Private The Cusp of Change

[Arcturus Dinn]

It was early morning when Arcturus stepped foot outside his suite and left the slumbering Tamiko Sabo where she lay. ​

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So much had changed in the past few hours. This time yesterday he'd first emerged from that same suite after a week of laying low, wholly detoxed and ready to face the Galaxy once more. Then he'd met the girl, and immediately everything had been turned on its head. No longer just Arcturus, now he had someone else relying on him. On his stability. A reason to keep his head level.​

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All the same, that morning he needed to clear his head. So he stepped out into the streets of Coruscant and breathed deeply of the cleaner air afforded to those who resided upon its upper levels. In another few hours they'd be making their way to the hangar which held his beloved Leviathan, and from there? Well, who knew what lay in their future. There was no set itinerary, they would go wherever they wished and would learn along the way. That was an oddly freeing thought, in truth. The Galaxy was their oyster.​

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As he walked he pondered on what lay ahead. What would he teach her first? What boundaries did they need to establish going forward? How would this whole thing structure itself? He'd been a child when he came to Darth Empyrean ... Tamiko was practically a woman in her own right. Certainly she had more worldliness to her than tiny Thesh had. That meant there was only so much of his Master's initial lessons that he could draw upon. Back then the focus had been on getting him up to date with his schooling.​

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No... That wouldn't do. So then what?​

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Arcturus was only partially paying attention to where he was going, enough that he might retrace his steps back to the suite when the time came. He did not realize that he was about to run into a familiar, if admittedly now different, face.​

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Iris Arani ​

 

[Iris Arani]

Being able to walk around the city was a more recent thing. As much as Iris hated physical therapy, it was putting in work. Where she used to literally fall to the ground after too much walking, she could confidently head to the park Lief had shown her. Which of course, was where she was walking to today. Sketch pad clutched to her chest, a faint smile on her lips.

She didn't pay attention to much around her. She was in the more classic style tunic of the Jedi, short sleeved and revealing her mangled arm. She hadn't felt a need to hide herself in a while, why would that change?

Arcturus Dinn

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

As he turned toward what he sensed to be something of an unexpected greenspace, there within the upper scions of the world, Arcturus found himself running almost headlong into another individual. They might have collided if he had not reached out to gently hold the individual back, hands softly falling to their shoulders.​

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"Oof, sorry," he muttered, before his eyes focused in on who it was.​

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Wait... There was something vaguely familiar about her. He couldn't quite place his finger on what. Though the scars were odd, they were not something he had seen before. He felt certain he'd remember if he had.​

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He released the shoulders almost as soon as he stopped himself, hands dropping down to his side.​

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Well, this was awkward.​

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Iris Arani ​

 

[Iris Arani]

She was walking and walking and- She was stopped. She blinked in surprise, lifting her gaze to look at the figure that'd stopped her in her tracks. How come she didn't notice him before..? Iris didn't linger on it, instead smiling. "It's no problem. .. I should've been paying attention more." Right, she should've been. Running into people was bad! Was she too much in her own head to realize it then?

".. Oh wait." She'd turned at this point, fully intending to continue her walk. Then it hit her. Arcturus Dinn was familiar! It wasn't often she actually remembered faces. Her smile came back as she turned her eyes to him, nodding.

"It's you."

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Each had made their apology, and each was preparing to continue on after the fact. That was until she too seemed to remember him. Only she was far more certain that she knew him than he was her.​

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The declaration of such made him look closer. Then he saw it, saw her... The girl with the paint, and the fascinating outlook on life. Colour girl...​

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But she wasn't as she had been then. She looked as though she'd seen true turmoil, and he frowned at such a thought. She'd seemed... Far too innocent when he'd last met her. What had she done to deserve this? He'd argue she probably hadn't deserved it at all.​

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He couldn't recall her name, couldn't even remember if they'd exchanged names, just pictures.​

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"Man, and here I was thinking I'd been through hell these past few weeks... Really putting things into perspective for me there, Colour Girl."​

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His attempt at humour fell flat if only because he couldn't actually find it within himself to put on a humourous tone. Instead he shook his head.​

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"What happened to you?" Curiousity, pure and simple, there were no colours of sadness or pity, just... Curiosity. At least Arcturus was consistent.​

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Iris Arani ​

 

[Iris Arani]

For a moment she stared blankly. More surprised at how blunt he spoke. But, no pity in his colors? Even Eliphas avoided the subject because he didn't want to pity her. Arcturus Dinn didn't. Weird. She shrugged her shoulders. "I got thrown off a train. You seem happier now. What happened?" Her turn to uno reverse the question. She smiled a little, tilting her head.

