Private You Sucked Out All That There Blood

[Xyoz Maji]

"There's no button that's gonna fix that. You're gonna feel that hunger all the time. And sometimes, yeah. You're gonna reach a point where that voice telling you no gets drowned out by the yes. The hunger." Xyoz scratched his cheek as he spoke, his face mostly devoid of emotion. He knew better than most Sangnir just what the hunger could do. Worse, though. He didn't have all the answers.

".. We should find one. To talk to."

Shai Maji

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai stsred down at the glass in her hands, the crimson liquid with its intoxicating smell drawing her to it. She was familiar with addiction. Spice, alcohol, smoking, even Death Sticks... she beat all of it. She broke through those cravings and gnawing thoughts, no matter how hard it was. "I'll get over it. Ive beat everything before, I can get the hang of this." She muttered, taking a sip of the drink and sitting back.

".. We should find one. To talk to."

The moment the words left his mouth, Shai stiffened next to Xyoz Maji as a scowl overtook her features. "Didn't you listen to what I just karkin' said?" She growled as she rose from her seat. "I. Am. Fine." She continued, poking him in the chest as she glared at him. "You don't trust me, don't you? You... you think I'll just fly off the rails." She turned away from him, pacing around the room until finally the glass of blood rocketed through the air towards a wall.

"You're... you're not supposed to be like them, you stupid mutt! You're here! You're old as hell! You're supposed to help me, now you wanna drop me off at some karkin' other bloodsucker?! She huffed with anger boiling through her, hands balling into fists. But barely a second later, the fury dissipated as she looked at the stain on the wall. She felt herself drawn to it, uncaring for anything else that just happened. Hunger gripped her as she licked her lips and stared at the blood on the wall. And that's when it hit her.

Guilt filled her as she looked at him. "Xyoz, I..." She looked away for a moment. "I-I'm... I'm sorry, babe." She muttered with guilt dripping from every word as she walked back to him and pulled him into a hug. "I don't know. I don't know what's wrong or what's right. I got nobody to turn to, nobody to rely on anymore except you. The only person who could have helped is with them." She admitted softly, sitting down next to him.

She sat in silence for a few long moments as she battled with her thoughts. On whether she could do something like that. Talking to them after what they did to her.

But she was different.

By the time she moved again, the sun had lowered a noticeable bit. She blinked a few times and looked at Xyoz. "Babe... please tell me you got my armour. Or at least my commlink. I need you to contact someone. Get her to come here. I think she'll know what to do." She took hold of his shirt, stressing the importance of what she was asking. If there was one person she would give half a chance, it was Runi Kuryida

 

[Xyoz Maji]

"Wha- hey. Hey!" Annoyance actually filled his voice as he listened to Shai. A multitude of different emotions rushed through his mind. So many different words he wanted to say. Only, the realization hit her before he could.

His glare softened as he watched her. Grappling with the hunger and something else he wasn't even sure he could help. ".. I don't want to go to any of those fuckin' bloodsucking bastards. I hate them. All of them. I'll kill any one of em I come across. .. But.. I don't know shit about this. I was made a weapon and a tool. Hell they sent me to go eat my fuckin' family for laughs. I know some shit, but you saw me. I turned feral. I don't want you to go through that kinda shit."

He'd swallow that hate, if it meant helping her. He sighed. Leaned back in his seat. Stared blankly ahead beside her until she spoke up. Then blinked. And laughed.

"What, that ol' junk? Course I toss- I'm kidding. I know at least how important it is." He couldn't even finish his teasing sentence before he was certain he was about to loose his head. He nodded close by, towards the closet.

"Stashed it in there for when you were better. I figured you'd want it close."

Shai Maji

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai tensed up and her eyes went wide as she listened to his explanation, seconds away from tearing him apart literally and figuratively. To her relief, though, he was simply pulling her leg. Shaking her head, she gave him a light slap as a faint smile cracked through. "Don't scare me like that, you'll give me a heart attack." She joked as she got up.

She opened the closet and there it was, her armour. Battered and broken, but still functional. The Mawite war paint was badly scorched and hammered, but the bright red still shone through it all. With shaky hands she picked up her helmet, the cracked visor staring right back at her. Shai closed her eyes and pressed her head against the helmet as hard as she could for a moment before sparing a glance at Xyoz for comfor. "If she comes. Lock me in my room. Just in case." She instructed as she slid her helmet on and clipped her vambrace around her wrist. The fitting was all wrong. No longer meant for organic arms.

