Causing Chaos (Kära Vi'dreya)

[Sin Lykos]

Sin wandered through the streets, taking the same aimless route he did everyday. As he walked, he found himself thinking again about his family and the way they had abandoned him. As he thought about them - their betrayal - he felt the anger building inside him, building into rage. The more he thought, the more the rage grew inside him until something inside him suddenly seemed to snap, and Sin punched the air in his anger. At that instant, a small Droid that was just passing him was lifted into the air and flung into a small crowd of people at the other end of the street.

Sin stared at the choas that quickly surrounded him. The immediate feeling of confusion about the event that had occurred was quickly replaced by a feeling of guilt and the boy glanced around quickly before backing away, hoping that no one had seen him.


@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

 

[Lief]

Her shrouded form had monitored this specific boy for the past year or so, watching his day-to-day habits and his anger as it slowly progressed and his fuse disintegrated. Every time he gave into it she felt the small twinkling of power within him strengthen and flare, and it was enough to solidify the notion already set within her mind. This boy, known as Sin would be hers. Now it was simply a matter of catching him when he least expected it. Yet it seemed to Kara as though he had brought the exact moment upon himself when he lost control and sent a droid spinning through the crowd. Perfect...

Dropping from the rooftop she had been upon and into a nearby alleyway the woman monitored him through the Force, and frowned ponderously. Then she stepped forth and placed herself in the path of the boy, blocking him from running should the crowd turn on him. When they didn't, far too annoyed with the droid itself to notice the tiny boy, she smiled. Then her hand shot out towards his shoulder, hopefully settling it upon the covered flesh in order to grab his attention..

@[member="Sin Lykos"]

 

[Sin Lykos]

Sin froze as the hand descended on his shoulder and his heart seemed to stop in fear. He had been caught...and now what? In an instant, his mind was made up. No one could prove it was him that had caused the Droid to act like that; surely the best action now was to deny the whole thing, claim it was merely a simple coincidence that the Droid had happened to be passing him just as it had spun off in the other direction...

Taking a deep breath, he slowly turned to face the one who had caught him, already stammering out an excuse. "I didn't have anything to do with that back there... Honest, I didn't..."

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

 

[Lief]

Kara raised a slender eyebrow to his immediate assertion that he had done no wrong. Her hand remained upon hi shoulder, tightening slowly to keep him in place. "They did not see, so let us go before they figure it out, hm?" - She was offering him an escape from the consequences, and with a firm push she guided him towards the alley way she had just come from. "Do not worry or be afraid of what you can do, Sin; embrace it instead." She knew his name already, having snatched it from his mind almost a year ago.

"Come with me, I will help you to become something great, to harness this power you have within you. You have something special, Sin; do not waste it. And what's more I can give you something you've been missing... Something you lost." With that she turned to face him, half way down the alley, and knelt to his height. "I can give you a family again." With a thoughtful frown she then said; "You must be hungry, how about we go and get you whatever you like to eat and talk?" Of course, their conversation would be well away from prying eyes and ears, once they collected his chosen food. Truth be told he had no choice in the matter, if he did not come willingly then Kara would simply make him.

@[member="Sin Lykos"]

 

[Sin Lykos]

Sin let the stranger guide him, his mind whirling as he listened to her. She knew his name, she knew about his family... And she knew he was hungry. Although his stomach let out a growl at the mention of food - 'whatever he wanted' she had said, and Sin couldn't help smiling slightly at the thought - he still felt a small wave of doubt and distrust flood through him and he folded his thin arms across his chest, gazing at her with uncertainty shining in his eyes.

"Why would you do all this for me?" he asked after a moment. "I'm nothing special..."

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

 

[Lief]

She stared at him for a moment, before rising up to her full height and keeping the hand upon his shoulder. Without a word she steered him back down the alleyway with a small shove should he try to resist, and only when they were well away from the chaotic scene he had caused did she speak to him. "Because one day you will be something great. But in order to unlock your true potential you need someone there to guide you." How ironic that she was now doing exactly that, in the physical sense of the word.

When they stepped out into the Republic light she slipped down her hood. Her face was not as it usually was, altered alchemically so as to make her less recognisable. The changes were minute, but they stopped her Umbaran-heritage from shining through, and her Presence in the Force seemed obsolete. No one would know who she was. Before they wandered to the diner, however, she peered back down to him. "Come with me, Sin; the Galaxy will be yours, all you need to do is take my hand" and just like that she offered him the one which wasn't upon his shoulder.

@[member="Sin Lykos"]

 

[Sin Lykos]

Sin stared hard at her hand as his mind raced. The Galaxy? He could have the Galaxy? And to think when he'd woken up a few hours earlier he hadn't had anything except the clothes on his back. Again, a small hint of unease rose in him but the prospect of food, of ownership of something, of recognition...all these things were too strong to resist. Slowly, he unfolded his arms and, keeping his eyes focused on hers, he slowly took her hand.

