Hunt for the Bard (Anara, Ben)

[Tefka]

Coruscant.

The day seemed damp as the two Jedi Masters, Ben & Teferi, left the boarding docks and headed towards the bustling port of lower eastern Undercity, Coruscant.

"Careful, we must be. Witnessed a greater hive of scum and villainy, I have not," said the green creature as he trotted into the populace of the Undercity from the port. His walking stick tapped against the ground as he tried to stay close to Ben - if he didn't, Teferi risked either being kicked or knocked over by one of the other fast-paced humans that traversed this poor underground network.

"A friend we have come for, yes. Her name is lost to me upon the years, but sense her, I do. Knew her, I did. Once, long ago."

Teferi licked his lips.

"Parched, yes, heading to the cantina we are." He pointed with his walking stick. "Perhaps news of our friend we will find."

 

[Ben Watts]

Coruscant was like home to Ben. Well, it wasn't like home, it was home. He had been born there and he learned everything about being a Jedi on the planet, and though it had changed quite a bit since he had been little, the place always took away that homesick feeling he would get after being away for too long. This was the first time in a long time he had trotted alongside a fellow Jedi and it made the return that much greater. He was beginning to grow fond of Teferi's company, if only because he was very similar to Ben, at least when it came to their moral values.

"You should take a trip to Nar Shaddar," Ben said with a smirk on his face whenever he mentioned that he had not seen anyone more villainous that Coruscant. "Makes Coruscant seem like a nice vacation."

He sensed the other Jedi as well, but it was faint, and among other force sensitives. Some good, some evil, some did not even know they had the gift. It was easy to tell, once one became used to it, to find out the affiliation of someone based soley on their force signature. It was not something that was taught per say, but it was more of a feeling one got from being around so many force sensitives in their lifetime.

"Jedi usually tend to leave a trail, so I am sure we will at least get on the right path." By trail, Ben meant that Jedi would usually resort to force tactics. It could come off as different things: magic, witchcraft, necromancy, whatever the person witnessing it decided to deem it.

The Cantina was packed and Ben and Tef stood out like sore thumbs. Everyone who was there was dressed for the occasion. Some getting drunk at the bar, others dressed socially with their friends, and a lot of them out on the dance floor. The pair received their fair share of stares as they walked into the cantina, but Ben brushed them off, he did not want any trouble. "Looks like they don't take too kindly to our kind around here." Ben said as he propped himself up against the bar in an attempt to blend in with the crowd.

 

[Tefka]

"I would not be so sure, Master Watts." Teferi said in response to the man's offhanded comment about Nar Shaddaa. "On our guard we must be whilst visiting."

"The right path we may be on, old Ben. Or perhaps the wrong. To only one end, will it lead us." He said philosophically, though it hardly made sense to anyone other than the little green monk as he pulled his hood over his head. "Into the cantina, we go." He stepped in with Ben, and saw what he saw, though from a varied level of height and perception.

Climbing up a barstool rung by rung like a ladder, Teferi sat like a child down in the chair and ordered his drink. "Kindness is the least of our worries. Be wary, we know not what travels here."

 

[Anara Valnor]

The cantina was packed with a wide variety of species, many of them gathered for a singular purpose; in just a few minutes the nights main entertainment would be taking the stage. While the crowd upon the dance floor and swarming the bar enjoyed the music the DJ was providing, a young woman was getting ready to take the stage. The music thrummed through the building as the DJ announced who would be taking the stage, earning a somewhat wild response from those that recognized the woman's stage name; Anarchy.

Anarchy adjusted her hat, brushing her vibrant red bangs from her eyes as her amber gaze took in the crowd that wasn't paying her any attention for the time being. With a sigh she closed her eyes for a moment, reveling in the raw energy flowing through the cantina as the Song of the Force guided the movements of those around her without their knowledge; it was music to her ears. Slowly her eyes slid open and her gaze turned in the direction of two new arrivals to the musical composition; the Songs of these individuals were entirely new to the area. As she stared toward the owner's of the new Songs she frowned, brow furrowing in thought.

I know...those notes...from somewhere...

Her eyes took on a far off look and she remained staring off into space until one of the cantina staff told her that it was nearly time for her to take the stage. Blinking back to the present she nodded and placed the strap of her guitar over her, smiling as she took the stage. The DJ bid the cantina goodnight until later, giving the establishment over to Anarchy. Smiling brightly she gave the crowd a wave, drawing upon the Force as its Song flooded her mind and guided her hands. As the power of the Force built within and around her the air shifted, a sudden breeze stirring her hair lightly. A piano began to play, but the sound wasn't coming from the speakers around the cantina, the music was coming from the very air as Anarchy manipulated the Force.

"Another year has past
He's stuck behind the glass
The corporate machine
That crushes hopes and dreams
Where did it all go wrong?
It's not where we belong
Is this the final straw?
I'm screaming out for more"​

Her voice echoed across the cantina, but she wasn't singing into a mic and as her guitar roared to life it was clear to everyone that it wasn't hooked into an amplifier. An entire band was playing with her as she sang, a band of phantom instruments. The crowd began moving to her music, taking her message to heart as the cantina seemed to shake with the power of her song.

"OK, I confess I've been feeling stressed
Thinking evil thoughts when it's time to rest
What you stand for really does not interest me

Now that we digress into nothingness
Pointless, nostaglic logic with emptiness
What you stand for really does not concern me

The room started spinning
The red mist desending
Make your move for the door
Kick over chairs
And run down the stairs
I just can't take anymore

Rise up, join the revolution
Take away the lies
Leave this institution​

Rise up, join the revolution
Take away the lies
Leave this institution"​

 

[Ben Watts]

Ben nodded his head at Tef's words and he continued to look around. The bartender had decided to completely ignore the two of them and Ben guessed it was because they had not signalled for him. It was no problem to Ben as he did not drink, nor was he thirsty, so he did nothing to try and get the mans attention. He was propped up next to a man who, Ben could sense, did not particularly like being next to the two Jedi. He was not threatening though, and if anything, was more nervous than anything. He never understood why the Jedi were such a taboo topic, but he guessed it was because they were a type of police that walked around killing everyones buzz.

He was about to say something to Tef when he heard a voice. His head shot directly to the stage, and he knew right away, they had found exactly who they had come looking for. When she started to sing, she began to use the force to power her music, and it worked. The entire crowd seemed enthralled by her singing and music. At once everyone turned their heads and began to listen. The man he had been sitting next to no longer felt nervousness and even the bartender seemed to lose track of what he was doing.

"I do believe we have found our girl."

 

[Tefka]

As Ben had noticed the man next to him and then took an interest in the girl, Teferi had been swept up from his stool and carried off into the crowd. Disappeared, he had, into the masses.

As Ben would turn back to utter "I do believe we have found our girl", he would find Teferi back on his bar stool with seven drinks in hand and pink glasses made out of straws that led down to the seven goblets. The liquid churned through his bright pink glasses as one of the girls from the cantina walked by, tickling Teferi's head and kissing on the cheek. A piece of paper was slid into his robes, apparently joining other similar notes, as some had fallen out onto the floor below.

Teferi turned to Ben as he spoke.

Sluuuuurp.

"Relax, you will." He waved his hand in the air in gest, giggling and burping. "Enjoying this place, I am!"

 

[Anara Valnor]

As the song drew to a close the club was filled with an eerie silence for a moment, before the patrons errupted into a fit of cheers. Smiling her amber eyes seemed to glow as she threw up her hands in a gesture many of the locals referred to as "devil horns". Licking her lips she began to shape the sounds within the club once more, the sounds of drums filling the club with her guitar. The crowd began moving with the music immediately as her voice echoed across the club, a phantom male voice joining her's.

"Fire with fire
Fire with fire​

​

Fire with fire
Fire with fire"​

​

A few people within the crowd noticed that there was an invisible man singing with her, but they didn't seem to really react to it. As the crowd danced, Anara moved with her own music, her eyes sliding closed as she lost herself in the beat. The breeze from before returned as her eyes opened and once more turned toward the melody she had recognized earlier.

"You had to open up that door
It's never gonna be the way it was before
So what do we fight for?
And do we always have to even up that score?​

I don't know where we went wrong
I don't know where we belong
Tell me why we are so lost?
Will we decide which side we're on?​

​

And now it's on, we're fighting
Fire with fire
The flames are burning, burning
Higher and higher

It always has to be an
Eye for an eye
Justice remains the one
And only desire
Fighting fire with fire​

​

You do to me like I do to you
And I do to you like you do to me
Fighting fire with fire
Fighting fire with fire"​

​

As the breeze grew in strength to a near whirlwind that whipped around her body, her hair caught the light and appeared to be on fire as the atmosphere within the club reached new heights. She caught a glimpse of green through the crowd as she sang and once more the chord of familiarity sounded in her mind, but she was in the middle of her show and so she didn't have time to think on the subject further. Closing her eyes she slipped back into the Song of the Force, her voice and that of the unseen man filling the club. She moved with the music as she sang at the top of her lungs, until just as before the song ended and the club was momentarily silent as the crowd came out of the spell she had put on them. Smiling Anara threw up her hands once more, before taking her leave of the stage as the DJ said that she was going to be taking a quick break before finishing her show.

Exiting the stage she slung her guitar over her back and navigated her way through the charged crowd, seemingly invisble to the eyes of her frantic fans. With ease she found her way to the bar and was able to order a drink, which she took a healthy gulp of as she slowly relaxed from her performance. She could hear the familiar melody somewhere nearby, but she was more focused on her drink for the time being.