Dark Side + Spiders? (Iota)

[Squee]

“I told you! By Clan Ordo’s Mandalore! Why doesn’t anyone listen to me?” she panted loudly as she crashed from the cave. Waves of the dark side flowed from the cave, enticing, taunting, and a delicious feed that kept her Force energy level high. There was no one to talk to. A swarm of different creatures had washed over the other she was with. And he had been deep in meditation. He had barely been ‘awake’ so to speak, when the dark side, mad driven animals flowed over them as if to carry them away like flood water.

And these weren’t no shrug off mynocks neither. These things were little imps, devilish monsters, like them scary shady, shadow, evil seduced skeletons that actually haunted the galaxy some where out there. There were a couple of species Tesa hadn’t believed existed in there. But, one thing that had really gotten to Tesa was there were spiders. Lots and lots of spiders.

Tesa despised arachnids. Something about their eight legs just made her skin crawl. Their little eyes, the clattering of jaws… Yick. No thank you. It didn’t help they were oversized beasts either.

“My lord?” she called carefully from the mouth of the cave. She wasn’t going back in there. Not if you promised with knowledge she hungered, which was why they were here in the first place. Her lord had had an odd thirst for some knowledge she didn’t quite understand. But Tesa had found it foolish. Unneeded. Was there not someone out there who understand her ideals more than she did? Sure, they may have been in the same faction, but their philosophies may have been different, if in the slightest.

Minutes passed. Tesa grinned almost devilishly to herself. She dusted a shoulder, sending small bits of dirt and tiny grains of gravel scattering to the ground, relieved of clinging to her cloak. “Well, that’s just unfortunate. Defeated by a bunch of animals.”

And she was the one who had run like hell. Well, sprinted for about twenty-five. Animals preferred a simpler, still target: the target of her meditating lord. Tesa wondered if it was one of those stalking felines that had sank their jaws into his neck. This just went to prove something Tesa had hypothesized a few days before; the Force could be so attractive it could be your doom.

She began to walk, leaving the cave and its memories behind. Climbing a small hill, she heard the most peculiar noise, like a clicking. A clicking of what? Confused, Tesa halted and started to investigate her surroundings, searching for the soul of the sound.

Until she felt something dig into her back. It was on her! For a moment, she whirled around in a circle, attempting to dislodge it with a simple current of air. It clung tighter.

Tesa tugged off her cloak, swirling the fabric around to see what it was clamping to her back.

“GYEAH!” The scream was instant. She dropped the cloak as if she had been burned, letting the night green arachnid fall to the ground with a rush of clothing. It could have it, for all she cared! No, wait, she needed that cloak!

“Nasty eight legged, freaks of nature! Go find someone else to cling to! Someone who will actually adore you!” Tesa retrieved the ends of the cloak and began to vigorously shake it, as if trying to whip dust from it. The spider went flying, but toward her, sticking to her arm. Tesa began to flap her arm, curses beginning to pour from her mouth.

In her silly moments, she failed to notice the presence of the dark side growing steadily stronger, arriving to her position. All Tesa was focused on was to make sure this enlarged bug didn’t eat her for lunch.

((Not the greatest of stuff, but, it should do. Right?))

[Iota]

Upon landing back on Dantooine after recieiving some kind of pull from the force, Xavier landed not too far from his previous location. Just a couple of miles away in fact. As he walked down the ramp of his ship he was doning a different outfit from that he wore on tatooine. He was wearing simple drabs to make him look like a mere farmer. He also had a new acquisition, His vocabulator which he had modified so he could actually talk.

The pull of the force took Xavier across a small distance, he could feel trouble in a cave as if some one was meditating, in a nest of arachnids. He thought to himself "Can't be, no one is that stupid." He shrugged the idea off before he continued.

It was not long for Xavier to spot this particular cave, It also wasn't long for Xavier to spot the young woman running from the cave in fright. Xavier crossed his arms and watched from a distance the antics of the girl and the spiders as he raised an eyebrow.


Xavier had not previously hidden his true self as he could see the girl was distracted and had not noticed his presence, it was only when he started to walk towards her after seeing her that he would use his art of the small technique and become "invisible" to the force. So his deception of being a mere farmer would work very easily for him.

He ground to a halt behind the lady as she was busy with the arachnid before raising his modified vocabulator to his throat.

"excuse me miss? are you okay?" Xavier would ask as he tried to gain her trust.

[Squee]

At last she swiped the insect like thing away, grumbling curses all the while. She HATED those things. They were nothing but trouble. Why did they go after the ones who hated them?

"Excuse me, miss? Are you okay?"

Tesa was doning her cloak. She put the ends close, holding them with a hand, before turning to the newcomer. Her facial expressions softened and she looked over what appeared to be a Dantooine farmer. Immediately her eyebrows went together and a hand went to her hip.

"I'm fine, but now I have a question for you: how the HELL did a farmer like you get so far from the settlements, hm? I don't see any transportation devices, you don't appear to be hunting, so, now I'm curious." She didn't mention her assumptions about the tainted Force she sensed. Fresh, different, tempting.

"And I doubt heaven dropped you from their graces. I have time." In fact, Tesa did have all kinds of time. Now that her lord had stupidly and, could almost be compared to, committed suicide, Tesa had no plans, no plot, no idea where and what she'd do next. Besides find someone else to finish her Force-damned training.

[Iota]

Xavier smiled slightly from under his hooded drab clothing.

"I could ask you the same, miss" Xavier took 2 or 3 steps toward the cave entrance before he peered in. "I'm just a simple farmer who likes his afternoon walks."

Xavier walked over to a lone flower that looked like a rose, but yet was not one. He plucked it before he pressed it against his nose and smelled what it had to offer as he closed his eyes.

"I am Xavier.. Pleasure to meet you, miss?"

[Squee]

"A farmer who would be crazy about his afternoon walks to walk nearly half a morning to get this far." Her eyebrows had lowerd again to give her a glaring appearance. Her eyes never left Xavier, gears in her head obviously shifting to understand. Slowly, her foot shifted to bring her stance shoulder width and Tesa brought her arms to cross in front of her chest.

"My explanation of why I am out here is none of your concern." The words were blunt and tart, her tone sharp. She noted how he went a few steps toward the cave she had left behind her. Not much to mark suspicious, but at the moment she was quite wary and curious.

There was the taint of a dark presence not far from their very position. That was one. She was not able to trace where the heck the thing that had caused it went. It ended in a dead trail, sealed from her further probing.

The second was why a FARMER was this far out. 'Afternoon walk enjoyment, whoo hoo,' was not going to cut it for Tesa. There had to be more explanation there. But she was hardly in the mood for it. He could be a stupid farmer, maybe, and she really didn't want to waste time finding out if he really was. Tesa would only leave him behind to his own devices as she would any other.

Her scowl deepened. Now it was time to get picky, to get finicky. "My curiosity has left me, Farmer. I suggest walking home to the pretty family you have now, eh? It would be most unfortunate to have something happen to you, and to leave a little family stranded by themselves."

There was another option: he was not a farmer though portrayed himself to be. The option was very shallow, but it gave (sort of) a better explanation of why a mere farm... person would be around. A small plan grew; to help her find the difference if Xavier was not who he said he was.

[Iota]

Xavier would pace slowly back and forth as if he were deep in thought.

"strange and spooky things have been heard and seen from this area..be wary young lady..you wouldn't want to go into the cave craving knowledge. Arachnids everywhere..as i am sure you now realise." Xavier smiled slightly as he kept his cool and calm pressence in check.

"Find anything interesting in your travels into the cave?" Xavier expressed his curiosity if not ever so subtle.

((sorry about the short posts..i'm ill atm and can't think properly heh))

[Squee]

((Not a problem. I've been there, done that. =) ))

Tesa's face turned upward in a slight smile. "The arachnids? Oh yes. I was hardly a few steps in and a handful fo them decided I'd make a tasty afternoon snack." She now moved, toward the farmer. Her gaze was trained on his face. A little lie, but a mere farmer wouldn't be able to tell the difference in truth and lie.

"But how would you know of any such knowledge, my friend. I don't understand how you would know to seek anything special from what appears to be an ordinary cave. Spooky things may have happened, yes, but..."

Her smile was curving a but broader. It was a pretty smile, but it spoke volumes for Tesa. She could know something you didn't, be proud of herself, have completed something difficult, et cetera. The levels the smile said in insanity was untold. It was, appeared to be, a pretty smile to compliment the eye.

"... Again, I don't understand something about you, Farmer. How would you know anything?" And why are you continuing to speak to me? I just basically threatened your life. Why do you hang around? Finding out if I was okay from my spider duel wasn't enough for ya?

((I have one thing to say, be careful in underestimating her ability to put two and two together. She's the smartest of any character I've ever created, and scarily so.))

[Iota]

Xavier removed a cantina of water from his belt and drank from it as he watched Tesa.

"I have traversed these lands for many a year, little secrets are left to uncover for me. Would there be any purpose in threatening me personally? i am just a mere farmer. You wouldn't gain any sense of higher clarity from it." Xavier smiled from under his hood.

"You can kill me though if you want.. if its what you truely desire. to slay with out mercy, to kill the weak.." Xavier folded his arms shortly after he brushed an insect off of his shoulder. "Or alternatively.. you could slay all those arachnids and take what ever is inside." Xavier paused for a moment before he chuckled to himself "If of course, you are strong enough to beat those arachnids."

[Squee]

Tesa visibly snapped back, eyes widening some. Oh, now he noticed she had threatened him? That was... odd. Any normal being would have responded to a threat just after it had been spoken. And he had neither reacted nor mentioned anything about the subtle threat. Until much after had been said after it. Tesa had merely thought he was too daft enough to comprehend it was, indeed, a form of a threat.

Her eyes suddenly closed, and she shook her head, and then her eyes reopened; one first followed by the other. She was getting confused. This made no sense. He was a farmer! That of which was supposed to host a simple mind, not a spontaneous, fincky, flickering, confusing, dancing around in circles, and in other words, complicated, mind.

And he talked about a root of her being: killing those who are weak, without mercy, a want to murder. Was he... provoking her? It was followed by a jibe toward her strength, comparing her to a weakness to killing mere spiders. Anger began to boil in a hidden cauldron, and Tesa kept a feral, snarled comment from passing through her lips.

"What I want..." she trailed for a moment, pacing as if she would go by Xavier. "...Is to gain a truth and an understanding!" Her lithe frame suddenly twisted, ignited by her physical capability and backed with a surge of the Force. The quick movement was made toward Xavier. A popping sound could be heard to the ear; lightning of a bright blue color was connecting her fingertips in small arcs. Her hand was back and her fingers jagged, poised like a snake ready to strike.

That was what was going to happen: Tesa was going to attack. Her hand was either going to touch the temples of his head and he'd have a slow, tortured death. The alternative was unpleasant, the consequences great, but then would he get unanswered questions answered. He made no sense, but Tesa believed she had to try. She hoped he would react, come off her attack some way, and, heck, even flip her on her butt to the dirt. A little far-fetched, and she prayed she wasn't wrong...

[Iota]

"Becareful what you wish for young one.." Xavier replied as he watched Tesa walk near by him. He knew Tesa would at some point try something, he was ready for anything she could throw at him but kept a cool, calm and collected pressance.

As Tesa slowly approached, he stood still, not a single reaction or flinch. It was quite obvious he was no farmer as most would of run for the hills by now. It was almost as if Xavier tested her resolve and potential before he decided to take things further.

The wind had picked up softly around the pair. Leaves rustling by, the soft sway of the nearby bushes and the kath hounds prancing across the landscape. But there were darker things a foot. Tesa on the verge of make or break on her thoughts was in for a "treat".

Tesa had almost been with in arms reach of Xavier before he actualy decided to react to her advancements. He raised his right arm, his fist clentched and directed at Tesa, He simply opened his palm to release a very strong force push wave in an attempt to send Tesa flying off of her feet.

[Squee]

The Force wave smacked her, to put it simply. She felt as if a speeder had collilded with her at full speed. Her chest buckled and her chin dropped and she found it agonizingly hard to breathe. She didn't cry out. The lightning was gone from her fingers. A smile stuck to her mouth.

Tesa uncoiled, toes skimming the ground. Her body instantly toppled, but she used the momentum to do a complete backward roll and pop up to her feet. It was graceful enough it could work. Mindlessly, she accepted the pain rediating from her torso, and formed a response. Her breath was back, and she laughed. Oh, come on, nobody needs to breathe!

"You... are not a farmer, to state the obvious." Her hands were back at her waist, but her posture was relaxed. Confusion was dispelled from her face, and instead Tesa appeared open, ready to listen. "So why pretend to be one? By the way, there's nothing in the cave. My last lord just committed sucide by trying to meditate when all them damn arachnids were around."

[Iota]

Xavier had lowered his hood to reveal his dark almost wavey looking mid lenght hair along with his piercing yellow menacing eyes, he folded his arms.

"Then your master was weak and a fool.." Xavier nodded before pacing back and forth infront of Tesa. Xavier bowed his head slightly.

"I am Xavier, Lord of Deception....." preferred being called a Lord as dark jedi master was obviously sounded too jedi-esque. "Dependant on what planet i arrive on, i dress up as common folk you would see about..the power of the upper hand is a powerful tool, one i wield and control to my own design and desires.".

Xavier paused for a moment looking behind him as if he felt something before back to Tesa.

"And who might you be neophyte?"

[Squee]

"He was. That's why he's dead now, and I'm still alive," she remarked. It was smart, yes, and perhaps a bit arrogant and brash. But, in Tesa's world, she rightly belonged in front of her previous lord in a sense of strength and intelligence. He had lost himself in meditation. If Tesa had been stupid enough to attempt to meditate, she wouldn't have submerged her so deep she was numb to her surroundings. But, she wasn't stupid enough to meditate. Who did that, anyway?

And to say, when he introduced himself once more, she liked his title a whole lot better. However, what he called her - a neophyte of all things - her fingers gave an involuntary twitch. That was all that displayed of her disagreement of the title. She disregarded it, however, and replied in formalities.

"Tesa Yarum, my lord" the introduction rolled from her tongue. Her bow was steep, respectfully so, and with grace and the form that spoke she had had a lot of practice. "No other title, as I have not earned one yet. And a neophyte you may call me, but I assure you that nearly ten years of experience makes me much more than such a rank."

[Iota]

Xavier raised his eyebrow ever so slightly before non-chalantly dismissing her claims of prior knowledge. He removed his drab clothing to reveal quite an exquisite custome, a sort of cape that gracefully waved behind him in the gentle breeze, his silvery dark rustic looking attire that looked like some sort of warriors ceremonial clothing. He reached for his backed were he unslung a bag that had contained his helmet. He placed it on his head to finish his unique "uniform", the helmet a silver rustic shade wth a few spikes reaching out from the top, the only part of his face that could be seen through the helmet were his unforgiving piercing yellow eyes.

"I believe we have work to do..." He told his new apprentice, whether she had realised she had a new master or not. Xavier had an uncanny ability to judge a situation in that way.

[Squee]

"Pardon me?" She was thoroughly confused by his odd statement. 'We'? Her eyes came up, silently questioning him with quizzical pale browns. Her arm dropped to the comfortable spot at her side when she rose from her bow. Wordlessly, she watched as he placed a helmet over his head, leaving but daggered ambers peering outward. It was understandable. Though his face had probably been handsome some years ago, during today's time, the dark side had a negative effect. Unfortunate. Thus far, Tesa's appearance had hardly been altered, and she'd grown to be quite the lovely young lady who was delightful to the eyes. Her true personality, however, was sharper than the thorn of a flower. She would do well if information had to be scoured from cantinas.

"What sense of work are you saying [i[we[/i] must do?" The strain put on certain words spoke a defiance. As far as she was concerned, they were not doing anything together. He could jump off a cliff in the deserts of Korriban, survive and die of heat exhaustion for all she cared at this point!

Tesa was ever curious in his choice of communication. His voice spoke in her mind, a false echo that would make the common person wonder if the sound had come from behind them. "And can you not speak, my lord?" A mute? That was most interesting.

[Iota]

"Yes, we have work to do... If you wish to extend your knowledge on how to manipulate the force even though you have had "some" experience, you are still a child in the woods. there is little time as the ever present future is among us and i know what lays around the corner." Xavier lowered his tone to a more serious note.

"Join me, become my new apprentice and brush aside what you do know and i will give the true power that lay in your potential....i shall not ask you again." Xavier nodded "If you accept, then follow me to my ship.. if you decline.. remain here on this barren world." Xavier turned as he had quite enough of Dantooine and headed back for his ship, there was a heavy stride in his step which would of been heard if they weren't walking on grass.

[Squee]

There was a recoil of shock. That was fast. Lose a master and gain one in a single day? Within the hour? That was a record! Though, it stunned Tesa to a slight degree. Usually she had to go through a series of spontaneous little 'tests'. They said they were only tasks, but Tesa knew the real reason. Was she worthy enough and does she have the qualities of a brilliant apprentice?

She liked Xavier's attitude. Short, to the point, said things once unless it couldn't be helped. And he meant what he said. Quick assessments, gotta love them. Though, she had to be careful because information could be displayed incorrectly. He may be extremely confident about a couple of statements, but what Lord wasn't?

Tesa did hesitate, letting him stride away from her as she rolled facts around her head, letting realization this darkened soul truly offered her apprenticeship. If he went away, she would be forced to either forget out exploring reaches of the dark side or quickly find another master. He had found her.

And Lord of Deception... didn't that have a nice ring to it? Deception was an area Tesa was mildly good at.

"My lord!" she cried out, breaking into a sprint after him, bounding after like an eager and excited child. It took several leaps over the rough grassy ground but she sped a few feet past Xavier, slowing easily. The hard sprint did not phase her. Tesa turned immediately, falling to one knee and once again bowing her head. "I would be honored to be your apprentice. I am pledged to your teachings."

Well, there was definitely going to be a 'meet the master' night.

[Iota]

Xavier stopped in mid stride as Tesa ran infront of him and went down on one knee. With in his dark helmet, Xavier smiled. With out hesitation he grab his lightsaber from his belt, it was intricate in design. Alot of work had gone into creating this particular lightsaber. Its base colour was black with a silver celtic design flowing from the bottom to the top. He ignited his lightsaber, a deep humming sound ensued anda blue hue sprung out from the hilt. He proceeded raise the lightsaber to Tesa's shoulder hieght on her right side, he kept it held about an inch from her. He then moved it above her head and brought it down above her left shoulder.

"I will enlighten you with my exceptional knowledge of the force, If you turn out to be weak or fail me... then you shall feel my wraith... Rise my young apprentice." Xavier turned off his lightsaber and placed it back on his belt, as he did so a glimpse of another lightsaber could be seen, quite different in design, obviously not Xavier's.

"We are on the verge of war.." Xavier returned to pacing up and down "The sith have come out of hiding after centuaries of hibernation..... and they have requested that i join with them.. to end the jedi once and for all!" Xavier made a clench of his fist with the last sentance.

"I was aproached by the Dark Lady of the Sith known as Reneta..a young, brash and firey character...has much to learn.. But i have said enough..we must travel and hone your skills and technique before the war commences."

Xavier started to walkoff into the distance towards his ship whichwas hidden by the near by hillsides.

[Squee]

A lightsaber ignited. Tesa was reminded of her first ten second ceremony. That lightsaber clicked on and she jumped so far back out of fear. Her lady had chastised her on it and given her a little knob on the head as a momento of the occasion. Tesa had been nervous then. These ceremonies no longer compared to being blasted with lightning into another room.

"I understand, my lord, and shall it must be." Tesa loved it when she said things like that. Using the right tone and... yeah, whatever. It's not important, Tesa; she didn't need to be reminded.

As the lightsaber was lifted and switched off, Tesa rose to both feet. Her keen eyes took quick, mental note he had two lightsabers, one different from another. Jar'kai user? She was unorthodox. But she quickly confided to herself that wouldn' two lightsabers look the same? As to not to confuse them? Not always...

"The sith have come out of hiding after centuaries of hibernation..... and they have requested that i join with them.."

She had picked a good day to convince her former lord to enter those caves. The Sith? Unbelieveable! But, surprise and a sense of hope died briefly as she gave her master a mildly challenging look. More proof was required. A simple name and title and personality check wasn't going to win Tesa over. As usual.

It should be understandable: she just met him, and though he was now her new master after a hasty choice after three seconds' discussion, complete devotion and trust was low. Tesa would have the see it first.

"Master, if I may implore," she said, "Would you be a Jar'kai acrobatic?"

[Iota]

Xavier looked to Tesa before looking to the other lightsaber.

"My old master taught me everything she knew about dual wielding and double bladed lightsaber combat, though i feel i will need to use those particular abilities soon enough as are on the eve of war!" Xavier smiled from under his helmet in a sinister fashion.

"Observant... good..i always did prefer observant disciples...." Xavier turned to head to his ship with his ars folded behind his back in a regal manner.

"The other lightsaber you had a glimpse of belonged to my old apprentice..A Twi'lek...Bree'ah, her name.. She was weak and foolish.. she felt my wraith.. i killed her... i sent her to fight this Dark lady of the sith, in full knowledge she would not win..but i needed proof...Reneta took her down pretty much instantly...then i broke her neck in two as i needed a stronger, more intelligent apprentice for the times ahead." Xavier not looking at Tesa as she spoke, instead he kept his regal manner, is head held up high. His posture consisted of confidence and pride.