I said I wouldn't be gone long....

[Ryn'Dhal]

He'd been gone only a matter of days, but he made sure to have a holo-call home daily, sometimes multiple times daily, to minimize the impact of his absence. But his most recent call probably set a buzz of high energy in that apartment he called his home on Soceras.

He was returning from an important meeting on Voss, and he had news to share when he got home. After landing the Mask in the hangar James set aside for him, Ryn set of for home at a breakneck pace. Some fresh, raw cutlets of the finest meat his allowance would permit was already set to be delivered by droid just after he'd reach his apartment.

Almost bursting through the door, his excitement palpable in the air around him, he grinned at the only organic occupant of the room, arms wide as he announced, "They have granted me the rank of Master!!!"

Here he watched [member="Kitty"]'s face for reaction to this announcement, his ears perked forward eagerly. He had known the meeting they summoned him home for had been an important one, but he never dreamed it was for a promotion ceremony, or he would have taken his fellow felinoid without a second thought.

"I wish I had known what it was for when they called me away! I would have loved for you to have been there!!"

 

[Kitty]

Kitty was soooo bored. Ryn called everyday but it was only a momentary distraction even if a pleasant one. While he was away she tried to keep herself busy with some of the meditative techniques he had taught her but it wasn't doing her a lot of good and she felt like the boredom was literally killing her. At the very least brain cells were going numb by not being stimulated right? Why couldn't he have just brought her to whatever important jedi meeting he was going to. She wouldn't have been bored then. She was pretending to be his padawon right. Shouldn't his padawon by with her master even for important crap. Heck even if she wasn't suppose to be there she was a master at making herself invisible. She could be there even if she wasn't suppose to be and that would entertain her a great deal. By the sith she even had armor that literally made her invisible and unless they were more skilled at art of the small then she was which was highly unlikely for such an obscure rare and difficult ability, they wouldn't even be able to detect her force presence. She even had the skill to transfer her presence to a different location though that was a bit difficult.

Kitty collapsed on a couch resigned to slowly die there till Ryn came back. She was half tempted to go rob a bank and make up for the funds she had already spent, but she imagined Ryn wouldn't be too pleased with that. Thankfully her death by motionless boredom wasn't to be as Ryn burst though the door with excited news that he had been granted the rank of master. Kitty jumped up and exclaimed "What!!" with what could be mistaken as excitement for the news. In reality she was irritated and slowly approaching angry. "No you're not allowed to reach master before I do. That is not allowed. Maybe I could accept us reaching master together but not before me. This is your fault for keeping me here meditating when I should be training. You go back there and return your rank this instant."

[member="Ryn'Dhal"]

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

Raising his hands in a defensive, placating motion, Ryn took a step or two back, ears folding slightly, a reflexive display of disappointment with her hostile reaction to his news.

"I'm sorry.... I.... I thought you might have been happy for me.... was planning...." he'd trail off, before shaking his head slightly, defeated. "I apologize.... I panicked when the summons came, what with the Mando's raiding Voss lately.... I feared war.... and I didn't want to drag you into a fight that wasn't yours.... I shouldn't have left you, and I shouldn't have expected a warm reception upon arrival...."

His back met the wall, and he unceremoniously slumped to the ground. With only a few words, this woman downed the same man who withstood a Sith Lord's embodiment of hatred on Corruscant as a youngling padawan. She really didn't realize the power she already had over him, even after such a short time.

[member="Kitty"]​

 

[Kitty]

Kitty's own ears slumped as Ryn's mood was ruined by her outburst. She approached him sitting next to the wall now. "Hey noo don't do that. I'm sorry I only kinda meant that. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just upset with myself is all. I'm glad you made master. I'm going to have to start calling you master Ryn more often now, master Ryn." Kitty went to sit right against his side. "So what does that mean for you now that you're a master jedi. For the sith it just kinda meant they were recognized as really strong."

[member="Ryn'Dhal"]

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

His tail found hers shortly after she sat against him, a gentle, momentary touch, before flinching away as if it suddenly realized what it was doing.

