The Web of a Sith (Moony)

[Deleted]

It had been a long time ago since he had been back here to his home planet. Traveling around was easy enough when you could manipulate the minds of the weak to take you where you wanted. Garbed in his black robes, and wearing a cloak to cover his features he would appear as any other tourist. Of course his lightsaber was clipped to his belt underneath the cloak so that no one would be able to see it. Zexva was doing his best to be discreet, but he had, had a dream about her, and she had come to this place. The place where he had been born, and the place where he had ended the life of his only remaining parent. He hated this place, and he hated the fact that she was here.

That stupid Jedi girl who wasn't able to tell that he was of the darkside, the stupid girl who had shown him kindness, and made him feel things that he didn't understand. As a Sith it was up to him to follow his passions, and see where they took him so that he could evolve into a stronger being. He told his Master about this girl, and Master Aurelius had given him leave to pursue this alleyway of emotion. She was a thorn in his side, but he didn't understand why she made him feel so weird.

Reaching out with the force he was subtle as he felt around for her presence, and it didn't take him very long to find her. Making his way through the crowds, and towards her, he saw his target, the one person he knew he would never forgive. Moonfire...

[Moonfire]

“Oh, bother.” Moonfire muttered to herself turning about in place as the crowds of people brushed past her. Zeltros’ capital city was teeming with life, culture and boisterous red-skinned natives who fawned over each other with awkward familiarity.

Master Balkk had brought them there for an important diplomatic mission, one much too sensitive for the eyes of a padawan and a jaded orphaned zabrak. So the trandoshan had done the most responsible thing one could, set the teenagers about the city after uploading a few maps of local landmarks and places of interest onto their datapads. Shorza taking his chance turned down a side street and away from the dark haired girl leaving her to wander the city on her own, holomap on hand.

Unfortunately, Moonfire had gotten lost. Her sense of direction was abysmal at best and the strange, intoxicating waves of emotion the people here muddled her. Joy and exuberance doled out in fistfuls to even passing strangers and the storm of emotions rolled over the girls head. She'd been training, working on her sense ad the vibrancy of this planet was nearly overwhelming. At least it was pleasant .

“I was supposed to take the turn that way, wasn't I?” A soft giggle escaped Moonfire’s lips as she ran a hand through her long hair, how silly of her to get lost like this! She didn't want to miss the howlrunner feeding did she?

Fingers tapped across the screen of the datapad, looking up an alternate route before turning about in place with newfound resolve. “Alright, of I just head down Dazzle up to the Skywalk I should be--”

And then it struck her. That sickening, overwhelming buzz. Rotten in the air that crackled and buzzed in her ears as heat flushed her skin. She'd felt this before, she'd recognized now the radiating negativity of the darkside. But where? Who? Spinning about, stomach lurching where bright blue eyes searched the teeming mass of red-toned people. Who?

[Deleted]

There she was exactly as he remembered her from the day in the cave...She wasn't lit up by crystal lights this time, but that strange pit formed in his stomach once more. The feeling that he loathed so much, the one thing that he had tried to find out about from Lady Novus, but chickened out at the last minute, and ran from her. It was something that he didn't understand, and only this girl did it to him. Fury crossed his feature's as he stared at her, wishing that she would see the glint of his gold eyes in this crowded place. For some recognition from her. He didn't like the way that his heart beat faster when she was around, it was irritating him.

He wasn't even going to try hiding himself from her this time, instead of lurking, and fooling around like last time he let his hood down, and walked right up to her. His golden eyes shining as he stared at her. There was no hostility in his stance towards her in fact he seemed at ease, calm.

"Hello Moonfire...Longtime no see..." he said to her as his words drifted off into the air around them. It was the same as last time that strange feeling in his stomach as he took another step closer to her, and stopped tilting his head to the side. "Don't worry...I haven't come to harm you...At least not yet..." if there was one thing that could be said for the Sith...He did understand how to keep his word.

[Moonfire]

Where was it coming from? What was going on?

The padawan's head spun lightly, a small hand moving to cup her temple as she took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind of flitting emotions of the city, or the unrestrained whirl of a dark jedi's presence. She had felt it before-- just once many months before. Foolish. Stupid. Dangerous. She'd been too trusting, too inexperienced to know it before but now it filled her senses with the noxious angst that ebbed off the boy with golden eyes.

Zexva, the boy from the crystal caverns slipped from some dark corner of her nightmares to before her in a flutter of dark cloaks and queerly calm expression out of the crowd. Staggering back, breath hitching slightly as her nerves frayed into light tremors Moonfire;s hands fumbled for her lightsaber, her datapad. She needed to call Master Balkk. Call Shorza. Do something.

"Hello Moonfire... Longtime no see."

"W-what--" Words failed the girl as she groped for her lightsaber, datapad slipping from her arms with a clattered as Moonfire wrapped her fingers about the smooth silvery hilt. "Z-zexva, I-i-- What d-do you want?"

He'd kissed her before, after whispering about how she'd been kind to him. Echoing in the silence of the glimmering chamber. She thought about that moment sometimes, about the golden eyed boy in all shades of rose who seemed an adventurer. He was wrapped in hate and anger and loathing. He'd tried to manipulate her-- That was what Master Teiko said.

Force please, don't let him throw lightning again.

[Deleted]

She was fumbling for her lightsaber, and he smirked at her she was obviously terrified as well as she should be. He was stronger than her, and she stood little to no chance against him if he decided that he wanted to hurt her. However his goal here wasn't to hurt her...At least not yet. He had to understand the way that she made him feel first so that he could crush those feelings, and never feel them again. If he could completely eradicate those feelings then he could become even stronger in the darkness. Still though it was adorable how she was trying to get her weapon to defend herself.

"Perhaps I should stand still so you can stop fumbling, and get your weapon so you can detain me?" he stated without emotion quirking an eyebrow at the small girl in front of him. "You do realize that if I wanted to hurt you girl...You would be hurt? And no one would ever know that it was me...I just," he paused not sure how to phrase this next sentence, "I had a dream about you being here, so I decided to see if it was right." he said obviously uncomfortable with saying this out loud.

He didn't meet her gaze he looked down suddenly he felt nervous, and his heart was hammering in his chest like the last time. When he felt like this last time he pressed his lips to her's though he wasn't entirely sure why he did it. It felt like an instinct was drawing him to her like a magnet, and he didn't like it, but he had to remain in control this time. Rage without focus is useless... he uttered the words that his Master so often spoke to him.

"I have to know...Why did you make me feel strange last time...I touched my lips to yours...Why? Why does my heart feel like it's going to burst out of my chest right now as I stand so near you? Tell me why I feel so strange...Tell me so I can make it stop.." there was only the slightest hint of pain in his voice as he told her all these things.

[Moonfire]

She was scared. This, of course, was not an unusual emotional for the shaky padawan. Sucking another breath between her teeth the girl's eyes shut, steeling herself. He could hurt her. He'd seemed to want to, as she felt the sizzling pop of the force conjured electricity crackle in her ears and rain down shards of blasted crystals about her face. But this time his voice was quiet, if mocking.

Finding the lightsaber she unclipped the hilt, lifting it up protectively as she took another step back, eyes flicking through the crowd in search of a zabrak and his droid, or perhaps the towering trandoshan that was her master before meeting Zexva's again.

"I had a dream about you being here, so I decided to see if it was right."

He could hurt her. He thought her bumbling and foolish and weak and-- Wait. What?

"You dreamed of m-me?" Fine brows furrowed at the thought, the raised arms lowering some as she listened, watching the expression on his face as the shining eyes fell. The emotions were different now, the crushing wave of joy and excitement muddled by something else. With another breath she steeled herself, blocking off the swath of feelings so she could think.

"Y-you're the one who kissed me." Moonfire said, a little baffled behind her fear. What was going on? Hadn't he done that before to put her guard down, to trick her before trying to kill her? Blue eyes widened though-- Zexva seemed so... scared? Maybe he was being honest this time? He needed help. The Zeltron boy had nearly cried at the kindness she had shown him before, perhaps the Jedi could save him from... well whatever he was going through?

"I-I mean, I don't know. You're the only person to have ever kissed me and I wasn't really expecting that not to mention I'm really not supposed to do stuff like that and I didn't do anything to you, I promise." The words came out in a tumble as white knuckled fingers clutched the sterling hilt, inactive yet comforting against her palm. "I know some healing, are you hurt? I could see if you're sick?"

[Deleted]

She told him that he was the first person to have kissed her, and little did she know that had been his first kiss too. It made him uncomfortable to talk about these things with her for some reason. With her he felt strange, but when he was with Murae it was all passion, and he was in control. Those conflicting feelings made absolutely no sense to him, and he tried to figure out what was wrong with him on his own. Maybe if he found Lady Novus again she could tell him how to assassinate the strange feelings that he felt. It was the only thing that made sense to him.

Moonfire though she seemed to genuinely care about how he was feeling, and even offered to heal him. She had finally gotten her lightsaber up, but she hadn't activated the plasma blade yet. So he showed her no outward hostility, and he took another step closer to her so that there was only a few inches between them, his skin was tingling with heat, and a mixture of other things. Reaching out he brushed his hand across her cheek, feeling how soft her skin was against his fingertips.

"I don't think that I am healable...I told you that I would never forgive you, but I have no clue how to forgive...I was molded by the darkness ever since I was boy, Moonfire, but you make me feel strange..." he said tilting his head to the side curiously.

"She doesn't make me feel the same way that you do, I thought another female could duplicate the sensations that I get when you cross my mind, but it is apparently just you..." he stated in a flat tone as he let his hand drop from her cheek, and to his side.

[Moonfire]

Zexva's voice was smooth as he spoke, brow furrowed with thought as he regarded her, shifting closer. Hands went up defensively, cool slanted eyes shutting as his hand moved towards her. None of this made any sense-- he didn't seem feverish or delusional in the medical sense. Worry and confusion and fear tumbled end over end before the warm, gentle hand brushed across her jaw, causing the girl to flinch slightly in alarm.

This was it. Here was the end. She'd never even activated her lightsaber. What a failure of a Jedi, Moonfire. But death didn't come, instead more confessions. He thought of her, was plagued by sensations at the very reminder of her. Did he hate her? That was how the darkside worked, didn't it? Fueled by rage and passion and unbridled hate. Full of shame her eyes opened again pale cheeks bursting into warm color at the unfamiliar touch. She couldn't help him, whatever his affliction. Even the tenderness of his touch seemed so conflicted.

"I--I'm not sure-- I-I don't understand." The girl sputtered, shaking her head. She'd never made anyone feel much of anything, outside of aggravation. Perhaps, perhaps she could do something. Get him to talk to Balkk. Balkk could help with this, he was so wise and strong.

"I'm s-sorry, I d-don't know how to help you. We could talk to my Master. He could help you."

[Deleted]

She kept talking about ways that her, and her master could help him, but she didn't understand, that he didn't need help. Placing both of his hands on her cheeks one more he cupped her face between his palms, staring at her with a smirk on his face. She didn't understand, and neither did he. He took the last step closing the distance between the two of them, she was a Jedi of the light, and he was a Sith of the darkness. Being this close to the enemy was basically a taboo, but he had to figured this out.

"They teach us at the academy to follow our passions, because it will give us strength..." he said to her as he lightly leaned in, and once again he brushed his lips against hers.

It wasn't like last time, he just kissed her lightly, and then pulled away from her, he didn't get mad, angry, or upset he had a better idea of what he was dealing with this time for the most part. Though he didn't like the pit in his stomach that formed when their lips touched, but he forced it down. He had to learn to control this so he could be a better servant of the darkness. His hands never left her face as he stared deep into her blue eyes with his golden ones.

"You could end me now such is your duty as a Jedi, Moonfire. Or you could come with me right now, and let me teach you how to follow your passions...I could show you my way..." he said to her, the words he was speaking coming out smoother than honey.

[Moonfire]

She didn't flinch this time as the hands moved to gently cup both cheeks, the boy's warmth close as the people of the party planet streamed past. Lively emotions flit back and forth past them, the shared joy of a pheromone-cultural present even now as the coiled snake of fear and distrust settled in her stomach. Her cheeks flushed brighter as she froze, the smirk across his rosy face filling her vision.

"What--?" She muttered as his lips met hers again, moving against them in a fragile kiss. In the space of a thundering heartbeat the girl reeled with more confusion. Why was he kissing her again? Did he like her-- like the handsome boys in the holodramas she sometimes saw, professing love for some daring heroine? Did that make her the heroine? She couldn't be some damsel she was a Jedi!

Moonfire gasped as their lips parted, a soft puff of breath as he spoke again. End him? Join him? What?

