"Panich." Bage hesitated for a moment, Frowning as the employee asked that they never return to the Cafe again. However once he let the comment drop away, he looked back at Brainstorm with a hopeful smile and continued speaking. "She's got some pretty distinct scars on her face and she's usually scowling if that helps any."
even if he wouldn't be given the answer he desired, it wouldn't dampen the Saiyan detective's mood any more than the current situation. He would just have to have faith just like he mentioned to Spawn.
“Panich….” Brainstorm tried to see if she recalls a name like that, but nothing came to mind. She looks over to the sleepy Spina, remembering that he also had distinctive scars and looks angry as well. Using that as a base to think a little bit more to see if she encountered or at least seen anything like that. Yet, after careful analysis of what she was given: Bage’s description, Spina’s appearance, and the overall nature of the Saiyans, she nodded her head. “Sorry, don’t think I met someone like that during my venture.” She paused for a moment. “And based on what I learn about the Saiyans, I haven’t read any news about a Saiyan causing a ruckus here… so she’s probably not here either. But who knows? Maybe Stacey and Chad missed something, which I doubted, and didn’t write it up.” She pointed at the various posters across various buildings. “And probably got a little scuffle with one of the Heroes here?”
She pointed towards various places that have posters of all the heroes in the city. “Once you’re done with your mission, you can probably give them a call and see if they know something.” She turned her head towards the direction where the RNN headquarter should be. “The direction is that way; it’s not a long walk from here. Once everyone is out here, we will go. Now, where's that big hunk, Vegetto. Hope he isn't kicking up some dirt to vent."
"Yeah, don't get down so fast! If she was here a while ago, then she's probably far enough away by now." Berserk nodded with Avalon's attempt to keep Zenta's spirits up.
Bernkastel returned Vegetto's glare of disgust with an intense stare of her own; hearing the commentary of passerby as he skulked out of the cafe, her scowl became a lopsided smirk. Evidently she took satisfaction Vegetto slipped up so badly on his own even if it wouldn't bode well for the whole group should it continue.
Turning back to the conversation, she silently mulled over the information Brainstorm was exchanging with Bage and the others. Overhearing that Cuki apparently was attempting to sway public opinion on the Breakers caused her to tilt her head with a puzzled expression. It was especially perplexing considering how much it contrasted the last time they had seen Cuki in person-- as far as Bern could discern, Cuki really had no reason to continue attempts to restore their reputation. It would have made more sense to the witch if Cuki was actively dissociating from them. It was just as mystifying as the letter addressed to her, which also lacked the scathing ire directed towards Bernkastel the night before she left.
In the same manner, Bern was briefly puzzled by Gogeta's behavior just now-- it was such a stark contrast to the month before that their shared in-joke almost made her forget about what had transpired between them. Almost. Bern thought she knew the nature of people well as a misanthrope could, but there seemed to be something missing that she didn't yet understand.
"Don't worry about ol' Veg--" Berserk snickered. "I was mostly jokin' what I said on the train, but it turned out to be true! Serves 'im right. If only that happened more often with all the other annoyin' grown-ups I don't like. Off we go!"
Upon noticing Berserk floating out after the group had gotten up and ready to leave, Bern stood as well. "Hope for the best, prepare for the worst... that's what they say anyhow." Bern takes Zenta's hand with intent to lead him out of the cafe before the employee's voice reaches her ears, causing her to glance back over her shoulder with a stern look.
Locking eyes with her, Bern began to put two and two together realizing she was why she never got her food. Glancing toward the table and back at the woman, the Witch then gave a knowing smirk. A petty act of vengeance was the most Bern could receive from her, now that the antagonizing woman didn't have *that* to hold over the Breakers anymore.
Not breaking eye contact with her, Bern grasped a sandwich slice off Zenta's plate, eating it on the way out in her own petty defiance of the woman's intent. "Let's go Zenta."
Cayde frowned immediately at the sight of Lucifer's devlish smirk that had formed behind the napkin, soon glancing around to see if any of the others were noticing the angel's behavior. He narrowed his eyes slightly, raising his pointer finger to his mechanical mouth and uttering a low hiss for a whisper shortly after.
