Quit Running Off, Dammit! [Akio Diachi]

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF7sVQWAovg[/media]

Location: ​Doaba Badlands, Socorro

A hooded figure walked across ​the barren wasteland, its ragged cloak swaying gently in the hot, almost stifling breeze that did nothing to aid in cooling the said individual down. In its hands was a badly worn wooden staff, with which the figure was relying on heavily to walk (this was due in part to the right leg of the being, which was wounded considerably, though not enough to prevent movement...provided said movement was not strenuous. Which it was.). Few, if any, creatures were around to keep the figure company.

The sun of the planet began to sink, and flickering in the distance were strange, almost mesmerizing lights. ​The individual paused in its trek, stopping for a moment to watch the peculiar phenomenon, her red eyes narrowed slightly.

It felt like centuries since Dryzl had started her quest, and the time spent wandering, searching, showed. The Chiss's once-youthful face showed lines that bespoke of premature aging beyond even the depth of which her job had delivered. Any type of happy emotion seemed like it'd never existed in her, and only a grim, plodding desperation kept the woman going. She didn't even know how old she was anymore, how many birthdays of hers had gone uncelebrated, unnoticed. All she knew was that she'd departed on her quest a young woman (in love, even?) and had slowly transformed into an old cynic.

Ah, yes, her quest. Her quest to find the one person who, unfathomably, commanded all of her being, all of her soul. Never before had Dryzl's loyalty been tested as much as it had in these past cycles, as she searched high and low for Akio Diachi, a man whom she'd discovered possessed many faces. An assassin, a Force User, a vigilante, a murderer, a hero, a lover, a fighter. She'd gotten to know all of these, helped to developed the more caring ones.

And then he was gone, ripped from her like an unsuspecting fruit from its mother tree.

No twinges of sorrow came this time. All sad feelings had already been removed, having been suppressed for so long that they joined the ranks of the good feelings. That is to say, nonexistent. The only thing Dryzl had was, as mentioned, an undying drive to find Akio again, if not for closure, then to at least punch that ebeucot in the face. An undying drive, yes, though not unwavering. But the only thing keeping the woman on her path was something which she tried, and failed, to name (if she even wanted to name it in the first place, but that's a tangent line of thought which will not currently be named.)

Unconsciously, Dryzl shifted on her feet. Now that got a reaction from her; the movement triggered a shock of pain up her thigh, from where she'd been gashed.

In order to keep enough credits to get by, the Chiss had had to sell almost everything -- her armour, her beloved Clawcraft, everything except her gun, a knife, a comlink, the staff in her hands which she'd picked up along the way, and the clothes on her back. However, it also meant she became an expert in self-smuggling, particularly on freighters. It had been one such freighter which the woman had hidden on; the crew, however, became aware of her presence and chased her into an escape pod. The captain, hesitant to drop a life but desperate to maintain his course, agreed to drop the escape pod over the planet of Socorro, from which Dryzl had heard whispers of a Chiss man and an abandoned Jedi Academy. The pod, meanwhile, had crash-landed on the surface of the planet. Were it not for the vessel creeping dangerously close to a fuel fire, the Chiss would've stayed.

As it were, she sent out a looped beacon stating what direction she was travelling and, gathering her things and food supplies around her, set off. At least, as well as she could manage. Some results of the crash had been primarily a laceration to her leg, along with minor bruises and nicks across her body; she'd managed to bandage the wound tightly with fabric stripped off of her shirt and cloak, but without formal medication, well...the outcome was not good.

How tragic it would be, she thought, if I die here looking for a man who probably won't even know I'm here. I'll die an insignificant death, with nobody to carry on my memory, and with no legacy to call my own. I'll just be one of many nameless faces, gone as quickly as a snuffed candle, and with as much decorum.

Dryzl turned her face towards the now-visible stars, formerly hidden by the last gleams of sunlight and strange orbs of light. Akio, if you can hear me, I'm coming for you, she projected. The woman wasn't a Force User, nor was she Force Sensitive. She also didn't hold much stock in it, but...desperate times called for desperate measures. If I don't die first, that is.

With that gruesome thought, the woman slid down to the bottom of the dune and, in the dimming light, settled in for the night.

 

[Akio Diachi]

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp4y_mHLVSw[/media]

Akio sat deep in the lotus position. His eyes were closed, hands were on his knees in the traditional meditative position. Breath in. Breath out. Reach inward. Breath in. Breath out. Reach inward. The dreams were becoming stronger. Thicker. They were, most certainly, memories of some sort. Breath in Breath out. Reach inward. The deeper he dug for them the harder they were to find. But he could not let his past be. The gnawing desire to learn the truth of the woman from his dreams was only grown stronger with their elusiveness. Breath in. Breath out. Reach inward. He had to let his desire be nothing, Akio reminded himself. Desire was of the enemy. Desire was the way to darkness. No matter how much the Chiss reminded himself of this, it did not help. He wanted to find her. Now he was pulling, not only deep in his own soul but dredging deep as he could in the Force for something. Anything. An answer for where or what this blue woman he had seen so many times in his dreams named Dryzl could be. The amulet around his neck glowed a bright, vibrant blue, the Force around him was thicker than it had ever been, almost a storm.

He remembered pain. He remembered dying. He remembered waking up screaming. He remembered waking up on the ship, but not how he got there. He remembered killing the captain. He remembered the doctor who treated him. He remembered the doctor telling him was a Force user. He remembered the doctor dying. He remembered searching for so long and so hard who he was. What he was. Or why he and this woman were apart.


Nothing. It was almost enough to elicit a reaction of emotion from his generally calm and emotionless self. That was when the memory sucked Akio in. Deep, vivid, and rich. It was almost as if he was there again.


The concrete walls stretched as far on either side as Akio could see. Forward, back, and then there was the long terminal which he came down. But now he was alone, except for the guards who were wheeling Akio down this hall. He was dressed in a bright orange prison jump suit, the guards were in full body armor. His hand where cuffed, his legs were in irons, his body was strapped down to a gurney. There were two guards before him, two behind him, and four more at the door. Each armed with assault blaster rifles. The walls were lined with explosives behind the duracrete, Akio could smell the thermite. There was a camera at the other end of the hall, towards the only way back up five stories. But here they were leading him. To his cell. Deep in the earth beyond freedom or any hope of release. Or so they thought.

It was small; a cot, a table, a chair, all bolted to the ground. Only when he had been wheeled in and the ray shield was up over the blastdoor did Akio’s chains and bonds release automatically. The Chiss sat up and began gently rubbing his wrists and ankles out before easing his slim body down onto the stone floor. He could feel the chill on his bare feet. He was captured. It was silent. Too silent. Mounted to the walls were small two air vents, with grates over them. No doubt they had neurotoxins to kill him instantly, should the Chiss try to escape. At least, that is what he would do if he were holding a psychotic mass murderer. He quietly sat on the white linen bed, his eyes staring at the unpainted wall. He had to get out of here, he had to get back to his Dryzl. But for now, he had to figure out how. After a moment he rose to his feet and assumed the horse stance. They had deprived him of most every weapon except the ones most vital to his work--his mind and his own body.

Suddenly her face cut through the vision of the past. The face he had seen in the many flashbacks and dreams. It was vivid, real, her lips moved for a moment speaking. Akio and to focus in, to push the emotions down to hear them. Akio, if you can hear me, I'm coming for you. If I don’t die first that is.

Akio jumped to his feet, his eyes wide. A cold sweat had formed over his body, making his armor cling to him slightly. Yes, he heard it, it was real. He had to find it, to find her. This was the only thing he had worth fighting for.

I WILL find you, he shoved back out. I will find you.

The Chiss descended from his cave in the mountain. The Force pulled him instantly. For the first time in years, Akio did not walk. He ran. Akio the Wanderer was dead. Akio the Warrior was alive once more.

[member="Erud'ryz'ladre"]

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqS2tGWRhJk[/media]

It wasn't the bright, warm sunlight shining down on her face that awoke her.

It wasn't the throbbing pain in her leg that awoke her.

It wasn't the hunger pangs which grumbled through her abdomen.

It wasn't even the ever-growing parched feeling in her throat that awoke her.

Rather, it was an odd chirrup followed by a small body pouncing on her that startled Dryzl.

Heart racing, the Chiss leapt up from where she'd been resting, flinging off whatever creature had attacked her. The wooden staff swung in her left hand at the unseen attacker, while her knife appeared in her right, ready to stab whatever threat presented itself. Instead of a bounty hunter or some other hostile force, though...Dryzl was greeted with a startled squawk from a tiny creature lying belly-up on the ground.

Still tensed, she watched it as it lay on the ground, apparently dazed. Then, various appendages moving rather comically, it rolled onto its feet and shook off the sand. It then plopped down on its rump, giving the woman a rather affronted look as if to say, What'd you have to do THAT for?

She lowered her arms, wincing again at the ache in her leg. Dryzl had no idea what the creature was called, nor what it wanted. Clearly, though, if it had wanted to harm her it would have done so already. Tucking her knife away, the Chiss looked up in the sky, squinting at the harsh light. By her estimations, it was already late in the morning. The woman cursed herself. She should have been moving ages ago!

The tiny critter forgotten, Dryzl began to move forward, taking care not to put too much pressure on her injured leg. Her body was stiff, both from her awkward sleeping position and from the crash. However, she refused to let it slow down.

The tiny creature had other plans, apparently. The Chiss hadn't gone two steps when it leapt in front of her, almost tripping her as it rubbed against her shin. "Shoo, shoo!" She waved her staff at it, not wishing to hurt the creature but not wanting it, either. It flittered away, and the woman assumed that was the end of it.

She only managed to walk forward a few more paces when she decided to look back. The creature hurriedly sat down, watching her with an innocent expression. Dryzl narrowed her eyes suspiciously at it, but turned around and kept walking. After three more glances behind her, the Chiss stopped, annoyed. She had no idea what that thing wanted with her, whether it was someone's lost pet or a scavenger, but she didn't want any part of it. Whirling around as best she could, the woman spat out, "Vizehn cavrcah bah cseah s!" It simply tilted its head at her and let out a sharp bark. Perhaps it doesn't understand Cheunh, she thought. Switching to Basic, she tried again. "Go on, get! Shoo!" Again, it tilted its head.

Letting out a sigh of frustration, she turned back around. The last thing she wanted was a creature to be following her -- it would probably slow her down, and if anything happened to it on her watch...well, that was something she didn't need to deal with right now.

It felt otherwise, apparently. Racing forward, the animal flapped its wings vigourously and latched onto her cloak, tugging it ferociously. Startled, Dryzl tried to wave it away. "Let go! That is my cloak! You're going to-- Gahh!" A rather strong tug caused her leg to drop, and the woman went tumbling down the sand dune, losing her staff in the process. Landing at the bottom, she brushed sand out of her eyes and crawled forward, grabbing her wooden staff. Nostrils flared in anger, she looked around until she spotted the one at fault. "Look what you did! You are ch'a can'a!" Pushing herself off of the ground, the Chiss stepped forward on her bad leg, intent on catching the little cretin and--

She fell down again, a soft "oomph" coming from her mouth as the wind was knocked out from her. So too was her anger, and she simply laid there on the sand, feeling depleted. What was she thinking? Getting angry at an annoying beast wasn't going to help her. Speaking of, said winged beast crept forward, resting its head on her chest and giving her an apologetic look. She, in turn, sighed. "Ch'eo ch'at'utuhah. You are just a beast -- I should not have yelled at you. But, you should not have pulled on my cloak." Sitting up, Dryzl used her staff to get back onto her feet. "If you want to follow, follow," she told the creature. "But do not expect me to wait for you if you wander off." The creature seemed content with that, and took off to the right of the dune. Shaking her head slightly at the odd being, the Chiss turned to continue with her path, but was stopped by a loud yelp from the beast. Looking back, she saw that it had stopped and was looking at her expectantly. "Veo?" Frowning, she took a step forward, earning her a little dance from it.

So it seemed that the creature wanted her to follow it. Dryzl hesitated, weighing the pros and cons. She had no idea where she was going, but she also didn't know where this creature was going to lead her. Then again, it knew the desert better than her, and if she was lucky it might be leading her to an oasis. Where there would be water and, at best, people.

Giving a shrug, she began to limp towards it. After all, what else was she to do?

