Private Red to White (Braze)

[Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax]

[Happened before Lets Meet]

As the boy held the red crystal in his hand, surely he'd feel the depths of deep emotions churning inside like chaotic storm. There was no anger attached but an overwhelming sense of sadness was not something that could be ignored when so close by. The red crystal called and cried out alone in the palm of hand. It was the one Teresa had bled right in front of Braze, he had watched her turn a brilliant yellow gem before his eyes corrupting it.

"This blade belonged to my father"— a yellow crystal floated out towards her palm. The small rock began to shake as Teresa let her emotions free. She did not fill the space with a heavy sensation of anger and rage. Rather running off the tones of the conversation drew on the sad notes and passion. Its yellow hew became red in moments. There was no grand vision or overwhelming power this time, but she felt the connection to the crystal. Pushing it out towards braze it dropped in front of him —"So till we get you a new one, you can hold onto that and use it as you like. I only ask it comes back whole and usable."

A gentle cooling breeze made the leaves above rustle, as they did the sun glittered through the spaces. Everything seemed quiet today and because of that this crystal became so hard to ignore any longer.

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax

Braze couldn't ignore the crystal any longer. He had carefully gathered a small collection of crystals and spread them out on a large sheet beneath a tree at the cliff's edge. The grass was soft under him, and the view from the cliff was vast, but his focus was on the crystals.

Another sorrowful rock rested in his pouch, but that could wait. As he sat, he felt the presence of each crystal, the Force flowing through them like a quiet song. Each one held its own unique resonance, a connection to the life it had once been part of. Even the large crystal he had left in the house could be felt from here, its energy steady and strong.

This was a moment of connection, a time to understand the purpose of these crystals. Braze wouldn't rush it—the other matters could wait. For now, it was just him, the crystals, and the Force.

He looked over the corrupted red crystal, holding it gently in his hands. Drawing a deep breath, he slowly exhaled and closed his eyes, focusing his mind on the wounded crystal. He reached out with the Force, seeking to understand what had caused it such pain and suffering.

 

[Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax]

As Braze focused his mind and reached out to the crystal it responded with heavy feeling. That warmth, the soft rustle and gentle breeze slowly disappeared. It was replaced the cold and any shuffle of his feet sounded like a shallow bit of water. The sound seemed to echo endlessly till it dissipated back into silence but his movements where not the only sounds either. Everything around was dark, the inch deep water was inky black. Though there was no obvious source of light in the space somehow the water reflected it and one could see far this would be something Braze should notice upon opening his eyes.

Off in the distance was another figure in this space someone small and hunched over a shadow as their fist struck down at it over and over. Each thud sounded painful. That person growled and cried unaware of the intruder of this space. Their hair was long and matted, the clothes wrapped around her seemed tattered and filthy.

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax

Braze furrowed his brows, tilting his head in an attempt to comprehend the unsettling scene before him. What could have driven this person to such despair? The thought lingered in his mind, gnawing at him as he cautiously moved deeper into the darkened void. The inky black water rippled beneath his feet, echoing softly as he approached the small, hunched figure.

He looked around, feeling an overwhelming sense of isolation settle over him like a heavy shroud. The void was vast, cold, and empty, the kind of place that gnawed at the edges of one's soul, making every breath feel lonelier than the last. The air itself felt oppressive, and Braze couldn't help but feel painfully alone in such a dreadful space.

His pale skin, usually a mere quirk of his appearance, now seemed to almost glow faintly in the darkness, casting a soft light around him that made him seem almost ghostly in this desolate place. "Hello? Are you okay?" Braze called out softly, carefully schooling his tone to convey concern, hoping not to startle the figure in their moment of anguish.

 

[Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax]

The girls eyes widened in fright at the sound of another voice, so much so that she practically leaped away and clung close to the floor crouching down. Her eyes glowed a golden orange but was not surrounded in a black void, what there was though was dark bruises, small cuts and copious amounts of dark liquid splattered across her clothes.

