Anarchy Road

[Arage Bao]

[member="Olivia Durant"]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Khal leaned on his elbow and watched the events unfold.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]She wasn’t in any danger whatsoever for a variety of reasons. One, she was actually pretty damn competent even if she wasn’t aware of it herself right now, he was getting far more bruises now from their fights than in the beginning and Khal was pretty sure it wouldn’t be long before she started knocking him on the ass instead.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Problem with being a Forcer these days, can’t stick up with everything and anything.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Used to be Khaleel had sworn by minimal dependence on the Force and to a point he was still a believer in that philosophy, but ya need to make choices as a man and this time around the choice had been simple. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Either go with the tide or be swept away. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]He blinked.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]And in that blink they went from talking to fighting.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Heh. Ain’t that a sore sight for the eyes.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Khaleel patiently waited for her to return, while looking around and studying the reactions of the regulars that busied around the place, they had seen it all happen and that had been the entire point of the exercise. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]First see if she is ready, then establish her reputation whilst protecting your own.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]They would know now that the Underlord wasn’t a man who allowed people to intrude upon his turf, that [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]things[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] would happen and that was an important part. She settled herself beside him, radiating excitement and that made Khal chuckle.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Ya did good, lass.” he would praise her. “Loved that first movement though, great improvisation.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]A ponder came.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Now tell me, why do you think I send you doing that?”[/SIZE]

 

[Alkesh Vizsla]

She wasn’t especially prone to thinking of herself beyond terms of “do I have something on my face” or “am I using the right dinner fork to eat this meal”. Otherwise she’d been taught to think of the good of others before herself, the qualities of a future benevolent ruler, the training of any girl as highborn as she’d been. Of course, very few of her counterparts seemed to develop in to such kind-hearted people, at each other’s throats in the hopes of lording over men and women alike. It’d come naturally to her, but she was no pushover either – though that didn’t seem to be in question as the man she’d punched in the jaw was spirited off.

So the idea that what she’d just done was partially for her, and not just in a training capacity, escaped her. She was okay with the idea of climbing up the ladder through proving herself and she’d just thought of the exercise as a means to an end. “It was a message. Anyone knocking on the door to what’s yours should expect repercussions.” The words sounded funny out of her mouth, a clipped and proper accent casually discussing retribution. Of course they were no Sith, not even close. But he and anyone with him would protect what was theirs.

“I want to help, you know. Build something,” she gave by way of explanation. His world was still a strange place to her, filled with the dirty, dangerous, and delightful in equal measure. But she – even if she didn’t know it – was the brightness that pushed back the dark.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]​

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Olivia Durant"]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Help him build something.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]But where they building things? Or where they contributing towards the annihilation of [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]things[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]? A question that had been plaguing Khal ever since he had started on this lone journey, ever since he had turned his back on the Jedi and decided that there was a [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]better[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] way of handling things.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Was this better?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Ain’t anything in life that’s perfect, Khally. Gotta get to terms with that and move on, got a good thing going here and breaking it all up? Serves no purpose whatsoever.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Don’t be wasteful.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“And ya will.” Khal would finally reply, after a few moments had passed.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Contemplative silence perhaps.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]He raised himself from the perch, offering an arm to pull her up too, before moving away from the Promenade and the bright lights of the district. One of the more [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]pretty[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] sectors of the Nar Shaddaa, but there was so much more to see.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]So much more to fear.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Ain’t gonna be easy, Liv.” the reply would come, low buzz in the air. “Guys here, rough and hard men, named men. They only see a rich spoiled girl who lost her direction, ya’ll have to show ‘em they are wrong.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]He would face her, eyes meeting each other.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“I can’t help ya with that, you understand?”[/SIZE]

 

[Alkesh Vizsla]

She certainly understood. There’d been two or three weeks when she’d first arrived where she believed exactly what every man – and woman – in this city would believe of her at first glance. What business did she have here? How was she ever going to survive, spoiled and soft, in a place who’s foundations were built almost entirely above a solid layer of crime? But time went by and she hadn’t left…she still hadn’t left…and here she was.

That perceived weakness would be her greatest strength for the time being. One day – Force willing – she’d have the sort of reputation would precede her. But until then she would let others believe she was a spoiled rich girl.

They’d never see her coming.

“I understand, and I don’t want you to. I have to do that on my own,” she answered, meeting his gaze. (Blue, blue, blue…so blue…stop it Olivia…) She appreciated the sentiment, the moments in his complicated facade that spoke to a certain kindness that made her hum, but he was right. In that, he couldn't help her.

In an attempt to distract herself she took two or three steps back, raising her fists in a guard in the same way he’d shown her that first day training a few short weeks ago. “Come on…I’m feeling lucky.”