 

[Akio Diachi]

Further. Faster. Harder. The Chiss' feet moved across the wasteland with an unnatural speed. Faster. Faster. He had spent years waiting for this moment, answers to questions he had so long held in his heart. The closer he got, the stronger his desire became. Desire, yes, it was probably going to undue him. And yes, he tried to fight it but there was something in him that just could not. Something that he couldn't place. A part of him that was so intensely intricate in his being that the Chiss did not dare fight it. A massive chasm loomed ahead of him, Akio could see it as he drew closer. He could go around. He could climb down, he could move another way.

[media]https://youtu.be/GzVTg5O3OuI[/media]
He chose none of the above. Letting the full power of the Force flood his veins, Akio merged with the all-powerful, all-binding energy field. As he reached the ledge, he pushed off it, springing with boundless strength, kicking up a ring of dirt. Somersault head over heels, he arced over the chasm in a graceful flight. His feet hit the ground with a light touch, the Force was not needed for that, his training in how to fall made sure of it.

He refused to waste the momentum, it would slow him down the euphoria of being so united to one thing, wanting it so dearly was addictive. It was wonderful and dangerous at the same time. And he knew it.


Palm strike upward, followed by a swift left block. Right hand coil back, then downward in the brutal scorpion punch. Grab the hair, expose the jaw and bring the left knee up in bone-breaking blow. Then the left hand down again, in a knife strike to the side of the neck, bring all the weight down on that one, severing the jugular under the skin Grab the shoulders and pull the body close--

The hiss of green gas began to fill the cell, breaking Akio from his practice. The Chiss stood still for a moment, slowly inhaling the toxin that would, once more, render him unconscious so they could feed him and search his cell for weapons. It was a daily process. They fed him just enough to keep alive no more. No less. However, what they did not know was their direct tool to subdue him would be their undoing.

Once more the Chiss fell to the ground. However, this time he was not full unconscious. Over the past six months he had been working hard to build an immunity to the nasty stuff and today, at last would be his chance, his chance to spring into action and free himself. A few moments later, the guards came in, wearing gas masks. They stepped past him and began their search. That was when Akio made his move.

His leg went upward, between one's legs in a bone-breaking blow. The pain alone rendered the man unconscious. As the body fell Akio grabbed his stub baton from his belt, rising in a fluid motion. He brought the tip down on the closest one, in a skull-shattering crack. Twisting on his heel, he gave another blow that snapped a neck in two--

Akio came on a trail that broke him from his thoughts. It led down a dune. There was a chance it was nothing, there was a chance that it was just what he was looking for. But his instincts, which had never done Akio wrong told him that it was what he needed. He slid down the dune after the trail, his legs were exhausted but he was too close to give up now.

[member="Erud'ryz'ladre"]

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8vqw7fOIVI[/media]

“Can’a, wait!” Dryzl hobbled after the tiny creature, cursing at the heat. She did not know how long they had been travelling, but Can’a (the name she’d given the annoying little beast) seemed rather persistent in getting to wherever it was she wanted. Actually, Dryzl wasn’t exactly sure if Can’a was a “he”, a “she”, or a “both”, but continuing to call her an, well, an “it” was starting to make her brain hurt. (And, after being surrounded primarily by males, having a female companion was nice.)

In any case, they probably would have made it further had the Chiss not needed so many breaks. High metabolism demands frequent nourishment, and going three days without food (and countless more without a normal meal) was not helping her. Nor was her injuries, most notably the gash in her leg. An investigation conducted on one such break gave life to her fear: the area around the wound was swollen and hot to the touch – a sure sign that infection was setting in. At least there was no pus yet, or a fever.

Sighing, the woman paused, wiping her brow with the hem of her stained cloak. “Can’a,” she called, her voice starting to crack a little. “Csuct'ah csact'i.” Can’a paused in her trek, glancing over her shoulder before leaping into the air. She came to settle next to Dryzl as the Chiss carefully set herself down, giving a soft groan in the process. Staff resting beside her, the woman propped her bad leg on top of her good one, forming a 4-shape with them. Glad to be sitting down, she massaged the right one gently.

She had no idea that the one she sought was aware of her presence. Nor did she know that he was currently pursuing her. Instead, the only thought in Erud’ryz’ladre’s mind was how glad she felt to be taking a break.

Of course, it couldn’t be too long – squinting up at the sky, Dryzl estimated that it was late evening already. Not bad. Not bad at all. She sat there for a moment, looking out at the blackened sand dunes and letting a sort of numb feeling overtake her mind. It wasn’t meditation, exactly. Rather, it was a sort of tuning-out which allowed her brain a break. Besides, the woman hadn’t been much into meditation. That was Akio’s cup of tea.

Unbidden, an invisible hand reached out and squeezed her heart, as it always did when he crossed her mind. Never had she ever felt this much devotion to any one person, not even to her family. Nor had she ever imagined herself here, in a desert, searching for someone who might have forgotten her. And had initially tried to poison her.

Her thoughts then turned to their first meeting, coming as close to being amused as she had been for a while. Closing her eyes, Dryzl sat there for a moment, replaying the scenes. Of course, her memory wasn’t flawless, but…she could still remember the gist of it, particularly her bemusement at it all. Why had she spared him? Why had he helped her? Why didn’t she abandon him after the fiasco with the embittered daughter? Or was it niece? How long ago had that been?

Can’a pressed her nose firmly against Dryzl’s arm, breaking her out of her reverie and reminding her of where she was. The memory vanished like a mirage, and the woman pressed her lips together. “What is it with you? Veo cart cseo hsizo?” Once again, her voice cracked, and she made a mental note to keep quiet unless it was necessary. Can’a, meanwhile, gave nothing more than an indignant snort before hopping away, pausing to give Dryzl a rather pointed look.

Resisting the urge to return the look, the woman stood up, wincing again, before resuming her trek across the Badlands.

 

[Akio Diachi]

[Media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcdEaaYKFjE[/media]
Panting. Stumbling. His body refused to behave, but Akio refused to let it stop. He missed his footing and fell headlong down a dune. Toppling end over end, Akio could only manage to move his body to keep from doing damage. The fall felt slow, almost in slow motion as he reeled from it. At last he stopped, at the bottom on his back. The mask of his armor fell away sometime in the decent, leaving his blue face bare in the hot, evening sun. He panted, taking a few moments to gather himself, his will, his hunger to push on.

