May Your Blade Chip and Shatter

[Jaron Lesan]

Spoiler

This thread takes place after Attack on Cordialis, and before Deep in Solomon's Mine

The campaign had proven interesting. Jaron had not known much about the Jen'ari other than Metus wanted him there, and Dianah was part of them as well. They had met only twice now, the first being on Arbra and the second during the assault on the Jedi Temple on Cordialis. It had been a flare of showing off both times, and of course, banter, between the two. Jaron had made a promise to chase the woman, but he had also promised that he would be part of her next mission. As far as he knew, the Jen'ari was part of it. He could have been wrong, but it was interesting that the daughter of Darth Metus had branched out beyond the Confederacy, unless of course she was testing her wings. Regardless of what was happening, Jaron was keeping both promises he made to her, and both for the same reason.

Jaron was captivated by her. She was young, and yet she had managed to capture his attention. There was one question on his mind where she was concerned. Was she the woman in his vision? That answer alone drove him to spend every moment he could discovering that answer.

Today was no different, and since he felt he needed an excuse to see her, Jaron left a message for her to meet him on the sparring grounds. He had seen her fight, and there was room for improvement, and seeing as how she destroyed one of his lightsabers in defending him, Jaron wanted to ensure that she would be able to easily defeat her opponent then next time she had to face multiple force users. Their meeting really did serve two purposes, though Jaron would not let it be known it was because he was concerned. She had Mandalorian blood in her, Jaron knew better, but his feelings for her did not allow him to push the concern away completely.

He sat in the center of the room wearing the pants which went with his black robes, and simple black t-shirt. Black boots were on his feet, and his only remaining lighstaber hung from the belt around his waist. With his eyes closed, he reached out to Dianah and brushed his aura against hers. If she had been keeping her senses active as Jaron had taught her on Arbra, she would feel the touch of his presence to hers. It was playful. Everything between them was playful.

[member=Dianah Vi'Dreya]

 

[Darth Miseria]

It had been a good few weeks since Cordialis and many more since their first meeting on Arbra. Other commands and separate missions had kept them apart for too long. At this point in time their relationship consisted of three things: their spirited banter, a few passionate kisses and the vision. The latter overshadowed everything else. Despite the rather frightening implications it presented it was clear what they both wanted. It was just that they hadn't made it clear to each other yet. In fact, Dianah wasn't even sure if it occupied Jaron's mind as much as it did hers. All she knew was that they enjoyed each others company and the constant back and forth of their playful game.

The message he had left brought a wry smile to her face.

Though she wouldn't admit it to his face she did often find herself missing him. It was the easiest friendship she had ever been party too. Most people are complicated to the point where it took days or weeks to get a feel for their true personalities. But even with his silent nature, Jaron was like an open book. Despite what little they knew of each other in terms of history, Dianah felt like they had been friends for years. With a bright smile on her face and a spark of excitement in her stomach she skipped off to find the sparring grounds.

Her outfit of choice was rather peculiar for a potential fight. The long flowing silky dress was almost similar to what she wore when they first met, save for the tightly bound strips underneath it. It wasn't practical for that mission in particular either but, since this wasn't going to be a life threatening situation, Dianah wondered if she actually could fight in it. She also had her brand new lightsaber on display, clipped to a brown belt around her middle.

As she drew nearer the gentle tingle of someone reaching out with the force made her muscles shiver. When she finally came to the clearing he was sitting in the centre in an outfit as black as the day they had met. It always amused her to think that despite his dalliances with the light-side he still preferred the typical Sith garb. A rather beguiling smile found her expression as she drank his appearance in. It was so good to see him again, she struggled to stop herself from running straight into his arms, but she wouldn't let her emotions give the game away. Instead she walked three calculated paces to stand in the edge of his vision.

'Hello, my miserable cyar'ika.'

[member=Jaron Lesan]

 

[Jaron Lesan]

The only movement which came from Jaron was the opening of his eyes, and the canting of his head to bring Dianah further into his view.

