Take a Chance On Me

[Zesiro]

Milo blocked all of her blows, acting like she was just an irritating bug to be swept away. At the end of her attacks, he swept her off her feet and Zesiro went crashing to the ground. Landing on her side and smashing her elbow, she looked up at him with anger. Panting, she used the Force to lift up a rock that was behind [member="Milo Ren"] and aim a throw at his head.

She stood up and with one fluid movement, she came in with a low slash directed at his legs.

 

[Milo Ren]

Milo was hit hard by the rock against the back of his head. It was only by instinct that he barely missed getting his legs hit by Zesiro's saber. The Sith felt a warm feeling going down the base of his neck. No doubt it was blood. How severe the injury was unknown to Milo at the moment. It didn't hurt, though. The pain was quickly redirected into the Sith's anger and rage at Zesiro, and inside his head, dark thoughts spoke.

Switch it back to lethal and cut her head off! It'd be too easy. You've already shown her you could beat her blindfolded. Would it be that hard to kill her?

I am NOT killing her.

With a growl of restrained anger, he decided it was time to end this scuffle before it grew into something out of control. Milo took a Soresu stance, ready to counter any attack that Zesiro decided to make and counterattack with brutal efficiency.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Following through with her anger at him at the situation, Zesiro sees his stance change. The fact the rock had hit him, gave her some pleasure, he deserved it for his attitude.

She brought her saber up again to attack in an overhead downward slash which she changed the angle of to a slice at his neck.

[member="Milo Ren"]

 

[Milo Ren]

Milo expertly deflected the blow heading towards his neck and countered with a swift kick to her face, hoping to end the fight with the ferocity and power behind that strike.

Why stop there? No one will know if she dies here.

I will know. And that would be enough.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

With the Force flowing through her, Zesiro was able to backflip away from Milo and his kick. Landing on her feet, she leveled her saber and used the Force to dash at him with a stab at his stomach again. At most it would knock the wind out of him if it connected.

The silence between them was tense and their mutual anger and irritation filling the air.

[member="Milo Ren"]

 

[Milo Ren]

Ah. This again. I'm beginning to see a pattern.

So finish it.

Once again striking a simple Shii-Cho defensive stance, Milo countered the exact same way he had when he had first demonstrated the style. With an expert parry and a flourish, the lightsaber went out of Zesiro's hand familiarly. Without a weapon, the Sith deactivated his own lightsaber and clipped it to his belt. Reaching out with a hand, he focused on holding Zesiro in place, for her not to be able to move, as if paralyzed. The former Ren had learned Force Stasis upon entering the academy and was an expert in the powerful technique. Only a strong-willed individual could resist it, let alone negate the effects all together. Milo knew Zesiro. She had fear and anger, and that worked to her advantage, but strong-willed? Unlikely.

Weakling.

"When will you learn? You cannot best me!"

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

When her saber went flying from her hand again, [member="Milo Ren"]'s saber went away and she watched as he raised his hand. It was almost a familiar motion, similar to the one Kyrel had used on Endor when he tried to choke her. However, instead of a choke, she was paralyzed and couldn't move.

With her anger filling her, she struggled against the invisible bonds. She could barely twitch a muscle, her eyes glared at daggers at him, but she was at his mercy.

 

[Milo Ren]

With an air of victory, the Sith got closer, close enough that she could smell the copper from his blood that was seeping down his neck. The former Ren sneered in her face, laughing at the growing anger he saw building up in Zesiro.

"You're weak. No willpower whatsoever. I don't even need to try to keep this up to hold you in. Does this anger you? It does. I can see it. Good. Let the hate flow through your very bones. It's the only way you'll escape this. Maybe then, when you want to take it serious, I'll continue to train you."

He nearly turned around, but stopped last second and planted a short, gentle kiss on his companion's lips.

"I'm doing this to make you strong."

Taking a few steps in the other direction, Milo sat down and waited. He didn't know how long she'd take to amass the will to escape his bonds, only that he'd wait here until she was ready.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Zesiro could see the blood dripping to his neck from the rock she had thrown at him. The wound had mostly stopped bleeding since it had been delivered. He walked in close enough for her to touch, but she was bound, unable to move. The frustration at not being able to filled her, more she is angry he wasn't allowing her freedom to. He thought she wasn't taking this serious, oh how wrong he was.

