So far, Saitama had only been on the receiving end of positive emotions from Boros. She never expressed any negative feelings, no matter what type. The closest he had come was when she used them on her elites or Busho and Jinzruen.
However, there's a first time for everything. Boros stood before Saitama with her arms folded, her face neutral, and her eye filled with disappointment. Thinking back on it now, he felt bad for those who were subjected to such treatment. It was like when you did something you know you're not supposed to and your parents catch you.
Xiomara, despite being much taller than both Saitama and Boros, still stood behind him for protection. She was even going so far as to bend her knees a little to reduce her height. Genos remained on the sidelines since he didn't want to get between the world's strongest human and the Dominator of the Universe. Yet, he would still offer assistance, should it be needed, to keep Boros from learning about the issue with the Association.
For several minutes, nothing but a light breeze was heard. Saitama was expecting Boros to initiate the conversation. But as time continued to pass, it was clear that she was demanding an explanation through her expression alone. Eventually, the message was received.
"We worked things out," Saitama began while gesturing to Xiomara. When he did, she lowered herself more. "I know that you think that she should be in a cell for a while, but-"
"Life." Boros interrupted.
"...Uh...what?" Saitama questioned, confused by that.
"Life. Eternity. Until the universe consumes itself and leaves a void." Boros stated, now aiming her vision at Xiomara. "For what she did, I'd have her rot." She added.
Xiomara was a warrior queen. She earned her right to rule through bloodshed so brutal it would break most minds. Sadly, nothing in Xiomara's past compared to Boros. Through presence alone, she could manifest the desire for the mercy of death in anyone she wanted.
"Huh," Saitama reacted rather nonchalantly. As for Xiomara, she was almost on her knees by now, cowering behind him as much as she could. "I think you and I need to sit down sometime and have a LONG talk about how you determine what is and isn't an appropriate punishment." He told her.
"Saitama, are you serious?" Boros challenged. "That bitch took everything from you." She reminded him.
"Not true. I still have my cactus." Saitama countered, causing her to grip her biceps out of anger.
"This isn't a joke!" Boros barked, making Xiomara flinch. "How could you possibly show any kindness to someone who did something so horrible?!" She asked.
Do you ever have those moments where you're stricken with dangerous wisdom? A genuine enlightenment that, while true, was also a double-edged sword? When Boros voiced her question, Saitama felt that sensation. A perfect response appeared in his mind, but he had to determine if it was right to say it.
"..." Saitama sighed, closing his eyes as he did.
"Oh, I'm sorry, do you find this tiring?!" Boros pressed, gripping her arms more.
"No, it's not that," Saitama started, keeping his eyes closed. "It's just, well, you say that I should be as enraged toward Xiomara as you are because she did something horrible. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you an intergalactic warlord who traveled the universe for centuries just so that you could pick random fights and cause problems for anyone you ran into?" He answered with a question, restoring his vision afterward.
Xiomara and Genos were shocked. Their eyes instantly went to Boros' face to see if they were in danger. The good news is that there was nothing that suggested death was upon them. The bad news is that it was impossible to estimate what the reaction would be.
Boros just stood there. Her eye widened, and her face changed to surprise. Sadly, that could mean any number of things! Rage, hurt, embarrassment, realization, sadness, denial, the list keeps going! How was Saitama's clever reversal going to pan out?!
...
...
...
"I'm sorry," Saitama apologized after a minute of waiting. Sure, he made a perfect point, but he didn't think it'd hit Boros THIS badly! "How about we reset, huh? Start from scratch?" He offered.
"...I...don't..." Boros whispered, finally able to make her mouth work. "I don't know...what to say..." She admitted, releasing the grip she had on her arms.
"Don't say anything, then!" Saitama suggested. "Sometimes, nothing needs to be said at all! Right, guys?" He carried on, looking at Xiomara and Genos for support.
The cyborg and the Subterranean Queen were a sizable distance away. They made a break for a large boulder nearby that would serve as good cover.
"TRAITORS!" Saitama shouted, glaring at them.
Suddenly, a hand gently grabbed Saitama's shoulder. Upon turning around, he saw a worried, almost fearful Boros looking at him.
"...Does...my past...change your opinion of me?..." Boros hesitantly inquired.
Saitama felt as though there was a guillotine above his neck. Sure, a real one wouldn't hurt the man, but that's not important. An indescribable amount of pressure was assailing him. From his perspective, one mistake would bring that spectral chopper down.
