"You're saying that her body is undergoing changes and that no supernatural phenomenon is involved? Now, that's interesting!" Dr. Brief exclaimed in his daughter's laboratory as he looked at various documents on a tablet.
"It is. The expressions of her genes are changing. Look here and here," said Bulma, standing in front of a holographic screen that projected two extensive genetic sequences she had obtained from Launch.
She had only performed a quick genetic mapping. Her advanced technology allowed her to perform this basic task, and she obtained results just a few hours after collecting hair samples from Launch in her two forms.
"Yes, and this gene affects hormone secretion. Perhaps that's why her mood changes so drastically. So her split personality is now both mental and physical. It's fascinating; she's two people fused perfectly." Dr. Gero and Dr. Vomi were also present in the lab.
Bulma had always kept an eye on them, watching to see if they did anything strange. In all these years, however, they had only conducted normal, albeit somewhat strange, research related to dimensions or special entities. They hadn't shown any interest in creating androids, cyborgs, or genetically spliced monsters.
However, they had extensive knowledge of genetics, which is why Bulma asked them to review the data she had collected from Launch.
"But why does she change when she sneezes? Could something be triggered physiologically as a result of the sneeze? Are you sure there's no supernatural energy at work? Like werewolves, vampires, or werewolf-men, who transform because of magic?" suggested Vomi, quite intrigued by how Launch transformed, since it was the first time she'd encountered something so elusive.
She was familiar with transformations; they were common in a world where your neighbor might be a vampire receiving a blood subsidy from the government. His bat form is the envy of many. He can easily dodge heavy traffic and squeeze into the subway, even when it's packed.
However, Launch's data indicated that there was no influence from magic, ki, or psychic power. It was a purely physiological change. Not even the Blutz waves affecting the Saiyans were caused by exotic energies from the universe.
In scientific terms, this situation had nothing to do with science! At least for now. These four brilliant minds decided to unravel this mystery, bringing hope to the project.
"I felt it myself, and I didn't detect anything like that. But I might have missed something. We should redesign the scanner and, if necessary, turn it into a closed-circuit camera. But first, we have to figure out the reason behind this phenomenon," Bulma replied, a gleam of passion in her eyes.
"And then what? What can we do once we have the answer?" asked Dr. Brief. He wanted to know where his daughter's scientific thinking stood. It wasn't a test, but rather a father's curiosity about his children's situation.
"I plan to find ways to apply that knowledge, obviously! First, could Blue Launch be conscious while Yellow Launch is in control? That way, she won't feel like she's wasting her life.
Can we make it so they can choose when to switch? Rather than having to sneeze, they could make a conscious decision that doesn't depend on such a specific physiological response. Can they become completely independent and unique individuals?
As long as they maintain some mental connection. Then, they can live their lives peacefully as sisters and not as the same being. Could this help me better understand transformations?
Can it be applied to other types of transformation? Could it lead to fusion or assimilation? "Although that last part is dangerous, there are many possibilities," Bulma replied. She elaborated on her plans, causing those present to listen intently and nod in agreement.
"Then, let's start building that super-powerful scanner. I can't wait to see how that girl transforms with just a sneeze!" Dr. Brief exclaimed, causing Tama, the little cat who always rested on his shoulder, to wake up.
"By the way, where is Launch? I think she might be interested in this," said Dr. Gero. Bulma shook her head, wearing a mischievous smile.
"Well, do you remember Raditz? Both versions of Launch are curious about him, and he seems interested in her. They should be together on Mount Paoz with Goku right now," replied Bulma. She wanted to know how those two were getting along with Chi-Chi.
The cheerful girl had a strong personality and had never stopped training or practicing magic. She was very strong but insisted on social norms a little more than usual.
What will happen when her beloved husband brings home his unemployed brother and a stranger whose blonde doppelgänger is a major criminal? Bulma's thirst for gossip was as intense as her thirst for knowledge!
…
"Son Goku! Why didn't you tell me that visitors were coming? The food I prepared isn't enough for everyone! Splitting what we have isn't an option. Gohan has to study and train hard. You have to train and work hard, too! Eating less, even just for one day, will be harmful! Go get more food, even if it's dinosaur meat!" Chi-Chi shouted from the kitchen, where a heavy, angry aura could be felt.
What could be scarier than an angry wife? This wife is a powerful witch who is angry. Chi-Chi's mood shift caused her magical power to manifest, allowing the others to hear and experience her anger firsthand.
Goku was in the living room, scratching the back of his neck and glancing shyly at his older brother. The older brother had brought home an apparent new friend with blue hair. This gave the Saiyan a lot to think about.
'Is it an instinct of the Saiyan race to befriend women with blue hair, or is it just a family thing? Will Gohan do that in the future?' Goku pondered this before looking at his son, who was quietly playing on the floor with peculiar toys.
