Private The Weapons Known As Shadows

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

"I'll take you up on that sometime. Handling dangerous artifacts comes with the territory of being a Shadow." Drystan nodded. "That's another neat perk of being one, you know."

"The Order gives us more leeway with forbidden artifacts and knowledge—part of that autonomy I mentioned. But it's not for the faint of heart. We're more than just stealth and lurking in the dark. You need the right mindset for this. I won't throw it at you now—but if you're still interested later, we'll get to the mental side of things. And it's a lot tougher than the physical aspect of being a Shadow."

He smiled at Braze's statement. "I get what you mean. Martial arts go beyond the physical. That's why I can't say I've mastered any—I just take what works, make it mine. I've been trying to find some older holocrons, to see if I can pick something up from the old masters."

Drystan raised a brow at Braze's smirk. "What's there to steal? I've been an open book—unless you're after test answers. In which case I won't part with them that easily."

With that, he pushed himself up, dusting off his clothes before glancing at the horizon.

"Alright, let's head inside the temple for your next lesson… or tryout, whatever you want to call it." He rolled his shoulders before walking over to grab his coat.

Despite his calm demeanor, a hint of mischief stirred in Drystan—he had something planned for their next lesson.

Braze Kai'el

 

[Braze Kai'el]

TAGS: Drystan Creed

"Oh yeah? I think I'd be interested... Nothing I've come across in this avenue has been particularly easy," Braze admitted.

"'Stealing' is a lot more fun when you can copy something without the other person realizing it," he added with a light smirk. "It adds an extra bit of challenge—makes a game out of it, which keeps me interested. I get a thrill out of risk-versus-reward scenarios."

He padded along after Drystan, brushing the dust off his clothes before stifling a yawn against the back of his hand. "So, what's the next lesson?" he asked, his tone bright and eager. It was clear from his demeanor that he'd enjoyed what they'd done so far.

​

 

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

"I'll keep that in mind. Maybe set aside some time another day to show you what I mean." Drystan muttered, brow furrowing.

Braze's remark about stealing something put him slightly on edge. Out of habit, he patted his pockets—wallet still there.

"Just so you know, you're not dealing with the average schmuck. If you take something from me, I'll know." A low grumble followed. Maybe it was a joke, but Drystan's instincts rarely switched off.

They reached the temple entrance, and Drystan came to a stop.

Around them, the usual flow of Jedi, droids, and travelers moved through the temple grounds, each absorbed in their own tasks. Drystan and Braze blended in with ease, their presence unremarkable—save for their distinct appearances.

"Simple game. Part assessment, part interest check. Classic hide-and-seek."

While the rules were straightforward, he had no intention of making it easy.

"You'll be trying to find me. I won't mask my presence. But I'd urge you not to use the force unless you're really stuck."

A brief pause.

"Any questions before we begin?"

Braze Kai'el

 

[Braze Kai'el]

TAGS: Drystan Creed

Braze stifled a chuckle as he watched Drystan pat himself down, searching for any missing belongings. "Oh, it wouldn't be something so... mundane," he mused, his tone carrying a playful edge. "I once swiped a Temple Guard's mask. Another time, a Mandalorian's weapon—things that actually posed a challenge."

He let the words linger just long enough before adding, "I gave them back afterward, of course." A casual shrug punctuated the statement. He never meant to keep them; it was the thrill of the game that mattered.

At the mention of hide-and-seek, the mischievous glint in his eyes sharpened, a spark of youthful energy flickering to life. He practically lit up, his eagerness barely contained as he almost vibrated with excitement.

"I can do that," he declared with confidence.

Then, with the precision of a strategist setting the terms of engagement, he pressed, "What's the radius? And what do I get if I find you?"

​

 

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

"You can try." Drystan corrected, loosening his stance as his eyes flicked across the crowd.

His skill in replication went beyond combat—it extended to mannerisms, the way people walked, moved, existed in their own bodies. He could blend in with ease, even mimicking droids if their make was close enough to his own physiology.

