Midnight Musings [Nathaira/Open]

[Rugs]

Torrance hummed quietly as he walked the Temple’s halls. It was late; on the other side of the rocky walls stars shined like jewels thrown across the sky and the moon lent its ghostly light to the inky darkness. The Temple was quiet now. Torrance’s footfalls sounded out ahead of him and faded away to quiet echoes behind.

He felt as if he should’ve carried a candle. The hallways were lit, of course, but something always made the Temple seem darker at night. Torrance sometimes surmised it was the heavy Dark Side presence that sat around the Temple — around Korriban, even — like a fog, but who knew if that was really the case. It wasn’t his concern anyway.

The Kiffar’s steps slowed as he came to an intersection in his hallway. If he continued on ahead, he’d eventually reach a courtyard. The left led to the archives, and the right deeper into the Temple. Torrance didn’t have any particular objectives in mind. He was sometimes plagued by sleeping trouble, and he liked to walk the Temple and the grounds around it to settle his busy mind.

With a moment’s ponderance, he chose the path to the right.

He was dressed as he often did: simply. He wore grey pants that were sturdy, but light enough to let him move unhindered. His boots were supple animal hide, treated and strengthened for Korriban’s rough environment. He wore an off-white tunic with loose sleeves, and his long-hilted lightsaber hung loosely by his left thigh.

He’d be twenty soon. The recognition of that fact drifted through his mind, not for the first time as of late. He was getting old for his group of peers. Yet he wasn’t threatening to look at—his face was slightly feminine and the flowing tattoos that wound up from his chest to his neck and along the sides of his face and bridge of his nose didn’t do much to help. At barely over five and a half feet tall, he wasn’t near tall. He had the strong, sleek build of an acrobat, rather than the imposing bulk of a warrior.

But none of those things really mattered, and he knew it.

More troubling was that no one had taken him as a student. Yet. But in a few days, Aurelius would have them dueling in the courtyard again. Torrance knew he would perform well. It was a quiet confidence, based on performances of the past. And then, maybe someone would take him…

He stopped suddenly, realizing he wasn’t quite sure where he was. He’d allowed his awareness of what was around him fade as his mind wandered, and now he was… somewhere. By a flight of stairs.

How annoying. Pay attention, he chided himself, running a hair through his long, thick black hair. The single feather he kept tied in it flopped at the motion. Then he almost moved, but held his place, as he felt another being near.

No need to worry, surely; not here in the relative safety of the Temple. But even still…

“Who’s there?”

[Nathaira]

Emerging from the shadows, a somewhat petite figure appeared. Fashioning casual street clothes and a scarf that masked the lower half of her face and her dark hair fixed into a ponytail, looking kind of harmless save for two details... This was Korriban and she carried two blasters on the back of her waist. She stepped closer, shamelessly inspecting him form the distance.

She had been somewhat lost, exploring the area and trying to get its layout engraved on her memory, sadly for her, there was still plenty of progress to make on that department. An opportunity had materialized before her and she wasn't one to let such things slip away, this 'not so threatening looking' individual looked approachable enough. Not only it was important to know the different corridors of the place but also it's dwellers. Her future was uncertain and for all Naná knew, she was to spend her near future among these strangers and walls.

After staring at him for a bit, trying to figure out how to approach him. "Just me, no need to be wary. I was just wandering in search of a... Place to eat!" She stopped for a second and nodded once to make what she just said more veritable. "I swear this place is a useless labyrinth! Can't ever find whatever you looking for. You don't happen to know where could find one, do you? You seem like a fellow who knows his way around here."

[Rugs]

Torrance warily waited as he felt the other being draw closer. He didn’t draw his blade or prepare himself for a fight—caution was wise in the Temple, but that would have been too paranoid by far.

Instead he simply stood, waiting as they revealed themselves.

It was a girl, who, by some stroke of apparent misfortunte for her, was several inches shorter than he. Most of her face was concealed, but she looked younger than he did, and to what his senses could make of her, seemed less refined in the Force.

Just another student, he thought, relaxing. Was he always so paranoid? Or did the unending nightmares put him more on edge?

"Just me, no need to be wary. I was just wandering in search of a... Place to eat!" she called. Torrance supposed she seemed honest enough, then wondered again if he was being paranoid.

"I swear this place is a useless labyrinth! Can't ever find whatever you looking for. You don't happen to know where could find one, do you? You seem like a fellow who knows his way around here."

“Me? Oh. Um…” Torrance spoke quietly, suddenly feeling tired. He could’ve admitted that he was a bit lost himself, but that would just be embarrassing. “Well… kind of late to be out for food, isn’t it?” he asked stupidly, trying to buy time to think.

“Mess hall’s not far from here… I forget how far, though.” He put a hand to the back of his neck, rubbing it to keep his cheeks from heating. “I, uh… sorry. I was just wandering around and hadn’t really been keeping track of where I was going.”

For a few, quiet moments he looked at her studying, then spoke again. “I’m Torrance.”

[Nathaira]

Naná crossed her arms behind her head stretching, he had seen through her obviously lame excuse, but there was no room for admitting what felt like an actual fact. "Give me a f***ing break, it wasnt late when i started looking!" She listened to him with a growingly odd gaze as he explained to what degree he too was clueless. "So... You don't have the slightest idea either." She let out a deep sight, both being let down and of relief since this left him with no grounds for questioning. "I am Naná. So, whats your excuse to be wandering these halls and corridors 'really keeping track of where you were going'?"

Naná awaited an answer silently trying to measure the stranger before adding "Just to know if this kind of stuff is the usual with the types that spend their days here." If she could only manage to ge tot know some people around, it would make her life so easy... Not necessarily as peer but one can learn to guess what to expect from those known to her. Though the chance of gaining some peers as slim as it was, was a good incentive too.

[Rugs]

Torrance knit his brows at the girl, making an annoyed grunting noise. “I know where I am. Just… disoriented at the moment.” He rubbed the back of his neck, knowing how stupid that sounded and annoyed that he couldn’t just admit that he did not, in fact, know where he was. Turning into a jocky can’t-do-wrong meathead, he chided himself. Next you’ll be growing out chest hair and showing it off to anyone with a pair of eyes to see.

“Well the archives are back that way,” he added as if to assure himself, pointing in the vague direction of back-over-his-shoulder. “I remember passing them a while back.”

But not much else since then. How out of it had he been?

"I am Naná. So, whats your excuse to be wandering these halls and corridors 'really keeping track of where you were going'?"

Torrance looked at her quietly for a moment. Nightmares. Blood. The lifeless, broken body of his best friend. An overwhelming feeling of hopelessness that rushed over him tried to pull him under like a sea in storm..
“Nothing serious,” he muttered, lying. “Just some trouble sleeping.” His eyes flashed to her face, or what he could see of it. “And you? You typically go scrounging around for food in the middle of the night?” He smirked softly. “Or you up finding trouble?”

[Nathaira]

Raising an eyebrow not convinced by his explanation, Naná shrugged assuming they were both as clueless. Sounding initially irritated, she answered "Well sorry if i couldn't come up with something as elaborated as 'trouble sleeping'. I am just wandering, yes maybe looking for trouble." Stopping a for a moment she pondered the different lame excuses. "Though i wouldn't mind eating something, for reals this time. Where could we possibly snatch some eatables is the issue. You see, i don't have much 'coin' on me." She moved closer dissipating all the previous tension on her end. "Besides, its not like there is anything better to do now, is there? It certainly doesn't seem to be the case for you, so you just volunteered your self!" Without waiting for an answer she pointed in apparently a random direction to take. "That way! Oh and if we stumble upon something to drink instead, all the better! That way i can finally have something to do and you can drink yourself to sleep, am i right?

[Rugs]

“Um… I dunno,” Torrance said quietly as the girl moved closer, apparently deciding he wasn’t a threat or enemy. He supposed he wasn’t either of those, at the moment. “I don’t really drink much,” he went on, deciding he might as well start off in the random direction she indicated. “Besides, it probably wouldn’t help. Just make my head hurt in the morning.”

He smiled a reserved, almost sorrowful smile. “But I guess it wouldn’t hurt. As long as you don’t find too much trouble.” The Kiffar youth stuffed his hands in his pockets and glanced at his impromptu companion as he shuffled along, as much out of curiosity as wariness. She seemed nice, but was she really? Nice people never made it here.

What if it all just ended with a blade in his back?

No, no, no… stop it, he chided himself, eyes closed in irritation as he cursed the foul mood the nightmares always put him in. Stop being so paranoid. She’s just another student.

They reached the bottom of a set of stairs that wound up into the dark. They were stone, thick and heavy like the rest of the temple. Torrance began to ascend them without hesitation, though he wasn’t completely certain where this particular flight of stairs led.

“So, you keep your face hidden,” he remarked, trying to shift the subject in the hopes she didn’t notice his struggles with his temperament. “Why?” He turned to look at her, lavender eyes studying her for a moment in the dark. “Trying to keep a secret identity we should know about?”

[Nathaira]

Suddenly frowning, betraying just how little did she ask such question, she forced her expression to relax a little and answered while pointing her half covered face with a finger. "Why would you care to know? After all, if  wear it more often than not... Doesn't it make this my face? Besides! And let me be blatant about this!" She announced as if she wasn't just like that in everything she did. "I look so much cooler than all of you broody lot with this on. AND! 'Taint like we could have you stunned by my otherworldly beauty anyway."