They were shaped like insects, anatomically accurate, and had so many realistic details that Launch was afraid of them, even though she knew they were fake. The woman couldn't figure out what was going on with this family:
There was a mother who was so grumpy she was scary, a father who seemed carefree, and a child who played with fake bugs. Not to mention Raditz, who allowed his blonde doppelgänger to kidnap him. Did they all have tails?
Launch hadn't met Chi-Chi yet since she was busy in the kitchen, but in her wild imagination, that woman probably had a tail, too. To be fair, though, she also imagined her as a giant, terrifying ogress. But that was just her first impression, due to the witch's earlier screams.
"Looks like we didn't arrive at a good time, Kakarot," Raditz blurted out suddenly, trying to lighten the tension in the room. It worked; Goku burst out laughing at the peculiar situation, finding it very funny.
"Ah, don't worry. Chi-Chi is intense, but kind. She's worried that you guys won't be able to eat properly. I should have told her you were coming. I was surprised that Raditz made a friend," Goku replied kindly, making Launch feel more comfortable in this strange environment.
"We're not friends! I just met her today, and it was really weird, to be honest," Raditz retorted quickly. Although his words might have been offensive, Launch simply smiled and tilted her head, understanding where the Saiyan's comments were coming from.
"Well, that's a story I'd like to hear, but I've got to get back to Chi-Chi, or she'll yell at me again," Goku said before standing up and walking toward the door. He stopped when he felt someone tugging at his pants.
He looked down and saw Gohan staring up at him with his big eyes and arms raised. He crouched down, picked Gohan up, and hoisted him onto his shoulder. Then, with an apologetic expression, he looked at the visitors.
"Looks like I'll have to leave you two alone. But don't worry; Chi-Chi will probably come out of the kitchen in a minute."
Goku then left the house, took flight, and disappeared quickly before Raditz could say anything.
"Um... Why does it look like he's running away?" Launch muttered, feeling that perhaps she had misread the situation. However, she really did have a hunch that Goku, or was it Kakarot? Had run away from something.
The Saiyan's name piqued Launch's curiosity, so she turned to look at Raditz. He was sinking deeper into the sofa, a bitter expression on his face.
He didn't want to stay at his brother's house while Goku was away because he, a Saiyan, couldn't stand how intense Goku's wife was. However, he had already run away once, and his Saiyan pride prevented him from leaving the house until Goku arrived.
"Why does your brother have two different first names?" asked Launch, who couldn't make sense of it. She had noticed that they weren't nicknames or names used in certain regions of Earth. It was as if each name belonged to a separate identity.
"That's easy. Each name has a different story. You must have heard them: I'm not from this planet. Where I was born, they called my brother Kakarot. My parents sent him to Earth, where he was called Son Goku," Raditz replied, deciding it wasn't too much of a problem.
If Launch had paid attention to everything that had happened around her a while ago, his identity as a space traveler would have already become clear, since neither he, Bulma, nor Lazuli had decided to hide this fact.
It wasn't worth the trouble anyway; as has been emphasized before, Earth was extremely special and very understanding. They could even react apathetically to monsters like mummies and the occasional demon as long as they didn't commit acts of terror.
Earthlings' appearances were so diverse that no one questioned Goku's tail all these years, and the same was true for Raditz, who had briefly traveled the world.
"So there must be many like you in the universe?" Launch asked, driven by curiosity. But then she realized she shouldn't have when she saw Raditz's face contort into a grimace of discomfort and pain.
"No, Kakarot was sent to this planet for a reason. A catastrophe befell our world. Whether it was natural or caused by someone else, it reduced our species to just a handful." The Saiyan replied, sighing heavily but not reacting explosively to the matter.
He would have made a scene before, but as he grew up and matured, he realized that it wouldn't change the past. Plus, Launch was just curious; she didn't want to mock him as some people in the universe did.
As he sank into his thoughts, he felt something grasp his hand. Looking down, he saw that it was Launch who had grabbed it. Given their size difference, it looked quite funny. However, the moment was subtle, and neither of them laughed at the situation. Instead, they looked at each other in silence.
"Hey, hello? Sorry, I didn't come out to greet you when you arrived. It's a pleasure to have you visit us again, Raditz. Would you like to introduce me to your beautiful friend?" Chi-Chi's voice interrupted the moment the two of them were sharing. They quickly pulled their hands apart, looked away, and acted as if nothing had happened, even though their cheeks were both flushed.
Chi-Chi watched this with narrowed eyes, interested in the drama. At first, she was going to criticize Raditz for not giving advance notice of his visit. However, seeing how a faint romance seemed to be blossoming in her living room, she decided to give them time. She interrupted only when she felt she'd seen enough.
Having grown up with Bulma, she also had a particular thirst for gossip. She sat down, waiting for Raditz's response, and mentally planned how she would tell Bulma the story.
The gossip had to be shared!