Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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Different points of view

Massive, towering skyscrapers. The bustling mob of people. Gherron walked through the streets of Coruscant, wearing a hoodie and jeans. The hoodie was pulled up, so as not to have anyone recognize him. He didn't know how well the Sith kept tabs of people on their planets, or even if they would he looking for Jedi. Either way, better safe than sorry. In fact, the only reason he'd returned to the planet was to see the Jedi temple. He hadn't been to Coruscant in a long time, and when he came back to civilization, he'd been run off by the planet's new custodians. It was then that he'd found out about the Sith's taking of the Republic's old capital planet. Her heard stories, but he had to find out for himself. As the Jedi walked, he noticed that his jacket was flapping back and forth strongly from his lightsaber being in the inside pocket. Zipping it up, he hoped he wouldn't be spotted. After all, he looked nothing like a darksider. If his weapon was seen, he'd be in trouble. It was a risk to even bring it with him, but he hated going anywhere without it. Taking a breath, he rounded the next corner.

[member="Sayl Bane"]
 
The sprawling city and constant noise of the throngs of people that walked the streets on a near constant basis. Coruscant wasn't a city in itself so much as a city-planet, almost reminiscent of a sentient being in the regard that it was always alive and thriving. It was inhabited by billions of people of every size, shape, species and profession. And it was also the capital world of the Sith. That would have hampered the experience for most people, but to Sayl it only increased her fascination with anything and everything the planet had to offer. The planet was a wellspring for knowledge, whether in regards to the dark side or not.

Along with the possibilities of expanding her own intellect, there were also a wealth of pockets to pick. Sure, it wasn't the most Jedi-esque thing she could have done, but it was hard for anyone not Force sensitive to recognize her as such. And besides, she was never really concerned with the general legality of this or that behavior. If she didn't get caught, and no one got hurt on top of that, then there was no harm done. True, it wasn't a philosophy many others shared, but that wasn't anything that bothered her. It had been her against the world for the entirety of her childhood spent on Nal Hutta, and this wasn't much different. The consequences would most likely be more severe if she were caught, but that did nothing if only make it more of a fun experience, in her eyes.

Taking her time, she walked slowly down the street, with no particular destination in mind. This was her time to have her own idea of fun, whether anyone else was aware of an approved of it or not. Already she'd managed to take a handful of credits here and there, with no real issue. And with the number of people still on the streets, she expected it would be possible to greatly increase that number by late afternoon, let alone when the day was all said and done. That was one of the many benefits of a world this size, the other one being how easy it was to get lost in a crowd. The sheer number of people meant that even if someone did notice her presence, the chances were slim that they'd be able to get a good look at her before she was already meters away.

It was that tactic she'd employed already countless times, and was about to do so again, until she sensed another presence on the barest edges of her perception, thanks to her of yet untrained Force abilities. It was reminiscent of her own in the sense that it was so obviously light sided, but with a clarity and strength that she hadn't felt outside of the Ession temple. There was another Jedi here, that much was blatant to her senses. What do they want with a planet full of Sith?

[member="Gherron Vael"]
 
Gherron knew Coruscant's streets like the back of his hand. In fact, he was surprised he still remembered. The thing was, he'd grown up here. Especially the alleys around the area he was in, he knew every single side street and building around. Soon, he found himself standing across the street from the Jedi temple. The sight mortified him; the state if its disrepair was horrible. He would've kept staring, except something caught his attention. A presence in the force very much like his, but maybe a little dimmer. However small it seemed however, it was definitely a presence that radiated light. Another Jedi? What were others doing here? Turning around, he tried to spot where the presence stood out in the crowd. No luck. His curiosity getting the better of him, Gherron wove his way back into the crowd, investigating the presence. Soon enough, he'd track it to a girl around his age, with a lip piercing and startling dark eyes. She was quite beautiful, and around the crowd that this particular area, he was surprised nobody had picked on her yet. Moving next to her, he talked to her in a hushed tone. "Whatcha doing here? Where's your master?"

