Above the Gathering Storm, Within the Heart [Closed]

Teeth brushed. Hair fixed. Wardrobe reorganized. It had been a while, right? The young elemi looked herself in the mirror and forced a smile on her face as she slipped into her fresh attire. Lookin’ good, or so it would seem. Definitely was a start to helping herself through it all. Before the few mornings before she was getting drunk off her ass and not taking care of herself for weeks. Something her friends and family said to her… Komatsu in particular. Not to mention there was a fricken spaceship in her yard now that houses a squad of her people. “Her People”, heh. Flare’s an Earthling as far as she is concerned but the thought was at least pleasant. She and Ragnarok, who came out as her brother, took time to catch up on each other as well as her getting to meet a niece and other small boy. Unda, someone who had been hinted at before when he sent training weights to her.

Today she was going out. She was strong, but she still was promised training from a certain kami. Atsuko, long before Natto was threatened, told her to not pursue that man and wait till she was ready. So much for that, huh? The blondie was right in the end though. She shouldn’t have faced him when she couldn’t handle the consequences of her actions. All of that is going to change however. The last time she tried using the gravity chamber it was but futile as it seemed to have no effect on her now much stronger body. It would be time then to train with the kami. As they had both promised.

One would just hope the saiyan would understand.

Something was off as she waved the new family and friends goodbye. Atsuko was usually never so suppressed beyond feeling. In fact it felt like she wasn’t even there at all. Great, and what’s better is that it mostly felt devoid at the current state. Now that she actually paid attention to the place past being intoxicated most the past days. It was a good thing she just remembers where the lookout it because she’d be damned if having to pinpoint someone to find it right now familiar seemed hopeless. She’d be taking someone both old and new with her…


“Oh kais, why did I think adding all of THAT was a good idea?”
Flare couldn’t help but laugh at herself. She gestured up and down, watching Jax, an incredibly newer version of whatever that robot used to be to her. So much more streamlined, and atrociously scandalous. Jax only crossed her arms and waited expectantly. Whatever. The young flame waved her on over and started shooting across the skies.

"I’m sure they’d have a blast looking at ya up there. Come on.”

---

Being closer to the lookout, it still didn’t seem like anyone popped out that she was familiar with. Not on an extensive level. Or even an acquainted level. The only real time she had stayed up here for any extended period of time was to train with koma in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. On approach it seemed a lot less alien to her despite all this, almost homely in its calming skyline. The first and most obvious person out standing being a boy with short-cut and silvery hair. She had no intentions on hiding her own strength so anyone could feel the approach coming from a long ways away.

“Hey! Where’s everyone at? Don’t tell me you’re all hidin’!”
Both Flare and Jax touch down behind the not-so-familiar face, the former yelling a bit more obnoxiously loud than what Jie himself was probably aiming for. This person was also yelling for a namekian. Flare’d rather just start walking up to people than chat from dozens of meters away. Examining the getup he had on as she did so. Jax followed a bit behind, observing the situation with a stoic expression.

“Hi! Don’t think I’ve seen your face before. Come up here often? ‘Cause I sure as hell don’t. Name’s Flare. Lookin’ for a blonde saiyan. Average height, ponytail. Likes to wield talking swords for some reason. Perhaps she’s better known as the Kami? I dunno, Atsuko always seemed the type to flaunt a title.”
As she described her plight while introducing herself she’d gesture wildly to give an idea to him the height and ponytail. Like a straightforward game of charades. What neither the bot nor the fire elemi knew was the fact the person they seeked just plainly wasn’t around, nowhere to be seen or felt.

Jax blinked with her uncovered eye and looked back at the young man directing attention towards her. Strange, usually the only one who ever gave the thing attention in its previous life was Flare. An appropriate response would be to wave back and say hello, right? She slowly crept up behind her creator and did just that, although in awkward timing and frame. Several moments after he had introduced himself.

"Hello Jie Shan Lan Dian. I'm Jax. I help Flare here as a sentinel and helper bot."
It wasn't too natural of a sentence to say but was passable, the droid then smiling at the end. Up close Jie'd be able to see the less perfect parts of her creation; detached points where limbs were put together without a concealer. From that alone it'd be safe to say the flesh on her body wasn't anything more than hard metal prettied up to look like it.