With a few taps of a button she hailed the Shaman directly to deliver a message. :: Runi... it's Shai. I hate myself for having to even talk to you lot right now... but I need help. I'm... I'm having problems I don't know how to solve. Location's linked to the message. Please... come over... or not. Whatever, not like y'all came to help me in the first place. :: With a defeated sigh she ended the recording and sent the message before tossing her helmet and vambrace back into the closet.

"She ain't coming. Just watch. I waited for them to come for Force knows how long and they never came. If she actually touches down here, I'll actually be surprised." She ranted with arms outstretched as she stared at Xyoz with hopeless eyes. Quietly she walked over and sat down next ho him, leaning against his shoulder. "I hope she comes through. I really do. I don't want us drifting apart." She muttered softly.

Xyoz Maji Runi Kuryida

 

[Runi Kuryida]

If the people of the world could, they would pick up the sudden appearance of a vessel in close orbit. It lingered a moment, but began to descend without offering a hail. There didn't seem a point. With no sign of a space-faring civilization who would there be to listen? And if they were attempting to maintain some sort of cover, then they could do so up until the point they felt like initiating contact instead.

Heat shields cast off the friction of atmospheric re-entry, but a ball of fire flare in the sky all the same to those that turned their heads upward at the right moment. Fire became smoke. Smoke became an indistinct, black dot. The dot began to grow larger with each passing second, until at least it seemed to resemble that of a mighty, indomitable dragon. A black beast of legend that fell from the heavens toward the humble people and their fair city below. Did it herald the coming of good, or evil? Would it devour them, or bestow riches? How many thoughts might dance among the masses.

The swept winged vessel descended into the midst of the people. To a nearby courtyard suitable enough to land without damaging nearby structures. It came to rest upon three legs as the wings folded upward out of the way of those that might mill about on the ground beneath them. Not that anyone would have stood where such a terrifying beast sought to land.

Then its maw opened. Or was it a pouch on its belly? Perhaps a secret saddle that'd gone unnoticed at first. The ramp set down on the ground with little fanfare. Much like the emergence of a lone figure adorned in black feathers, which came from the beast and set foot upon the world. Her fair features were touched by ritualistic paint on the cheeks, and her hazel eyes swept over the surround for a moment.

Soon her eyes turned forward toward the place where the hopeless languished. If no one came to her, then she would go to them. The first move had been made; there was no need to expect them to take another while they suffered.

Xyoz Maji | Shai the Jaded

 

[Xyoz Maji]

Lock her in her room, huh?

Xyoz scratched his cheek as he stared out towards the ship that arrived. He at least knew who it probably was. The people around were marveled by it, much like when his own ship descended when he first brought Shai here. Space travel. They weren't so privative they didn't know about it. But the means, they didn't have that. Dreams of flying among the stars without the technology.

Yeah, he could relate to that.

The Shistavanen lit up a death stick. Needless. It had no effect on him and even the negative facts of smoking just didn't affect him. Movies made it seem like that was how to look cool and mysterious. And like someone no body should mess with.

Did a Mandalorian care? Probably not. But if it stopped a potential fight, yeah. He was all for it.

"She's up in her room. Not in a good way, so keep your blaster handy. She goes to take a bite just blast her stomach or somethin'. She'll heal plenty easy now."

Runi Kuryida | Shai Maji

 

[Shai Maji]

It took a while for the Shaman to come, though the time didn't pass easily for the newly turned Shistavanen. Shai's mental state was consistently distraught, with lapses of hunger and rage fighting against her more rational and calm thoughts. Voices bled from her mind to her mouth, sometimes causing her to pace around her room while talking to herself.

Other times her judgement gave way to feral bloodlust, resulting in a few instances of her trying to challenge Xyoz no matter how much blood she consumed. The aftermath was usually filled with guilt and shame.

But when the Shaman's ship touched down, Shai stood like a statue for several long moments as everything fell quiet. "She's here. She actually came." She muttered to herself.

"But why? Did she come to help? Or is she here to finish it?" She paced around as she waited for the woman to find her way up the temple and to her room. When Runi finally came face to face, Shai leaned against the glass between them with a demonic grin on her maw.

