Not a Very Happy Reunion (Jak)

Bow had been dreaming of him recently. She couldn't get him out of her head. So to try and put an end to all of her feelings towards him, the pink haired girl flew to their last talk. Up at the observatory she sat and just cried, thinking of everything that had happened between them. She decided he must have been gone forever, never to return. Rain was falling just over the place she sat, like a beacon in the night.

A warm body placed a jacket over her and then sat next to her on the bench. Bow probably hadn't even noticed the presence through her sobs.
His pale hands gripped his knees and goldenrod eyes looked out over the city. "I see you still cry over others more than yourself." JaK smiled. The fact that she was like this gave him a bit of normalcy again, something he was familiar with. It felt good.

The girl jumped as the jacket was wrapped around her shoulders and she blinked, looking over at the man beside her. Her eyes went wide and her heart dropped when she heard him speak and she had to look twice and then again to make sure she wasn't seeing a ghost. It took a long moment before even a faint whisper escaped her lips. "J-JaK? I-it can't be..." She swore her eyes were deceiving her, but then she remembered the jacket now draped over her shoulders. "Y-you're home? Youre alive??"

"I'm sure you know this," JaK said leaning back and relaxing. "But I'm hard to kill." He turned to look at her and wiped her tears with his index finger.

The girl couldn't help but giggle and smile gently as he wiped away her tears. Bow leaned into his hand and sighed, looking up into his golden irises with her lavender orbs. "I'm sorry I began to lose faith in you..."

JaK frowned. "You had a right to.." He looked away and clasped his hands together in his lap. "I had no plans on when or if I was gonna return." He paused. "And if I had, I abandoned them, I'm only here because of circumstance."

"...oh..." Everything about the girl dropped. Her shoulders sank. Her smile faded. The rain began to pour harder beyond her control. "I-I guess I wasn't a very good anchor then... s-sorry..."
As she spoke, the girl looked at the ground, not wanting for him to see her cry over idiotic hopes.

"No..." JaK lifted his face into the rain and embraced the pounding droplets. "....you were great." He said. "There were a lot of times where I thought of you when I thought I wasn't gonna make it."

She blinked, astonished at his words as her mouth hung agape. "R-really?" Her eyes twinkled with joy at the words and the rain became a light shower.

JaK smiled as his bangs matted his hair. He was wearing a white loose tank top under his jacket today. And black jeans with black w/ white lace converse. The former was soaked and showed off his body which was actually more lean than before he left. But he was also even more chiseled to human perfection.

Bow was wearing black leggings with a baby blue skirt and soft yellow v-neck shirt that now clung to her body. Even with the jacket on, he would be able to notice that she was thinner now. Seems she had been working out herself. However she was also much paler and had rings under her eyes. The girl smiled gently and looked up at him. "S-so... did you learn what you set out to?"

JaK looked at his hands and clenched them. "I learned a lot." He said softly. "I can tell you that much." He was gonna speak more but she hadn't asked to hear anything else so he would leave it for now

Bow bit her lip and shifted slightly in her seat, not sure what to ask or say or even do at the moment. "Umm... a-anything you want to share about the experience?"

.... JaK sat for a moment. His expression wasn't grim, but it wasn't happy, he seemed content. "I found out what the cost of life is." He finally said after thinking about all the love, loss, and betrayal. "I decided I'll never kill anyone out of vengeance again." JaK said matter of factly. "They can burn me, they can drown me, and they can even shoot me but I'll never kill in self-defense of myself." Then JaKs face grew dead serious. "Except for one man..."

Bow listened to everything the wonderful man before her had to say, lingering on each word. Then he spoke his last sentence and curiosity got the best of her. "What one man?"

"The one responsible for this war...I'll kill him myself." JaK's golden eyes were tinted for a moment. "You see Bow at one point I thought I had to destroy this world to stop its cruelty. But it's already trying to do that itself...what I need to do is protect the people that can save it." JaK said that in such a tone that meant even if he had to remove the ones who were destroying it. He thought of his ex - she was gonna inspire people and make the world a better place and she was taken. He thought of good people like the mob bosses daughter and his sensei in the savage land. Once good people turned evil by this merciless life. JaK realized going down the path of destroying it all would just make him like them, he needed to seek these people out and stop them from infecting others. "You see Bow I've already been to the darkest place humans can go, and I came back, I can't be corrupted anymore than I already am....but them." He remained silent and looked at the city. "No one else should have to see and feel the things I have, I won't allow it."
So JaK had chosen the path of the Avenger. Just like that.

