Private Dinosaurs

[Iris Arani]

"So that's a dinosaur."

Iris sat atop a little hill. Well, more a pile of rocks. Rock climbing was a new pass time she felt like trying out, in part because she'd been couped up in her apparent either on Coruscant or Denon in between being a doctor. Vacation was mandatory, she was told. So.. Sightseeing. Centerra was the destination this time. A grassy field that stretched far and wide, or at least for what she could see. It was peaceful here. The storm of colors on the city worlds had long made her forget the beauty her world could have.

So now she was painting, uncaring of the splotches that got on her hands, clothing, face. It was like she was a little girl again, letting her gaze go in favor of just listening to the flow around her. All manner of colors. Warm, bright. Vibrant. On her shoulder was a similarly paint spotted BD unit that was intently watching. A rush of emotions had come from the little droid, pulling her eyes up towards the nearby creatures that walked. Dinosaurs is what the locals called them.

Large animals. Giant, even.

"It's at peace here."

Another rush of emotion washed over her.

"I know. I'll sketch it later I think. Right now, I want to paint."

Aziraphale

 

[Aziraphale]

Aziraphale crouched low in the tall grass, his eyes locked onto the dinosaur-like creature that lumbered gracefully through the open field. The proprietor had been explicit: "I want something that'll make people's jaws drop. You said you could get exotic, so prove it."

Exotic. That was certainly a word that applied to the beast before him. It looked like a dinosaur, something that had been extinct for millions of years on many planets. Yet here it was, a magnificent specimen grazing peacefully, blissfully unaware of the excitement it was about to bring into Aziraphale's otherwise humdrum day.

"This is too good to pass up," he muttered to himself. His eyes narrowed, focusing on the creature's muscular legs and thick hide. His employer would pay a pretty sum for a creature like this, a live one especially.

With the grace of a predator, Aziraphale circled, taking care to avoid any crunching underfoot that might alert the beast. When he was in position, he inhaled deeply and activated his daggers. No lethal poison today—instead, the blades were laced with a fast-acting tranquilizer. The creature would feel little more than a pinprick, followed by a gentle lull into unconsciousness.

Springing from the grass with Force-enhanced agility, Aziraphale landed softly on the creature's back. With surgical precision, he drove his daggers into a non-lethal point on its massive neck. The dinosaur roared, disoriented and alarmed, and began to thrash wildly, attempting to buck its unexpected rider.

"Hold on, big guy," Aziraphale whispered, gripping tightly onto the beast's scales. He could feel the tranquilizer starting to work, but it wasn't fast enough. The creature was heading towards a cliff, disoriented and frightened.

Summoning his concentration, Aziraphale extended his free hand and delved into the Force. He tapped into the primitive emotions of the creature, injecting a calming influence to counteract its rising panic. Gradually, the beast's thrashing eased, and its steps became more measured, just as the tranquilizer fully kicked in. It staggered a bit, letting out a confused grunt before finally collapsing onto the soft earth just afew feet from Iris Arani

Aziraphale exhaled in relief as he dismounted, looking at the creature with a mix of admiration and professional satisfaction. "You're going to be the star of the show, my friend," he mused, pulling out a compact device to signal his ship for pick-up.

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris didn't so much as move from where she sat as the large body of the creature toppled over before her. She blinked. Tilted her head. There wasn't death in the colors, nor lethal intent. Capture, perhaps? Her gaze shifted to the perpetrator as he seemed to not notice she was there. Poacher. She clicked her tongue before speaking up, her oddly colored eyes staring down passively towards him.

"What exactly are you doing?"

Aziraphale

 

[Aziraphale]

Iris Arani
His ears perked up, sensing another life form in the vicinity. Rising to his feet, he gracefully folded his wings behind him, tucking them seamlessly against his back. His eyes then shifted to the painting Iris was working on, taking in the details before looking back at her with particular interest in her unusually colored eyes.

"A painter, I see. How fascinating, little lady," he said, a wry smile forming on his lips. Casually, he reached up to adjust a few feathers in his wings, his actions emanating a nonchalant yet confident air. His gaze returned to meet hers as he completed his self-grooming.

"I'm working," he added dismissively, as if the explanation for his own activities should have been glaringly obvious to her.


"And my work, I assure you, is of great importance—far more than you would likely understand or need to concern yourself with," he continued, his eyes narrowing just a fraction but with a certain flirtatious glint in them.

"However," he paused, leaning in slightly as if sharing a secret, "Beautiful distractions do have their own kind of value, don't they~? Almost like rare treasures waiting to be discovered... or captured."