"Shh!!"
He moved up once the others finished their evaluation and information gathering on Cuki and Panich, rising up and patting Lucifer on the back with his right hand as the angel stood up to follow up his comment with a snark of his own.
"Yes, the qeezeen was great. If only we could introduce Lucifer to the finer delicacy of ramen, then perhaps redemption will find us all."
The android stood with a mostly concerned stare, analyzing Berserk and Bernkastel at the condemnation of Vegetto's display earlier. Yet Cayde himself held no deep emotional worry over the incident; his narrowed stare glancing between the others an indication of a cautious take on the matter, rather than an emotional need to defend his friend. He paid no attention to the waitress telling them to never return, moving with the others and heading for the exit.
"Oh! Make sure to drop me off at the building right before the HQ. I'll need to check out the sensors and keep a bird's eye view for you guys in case anything happens."
Gogeta watched on as Cuki's status was confirmed by Brainstorm's recollection of their meeting. The fusion mostly held an indifferent stare throughout the conversation, yet as it was revealed the Saiyan girl was still alive, Gogeta's tense stare visibly lightened slightly. He watched on at Zenta's clear emotional distress at the mention of the girl, and slowly turned his head away from the table while they speculated on her condition. The thought stuck of the city throwing out Cuki in his mind, and compounding with all of the earlier frustration, Gogeta scoffed lightly to himself while he crossed his arms; an eerie body language similar to his counter part with a match glare on his face.
"Tsk, this city needs to be burned to the ground."
He followed after the other Breakers and Brainstorm; the indifferent frustrated look on his face giving no quarter to the mention of Vegetto's own sulking while he followed along in silence.
Vegetto stared down at Emilyn with a mostly placid and firm stare, his eyes narrowing slightly at the mention of her lost fiance. The cutting words of loss rung out without much change in the Potara fusion's expression, despite the intense gravity and nature behind its pull on Vegetto's past. Yet while Emilyn finished speaking and apologized, Vegetto dismissively waved his right hand in a flick of his wrist while lifting his lips up in a slow, genuine and warm smile.
"No, you didn't do anything wrong. The worst part is that even though you know you can't replace them...you still try to, hoping it'll help."
He let out a long and heavy sight, slowly kneeling down a bit to rest on the heels of his boots and meet Emilyn's height at eye level while he glanced forward away from her, the smile remaining.
"It took me a long time to finally do right by her...but I know that if she's anywhere watching over me now, she'd want me to be happy. So that helps me at least...knowing that, and believing that if she is in a better place, she's doing much better without me holding her back anymore."
Vegetto fiddled with his gloves a bit, glancing down.
"Only now, I still have one more mess to clean up. I thought I'd be able to undo the damage I did to the Breakers all those years ago...but I guess I still have a lot to learn."
He turned his head towards Emilyn, keeping his smile and gently taking hold of her hand.
"So, how about I make you another deal? I can't introduce you to the Breakers...since I'm still not one...so how about we go even bigger here, and work together to join them? If we figure out how to be the coolest people in the city, they'll have to let us join, don't you think?"
"As long as Cuki is safe, then I have nothing to fret..." There was a small smile from Zenta as the others reassured him of Cuki's well-being. The fact that they cared about her as much as he did seem to surprise him. "Thank you for such kind words, it means a lot to me..."
As Bernkastel took his hand, his ears twitched at the waitress who made the comment towards them. For a brief moment, he pondered something, since the voice was indeed familiar to him. Only when he turned around to see the multiple mixes of energy inside one being, he remembered who this person was. Not wanting to cause any problems, all he did was chuckle under his breath and gave the waitress a smile and a nod before being guided away by Bernkastel.
"Very well, my Lady," Zenta said. "Someone should inform Vegetto of our departure."
"I got it, I got it..." Avalon said with slight annoyance as he rose from his seat. With everyone ready to leave, he was the first one out the door. "Hope Ego-Vegetto didn't go too far... Heh, Ego-Vegetto... I wonder what he'll think about that nickname?"
