Alien Entanglements

    The desert was a cruel place for Garon. Fine sand could quickly creep into the crevices of his Meta-Suit, and the searing heat of the Sun made his metal hot to the touch. If it weren't for his natural heat resistance on account of his Doragon blood, Garon would've passed out from heatstroke an hour ago. Instead, he earned the privilege to fly the length of the Diablo Desert on his own, face caked in sweat and getting baked in his own armor.

    He had no one to blame but himself. A true, worldwide hero needed to know the quickest ways to travel from city to city, he figured. What he thought would be a shortcut turned out to be a balmy slog. Too far in to turn back, he continued to soar across the open desert sky.

    "Tch. Some 'shortcut'... fuck this place."

    Garon summoned a holographic screen in front of his helmet, ready to leave a reminder for himself to never return to this hellhole. The screen came accompanied with several others: his Scouter, the Meta-Suit's integral status; the typical affair. In his absentminded note taking, he glanced at the collection of low Power Levels in the presence of a much stronger couple. He wouldn't have paid it any mind, had one of those Power Levels not disappeared from the radar entirely.

    Making an aerial u-turn, Garon charged headfirst towards the scene of the crime. He could only hope that whoever that massive Power Level was, they were on his side.

    Upon arrival, the scene was pretty gruesome. A couple of Saiyans were the target of a 20-something man shootout. Looking down from above, Garon could see the fallen body of a man whose Power Level he could not see.

    ...do people lose their Power Level once they're knocked unconscious? Choosing to believe so was the only way Garon could find the courage to follow through.

    "Hey, hey, what the hell's the big idea here!?" Garon yelled, descending onto the battlefield, straight in the middle between the two parties. Neither side looked particularly innocent. He raised his hand out toward the bandits as if to signal to stop.

    "Hero stepping in now. I dunno what the fuck's going on, but I'm not about to let it slide. Drop your guns, drop your fists. First and final warning."

    Garon glanced back at the two Saiyans. Just what the hell were they up to?

    "Same for you two. You'll have until the authorities get here to explain yourselves."

    The armored hero stands his ground between both sides with hopes of forcing a ceasefire...

Ah! What a sight for sore eyes! Vale could’ve sworn it was him going by the ki alone. It was thick, oh so powerful, almost overwhelmingly so. The last time he had seen Lottus was in Hell and when he came to look back for him, he had somehow managed to flee, putting the plan he was devising on hold. The Shinjin wasn’t too bothered, figuring that the Saiyan would sooner than later find his way back in the hellish pits of the underworld where they would have all the time in the world to bring the demonic rulers of Hell to their knees.

In the meantime, why not enjoy some long awaited reunion? There was always a possibility that Lottus had changed his mind about Vale, but he still wanted to see for himself what he had gone through in the meantime. Anyway, what was the worst that could happen? Getting killed? Pfft, as if that ever stopped anyone.

Warping from his position to the Diablo desert, Vale popped out of nowhere his meager energy certainly not scaring anyone, but that wasn’t the intention either.

“My, oh my! Look at who we have here! If it isn’t Lottus. I see you’re looking…hmm, alive! That halo didn’t really suit you, anyway…”

He looked around, noticing several other individuals, three of them being particularly noteworthy. A saiyan and two other human-looking folks.The suit of armor felt very vintage, a bold choice.

“Ah, quick to make friends as ever, I see". He warped again from his position in the air and down, next to Rucola. Reaching a hand out to them, he looked for a handshake. “Nice to meet you, yes. I am Lottus’ acquaintance. He killed my best friend, once, and for that, I’m very much thankful.”

Popping right next to Garon, he also reached out for a handshake. “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure to meet. You should listen to the young man over there.” he said, pointing to Yogu. “I’m afraid you’ll need much more than the authorities to stop him. But you two seem capable…How about you give it a shot? I can back you up.”

He turned his head to face Lottus, winking at him.

