Private This Vessel is a Lie, a Lesson in Fluidity

[Leven Jeyd]

Location: Jester's Wandering Parade, Undercity, Coruscant.
Equipment: Short axes.
Wearing: X.
Tagging: Arlo Renard

​

The air was hot and slightly stale. All kinds of smoke laced the weak breeze that managed to make it this far down the ecumenopolis. The Coruscantii underworld was no place for the faint of heart - or the heavy of pocket. A little bit of concentration was all it took to hear uncontrolled laughter in the distance, or an alley brawl, or someone shedding tears for oh, how miserable were the lives of so many here... The Jester felt right at home. The wayward, the hopeless, and the thieves were her people, an open book. There was so much joy in rewriting, folding or ripping their pages apart and watching them unravel before her.

A Jester's paradise.

The eerie white eyes of the young Sith wandered to and fro, the spot she had chosen was perfect. The tents were up, the little shops and the con-artists stands. Everyone was in position, and soon their unkowing, poor visitors began filing in, seeking the solace of entertainment to their bleak, underworld lives. In here, she was a god. They flocked to her temple of wonder and derangement like sheep to their pastors. And today, the Jester was feeling generous. She would indulge their fantasies and bring forth a display of their wildest dreams...so long as they entertained her back.

Fire breathers, clowns, and contortonist were walking among the tents, guiding people here and there, mingling with the gathering visitors to give them a taste of what was to come once the show begun. Leven watched, perched on an impossibly tall and out of order lightpost, the only light that reached her pale face coming from the warm candles and bright neon signs several feet below her. Out of sight, a pupeteer. The corners of her long mouth curved into a satisfied, perhaps even excited, smirk. There was something different about tonight, the whispers in the shadows rang soft bells in her ears.

As her smile grew the Jester begun softly humming, her claws starting to dig into the rusted metal of the post. The tune was lost to the growing night, except perhaps to a particularly keen ear.

"Pop the latches open the hatches
Out comes Jack in the box
Doing tricks and taking licks
Out comes Jack in the box.."​

---

Spoiler

 

[Arlo Renard]

Avoiding piles of animal dung and bits of carelessly discarded trash, Kai made his way across the carnival grounds. Among the carnies, he didn't stand out much. Just another humanoid of uncertain ancestry.

A fire-breather blasted a plume of flame. Kai felt the heat against his skin as he passed them by, searching the crowds for an old friend. They had agreed to meet each other here, though he didn't know why she had chosen the circus as the place.

He found her in the hall of mirrors. A woman—for she was a grown woman now, he realized—in a stained tank top and ratty denim shorts. The pale circus lights shone in the hollows of her cheeks and her sharp neck bones, poking through almost translucent skin. She was glistening with sweat, shivering in the cool night air.

His reflection appeared before her first, doubled and tripled and quadrupled in the funhouse glass. "Kai?" she called out, turning around, not sure which one was really him. Reaching out, he laid a hand on her shoulder. She jumped. Her flesh was clammy and feverish to the touch.

<Claudia,> he spoke directly into her mind, mustering up a little smile despite his concern. <It's been a while.>

"Yeah. Four years." She looked him up and down. "You look the same as I remember."

<I feel different than I used to,> he said. <What made you decide to meet me here?>

Her brow furrowed. "I don't... I just thought it would be nice, I guess? Not every day that the circus rolls into town..." She rubbed her forehead. "I've had a headache ever since I got here, though. Makes it hard to think..."

Kai gently pressed his fingertips to her temples, massaging something into her skin. <Does that feel any better?>

"No." She winced. "Maybe... maybe we should just go somewhere else?"

He frowned. Something wasn't quite right here. He could sense a... presence nearby which was so thoroughly unnatural, he could not ignore it. <Okay,> he agreed. <Can you wait just outside the grounds for me? There's something I need to do. It should only take a few minutes.>

She nodded, but then hesitated. "It's really nice to see you, Kai," she mumbled. "You seem different. Better. Happy."

<It's nice to see you, too,> he said. I wish I could say the same things about you, he thought.

Hugging her thin arms to her chest, she turned to leave. Kai followed her out of the funhouse, stormy eyes scanning the crowds even as he searched the Force for the source of the disturbance.