"Would you look at that? There's actually someone between all you Dar'manda skugs that actually bothered to show up. You couldn't do that before they tore into me?" Venom dripped from her voice with every word. Pushing off the glass, she spat on the ground between them. "You know what happened? You wanna know why all of you pathetic rats need to fear me as much as you should fear the Maw?" She leaned against the glass again, poking a spot right between her and Runi.

"I didn't have much meat left on me. But the Maw? They made it feel like it would have been better if I was still whole. They got creative. They tried to break me. But they didn't. They couldn't... but you know what did?" She pulled back and punched the glass, sending cracks outward across the pane.

"You did." She growled. "I waited. For weeks... months... I don't even know. But I waited. I hoped. I prayed and begged... but you never came. Kranak never came. The Enclave never came. In that cold dungeon, with my teeth knocked out, my eyes gouged out, and all my limbs stripped from me, I realized that decades of service to my people meant nothing to all of you. Family is supposed to mean something to us... you're all traitors to the way. You're no better than that fake Mand'alor prancing around in the Maw."

She stepped over to a nearby table and picked up a flask, drinking the crimson liquid with heavy gulps. "Xyoz, why did I even call this harpy? I'm karkin' fine. Kark off back to Kestri, Runi. Go hide in your tent with those sticks of yours. Shove 'em up your ass for all I care." She scoffed, sitting on her bed with her back facing towards Runi and Xyoz.

Xyoz Maji Runi Kuryida

 

[Runi Kuryida]

The Shaman mounted the ascent to where Xyoz stood, her hazel eyes turned in his direction as he offered advice on what to expect and how to handle it. "That will not be necessary. Besides," Runi paused in her stride to smile at the man, "I don't carry a blaster." Just the two wooden swords crossed against her back beneath the cloak of feathers. With that, she resumed the trek toward the room where Shai waited.

Some Jedi once suggested blasters were uncivilized. Runi didn't believe that at all. Blasters were quite civilized -- in a fashion. Swords had the same plight, really. Every weapon was civilized when both parties played by a certain set of rules and decorum. The moment either party abandoned either then the battle became uncivilized, and it didn't matter what kind of weaponry was involved.

Something of which would be put on bold display momentarily once Shai and Runi came face to face.

The Shaman stepped into the room and stopped a few feet back from the glass between them. Runi didn't look at the walls or the ceiling or even the floor to survey how completely isolated the woman had set herself. For the Shaman's benefit, no doubt. An unnecessary precaution, but there was no need to draw attention to that or the very existence of the partition. Until Shai herself decided to cast a spiderweb of cracks into it.

Not a word nor a twitch interrupted or accompanied anything Shai did or said throughout the entire outpouring of emotion. Runi listened to every word. Right up until the flippant dismissal.

Runi reached one hand out to the side to conjure a chair across the room. She used the other hand to fan out the feathers as she took the seat. A few seconds passed with the Shaman seated, head back and arms relaxed atop the armrests. "I could quite literally sit here until the sun grows cold, Shai." Her eyes turned in Xyoz's direction. "As I suspect the same could be said of everyone here."

"I can wait. Because you did call, Shai. Perhaps confronted with someone that challenges the image of disregard and the rage it fuels part of you wishes you hadn't, or that I hadn't. It's easier to keep your fist tightly clenched around the thought -- the feeling -- that seemed to carry you through a living hell. At one point you felt it was all you had left. The only thing that held the world together, and if you let go of it... what happens then?" Runi nodded. "Well, I don't know what happens then, Shai, but I know what happens if that rage is all you know and feel."

"You feel abandoned. Betrayed. Lost. Alone. Deprived of what little peace had been left to you. Why shouldn't you be angry? Why shouldn't you lash out and burn the galaxy down? Drive everyone away and pray for someone to come along and end it -- end you and your suffering. Well," the Shaman shrugged, "that is one Path. But I see another, Shai. Not for me, or the Enclave, or any other person in this galaxy. But for you and those still nearest to you." Her eyes did not stray to Xyoz in this. There was no need for her to point out the obvious. Shai must know this herself or come to realize and embrace it on her own. Few things in matters like these could be spoon fed. Didn't take a psychic to figure out Xyoz wasn't just some random person loitering about the place. Especially not with the sharp tongue on the Shistavanen.

