Private Tis But A Flesh Wound

[Eliz Krayt]

Eliz looked like he'd just been punched in the gut as Gwyneira Vizsla addressed him again. And yet, it wasn't just misery that filled him. So he spoke. Anger laced his voice as he glared towards the girl, tears welling in the corner of his eyes. "Why does it have to be about you!? Do you have any kriffing idea what it was like to not have you there? To have to keep this secret? I lost my arm. My karking arm, Gwyn. I needed you, but I couldn't risk them. They're all that's left, Gwyn. They need to be protected."

Kranak Vizsla was a distant thought at this point. The young hybrid was just.. Angry. It was easier to be angry. Easier than being afraid. Then dealing with his arm. His damn arm. Eliz turned from them both, frustratingly slamming the mechanical limb on the wall. Which.. Was a mistake. The cybernetic cracked. Damnit. He didn't linger any longer, storming off into the farthest room he could to try and start repairing the temporary limb. He'd get a better one eventually, but that wasn't now.

 

[Gwyneira Vizsla]

"I could have been there! I wish I was! If you needed me, why-"

Her tearful screaming back was interrupted by Eliz slamming his mechanical arm into the wall, shattering it. She gasped, looking at the arm in stunned silence with wide, shocked eyes. Eliz then stood and stormed off, leaving Gwyneira with an absolute blank in her mind.

Tears flooded her eyes once again. His silence this whole time had only made her angrier, but being bitten back with his own anger like that had been... harrowing. Was this some kind of twisted punishment by the Force for the time she let herself get captured and worried him? But this was leagues worse, this had stretched on for a week. A slow, agonizing week. And hearing him exclaim that he had indeed thought of her, wanted her, but couldn't risk "something" just made it all the worse.

She curled up in the corner of the couch, hugging her legs and burying her head in her knees. She somehow was not dehydrated from bawling yet again.

Eliz Krayt Kranak Vizsla

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

G U I L T
A N D
R E M O R S E

Location: Kaddak, City Slums, Abandoned Apartment Complex, 104th Floor, Safehouse
Local Time: 15:42
Date: -DATA CORRUPTED-
Primary Objective: Comfort Both Eliz and Gwyn If Possible
Secondary Objective: Do Not Reveal Kestri
Equipment: Loadout 1 (No Medical Backpack, Primary and Secondary weapons in gun cage, retained Westar-35c Particle Blasters.)
Tags: Eliz Krayt | Gwyneira Vizsla

”At least someone is willing to communicate in the slightest…”

“Don’t you trust me? I wouldn’t hurt anyone, I don’t mean any harm… What would it take? I’m just never enough, aren’t I?”

The young girl’s obvious scowl aimed at the young lad hadn’t escaped Kranak’s attention. The giant sighed internally as he listened to her response, seemingly unmoving from the outside. He himself was eighteen years old at some point in his life, of ourse. He was never this… rash, for the lack of a better word. Perhaps misunderstanding would be better suited to describe this.

Maybe that was because he had almost entirely kept it to himself for the most part of his life. He learned to be patient very early on. That helped him greatly in his line of work in its own right, but perhaps most importantly, he hadn’t had anyone he could be heartbroken with. As soon as he had passed his Verd’goten when he was thirteen, he had gone on to explore the great unknown -- unknown for him --, taking bounties and mercenary contracts left and right, always seeking the next worthy foe to put down six feet under.

He didn’t have the time for love or heartbreak it brought in its wake, back then. Or maybe he never made time for it. As a result, he wasn’t exactly sure how to comfort the both of them. By Manda, he was an Ori’ramikad, and a great one at that, but this? He wasn’t trained for this.

But that wouldn’t mean he was not going to try his best. This would be a little challenge for him, though.

Just as he was going to respond to Gwyn in hopes of comforting her and restoring some of her self-worth, the young lad blew up in the same anger and heartbrokenness in response to what Gwyn had said. The giant would turn his visor at the young lad as he spoke heatedly.

”Why does it have to be about you!? Do you have any kriffing idea what it was like to not have you there? To have to keep this secret? I lost my arm. My karking arm, Gwyn. I needed you, but I couldn’t risk them. They’re all that’s left, Gwyn. They need to be protected.”

Before he could tell Eliz to calm down, Gwyn tearfully yelled back at the young Mandalorian in protest.

”I could have been there! I wish I was! If you needed me, why-”

Her words were cut short as Eliz away from both of them and towards the wall behind him. In a flash, the young lad crashed his mechanical fist on the ferro-crete wall with a metallic clatter. The wall and his mechanical limb cracked loudly. The young Mandalorian shortly stormed off into a room down the corridor afterwards, leaving a hole on the wall the size of his fist in his wake.

The Vizsla’s gaze followed him until he was out of his line of sight as he disappeared down the corridor. He sat there in silence, unsure as to what to do with them. The Mandalorian let out a deep sigh. What in Death’s name was he supposed to do now? He had never seen Eliz this angry before. He wasn’t sure how he could help them. They were both right, there was nobody to blame, except for the damnable Dark Lord that took the young Mandalorian’s arm. He was the culprit behind this agony. The giant gritted his teeth as he recalled the ordeal in full detail.

The loud but muffled sobs of the young girl had him stop contemplating as to what he should do, and from the hunt not too long ago. The giant shifted his gaze at her from the hallway. She was curled up in a fetal position, crying her heart out. He felt sick at heart seeing her like that.

The giant drew nearer to the young girl to comfort her. He came close enough to caress her beautiful, blondish white hair, and far enough to not violate her personal space. <”It’s okay. Let it out, lass,”> the giant spoke in a soft tone as he gently stroked her hair with his right hand. <”Let it all out.”> He would be there for her, he was not going to leave her side until she was at least feeling a bit better.

 

[Gwyneira Vizsla]

Gwyneira had told Eliz a while back that she wanted to stop being selfish, that she wanted to be focused on someone aside herself: him. Yet, how could she properly attend to him when she felt so alone and forgotten by him? She felt so betrayed, cast into outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth. But it was because of the fact that Eliz had been in need, and she had not been notified. She would have wanted nothing more than to protect him from the Sith who did this. Or at least be there while he adjusted to his arm. And he outright confirmed that he wanted her too! What karking invisible force had kept them apart?

She was unaware of Kranak stroking her hair at first. Shaking from the strain she was under, the stinging was not going away. Whatever had kept them apart, it was something Eliz and Kranak knew about, and they did not trust her with it. Or, she was too much of an outsider to know. Outsider... How could Eliz treat her as an outsider, when he saw himself how the Arkanians treated her?

But that was the source of it, wasn't it? The anger. The source was her fears that this confirmed how she was still nothing, still worthless. Unworthy. How she was half breed growing up, lowly initiate in the Eternal Empire, and aruetii now. No matter where she went, nothing changed. And the fact that the person she thought loved her gave her this treatment. That was why she was so upset.

Yet, his angry words strangely turned her fears down - to an extent. At least, it was not some personal disdain that drove being cast out and forgotten that dreadful week. Eliz had wanted her, and now guilt over just how brutally she had berated him set in. The anger she knew was reactionary, tried to control but failed to, was finally giving way to the wounds underneath. Despite this, could Eliz not understand why she was so upset?

As Kranak stroked her hair, she slightly lifted her head and looked over to him. Her anger was shamefully subdued, leaving only confusion as to why a traitor was comforting her. How could someone hurt her and love her at the same time? Yet, her previous feelings of admiration and safety around Kranak returned. She needed his calm, steadfast nature. She needed his guidance. The girl turned and jumped, wrapping her arms around his neck. She bawled, her back heaving as she gasped for air between her cries for help.

"Does he have a clue how badly this hurt? He left me, like they all did! Regardless of the reasons, I was outcast! I needed him too and he ignored me, abandoned me! Just like my parents!"

As her heavy sobs resounded she cried out, "But I'm just a selfish witch, aren't I! He said he needed me too! If I had been there, if I had been by his side! I would have wanted nothing more than that! He means everything to me and I should have been there! I should have! Why was I kept away from him! He needed me and I wasn't there! I couldn't even save him, and I should have! If I had just been there, he might be okay!"

Eliz Krayt Kranak Vizsla

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

G U I L T
A N D
R E M O R S E

Location: Kaddak, City Slums, Abandoned Apartment Complex, 104th Floor, Safehouse
Local Time: 15:45
Date: -DATA CORRUPTED-
Primary Objective: Comfort Both Eliz and Gwyn If Possible
Secondary Objective: Do Not Reveal Kestri
Equipment: Loadout 1 (No Medical Backpack, Primary and Secondary weapons in gun cage, retained Westar-35c Particle Blasters.)
Tags: Eliz Krayt | Gwyneira Vizsla

The curled up, shaking and sobbing young girl gave him no response at first while the Supercommando’s large hand caressed her hair with a fatherly affection. He wasn’t sure if it helped, but he wasn’t equipped to deal with this situation either. The only logical response in his mind was to be there for her. Leaving alone, not bothering someone while they were grieving was also a sensible response as that gave them time to recover, but this was different. The girl was alone for the most part of her life. He had to at least be there for her, by her side for what it's worth.

The young lass lifted her head slightly, over her knees to look at Kranak. Her eyes had reddened slightly from all the crying, coloring her naturally white eyes pink. The girl then turned and leaped at the giant, unexpectedly. Her arms were coiled around his neck. The girl continued to bawl, crying on his shoulder. Her back heaved deeply with each sharp gasp of air.

Kranak was taken aback by... this, at first. He momentarily paused as a result, but the giant gently embraced her back in response. His left hand softly gripped the back of her head. His right hand caressed the girls back. The side of his buy’ce rested gently upon her left temple. The girl spoke in between her gut-wrenching sobs.

”Does he have a clue how badly this hurt? He left me, like they all did! Regardless of the reasons, I was outcast! I needed him too and he ignored me, abandoned me! Just like my parents!”

<”No darling, he didn’t leave you. You are not an outcast to us. No, he didn’t abandon you, lass.”> He spoke in a soft tone. The giant tried his best to sound comforting for her. He understood her pain. After all she had been through, now she had to endure their secrecy. But it was their duty, to honor this; to keep Kestri safe. The giant shut his eyes as he slightly tightened his embrace. He wished he could tell her right here and now, but couldn’t. Nowhere was it safe to so carelessly talk about Kestri.

”But I’m just a selfish witch, aren’t I! He said he needed me too! If I had been there, if I had been by his side! I would have wanted nothing more than that! He means everything to me and I should have been there! I should have! Why was I kept away from him! He needed me and I wasn’t there! I couldn’t even save him, and I should have! If I had just been there, he might be okay!”

<”Don’t blame yourself for what happened to him, lass. It would not have made a difference if you were there. He was just, far too strong. I was there. It…”> The Mandalorian paused for a moment as the Supercommando recalled the bounty mission he, Eliz and several other vode had gone together. <”It happened before my eyes, and I couldn’t move a damn muscle. He made sure I could not stop him until it was too late to help Eliz.”> Anger, rage coursed through his veins as he remembered everything in full detail. He tried his best to keep his composure, but if she was observant enough, the girl would feel the small hint of anger in his voice as soon as he started talking about what had happened in that nightclub.

After heaving a deep sigh, he would fall silent. Fearing he might have hugged her too tightly, he loosened his embrace as his anger subsided just as fast as it emerged. He had to keep his composure if he was going to be a shoulder to cry on for her. He would continue to caress her softly in silence as he still held the young girl in his embrace.

 

[Gwyneira Vizsla]

Gwyn's anger threatened to come back so frequently, she felt it burning inside, she had to cool it. Was it just because she felt Kranak's own anger in his voice, or because of her own feelings of being betrayed?

I can accept not being the blame for what happened..." Kranak's account had made her shiver, "You're not at fault either. But I can't accept that I wasn't called afterwards..."

She did let her anger show for this. Her voice was a low, pained growl, "You say I'm not outcast, but you keep secrets from me. You say he didn't abandon me, but I called him so many times and he ignored me. There's no good excuse for that..."

She sighed, still hugging the giant, trying to control her anger, "I begged him to respond, not just in this week, but here. And what did he do? He still ignored me! Like my mom always ignored me. Then he just yelled at me, like I dare be upset at his betrayal!"

She was so weak, shaking and struggling with her energy levels. She was exhausted, and struggling to keep going. She felt gaunt and dilapidated. Left on a shelf and neglected. When would this end?

She sighed, letting go of Kranak and falling back, slouched against the back of the couch. "I'm tired of being treated like this..." She blinked, tears still in her eyes as she looked to the direction Eliz stormed to, "But he needs me, and I want to be there. But... I'm hurt. I just..."

Kranak Vizsla Eliz Krayt

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

G U I L T
A N D
R E M O R S E

Location: Kaddak, City Slums, Abandoned Apartment Complex, 104th Floor, Safehouse
Local Time: 15:45
Date: -DATA CORRUPTED-
Primary Objective: Comfort Both Eliz and Gwyn If Possible
Secondary Objective: Do Not Reveal Kestri
Equipment: Loadout 1 (No Medical Backpack, Primary and Secondary weapons in gun cage, retained Westar-35c Particle Blasters.)
Tags: Gwyneira Vizsla | Eliz Krayt

The giant listened to her soft, sorrowful voice in silence. He was still seated at the couch, holding the young girl in his embrace as he listened to what she had to say.

”I can accept not being the blame for what happened… You’re not at fault either. But I can’t accept that I wasn’t called afterwards…”

She did let her anger show for this. Her voice was a low, pained growl, “You say I’m not an outcast, but you keep secrets from me. You say he didn’t abandon me, but I called him so many times and he ignored me. There’s no good excuse for that…”

Taking her past into account, the giant slowly nodded as he softly pressed her deeper into his embrace. He completely understood how she felt. But they were keeping it a secret not just for the sake of the Mando’ade, or themselves, but for her sake. <”One day,”> the giant muttered into her ear softly. <"When you are ready, I will show you the secret we are forced to keep from you and others,"> His right hand stroked her back gently. <”I promise you.”>

She sighed, still hugging the giant, trying to control her anger,
“I begged him to respond, not just in this week, but here. And what did he do? He still ignored me! Like my mom always ignored me. Then he just yelled at me, like I dare be upset at his betrayal!”

He could feel her shake as he kept hugging her. He could feel her getting weaker by the minute. It was painful to endure. But endure he did. Sighing, the young girl’s embrace loosened. Picking up the cue, the giant’s massive arms that had embraced her uncoiled, letting her slouch against the back of the couch.

”I’m tired of being treated like this…”
She blinked, tears still in her eyes as she looked to the direction Eliz stormed to,
“But he needs me, and I want to be there. But… I’m hurt. I just…”

<”Give him some time. There are… some things you must endure all by yourself.”> The giant’s right gauntlet politely grasped her left shoulder. Losing a limb wasn’t easy. It was a very scarring experience for the individual receiving the injury. It wasn’t just the body part that was severed, but a part of the soul and mind, too. <”He just needs some time to cool off, is all.”> the Mandalorian sighed as his hand slid onto his lap, staring at the ground in silence. A few moments would pass without the giant uttering a word. Kranak would then suddenly shift his gaze from the ground and at the young girl. He had just found a good way of getting her mind off this.

<”Hey, wanna come shoot together with me? Come on, it’d relieve some stress! I’d teach you a thing or two about shooting, too. We could also test out my Verpine you repaired, see if that works well. What do you say?”> He made a proposition for her sake. Thinking about all this, stuck inside the safehouse with presumably no outlet would do her no good. She needed to blow off some steam and clear his mind.

What other fun way was there aside from good ol’ precision shooting with long rifles?

 

[Gwyneira Vizsla]

Gwyneira sighed, nodding slowly at Kranak's words. No use in trying to make sense of all this. Not right now. She shivered even as he made his offer to her. Training... sounded good.

She blinked drearily. She thought of her unfinished rifle sitting on the workbench and nodded. Target practice would be nice. It would get her mind off of things, and it would be physical. Good. She needed to physically rant. Yet, she also still was low on energy.

"Let me grab a protein bar and energy drink first. I'm exhausted, but no way am I sleeping now."

She stood up, teetering for a moment. As she regained her balance, she was still slouched as she went for the kitchen. She would grab food, get her gear, then be ready to go.

Even if he had betrayed her, Gwyneira knew Kranak still cared about her. Perhaps, training would do them well to restore what had been lost today.

Kranak Vizsla Eliz Krayt