Soul gear main

"Bricker and Breaker are very intellectual personalities." Naomi explained. "Their humour is different, their approach to life is more than just punch-it-until-it-cooperates-or-dies and a lot of the fighters here don't understand them. Because of that they aren't comfortable in the lab and there may even be a small bit of fear. I have a lot of experience with intellectual types. I also have a lot of experience with fighters so I don't care either way."

Titus listens,nodding." I see, Sister......" He smiles." I like them..they're funny." Eventually, they arrive at the door, and Bricker opens it, holding a handheld scanner." Aaaaah, hello there, child! I was coming to get you. Your hand can transform into a weapon, yes?" Receiving a nod,he smiles gently." Could you form it,please. I forgot to scan that." Getting a scann, he beckons, looking at the screen." Good,good...please,come in,come in..Now,what can we do for you, my girl?"

Naomi looked over at the software running codes and programs that the science duo had set up. She hummed appreciatively. One day she had to get in here and work on some stuff with them. Her brain was getting bored with just fighting. Speaking of which, she needed to stop oogling the computers like they were Brazilian male models and accomplish what she came to do.

"Titus has good aim. I'd like you guys to show him where the best places are to hit. You know, jugular, kidneys, softest parts of the skull, stuff like that. Meanwhile, I have to speak with Dax"

The scientist looks down at Titus." Good aim, eh? Well done my boy!" He nods at Naomi." By all means,dear.Well teach him a little bout Reploids and Bots as well, since those are more likely foes lately. Hmmmph, Rippers are getting cowardly. Go have a chat with your brother, well look over your charge." He smiles, then guides the young geared over to a desk,pulling a few holographic charts." Now, my boy, under the armpit is a good spot, on all of them. Its often unarmored, and provides access to vital systems..."

Naomi hovered a few moments, making sure that Titus was comfortable and out of sheer suspicious habit from being in the Rippers before leaving. A quick search led her to Dax. It was going to be a long conversation, so she sat down and waited for him to initiate.

Dax waited several moments. And awkward silence settled over the long span. Finally he spoke.

"I don't like what you're doing."

Naomi figured that. But Dax had done it as well so he would be able to understand she hoped. There was something about Titus she just couldn't leave to the Rippers.

"I know. But you've done the exact same thing."

Dax ran a hand through his hair. He was just going to have to go there obviously because she wasn't quite understanding what he was getting at.

"I took in a complete stranger that looked like a kicked puppy. You, Naomi, are trying to bring Mia back to live by living her existence and memories through Titus."

Naomi was silent. She got up. And left.

Titus looks at the graphs carefully, Bricker instructing him. The scientist smiles. Hmmm, naive,most certainly so..but he was decently bright." K..Now,my boy, for a tad less....destructive spots. See that nerve? You hit it just right, you'll send anyone tumbling to the ground, and they'll stay there. Understand?" Titus looks up at him, nodding with a small smile.

Dax sighed. He knew she wasn't going to take that well. Knowing Naomi, she would be gone for the entire day. Now he would have to take over with training the new blood. That included tours, dorms, responsibilities, assessments, going over the rules, registering the kid. Dax groaned. Maybe he should have waited until Naomi had taken care of all of that to tell her what he thought.

Naomi strode into the lab and smiled at Titus. It was quick but friendly. Then she strode to the back of the room and asked Breaker for her key. She kept it safe in the lab because no one ever went there, as to where people liked to burst into her room all the time. Once she had the key she told the two she would be out all day and possibly even some tomorrow. Then she scooped up Leela, who had been standing guard and removed her chip. She pocketed the chip and then threw Leela in her bag.

Bracken looks up, nodding and retrieving the key. Titus looks up, smiling at Naomi, but furrows his brow,getting up and walking over to her." Sister....you going somewhere?" He smiles, tilting his head." Can I come too?"

Naomi stiffened for a fraction of a second and then resumed relaxed body language.

"No little man it's a Naomi thing. Or maybe it's a girl thing and I just don't know enough girls to figure it out. Either way I'll be gone for...awhile. Dax will help you settle in until I come back."

She hoped he wouldn't notice she had refused to answer where she was going.

Titus blinks, then nods." Okay....." He gives her a hug, then looks at Bracken as he steps up, laying his gnarled hand on the gears shoulder." It'll be fine,dear. We and Tax,not to mention the Three Terrors, will look out for him while you do what you must, hmm?Now, young man...you got a lesson to finish." Titus blinks, then nods, letting go and stepping back." Goodbye, Sister." His brow furrowed slightly, he goes back to his desk.Bracken looks at her." No worries, my girl...If anyone messes with him...Well, its quite interesting what a scanner can do."

