Ascending | ✔

Clues from the past

A/N: Shoutout to FernandoCabreraYT ツ for inspiring me with his Goku x Caulifla video! You should go check it out (:

xXx

The door slowly creaked open as Caulifla entered Renso's empty abode, Goku by her side.

"Are you sure we'll be able to find anything?" the male saiyan questioned. "It looks like even the elites gave up on trying to get any clues."

Indeed, the entire crime scene was deserted. Only a few days ago there had been Sadala Defence Force officers swarming the place like bees, looking up and down for clues and interviewing anyone within a five hundred kilometer radius. Even the shady opium dealers had been so frightened by their digging as to hide their supplies in a more secret, yet to be discovered area.

But now...

All was silent, the sound of Caulifla's footsteps the only thing slashing the quiet before she spoke. "Have more faith in me, Goku. They may call themselves elites, but you and I are more capable than they ever will be."

"Touché." Goku pulled out a few books from Renso's bookshelf, flipping through adventure novels and textbooks alike.

"Be careful," Caulifla warned. "We don't want to disrupt anything too badly."

"The elites already trashed the entire place."

The man had a point. Renso's house looked like a hurricane had ripped through it. At the sight of Renso's precious tea kettle sprawled on the ground, rage ignited within Caulifla's belly. It was a kettle that he had crafted when they were still teenagers and life was good - well as good as it could be anyway. She stared at the kettle, unsure whether to kick it to oblivion or pick it up, dust it off and put it back in its place on the kitchen counter.

"Caulifla? Is everything okay?"

"Fine," Caulifla called over her shoulder without hesitating. She folded under arms underneath her breasts and continued to have a staring contest with Renso's kettle. After what seemed like an eternity, she reluctantly removed the vessel from the ground and placed it on the stovetop. There were a few scratches and a small dent in the metal but otherwise it was fine, testimony to Renso's excellent metalwork skills. She ran her hand over the smooth surface of the kettle absentmindedly, searching for the warmth that it usually gave off when it had just been emptied of hot tea. No such luck. The pot had not held tea for a long while.

"I think I might have found something!" Goku announced, staring intently at a marked page in one of Renso's books. The other books he had flipped through were neatly stacked on the endtable.

Caulifla whipped around, excited by the prospect of a new clue. As she turned, her elbow knocked the kettle over and she cursed, scowling when the pot began to roll away.

"Everything alright?" Goku was looking her way curiously.

"Fine." She bit her lip. "I'll be right there, just give me a second." She went after the kettle, which, thankfully, had not rolled under anything. As she picked it up, she noticed something peculiar on the floor. Are those... ashes? There were also some patches of the powder on the kettle's skin and she brushed it off with one hand. Setting the kettle back down, this time on the kitchen counter, she made haste to where Goku stood, his eyes moving from left to right as he scanned the book.

"I didn't know you could read the saiyan language," Caulifla commented as she joined him. "I was under the impression you've always been confined to earth, you know?"

"I have." He rubbed his head sheepishly and gave her a grin. "I was only looking at the pictures."

Caulifla laughed and took the book from him. "Should have figured." Her eyes widened slightly when she realized what she was looking at. "Huh. Of course he kept it... I burned mine." At Goku's confused expression, she elaborated, "The Academy handed out yearbooks at the end of our final year," she gestured to the book, "this is Renso's copy."