"They recognize my growth.... my capabilities.... and my accomplishments.... I guess it's not too dissimilar from the Sith's recognition, in some respects. They believe I have the strength, and the capabilities, to fulfill the role expected of a Master." he explained quietly, eyes gazing without seeing at his hands. He chuckled slightly, before continuing. "As for calling me 'Master', if we're dedicating to the façade of you being my padawan.... you'd only need to do so when dealing with others.... It feels so demeaning to me, like one doesn't deem themselves worthy of being seen as a peer to me.... and I never want anyone to feel that way...."

His tail flicked nervously, as he shifted his gaze to meet the eyes of the woman next to him. "Especially not you....."

[member="Kitty"]​

 

[Kitty]

Kitty's own tail wouldn't allow Ryn's to escape lashing out and locking into a gentle hold. "I call you that only because I find it amusing. It's a game of sorts for me. Were I serious I'm sure I could come up with some way to assassinate you. Or at least that's what I try to make myself think. Ever since we first met after the temple disaster I was disappointed in myself that I realized in that encounter alone I wouldn't be able to take you out with ease which up until that point I would have been able to do with most other targets. Things haven't been getting better either, I'm falling behind. When I first met you I was a knight and you were a padawon and now I'm still a knight and you are a master. And while I know many knights that could be considered equal to or better in power to lords I can't even imagine what I'd be capable of by now had I been focused on my profession the only profession and life style I've ever known no doubt worthy of being recognized as a master. Instead I'm here with you doing I don't know what barely getting anywhere in our efforts to give myself some control. I'm enjoying my time with you more than anything but something major is missing. Maybe the reason I find this little game fun is because I want to be a padawon again."

[member="Ryn'Dhal"]

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

He gave a gentle laugh, as an arm was lifted, to go around Kitty's shoulders, before pulling her close to him. "I wouldn't say you've fallen behind.... You ended up where you needed to be, when you needed to be there.... Even one step on your path out of alignment, and we'd have never had our paths cross the way it did." he started, attempting to provide comfort, and perhaps some insight into how his mind worked, when it came to the threads of fate. "I don't know where our lives shall lead us, or where the Force may guide us next, but while I do not believe everything is preordained by the Force, I do believe it has..... paths.... possible futures it has in mind.... And we, through our meanderings through the cosmos, cause the Force to continually unravel and reform our potential paths."

He offered Kitty a warm smile, before rising up to his feet, offering a hand to pull her up to him, should she so desire. "I genuinely believe you are where you need to be, right now, at this moment. Much as I am. I will help you, as best as I can. I can only lead you by my example, explain what I know works for me, but in the end, it comes to you making it your own." he stated, smiling warmly. He then turned, walking away, tail swishing idly behind him, over to a changing curtain. Once behind it, he'd removed his clothing, quickly, and before she had a chance to really react, he emerged, shifting as he went, into his massive quadrupedal form. Far more massive than most sentients would expect to encounter, the great beast that was Ryn was easily recognizable with those keen, intelligent golden eyes, and the myriad network of scars decorating his massive, muscular body. The twin rows of defensive spikes along his spine swayed with the movements of his body as he prowled towards her, before lowering down to sit upon his haunches, the great beast almost eye-level with the standing Kitty. Those two, dagger-line fangs, were quite intimidating in their own right, without factoring the massive beast behind them.

With a rumbling purr, that Kitty could literally feel from the few paces separating the two, the beast sat, and watched, before slowly opening it's maw. "You too..... will be.... able... to change.... at will...." the great beast vocalized, with great effort. It was obvious that, while Ryn had the control to change at will, and maintain control, he lacked the ability for easy communications in this form.

[member=Kitty]​

 

[Kitty]

Kitty supposed he was right. If she had to chose between having been stronger or meeting Ryn she definitely would chose Ryn. Kitty gladly took his hand and no doubt her tiny frame was easy to bring off the floor. "I'm glad I met you instead, but it still remains I need a lot of work."

Kitty was sad when their tails separated as Ryn took off for some reason. That reason being shifting in order to make the point. She found it hilarious that he was having some difficulty with speech and couldn't help giggling a bit when he spoke. As the years ticked by her experience in her two forms slowly evened out. She was comfortable with her current form now but that wasn't always the case. For most her life she lived in her larger feline form.