Runi's eyes lifted from Shai's form to the cracks in the glass. "So, be honest, Shai, with yourself: what do you want? And despite what I said earlier," about waiting, "I'm only going to give you one minute to decide before I tear this wall down between us. Family don't converse through glass walls." From where Runi sat, the woman needed to feel the embrace of people that cared for her. The glass wall reflected the mental and emotional barriers between them as well; a metaphor not conducive to their conversation. Every good wall crumbled -- one crack at a time.

Xyoz Maji | Shai Maji

 

[Xyoz Maji]

Xyoz stood and listened. Watched. It was all he could do at this point. Nothing that Runi was saying made a bit of sense to him. Not in the way it should, anyway. But he did agree. For years, centuries even, all he had was anger. Rage. Ironic that it was Shai who pulled him out of it.

Though he did raise a hand as Runi mentioned literally bringing down the wall. "Hey, uh. Get that you're family and all and such, but uh. The walls there so she doesn't eat you. I'm all for breakin it down but only if she thinks she won't y'know, rip your throat out."

Shai Maji | Runi Kuryida

 

[Shai Maji]

Sitting on the bed, Shai turned her head further away to try and ignore the woman's words. But it was always impossible for her. No matter how good or bad, Shai could never ignore someone. She always listened, no matter what. And even now, with her mind in turmoil, the faint twitch of her ears signified that she was listening to every single word Runi spoke.

"that is one Path. But I see another, Shai. Not for me, or the Enclave, or any other person in this galaxy. But for you and those still nearest to you."

In the blink of an eye she was in front of Runi with a snarl, her claws dragging down the glass with a piercing screech. "The kriff do you know? Huh? You never answered, Runi. You never said why the Enclave didn't come for me." She paced in front of Runi, like a predator watching its prey. "I FOUGHT FOR OUR PEOPLE!" She shouted with a fist against her chest. "I killed, I destroyed, for twenty years, I lost my life, my clan and my body... and you did nothing. So don't come saying that you got some magical mojo that can just make everything right, you harpy." She stalked away towards Xyoz, resting a hand on the glass in front of him.

Her eyes locked onto his, simply staring as her features softened for a moment. They knew each other long enough that words weren't needed. She didn't want Runi or anyone else to hear what she wanted to say. A hand massaged the side of her head as fear and grief filled her eyes. She needed to know that she made the right choice, that she called the right person. She wanted to make things right, prevent the schism she knew was forming between her and him. The only person in the galaxy she still cared for. She would do anything for him... perhaps giving Runi a chance counted as 'anything'.

"I'm only going to give you one minute to decide before I tear this wall down between us. Family don't converse through glass walls."

Her face hardened at the words as she turned to face the woman. "Come on then. If family's so important to you then do it. Break it down. I'm still on the fence anyway. So I'll give you one shot. Either you get to fix whatever's wrong up here, or I'm having one very nice meal tonight." She stepped away from the window, sparing a look at Xyoz. She needed to do it for him. A faint glimmer met his eyes, adoration sneaking through the pain and anger.

Her shoulders sagged and a sigh rolled from her. With a violent hurl, a chair flew through the air and shattered the thick glass between her and Runi. "Do what you need to do." She muttered.

Xyoz Maji Runi Kuryida

 

[Runi Kuryida]

As soon as the chair penetrate the plane the glass occupied and the spiderweb of cracks splintered, cracked, and began to explode everything simply... stopped. Shards of glass hung suspended in air with the chair amidst the sea of chaos; motion or time itself seemed to have been robbed of them with most of the glass wall still in one piece. Only the center of the impact had began to explode from the force of impact.

Runi's fingers curled about the arm rests as she slowly stood to her feet. Cracks spread across the surface of the glass and the entire thing seemed to explode for a fraction of a second before it too was deprived the natural outcome. On her feet, the Shaman waved a hand off to one side and all the shards of the once solid glass wall simply fell straight down. The soft hiss of sand was all that tickled their ears as the small shards turned into fine granules.