Bow listened to the man she held in such high regards speak so passionately about his choice that she couldn't help but smile. Her hand instinctively reached out to touch his thigh in comfort as he spoke, her eyes never leaving his. When he concluded, She took a long moment to gather all of the information and the inferred connections and spoke with earnest determination in her voice. "My only other question for you is... How can I help?" He knew her. He knew how stubborn she was. So he should probably know not to argue too much.
The rain had cleared up by now and the moon and stars were shining overhead.

JaK thought for a moment. "Never give up on us." He said with a wide grin finally and gently clutched her hand. "As long as your always like this I know that I still have a chance of succeeding." JaK looked up at the stars and interlocked fingers with the pink haired maiden. "See these stars?" JaK said as he glanced over at her. "Together they make constellations...some are big...some small, destructive, dying, young, barren and a few support life." JaK let this all sink in. "But they all are stars. Now think of them as human beings." JaK reached out and grabbed at two that were twinkling and close to each other, sorta like JaK and Bow. "I want to unite this world into something like that, a universe connected by galaxies that makes us one large entity." JaK was speaking metaphorically about a world government where humans all agreed on ways to live without large scale wars. "Some will always go out and collide and burn brighter, but overall the stars will always be shinning." The human race right now wasn't like this sky, every light in this planet could go out.

Bow listened with a twinkle in her eyes. She couldn't believe what she was hearing! His goal was now perfectly align with the one that she had already set for herself. The girl stared off into space as she responded lovingly to him. "Coexistence. A world of harmony with everyone United. The hope. The dream. The goal. That's what I strive for each and every day..." She sighed and thought of how little She had done. Her voice was a whisper and she looked down at the ground. "Sometimes I think it's just a fantasy... that it can't be achieved..." The pink haired girl then looked up at him with fire in her eyes. "But with you by my side, I truly believe anything is possible."

JaK half frowned. "I kinda wish you wouldn't," he scratched the back of his head. "But I already know your part of the Teen Titans anyway...registered too. I missed a lot. I dunno when I became a vaccine though." He chuckled.

Bow giggled lightly too and then sighed, rubbing her arm. "Y-yeah... speaking of vaccine though! I discovered a new power not long ago!" She smiled brightly with no sign of trouble. However the truth was much darker than she let on to anyone.

JaK smirked and took off his shirt and ringed it out. "Oh yeah, me too!" He showed off his gauntlets. "Well not a power per say." He said sounding more interested in what she could do now.

And she was more interested in his. "Those look awesome!! What do they do??"

"Ladies first" JaK said as he put his shirt back on.

Bow smiled brightly and a blue aura wrapped around her. "I can heal people now!!" Because they were holding hands, he would feel the healing power surge through his veins even if there was nothing to cure. An obvious indicator that she hasn't mastered this skill yet.

JaK felt like the cold sensation that was filling his body from the wet rain was lifted. "Wow for some reason this fits you." He said.

Bow smiled and nodded enthusiastically as a shiver ran down her spine. "I know right!! So... what do your gauntlets do??"

JaK activated one and displayed that it was some type of wrist shooter. "Fires rounds of lasers - particle beams. My own design intensity can stun or burn holes through brick." Then JaK lifted the other one and took a few steps away. "Ready?"

Bow smiled and nodded in anticipation, letting her aura fade away. She had missed this...

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JaK grasped the bracelet. "REGALIAAAAA!!!" The gauntlet unlocked and then began to shift like a rubix cube before formulating over JaK's body to form black armor with blue accents. It was thin armor plating - not heavy. Almost like a skin tight metallic suit.

Bow went wide eyed and gasped in awe. "That's incredible, JaK! C-can I feel the armor??"

JaK put his hands on his hips. "Go ahead. It's a hybrid mix of mystic metal and viranium."