"Ahh right, yeah that's my helper bot. Pretty, ain't she? I don't exactly remember where I got the whole getup from. Too much eye candy for just a robot I'd say."
Jax perked a brow as the young flame gestured to the android's entire body and pointed out already obvious features, almost ooglying them herself before ending by stepping a bit back and rubbing her chin as if to check her out. Jax didn't seem to understand any of the attention and just stood there awkwardly. Enough then, she'd turn to face Jie fully and take in the rest of his introduction. Her smug smirk turned to displeased

"Wait, what?"
This 'Arion', he had been the Kami for months now? Flare'd have to rack her brain around that one for a moment, visibly troubled as she squinted at him and scratched her own chin. Had she really been in the dumps for that long? There's no way, she'd have felt all that occur at least... Maybe she wasn't caring enough to keep out for such a thing. Jie'd watch as the young flame summons up a small fire from clenching her fist involuntarily. Bringing them both down to her side in an aggressive motion.

"So she just up and left? What, I don't. Grrh... You're just playing me a fool, aren't ya? Are ya sure she ain't just hiding in there being lazy?"
There had been a lot the previous Kami had promised her in terms of training and advice. One she'd hope at least was still on the table. It was a bit of a dick move to just... run off like this. Now with everything else going on. Koma leaving and the others she knew as Earthlings not being around? This all felt suspiciously open now. Vulnerable. No, this had to be within the capacity of some joke.

"Look, the Kami had promised me training up here when the time came I needed it. And by the nuts of the forsaken kais I'm more than ever ready now. If what you're tellin' me is true then that's just GREAT! Quite frankly I seem to be on of the few still around helping keep Earth a sane place so if the last kami just blew us off like that then what's to say about every other one of them?"
Jax tapped the young flame on the shoulder as a way to get hr attention, blinking between Jie and her as she tried being the more level headed of the two. Flare did seem to ease up a bit to it.

"Perhaps just finding this Arion character and asking him would be of benefit. He is the current Kami,
is he not? Jie Shan Lan Dian?"
The robot would look back at Jie, blinking the one uncovered green eye at him. As if expecting confirmation on her idea.

Jie Shan Lan Dian

Jax nodded and smiled at the saiyan, seeming genuine in her outward feelings of glee despite being mechanical in nature. Jax previously had shown good signs of thinking and responding to things on their own, but that was before Flare got better with this design. There's a good deal possibility she actually felt the need to smile to convey her happiness. Flare, on the other hand? She didn't need help with that. But since Jie didn't seem like he was taking her as a fool or trying to pull some sort of sick prank she back off the flames and snorted as the dork did finger pistols at her.

That's something she did, once upon a time. The young flame was a lot more quirky back then.

"Hahahah, right right. Partners. I've plenty of reasons to defend people here as well, probably a bit beyond that scope, but hey. Might be fun getting to know a few more of ya. And if Atsuko isn't up here then I guess we could at least look for Arion. Let's get on that."
Flare took the lead with a brisk pace, Jax keeping back behind her some ways as they'd come up to the steps of the lookout's main centerpiece. Unlike the elemi the robot never got to take in such a place, looking between all the trees, garden spots, and architecture of the timeless place with her usual cold gaze.

"This is such a strange spot. Plant life up at this altitude seems improbable at best. Are these special?"
Flare only rolled her eyes and turn backwards to face the other two. Putting her hands behind her head and walking around backwards as she tried keeping the place between the three from being awkward. Why not chat with the other protector of Earth? Get to know him, maybe let him know a bit about her.

"Strange indeed. Hey, Jie, What's this Arion like? Is he as ridiculously strong as the last Kami? Is he also blonde? Please tell me he's blonde."
The young flame herself was never aware of anyone helping Atsuko, nor that the proposed Kami wasn't anything but an Earthling. Namekian wasn't just something that crossed her mind at the time. You might as well have told her that a kold demon took up the helm. Jax continued looking off to the side at the expanse of tiling and trees as they walked further along.

"Tell me a bit about yourself too. Noticed the sword, you got a particular style with that thing or do you just like hacking and slashing? I know someone else who uses a weapon but it just seems uncommon when I think about it. You usually just see people punching and kicking the fire out of each other. Myself included."

"Perhaps."
Jax seemed way more interested in the lookout itself than the little egg hunt the other two were on, the robot wandering closer to the walls and columns of the main segment, looking everything up and down with a bit of precision, like she were scanning it. it had been a while since Jax had been outside, and only now recently had the capacity to take in all these things in full. A lot of changes had happened between the Jax of then and the Jax of now, and it seemed the curiosity was just amplified now that she had almost sentient grades of A.I. in her.

