Such a pleasant day. The warm weather and the atmosphere of approaching summer were putting people in a good mood. Hotels and tourist spots were getting busy preparing for crowds of visitors during the season, and East City was a peaceful place - like always. Or most of the time, judging by the facts that minor accidents were happening here and there. Despite that, with such a relaxed ambiance, would there be someone who wasn't enjoying this warm day? Yes, yes there was.

An older, tall, and burly man walked into the hotel's lobby. His face was dark with irritation and unpleasant air entered the place with him. Something about his presence could remind people of a dangerous animal - his broad silhouette, wide hands, dark beard. The posture when he walked made the hotel's workers and guests move aside from his path. Such is the world, isn't it, that if one looks wry and angry, they fear them - especially the one with such a presence. He grumbled under his nose while wandering around the place, his steps moved in the direction of the sofas and tables. The dark eyes were scanning the busy room in silence and with unpleasant prejudice. The frown on his face only deepened the wrinkles, markings of his age, and years of strain the work put on him. Zhang Yibai wasn't a person desiring the comfort or privileges of the rich, so his eyes betrayed the distaste he felt while looking at the hotel's splendor. He was a man of science, not money. The tall hall with beautiful ornaments, the thoughtfully carved furniture with plush pillows, golden-framed paintings on every wall... The ex-scientist himself was dressed in an elegant, but a modest suit, holding a briefcase and a stash of papers. Yet, one could tell, that the quiet life as a worker at East City University wasn't ideal for him.

Zhang's eyes stopped at the man in a red outfit. A frown on his face grew bigger and without delay, he walked up to him in silence. Barely glancing at the representative of the Red Ribbon Army, he took off the hat to show grey hair brushed back in an old-fashioned hairdo. He sat down. There was no greeting, only a quick, displeased glance. Despite the irritation and aversion clearly painted on his face, he was cautious. They never knew who was watching or listening, and the meeting was called in a place that was both private and full of different eyes and ears. Zhang opened his leather briefcase and placed the letter on the table. The envelope was open, for safety the insignia was smeared so no one would be able to recognize the symbol. The man was familiar with the content of the message and thus, full of antipathy. Placing his belongings on the chair next to him, he joined his hands together and sighed deeply before he stared daggers at the man in red.

"Your organization has a lot of nerve, calling me in like that," he stated with an indifferent, gruff voice.

Meanwhile...

Ayu was standing in front of the hotel's door. Her hands were fidgeting and her face was troubled, while she scanned the hall through the door's window. This place was so beautiful and sophisticated, that she wasn't able to get inside. She felt way too underdressed to walk into this place just like that... Why was she even here..? After not answering Zhang's last call she felt a sense of guilt rising and tried to reach him - to no avail. This made her feel only worse. Grandfather was always so busy, but despite their cold relationship, she was ready to help if he'd only ask her for... It wasn't strange for her to fetch him something or bring the documentation back from home to his work. Truth be told, her last visit to East City ended with one life being lost and Zhang getting furious... She was grateful that the Saiyan helped her when he did, but in the end, perhaps she was in more trouble than expected. Ayu wasn't even able to tell grandfather that she was coming to visit him - he'd be so mad. And his cold stare wasn't something she wanted to see again... Still, after some thinking, Ayu decided what to do. She was stronger now, so in case of emergency, she would know what to do this time - at least she hoped. With better spirits and eagerness to do the good deed, she prepared everything. So after packing freshly ironed, spare clothing, alongside a box of homemade treats she decided to come despite his warnings.

So, here she was... University's front desk told Ayu that her grandfather left in hurry and they had no information about when would he be back. That wasn't good. The young woman was able to sense his energy and she followed him, in hopes that she would catch Zhang to hand him what she brought - but she was a bit too late. He entered the hotel before she could call him. And, well, now Ayu only felt the nervous blush as she was debating what to do. It wasn't a big thing to enter the building, but there were so many people she was already feeling the suffocating panic... Crowds were always making her anxious. And her best clothing, the white dress, wasn't even close to the outfits people wore inside. Won't she be chased out..? Ayu was simply an underdressed country bumpkin here. Maybe she should ask a worker to deliver the bag she prepared? Would they even do that if she'd ask? What should she do...

