Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Anomalies
Medbay
Beep...
Beep...
Beep...
Acala glared at the console's reading and then at the translucent green tank in which Spina was floating in the viscous liquid. The steady rhythm of the chamber panel's beeping filled the room, it was starting to get annoying, especially with what the new readings were showing.
[Power Level: 7,215]
[Power Level: 7,216]
[Power Level: 7,217]
...
..
.
Spina's Power Levels were continuously rising with each second, one power level with every beep from the machine. Acala had run the diagnostics again and again, and every single time the result had been the same: 'Severe Malnutrition'
Beep...
Beep...
Beep...
Each second brought a new spike in her power level. It defied every logical explanation she had at hand.
"What kind of damn malnutrition shoots your power level through the roof?"
She asked, slamming her palms against the console keyboard. Her tail tightened to a coil around her waist, unconsciously stopping herself from destroying the rejuvenation chamber.
Saiyan children didn't usually reach power levels above 1,000 before adulthood, and then only those who have been declared either Mid-Class or Elite-Class Warriors at birth. Yet, here was a little girl marked Low-Class and she had done the same while being on the brink of starvation. This was starting to get on her nerves.
The system chooses that exact moment to blare in her mind, nearly making her groan as a screen materializes within her eyes.
[Next Simulation Available in 00:08:21]
The countdown was almost over, the last simulation alone had granted her a massive boost in power. She wondered what she could get if she defeated the Dune Dragon without getting injured this time around.
Behind her, Nion was still lying sprawled on the dusty old chair, boots propped up on an examination table, toying with her scouter. She looked relaxed, relaxed to such a degree that Acala knew she was faking her calmness.
"You seem ready to tear that console apart with your tail. Are you just planning to glare at it all day, cousin?"
She said with a light-hearted voice, a smirk tugging at her lips as she jumped up from the chair and stepped closer to the rejuvenation chamber.
"How's she doing?"
"Stable,"
Acala replied, getting ready for any troublesome question her cousin might throw her way.
"But something's wrong. This is the third time that the timer had to readjust its calculation. Now it is showing half a month inside there."
Nion raised an eyebrow,
"Really now? She doesn't look that bad off."
She leaned in closer, pressing a hand to the glass.
"Maybe the machine's gone faulty."
Acala didn't reply, instead, her tail lashed out in irritation.
"Don't tell me you're worried about this kid."
Nion leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm.
"She's tough for her age. If anything she's lucky to have you playing her babysitter."
"Babysitter?"
Acala's tone took a sharp trip to the poles, her red glare snapped toward Nion.
"You think this is a joke?"
"No, I think this is f***ing hilarious,"
Nion shot back, unbothered by the glaring red eyes.
"You, of all people, acting as though you give a damn about others. It's almost sweet... disgustingly sweet."
Acala's tail was conflicted at the moment, whether to slap the pompous cousin or restrain Acala from destroying the chamber... it felt severely underappreciated.
"Get out..."
Nion raised her hands in a mock surrender gesture.
"Fine, fine. But you'll thank me for sticking around when the real trouble shows up."
She straightened and stretched, her movements seemed casual but were bordering on caution.
"Speaking of which, those two idiots might need babysitting of their own. I'll check up on them"
Acala didn't watch her leave. Her focus was entirely on Spina and the TBS counter.
---
Training Ground
Tato and Mato stood panting, their faces bruised beyond all recognition. In fact, Tato had a black eye and a swollen cheek. Mato grinned, his lips splitting wide despite the blood trickling down his forehead.
"Not bad, kiddo."
He said, rolling his shoulder.
"So what's the score now? Fifty to five?"
Tato glared, wiping his face with the rag of his armor.
"At least I don't fight like I'm a drunkard like father."
Mato's face darkened, but before he could retort, a sharp 'Clang' echoed through the chamber. Both Saiyans froze, turning to look at the far corner of the room, the source of the sound. It was an old storage unit, locked and probably out of power.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?"