"..." Saitama closed his eyes again for a moment. During that, he inhaled and exhaled to clear his mind. Once finished, he looked back at Boros. "I think I know far too little about you and your life. If you asked me how I feel about the Boros I've known since you got to Earth, I'd say that she is my friend. More than that, she's one of the coolest, funniest, and overall most awesome people I've ever known. Even if Boros weren't an alien cyclops who's dominated the universe, I'd still want to hang out, train, and fight with her. Whatever she did in her past doesn't matter to me now. Boros is my best friend and someone who I couldn't imagine my life without anymore." He stated.
Wow. Xiomara and Genos, from the safety of their boulder, were impressed. Saitama's words were so sincere and kind. Surely, even someone like Boros would be affected. She might be bathed in the blood of billions and hardened by the carnage of countless conflicts, but what he said was so-
...
...
...
Boros...looked weird. Her usually blue skin was purple. And we're not talking about a nice, subdued shade either. If you put Boros in the dark right now, she'd be glowing from how bright her face was.
"Boros!" Saitama exclaimed before coming closer. "Are you okay?! Your face is neon! Are you having another episode?" He assumed.
"...I'm fine..." Boros squeaked. Yes, squeak is the right adjective to use here. It was as if her throat accidentally produced a sound that could be interpreted as speech rather than her actually talking. "I...I'm just...I...I'll..." She stammered, unable to get too much more out.
"Boros? Speak up! I can't hear you!" Saitama urged, now standing on his toes so his face was near hers.
BOOM
Without any warning, Boros shot off like a rocket. Thankfully, the group wasn't right next to her ship. If they had been, she would've effortlessly punched a hole clean through the vessel.
Everyone's heads tilted back as they looked toward the sky. Boros was seen for but a second, and then, she was gone. A bright purple streak of energy tore through the air, breaking the sound barrier multiple times as it traveled.
Over the next thirty seconds, Saitama, Genos, and Xiomara watched as that purple streak came, went, came, went, came, went, and so on. It took little time to realize that Boros was flying around the Earth multiple times. After reaching the twentieth loop, she gently lowered herself back to the ground. Interestingly, she was a few feet away from Saitama, though no one took note of that.
"Sorry," Boros apologized, seemingly back to normal. "You were right, Saitama; I was having another mysterious spell. However, I didn't want to go back to Geryuganshoop about it. So, I took to the sky and cooled myself off by flying at top speed." She explained.
"...And...you needed to do that...twenty times?..." Saitama questioned. He, Genos, and Xiomara were still reasonably baffled by the display.
"Mhm. The heat was intense. It threatened to knock me on my ass." Boros bluntly told him.
Following that, Boros revealed to the group that the unexpected behavior wasn't over. Casually, without any animosity, she strutted toward the boulder and focused her gaze on the Subterranean Queen.
"Hi," Boros greeted her, extending a hand. "I'm Boros, as you likely know. It's a pleasure to meet you." She politely said.
Xiomara stared at the hand as though it were a trap waiting to be sprung. Then, she stared at Boros to determine if this was a trick, if it was genuine, or if this woman was the single most psychotic lifeform ever to exist. Could it somehow be all three?!
"...I...am Xiomara..." Xiomara replied, cautiously accepting the hand offered to her. "I am the Subterranean Queen, otherwise referred to as the Ruler of the Underground." She added.
"Oh, a queen," Boros noted, smiling as she did. "Well, we should have a lot in common. Perhaps we can exchange stories of leadership and our great battles?" She suggested.
"...Uh...yeah..." Xiomara agreed. It was hard to maintain her usual regal dignity when debating whether or not this was a hallucination.
"Wonderful, I can't wait," Boros said with a smile before turning around. "Anyway, Geryuganshoop informed me that you wanted us to leave the ship today. Why is that?" She asked, speaking to Saitama.
"Hm? Oh! Right! Yeah!" Saitama realized. It was understandable that he forgot about that when Boros was acting so strangely. "I was thinking that we could do some stuff." He answered.
"Like what?" Boros pressed, walking back over. She spoke with a tone of chipperness that wasn't there before. She also walked with the most relaxed posture. Man, that twenty laps around the planet must've smoothed out all of her uneasiness!
"Nothing special. Shopping, sightseeing, and other basic activities like that. We've talked a lot ever since you got here, but I've not given you any more tours to show off Earth's culture and what humanity can provide." Saitama explained.
