Red Like Roses

[Ruby Wilded]

"The Force huh". Ruby looked up to see Krest moving on. She didn't need to much rest anyways. Question were piling up quickly and every single one of them wanted to be shouted out and answered. "So where can I train, and how? I would not be keen on becoming a Jedi and getting tossed into a war. Closest I've been in one is snowball fights on the playground". A little reminiscing was had, incredibly brief as it was. She remembered the fun times she had with some friends that winter. That was four years ago now, time sure had flown.

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

[member="Ruby Wilded"]

"Well. I'll teach you myself. I'm not a Jedi bent on sending you to war after all. I'd rather you learn so you don't hurt anyone, aye?" Krest was ready for the questions. This was a normalcy for him, teaching new people the ways of the force. A smile formed on his face though. For once he wanted to be on vacation, yet he found himself another apprentice.

 

[Ruby Wilded]

"Really, you will"! Ruby ran a bit faster to get ahead of Krest. Spinning around on her heel but still walking at pace. The look on her face was one of true joy and wonder. It would be pretty cool to learn new powers, see what she could become. All Ruby could do was run really fast and sorta sense out other users. If she had any idea of some of the people roaming the galaxy and the extent of their powers she would be awestruck. What her potential was something to be metered in time. For now she'd keep asking questions and Krest and her walked back towards home. "I think your turning your first impression around. I should still be wary of you. Never know when you'll kidnap me again". She cutely laughed at the thought of it. Krest was just unlucky at first, he seemed a nice person as he answered lists of questions.

Now just how far were they to home, and exactly what was home to the little red caped girl? Well, they were nearing the local area Ruby would recognize. And like anyone living in the city proper they were in one of Coronets many high rise buildings. They weren't comparable to the monoliths of Coruscant for shear size. And the level of grandeur were all based on location, location, location. Ruby didn't live in the most posh neighborhood around. It was still above a good portion of the rest of the city though. "Hey, I recognize this shop. Usually has some of the guys in suits hanging out in front of it smoking when they get off work. That means we're about three blocks and two to the left from my place".

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

[member="Ruby Wilded"]

The Zabraks eyes blinked slowly as the girl spoke, and he could only smile and shake his head. She was full of joy, that was for sure. It was a relaxing tone for him to have someone so eager and happy, instead of serious or.. Well. Hateful. Several images of the past entered his head, and while he quickly pushed them away, hd made his own silent vow to make sure this one would not face the same hardships as the others.

But then she recognized something. "Ah? Only that far away?" Krest really hadn't thought about it all. He was taking on an apprentice who had a home, which meant she would have to leave with him. Would she be really okay with that? And more importantly, would her parents?

 

[Ruby Wilded]

Ruby looked up at Krest. "Yeh, we've been walking for a long time now. The Suns gone". Her silver eyes gazed higher to the night sky. Only the brightest of stars shone through the light pollution. It'd be cool to go to space again. From there you can see them all. "Well lets get going. I'll race you there and show you I'll be faster than anyone"! Ruby took off for home. Her cape blurred a streak of red behind her. Only a few seconds though as not to leave Krest's sight. All to gain ground for victory. Of course the race was rigged, he didn't know which building they were headed to. So she'd win regardless.

Hurried boots hit hard as her leg muscles stressed and flexed. Every breath fueling her for the next step. Ruby turned her head to check on Krest. The last turn neared, she began calling out his name but the world turned a blinding whiteness before she could half finish. A deafening roar soaked the air. Windows shattered from the blast wave for miles around. Ruby's life was spared by the thick duracrete slabs holding up the building next to her. The force of it all tossed her back from a fall run onto the ground. I-beams wighing several tons were ejected from the blast, impaling as they were nails in the ground. Other debris and glass were tossed asunder in the gale. A monstrous fireball rose into the sky turning night to day for several seconds. Ruby attempted to roll over, she was terribly disoriented. The ringing wouldn't stop and it annoyed her to no end. "Krest, Krest"? Several times his name was called, she felt her lips move with the words but she couldn't tell if she was really saying anything.

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

[member="Ruby Wilded"]

Krest blinked slow. Had it really been that long of a walk? And since when was there a lack of stars. Looking up, he'd be asking himself the question again and again, not even hearing her challenge. Until she burst away. Turning his gaze down, he'd find her gone. "I.. Huh?" He'd move after her signature, walking slow. He really didn't know where he was, and he didn't know the roads as well as her. So he'd take it slow, calm.

Until the explosion. He was at the edge of it, spared from the worst of it all. His gaze slowly widened as he would burst forward, already pulling a saber from his hip and lighting it up. The pale blue blade would ignite with a his, and burn through the rubble in the way of its red master. His hearing was still good enough to hear her, and it wouldn't be long until he was there with her . And he wasn't the only thing to be there. Another of the large metal slabs was bearing down on her. Without waiting, his blade would tear through the thick metal in a flash, and a burst of the force would exude from the blade, sending the halves to either side of them.

"Ruby! We have to go, get up!"

 

[Ruby Wilded]

A horrible ringing filled her ears. It physically hurt, shell shock was not an experience you'd like to obtain. She laid dazed and confused on the ground. Debris had mostly settled by now. The edge of her vision was blurred out, but she could see Krest in the focused center. Ruby blinked a few times trying to correct things. "Krest". She still couldn't hear herself, a faint word, her name, broke past the ring. It was reassuring that he was there. Ruby rolled herself over on all fours. An upsetting movement her body protested by expelling the remaining contents of her stomach. "What h-happened"?

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

[member="Ruby Wilded"]

Krest moved over to her quickly, going to grab ahold of on of her arms. His eyes remained on the area, wary of any sort of foul play or even just a second explosion. Hoisting her up, the same arm that would have brought her to her feet would go to scoop her up, ending with the Zabrak holding her with one hand, and his ignited saber in the other.

"We have to go someplace. Do you know of any safe place to hide or wait?" Never once did his gaze shift from scanning the area. His whole form was tense, ready for something, anythng.

 

[Ruby Wilded]

Once again she lost all place of being as Krest hoisted her up. Lucky for his clothes she had nothing left in her stomach. Ruby closed her eyes in an attempt to collect herself. The mans words came in a bit clearer as he asked her for someplace nearby to safely wait. "That store we passed. The one I recognized. I know the people there. We should go and you can tell me what happened". Ruby wrapped an arm around Krests neck for support. Falling like she caused them to do earlier in the evening was not something she needed to add on to the list of things that happened already.

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

Krest nodded once to [member="Ruby Wilded"] before bursting his form back to the shop. He spoke nothing on their way, for he had no idea what had happened himself. He ran the scene through his head over and over again on their short trip as he tried to figure it out. Something blew up, but what? Was it an accident? Or was ot something much much worse? Would anyone target the Wilded and for what reason? There were too many questions with too little answers, and once they got to the shop he would set the girl down, calling out. "We need help! Ruby was caught in the explosion. She seems fine, but I'm not entirely sure!"

 

[Ruby Wilded]

Ruby was gradually recovering. She was pretty resilient for someone so small. The store was probably the best place for them to be. People she knew and none of the authorities that would be looking for Krest. Well, possibly looking, certainly aware of him. Ruby rested up against the end of a display shelf, rubbing her temples for some kind of relief. The sirens now wailing in the night, responding to the disaster that happened only minutes prior.

Krests call for aid was acknowledge with only the subtlest raising of the clerks head. Blood stained the front of his uniform. On making eye contact with the Zabrak blood spat from his mouth. A black clad hand came round from behind the dying man and lightly tugged him aside. Gravity assisting pulled the clerk below and out of view with a thud against the floor. The assassin now revealed, he was a bit shorter than his latest kill. Dressed in a dark suit with a bald head. Rather mean looking to, though men in his line of work tended to be on the nasty side. "Its a shame that blast didn't do our job for us. Killing little girls is a bit faux pas no"? A remorseless smile came to torment them. A blaster pistol raised up with the finger on the trigger. Three more men revealed themselves. One armored like a Mandalorian and armed with a Beskad and pistol to Krests left. A Rodian from the shadows arrived at the door with a blaster rifle held at the hip. The last assassin was directly behind them, a Falleen woman in dark robes. Tattoos snaked across her face, no weapon was held in her hands but even a glace would tell of a danger.

