Chapter Text
Throughout time, mankind has wondered if they were truly alone, if there were other sentient species somewhere out there. After last year's alien invasion, they no longer had to wonder. The "hero" Saitama had wiped out the invaders, but still, the world looked up at the sky in fear. What else did the cosmos hold? Would more be coming?
Another question that would soon be answered.
Hßëæ@юζ'll looked out the transparent face of the pod, jittery, unable to wait. Xye put a tendril out, like xye could almost touch the blue planet xye was heading to. Xyr tail whipped with anticipation, excitement bubbling.
The planet Earth rested in the system of Sol, in a Milk galaxy way out in the galactic boonies. A little modest thing that didn't catch the eye, but after it had been invaded, well. It brought the little planet to everyone's attention. Hardly anyone knew they were there, they had been very quiet neighbors. Or had they been? After the cosmos had realized their existence, they realized the Earth species had sent out quite a lot of signals. So, the Galactic Welcoming Committee had taken it upon themselves to, well, welcome them.
Hßëæ@юζ'll was with the Galactic Welcoming Committee.
Xye had read up on Earth, it's people, it's histories. Of course, xye hadn't had time to cover everything - how had they been around so long without anyone noticing? - but xye got the basics. And one culture had really caught xyr fancy. The Olmecs.
A culture of the Earth species that kept to one specific sector of the planet, the Olmecs seemed slightly primitive at first glance. But they were so much more! They had made sculptures, invented an activity known as a "game" or "sport", and they invented the first form of written word in their planetary sector. They were smart, and it gave xyr hope for the rest of the Earth species.
How fast could this pod go? Why wasn't xye there yet? This trip had taken 3 cycles already, xye was anxious to arrive and meet everyone! The controls were locked, autodirecting to the destination. But, xye could always unlock them. Just for a little bit, just to speed this clunker up a tad. Xye clicked the switch and pulled back the layerings, inching the throttle forward just a little WOAH OKAY
The pod hurtled forward, throwing Hßëæ@юζ'll back, away from the controls. Xye couldn't even keep hold with xyr tail, thrown back too quickly before xye could even get a grip, though that may have been lucky. Xye wasn't fond of having xyr tail torn off. The warning sounds went off, and the small artificial light inside the chamber went out as the pod was now in emergency state.
Xye clambered up, hardly able to find purchase on the smooth deck of the pod. Pulling xymself up to the controls, xye floundered for a moment, unsure of what to push. And then xye did the opposite of that, and just started pushing everything. Xye really should've paid more attention when they instructed xyr how to handle this.
The blue planet was nearing too fast. This was bad. It was all supposed to go perfectly, and xyr impatience was going to ruin it! Xye tugged back on the accelerant cord, and flipped the buffer. Hopefully that was enough. Please be enough.
Everything was still going quite fast, but on the bright side, at least the pod was now quite close to Earth. The planet filled the whole view, horizons eclipsing xyr little pod. Earth was not a big planet by any means, but it could still make xyr feel small. The blueness, xye had read, was called water. The Earth species needed this resource to live, so they were very lucky to have a planet with so much of it. Xye just couldn't help but get caught up in the wonderful idea of it all.
So caught up, it took xye until 30 measurements above the surface before xye realized, xye was still plummeting, and the ground was coming up very soon. There was nothing Hßëæ@юζ'll could do but scream before the crash.
With all that talk of Earth's oceans, it sure was lucky the pod managed to crash onto land. Unfortunately, it seemed to be near a sort of territory zone, a place where many of the Earth species gather to live near each other and have commerce. Utterly charming, right?
Out of the smouldering wreck, out of the dent in the ground, Hßëæ@юζ'll popped the lid on the pod and sort of just flopped out. It would take more than a crash on a non-metallic planet to off xyr, but it surely wasn't fun. Not xyr idea of a good time. But they'd be fine in a cycle or two, no problem. And then the work could begin!
But... xyr pod. Ah, xye'd find another way to get back.
Xye got to the rim of the crash site, and peered out. Even though this was not how xye would have preferred xyr arrival go down, there was no use trying to change what had been done. So xye was going to look upon this Earth up close as soon as xye could.
It was bright. Xye had almost forgotten how close Earth orbited its system's star. The air was a bit strange to xyr, probably had traces of, was that oxygen? And some nitrogen too. The Earth species must be unique if they can breathe this for their whole lives. Xyr ears swiveled to catch sounds, noises xye couldn't recognize but hoped to figure out.
As xye looked around, eyes wide as xye devoured the scenery, xyr eyes halted at a sight in the distance. Was that really..?
A rotation before, Earth had been invaded. This had been what brought it to the wider galaxy's attention in the first place. They were all amazed that the Earth species had been so strong as to defeat the mighty world-killer, Lord Boros, and his Dark Matter Thieves. What the wider galaxy didn't know, or neglected to spread the word of, was that it was one individual. One, on the face of the Earth, had ended Lord Boros. He was called the One Punch Man.
Hßëæ@юζ'll had been the one to pay attention. Hßëæ@юζ'll had been the one to scrounge up any mention of this individual, bare traces of mentions in reports, wanting to know more, needing to have every scrap of information. One Punch Man was why xye volunteered to go to Earth. It was silly to hope that xye would ever get to meet this amazing member of the Earth species, but still, deep down, xye did.
Xye was now next to the visage of One Punch Man xye saw. It was just a mural, painted on the back of a structure. Strange species, to paint on structures! But it was very nice, so the art answered for itself. But this didn't seem to be a place where many would walk by on a cycular basis. Why would you make something so pretty on a structure, then not even in a place where it could be seen? Strange species!
So, this is what the human species looked like. It hadn't dawned on xyr until now that, perhaps xye should adopt a more welcoming form. Xye looked back up at the mural. Hm.
Slowly, xyr form changed. The big ears receeded to ones small and round, xyr tendrils fused together into singular appendages, fingers sprouting out the ends until xye had hands. Xye flexed these new additions, testing them out. Xye'd never tried hands before. The legs were next, and it was a bit awkward to form knees, legs bending and unbending, thickening into thighs and calves to keep xyr balanced. Xyr flippers were replaced by the weird flat feet of the Earth species. Finally, xyr tail retracted like a cord into xyr spine.
Perfect. Of course, xye still wasn't dressed like a human, still in the tunic fashion of xyr home planet. Xye would figure something out. But just as a last touch, xye took the gemstone clasping at xyr collarbone, and fastened it around xyr waist. Now xye had a belt, just like One Punch Man.
Off in the shadows, there was a noise. Xye forgot xye couldn't swivel xyr ears anymore, and reacted slowly, turning fully around. It sounded like maybe, some small vehicle that had stopped, and started going again. The scrape of a wheel taking off on the pavement. Xye couldn't see anything, anyone, but there must've been. It was too late now, though.
Xye headed deeper into the city, determined to see this through, excited to see what Earth held.