Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Private Goths in the Sun

Elsewhere, Aboard Lady Luck...

Wren was on the mend. Her injuries had been severe enough to nearly cripple her, but she was tougher than she looked and was making good time in her recovery. It was still uncomfortable to talk, but at least she could. On occasion, if she moved her tongue the wrong way, a sharp stab of pain would lance through her mouth -- it wasn't clear if that little defect would ever heal properly.

Shattered bones had eventually restitched themselves together, thanks to the medical treatment she received from Ozzie's people on Nar Shaddaa. They were still weak, however, since she'd only come out of the casts a few days prior. The dexterity in the fingers of her right hand was diminished, much to her frustration.

This irritation was quickly reaching a tipping point when she dropped her spanner for the third time while working on a modified gauntlet in the engineering bay. Wren never had much of a temper before her... experience with Evelynn, but now she found herself almost screaming at the useless tool on the floor. Seething, she turned on the stool to snatch the piece of equipment up.

It was then she felt the faintest of whispers of a vaguely familiar presence.

The anger immediately abated and she raised her gaze with a puzzled expression. She wasn't in the Lady Luck's engine room anymore. Instead, she was laying in a body that wasn't her own, but one she had come to recognize -- the pale skin and gaunt form was impossible to misplace. But that wasn't what held her attention.

No.

It was the man. Golden eyes flashing and a frighteningly wicked smile on his lips.

She knew those eyes. She'd seen them before, but only for a fleeting moment.

Oh, goddess, N O ...

"It has to know your pain." He uttered, the voice slightly disjointed and muffled, as if she heard the speaker from another room.

Blistering, nauseating agony exploded in her shoulder as he removed the arm without a second of hesitation. The body her mind was trapped in didn't react... but the woman still on the Lady Luck, however, did. A visceral, horrific scream tore its way from her throat as the man who both was and wasn't Dorian licked her blood off his fingers.

No, it's not my blood. It's not my arm.

Wrenarias fell off the stool she'd been sitting on, collapsing onto the floor. Her body thrashed in uncontrollable torment. With her consciousness feeling as though it was torn in two, Wren experienced both realities at once.

It was excruciating.
 
Vulnerability only deepened as the Lamb was left cold, naked and paralysed upon the Lion's table. Forfeiting all control was as unpleasant as it sounded, as her brain was left firing signals into the void. Mental demeanour could only be upheld by the ruthless acceptance of the facts; this was not a procedure to be taken lightly. Were things to go wrong, then the consequences would be far worse than could be imagined.

So she looked to the alchemist looming above her, calculated in his process.

She listened, to his explanation regarding darkness and pain.

And she feLT. Oh. So. Sudden ly.

What an e ver familiaR so ng it was. PAIN. Ne ver grew T I R e some or rePetitive REpet itive REPETitiVe. ProviDin g the ve ry SAmE E C S T A S Y as the veeeeery fir st tiME.

rAW ANiMAl in s t inct h o w l e d, likE the RAT caught iN t h e TRAP, its N E ck half SNApPED in c r ue l inefficiency, li mbs BEGGING to t w i s t and THRASH, dyin g sQueaLS WISHING to be r e l e a sed but there was nothing.

JUST EYES.



STAR






ING



BACK.

AT HIM

her hedonistic ess ence EXPLO DED as sweet CccRImsSON rushed. A siMperING and muted p r e s e n ce in THE FORCE becom ing unchained, a h I d d eN beast trapped in PATHETIC, FRAIL SOUL let L o o Se in GLORIOUS e v O l ut I on.

Muted claws s c r a b b l e d behind now AMBER flecked e m e r a l d s. AN EXPERIE NCE TO BE SAVOURED SHarED. IKNOWYOUFEELME. TruLY ther e was b e a u t y in thiS BOND.

EMBRACE SUFFERING, MY SWEET.
 