Her body shook as she snarled at the boy beaming in light. "Grrrrrr GO!" The girl screamed aloud as she breathed heavy. "Don't close me, go!" Her gaze left no part of the boy left untouched the ethereal glow almost blinding.

The soft ripples in the water came from where her feet touched, and perhaps it was hard to notice the space in where they where was felt smaller than before. A dark mist rose from the distance curling and climbing to a ceiling that couldn't be seen, that was the stuff that crept closer. There was no telling what that stuff was or what it would do if anything at all.

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax

Braze didn't move closer; instead, he lowered his hand and crouched down in the water, squatting low as he wrapped his arms around his knees. He watched the smaller figure curiously, his gaze shifting upward to observe the surroundings. He remained quiet for a time, trying to make himself smaller and less imposing.

"I'm sorry," he finally offered after several long moments of silence. "I've never been here before... I don't know how to leave. I'm lost," he added, his voice meek and quiet.

 

[Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax]

Braze didn't move closer; instead, he lowered his hand and crouched down in the water, squatting low as he wrapped his arms around his knees. He watched the smaller figure curiously, his gaze shifting upward to observe the surroundings. He remained quiet for a time, trying to make himself smaller and less imposing.

"I'm sorry," he finally offered after several long moments of silence. "I've never been here before... I don't know how to leave. I'm lost," he added, his voice meek and quiet.

She watched him closely as he lowered down, clearly not threat, maybe a trap? the girl thought for a second questioning everything. Teresa tilted her head at the first two words confused of their meaning, though the next ones she could string enough sense. "I... um, don't know here. Just survive here," she responded back in broken basic. "It rains lots, monsters hunt, but I hunt back."

The dark mist closed in much faster and as she mentioned the rain it could be faintly heard along with a crack of distant thunder. Slowly the mist began to recede taking on shapes. There were rocks and plants, remains along the jagged rock wall and even a campfire poorly put together, but it worked for warmth. Even the water that was below their feet took shape working together.

Her shoulders lowered a little relaxing a small bit and cautiously looked around while holding herself. After a moment of checking her golden-orange eyes locked back onto the boy. The girl sighed and partly stood to drop back onto sitting on a rock. One hand soothed the other from the cuts and lesions along her knuckles. "This place scary, I don't know how... to leave. Why come?"

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax

Braze flinched slightly at the sound of thunder, his heart racing as the landscape around them shifted with unsettling ease. His saber hand twitched instinctively, but he forced himself to stay calm. This was no ordinary place, and the girl seemed as much a part of it as the jagged rocks and mist.

He turned back to her, his brow furrowed with concern but his voice gentle, a contrast to the danger around them. "I came here to help," Braze said, offering the words carefully, hoping she would understand through the language barrier.

His eyes flicked over her knuckles, noticing the cuts and lesions. There was more to her story than just surviving. More he likely thought he might know about.

 

[Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax]

She had noticed the kid was jumpy, but given this place, so was she. Ever escaping those walls things out here have been no easier. It would be impossible to count how many time people had shooed the girl away from the settlements. What was more is the look in their eyes. That was why her head tilted to the side confused by the boys statement. "Help?" she responded back as her eyes narrowed a little. "No people help ever. Not in this world."

Sounds of thunder continued off in the distance leaving little time in-between for silence. "I don't lie to me, you don't know me!" She said raising her voice at the boy again unable to trust his words. The girl scowled even her fists clenched tight forcing droplets of her blood to drip. Teresa was ready to pounce on this boy from anger and frustration. That expression and tension in her body lasted only a few moments.

"Don't lie," she said softer this time carrying a deep tone of loneliness in her voice. "I alone, no person, others leave when I-I killed" she growled, "master. I hate, hate hate HATE HIM!" The girl began to hit herself in multiple places as she was begin swallowed in intense emotions.

As lightning flashed a shadow cascaded along the bend leading to the entrance of the cave. The cave even slightly rumbled sending loose pebbles clattering. In her short burst of anger something had noticed the noise. It's heavy steps may have been drowned out but its deep roar was distinct.

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax

Braze's eyes widened as the girl's anger surged, and her words cut through the tense air like shards of glass. He felt the rising emotion radiating from her, a storm of pain and loneliness—emotions he understood more than he liked to admit. When she began hitting herself, Braze instinctively shifted forward, ready to stop her. He moved quickly, yet gently, closing the short distance between them. His hands shot out to catch her wrists, but he was careful not to hold too tight, mindful of her injuries. His grip was firm enough to stop her from harming herself but not so strong that it would feel controlling.

"Hey, stop," he said softly, his voice low but urgent, meeting her wild, tear-filled eyes with his own. "You don't deserve this."

He held her gaze, the pain and rage she felt burning through her, but his presence remained steady. "Whatever he did, whatever he made you feel—you don't have to carry that burden like this. Hurting yourself won't take that pain away."

Braze didn't pull her closer or push her away, just stood there holding her hands in a calm but unyielding grip, offering a quiet moment of solace.

"And... I'm not lying," Braze said softly, his voice steady despite the chaos around them. "I know you don't trust me, and that's okay. I wouldn't trust me either if I were in your shoes. But I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here because... I know what it feels like to hate, to want to destroy everything connected to that hate."

He slowly stood up, but kept his movements calm, showing he meant no harm. His pale skin, illuminated in the flashes of lightning, made him seem almost ethereal in the gloom. "You don't have to believe me, but I'm not leaving you here alone." He glanced toward the cave entrance as the rumble of heavy footsteps reached them. Something was coming, something dangerous.

His gaze returned to the girl, golden-orange eyes locking with his. "You're not alone... not right now. We can fight together, or we can stay trapped in this... whatever this place is. But I won't let you face it by yourself.... Let me help, or we both stay lost."

He moved to pull her gently trying to move away from the sounds.

 

[Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax]

She was startled, those warms hands were something completely unexpected even if the grasp was firm. After he asked her to stop, she looked up into those green eyes. Why did they terrify her more than those that held nothing but contempt saw her as nothing more that dirt under their feet. Yet this boy shed a tear for her. The girl did not understand every word that came out of his mouth, though she understood enough. All she could feel was a big ball of emotion pressing in her, it was sickening because it felt like it was growing bigger.

"You don't have to believe me, but I'm not leaving you here alone."

The girl lowered her head as strands of black hair covered in dirt hid her face. This persons words hurt but she did not hate them. It was not a normal thing she wanted to heard but would not deny alone hurt more. "Mhm," she hummed in a way that accepted those words that maybe it was a chance.

Yet those heavy stomps made her tremble a monster that did not give up. Those eyes that glowed with blind madness, its claws that can shred flesh like splashing water, it's jaw that could devour her in a single bite. This beast scared the girl more than the boy did and though she trembled her body remained still.

"You're not alone... not right now. We can fight together, or we can stay trapped in this... whatever this place is. But I won't let you face it by yourself.... Let me help, or we both stay lost."

How can something so warm and so bright fight, she thought immediately after hearing his words. "T-the cave, i-it go's big down," she spoke with a hushed voice wanting to run as he pulled her gently. "It hit you, crunch. It grab you, squish. Can't fight, will die."

The unmistakable sound of the beast sniffing the air was soon followed by a menacing growl. A large, clawed hand wrapped around the corner, and then its grotesque face emerged. In the dimly lit cave, its shape was easy to discern. Perhaps the boy had never encountered one before, but the species was infamous.

Gundarks are notorious for their short temper and thirst for blood, attacked without the slightest provocation. After all, it was known as one of the most vicious, powerful, and aggressive creatures in the galaxy. This one however was even worse. Its body bore the unmistakable signs of dark side corruption, and the threat it posed grew even greater as more of its form came into view. Clutched in its massive hand was a large stone, brandished like a club.