[member="Sayl Bane"]
 
Being fully engrossed in the task at hand, Sayl didn't hear the man approach, and if she had, most likely would have brushed it off anyhow. At his sudden close proximity she started slightly, though still she managed to pocket the few credits in her hand, hopefully before he noticed them. Almost subconsciously she studied him for a long moment, the practice almost habitual. He seemed to be around her age, give or take a year or so, and the source of the presence she'd felt earlier. That was no surprise. Her gaze strayed to the jacket he wore for a moment, having noted that he didn't carry a lightsaber visibly on his person. That spoke of concealed weaponry. The hood that concealed his face didn't make her any more at ease with the situation, but there was little that could be done about that immediately.

Next came the questions. As it was she didn't feel particularly inclined to reveal much about herself or what her business on Coruscant was, but she supposed there was no point in trying to play off the fact that she was, at the very least, affiliated with the Jedi, due in part ot his obvious Force sensitivity. Still, her first instinct was to shrug him off and keep walking, but she knew that he would likely pursue her until he had satisfying answers. "I don't really have a reason to be here, honestly." That was the easiest explanation, because now came the trickier part. Before continuing, she briefly gauged his reaction that statement.

"My master's probably back on Ession." Well, there it was. If it wasn't obvious to him now that she wasn't a Republic Jedi, then she wasn't sure what more she could say to make it any more clear. "It's not like he doesn't know where I am. I'm allowed to leave whenever I want, unlike my brother." And speaking of that, she was still vaguely surprised that he had deemed to not come along on this little escapade. Coruscant left plenty of variables for any and all types of entertainment, especially of the less legal sort, which she knew her twin was interested in. He'd been oddly quiet lately.

Another moment of her watching him passed before she spoke again. "You don't look much older than me. Does the Republic know where you are?"

[member="Gherron Vael"]
 
Gherron might not have been the most perceptive Jedi in the galaxy, but he knew enough to be able to spot the other Jedi pocketing the credits. Normally, he wouldn't have been suspicious, but otherwise why would she try to hide it? Deciding not to bring it up, he just answered her questions. "I leave them to their own devices sometimes. If help is needed, I can always be contacted." Sighing softly, he couldn't get around what he'd seen. "Okay, wait. Why'd you find it so important to pocket those credits when I came over?" If it was what he thougt, Gherron didn't know what he'd do. He came from a life of thievery, but had left it behind when joining the Jedi. However, it seemed like this one had held on to her... other ambitions.

[member="Sayl Bane"]
 
Oh, this one was a quick thinker, or at least had the semblance of one. That was something she could appreciate, and would have in any other situation, had it not been at her expense. While she could tell there was something that set him apart from your stereotypical Jedi, it seemed he wasn't quite as unconventional as she was. Which was to say, having little regard for any laws she happened to break as long as she didn't get caught. That wasn't to say she participated in whatever criminal activity she could get away with, but in her eyes, taking a few credits here and there wasn't all that much of an issue. It seemed that others didn't share those sentiments.

Despite having most likely been caught red-handed, Sayl only shrugged. "The same reason you aren't carrying your lightsaber around where everyone can see it. There are some things other people shouldn't know." And to her, it was as simple as that. "But I think you're smart enough to put two and two together." She didn't bother trying to deny what it was she'd been doing, as it being plainly obvious to anyone with any number of brain cells. Her only concern was not getting into any real trouble about it, though she couldn't see the Jedi proving to be much of a challenge in that regard. They never did strike her as the sort to enjoy any type of unnecessary punishment.

Their conversation was continued as she continued walking, and she didn't make a move to slip any more credits while he was still watching her, and likely closely at that. Perhaps Coruscant wasn't the best choice she'd ever made for something of a vacation. Apparently there was a bit more concern for laws on this world than she'd thought.

