I watched the creature skeptically as he introduced himself, letting my body relax a little after a few moments where he didn't immediately try to attack me as I stayed in the corner of the booth.
This creature, whatever it was, was quite skilled with the Force.
He had to be, he was hiding his Force signature from me which made him too good for my liking. That meant he had loads of power.
Not to mention the fact he was talking to me inside my head.
That was a big alarm for me, especially given what happened on Alderaan.
"The Son?" My voice sounded very much in doubt about the creature. "Okay then... would you care to explain why you can use the Force and talk to me in my head?"
He made an amused sound at this.
'Im simply a creature of the Force, no more, no less.' He glances behind himself towards the bar as more cheers ring out, seeming to irritate him, before looking back into my eyes once more. 'Honestly, I sensed your distress, and thought I should help.'
Confusion was written all over my face.
How did he manage that, exactly? Was he on the ship this entire time and just happened to sense me?
Unless he could somehow use the Force and teleport onto a ship in hyperspace willingly like I apparently did, then there was no way he could've-..... Wait.
Oh Force.... wouldn't that mean I have some kind of Master-like bond with this creature?!
That would be interesting, but also terrifying.
I felt majorly uncomfortable now.
He smiled a sharp toothed smile at my look of confusion and unease. 'You are in need of answers, aren't you?'
I nodded my head hesitantly, not sure how he could possibly help.
His tail flicks to the other side of his body in satisfaction as he gives a small nod in approval. 'Then I shall tell you what I can. But girl.....' His face suddenly showed irritation. 'What do you think you're doing?'
I blink at this and look around myself. Umm... what?
Was I doing something wrong?
Not that I could see.... so... what was he talking about?
I look back to him, raising my eyebrow in question. "What do you mean?"
He scoffs at me, clearly expecting a more intellegent response. 'Your robes, girl. Even under that black cloak they stand out. Are you trying to look out of place intentionally, or are you just that dumb?'
I gape openly at this. This creature was very rude!
Seriously, I've never met someone so arrogant in all my time at the Temple!
My anger suddenly came back, clearly not as easy to supress in my emotionally compromised state as I had thought as I glared at him, pulling the cloak tighter around me to cover my Jedi robes before crossing my arms.
"Calese."
'...What?' He seems to frown, confused by my response.
"Calese. My name is Calese, not 'girl'. And for your information, there's nothing wrong with me wearing my robes." I unconsciously tilt my chin up a little. "Im in no danger from these people. They must surely know the consequences to threatening a Jedi padawan."
They stared at each other in a moment of silence before The Son slapped his clawed hand to his face in disbelief and anger.
'Calm, calm' he told himself with a growl, trying to reign his anger in.
He couldn't accidently influence the Force in anger, otherwise his Father would know of his presence and lock him away somewhere.
Even so....
Was this girl truly still yet un-aware?!
He let out a groaning sigh.
The least his Father could do was tell her a few simple things, she was going to get herself hurt, or worse!
'Like a Force forsaken newborn...' He growled to himself once more, completely absorbed in his own pitying thoughts towards the girl to notice her frown.
I frown a little as the creature slaps his hand to his face and lets out a groaning sigh.
Was I missing something...?
No, I was pretty sure I wasn't.... but.... No. He deserved it, even if my response seemed a bit callus.
The creature suddenly looks up, startling me from my thoughts as he stands, walking over to sit directly in front of me on the table.
I unconsciously shrunk back a little into the seat, still finding his form, small or not, a little imposing, my crossed arms now acting like a shield towards him in my mind.
His talking draws my gaze back to his glowing one.
'Look, surely you've noticed the fact that the Force sent you through time already.' He looks me up and down skeptically. 'You have, right?'
The Force seemed to roll violently in my mind as I brsced my hands against the side of th, trying to keep myself from falling.
What...?
My mind suddenly flashed with images.
The numbers on the crates.
The weird things people were saying about this Outer Rim place.
The date on the holo-net.
I was still in shock and coming to term with it myself earlier, but he had interrupted me from it beforehand.
But it all certainly made sense now.
I focus back to the present, looking to him I nod weakly, still not sure how to take this new information.
How the blazes was that even possible anyway?!
No one in the Temple ever mentioned time travel as a possibility with the Force, though honestly I now felt like they really should.
Why was that not standard in class?
The Son nodded, pleased.
Good, she realized it a little too slow for his taste, but thankfully it seems she wasn't a complete idiot about the obvious. He could work with that, at least.
'Good, that'll make things a lot easier for you, I suspect.'
I studied the creature in silence with a new-found curiousity as he suddenly turned his head out to the cheering crowd again, looking around the room as if looking for something.
Lost in thought as he seemed to be he didn't even seem to notice my obvious staring, nor the frown that was beginning to form.
If I managed to travel through time, which still felt crazy to me, then what was up with this creature?
He surely couldn't just be helping out of the kindness of his heart. I mean, he didn't even look capable of such.
I look away a little guiltedly at that. I mean, not that looks alone were driving that thought for me.
He had a strong hatred in him, I could tell that just by looking in his eyes, his ability to hide himself from the Force wasn't even helping that part.
More importantly though....
I look towards him once more.
If going through time sent me onto a spaceship in the middle of hyperspace, then how did he even get here?
He would've already had to have been on the ship, right?
Unless, he had an ability simular to what sent me here in the first place....?
Now that was a good question. What kind of powers did a creature of the Force have, anyway?
I rub my head a little as a headache began to form.
If only they had taught us about the possibility of Force creatures as well....
Seriously, why was so much left out of our classes? I felt like I hadn't learned much of anything now, and that wasn't supposed to be something for me to feel.
'Control.' I thought. 'Must control my emotions.'
Master wouldn't be happy about such thoughts, for sure.
Sighing I clench my jaw in determination I lowered my hand back down and leaned forward, putting myself at a new distance from the creature, one that didn't look like I was avoiding him like he carried the plague.
"Hey, you said your name's Sin, right?"
He turns his attention back to me, clearly satisfied about whatever he was looking for in the room, and makes a little sound of confirmation as he nods.
"I got a question for you. You said you had answers, so tell me. How did you find me? And how did you even get on this ship?"
The Son blinks at this, a little surprised she actually asked.
It didn't affect his plan none, but it was shocking to see her so willing to satisfy her curiousity to the point it might ruin what little help she was getting here.
It made him give a fanged smile.
Oh, how that curiousity was going to be a great ally of his.
He'd tell her some of the truth then, that should satisfy her questions over him for a bit.
I frowned as the creature smiled showing fangs, then rubbed the back of his head in a sheepish manner before speaking. 'Well, you see, I'm actually hiding from my Father at the moment. If he ever noticed me here, he would be greatly angered.'
I lean back a little, thinking. "And that is why you're hiding your presence from the Force? Cause he can sense you through it?"
He nods and gives a sharp-toothed smile in approval, reminding me so much of the Sith from Alderaan a shiver went down my spine.
'Yes. You catch on quick. I was traveling through the Force when I sensed your anger and confusion rush into me.' He tilts his head in an almost cute manner. 'You are quite powerful, you know. I could feel your strong emotions even through such a vast distance. It really helped me to open a portal through the Force directly onto the ship.'
I paled a little at this.
He was saying that outburst with my emotions in the storage room drew him here? To the EXACT ship I was on?
I had no idea my strong emotions could even do that....
Is that why we're trained to let them go from so young...?
I shivered at the thought of Sith being able to track me the same way.
Wait. Didn't that mean this creature was connected to the Dark Side....?
My eyes widen at the thought. My voice a little shaky as I asked. "Did you track my emotions through the Dark Side of the Force?"
He scoffs before nodding again. 'Of course, I'm connected to the Dark Side itself, after all.'
I leaned back into the booth once more, shocked more than anything as I repeat numbly. "You're a creature of the Dark Side?"
He raised a clawed hand as I opened my mouth to say more, interupting any further words I was about to say.
'Yes. just as there are creatures of the Light, I am of the Dark. But I'm no threat to you, Calese.' I frown as he continues. 'I simply wish to hide my presence from my Father by staying by your side. He'd never come looking for me by such a strong Light in the Force, I'm sure of it.'
I look to him, hesitant. The outburst I was about to shout dying in my throat at the sincere look he was giving me.
....He may be a creature of the Dark Side, but he seemed completely honest and sincere....
Maybe he was running from his father in an attempt not to be dark anymore...?
I glance down and bite my bottom lip nerviously as I thought.
Honestly, I've always had a soft spot towards creatures in general, so the fact this one could talk and could even possibly help me with this time traveling stuff was a big plus in his favor.
But... what in the blazes was I to do...?
The Son watched in silence, a smirk forming as the girl before him looked down, biting her lip. She seemed to certainly be thinking about letting him stay.
Good, playing the dejected son was leaving his blood burning with fury, but If he had to act this way in order to get close, then so be it. He'd just have to keep his anger over it from leaking into the Force.
'I might as well play on the girls favorability towards creatures' He thought with another fanged smirk. Yes, it was quite obvious she had a soft spot for them.
His plan was going better than expected.
I was still unsure of what I should do, not looking up in fear that I would be swayed too much by looking at the creature. A 'What would Master do if she was here...?' running through my thoughts.
Suddenly I feel a very warm sensation on the side of my face, startling me. Looking up I see the creature had stood onto his back legs so he could put his clawed hand onto my cheek with ease, his glowing crimson eyes looking directly into mine as he spoke.
'Please let me stay. I won't even bother you much, really.'
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My brow knitted as I bit my lip harder.