"Oh, so it's like an expedition into the unknown." Boros reasoned, making him chuckle.
"Sure, you could call it that," Saitama responded.
"Is that why Xiomara is coming with us?" Boros guessed, returning her attention toward the Subterranean Queen. "Do you hope to prevent any future accidents by educating her about the customs of your people?" She went on.
It's a good thing Boros turned her back to Saitama because his eyes nearly shot out of his head. Utterly oblivious, Boros had provided the best cover story for today's outing that he could've hoped for. Maybe, for once, Lady Luck was on his side.
"Wow, Boros, you're quick witted." Saitama praised her, playing into the idea.
"But of course. My brain is as well-trained and sculpted as the rest of me." Boros replied with a smug grin. Additionally, she struck a pose to flaunt herself a little.
"Excuse me!" Genos called from behind the boulder, earning their attention. "Has everything been settled?" He inquired.
"Yup! Today is going to be educational! We're teaching Boros AND Xiomara about how humans live their lives!" Saitama informed him.
"A perfect plan, Master!" Genos exclaimed. "Did you hear that, Xiomara?" He asked, looking to his left.
Xiomara was still in a dazed state. She wouldn't stop staring at the hand that Boros had shaken. It's hard to fault her for such a strong reaction when Boros had been on the verge of tossing her back into a cell with no possibility of freedom. Hopefully these two could continue to improve their relationship as the day progressed.
A Short While Later, In City Z...
The Ghost Town district. The infamous section of City Z in which there was next to no life at all. Yet, there were plenty of remnants of humans having been in this area. Shopping centers, arcades, bookstores, magazine stands, etc. What better place to begin an education on humanity than somewhere that was abandoned and full of "research" materials?
"Welcome, ladies," Saitama began as he gestured to the environment around them. "Today, we'll be examining as much of humanity as we can without risking any public panic. Fortunately for us, this part of City Z has more than enough stuff for us to look at." He stated.
Immediately, Xiomara raised one of her arms. Not only was the action polite, but it was rather cute, too.
"Yes?" Saitama called, causing her to lower the limb.
"Why is this part of your city so empty? Was there a great catastrophe?" Xiomara asked.
"Eh, more like several," Saitama answered, putting his hands on his hips. "City Z has always been a hotspot for monsters, natural disasters, and unexplainable phenomena. However, Ghost Town, the section we're standing in, could be considered the epicenter. It's why I was the only one living here." He explained.
Surprisingly, the next arm to be raised came from Genos.
"Uh, yes, Genos," Saitama called, baffled that he'd have a question.
"If this area is so hazardous, why isn't the Association dealing with it?" Genos inquired, lowering his arm. "Please note, I'm not expecting the truth from you, Master. What I want is your thoughts about that." He clarified.
"Huh, that's a really good question, actually..." Saitama admitted, now folding his arms. "If I had to guess, I'd say it's because I always deal with whatever shows up. Recently, we learned that the Association didn't know I existed. So, they probably assumed that the monsters either left or were killed by something else. As for the natural disasters, it's not like they could stop those." He said.
"Pfft, another incredible display of incompetence." Boros remarked with an eye roll. "I swear, you'd start thinking that there was some big conspiracy against you, Saitama," She told him.
Very briefly, Saitama, Genos, and Xiomara exchanged a nervous glance. Good lord, Boros, could you not say such scarily accurate things?!
"Ahem," Saitama cleared his throat to restore his composure. "Anymore questions?" He asked.
...
...
...
"Great," Saitama said after being met with silence. "To ensure that you two have fun today, I want you to decide where we should go." He said.
Like before, Xiomara raised her hand. Only this time, the arm shot up excitedly.
"Yes?" Saitama called, unable to keep from smiling at her eagerness.
"I've always heard about places on the surface that are filled with a vast variety of wares! Could we please go to one of those?" Xiomara requested. She maintained her royal speech, yet it carried an undeniably giddy tone. The Subterranean Queen couldn't hide her anticipation, making her even more adorable than before.
"I think you mean a store, and sure." Saitama permitted, causing her to pump her fists.
"Will there be any stores around here that still have items in them?" Boros questioned, finding that hard to believe.
"You'd be amazed. There used to be some thieves and looters, but none of them ever made it to their marks before getting caught by a monster. Since disturbances plague all of City Z, they stick to the debatably safer areas that have better stealing opportunities." Saitama shared, leading the way afterward.