Naomi chuckled, affectionately thinking back to the days when she had first bonded with Bricker and Breaker. It was really nice to have friends that did more than bash heads. In a way they felt more like fathers to her than brothers.

"Thank you." She readjusted the bag on her shoulder. "I'll give you the body when I finish as usual, do with it what you may."

All her past inventions that she re did usually went to Bricker and Breaker. First they tried to glean her codes, which was folly of course because she cleaned up well. Then they either harvested and reproduced the technology or scavenged it for parts. It would too easy to just share inventions. In Naomi's mind it would be downright disrespectful to hand someone as smart as they were an easy answer. Smart minds liked to work for it.

Bracken nods." Very well, my dear.Be safe,hmm?"He smiles,laying a hand on her shoulder." And good luck." Meanwhile, Bricker was finishing up on weakspots for the day." Now, my boy, the foot isn't often thought of as a weak spot,simply because its so out of the way. But, with those feet of yours, you can do a impressive amount of damage. Aim for the toes, and they won't be walking anytime soon....Alright, I think that's enough for now."

Naomi left, catching only the final drifting ends of their conversation. She left the compound quickly, taking back hallways. When she didn't want to be seen, she wouldn't. And not another soul encountered her before she left.

The day had already worn away, shifting into dusk. A light chilly wind nipped at her uncovered shoulders. Right before she had left she had changed from her pyjama's back into her usual tanktop and cargo pants. It was a little Ripper-esque in some ways, but Naomi wanted to remind herself of those times. What she had done and why she had done it. Who was still left out there to fight. With her tank top and pony tail, the brand that Rippers gave their recruits was easily visible in the middle of her back. They had used some sort of glow in the dark technology so that during night raids they could identify one of their own. In the dusk it started to radiate like a candle. In the middle of the night it would be a small beacon. It presence reminded her more sharply than the outfit. She used both to hone her hate. She had joined the Rippers, but that didn't mean she had ever been one of them.

Dax waited in the training room for Titus. He figured since the medic kit had been raided for snacks Naomi had taken Titus there. The kid was probably with the two sceintists. Good place to hide things because no one wanted to go there. They would bring him here when Titus was ready and Dax would take over.

Bricker taps Titus on the shoulder." Alright,my boy.Time to go visit King Kong." Titus gets up, grabbing the bottle of root beer and following Bracken back to the training room.As they walk along, Bracken glances at Titus." Soooo...my boy..You explore the city much?" Titus shakes his head." No....I haven't been Outside much,.." The scientist notices the emphasis, and nods. Exactly what he thought..They reach the room, entering it.Titus smiles,waving." Hello, Brother!"

"Jack. Perhaps it would be best if we head home for the night. We haven't seen any motion since you started your stakeout eight hours ago." Bowman's operator sighed. "Can we give it another hour? This is the biggest lead I've had in a while, I don't want to give up on it just yet." Jack had heard about the attack on Pulse Industries the day before and, hurrying to the scene of the crime, had been just in time to see two unusual people leaving the scene. Jack had been able to track the two by sending Bowman into the traffic cam system, and had spent a large portion of the following day staking out the location they had gone to.

Bowman paused for a moment before responding. "I know what this means to you Jack, but if you push yourself for too long, you won't be ready to face any potential challenges should they arise. Let's go back and get you some food and rest." Jack nodded reluctantly, standing up and getting ready to head out before he noticed the door opening. Quickly hiding himself again, he watched as a girl walked out, a symbol glowing on her back. "Bowman. That symbol." The Navi observed the symbol as Jack held up the PET to scan it, looking it up on the Internet. "Jack...it's a match for a symbol known to be used by Rippers. Should I get ready for Cross Fusion?" Bowman asked, fully aware of Jack's answer. "You know it." the boy replied, pulling out his five Battle Chips and the Synchro Chip. Slotting the five chips in, Jack gripped the Synchro Chip in his hand before slotting it in, beginning the Cross Fusion.

In short time, and with a definitely noticeable burst of light, Jack would step out of his hiding place, armored up and with his bow buster activated, and fire a warning arrow at the girl before turning his buster back into a hand. "You have one chance to surrender and answer my questions before I beat the answers out of you."