Bloody Force, why did he have to turn cute all of a sudden?
And why did I have to be so empathetic?
I sighed as my tense muscles deflated in defeat.
"Fine, you can stay by my side for a bit. But not because I think of you as cute or anything. I just happen to need your help, is all."
I could feel my face flush red from embarrassment. Oh Force! Why did I ramble like that?! Now it totally sounded like I thought he was cute! Creature or no, talking like that was embarrassing!
Seeing the girls reddened face The Son lowered himself back to sitting in front of her, a chuckle escaping at what she said. 'Oh' he says to himself. 'She thinks I'm cute. How priceless.'
Suddenly a muscular alien man notices me and the creature in the corner and storms over.
"Hey!" His rough voice boomed across the corner booth we sat at.
I jump, startled by someone else talking out loud for once.
'How did he even see us?'
Ran through my head all the while as he glares at the creature in front of me.
Said creature actually turned his head and glared back, which a part of me found amusing.
I smiled a little towards him in amusement before looking back up at the man, worry coming into my voice at having been noticed.
I must've accidently lowered the mind shield while I was talking with the little guy, which sucked, big time.
"Um, yes...?" I ask lightly, trying to sound calm and helpful.
The man jabs a finger into Sin's face, making me wince from the look of pure hatred that was shot his way for doing so. The man didn't seem to notice though, cause he was glaring just as heatedly back.
"No pets allowed! This is a cantina, not a bloody pet park!"
I blinked, more than a little shocked. "Er- um, he isn't...."
The man suddenly screams and stumbles back before I could finish, holding onto the bloody stump where his pointing finger used to be.
Oh Force no, did he.....?
My head whipped around in shock to see the creature spit the mans bloody finger out of his mouth, his sharp teeth gleaming with blood as he grinned in satisfaction.
He clearly hated fingers in his face.
"Why you little-!" The man lurched forward as if to grab at him.
I acted before thinking, grabbing the creature from the table and clutching him to my chest as I jumped up and pulled my hood up at the same time, flying past the guy towards the door with a rushed "Sorry!" as I felt the ship lurch out of hyperspace.
I could hear the man shouting at me as the door closed behind me, but I ignored it and ran back to the storage room I originally popped up in, not stopping to remove the shocked creature from my chest until I was in and the door was locked firmly behind me.
Double checking the door I pulled him out of my cloak and deposited him on one of the un-opened crates.
I didn't notice him just sit there, too shocked to move.
The Son slowly blinked.
He was shocked by the fact that she had picked him up and held him.
What was he to do?
He couldn't very well kill her for touching him, that would clearly ruin everything.
He ignored the heat that went to his face as he glanced down at his clawed hands.
'That warmth.... It was.... quite interesting.' He mused.
Blinking he shook his head, the warmth leaving his face as he dismissed the thought.
It was the shock, that was all there was to it.
He looks up as she begins to speak to him, noticing something different about her tone of voice.
"Well, guess we have no choice now."
She suddenly approaches and pulls him up by the slack skin around the nape of his neck, like some sort of loth-kit, and gives him a bright smile, the warmth lost from it as she continued to speak.
"We'll be getting off on Tattoine now because of you, so you're gonna help me until we're back with the Jedi, mmk?"
He nods, unable to say anything in response. She was talking way too chipper for the tone of her voice.
He hadn't expect such a change, and it honestly shocked him.
'Was she that upset because I bit someone elses finger off?' It was an amusing thought, to say the least.
My smile fades from my lips as I sat him back on the crate.
"Good." I say, my tone still like ice.
Turning around I begin looking back through the other crates, hoping to find something of use that I missed earlier.
I didn't even know where I was in the time-line, and Sin had already assaulted someone.
A guy who thought he was my pet, even.
I had just wanted to stay on the ship until it returned to Coruscant, which I had discovered that it was going back there from one of the people earlier, but that was impossible now.
To say I was mad at the little guy was an understatement.
I hoped to the Force and back I wasn't going to have a warrant out for me now.
----------------------------------------
After the ship landed I quickly made my way towards the exit.
Blending in with the crowd of people walking down the ramp I pulled my hood further down, leaving my face enclosed in shadows. My new 'pet' sitting upon my shoulder, watching everyone closely.
I had changed, rather reluctantly to Sin's suggestion, since I didn't want the guy with his finger bit off to recognize me when I tried to leave.
Which I even reluctantly had to admit, Sin was right, my robe was quite noticable.
I needed to blend in, not stand out, until I could determine if it would be safe here in this.... time.
Which was still weird to think about.
Now if anyone were to look they would see a lean figure with a black hooded cloak and a strange black and red creature sitting upon their shoulder walking down the ramp, the wind making the cloak occasionally billow out at the bottom to reveal tight black pants with buckled straps criss-crossing around each individual leg and the black boots. Leaving most to look away hastly, not wanting to get involved with such an imposing figure.