Soon the chair still suspended in air was taken in one of Runi's hands and slowly pivoted down toward the floor before it was set down upright. Shai had said to do what she needed to do, had she not? Then it was done. Curious how Shai had been the one to break the glass... the woman in pain had been the one to suggest it was important to Runi to do so -- to see if the Shaman could manage what seemed the impossible in a single go. Perhaps Shai still cared about being family despite what her words implied.

"You did fight for our people, Shai Krayt. Did you fight out of duty? Obligation? Because it paid well? People bought you drinks, and whispered your name with reverence in dark corners? Because you enjoyed breaking Sith with your bare hands? Is that the kind of person you are?" Runi began to slowly move toward the other woman. "Or did you do it because you cared for your fellow Mandalorian? For your Family? Because I think that is the kind of person you are."

"I didn't come here to tell you to fight, Shai. Not for the Enclave. Not for your own identity. I came here to tell you to stop. Put down your blasters and your blades." The Shaman opened her arms as she drew closer. "I'm here now. We are here now. For you." Xyoz was part of all this. Perhaps a crucial part as someone Shai wanted to be with and that resided outside the circle of those whom Shai blamed.

If Shai didn't stop Runi, the dark haired woman would embrace the fierce, wounded warrior firmly. Not to restrain her, but to simply hold.

Bite her? Tear her apart? Kill her? Shai could do any of these, but the Shaman was not afraid. If there was something to be smelt from Runi it was determination. If Shai wanted a fight -- or couldn't avoid it -- Runi would play her part. Even Family quarreled. What Runi thought Shai needed, however, was a sign that her Family was still there for her despite everything that had led up to this moment. The Path had not been washed away. Obstructed for a time, perhaps, but with strenuous effort it could be found again.

Xyoz Maji | Shai Maji

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai stood in place with wide eyes as the glass failed to shatter the way she expected it to. Instead, the shards simply hung in the air. It took her longer than she cared to admit to realize that it was Runi's doing. The woman took a step back as the glass fell, disintegrating into little more than sand. If she wasn't such a mess of emotions, she would have admitted that it looked epic as hell. Her gaze quickly snapped back to the Shaman as she approached her with a gentle voice. She tensed up, fists balled and ready to fight if Runi tried anything. She didn't know what to expect.

A hug was wasn't even on the list.

With a shocked face she looked at Runi and then to Xyoz, unsure of what to do or if she could expect a knife in the back. But it never came. Her hands shakily raised and wrapped around the woman's armour figure as a shudder rolled through her body. Her hold tightened as she surrendered to the gentle act. "I'm lost, Runi. I don't know what's real or true anymore. I waited so long for you to come." she muttered as she closed her eyes and held the woman close. She didn't notice or smell any deceit on her. The woman was sincere.

"She's takin' you for a ride, mutt."

"She's here now. Go away."

"She never answered. She's hiding something."

"You're... you're lying."

"Am I? Look at you."

"I told you to shut up."

"She's got you hook, line and sinker, you dumb furball."

Her grip tensed as her eyes opened, not realizing she was speaking aloud. A worried gaze turned to Xyoz as she let go of Runi and pulled away from her. "What... what are you hiding?" She muttered, taking a step away from the Shaman. "You're lying. You're all lying." Her gaze frantically snapped between the two as she pressed herself against the wall behind her. "You're trying to swindle me. And you..." Anger filled her being as she looked at Xyoz. "You're helping her. You're with her." She hunched over as rage filled her eyes. "You're all LIARS!"

In the blink of an eye she was in front of Xyoz, slamming a knee into his gut while a fist swung at his jaw. She didn't wait to see if he went down before she lunged at Runi, claws and maw ready to rip and tear like a feral animal.

Xyoz Maji Runi Kuryida

 

[Runi Kuryida]

Hurt and confused. Admittedly, 'confused' was putting it far more gently than the reality of the situation. Shai had become unhinged. Her sense of what was real broken. That complicated every interaction. Merely being enraged could be controlled even if it took a great deal of retraining and even in worse case medicines to counter the flood of adrenaline and other chemical indicators. Unable to distinguish what was true from a hallucination could likewise be mitigated with drugs to afford stability, but to even get to that stage in recovery required great effort. How did you convince someone to take a drug when a voice told them it was poison and there was that 'gut feeling' that taking it would certainly kill you?