Tato muttered with a stupid grin spreading across his face.
Mato shrugged, but his posture shifted, muscles coiling in readiness.
"I don't know. What are you thinking brother?"
Suddenly, they darted towards the storage unit, racing each other to the door. A faint vibration was spreading all over the wall.
"Something's off,"
Tato whispered, taking off his scouter and giving it a sharp rap. It beeped once, then twice, before dying off completely.
The vibration grew stronger, rattling loose dust and pebbles from the jagged ceiling above. Tato and Mato exchanged a wary glance as the storage unit's humming turned into a series of creaking and rattling.
"That doesn't sound broken anymore,"
Mato muttered, taking a step back from the door.
Tato didn't notice him do that, so instead, he pressed his ear against the metallic surface of the storage unit.
"Maybe it's-"
The door exploded outwards with a deafening 'BOOM,' the explosion sent Tato flying into a pile of debris with his face pressed against the giant slab of metal that was once a door.
A hulking combat drone staggered out from inside, smoke rising from its gleaming metallic face, a pair of electrified claws unfolding from its sides.
[Intruders Detected. Engaging Termination Protocol.]
The drone's artificial monotonous voice was quickly followed by the loud crackling of its plasma cannons charging.
Mato darted toward his brother, haunting him out from under the debris.
"Great job, genius! You woke it up!"
"I was investigating!"
Tato snapped, shaking him off.
They didn't have much time for an argument as the drone fired. A plasma bolt shot past them, slamming into the marble slabs of the training ground. All that remained at that spot was a large, circular scorch mark, melted into the surface.
"Split up!"
Mato shouted, circling to the left while launching a volley of ki blasts. The attacks fizzled against the drone's energy shield, barely even scratching the surface.
"Yeah, no kidding!"
Tato snapped back, forming a large ki bomb, and hurled it at the drone's face. It impacted with a small explosion that caused a lot of noise and smoke but left the drone unharmed.
[Threat Level: Minimal. Eliminating!]
"You picking a fight!?"
A secondary compartment on the drone's side opened, revealing a set of small, nasty-looking needle-like projectiles with barbed ends. They fired in a rapid burst, forcing the brothers to whizz around dodging each one of them.
"Okay, plan B!"
Mato yelled, suddenly coming to a halt.
"What's plan B?!"
Tato asked, panic rising in his voice.
"Improvise!"
Tato froze on the spot, groaning at his brother's joke. That instant almost cost him his life as a projectile nearly skewered his tail had it not wrapped itself around his neck.
"I-*COUGH* am sorry*COUGH*!"
Mato darted behind a pillar for cover. Not seeing his brother with him, he shouted,
"Did you get it?"
[Exterminate!]
"Sh-*BANG*"
---
Outside the Training Grounds
Nion stomped on a large beetle as it crossed her path, strolling towards the source of the commotion, her scouter had already picked up the elevated power levels. She sighed, adjusting her gloves.
"Two idiots and an abandoned military training ground, what could possibly go wrong?"
She muttered.
The corridor shuddered with the sound of another explosion, dust raining down from the ceiling. Nion's eyes narrowed as she chose a spot on the wall surrounding the sparring arena. Her palm contracted into a claw, ki gathering at the tips of her fingers as she prepared to bust straight through the walls.
---
Training Ground
Tato gritted his teeth, blood dripping from a gash on his forehead. He stumbled backward, narrowly avoiding another blast of plasma from the combat drone standing before him.
"That was a stupid idea, Mato!"
He shouted, dashing off to find cover as the drone prepared to fire the barbed needles again.
Mato, equally battered, panted heavily as he hurled the giant metal gate at the drone. It exploded mid-air, the shrapnel pinging harmlessly off the drone's energy shield.
"How was I supposed to know the damn thing was hiding behind that small door?"
Mato shot back, darting to the side as another plasma bolt scorched the ground he'd been standing on.