She was way more willing to talk to him about him than she was about herself.

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

"Thrown.. off a train?"​

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He perked a brow, and took immediate note of her deflection onto the subject of his change in mental state. Arcturus shook his head, oh she would not wriggle out of it that easily. Not if he had anything to say about it. And certainly not unless she told him to shut the kark up and stop sticking his nose in where it didn't belong.​

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"Oh no, don't turn this on me, Missy, thrown off a train by who exactly? You can't lead with that then try to bury it!"​

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Well, he realized, she could. If she wanted to. All the same, she'd given him some sneak peak. Least he could do was offer her a response in return.​

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"I sulked, I devolved into a state of alcoholism, and then I was pulled back to my feet by my Master. I feel like I have a purpose again; does wonders for the spirit, as I'm sure you can tell. Man, what I wouldn't give to be able to so easily read people as you can, Colour Girl. You've a real gift, you know that? Though... I imagine having to live with it day in day out might get a little tedious. Overwhelming even."​

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Head tilted to one side. He narrowed his gaze in the event that she hadn't responded to his own questioning.​

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"So who did this to you, so I know who to seek out on the battlefield?"​

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Innocence of the level she'd shown when they'd first met did not deserve to be so brazenly torn asunder, after all.​

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Iris Arani ​

 

[Iris Arani]

She didn't answer him. Part of her just didn't want to. The other wasn't sure how. Mostly because of how enthusiastic Arcturus Dinn seemed to be about knowing what happened. Iris didn't think it was anywhere close to how exciting he seemed to think it was. Was it? She sighed, but at least he chose answer her question. So he had direction again? That was good. Master?

No, she didn't get a chance to ask at first.

"Someone not quite a Sith, but fighting with them. .. I might be able to help them. Maybe. They felt.. Lost."

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

"They did this to you... And your first thought is to want to help them?"​

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Arcturus blinked. He stared at the girl for a long moment, before shaking his head. Chaos, the Force was really testing him today wasn't it? Even now, even after all she'd so evidently experienced, she was still good at heart, still hopeful and innocent, and... Yep. No. Now he was just feeling downright frustrated, though hopefully she'd realized such wasn't directed at her.​

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More so... The Galaxy? This unknown entity. Sure. Take your pick.​

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"Does your mercy know no bounds?" he inquired, brows furrowing. Then he took a step toward her. "You showed me through your eyes once; I wonder, will you show me what you remember of the one who did this?" He faltered, not closing the rest of the space between them. Deep down he knew that he might be asking a lot.​

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In order for him to see the cruel beast who had caused all of this, he'd require her to think about it. He thought back to all the many things he'd tried to forget. And then to the blank space in his mind where he genuinely had. Whether by his own hand or by the twisted machinations of another.​

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He calmed then, an exhale through his nose seeming to do the trick. Then he took a step back.​

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"Sorry, that was callous of me to ask. If you ever receive a name, though... If you ever get an impression for who it is... And if mercy does not work... You can send for me. If you haven't others in mind to rally to your cause. You're undeserving of what has been done to you, girl. I'm surprised you find it in your heart to pity them at all."​

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Iris Arani ​

 

[Iris Arani]

He was.. Frustrated? Iris blinked. .. No, that made sense. Plenty of people around her would feel the same. Not wanting her to show mercy. But she was a Jedi. No matter what happened, it was her duty to show mercy. Right? "I'd.. Rather not." It would be easy for her to show him the memory. But with it, her fear. Pain of what happened, all of it would be shared. It wasn't something she wanted someone else to feel.

".. I appreciate it." Yeah. Maybe- No. No?