Miserable. It was her name for him, and it drew a smirk to his face. There was also her outfit. Clearly it wasn’t one designed for the robust activity he had planned for this meeting, but she had worn it anyway.

”So are you a goddess or a temptress today, cyare?” Jaron asked as he stood to his full height and let his eyes wander over her form. It was possible they may have lingered at the generous plunging neckline of the dress, though it was her flesh that he studied and drank in.

Finally he looked her in eyes. Yellow, why she wearing yellow was behind him. For a Sith she seemed to like anything but black, and she was an enigma in that regard. Still, it was her eyes that showed the deep truth of her nature. The color was simply a mask, a distraction.

”Tell me, Dianah, how good are you with that blade of yours,” he asked, dancing about in their game of cat and mouse. ”Better yet, show me...”

His lightsaber flew from his hip to his right hand as he took up the simple stance for the first form of combat. Jaron always used this form to test his opponents, and in this game today, she was his opponent.


[member="Dianah Vi'Dreya"]

 

[Darth Miseria]

His eyes always captivated her. They were a deep brown that were reminiscent of the forests of Krant, where she was born and had done most of her growing up. Playful banter was part in parcel of their relationship. He often called her his goddess and it pleased her mightily. It tugged at the corner of her lips to bring a gleeful smile to her face. She tilted her head back to let lose a high chortling laugh that travelled far across the empty space.

'Oh, my sweet one. I am always both.'

Jaron studied her carefully and she did the same in return. There had never been two people so different from each other. One in dark and one in light. One as silent as night and the other as eccentric as wild winds in a storm. One caramel coloured and one pale as paper. One with eyes of charcoal and the other with vast forests in his. But even through those differences they shared a common connection. They both had the affinity for a wicked power that spurred all of their motives.

Dianah needed no second invitation. The lightsaber clipped to her belt was removed with no time to waste. It was in her very nature to be an entertainer so she couldn't resist the urge to give it a graceful twirl in the centre of her palm. A violent pink light shot upward proudly as it burst into life. It sent an electric buzz all the way through the muscles in her arm. She could feel it's power coursing through the heavy metal casing. The leather wrapped firmly around the hilt shifted and formed to her grip. At least now she knew her Father's insanely brilliant invention actually worked.

A bright grin worked its way onto her face as she shifted her bare feet into the opposing form, Makashi. Its elegant footwork and the dancing movements required to make it would combat him well, in theory.

'Please, I know it's very tempting, but try not to go easy on me. I won't be going easy on you.'

[member=Jaron Lesan]

 

[Jaron Lesan]

Indeed she was both, but Jaron was not about to give her the satisfaction that he agreed with her. Of course shealreasy knew it, but that was not the point. The point was their game, right now and always, the game would be more important than what they knew. The game was what kept things fresh. She had already warned him the chase did not stop if he succeeded in bedding her, and Jaron never intended for that to be the end game. She, Dianah herself, was the prize, and Jaron knew from his parents that a prize that sweet required a lifetime of pursuit.

He simply smiled.

His smile left as quickly as it came. They studied each other. Jaron had devoted himself to being a student of her needs, motives, and desires. What made her tick and why she was who she was were questions he wanted the answer to. He already knew she was Mando’ad, and it was why he was not surprised when she asked him not to go easy, or said that she would not go easy on him.

Jaron nodded.

“Juat remember then, once I have kicked your glorious shebs all over this room, you asked for it.”

Jaron’s blade as crimson as the blood which coursed in his veins came to life, and with no warning at all, he drought down to bear on her left shoulder. It was hers to block and counter, or be injured. The only thing that would decide the outcome was her skill and reflex.

[member="Dianah Vi'Dreya"]

 

[Darth Miseria]

A grin brimmed over her full lips at his words. He was cute when he was serious and fortunately for Dianah, he was serious all the time.

There wasn't much time to reflect on this though. True to his word, he wasn't going easy on her. Red flashed in the centre of her vision as the blade bit through the air toward her shoulders. For once her expression was serious, but only for a moment, as her own blur of blade clipped against the edge of his. Her graceful feet reacted on cue and displayed some complicated footwork that sent her spinning from its clutches. Bright yellow silk flapped in her wake and left nothing for his weapon to meet save for empty air.

The comfortable leather under her grip made it feel like an extra appendage. Every twitch of her wrist brought it neatly into place. The momentum from her delicate dance was used to thrust the point of her saber toward the solid outline of his abdomen.

It was followed by a wink and an alluring smile in his direction.

[member=Jaron Lesan]

 

[Jaron Lesan]

She parried his attack and displayed some nice footwork. Dianah was a Warrior, and one motion he was aware of another reason she wore the dress. Aside from the distraction of her partially exposed breasts, the fabric itself flourished and his her movements. Jaron chuckled to himself as he watched her. It was as eccentric a distraction as her personality could conjur up, and Jaron loved it.

Her blade came pressing toward him, a simple jab which was easily parried. However, her wink only inspired him to play along. His blade came down on hers, the sound of the flash rang in his ears. A slight roll of his wrist brought their blades into the air before he stepped into the gap and quickly pressed a kiss to her lips.

Stepping back, Jaron pulled his blade from hers and took up a defensive position to see what she would do about it.

“I thought you said you weren’t going to make this easy for me?”

[member="Dianah Vi'Dreya"]

 

[Darth Miseria]

They were like two forces of nature battling with the elements by their side. Jaron had a hidden aggression like the rapids of a river. But he was also calculated and had the powerful determination of a slow grinding stream working valleys into mountains. Dianah was wild and unpredictable like violent winds amidst a storm. She changed her direction with fleeting movements so quick it was impossible to see if you weren't watching close enough. Her body was so swift it seemed to shift the air around it as if it were hers to control.

Bright sparks flew from the sabers and lit up the space between them. The ease at which his deflection came impressed her, until she remembered steal was his forte. But, it came as no surprise when she found his lips pressed against hers.

Her eyes fluttered to a close for a single breath and whispered groan followed. The tip of her tongue licked the swell of her lower lip, savouring the taste of him. A gentle smile crossed her mouth when his quip met her ears. When they opened again her coal black orbs met his and glanced over the defensive position. She could see the muscles in his arms, twitching softly, just waiting for her to make a move.

'I can't help myself. It would be a terrible shame if something happened to your pretty face. But if it's difficult you want...'

Her wrist twitched imperceptibly and brought the her blade swishing quickly from above toward the joint in his shoulder. Just as it came close enough to be parried away Dianah flicked it from reach. With a stylish 360 turn on the tip of her feet, it came swinging back moments later from the opposite side. Except this time the blade came low and hummed through the air toward the back of his knee.

[member=Jaron Lesan]

 

[Jaron Lesan]

They were both destructive in their own ways. Jaron was patient, and Dianah, she was like a raging fire that consumed whatever was in her path. Together, Jaron could only imagine what they could be. He did not just want her for physical or lustful reasons. Jaron wanted her because she was powerful and her potential was beyond his, and he knew it. Would he tell her, not yet. Instead he would show her the flaws and weaknesses she had. Closing the gap between her strengths and weaknesses would only make her better.

One of her weaknesses was an overconfidence in her cunning wiles. It was on display on how she attacked his shoulder. By not following through with the attack, by trying to deceive, she left herself open for attack in ways she did not think.

Jaron was not just a practitioner of the first form, but of the second and sixth as well. Judah has made sure he knew those three as a base, and form six in particular because it married force skill with that of the blade. The combination attacks it could produce were devastating to those who did not expect them.

As Dianah’s blade pulled from his shoulder, Jaron had already moved to meet it as she had hoped. What she did not account for was what he did next. Leaping above her blade, Jaron extended his free hand and sent a wave of the force at her, a push to knock her to the ground. As he came down on her, his blade came with it baring down slice her in half. If she blocked it the good, but Jaron would stop with his blade just above her head, if her reflexes failed her.

”Finish and follow through. Think three steps ahead, and never toy with your opponent. Kill them swiftly and with no mercy. You are Sith. You are Mando’ad. You are merciless. You are a killer!”

