Once Upon a Time...(Mooney)

[Deleted]

It had been the first time he set foot on another planet on his own without someone supervising him. As much as he enjoyed beating up the helpless other initiates on Korriban during his training he wanted to explore a bit of the world on his own. No one on Korriban cared so he couldn't get into any trouble. Though he would have to be very careful as the Republic had this planet, and not the Sith. Though he doubted to many Jedi would be here, he would have to be careful nonetheless. Pulling up his cloak to conceal his form he began making his way towards the place of interest on this planet. The Jedi Tombs. He wanted to know if they were similar to the Valley of the Dark Lords on Korriban.

Plus this was the only place to get a particular type of crystal, and it would be a great souvenir. It would take him some time to get from the port to the Tombs so he just surveyed his surroundings. It was lush with green vegetation, and people were abundant here, but it was also around noon this planet's time so there was abound to be tons of people floating around. Making sure to keep his Lightsaber well hidden he began to make his way out of the port town, and to the forests, and then to the canyon's.

It took him a few hour's to walk through the forest to the edges of the canyon, and here it was a massive valley. Not quiet as grand as the one back on Korriban, but it was alright. Seeing a small trail leading off to the side he began to make his descent downwards into the heart of valley where the tombs were. He felt weird being here probably because of all the positive force energy, but it wouldn't harm him.

As he got closer to the caverns he saw a girl around his age sitting in the dust with a small pick digging into the cave's wall. Immediately he sensed what she was, and was about to grab his saber so he could hack her into pieces. That was his default reaction as he had never met a Jedi before. But he also knew the value of information, and how easily he could probably manipulate this girl into giving him everything he wanted. His golden eyes stuck out beneath his hood as he approached her making obvious noise so that he wouldn't startle her with his approach.

"Why hello there!" he called out in his most friendly tone, feigning the emotion needed.

Taking his hood off revealed his soft pink complexion, and his crimson hair that was tied back in a wolf's tail. All of his attention was focused on her, his golden eyes looked at her as he cocked a small smile. This will be fun...

[Moonfire]

Moonfire had spent much of her morning bent over in the dust, tapping away at the harsh temple floors, looking for... Well, she wasn't actually sure. Something. Master Teiko had claimed something quite interesting was trapped within the rocks she'd busily outlined and excavated, and had set her to work a week before, and in the week of busy, dirty and rather tedious work she'd found nothing, nada, zilch.

And each evening, the grumpy old Kushiban would pop out from where ever he was searching with a variety of ancient objects. Lightsabers, crystals, parts of ancient droids and old holocrons that hadn't seen lights in eons, all to be carefully labelled and transported back to the Temple at the end of the week.

While Moonfire continued to dig for, most likely, nothing. But she, the ever dutiful Padawan did not complain nor argue. No, surely there was some lesson to be learned in this seemingly pointless exercise. Somewhere in all this dust and sweat.

"Why hello there!" Called out a friendly voice, startling her despite the seemingly purposeful noise of the movement. A high pitched squeak of alarm as she fumbled, reaching out desperately to try and grab her chisel before it clattered noisely to the ground.

With a tense of her shoulders at the obvious display of ineptitude she winced before turning back to the friendly sounding figure.

"Oh, hello!" She called back, hopping quickly onto heavy-booted feet to approach the startlingly soft-looking Zeltron, all shades of rose.

"I'm Moonfire, Moonfire Esense. Master Teiko's Padawan." She beamed, slanted blue eyes squinting with the rise of her cheeks as she dusted off the cool colored robes, caked brown and grey with dust at the hems. Extending a hand to the boy courteously. "Can I help you?"

[Deleted]

The moment the girl heard him she seemed to trip over herself despite her downward position, but she was being courteous to him. Something that he didn't quiet know how to handle...Not once had he ever been shown coutesy his master Xiszek wasn't exactly a courteous man, and Korriban only taught you to show respect to those of a higher rank than yourself. This girl wasn't higher than him by any means, but he was conflicted on this obvious display of kindness. Slowly, and deliberately he took her hand, and shook it slightly, still feeling uneasy about the entire thing.

"I am uh Zexva." he stated acting slightly more shy than before. When kindness or courtesy was around him he felt very uncomfortable, and withdrew into himself.

Though the part about her having a master had not escaped his ears as he began looking around for this Master Teiko. He remained calm, and composed however just as Xiszek had taught him, and he wouldn't show anything out of the norm. Looking at her blue eyes contrasting his hard gold one's the girl was pretty, but he had no room for things such as love in his heart, but he would use her to his advantage to find out about this master.

"Oh so you must be a Jedi! That's so cool!" he stated smiling at her. "To be here all by yourself you must be pretty strong huh?" flattery was the ultimate tool to use against any female. Especially ones who were young, and clumsy like this particular one.

[Moonfire]

"Lovely meeting you, Zexva." She beamed, shaking his hand gently before releasing it. "Oh yes, I'm the apprentice of one of the Jedi archivists, hes around here... somewhere." A high pealed of laughter as she glanced over her shoulder, deeper into the tomb. The fuzzy old man was no doubt doing something far more fun and adventurous far deeper into the tomb.

"Strong? Oooh, I don't know about all th-" Moonfire started with a dismissive wave when a small, brilliantly colored blur skittered across the ground past them. The girl squeaked again, jumping up with joy shouting "Oh! Oh! Hold on!"

She held up a finger to Zexva, requesting a moment as she scampered off after the critter. The lizard, blissfully unaware of his fate stopped just away from them, neck frills extended, flashing the brilliant orange and blue of his throat as the girl, jar in hand, carefully stalked her prey.

And in a blur of blue and dark Moonfire pounced and toppled to the ground in a puff of dirt and dust as scrambled for the tiny creature. With a shout of excitement she held up her prize. Sitting within the jar was an frilled and extremely confused tomb-lizard, accompanied by a stick and a leaf, to simulate its natural habitat. "Ah-ha! Got it! Isn't he pretty?" She cooed, hoisting herself back up and beaming at Zexva, dirt and dust now smudged over her cheek as she looked down at her prize.

"I've been collecting the different lizards in the tomb," Mooney explained with a shrug motioning towards the other jars scattered about her impromptu excavation site. "I was reading about Herpetology back at the Temple and I've been trying to categorize the reptiles in the tomb, this ones pretty, don't you think?"

Suddenly the queerness of the whole situation, random Zeltron who evidentially wasn't a Jedi just sort of wandering around a tomb kind of settled in, despite the excitement of her latest herpetological find. "Oh, are you a colonist? We usually don't get much civilian traffic in the tomb, are you looking for something?"

[Deleted]

She spoke to him again smiling widely, and something strange was happening in his stomach, and he didn't like it. It made him uncomfortable to be around this girl, he felt funny...However he couldn't just up, and leave she might get suspicious, and follow him. So he would have to play along for now until he could make a clean getaway. Especially after he heard the laughter of her master from further in the cave. Before he could speak she saw something, and he watched her scurry off to catch a small reptile. Telling him about her study of lizards, and upon closer inspection he saw all of the other jars scattered about. Quirking an eyebrow at her she was unusual to say the least.

Then she questioned him...Of course he already had a backstory thought up for such an occasion he just hoped she wouldn't see through him.

"I am a treasure hunter of sorts I guess you could say. I travel the universe exploring tombs, and caves, and I always come back with a souvenir of some sort. It may not be something valuable, but it's a piece of where I have been. I actually came here looking for a Ruusan Crystal to add my collection. Maybe you could help me?" he asked her looking around at the other caves. The sooner he could get away from her master the better off he would be.

"Maybe in that cave? If you can't join me because of your master I understand, but I would like someone who knew these caves to be around." he smiled as politely as he could.

Of course this would be a perfect time to figure out the inner workings of the Jedi. After all a predator should know their prey.

[Moonfire]

Moonfire's long sleeves moved across her cheeks, trying to wipe away the smudge she was sure was there, though truly only made worse by the motions before giving up, shrugging as she looked over her newest specimen. The little one within the jar waggled, though didn't seem especially perturbed by his new, though hopefully temporary living arrangements. At a closer glance, Mooney could now see the mottled pattern, like the dappling of leaves shading out sunlight across his scales, but in hues of brilliant orange and red and yellow, the faintest touch of electric blue at his happy looking snout.

Hoisting up the jar to her companion she held him out to be inspect. "He looks like a Togo to me... Hmmm, Togo, thats a good name, isn't it boy?" She cooed, voice all sweetness to the little creature within whose amber slit-eyes peered back out with a sort of absurd joy. "What do you think, Zexva? Does he look like a Togo to you?"

She lowered the jar again, listening most attentively as the boy described his line of work, settling dear Togo next to his new brethren, Swyper, Noodles and Wix each of a startlingly different plumage and size within there own jars.

"Oh, wow." The girl marveled, hands raking through the thick mass of her dark hair, finding the silky braid wrapped and beaded with little red bobbles, fingers dancing over the lock, an old nervous habit. "A treasure hunter? Oh, that must be terribly exciting!" Her voice filled with awe at the prospect, despite it not being much different than her current occupation. Though the way he phrased it certainly seemed a tad more exciting. Blue eyes sparkled with recognition as he spoke of the crystals.

"Oh! Actually, I know just the place!" She all but hopped in place, brimming with excitement at knowing just what he was looking for, and even better exactly where to find it."Oh, Master Teiko'll be busy for a few more hours at least, I'm sure he won't mind me taking a short break from my digging."

In a swirl of cool blue cloaks and robes the girl, nearly tripping over her own feet again, was ready, ushering them both down into the darker, though not exactly omnious part of the tomb, built into the natural cavern systems of the canyon.

"You know, the cliffs all over the canyon have deposits full of the crystals, but they're difficult to find and are oddly placed. Really sheer drops and hard climbing, but the old ancient Jedi when they built the tombs and the caverns as a sort of spiritual place dug tunnels through the rock towards some of the richer deposits, with whole chambers just alive with the glittering crystals. They're not as combat stable as the ones on Ilum, the more traditional choice in crystals, but I like them. They're... quirky." She rattled off in a tone that spoke of practiced recitations of dusty texts from memory, in a fast paced, nearly effortless clip as she burbled excitedly to her new companion.

"What other worlds have you explored, if you don't mind my asking?"

[Deleted]

This was far easier than he expected she couldn't even tell at this close of a proximity that he was touched by the darkness. She couldn't be a real Jedi could she? No actual Jedi was this incompetent he couldn't believe it how she survived this long, but then he remembered how the Jedi coddled their Padawans. How they showed them kindness, and made them weak. Zexva had never known kindness, not once in his entire life. As they walked through the caves he pulled out his necklace with the small rancor claw attached to it, as he ran his fingers through it.

"I spent an extended period of time on Felucia..." his eyes slightly glazed over as he remembered having to survive an entire year alone on that god forsaken planet..."This is my trophy from there." he smiled at her as he lifted up the small Rancor claw that was his prize when he felled the beast.

"But besides here, and Felucia, I have been to Korriban, Ilum, Coruscant, Zeltros obviously, Kashyyk, and Mandalore." he grinned brightly at her keeping up his facade.

Now that they were walking so close together he could smell her scent, see how smooth her skin was, and the gentle slant of her blue eyes. He wanted to reach out, and touch her, but he didn't. He didn't understand why he was noticing these things, and that pit in his stomach was forming. It was slowly frustrating him, because he didn't know what in the heck was going on. She had to be using the force to mess with his mind somehow. This had to be some Jedi Mind Trick. He himself used Telepathic skills to mess with an opponents head maybe she did to.

That had to be the reason, because this was the first time he had ever felt like this, and he didn't like it, or know how to properly deal with it, and he was slowly getting angry. Realizing that he was slowly losing control he mentally calmed himself, and then looked back at her.

"So what's it like being a Jedi? I bet it's fun being able to do whatever you like right?" he said trying to change the subject back to her.

[Moonfire]

"Felucia?" She echoed, an obvious touch of awe in her voice. "The jungle planet, fungal forests and fearsome beasts?" She, while having stayed mostly in her own little safe haven of the galaxy under the tutelage of her Master was known for pouring over holobooks and datapads, even the carefully perserved scrolls of the Temple Library weren't spared from her constant hunger for knowledge, for the galaxy outside her little rooms on Coruscant and Ruusan. Leaning close Moonfire marveled at the rancor claw about his neck, gnarled and withered, but distinct in its shape.

"You killed a rancor?" Almond eyes growing wider as the awe played more across her features. Zexva, while certainly older looking couldn't have been more than a year or so older than she, and he'd been to all those worlds and more? What a thrilling, adventurous life! So many stories he must have. Wandering through dusty tombs and marshy jungles, hunting treasures, like the hero of some holovid she'd watched as a child.

"So what's it like being a Jedi? I bet it's fun being able to do whatever you like right?" He asked politely, causing the girl to brighten up as they wandered further down the winding passage ways of the caverns, crumbling statues and ornate carvings over the archways of the various chambers they wandered through marked their way.