Maliphant could sense that momentary lapse to Wrenarias, could feel Evelynn begin to squirm internally at the touch of his blade - but it was for naught. He was focused, hyperly so on the fact that the pain was all he needed to bond the unagreeable electrum arm to the woman on his table. His grip grew menacing, and his squeezed at the stump of her limb without a modicum of care -​
He pressed the sharp edges of the prosthetic into her arm, breaking the muscle from the bone from the long protruding spike that came from the prosthetic forearm. It’d serve as the major connecting force between her tissue, and the metal past it - assuming Evelynn survive the implant. Maliphant couldn’t help but cock a brow at the emotions that radiated off her.​
What a sick pup.​
His finger ran across the seam, burning flesh to metal in a gross display of medical malpractice - but one that would suit a Sith of her caliber. It wasn’t as though she were exceptionally fair looking to begin with, what was a poorly healed scar to add to it? He beamed as a hand rested on her head once more, and the other on the hand of the prosthetic he had made.​
As the ground, he channeled the magics he knew through her body, ripping and tearing at the flesh before him like a sculptor; insulting the creator with every press of a tool. Slowly, the hand moved on its own, regardless of Evelynn - and just as quick, it stopped at Maliphant’s glance.​
The deed was done, it was put in her. Now to acclimate the prosthetic and her.​
---​
Hours passed before he was finished, and when he was, he offered the girl no comforts. With sweat on his brow, and a sigh - he simply tossed her a rag, and wandered off to get himself a drink. In a matter of time, she would awaken, and feel the pain that ached from her arm - but it wouldn’t feel uncomfortable. In fact, the limb would feel more natural than the one she had before; and it dripped with power.​
 
it w as SO





DIS
CON CERT ING





to Be trapPed in f l e s h O BSERvinG th e g o l de n BUTCHEr a t worrrk. P e r f e c t i o n. MErE bi o logy couldN'T resi st a nd witHouT both FIGHT and flight iT left tHe EXPER IENCE eVer p u r e.

EYES THAT STARED burNed briGHT er, HeR in f e rnal POTENCy ruPtuRIng alongsi de her IMPALEr. That saMe STARE se emed to g a s p upoN w I ck ed infilTratioN. wateriNg in fUncTion, rolLlllLing inTO lids that DARED n o t T W I Tch. SUCH SOUND! SUCH SENSATION! WeRe shE only ab le to tuuuurn thAt heaD. justapeek.


BRrOKEN. USeLESS. FLES H.



B

ROKE
N.
USELESS. girl.

melde
d with s o m e THING GREATER.





cOldeR still, deSpITe the BURNnn. SoUr tis s ue growiNG ever ghastLy. WHITE. oRbs LOsIng focus, beginninG to lOl. Howmuchcrimson? ToO mUCh spIlLED? NEVER ENOUGH. equiLibrium TumBling.

A RETURN TO THE void?

ThE NEtHER N E V E R foRgets.

---

The throb of paiN awoke her, confirming that she had indeed not perished from the procedure.

Eyelids violently fluttered into life first, that disconcerting paralysis no longer necessary as Evelynn opened her eyes to, mercifully, be confronted by the ceiling of that same chamber. That was a start. Sitting up upon the slab proved to be somewhat of a struggle, her body protesting such movement as it struggled with both trauma and blood loss.

Body shivered relentlessly but mind had different priorities. The arm. The entire limb had been entirely unexpected but not unappreciated, her curious gaze observing the golden majesty of Darth Maliphant's creation. It stood in direct contrast with the rest of her form, no shred of pitiful weakness to be found, instead, a font of brilliant potency. As the Apprentice sat, flexing and twisting the limb she marvelled at how the once rigid prosthetic moved just as naturally as flesh.

This is why you go to the best.

Using the provided rag the woman gingerly cleaned up the mess of blood that caked far too much of her flesh. No wonder she felt so wretched and feverish. How close had she been to death? A coy smile was shared with herself. Not today.

On unsteady feet, Evelynn sought to vanquish the cold that still gripped her entire form by once more returning to the more human realm of clothing. A thought lingered to seek out the Lion in preparation for her payment but judgement thought better of it, he likely needed rest, much like she did. A return to the guest room and the call of the bed seemed the most tempting course, but again the Zambrano thought better of it.

Becoming too complacent here seemed largely unwise, so instead, she returned to the slab to be comforted by the fleeting remainder of pain.

Darth Empyrean Darth Empyrean
 
Last edited:
Two drinks in hand, and his sleeves rolled up - Maliphant wandered back into the room humming a small, if not wholely innapropriate tune. He glanced over the now dressed daughter of the Sith Emperor, and noticed the ever so slight twitcher of her prosthetic - as it should; now as much apart of her as anything else on her. Maliphant would even argue it was more apart of her than anything, but that was a biased statement - considering her new arm was as much his.​
A soft grin swept across his lips as he moved to set the glass near her - a drink for the blood lacking client. What a quick way to get drunk - but his attention came back to her arm. With a forceful grasp, he lifted and pulled it towards him, no doubt flaring the pain she felt, but it didn’t seem to bother him.​
It looks… wonderful, Evelynn.”, he offered with a smile, running a thumb over it.​
I suppose I have to train you how to use it, don’t I?”, he laughed.​
Oh, what am I saying - its not like you can response.”​
Almost as soon as he said it - she would notice a far nastier taste in her mouth. The once vibrant location of her all too sharp tongue was suddenly missing - in its place, a pile of ash that broke apart piece by piece. It was painless, if not disgusting, and the flavour filled her throat and threatened to choke her.​
Just another cost for the arm.​
Its cursed, Evelynn.”, Maliphant offered after a drink of his own.​
So long as you have this arm, no tongue will work. Sith alchemy, cybernetic - nothing. Just so you don’t go getting ideas of asking a Sith alchemists to fix my price.”, he winked.​
 
How unexpected.