[member="Dianah Vi'Dreya"]

 

[Darth Miseria]

Most of her battles were fought against lumbering brutes with more brawn than brains. Even her brother Ivum, who despite his massive build was still miraculously fast, had slower swings that made it simple for her to weave complicated patterns around him. So the fast pace Jaron set certainly caught her off guard.

Sun coloured silks billowed around her thin frame with the force of his push. Luckily, she was light enough on her feet to land half crouched instead of flat on her back. Dianah had taken enough blows of a similar kind to know what happened next. Having refused to wear the armour that may have given her a moment to breath, there was no doubt she had made it difficult for herself. But she wasn't the kind to reflect on her mistakes in the moment. There was always the option of conceding defeat but she doubted she'd hear the end of it if she did. Jaron was a worthy opponent, but out of sheer determination she would not let him win.

From her position, and in a slightly less elegant manner than even she was used too, she flung herself up to a stand and turned a fraction of an inch. The streak of red almost caught her, she could feel its intense heat against the small of her back. With the threat of the blade now behind her Dianah focused on her extremely messy dodge. The momentum of it nearly caused her to fall head first into the ground after stumbling not once but twice.

In the end she managed to gain control of herself. A relieved sigh escaped her lips that was closely followed by a cheerful curse that was anything but ladylike. It had been a close call, considering originally there looked to be no way out, but she had managed it... just. She rewarded herself with a softly whispered cheer and then spun to face Jaron again. Her nimble fingers flicked thick curls away from her field of vision dramatically.

'You speak as if swiftly and mercilessly have to come hand in hand with boooooring.'

The last word was elongated for effect as she brought her lightsaber up to defend herself again. Carefully placed steps brought her forward to circle him slowly. There was the hint of a playful smile on her face that came coupled with the slow rise of one of her brown eyebrows. It was an expression that screamed of her exuberant nature.

'Well then, cyar'ika. Show me what swift and merciless can do.'

[member=Jaron Lesan]

 

[Jaron Lesan]

It was a close call, but Jaron had been told not to take it easy. If she had stayed put he would have stopped, but her moving had forced him to compensate. The dress was clearly the wrong thing for her to wear, and she would hopefully wear something different next time. Jaron was just happy that he hadn’t ruined the dress in the process of trying not to kill her, but not take it easy on her at the same time.

Her movements had been a gamble, one Jaron opted not to take advantage of. There was no retaliation. Hopefully she knew that had he been her enemy and not a potential lover that she would have been dead. There was one way to know she knew.

“If staying alive is boring...” he said with an even more serious expression on his face than usual. “I could have killed you just now, Dianah. You love your flair, I get that... but save the flair when you know you’re better than your opponent. It’s rarely ever meant for other force users.”

Of course she challenged him. Jaron smirked as he reached his hand out. She would feel the tendrils of the force wrapping around her, and with a yank, he pulled her toward him. If she wanted to know what swift and merciless was, then he would show her. His blade had taken the starting position of form six. It pointed downward, but as her body came toward him, Jaron slashed upward. Her blade or countering with the force was her only hope. Jaron could only step out of the way if she failed.

[member="Dianah Vi'Dreya"]

 

[Darth Miseria]

Her charcoal eyes rolled up toward the sky in the most dramatic way she could manage. There was no doubting his logic, if it had been a real enemy of his skill level she would be dead, but that didn't surprise her much. She lived for the thrill of it. To top it off, even if she did seem skilled beyond her years she was still learning the ropes. Either way she refused to let him know that she knew just how close a call it was. Instead she smiled widely at him and shook her head.

'Have I told you how cute you look when you're being serious?'

A high lilting laugh bubbled over from her lips and was followed by a rather admiring smile. Underneath her, her bare feet still circled slowly around him.

'Yes... perhaps I could have been killed, but I wasn't. There's no point lingering on "could haves". Besides, you're here now. I've got someone to protect my pretty shebs.'