With every fiber of his being, Akio rolled over onto his hands and knees, looking around.

And there she was. Standing, just as he had remembered her. The Chiss stood up and took a halting step forward, without realizing it. He had waited so long for this moment. Years. And now it was here. It was even more than he had ever imagined it would be. He took another halting step forward. Would she recognize me? Does she? A flood of more memories came back, crashing through his mind. Their first kiss. Her saving his life. Dryzl teaching him to walk again. Dryzl saving him from himself. The time they met. All the times she could have-and should have-given up on him. And never did.

And suddenly Akio remembered what he had been searching for all this time. It wasn't the Force that guided him, he was retracing their steps. He was looking for her the whole time.

"Dryzl," He said, his lips forming her name. By the way she was dressed and worn, he could tell she had been searching a long time for him too. "Dryzl," he said again, this time it was softer, more assured.

His hand brushed against her cheek softly, "I've been looking for you for a long time."

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHINPB_-wRA[/media]

At the call of her name, the woman halted, turning around partially before spinning around in full.

By the gods.

By. The. Gods.

It was him.

It was him.

It. Was. Him.

She froze, overcome, as he reached out to touch her cheek. "I've been looking for you for a long time." How many times had she replayed his voice in her head? How many times had she pulled up a fragmented memory of his face, trying to memorize his features before they faded away? How many times had she warred with herself? Hope against despair? Belief against all else that he was alive?

And now he was here. Dryzl's wide, red eyes searched every line of Akio's face, hardly believing it was true, that her search had come to an end. Part of her almost couldn't believe it, and another part didn't. A mirage. A hallucination. It's the effects of the fever, the heat, the dehydration--

But what does it matter? He's here. Real or not, he's here.

She blinked rapidly, finally unthawing. Of course, her reaction was probably not what he was expecting.

Snapping out of her state, the Chiss dropped her staff and lunged forward, hands curled into fists that she brought down onto his armour. There was no rhyme or reason to her attack -- it was purely emotional. "Sea csei s csact'i! Sea csei s csact'i Ch'ah viz cart rass'ah vah!" she screamed, pounding on him with what little strength she had. "Nah rehn'e'ehah, nah vun'civt! Nan'ei!" Her vision blurred, and she felt something drip onto her cheek. Tears. She, Erud'ryz'ladre, was crying. "Ch'ah viz rass'ah seah sir vah, vim csei cart sea vah ber? Csei cart sea vah ber?! Veah k'ir vah tan'rah Ch'ah ran'cah?" This was not the way someone of her upbringing was supposed to act, but Dryzl didn't care. All of her pent up emotion, all of that time spent wandering the galaxy, following breadcrumbs and often eating only breadcrumbs... it was finally coming out. "Ebeucot! Ebeucot!"

Finally, the burst of strength ran out, and the woman sank to the ground, doubled over as her shaggy hair covered her face. Eyes squeezed shut, the tears subsiding, she whispered hoarsely, "Ch'ah ch'in'vah vah. Cseo... cseo ch'otcah b. Ch'ah csehn... Ch'ah csehn csei vah viz tasaah, ch'auh viz cart tsan'i csah. Vah viz nah ebah bah to butur..."

Throughout all of this, Can'a had been circling above, confused as to what was happening. Now, though, she landed beside her new friend, watching with curiousity as to what was about to happen.

 

[Akio Diachi]

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-B8k0n_3cs[/media]
Akio felt the sting if her fists on his chest, her strength was enough to send him back half a step. Each blow send him back a step further, his armor was made to stop projectiles and energy, not blows. His body took it, every hit with little more than a grunt for each hit. His nerves had been deadened to most pain through a life of rough aestheticism. He didn't fight back, his ears strained to catch the words she said and translate them. It had been so long since he heard Cheunh. But he understood it. And more than that, he could feel it. Hurt. Fear. Anger, but more so emotional relief in a torrent that she had a hard time processing.

He knew he deserved it, every bit. Even as his battered, patchy memory, he could remember small bits. Running from Julian. Running his whole life. Always. But now there is no more need to run, he realized, except to run to her. What I have been running for my whole life. It is my destiny.

He lowered himself on his knees beside her. Close enough to hear her whispers. His arm wrapped around her gently.

"I did run, I did leave," he whispered, remembering it as he spoke, "But I had to. The hunters would never stop coming for me, for what I have done. I couldn't let you get caught in the cross fire," he ran his fingers through her hair, brushing it back so he could see her face. The face had searched for, for so long. "Turned myself in. Then I escaped and then--" his voice faltered, "I was injured. I forgot who I was. I forgot everything, but I knew I was looking. Looking for someone, something."

He knew it wasn't a good enough explaination. And his eyes burned with regret. He would have given the dead gods anything to just take the time back and have another chance. A chance to spend those years with her instead of running and trying to find someone he so desperately wanted to remember.

"I had dreams of you," he said softly. "I know now they were memories, and Ch'ah cart ch'ithe'umi'aco" he pursed his lips, "You have every right to be angry at me, to hate me even."

[member="Erud'ryz'ladre"]

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRe4EvOfEl0[/media]

Dryzl found herself leaning into Akio's chest, resting her head in the crook of his neck. For so long it was she who had to be the strong one, she who had to hold him up. Her one hope now was that he would be able to carry her this time.

"No, I--" She tried to swallow, though her throat was dry. "Ch'ah k'ir nah ch'itihn vah. I could never hate you." Her eyelids felt heavy, and they slowly closed. "I thought that you saw me as being weak, as being a liability. After all we had been through, I could not understand why you would not allow me to stand by you." Her words were whispers now. She felt so tired, could hear the exhaustion creeping into her voice. But she was glad that her search was over, at least for now.