"A Namekian eh? Can't say I've seen one of those before."
Flare was a little let down that the guardian was something like the slugmen from Namek. Not that she had anything against anyone, but from what she had read they seemed particularly uninteresting as people. Earthlings came in so many flavors it became hard to be satisfied with any sort of hard stance most other societies take in terms of personality, goals, and the like. Even Atsuko, a saiyan, had a more compelling sort of heroic type feel that was unlike that of Komatsu's own stubborn good guy role. Perhaps without thinking about it that was another reason to preserve her world.

"Honestly doesn't bother me he's not a stronger one. I have gotten onto the other Kami's bad side a few times over the fact she was tied to Earth all the time. There's a lot bad things that need to be dealt with beyond the scope of this planet..."
Natto... Jarvis's doing. The Kold's place that Nasu blew up. There was always going to be a bit of regret in not being able to stop their destruction and the killings of entire generations. The Universe was much darker than most wanted to admit, the fact Flare had let so many died was why she was down in the dumps for so long. It is why she was up here today, so she can eventually topple over the challenges and obstacles that went against innocents and others that couldn't help themselves.

Just like how she couldn't help herself.

Jie coming up as an elemi saiyan hybrid was a bit by surprise. Not because it appalled Flare or that it shocked her. The only other sort of dangerous hybrid like that was her niece and she was a force to be reckoned with. Jie wasn't that far behind her. She only gave a smirk as she stopped for a bit and twirled her fingers around to produce a ball of flame that quickly condensed into a solid form. What looked like a small soccer ball (futbol) appearing in her hand steaming with a sheen of red caste upon it when the light hit its side.

"Well, it wasn't until far into my teens that I found myself to be this 'elemi' either. For the longest time I just thought I was some weird earthling with pyrokenesis. Or something, I dunno. Didn't even get to meet any family until quite recently. I've always sorta lived as an Earthling, don't remember a day I wasn't being raised here."
Flare bounced the ball on the ground a few times, letting it jump up several times before she put her foot down to keep it still. The weird, realistic looking ball made the tiles on the lookout hiss with each jump until finally sizzling under her foot. Like putting meat on a hot skillet.

"I've never been very keen with the weapons category. Don't quite have the finesse for it, I'm much more able to just go at things with my fists, legs. Maybe my head if I need to. Jax over there's got some weaponry though. Including a laser sword I put into her not too long ago. Show him, hun."
Jax stepped away from the few plants she were overlooking at the moment there to turn and cover one of her delicate looking hands with a rather large beam of plasma and lightning. Aiming it downwards as to avoid accidentally harming spectators. In demonstration the young flame kicked the ball hard, just about to fast to even see. But in a fluid motion the rbot chopped with her hand the searing blade coming out from the hand chopping the flame manifested item in half. A tiny combustion occuring just behind her.

"She needs a good bit of technical training but she knows how to fight now. A lot of improvement since the days she was a small bot. Nice job!"
Flare gave her own bot a thumbs up, Jax blinking at her for a moment before smiling and nodding.

"Speaking of Elemi, while we're at it. Have you ever seen more than, like, three at the same place and time? Because I have like a dozen or so at my place now. It's weird, like they all of the sudden came alongside my brother like it were a full on crew."

Flare only bowed at the compliment Jie gave, being overly showy with the statement like she were showcasing at the fair. The robot, however, turned her smiling gaze towards the boy and nodded. Having known only a few times someone other than the young flame having commented on her abilities and worth. It seemed as genuine as one that'd come from organics.

"Thank you Jie Shan. Your maker has endowed you as well."
Flare only chuckled at the bot's remark and rolled her eyes.

"Thanks. Can't say I made her with a clear mind though. At least a dozen bottles of mead, This big."
She'd put her hands apart vertically, showing something a little beyond a foot tall in gesture as she then also brought the robot girl over by wrapping an arm around her shoulders and swinging her on around. Jax's defenses disabled as she did so, returning her hand to the small feminine form they were before. Looking even closer as Jie brought hr in she sort of squeezed her form to exaggerate more of the unnecessary body features she put on the droid. Like she had before with hand gestures she'd point to already obvious bits of Jax.

"Nobody with a clear mind puts breasts on a battle bot. Or maybe I'm a genius because these gurls can distract. The right person, at least."
Jax blinked and shrugged the fire lady's arms off after a few moments of being like that, apparently uncomfortable with the constriction. Flare didn't seem to care much and rub the back of her neck as Jie explained he never really saw much of his own kind either.