His force wrapped around her in a surprisingly comforting way, despite the fact that it wasn't meant to be. The next part didn't feel so nice though. His aggressive tug left her stomach behind as she flew quickly toward the blade. There was only a second or so in which to react. The pink blade attached to her hand seemed to have a mind of its own when it swung to meet Jaron's. They clashed in a furious spray of electric colour that flung sparks out into the space between them. An intense moment followed where Dianah realised Jaron was too stronger for her to have any chance of breaking the blade lock and coming out on the better side.

Thin fingers snaked past the sabers and caught Jaron's chin in a gentle grasp. They stayed there for a moment, tracing the chiselled outline of his jaw. All of a sudden one graceful finger flicked lightly at his Adams apple. It was just a tap, but behind it was a wave of dark force that had been seeping from her soul. The air around them thrashed violently at the weight of him being flung backward. Dianah hoped she was right in thinking it wasn't strong enough to throw him completely off balance. In the split second their blades left the fiery embrace the force wrapped itself around her muscles and speed her around his stumbling frame. Her body twisted at the waist and her saber cut neatly through the air toward his defenceless back.

[member=Jaron Lesan]

 

[Jaron Lesan]

Jaron's jaw set, his brow furrowed. He was not just being serious, but trying to get his point to her across, and all she wanted to do was turn it into a game. The only course of action he had then was to show her, rather than tell her, the dangers of her eccentric flair when it came to those more skilled than she was.

"And I won't always be," he retorted with the voice of one who cared about her well being, even if it was rawt with frustration. "I'm trying to teach you how to stay alive. What if it had not been just my lightsaber, what if that padawan would have succeeded in cutting your hand completely off? Would he have been able to kill you too? You don't get to waltz into my life and get yourself killed!"

Clearly his frustration was about something else entirely, and his last response would give that away. Was he upset with her, yes, but it was more about the fact that Jaron seemed to be the type who lost the people close to him, either from being left because he pushed them away, or because the died. Jaron simply pushed everyone away now, refused to work with people. Having worked with Dianah, he knew that was no longer an option, and the growing feelings he had for her were not going to go away. There was only one thing in his mind that was rational. He had to teach her to protect herself.

With their blades locked, Jaron bore his gaze into hers. While he was eager to teach, Jaron also enjoyed the game which pushed at the tension between them. Her fingers came through their blade, and at her touch he was putty. A tactic only she could exploit, and she did. He felt the crush of her finger against his adam's apple along with the wave of energy which flowed through it. Jaron staggered back, turning as stumbled to rgain his equilibrium. It was damned and dirty shot, and Jaron could not have been more proud of her for doing it. Still, that would have to come later as the hum of her blade was nearing his exposed back.

Jaron did the only thing he knew to do, he ducked and rolled back.

While another would have rolled forward, Jaron opted to force her to react to his roll by attacking her legs with his body. His saber was off for now to protect himself, and while he was nearly cut by her blade, the smell of burning fabric a reminder of how close a call it had been, Jaron had managed to evade her.

She would trip or leap, there was no other option for her, but either way at the end of his role, Jaron was now facing her back, and his blade came baring down toward her shoulder.

[member="Dianah Vi'Dreya"]

 

[Darth Miseria]

Something about him changed. His usual baritone had switched to a frustrated grumble and though he wasn't yelling his words cut deep. Her reward from that particular night was a thick silver scar that went from one end of her palm to another. It was that same fight were they had almost both been killed, twice. The simple fact that it had been both of their lives in danger and not just hers caused a grimace to appear on her face. For a moment a flare of anger burst forth and she found herself unwillingly snapping back at him.

'He didn't though, did he? Neither of them did. I killed them both, and with my dramatic flair in tow. I managed just fine before you came, you know. You can teach me but don't you dare presume our affection for each other gives you leave to change me.'

A flush of red appeared on her cheeks the second the words left her lips, partly because of the harshness of her words and party because of the accidental admittance of her feelings toward him. There had been no need for them as she realised she didn't mind changing for him, if that's what he wanted. In the heat of the moment, and with the adrenaline of the spar, she had spoken too quickly and without any thought. It was clear now what he meant by his last comment and it made her feel instantly foolish. An intense guilt followed that made her draw her eyes away for a moment and sigh heavily.

