Private There's Not a Star in Bespin We Can't Reach

[Nerium]

The Life Zone of Bespin was as active as one would expect. Plenty of activity from all walks of life going about their business. Nerium was no different in that regard, weaving through shopping districts, climbing up on top of buildings, eavesdropping on otherwise private conversations. You know, the usual. The collection of color watched city life with wide, mismatched eyes, observing everything yet processing nothing.

Except for ...no, it couldn't be. There was something, just in the peripherals of her senses, something she could only describe as shiny, begging for attention. And Nerium was never one to resist such a call. She made her way over that direction in a roundabout manner, not unlike a dance, both guided and chaotic. Moving in and out of view of the general public, her form shifted as she did so, taking on a more nondescript form, though still not without its color. The eyes remained mismatched, one a bright blue, the other an equally bright light green. The hair also took on several colors, looking more like an untamed mane than a respectable hairstyle.

But this wasn't about her, but rather the blip on her consciousness that'd marked itself as interesting, whether intended or otherwise. She was determined to find the source, the winding route she took altering to a more beeline direction once a form had been chosen. She didn't get too close, however, just enough to see two individuals conversing. She could imagine the typical lines coming up - You got the stuff? Depends, you got the cash? And the thought of such a conversation was enough to draw forth a giggle reminiscent of bells. From a distance, she watched, keeping mostly obscured from the eye though not putting forth much effort in disguising her presence in other means. And sure, both individuals looked interesting enough, but her eyes were locked onto one in particular.

Shiny. ​

Wynter Rackham ​

 

[Wynter Rackham]

Nerium

He was doing his usual rounds.

Stirring up trouble, swapping goods, earning money. None of it his usual job, but that didn't matter. It was about gathering attention. Making a mark that would elicit a response in the end. Strangely enough however... Wynter was starting to feel watched. It was a strange sensation. Unlike the usual surveillance you had to accept from law enforcement.

Was that a giggle?

Laughter?

Strangely enough Wyn couldn't pin-point someone trailing him. Eventually Wyn decided to take the situation in his own hands. Turning the corner into an alleyway. Speeding up. Another corner, another, speeding. And then slipping into an alcove.

Whoever came by?

Would get his hand snatching towards their shoulder to whirl them towards him. "An' what do we got 'ere?"

 

[Nerium]

They were on the run now, this individual. Perhaps the authorities were after them? Nerium kept her watch for a bit, keeping an eye on them but not getting too close. It wasn't until corners were turned that it dawned on her. Were they running from little ol' her?

The grin on her face was a bit too wide to be human.

She tried to maintain her distance at first, to disguise the fact that she was following that individual in particular. But soon excitement distracted from secrecy and she was speeding on after the fellow, legs themselves extending and shortening in a weird gambit to keep pace and maintain appearances.

"Ah!" She gave a surprised yelp as hands grasped her shoulders. She tensed at the contact, narrowly restraining herself from lashing out psychically rather than physically. Distance was her thing. Getting into peoples' heads was her domain. Up close and personal, well. There was a flash of panic in those patchwork eyes and while the panic itself faded, the wild glimmer remained. She gave a short chuckle, both to catch her breath and buy time to find those pesky words she needed to respond to this individual.

"Depends, what are you looking for?" That wasn't the answer she was wanting. Oh well, it was now. "You're pretty."

Wynter Rackham ​

 

[Wynter Rackham]

Nerium

Wyn wasn't sure what he had been expecting.

This was certainly not it.

Oh, the Galaxy was a weird place and Wynter had traveled all around. Aliens didn't bother him. This visage was something entirely else however. Shifting ever so slightly, the colors, the size and shape. In a constant state of motion. As if the sheer tug of her attention caused a noticeable shift in the way she (?) appeared.

"Um." Once more he was dumbfounded. Which didn't happen often to Wynter, who to everyone's annoyance, was often the first word and also the last word in any conversation.

Even if that conversation hadn't been his to begin with.

"...thank you?" Very careful there, because a compliment was always appreciated, but this was definitely a different sort of situation. "....but why were you following me?" Now Wyn was certain it had been her (?). Slowly letting go of her shoulder. Her shoulder had been shifting too under his grasp. Smaller, bigger, thicker, more muscle, less.

It was a very odd sensation.

Like you were trying to hold onto a water bed, in fact.

 

[Nerium]

"Uh..."

Now that was the difficult question. People were always so concerned with the why, and seldom the why not. And while Nerium hadn't necessarily considered an answer either, why tended to lead down a road of the abstract.

Her head cocked to the side as she considered the question, form solidifying to just one size now that there was no target to pursue or people to remain hidden from.

"It seemed like the right thing to do? No..." Right and wrong had nothing to do with it, nor did right or left. Funny thing how one word could have two meanings. Even funnier when neither meaning was what she was searching for. "It seemed like the fun thing to do, yes, yes, that's it. You look like a good story. No, not good." Again with the multiple meanings. "Well, could be good, but I meant more entertaining."

The rambling had begun. Words were so difficult to begin with but finding the just the right one? It was often a journey in which Nerium seldom kept to herself.

"What were you doing?"

Wynter Rackham ​

 

[Wynter Rackham]

Nerium

She sounded less like a sentient adult.