"So you understand this type of pain because you lost someone too..?" Emilyn glanced at Vegetto as he spoke vaguely about a person in his life. "I never thought someone as strong, handsome, and heroic as you would have to suffer so much as you did! But I think you're great the way you are, Mr. Vegetto-sir! I'm sure that this person is super proud of you, regardless of your faults! I know I am!"
Once Vegetto took her hand, her face turned red and her blue eyes lit up like stars. She stared silently at both their hands touching before Vegetto's words finally processed in her mind. Her entire face brightened as he made his offer, and she couldn't be happier. She jumped in place from excitement before nodding her head as quickly as possible to agree with Vegetto's terms. Just like any typical fangirl, she let out a tiny squeal of joy.
"You mean it?! You really mean it?!" She had literal tears of joy in her eyes. She couldn't believe it! "I can help out since I got a ton of friends here, and I know the city pretty well! I may not be as good a martial artist as you, but I almost got my black belt in a tournament once! I can learn a thing from you and Gogeta and Spina and--" She cut herself off before gasping. "Oh! I should get my journal! I nearly forgot it at the café! Not only that, but I got a gift I want to give Gogeta!"
As Emilyn shook Vegetto's hand to seal the offer he made, she quickly turned around and dashed as fast as she could. However, she accidentally crashed into Avalon before turning the corner. Both the girl and ninja fell flat on their butts and groaned slightly. Avalon seemed annoyed, thinking it was Vegetto he bumped, but quickly realized the woman on the floor. He rushed to his feet and helped the poor girl up to her feet, awkwardly apologizing.
"Aww shucks, I'm sorry 'bout that, Ma'am! I should've paid attention to where I was goin'! Did I hurt you, ma'am?" Avalon said as he dusted the girl's dress. "Golly, I'm really sorry I got your dress dirty..."
"It's fine!" The girl laughed before blinking to recognize Avalon as one of the Breakers. "Hey, you're Avalon, right? Wowie! You're, like, a wicked ninja!"
"The one and only!" Avalon said proudly before looking up to see Vegetto. His worried and apologetic face soon turned sour before he glanced between the Saiyan and the young woman. It was obvious from his expression he seemed to suspect something. Dusting himself off, the ninja elf fixed his scarf and cleared his throat as he spoke to Vegetto. "Hey, Ego-Vegetto, we're gonna leave soon. Brainstorm said the RNN is that way so you should regroup with us."
"Ego-Vegetto..?" The fangirl tilted her head before giggling innocently. "I get it! You guys give each other the funniest nicknames! I guess that's how friends talk to each other, huh? Anyway, give me a second, Mr. Vegetto-sir!" She quickly darted back into the café.
"Hey, wait, I'm not his--" Avalon sighed, watching the girl run off and turned to Vegetto. "Whelp, I'm gonna assume you got her head filled with your lies," He said as he flipped open his scroll to scribble something down, shaking his head dismissively. He turned his back to the Fusion before walking away confidently and zipping the scroll shut, tossing it up and down in a taunting manner. "I wonder who should read my scroll first?" The man disappeared behind the corner as the girl returned to Vegetto's side.
"Ready Mr. Vegetto-sir!"
The road to the RNN was a straight path directly to the headquarters. The closer people got to the central hub, the more congested everything got. Buildings were tightly packed together, cars were slowing down from traffic, and public transportation was abundant. Hundreds of thousands of people littered the sidewalks as many had hero merchandise on. Plastered across many buildings were several posters of every type, but it seemed to focus primarily on the very popular heroes. There were some posters of Brainstorm and even Vegetto but the most popular one, without a doubt, is Atomic Flare.
However, it wasn't just Atomic Flare that people adored the most; Null Knight, Brainstorm, and Vortexman were just as equally popular. The closer they got to the RNN, the more posters they would see of Atomic Flare, Vortexman, and Null Knight until it was revealed that they formed a popular group known as Atomic Force. The city praised the group for constantly protecting them and helping those in need. Atomic Flare was shown on the big screen, fighting any enemy that came close to Reflection City. Reporters talked about Null Knight and her devotion to the city. Newspapers spoke fondly of Vortexman's heroism. Some stores dedicated their merchandise to match their costumes. Children were seen wearing Atomic Flare's mask and pretending to act like her. Shirts were printed to have Null Knight in an elegant pose, and action figures were made to match Vortexman. There were even collectables of them. It was adoration! It wasn't just for show, the three of them were genuinely saviors to the city.