The Shaman stood her ground as Shai drew back. Sudden moves would only aggravate the woman. Especially if she believed Runi was there with nefarious intent all of a sudden. A gesture of comfort and love mistaken for a devious means of getting under her guard. Worse, Shai pulled Xyoz straight into the delusion. Partially Runi's own fault, but it had been unavoidable. Xyoz was an important part of Shai's recovery.

Being a skilled and capable warrior, Shai was a lethal patient if enraged or deluded. Despite the suddenness of her physical violence, however, the Shaman stood her ground when the explosion turned toward Runi herself.

Air slid between Runi's slightly parted lips as her left foot slid backward slightly. Her right hand lashed out to deflect Shai's right claw; the Shaman also stepped into the assault and quickly turned her left hand to block Shai's left from tearing into her throat. Runi's left shoulder turned in toward the woman's chest and presented a surprisingly solid impediment to the momentum of Shai's vicious assault. In fact, with so little movement on the Shaman's behalf it might be surprising just how much counter-force was in Runi's shoulder-check of the rampaging Shistavanen.

"If you refuse to suffer the smallest pain even from those that care about you," Runi's hazel eyes stared up at the large woman, "all you will ever know is loneliness." Words alone weren't going to solve this plight, but other powers especially in this arena would need time to be conjured. A mistake here could just as easily as destroy Shai's spirit as correct it.

Xyoz Maji | Shai Maji

 

[Shai Maji]

Runi moved with an elegance the Shistavanen could only compare to a gentle stream leading to a mighty waterfall. Her shoulder smashed into Shai, forcing her attack to grind to a halt, but Shai didn't let up as her hand shot up to wrap around the Shaman's throat while her other hand grabbed hold of Runi's in an attempt to restrain her. An iron grip clamped down to crush bone and armour alike as enraged crimson eyes glared into Runi's gaze from mere inches away.

"Loneliness is all I know, you stupid harpy, so do your worst." She snarled, her entire being challenging the Shaman to try and take her down. To end it all.

The pain in her head kept escalating. The whine in her ears, the piercing stake in the back of her mind, voices crying out for her to surrender while others roared to keep fighting. To keep battling to the bitter end. She tried with all her might to ignore the pain, to shove it back and hide it from both Xyoz and Runi, despite the pain overwhelming her thoughts and emotions.

But she wouldn't surrender. She wouldn't stop until she no longer could keep up. Xyoz knee it. Runi knew it too. The Wardog of Clan Krayt never surrendered.

"I hope you made your peace with the Manda, traitor, 'cause you'll all be paying a visit soon." She growled, her grip continuing to tighten as she locked her opponent in place. Form and skill were no longer a factor. She would tear both the Shaman and the one person she thought she could trust apart, even if she had to die trying...

Xyoz Maji Runi Kuryida

 

[Runi Kuryida]

Runi's brow pinched together as the viscous woman savagely clutched at the Shaman's neck. Despite the disadvantageous stance, however, the hazel-eyed woman didn't try to jerk free of the grasp. In fact, if Xyoz sought to intrude they'd find an invisible wall of Force energy obstructing their approach. Perhaps something the man could get around in time, but even a second or two was long enough.

A grunt followed Shai's command for Runi to do her worse.

As Shai sought to squeeze the life from the woman in her grasp, Runi held her stance and fought with the muscles in her neck to hold back the woman's vice-like grasp. "By your leave," she growled through the merciless hold that made speaking quite difficult. It was always desirable to have a participant's consent to what followed. Though giving it so freely and without limit to a Shaman was...dubious in its wisdom.

The walls around them shook from four poundings in the deep from carefully prepared, leather-topped drums. As a shrill warble of a long-fluted instrument bellowed, the granules of glass shook and began to dance across the floor. Swept into a frenzy it spread throughout the room much like a sea of fine sand.

Lost amidst the sound was Runi's captured limb as it slipped through the vambrace Sahi had taken prisoner. Perhaps she crushed it without tissue and bone to support it structurally. It didn't matter. Both hands swept up, and around to clap against the sides of Shai's head. Thumb and index finger tightly pinched the woman's ears; then the Shaman pulled.

Not to tear Shai's ears off, though the process would hardly be less painful. Runi sought to tear out another two Shai, bringing the sum total to three in the galaxy. Xyoz might have been beside himself with glee or terror, but that too hardly mattered. One was the viscous voice and the other a mewling one.

