The elevator lift from the lobby descends quietly on muted servos until it reaches the lower level of the hotel. Fresh spring water is routed in from Elos Vrai’s reservoirs, patched through filtration to the hotel’s various systems and advanced plumbing.
Upon Entering, a triangular hot tub can be seen on the right. To the left is a pair of lounging chairs and a small table which sit just outside the large sauna with adjacent any-gender restrooms.
Private locker room can be found on the farthest side, with an exit to a set of showers and additional private space.
Straight ahead are a set of two smaller personal pools, only about three-feet deep. Just behind them is a more full-length pool stretches until stopping just short of a small waterfall flowing into a crescent shaped, shallow fountain.
A few butler droids mill about doing maintaince and are available to answer questions for patrons or relay information to the Concierge.
(Message deleted)
(Message deleted)
“` A butler droid carrying towels stood on the side to greet the guests.
"Greetings Patrons. Enjoy your stay.” “`
Remalia steps out of the lift, her cane back on its hook, feeling like she has a gun at her back, somehow. Neither Kerissa nor Nash were armed with any blaster that she could see, and Esen wouldn’t have brought her here to kill her when she had much simpler options, but it still made her pulse quicken for some reason. Thankfully the alcohol had taken the edge off, but it also seemed to be dulling her conditioning, allowing emotions she thought had long since shriveled up and fallen off to resurface, an unsettling thought. At the very least, her body had seemed to already have absorbed the chemical, so she didn’t seem to be getting any worse. Grabbing the towel presented to her, she looks around at the area, for the most part lost at what to do now.
"Would you care for a drink, Patron?" The Droid asked. "We can take orders".
Esen scurried out of the elevator and into the bath house entry, carrying two bags, one a dark green duffle bag full of her own overnight items. The other bag, a dark blue, containing Remalia’s extra set, of which Esen had packed the day prior. Her eyes scanned the room before locking onto the locker room sign, and beelined her way there, trying to fight off the heat of embarrassment and of what is about to come. The quicker she could get into the water, the better.
After a short period of time passed, she emerged. Having taken the time for a short trip to the showers to rinse out the gel, her blue hair, now, wet, and stringy, clinging to her shoulders and back. Her arms intertwined across her chest, using the dark, flowy, shawl swimsuit cover to conceal as much of her bathing suit top as possible. A matching dark sarong draping loosely along her hips, angling lengthwise to one side.
Mentally kicking herself for once again putting herself in a situation that required a swimsuit, forgetting to buy others, and only having this one. Albeit, this swimsuit was a gift from her parents, and she really does like it.
Noticing the droid carrying the towels. A sigh of relief filled her as she didn’t need to go ask for some. This place really does have great service. Taking a towel and tucking it under her right arm. All while doing a little shimmy keeping one hand on the corner of the shawl, to ensure it stayed wrapped. She looked at the droid through her hair, curtained down the sides of her face. A soft, “Thank you” was muttered to the droid, before sauntering her way to the benches against the wall.
Once there, she placed the folded towel down, and removed her shawl, folding it as best she could with the dampness from the shower, repeating the process with the sarong, and placing them both on the bench next to the towel. Revealing a rather muscular build, wearing a bikini… almost. Her arms marred with fading silver scars. Her vivid red top with white polka dots, containing straps of fabric that crossed over her midsection, before attaching to the sides of her bottoms. Her face heating, holding her head high, to attempt to hide the embarrassment. Before calmy, yet quickly, scurrying her way to the large center pool, dipping in up to her shoulders.
“A Lothal Spicebrew for me, please.” She requests, rubbing the bits of water off her face.
“Oh Remy, would you please try to relax for once in your life? It’s supposed to be fun. Come join,” she asks wafting her hand through the water, “I brought your extra clothes in, they’re in the locker room next to mine, if you wish to swim. At least dip your toes in, or order a drink, or go to the sauna and breathe in the soothing aroma in there. It’s very good for circulation. Something, hmm?” Her eyes twinkling and the deeper red beginning to fade from her cheeks.
The droid took the order with an afirmative nod, then clanked off. It returned a few minutes later with the requested drink, clearly taken from some kind of high-tech servos-pully-system that received drinks from elsewhere on the lower floor.