The drone whirred ominously, its red sensor shone like a pair of predatory eyes.
[Exterminate!]
It unleashed a barrage of energy bolts, forcing the twins to dive for cover again. Mato retaliated with a wile ki blast of his own, which fizzled harmlessly against the drone's shield.
"We're dead,"
Tato mumbled, crawling on all four in search of cover.
"Ths thing's gonna turn us into porridge."
*GROWL~*
"Aw! Why'd you have to go and mention food!?"
The drone's weapons began to charge again, a high-pitched whining building in intensity.
Before it could fire, a blur of motion slammed into its sensory array, sending the machine skidding across the room and into the far wall. It crumpled like a tin can, sparks flying as its systems struggled to right itself.
Nion stood where the machine had been a moment ago, her tail flicking behind her as she cracked her knuckles.
"Man, you two are so pathetic,"
She said with a chuckle.
Tato peeked out from behind his brother, his jaw dropped to the ground.
"Nion?! What are you doing here?"
"Saving your sorry asses, obviously,"
She replied, brushing dust off her gloves.
"Hey!"
Mato protested, lowering his hand and giving his brother a stink eye for using him as a shield.
"We had it all under control!"
Tato glared back at his brother.
"Yeah right, it was about to vaporize us!"
"Enough,"
Nion said sharply, silencing them both. She turned her attention to the drone, which was already beginning to lift itself off the ground. Its damaged sensors flickered, the power core began to hum, and its internal systems whirred back to life.
Nion's scouter beeped as it locked onto the machine's energy source.
[Identified. Drone A777M87A. Moderately Damaged. Reactor Stablizing]
Her lips curved into a smirk,
"Still got some fight in ya', huh?"
The drone launched itself toward her, using the flight thrusters to gain momentum, claws outstretched. Nion ducked beneath its swipe and pivoted, planting her fist on its undercarriage. The drone wobbled mid-air before continuing towards the far wall, whizzing over the brothers' heads before crashing to the ground in a heap of smoking scrap metal.
Mato stared at the crumpled pile of junk before turning to see Nion standing right behind him. He gave her a sheepish grin,
"Man, thanks for saving our tails, big sis."
Tato stumbled out from behind his brother, still clutching his tail.
"Yeah, uh... but we totally had it all under control."
Nion raised an eyebrow, her tail flicking in irritation as the brothers changed their opinions again and again. It was so confusing...
"Right, cause 'using your brother as a shield' and 'running for your dear lives' are brilliant Saiyan strategies?"
Before either of them could apologize, the drone let out a distorted whir. Its chassis began to glow faintly, a red glow surging through its damaged core.
Tato groaned,
"Oh, brother."
Mato nodded,
"Yeah?"
Nion grabbed the twins by their tails,
"Move!"
She managed to fling them toward the exit just as the drone self-destructed. The explosion shook the entire arena, sending shockwaves that knocked Nion out of the exit as well.
When the dust settled, all three of them were lying in the wreck of a beverage dispenser, thick gooey black substance dripping on their faces.
---
Medbay
The Chamber's panel beeped again, alerting Acala of another energy spike within the little Saiyan. She glanced at the rejuvenation chamber, Spina was still floating there, peacefully, oblivious to everything happening outside.
[Power Level: 8,452]
Her tail lashed as she turned away, muttering under her breath.
"Look at you, seven and already as strong as my father."
The TBS countdown flashed in her vision.
[Next Simulation Available in 00:01:12]
Acala clenched her fists, her knuckles turning red as flames surrounded them. She pondered what to use against the Dune Dragon, whose hide was as hard as rock. It was larger than an Oozaru and was filled to the brim with acid.
Last time, she had used gravity and ki to turn into a meteor, blasting clean through the beast's belly. The result wasn't all that pleasing to look at.
*BOOM*
Another explosion rocked the main building.
Acala sighed, whatever trouble those three were dealing with, they'd have to handle it without her. Not now, her focus was on the simulation.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone