Private Chance Reunions

[Tenn Kalos]

Tenn flinched a little as she flourished the hilt, then again when she ignited the blade. Yellow highlighted the room, and Shep’s head cocked to the side curiously. “A lotta practice. And space magic.” Succinct but not inaccurate. Most non-Force-users couldn’t properly wield a lightsaber precisely because they didn’t have the enhanced perception that could be trained into a Jedi.

He reclined against the couch with a raised brow, and a growing smirk as she made some mocking attempt at a stance. The padawan chuckled back, “Hey, you’re the one who just mentioned instantly cutting your hand off. Here,” Tenn stood up and stepped in from behind Ren, offering to guide her handling into a more proper pose. “You’re used to all the scraps we got into on the street. But if we’re being honest, none of us really knew how to fight, y’know? Like, not 'properly', I mean,” He added sarcastic air quotes to the term.

“These Jedi are the real deal., though There’s like, seven different forms just for using a lightsaber.” The stance he was offering to lead her into was a Form IV opening stance. He shrugged, “Won’t lie, the whole ‘getting a laser sword’ thing? It was pretty cool.”

Ren Bishto​

 

[Ren Bishto]

​

None of us really knew how to fight, y’know? Like, not 'properly', I mean.

With an amused snort, her feet shifted in coordination with the padawan’s suggestion, “Yeah? Maybe scrawny 11 year old Tenn didn’t.” Leveling out the blade, she glanced back over her shoulder towards the Jedi, renewing a light-hearted grin, “Call me egotistical, but I don’t think I ever pulled my punches.”

Of course there was undeniable truth to his statement. Somewhere back when they weren’t completely sobered by reality, and genuinely believed a bunch of urchins could strike fear into the hearts of anyone who crossed them.

But passing up the opportunity for snark was beneath her. So naturally she committed to the bit.

He then went on to lead her into some stance or another the mercenary naturally didn’t recognize. Apparently pretty pleased with himself for having such a high-caliber weapon. The girl curled an eyebrow, a playful grin teasing her lips, “You know I’m not above stealing. Lightsabers have a great market value if you want to split the cash.”

Tenn Kalos
​

 

[Tenn Kalos]

Tenn scoffed, "Scrawny 11-year-old Tenn definitely didn't. But it's less about pulling your punches than it is them actually being effective regardless," He smirked back playfully. The urchins weren't nearly as useless as he was joking they were, but their scrappy street smarts didn't really put the art in martial arts. Most of the time, it worked for them, but they also didn't spend their days fighting Sith Lords and stormtroopers.

Ren's comment on stealing earned a curious look, and made Tenn drop out of his stance, "Even from me? Whatever happened to honor among thieves?" Rarely something that applied to them anyway. When survival depends on a few extra credits, who you're getting them from doesn't really matter. "Still… tempting. And I can always just get a new one after, right?" He stroked his chin in faux-ponderance for a moment, then took on a more wistful expression and he stepped a little closer.

What she'd said once again reminded him of this little encounter's inevitable end. There was a wishful thought that crept into his mind, and he found himself unintentionally staring at Ren for a little too long. Tenn blinked, and returned to the present, blurting it out without sparing another thought, "Come with me."

Another blink. And an awkward pause. Too late now, he was committing, "Come back with me. Back up top." Ren had the Force, too. There could be a chance they'd take her in, too. It was the best of both worlds. At least, as far as Tenn could see things.

Ren Bishto​

 

[Ren Bishto]

Coruscant, Lower Levels
Outfit
​

“I would argue you don’t fit under the umbrella of thief anymore.” The girl switched back to an idle position, the saber extinguished in the next breath with an encroaching smile. "I imagine the Jedi would tend to frown on such things.”

Looking up from the saber hilt to Tenn, that smile faded softly. She could practically feel his tangible reluctance before he voiced it. The girl paused as the Jedi behind her did, bracing for the inevitable.

“Come back with me.”

The words broke the thinly veiled illusion they’d manage to construct. Reality crashing back down, Ren’s expression betrayed a look of subtle conflict. The possibility had presented itself the moment Tenn revealed his new-fangled identity, but never struck her as feasible. Mainly because of her instinct to refuse. She’d harbored critical feelings of the Order her entire life, a pattern not easily shaken. They’d always been some authoritarian powerhouse whose humanitarian efforts were never directed where she felt they should be. The slums of their very own homeworld.

But Tenn tested her disdain with all his might. She wanted to follow him, truly. Just anywhere other than his current destination.

“Tenn I-” The girl sighed as if it were a reflex, struggling to find the words, “I’m not like you. I can’t just switch like that. The Jedi Order is too far against the grain.” Her brows pinched together in equal disappointment, trying to gauge his immediate reaction.

Tenn Kalos ​

 

[Tenn Kalos]

A tough response, but even as he built his hopes up, it was the one Tenn expected. But that didn't stop him from continuing, "I get it! I get it. It- It's a hard sell. But really they're not as bad as they seem on paper." As kids they saw the Jedi as little more than self-righteous, religious blowhards. But in his journey to the top, Tenn had become a little more desperate, and found his way into their ranks.

"We all had our reservations. I did too. They're… different nowadays. It's not all monk robes and mantras." He somehow managed a faint chuckle, before gesturing at his folded up leather jacket: the true mantle of a member of the New Jedi Order.

"Give it a shot. We can-- I dunno- we'll figure something out- it'll work out. We always did, right?" He barfed out the string of words like Coruscant's most desperate salesman. He might as well have been. Even in their short reunion he realized how much he missed the companionship. The Jedi had been good to him, but they weren't what raised him. "Please. I just want us to be…" He reached for her arm and trailed off, finally unsure of how else to make his case.

Ren Bishto​

 

[Ren Bishto]

His desperation felt unrelenting, to the point she could only stare at him wordlessly. Not out of a lack of a response but rather abundance of them, all fighting for dominance behind pursed lips. After a moment one seemed to wrangle its way out, tempered and distrustful, "And what makes you think they'd take me?"

"Tenn if-" She shut her eyes in frustration," if that hit had been on literally anyone else, do you honestly think I would've thought twice before turning them in?" The words dropped from her lips, laced with more cynicism then she initially meant. "I'm gonna go out on a limb here and assume that doesn't align with a single Jedi Virtue." Immediately her hardened expression gave way to a twinge of guilt. This was just her own self-doubt manifesting into words, a refusal to believe she was salvageable. There was no real reason to lash out, not at Tenn.

The girl averted her eyes. She could practically feel the temptation inch closer as Tenn's gaze bore into her. It's not like she had anything to lose. Sure hope was fickle, but try as she might to squash in into oblivion Tenn seemed insistent on keeping it alive.

She eyed him in the wake of her outburst with almost the same hint of desperation. "Why do you think I'm capable- why do you even still trust me?"

Tenn Kalos

 

[Tenn Kalos]

Tenn’s lips sealed, taken aback by the underlying truth of Ren’s response. Her and the Jedi went together like oil and water. Life down here and ingrained in them a harsh, selfish instinct. Survival on Level 3000 relied upon it. To change that now seemed insurmountable. But he didn’t want to believe that, “They… they took me…” He quietly said at last.

He had been the same once. Was there not a chance that she could change for the better, too? Tenn scoffed, struggling to muster up an answer, “I-I don’t know!” The padawan resigned, throwing his arms up and back down to his sides, “I don’t know! Because if I can’t trust you then who the hell am I supposed to trust?” And there it was. They relied on one another for years. The rest of the group was who knows where, and none of them ever quite had his back like Ren. Other than Shep, she was one of the few who he believed wouldn’t immediately throw him to the wolves if it meant getting themselves out unscathed. Maybe he was just stuck in the past. But he wanted to believe that was still the case.

Ren Bishto​

 

[Ren Bishto]

His response sunk into her skin with painful accuracy. The truth stung when it was laid out so plainly. Who else did she truly have? Trusting Tenn was like breathing, and regret twisted her gut for failing to recognize the uniqueness of that. How else could you rationally survive in a cess pit like this without someone fiercely watching your back?

Initially she kept silent, eyes searching the ground as if the rusted floor boards would provide her an appropriate answer. But her resistance eroded as she failed to scrounge up a retort. Perhaps rationally she knew better, but if Tenn was willing to invest in her, why not allow a little self-belief?

"Ok-"

The girl's eyes closed briefly as if questioning her judgment before returning to Tenn with renewed resolve and an edge of apologetic humor, "Chit- You better be right about this," She raised a brow pointedly, "The moment things turn cult-y I'll drop your ass."

Tenn Kalos

 

[Tenn Kalos]

Tenn remained completely reaction less at first, frozen as if still waiting for an answer. Because he was; He honestly hadn't expected her to be swayed, not like that anyway. It was only after a beat that Ren's response finally registered. He pulled his hand away, and immediately lit up with more enthusiasm that he had intended to reveal, "Seriously?!"

"It'll be fine. You won't regret this," He said, chuckling as he already began moving to grab his things. To her final comment, he pointed, "If things turn cult-y, I'll let you do it. And then I'll be outta there myself." Shep hopped back up beside him, excited by all the movement, "If you have anything you need to get sorted out down here, go ahead. I should probably get back up to the surface and let 'em know I'm bringing in a straggler," Tenn smirked, "Just head to the Jedi Temple. I'll be there waiting for ya."

"And, thanks." His tone softened a bit, and he nodded to Red in gratitude.

Ren Bishto​