SoS 1 Arc Episode 3: Acquaintances(Shemha/Closed)(Grav x50)

When Shemha joined the Solar Saiyan Empire, one of the first individuals she came across was a soldier by the name of Carva. Large, gruff and a bit of a brute at times, he stood out in stark contrast against the slender, etiquette based Majin. Still, the two found a mutual respect for one another during their first sparring session. Despite their differences, both of them were driven towards what they wanted and both were loyal to the SSE. Unbeknownst to Shemha, one of those similarities was not as strong as it used to be. The truth of the matter was she hadn’t given Carva much thought since their last meeting on Namek. She assumed he was out on his own missions or simply doing what she was doing, training and waiting for the Empire to summon him.

Inside the Enigma, her rather large spaceship, Shemha enjoyed the privacy the vessel offered. With no real residence to call her own, the large ship quickly became her mobile home. In reality she felt it was far more efficient than any sort of stationary residence. Self-contained and self-sufficient for the most part, there was little she needed from the outside world on a day to day basis. On days like today, she was quite unaware of the spectacle above the city, jets soaring through the sky only to be surpassed by a black bullet. Up until his fist pounded on the back door did she realize an old acquaintance had looked her up.

The banging itself did not alert her, but the sensors installed along the vessel did. To the left of her captain’s chair she flipped a switch, bringing the loading door camera up on one of the monitors. She did not expect the figure she saw. For a moment she began to smile, a familiar face something she was growing to enjoy these days, but something was off. She sensed nothing from him. Focusing even more her senses reached out for the back of her ship and still she read nothing. Always cautious she wondered if this individual was really Carva. She knew signatures would be reduced and masked, but to vanish completely…that was not possible.

Her nimble fingers snatched the scouter from her waist before she unfolded the device and clipped it on. With a beep it displayed numbers, her eyes widening in response. They read as Carva, but at a far higher level than what she last recorded. Curious and somewhat skeptical, Shemha realized she never even responded. With another motion of her hand she opened the channel that connected her to the rear of her ship.

”Carva, is that you?” As she spoke purposeful strides carried her towards the back of her ship, the various intercoms throughout allowing her to communicate without interruption. In one hand she was excited to speak with him again, yet on the other she worried it wasn’t truly him. The fact he sported no signature that her senses could track worried her. Shemha was no coward though and by the time she reached the back of her ship, her hand slapped the release on the ramp, hydraulics hissing as it lowered to let him in or her out, whichever the case may be.

Slowly the gate lowered and gradually the two acquaintances gained sight of one another. Still skeptical, despite his reassuring words, Shemha chose to make her way down the ramp to him instead of extending an invitation to come aboard. With a little more forwardness than he might have been used to, the Majin scanned him from head to toe. The way her eyes looked at him gave away that it was a clear assessment, both orbs blinking as she looked to the numbers on her scouter once more. In silence for a moment she seemed to roll over how to proceed.

The options were simple, yet each lead to a number of outcomes. Despite his words and what she saw before her, this very well might not be Carva simply for the fact he carried no signature her senses could detect. However, it was also likely that the now far stronger warrior discovered a way to mask his signature. If the latter was the truth, she would definitely want to inquire about it. Such a technique would be invaluable for someone in her position. With her recent revelation in terms of what she wanted from her life, Shemha was inclined to lean towards taking him for his word. The truth of the matter was, if he held an agenda which entailed brining harm to her, there was little distrusting him would prevent that.

After what seemed like minutes when it was in fact seconds, the female allowed a smile to form on her lips. ”Hello Carva. No need for the “Lady,” we are old friends after all, aren’t we?” In part the question was a test, his answer perhaps giving her insight into the man before her. From his perspective he could clearly see her scouter detailed his information, numbers scrolling across it.

Like him, she was stronger than the last time they interacted. He, like before, surpassed her, but that was something she had come to expect from those she interacted with. No matter how strong she became, others were always stronger. That in part was why she shifted her role to one of information and deception. Hopefully the latter would not be needed her, Carva a friend the last time they parted ways on Namek. She of course knew nothing of the events that reshaped his life since then.

”It’s been too long since we spoke. How are you?” Shemha asked as she slipped back into her normal polite self. As she spoke, soft footsteps carried her down the ramp until she came to a stop several feet from him. Suspicion aside, she struggled to be too short or rude with another. In the Universe there was so much chaos she felt proper etiquette was something often lost. For now she left the most obvious question unasked even as it lingered at the back of her mind. “Why couldn’t she sense him?”

Now face to face with him, head tilted up slightly to meet his eyes, Shemha noted the change in his their color. It was a subtle difference, but one she felt to be unnatural…just like the absence of his signature. Still, regardless of these differences he labelled them as friends just the same. Always a good listener, the Majin offered no objection when the mention of the truth came. Always honest with him in the past she felt honored that he would share in that. The two always regarded each other with respect and she would continue to until given a reason to do otherwise. The question was, what was this truth he was prepared to reveal to her?

