Ch. 4 - The Saiyan Menace
Lyra stood inside the Time Nest's large hall, absentmindedly waiting for Chronoa to come back from wherever it is that she stored the altered scroll. She looked here and there, admiring the high arched ceiling and the rows upon rows of scrolls lining the walls, each one a snapshot of history—some triumphant, others tragic. It was a place meant for reflection, for contemplating the weight of time and the fragility of existence.
She could almost hear the echoes of past conversations, the whispers of countless Time Patrollers who had stood in this very spot, contemplating their missions, their choices, their destinies.
Truly, a place to meditate, a place to think about life.
Lyra, specifically, meditated on how she mastered tuning out the Elder Kai's incessant ramblings, and thought about how she would have shortened the geezer's life by now otherwise. Said geezer was busy ranting about who knows what in front of her, for what she felt was hours now.
"… of course, it's Saiyans." The mention of something remotely related to the mission finally brought an end to her daydreaming. "Saiyans are always causing trouble. I swear, it never ends!"
Lyra blinked, stifling a yawn. "Gee, thanks," she replied, hoping to mask the fact that she hadn't been listening. The last thing she needed was another lecture.
Elder Kai waved a hand dismissively. "You know what I mean! First it was Raditz, now it's Nappa and Vegeta in Age 762! And these distortions are getting more frequent. Even the Namek saga is now showing signs of alterations. If this keeps up—"
Chronoa suddenly clapped her hands together, having finally returned, the sound echoing through the hall like a thunderclap. "Alright, that's enough! No time for a history lesson! Lyra's got work to do."
Elder Kai scowled, his wrinkled face twisting into a look of pure indignation. "Took you long enough! And I am history, you little—"
Chronoa forcefully shoved a scroll into Lyra's hands, beaming. "Here! Ignore the old coot, he's going senile. Off you go, have fun!"
Lyra barely had time to process what was happening before a rush of light surrounded her, warping her away.
The moment Lyra materialized, the battlefield's chaos came into full view. The wasteland was scarred with craters, the air thick with dust, and the sun was burning mercilessly. The Z Fighters—minus Goku—were battered, bruised, and barely standing, struggling to hold off Nappa.
Lyra sighed, placing her hands on her hips. "Guess I gotta clean up the mess again."
She flashed forward, her movements a blur of speed, and caught Nappa mid-swing as he aimed a devastating punch toward Piccolo. Her forearm blocked the blow effortlessly, the ground beneath her cracking from the sheer force. Yet, Lyra didn't budge. She had arrived just in time, preventing what could have been a fatal blow.
Nappa's cocky grin twisted into confusion. "Huh?! Who the hell—?!" He stumbled back, his eyes widening in surprise as he took in her appearance.
Lyra smirked, her tone dripping with mockery. "Oh, don't mind me. Just passing through." She glanced at Piccolo, who was watching her with a wary expression. "Need a hand?"
She twisted Nappa's arm, making him grunt in pain, before blasting him backward with enough force to send him skidding across the rocky terrain. The Saiyan warrior tumbled head over heels, kicking up a cloud of dust, before finally coming to a stop, groaning, several meters away.
The Z Fighters blinked in shock, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten. They stared at Lyra, their expressions a mix of awe and confusion. Who was this mysterious warrior, and where had she come from?
"D-Did she just…?" Krillin stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Piccolo narrowed his eyes, his expression a mix of suspicion and unease. "Where did she come from…?" He didn't trust her, not one bit.
As Lyra straightened up, her tail briefly flicked into view, coiled around her waist, before disappearing beneath her clothes again. Yamcha, who happened to be standing at the right angle, caught a brief glimpse of it.
"Wait… did you guys see that?" Yamcha blurted out, his eyes wide. He couldn't believe what he had just seen.
Tien, ever the stoic one, raised an eyebrow. "See what? Her blasting Nappa halfway across the battlefield? Yeah, we all saw that."