Iris was deep in thought, trying to figure it out. Arcturus Dinn was offering to kill the one who did this to her, if she couldn't help them. But wasn't that giving up? She shook her head before smiling.

"I will help them." She nodded. Better to believe that than doubt herself. She would help them. Bring them back to the Light.

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Even before she'd rejected him he knew it was coming. As such he shrugged it off, and simply nodded. It was a tall ask of anyone, much less when it came to this sort of subject matter.​

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Beyond that, she remained incessant that she try to help the individual in question. Arcturus wanted very much to see them pay, in whatever way was deemed appropriate, but that wasn't his place. It wasn't his right. And he wouldn't go against her wishes and hunt down the individual because by doing so she'd be denying Iris the chance to do what she needed in order to heal.​

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As much as it was difficult for him to accept, he let it go.​

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"Admirable" he stated. He tucked his hands into his pockets, and felt a vial resting there. One of several vials Ishani had given him or left for him here and there throughout the time he'd known her. One which would help to enhance his memory, and draw upon things long forgotten.​

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He pulled it free from where it lay, and held it in his hand. Then he offered it out to Iris.​

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"Here," he said, and provided she took it he'd go on to explain what exactly it was. "This is a perfume... It will, uh. It'll help you remember things you might have forgotten. Use it, don't use it, it doesn't matter to me. Just... In case you need it. It's yours."​

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He had others, vials of the stuff lay scattered about Leviathan he knew. She'd tried time and time again to get him to use it.​

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Well maybe it could do good for Iris instead.​

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Iris Arani ​

 

[Iris Arani]

She tilted her head, looking at the vial. Then back to Arcturus Dinn . Blinking.

".. I don't think I've forgotten anything that I need to remember, though?"

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Her response had him frowning just a touch.

"There's nothing you'd need to remember?" Initially he'd offered it in case she forgot who had done this to her, but he didn't want to outright say as much. Again, it wasn't exactly a very nice offer was it? Hey why not go and remember the face of the person who scarred you irreparably. But he knew that if he'd been in her situation he'd want that.

He'd want to know who it was. Want to find them. Want to....

Well he supposed they were very different in that regard.

"Maybe you'll think of something. Either way, it's yours."

Glancing her up and down once, he frowned in thought. Then checked their surroundings.

"Where are you headed, anyway?" he inquired. Not that it was any of his business, of course, but that wouldn't stop him from asking. It was fairly early in the morning, maybe she was going for breakfast. Maybe she, like him, wanted to just enjoy a quiet walk.

In which case, he was totally ruining her solace.

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

"Mm.. I don't think I will. I have nothing to remember." That was the better way to word it. Iris nodded a little, to herself. She'd explained it to a couple people now, but never in a way that they seemed to understand. Maybe that made more sense now? Hopefully. Either way, Iris didn't linger on the subject any further. And neither did Arcturus Dinn for that matter. She tilted her head before holding out her sketch pad.

It was already open to a still life image of the nearby park. The fountain there, specifically. Sketched in charcoal.

"The park. I plan to finish this there, then see if there's something else to sketch out."

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Nothing to remember.

Well he left her with the vial all the same. You know, just in case. After all there were only so many vials of the stuff he could stand to carry around and not use himself.

Instead he focused on what she said next; glanced at the art, and hummed appreciatively. She was off to draw. Ehh he still thought breakfast sounded like the better idea, but that was fair. To each their own.

"Taking a break from painting?" he inquired with a soft grin. Then he glanced past her to the park in question. Greenspace... Not unheard of but certainly uncommon on worlds such as these. Still, the cushy senators needed something nice amidst the duracrete.

"Well then, don't let me keep you from your work. Good luck out there, Iris. And remember, my offer to help will remain for as long as you need it to."

Then he turned, ready to head back the way he had come. There was plenty to do before they left, after all.

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

"Sort of. I like sketching too." Or was it something else? Iris never thought about it. When she painted, it was always for someone else. Wanting to influence their emotions, make them happy. See the brightness of life. When she sketched, it was for herself.

Huh.

".. Huh? I- Oh. Okay!" She raised a hand, waving after Arcturus Dinn .

"I hope you were able to figure things out!"