Addressing his distaste for drinking or rather the hangovers, she inquired. "All the same, just means I'll keep all for me. So if you don't drink... Much. What do you do to keep your obviously troubled head in the apparent void of this place?" Naná randomly asked as she proceeded to lead the way, assuming that he would tag along. "If you can't even sleep, 'tis obvious you could drink more or something."

[Rugs]

Torrance huffed softly. "Why wouldn't I?" He asked back, voice taking a timbre that lay somewhere between playful and curious. "It's not like everyone here keeps just their mouths covered." He'd seen some other Sith in masks. Most of them were older, or came from other lives. Protecting an identity, he often assumed. So was that why she wore the veil around her lower face?

Or am I just looking for something where it doesn't exist?

The thought drifted away as she teased him about hiding her beauty. Torrance laughed softly at that in spite of himself and turned his head to better look at her. It was hard to tell if she was as pretty as she jested, what with half her face hidden under the black cloth. But he supposed her eyes were nice enough.

Doesn't really matter, though, he thought with a sigh as he turned back to the fore. Torrance could appreciate beauty on a female, but for love and lust, well, his interests lay elsewhere.

"You are kind to shield me so," he said, still playing along. He looked at her from the corner of his eyes, a half-smile gently stretching his tattoos. "Kinder than most here, you know."

The smile faded as she asked what troubled him. For a few moments after he was quiet, pondering how to answer her inquiry. "Nothing for you to worry about," he finally said. "Just... sometimes have bad dreams." He looked at her and offered a small upturn of his lips, but this was obviously forced. "I'm sure I'm not the only one. Besides... drinking more would probably just make it worse."

[Nathaira]

Apparently considering the part of the conversation revolving around her mask and face as settled, Naná continued with her chatter. Holding a hand on her chest and straightening herself a little, she added while trying to look all proud. "I know! Right?" After listening to his answer about his sleeping habits and full of determination she stated. "You just proved that you know nothing, there is no better cure for your ailment than drinking! It is decided! Forget the food, we are going to find some boozahol and get drunk!" The new plan was soon followed by some words of 'persuasion'. "But, if you don't even have the balls to keep up with a girl..." Naná was't sure if he was going to fall for it but was worth trying, drinking with company was only as enjoyable as doing so alone, if not more, when everyone partook in it.

[Rugs]

Torrance almost grinned at her response to his words about her kindness. But he kept walking, until Nana apparently made up her mind about what they'd be doing.

"Um... I do know," he tried to get out, before she spoke again and silenced him. Her words made him blush slightly, and made him feel a fool for even indulging her that far. And yet...

"They are more than sufficient, I assure you," he muttered, looking flatly at her. Surely there was a way to gracefully back away from a challenge of that nature; Torrance, however, couldn't immediately think of one, not so soon after such an... unexpected persuasion.

"Fine, if you're so set on getting drinking." Torrance grinned a little, deciding he didn't care about the crudeness of the words that left his mouth next. "Just try not to take advantage of me, hm? And I'll tag along."

He motioned for her to go on, sleeves flapping loosely. "So lead on to the... boozahol..."

[Nathaira]

"HA!" Leaning a bit towards him as they moved on, she added snickering to herself. "Don't you worry sweetie, i am kinder than most, remember? I won't take advantage of you on the first date... Though i am not sure if i will be able to resist my urges, put you in a beautiful dress and take you out for a night of dancing."

Scanning the passages ahead for anything that would resemble a storage area or whatever the weird lot that dwelt such place understood for a cantina, Naná eyed her new buddy and asked. "I know you don't drink much but again, don't you have the slightest idea of where do the rest of the broody types have their drinks and stuff? If not in here, someplace else." She wasn't if the weird lot did even do stuff like drinking at all but there was only one way to find out.

[Rugs]

Torrance hmphed good-naturedly, in spite of himself. "Yes, I forgot you're the nice one here," he said, grinning slyly. "What about me, though, hm? Assuming I keep you from getting me in a dress..."

He could almost guarantee that wouldn't be happening. Almost; the Kiffar didn't drink very often, and it wasn't particularly hard to get him drunk.

He couldn't really remember what happened last time he got lost in his cups.

"Well, there's Dreshdae," he said in answer to her question. "Just a little ways away from the Temple. There are a few cantinas there." He paused, touching the feather woven into his thick hair, as he had a habit of doing while thinking. "I think, anyway."

He walked along beside her for a moment, looking at her from the corner of an eye. So far, he wasn't sure what to make of Nana. She seemed nice - genuinely, legitmately nice. While he didn't doubt she possessed a darker side, it was a decent change of pace.

Still, it was hard to really, really trust her.

"You know, I'm surprised there aren't more of my peers trying to climb all over you," he said, idly. The statement was a true observation and a gentle testing to see how she'd respond to it. "You're a... refreshingly cheerful person."

[Nathaira]

"If you are nice? Well you have been kind enough to put us on the trail of the booze!" She answered while changing directions towards what she felt would lead them outside of the Temple. "But i will judge that when we actually have it in our power. Whats the worth of a map that leads to nowhere?"

She reached for the back of her head with both hand, kind of randomly stretching. "Well i don't know any of your peers, maybe thats why. Though i would sooner said that i am loud rather than cheerful." She then suddenly went for one of her guns and with a feline grace, drew it and aimed ahead of them. "Besides, if you think i am cheerful, they probably would too, maybe they don't like it different, them broody types." She then concluded before moving the gun a little to represent the shots and laugh out loud. "Thats no way to do it, don't even know how they put up with themselves... To live like that, they may as well be dead. Pew pew pew!"

[Rugs]

"True enough, I guess," Torrance said, quietly stuffing his hands into his pockets. "And where would we be if not for booze?" Normally he would've said that with some degree of scorn, given his inclination to avoid drinking. But he hardly wanted to sound a hypocrite, at least at this juncture, so he kept his voice a modest neutral.

"I guess not knowing them would help," he agreed to her point, watching her as she suddenly pulled a gun, of all things. "You should probably consider yourself lucky that you don't... Most of them aren't worth knowing."

He watched her a little longer a sighed a soft laugh, shaking his head slightly. "Yeah, well, sometimes things happen to make you broody."

"What's with the gun?"

[Nathaira]

"Yep! 'Tis all one big issue you people have here, no wonder there are so many of 'them' with so little booze or some other fine entertainment. Thats all the reason they need to be like that." She couldn't help but laugh at the poor  opinion he seemed to have of the others. "I have only been around a week or so, though if you say that, i will take your word for it."

Drawing the other gun and holding both right in front of her shoulders, she gave him a pleased glance while striking her pose. "These beauties are two problem solvers, with the addition of the entertainment factor, a thing this place seems to be dreadfully short of." She obviously seemed to be mighty proud of her weapons as she held them to each side of her head, yet her expression changed, as if much of the previous 'cheerfulness' disappeared. "Where i come from, everyone worth remembering had one."

[Rugs]

For the first time, the girl's demeanor changed. The whimsical look faded, her voice changing suddenly. So there's something there after all, Torrance though, carefully looking at her sidelong.

"Everyone worth remembering," he asked, voice quiet. "What, were you in a gang or something?" It wasn't meant to be as dismissive as it might have sounded. After coming from the Jedi, like he did, it seemed many Sith came to the fledgling order after leaving some criminal outfit.

Still, he tried to lighten things a bit, not wanting to deal with the headache of accidentally offending.

"Or are you just telling me you're worth remembering?"

[Nathaira]

Seeming a bit displeased with the turning and direction that the conversation was taking, she replied as dry as she could make it sound. "Tsk, maybe... Both..." Idly pointing at him with one of the guns as if it was one of her fingers, she leaned in as she told him off sounding quite irritated "And you gotta pull your act together! Oh right everyone is worth remembering but not worth knowing! What the F**k is that supposed to mean?"

She was quite angry but also somewhat confused after seeing him just nail her background, not like she had not given any leads but felt odd that he would guess it so easily, or was it just a fluke... Whatever the case may be, what annoyed her the most was this feeling she was getting about him, as if he was being condescending or lecturing her on life.

[Rugs]

Torrance leaned away from the now-apparently-angry Nana as she turned on him, gun pointed somewhat threateningly at him. Reflex tempted his hand to go to the lightsaber clipped to his belt, but he did not actually move to take it. Instead he remained steady, though his facial expression visibly harden in response to her sudden displeasure.

“Take it easy,” he muttered to reach out and touch her, hand to collarbone to gently move her back a hair as he straightened up again. “I didn’t mean any offense, anyway.” He looked at her for a moment, not sure how he should proceed. He could just walk off, but that felt concerningly-odd. Instead he kept talking.

“Just guessed that might be it, since most former Jedi—like me—don’t come here with…” he motioned at her pistols, “those. And lots of people come from gangs to here, so it’s not like it’s outlandish.”

He folded his arms across his chest, shifting his weight as he looked at her. “And the last… I dunno,” he said, turning away to hide an embrassed blush. “Was meant to just be a joke.”

This is what he got for trying to be nice to people.

[Nathaira]

Offering nothing but a token resistance, she took a step back grunting before answering. "These are some of the finest tools of the trade, I WILL HAVE YOU Kn..." She suddenly looked down as she sighed as if letting out some steam, then after a couple of seconds she proceeded to get back to her original concern. "Whatever... Lets just find that booze, alright? F+*+*+* Hell, i swear i could use some right now."

As she started to head to what she thought led outdoors, she looked at him to point out. "Lame jokes aside, what does that make you? Jedi or a ganger?" She had only a very limited knowledge of what the first was but with some luck she hoped to satisfy her curiosity without betraying her ignorance.