Ruby was aware of the situation as it unfolded. Slowly rising to stand against the display. "Krest". Just his name, unlike the meek tone she'd held saying his name a dozen times over before, this was far more serious. Ruby's silver eyes were sharp and focused. The peril they faced snapped her out of the stupor. Fists clenched tight she was ready to fight for her survival.

"Time to meet your makers. To bad you got dragged in with her too Zabrak. Now you both die and you can join Ruby's mother". The suit began pulling back on the trigger. Dead aimed for Krest's chest. The Mandalorian began advancing and raising his sword to strike. Ruby nodded to her friend. Rolling on her shoulder to go after the Mando. With her speed she could overcome him long enough for Krest to help if need be.

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

Krest's eyes narrowed darkly upon the mans fall. Both of his hands clenched tight, and his mood only got worse as the man in black showed himself. So it was fowl play. The Zabrak should of known. Listening to the man speak his words, he would be much more focused on shifting the force around himself. Four targets aiming to bring down [member="Ruby Wilded"] with little knowledge on himself.

Good.

As the shot came, the Zabrak's torso would shift. Both of his hands would get to work right off the bat, his left coming up for the bolt, and the right coming around for the shooter. With the young girls life in danger, Krest couldn't afford to be non lethal. There were several tricks Krest knew, but one he rarely used was an ability to deflect blasters with his bare hands. And adapting his prefered form of Djem So/Shien, the bolt as it made contact with his palm suddenly shifted, going towards the one he thought the biggest danger, the Falleen. Letting the bolt do its thing, his right would focus on the original shooter, him already focusing on cutting the airway of the small bald man's throat off.

It had been a long time since Krest used force choke, but he was as deadly with it as ever. The man would rise from the ground, clutching at his throat in vain attempts to free himself, but there was no hope. Krest's body would turn just in time to see the blaster tear into the chest of his intended target who had tried to sneak up on him, and with a grim look on the Zabrak's face he would watch her fall.

Ruby's run to the Mandalorian however didn't go unnoticed. The Rodian, seeming to be the only free one left, pulled his gun around to shoot her, not noticing Krest's mastery of the force. This would prove fatal as a flame seemed to form out of nothing within his blaster, and the energy core would heat up faster then it should. As he pulled the trigger, the blaster would explode within his hands, and if not for the shrapnel hitting his face, he would of felt the pain of loosing an arm.

Krest's right hand would suddenly close into a fist, and a sickening crack from the direction of the man who had been checking would sound out as he fell dead next to the shop keeper. The blue eyes of the Zabrak however would watch for the small girl in the red hood, not wanting to harm her. He needed to know what she was doing first.

 

[Ruby Wilded]

The weakest of the two were no match for Krest. Maybe if they hadn't given up the element of surprise they could have ambushed them more effectively. They'd just have to live with the consequences of fighting a Force Master, or die as it was the case for the bald human and the Rodian who's lower arms were gone and a hole blown deep into his leg. The Falleen was the true threat out of all of them. Brought to a knee by the redirected blaster bolt. Her armor hidden beneath the cloth saved her from deaths call. Burning yellow eyes drew upwards to bury their gaze into Krest's back. Anger swelled in her veins. An arm raised to attack, no blaster, no sword, The Force would be her tool. Arcs of purple Force Lightning sparked and trailed towards the Zabrak with intent to kill. "Die interloper".

