One Year On; A Lifetime Later

[Connor Harrison]

She shook her head, and patted Mysa's hand as she continued to talk.

”No! That's it...the bond shared, a family member or friends. Admiration and want. That's what I've felt if that is what this means. I've admired you and wanted to be your friend since we met, and I have hated being away from you. I found myself thinking about you and worrying about you and wanting to talk to you, and for you to hold me like you did when the cold came in.”

Now, she brought up her other hand and cupped Mysa's, thumbs stroking her cool skin.

”I care about you too and I want to keep you safe. I came back for you. Come with me, Mysa!” A warm smile broke over her face. ”Come with me this time, and we can have it all and never be apart. We can discover the magic of the galaxy together - we only need each other!”

She had hope in her eyes, and she looked like the woman a year ago, full of wonder and innocence even behind those sickly corrupted eyes.

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

"But we are friends... Why would you doubt that, after what we went through?"

Truly this was proving to be a real rollercoaster. One minute the pair were delicate, caring, the next they were at each other's throats. It wasn't nice, but if what Joon felt was familial then... That made sense. Family bickered, friends too, it was how they resolved the issues that mattered.

"I know I didn't come with you, but I couldn't. I have duties to tend to, Joon, I have a family that relies on me." She leaned into the woman's touch, with a small sigh. "I know you came all this way to rescue me, but I don't need rescuing... I'm here for you, whenever you need me, I'll join you on adventures, I'll see the Galaxy with you, but at the end of the day this is my home. My place. And I cannot leave at the drop of a hat."

Mysa hadn't been back to see her parents since returning from the two week hunting trip. She hadn't seen her baby brother, who knew how different he was now... Babies changed so quickly in their earlier years.

Joon was pleading with her eyes, though they remained hopeful. Mysa didn't want to let her down, but she had to be realistic.

"I... I can't Joon. Not this time... I need to see my brother, I need to give him the furs I hunted for him. You have to understand, surely?"

[member="Joon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

As the negative answers came, Joon couldn't understand why the barriers were being placed between them. Mysa wanted to be with her, and Joon wanted it, so why did anyone else matter?

”No, you...” she shook her head, ”don't be foolish Mysa. Furs aren't important! And family? You don't need family because you have me, and I will never hurt you or expect anything of you.”

She was frustrated trying to get through to the girl, who seemed to be as conflicted as the clone.

”Mysa, you want to come back here? Fine. But leave with me today and see where we go. Together. The galaxy is what we make it, and I will do anything for you. Nobody will hurt you, or ask of you. And when you come home I will be right by your side.”

She stepped forward to close the gap and took hold of her hands, face set and stern, but full of hope and words laced with command.

”Don't deny yourself this chance.” Joon's hand shot up and cupped the back of Mysa's neck. ”Come with me, my sweet Mysa. My special girl. Come with me.”

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

Mysa shook her head. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. The urgency in her voice, the unrelenting need for Mysa to join her. Did she not understand the way things worked? In the real world you couldn't simply drop everything you were doing. It wasn't how it worked.

"It is his first set of furs. Of course it's important. It's practically a rite of passage for Valkyri... And... And family? Of course family means something!"

She took a step away from Joon. What was going on? Why was everything falling apart again? Felix lifted his head, and followed after her as she took another step back.

"I care about you, Joon, but my family is important to me. I can't just leave them without a word."

Joon followed, each step Mysa took back the woman took forward. A panic rose within the young Umbaran, breathing turning slightly erratic.

"Don't make me choose. I won't choose. It doesn't have to be one or the other. I need to see my family, I need to..."

Her hands were engulfed by the woman's, then one hand was released so that she could cup the back of Mysa's neck. She felt like a cornered animal, like an Alk who knew it was about to be shot.

"Please..."

[member="Joon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Joon’s eyes worked over Mysa’s. Looking for that little crack in the soul, and that glimmer of fear to be tapped into. Sadly, for all her protest, she just fed the monster before her who never wavered from her grip.

”Don’t be afraid,” she cooed softly. ”I think it is time we left to be together for a while. Don’t you?”

And with that, Joon turned to stand beside the girl and started leading her through the woods again, over the crunchy frost and soft snow, parting the bracken with her mind.

”You will not choose today, because I will choose for you. Don’t fight this, and let me show you how much you mean to me. And, in time, you will return her a stronger woman than you are now.”

She poured resolve and comfort through her touch, working on that emotional want and need, her grip never tightening on her at all, but firm and guiding. Joon slipped her free hand onto Mysa’s wrist and stroked it gently.

”I feel I have purpose again, Mysa.”

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

Joon did not relent.

The hand in hers tightened, the one at her neck remained firmly in place, and all semblance of choice was ripped from Mysa's grasp. There had never been an option, had there? One way or another Joon had come with the intent of whisking her away, whether she wanted it or not.

"S-Stop" she said, her usually calm demeanor falling apart as she found herself pushed through the trees in the opposite direction from her home. "Let go of me, Joon... This isn't funny."

Felix growled, for what it was worth, and tried to keep up with the pace, bounding through the snow and remaining by Mysa's side, one small piece of comfort in an otherwise chaotic situation. But she didn't want him hurt. She couldn't let her do anything to him. So, much to her own dismay, she mentally ordered the cub away - back to the City, to [member='Gideon Crowseye'], or [member='Thyrian Hearthfire']... whichever he encountered first.

One tear fell, freezing upon her cheek as it did so. Joon was trying to comfort her, even as she was dragging the poor girl away from her home, from her people, but the actions only sought to make her feel sick to her stomach.

"Please don't do this..."

But she knew that it was too late to convince the woman otherwise.

[member="Joon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Joon stopped suddenly. Eyes looking ahead at the faint outline of her ship in the near distance.

She let go of Mysa’s wrist, and her neck, and took two steps forward and turned to the girl. She reached and gently wiped away the tear that was near frozen.

”With me, we can have it all. You can explore the galaxy with me. I can give you everything you want, and more. I can…I will love you so much. I will never let anyone hurt you, and will help you understand so much of what is out there. So much. You will learn everything there is to know about the Force, the Light and the Dark."

With a scowl, her head fell and her finger rose to point behind her.

”With them, you can be forgotten. You can waste your days doing what others bid for you. They say they care, but they don’t. They will never care as much as I do. Hunt, wash up, do whatever it is they ask of you in a small city within small cracked walls. That is no life. No life at all."

Her amber eyes lazily flicked over to Mysa, a dangerous sense of predatory playfulness in them.

”Make your choice."

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

All at once the woman stopped still, causing Mysa to walk into her due to the lack of warning. With a small oof she stepped back and looked around in confusion. In the distance she saw a ship, which Joon took two steps toward once releasing Mysa's wrist. Upon turning back to her, the woman wiped away the frozen tear, and the action made Mysa flinch back ever so slightly.

What was going on? Was Joon having a change of heart?

As the woman spoke, Mysa felt as though she was shrinking; she felt small, insignificant. Like she was being talked down to. Joon, despite trying to convince her, still seemed menacing. Mysa wondered what would happen if she used the opportunity to slip away?

"But... They don't hold me back. They don't keep me here. I have a ship, I explore the Galaxy as I please. If anything they encourage me to travel. You're not being fair, Joon. You don't understand. Just because you haven't known a real family doesn't mean you can talk down to me about mine. I want to stay behind to see my newborn brother... Why is that so hard for you to comprehend?"

She flinched back again, worrying that maybe she had said too much. Her words hadn't been the most thought out, or said in the kindest way. But they were out there, and she couldn't take them back.

[member="Joon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Joon pointed again, with a sharp jabbing motion. She looked angry and disappointed. Her body started to shake.

”Then go!" The girl hissed. ”You were afraid then and you’re afraid now! You want to stay to see your family grow – what about you. You are NEVER going to become anything unless you break away from them!"

Her finger curled back into a fist and she rested it against her head.

”I came back for you and this is what you do to me. It’s true. Love is a weak emotion and it makes you weak in turn. I shouldn’t have trusted you. I shouldn’t have trusted you at all. Or her."

Joon shook her head and winced.

”Why…are you doing this to me. I came for you and now you won’t come with me…." she made a number of low groaning, growling noises, and gently rocked , breathing hard.

She knew what was going to happen, and she didn’t want it to. But, it may be the only way.

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

Another step back.

Joon seemed so angry. Why didn't she understand? Because she can't. These concepts you take for granted are so alien to her... As they were to you when you first left Aurum. Help her to understand... Don't belittle her for it, Mysa, you know better than that.

The only problem was, now Joon didn't have the sense to listen. With each passing second her rage grew, her body shook, her words became more vehement... And choked up. What had she done? Oh Gods, forgive her...

"J-Joon..." she said, the fear palpable on her expression. "Calm down, please... It doesn't change anything, it shouldn't change anything... I know that you came here for me, I appreciate it, but I can't just run away without saying anything. Don't you understand that? P-Please... I'm not trying to hurt you, Joon... I'm not."

[member="Joon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Her words only cut more, and it was white noise of someone who was trying to lie their way out of a promise made. Joon couldn’t hear it anymore.

With a cry, she tore her head back up to see the girl a little close, and she snatched the lightsaber hilt from her side and ignited it in a split-second with a sharp snap-hiss, the crimson blade casting a blood red glow across the snowy ground beneath and the trunks of the dark trees.

”It changes EVERYTHING."

She gritted her teeth and held the blade outwards, directly at the girl as if she was going to skewer her.

”And you want me to believe you’re not trying to hurt me? Try to believe I don’t want to hurt you!"

Her eyes were cast with amber and red from the saber, and she trembled, holding the weapon out towards the shocked girl. Bring them on. Her family. Friends. Whoever. The damn pup. They came here, they would die.

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

With a snap-hiss the surrounding area was cast in an bloody red glow.

Mysa simply stared. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears, feel it in her neck, and shuddered. She couldn't move, and when she opened her mouth to try and speak it wasn't for happening. Her throat was dry, tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth.

Pure, base fear wrapped around her.

And her mind was filled with naught save prayers to the Gods she served. For strength. For clarity. For calm. Even when the blade was directed toward her Mysa didn't move. Further tears fell, though there were no audible cries from the girl.

Then she dropped. Straight to her knees, gaze fixed up at Joon. Cast in the same red glow. Her body felt cold, her eyes were empty. Why was this happening? What had Mysa done that was so wrong it warranted this?

[member="Joon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Joon looked down the blade, and nothing else mattered bar the girl on her knees. Submissive. Where she should be.

The clone wasn’t going to hurt her. Just about. Not yet, anyway. It took a moment of will to refrain from stabbing her through the ribs.

”You are coming with me, Mysa. Right now."

The blade hummed, a faint chill blew both their loose strands of hair across.

”Do you understand? There is nothing here for you now. It is time you saw the bigger picture, and you see what we have and how wonderful it can be."

She beckoned her up with her hand, blade still pointed.

”Get up, my sweet, and go to my ship."

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

Joon did not relent. She did not deactivate the lightsaber. She simply stood there, glaring down the glowering weapon to the girl who had fallen at her feet. Hollowness struck her, her body felt weightless and empty.

The wind tore through the clearing, picking up flurries of snow and forcing her hair to billow with its breeze. What she wouldn't give to float away on it, to find herself transported back to her home, to her loving family.

Instead the reality was that she would likely not see them again for quite some time. That hurt.

Mysa did not say a word as Joon stated her position, and bid her to rise back to her feet. For a moment it looked as though the Umbaran wasn't going to move at all, but the chilling knowledge that any moment could be her past forced her body back into action and she rose from the snow.

Her gaze finally tore from Joon. She looked to the ship, then back through the trees toward the comfort of the City. Then, without looking back, she walked toward the ship. What choice did she have?

[member="Joon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Joon didn’t take her eyes of Mysa once, not for a second. She was now a target; a threat. The warrior had been trained perfectly for these moments, and no distractions would take over making sure Mysa moved the right way to her ship.

She held her blade high, jutting out from her side so the line of sight was clear.

It took a little while, but Mysa moved and eventually walked to the ship, snow speckled across the loading ramp and a small bird flew from the roof when they came close. The sound of the saber would make Mysa board, for it was right behind her.

Joon waited for her to get on board the small craft, and then when she was in, she deactivated her saber and fixed it back to her side. Walking on the craft, she shook the snow from her hair and activated the closing mechanism.

Mysa was sat, hunched, afraid to look anywhere. Joon shrugged off her fur-lined robe and moved to the girl and dropped to her knees.

”You will be safe now, Mysa. Stay with me, and I will show you the galaxy. Maybe one day you can return, but not yet. Not yet."

She placed her head in her lap and held her thighs, staring out into the cockpit just a small passage away, the viewport decorated with frost and thin snow.

”This is as it should be."

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

Up onto the ship with saber on her back.

Down to the floor once it was deactivated, huddling her knees close to her body. Not looking toward Joon who was intently staring at her. Still unable to speak.

Her mind swam, and she felt as though she was disconnected from her body. What was going to happen? What was Joon expecting of her? That everything would be perfect from this day onward? That Mysa would never leave her side?

Perhaps that was true right now. There was no way off the ship, not unless she wanted a saber through the gut.

Joon knelt beside her, speaking... Tone once again trying to comfort her. But Mysa didn't respond. She didn't acknowledge. She simply stared.