Slow

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Night was drawing in, though it wasn't particularly cold in the streets of Coruscant. It was never anything below humid really, thanks to the levels of pollution the city had. Never the less, Vega was dressed as if it was sub-zero in some thick dark cloak, and no doubt equally warm entourage below. Clearing his throat - causing a spiral of steam to rise from his breath - he yawned somewhat as he paced on down the street.

The day had been uneventful, and his attempts at finding what he was searching for had been fruitless. Never the less, he would not be able to return to Fascinataru until morning, when the Fenix had been repaired - a minor accident had occured on the in-journey, leaving the TIE Phantom unable to take off.

Up ahead it looked like there were some bars, and a living sector, all pretty bland. It seemed as though this would be his habitat for the night though, as in the grand scale of things on Coruscant, this district was considered up-market.

[Emily Rochette]

Emily growled and pounced, cat-like, upon a quivering bird. Within moments, feathers were fluttering through the air and smudges of sticky color had joined the crimson streaks on her deadly pale skin. A thin bone poked out from the corner of her lips, wiggling lightly as she chewed it.

The Jysbena stalked along the alley boredly, eyeing the mouth of the corridor as drunken, malnourished bums tried to catch a glance up her tattered dress. Firey eyes caught curiously on one and she tilt her head, a soft giggle leaving her mouth. Her fingers, stained with red, picked up the hem of her dress and lifted it so that her legs, all the way up to her stomach, were exposed. After a minute of watching him drool, Emily crouched down and leaned very close to the drunk, pulling the bone from her mouth. She slipped her arms around him and jabbed it quickly into the back of his neck, right between his skul and spine. The man gurgled and dropped over mutely, writhing a bit.

"Dirty old man..."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

A twinge of pain rippled through the Force as someone passed away. No one important, no one of consequence, but still someone had died. Vega canted his head as he passed an alleyway, and looked down it - feeling the strong sense of death radiating from the darkened passageway.

"Only cowards play out their frustrations on the weak and inebriated," he quipped into the shadows before continuing on walking along the pathway.

[Emily Rochette]

Emily stared blankly at the man, her brow scrunching a bit in confusion. Needless to say, she was oblivious to the fact she'd killed someone, or that it was wrong. A black tongue slipped out and licked along her cracked lips before she hopped over the fallen corpse and stood only a few inches away from the blond, peering up at him. A finger reached up and tapped the tip of his nose as she frowned a bit.

"I don't like riddles."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"What a pity."

The Lupine smirked and outstretched one hand, pushing his palm hard against the girls head - sending her stumbling backwards a few paces. Then turning away from her, he shook his head, laughing to himself as he picked up the pace of his walking.

[Emily Rochette]

"Hey hey hey hey hey!" Emily chanted the word hurriedly as she hopped up and chased after the man, leaping onto his back and clinging to it. Even though she seemed to barely way anything, her grip on him was strong enough that he couldn't shrug or shake her off himself. Her head leaned over his shoulder and she looked at his eyes curiously before giggling to herself. The wild eyes of his wolf form seemed to pace in the shadows and sparks of color, even if he was as human-like as possible. Her voice, hushed and to herself, mumbled.

"Beasty man."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"Oh shut up."

He groaned as he rolled his shoulders backwards, in attempt to shed himself of the annoyance. Snarling as he failed, he looked sideways at the girl.

"What do you want, you little freak?!"

[Emily Rochette]

"Freak?"

She repeated the word curiously, a hurt tone in her voice. Sliding down slowly to stand behind him, she stared up, pitiful and childish, a hand rubbing a bit of blood from her cheek.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Vega turned his head partially to look at her.

"You won't get any sympathy, so don't even try that puppy dog eyes crap."

He smirked.

"Only frrreaks lurk in dark places, jumping out on people, clinging onto them. It's not normal to do those sorts of things," he sneered, looking down his nose at her.

[Emily Rochette]

Chewing on her lip, she looked up at him. An innocent, playful grin spread across her face, revealing the thin, sharp teeth that lined her mouth.

"It's not normal to be a beasty man, either."

With that, she started circling him, her hand grabbing his and spinning him with her.

"Beasty freak, beasty freak!" She chirped in another chant.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

His brow furrowed in annoyance.