Leven Jeyd

 

[Leven Jeyd]

Location: Jester's Wandering Parade, Undercity, Coruscant.
Equipment: Short axes.
Wearing: X.
Tagging: Arlo Renard

​

It was almost immediate. A shining beacon stood amidst the bustling carnival grounds, the hidden eye in her back witnessing his presence through force-sight, forcing the Jester's pale eyes to almost roll into the back of her head and a shiver to run down her spine. One like her, strong in the Force, would always call to her attention - but this one felt different. More...familiar. Why?

A sly smile curled upon her lips as she contemplated the most amusing way to engage with him. She didn't need to rush—patience was a virtue she did not always possess but cherished, when it suited her.

The Jester was sure she had been senses too, for there was no effort on her part to conceal her wonderous nature. Leven seized the opportunity to glide towards him across the masses with an air of effortless grace. With each step, her cloak billowed around her, revealing glimpses of vibrant hues and intricate patterns that mirrored the whimsy of the carnival itself. Her eyes sparkled with hidden mischief as she approached, maintaining her preferred form... for now.

Coming to a stop behind him, Leven turned her gaze towards the crowd, pretending to be captivated by the colorful festivities. She allowed a pause, relishing the suspense before she finally spoke, her voice carrying a playful lilt.

"Ah, the carnival," she remarked, her tone filled with a tantalizing mix of wonder and fascination. "A realm of endless possibilities, don't you think? A place where the mundane is transformed into the extraordinary..."

Leven's words hung in the air, inviting Kai to engage in conversation without revealing her true intentions. She continued, her voice laced with curiosity, "And yet, amidst the vibrant chaos of my congregation, you are stealing the spotlight. I do not enjoy untold stories, friend." Friend, for now at least.

Leven took turn around him, now facing him. Her expression a playful mixture of intrigue and enchantment. "Tell me, dear stranger, what brings you to my world of wonders? I would advise you beware of what lies beneath its surface..." A subtle, she would even go as far as saying kind warning.

With a subtle tilt of her head, Leven awaited Kai's response, ready to weave her whimsical web around him, enticing him with the allure of the unknown.

<<Jack in the box.
Quiet as a mouse.
Deep down inside.
Your dark little house.
Jack in the box, Quiet and still.
Will you come out?>>​

---

Spoiler

 

[Arlo Renard]

Kai noticed he was being followed well before the woman spoke. He kept walking, keeping a leisurely pace, even as he prepared for whatever was to come.

"Ah, the carnival."

He came to a halt, the immediacy of his stop perhaps giving away his awareness of his pursuer. She went on talking, while he remained perfectly still, saying nothing. In his right hand he held the hilt of his lightsaber. He didn’t want to fight his stalker, if he could avoid it. The carnival was a crowded public space, no place for battle. But if he was left with no choice…

"And yet, amidst the vibrant chaos of my congregation, you are stealing the spotlight. I do not enjoy untold stories, friend."

On his left hand there was a ring set with a purple gemstone. The crystal refracted the spotlight, as she called it, away from him, making his presence in the Force harder to pinpoint. It was a remnant from the days when he’d had no other choice but to hide what he was, lest he face an angry mob or overzealous Jedi looking to kill a Sithspawn. But his aura was still distinct enough to be recognizable, especially by someone already very familiar with his breed—let alone this woman, who appeared to be another Doppelganger. She didn't bother to hide her colors.

"Tell me, dear stranger, what brings you to my world of wonders? I would advise you beware of what lies beneath its surface..."

<Well, I'm not here for your enjoyment,> Kai replied telepathically, finally turning to face her. Over six feet tall, with the sinuous musculature of a circus acrobat, his face was a hodgepodge of copied features, bits and pieces of men and women who had shown him kindness memorialized in his visage. His stormy eyes regarded her warily, but with an undeniable curiosity. It wasn’t often that he met another of his own kind.

<My name is Kai,> he went on. <My business here is my own affair. I know what you are, Sithspawn, but I don’t care so long as you aren’t hurting anyone.> His words were meant to be reassuring, though she might not take them that way. Especially if she was, in fact, a danger to others.

Leven Jeyd​

 

[Leven Jeyd]

Location: Jester's Wandering Parade, Undercity, Coruscant.
Equipment: Short axes.
Wearing: X.
Tagging: Arlo Renard

​

Leven's mischievous grin faltered slightly as she absorbed Kai's telepathic response. Not a fun one are we? That was fine, she could make him fun. Her train of thought was stopped suddenly as surprise flickered in her eyes, momentarily betraying her typically composed demeanor. The notion that Kai claimed to know what she was, while she herself remained oblivious to her true nature, stirred a seed of unease within her. She was itself. Divine and unrepeatable. Special.

The shapeshifter reached into the mind of her visitor, matching his method, their species language of thoughts. <You speak of familiarity, yet I am the epitome of uniqueness, dear Kai,> she retorted, her mental voice laced with a hint of caution and defiance. <But do tell me, what knowledge do you possess that I seem to lack? Do not toy with me, for I despise half-truths and riddles.> Only when they did not suit her, of course.

Leven's prideful nature bristled at the notion that her identity might not be as singular as she had believed. The prospect of another like her, someone who could potentially hold an answer she had never had any interest in seeking, both intrigued and unsettled her. She regarded Kai with a piercing gaze, her eyes narrowing slightly as she awaited his response.

<If you indeed hold such insight, it would be in your best interest to share it.> Her mental tone carried a veiled threat, emphasizing her desire to uncover this mystery that he put forth. For now, her playfulness had vanished into a frigid seriousness. She allowed her words to hang in his thoughts, a subtle reminder of the consequences should Kai withhold the information she sought. But beneath her prideful exterior, a flicker of anticipation began dancing deep within her. Potential knowledge about her majestic self? She couldn't resist delving deeper. In fact, she even pondered the possibility of getting a taste of Kai's mind, explore for herself as she assimilated him - but decided against it.

Leven quickly shifted gears once more, her playful nature resurfacing as she leaned closer to Kai, her voice, once more verbal, now carrying a more enticing and friendly tone. "But fear not, dear," she said, a melodious whisper. "For I am not one to hold grudges or act in haste." A beautiful lie that, right now, the Jester fully believed to be true about her own being. "Instead, let us strike a deal—a proposition, if you will."

With a flourish of her hand, Leven seemingly conjured a burst of confetti that rained down around them, adding an air of whimsy to their conversation and getting a few woos and aahs from the surrounding crowd. Her demeanor softened, inviting Kai into this dance of intrigue.

"I offer you an invitation," she continued, her words dripping with suspense. "A chance to explore the secrets that lie within this carnival's heart. Perhaps maybe win a prize."

The Jester carried a genuine longing for knowledge, masked by her mischievous façade. She extended her hand, adorned with colorful rings that glinted in the carnival lights, a silent invitation for Kai to join her in this peculiar journey.

"So, what say you, Kai? Will you dare to venture further into the night with me? Delve into its depths?" There was something to her aura, an edge that indicated that despite her politeness - she would not easily leave him much room for refusal. "I promise you, the rewards will be nothing short of extraordinary."

---

Spoiler

 

[Arlo Renard]

<You speak of familiarity, yet I am the epitome of uniqueness, dear Kai.>

Kai allowed himself an ever-so-slightly smug smirk. <I know what you are, because I am like you,> he said. <We’re the same species, the same breed.> Though something told him they were not exactly alike.

<But do tell me, what knowledge do you possess that I seem to lack? Do not toy with me, for I despise half-truths and riddles.>

<Who says I’m toying with you?> he asked, raising an eyebrow. But then he hadn’t exactly answered her question. She was very much interested in knowing more about her origins. Could it be that she really had no idea what she was or where she had come from? He found himself growing equally interested in her story, though he remained wary of her.

<If you indeed hold such insight, it would be in your best interest to share it.>

<It would be in your best interest not to harm someone who knows something you want to know,> he replied smoothly. Her threats were empty.

She wanted to strike a deal. He listened, not bothering to wave the illusionary confetti out of his face.

"So, what say you, Kai? Will you dare to venture further into the night with me? Delve into its depths? I promise you, the rewards will be nothing short of extraordinary."

<The only prize I’m interested in is making sure you aren’t a threat to these people.> Kai took a step toward her, and for the first time he spoke aloud rather than telepathically, giving his answer. “I accept.”

Claudia would have to wait a little while longer.

Leven Jeyd​