Being Taken a-back

[Zaiden Dean]

(Lmao, I didn't shoot either at you...lol. but guess I'll roll with it.)

When the arrow whizzed back towards him, it suddenly slowed, then turned about once more to face Gren. Val listened to his speech, then called back, "I have ways to get both her and I away from here if that comes to pass." Which was true, as White Current hid what was inside from eyesight, sensors, thermal, all forms of detection, "That being said, I will offer you 15 credits. That is a profit. Take this, or face me, and inevitably the police force."

[member="Gren Reaper"]

 

[Gren Reaper]

[member="Matreya"] (I assumed one arrow was fired and took one of the hits, sorry if I messed up anything )

Ren laughed and shook his head. "I was promised more than that. I suppose we will have to continue our game after all." he said that and got into a defensive stance grabbing his lightsaber from under the red robe. Not ignited yet, Ren let his rest to his side in his right hand. He spoke again, "Just to be clear, I have nothing against you. Its just that we don't share a common belief I suppose."

The arrow seemed to be very good at tracing him. What kind of trick is this guy using? he thought as he focused on it. The man mentioned something about the authorities and that he could escape. That made Ren a little worried since the planetary forces were never the kindest to him. But he knew he wouldn't be the only one seized, especially since this man carried and fired his weapon on him. He couldn't rely on them though.

"I'm not intimidated nor backing down because of your puny threats. I'm leaving with that girl." the conversation was carrying on and on which bothered Ren. He hated to deal with people.

 

[Zaiden Dean]

Val reached out mentally, prodding the girl while his opponent spoke. He wanted her awake, for the potential risk of needing to run! Little to nothing was known about this man, save that he had skill in seeing through illusions. It could potentially go south if allowed to. When he finished speaking, Val arced another arrow towards the man's chest. Following through with that, another arrow was launched from the quiver before being caught then shot as well.

"You can think so." He called back, intent upon making the other fear him by the time this wall over.

[member="Mystique "][member="Gren Reaper"]

 

[Gren Reaper]

[member="Mystique "][member="Matreya"]

Ren had his saber at his ready but he thought about his next actions. Since he was a vampire, dodging his swift arrows should be easy. Blocking them would be different. The arrow would be stopped but if cut in half, there was a good chance the head could still do damage. Especially since this man had tricks.

The arrows were coming, all he had to do was dodge until this man ran out. He called on the darkside of the force for power. Memories from his past entered his thoughts. Doubt... criticism.. Waves of darkside energy pulsated around him. He presented a serious look, raised his hand, and sent a wave of darkside energy toward the arrows.

 

[Zaiden Dean]

Whatever the attack was, and whoever this guy was, his power shattered the arrows to several pieces before depositing them on the floor. However, while concentrating on his attack, Gren would have missed a shift in the appearance of Valashu - which signaled the entirety of the room had become an illusion. While they all would see him standing still, he really moved towards the door until he was within range of the other man.

As he then dropped the illusion, he swung his bow at the back of the mans head, while simultaneously aiming to place a foot between his legs, then jerking one off balance. The result he sought was either an incapacitated man, or at least knocking him to the ground.

[member="Gren Reaper"]

 

[Gren Reaper]

[member="Mystique "][member="Matreya"]

With the arrows stopped for the moment, he began talking not noticing the illusion. "It seems those arrows could've been fatal." he said without any change in tone. It wasn't as if he was mad, people try to kill him all the time.

The sound of moving feet was heard, which alarmed Ren. When he actually confirmed the man was close was when his head was suddenly struck by an object. Then he was almost knocked off balance before locking his knees for a moment, as he ignited his saber and swung 360° around himself hoping to land a blow. The man was too close for comfort. After his attack, he jumped with a front flip getting a few meters away and turning around to face him. He held his left hand on the back of his head, with his saber ignited in his right hand. "That actually hurt.." he grumbled on one knee.

 

[Zaiden Dean]

Had Val not already been prepared to step back, the slash that he got across his abdomen would likely have killed him. As it was, he had stepped back, just as the tip of the saber grazed him, cutting into his clothing, and leaving a long painful cut behind. "I am not going to keep attempting distractions, or other non lethals. I up my offer to 70 credits to leave the woman be."

[member="Gren Reaper"]

 

[Dancer]

Money? Was that what all this was about? She struggled to her feet as the two men continued their violence. She knew what she had to do. It was probably the only thing that could stop this violence, she thought.