“Think they’ve got extra trunks? Or should I just soak in my skivvies?” He muttered to Kerissa before slipping past her and out of the elevator. A large smile was slapped across his features he he glanced back at her over his shoulder, a wink being tossed her way as he made a line for the locker rooms. Within, the sounds of music near instantly sparked as he busied himself changing. The music was (mercifully) clicked off as he exited the locker room. His body now bare, save a towel wrapped snug around his waist.
His moderately muscular chest was inked with a detailed multi eyes raptor head surrounded by techno scrawl. The bone tattoos that where inked on the back of his hands and arms ran up to and stopped at his shoulders. He stood at the edge of the pool, glancing one way then the other before quite literally jumping in, curling into a ball in mid air to land with a deep Kerploosh.
The Hapan was quick to snag the towel before it was shunted away by all the suddenly displaced water. He set it back around his waist as the bubbles cleared, laughing to himself as he glanced up to the droid. “Got anything strong and sweet? I’m a bit behind the others here and want to catch up”
Remy stands in the same spot, hands on her cane, clicking it once every couple seconds and staring off in the direction of the waterfall. When Nash makes a splash she steps back to keep from getting wet, and glances at Esen, her voice quiet but carrying thanks to the relative quiet of the bath house.
“It is strange to see you so… out of sorts. Did you not select your clothing? Did you not notice the man is a step away from nudity?”
She almost falls into another giggle fit, but manages to smooth her features over and begins to walk past the side of the pool, her cane clicking very deliberately. Stopping again, she points it at Nash like a sword, her normally looming demeanor only slightly hampered by her slight sway.
“And you… do what you will with your purple… friend. But Esen is respectable, and so you will respect her. Else I will be thrown out the front door, and you will be thrown out the trash chute.”
Without waiting for a response, Remy turns sharply and moves to the changing room with barely a stumble.
Kerissa descended the steps, a towel flopped over her shoulder and shaking her head at the already occurring antics. She wasn’t really sure why she was entertaining this, Nash really shouldn’t be here. Remy was of the Force, quietly but certainly present and Esen was far more blatantly of the Brotherhood. He had no idea where he was and she had no way of informing him safely. Though, maybe she was worrying about these two too much as the pair bantered, and Remy charged Nash with the impossible.
The Kessu-Ryn waved to the droid, “Hey could you make something strong, just a shot, I’ll be back in a minute.”
She followed Remy, catching up after contemplating for a moment, “I know him, he’s just flirting. And Esen seems capable enough, you don’t need to worry too much.” She glanced back over her shoulder, tail flicking once before bringing attention back to where they were walking, “I’m Kerissa, by the way.”
Remy keeps her eyes locked forward as she moves into the changing room, now holding her cane halfway. Moving to a locker, she begins to undress by unbuttoning her coat, revealing a sharp, yet unemblazened military uniform and her dull grey saber. As she begins to fold and put away her clothing with rigid and practiced efficiency, she responds. “I am Pa- Remalia, although most seem to be calling me ‘Remy’ these days. And you may be correct, Esen is older than she should have to be in many ways, but in others she retains innocence. Yet, she is her own person. So long as he knows the consequences for his actions, everything else must be left to her.”
Once more, Remy chuckles to herself for a second before she can stop herself, and she shuts her locker. She is wearing only her underwear now, simple tight black shorts and a chest band to match, her slender form only barely shapely enough to confirm that she is, in fact, a woman, and not showing any of the strength or sturdiness that Kerissa had felt before. Remys pallid flesh has no scar or blemish, almost unsettlingly perfect like a Droid covered in synthskin. Her hair, now pulled back in a ponytail, strangely seems to fade into smoke at the tips. Altogether, Remy now seems even stranger than she had so far.
Without looking behind her, Remy steps over to the showers, knowing the bathing as a common courtesy.
“Remalia.” Kerissa echoed, nodding to the name and Remy’s explanation. “Hes harmless really, we met because he was handing out free tickets to his own show.” She chuckled, leaning on the locker as she began stripping to her own underwear. They were more typically feminine, accenting Kerissa’s opposite form to Remalias slender one. She had curves and a lack of muscle, though she was clearly still fit.
Incredibly short white fur spotted Kerissa’s shoulders and down her spine, stark against the dull purple of her skin.
She stepped in, pressing the button and wincing as the water initially came out far too cold.