More like... a child.

Somewhat.

Which at least put down the breaks for anything vis a vis you are pretty. Yes, right before that realization Wynter had totally been contemplating it, but this was most assuredly for the best. "Well, I do like doing fun things every once in a while." Relaxing there slightly, because it didn't seem like this creature was a threat to him either.

Seemed rather... all over the place, really.

"Ah, well, some folk think I am entertaining, this is true, yes." Nodding there assured now. "Oh." The question did make him just a little bit cautious once more.

"Well.... I did my job." Cautious. Very cautious. "Do you have a job?"

Curious glance, but also probing. Maybe... police? Probably not, but he had come across weirder chit before.

 

[Nerium]

"What kind of job?" If she already had some sort of idea, she wasn't letting on.

At his question, she paused, blinking several times. Now that was a loaded question. Her head shifted from one side to the other, as if trying to put some puzzle together, one she didn't want to admit she was stuck on.

"I..." Another pause, pesky words, followed by a noncommital shrug. "I make stories more interesting. Less a job, more a purpose. Like if the authorities showed up right now?" She gave a quick shake of the head for added emphasis. When her eyes locked back on man, the colors had flipped and with them, an extra glint. Something between a knowing look and something deeper yet distant. "That wouldn't be a good story. Well...it could make it more fun but it'd be such a boring ending."

She let that simmer for a moment before something else came to mind.

"Do you have a name?"

Wynter Rackham ​

 

[Wynter Rackham]

Nerium

She didn't immediately get a response, because he was still holding out on her response.

Sure. Probably not a cop, but you never knew, did you?

Listening to Nerium's response however... made him doubt his own paranoia. Okay, it could still be true, but prooobably not. No. "Well, honestly though, I am a great piece of story." Wynter agreed without any humility. "I am someone who ferries goods around to people in need, dig? Whenever, wherever, if they got mah number I can come in and supply 'em."

A smuggler, yes.

But Wyn wasn't about to say that just like that.

"I do! Captain Wynter Rackham, of the Undoubtedly, at your service. And who might you be?" Offering his hand to her again. It was more instinct than anything else at this point.

 

[Nerium]

Another giggle, though perhaps more genuine than previous ones. Others had served as placeholders, something to vocalize when words just didn't do the job but anything was better than silence. She hated silence. "What type of story still remains to be seen." Which was entirely true. Would he be a comedy? Tragedy? A blockbuster franchise producing more content when the original story was long dead? She had a few guesses, though nothing concrete.

"They call me Nerium." She grasped his hand in an enthusiastic shake, hand never quite returning to her side. "No title, not officially. I can make some up, however. I'm very good at that." A nod followed the statement as if she served as her own character witness. The vacant grin that had tugged at her lips the majority of this encounter had shifted into more of a smile. Less mania and more genuine interest in a pleasant interaction with a sentient being.

"What sort of goods do you ferry, Captain, err Wynter? Captain Wynter?" If names were difficult, titles added a whole different level of difficulty.

Wynter Rackham ​

 

[Wynter Rackham]

Nerium

Once that shake was done Wyn leaned against the wall.

Still watching her, interested now, this creature was just fascinating. All over the place, but also remarkably... sharp somehow. He wondered which one of those was an act. Or if it was truly some sense of mania that caused her to shift. "Oh, Nerium is jus' fine, luv, no need for a title if ya dun' get one." A happy grin there flashed at her.

"Nerium be a lovely name already."

He added just a little bit of charm there. It wasn't that Wynter wanted something from her. Not yet, anyway. But it could never hurt to put the charm on. Maybe in the future it would be useful.

"Mm, Captain Wynter, yes. But you can jus' call me Wynter." That last bit almost purred positively. From his pocket he dragged up a cart with cigarettes, before pulling one out for himself and offering one to her too. Did her species smoke even? Could they? She seemed to be shifting everything about her looks every so often.

Was that internal, did she even have lungs?

Fascinating.

"Many, many things, certain spices, guns, art, artifacts... whatever fetches a good price." Curious glance at her now. "Can you control how you look like? Literally keep one form and make it the form you want?"

 

[Nerium]

Nerium could feel heat gather in her cheeks as Wyn spoke. She'd been associated with a lot of things over the years. Delirium, chaos...Lovely wasn't exactly high on the list. "Thanks. Wynter is pretty cool, too." Heh. Wynter - basically winter - and cold. She giggled at that, momentarily distracted by her own dumb internal sidenote.

She was perfectly pleased with pulling a cigarette out of the cart when offered. Nerium had seen these before, these, uh, snacks? She bit down on part of the cigarette, nearly breaking into a fit of coughs as the tobacco and paper unraveled. It was far from a pleasant experience, but she kept a pleasant-ish face as she forced the bite down her throat. After all, who was she to judge other people's customs?

"Oh yes, I can be just about anything I want." As if to demonstrate, her head shifted to mimic Wynter's, though still keeping the mismatched eyes. A moment later, she shifted back to the face she'd been wearing previously. "It takes practice, though. Once I was stuck as a Varactyl for a couple weeks? A month?" She shrugged. "It's so hard to keep track. It was a fun time, though. Mostly."

"Why? Any requests?"

Wynter Rackham ​