She had suspected that Darth Maliphant might have been resting, imagining that the entire ritual was a far more demanding on his part. She simply just had to lay there, trying not to die and breathing in the infernal majesty of suffering, it was the alchemist that actually had to do the work.

It wasn't to say that him showing up with a couple of drinks wasn't unwanted, it was just surprising. Before he rested a glass beside her, she imagined the Lion downing both drinks before her just because he could, as if to say, 'ha, you thought' but no, expectations be damned.

Then her new limb was wrenched towards him for inspection, just as Evelynn was starting to believe his disdain for her was waning. The nerves in her shoulder yelped through duller throb of pain, confirming that yes, the arm was definitely attached and part of her now.

An incredulous smile was given as he complimented his own handiwork as if the man ever thought that he would have produced something sub-par. She opened her mouth to accept his offer of training if it were genuine...

...and then, horror.

The feeling of having your tongue disintegrate within your own mouth was, unique. More than that, it was both terrifying and sickening as the muscular organ turned to bitter ashes in a mere moment. The woman's eyes were left widened as she suddenly spluttered, her expression had turned to sudden shock before morphing into something more akin to disgust. Oh, Force, it tasted awful, like the most acidic bile imaginable. On instinct, Evelynn attempted to swallow it down, but alas, the lack of tongue made it rather difficult.

Perhaps that's why he'd brought her a drink.

Tilting her head back, the Apprentice awkwardly tipped the contents of the beverage into her mouth, letting it pour down the back of her throat instead of drinking like a regular-tongued person. Her composure was well and truly buried as this only lead to a rather undignified coughing fit, her chances of acting dignified in the same room as him ever again gone to the same black realm as her tongue.

“Eay?! O waai?!” Evelynn exclaimed in inelegant irritation, mangled vowels the only thing capable of leaving her mouth.

“Aaaa,” she then muttered, hearing how ridiculous her previous statement sounded.

Thankfully, the Emperor's daughter had already accepted the notion of living without a tongue and hadn't planned on getting a replacement, even if it was now revealed that it would have been folly anyway. There was something inherently wrong about cheating such sacrifice. Morbid nobility.

You...you were looking forward to doing that without warning, weren't you?


A voice would come (were he receptive to it), strangely soft and gentle in contrast with her prior venomous tones as she got back up on the proverbial bike of telepathy.

Darth Empyrean Darth Empyrean
 
Could you tell?”, Maliphant offered with a smirk, leaning himself against the obsidian slab she rested on - using his hand to wipe away the majority of the blood that would otherwise dirty his immaculate raven black clothing.​
A shame you didn’t inherit your father’s immunity to telepathy; I would have thought that a hilarious addendum to it all.”, he said with a sharp ‘hmphf’; as though this were just as funny, in its own way.​
Yes, though, I will train you on the usage of your arm; I’d hate for something I made to disappoint anyone who sees it - even if you do…”, he idled with a glance to her from the side of his eye.​
Finish your drink. You need it.”​
 
Had I inherited more from my father than I wouldn't be here at all now, would I?

Truth be told, there was very little in Evelynn that stood to resemble the Emperor of the Sith. Petite, blonde and with sharp, unkind features. Almost entirely human with only the smallest traces of non-notable Epicanthix left behind. It was as if it was on purpose. Given the lengths her mother had gone to keep her away from their world, all facts pointed to it.

Hadn't that been a disastrous decision?

A small and nearly almost grateful nod was granted as the alchemist agreed to train her in the usage of the new limb. Even if it was to save his own face instead of actually helping her. Such motives couldn't be doubted, self-interest was, after all, the most important interest at the end of the day.

The Apprentice was largely unsure of why she needed to finish the drink, one part of her mind reckoning that it would help ease the sting of his barbed tongue's constant jibes and another concerned about the values of inebriated training. There was another part, filled to the brim with Sith-like distrust whispering notions of poison, but Maliphant had surely imparted far too much effort upon her to just throw it away like that.

Surely.

Head tilted back once more, the remaining contents of the drink being poured down her neck as if it were a funnel. Suffice to say, there would be no public dining in Evelynn's tongueless future.