The group walked around Ghost Town for roughly five minutes. They saw plenty of shops, but they wanted to pick the right one to start with. Eventually, a fairly large general store was discovered. This location would have everything from hardware tools to toys to clothes and so much more.
Saitama and Genos were able to enter with no issues. Boros had to bend a little and duck her head, but the inside of the building was big enough for her and Xiomara to stand straight. Regarding the Ruler of the Underground, her party members wondered how she was going to get through the entrance.
"Observe, everyone!" Xiomara exclaimed with a smile as she gestured to herself. "You will witness one of the glorious attributes of the Subterranean race!" She proclaimed.
Instantly, Xiomara dropped to the ground. Then, her arms and legs turned and bent in new ways. After a few seconds, she resembled an insect crawling across the floor, which is what she did to get inside.
"Tada!" Xiomara said when across the threshold. "We Subterraneans, due to our unique form of life, are not restricted by the same hindrances as other creatures. Bones, muscles, and everything else. That makes us unrivaled as contortionists AND perfect for things like combat and athletics." She informed them before returning to her regular self. "What do you think?" She inquired when upright again, hoping for praise.
"It's certainly more flexible than I am. I couldn't bend that way." Saitama commented.
"Sorry to say, but having traveled the universe, I've seen everything. One of my elites is a shapeshifter, so such alterations of the body are nothing new." Boros said.
"Seeing that has given me some ideas I'd like to run by Doctor Kuseno. If my joints could be omnidirectional, then it would give me an advantage." Genos stated.
"I will gladly take two out of three!" Xiomara cheered with a grin.
With the only hurdle to jump over cleared, the group headed deeper into the store. They walked until they were in the middle of the building, at which point they stopped.
"Alright, how do we want to do this?" Saitama asked, turning to face them. "Do we pair up? Explore as a group? Or go off individually?" He listed.
"It only makes sense to pair up, I think. While free roaming would be fun, we are here to learn." Xiomara answered.
"I concur," Boros chimed in.
"Okay. I'll take Boros, then." Saitama decided, receiving no objections.
"Understood," Genos replied, treating this like an assignment. "Xiomara, what would-"
Before he could finish that sentence, the cyborg's arm was grabbed, and he was then dragged away.
"I'd like to see how your people entertain themselves!" Xiomara told him, almost running due to her excitement. "I saw a sign on the ceiling that pointed to toys and games!" She added, assuring him that they weren't heading off in a random direction.
"You know, for a queen, she's honestly very sweet," Boros said to Saitama when they were alone.
"That's funny coming from the woman who would've left her rotting in a cell," Saitama reminded her, earning a sigh.
"Yes, yes, I know. You believe my reaction was too extreme," Boro responded. "I'm sorry, Saitama. I just didn't like the idea of the person who took everything from you getting out of their punishment so quickly." She apologized.
"Nah, I get that. I do. But I had already slapped Xiomara and tied her up. Then you laid into her with a LOT of slaps as we took her to your ship. All of that combined with temporary imprisonment, and I'd say she's paid her dues." Saitama responded, now looking at her. "Besides, Xiomara didn't take everything." He reminded.
"Right, the cactus," Boros recalled.
"And you," Saitama said, gently putting his hand on her arm. "I knew that my bestie would help me out of such a crappy situation," He went on.
Boros stared at Saitama's hand no differently than how Xiomara stared at her own a short while ago. Thankfully, her mind was able to react far more naturally than when she lapped the planet twenty times.
"Uh, of course. Yup. I've always got your back." Boros promised before suddenly turning, which got her arm away from his hand. "Anyway, we need to start exploring! Let's go in that direction and see where it takes us!" She ordered with a point.
"Hmm..." Saitama hummed, looking for any signage on the ceiling that might provide information. "That'll take us to where the clothes are." He discovered.
"Perfect! I was considering an expansion of my wardrobe this morning before that stupid spell struck me..." Boros revealed, mumbling that last bit. "Come, Saitama! Let us see if any of your people's fashion ideas grab my attention!" She beckoned.
"Aye, aye, captain." Saitama jokingly agreed, letting her lead the way.
Nearby, In The Children's Section...
You know, the more that was learned about Xiomara, the harder it was to maintain the perception that she was an imposing warrior woman from deep within the Earth. The way her three eyes widened with awe as she looked at items meant for children was so jarring. Most people, Genos included, would pay these objects no mind. But to the Subterranean Queen, she had stumbled upon a treasure trove.