The Chiss woman shifted slighty, feeling and ignoring the throb in her leg. Her voice even softer, she added, "I do not hate you, but I believe you were selfish. Vah tan'rah vah cart k'ir ch'a bun ei, csei rah vah tir Ch'ah csarcican't cart tasco ch'at vez ran vah. But what could I have done, if you were gone? Vah ehe'ah ch'eo csot ch'un'bi, vim vah cahuerco tsan'ah ch'eo csot ch'un'bi ch'itt'suvrecah. Ch'ah k'ir nah rsah veo csarcican't viz g'evipah, viz Ch'ah nah bio'sehah ch'at rass'ah vah." Dryzl's words quietly trailed off, and she could feel herself slowly losing consciousness. The toll of the past few days coupled with this shock and the infection taking root in her leg were all coming together now, and she knew if anything happened she would not be able to do anything. She didn't even react when Can'a crawled into her lap, curling up into a ball.

Her mission was completed, and for all her words she was glad to have Akio back. But now, now all she wanted to do was sleep.

 

[Akio Diachi]

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MdOXtTlE3Y[/media]
As Akio listened to her words, he remembered the emotions that came with the actions. The love. The fear. Everything. It came crashing back down on him like a wave. It was intense, and clouded every ounce of his mind and judgement. As she sank to the sand, unconsious, Akio noticed the damage to her leg. He gave a nasal sigh and inspected the damage, it was intense. It would take all of his medical skill to fix this, and even then he was unsure. He watched as the creature curled up in her lap. It gave him a questioning look; what do we do now?

"I will take care of her, little one," he said, his voice furrowed with worry. His self-doubt was obvious. Akio gingerly wrapped an arm around her back and another behind her legs, lifting Dryzl up. She was light, from starvation and suffering. Akio remembered a time when she was muscular, healthy. But I did this. This was my fault. His lips brushed against her ear in a soft kiss.

"I am sorry for my selfishness," he whispered.

The Chiss looked around, he could feel the Force pulling him towards the next direction, safety. He did not know how long, or far it would be, his legs ached in protest at the very thought of running more. That doesn't matter. She needs me to get her away from here. Somewhere out of the sun and secure from the predators.

The beast landed on her abdomen and looked at him again as if to say Let's go.

***​

Akio took the tea-soaked bandages delicately between his fingers and interlaced them over her wound. They were hot, which would help, the herbs were medicinal, and the bandages themselves were sterile. He had found a clearance for them in a small cave-like structure of inter-woven sand rocks after several hours of running, the Force alone had kept him moving, kept him up.

As he pinned the bandage over her wound, Akio drew his amulet off his neck, clasping it in his palm over her body. The energy of the Force throbbed, almost painfully in him. He had expended so much energy already, his reserves were depleted but--but she did not stop taking care for me. And I will never stop taking care of her ever again.

The Chiss dug down deep in his soul, dragging up what little strength he had left. The energy flowed out of his chest, through his arm. The amulet in Akio's hand glowed a bright blue from between his fingers. Like slender tendrils, the energy weaved itself from his clenched fist into her wound. It found the infection, wrapping around it in a shimmering coat of light. I have to kill it. Kill it all. End it or she will die.

The Chiss tensed every muscle in his body for a moment, and the infection dissipated, leaving a tingling remnant of energy. A trail of blood worked its way from each corner of Akio's lips, he could feel his body hemorrhaging, a moment longer and he would have fired himself out.

"I am sorry," he whispered, running his fingers through her matted hair. "Vah cart ran'cuzo veah csibetohn veah to ch'ucan'ci nah csan'vun't." He licked his lips, "You were right. I was selfish. I was afraid of loosing you, that you would die and I couldn't--" his voice faltered, and he had to swallow back tears for a moment, "I couldn't let that happen. Not after all that you did for me. Not after what you mean to me."

He looked out to the rising sun. It had been a long, unending night of pushing past limits that even Akio knew he had, "You saved me, Dryzl."

A new day was dawning, but more than that, a second chance to live had come for Akio.

[member="Erud'ryz'ladre"]

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

Erud'ryz'ladre was a little girl again, bundled up as she and her classmates played in the snow. Outings such as these were rare, for the Chiss were encouraged to mature psychologically as quickly as they matured physically. And yet, even the administrators recognized the innate desire for children to play, so here they were, on the cold surface of Csilla, throwing snowballs at each other.

Of course, even such fun as this needed a lesson to be taught. So it was that their instructor had divided his class into two groups for a game in tactical warfare. "I want each team to build themselves a fort out of the snow, then defend it while taking over the other team's fort, whether by earning a surrender or destroying it. Understood?" A chorus of affirmatives had followed his words, and on his mark the children had sprung into action. Of course, the entire thing was not exactly above-ground; Csilla's climate was too harsh for even adults. Instead, they were in one of the ice-warrens closer to the surface.

The teams finished making their forts in no time, and it wasn't long before the "war" broke out. The leader of their team ("Team One") was a boy named Chaf'ire'nuroudo. He ran back and forth, alternating between barking out orders and assisting with the attack, which consisted primarily of snowballs and tackling. Erud'ryz'ladre, however, stayed back by the fort. Next to her feet laid a pile of snowballs, of which she'd throw at opposing members should they get too close. Thus far she'd managed to block most of the attacks, but the other team was good. Really good.

She stooped down to grab another snowball, looking down only when her fingers grabbed at nothing. "I'm out of snowballs!" she cried out, earning the attention of Chaf'ire'nuroudo.

"Cham'vel'idate, pull back and bring some snowballs over here!" The named boy nodded his head and scooped up as many as he could carry, running over to where the other two children were. "Vel, stay here and take over Erud'ryz'ladre's position. Don't let them get close!" The boy nodded, and Firen gestured for Dryzl to follow him. Walking into their crude fort, the girl saw that they'd taken a hostage -- a girl by the name of Eli'nar'denviro. She had her arms crossed rather unhappily, and two of Dryzl's teammates were standing guard over her.

"We're not making any headway with the other team, Erud'ryz'ladre. Right now we're at a standstill, and I can't seem to get past Ver'ino'idate's defences."

"But you've managed to catch Inarde." Inarde, in turn, stuck her tongue out.

"But we've managed to catch her, yes. Which is good, because I have a new plan." Walking over to Inarde, Firen gestured for the two guards to help the girl to her feet. "I want you to change clothes with her."

"All of our clothes?" the girls blurted out, simultaneously. They looked at each other, then blushed. Firen smacked his forehead, squeezing his eyes shut in a rather grown-up expression of annoyance.

"No, just your coats and the likes."

"Oh, alright." Dryzl looked rather forlornly at Inarde. "Your coat isn't nearly as warm as mine, though."

