It's About Time [BP]

A young saiyan muttered to himself, standing at the entrance of an abandoned home, fist hovering three inches from the crooked door. The boy wore a typical black saiyan tracksuit, but the armor saiyans typically wore was absent. His tail lie between his legs- it was very short and had a flat, furless stump at the end. Crimson blood still trickled like a leaky faucet from the short tail's stubby tip. His tracksuit was a black color, torn and ragged. His skin was scabbed and bruised in places, but his body still appeared to be well-fed and somewhat muscular. Tired bags hung from the boy's fearful eyes- it was hard to believe this kid was once a proud saiyan warrior from Vegeta. But that was before everything fell down. Before this peaceful village had turned into a poverty-stricken land of fear and despair, this house probably sheltered a family from the outside world. The abandoned house shuddered in the village filled of many others like it- wishing the morning light would come all the sooner to warm its weary walls. It felt so alone, so empty. How long had it been since it heard the laughter of a precious child? How long had it been since it felt the coolness of fresh paint or contained the fragrance of Sunday dinner? It was a crumbled beauty of an era long past, forgotten and dearly missed by all. Above them hung the tall buildings of the nearby Satan City, with the rugged suburbs a few miles away from the bustling metropolis. Many individual lights cast down onto the land from the distant buildings, most of the land blackened by the night- the lights of the distant utopia did nothing to lift the blackness of the night shrouding the poverty-stricken village, like how the stars in the night sky did nothing to alleviate the darkness of the Earth.

The saiyan boy knocked twice loudly. He remembered that much of the secret code. Then it was... two soft? The boy tentatively knocked two more times on the door. He heard rustling behind the door, and his fear shot to the stars above- his mind a fuzzy mess now. What was the next part of the code? Quickly raising his fist and hitting the door one more time loudly, the saiyan took a few steps back worriedly. "Kais above, w-what if that was wrong? They won't let me in, and they will find me!... No, no, gods please no... " But his fear was for nothing, as a small mail slot on the top of the door opened, revealing a pair of opal eyes that stared into the boy's soul. A gruff voice cut the air like a piercing blade, but was tired, somehow. "That's the right code, little boy. What is your business here?" 

" I... " Before he could speak his purpose, a chopping sound slowly spliced through the air. Turning around and looking up at the scarlet clouds above, the saiyan child could see several helicopters flying over the horizon with their spotlights on. Were they looking for something? Were they looking for him? He begged to whatever go there might be that that was not the case. " What are you waiting for? If you don't want to die out there, I suggest you come in. " The husky voice's owner spoke once more. The boy began to creep up to the door and creaked it open, moving open a centimeter at a time. It could move faster, but the wood of the door had grown moldy and soft with water and neglect, and if he pushed it harder, he'd probably push it right off of it's hinges. The walls in the house were the same as the rock and dirt it stood on, stubbornly refusing to die. Inside, he saw the owner of the voice- a rather short arcosian with long antler-like horns that curved back around his head. He had blue "gems" on his shoulders, chest, forearms, and lower legs, and the look was finished off with his light blue skin and white bio-armor. What was most notable was the fact that the Arcosian's left foot was completely missing, replaced by a makeshift peg-leg made from some common household items- it appeared to just be the bottom of a plunger stuck onto a broomstick with some duct tape keeping it held in place. His red eyes pierced the air near the saiyan boy, silently and suspiciously watching his every move. Quickly ushering the saiyan inside, the arcosian raised an arm, which was surrounded by a light blue glow. Using his telekinesis, a worn piano in the room was slowly lifted up and gently set on the ground near the side, revealing a carpet beneath it. Walking over and sliding the carpet away, an iron trapdoor became visible on the ground, concealed beneath the piano and carpet. Lifting up the door, a long ladder that descended down into the black abyss below slid into the saiyan's sight. Climbing down the ladder and gesturing for the saiyan to do the same, the changeling moved the carpet and dusty piano back into place with his telekinesis, shrouding the two in pure darkness, save for a few small Christmas lights dangling near the stairs.

"So, kiddo, what brings you to to the our Headquarters? Someone must have told you the code." The Arcosian spoke, inquisitively. His red eyes illuminated the extensive ladder, with no end to the extension down into the underground base in sight. The saiyan boy recalled the man that sent him here. How he ran and never looked back, using every once of his strength to make it to the small haven in their ruined world. The one who saved his life, and countless others, and fought to save what remained of their world. "I-I'm here to see... um, C-Chai?" The child spoke the name of the man that saved him. The seven-foot-tall Earthling had found the saiyan hiding in the dumps, and sent him to the HQ to recuperate and rest. He said it was a safe place. Was there really such a place left in the galaxy? However, the blue and white arcosian froze on the stairs, causing the saiyan to nearly bump into the man as he climbed below him. Looking up at the child, the Changeling spoke with a tone of concern, worry, and suspicion. "...Say, how do you know the name of our commander? Don't tell me that information had leaked to Earth's Special Forces...!" Flinching at even the mention of the higher-ups, the saiyan boy frantically shook his head and spoke desperately. "N-No! They don't know anything! I swear!" The arocisian's eyelids drooped down halfway as he looked up at the child with the torn clothes, speaking in a stern and questioning voice. "Then do tell how you know him, please."

Jolting once more at the lizard alien's cold voice, the saiyan recalled when he met the masked man. "I... I, uh met him near the dumps, while he was gathering stuff. H-He said to come here and you guys would help me." He spoke the truth, having nothing to hide. The man had come across him in the old landfill. While he was scared shitless of the seven foot tall figure at first, the man offered to help him instead of killing the saiyan boy. But why? How could someone even know kindness in a world absent of any warmth? It was all cold, and hurt. It hurt to live. A look of hopelessness flashed in the boy's eyes, like it had in the eyes of so many others. The arocisan merely sighed, resuming climbing down the ladder with the saiyan boy in tow. "...That seems like him. We haven't had this many new recruits and refugees since the Arcosian Empire fell. Let me tell you, that guy's helpful nature is going to get us allllll into trouble someday." The saiyan boy raised a brow at this. How would being nice get you into trouble? The arcosian seemed to understand, but the meaning of the man's statement flew over the child's head. " I-I hope not." He still responded, hoping they would not be found out. The Arcosian spoke in a calmer voice, but he still just seemed so tired. " Same, same. So... who are you, kiddo? " Oh, right. They didn't even know each other's names! " I'm Cress... W-who are you, mister Arcosian?" He inquired, deciding it was polite to ask for the Arcosian's name in response. It wasn't every day you saw a cat and a dog getting along. " Chiller. It is a pleasure to be at your service, Cress. There aren't many of your kind left, you know... Oh! We're here, kid." 

A flash of light greeted Cress's eyes as the Arcosian hopped off the ladder. What he had entered was a huge chamber, the walls - half naked rock, half polished steel were lined with computer equipment, electronic meters, machines that blinked and flickered with a life of their own. All sorts of species populated the catacomb-like array of giant tunnels. Arcosians sat back and had a drink with some Saiyans, like they never were enemies to begin with. Cress even spotted a majin and a namekain sparring in a fighting ring nearby. The whole tyrannical rule over the galaxy thing had put a dent on everyone- enemies became allies in the dire moment. Everyone seemed to have banded together to create a rather formidable force. They were nothing compared to Earth's Special forces if Cress's senses were right, though. Could a colony of ants beat an elephant? "So... Where's t-that Chai guy?" Cress spoke. He'd like to see the man that sent him here, and took him away from the apocalyptic world above. Chiller shrugged, remembering where he had seen their leader most of the time. Ever since he found a little journal with... debatable topics inside, he had been working his butt of on their secret project. "He should be in one of more... secret rooms, as usual. That guy... Well, he's put a lot of faith in our backup plan." Cress tilted his head. "Backup plan? Your other plan failed?... W-What are you guys going to do to now?" He spoke, causing Chiller to grit his teeth, eyes closed. He didn't speak a word, instead continuing to walk forward, gesturing for Cress to follow with his tail. Cress shivered a little, thinking of the gigantic seven foot tall zoan he met. Chai was kind of scary looking, to be honest. Well, whether he liked it or not, they would be meeting the leader of the Crimson Striker Rebellion.