Private Sith Academy Reunion

[Ishani Dinn]

"I'm jealous you got a choice."

Falling silent, Ishani busied herself with her cooking. Break an egg, measure the oil and water, pour in the mix. She’d have extra, but she could save it for later, right? Or maybe give it to the neighbors…

“I didn’t have a choice,” she said, her tone strangely light, almost jokey. “I never wanted to be a politician in my life. I was made a Senator because people more powerful than me thought it would save Chaldea from some uncertain doom. Our resident seeress had a vision of the future, you know, and you just can’t argue with a thing like that. So I agreed to do it, because I believed in them.”

Her hands shook a little as she poured the batter in the pan. “I never did find out if the election back home had been rigged, or if that year-long campaign tour they put me through actually paid off. I ran against my own father—wish me luck if I ever work up the courage to see my parents again. I even had to give up the possibility of new love for the sake of my fething planet. His name was Leon…”

The implications of what she was saying were probably lost on Alina, who was likely either apolitical or used to the flagrant corruption of the Sith Empire. But Ishani had been trapped inside an echo chamber for so long, surrounded by people who assured her she was doing the right thing as they led her, blindfolded, deeper into this strange swirling abyss. Now that she had the ear of someone who had known her before, during that brief rebellious phase, all her doubts and worries came tumbling out.

Raising her eyes to meet Alina’s, she pursed her lips, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

“I’m talking too much about myself. I’m sorry. Uh… what made you decide to leave the Sith?”

Alina Tremiru​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

At some point Alina had just stopped eating and.. Stared. Mostly in surprise. There wasn't a lot that she expected to hear from Ishani Dinn about her life, but.. This was surprisingly similar. She laughed. "Ain't life just a queen." Alina shook her head, turning back to her pancakes to take another bite. No choice. Maybe that was their curse of being born or made Sith. They'd never truly be able to make their own choices.

"I fell in love with someone who accepted all of me. My flaws, my hate. She dove back into the darkness for me. When I saw her.. When she almost died, I left for her." She chuckled lightly, closing her eyes.

"Turned out they loved someone else. So rather then be their pet couped up in their estate, I left to do something. Help people, like I'd been helped. Now here I am. Breaking down your door and learning not everything was good for you either."

 

[Ishani Dinn]

“Mega queen,” she muttered. One pancake done and another in the pan, Ishani slathered it in syrup and started eating.

So, redeeming love had saved Lady Tremiru. And yet Alina’s lover apparently didn’t love her back. Or had they been going for that polyamory bullshit the kids were into these days? Ew.

“Well, that sucks.” She took another bite of pancake. “Can’t blame you for leaving. It sounds pretty weird—she was trying to keep you cooped up in her house like a pet? Pass. Hard pass.” She pointed her fork at Alina. “You can definitely do better than being somebody’s lapdog.”

Just like Ishani could probably do better than being a political pawn. To think that she could’ve been lounging on a beach on Chaldea right now with a hot merman—

She was burning her pancakes. Cursing, she quickly turned the heat down and removed the remains of the flapjack. It was a little crispy, but still edible.

“Uh, how’s the whole helping people thing going?” Had she already asked that question before? Damn…

Alina Tremiru​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"Ah, pet was probably a bad word for it. She was.." And just like that Alina was biting back far more cruel words for Ishani Dinn in defense of her former love. She visibly tensed before she spoke up, trying not to sound cruel towards the woman who just gave her food. "It's going.. Fine, so far. I think. Saved someth-one from.. Ah, I don't think I can really say much about it, sorry. Just, I think it's going well."

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Ishani's eyebrows slowly rose as she realized she'd pushed Alina's buttons. Possibly even gotten on her nerves, or irritated her. Displeased the vampiress. Flummoxed the bloodsucking floozy. Et cetera.

Suppressing the urge to jump out the nearest window, Ishani salvaged what was left of the pancakes and turned off the stove. "Um, sorry."

Alina really couldn't talk about much, huh? Not the past, not the present, probably not the future. "Do you have any plans...?"

If she replied saying she couldn't talk about that either, Ishani just might throw her out the window.

Alina Tremiru​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Chit.

Alina turned her gaze towards her food. Try as she might, she'd let too much off in her annoyance, then. Well, at least Ishani Dinn didn't pull a nethersword out again. "No." Well, at least she could answer that. What her plans were, or lack there of. "I've no idea what to do with myself. At least I got time to figure it out, right?" An almost bitter joke in regards to her stasis like immortality.

"What about you? Just being a good senator and mom or do you have something more you plan to do?"

 

[Ishani Dinn]

“I plan to retire to a farm in the Chaldean countryside as soon as possible,” she replied. “Not even kidding.”

Turning around to put her empty plate in the sink, she sighed, scratching her forehead.