Yamcha shook his head, his face slowly heating up. "No, no—I mean, I think she's hiding a tail." He gestured vaguely towards Lyra, his eyes darting nervously.
Lyra could hear the Elder Kai chocking on air over the comms. 'Weird.'
"A tail?" Krillin repeated, his voice rising in panic. "Like Goku used to have?"
Piccolo's eyes narrowed, his tone sharp. "And why exactly were you focusing on her and not the enemy, Yamcha?"
Yamcha's face turned even redder. "What?! No! I wasn't—I mean, I wasn't looking at her—uh, you know—" He stammered, his words tumbling over each other in his haste to defend himself.
Lyra's head snapped toward Yamcha, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Like what you saw, buddy?" she growled, her tone icy.
Yamcha's brain went into overdrive, thinking—and failing—about how to answer. "Yes—I mean, no—I mean, I'm sure they're good, but I didn't have a good look—"
The intensity of the glare she sent him made him glad his pants were orange.
Krillin groaned, shaking his head. "Guys, seriously? Now's not the time for this."
Lyra took a step toward Yamcha, her aura flaring faintly. "You're lucky I'm in a good mood," she said, her voice low and threatening. "Otherwise, I'd make sure you regretted that little comment."
Yamcha squeaked, his hands still raised. "Look, I didn't mean to sneak a peak! I just—"
Lyra cut him off with a dismissive wave. "Fine, fine. I'll let it slide, this time. You're gonna die soon anyway."
The Z Fighters froze, their eyes widening in shock.
"Wait, what?!" Yamcha exclaimed, his voice cracking. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.
Krillin looked at Lyra, his expression a mix of confusion and alarm. "What do you mean, 'die soon'? Isn't that too much?"
Lyra realized her mistake, but it was too late. She had to roll with it, and try to make an excuse. "Chill, guys! I'm just kidding… Kinda… Just saying, though, you're not exactly built to last in this fight." She shrugged, her tone casual, as if she hadn't just predicted someone's imminent demise.
Gohan, ever the innocent one, tilted his head. "But… you're really a Saiyan, right? why are you helping us?" He looked at her with wide, trusting eyes.
"Wait… she's a Saiyan?!" Krillin yelped, taking a step back. "Another one?!"
Lyra rolled her eyes. "Relax, I'm here to deal with them. Or him, for now." She jerked a thumb toward Nappa, who was slowly lifting his head from the trench he made on the ground, his face twisted in rage.
The Z Fighters exchanged wary glances, but their tension eased slightly. If she was after Nappa, she couldn't be all bad… right?
"I don't know about the prince. He seems happy enough just sneering at us plebeians or something. He sure doesn't seem to care that his loyal minion is literally biting the dust."
Nappa finally recovered, rolling his shoulder with an irritated growl. "Tch. You're strong for a little thing. But if you think—"
He lunged forward, his massive frame barreling toward her like a freight train.
Lyra dodged easily, her expression amused. She countered playfully, redirecting his attacks rather than fully striking back. It was almost like a game to her. She allowed one of his attacks to almost graze her cheek.
"Oh no, whatever shall I do?" she taunted, dodging another punch at the last second. The others were a bit surprised. Did she do that on purpose?
After a few minutes of fighting, Lyra's playfulness waned, replaced by a flicker of irritation. Holding back this much was annoying. No—frustrating. She could have crushed him in an instant, but she had to make sure history stayed on track.
'Speaking of history…' Her fingers twitched. 'Of course, the utter moron would forget about the Saibamen!'
She decided to ask over her transmitter, careful not to be overheard. "Hey, weren't there supposed to be Saibamen?"
Elder Kai's grumbling was immediate. "Tch. This isn't how it's supposed to go! The fool was supposed to plant the Saibamen by now! Of course he forgot. Saiyan intelligence at work…"
Lyra raised an eyebrow at the comment but said nothing, ducking under another wild punch.