Ruby drove towards her assassin. The Mandalorian was a big fellow. Krest towered over her but this guy was like a skyscraper by comparison. His sword drove down on her with force enough to cut her in two, maybe even three pieces if he was lucky. Ruby let on the speed and tucked down under the swing. She tumbled through his legs to a second of safety. It was quite the move for someone who's only combat experience was video games and school yard brawls. The Mando recovered and came about to take another go. Ruby was well ahead of his reaction time. She'd armed herself with the most dangerous object in her immediate reach; two cans of Chef Boy-R2-D2™. The impromptu items were launched from her knelt poise as hard as she could throw them at the Mando. The first caught low on his helmet, breaking open to release its less than nutritious sauce and droid shaped food bits over visor and chest. The second impacted the visor itself on the left, cracking and aiding in the obstruction of his view.

The Mando sword up and down a list of bad words directed at Ruby. Both were right pissed off with the other. Mando man was forced to drop his blaster to start wiping away the sauce but didn't relent on the attack either. The Beskad swung down only missing by and inches gap from her head, a few lose strands of hair were casualty to its sharp edge. Ruby nearly balked back from such a close call but she was angry now, which made her both brave and stupid. The sword kept on traveling into the shelf, opening a gap between the assassins right and a shelf. The gun was laying for the taking, and it was her best bet of surviving. Ruby lunged up and forwards to her awaiting prize.

A bright light and heavy shadows washed over the store from the other remaining assassin. She didn't know what was causing it or the time to really process what it was, focused on her fight at hand. It was a lot like a welder fusing metals together. though

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

The mix of his waiting to see [member="Ruby Wilded"] and the mans assumption that the Falleen was dead proved a very costly mistake. With his back to the girl, he took on the full brunt of the lightning, causing a hollow roar to escape his form. Unable to act as the lightning shorted part of him out, the man would drop to his knees, his form smoking.

But it would seem he wasn't the only one to think that their opponent was dead. As the falleen shifted her eyes to see the girl giving the Mando trouble, Krest felt a gap within the lightning. With this gap, the Zabrak was able to erect not a barrier, but tutamanis. No longer was his form brimming with pain, but he was getting stronger. Moving to stand, he would find more of the lightning thrown at him. Fear, hd could feel it without having to see the Falleen. Turning on a heel, both of his hands would be brought around to her form, and with pure killing intent and himself just filled with power he would grip her form entirely, and lift her up.

The next part was filled with screams first. Her form would contort in ways it shouldnt, bending and twisting as Krest's hands grew closer together. But her screams were cut off at a loud crack, followed by several more in unison. He had bent and forced her body into an oddly shapped ball. Turning once more to Ruby and the mando, his voice would sail out as he brought the dead around, throwing it right at the mandalorian.

"Get away and close your eyes!" A thermal detonator was strapped to the coprse, and while it was okay to look at those kinds of explosions, he didn't want the young girl to see the broken form.

 

[Ruby Wilded]

The odds now against the hunters who have become the hunted. Not even the Sith Assassin could not conquer the Zabrak Force Master with a barrage of lightning. Her death was most violent, as many Meatbags often meet their end.. Now it was down to the the remaining assassin, a Mandalorian warrior embarrassed by the little girls tactful ploy. That only served to erk him more. Ruby had managed to get a hold the gun, a few feet away on her stomach from the killer. She did not witness whatever Krest had told her to close her eyes from.

A muscular pull wrenched free his sword. Just in time to be free for the proximity warning his helmet rang his ears of. A close call with the fleshy ball, the bloodied remains of his partner had been ducked under in the nick of time. A pretty good glimpse was seen, maybe even an eyeball. The explosive was not expected, the corpse continued on to far to vaporize him, but knocked him forward to a knee. A hail of debris and dust blown out from the blast rained down on all of them. "That was a dirty trick Zabrak. Not that she wouldn't have done the same, heh". The Mando grabbed hold of a shelf to rise. He expected to see Krest but was surprised when it was the girl.

Ruby had the blaster in hand, arms held out at length. Standing between the two as some kind of blockade. Bravely before the Mandalorian, and a shield from Krest. "Stop fighting. No one should have to die. Whoever you think I am, you've mad a grave mistake and harmed a lot of people. I'm nobody, I don't understand why your trying to kill me"? It was a desperate move to end things. Dangerous and foolish.