"No, nononono, I can't-- What? Oh, goodness--No!" Her small face shook, dark hair falling into her eyes as she shut her blue away from his peering gold. Stepping back the padawan pulled away from his grasp. "I'm not-- I can't kill you and I'm not-- You have to stop kissing me, thats really not allowed and I'm not-- Please, let me take you to my Master. He can help you, Zexva. He is kind and wise, he's not far away he won't hurt you I promise."

[Deleted]

She continued to plead with him, telling him that her Master could help him out with his confusion, that he was wise, and nice. Telling him that he wouldn't get hurt by her Master, but he knew better. He was a sith, and he knew that he was a criminal in all of their eyes. Staring at Moonfire he wanted to kiss her again, but he let her babble about it was amusing how worked up she got. Taking a step back he allowed his caress to fall off of her face while he looked at her, still not making himself out to be hostile towards her. I can't kill her now...I got what I was seeking for...

"If you won't join, or kill me, and if you won't kiss me anymore," he actually did sound sort of sad about no longer kissing her, "Then I should take my leave Moonfire...But know this I want you to train hard everyday, get stronger, and better than any Jedi before you. Do it the Jedi way, and I will train as hard as I can my way, the way of the Sith. So that way when we next meet, we shall be ready to fight each other...I have dreamt of that moment as well...I had just hoped to avoid it, I like having you alive..." his words trailed off as he took another step back into the crowd looking t her with his golden eyes.

"I do wish you would come with me, but you must follow your path, the same way I must follow mine." he said to her with a small smile on his crimson colored lips. Though he still hadn't left her completely yet, he wanted to hear her last words to him before he was finally gone.

[Moonfire]

"Fight eachother?" She echoed, brow furrow in more in confusion as the gentle fingertips brush away from her face again. Her lips tingle where his had been just moments before, charged by some unseen electricity. Shaking her head again she stepped forward, following him back into the throngs of partying zeltrons. "We don't have to fight, I don't want to fight you, Zexva. Please, Master Balkk can--"

Her thought was cut off as she nearly tripped over her fallen datapad, losing her balance and wavering for a moment before scooping up the nearly abandoned electronic.

"Wait-wait!" Moonfire ambled forward again, fingers flying across the screen of the datapad as she fumbled once more for a small info-chit. Extending a hand she smiled, a watery-wavering thing.

"My comm-codes, here... In case you change your mind. We can help you,honest. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you what's wrong. Please rethink this."

[Deleted]

He watched as she fumbled about trying to give him her comm code. She was smiling at him right now, and that made the feeling in his stomach intensify. Whatever she was doing to him he could barely stand it, and it made him want to start burning everything around him into ashes, but he didn't want her in the crossfire this time. Looking at her he took a step forward, and then tilted his head to the side as she told him that he could communicate with her via this comm device, and that if he wanted her help she would give it to him.

"Kiss me...If you wish to help me, and want me to take this comm code...I want you to kiss me first..." he said to her folding his arms across his chest. "If you want me to tiptoe towards the light, you have to tiptoe to temptation for it. Can you do that Moonfire?" he asked her a small grin on his face as he waited to see what she did.

If she wanted to bring him to the light he was going to make her travel to the dark first. She did seem to enjoy kissing him somewhat so he was going to use that against her, though he wouldn't admit it out loud he enjoyed kissing her too.

[Moonfire]

Moonfire blinked as the boy seemed to brush off her hand colding out the info-chit. Golden eyes watched her movements, face breaking out into a grin that made the girl step back. Oh, no. Did he think she was trying to defect? To take up his offer (his completely not acceptable in the least offer-- Oh my force! How could she possibly consider such a thing, she could barely be a Jedi there was no way she'd ever make it as Sith-- Oh, no no no no not that she wouldn't ever want to leave the Jedi anyway.)

"Kiss me...If you wish to help me, and want me to take this comm code...I want you to kiss me first..."

Wait.

"What?" Moonfire blinked, taking another step back as though the boy had smacked her. She'd already told him she wasn't supposed to do that-- Kissing wasn't something she particularly disliked, in her limited experience, and while they'd never mentioned it directly as something she shouldn't do there was the expectation. "I-I really-- I don't think you understand."

The girl shuffled the datapad in her hand, lightsaber still tucked underneath her elbow as shew gnawed on her lower lip in thought. Could one small something, something not explicitly wrong be okay if it lead to something truly good-- like redemption?