Quickly it's eyes locked onto its pray making the beasts maw pull into something akin to a grin showing rows of long sharp teeth.

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax

Braze's grip tightened, but he didn't move. His breath was steady, though the weight of the Gundark's dark presence was suffocating. The girl's trembling echoed through him, but instead of retreating, Braze leaned into the fear, using it to ground himself. His jade eyes flickered between her and the grotesque beast, its twisted grin making it clear that it wouldn't back down.

"I know you're scared," he said quietly, the warmth in his voice taking on an edge of urgency. "But running won't save us this time." His gaze never left the Gundark. "I don't need you to fight it. I just need you to trust me—just for now."

Without waiting for her response, Braze's muscles tensed as he scooped her into his surprisingly strong arms, lifting her effortlessly. She was small, light in his grip, and he carried her as if she weighed nothing, just as he had carried Alirus in times of danger. He moved quickly, every step purposeful, his eyes darting around the cave for a safe place to set her down, somewhere defensible where he could face the beast head-on.

The Gundark's growl grew louder, but Braze kept his breath steady. His sharp eyes caught the sight of a small alcove carved into the stone walls of the cave—just deep enough to shield her from the worst of the coming battle. He darted toward it, his steps quick but measured.

Reaching the alcove, he gently set her down, making sure she was shielded from sight. "Stay here. Don't move until it's over," he murmured, his voice calm but firm, an unspoken promise beneath the words.

Without hesitation, Braze turned on his heel, his body poised with a warrior's grace. His hand slid to his belt, and with a snap-hiss, a brilliant chalcedony-teal blade ignited in his hand. The soft glow of the saber illuminated the dark cave, casting long shadows as the Gundark stepped closer. Braze's stance shifted, ready to face the monster. The small snowy haired warrior held a stern calmness and confidence that through the tension like his blade through the darkness.

 

[Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax]

"Trust, can I?" she thought, but one look at that creepy maw and the choice was clear as day. "O —" before even having chance to give a response. It was like it was effortless for him to surprisingly lift her light body into his arms. At first she panicked trying to wriggle out, this boys grip was just to tight. It only took for her eyes to glance once more seeing the creature move futher inside. The girls frail hands clutching something wrapped around Braze's shoulders and hid her face.

Teresa's body would felt freezing cold and she was trembling pretty hard. Her clothes felt rough and they where filled with holes, there where even spots that felt wet. She did not know where they where going she did not want to see, despite that its loud roaring growl made her cling even harder. "Done much to get free, don't want to die, I don't want to die." The girl said speaking into Braze's shoulder.

Before long the girl noticed him slow down, his arms relaxing and putting her down. She looked at him with a now scared expression, not like that surprised one or defiant. It was pure fear that coursed through her taking any strength in her legs. Even if he told her to stay, she reached out with her hand unable to mutter a single word despite her lips moving as to say don't go.

As the boy turned igniting a mesmerizingly pretty coloured blade she could not help but think it was similar to her old owners, the very one she clutched tight in her hand. Before long the Gundark had caught up, its weapons scraped across the ground as it moved closer and closer towards where the boy was. The beast moved up onto hits legs standing tall for a moment as it prepared to smash the ground with both its club and fist.

Braze​

Spoiler: Lightsabers and equipment

Teresa's Training Outfit
Iroai Amulet

Old Owners Lightsaber

Ancient Lightsaber

Trandoshan Jedi's Lightsaber

Fathers Lightsaber

Svikin hjörtu

Sekitangara

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax

Braze shifted his stance, the air around him crackling with the tension of the Force. With a swift and powerful motion, he drew back his blade, raising it high above his head. In a heartbeat, he flicked his wrist forward, unleashing a deadly arc. The weapon blurred through the air, a shimmering streak of color that traced a vivid path—a vibrant circle of death that sliced through the silence of the battlefield.