“I hated being a Sith, hated being a Jedi, and I hate being a Mystic and a senator too, to be honest. Sometimes I feel like life is more trouble than it’s worth. It’s crazy to me that you decided to become immortal.”

She ran water over the dish, then wiped her hands and mouth with a napkin. “The kids are all that’s kept me going, and yet… I sometimes feel guilty for even bringing them into this world.” Her voice had dropped to a whisper. “With no father, and a miserable pushover for a mother…”

Man, this was weird. Why was she telling Alina all this stuff? Was it because Alina had barely said anything of substance so far, and Ishani was just filling the air between them? Was she just lonely and in need of a friend, or at least a listening ear?

Guilt came over her, and she shrugged, pursing her lips. “You don’t have to stay here and listen to me talk, you know. At least you got some free pancakes out of all this.” In addition to the fun of getting to kick down Ishani’s door.

Alina Tremiru​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"You were quite the push over in the academy. Honestly I figured you'd die." No point in sugar coating it. Ishani Dinn had the personality that the Sith devoured with glee. She'd either of died, or stopped being who she was. Though, Alina's smile had faded some. Her gaze lingered on her arms, her hands slowly flexing. Choosing immortality, huh? "I just wanted my arms back." She didn't realize the cost. Too young, too brazen, too desperate. She was speaking to herself, though blinked.

“You don’t have to stay here and listen to me talk, you know. At least you got some free pancakes out of all this.”

And laughed.

"If all I wanted were pancakes, I woulda left once I was finished. Do you really think I'm that polite to just stick around in a conversation I don't want?" Well, sorta. To people she feared back home. But when she had the choice? No, she stayed because it was nice to talk to someone. To think about someone elses troubles. Misery loved company. It was selfish, but it benefitted both of them, right?

"I hope you can get the life you want. That's what everyone deserves. The freedom to pick their own path, not be forced down one or another." Mistakes and all, Alina did choose her own path. She smiled, turning her gaze towards the children.

"For what it's worth, Arcturus is a fool for not coming back to you and them."

 

[Ishani Dinn]

"You were quite the push over in the academy. Honestly I figured you'd die."

Ishani shot a sharp glance her way, then smirked. She could self-deprecate, but she was damned if she was going to sit and listen to someone else say such things about her. "Of course you would. You think kicking down doors is the proper way to visit an old classmate."

What an incredibly foolish price to pay just for some arms, especially given how wealthy the Tremirus probably were. Alina could've had prosthetics or even a newly grown organic arm made for her, yet she decided it was better to become a vampire?

The rest of what Alina said put a damper on Ishani's mustered defiance, with the last comment about Arcturus Dinn serving as the final nail in the proverbial coffin. Ishani sagged.

"If I ever do find him," she said. "I won't tell him they exist until I'm sure..."

Sure of what, Ishani? Sure that he hasn't gone down that path you knew you never could truly follow? Sure that you won't have to kill him to keep your children safe?

"... sure that they're even his."

Alina Tremiru​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"Of course you would. You think kicking down doors is the proper way to visit an old classmate."

"To be fair you have a very kickable door." She flashed a much more fangful grin, but only for a moment. Her lips thinned, her brow raised. The unspoken 'really' look, a classic. Ishani wasn't sure they were Arcturus?

"I didn't pay much attention, but everyone knew he was the only one you had eyes for. You tellin' me you had a secret crush under the fangirling?" Yes, she was blowing everything out of proportion, but honestly Alina was having a bit of fun with it. Who else had that red of hair, anyway? Another grin, a soft chuckle. Then a more somber look as she looked back towards the twins.

"If he's too far gone, don't hesitate to ask for help. Love doesn't save people who don't want to be saved."

 

[Ishani Dinn]

“Fangirling?” She blinked. Was that really how she’d looked with him? Like a fangirl clinging to her idol?

She had thrown herself at him, that was true. Given time and distance to overthink her relationship with Arcturus, she realized she had taken her love far too seriously even in the beginning. The joking around was just to entertain her beloved, make him laugh. Underneath her sense of humor was frailty and insecurity. She’d been desperate to hold his attention, keep his love, always doubting that his feelings were true and needing some sort of proof…

Shaking her head, she sighed. “There is another candidate for their parentage.”

The tone of her voice and the vagueness of her words were meant to be suggestive. Who was the other candidate? What were the circumstances? She wouldn’t say.

Feeling worse, she leaned against the doorway. The twins were starting to climb down from their chairs; she’d have to catch Marcus before he ran off to play and clean him up. Kid was a messy eater.

"If he's too far gone, don't hesitate to ask for help. Love doesn't save people who don't want to be saved."

Ishani's expression nearly crumpled like used tissue paper right then and there. The thought of it was still too much to bear, even after all this time. "I don't know," she muttered. "That's just it. I don't know anything. Only that he's gone, probably in hiding somewhere, doing Force knows what..."

Alina Tremiru​