“Aaee,” she remarked oddly, the beverage not quite going down so smoothly.

I fear the reason that requires me to be inebriated, she spoke, her telepathic voice again a delicate hush from years of disuse, I hope it is not so you may find me more palatable as company.

Darth Empyrean Darth Empyrean
 
Scoffing, Maliphant finished his own drink before offering her a curious grin;​
Now why would you ask me that?”​
He took a step back, and almost in a dramatic flair, waved his hand about - a method actor to the last.​
Of course it is.”​
Though the truth wasn’t so simple. Maliphant could feel a touch of sympathy for her, getting a prosthetic from him was hardly an easy endeavor, and he was more suprised the child had survived thus far. An acolyte in all ways, she had none of the skills or retention built up to resist such carnal damage to the body - though he imagined it was due to some historic fetish that acclimated her to such things. With a sigh, he leaned readjusted.​
And after I show you how your arm works - what then?”, he glanced to her, motioning to the girl with his empty glass.​
 
Well, she couldn't question his honesty at the very least.

A moment of silence followed as she digested his question, knowing full well that her answer would not be terribly satisfactory. This day would go down in her memory as a permanent humbling, and it would not soon be shifted.

I do not know.

She paused, switching her empty glass from her left hand and to her new golden creation. Holding it aloft, she let the fingers tap upon the glass, marvelling at how there was little awkwardness in control of the limb as if it was always meant to be there.

Until not too recently I had been dead, she began, looking at the alchemist through the manipulation of the glass, twenty years spent in the void of the Nether.

She grimaced, studying his warped reflection before finally setting the glass down, green eyes downcast as she considered what to say.

The galaxy has changed.


A warmth had already begun to spread to her cheeks, unsurprising given the meagre quantity of blood that still circulated within her. It was fine, there were no real truths that she could impart that would be of any worth to him. No ships for such loose lips to sink.

My Father resurrected me so that I may repent for my past transgressions against him. I am to become a proper Sith, and take my rightful place in his Empire and yet while he has ensured that I lack that which made me so unfit for purpose in the first place I...feel somewhat lost.


The beginnings of a small headache began to surface, no doubt from telepathic exertions. It really had been quite a while.

It is truly frustrating, to have returned to this realm as weak as I am. Do I obtain a Master and go through the motions? Train, study, grow stronger once again? It doesn't feel enough, I could be so much more.

Darth Empyrean Darth Empyrean
 
There isn’t so much more than what you are.”, Maliphant chided.​
His gaze seemed empty for a moment, and he let the room fill with silence - stuck in his own train of thought. It wasn’t so much that her words were deep, but he was tired; and the act of ‘Maliphant’, using it as a mask was… tiresome. He couldn’t retain that trifled smugness for more than a few hours now - wore too deeply on him.​
Learn, train, become a Sith. Do what your family demands of you - and you might live an easy life. Do not - and things can get worse.”, he offered with a glance down to her.​
Know that family is easier to have, than to have not. Go home, Evelynn. Live an easy life.”​
 
A sharp exhale left her nose before teeth clenched in fastidious fashion, tongue no longer there to run across enamel in contemplation.

I...

Mental words faltered. Forehead creased as eyebrows furrowed. A feeling of frustration rising in her chest like spiteful bile. There isn't so much more than what you are repeating, ringing in her head like wicked bells. It struck an unpleasant chord within her, reaching the limit of how far she was willing to self-depreciate.

She had lived a life and dealt with death. Been in love, and in turn, felt the most severe hatred quite often in the same breathe. Had borne witness to pain and suffering ever unimaginable that had shaped her oh-so-unfortunately from witless farm girl to hedonistic lunatic. She had been a sorceress, a Queen, the Silent Sister of Rattatak.

Perhaps he was testing her. Perhaps he was being obtuse. Or perhaps feeling superior was so important to him that she had no choice but to be the little girl that she had foolishly conceded to be.

You are right, of course.


Evelynn's features finally relaxed as she once again relented, preferring to remain despicably agreeable in the face of his arrogance. Perhaps it would disgust and disappoint him enough to get this over with quickly.

Shall we begin, then? I do not wish to take any more of your time than I already have, I am sure you have things you'd much rather be doing.

Darth Empyrean Darth Empyrean
 
So much scorn.”, Maliphant mused running a finger across the alchemist prosthetic.​
She would feel his touch, as though it were her own; but there would be an ever so slight difference. The arm in itself - couldn’t feel pain; and while his light touch made that hard to notice, it was a lesson she would learn in time. Maliphant knew this, however, and beamed ever so slightly at his ability.​
Your tone, if thats what you can call that, implies you’re upset. All that tells me is you didn’t understand what I meant, Evelynn.”, he sighed as he finally stood up.​
But fine, if you’re eager to learn, then I’ll show you. Afterwards, there is something equally as upsetting I’d like for you to meet - a certain ‘Darth Adekos’. If you truly don’t want to return home to your posh life as a Zambrano bastard, then he would be your best bet.”​
 
Evidently I do not understand.