Luckily my Masters lightsaber was attached to the back of my new black belt, which kept prying eyes from noticing it.
Letting out a huff I pulled at the black cuffs on my wrists uncomfortably, not liking how the black shirt was fitting to my slight curves, emphasizing them and my lean muscles much more than I would've liked.
I never wore such tight clothing before, which was evident when I looked down at myself, my cheeks flushing a bright red in embarrassment.
I looked like a bounty hunter, which according to Sin, was a good thing around these Outer Rim planets.
Personally, it just reminded me of the Sith more than anything.
'Stop it, you're running the imposing look I worked so hard to build with those childish actions.'
I glance to Sin on my shoulder as he scoffs, clearly displeased.
He was the one to suggest the outfit, and so far, it had worked as planned.
I look back down in apology.
"Sorry, I just feel uncomfortable. I've never worn such tight clothing before." I reached down and pulled at the edge of my shirt in discomfort, unknowingly stretching the thin fabric across my chest even more as we came to a stop in the main street.
People were bustling all around us, yet drifting around my form as if afraid to bump into me.
Looking down Sin chuckles before glancing away. 'Well, keep messing with that shirt and you might just rip it open.' He glances back, amused. 'You could use that to your advantage as well, though. Shall I teach you how?'
I let go of the shirt, my face turning completely red as I stuttered in shock. "N-No thank you! I'm fine!"
His laughter echoed in my head, clearly amused as he looked away with a smirk in place.
Bloody Force! He was having way too much fun with this!
Face still red I looked around, looking for some sort of clue as to the what this time-line was like.
I couldn't really spot anything that would give me a hint as people went about there business, buying food from stalls and heading about their own ways.
Frowning I headed towards an alley across the small road, hoping to see something as I checked out the city, people somehow managing to part out of my way without making it seem obvious as I went.
Sin watched their reactions closely, grinning as we entered the alley and began winding our way through the streets. 'My, this outfit is working better than expected for you. Its a fitting look.'
I glance towards him, a little irritated since to me it made me look like a Sith more than anything.
"Don't say that." I say, a bit more sharply than intended. "It's your fault I had to change anyway, I was just fine in my robes."
He raises his brow, clearly amused by my outburst. 'That doesn't stop it from looking good on you, now does it?'
I focused back on the street, forcing my emotions back down as I recited the Jedi mantra in my head once more. Blazes, I was having to do that more than I'd have liked.
I had to find the Council, fast.
If it was the Dark Side influencing me like my Master had suggested back on Alderaan then they could definitely help.
Tsk.
This bloody time travel stuff wasn't casting me in a good light, thats for sure.
Was I always so angry and impulsive?
No.... I don't think I was.
Lost in thought I crossed through several more streets and alleys before a scream stopped me cold, snapping me out of my thoughts. I look down the alley to my side, noticing for the first time how deserted the streets had become.
I look towards Sin, hoping he could tell where it was since his ears were probably more sensitive than mine.
He was looking around as well, but looked over and met my eyes as I turned.
"Do you know where that came from? I couldn't pinpoint it."
His tail flicked against my back, his expression unreadable. 'Of course.'
I blinked at him before realizing he wasn't going to elaborate. "And? Where would that be?"
He seemed to study me for a few seconds, almost making me ask again before responding.
'Why do you want to know?'
I shifted my weight to the side and rolled my eyes at that. Was he joking right now? "To help, obviously."
He makes a 'Hmm' noise before looking down the empty street ahead of us. I turn and look too, before glancing back at him.
'And what are you going to do when you get there?' He asks. 'If the person is being attacked, are you going to stop the attackers?' His eyes meet mine, glowing omniously. 'If you had to choose, could you kill them?'
I cross my arms and frown at him, a little irritated myself.
What the heck was with him all of a sudden?
It sounded awfully strange to ask those kinds of questions out of the blue like that.
Actually, if I didn't need him, I would've dropped him then and there for it.
It made me alarmed, for sure.
I shift and begin walking slowly, looking down the side alleys for the one who screamed in case he wouldn't tell me.
"That remains to be seen, Sin. Though I don't have to use violence to stop fights anyway. Master taught me other means of subduing people."
Something shifts in his eyes at this. He remains silent for a moment before chuckling. 'Very well, head straight down the alley to your left then. It's not too far off now.'
His eyes seem to sear into me as he glances my way, sending chills down my spine once more as I went down the alley he said.
I mentally prepared myself. If there were people, then I'd be in my first battle without my Master. I exhaled a shaky breath as I glanced back to Sin. "Thank you."
He glances away, hiding his expression from me. 'Of course.'
That's all I had time to say before we exited into a small plaza placed in the middle of a couple buildings.
Sin was right. It wasn't far off.
It was here.
And what I saw made me stop cold.