japanese so that's going to be a big help, though I doubt people will actually believe my story"

Suddenly she hears the sound of fighting and quickly investigates only to find that Jiban was fighting Bioron alone and seriously outnumbered, but she unfortunately couldn't do anything and it annoyed her when all she could do was watch Jiban get captured

"Right, first things first, help the officers of this universe find Jiban...Jiban I wonder if in my universe you're alive after all this time"

Zoe quickly puts that depressing thought aside and manages to get one of her trackers on the escaping enemy

"Right now to reveal myself and manage to get involved in the investigation...maybe just mentioning I'm a witness to the fight will work"

As it turned out being a witness was indeed all it took to get her involved in the case and able to mention the tracking device she'd put on the retreating enemy

*How and why did you do that?*

*How I did it is a secret, as for why well...let's just say I know police officers where I come from and I don't take kindly to any officer being abducted*

*Then let's get going, can you get a trace on that tracker of yours?*

*Oh yeah I have a signal and am tracking now*

*How?*

*Secret, just follow me*

And so the group follows Zoe to the hideout and once there Zoe decides to quickly announce their presence

*Hey idiots!*

The group turns around and the leader speaks up

*But how did you find us?*

*We have our ways, now then my request can be done the easy way or the hard way*

*And just what request is that?*

*Give Jiban back now!*

*I don't think so*

*The hard way it is then, fair warning though, you're going to regret that choice you just made*

*Who says so?*

*Besides the group of police officers behind me you mean? I do*

*As if a kid like you scares us*

*First of all, I'm seventeen and second of all you're not the first person who's underestimated me because of my age, and that is a mistake you'll come to regret dearly*

*Actually Kerenai...if that really is your name anyways, they're kind of right just how are you supposed to help now?*

*Like this, Arranyan winds!*

Suddenly the chains holding Jiban up were cut and Zoe wasn't finished either

*That's not all either Arranyan swords*

Eventually the fighting was over with and Zoe knew she had questions to answer and answer them she did including the fact that she was from a completely different dimension

*We'll help you get home, I promise*

*Thanks, let's just hope...well maybe things will be alright considering my family is still back home and very few risk messing with them for reasons I'm not getting into*

The next three months weren't the easiest on Zoe but she dealt with them the best she could and then one day the same enemy that brought her to that reality returned and she fought it and when they opened a hole yet again she rushed towards it hoping beyond hope that it would be her reality that she returned to. Due to the fact that she was expecting the fall she landed on her feet this time around, but once again didn't recognize her settings

"Right guess I'm going to be on a enemy hunt first and figure out where I am later, sneaking time it is"

She starts to sneak around and when she hears footsteps she stops and when they stop she waits and sees if there's talking which there is

*It's been three months Yoko, are the Cybertronians still searching for Kerenai?*

*Yes, they think she's alive in another dimension, but contacting her has been impossible as of yet*

*I see, I guess...wait is that?...it's the creep who cost us Kerenai three months ago*

*Hold it right there you're under arrest!*

*I don't think so*

Zoe comes out of hiding knowing she was in her reality with her gun out

*The officer said you're under arrest*

*Kerenai!*

*Hey you two, explanations will be later, right now there's someone here that's needing handcuffs*

*I said, I don't think so*

The criminal manages to push past Zoe who breaks out into a run and shoots her weapon to try and injure the escapee enough to slow them down and while it doesn't work it does bring out backup who quickly also try and subdue the enemy, and eventually the plan does work and the criminal is handcuffed

*Finally, it's about time he was arrested*

*Agreed, by the way Kerenai you have some explaining to do*

*Don't I know it, listen I'll make a report at the EDC base and make sure that you guys also get it*

*Thanks*

And so Zoe gets a ride back to base and enters fairly casually but announces herself in a very obvious way

*I'm home guys*

*Zoe!, you're okay*

*Yeah, sorry guys, I was in a different dimension for three months, one where you guys don't exist as far as I'm aware but also one where...where they have Jiban with them*

*We'll find him Zoe, I promise*

*We've missed three months because of my stupidity*

*No we haven't, we kept up the search even while trying to find you, it's just that our leads haven't been as solid as we've hoped they would be*

*I guess still...to think it will have been two years as of tomorrow*

*Zoe, I'll repeat what I just said, I promise that we'll find him, and since when have I ever broken a promise?*

*You haven't as of yet Jazz but...you might be forced to this time simply because it's been so long already*

*Zoe, I don't think you understand what I'm saying, I'm not promising to bring him home alive, I'm just promising to bring him home, and if it involves having an honor escort due to his death then so be it but he is coming home either way*

*I...thanks Jazz I guess things have been a bit hard for me these past three months with living in a dimension where Jiban is alive and with friends and family*

*I'm sure it has, now then finish up writing your report and then you have work tomorrow*

*Nope, I go in and give them my report in person today and possibly get yelled at for my actions three months ago since there were officers who saw me today*

Once the report was given Zoe did indeed go to her job and was soon in front of her superior's

*Okay Kerenai new rule regarding you, no more portal jumps when you fight against an EDC enemy*

*Yes sir*

*And by the way what were you thinking when you did that?*

*Sorry, my main concern at the time was not letting him get away, but instead I left this dimension in danger with my actions, even with my family here to help you which mitigated the danger to a degree*

*It may have been your main concern but you now have direct orders regarding such a situation in the future*

*Understood*

Zoe is soon back to her normal routine of generally being a police dispatcher except in clear cases of either Bioron or EDC enemies being involved and soon enough she was eighteen