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

 

[Lief]

Her hand tightened gently into his, while the other removed itself from his shoulder. Good, this was the first step. "So, what's on the menu?" she inquired, feeling like a certain snake-haired-fish she'd once met, a long time ago (yeah, that's you @[member='Qae Shena']), only less innocent in her intentions. But Sin needn't know that. So instead she wandered with the boy across Coruscant to what was deemed the best-diner-in-town, and gave him free reign over what he bought, regardless of the price. After all, she still had money from the bank-job she and Ashborn had carried out. Come to think of it, how would her Fiery Apprentice take the new addition? He would likely see the child as he once saw myself. A thing to protect. And so he should, with the plans Kara had in mind. She would raise this boy to be something great. She had her protector, her eyes and ears, now she needed a prodigy. Could Sin be such a person? She believed so. As such she felt that being a little lenient and almost kind at this stage would prove useful, at least until they were off Coruscant and the boy was completely hers. Her Apprentice, in many respects her son. Oh, how would Dranok react? It would be odd to see... If she even let her Father know of this boy.

@[member="Sin Lykos"]

 

[Sin Lykos]

Sin gazed at the menu, feeling his mouth watering just reading the list of food. In his mind, he quickly set about working out exactly how much food he'd be able to carry, and made his order eagerly. He still wasn't completely sure he could trust this stranger - he still wasn't completely sure he wanted to - but as long as she was willing to keep him fed...there wasn't any harm in accepting this offer. As Sin snuck a glance at her, he realised she was almost more like a mother than his real one had been: she didn't seem scared or look at him as though he was a kind of monster. And she wouldn't abandon him. For some reason, Sin felt sure of that...

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

 

[Lief]

She released his hand so he could look at the menu and order at her expense, and when the diner-owner stared ludicrously between them both as if wondering if the amount he was busy was okay she gave one very small nod of her head. With a shrug the man set off to relay the order to the chefs in the back kitchen, all the while Kara kept her gaze back upon the little boy at her side. Taking his hand once again she guided him to a seat, but they would not remain here - this was purely while they waited. "Have you ever been on a Spaceship, Sin?" she inquired with a small smile, hoping to pique his intrigue. Her own ship, the Vhailor was a beauty in itself, whether or not one had prior experience with the stars.

"One day soon you'll be learning how to pilot one" she continued, musing to him aloud, allowing him to know a very partial insight into what his future held. Oh, there would be so much given to him, so much for him to earn, too, so much power in his fingertips that the worlds would fall beneath him. But all in due time. "Who knows, maybe you'll even own one." Reaching out, in an odd moment of tenderness, she ruffled at his hair, just at the precise moment the Diner-owner appeared. Handing over the substantial amount of credits she took the majority of what he had ordered and handed him whichever bit of food he wanted at that exact moment in time. "Come along, Sin" she chimed calmly, like a mother to her son, and led him back out into the busy streets and down to the spaceport.

When they reached Vhailor, the magnificent chrome ship that was her pride and joy, she allowed the ramp to extend down and gestured him up. "It will be nice and warm inside, and you can take your time eating these tasty treats. Besides, we have much to discuss, of space and your future. You can have it all, Sin, if you only come with me..." And the way she said it suggested that she was being genuine, she could give him these things - or at least the means to acquire them for himself one day, when he was strong enough to claim them.

@[member="Sin Lykos"]

 

[Sin Lykos]

Sin stared at the magnificent ship as they approached it, and his mouth dropped open in awe. It was beautiful, more beautiful than anything he had ever seen, and a small grin appeared on his face as he imagined himself owning such a ship one day. He held his breath as the ramp extended down and glanced at the woman as if silently asking for permission. When he saw her gesture, he slowly stumbled up the ramp. The sheer excitement of everything that was happening to Sin made his knees tremble slightly and he found it hard to even place one foot in front of the other. As he made his way up the ramp he pinched his arm hard; if he was dreaming, he would much rather find out now before anything better than this could happen to him...

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

 

[Lief]

And there they were, walking up the ramp and preparing to leave Coruscant for good. When the ramp closed and sealed them inside the woman released her Alchemical hold of her facial features, and instead her true being could be seen by the boy. She was an Umbaran by heritage, skin as pale as snow, hair to match, her eyes a piercing blue and her skin soft yet marked by a large burn-scar upon the left cheek. Despite the blemish, which would usually stifle someone's confidence, Kara seemed to wear it with pride, it was as much a part of her as the rest of her being, it was a trophy of sorts - gained through the subjugation of her Ashborn. Stepping through the ship she urged him on, settling down the mountain of food upon one of the tables. Then she gestured for him to sit and indulge himself. "Knock yourself out, kid, just try not to be sick, alright?" Now it was time to change; how she hated wearing common-clothes, although she knew the necessity surrounding disguises. "Skydd, prepare the ship for departure. You know the co-ordinates." And indeed he did, they had been preplanned in preparation, this was something Kara had been waiting for.