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]​

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Olivia Durant"]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]A quiet ponder followed where Khal simply expected her stance.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]She did seem more sure of herself now, feet positioned just right, heels digging into the floor for extra support and all the other little details that underlined she had been training [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]hard[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]. Smile softened his expression and he shrugged out of his duster.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Aight, let’-”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Without even ending the sentence the Underlord blurred, distance shorting itself into nothingness and then a punch blurred in from the side - aimed at [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]her[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] side.[/SIZE]

 

[Alkesh Vizsla]

Maybe one of these days it would occur to her that he wasn't necessarily going to play fair. In her world it seemed subterfuge was never overt - plots were hatched in secret, made to be perpetuated without one's name attached. She still didn't have the hang of someone pulling a fast one on her at a moment's notice.

She'd learn quick enough.

Thankfully he'd taught her well - hands up, elbows tight, she dipped her arms just slightly to guard her ribs with her elbow. At the same time she reached with the arm opposite the one he was using to reach for his now exposed face. It would be a damn shame to do damage to something that pretty, but she was out to prove she'd made progress.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]​

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Olivia Durant"]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Some girls like them scars.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Khal had received his fair amount of punishment, throughout the years broken bones and other damages that would have left a normal man quite… [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]unable to proceed with a normal career.[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] But the Underlord was not a normal man, not an [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]ordinary[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] man.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]His wounds healed faster, and those that should have killed him? Only left him a little bit aching for a few days, until even those were gone with only scars to match.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Some black magicka is worth it.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]His other hand lashed out, upper arm turning counter-clockwise as it hit the flesh of her offending fist and effectively jerking away her arm from his face. Any other mentor would have taken a step back by then, satisfied that the pupil wasn’t easy to trick anymore - or at least, knew how to handle herself when a trick happened.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Not an ordinary man, though.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Carrying in his momentum, Khal leaned heavily on his right leg, rotated around his foot and lashing out with his left leg in an attempt to sweep her off her feet… quite literally so this time.[/SIZE]

 

[Alkesh Vizsla]

She’d never been easily frustrated, but there was something about fighting that automatically tripped some thirst for perfection in her. She wanted him to wake up tomorrow with a shiner, a little bit of bruising that would prove she was making progress. These kind of lessons were fluid, the tests ever-changing – there was no recitation of rules here. Just proving yourself when it really, really mattered.

So when his foot hit her left calf and she lost her balance, falling on her back despite trying to save it, she let out a loud ‘KARK!’ of annoyance, immediately clapping a hand to her mouth in surprise at her language.

Narrowing her eyes from behind her hand, she finally lowered it to accuse him. “You’re a bad influence.”

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Olivia Durant"]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]A grin spread out as she cursed and it only grew wider when she accused him. It was interesting to see how she was changing, it felt like only yesterday that she had come to him for a training session - in a lot of ways a high society city girl with [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]manners[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]But that was slowly changing, under his tutelage she was becoming more than that, shown by how she took out the informant and the way she was staring daggers at him right now.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“I could be worse.” the Underlord replied smoothly, before crouching down on one knee and offering a hand to her. [/SIZE]

 

[Alkesh Vizsla]

Most of the time he managed to make her forget he could be salacious. He always seemed to have a funny way about him – something indecent crouched behind the genuinely good-hearted. But his comment makes her narrow her eyes almost imperceptibly, responding first as a human and then a Jedi in training.

Letting out a laugh, she reached and ran her fingers along the crease in his palm as she wrapped her far more delicate hand in his. It was a move she wouldn’t have even had the instinct to pull – let alone the balls – a month or so ago. “I have no doubt,” she snarked back before reaching with her right leg and attempting to kick him in the knee he wasn’t touching the ground with.

Imagine for a moment this is Pokemon. Olivia uses Sudden Lunge to try and get Khal on his back after hoping to unsteady him with a kick. Now we just hope Khal’s icon shakes a whole bunch and Olivia’s move was surprisingly effective. Is this innuendo? Who knows?

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]​

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Olivia Durant"]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]If this was Pokemon, then surely Olivia was a Hitmonlee with that flawlessly executed kick in the knee - ya gotta understand… if this had been any other situation Khal would probably have caught wind of her plot and managed to save himself from the embarrassment, but as it stood… the Underlord had been far too busy trying to seduce Durant, to really pay attention to things like intent and the glint of an eye in the split second that mattered. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Oef.” Khal would let out a soft cough as imbalance took hold of the axis of his being, and the world shifted around him as he fell down… he might have even saved himself [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]then[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px], but Olivia was really learning the trade… maybe a little too well.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]The full frontal force of her weight settled down on him and pressed the remnants of air outta his lungs, making it impossible to do anything but try to get some of that sweet, delicious air back in the way it had left.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Then it happened.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Instinct took over, and from fighting against the actions Khal let the moment spin out of control. His arms wrapping itself around her body, pulling her closer and perhaps his lips finding hers - depending on how much of a tangle it was.[/SIZE]