    The situation, as the weaker Saiyan explained, was about what Garon expected. A band of goons tried to punch above their weight and ate shit for it. Typical criminal activity. What he didn't expect was for the victims of this crime to be more villainous than the culprits. As Lottus approached Garon whilst divulging his lethal intent, the hero felt chills run down his spine. He wasn't blind; he could see the hulking Power Level on his screen getting closer, clear as day. A battle power in the hundred-thousands, several magnitudes higher than anything he'd seen before.

    "That's not your call to make, big guy." Garon's energy– or more accurately his Meta-Suit's– began to flow from his body, the intensity ramping up gradually and mechanically, like the revving of an engine, as opposed to the bursting flare of most normal ki-wielders. Anyone with a ki-sensing ability and half a brain could feel the discrepancy between Garon's artificial energy and anyone else's. But even in the face of absolute strength, he wasn't about to let some supervillain ruin his reputation just because of some big number.

    "Those crooks you almost killed answer to me. They're a hero's job to handle; if they eat dirt, they do it on my terms. And I say these idiots are in for a few years in the slammer, nothing more."

    Garon balls his metal claws into fists, looking up at the Saiyan.

    "You can take whatever plans you had and shove 'em up your–"

    His threat was interrupted by the rampant beeping of his Scouter screen. A new Power Level had entered his line of vision from seemingly thin air. Baffled by the sudden appearance, Garon couldn't find the words to say as a strangely robed man popped in and out of existence– in front of one Saiyan, then the next, and soon he found it was his turn. The Doragon cautiously extended an armored hand towards the stranger, who pointed out the existence of yet another fighter in hiding. Just where the hell did these people come from?

    Sparing the other stranger a glance, Garon immediately noticed the huge number his Scouter had pinned right by his side, nearly double his own. The sheer gap in strength between himself– a hero– and this other guy, who just looked like some guy from the streets, would've been disheartening had all of Garon's mental strength not been focused on the life-or-death situation in front of him. He turned his attention back to the purple stranger.

    "...No clue where the fuck you came from, but if you can fight, I'm not gonna turn down the offer. Just don't become a liability." Garon looked back at the other, human stranger. "That goes for you, too! If you're not gonna put that Battle Power to use, hightail it to West City! I've got enough people to babysit already!" Even with the human stranger as strong as he was, his warnings for Garon fell on deaf ears. Maybe if his pride wasn't on the line, he'd have been more willing to listen. But a glance at the numbers– the two Saiyans vs. the three of them– doing the math, they were just about even.

    ...Or at least, they should have been. Whilst insulting Garon's power even further, the stronger Saiyan fired some kind of strange energy blast into the sky, shrouding the desert landscape in a crimson light. His cohort, as if she were under the effects of a full moon, began to transform into a massive Oozaru. Garon could only watch in petrified anger as her Battle Power began to grow, but as the growth began to plateau and he could see the Saiyan's strength at her peak, his anger turned into fragile confidence. Even with the physical benefits that come from being an Oozaru, her power was only a fraction of his own. Garon grinned.

    "You know, I hate to say it, but I'm glad I ran into you," he said towards the stronger of the two Saiyans. "If you're half the villain you're hyping yourself up to be, I'm gonna take the world by storm once I kick your ass! Someone's gotta teach you fuckin' criminals where you stand in this world, and if no one else's gonna do it, I'll sure as hell step up to bat! Pull all of the stalling tricks that you want–"

    Glancing at the Oozaru, Garon realized she was going to squish the bandits like ants if he didn't do something. Taking off to the sky with a blue burst of jet-fueled flame, Garon charged straight for Ricola at top speed, aiming to plant his metal fist into her face.

    "You're both done!"