His eyes met hers in a lingering gaze, focusing on the unique hue of her eyes as he spoke. "So if you don't mind, little lady, I have more 'specimens' to collect. Although I must admit, some treasures are more captivating than others—particularly those with such... intriguing eyes." He practically purred with that veiled compliment and equally veiled threat, he began to gather his equipment and his newly caught creature, letting Iris to ponder the implications of his words as he prepared to continue his work.

 

[Iris Arani]

"Then you're a poacher."

Iris took in a breath, one that came out as quite the heavy sigh before she stood up. Paint dripped from her fingers onto the rocks as she looked at him. Not directly, of course. Never directly. Her eyes just scanned him over, scanned through the colors to see his mood, demeanor. Intents. Even on vacation, she was still a Jedi. And the slumbering creature certainly didn't look like it was too pleased by what had just happened to it.

"It would be wise for you to walk away and leave this creature be."

Aziraphale

 

[Aziraphale]

TAGS: Iris Arani

​

Aziraphale's eyes narrowed slightly, sensing something different about her—a sort of ability to perceive the emotional nuances around her, akin to his own acute instincts.

"A poacher, you say?" he drawled, his voice tinged with both amusement and irritation. "Bold words for an outlander. Your sense of righteousness is as striking as your eyes, Missy."

He took a calculated step closer to her, setting down his equipment but not breaking the eye contact. "Force-sensitive, aren't we? Your eyes don't meet mine, but they seem to see a lot more than one would expect."

His lips curled into a strange, not entirely warm, smile. "As captivating as your moral compass is, my business is just that—my own. So, while your counsel is noted, it's not solicited."

Aziraphale's wings subtly readjusted behind him, almost as if preparing for whatever might come next. "So what now? Do you push the matter, or can we both return to our individual, very dissimilar tasks?"

The question lingered, filled with a subtle challenge. His wings shifted minutely behind him, poised like a bird of prey ready for flight or fight. "Now, how shall we proceed, Missy? Will you continue to interfere in affairs not your own, or do we go our separate ways? Each choice carries its own... shall we say, risks and rewards."

 

[Iris Arani]

Outworlder?

There was no flicker in the colors. Did that mean he was a local, then? Her expression didn't change in the slightest, but she did feel some apprehension. How often did she assume things falsely before? More times than she could count. Being able to see the world as she did was as much a blessing as it was a curse. Though, she couldn't help but get the idea that he was very much looking forward to a fight.

Domxite hopped on her shoulder, sending out a flux of emotion that radiated through the Force. For Iris, it was a stream of colors that spelt words.

"That depends, really, on your intentions for the creature. I am not above admitting I overstepped with my assumptions, but I don't think you have noble intentions for that animal in the slightest. Putting it on display.. Like a bird in a cage, is it?"

She stood her ground as the droid huddled on the small of her back. Shut off, by all accounts. Domxite couldn't be used otherwise. "I'm sure you'll find another bird to take. But I can't ignore the one I see before me."

Aziraphale

 

[Aziraphale]

TAGS: Iris Arani

​

Aziraphale's eyes locked onto hers as he processed her words, his expression unreadable but undeniably intrigued. His feathers subtly ruffled, mirroring the underlying tension. "You see a lot, don't you? Even without looking directly. A bird in a cage?" He chuckled, a low sound that seemed equal parts amused and unsettling. "There's a poetry to that, but who's to say what my ultimate intentions are? One person's cage might be another's sanctuary."

Taking another step closer, he circled her a little, his eyes still locked onto hers, or rather, the space slightly beside them. "I appreciate your concern for the creature, truly. Noble intentions or not, one must make a living. Though I must admit, your words—your obvious insight—makes you quite the intriguing bird yourself, Missy."

His gaze narrowed just a fraction, weighty with both flirtatious charm and a veiled threat. "So, should I find another bird, or are you suggesting that the one before me is too... precious to be ignored?"

He waited, the tension between them almost tactile, thick with potential choices and the undercurrent of something darker.

 

[Iris Arani]

"I am suggesting you find another bird."

She spoke with fact, and fact alone. She never met his gaze, just reading through the colors with a frown. His intentions were.. All over the place. And not in a way she particularly enjoyed. Iris reached up behind her to the droid on her back, retrieving the core that had been revealed. Then, in a flash of light, she ignited the lightsaber. Domxite burned into existence in a flash of different colors before settling on a lighter shade of pink, flooding the area around them with emotion. Calm, patience.

"Last warning."

Aziraphale