Sword point pricked her neck, before anyone else could move in the Mandalorian was poised to thrust straight through her windpipe, but held. "You have no idea who you are Ruby Wilded. We were told such. Didn't expect you to have a guard dog though. Matters have been complicated, and my employers will not be happy. If you call your dog off though. I will let you live... for how long that will be".

"Fine, Krest. Don't hurt him". Ruby looked back on him, a plead in her silver eyes to listen. The blade scratched along her skin while she'd craned her neck. "This can be my final payback for earlier".

"A wise girl. Stupid, but wise at the same time. Don't be so bold as others won't be so forgiving to your bravery as myself". The Mandalorian pulled back his sword. "My gun". A open hand presented itself wanting his possession back.

Ruby pulled her head back around. She'd almost forgotten she had it, but handed it back willingly. If Krest hadn't started throwing bombs she may have used it. How it would fare to his armor though was something un-witnessed in this line of events. "Before you go, tell me your name. You killed my mom, she was in that building you destroyed".

"Jaqen. Jaqen the Hunter". The Mandalorian pushed aside of her and headed towards the door. "May we cross paths again hopefully, so I'll still be alive then". Krest still stood between him and escape. Would the dog listen to the pup was a worry. Dying today though, dying in a week for this. It mattered little if he was indeed to die. "Dog, I will leave you with a warning". The giant's voice softened so the girl may not hear him. Striding the last few steps till they were feet apart one another. "Her father has made very, very powerful enemies. She does not know anything. Do not think they will not send more, to get at him. Protect her if you will, but it may cost you your life". That was the end of it, he began to move past and be on his way.

Ruby stood looking away from the two. Clutching with a hand, her cape in a vise white knuckled grip. Her knees shook and weakened until they gave under her weight. Strength all but failed and tears could no longer be held back.

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

Krest kept quiet as [member="Ruby Wilded"] spoke up. Dog? This Mandalorian knew not what he was saying. The red man was half tempted to burn him alive in his suit, but.. Ruby. As the man came close with his own warning, the Zabrak would step to the side to let him pass. But not before leaning in to whisper his own threat.

You, like those others you mentioned, will burn.

It was simple, quick. But there was a hint of danger to the mans voice. He had slaughtered three of this mans allies with just his hands, not something to look down on. But he would let the man leave, if only for the young girls sake. Once the mando was gone, he would turn to her, a sad expression on his face. "We have to go." It was all he could say. He didn't know or understand the pain of loosing a parent. His mother died when he was born, and his father was someone he actually wanted dead. The most he could do was protect her from.. What ever this was. And that meant they had to leave, immediately.

 

[Ruby Wilded]

Ruby sat rather limply in a W leg position faced away from Krest. She wrestled back her tears for now. Sadness was given to the wayside for simmering hate and a lack of outward emotion. "Go where? I don't have a home to go back too. They took everything from me". Ruby leaned forward and grabbed a hand full of rubble. Squeezing it too in her hand. A lump formed in her throat, she wanted to start shouting, but it would not allow.

[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"You are still alive yes? Come with me. I can teach you how to fight back, teach you how to use this pain you feel to avenge the death of your mother. Or, we could go and find your father. I'm sure he could help you." As he spoke to her he kept his eyes out, scanning the area for any possible threat. Already there had been an attempt, and while he was sure the Mandalorian was long gone, part of him felt like there could be another attack at any moment.

"Choose quickly, we must leave."

[member="Ruby Wilded"]

 

[Ruby Wilded]

Ruby brought a leg up, pressing a hand into the knee as muscles flexed and brought her to rise. "I am. And I will learn from you. To become a warrior. And kill Jaqen the Hunter, the people who payed him to do this, and anyone else who stands in the way of that goal". Ruby looked at the destruction before her. This was just a poor showing of the real battled the Galaxy has to offer, and something she'd need to get used to seeing. "And what goods my dad. He's a deadbeat I haven't seen since I was four". She turned to face her Master. A fierce determination holding as a dam the tides of her emotions within her. "Lets just go".

[member="Darth Ferus"]