Now that they were done with greetings and welcomes, things could get a bit interesting. Of course, those two earthlings didn’t stand a chance against Lottus and that’s exactly why the Shinjin wanted to see them try their best going at it. Oh, how he longed for the realization of their incompetence in the face of the greater power! That being said, he really was going to help them until then. Not only would it do wonders to his reputation, but after the portal fiasco, he had a dire need to clear his name and portray himself as the good guy here.

Since beggars can’t be choosers, they didn’t have much choice in the matter than to accept his help. The armored knight raised suspicions and even managed to get a threat out, but he wouldn’t find a taker in Vale. “A liability, me? No, no, quite the opposite. If anyone’s going to make sure you stay alive, it’s me!”

Even Lottus, seeing clearly through the Shinjin’s game, called him out for giving these two false hopes. “Oh, pipe down, you tyrant! Never doubt the resilience and spirit of my new friends here! You’ll certainly find a match in both of them.”

Yet, his smile would appear fake and overly playful, only agreeing to the Saiyan’s words.

As for now, they would find a foe in the other Saiyan - Rucola- who had been transformed into a great ape. The armored fellow went to attack, but it was probably fine, no, what interested the Shinjin was the other Earthling. Far more competent, yet seemingly oblivious to his own strength. At least, he did have some pep in his words.

“Screwball? Now that’s a new one. But fine, there you go.”

Using regular magic instead of his regular, evil one, Vale conjured a shield around Yogu. If it did break, the resulting damage would go straight to him and leave the Earthling uninjured.

“What do you say to this, heartless villain?” Vale exclaimed, looking at Lottus.

    Garon scowled at Lottus's grand declaration. Stomping out that almighty attitude of his would be the highlight of his week. Sure, anyone could tell that it'd be an uphill battle, but an upset of that scale would be legendary. "Garon, the Hero who felled a villain five times his strength": he'd been chasing a status like that for the past few weeks, and now that the opportunity presented itself, he was determined not to let it pass without a fight.

    His opening attack was a good first step. Garon's ironclad fist struck the Oozaru right between the eyes, sending her toppling to the ground with a resounding boom. The hero looked down in awe as a plume of sand erupted from the ensuing impact, stunned that he had managed to knock over such a massive opponent so easily. Even with the evident gap between their Power Levels, the adrenaline rush from tripping someone a dozen times his size brought a confident smile to Garon's face.

    Unfortunately, it wouldn't last long. Through the falling sand, a hazy reddish light began to intensify, catching Garon's attention just before it erupted into a dense ray of energy. His grin fell as the beam cut through the sky, barreling towards him with destructive intent.

    "Damn it...!"

    Forced between a rock and a hard place, Garon extended a palm towards the incoming blast, using his free hand to support his upper arm. His Meta-Suit began to whir as specks of cyan light swirled into the center of his hand, coalescing into a glowing teal orb. Moments before the beam would've made impact, Garon yelled out.

    "Fire!"

    A charged ki blast came crashing down on Ricola's beam. It crackled with energy as it pushed through the laser, unraveling it on impact like a frayed rope. If Ricola didn't take action, she'd find herself eating a ball of ki that would detonate on impact!

    But, as one problem was solved, another arose. Before Garon could understand what was happening, another energy wave came flying towards him, this one much faster and much stronger than the last. He desperately extended his arms out to unleash another attack, but he only managed to get out a "Mercur–!" before the beam hit his hands full force. Garon tried his best to hold it back, but it only took a moment for the energy to start eating away at his armor, turning it a bright cyan color as the "metal" eroded back into plasma-like ki. With no choice, he rerouted all of his energy, creating a blue barrier to shield himself from the blast, but even this would be insufficient.

    After a brief resistance, Lottus's beam exploded at Garon's position in the sky. Once the smoke began to clear, it became clear that he'd managed to tank the blast, at least somewhat. Scratched up and out of breath, he tapped his thumb on the front of his chin, looking down unsurprised by the golden blood which now stained his hand. Garon wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

    "What the hell was that?!" he yelled. Garon glared at the stronger of his two opponents. "Wait your damn turn! And you two– keep that clown in his lane while I end this!" His human ally asking a question about his Battle Power irked him; was this guy joking? "You serious? The fact that you're throwing punches right now means it's high enough! Now stop stressing about the details and kick that guy's ass!"