"Ooo! What's that?" Xiomara asked, hurrying over to the first thing that REALLY got her attention.
"That is a toy gun," Genos answered, following her at a leisurely pace.
"What's a gun?" Xiomara pressed.
"A gun is a type of weapon humanity created to deal with threats from a distance. It's the natural progression of ranged weaponry from things like slingshots and bows." Genos explained.
"Oh! Toy weapons! The Subterraneans do that as well!" Xiomara replied. She would've examined the toy gun, but she spotted something more interesting further down on the same shelf.
Genos watched as Xiomara went from the toy gun to a remote-controlled car that had an open box to allow customers to see it.
"What is this contraption?" Xiomara inquired, carefully picking up the box to examine it better.
"That is a toy commonly referred to as an RC car. The RC stands for remote-controlled. You use another device in the box to steer it." Genos informed her.
Xiomara stared at the car in silent amazement. Then, she stared at Genos.
"Could you please show me how it works?" Xiomara requested, holding it out to him.
Without saying a word, Genos took the box, opened it, put the car on the floor, and removed the controller before setting the box down on the shelf.
"Luckily, this one provides the customer with batteries." Genos noted, turning on the controller.
Before Xiomara could ask what batteries were, Genos made the car move a short distance, which IMMEDIATELY took priority.
"OH!" Xiomara loudly reacted, eyes widening again. "It makes noise, too!" She said.
"Correct." Genos responded. "Would you like to use it?" He offered, referring to the controller.
Xiomara's mouth dropped, and she silently screamed. Not a second later, she happily accepted the controller.
"The stick on the left dictates forward and backward movement. The one on the right dictates how it turns." Genos instructed.
"Okay..." Xiomara muttered. She didn't want to cause any accidents or potentially break the toy. She would be hyper-cautious.
Gently, Xiomara pushed the left stick forward. The car began to move forward slowly. As she pushed the stick more, the car's speed increased. After traveling a few inches, she did the same thing in reverse.
For the next few minutes, Genos watched Xiomara carefully experiment with the car. Back and forth, turns, and even some slow-moving doughnuts. But then, after the car was returned to a neutral position, it-
ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
That little car took off like a speeding bullet. When it did, Xiomara leaped from the floor and onto one of the shelves. She landed gracefully and had perfect control over her balance. So now, standing from a vantage point, she could watch the car as she drove it everywhere.
"This is wonderful!" Xiomara exclaimed, unable to keep from giggling and laughing. "I expected that the surface dwellers would have many incredible inventions, but this is like magic!" She carried on.
Admittedly, Genos wanted to see what she was doing, so he leaped onto the same shelf as her. Both of them stood together as they watched the car speed around the store.
"I'm impressed, Xiomara," Genos said.
"Oh? Why?" Xiomara questioned.
"It is your first time doing this, and yet, you're showing no struggles at all." Genos explained.
"Well, that's to be expected," Xiomara smugly remarked. "I might be new to your people's technology, but I am a fast learner! After a lap or two around the building, my mastery of this RC car will be-"
BOOM
From below the floor, a sizable brown-colored hand shot up. It did so directly beneath the RC car, which placed the toy in the hand's palm. Before Xiomara or Genos could react, the mechanical marvel met its end.
SNAP
The poor thing was crushed into bits and pieces. As it fell apart, the crusher revealed themselves. Emerging from the ground was a fairly bulky creature wearing very stylized armor. Red eyes glowed from within the helmet it wore, which were soon aimed at Xiomara and Genos.
Several Minutes Prior, In The Clothing Section...
Boros wasn't sure what she expected from a simple store's offerings when it came to attire. Perhaps it was something like basic shirts, pants, and plain undergarments. To be even more specific, maybe she imagined things similar to her white pants and black tops. Regardless of the assumed selection, what she discovered far surpassed any expectations.
Colorful clothes that had interesting designs or eye-catching pictures. A multitude of different material options for maximum comfort potential. Outfit choices that were specialized for every season throughout the year, and a seemingly endless pool of accessories or jewelry to add some extra flair. Honestly, it was overwhelming.
"Well? What do you think?" Saitama asked after a minute of silent staring.
"..." Boros averted her gaze and twiddled her thumbs. "...I...don't know where to start..." She sheepishly answered, a faint blush forming on her cheeks.
