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[Elena Van Derveld]

She hadn't been here before, but then ... she had. It was interesting though, what a different reaction she received as she walked in the door. Instead of the usual glares and some shrinking shows of fear, it was just nothing. She missed the respect, but then enjoyed the feeling that she was anonymous amongst these people, no longer the Dark Lord that they hated.

Elena approached one of the empty tables, that she had frequented as Vega, and simply sat, calling over a droid to order herself a drink.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"This is now the second time our paths have crossed."

The voice behind her heralded the sound of footsteps.

"Hardly coincidental, I'd think."

Diego waited for her to turn to face him. His blue eyes narrowed, scrutinizing her.

"I make it a matter of fatherly pride to know all my children innately. But you...I can't seem to place."

The serving droid approached, and merely received the heel of the man's boot for its trouble, as Diego wedged his foot across the R2 unit's visual receptor, using it for a makeshift ottoman as he sat across.

[Elena Van Derveld]

She looked up at him. He had changed, that much was obvious from having briefly met him in the company of the Sector Rangers. The mustache and beard had been shaved, though a little stubble remained. His hair was much longer now, and he'd dropped the suit for a more ... 'rugged' appearance on the whole.

"Hardly suprising, considering I'm not one of your children."

[Diego Van Derveld]

"That, you cannot lie to me about!"

His blue eyes glared with intensity.

"Do you take me for a fool?"

[Elena Van Derveld]

She sighed.

"You only have two biological daughters, Diego. Not three."

[Diego Van Derveld]

"Two of my knowing, it is true."

His brow furrowed as he leaned close.

"So now, explain to me. If you are not mine, why does your scent bear the mark of my clan?"

[Elena Van Derveld]

"It's not your clan anymore, it's Vega's."

She mimicked him as he leant forward, staring straight back into his eyes.

"And if you must know, I 'bear the mark of your clan' because I am a Van-Derveld, though not naturally ... through genetic engineering ... cloning," she added finally.

[Diego Van Derveld]

A thick fist slammed the table with great fury.

"He'll NEVER take that which is mine! His dishonor knows no bounds!"

He practically snarled...a sound more of an animal than man. Once again, his blue eyes bore down on Elena.

"And where do you side in this...clone?"

[Elena Van Derveld]

She flinched, jerking backwards slightly as his fist hit the table.

"I'm not on anyone's side, though I guess if you want to pit me against someone, Vega will do."

[Diego Van Derveld]

He paused...a slow, thin smile forming.

"You...are Vega? A duplicate...but not."

[Elena Van Derveld]

She shrugged slightly and returned the smile.

"For all intensive purposes, I'm Vega. Just a little lacking in certain areas... force powers being one, and the whole fact of my not being a man being the other."

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego leaned back in his seat, kicking away the serving droid, and freeing him to go about his business. His thick arms crossed over his chest.

"I would not consider that which you lack to be a detriment."

His jawline tightened.

"It only inspires foolish rebellion, and ignorance of tradition."

[Elena Van Derveld]

In her mind, she rolled her eyes. Still the same as ever. They, the elders and her father, had never understood the benefits of the Force. Their loss in the end, though.

"Well whatever, it's not like I have any intent on regaining what Force powers I lost in the ... creation."

She leant back and folded her arms over her chest.

"I'm quite happy at the Sector Rangers, and I've noticed you're enjoying your new 'life' too."

[Diego Van Derveld]

He allowed a nod.

"We must have a trade. You know this. It fits two purposes...the second shall be met when I spill my insurrectionist son's blood, and all of my kin he charmed into disgrace."

[Elena Van Derveld]

"Oh yay, let's march right on over to Vega's castle and get killed by the hordes of guards!"

Elena brought one hand back through her head, shaking her head lightly.

"Neither of us could take the bastard out, no matter how much we might want to."

The hate for him had dulled somewhat since Gitane's departure from Fascinataru and the split of their wed-lock, but that didn't mean that she no longer wanted to tear his guts out.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"If you are a Van Derveld, think as you have been taught! Never rush headlong into a fight you can possibly lose. There is a weakness to every foe. All that is required is time and sense. My son is mortal, and that is enough consolation for me to know that his days are numbered. Until his last day, I prepare for it.

That is why I now work for the Rangers. I will sharpen my abilities, and keep my nose to the wind. I've seen lesser creatures than us, and ones without the Force, beat these false gods that you fear. If they can succeed, then we cannot fail."

[Elena Van Derveld]

"Fear? I don't fear Vega at all. He's too wrapped up in his own ego to even notice that I'm gone!"

The drink she'd ordered finally arrived, after the bot had been freed, and she lifted it, taking a small sip. There was a silence, though it was obvious she was thinking on something.

"... So you're proposing that we sharpen up our skills and try to take the egomaniac out?"

[Diego Van Derveld]

"I don't propose it. I just said it first."

His smile widened.

"The thought must be no stranger in your head."

Slapping a hand down, he ordered water from the droid. As it departed again, he looked to his "daughter".

"Tell me, daughter...have you learned the Change?"

[Elena Van Derveld]

Daughter. She remembered how much she'd despised him for leaving her and her mother, but it would be easy to put that behind her for a common goal like the one floating about this evening.

"... No."

It was fairly embarassing, but as of yet she'd not changed at all. Of course she recalled changing into 'V'dieg', but in this form she'd yet to test out the morphing technique - infact she wasn't sure she could even change at all.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"Well that's something you shall have to remedy, now isn't it?"

[Elena Van Derveld]

"Why?"

She smirked.

"I'd say changing is more of a handicap than anything. It might just be me, but I don't like ending up naked somewhere, totally disorientated."

[Diego Van Derveld]

"A minor price to pay for victory."

[Elena Van Derveld]

"I don't see how being in feral form will help us towards victory," she replied rather bitterly.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"That being said, you know nothing about your other half, as it lies dormant. Swiftness of foot, keen sense, and you prefer ignorance?"

He smiled nastily.

"It is an attack your enemies never suspect. Their world is about what they understand. To be seen as an animal is to be seen with indifference, and that is, if we are seen at all.

In a world of lightsabers and the force, such innate gifts can be overlooked. A mistake that can prove fatal."

[Elena Van Derveld]

There was a pause, before she reluctantly nodded.

"Fair enough. I guess I'll try it sometime soon."

Lifting her drink, she lowered her head and took slow sips at it. She had been able to transform one hand into a semi-paw, but her body had not permitted any further shifts - and this worried her slightly.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"Now."

The fiery look and smile remained.

[Elena Van Derveld]

She groaned.

"Fine, fine. Fine. I'm not doing it in here though,"

Raising up to her feet, she paced out towards the door, into the night outside. Closing her eyes, she concentrated and within a second her left hand was encompassed with blonde fur and moulded in to become a paw, complete with claws. She sighed loudly, squeezing her eyes shut more tightly as she strained to expand to change-

Failing.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego watched her intently, at the same time ensuring that her privacy was maintained as they worked in the seclusion of the night.

"It is a start. You must command your emotions. The Change accelerates with adrenaline. What the key to that catalyst is, only you can find."

[Elena Van Derveld]

Elena blocked out what was around her around and focused on the wolf inside her, teasing it out bit by bit. Taking in a deep breath, she smiled to herself as the change continued on up her arm, starting at the tips of her other hand too. Though it had started, it was very slow. Gritting her teeth, she strained and pushed-

And amazingly it worked. Her body bulged, tearing the dress she wore, then shrank downwards as the bone structure carefully reformed, leaving behind a golden wolf, sitting in the pile of clothing Elena had been wearing moments earlier.

With a slight whine, she looked expectantly up at Diego.

[Diego Van Derveld]

His blue eyes widened.

"Amazing."

She was either shamelessly sandbagging, or she had an extremely gifted potential. The Change was usually an arduous affair.

"Only Vega learned the Change so quickly. You have not lost the gift."

With care, Diego slipped his jacket and shirt off, revealing a hairy, well-muscled physique. He tossed the garments aside, and closed his eyes. Within a second, his features began to contort, face becoming leaner and longer, as his height drew down in a crooked fashion, legs and arms shortening and contorting. For a second it was almost grotesque, until a sheen of greyish-silver fur rose from the skin, and shrouded the rest of the transformation.

Diego's front paws touched the ground, and he shook his now-oversized pants away with his hind quarters. Looking at the blonde wolf, he keened, a modulating hypersonic sound.

[Elena Van Derveld]

Elena watched as he changed, witnessing something she had not seen before. His change seemed much more fluid than Vega's ever had, though not as quick as the young Mort's had been. Her head tilted to the side somewhat - he was much larger than she, and radiated the 'alpha' scent, which was mirrored by the own powerful aura she set up.

Her tail whipped back and forth as she looked down at her clothes, cursing inside - not aloud, as unlike the Garou, it seemed the Lupine had not developed the ability to speak through the Force.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego regarded Elena for a moment, and then turned, scooping his coverings up wholesale with his mouth. He looked about, and trotted a distance away, hiding them beside a large tree. Once the deed was done, he turned, eyes glinting at Elena.

[Elena Van Derveld]

She canted her head down and lifted the 'dress' and shoes, padding across to where Diego had before dropping them down by his clothes. She turned back to look at him, idly pawing at the ground beneath her, to test the earth.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Approving, Diego licked at her muzzle, before turning away into a flying sprint, accelerating into the distance.

[Elena Van Derveld]

Ears flicking down against her skull for a moment, she gave a loud gruff exhalation before following. It was hard at first to get into the motion of running with four legs, especially in a horizontal stance, but she managed to keep a good 15 or so foot behind him as he charged onwards.

Obviously, in his time away from the family, Diego had become much more intune with his Lupine side - perhaps he could teach her a thing or two.

[Diego Van Derveld]

They ran for nearly ten minutes, fleeing the touch of the city and retreating into the more rural outstretches. Arriving at a small hill overlooking forest, Diego awaited Elena as she approached. For a moment, each stood panting, allowing the cool night air to quench their exerted lungs. A breeze picked up, and Diego turned to face it, eyes closing, as if sensing some magical energy latent around them. Looking back at Elena, he tilted his head skyward, filling the Arcan night with a mournful, frightening sound...

<font size=20>awOOOOOOoooooo!</font>

[Elena Van Derveld]

She watched then mimicked, leaning her weight backwards as she cast her eyes skyward as a gutteral howl passed her lips. Though it was not as loud as Diego's, it merged well with it, the two differing tones complementing one another as they rang clearly throughout the surrounding area, and no doubt into the bar too - letting everyone know of their presence.