Mooney laughed again, tickled at the silly civilian ideal of the Order. "Oh no, its nothing like that. We certainly don't do whatever we like, or at least, I don't. Maybe some of the other Padawans are." She grinned at the jest, perfectly at ease. "Its very... rigid. I'm not sure how to explain. Lots of routine and responsibilities, lessons and training. Not much in the way of free time at all, really."

[Deleted]

Her eyes brightened up when he showed her his Rancor Claw. It was his most prized possession, it was something he eared from hard work, and almost dying. This was his. She asked him if he killed a rancor, and he grinned at her doing his best trying not to relive the horror of what his master's survival training had done to him. That hatred was welling up inside of him, but he knew that he could control the darkness, it didn't control him. At least not yet.

"Yeah thats the planet, and yup I killed one, but it was only a small one not a full grown one so I am not all that good." his smile came up again.

Though her explanation of being a Jedi was like what he had been told. They were set in their ways, trying to keep themselves from feeling anything because that is what the force guided them to do. If that was what it took to be on the light side he was glad he was on the darkside. Not being able to properly express yourself it was a tragic thing, and he almost felt pity the girl...almost.

"That has got to be tough on you? I mean don't you ever want to go out, and adventure the world? You can't let yourself really do anything fun. That has to suck." he stated plainly no longer caring about the crystal he was supposedly here to get.

Not many knew it but he had a crystal from here, a gold one, and it was in his light saber which was hidden away underneath his cloak so that this girl wouldn't see it, and get freaked out by him. Maybe...Maybe he could tempt her to come to the darkside maybe not today, but all he would have to do was plant the seed.

"I would much rather use the force to follow my passions instead of just putting them all aside. Wouldn't you? Maybe even help some people on the way?" he asked her thoughtfully.

[Moonfire]

She whistled at the confirmation of his rancor kill. "Thats still super impressive, Zexva." A nod of her head as she took one last long look over the shriveled token before stepping back a respectful distance away again, her eyes skirting over the exotic young man beside her.

"Oh, not really." Moonfire shrugged, a little self-conscious now at her poor explanation of Temple life. "Its really very fulfilling, and after I finish my apprenticeship I'm free to choose any sort of specialty I'd like. I've been thinking about joining the Exploration Corps, or being an archivist like my Master. Though I have a while before I think about that, I haven't even started my trials yet, though I finished my lightsaber. I got a crystal from the caverns up here for it, we're almost there."

Her head tilted as the passages all seemed to move towards a central point. The light was low now, the torches of the more explored rooms flickering off in the distance.

Stopping just before the entrance way she turned, smiling brightly to her companion. "This part is the coolest...watch."

With a wave of her hand the lightsaber at her hip floated up, the hilt delicate and ornate with its weaving pattern of vines and leaves over the smooth cylinder flashed in the poor light as she stepped into the pitch black room, gently grabbing Zexva's hand to guide him the first few steps into utter darkness.

For a long moment the the blackness of the chamber engulfed the pair, but with loud click the activator the room was filled with a pale, blue light, emanating from her lightsaber, a blinding rod in the darkness. Slowly, as her eyes adjusted the periwinkle colored light seemed to refract and sparkle across the jeweled surface of the room, the multi-colored crystals sending off tinted light, bouncing and coloring the walls and the teenagers.

Moonfire herself was washed out in the pale blue, only occasionally shaded by the reflection of the yellows and orange and purples in spots that seemed to quiver with the energy of the place across her skin and robes.

"Isn't it the most fantastic thing you've ever seen?" She mused, turning in place and watching the colors shift and bounce across her with the movement.

[Deleted]

Everything was under control he was maintaining his control not letting his frustration bubble over. They were walking, and talking, and everything was fine, and then she did it...Something no one had ever done to him before...She grabbed his hand...The feeling of her doing that set something off in him her hand was holding his as she led him into this dark room that he could barely see in, luckily he had the power to see without sight. She was still touching him though as she used the force to bring her lightsaber to her free hand, and then the crystals lit up around them.

The colors lit her up like a painting, and he was noticing even more details about her now as his heart began to race, and he quickly became nervous. There was no one here to berate him, or torture him for his failures. No one here to give him more scars...There was only her, and she was holding his hand so gently, so softly almost like she cared about him...He didn't understand what was happening to his mind, and body.