As Carva continued she listened in silence. A good listener for years, she knew when to keep her mouth shut and let others talk. Thankfully her controlled nature allowed her expression to remain relatively neutral in light of the several shocking things he had to say. The first part, his broken ties with the SSE did not really concern her. She was a loyal woman, but would never hold another to her sense of duty. From the sounds of it, Carva felt betrayed by his mission…let down even, something she understood. Beyond that he did not claim to be an enemy of the Empire, just no longer its solder.

The fact this “suicide mission” ended with his death was not the surprising part, but the fact that even after admitting to his own end, he stood before her. The afterlife was something of a mystery, a myth even. Countless individuals claimed to have seen images of a world beyond this one or spoken with distant voices, but these were all stories. Now, a friend stood before her with the claim that he personally went to the underworld only to be resurrected as an android. Reserved woman or not, Shemha could not help the slight arch of her brow. Clearly confused, a moment of silence passed between them as he waited to see how she would handle all of this.

In her mind she looked to sort it out. Some time ago, she left him on Namek and from then until now, he had died, left the Empire and been brought back as an android. It seemed farfetched, yet she could read nothing of his signature and those eyes hinted at a Carva different than the Saiyan she once knew. With a click of her tongue she let her shoulders slump. Eyes softening a bit from that assessing stare she held for so long. He would see a lighter side of the Majin, one not witnessed by him before.

”Well…I am not sure what to say if I am being honest in return. As for the SSE, that doesn’t concern me. Even when we served together we were equal in rank so I have no authority of your decision. Your relationship with them is irrelevant if it doesn’t affect what is between us. I’ve begun to question them myself a little as of late…” That last part a little more than she meant to let slip so she was quick to continue. ”As for the rest…I doubt there is little I can say. Android or not, you seem like the warrior I remember. If this new body of yours and the trip to the afterlife have made you stronger…I would almost think you volunteered for it.” She added, the last little bit a joke for she knew his desire to grow stronger back on New Vegeta. Considering he was immortal now, according to his own words, he hopefully wouldn’t take offense.

A slow shake of her head followed before she turned and waved for him to follow. ”Why don’t you come in? It sounds like there is plenty for us to discuss.” If he did not object, the Majin would lead him into her ship, the loading door closing behind them. Taking him to the lounge, her arm extended to offer him a seat. Was sitting pointless for him now? Did his legs even get tired?

Into the ship they went, Shemha having entertained more guests in the last two weeks than ever before. Every time, it was within her ship. The Majin saw no need to have a home when the luxurious ship she owned provided plenty of space for her and multiple guests if she chose. It even had the two rooms for others to stay should she invite them. So far, only one individual had spent the night. When they arrived at the lounge, she took a seat regardless if he accepted her offer to sit or not.

Plopped down into one of the plush blue chairs, Shemha looked over at him. ”My home indeed. I figured such a vessel was the best way to put my extra funding to work. It allows me freedom and a place to enjoy the company of others. Do you not have something similar?” She asked, having assumed that was how he arrived on Earth. Again, the last place she saw him was Namek and based on his own words, he had been several places since then.

Pleased to hear that he still shared respect for her, she was still suspicious at the mention of this other allegiance. His business was not her own, but the way he worded it…that he could not speak of it threw up red flags all around. Still, the Majin was plenty capable of collecting her thoughts before she let any emotion show on her face. That same warm soft smile continued to greet him even as he struggled to confess he could not share the information with her.

A slow nod followed, before she spoke again. ”I believe I understand. However, if you ever wish to confide in me, know that you would have my confidentiality. Like you said, we are friends and not everything I hear has to be repeated.” With a small shrug of her shoulders she relaxed back into her chair, right leg lifted to cross over the left. Hands coming to rest in her lap she kept those dark eyes on him.

”If you cannot tell me about this secret affiliation of yours…could you perhaps entertain me with some information about the afterlife? I am sure you can understand my curiosity. What was it like?” It was unheard of to question someone about their life after death, at least as far as she knew. Shemha couldn’t possible pass up the opportunity to learn anything he might share about it.

Carva labeled her as kindhearted. If only he knew the deeds and motives that so often rested behind her dark, calm eyes. Shemha could agree that she was not outright evil or cruel, never taking either of those paths just for the sake of it. However, there were numerous times where she counted on the trust of others in order to manipulate them and further her own goals. Kindhearted is not the word she would use to describe herself, not by a long shot. Even with her attempt to make friends in the most recent weeks, she only extended that part of herself to a select few while the rest of the Universe met the ever so polite, but ever so deadly Majin.