Not caring for her clothing as she had plenty, Kitty shifted until now she was almost as big as Ryn. "I can already shift at will and I can remain in either form indefinitely for the most part. My issue is shifting involuntarily and the deadly results of it." Kitty said with almost perfect clarity. "I guess I never got around to telling you. The name my parents gave me was Koneko. From the moment I was born I always had trouble controlling myself I was a perpetual danger to my people and as the only heir to the throne I was next inline to take it when my parents retired. Naturally this didn't sit well with the majority and I imagine my parents feared a coup. I don't know how much you know about monarchies but those coups end in the royal family dead. It was the combination of these things that I imagine led my parents to keeping me caged. Always under stress at this point I pretty much was always a quadruped. One day I escaped for a little taste of freedom and happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time when a group of slavers captured me. At first they thought I was just a big animal that they planned on selling for a profit. Once they learned I was a shape shifting sentient they stuck a shock collar on me to keep me stuck in my larger form and they renamed me Kitty. I guess I was going to fetch a higher price that way. I was purchased by an exotic buyer who planned on using me as both a guard animal and a symbol of his wealth." Kitty's eyes began to tear up. "He did some pretty terrible training until I was the pet he wanted. I didn't speak and I obeyed whatever command he gave me. I had to find other ways to communicate that I was hungry or had to relieve my bladder or bowls. The worst part is though when I became his perfect pet he loved me and next thing I knew I loved him too. I was with him for so long I forgot my old name. My slave master had some business dealings with the sith and one day he disappointed the wrong one. Ferus was his name at the time and he gave him a thrashing before knocking him out. I saw it as the only opportunity I would ever get to be free and killed my former slave master. My emotions were so conflicted though I had loved him but I was longing to speak and have freedom again soo much. I guess in the act Ferus noticed I could use the force and he ended up adopting me. First he rehabilitated me then he trained me to be a sith assassin. Our relationship was a forbidden one though. Should the sith ever find out we were more than master and apprentice they'd kill us both. Ferus was strong though and he protected me so I could forge my own path. I would have been killed by the sith long ago if it weren't for him. Eventually something happened to him though I'm not sure what but he changed and I couldn't be with him any longer and that was the moment my life feel to pieces all over again and I'm still trying to pick up. Recently he seems to have recovered from whatever it was he was going through and is now going by a different name for whatever reason. I still haven't found out what exactly happened."

[member="Ryn'Dhal"]

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

He'd shifted back almost immediately after she revealed her own prowess. He scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. "It seems I mistook what exactly you needed my help for....." he started to apologize, until her explanation continued.

He stared, silently, throughout her tale, his expression one of sympathetic pain, his empathetic nature causing him to shoulder some of the pain she was reliving right there in real time. He frowned, though as she'd eventually shift back to her humanoid state, he'd pull her into his arms, into a comforting embrace.

"Perhaps, we can seek him out? I know a few people capable of finding ways of getting messages to exceedingly hard to reach individuals.... perhaps you can invite him to visit here on Soceras?" Ryn mused out loud, as he gently ran his fingers through Kitty's hair.

It was a logical plan. Soceras was largely neutral, not overtly leaning towards pro-Sith or pro-Jedi. And, should her adoptive 'father' prove volatile or hostile, there were more than enough resources at Ryn'Dhal's disposal to deter almost any threat brought to bear.

"Yes, that sounds like it could be a great plan to me, if you approve of it." he stated, as he willed a datapad to his hand. He'd offer it to Kitty, smiling. "Just enter in to whom, and what you want the message to say. My guy will see to it the right person gets it."

[member="Kitty"]​

 

[Kitty]

At first Kitty was offended taking his offer as a statement she wouldn't be able to find him, but she realized he was just trying to help. She remembered some guy awhile ago getting offended over the same thing and here she was being a hypocrite. Maybe she should find him and apologize. "Perhaps I can. Sounds like a good idea to me." Though in reality Kitty thought that could be a bad idea. Regardless of what happened should he come though Kitty wanted to know what happened to him. Last she saw him he was picking up a new apprentice who might have died or didn't make the cut, she didn't know. Kitty took the datapad from Ryn with a "Thanks".