“How long have you been with the Brotherhood? Those with the Force don’t usually hang out here on Arx unless they’re associated.”
Remy looks up and over at Kerissa in surprise before regaining herself and snapping her view forward again.
“I barely tried to Sense the room upstairs for less than a second, and you’ve already found me out? Every day I find new heights to the cliff face I must scale. I wasn’t aware it was something to speak of openly, but I have been a member for a few months. Most of my time has been spent in the Collegium or training with Master Sulvir, if you know him. Esen told me she had buisness here and asked for a pilot, but it turns out that buisness is for tomarrow, she just wanted to… enjoy the hotel.”
Remy stands nearly motionless under the shower, cold water on full blast, until she shakes herself out of her speech, and quickly scrapes her skin and hair free of as much oil as possible.
“Trying to sense a room is harder than a single person.” Kerissa shrugged, “I’m also… well. You’ll probably be able to tell if you tried to check now.”
She didn’t wash herself so thoroughly, getting whatever the day may have left on her skin off well enough and stepping out from under the water with wet hair, her tails fluff at the end weighing the limb down.
“We can speak about it with others in the know. This hotel and others in its chain are operated by the Brotherhood, so theyre usually a safe bet. Youll see people with sigils here, more so than usual anyway. What clan are you aligned with? I’m with Arcona though I spend more time doing research for the Academy there than anything else.”
“I… Arcona as well. I was recruited by Consul Zuza, though I hear she is retiring soon.”
Remy turns off the shower but doesn’t leave just yet.
“I am mostly self taught. My Master says that because I only learned everything I can do from intuition and old, half rotten Jedi scrolls, I am only operating at a fifth of what I should be capable of at my level. I am learning quickly from him but… well he fears the Force, holds it at arms length like an Anooba. And half his ability is drawn from Darkness beyond that. I need to find more teachers if I am to sharpen myself properly. I guess I should thank Esen for her efforts there.”
“Hes not wrong to fear it. Even the best intentioned with the Force can cause damage.” Kerissa stated, squeezing some of the water from her tail.
“If he can tell how much potential you have, it might be smart to not dabble in too many teachers at once, especially so early into training. Everyone has their own perspectives and when you have a good base line down that’s a benefit but earlier…” She shrugged, glancing over her shoulder at Remalia. “The blade has to shaped or something before it’s sharpened right? I can’t say I’ve met Master Sulvir though, does he spend much time on Selen?”
“This blade has been shaped for decades already. If it cannot take the whetstone it wouldn’t have survived the battle anyway. I do not fear the Force. The danger lies not in it, but in my inability to hold it. As for Master… I don’t know. He moves often, but I’m sure he visits Selen regularly.”
Esen shade of embarrassment returns, perhaps from Nash’s entrance in the pool, or Remalia’s bluntness towards him.
“You’ll have to forgive her, she’s my best friend, and a bit protective of me… and I her.” Once again wiping away water and her wet stringy hair from her face, from the water splash from the cannon ball.
Careful to avoid conversation of not having swim trunks, she states, never looking lower than his shoulders,
“Oh I’m Esen by the way. I’d shake your hand but it seems they’re a bit preoccupied..” Slight deepening in blush before drifting her way to the edge of the pool. Extending her arms outward to each side. Grabbing ahold of the wall. Just casually relaxing.
“How was the bar by the way? I’ve never seen.. Remalia actually laugh before. You must be some sort of a comedian huh?”
She sighs closing her eyes and her features crinkle slightly.
“I.. upset Remalia earlier by dragging her here.” She opened her eyes to meet his gaze.
“She’d like to be informed of things like this. However, if I told her we were going to a luxury hotel I don’t think she would have agreed to come. I was just trying to help her step out of her comfort zone. To actually experience things and hopefully find fun things to do. To meet people. And well. Seeing her laugh… I. I thank you for that.” Her face solemn.
Nash was leaning back, arms spread along the surface of the water so he could somewhat lounge as Esen spoke to him. To most of what she said, he nodded and continued floating away from the wall. “Of course! it is always good to drag someone to something they’ll enjoy but are hesitant to go. I know someone like that. I had to drag ‘em out of a coffee shop, library, all sorts of places to go enjoy some time doing something and not just existing.”