A flick of the Shaman's left hand sent the viscous, haggarded version of Shai sailing into the nearest wall. "I tired of her voice. Don't you?" Runi said or croaked depending on the mood of the woman that stood between her selves. The one that had put their hands on the Shaman and dared her to do her worst. What was worse than facing yourself at one's most extremes? Death would have been a cheap mercy.

Xyoz Maji | Shai Maji

 

[Xyoz Maji]

Xyoz hesitated, to say the least.

Part of him knew just how important it was for her own people to help her. No, just, he didn't know how to help her. Seeing her accuse him of betraying her though, that hurt. Even if she was the one who said to call Runi, the one who did, he couldn't hide the hurt in his expression. It's what kept him back. Kept him unmoving. He didn't care about Runi or the Mandalorians. He only cared about Shai.

Though what came next he wasn't prepared for. Whatever Runi did.. Made three. Shai's. Three Shai's.

Confusion filled his eyes as he glanced between all three of them. Then looked to Runi.

".. The fuck?"

Runi Kuryida | Shai Maji

 

[Shai Maji]

The glass shards started to wash around them as the intensity built up. Shai was less than a second away from ripping her throat out, when everything turned upside down in the blink of an eye. The shaman's hand escaped and grabbed hold of Shai's ears, and a searing pain escalated in her mind. Immobilized, Shai could only grimace and howl out in pain as she felt like her very being was torn into pieces by the Shaman in front of her.

The pain subsided and the grip on her ears disappeared, allowing her to stumble back with her head in her hands. She only realized what was going on when she looked up to see... two copies of herself?

"What the kriff?"​

She didn't even have time to respond before one of the copies was flung at a wall. Shai stood frozen in place, eyes wide as she stared at the other two copies. But through the confusion and pain pierced a realization. She knew exactly who the copies were. The one by the wall, her pelt was singed and mangled, ragged cybernetics looked like burnt metal while eyes burnt brightly with hellfire. And then the other, hunched over and cowering away with fear rolling off her like a waterfall. She knew them both. She knew them very well. She knew them for years, long before she became a Mandalorian... she simply tried to shove them aside. And the Maw brought them to life. Gave them a voice.

The snivelling coward stepped back with pitiful eyes looking around, finally noticing Xyoz. "B-babe?" She muttered, frozen in place with fear. The ragged cur pushed herself off the floor with a slew of curses, embers drifting from her maw with every word. "Karkin' ants. That's all you are..." She growled as she glared at them all. In that moment, the petrified Shistavanen shook her head as one thought overruled all else.

Disgust

Seeing her real self like this, it disgusted her. Hearing the voices with her real ears, talking to those she cared for most in the galaxy... to think she was sharing the same breath as them...

A fist knocked the coward to the ground hard enough to dislodge a few teeth from her jaw. She didn't have time to react before Shai hurled her at the Cur with a snarl. "You disgust me." She muttered as she straightened out and took a deep breath. For the first time in a very long time, she felt at peace. She felt like she could think on her own again. No more voices.

"Babe, why don't you take Runi and go pour a drink for the three of us. I'll be with y'all in a minute. Just close the door when you're all out." She instructed with a determined voice. Her copies stared up at her as another familiar sight filled their eyes. Fear. Her crimson eyes glimmered with anger as she watched her copies. "I got some corpses to get rid of."

Xyoz Maji Runi Kuryida

 

[Runi Kuryida]

Runi rocked back slightly when Shai released her throat as she herself staggered from the pain. Lidded, hazel eyes rolled over to where a stunned Xyoz stood. It was always pleasing to surprise those blessed/cursed with long life. It helped them to know they hadn't seen everything yet, and they should look forward and seek out other mysteries left in the galaxy. Much as the Shaman believed a soul could find new purpose in the next life, it was not her belief a life should end itself. Be ended because it had gone feral, perhaps, but not self-terminate -- which included death by upsetting the Speaker of the Mandokarla.

As Shai gawked at herself, the Shaman's hands rose as if to resettle the cloak of feathers about her shoulders. A discrete means of massaging her bruised neck. Manda-damned woman had some physical strength to her, didn't she? Runi made a note not to take her lightly in any future sessions.