"Nah, I get that. Shopping for clothes always sucks. It's one of the most indecisive moments for any human." Saitama said. "How about you tell me what type of clothing you want to start with, and I'll bring you stuff to look at?" He suggested.
"Oh, that could work," Boros replied, putting a hand on her chin in thought. "I...suppose...the best place to begin would be things that cover my torso." She decided.
With a category chosen, Saitama went and gathered shirts, jackets/hoodies, and anything else you'd throw around yourself.
"Sorry to say, Boros, but you'll only be able to study them. I don't think anyone on Earth makes clothes that can fit someone like you." Saitama told her as he returned.
"Oh, woe is me, whatever am I to do?" Boros recited, wanting to be dramatic.
"I know. It's truly the worst thing that could've happened today," Saitama agreed, playing into it. "But before you sink lower into your depression, how about you look at some shirts?" He offered, causing her to laugh.
"Of course! That will cure my mood!" Boros exclaimed, making him smile.
One by one, Boros took the items Saitama carried and examined them. Anything that she liked, she kept to take back to Geryuganshoop. Upon seeing that, Saitama left and fetched some duffle bags, which she was grateful for.
"You won't get in trouble, right?" Boros inquired.
"It'd be surprising if I did," Saitama admitted. "There aren't even stray dogs or cats out here. If someone randomly showed up and noticed a bunch of clothes missing from the store they didn't use and got mad about it, I'd call them an idiot." He said, earning a chuckle.
"True. It's still hard to believe that people would casually abandon so much." Boros responded. "Speaking of which, I'd like to see more." She requested, having finished packing one of the bags.
"No problem. What's next?" Saitama asked.
"Hmm..." Boros hummed as she studied everything in sight. "...Surprise me. I'd like to see something I haven't seen before. Given the non-existence of variety in my closet, it shouldn't be too hard." She answered.
"Gotcha. Go for the wow factor." Saitama simplified before heading off.
As Boros waited for Saitama to return, she felt compelled to look at the floor. Maybe it was her imagination, but she could've sworn she felt something. The easiest way to describe the sensation was faint tremors in the ground beneath the building. Her ears also twitched as though they heard a disturbance, but it was so quiet that there was reasonable doubt about it being real or not.
"Hey!" Saitama called, regaining her attention. He was a small distance away and was carrying-
...
...
...
"...Saitama..." Boros said at a low volume as he got closer. "What...are...those?..." She inquired, pointing at what he was carrying.
From Boros' perspective, Saitama had brought her a bunch of underwear. Surely, there's no chance that he would've been so tactless, right?
"It's swimwear." Saitama revealed with an innocent smile. One look at the man's face conveyed that there were no ulterior motives behind what he chose. "You said you wanted to be surprised, and I figured that bringing you bathing suits would fit the bill." He explained.
"..." Boros slowly reached out and picked up one of the items. Again, to her, this was just a bra. Not only that, but this thing was SKIMPY. "...Saitama...forgive me for how forward this is...but...do human women not have...well...you know..." She asked.
"No, they do," Saitama answered, understanding what she meant. "This is just how women's bathing suits typically are. I think there are ones that provide more coverage, but you don't see those advertised all too much." He informed her.
"...And...your women...they're fine with showing...so much?..." Boros questioned, still holding the "bra" in the air.
"Unfortunately, I can't comment on that. I've never been swimming or to the beach with any woman. In fact, you're the first woman I've looked at clothes with." Saitama told her.
In that instant, Boros' mind did something horrible. It interpreted the sentence: "first woman I've looked at clothes with." as though Saitama wanted to see her wearing these things. Thus, an awful image was conceived. Boros' mind formed an image of her wearing an outfit that left nothing to the imagination while Saitama stared at her.
"WHOA!" Saitama shouted, reeling back from shock. "B-Boros! Your whole body is purple! What's going on?!" He inquired.
BOOM
As though it were an act of God, something interrupted this scene before it could go any further. Boros and Saitama were made to look a few feet away from themselves. There, emerging from the floor, there was a muscular brown arm that had punched through the ground.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM
More arms shot up from below. Seconds later, the owners of the limbs were seen. Creatures who were much larger than your average human entered the store from the underground. Their bodies were covered in ceremonial-looking armor, and red glowing eyes peered through the holes in their masks.