He lightly kissed her and walked away. She watched as he sat down, maintaining the paralysis hold on her.

She struggled for a few minutes, he sat there smugly. His look of satisfaction irritating her even more. She wasn't going to beg though. That was weak and she was NOT weak. As she struggled more and more, she got more angry. While she wasn't in pain, her muscles were starting to ache from her trying to break free physically. She used that to further enhance her Force, drawing that pain into her, she lashed out to break free.

Again a failure...Breathing harder now and getting really mad at the situation and Milo, she draws that into her as well. Finally a little movement, she started to break free. However, he would clamp down again when he sense it. What felt like hours passed, but was likely only a few minutes. Combining her pain, anger and everything else she felt, Zesiro fell to the ground, down but free.

She looked at her lover before speaking, her eyes with little flecks of yellow in them.

"Don't you do that to me again."

[member="Milo Ren"]

 

[Milo Ren]

Milo looked over at Zesiro, panting on the ground like a fish out of water. He looked almost bored.

It took her long enough.

"Or what? You'll kill me? Leave me? Here I am, training you, and this is the gratuity I get? You should be thanking me."

The Sith remained seated, inspecting the hilt of his lightsaber.

"Now, are you ready to actually train, or are you going to continue your pathetic attempts at attacking me?"

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

His words came at her like a verbal slap. What would she do? She loved him and couldn't think of what life would be like without him. He has a point, he is making her stronger or trying to. From her showing today, she is bar weaker than he is. She did break out of his hold though, so making progress.

Now he was casually looking at his hilt, like she didn't matter. He was here to train her, but that hilt was more important.

Getting up with a roar, Zesiro attempted to pull his hilt away from him with the Force and wrestle him to ground. His last words, goading her to do more, prove herself wanting to learn.

[member="Milo Ren"]

 

[Milo Ren]

"Continue the pathetic attempts, I see."

Milo let the saber fly out of his grasp and Zesiro wrestle him to the ground. It was down to fists and feet now. No weapons, no Force techniques, just plain fighting. A wide grin crossed his mouth as she was on top of him, trying her hardest to choke the Sith while he held her arms up.

"My, this looks awfully familiar."

Seizing an opportunity, he rolled over, pinning his companion below him. He would then attempt to press his hands down on her throat to choke her, realizing a second too late the error of attempting that particular move.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Her move worked and Zesiro was on top of [member="Milo Ren"] in a heartbeat, trying futilely to get her hands around his throat. He easily prevented this and in a fast movement had her pinned under him. In that second, he had his hands around her throat. That was it, that tipped her into full anger mode. It rushed into her, it's power filling her. This needed to end NOW!

Placing her knees up and feet flat on the ground, she gave huge shove with her hips, throwing Milo off of her and ending the choke her had on her. Calling her saber to her hand, she ignited it and approached him. Her eyes taking on a yellow hue that had never been there before.

Stalking her companion now, she made a moved in on him while he was weaponless. Reaching out her other hand, she attempted to hold him similar to how he had held her earlier. This time, trying to pin him to the ground. She brought her saber down as if to cut off his head.

 

[Milo Ren]

The blow connected to Milo's neck, sending him reeling to the ground, motionless. He was unconscious. If the lightsaber was not on stun, he'd be headless right now. The ferocity of the counterattack had surprised the Sith, who had expected a negative reaction, but nothing this quick and aggressive.

It's dark...I haven't been knocked out in ages.

You're going to let her get away with this?

It's all part of the training. I wanted to see how she would react. Anger is strength, and right now she is stronger than she's ever been. Let her have this slight victory over me. It'll benefit her in the end.

What if this wasn't training? What if that lightsaber was set to kill? What if she really wanted us dead?

That...is a different story. She'd be dead then. I wouldn't have toyed with her. I would've killed her as easily as one swats away a fly. I was testing her, provoking her rage.