---

Super Weighted Clothing Equipped
Power Level - 43,460
PL with SWC - 10,865
Word Count - 938

"I have suddenly lost my appetite, thank you," Zhang's sour face was enough to cradle milk, when he treated the man in front of him with his heavy, full of aversion gaze. The doctor leaned back in his chair. His hands impatiently were playing with silver cutlery that was left on the table waiting for the promised meal. By the sound of it, he wasn't going to eat anyway. He was listening to the stranger's elegant speech, the choice of words, and the whole presentation enhanced with fancy alcohol and the atmosphere of this place... He didn't even flinch at the mention of ears and eyes all around him, seemed that he predicted even that move. With each pretty sentence, Zhang's bushy eyebrows were rising a millimeter higher, he was listening with growing disbelief and annoyance - finally, he snorted. He gave a man a slow, mocking clap, before resting his head on the back of his seat. "Divorce, no, but a restraining order?" showing his dry sense of humor, the older man slowly shook his head. Disbelief and clear irritation were painted on his face. "Maybe that's the only way for me out of this relationship. You're not only sucking dry my funds under a mere excuse that you'll leave me alone after paying a certain amount, but now you are leeching off my income, leaving very little for me to go by," chuckling with a taunt, he brushed his hair away from his face. "What, are you thinking that I will give in after starving a bit?"

Zhang wasn't a prideful man or someone who valued morals highly. In his long years of life he did illegal things, those that would be frowned upon and neglected as the ideas of a madman - simply because he wanted to know if he was able to. A genetically modified human with enhanced durability? Easy. The altered genetic makeup of a Beastfolk Chameleon he created to make a species able to actually transform into a human-looking form, not simply have the color of their scales changed? That took some years, but he succeeded too.

And his last deed. The mysterious project that never leaked into the world... Ripping a hopeless case, a moribund kid from the cold embrace of death, by recombination her genes from the scratch using alien matter. She was alive and well. Not only that, she gained the ability to regenerate her body as well - Zhang was proud of that one, but at the same time, a little annoyed. His last achievement wasn't known to anyone other than him and Williams, it can't be known... People weren't happy about his ethic. Everything in his old laboratory was burnt to avoid suspicion. The little documentation he had, he saved, all the equipment was wiped clean, data memory banks were smashed and what he could, he sold. That's how they tracked him down - some people were persistently asking who owned this very high-quality molecular machine for altering DNA compounds... They had proof and connections. That's why the Red Ribbon Army thought he'd be easy to recruit along the way, but they didn't predict one thing - that Zhang Yibai was a typical, grumpy, and stubborn to a fault old man, who liked to keep his grudges close.

"All lies," the man squeezed the words through his clenched teeth. "No intention of forcing me? Then how would you explain all those visits from Work Control Center?" Doctor Yibai was doing his best to live quietly at the University, focusing on his work and research there, not causing problems to the other facility members or his students - and somehow he was regularly learning, that a complaint was filed against him. He shook his head, resting his bearded chin on a curled fist. Zhang gave the Arlic a very long, stern look, before answering his question. "Because I said no once..." he clucked his tongue. "And you all are behaving like a hormonal teenager who can't take no from a girl. Persistent to a fault, dressing your manipulation in pretty words, and becoming stalkers." If he wasn't in a fancy hotel he might have spat on the floor. The doctor was a difficult interlocutor. "When I didn't want to have anything to do with you, you didn't respect my words. So how am I supposed to respect your deals now?" Zhang's voice became tepid, indifferent despite all the irritation that was gleaming in his eyes. "There were times when I considered turning to the organization you, Arlic Gustafson, are a part of, but not anymore. You're nothing more than a blackmailing, criminal net who will use all means necessary to get what they want. You had to respect me once to show how you would treat me, and it's now clear to me that I won't be treated well, I would only be a tool of the Army." His face grew darker. "And unfortunately for you - what I want and what you won't don't overlap in the slightest."