"Uhmm... Just this once, I guess." Taking a step forward and nearly tripping over her own foot the girl stumbled before leaning up to barely brush her lips against his, pressing the chit against his chest as she did.

Oh, please don't let Shorza or someone see this.

[Deleted]

Waiting to see how she reacted when he made his proposal he was pleasantly surprised when she said yes. The clumsy girl walked forward almost tripping over herself as she got closer to him, and then she pressed something into his chest, and leaned up to brush her lips against his. Knowing that this very well might be the last time that he got to kiss her he was going to make it count, and fill it with every ounce of passion that he could muster. If he could make her want it again then he would be able to learn more about these emotions that were foreign to him. After all...It was just an experiment to him...Wasn't it?

The moment her lips touched his he wrapped his arms tightly around her not holding her hard enough to hurt her, but definitely not letting her out of his embrace. He crashed his lips against her's like so many tidal waves hitting the beach, over, and over. His entire body heated up as their lips collided with each other. It was almost like getting drunk the way kissing her made him feel as he pulled away from her for a split second to stare into her beautiful blue eyes.

"You are so..." he let the words drift off into the air as he stared into her eyes with an intensity that would scare most people off.

It was almost like she was the only person on the entire planet that he could see at that moment, and then he pressed his lips back against her's for one more kiss before letting go of her. A smile on his lips as he reached up, and caressed her cheek with a gentleness that didn't seem possible for someone like him.

"I am going to give the small glimmer of light that you see in me, to you. So guard it for me...Maybe one day I will be worthy..." he smiled lightly before disappearing into the crowd as quickly as he had appeared..."Goodbye Moonfire..." she would hear his goodbye in her thoughts if she allowed it through.

[Moonfire]

As the spindly arms wrapped about her twiggy frame Moonfire nearly squeaked with alarm before the pouty lips of the Zeltron boy pressed more intensely into her own. She'd only meant to peck his lips before drawing away, but the firm hold pressed her skinny chest to his as his lips moved with surprising vigor. The hand on his chest threatened to push him back, to break the contact with another gasp of embarrassment.

Moonfire's head swam as her skin tingled with bizarre heat, head feeling light as her lips moved in careful, cautious sync with his. It was fumbling and unsure of itself, restrained even now as the boy seemed to lose himself, crushing into the coerced embrace. Every alarm in the fragile padawan's mind rang with danger, with fear and yet hope. Hope for this poor boy, this person who seemed to know only cruelty-- who needed a friend, and if she in all her fumbling, awful failings could help him, could change one person's path then perhaps she wasn't such an awful Jedi after all?

When it ended she couldn't help but blink in surprise soft cornflower blue meeting vivid ocher. Zexva's eyes bore into hers. Appraising, admiring? Barely breathed out words fell on deaf ears as she watched those eyes, her own wide as saucers like a newborn paralope locked in the gaze of it's hunter. But he wouldn't hurt her... Would he?

A cautious, nervous smile crossed her face before he leaned back down to plant a lingering peck, a tender signature across her lips as gentle fingers danced across her cheek. "Zexva--" She scrambled for another word, anything useful to say.

He was trusting her with what? Oh, goodness. "Please be safe." She muttered as he slipped back away into the crowd, the ghost of his queer touch about her waist still lingering as his voice echoed in her mind. Whispering as the crowds streamed past her, obscuring her view she settled with a cold, coiled feeling in the pit of her stomach, contrasting sharply with the bright flush of her cheeks. "Umm... bye?"

"Blast it, Mooney! There you are! Quit talking to your girlfriends, Hex won't let me make fat stacks without you, let's go!

Like a bolt of lightning Shorza's words caused the girl to nearly topple in surprise as the hand wrapped about her forearm, twisting her about to face the rather grumpy looking teenaged zabrak.

"W-what?" Moonfire said for the upteenth time that day shuffling her datapad in hand. "B-but-- What? I was, oh goodness what time is it?" The dark haired girl asked, glancing down at the datapad. "I wanted to see them feed the howlrunners at the museum-- What are fat stacks?"

But Shorza seemed in no mood to deal with her questions, merely rolling his eyes and grumbling as her gave another light tug on her arm. Putting up no resistance the girl followed with hardly a look behind her. She'd really wanted to see that museum...

((Permission to use Shorza for this post granted by Valcor))