[member="Gherron Vael"]
 
Gherron grimaced slightly at the girl's words. From her mannerisms, she was a Jedi, but by her actions she was a thief. In his mind, those two didn't go together. At least, not all of the time. For her purposes, Gherron disapproved strongly, but even then, he wouldn't be too harsh on her. After all, he had come from a similar background. He himself knew how hard it was to quit, though it may have been a little easier for him. "I would say that what you do is wrong. I do strongly believe it. But I won't impede if it doesn't get out of hand. All Jedi must find their own path, and you're going through yours. Besides." He held up his hand with a few credits that were formerly in her pocket, a ghost of a smirk on his face. "I was there once, too." Handing the credits back to her then, he would look ahead of them, stopping suddenly. An older man had walked up to an imperial soldier, and was pointing in the direction of the two Jedi. They'd been suspected. Taking her arm in his grip gently, he spun her around and started walking the other direction. "I think someone thinks we're not here for the brownies. Follow me." Instinct and memory took over. He knew these streets. As soon as they rounded a corner, Gherron let go of the padawan and picked up the pace, looking for somewhere to hide. Soon enough, he stopped in front of a very familiar spot. In the corner of one of the buildings, a small hole opened up to the inside-larger than he remembered. "Come on." Stooping down, he crawled inside.

[member="Sayl Bane"]
 
Not bad. Sayl couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips as the credits were passed back to her mere moments after being taken from her own pocket. Maybe there was more to him than what most saw on the surface. His speed in that endeavor spoke of having much of the same childhood experience that she'd had, which was to say a less than pleasant one. That didn't mean she would immediately begin respecting him, but it allowed her to look on him with something of a more appreciative light, at least. It meant he understood, at least a small amount, about most everything. Maybe not the more specific details, but it was good enough for her to trust him at least a small amount when he began pulling her along.

While usually confident enough in her own abilities to escape from most any imminent threat, even she knew when it was best to let someone with just a bit more knowledge on a specific enemy take charge. And considering her lack of any real information even remotely concerning the Sith or their policies, she followed along without complaint. "And here I thought you were supposed to be a Jedi." The remark was purely in jest, her crooked smile a testament to that. He knew the streets in this area like the back of his hand, making it evident that he used to call this part of town home. So he was, or at least used to be, another street kid.

Glancing around the small chamber he'd led her into, she whistled under her breath in quiet appreciation. This little hideout was much more impressive than anything she'd been privy to on Nal Hutta, but that had been expected, given the more upscale design of Coruscant compared to a planet run entirely by various, often warring, clans of Hutts. The space was large enough to be comfortable enough for one or two people to make it for at least a few days without much issue, hiding from whatever dangers were present on the streets of such a large city.

Her gaze finally found the man after a long few minutes of studying the space, a smile still on her lips. "I'm gonna go out on a limb and say you used to live here."

[member="Gherron Vael"]
 
When they were both inside, Gherron replied to the joking comment from before. "Yes, I'm a Jedi, but I've learned that direct confrontation isn't always the best idea." Sitting down on the dusty floor, he looked around, remembering the abandoned section of the building like it was just yesterday he was there. At the other's comment, it took him a moment, but he eventually tore himself out of his thoughts and nodded. "Yeah. I lived here for a while. Not much now, really. Wasn't much then either. But it worked." He then took the time to gaze at the girl, studying her closely as one might a specimen, though it was a little hard to see in the dark, with the only light coming from outside the hole. "I understand why you steal. If you were brought up in the streets, you know what it's like to have to fend for yourself. But I ask that you tone it down a bit. As a Jedi, your most important responsibility is to help others, not steal from them. I can't stop you, but I hope that you'll consider what I'm telling you." To pass the time a bit, he pulled out a small candy bar and split it in half, giving her one piece and taking the other for himself.