Chronoa's voice crackled in Lyra's earpiece, frantic. "This is bad! Yamcha's supposed to be dead by now! Then Chiaotzu—"
"Wait, who?" Lyra asked while dodging a lariat.
"—then Tien, then Piccolo—"
Lyra, dodging a kick from Nappa, sighs dramatically. "Wow. What an inspiring battle plan."
Chronoa huffed. "Look, it's canon! We have to keep it stable, no matter how cruel it sounds. Just… try to nudge things in the right direction!"
Lyra rolled her eyes, dodging a downward hammer strike.
Elder Kai continued to mutter in her ear. "Ugh. We can't let history break over this."
Annoyed, Lyra lashed out, kicking Nappa in the face and sending him stumbling back.
Chronoa seized the opportunity, her voice filled with urgency. "Right! Lyra, find a way to make him remember the Saibamen before things spiral too far!"
A wide smirk stretched across Lyra's eyes lit up with a mischievous glint. "Oh? So I get to mess with him? Finally some fun."
Nappa charged again, getting close as he unleashed a flurry of punches. Lyra weaved through his attacks with ease, her movements fluid and precise. She ducked under a wild swing, then spun around him, smacking him in the back of the head.
"You're really bad at this, you know? Maybe you should call some friends to help you?" she quipped, her tone light but her eyes sharp.
Nappa snarled, his frustration mounting. "Lucky hit. Let's see how long you can keep up!"
Lyra smirked, dodging another punch at the last second. "Oh, don't worry about me. You're just too weak to harm me alone."
She raised a hand, firing a quick ki blast that struck Nappa square in the solar plexus, piercing his armor. The blast wasn't strong enough to cause serious damage, but it stole his breath away, making him hiss in pain.
"Oops," Lyra said, her voice dripping with mock innocence. "Did that hurt? My bad." She shrugged, her expression a picture of feigned remorse.
Nappa growled, clutching his chest. "You little—"
He lunged again, this time aiming a devastating elbow strike at her head. Lyra caught his arm mid-swing, her grip like iron. She smirked, then twisted his arm just enough to make him wince.
"Careful there, baldie," she said, her tone playful. "You might pull something."
Nappa yanked his arm free, his face red with rage. He fired a barrage of ki blasts in her direction haphazardly, hoping to deny her an escape.
Lyra raised a hand, intercepting the blasts with a casual wave of energy. "Is that all you've got?" she taunted, her grin widening. "I was hoping for a challenge." She shook her head, feigning disappointment.
Nappa roared, charging at her once more. This time, Lyra sidestepped his attack and fired another ki blast, this one aimed at the back of his knee. The blast hit its mark, causing Nappa to stumble and faceplant into the ground.
"Aw, are you perhaps looking for a good spot to plant something?" Lyra asked, her voice teasing.
Nappa growled, pushing himself back to his feet. "You're gonna regret this, brat!"
Lyra tilted her head, her smirk never wavering. "Doubt it."
She fired another ki blast, this one aimed at his shoulder. The blast destroyed his shoulder pad, causing Nappa's arm to go momentarily numb. He staggered, his movements sluggish.
"You know," Lyra said, her tone conversational, "if you'd just stay put like you were supposed to, this would be a lot easier for both of us."
Nappa snarled, his rage boiling over. "I'll kill you!"
Lyra sighed, shaking her head. "You're really not getting the hint, are you?"
She fired one more ki blast, this one aimed at his belly. The blast wasn't strong enough to knock him out, but it sent him skidding backward, his feet digging trenches in the dirt and his body doubling over from the pain.
Lyra sighed, brushing her hands off. "Back to square one."
Before she could act again, her scouter pinged.
Power Signature Detected: 7,500
Power Signature Detected: ERROR: UNABLE TO READ ENERGY SIGNATURE
Gohan's eyes widened. "That ki… It's my dad!"He looked towards the sky, his expression filled with hope and relief.