Her feet, weak with terror clacked across the flooring. The patrons and the employees of the establisment were cowering in fear, hiding for cover, she was walking towards the danger. For once, yes, she moved towards the danger instead of from it. She took a step between the two men and pushed her chest out bravely, facing the man with the red bad eyes, and back to the one with the bow. Her lips quivered in a moment of fear. She wanted to hide so badly. To curl up in the corner and wait for it all to pass. But it wouldn't. No it never would. Not unless she was brave.

Her hand burrowed into her jean pockets and she pursed her scarlet lips together a moment, her fisted hand came out and propelled its contents forward at the bad-eyed man. A shower of credits, the lowest denominations being in the hundreds, most being in the thousands, pelted towards her hunter. It was spending money her Scarlet had given her. She hoped her lover would not be angry with her. However, she was sure the assassin would rather lose credits than her beloved Mystique. If this man just wanted money, he could have it. She didn't care, the plastic chips were worthless to the former slave still trying to figure out why people would be so bad for them.

Her free hand wrapped around the forearm of the other man. He needed to answer questions. Many many questions she had. Her heels clacked across the sidewalk a she sprinted away. The man had a clear choice: either chase and continue the hunt, or gather a small fortune of credit chips in easy money and get out of the city.

The wove through the city, back allies and side streets until Mystique ducked into a warehouse far away. Quite far away, as she panted for breath and leaned on her knees. Her eyes were wide with terror and shock; had she really just done that?

[member="Matreya"]
[member="Gren Reaper"]

 

[Zaiden Dean]

When the money was thrown, Val swelled with an odd sense of pride: his wife was the same. Money meant nothing to her in place of friends, family, and happiness. But then she had him by the arm and they were fleeing. Once again Valashu conjured invisibility, but this time the best he could offer, and around both of them. No sensor, eye, or sound recording device would pick up on them - only one who had experience in dealing wth White Current, or if he himself made a mistake and revealed something he shouldn't.

When they reached the warehouse, Val left the woman to her own vices, while staying near the entrance for a while. He needed to know if they were followed...

[member="Mystique "][member="Gren Reaper"]

 

[Gren Reaper]

[member="Mystique "][member="Matreya"] (Last post)

The attacked was semi-successful. Ren could see a slash in the man's clothing. Something stopped their fight just then, it was the girl. He immediately turned off the saber, but still held to his side. "Have you finally decided to c-" credits being thrown at him cut him off. Lots of them, but not as much as the Hutts would give. At least it was closer to the amount.

The woman ran away with the man soon after. He lost sight of them, as he stood on one knee with a throbbing head. Ren collected the credits and made his way back to his ship to rest. "You will be remembered." he mumbled directing it his opponent's thoughts. Climbing up onto his ship and sitting down, Ren mumbled one more thing. "I'll just go visit Mr Hutt sometime." he still wanted his pay.

 

[Zaiden Dean]

After a while, Valashu decided that there must not be any tailers following them. Stepping over to the redhead, he offered a handkerchief from his pocket, in case she wanted to wipe herself off for any reason. Taking a tumble to the floor, could get one covered in dirt. Pressing the release on his bow, he snapped his arm forward then back, and it folded down into a third its previous size. Attaching this at his hip, he reached a hand out to hold her shoulders, attempting to examine her, making sure she was ok.

"My name is Valashu, in case it matters." He said, moving past her head as he saw no clear marks, "I wonder...is your name..." He cut himself off, as it was better to not reveal that he magically knew her name, if it even was her name in this universe. Releasing her, he smiled, "Well I can't see any damage. Are you ok? No hidden aches or pains??"

@Mystique

 

[Dancer]

[member="Matreya"]

Mystique took the offered hankercheif dumbly after she had finished panting. Her mouth was agape still but she was not panting. She was gawking. Her cyan eyes were wide with wonder, unable to bring herself to believe what she was seeing. But-but--

She touched his arm, yes he was real, not a dream. Yes, it was real. It was him. It had to be some sort of a mistake, she decided, as her mouth closed. She looked him, her unblinking eyes taking in every ounce of his person, studying him. Yes, the nose, those eyes, even the voice was the same. This was no mistake, however it was impossible.