They quickly changed clothes, then looked at Firen in askance. "What now?" Dryzl asked.

"Now, I want you to come out here with me. Inarde, stay."

"Oh, fine!" She sat back down with a slightly rotten look on her face. Dryzl, meanwhile, followed Firen outside.

"Alright, I want you to run over to the other side and destroy their fort. Try not to speak too much or let them get a close enough look at you; otherwise they'll take you captive. Got it?"

"Yes sir!" She gave off a sharp salute. It might have seemed comical, the way they were taking this so seriously, but to these young Chisslings it was more than just a game.

"Good, now move it soldier!"

Dryzl awoke with a start, momentary confusion overtaking her senses. For a moment she wondered if the other team had managed to knock her out-- She sat up, almost too fast, and slouched back while the room spun around her. No, it was just a memory, one she recalled well. She had, in fact, managed to cause the enemy fort to be destroyed, though she herself ended up buried in snow as well. But here, it was warmer. Much warmer. What...? It was then that she remembered everything: the crash-landing, the desert, Akio--

"Akio!" she cried out, struggling to get up. "Where are you?" Her muscles were still weak, but they were stronger than what they had been. Her leg, too, was feeling better. Much, much better, in fact. But that wasn't what was on her mind. Right now, she had to find Akio. If I lost him again...

 

[Akio Diachi]

As his tired body began to recharge itself, the Chiss managed to climb on top of the rock formation he had set the camp up on. Sitting there in the lotus position, he closed his eyes and half let his body drift into a trance-like state. He drew from the Force around him, recharging his storage of the powerful energy. The Force is an endless all powerful living energy that dwells within all of us, he recalled, Our limits are only that which we submit ourselves to it. Releasing of self and letting it take control of your nature is the best thing that can happen for the self.

He did not rush the process, instead he savored the feeling of the energy around him, slowly letting it in, feeling it as it rumbled and vibrated from the outside into his person, into every fiber of his being. His cells swelled, absorbing and storing it as raw potential. The energy purged away pain, hurt, and degeneration, once again restoring his body to the perfect state it had been in before. The age old scars he had from the past were even beginning to fade lately, not just the physical scars but the mental ones as well as he released himself deeper into the Force's healing flow. The power of the Force resides in us all. In everything that is. The warmth of the sun, the chill of ice, flow of the river and the endless standing of the mountain.

One only had to look at the universe itself to learn from the Force. It manifests itself through the physical. For what is unseen is understood through the seen. He could feel Dryzl sleeping bellow. She was well, her body was on the mend and it brought no small comfort to him. He could feel her creature companion scurrying not far away on the dunes. It was hunting something, food or a plant of a local variety. He could feel the whips of the sand, holding great secrets if he could learn how to unlock them all. How would one learn to unlock the secrets of the sand? Their wisdom would be great indeed. They have seen so many ages--

"Akio! Where are you?"

The Wanderer rose to his feet in a fluid motion. With a quick bounce he propelled himself up, into the air in a graceful arc. His feet landed softly at the mouth of their makeshift rock formation. When he saw Dryzl he couldn't help but smile.

"Its good to see you are on the mend," he greeted her. His hand fished into the small pack attached to his back. He withdrew a bundled Kimono and a pouch of seeds. "Here, these are mine but they should fit you. And I am sure you are famished. There is a water skin on the rock not far from where you were sleeping as well." When she had taken the food and the garments he asked, "How are you feeling?"

[member="Erud'ryz'ladre"]

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

She took the garments and the food, eying the clothes with a wary reluctance. Anything was better than the ratty outfit she had on, to be honest, but the dress-thing certainly didn't look like it would allow for much combative movement.

"Batevit," she barked off, not unkindly. Along with memories of the past few days, she remembered the breakdown she'd had, and Dryzl felt a swelling sense of embarrassment at how she behaved. Nevermind that it had just been in front of Akio; she was supposed to be the emotionless pillar of the relationship. Even so, she quickly realised that the other Chiss might have taken her response the wrong way, so in a softer tone she added, "Better than I was."

Dryzl walked over to where she'd been asleep, dropping the seeds and the clothes onto the ground. Truth was, she was starving, but the first thing she wanted to do was at least get clean clothes on. Not looking at Akio, the Chiss peeled off all but her undergarments. Reaching for the water skin, she then took a large mouthful before pouring some water onto the corner of her cloak, being careful not to use too much water or to lose some.

"So you're a Force User," she said, as she began to wipe off her malnourished body. It wasn't a question, merely an observation waiting for verification. In Dryzl's opinion, this chat was a long time coming, and was an important topic to be discussed right away. To be truthful, the woman still wasn't 100% certain about it, but now that she no longer had the issue of Akio's disappearance to worry about, it was easy to put two and two together. Or rather, two and one -- the Chiss hadn't come across many Force Users who had tried to hide their talents, so unless it was blatantly obvious she had a hard time deducing it. This time, though...this time, her gut was telling her that it was the truth.

She finished cleaning herself as best she could, then in silence put on the kimono. It hung rather loose on her body, but after a few adjustments she made it work. Only then did she turn to face him, grabbing the bag of seeds. Her red eyes guarded, she asked, "How long? How long did you know about it?"

Waiting for his response, she quelled the urge to dump the entire bag into her mouth and instead pulled out a small handful, munching on them as she eyed Akio. Dryzl wasn't mad, exactly, but... well, being a Force User was something she'd've liked to know about up front.

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio smiled, pleased that she was on the mend. He had been deeply worried through most of the night that she would not make it. It was only when he was confident she was well that he had moved to heed to himself. As Dryzl changed, Akio did his best to look away and afford her privacy. But he had never seen her like this and it was a battle that he lost. It wasn't with a lustful drive that he watched her but with the eye of a doctor watching a sickly ill patient.

He noticed her battered state. When they had met, she was easily stronger than him, more powerful, and muscular. Since then he had gained some in strength and she had lost a great deal. Akio could feel his his heart rend in his chest, forcing him to look away. She doesn't deserve this. She deserves so much better.

"Not long," Akio answered. He shifted his weight, leaning against one of the massive rocks they were taking cover under. "At the academy they never tested for this sort of thing. They were insistent; the gods, the Force was dead, killed by warriors. They taught us that to kill was the greatest of all the arts." He smiled fondly, "But when the doctor found me and helped to mend me he tested me."