"Go away before my patience wears out completely and I tear your head of," he responded bluntly.

[Emily Rochette]

"Only cowards play out their frustrations on the weak and inebriated," she mimicked, making an attempt at looking stern and 'professional'.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

His lips twisted in the center into a distasteful expression. Determined not to let his ego get the better of him, he turned from her and stalked on forward again, lowering his head as he muttered to himself.

[Emily Rochette]

Emily whined and chased after him, slowing down to keep up with his pace, beside him. There was something about this man that entertained her. She looked up, her arms folded behind her back as she hummed absently.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Ignoring her for a good few minutes was easy, but after that the incessant humming was just too irating for him. He swept one hand out to the side and yanked the girl up in the air by the neck of her dress. Glaring at her, he barked out:

"Stop following me!"

[Emily Rochette]

"No," she answered simply, seeming not even the least bit phased by the fact that, in this position, he was very much able to suffocate her, or snap her neck. She stared at his eyes, a childish look in her own.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Whipping his hand upwards, he tossed her into the air - catching her on her downfall with a Force push that would send her flying across to the other side of the street, no doubt crashing into a building or something of that nature.

"Yes."

[Emily Rochette]

The thin girl yelped as a crack sounded, both from the bricks around her crumbling and from her spine. She tumbled to the ground and curled up, quivering a bit, her chest heaving breathlessly. Anger then sparked in her eyes and she glared at the man, shoving up to her feet and hurling herself at him, sharp nails clawing fiercly at his skin.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

He side-stepped fluidly with the aid of the Force, watcing as the girl careened straight into a brick wall.

"Oops?"

[Emily Rochette]

Her mind slowly melted into maturity, for the time being. She could at least tell that this man was one to not pick a fight with. Stumbling forward a few steps, the Jysbena grimaced at the feeling of raw, bleeding skin exposed to the smog-filled air. Her eyes stayed on the ground and she drew in a slow breath.

"...Truce.."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"Ha. Not so sure of yourself now," he said through a stifled chuckle.

"Well whatever, just leave me be, go back to violating drunks," he added with a smile.

[Emily Rochette]

The words stung, somehow, and she flinched visibly.

"He was rotting from the inside out."

To Emily, that was reason enough to kill him. She could sense the pain from the man, that only seemed to be dulled by booze and a hooker, whenever he could afford either.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"I don't care," he called back over his shoulder as he headed off towards one of the bars up ahead - hopefully the people there wouldn't be so irritating as this girl.

[Emily Rochette]

"...Wait."

She didn't follow him, she didn't have the strength to, after crashing into two seperate walls. Instead, Emily stared after him, chewing her lip.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"What now?"

He span on his heel, looking down at the pitiful crumpled excuse for a humanoid.

[Emily Rochette]

A frown flashed over her lips before she closed her eyes and took the steps between him and her.

"Sorry, alright?"

A finger tapped against her temple as she smirked faintly.

"Kind of broken up here."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

He quirked an eyebrow. She did seem a bit eccentic, maybe as well as looking odd, she was a bit skewed in the head.

"I see."

He glanced back towards the bar, nodding towards it.

"You think a drink would help straighten your mind out?"

Maybe some alcohol would get her to shut up, what a brilliant idea!

[Emily Rochette]

Her tongue poked out as she started dropping back into her usual self, although remained settled.

"I don't like the taste.. Burns.."

She could hear the irritation in his voice, and bowed her head to look at her hands, as if being scolded.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Damn. That was that plan down the drain.

"What about food?"

[Emily Rochette]

"...Why? Just a few moments ago, you would have rather torn me into a million pieces."

Her eyes looked up at him, although her head stayed down.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"I'm bored. I have all night with nothing to do. If you aren't going to fight me, then you can at least indulge me with some conversation," he said through a yawn.

"Ok?"

[Emily Rochette]

Toying with the idea for a moment, she nodded a bit and lifted her head with an innocent smile.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"Ok. Just don't talk too much, I don't need your life story, just something to pass the time," he said as he canted his head down towards her questionningly before whirling back around.

It was only a short walk into one of the bars - which seemed totally generic - and as he stepped in he was greeted by a haze of smoke and the stench of alcohol. Yum. Smirking, he strode through the varied crowd to one of the tables, with the girl in tow, and took a seat.

"So, tell me what you are. You don't look normal, therefore I assume you are some... alien species."

[Emily Rochette]

"I wouldn't know."

Her voice was low and heavy as she pulled her knees up to hug them.

"I don't know my age, my race, my past. Anything."

A forced laugh left her mouth as she closed her eyes.

"I just know that I've been around more years than double your age."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"Curious."

He regarded her, studying the markings on her face.

"Do you have a name?"

[Emily Rochette]

"Emily-.. I doubt it's my birth name, though."

Shrugging, she leaned her chin on her knees and stared across the table at the man.

"And you?"

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"Van-Derveld. Vega Van-Derveld."

A tender approached and he ordered himself a JD, gesturing towards the girl to allow her to do the same.

[Emily Rochette]

Shaking her head to single that she didn't want anything, she let her feet slip to the floor and looked up at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry about earlier."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"Yeah, I suppose I shouldn't jump at the chance to kill people so quickly either, hmm?" he replied, inspecting his nails with great interest.

[Emily Rochette]

Frowning for a bit, she closed her eyes and yawned, leaning back for a moment before being reminded of her injury. She whispered a small "ow" under her breath and leaned against the table with her elbows.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"Ah, sorry about that. Didn't mean to break you, just wanted to get the message that-"

He cut himself off, "Nevermind. Tell me about why you were killing that man, hmm?"

[Emily Rochette]

"I will, but... Tell me what you were going to say."

Smirking lightly, Emily looked at him with renewed curiousity.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"That I didn't like being assaulted or spoken to like a child," he said as he leant back in his chair.

"Now, killing, why?"

[Emily Rochette]

"Just as I said. He was rotting from the inside out."

Her head bowed as she scratched at the table.

"You could see it in his eyes. He was dead already, just needed a little push in the right direction"

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"So you kill lots of people because you believe their lives are not adequate?"

[Emily Rochette]

"No.."

Emily stared across the table, her chin leaning against her palms.

"I kill those I know want to die. If not for that, then I kill for life. I don't see how it differs from killing off hordes of cattle."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"Fair thesis."

He pondered.

"Do you know what the Force is?"

[Emily Rochette]

Though she'd never learned how one uses it, Emily had heard a great deal about the Force. Or, at least, a great deal in her mind.

"From what I understand, it's how you managed to break a wall using my back."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"That's right. Though you will find only half of the Force users around will do things like that you to, there are some who believe in using it to help people," he said, face turning like he had a bad taste in his mouth.

"They are the ones you need to kill."

[Emily Rochette]

Laughing quietly, Emily brushed a strand of midnight colored hair behind her ear and yawned.

"So, then, if you don't like helping people, then why try to help that little piece of nothing that I wiped out?"

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"I didn't try to help him," he replied, raising an eyebrow.

"I was hoping you might have been a strong Force user that I could fight with, and by saying something you'd give up on the drunk and come face me," Vega added, offhand.

[Emily Rochette]

"Sure, sure"

Giggling quietly, Emily curled back into her seat, bright eyes looking across the table.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"You know," he started before rising his drink, taking a sip.

"You act an awful lot like a darksider," he remarked, testing the water.

[Emily Rochette]

"Really, now?"

Intrigued, Emily leaned forward again to look at Vega, a thin eyebrow raised.

"How is that?"

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"You kill people, for one. Normally, people don't do that," he said as he smiled rather smugly.

"You don't have much regard for humanity, aside from your own, from what I've seen."

[Emily Rochette]

"I've seen plenty of people kill."

Living on the streets, Emily had grown up watching countless fights between drunks, pimps, and gangs. These scum were how she pictured the rest of the galaxy's life, as well.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"Well you must have lived a fairly sheltered life amongst low-lifes," he replied.

"I suppose it's shaped you into what you are now.. hmm?"

[Emily Rochette]

"Emily kills for food," she replied bluntly, her childish essence seeping back into her voice. It was true. It as much instinct for her to kill humans as any predator its prey. Emily gave a small shrug and looked at Vega, tilting her head as she watched him.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"Food? You eat your kills?"