"B-b-but, y-you died," she said at last, releasing his arm. She took a deep breath and swallowed. She had to take her time or her speech impediment would make the talking impossible. A lifetime of slave abuse had made her speaking almost impossible. Almost. She went slowly to not rush herself, "I am ok, but you should be dead. I watched them kill you at the White Palace. You died befo-"

Her sentence was cut short by the recollection. It had been a very slow, gory thing, and he had been one of the few who had been kind to her. A guard, a soldier. But then he used a different weapon. Not the one he used now. It made her wonder and shake hear head, causing her crimson curls to bounce.

[member="Matreya"]

 

[Zaiden Dean]

Yeah, it appeared he had an alternate Val, whose shoes he may wind up having to fill.

"Yes. He probably did, " Val made sure to add emphasis to the word he, "I do not come from here. I am from an alternate..universe. Maybe a mirror reality, I am not sure. Where I come from, things are so similar, and yet so drastically different. First of all, I am clearly not dead. Second, where I am from..." He shut his mouth. That was not fair. To possibly change her outlook on him. It may scare her, or worse make her feel she somehow needed to adapt the feelings of his wife.

"Is your name Ellisah? In my universe...we are friends. I always called you Elle." He murmured, wanting to stroke his fingers through her hair, but having to repeatedly tell himself that this wasn't the same woman he fell in love with.

@Mystique

 

[Dancer]

The dancer did her best to try and understand what the man was saying but honestly--she didn't fully understand and she knew it. It made her frustrated. Not at him, just her own ignorance. But she was used to it. Somehow he was a man who looked like Val, talked like Val, even called himself Val.... but wasn't. Perhaps it was some cloning stuff, she decided. Yes, of course, that had to be it.

He mentioned her name, and that--that made her gasp in shock. She swallowed and took a few slow calming breaths. She had to be able to speak at all to explain this. Otherwise he would never be able to understand, she felt. And if she didn't speak slowly, she would never be able to explain it.

"I-I am--I was a slave," she began in her soft airy voice, taking her time. "They captured me and k-killed my mothers before me. B-both mothers. I-I ha-haven't gone by Elissah since I-I-I was a very little girl," she let out a breath and swallowed before continuing. Her fingers knit into a ball around her waist. What would Scarlet think? Would she be angry? "Th-they t-t-took m-m," Mystique calmed herself and said her next words very slowly and intentionally, furrowing her brows in concentration, "They. Took. My. Name. Called me. Vermilion," she swallowed, "I-I was rescued a few m-months ago. B-b-by a Captain. Captain J-Justice. I am called Mystique." She looked up from her fingers and repeated it with confidence, "Mystique."

That look on his face. She knew it well. She had seen it many times in her profession. It was the look of longing, the look to touch. To be held. To be loved back. For feelings to be reciprocated. He did his best to hide it, and it was commendable. If she hadn't spent the majority of her life seeing those looks, she never would have known. But she did. And in return she felt compassion. Not love, just compassion. Her hand touched his forearm, "I-I am s-sorry. Ah-ab-bout your w-ife. Th-thank you for r-r-helping me."

[member="Matreya"]

 

[Zaiden Dean]

Val nodded, surprised by her insight, "Who said I have a wife?" He smiled, "Mystique huh? That's actually a rather cool name. Very unique." Stretching his body, he yawned, he was tired from all the things he had been doing recently. It had been very rare for him to have any real sleep.

Then he was put into a fight to protect someone he didn't know. His damnable conscience! Sighing, he sat down, drew forth a second cloth, and began wiping at his bow. It was an action he performed whenever he finished using it, to keep rust and dust from slowing the use of the weapon.

"So, who took you as a slave? I.. might want to talk with them in the future." Valashu asked without looking up.

@Mystique

 

[Dancer]

Talk? When he said that she had a feeling that he meant something totally different the way he said it. The way he was handling his weapon, she could partially guess what he had in mind.....

She shook her head in mute disapproval. She hated violence. It was so cruel, there was no reason for peoples to hurt each other. She always hated it, always. So many times she had been the receiving one when it came to violence, so many times she had been the one who got hurt, took the butt of the blaster, the heavy end of the stick it was more than she could bear to watch someone else get it too.

"B-because I know that look," she said softly, "I-I-I have seen it m-many times when dancing f-for m-my money. Th-that look of s-s-seeing someone else. A wife," she offered the hankercheif back. It had been a very kind gesture of his. He had been very good to her, she wished she knew somehow to repay him. Maybe Scarlet would have something for him? Yes, of course. Her Scarlet would reward him for rescuing her, she was sure of that. She just didn't know if he would be keen on the idea. But Mystique never took no for an answer when it came to helping people or repaying those who did good. It was the right thing to do after all.