"To be fair, I was in the same boat before my brother came around. We're not really a people with a home.
As you know we sorta took up whatever was around us. Ragnarok, that aforementioned brother of mine, he says there's a whole armada of us out in space. To me it sounds like he's just stretching himself a bit to make himself feel superior. Oh, trust me. You'd understand it if ya saw the guy."
As the trio went around the place a while she started sensing a lacking disturbance of this Kami. Flare was looking physically bored at this point, putting a little pep into er step for a bit of flare and eventually coming out with a sigh. Jax, on the other hand, seemed rather content with just watching the surrounding scenery like she were taking notes mentally of every detail.

"'Isolationists'. That's be giving it to 'em light at this point. Where is this guy?"

Flare only snorted back at the boy's own remark about her drinking. A habit she didn't want nor developed til recently, but the thought was amusing to say the least. She hated the feelings after though, the hangover and overall grogginess. In return for his winks... Flare shot back her own. Stopping by a column and smirking at him as she leaned up against it.

"You're gonna have to stop being generous with the compliments boy. This girl's not used to the gesture,
might backfire on ya."
The boy went on about a spokeswoman as well, still smirking with her arms crossed. That Home World Reclamation thing. Right, she heard a similar song and dance from Ragnarok. His persistence didn't sound as pretentious as what Jie seemed to describe this other woman's to be though. Jax idled next to them both, arms cross in wait as they eventually all stopped to see and feel no Arion to be seen. A wild goose chase at this point as they came around to circling the inner building a second time.

"I don't have time for a green guy to be out and about looking at flowers or whatever it is they do. If you don't know where he'd be then I guess this whole show is a no go. A shame, I've really got nothing else to train for other than just brute forcing it. Was really hoping someone up here could teach me any more than what I've already went through because I need it as fast as I can get it. Atsuko would have been perfect for it..."
She took a bit longer to adjust to the fact they weren't going to get much more out of their venture here. Meeting a new face was a nice breath of air however, she didn't get to run into new people like she used to when she casually roamed the planet in her crafted hovercars, with her first prototype of Jax by her side. Time were a bit simpler then. Now? It seemed Flare took the spot of people who once before sheltered the weak in her place.

"Well, if there is someone else out there peddling the Home World stuff then perhaps he isn't just full of shit then. That group of a dozen or so crew he brought with him all acted like a military squad. Looked like something you would have seen out there among that Planet Trade organization. I dunno who it is you're talking about specifically but they both were definitely on about the same thing. My brother's not pushed it though. If it's real I expect he would eventually though."
Jax idly gazed out to the deep blue skies surrounding them, finally content with observing all the intricate features of the lookout itself as the other two conversed. They really hadn't been up here that long but it seemed a while ago just then that they introduced themselves to one another. Menial tasks seemed to take forever to her now that she was so used to being strong and readily able. Quick on her feet.

"I suppose I'll come back up and wait for him in a while then. Bring the family on around to maybe show him a thing or two. Until then I think I'm rather done just going around in circles over and over. Think we should leave for now.
I'm sure if this guy comes back around before then we'd feel something significant up here anyways."
Jax looked back at the two and smiled, sensing the end was nigh for the trio. But perhaps something different could be arranged... Flare started heading back to the center of the lookout, going down the small steps of the main building and walking back after that to keep her eyes on Jie. Jax following next to if Jie were to come with.

"Say, Jie. Why not come over to my place and relax a little while we wait for your slug guy. I'm sure my Auntie's got something cooking up for me right now, she always enjoys a bit more company over for dinner."
They both looked expectantly at the lightning boy. Yeah, he wasn't going to be getting away with just parting right now. At least not lightly.

With it decided Flare'd snap her fingers and make her way out to the open plane of the lookout, taking a last look over the place. Jax blinked at the lightning man's wink and decided to smile in return, following her maker as she moved out too. The robot wasn't quite sure how to handle a wink, be it lacking experience or by design. Though by the organic reactions of smiling she gave would tell something more. It'd need to be given time. She already took in everything she needed with scrutiny in her eyes.

"Great! I'll make sure Auntie knows. I'm sure the whole meal will give us plenty of time to also chit chat over other things. Hell, who knows. Maybe the slug man will be back around by the time we get finished. I'm sure you can tail behind me given you're up here, yeah? Won't have to worry too much about keeping the pace slow for ya then."
The young flame would wait for the boy to catch up and be at the ready before she'd try and take off with the bot in suit, taking off as quickly as she came onto the lookout. Mentally she was starting to talk to Auntie, telling her to prepare a meal for her and guests. There was just... a thing she had to make sure of though.

"HEY! Ya want anything to eat or ya got somethin' in mind!? We can fix anything!"

---

I guess this would be it for me, less you wanna make an exit too I'd say this is fair as a stopping point now.