Hundreds. Thousands of possible shifts in his presence.

All he had to do was pick the right one for the right moment.

At Braze's question, Drystan raised an eyebrow. He hadn't considered turning this into a wager, but there was no harm in it. If anything, it might push the younger Knight to try harder.

"Hadn't thought about making this a bet, but I'm not opposed." He paused. "Wouldn't even know what to give you if you found me."

Another pause. Drystan wasn't sure what he could offer Braze if he won. A gold star and a pat on the back seemed hardly fitting, though a part of him wanted to stick to his usual methods. However, a challenge like this deserved something more substantial—something meaningful.

Problem was, he had no idea what that would be.

"What do you want?"

Braze Kai'el

 

[Braze Kai'el]

TAGS: Drystan Creed

Braze perked up, a smirk tugging at his lips. "How about you and I go out for a frozen treat?" he suggested. Ice cream had always been a favorite of his, and he had fond memories of Corazona von Ascania offering him treats as a kind of truce. And that time Zark San Tekka gave him a frozen treat. It was a small but meaningful gesture—one he wouldn't mind reliving.

"What do you want if you win?" Braze asked, flipping the question back on Drystan. The answer would give him insight into the other Shadow, and if there was one thing Braze excelled at, it was gathering information. He soaked it up like a sponge, studying every nuance, every shift in expression, eager to understand his newest opponent.

"Is there going to be a specified radius for this?" he added, considering the logistics. A game of hide-and-seek could get complicated if the entire world was fair play. That was a lot of ground to cover, after all.

Closing his eyes briefly, he took a slow breath in, then let it out in measured intervals. He might not be able to pick out individual heartbeats and sounds the way Aris Noble could, but Braze had his own method. As a practicing perfumer, he had trained his nose to recognize the subtle, unique scents that clung to a person. And in a game like this, that skill might just come in handy.

​

 

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

"Frozen treat?" Drystan hummed, mulling it over.

The request was simple—too simple. For a brief moment, paranoia itched at the back of his mind. He had half-expected Braze to ask for something more—something valuable, intangible, like his darkest secrets.

He exhaled, chiding himself for the thought.

"I know a dive that serves solid ice cream. They make a mean cheesesteak too."

Now for his own prize.

Drystan rubbed his chin, eyes narrowing in thought. A few moments passed before something lit up behind them—a spark of an idea.

"If you can't find me within the hour, you'll owe me a demonstration of that Echani martial arts. Haven't found a lot of good pieces to copy."

He stepped forward, now standing a pace ahead of Braze before turning to face him directly.

"As for the rules, we'll keep it to this general area—say, a half-click radius." He spread his arms, gesturing to the open space around them.

"I'll take a fifteen-second head start. You know—to find a place to hide and all that."

His smirk lingered. This was going to be fun.

Braze Kai'el

 

[Braze Kai'el]

TAGS: Drystan Creed

Five blocks—give or take. That was quite a bit of ground to cover. An hour, though? That seemed excessive. Leaving poor Drystan to hide for that long would be cruel. Braze mulled it over for a moment before making his decision.

Spinning on his heel, he shut his eyes, pressing his hands firmly over them. "One… Two… Three…" He counted aloud, voice carrying through the space, his tone as much a declaration as it was a game.

When he finally reached the end of his count, he lowered his hands and set off, his stride unhurried. A deliberate stroll rather than a pursuit.

He meandered through the library first, trailing a hand along the spines of books, occasionally pausing to pluck one from the shelf and skim a passage. Hardly the mark of an eager seeker. When he eventually drifted toward the cafeteria, it wasn't with the urgency of a hunter on the prowl but the casual air of someone following a whim.

If anyone had been watching, they'd think he had already forgotten the game. He fetched a bowl of the daily soup special, giving it an idle stir, seemingly absorbed in nothing in particular.

In truth, Braze wasn't looking for Drystan. Not really. At least, not in a way that would make it obvious.

​