Krillin tensed, his voice tinged with dread. "Yeah… but there's another one. It—it's massive! And evil!"
Elder Kai's voice crackled in Lyra's earpiece, urgent and commanding. "Goku can't die now! Lyra, you need to create an opening and go help him!"
Chronoa chimed in, her tone equally frantic. "Forget holding back—just do something! Before it's too late!"
Something inside Lyra thrummed at their urgency. 'Finally.'
Lyra vanished in a flicker of speed, the landscape momentarily blurring around her as she broke past her self-imposed limits. Nappa barely had time to register her movement before she was upon him, her open palm arcing towards his face. She poured a fraction of her ki into the strike—enough to overwhelm his defenses, enough to send him reeling, but not enough to kill.
CRACK.
Her open palm slammed across his face with enough force to rattle his entire skull. A stunned silence followed as Nappa's massive frame was sent flying, tumbling across the rocky wasteland like a discarded doll, slamming straight through a couple of rocky mounds and ricocheting a few times before finally skidding to a stop, half-buried in the dirt, bottoms up.
Chronoa's panicked voice rang in Lyra's ear. "WAIT WAIT WAIT—DON'T KILL HIM!"
Lyra sighed, brushing her hands off. "Fine~! I'll just let him sleep in the dirt for a while."
She pointed a finger mockingly toward the downed Saiyan. "Look! He's growing from the ground like a Saibaman!"
That finally, FINALLY, caused Nappa to pat his armor, looking for his Saibaman seeds pouch.
Seeing this, she vanished into the sky, rocketing toward Goku's location.
Enemy Signatures Detected – Saibamen
Lyra hovered in the air, glancing towards the direction where Nappa stood.
She cracked her knuckles absently. She could have ended him. One more hit. That was all it would have taken.
Instead, she had to let her opponent go. Again.
Her fingers twitched, irritation bubbling under her skin, but before she could dwell on it, her scouter pinged again in reminder of her mission.
Ally Signature Lost - Yamcha Down
She exhaled sharply, shaking off the thought. 'No time to linger.'
Lyra arrived just in time to see Goku get slammed into the ground. Her brain froze for a second, unable to understand how Goku could be driven back so easily. It took her a long time to remember that at this point in time, he was still very weak, at least compared to the powerhouse he was destined to be.
"What in the universe is happening?!" The Elder Kai exclaimed, shocked. "He's not supposed to be there!"
"He looks like a Saiyan of some kind," the Elder Kai continued, "In fact he looks just like Goku!"
"My name is Turles," the now named Saiyan said, surprising Lyra. 'He can hear our comms?'
But he just calmly continued. "I watched you fight. You put on quite a show, actually."
"Oh, so you're a fan? That's cute," Lyra replied. "Sorry, but I'm not in the mood for an autograph right now."
"Haha, that's a shame," Turles actually chuckled at that, as if they weren't enemies. "Say, would you like to consider joining me?"
Lyra couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, incredulous. "Wait, is that a pickup line? Because, wow, I wasn't ready for that."
"Maybe. But I'm serious, you know? You could do whatever you want. Destroy planets, eat good food, drink all you like… Whatever you wish."
Lyra almost laughed. The way he said it, so casual, so easy, like the universe was just a buffet and she could pick whatever she liked. "I have to admit, that's a nice pitch, if you exclude the planet destroying bit, that is."
"Oh, there's nothing better, I tell you."
There was no hesitation in his preaching, no pressure—just a simple, confident fact.
And that's what made it dangerous.
Because for a brief second, it didn't sound crazy.
For a brief second, she imagined it.
No more waiting for assignments.
No more cleaning up after other people's mistakes.
No more wondering if she was just a footnote in history, if even that.
No more holding back.
Just her, doing whatever she wanted.
And for that one second, she didn't hate the idea.