'Dear whatever your name is now. Lets just go with master and dad. I don't know whats been going on with you but you seem to have recovered from whatever it was. I don't even know if you'll bother with this message but if you do I'd like to know whats been going on with my father. I'm currently on Soceras *insert exact location*.

PS Don't kill Ryn.'

[member="Ryn'Dhal"]
[member="Darth Ferox"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

Halfway across the galaxy in a pub with no name sat Ferox, drinking his whisky all by himself. With nobody else. This was a lazy day for him, filled with nothing but said drink in his hand. Well, until a random individual slipped him a letter. Blue eyes glanced down at the simple piece of parchment, and as they went to see who set it there, the being was already gone. Mysterious.

Well, might as well read the note. As he did, he couldn't help but frown. [member="Kitty"] still didn't understand, well. That's no good. Though, the PS did cause the frown to turn into a confused smile. Why would he kill a man named Ryn? Who was Ryn? It couldn't be [member="Ryn'Dhal"] right? The man who shared a species with his daughter. The Jedi Master that he once knew. The one that had a home on Soceras. That would of helped Kitty if she needed it cause that was the kind of person he was.

Without a word the letter was set down and the Zabrak left the bar, checking to see how many bullets he had left in the massive gun on his hip.

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

Smiling as she sent the missive, Ryn would gently run his fingers through Kitty's hair, before using a knuckle against her chin to gently reposition her face towards him to be able to softly place a kiss upon her forehead.

"I'm certain it will be a few days before he'd get here at best, so... let us see about occupying ourselves." he'd suggest, a hint of a smirk cutting across that handsome felinoid visage.

The next several days were occupied with what would be potentially sacrilegious teachings to the Sith, as Ryn tried to impart how he would still his mind, clear the canvas that were his thoughts, and dwelled on nothing but the Force to keep the Beast at bay while traveling through hyperspace.

Along with that were sparring matches, and even one night where Ryn even went so far as to dress up a bit, providing a dress his attire complimented nicely for Kitty, and took her out for an extravagant night out on the town, complete with dinner and dancing.

Time was a blur for the next week, the two losing time to the other with no regrets.

Until one day, a strange sensation, a sense of foreboding, with a faint tickle of familiarity, pricked at the back of Ryn'Dhal's mind.

He'd woken early that morning, and left a note for Kitty stating he would be in his training warehouse, where the two had spent plenty of time exercising and training the past week.

There he'd be found, lost in meditation, elevated a solid meter off of the ground, feeling as best as he could, hoping to identify this source of his ill-ease sensation.....

[member="Kitty"] | [member="Darth Ferox"]​

 

[Darth Ferus]

It had taken a week of hitchhiking across the galaxy for the Zabrak to finally make it to Soceras. A week of hiding out on random freighters and 'politely' asking for a ride from the good space travelers all around. All the while he was left to his own thoughts. This wasn't a good thing. All he could think about was who this mysterious Ryn was. All the clues pointed to none other than [member="Ryn'Dhal"] . Couldn't be right?

[member="Kitty"] wouldn't end up with a Jedi right?

Once finally setting foot on the planet his gaze traveled right to where he instantly felt not only his kid, but a man he once knew so long ago. The same he feared. It was in a run that he would end up trying to get from the spaceport to the location he felt them.

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

Once again, Ryn'Dhal trained. Clad in naught but his trousers, his myriad network of scars visible to any who would enter, he went through the motions of his favored variation of Ataru. The beautiful Phrik blades danced about him as he moved through the motions of his martial dance, the singing of the blades cutting through the air.

He was so lost in his art, his tumbles, his flips, his slashes and feigned parries, that he didn't feel him approaching, until it was nearly too late.

It was only through iron will and incredible discipline that he continued his exercises, even with the swiftly approaching 'threat' looming. His massive form continued through the paces, his agility awe inspiring when contrasted with his considerable mass.

He felt someone enter his gymnasium, his dojo, his training studio, as he landed from a complex series of flips, swords held out to each side in reverse grips, tips slightly skyward, pointing behind and away from his body, as the visitor entered through the door behind him.

The adrenaline was messing with his senses, and as such he couldn't tell if it was his lover, our the strange visitor he felt enter his sanctuary.

"Good morning...." was the only words he spoke, as the door would close behind the visitor.

[member="Kitty"] | [member="Darth Ferox"]​

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Yo." The deep voice of the Zabrak would answer [member="Ryn'Dhal"] 's morning call. The Zabrak stood in the doorway, staring right at the larger figure of the cat man with his blue eyes. He also had his gun out, aiming right for where he stood. A frown remained on his lips as he stared at the furry figure. He had come here only because he could actively sense Ryb during his training.

"Where's my daughter."

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

Ears were focused on the man behind him, listening to every little sound he made. The sliding of a finger into a gentle seating on the trigger of a gun, the slightly elevated respiration of someone prepared for conflict, Ryn felt he could even hear the blood surging through his visitors veins.

"Kitty? She is sleeping soundly. Would you like for me to call on her for you, Ferox?" he guessed at the man's identity, still having not turned about. The oddest part of it all was the familiarities. The event, the voice.... Ryn'Dhal could almost swear he'd encountered this individual before by those two telltale traits, but that was impossible.

After a few moments longer of silence, he spoke again, muscles tensed to move if needed. "Will your trigger finger be stayed, should I turn about, or am I to remain your captive audience further?" he asked, a faint bit of sarcasm in his voice.... a byproduct of extended interaction with Kitty, most likely.

[member="Kitty"] | [member="Darth Ferox"]​

 

[Darth Ferus]

"If I wanted to kill you, I'd have pulled the trigger by now. This is only here so you don't try to cut me down." Half truths. Yes, it was there to help defer any violence from [member="Ryn'Dhal"] , but it was also there to put a bullet in his head should something of happened to [member="Kitty"] . For too long he had avoided and treated the young feline poorly, and if there was ever a time to be the Father she viewed him as, it was now.

"Take me to her. I'd like to make sure she's okay before this gets lowered."

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

A soft scoff was given as a reply as the massive felacatian turned, before faltering, his gaze faking upon the familiar features of a man he once knew.

"K-krest?!" the obviously confused felinoid stammered, ears cocking at odd angles, only making his confusion all the more visible instead of just audible. "You.... you're Ferox?" he asked, his confusion not receding an inch.

Head angled to the side slightly, a slight frown cut across his face. "Are you certain we should wake her now? I know she is not overly fond of her naps being interrupted.... we could delay a moment to catch up, if you will, and allow her to wake of her own accord?" he asked. It genuinely wasn't a delay tactic. He was honestly curious. What caused the noble Knight he once knew, the Templar, become a Sith Lord? When, and how, did this happen? It was a mystery to Ryn.

"But..... if you still insist...." he continued, sheathing his swords, "then let us be off. She's in the penthouse. Top level of course."

[member="Kitty"] | [member="Darth Ferox"]​

 

[Darth Ferus]

"So it is you, Ryn'dal. I was really hoping it wouldn't be." A frown settled on the Sith's face as he looked over [member="Ryn'Dhal"] 's features. Damn the boy had grown. Slowly the gun was lowered, until it was level to the ground, leaving the cat no longer in a threatened state. Or so Ferox hoped. The red man could only sigh as he glanced around the room they were in, finally taking in the scenery itself.

"Yeah. Let's just let her sleep. Catch up if you want to. What ever questions you may have, feel free to ask I suppose."

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

The felinoid nodded, as the gun was lowered, and the agreement to conversing was given. Ryn remained somewhat on guard, given the adrenaline was still pumping from having a gun drawn on him. Leading the way to an attached kitchen area for the training studio, Ryn'Dhal set about heating up water for some tea. "I hope you aren't opposed to tea...." he started off, setting up the herbal mixture, before turning his attention fully back to Krest.... Ferox....

"So, I must ask, first off..... Why did you hope it wasn't me?" he inquired, ears lowering slightly, his confusion, and perhaps a little sensation of hurt, being evident in his body-language. His mind had danced all over, looking for exactly why that could have been. Was he hoping Ryn'Dhal would have been someone Krest had no familiarity with, and thus could have expended without any hesitation? Or perhaps, it was Ryn's ties to the Silvers that caused the Sith Lord's misgivings? Ryn was completely uncertain, but he knew that was the first subject he wished to tackle, while the two waited for the slumbering Kitty to rise.

[member="Kitty"] | [member="Darth Ferox"]​