The lethal projectile struck the beast with unrelenting force, cleaving it in two with a sickening sound of tearing flesh. Its massive arms fell limply to its sides, the upper half of its torso leaning precariously before it succumbed to gravity, toppling over in a grotesque display of defeat.

Braze's control over the blade was mesmerizing. With a focused thought, he summoned it back, watching it zip through the air with precise obedience. He caught it deftly, the cool hilt fitting comfortably in his palm— a well practiced motion.
He had no intention of letting that creature—or anything else—come close enough to harm them. With deadly efficiency, he would lash out at any threat that dared to approach.

His eyes scanned the shadows ahead, searching for other potential dangers lurking in the cave. As he turned slightly, he flourished his blade into a guarded stance, fully alert.

"Are you alright?" he asked, not bothering to turn and look at her, instead focusing on sensing any further impending threats.

 

[Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax]

​

She could not believe how fast he dispatched the beast, actually it scared her a little. "Uhh y-yes." the teen trembled out. Slowly she began to crawl out of that space standing up. A very scratched and worn lightsaber hilt was clear to be seen in her hands. Teresa dared not approach closer not while that beam hummed in his hands.

Her eyes could not pull away from the cleanly sliced corps. Seeing that it was dead, unphased the girl, usually they'd be half eaten or rotting into the ever wet soil outside. "More soon. Need to go run, hide. Come." Holding the hilt in her hands out in front, she fumbled around twisting it till finding the slide switch. A red beam snap hissed out in front, at the same time it looked as if that moment that the blade became heavy.

She began to walk further inside leading the way. There was no trust in the one behind but right now she wanted to believe. Was that wrong? Am I aloud to want different? she thought. "Many monsters, not worst but scare me most. Monster hunt as group, circle pray, catch and kill."

What she said was not wrong. Though it did not feel the same as sensing things normally, the feeling of danger that would alert the boy was no less real or it at least felt that way. It was hard right now to tell just how many more. The scent of its kins death lingered now in this space trapped where the rain can't touch.

"How you get here?" Teresa asked, though the vocabulary was broken. She'd been wondering where this oddity, this slightly glowing existence came from.

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax

Braze deactivated his blade, its soft glow vanishing as darkness seeped back into the cave. With a steady breath, he nodded to her, stepping closer. "Alright," he said softly, eyes meeting hers. "I'll trust you to lead us."

He glanced down at the battered, worn lightsaber hilt in her hand, his brow furrowing slightly. It was a relic of conflict, visibly as scarred as she seemed to be. The crimson blade she had ignited was something he recognized, yet seeing it wielded by her was different—a symbol of survival. He held back his questions, understanding they weren't ready to be asked, at least not yet.

Falling into step behind her, he listened as she spoke of the dangers ahead, her voice edged with apprehension. He could feel her fear and distrust woven into each word, as if leading him was an emotional risk.

"Well…" Braze started, struggling to find the right words to explain his presence here, somewhere between reality and the crystal's fractured memories. "I got a little… lost," he admitted, knowing how inadequate it sounded. "It's hard to explain. I'm… well, I guess I'm not really supposed to be here like this. It's like I'm a guest in your world, here to see what you've been through. Here to help you." He glanced around, taking in the eerie familiarity of the space, a haunting reflection of the emotions he sensed.

He suspected this shade of Teresa, or her memory bound within the crystal, might not fully grasp the abstract nature of what he was attempting: to connect with the crystal, to purify its agony and, somehow, soothe its fractured heart.

As they moved deeper into the cave, Braze kept his senses alert, the weight of the silence and her caution pressing in on him. He let her lead, keeping close enough to shield her if necessary, yet not so close as to intrude on her space. In this bleak, twisted landscape, he was the outsider, a stranger who came to offer a helping hand—a presence that might, somehow, bring peace to the wounded crystal they were both bound within at present.

​