[member="Sayl Bane"]
 
Lost in her own memories of life on the streets, it took Sayl a moment or two to digest his words, and a bit longer than that to take the candy that had been offered, not eating it right away. The only other person she'd ever even considered talking about her past with was her twin, but after having been given a chance to meet someone else who actually had an idea of what she was referring to when it came to living life quite literally by the day, she decided that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing to break that rule, at least this time. She had a feeling he would keep their time together between the both of them and no one else, a factor that hadn't been included in her life before. When one got past his Jedi exterior, there was a presence she could perhaps learn to appreciate in time.

Nodding in understanding, if not some sort of agreement with his words, she finally met his gaze again, her lowlight vision slightly better than average with her Chiss genetics. For another second she was silent, not quite sure how to put things into words. "I only just got off of the streets, so it isn't like I've had much time to adjust. But I get where you're coming from. It's not that hard to give up, but I guess we all have our vices." She shrugged, still not quite certain of her words. He understood on some deeper level than even her brother could, though both of their childhood experiences had been questionable at best. It was a strange feeling for her, confronting her own thoughts like this. But at the same time, it was nice to have someone just to talk to.

"It's just a lot to take in, really. The only reason I ended up on Ession training to be a Jedi in the first place is because of my brother. Our training's been a bit unconventional, to say the least." She fell silent then, flicking a strand of raven hair out of her eyes with a shake of her head. Of all the events she'd imagined transpiring on the planet this day, ending up sitting cross-legged in a section of an abandoned building with a Jedi she hardly knew was the last on the list, if it was on it at all.

Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly, speaking almost all at once, "I grew up on Nal Hutta, in an orphanage with my twin brother. Never knew my parents, but I learned later that our dad denied being related to us at all, and the mom side of the equation was never solved. The owners of the place sold off a group of kids when I was about ten, but I left the night before. It turns out that my brother was one of them, but that didn't come until later. After that I lived on the streets for the better part of nine years, running with some other kids here and there, all of us just trying to get by. Then it turned out we have a half-brother, but I only met him about a month ago, and he helped me find a place to live until all of this gets better. Met up with my brother a few weeks before that, he wound up being a drug lord after he escaped from the slavers, but that isn't important. Skip a few weeks, we're both at the temple on Ession. And now we're here."

[member="Gherron Vael"]
 
Gherron nodded, taking in every bit of the story. It seemed familiar in some ways, and not as much in others. He noted the hesitation in the girl's voice, and he knew why. It was hard talking about such a life. He'd told very few about his experiences. He could count how many on one hand, and still have plenty of room left. If anybody knew about not being able to open up, it was him. when the padawan finished, he took a bit if his half of the candy, chewed, and swallowed before talking again.

"I grew up in some apartments around this area. Nobody but me and my parents, though it felt like a living hell." He stopped for a second, and almost had to force the next part out. "My dad abused me and my mom, and my mom was always getting herself drunk so she wouldn't have to deal with the pain. I tried to stay, I really did. But you can only go through so much. I ran away. For the longest time, I lived off of my own devices, and soon found this hole here. All of my stuff must have been taken by looters since my last visit, but whatever. I lived here for quite some time. One day, some guy started harassing me. He had a knife." He looked down then. He knew how pathetic he probably looked, but when you kept something in so long... well, it was hard to talk about. "I reached my hand forward, and in a flash he was against the wall on the other side of the alley. Dead. I had no idea what was going on, so I ran. Found the temple, and sat inside. That was my first encounter with the Jedi."

He sighed a long breath. Suddenly, his snack didn't look so appetizing, and he couldn't even bring himself to look back up. All that time of being strong, and coming to terms with his past, but now that he actually talked about it, he was shattered.

[member="Sayl Bane"]
 
There was a wealth of information that could be gleaned from the story that had just been told. It was obvious the more specific details of it were difficult for him to recall, something she could empathize with. That was one of the most difficult things for anyone to do, open up after keeping things so close for such a long time. The two of them had more in common than they'd first imagined, it seemed. That was the most surprising aspect of it all, but at the moment she wasn't in the mood to compare stories and glean whose was the worse out of it all. If anything, this was a time to consider both of their places in the world, and just how they fit with each other.