Brachi, Bara and Jize looked around, watching the children play around and noting the posters. They remained silent as they walked with the others to the RNN Building, although Brachi did smile at seeing the children play with the masks, feeling they had people to idolize, which was all right by her. She only hoped they would be spared from the horrors she feared would come any time soon.
Vegetto’s eyes immediately narrowed once Avalon appeared, the glare trained strongly on the ninja. The Potara fusion did not speak or respond to any of the goads or questions he posed; his eyes only momentarily glancing down to check on Emilyn every so often.
He grunted audibly, his lack of responding speech a clear decision to ignore Avalon, but his movements towards the group indicated he at least listened to the important instructions. His expression only softened slightly once Cayde came into view first, just before Emilyn arrived. The android blinked, watching Avalon leave and glancing up to Vegetto.
“What happened? You two didn’t fight, did you?”
Vegetto scoffed, crossing his arms.
“Of course not.”
Cayde turned his head as Emilyn returned, raising his right eyebrow once she finished speaking and confirming she was ready.
“Who’s the girl?”
Vegetto exhaled heavily, nodding down to Emilyn.
“This is our new recruit, Emilyn. She’s gonna help me rejoin the Breakers, and be the coolest duo ever.”
Cayde blinked hard, glancing between Emilyn and Vegetto briefly. His mechanical voice rung out with a small crack, genuine hurt in his voice.
“But that was supposed to be our thing”
Vegetto chuckled, his smirk lifting a bit while he tauntingly leaned forward towards Cayde.
“Well, now there’s three of us. We’ll all make a great team, now c’mon. We got Breakers to help.”
For most of the walk, Vegetto and Cayde remained mostly silent. Cayde kept his hands on his utility belt, the cape from his hood whipping around in the air behind him while he occasionally frowned at Emilyn. As the group got closer, Cayde jerked his right thumb towards the building across the street from RNN.
“There’s the eagle’s nest, detective. You want me to set up shop there now and get some recon going?”
Gogeta, however, visibly grew agitated and enraged at the sights. He briefly recognized the waitress as the group left, but the memory of her features was a subconscious flash at best; the fusion did nothing to retain the memory while he walked. Yet the constant images of Vortex Man drew his attention, until finally after a few minutes, Gogeta promptly yanked a nearby poster of the man off the wall. He furrowed his brow while he stared at the image in silence while he walked, his eyes narrowing further.
“Geez, how embarrassing. I could’ve sworn I told the president several times to stop people from making posters of me.” Brainstorm blushed upon seeing more of the posters. She didn’t realize that herself will be included in the hero gallery. “They didn’t even get a good one at that. My hair just doesn’t sit well, and they clearly didn’t get a good look at my face. It’s much cuter than that.” Brainstorm pressed her cheeks as she criticizes the work of the poster. “Even in a new reality, commercialism still follows. Is this the fate of our existence? Addictive Consumerism?”
Once Detective Spawn exited the café with Spina and seen that everyone is rearing to go, it was time for the final phase of the plan. Yet, his mind wandered that the plan went off too well. He observed each of the Breakers once more: practically all of them were in a state where their unpredictable behaviors and responses can either break or make a scenario. Considering that they’re within the compound of the literal stronghold of the RNN, it was impressive that they made it this far, barring off notable expectations.
What surprised the Detective the most is Vegetto’s actions when dealing with Gogeta. For a split second, he noticed a darkness forming around him. He was hands off with the Breakers during the month because he didn’t see the need too. They’re adults; they should be capable of making their own decisions. But he wasn’t oblivious of their status. He took noticed of Spina’s change physically and mentally. He recognized some animosity between Bernkastel and Vegetto. And the fact that Breakers had lost both Cuki and Cross within a couple of months was troublesome, while gaining three more within their ranks. Perhaps Jize was on to something that Spina is not fit to be a leader, but so far, he hasn't cause too much of a issue in comparison to Gogeta and Vegetto. He eyed at the fusion, utterly annoyed that he continues to walk around with no care at all, but he recalled what May said earlier: get this through in a professional manner and everything will pay off later.