'I didn't mean that-... What I meant was-...' Her eyes glanced back over to his filled to the brim with regret. 'I'm sorry...'

*​

​

The blade swung through the space where Jaron had stood, only skimming the edge of his dark fabric. Even though her attempt had been fruitless the fact that she had come close brought a sly smile to her face. Her celebration lasted only moments as his weight came barrelling toward her at full speed. Her heart pounded against her chest with the anticipation of falling, but she didn't. At the last second her feet pushed from the ground and sprung high enough to evade him. But, instead of landing neatly on the ground the tip of her toe caught on his shoulder which sent her tumbling forward into a roll.

When she finally stood the heat of the blade was almost burning against the yellow silk. The attack came from the back, which meant she didn't trust herself to guess how far behind her he was. The worst case scenario would be losing an arm... but not if she was quick enough. Her caramel coloured feet scrambled for traction in the dirt as she shot forward to escape the blade. It burned gently through the sleeve of her robes causing the thin material to peel away from her shoulder. The smell of slightly burnt flesh followed a little after but the wound was just superficial. When the heat finally felt far enough away from her skin she turned on her heel to face Jaron again.

Determination urged her to ignore the wound and brought her toward him again. In two quick steps she had closed the distance between them. Her pink blade hummed through the air as she brought it down toward the hand clutching his saber.

[member=Jaron Lesan]

 

[Jaron Lesan]

Jaron was not going to argue. He wanted to retaliate, he wanted to tell her why she was wrong and how deeply her words had wounded him in that brash moment. How could he though? Yes, he could let his frustration and fear take over and dictate the outcome of this spar, but it was meant for training. Jaron could show her just how much of a mistake it was to push him toward the darkness, especially if she was going to be the source of the deep wounds that forced him there.

Instead Jaron bit his tongue.

An apology came several moments later, and while it all seemed to be so slow, it had only taken a few seconds to delay the battle between them. It was clear to him now this was no longer about training, but about winning her affections, and the right to demand the changes he saw she needed to make to remain alive.

A nod was all she received in response to her apology. The words still stung, and the openness his anger and frustration the moment had caused was not clamped tightly shut. DIanah would not pry it open until the fight was over at the very least.

*​

​

His blade cut through her silk, and his nose caught the faint smell of burning flesh. Another close call, but this one was evaded with much more skill and finesse than her previous attempt. There was a little less flair and more accounting for the time it would take to move, and even though she took a wound, it was not one of large concern.

"Exactly like that," he exclaimed as she turned and began to bring her retaliation to bear.

Her blade came toward his wrist, a classic and textbook move for the first form of combat. It focused on disarming the opponent and less on overwhelming them with flair and offensive motion. Jaron tucked it away in the back of his mind that the fourth form was one Dianah would master. Ataru was not only her style, but her personality. She would be deadly with it.

Her attack left him with little choice. Jaron stepped back, rolled his wrist, and brought his crimson blade down on hers. Once again they were locked, but with the momentum of her swing and his action, Jaron rolled their blades up once again and stepped in to steal a second kiss. This one had more passion with it.

"Apology accepted," he finally said, then kissed her again before shoving toward the wall.

[member="Dianah Vi'Dreya"]

 

[Darth Miseria]

At his words a swell of pride made her expression break out into a soft smile. Though she chose not to say anything about it she was pleased it had impressed him. A calculated move hadn't been her intention at all, she had just been desperate to get away from anything more than a minor burn. Even so, she was pleased at her progress however minor it was.

It was no surprise that he was a little too quick for her when her blade met with his, but it was good practice and she reminded herself she had come close. Even though the majority of her was focused on the spar there was another part worrying about the way she had spoken to him. Anger wasn't out of place for a Sith but it was different for her. Behind her anger lay the anger of a blood bond to the Devil himself. It manifested itself at the worst times and in the moment it felt too complicated to reign in. Together with her violent eccentricities it was the only indication she was tied to the dark side at all.