A small frown formed at the corners of her mouth. "Hey, you don't have to worry about anyone judging you, here. We've all had our pasts, and I think the two of us know that more than anybody else does. Like you said, our lives are different now. It doesn't make sense to worry about it anymore." Never did Sayl imagine that she would be, in any form, the voice of reason for anyone in any scenario. But this was someone she could understand, at least in regards to how he'd grown up, and the shame it seemed he felt about all that had happened. For a time she'd been the same way, unwilling to talk about any of it. In time she'd moved past that to indifference, but realized it had been marginally easier for her, having no connections other than those with her brother.

The candy all but forgotten, she rested one hand on his knee in her attempt at a comforting gesture. "We can really change anything now, and whatever happened is done and over with." The beginnings of a smile began to form. "Believe me, it's a process, but eventually you stop caring about it. But maybe that's just me, because I never really knew anyone. Either way, we're both Jedi now, and we've more or less left the streets behind. That's all that matters." With that she took her hand from his leg, giving him his personal space.

[member="Gherron Vael"]
 
Nodding softly, Gherron finally looked back up then, searching the padawan's eyes for a few seconds. If anything, she'd surprised him. In the little time they'd known each other, they had found out so much about themselves that he figured they'd ever realize. Thinking this, he voiced his thoughts to her. "You know, it's funny. I figured I'd be the teacher here. But it seems like we've both taught each other something today, huh?" He gave a small smile at that. He understood her in a lot of ways, and she understood him. As two who had grown up on the street, they realized how precious life was, and how easily it could be snuffed out. It was probably the most valuable lesson there was. In a way, he respected the padawan now, now that he knew that little thing about her. Like himself, though he'd had a rough childhood, she tried her best to comfort others. A good trait for a Jedi. "Hey, I think they would have stopped looking for us now."

[member="Sayl Bane"]
 
At his first comment she couldn't help but flash a smile. It was true that many others underestimated her intellectually simply because of her upbringing, while she really was intelligent in a number of ways. Admittedly not all that book smart, she still was privy to knowledge that others weren't aware of, something she used to her advantage sometimes. It wasn't often that these same skills were recognized by someone else, least of all someone she hadn't met beforehand. "I might not be the greatest at all of this Jedi stuff, but I know a bit about other things." She returned his smile, more at ease around him after they'd shared their personal trials.

Pushing herself to her feet, she offered a hand to help him up. "Let's go find out, then." A part of her was surprised that they were suspected of being Jedi in the first place, with her hardly looking the part, and her new acquaintance looking much the same. Maybe there was a mannerism they'd both picked up on that gave them away, or maybe it was because neither of them looked to be any sort of dark sider. That brought to mind how someone had determined them Force sensitive, but those were questions best left unanswered for the moment.

"I don't think we ever got around to introductions. I'm Sayl Bane." There was a chance he'd recognize her surname from her half-brother's position in the criminal underworld, but he didn't seem the sort to keep tabs on that kind of thing. Or at least, not that close of one.

Her head tilted slightly to the side in a semblance of curiosity. "What made you come here in the first place? I don't think it was the sights." At that she couldn't help but smirk slightly.

[member="Gherron Vael"]
 
Grabbing the other Jedi's hand, Gherron got up then and shimmied out of the hole. As if reading her mind, he spoke up about the encounter. "These guys seem to be able to pick out potential force users in a crowd. I'm not even sure if that's what the case was. Maybe one of us looked like a known criminal. Either way, it was best for use to hide before things got ugly." Looking around, the coast seemed to be clear, so he pulled his hood off, revealing a messy mop of blond hair, and an ugly white scar going down his face. At her introduction, he would smile a little and give his own. "I'm Gherron. And normally, I wouldn't be here. The planet's crawling with Sith so badly, it's hard to get anywhere. But... I had to see the temple. I practically grew up there when I joined up with the Jedi. It was my home. Now it's destroyed." He tried not to show the emotion that welled up inside him, but it was likely to no avail. How could he not feel horrible about the destruction of his home? It was impossible.