Spawn didn’t trust Bernkastel, Lucifer and Zenta at all, and considers them an active threat towards society as a whole. But after the display Vegetto did at the café, he was considering adding the hero within that category as well. Even if the plan goes off without much issue and find a way to track down the Red King, there were too many variables about the current outlook of the Breakers. Even if their reputation was restored to the point that they’re no longer hated or hunted, some of the members is wildly too dangerous, and if the simplest of annoyance tick them off, he needed to be ready to take them out.
“Lots on your mind, Detective?” Lucifer asked.
“None.” Spawn answered. “Let’s keep on pushing.” He noticed that Vegetto had invited the girl from the café that dragged away those two teenagers. “Hey, don’t go out and invite people into the group. We’re not going to babysit someone during the recon mission.”
“Relax Spawn! Everyone can go to the RNN, so it won’t be a big deal. Besides, once we get to the President, she can’t come with us at that point.” Brainstorm gave her approval.
“Tch. Whatever. Just keep focus on the mission.” Spawn adjusted himself to make sure Spina won’t slip off and head towards the RNN with the others. He took notice of the posters and the people wearing masks and such, cringing at such sight. “I need a vacation after this. May, find a good vacation spot.”
“Rejoin the Breakers? You’re already a member, Vegetto! The best one at that~” Lucifer smile upon and bow slightly at Emilyn. “Please to meet you, I’m Lucifer.” He paused for a second, narrowing his eyes at the young girl with a smirk. “Though, I suppose you already know that.”
"I do have one question." Brainstorm prompt a question as she walked with them, more particularly, asking Bernkastel, Vegetto and Brachi directly. "My apologies for bringing it up, but, do you know where the location of Doom's castle? My peers and I were trying to find it so we can do a tour on it for people. So far, we have no sighting of the castle: it practically has no evidence that it's been anywhere."
As they venture outward, there was one poster that was display on a billboard that was huge compared to the rest of the posters. It was placed right before the RNN Headquarters, and it featured all three heroes of the Atomic Force: a team that appeared a few months ago and already made rounds due to their efforts in Reflection City:
Detective Spawn see the building in front of them was only a few meters away. "Yeah, I think it's about time for both you and May to do your thing." He turns to the others, with seriousness on his face. Near the RNN building, there were plentiful of people coming in and out. Some are tourists from outside the city that gotten permission or went through the proper channels; others are reporters and journalists trying to get their latest scoop of the scene.
Bage frowned slightly at Brainstorm's answers to his questions. But as she pointed out the many superhero posters plastering walls, billboards, and windows as they walked through the district, he looked up and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Whoa," Bage muttered, seeing the lively crowds of people covered in merchandise of their favorite heroes. He was nearly tripped by a couple of young children running past him while pretending to be the famed Atomic Force. There wasn't a moment of rest here it seemed.
The Saiyan detective continued to walk with the group, but as he continued to view these posters and stills, his eyes couldn't seem to pull themselves away from the throng of posters and merchandise of Atomic Flare. She certainly seemed like a fan favorite. Soon, his attention was brought to the massive building side screen displaying a dynamic view of the famous red hero striking a villain with what looked like a decisive blow. Viewing the collision alone was enough to give the Saiyan an idea of the power behind the hero's fist. He stared at the screen above for a few seconds, watching the attack occur over and over again. It somehow felt a bit nostalgic. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but before he could think any further on the topic, he noticed that he nearly lost the group and hurried to catch up.
Bage was silent as the others conversed, his eyes now on the giant billboard that displayed the famous trio. His expression turned serious as he prepared himself for the plan's execution. The Saiyan looked over at his group, making sure everyone was present and ready when the time came. But... there was someone else? A girl was accompanying Vegetto. And she didn't look like she was here for an autograph.