Zhang was getting a little heated up in this conservation and not so far from his spot, Ayu was now in distress. The last thing she wanted to do, was to take the time from the busy hotel workers... The fact that they might have taken her as someone suspicious wasn't as bad as the thought that they were trying to send her to the cheapest motel in the area. She stroked her cheek anxiously, lightly lowering her head. To hide her fidgeting hands he held onto the bag in her arms.

"Oh, n-no, thank you, Mister, I'm not looking for a p-place to stay..." Ayu tried to soothe the misunderstanding, raising one of her hands calmly. She already felt the shy blush appearing on her cheeks, and the uneasiness of talking with a stranger wasn't helping with keeping her composure in check. Her eyes glanced once again at the window in the front door and she gently pointed toward the place the Zhang and Arlic were sitting. "My grandfather, the o-one with the beard, just walked into this hotel," she explained. "I saw him on the street but couldn't catch up with him before he entered the building. I wanted to give him something..." She hesitated. Zhang didn't allow her to visit the cities or even the small towns on her own since that one accident happened last time, so he won't be pleased to see her. He would probably get angry again. But... Ayu wasn't so weak to be afraid of walking the streets on her own, not anymore. It was just her grandfather's indifference that she feared... Maybe that was a bad idea. "I'm sorry if I caused y-you any trouble Mister," she apologetically bowed her head. "I don't want to disrupt my grandfather's m-meeting, so I'm going to wait for him at the university." Ayu decided.

---

Super Weighted Clothing Equipped
Power Level - 43,460
PL with SWC - 10,865
Word Count - 1,142
Total Word Count - 2,080

"If I would ignore you, where would that lead us again? Another attempt at talks, another control sent on my back, another threat waiting for me on my work desk? I didn't come here to bargain." Zhang rubbed his temples, a grimace of irritation flushing through his face. "But, to perhaps say, once and for all make things clear." Red Ribbon Army was one thing... And as Gustafson assured, New Humans was something else entirely. Zhang was listening... Maybe even more than he'd like to admit by the expression on his face. He wasn't as much interested in doing good for the sake of good itself - but to prove that he could? No one should ever underestimate the pride of a scientist. The more you pressure them, the least likely they would do what's expected of them. But, given the challenge... "If that's the case, maybe you should talk to the higher-ups, so they would consider changing their tactics," he replied sharply, rubbing his chin because his eyes had this pensive look as he was partially lost in thoughts. Perhaps? Perhaps... But the pondering about anything needed to be halted, because when Arlic mentioned his granddaughter, Zhang hissed and clicked his tongue. "She was supposed to stay away from the cities..." he mumbled to himself in irritation.

On the other side of the door, someone was getting nervous.

"I could show you m-my ID card if that's necessary..?" Ayu tried to suggest this way of confirming her identity, but the hotel worker took out his phone already. She didn't want to think that she looked so suspicious that a call was needed to ensure that she was saying the truth... Well, this place was posh and security was high. No doubt they had their visitors' best interest in mind and that lead to being very cautious of everything that was happening around them. One could never be too careful... She shouldn't blame them, though it made her a little bit uneasy. After being granted entrance, Ayu nodded and smiled. "Thank you, mister," she bowed her head before walking into the building.

From up close this place looked ever fancier than from the outside - but it was no time for sight-viewing. Ayu felt out of place more than before, and from afar she could sense that her grandfather wasn't pleased because of her presence. He wasn't in good mood since morning, but it seemed that his temper was getting worse. There was a very low hiss and unpleasant click of his tongue when he finished talking with the man in a red suit and as Ayu walked up to their table, the atmosphere was... Anxious and heavy. The young woman wasn't sure how should she feel about this situation. Zhang was clearly annoyed - she could sense it in his energy signature, but there was no need to. His face was proof enough, with his bushy eyebrows bristled and eyes gleaming with frustration and irritation, grimace on his lips like he ate something stale and sour. And the worst part was... That she couldn't sense anything from the man sitting on the opposite side of the table.