"Surface dwellers..." A deep voice came from one of the lifeforms. "Do not be alarmed. We are known as Subterraneans. We are not here to fight you. However, should you prove difficult, we may need to-"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Out of nowhere, a woman's scream filled the air. Everyone, be it Saitama and Boros or the Subterraneans, was startled by the sound. But before any reactions could happen, this was heard:
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! YOU'VE CRUSHED IT! IT'S IN PIECES! THERE'S NO WAY THIS CAN BE FIXED! I WAS HAVING FUN, AND NOW, YOU'VE RUINED IT! WHY DID YOU DO THIS?!"
"That...That's Queen Xiomara!" One of the Subterraneans realized.
"...Ooh..." Boros whispered, figuring out what was going on. "You guys came here looking for your leader." She deduced.
"Y-Yes!" The same Subterranean confirmed, looking back at her. "But why is she screaming like that?! Is she in peril?!" He asked.
"If I had to say, it sounds like one of you interrupted what she was doing. Your queen is fine, albeit pissed." Boros answered.
After hearing that, the Subterraneans booked it. Xiomara was still shouting and carrying on, now adding some COLORFUL word choices into her beratement.
"Should we follow?" Boros inquired, looking at Saitama.
"I think it'd be weirded if we went back to looking at clothes." Saitama responded.
Leisurely, the duo followed Xiomara's yelling to its source. The sight that awaited them was certainly something. Genos was standing among many Subterraneans as Xiomara verbally beat the crap out of one of them who was kneeling before her.
"I...I'm sorry...your majesty..." The Subterranean whimpered, on the verge of tears.
"OH, HE'S SORRY, HE SAYS!" Xiomara huffed, all four hands on her hips. "YOU CAN'T JUST GO AROUND BREAKING THINGS! THAT'S RECKLESS AND IRRESPONSIBLE!" She scolded.
Saitama might've felt compelled to comment on how hypocritical that was coming from Xiomara, but since she had learned her lesson earlier, this didn't feel like a moment of irony. Rather, it was nice seeing her take immediate action to prevent any further damage.
"Excuse me," Boros spoke, getting all eyes on her.
"Oh! Boros! Saitama!" Xiomara greeted before rushing over. "I am SO sorry!" She apologized, bowing her head to them. "Please, tell me, did ANY of my subjects cause trouble for you?" She asked, snapping her neck to look at all of them. When she did, the Subterraneans were spooked. "If they did, I will PERSONALLY punish them!" She promised.
"No, no, it's cool," Saitama answered, wanting to bring the energy down. "These guys were just looking for you, is all." He assured her.
"Y-Yes! The hairless one speaks the truth!" A Subterranean confirmed. Not gonna lie; the way he referred to Saitama stung. "You didn't return with news of your victory, Miss. We worried the other clans had met you, and you were locked in a fierce conflict!" He explained.
"Aww, boys, that's so sweet," Xiomara cooed, walking over to hug some of her men. "I appreciate you being worried, but I'm happy to say that I'm fine. I've become familiar with these people. The one you just mentioned, Saitama, is a friend. That extends to the other two as well, so please treat them appropriately." She stated.
"Yes, mam!" The Subterraneans collectively exclaimed, including the one that was kneeling. "We, the Subterranean Royal Guard, are honored to meet the queen's new allies!" They chanted.
"Huh, reminds me of my elites," Boros commented, getting a sense of deja vu.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Oh, great, ANOTHER unexpected noise. Yet, unlike the previous one, this came from all directions.
"Your majesty! What is that?" A Subterranean inquired as everyone looked around.
"I'm...unsure..." Xiomara confessed, turning toward Saitama. "Do you know?" She asked.
"It's familiar, but I can't quite place it..." Saitama muttered.
"Master!" Genos exclaimed, getting everyone to look at him. "That is an automatic alarm system from the Hero Association. It plays whenever something of great danger threatens the city!" He informed them.
"How great are we talking?" Saitama questioned.
"It would have to be substantial enough to warrant evacuation. The public will likely be hurrying to shelters or trying to leave the city until it is safe." Genos said.
"Should we take a look for ourselves?" Boros suggested.
"Yeah, I think we need to. I don't know of any heroes in City Z, so we might be the only ones who can do something." Saitama decided.
Together with the Subterraneans, the group exited the store. In a stroke of simultaneous good and bad luck, the group didn't need to travel far to see what had caused the alarm. Approaching the Earth from the sky above was a scarily large celestial object. Typically, such a thing would be referred to as a meteor. Take a guess as to where this meteor was about to make contact.