    With what would hopefully be the beginning and end of any distractions, Garon turned his attention back towards Ricola, ready to continue their fight.

It was enjoyable to see the fight up close. Standing on the side of justice only meant he could admire Lottus that much more and feel the pressure of his threatening aura. Oh, if he didn’t know any better, it would probably be sending shivers up his spine, rendering him frozen in the face of such overwhelming odds! Hah, even this provocation! Of course, the three of them couldn’t measure up to him. Maybe the other two would feel some way about it, but the Shinjin found it amusing. In truth, he was not meant to stand up to anyone, period. Because there was no meaning in that. Pursuing strength had never been a goal nor a desire. A futile endeavor better left to the mortals.

Speaking of which, they weren’t doing too hot for themselves. While Vale said he would help the two of them, it was hard to keep track of it all. Perhaps he should put a little bit of effort into it. The fireworks erupted, but both fighters managed to withstand the blast with varying success. The armor clad one struggling a bit more while the other earthling appeared more gifted.

As Garon barked his orders, Vale made sure to obey. “R-Right! Coming right up.”

He warped from the point he stood to where Yogu was after drop kicking the Saiyan and getting off of them. “A word of advice. This man is particularly sensitive in the nether region.” A subtle reference to that fateful encounter in Hell. “I am not sure how to go about this, I am not a fighter and I’m no screwball!…Oh right, I can do this.”

He put his hand above the ground in front of him. The earth rumbled before cracking, a circular zone falling into a seemingly bottomless pit. Dark magic, the kind that clogged the nose and felt thick, almost nauseating with a smell of sulfur and ammonia poured out of the hole. It dissipated slowly, showing a cane levitating out of it. Vale grabbed it, presenting it proudly to the Earthling. “I can always use my trusty cane.” Brandishing it like a baseball bat, he faced off against the Saiyan warmonger. “Bring it on, I’ll show you I can handle myself!”

He ran towards Lottus, holding his cane above his head with two hands. As he drew in range, the poor Shinjin tripped over something and fell face first to the ground, his cane perfectly lined up to hit Lottus on the left knee.

“Hmpf!” he groaned as he knocked the wind out of himself.

    The battle below caught Garon's attention; finally, his teammates looked like they were starting to pull their weight. The purple Shinjin and Yogu– as he annoyingly introduced himself– coordinated attacks on Ricola and Lottus respectively. Sadly, the good news ended there.

    "Power up?" Garon asked in disbelief. Whatever confidence he had left had vanished once he saw everyone's numbers skyrocket. In the blink of an eye, Yogu's power had grown threefold, the purple one's power had quadrupled, and Lottus had not only tripled his strength, but doubled his presence. Garon hit his power ceiling the moment the fight started.

    "W-Where the hell was all this three minutes ago?!"

    Garon clenched teeth as he eyed the demon in front of him. Lottus had completely intercepted the attack meant for his Oozaru companion, and it was about as ineffective as his teammates' attacks seemed to be. Running away or continuing his attack on the much weaker opponent weren't options either; he figured Lottus was simply too fast to let that slide. The only way to preserve his identity as a hero was to face him head-on... and even in the off-chance that worked out, he still had that "Super Saiyan" thing to rely on.

    "Whatever! I don't care what gimmicks you've got– it's nothing I can't handle!"

    With three opponents and two teammates, Garon picked the real Lottus as his target. He extended his arm and began to charge another energy blast; if one couldn't do a trick, then maybe a dozen could leave a dent. One after the other, Garon lobbed a series of ki blasts from his palms. Some would miss their mark entirely on account of Garon's inexperience, but with luck, at least a few would come hurtling towards Lottus!