"W-w-we can venture out now," she said at last, "th-things should be on the all clear. C-c--can you take me home? Please?"

[member="Matreya"]

 

[Zaiden Dean]

Catching a single stray word, part of a thought, he looked upward, "Reward? No. I was helping a person that needed it." Rising, he rolled his shoulders, then folded his bow and attached it to his hip, "Sure let's go." With that he opened the door, performed a quick look around, and saw nothing. Opening it further he strode out, then down the rode in the same direction they had run from the man earlier. He would take her to his ship which was not far.

"So, what's a runaway slave doing with all that dough?" He asked with an arched brow.

@Mystique

 

[Dancer]

The money. Right. Her face burned in embaresment. It had been a foolish thing to do. She wished she would have been smarter, less rash, and more thought out like so many other people in this great big galaxy. She was dumb, she knew she was, and it made her hang her head in shame as they walked along.

She swallowed and took a pair of deep breaths, preparing herself to speak. She had to go slowly, she reminded herself. Think of Scarlet. Think of the Man in the Mask. Think of good and happy things, of flowers, of all the lovely places in the world. It made her calm, calm enough for her airy and soft voice to not break in to halting stutters, "My," she had to pause and think of the word. What was her Scarlet? A lover? A girlfriend? Love interest? A best friend? She was all of these things and so much more to Mystique. So much more. It was beautiful how well her gentle Scarlet took care of her.

"My lover," she said at last, "is named Scarlet. She takes good care of me. She gave me the spending money to shop and try to be independent," the dancer's lovely scarlet lips creased in a frown, "you can see that I am not the best at that kind of thing. I can't take care of myself. I don't know how. I am so," her voice fell short and she looked away, watching the normal people on the streets. They had it so easy. They didn't even know it.

"Your wife, does she sutter too?" Mystique asked, her curiosity piqued, "Is she a dancer too? Was she," she wanted to ask grown as an experiment too? But that wasn't appropriate to ask. Besides, he could not know. Even her Scarlet didn't know where Mystique came from. It was possible the same thing happened to Val. Then again, she probably wasn't a slave before like she was, "was she a slave too?"

[member="Matreya"]

 

[Zaiden Dean]

"Yes. She was." Val said, his voice growing to a serious tone it hadn't had since the fight, "I rescued her from the hutt... The things I did to that, " Valashu paused, "-thing. Would probably make you sick. But yes, she had a stutter; pretty bad to, could hardly speak." Now as he talked, a smile peaked at the corner of one side, "But I talked her through it all. By the end of it? She spoke better than I, even more languages!

"She was a dancer, for a time. After the Hutt used her however, she decided one day that she didn't want to any longer. Nor did she want to be scared. So she gave that up. Training under me, she became my best pupil. Though she did not use a Bow like I do, she chose a chakram. Its like a bladed Frisbee." He explained, "The day I asked her what she wanted to do now that she could protect herself, she said to marry me. It was that weekend that it was done."

He remained silent then for a long while. When he did speak again, he said quietly, "Don't worry. Normality will come. Just... don't give up. Find someone that can teach you to be an individual." He said. He would offer to help, but figured that she would decline.

@Mystique

 

[Dancer]

Mystique smiled softly. It felt good in a way, to know she was not alone in this world--or in these galaxies, she supposed. This man was nice, she could tell in his eyes that he was a good man but something seemed--wrong with him. Not in a bad way but that he was sad, hurt. Angry? She couldn't tell what was bothering him and that made her bothered. She was normally good at things like that, it was one of the few things she was any good at.

"You are a good man," she said sincerely looking him in the eyes. It wasn't often she told people they were good, and when she did, she meant it with all her heart. She didn't know any other word to define people like him, except good. "And your w-wife--she s-sounds like a good w-w--woman too. I wish," she swallowed. It was a truth, one she hated but it was a truth, "I w-w-wish I was smart enough t-to do th-that," the dancer gave a sad smile, "I--I am t-t-too dumb to even read."

Dumb? It was who she was. It was all she was. They all told her that, all the time. Everyone, the women in the harem, all her life. It wasn't an opinion it was what she was told. All the time. And part of it did hurt, but she had moved to accept it.

Normal? Now that was funny. It genuinely made her giggle, "N-n--normal is a st-state of m-m-mm--mind silly. D-depends on wh-where you c-come from."

[member="Matreya"]