Bow smiled softly and walked up to him, trailing her fingers down his chest and up his arms. "Wow... it truly is amazing..."

Bow’s touch sent shivers up jaks spine, even if he didn't feel it. "It came at a high price. So I decided to use it for my purposes." JaK said sadly. "It's self healing in some areas and indestructible in others."

Bow blinked and looked up at him almost sad. "S-so you won't really need me very much..." She just couldn't stop touching him.

The armor suddenly deformed back into a bracelet and JaK wobbled a bit while breathing hard. "The rune and viranium mix isn't fastened - it's held in a state where it can be morphed onto my body. To heal itself and move freely it requires a catalyst...me. It literally drains me to use this for too long." JaK seemed ashamed to say all this. "So I'm the only one who can wear it, another human would be drained dry in minutes but my healing factor holds the effects off."

Bow went wide eyed when she saw that he was breathing hard and instinctively went to hold him up. As soon as she did though, they were both enveloped in the blue aura and Bow took on his feeling of fatigue. She stumbled a bit herself after he finished talking and giggled lightly. "Y-yeah... feels like it... that thing is dangerous, JaK!! Are you sure the benefits outweigh the consequences??"

"I only use it when I for real need it." JaK said as he pulled her back up as she took on his burden. "Seems like yours comes with a cost too." He said as he pieced it all together. He had barely noticed how close they were right now or how fast his heart was thumping.

Bow bit her lip and nodded. "Y-yeah... but I know it's worth every bit of this..." She looked up into his eyes only to notice that she was mere inches away from his face. Her cheeks turned crimson red and she blinked. "...h-hi..."

JaK was so pale a blush didn't really seem plausible. He stepped away from Bow a moment later. "I should go..."

Bow went wide eyed but then looked down at the ground, hugging herself, and whispering. "Oh... o-okay... I-I guess that answers that question..." She bit her lip and turned away from him, not really wanting an answer. "Bye then..."

"What question..." JaK stopped as if he already knew.

Bow shook her head and refused to look at him. "I-it doesn't matter."

JaK turned back to Bow and grabbed her by the shoulders, he kissed her suddenly to let her know how much he still cared. Then pulled away and stared at her.

Bow went wide eyed in love and confusion and shock. Her fingers touched her lips as her feet left the ground. "Y-you're so confusing..."

"I love you Bow, which is why I can't do this with you...at least not the way I want." JaK folded his arms. "I wanna marry you one day...and if we date now it'll be ruined. The path im goin gn down now will be hard, add in a relationship and it's impossible." JaK smile and held her down to the ground. "When this is all done and we've saved the world. That's when I want this, us."

Bow went furious. He would feel the heat of her passion and rage radiating off her entire body. Her voice was determined and set. "No. It's either now or never, JaK. I can't keep living like this!!" Her facade broke and she crumbled to the ground. "D-do you know how hard it was?... I had no idea where you were, what you were doing... nothing... I felt scared and alone... I keep losing everything... I...I can't lose you too..." She looked up at him with pained eyes and tears streaming down her face.

JaK was shocked she had grown before she would've just let him go after that. "Do you love me that much?"

Bow stood up and growled. "Of course I do, you idiot! Together we're stronger than we could ever be alone. You are NOT pushing me away this time! I love you, JaK! Get over yourself and let me be with you!"

JaK grew silent. "Three..." He said.

Bow blinked and looked at him in confusion. "Three?"

"Three girls died...who once said that to me.." He yelled. "NOT YOU TO!"

Bows eyes flickered with pain of a betrayal, but it only registered for a split second before her passion for him consumed her, as did flames that licked up her body. "DO I LOOK LIKE ANY OF THEM!?!? DO I!? AM I WEAK!?!? DO YOU NOT HAVE FAITH IN ME!?!?" Tears filled her eyes and she could feel herself starting to lose control. Fear became the only emotion apparent in her eyes and she looked up at the swirling skies. "...I-I have to go..." Without a second of hesitation she flew off to escape a disaster.

JaK sighed. "That went well..."

Bows storm could be seen from miles away. A whirling tornado with flames lapping around it. It looked as if she was in her meadow. And it was painfully obvious that she couldn't calm herself down.