His description of the afterlife was not what she expected. Considering he went below, she expected something darker, sinister even for those designated such a fate. According to Carva puzzles where what occupied the majority of his time, not struggling to keep his soul from some foul creature. A moment of reflection though had her seeing a different perspective. Perhaps the afterlife, regardless of where you went, was just different for everyone. There was no data to point to his time there as the standard. One day she would likely find out for herself.

”Interesting indeed. I might have to request you repeat that later so I can record it and analyze at my leisure. As for me, well… I have simply been trying to educate myself in the ways of the various planets beyond Vegeta. I am sure you remember our time on Namek and after that, I decided to come to Earth.” Her words only a partial truth of course for she came here specifically to understand the planet that was the Empires most open rival.

”Beyond that, yes, I have been training. I would hope that my signature reflected that at least a little. Or does this new body prevent you from reading signatures just like I am naturally prevented from reading yours?” She asked with a raised brow, again scanning him up and down to take in the details. The fact he was partially artificial was fascinating in itself. Until today, Shemha had never encountered an android…especially not one created from a fully organic creature.

Carva’s flexing drew a small smirk from the Majin. The doubts that remained lessened in response to the gesture, the proud warrior she knew never afraid to flaunt what was his. That being said, he did look mostly the same save those slightly altered eyes. How unexpected that such an old friend would find her here undercover while he himself worked under the radar. She wasn’t sure how similar their situations might be, but he made it clear he wasn’t allowed or willing to share more information about his ties. That was fine; she planned to learn more in time. Shemha was always patient.

”You know me Carva. There is no way I would waste my days with such idle things. I hope I avoid the afterlife for as long as possible, but if I find myself there, I will look for any and all ways to return.” The last bit rather stern as if to say she would come back to the world of the living with purpose. Shemha didn’t normally hold grudges, yet she imagined if someone took her life she would want back at them.

At the mention of testing one another, Shemha finally ceased her inspection of him, having only been continuing with respect to due diligence. Her eyes moved to meet his, that small smirk still plastered on her face. The first time they went at it one on one, he ended up coming out on top. The Majin didn’t hold it against him, but she would love to test herself again, especially against this new body of his.

”Shall we then?” Came the blunt response as a hand motioned that he follow. Pending any objection from him she would lead him towards the gravity chamber in her ship, the large empty room the perfect place for them to go at one another. Based on what her scouter indicated his strength had increased several times over from the last time they met, but so had hers. With a number of new techniques in her arsenal, she was ready to test him.

When Shemha stepped into the chamber she went right for the console. Fingers starting to dance along the keypad, she paused for a moment to glance over at him. ”How about fifty times normal gravity? I do hope you have been keeping up on such things. Also, are you able to control your signature? If so I propose we match one another so that we may truly test our skills, not just raw power.” Her words held a slight challenge in them, wanting to push him to accept the offer so that they would be on a level playing field. Only then could they really determine who the more capable warrior was.

Negi…come to think of it, she had not seen him since her departure from Namek. So busy with her days on Earth, the Majin consciously pushed the boy from her mind. It was nothing against him of course, but it was not like they were dependent on one another. Still, she should look him up in the near future. The boy was a friend of hers, a new prospect in the Majin’s life and she wanted to share that friendship with him. In the past the street had almost been one way between them, Shemha’s somewhat cold disposition the cause of that. With the discovery of the latent power within her, she also discovered her desire to grow closer to a select few.

”Actually, no. The last time I saw him was on my last trip to Namek, met up in a bar believe it or not.” A small chuckled followed the statement, such establishments something she founder herself visiting more and more often these days. Hopefully that didn’t reflect poorly on her character. Proper and well mannered, she didn’t want others to think her some bar going floozy who indulged in the drink. Like with everything else in her life, that sort of thing needed to be done in moderation.

With the chamber soon set to a solid 50x gravity, Shemha felt the stress on her muscles. With no bones in her body, the strain likely felt different to her than it did to others, even Carva likely despite his new body. Rolling her neck she looked to the male as she walked towards the opposite side of the chamber. She also noted the nickname he addressed her with, Shem. No one had ever called her that before. Ignoring it for now she turned to face him fully, arms tucked behind the small of her back.

”Go easy on you? Please Carva, I am going to beat you into this lovely tiled floor of mine.” The cocky, but playful grin that followed perhaps not what Carva would expect. As Shemha met more people and grew closer to the one’s she chose, her personality began to shift slightly. Focused and calculating, she was also slowly developing a sense of humor.

Grin plastered to her face she held her position for a moment or at least, that is what it looked like. Before the afterimage she left behind began to blur, Shemha was on top of him. To his right and in the air, her body was already in mid rotation as she brought a kick around towards the side of his head. With no intention of holding back, her foot sailed for the right side of his skull, plenty of force behind it as she looked to get right into it.

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The fight begins! Shemha utilizes her Zenzoken to leave an after image as she launches her initial attack, aiming her booted foot right for the side of Carva’s head!

Zanzoken used - 2/3 KP remaining.