He paused for a moment, "My memory was badly damaged. After my escape from prison I stowed away aboard a freighter. I don't remember how exactly, but the crew found me, my head was hit in the scuffle. What little was left of my memory faded. The doctor saved my life. He told me I had to be a Force monk and I just believed him. I am still trying to figure out what I was and," he hesitated. How you felt about me. No, feelings were dark, they were evil, he had to scorn them. But he so desperately did not want to. He licked his lips tentatively, "and what you thought of me."

[member="Erud'ryz'ladre"]

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

She watched him closely, her eyes now less guarded and more...thoughtful. Weirdly, Dryzl was pleased that he hadn't been keeping his Sensitivity a secret all this time...but the circumstances of which he learned it made the woman cringe.

Dryzl wanted so desperately to inquire about what happened after he was taken in -- how he escaped, how he lost his memory, everything. But she recognized too that now was not the time. Not until they were safe somewhere, away from the rest of the galaxy.

Still clutching the bag, she mulled over his implied question. What did she think of him? Truly? Since first meeting Akio, Dryzl's opinions and feelings for the man had been constantly riding on a tumultuous roller coaster, but now things were starting to even out, and even out for the better. But how to convey that to him? Again, now wasn't the time to discuss everything, but....well, the least she figured she could do was assure him things were good.

But how was she to do that? Dryzl was not exactly a touchy-feely person, and with the exception of last night (Was it last night?) the woman normally had a strong hold on her emotions. Doing anything else resulted in her feeling awkward, which might not help right now. And yet, she had to do something.

Mentally squaring her shoulders, the Chiss decided that the best course of action was to put it straight and square, so that there weren't any immediately important questions left. "You were a lot of things, Akio. I do not think you even told me everything, not that it bothers me. Past jobs are past jobs. As for how I feel..." She shrugged. "Again, I felt a lot of things. And I still feel a lot of things, if you wish me to be honest. But none of them are..." Dryzl trailed off, struggling to figure out how to put it in Basic. "None of them are vun'csiuh vah -- against you." It was wobbly, but she hoped the words conveyed what she was feeling. He could always use the Force to understand me, too, she mused, her attitude neutral. "Once we get somewhere safe, I can fill you in. For now, though, we ought to find a way off of this planet."

The Chiss looked around the cave, suddenly aware of one other thing. "Also, do you know where Can'a is?"

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio couldn't help but smirk. She felt a lot of things. That was in interesting way to put things--considering that she was quite the stoic, even for a Chiss. That answered some questions but raised others. What did she feel then? Good? Bad? Bit of both? Hate? A begrudging acceptance? Or something else entirely? Akio wrestled inside with the questions that seemed to never end. He was used to unanswered questions--he had based his life so far off of them since he lost his memory. But for some reason these refused to give him rest. He had a feeling he would receive no rest until he found an answer to them.

But she was right, they needed to find a way off this rock before they could even consider such a thing. If he recalled correctly, she was always the one to make that sort of direction. Yes, direction. She was the one who provided it while he was more times than not trying to find something out. Akio recalled from his past that often men were socially deemed needed to provide direction in most race. It puzzled him.

"Wait here," the Chiss said and move down the dune. He could feel a few tinglings in the back of his skull, creatures in addition to the strange avian that Dryzl had taken a shinning too. The Chiss snuck down one of the dunes and along a crag, following the feeling. Be careful, this planet is full of predators. However, when he turned the corner, the Chiss was surprised to a trio of Eupies. Judging by the saddles on their backs and the looks in their eyes they were domesticated, but had been in the wild for some time. They did not take much convincing to follow the Chiss back to the cavern. Can'a quickly followed in behind the Chiss on the voyage back.

"You do not look well enough to walk the entire way back, we can ride them back to the nearest settlement," Akio offered, "Then from there, it should be no issue acquiring a ride, legally or otherwise."

He gathered his small parcels of gear and loaded them onto one of the pack animals before mounting. They had quite a ride ahead of them, plenty of time to talk--or think.

[member="Erud'ryz'ladre"]

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

Dryzl pursued her lips, but sat down on the makeshift bed without a fuss. She did not like this feeling of weakness, of uselessness - and if their history had taught her anything, it was that when Akio went off on his own and Dryzl stayed behind, bad things happened. Of course, in this situation, she wouldn't be of any help anyway. Not until she got plenty of rest and nutrition.

After he left, she felt a sudden sense of weariness creep into her body, and she reclined back, her eyes half-closed. To her surprise, the confrontation had taken quite a bit of strength from her. Even so, she felt better than she had before Akio found her.

Speaking of which, the Chiss pulled up the kimono to examine her leg. There was a rather large, faint scar travelling across her thigh, but except for that there was no sign of the earlier infection, and when she pressed her fingers down on it there was no pain. With a sigh, Dryzl pushed the clothing back down and slowly sat up the rest of the way.

Now standing up, the woman began to walk around in a large oval, taking her normal strides. Ah ha- as she suspected. Akio must have healed it with the Force, which would explain the rather rapid recovery, but it seemed the Force was not the end-all be-all. Dryzl could walk, but she found that there was a slight twinge when she picked up the pace - meaning two things. One, it was most likely her fascia and the muscle below that were the ones injured; two, she couldn't walk without a slight limp, and her running endurance was now most likely decreased.

Lovely, she thought with a grimace, laying back down on the bed. So what did that mean for her? Certainly, less risky situations, for one thing; if Dryzl couldn't run as well as she used to, then how was she to be certain that she could last as long as she used to? Retirement wouldn't be such a bad idea - by now, she had to be 26 or 27, which was almost middle-aged for Chiss. So, an early retirement then. But what about money? She had none. Where would she go? She had no idea. And, a little voice added, you wouldn't last more than a few months before the old itch for adventure would come back. Dryzl sighed, digging the palms of her hands into her eyes. There were so many things she needed to consider, none of which she wanted to, not really.