Since Ayu learned that some people were able to conceal their Ki, she was more wary of them, knowing that their abilities are easily better than her own - as she still struggled with control of her energy. As someone who made a habit of reading others' characteristics from their energy signatures, a lack of one made her uneasy, she wasn't sure what to expect... Her anxiety started to slowly kick in, which was seen in the fidgeting of her hands - she hold onto the bag a little stronger. The air about the man was peculiar... The vivid color of his clothing and the manner he held himself was confident and somehow flamboyant if Ayu could only call it that. His hair was groomed and he was both elegant and just a little intimidating with his overall presence - for her at least. Yet it didn't seem that bad... Ayu knew better than to rely too much on first impressions - though it didn't make the situation any less awkward.

"Good a-afternoon," Ayu greeted both men with a gentle voice, smiling with abashment, aware that she was interrupting a most likely very important meeting. "I a-apologize for my intrusion, mister, grandfather," light, nervous blush painted on her cheeks proved that she wasn't feeling comfortable with disrupting their conversation - but she was allowed to walk into the hotel. She wanted to pass the bag and leave before Zhang would get any madder about the whole situation.

"You could have called... Now, what is it?" grandfather's voice was tepid as always and his fingers impatiently tapped the table. There was no point mentioning that he was ignoring her calls too... He practically oozed his aversion towards Ayu being there in his presence... Or not only his. "Say what you have to and be on your way, as you see we're very busy." Why was he getting... Nervous now? Was that some sweat appearing on his brow, above eyebrows? Maybe Ayu didn't sense it right, but Zhang's mood started to shift towards being alarmed like something was going to happen any minute now.

"W-Well, you were away for so long so I brought what you might need f-from home..." Ayu glanced at the bag she was holding, now getting more bashful with Zhang's indifferent, unfavorable response. Her face started to flush when she began to feel uneasy, feeling some other pairs of eyes on her back. Were people watching..? O-Oh no. "The workers at t-the university refused to let me enter your office while you were absent, and I saw you walking into here..." Perhaps the explanation wasn't needed, because there was no change in the grandfather's face at all. As usual. She was sure she got used to it by now, but because their meetings were so rare and short, interacting with Zhang was always difficult. There was nothing he was going to give to her - be it time or care. "T-That's all," Ayu finished speaking, lowering her voice. She quickly gave him the bag and was nothing but ready to leave and go home.

---

Super Weighted Clothing Equipped
Power Level - 43,460
PL with SWC - 10,865
Word Count - 1,035
Total Word Count - 3,115

The offer... The offer was tempting. The intrigued sparkle in the black eyes was quite literally showing off the interest that spiked in Zhang's mind. The older man started playing with his beard, measuring Arlic with his gaze as if he was seeing now the man in a completely new light... The doctor wasn't as greedy for power or for influences like that, but he wanted knowledge. To create a thrill in the scientists' world, achieving something that others would only dream of - and he perhaps suspected the value of the aid of someone with might and cash to match his ambitions. His last project wasn't finished and that's why he was, ekhm, looking after her, only because they had to wrap things quickly as Earth's Military started to suspect that something illegal was happening around the area of his old lab. It won't happen again, won't it? And what's more - having been freed from all those blackmailing attempts and encouraging talks from Red Ribbon Army's officials that had no clue how to conversate with a person of his intellect would be pretty beneficial. For both. Hm... Zhang was thinking about it hard, pondering his answer.