"Whoa... there's so much here! Look at all the cool stuff!" Avalon seemed excited about seeing all the stores. "This is awesome!"
"And loud..." Zenta grumbled as he kept to Bernkastel's side. "Well, on the bright side, I am getting used to this environment."
As the group traveled, people would give them mean looks and get out of their way. Whispers were heard belittling the group, and some even laughed at them. However, for the most part, things went smoothly. Most of the people paid more attention to Brainstorm, Spawn, and Vegetto, praising them for their actions. They wanted to ask for autographs, but the fact that the Breakers were present made them keep their distance.
Emilyn kept by Vegetto's side, making sure not to get in their way, but seemed happy to be traveling with them, even if some were opposed to it. She was respectful and made sure not to butt in. Everything she saw and heard was written down in her journal. She treasured this moment and wanted to remember it, down to every detail. When she noticed Lucifer approach her she introduces himself, she smiled brightly, oblivious to his smirk.
"Hey! I'm Emilyn! I know you're the incredibly handsome Lucifer Morningstar!" She giggled before giving the angel a thumbs up and staying close to Vegetto until she saw Gogeta. Her heart nearly stopped as she stared at him. It was obvious she loved Gogeta out of all of them. "Oh my gosh, is that Gogeta? Like, the awesome Blue Devil Gogeta..?!"
Without waiting for an answer, she was quick to approach Gogeta and awkwardly stared at him for a few seconds, her face getting redder and redder as she stood in front of him. She stumbled in her notebook and took out a folded piece of paper, and upon opening it, it showed a very realistic and incredible drawing of Gogeta during his epic fight with Ultraman back in Metropolis. She clearly has phenomenal talent as an artist rather than a fighter. Every detail was on the spot, and the drawing itself almost resembled a photo by how amazing it was. Emilyn continued to stare at Gogeta as she nervously handed him the drawing.
"I-I... I drew that," She said shyly. "I think you're the g-greatest person ever. Because of you... I-I went into martial arts. I'm not the only one, my friends think you're awesome too! Even my dad likes you because your actions saved me, and trust me, he's hard to impress." She slowly worked her confidence and gave the fusion a sincere smile as she fiddled around with her white hair. "I hope you can visit father's house one day. I painted a full wall depicting that event in the dining room, and I added each one of the Breakers. Errm, I hope you like it, Gogeta..."
She bowed her head and quickly trailed back behind Vegetto, feeling as if she admitted her love to a high school crush. Pride swept across her face, and it was adorable considering her action. However, she was quickly brought back down to reality once Spawn and Bage mentioned her.
"Oh, don't worry! I won't be bugging you guys, I promise. I'll stick out of the super important stuff!" The woman nodded to reassure the two Detectives. "You won't even know I'm here!"
"Are you sure you wish to be seen with us?" Zenta said to the young woman. "We have quite a reputation. Last thing we want is for people to give you looks as well."
"Don't sweat it, uhhh, Zenta, right?" She flipped some pages in her journal. "I don't mind the bad stares!" As the beast nodded to the girl and walked off with Bernkastel, she leaned closer to Vegetto and whispered, feeling bashful. "S-So mysterious... what's he like anyway? I don't know much about him, but he just looks soooo cool. I bet I can fall asleep on his fur, and it'll be like sleeping on a cloud!"
In front of the RNN were several guards and security patrolling and making sure to check any and all who enter the building. There was no point of entry that wasn't guarded by at least 5 guards. On the side of the building were several posters of Chad and Stacey, the famous news reporting duo. While they weren't 'heros' in the traditional sense, people thought their courage to get right down into the battlefield to provide the best experience was praised by all, even outside of Reflection City. Once the Breakers got closer, one guard held a laser rifle to the group and ordered them to stop.
"Halt! No one is allowed without proper identification. We have strict rules to properly check non-citizens and--" The guard stopped upon recognizing the group. He grabbed his radio device, ready to call the Task Force for some back up, until he noticed Brainstorm in the group. "The smartest person in Vortex, Brainstorm, and Detective Spawn and Detective Bage, and Rouge Hero Vegetto, W-What is going on?"
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