This part of her mind was forced into the shadows again when their blades rolled away from each other and his lips met hers in their eager way. His next sentence was like music to her ears. The tight knot of anxiety that had formed in her stomach untwisted itself at her sigh of relief. She caught his lips for a second time and pulled him closer by a handful of material that clung to his waist.

When he pushed away she took a moment to let her mind catch up to her body. Her chest rose and fell quickly from the strain of avoiding a lost appendage. It was a good feeling and one she cherished as her eyes found Jaron's again.

' I am sorry... You didn't deserve that.'

She could think of nothing more to say, mainly out of fear that she might say something she would regret again. Her lightsaber flicked into the air again and she set her feet into a defensive stance. As far as she was concerned the spar was still on.

[member=Jaron Lesan]

 

[Jaron Lesan]

She was still apologizing. She may have taken a defensive stance indicating she was going to continue with the spar, but Jaron knew the truth. Dianah was compromised.

”Only if your head is in it, and not on what you said. Fair or unfair, there is apologizing on the battlefield. Was it a low blow? Yes, because like it or not I have feelings for you. Do I know what they are, not fully, and when I know, you will. Changing and adapting is what you do. You come by it generically. It is your advantage in a fight as much as it is to flee from one of you want. Be what you must to efficiently kill your opponent.”

Did she deserve the lecture? No, maybe... Dianah needed to hear that what she was afraid of, changing, or being told she had to, was not meant to go beyond a fight. His eyes softened as he brought his blade low, pointed at the floor, and opened his stance to form six. They were locked on her eyes.

”I’m not trying to change who you are. I would never presume to. This is about molding you, making you something that only a miserable man like myself can make you, a remorseless killing machine. If that is not what you want, all you have to do is say the word, and I will cease...”

[member="Dianah Vi'Dreya"]

 

[Darth Miseria]

A steadying breath escaped through the gap in her full lips. she released her stance for a moment and let the tip of her blade fizz and hiss against the dusty floor. One hand went to her face, which scrunched up in deep thought, and rubbed gently at her temple. For a moment she didn't want to look back into the deep brown of his eyes. It was in her nature to change but it wasn't in her nature to change for others. How could she make him understand that? Did she even want too try? After all there was a small part of her that decided it wouldn't be so bad to change as long as it was for him.

'I am serious and efficient, just not by your standards. I'm not trying to be awkward it's just...'

She shrugged heavily and relaxed her expression. Her eyes flicked over to meet his and she put a half smile on her face. The anger that had been present before was completely gone, instead it was replaced by a softly spoken tone. Something about it was soothing, but there was a serious edge that completely removed any of the usual playfulness it contained.

'This is who I am. I will always be this way. You know me through two missions, I don't think either of us can claim they know the other completely. I am deadly, vicious and remorseless when I have to be. I'm eccentric, graceful and clumsy. I do silly things, I don't always think before I speak or act. But I am careful and calculated, just in my own way.'

'It's up to you to decide if I'm the kind of woman you want to involve yourself with. If you decide I am then you accept that I can't and won't change. By all means help me, but don't dictate me. Teach me to use it all to my advantage instead of starting from the bottom by your rules.'

The swell of her lower lip disappeared behind bright white teeth in nervous anticipation. Dianah didn't know exactly what she was waiting for but the soft flesh under her teeth soothed the race of her heart. After a few moments she shook her head and returned to the stance she held previously. For some reason she didn't want to wait for a response. Maybe it was the fact that she had just given him a way out and there was a small possibility he might take it.

Her wrist flicked out and her fingers danged elegantly against her palm for a split second. Dark ropes of force lashed out at Jaron and dragged him toward her, willing or unwilling. A cloud of dust flew up into the air with the impressive speed of his weight against the ground. Once he was close enough she swung the now ignited saber blade toward his middle.

[member=Jaron Lesan]

 

[Jaron Lesan]

"Whoa now, I didn't say you were awkward," Jaron said reassuringly. "I don't want you to change who you are because I say you have to. You have already shown me that you are ruthless when you need to be it's just...."