Wandering through to her chambers she swiftly changed from the generic travellers cloak into her robes, beneath which she wore skin-tight training garments, perfect for combat. Not that she was planning on fighting the boy. Wandering back through into the mess-hall area, with her purple-fringed black robes flourishing, the woman halted and stared at him in thought. "You may call me Kara - for now. In time I will be known to you as Master, and you my Apprentice. Do you understand, Sin? Do you realise that your life is about to change? - and for the better!" It was then that she became aware of the other presence on the ship, whom she had tasked with extra Djem-So training now his dual hilts were fully completed. "You will meet the others soon enough; Skydd and Thyrian, even Arthos... Perhaps." The latter really depended, that particular individual was busy with politics most of the time. She watched the boy, waiting for his response, and also the emergence of the armoured @[member='Thyrian Ashborn']. She did not know how either would react to the meeting. The ship lifted up from the planet surface, jetting out across the skies and into atmosphere. There the hyperdrive was activated. They would be upon Bastion in several days time, long enough for Sin to understand what was happening, and perhaps adjust to Thyrian, the man-on-fire.

@[member="Sin Lykos"]

 

[Sin Lykos]

Sin looked up at Kara as he ate his way through the pile of food on the table in front of him, listening to her words carefully. Now, for the first time since he had met her, he allowed the feeling of unease to flood his being. He slowly wiped his mouth on his arm and looked down at the table as he pondered the implications of what she was telling him. Eventually he raised his gaze back to Kara, his soft brown eyes wide with anxiety. He no longer felt comfortable and in control; now, he was in an unfamiliar environment, surrounded by unfamiliar people. The thought made him feel small and vulnerable. And he hated it.

"What's going to happen to me?" he asked, his voice quiet to the point of being almost inaudible.

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"] @[member="Thyrian Ashborn"]

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

Having been told to stay on the ship by order of his master, the Ashborn sat in a meditative stance in a closed off room of the ship. The ship itself was inactive, and so all the lights were out. He attempts to hone the techniques taught to him by Lord Faust were innumerous times interrupted by the internal struggle raging inside him. Whenever he would draw upon the Force his mind went to places he had never heard of before, showing him reoccuring faces never known to him. The experience would often leave him exhausted and confused, as his inner self would attempt to counteract the images shown to him through inflicting physical pain to him from the inside. It did not care for him thinking of others save itself, believing it should be the main focus of Thyrian's thoughts. He found it hard to breathe, and so removed his mask, tossing it to the floor. Hunched over with his hands supporting his weight against the floor, his mind was left in turmoil from the ordeal. Eventually the echoes of his alter-ego along with the visions died out, leaving his broken shape alone in the dark hold, prompting him to slam his fist into the floor. He did not like the notion of being weak - not now, not ever. He felt the need to be strong for his master, and she did not abide weakness of any sort.

Then suddenly voices could be heard from outside the ship - one of them no doubt belonging to his master - and the ramp was slowly lowered. Putting his mask back on, he stumbled to his feet. Lights flickered on as they entered, bringing the ship to life. The pitter patter of tiny feet was heard in the otherwise dead silence of the hold, before the commanding steps of @[member="Kära Vi'dreya"] entered. Able to compose himself, the Ashborn made his way out of his quarters and into the main hold, just able to notice the two shapes make their way to the mess hall. Normally he would be waiting by the entrance to welcome her back, but the recent event had left him in a less-than-desirable state, to put it lightly. He followed the noises into the mess hall, were he was greeted by the sight of a tiny youngling sitting at the table, along with his master. Unable to move upon seeing the little one, he stood in the doorway merely staring, taking in the scene in complete silence. Eventually he managed to make eye contact with his master, who in a discreet manner gestured for him to come closer.

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"] @[member="Sin Lykos"]

 

[Lief]

An almost, yet not quite, tender laugh left her to his words, barely even audible. Stepping closer she shook her head, settling her hands upon the chair across from him. "Nothing will happen to you, Sin." For a moment she let that sink in, before continuing, "Do you know what it means to have a Master and be an Apprentice?" He was raised on Coruscant, so there was some chance he was aware of the Jedi at the very least. If not, then all the better. It meant she could begin with the misconceptions from the beginning, rather than changing up prior knowledge. She could feel Thyrian staring at her, and without looking at him she gestured him towards her. "Sin, this is Thyrian, one of my Apprentices. Thyrian, this is Sin." Finally she turned to find the fiery man, and the look she gave him was clear. Do not scare the boy. Which in turn meant not showing any inch of his body until she declared him ready to know the truth.