But then Ayu came and smiled with bashfulness at the stranger. Her presence didn't match the seriousness of the debate between the two men, and she felt that obviously. She couldn't really say anything about warming Zhang's heart or being loved by him, but that wasn't a place to voice her doubts. The man in a red suit was very charismatic in his manner of speech and gestures, but one part of her was still wary of the stranger - she couldn't sense anything. His energy was blocked, and if she'd closed her eyes, the chair could very well be empty... People who could do that trick were most likely powerful - at least that was her view on that. Herself, she struggled so much with her Ki that she could only dream of learning that ability fully... But never mind that. She would hate to interrupt them any longer, so she nodded thankfully when the other man suggested that she would wait somewhere else.

"I will stay there then, thank you Mister Arlic." Ayu bowed her head and walked to the table in question. The seat was luxurious with the plush pillow and the menu was filled with strange-sounding names written in posh font full of twirls and swirls that made it hard to read... She barely glanced at the menu. Sure, ice cream would be an amazing treat for this pleasant hot day, but a certain worry was keeping her stomach tied in a knot. "One water, please," she asked the waiter and closed her eyes for a moment. She wouldn't be able to stomach anything else right now. Her instincts weren't telling her that there was any danger nearby, but she couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Something didn't feel quite right, but she couldn't say what exactly...

"Intriguing." Zhang said as the suitcase was opened on the table and he too looked carefully at the little display prepared by Arlic. Stroking his beard he narrowed his eyes, both admiring and studying the content... The inner curiosity of a scientist was starting to take over, and despite the initial hostility and grumpiness, it was now overshadowed by the thoughts running wild in his head. The alien markings on the sides were something that he saw before, somewhere... "I did get my hands on some alien DNA a few times too... One of the genetic materials was sensitive to the electromagnetic output of machines present. Needed to be kept in a special safe to avoid any side effects." He mused, lowering his voice as he paid close attention to the markings on the side. Zhang was a very practical man. Despite everything - he was eager to tell what he knew to show off his knowledge and wanted to learn and study what he did not know. His black eyes focused on the tip of the tuning fork that started to gently lit up, before the spark died in front of his face. That looked familiar. "The resource you're speaking of might be or might not be organic. After all, there are many things we don't know and people are still afraid to learn..." he grunted with disdain and annoyance, shifting his focus on something else entirely. "They do not want to admit that, but working on outer-space technology isn't as threatening as they suspect. They are scared of the possibilities, that we could do greater things while making alien technology our own..." Zhang's giant shoulders were lifted by his deep sigh. So many things to do, so many to learn... If it wasn't for fear, his projects could continue to grow and thrive, and now? Look at him, playing a good professor at the University, laying low, away from any work worth his while. Zhang's face twisted into a sour grimace. "Can you imagine that close-mindedness?"

---

Super Weighted Clothing Equipped
Power Level - 43,460
PL with SWC - 10,865
Word Count - 831
Total Word Count - 3,946

It all was so overwhelming here... The atmosphere wasn't as heavy as when she entered the building, but Ayu was sitting quietly by the table, trying to sense around the place. She felt quite a lot of energy signatures, and what troubled her the most, was that she still wasn't able to tell anything about Arlic. He must have been a strong persona to be able to hide his presence like that, just... What did it mean? What does her grandfather have to do with him? Zhang's Ki was still kind of annoyed and burdened by something, but she could feel those emotions fading away, being replaced by curiosity and wonder. What did it mean? She couldn't recall if she ever felt him being in this mood before... She doubted she ever sensed him being in this mood. While lost in her thoughts the young woman jumped in place when water approached her, putting the glass on the table. They even prepared the water bottle and lemon... This lobby was so posh and fancy Ayu felt so badly out of place.

"Thank you, but that's enough for m-me," Ayu smiled shyly and gently shook her head, saying that she doesn't need anything else. She couldn't possibly burden someone with any more requests like that, even if they offered to pay... A glass of water was just enough and she wasn't here to use Mister Arlic's kindness like that. She poured her drink into the glass and took a sip of water, patiently waiting for their discussion to end. Little did she know what was happening there between the two men...