Jaron stopped.

"I am afraid of losing you..." his mind thought to itself. It was what he wanted to say, but she was right. They had only known each other for two meetings now, and Jaron wasn't about to reveal his deepest struggle to someone he did not truly know.

"You almost died saving me, and yes I know you can say the same about me, and while it seems I am making a double standard here, if you are going to accompany me on more missions, or if I am going to keep my promise to you that I will come with you when I am able, then I will do everything in my power to see that you come back from every mission alive."

Dianah was taking her opening position again, and Jaron sighed. This didn't seem like a resolution at all, and why did it feel like she was giving him a way out? Did she want him to take it? That needed to be nipped in the butt now.

"This is also about making sure that you come back to me alive when I cannot be with. Call me a typical man, but at least let me be selfish enough to invest in making the woman I am involved with better because I want to keep her. There is one thing I know to be the truth. I am better because of you, and I am better when I am with you. I don't have to make a decision of whether or not you are the kind of woman I want to be with, because I already know the answer to that question, and it is undeniably yes. And this will be my demand, never doubt it, not even once."

With a sigh Jaron resumed the defensive posture he had taken before Dianah gave him her enlightening explanation. They were really saying the same thing, and both wrestling with the feelings they had for one another. It was also fair to say they were trying to determine what that meant for them. Their lives were not likely to allow them to be together like a "normal" couple if that was what they wanted.

Whatever musings Jaron had were lost as he felt a darkness around him. HIs eyes caught Dianah's and he smirked just before the pull came.

She had taken a cue from the sixth form. The danger in that was what did she know of it, and what did she know of the other forms that fed into it. His pride was more abundant than his concern, because this was the place to try. Jaron had a better idea though. Using the momentum of her pull, Jaron drove his feet into the floor and pushed up with them. Flipping over Dianah entirely as she swung at his waist, Jaron aimed to cut a small curl from her hair. The strike was precise, and not threatening, but enough to show her that there were other forms she could use.

He turned to face her and smiled.

"Form four, Ataru. It is full of flair, and designed to overwhelm your opponent. It requires a lot of agility, something that keeps me from mastering the form like say... you could."

Hidden in the statement was an invitation to teach her what he knew of it, though he did not voice it. Jaron simply raised his hand and motioned for her to try and attack him. It was time to show her that he wasn't always so boring, stoic, and miserable.

[member="Dianah Vi'Dreya"]

 

[Darth Miseria]

Dianah couldn't and wouldn't reply to all he had said. She was afraid to speak and break the spell his words had cast over her. They had made her heart beat rapidly, which in turn had forced an unwanted blush to appear on her cheeks. The only response she gave was a subtle shake of her head and a soft smile.

Jaron flipped in the air, throwing Dianah into darkness for a moment as his shadow passed by. Next came the gentle fizzing sound of his saber meeting something solid. The smell of burnt hair came over the area suddenly, it caused her to tut loudly and without shame. With a graceful spin on the heel of her foot she turned to sweep the dark mass from the dusty ground. The burnt ends held the pinwheel curl tightly together but it still felt soft between her fingers. In truth she could have avoided the blade, all it would have taken was a fraction of an inch, but there was something wildly romantic about him owning a lock of her hair. A smile spread over her face when she turned again to look at him.

'Since you're so eager to cut it off you might as well keep it.'

Dianah walked forward and lent against his chest, tucking it neatly in the folds of his robes. The temptation of him was too great to resist so she lent in and gave him a single kiss. After an endearing look she stepped back, creating a measure of space between them once again. For the first time, someone had actually listened to her. Usually people glazed over her opinion for various different reasons like age, ability, gender. They would smile and nod their head in agreement but persist with their plan anyway. Jaron was different. He had heard her and offered to teach her something that would fit well with her personality. She was beyond grateful for it.

'I like the sound of it. Show me.'

The pink hue of her blade, swung from her hip, cut neatly through the air toward his outstretched arm.

[member=Jaron Lesan]