The sounds of footsteps approached the cave, and her ears picked out four sets - or was it more? She couldn't tell if they were animalistic or not, but the woman reached for her staff and knife, just in case. The sounds grew closer-- she braced herself, ready for combat--

-- And Akio re-entered the cave, leading three Eopies and Can'a behind him. Dryzl quickly relaxed, hiding the knife in her sleeve. Akio, for all his experience, did not seem to notice how he'd almost been attacked, and set about gathering his things. Can'a came trotting over to her, sniffing the hem of her kimono with what seemed like slight distaste. Me too, little one. Me too.

Tucking the knife into her belt, Dryzl eyed the beasts of burden with greater distaste. Her encounters with Eopies were rare, but the Chiss had heard enough about them to know they were stubborn, ill-mannered, and greatly given to releasing near-toxic flatulence. The beast, in return, eyed her as well. But she would not complain.

Grabbing the reins, she looked at the saddle, looked at the stirrup, looked at herself, and then back at the saddle. It occurred to her, then, that Dryzl had not one single iota of an idea as to how one should go about mounting these creatures, and in her current condition was hesitant to try without knowing.

She looked back up at Akio. Licking her drying lips, the Chiss stated, "Csei s cart ttezutah cacnisir." She hoped she didn't have to explain herself.

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio gave a soft smile. I should have taken that into account, her leg being frail--and most beings not being used to pack animal travel. He slid off of his beast and came behind her, wrapping his hands gently around her sides. His body pressed slightly against her back. His body tingled from being this close to her, the feeling he remembered having so many times before.

"On three," he said softly, "One... Two...." he hoisted her in a single motion and set Dryzl firmly in the saddle with a slightly impish grin, "Three. Comfortable?" He eased one of her feet into the stirrups, "Squeeze with your knees, that is where your grip comes from more than the reigns, those are for direction. And please, try not to dig your heels into its sides, most creatures hate that, Eupies more than most. Its more likely to buck you than speed up." He gave a confident smile, "Don't worry, you will pick it up quickly."

With a quickly motion, Akio grabbed his saddle and hoisted himself in. In a matter of a few minutes they were moving down, through the desert in a slow, easy going pace. It was slightly faster than walking and easier on the body.

"I've spent a lot of time on my own," Akio commented. "Wandering from planet to planet, place to place. I even gained a nickname; the Blue Wanderer. Its got quite an interesting ring to it, I think," he chuckled, "A few of the people I found myself in lot with even began to call me Blue Boy. Not too creative, but still unique," he paused for a moment, "I amassed quite an arsinol of weapons, though not the type I suppose you would prefer. Force Imbued Wazikashi and armor, a monk's spade made of ultrachrome, I even made a few rings of power." Akio licked his lips. He was rambling, he knew it. It was hard to find the words he was searching to say, or how to say it. Just tell her, say it. Say what your feeling.

Akio shifted in his saddle, "Its good to see you again. Not just that--that I am not alone anymore. But that you are with me again," he swallowed. Please understand what I am trying to say. I feel better when you're with me. "I don't want to get separated again," he caste her a side glance, "I will take care of you, make sure you get better--if you want. I learned from the best how to nurse people back to health."

[member="Erud'ryz'ladre"]

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

@Akio Diachi

As they rode, Dryzl listened to Akio talk, content for now to withhold speaking. She gave a slight smile when he mentioned his nickname was "Blue Boy" (if only they knew what he was capable of) but other than that, her face remained composed, if a tad thoughtful.

Of course, when he began to describe his arsenal, the woman couldn't help but zone out a bit. Oh, sure, she was keeping an ear on his tone of voice, but she wasn't actually listening. As much as Dryzl lo-- cared for Akio, she just didn't have an interest in anything that wasn't a gun. Plus, she recognized very few of the names he spouted off.

Instead, she watched Can'a swoop and dive and twirl in the air, stopping every now and then on her shoulder before taking off again. Dryzl found herself developing an affection for the creature, but she knew it couldn't stay. The two Chiss could barely care for themselves; how could they care for a pet, too?

Her ears perked up when the sound of Akio's words changed, and she tore her eyes away from the winged beast to watch him. Even after all this time, Dryzl still seemed capable of picking up on Akio's body language, understanding the real meaning behind his words and knowing what exactly went through his mind. Well, most of the time.

Which was why she found it amusing to watch him, almost a nervous wreck and stumbling over his words. It wasn't a cruel amusement, but more of an amusement derived from watching someone close to you expect the worst when you have only the best to give. If that made sense.

Eyebrows quirking upwards in their signature way, some of her amusement bled through to her face. "Of course I want you. Why in the universe would I hunt you down just to have you leave?" She gave a rather disdainful sniff. "Not only would that be a waste of energy, but it's a preposterous thought to begin with. Besides, I have very little money, very little strength, and absolutely nowhere to go. Oh, and only these clothes to wear, since I intend on throwing out the others."

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio gave an inward sigh of relief. He wasn't as sure whether he was glad that she wanted him around--or that he could help her after what felt so long for him to be a rather helpless being.

"The good news is I have developed many additional skills," he chose his words carefully, "Some that people would pay quite well for," his skills of course, had quite a ways to go before they would pay more than his assasinations but, for now they would be more than enough to fill the bills. Or at least the ones that couldn't be filled through theft.

The Chiss pursed his lips slightly. He regretted the action, he truly did, but they had to eat. It wasn't like he was stealing food from widows and orphans and it was better than making widows and orphans. He raised his head to think as they came upon the outskirts of a small village. The Chiss stepped down from his mount and shook his head slightly.

"Stay here," he said over his shoulder, an order that he knew Dryzl too well to believe she would obey.

Stepping quickly, he drew off of a lifetime of training to melt into the shadows. A few men passed by him oblvious, talking about their favorite hand egg game players. In their trail he crossed the street to a a homestead. He quickly stuffed a set of dried women's clothing hanging from the line. His feet carried him away to another home. A series of hand pies were set on the windowsill, cooling off. His blue fingers gripped each of them in a blur, stuffing them into his tunic before he hurried away.

Satisfied, Akio ducked for cover behind a garage. He wiped the sweat off his brow before a trio of men rounded the corner and stopped him.

"Well look what we have here," said one of them gripping his oversized belt buckle, "If it isn't an alien. Tell me what it is we do with aliens, Gregg."

One of the others beside him gave a knowing guffaw, "We learn 'em to stop comin' round here no more."

[member="Erud'ryz'ladre"]