"Isn't it the most fantastic thing you've ever seen?" she stated to him as the colors bounced off of her.

On top of his already exotic color they lit him up even more, and he looked into her blue eyes with his own golden ones. Taking a step forward he had no clue what he was doing, but he couldn't get into trouble here...She was so nice, sweet, and kind concepts he didn't even understand, and it only made the confusion in him grow more as he took another step, and wrapped his arms around her.

"You...showed...me...kindness..." the words were slow like he was having trouble speaking them, and didn't quiet grasp their meaning which was true.

Without a seconds thought he leaned down, and he kissed her on the lips. His first, and only kiss ever he had no clue what he was doing, but he held her close, and then it happened...

That pit in his stomach unknotted as new feelings rushed in, and he gasped, and took a step back. He couldn't grasp all of this at once it was mind boggling, and it was overloading him. His breathing quickened as he began to lose a portion of his control. Rage, and frustration over these things bubbled over as he wrapped himself in the darkside of the force so tightly that even she would be able to sense it, and lightning danced at his fingertips before he launched an arc of it behind her breaking some of the crystals.

"What is this!" he roared as he looked at her tears in his eyes from the frustration, and anger as he backed himself against the wall like a caged animal. He didn't know what was happening to him...

[Moonfire]

Moonfire was, as always, blissfully ignorant of the turmoil roiling within her companion, delighted by the colors of the cave as they shifted and danced with each movement of herself or wave of the saber, casting new lights and colors in all directions. Like in most situations, Mooney began to babble excitedly, hardly able to contain her joy at sharing the beautiful sight with another.

"This is my favorite spot on the whole planet. The crystals here are so strong, you can just feel the energy in them. The Force is alive here, you can feel it in every fiber of your be--" But she was cut off as her eyes locked with his, the Zeltron's gold eyes holding a queer glassy look, her hand still cupped with his as the pink skinned boy seemed to drift closer, pulling her up into him as his hands moved about her.

"Zexva, are you oh-" But the words, filled with confusion and concern, were cut off, but his stilted emotion choked voice. Before Moonfire could react to the strange statement, though his mouth fell over hers, in an incredibly soft and wavering kiss. And in the space of another heartbeat it was over.

"Z-zexva?" Her face twisted in confusion, unsure of what was happening anymore as the air suddenly felt strange. Sick. The air tasted rotten and her head swam with the dizzying force of the darkside, causing the girl to stumble back, hilt clattering to the floor as the saber slipped from her hand as Moonfire landed with a hard thud against the ground as Zexva let lose a roar of frustration.

The air flashed and crackled with unnatural heat, lightning sparkled and the small chamber was blinding until the shower of broken crystals tumbled over her and the acrid scent of melted rock and shattered crystals filled the air.

Reflexively Moonfire wrapped into herself, the anxiety that always bubbled just beneath the surface was now at its peak, setting a fog in her mind as she struggled to understand what had just happened. Her eyes skimmed across the tiny chamber, watching as Zexva pressed him back against the wall, gold eyes wild in the poor light.

"A-a-are you okay?" She croaked, hands held up defensively, pleading internally that the terrifying rush of the darkside was simply imagined. That she hadn't unknowingly wandered far off from her Master into the arms of a Sith.

[Deleted]

He could feel her fear, her uncertainty, and her sudden awareness of what he could potentially be. His golden eyes glowing dangerously as he pressed himself against the far wall as far from her as he possibly could be. This was it he could end her now, but then that blasted master of her's would be on his way to find her, surely he felt the disturbance however slight it might have been. He hated this girl...Hated that feeling she gave him...How it made him lose control like that he didn't like it. He had to get away from her that was his first priority, to make this all stop.

"Don't come any closer to me! Whatever you did to me, I will never forgive!" he snarled at her still not fully understanding the feelings that he felt.

Then he drew the force into himself like a blanket of darkness using it to strengthen his muscles, and he began to run. Using his sense skill to navigate through the tunnel, and out into the open he just kept running, and he didn't stop until he was on top of the cliffside, looking down at the canyon from the edge of the forest, and then he ran again. He had to figure out what that feeling was, but he couldn't ask any of the other initiates. As dumb as it sounded there was one person he had heard about that might be able to help him. Though she could just kill him as well.

Still drawing on his limitless well of hate he got back to the town, and drew up his hood once more blending into the crowd as he allowed the force around him to die out, and he hopped on the next ship to Rhen Var.