A shadow of a grimace followed the ragged-Shai as it got to her feet and began speaking again. Her voice -- which came across in more than sound or words to the Shaman -- was quite painful to hear. It was too much to ask that being slammed against a wall would knock her unconscious, wasn't it?

Then Shai did something unexpected. Not for Shai, of course, but for someone in her position. The woman plowed her cowardly-self into the floor with a fist. More, she launched straight toward the ragged-self in short order. Well that was one way to deal with the situation. Was it the healthiest? Not usually. This, however, was an unusual situation. As Xyoz would attest.

With a hum, the Shaman turned and began to stride toward the door. "You do stock strong liquor?" Runi asked of Xyoz as she turned to glance over at the man. Not another glance was cast in Shai's direction. She'd asked for some privacy, so it was only polite to grant it. Why be concerned? Shai could handle herself in a fist-fight. Besides, Xyoz might have some questions to ask out of earshot.

Shai Maji | Xyoz Maji

 

[Xyoz Maji]

"B-babe?"

Something instinctual kicked off in Xyoz's head. Anger. He took a step forward, towards the Mandalorian Shaman. Fear. Shai's fear sent pure anger into his mind. Everything he'd done up to now had been to try and protect her from that. Make her safe. Keep her safe. And now this shaman not only did some weird trick to split Shai apart but brought that fear out? Xyoz didn't understand what it all meant, how it worked.

He just knew he wanted to protect Shai above all else.

Before he had a chance to even act on that flash of anger, though, the crack of a jaw getting punched snapped him out of it. He blinked, turning his gaze towards the trio of Shai's in the room. And at once the anger he felt was gone. No, she never needed him to protect her. That's why he loved her as much as he did.

His shoulders slacked as he released the fists he'd made. The blood leaking from his palms from where his nails had bitten in had already stopped. The wounds already healed. "Only the strongest. Might be deadly for you, though."

He turned from the beat down, motioning Runi to follow him further down. A lounge area, stocked full of various food, drink. The highest end the planet had to offer. Nothing less for a god, right? Xyoz still wasn't sure he liked the idea of being a god to anyone, especially after everything that happened in the Sith, but because of it he had a place to finally help Shai, the way she'd always done for him.

Xyoz plucked up a nearby, expensive looking bottle. Whatever it was didn't matter. He popped it open, uncaring that it wasn't made to pop open, and poured the shaman a glass. A tall one.

Then just took a swig from the bottle.

".. She's gonna be alright, right?" That was the only question he wanted to ask.

Runi Kuryida | Shai Maji

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai's glare didn't waver as she waited for Runi and Xyoz to get out of the room. Though she did grab the Shistavanen's arm as he passed her, pulling closer to plant a deep kiss on his lips. "Save some for me. Me and you got some talkin' to do." She muttered, flashing him a wink and a small smile, a genuine one she hadn't felt in a long time.

The moment they were out of the room, Shai faced the Cur and the Coward with cold eyes. "The kark you think you're gonna do, huh? Where the hell do you think you would be without me? Without us?" The Cur growled as she pushed herself off the ground. "We're... we're part of you, Shai! Y-you... you wouldn't hurt us, right? Not after everything we lived through?" The Coward joined in, still huddled on the floor and clutching her jaw.

"You might be surprised." Shai muttered as her crimson eyes flicked between the two.

"You wouldn't last a day without me, you stupid mutt. I carried us through it all. That little voice that pushed you through." The Cur stepped closer, pointing a black, burnt cybernetic finger towards Shai. "The only thing I wanted for years was to kill that little voice. Now I finally got the chance."

The Cur and the Coward knew what was coming. No amount of talking was going to help them make things right. Get them back in their host. The Cur was the first to make a move, but it was a one-sided fight. Piece by piece the copies were taken apart. No amount of scratching, biting, kicking or screaming would save them from the Wardog. Even when they could no longer fight back, they weren't finished off until the Wardog decided they had no further use of existing. For the better part of an hour, the Wardog didn't emerge even after the screams fell quiet...

**********​

The door finally opened and the mangled Wardog emerged, littered with injuries that were already healing up as the blood on her fur seeped into the wounds. By the time she sat down and let out a long sigh, the only evidence of a fight was her torn and splattered clothing. "I'll take a double of whatever the hell that is." She muttered as she glanced at Xyoz and Runi.

Xyoz Maji Runi Kuryida