Meanwhile, the people sitting by the other table were having quite the debate. Ayu's grandfather was frowning thoughtfully, but his bristled eyebrows were hiding a very curious and intrigued pair of eyes.

"I do know the Tesla name, hard to not hear about them..." Zhang clicked his tongue while looking at the instrument in front of them. His eyes were studying it with newfound curiosity and passion... Having been stuck in mundane work for years, laying low and barely having a chance to show off his skills, he was turned back into his old self... An avid lover of science, eager to learn more and more - by legal or not exactly legal means. He only needed a spark and perhaps that was it. The object that Arlic showed got potential and he was already brainstorming about theories and properties. How would it react to the change of the environment, do ultra waves or alpha spectrum work on it..? Doctor Zhang wasn't a man focused on power or money, he was all about knowledge and understanding of the mechanics behind the universe... To know it all. He wanted to learn, even if he had to gain that knowledge from doubtful sources and use even more questionable means for his goals. "Give me a month and it should be narrowed down to eight. Maybe even four," Zhang's chest grew with a deep sigh, and he kind of puffed up with the realization that he was being acknowledged... But his face clouded slightly right after. "Though with the equipment I'm currently using at University's laboratory, that might take even longer..." the man started stroking his beard.

Many thoughts were running through Zhang's head right now, but the most prominent was that he was this close to having another chance at diving into the world of science - exactly the way he used to. Past mistakes and issues were forcing him to live a quiet, slow life... Despite what has Red Ribbon Army did to him, maybe it was a chance to turn things around and get back to how things were before. He was determined and the decision was made even before he spoke out loud.

"Money does not interest me, but if you would be able to ensure a place for me to stay during the tests and a decent laboratory..." he looked at Arlic and offered him his hand, to seal the deal. "I could start working on this project even tomorrow."

---

Super Weighted Clothing Equipped
Power Level - 43,460
PL with SWC - 10,865
Word Count - 680
Total Word Count - 4,626

It seemed that both of them reached the awaited agreement sooner than expected. There was a shift in the atmosphere, from awkward and forced to almost friendly now, and Ayu could not understand why... Well, she had no clue what they were talking about, that was one thing. But still - the man in a red suit made impression on her. Was it a bad or good feeling, she wasn't sure yet.

"That sounds promising, I'm glad we both see the bigger picture here" Doctor Yibai admitted to Arlic, standing up and shaking his hand again. For the first time since he walked here, a small smile curled in the corner of his mouth. He glanced to the side, at Ayu sitting on the table nearby and lightly shook his head. "No need to, she's a grown girl. Though, about our contract..." he stroked his beard for a moment, frowning while thinking about something. "Send it to the University, I'll pick it up from there and I'll gladly move to another place for a more promising project." He stood up, picked up his bag, and after a brief goodbye, the meeting was finished.

Zhang Yibai left the hotel without a word to this granddaughter. Seeing that he was up, Ayu finished her water, bowed to the man who talked with Zhang, and hastened her step to walk after him. When they stood in front of the entrance, the man finally sighed, patting his pockets in search of something. His eyes glanced to the side, at the approaching young woman. He took the bag from her hands and opened his mouth - intending to scold her for leaving the house, knowing very well that she should stay away from big cities... But it didn't matter to him anymore. Everything was about to change. Wasn't it?

"Go home now," Zhang not as much as said, but ordered, turning around and walking towards the direction of the East City University. Just like that.

"A-Alright..." Ayu muttered, raising her hand to wave goodbye, but stopped in the middle of the gesture. Watching the tall and broad silhouette disappearing behind the corner, she felt a prickling sensation on the back of her head... Maybe it was just her imagination, but for a moment it felt like a serious goodbye. Perhaps?

She shook her head and turned around too, sighting soundlessly. She needed to catch the train back home.



Thread Finished

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Super Weighted Clothing Equipped
Power Level - 43,460
PL with SWC - 10,865
Word Count - 401
Total Word Count - 5,027