Would you have been able to do it? To kill her in cold blood?

....Yes.

....Very well. I believe you. There may come a time when that may be a necessity. Your life or her's.

Then it will be her's.

The Sith's body laid motionless, breathing deeply. Milo's face was calm now, as if he were sleeping, no indication of the internal strife occurring inside his mind.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Zesiro stopped in utter shock when [member="Milo Ren"] went down. He lay unmoving on the ground under her feet. Keeping the tip of her saber pointed at him, she looks down. Milo was truly knocked out. She turned off her saber, sat down next to him and wonder just the hell just happened.

Oddly she felt much like the day when she killed her master. She had hated him with as much passion as she loved Milo. Now she had just struck out blindly at her companion and could have killed him. To be without Milo would be like if part of her heart was gone.

With these thoughts, Zesiro turned off her lightsaber, sat down on the ground next to her lover and cried.

 

[Milo Ren]

She has hate, anger, pain, all fine traits of the Dark Side. Above all, she has an undying devotion to us.

...and us to her.

No. We do not. We are Sith. Sith do not care for others. Feelings such as those only serve to weaken and erode.

...yes.

Emotions directed at us, however, can be exploited. She is crying next to your body right now, even after just moments ago she wanted to kill you. Hold on to her. Use her as a weapon, a tool. Companions are disposable, meant to serve a purpose. Train her. Use that link she has formed with you...with us...to bind her and manipulate her to do our will.

...so be it.

Milo's eyes fluttered open. The yellow irises looked to his left, where Zesiro was sitting next to him, crying at the regret of her actions. Dusting himself off as if nothing had happened, the Sith stood, looming over his companion on the floor. With a calm, inquisitive glance, Milo spoke, voice as smooth as a calm sea.

"Why are you crying? You have done a great thing today. Anger is a powerful tool. Use it. Whenever you find yourself in a situation that is life or death, remember this moment. Remember your pain and lash out against those who threaten you...against those who threaten me."

The Sith gave an almost chilling smirk as what came next was spoken.

"Zesiro...you love me. Would you fight for me? Die for me?"

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Lost in her tears, Zesiro did not know when Milo woke up, she only looked up at him when he stood up. Her eyes while still yellow had lost the glow they had a few moments ago. He asked why she crying and said she had a good thing by lashing out at him. His words washed over her like praise and she drank them in like a parched woman in a desert.

"If any body tried to threaten me, you or both of us together, I will fight. Nothing would stop me."

HIs statement and question made he heart ache. Standing up to be next to him, she nodded and looked at him.

"Yes, I would fight for you and if needed I would die."

But not if you were trying to kill me...the thought went across her mind briefly.

[member="Milo Ren"]

 

[Milo Ren]

The Sith crossed his arms, studying the new woman in front of him. She would serve his purposes well.

"Good. You are brave, my love."

He leaned in and kissed her, but this one was different. Void of passion. Just going through the motions. When their lips separated, Zesiro saw that Milo was studying her.

"But you must be brave even further. I merely wanted to test you now. Your true training will begin shortly. You will be pushed to limits that will break you if you aren't strong enough. Be prepared."

We will turn her into a weapon, yes...a powerful tool, useful against our enemies. The Ren, the Jedi, the Sith, whoever it may be. When we are through with her, she will kill whomever we tell her to kill and will come back, eager to please, like a dog with a bone for it's master.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Watching Milo's body language, he had closed himself to her and Zesiro didn't know why. He called her brave and gave her a distant kiss, looking at her as if he was studying a possession. She clutched her arms about her body and rubbed her wrists, not looking him, but not looking away.

"That was a test?"

Her eyes narrowed as she​ spoke, gleaming in the now dimming light. This testing had taken all day.

"I am brave and can no longer be broken."

[member="Milo Ren"]

 

[Milo Ren]

"Yes, it was a test. I wanted to see how much anger you could channel effectively before I moved on to the real lessons."

Milo's eyes gleamed in the dying light, except it wasn't from the rays of the sun.

"We shall see if you can no longer be broken."

[member="Zesiro"]