@[member="Thyrian Ashborn"] @[member="Sin Lykos"]

 

[Sin Lykos]

Sin looked at the Thyrian for a moment before giving an uncertain wave to him. He rubbed the back of his head as he thought over Kara's question and spoke hesitantly: "There were people on Coruscant. Special people. And they trained others to be special like them." He paused, trying to drag the name he heard from his memory. "Um...Jedi." He gazed up at Kara. "Is that like being an Apprentice? Am I gonna be a Jedi?"

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"] @[member="Thyrian Ashborn"]

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

Able to break loose from the curse that had seemingly kept him in place upon seeing the boy, he only had to take a few steps to be in their presence. Towering above the young boy, the Ashborn looked down on the one called Sin. The little wave given by him made the behemoth raise his hand in response, as if on instinct. Finding it a bit silly himself, he brought his hand back down to his side. He then walked over to his master, gently brushing against her as a sign of 'welcome back'. Walking past her, he took a seat next to the boy - gently, so that the chair would not break at his weight - and his attention was brought to the question Sin asked of his master-to-be, awaiting her answer.

@[member="Sin Lykos"] @[member="Kära Vi'dreya"]

 

[Lief]

"No. The Jedi are monsters who steal little children and stop them from having fun, from being children. No Sin, you'll be so much more than that - a member of the Sith Empire." Nodding her head while she waited for this to sink in she glanced between Sin and Ashborn, pondering for a moment, before continuing. "You are able to do things the other children are not, aren't you? It is why you were abandoned - yes, I know all about that - but it will not happen again, Sin. I'm here to give you all the attention you require, all the guidance you could ask for, the love of a Mother and a Father entwined. All you have to do is obey, do you think you can do that?" She knew it may seem a tall order to a boy of his age, but he had nothing and she would give him everything. Besides, at his age Kara had already killed her first challenging opponent on the wastelands of Metalorn, she knew that even at ten a child could be resilient and learn the ways of the Sith.

@[member="Thyrian Ashborn"] @[member="Sin Lykos"]

 

[Sin Lykos]

Sin's eyes widened and he gulped slightly before looking down at the table. "I can move things without touching them... Like the Droid..." There was no point in denying it now; Kara obviously knew the truth - that he had somehow caused that Droid to crash into the crowd, even if he himself didn't understand exactly how he managed it, how he could do these things. "It happens most of the time when I get angry..."He paused a moment to wonder to himself why he was telling the two strangers this. Sin had never opened up to anyone in his life before now. Yet something deep inside him told him that it was alright to trust them, that they would listen to him and appreciate him...

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"] @[member="Thyrian Ashborn"]

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

The little one beside him seemed conflicted at first about being truthful, and rightfully so, the Ashborn thought. Although he knew full well of the power of subjugation at the fingertips of his master, he felt she did not wish to go that route with the young boy, at least not for now. It made him... envious, to put it in simpler terms. Had he given himself to her willingly, maybe she would not see him as merely a tool to be used. But now was not the time for introspection; he had time for such later, on his own. This was the time for young Sin to show himself ready to accept the gifts she had offered him, freely and willingly. Should he turn down her offer, Thyrian suspected she would not let him leave here with the knowledge of her being a Sith - much less her name, of which she was very secretive and rarely gave so readily. Looking at the boy he felt an immidiate bond to the small person, barely tall enough to match up to his hips should he stand on his toes; the Ashborn had always sensed an unwavering protective instinct towards children, or tiny creatures in general. They were all given the perks and benefits of starting life anew, with a fresh outlook on life, whereas he was created little over 12 years ago, already an adult without guidance on how the world works and without a moral compass. He would have to trust his master to do the decisions for him.

Very gently nudging the boy with the elbow of his armour - he did not wish for him to hurt himself against the hard material - he leaned in close and with the softest voice he could muster he said: "YOU CAN FEEL SAFE AROUND THE TWO OF US, LITTLE ONE. SO LONG AS YOU ARE IN THE CARE OF MASTER KÄRA, I WILL SAFEGUARD YOU WITH MY LIFE, AS I DO HER..." The booming quality of his voice still present, his words were soft and calmly spoken - trance-like, almost, with little emotion and variation in tone throughout. Should the boy let him, he would be his guardian against the fires of war, the cold embrace of death, and he would never have to be alone. Life in apprenticeship could be arguous and exhausting, often punishing and sometimes lethal, but the Ashborn would see him reach the other side, unscathed if possible. "...IF YOU WOULD HAVE ME, YOUNG LYKOS." The last words he ended with a bow of his head in the boy's direction, and with a gentle motion he offered him a cookie from one of the plates of food. Looking back towards his master, he uttered the phrase: "I'LL KEEP YOU SAFE."

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"] @[member="Sin Lykos"]