[member="Sayl Bane"]
 
Maybe the Sith were smarter than she'd been giving them credit for, if they were able to perceive if someone was Force sensitive just by looking at them, while perhaps not being able to use the energy field themselves. That spoke of a greater skill than anyone had most likely anticipated. It left her something to watch out for, at least, though she didn't imagine having much cause to worry about happening upon any Sith in the near future, given that she was typically confined to Ession. This outing was more of an exception to the rules, even if she was allowed to come and go whenever she wished. Coruscant was something she hadn't anticipated.

Following him out of their hiding place, once he pulled his hood down, introducing himself shortly after, she studied him for a moment, silently wondering how he'd gotten his scar but deciding it would be best not to bring it up. They'd already sifted through enough painful memories for any amount of time, and she didn't want to bring up any more of them if at all possible. "I know you probably don't want to hear it, but there's not much you probably could've done to prevent it. Besides, all we have left are memories, and we might as well pay more attention to the happy ones." Something told her he still likely wanted some sense of closure. "We could still go see it, if you want. I've never been, so that gives us some excuse."

For a moment she studied the surrounding area. No one seemed to have noticed their sudden reappearance, and none of the authorities were called on them right away, so she deemed everything to be safe for the time being. "Might as well see how close we can cut it after that, huh?"

[member="Gherron Vael"]
 
The Jedi's words seemed to calm Gherron. After all, she had gone through a lot of the same experiences as himself. They both knew the hopeless feeling that came with loss. "I know I couldn't have changed it. I wasn't here. I was out exploring the galaxy, having fun. I just hate that when I come back, everything's changed. Josh left the Jedi. The Sith took Coruscant. It all came at me at once." As they walked, he began weaving through the alleys and streets once more, retracing his path to the temple that he'd taken so long ago. Looking past one side street, he could almost hear the crunch of the man's spine when he landed. They were close. A few more turns, and they would be just across from the temple once more. Or what used to be a temple. Now it was just ruin. He ached with every bone in his body to go and check it out, but knew that was probably the dumbest idea he'd ever had. Instead, he just sat back, his heart breaking over and over again.

[member="Sayl Bane"]
 
Studying the temple, or what had once been the grand building, Sayl was silent for a moment. Even ruined, it commanded a presence that she had never experienced before. It almost seemed to resonate within the Force, filling her with what could only be described as a sense of calm. Unmistakably it was the presence of the light side, this time focused outwards instead of inside herself. Something of that had been destroyed when Coruscant was taken by the Sith, as a certain darkness tainted that same calm feeling. It was an uneasiness that wasn't entirely unfamiliar, the same dark energy seeming to cover the entirety of the planet like a cloud.

After a moment she looked to Gherron, able to empathize with him just a bit as to what he'd lost here. She might not have completely understood what he'd been through, but loss was something the both of them were familiar with in a way not many were. "It's probably something you're tired of hearing, but I can understand where you're coming from. I might not have called this place home, but I've lost something like this. You might not have much, and I might be crossing a line, but you have me to talk to." It was odd for her to make such an offer, but she felt almost compelled to after their talking for so long.

Frowning slightly, she studied the empty, hollow building once more. "I guess it's probably a stupid question, but why don't we see about going inside? I don't think they'd have guards, and it's not that hard to get past 'em if they do. Everyone needs some kind of closure, and I think that it'd help you to walk around inside. What do you say?"

[member="Gherron Vael"]
 
Gherron listened as the Jedi asked about the possibility of going inside, and looked around the area as I he were thinking just that. In truth? Part of him didn't want to go. But she was right, closure was necessary. And from what he could gauge, she would be just as good at sneaking around as he was. Maybe it would be worth a shot. "Alright then, let's go." His voice came out as bland, like he only wanted nothing more than to get it over with. He told himself that one they were done, he would never hav to see it again, and he was fine with that.

[member="Sayl Bane"]
 

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