He tiltied his head forward, soaking his hair more than his brief dunk earlier. He then pushed up out of the water a bit as his head swung upward, sending his faintly glowing hair arcing like a holovid commercial. It managed to land in a somewhat styled look, adding to his bright amber eyes that flashed over at her again. “Oh, Name is Nash - Jackson Nash” He smiled bright and wide, giving her a small wave
She leans forward squinting at him for a second, examining his facial features a bit more closely, mulling over his words.
“Wait a second. Jackson Nash. As in… Pulse? Ha! I thought your tattoos looked familiar but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it… That does explain the music I heard earlier.”
She casually leans back, resuming her relaxed position, mumbling slightly, looking to the side wall of the bath house.
“The Flitz never ceases to amaze. I knew this place was nice, I was unaware it was this nice to have celebrities casually around. Here I am bothering you with my friendship woes. Funny.”
“My mother bought me your holoalbum for my eighteenth birthday. Absinthe is my favorite song, it reminds me of my brother…” She trails off.
‘Which ironically fits into “A good song never dies.”’ She starts humming the chorus to herself tilting her head to the beat of her humming. Before finishing with “No, a good song never.“ Before tilting her head back to the ceiling, her shoulders rising and falling as she burst out in a fit of laughter. After a few moments of collecting herself.
"Forgive me, if I am bothering. It’s a pleasure to meet you, though I am sure you meet lots of people already and it is not as uncommon for you as it is for me.”
Remy leaves the shower and walks briskly to the far side of the pool from Esen and Nash. At this point it is becoming fairly obvious that she is putting forth effort not to look at anyone directly, and without her cane she walks much more stiffly, almost like she’s marching in a parade. Once she reaches her chosen spot, Remy dives into the pool and begins swimming laps like she’s in a race, or maybe being chased by a much bigger fish.
“Oh it’s no bother, totally fine.” He brushed off the insinuation that she was bothering him with a soft splash of water in her general direction. “I’m fine with chatting, running into people that know me isn’t too uncommon.”
He then snapped his fingers and pointed at her “hey, get me your com-deets after this and I’ll get you some tickets, yeah?” His attention, not too different than a dog’s, then snapped towards Remy as she exited the lockers. He watched her dive into the water and start her laps around the pool from his more central position. After her dive, he held up his hands as if he was holding scoreboard.
“Seven point five, easy. A little frigid on the introduction though. All in all, a good start for a warm up round. But let’s not forget our second contender, Kerissa The Purple Comet Monique!” He spoke in a loud stereotypical announcer voice and shouted the last line towards the locker room that Remy had just left.
<@147021450706944000> <@432543120635461643>
Kerissa was stepping out as Nash began announcing, rolling her eyes but the smile undeniably forming on her face. She stuck her tongue out, passing her fingers through her hair to push back. And then ran full pelt at the pool, or more specifically, at Nash. There was one moment where it appeared the woman was about to slip but she caught herself and-
“CANNONBAAAAAALL!”
She hit the water, sending waves across the surface of the pool and quickly emerging, spluttering with laughter.
Peering over, mentally relieved that Remy did end up joining, despite doing more training, she couldn’t really complain, as Remy atleast joined them.
“Oh really? Thanks, Er, Nash. I’ll have to drag Remalia along.”
Hearing the footsteps pittering on the floor, she giggled and covered her face preventively, anxiously awaiting the CANNONBAAAAAALL and the after shocks and splashes of it.
After a few laps and a big splash, Remy stops at one end of the pool with a few furtive glances before focusing on the waterfall off to the side. Holding onto the wall, she speaks quietly, but loud enough to carry across the pool, even over the splashing water and echo of Kerissas cry.
“We come to the pool to swim, and yet you float. I understand this isn’t a standard size pool, but there is still room. Are you practicing some sort of pseudo- sensory deprivation meditation?”
She seems to have not noticed there was talking going on, presumably because of her focused front crawl.
“It’s supposed to be relaxing, not for workouts. Look at the pools, they’re too shallow and not split up into rows.”
She leaned back further letting her hair drift loosely in the water.
Remy paused for a moment, still latched onto the wall and poised to launch again. After long pause, she released the wall and slowly, awkwardly, leaned and floated on her back. It was still a rigidly by-the-book survival float, but it was something.
“I suppose… something like this could be used for meditation. Is there supposed to be something more? Friendly competitions?”
“Children have splash battles if that’s what you mean? There’s also pool volleyball. Other times just floating and letting all the emotions and thoughts float away, as your body does.”
Nash watches Kerissa run up and leap towards the water with a big stupid grin on his face. He realizes, rather quickly, that the impact she’s about to make will shower him with a wave of water. Reacting fast, he moved his arms down from their position of holding the invisible scorecard to infront of him, holding the “card” out infront of his face to block the imminent splash.
He was promptly smacked in the face by a wave of water, drowning out his shout of alarm in a bubbling sound as he briefly sunk below. His arms remained above the water, still holding up his sign.
When he surfaced he blinked a few times, squeezing water away from his cybernetic eyes. “Ah uh, 9.5!” He announced, throwing the score board up again with a triumphant trumpet noise following the declaration.
Remys mind was about as peaceful and focused as ever, floating here. Esen was right, there was something calming about just… floating. A calm that was interrupted by the sound of a splash. A shock of something hot exploded outwards, and the water that would have hit her skittered off an invisible Barrier.
That’s odd, it didn’t usually feel like that when she used that ability.
Remy thought to herself that she was lucky Doon wasn’t here, else she would get a scolding for flaunting her abilities, as instinctual as it was.
Kerissa yelped as the water from her dive somehow made it’s way back into her face.
“Hey!”
She brushed her hair back out of her face, white roots visible now it was all slicked back. A grin crossed her face, missing the score card call out. If Remy was going to use the Force then why couldn’t she fot a cheeky second?
She pulled on the energy around her and raised water unnaturally above the surface, throwing it toward Remalia. Not hard enough to hurt but enough to ensure this time she got splashed. Kerissa moved her hands with it, though with the ease they swayed through the air, it was unclear how much that was helping.
Remys zen was fading fast. She saw the wave coming at her, too fast to dodge with no footing. She had to make some.
Remy turned her hands down and grabbed the surface of the water with both fingers and Force, pulling apart the pool and sending her into free fall.
Splash Battles. Esen had said this was a fight. Those, she could win.
Remy began to flip backwards. At the deep end of the pool, she had twelve feet.
Paraneters: game. Brute force is useless, contests of strength are pointless. Plus, almost everyone she’d met was stronger than her by a wide margin anyway.
Remy finished her flip and landed on the wet tiles, her feet slapping as she crouched.
Strategy: move fast and unpredictable. Subvert Force superiority.
Remy flooded her legs with power and shot a sliver of power up, breaking the momentum of the water over her head.
Tactics: break concentration with excessive splashing.
Remy launched free of the pool, spinning in an arc over the heads of the group, and landed on the pools edge. She then quickly formed the Force into fingers, thin and dexterous instead of the power she usually went for. As the rest turned in surprise, she whipped out, scooping a handful of water into Karissas open mouth with almost enough speed to sting.
Remy went wild, squeezing jets of water, splashing, hammering the surface to jostle her opponent, using every trick her instincts could think of to be as chaotic as possible. Only seconds passed before she began to flag, however, unpracticed as she was with this ability.
She faltered, but denied her weakness, allowing the Force to flood her body, her vision turning red.
Kerissa choked on the water, eyes stinging but pulled on the Force further. Each slash of water was easily deflected away from herself with a flick of the fingers away from their audience. She did her best to steady the water beside the pair, taking concentration to hold the wall between them and the battling Dark Side users.
Still, she pushed forward, sending a wave of water toward Remalia. It was a thin wave, but enough to stagger without a quick reaction.
The glow did not go amiss however and as the wave descended, Kerissa reached out into Remy’s mind.
Hey there now, the dark side takes quickly. Don’t tire yourself out too soon.
Remy slams her face through the oncoming wave of water, but realises her efforts are, once again, completely in vain. However, with her mind so focused, she cannot spare the time to consider that or the words in her head, instead only changing tactic. Reaching out with a wide grasp, she grabbed all the water around Kerissa and lifted it before clapping it around her like a liquid coffin.
Kerissa grimaced, the water forcing her to close her eyes and rely purely on the signature of Remy in the room as guidance. It was far from comfortable but gave her one edge back. Control had been lost on the young one, and this was… over the top for a splash fight.
She felt the tips of her fingers sting as she pulled on more of the Force, the cold flow of ice that was the dark side shadowing her veins.
Then, with a crack of energy forced the water off of her, creating a air pocket within the water. She didn’t want to shatter it, just maintain it long enough until Remalia’s energy fell through. It wouldn’t take long, but she did need to actually survive the experience. Any amusement had quickly drained from the woman’s expression.
Victory was close at hand. The water had been pushed away, but it was not the same ability as before. Stalling. Change. Pierce. Remy shoved all her water down, allowing Kerissa free, and letting her pressure wave expand out with a heavy thump. Remys own pressure wave expanded downward, sending a powerful jet of water straight up from beneath. 3-2. Advantage. Evade. Dropping all her concentration on everything but her body, Remy jumped backwards as fast as thought into the changing rooms, followed by the clang of a locker.
Kerissa had to drop her focus on Remalia to catch herself in the water, preventing the wave from crashing above the edge of the pool and sweeping the audience into the walls. She quickly pushed the force through herself, swimming to get out of the pool. She reached out with sense once on stable ground, noting the lack of consciousness in Remalia and trying to stamp down the frustration that followed the Force. It clawed, wanting more more. But that was familiar and easily pressed back down, even if her fingers displayed it clear as a spot of dirt on a fancy man’s white couch. The black veins were thin, and easily concealed by simply not shoving her fingers in Nash’s face.
Nash.
Oh kark.
Kerissa glanced over to the pair, and then started walking with a quickened pace toward the changing room, “I’m going to- uh, check. On her.”
Esen watched the pair back and forth, her eyes ping ponging between the two. Her mouth agape. She could sense the rage from Remalia yet she was frozen watching. Kerissa clearly had things handled, but maybe she should also go check on her friend.
“Uh-”
-# “Immagotoo”
She quickly scrambled out from the water, with quick steps though walking. She had been scolded many times before to not run by the pool, it was so baked into her brain now.
Turning the corner into the locker room.
Kerissa balked a little as Esen speed walked but didn’t quite run into the locker room. It made her hesitate, glancing back toward Nash.
It was silly to feel fear yet, she did. What if he feared her? If a stupid bout of messing around had ruined it. Her feet stayed her just outside the room, searching the Hapan’s face for his reaction.
Esen quickly scanned the locker room looking and trying to sense emotions for a rage filled Remalia.
Peeking around quickly not noticing much movement before moving on further into the locker room. Following the trail of water left along the ground. The water trail and emotions lead to… a locker?
She took a deep breath, calming the slight rage inside of her, bleeding off from Remalia. Uncontrollably, releasing soothing pheromones. She stared at the locker, before lifting her hand into the air as if she were going to touch the locker, but she paused.
In a quiet whisper,
“Remy, are you alright?”
There is silence for a moment before a shaky and weak sounding Remy responds.
“Functional. Is Kerissa out there? Convince her to open the locker.”
She took another breath, lowering her hand, resting at her side.
“Are you sure you want that? Maybe just take a few minutes? I- I am worried about you.” She pauses looking at the ground, still in the same whisper.
“That- wasn’t what I meant for water fights. I- meant light physical splashes, usually in the shallow end of a pool. Water doesn’t usually go above the shoulders in the splash fight. It’s supposed to be.. fun.”
As Remy continued to speak, her voice got louder, although it was still shaking with exhaustion.
“To fight is to win, no matter the circumstances. Nobody was in danger, I can control-” There is a momentary pause, “you are regulating me. Is something wrong? Are you afraid?”
A small splash echoes inside the locker, followed by dripping as water leaked out the bottom onto the floor.
“My focus slipped and my surprise attack is untenable. New plan, tell Kerissa to avoid the locker. I still have advantage for the moment.”
After another second, there is another burble of drunken giggling entirely foreign to their source.
Nash’s unbreakable smile gleamed on as the two started splashing each other. He was having fun, after all. His jokes had landed and he was enjoying the company after all, what wasn’t there to like?
That is about when his shining grin faltered. His lips twitched as he noticed Something was off about how their splashing moved the water around them. Something that became more and more obvious that the something was unnatural. By the time his back met the edge of the pool, the smiling had faded completely. Leaving the normally jovial expression now one creased in confusion, concern, and fear. He watched the commotion of everyone leaving the pool distantly, like a fly on the wall who witnessed something he should not have seen. His breaths came uneven, but in a steadily increasing rate as he slowly climbed out of the water, as if trying not to make any further noise. He stood then, wet and with a towel wrapped around his waist, supported by a clenched fist.
His eyes rested on the water, as if trying to see something there that would explain what happened, some clear plastic or panels of technology or Something.
He couldn’t find anything.
Maybe she hadn’t been wrong. Fear and guilt clawed up her spine. Why had she let that occur? Years and years of hiding the Force and she karks up this grandiousley. It was stupid it was- It was fun.
But fun could have just ruined everything. Fun had nearly gotten her killed.
Her face displayed most of that conflict, her eyebrows drawn together and hands fidgeting against themselves. The faintest of black brushed the tips of her fingers. Kerissa took a small tentative step in Nash’s direction, feeling the fear and confusion radiating from him. She opened her mouth a few times, trying to gather the words she needed before letting out a slow exhale.
“Nash? It.. wasn’t the pool that did it. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to- well. I didn’t think, you were safe though. I-” Kerissa pursed her lips for a moment, before speaking in a softer voice, “Have you heard of the Force?”
(Visibility boop)
Esen pauses measuring her response, in a quiet voice,
“The game is over, Remy. Fighting is no longer required. Nobody wins, nobody loses.”
She pauses,
“Judging by your trembling voice, you’re probably coming down off the adrenaline and will be exhausted. How about we go get some food?”
Nash blinked a few times, his expression still shockingly blank for the Hapan. He looked forward, staring into the water before turning his head to face Kerissa fully. “The.. magic… thing?” He seemed to have a passing at best idea of the force, and what it meant here. His Amber eyes met Kerissa’s, and he sort of awkwardly gestured to the water.
“Could you do that.. to a person?”
Kerissa followed the gesture, swallowing the sudden lump in her throat and taking a moment before nodding.
“Well, yes. I could but-”
“Incorrect. If it is over, as you say, then I won.”
There is some rattling and a creak as the locker door opens, revealing a wet and shaking Remy doing her best to rise to her feet. She reaches out and stubles forward, grabbing her cane from where it rested on the bench, and straightened with the help of her third leg.
“You may go eat if you wish. I am not done here yet. I will ask the front desk for our room numbers.”
With that, she began the slow process of sluggishly limping back into the pool area with the help of her cane.
The Hapan lurched forward, and with two large steps, he launched himself into the air. “Catch Me!” His knees were pulled up again, another cannonball aimed for the water if she somehow couldn’t grab him
“Wha- no.” She sighs as she walks up keeping in pace with Remy. Scanning the benches looking for a towel to cover up with.
“What are you going to do?”
“Wh-” Kerissa spluttered, her eyes widening and hand reaching out as if to catch him.
Instead of her fingers catching him however, her fear pulled through the Force and wrapped around Nash. A few inches above the water, the Hapan began to float. Kerissa blinked a few times, before laughing and dropping him. She covered her face with her hands, disguising the sudden wetness in her eyes as she laughed in more unhinged manner than before.
“I do not plan on doing much. I simply do not require food at the moment, and this Kerissa is very powerful, I could learn something. You seem agitated.”
Using her cane for its intended purpose, Remy begins to move back the way she came, exhaustion shaping her posture and movements. Upon re-entering the pool room, she stops at the sight of a momentarily paused man falling in a splash.
“That seems a strange game, although I do not have much reference for such things,” she remarks as she moves to sit on one of the poolside chairs.
“I just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to kill her once you left the locker room.” She pauses for a moment contemplating.
“Yes if you agree she’s powerful, maybe getting her holocode to train with her would be a good healthy step in the right direction.”
“As far as you “not requiring food”, you should eat something, you seem quite exhausted and it would help boost energy levels.”
Esen steps in tandem with Remy as they leave the locker room.
“Why would I try to kill her? We were only… playing a game, as you said.”
Remys hunched shoulders begin to straighten as she focuses on regaining her composure.
“Besides, she is obviously significantly more powerful than I am. I relied entirely on surprise and disproportionate aggression, and it only worked for a short few seconds. A real fight would only end one way.”
Le Fin