Even now the Alchemist insisted upon sticking his boots in and making it increasingly difficult for the woman to keep some sense of decorum about her. She could feel it in her cheeks, that flash of embarrassment and scorn as he read her like a book and continued to tease the pages, so-much-so that a red tinge settled upon her harsh features.

You mock me, and in my continued great misfortune I find myself caring.

Who knew that the real downside of no longer being afflicted by madness was actually having to tend to pride's hurt feelings? Such a horrific new sensation. I don't want it.

There was a small niggle at the back of her mind that doubted the necessity of such a confession to the man, a moderate concern that knocking back that drink had certainly loosened lips, so-to-speak. It was too late now, the Apprentice had already committed to delving into hurt feelings like an idiot. Not as if it truly mattered, it seemed as if he could already read her like an open book so such concealment was mere folly.

Is his tongue as barbed as yours?

Probably.
Expression shifted, showing a modicum of surprise before easing into something more sheepish as she backpedalled to save face.

Ah, I do apologise. Yes, yes. I would appreciate that greatly.

Darth Empyrean Darth Empyrean
 
Even more so.”, Maliphant mused to the Sith.​
Alas, he could only mock the Sith for so long before growing tired of her self deprecation, and complete lack of ego. Could only have fun pulling someone down if they could at least try to fight back - and she had failed time and time again. It seemed, at the very least, he didn’t need the crude ‘Maliphant’ character - but he didn’t truly trust her enough to drop the act entirely.​
Instead, he simply walked in front of her, and offered a soft gaze. A thumb ran down her cheek, as though wiping away a tear that wasn’t there -​
You will never be more than what you were born with. You will never be capable of more.”, he repeated, though his gaze was more apathetic than scornful, or even mocking.​
But you aren’t all you’re capable of being now, Evelynn.”, Maliphant offered with a sighing, cupping her cheek with his hand, as though to encourage her to lean on him - if only for a second.​
Find your limits. Become who you need to be. That is what I meant.”​
He pulled his hand back, and didn’t offer her enough word, simply walked to a far wall and began to run his hands across a series of aging books - looking for something.​
 
It was truly the most cryptic of whiplash.

The man softened, offering riddles of fate in the place of snide comments, which only served to make the woman somehow feel like more of an idiot. Was she drunk? Or simply incapable of rendering greater meaning from the alchemist's obscure words? Perhaps both.

Never capable of more, but also capable of...

She was squinting now.

Regardless, both his words and intentions remained shrouded within the haze. A lesson to be learned later, if not a future hangover. Beyond the majesty of her new golden limb, there had been something else garnered here today. As Evelynn looked up to him, his hands now tender in stark comparison to the way they threatened to end her at first meeting, the Apprentice realised something.

She wasn't very good at riddles.


As the man perused his tomes she watched, face steeped in visible contemplation as if she were chewing on one particular thought, over and over again until it was nothing but tasteless gristle. Who she needed to be? Somebody powerful? Somebody respected? Somebody etched into the walls of history?

I see.

Somebody more?

Or maybe I do not.

What was more?


The most peculiar laugh erupted from the woman, a raspy soup of soft vowels littering the air as her confusion bred humour instead of frustration now. Mirth borne from a mouth without a tongue was an oddity indeed.

Life is so much more simple when you are deranged.

Darth Empyrean Darth Empyrean
 
The deranged do have it easier.”, Maliphant agreed as he pulled a book from the shelf.​
Its cover was dust laden, with bumps and ridged from whatever the leather bounding had come from. It reeked of dark side corruption, but it also just stank - likely due to its unnatural age, judging by the slow withering of the edges of the pages, and the harsh brownish-yellowing of its spine. Maliphant set it next to her without much consideration for its condition.​
Thats mostly because the deranged are blind to the future, the present, and the past.”, he mused.​
People like us have to live in all three. Read that -”, he said with a motion to the book.​
It’ll teach you the basics of force imbuement, and channeling through sith magick. I’ll get ahold of Darth Adekos, and we’ll move from there. Theres a guest room down the hall you can stay in -”, but he paused.​
- and Evelynn, if you so much as look at my artifacts wrong, I’ll take your eyes next.”, he offered with a final threat, before slowly walking from the room with a casual ‘Goodnight!’​
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom