Sweet Misery

[Fauna Sang]

Fauna Sang strolled absently down the desolate road, the triple moons of the planet glowing with translucent halos in the night sky. A thin cloak hung over her shoulders, exposing only a bit of jade skin clothed in a tattered, grey-lavender dress. A chain was draped around her hips, a silver saber swinging from it. Her senses thrummed with reckless energy, muscles poised for use.

"Mon Dieu... Where the frell is everyone?" She muttered to herself, looking up to the clouded sky.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

A hand slipped over the Falleen’s eyes, whilst an arm curled around her midsection.

“Guess who.”

[Fauna Sang]

A sudden shudder ran down her spine as Fauna pulled away, turning to see her ex-husband. She could feel her stomach knot, a wall shooting up around her mind. She didn't want to see anyone from her past life, especially Vega. Letting out a slow breath, she frowned lightly.

"I think you have me confused with someone else, sir."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“No, no… I wouldn’t be so gauche as to do that,” he replied with an insincere smile.

“That scar over your face… your force signature – come on, Gitane. I consider myself to have been close enough to you to be able to tell you apart from any other green-skinned strumpets I might come across.”

[Fauna Sang]

Well, it had been worth a shot.

Fauna sighed and pushed the hood of her cloak back, before placing her hands on her hips. Her voice was low, her pale eyes narrowed and refusing to settle on something.

"What do you want, Vega?"

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Mimicking her, he placed his hands onto his hips, and stared down through the dull light at his former lover.

“To know why you’re trying to hide yourself. What exactly is there to hide from? Isn’t your life with Elena,” he said, spitting his clone name out, “good enough for you?”

[Fauna Sang]

"I don't belong with her anymore. I don't fit into her world," her voice grew considerable softer as she turned her face away, staring at one of the buildings.

"She and your father are against the Force. I can't stop myself from using it.. So I replaced myself with a clone." She didn't know why she was admitting this to Vega. Since they had parted, she'd only once seen him, and the meeting hadn't held a terribly 'light' mood.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“How considerate of you.”

He smirked and folded his arms over his chest now, he canting somewhat. In his mind he mulled over what she had said; it sounded as though Elena and Diego were working together. If so, they must have been up to something.

“So – what do you intend to do with yourself now that you’re free from her?”

[Fauna Sang]

"Not a clue," Her mind's wall slipped away as she forced out a soft laugh, looking back at him.

"I've been drifting..Left perhaps too abruptly. I didn't really have anything planned beyond leaving." She shrugged, returning to an old habit of chewing on her lip.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

The absence of her mental guard became immediately clear. In their time together they had connected strongly, and things such as this had become habitual to notice for Vega. The Lupine had very little to hide, so let his mind become indiscreet too.

“You were thankful enough to leave a little present behind for me though, weren’t you?”

[Fauna Sang]

"What..?" Her brow arched as Fauna looked over to Vega curiously, her head tilting to the side.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

He rolled his eyes.

“You remember… female, violet hair, pale, lithe, has an unhealthy obsession with me, goes by the name of Morrigan.”

[Fauna Sang]

"She came to you?" A frown grew across her face, the scar surrounding most of her left arm tingling in memory of the attack by her daughter.

"I didn't mean for her to go to you, Vega. ..And what do you mean by unhealthy obsession?" That part really had caught her off guard. She'd taught Morrigan to be loyal, but not obsessed.. Or worse.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“In a nut shell, she loves me. I’d blame it on the fact that she’s a mesh of not only Thanatos but you too, but that doesn’t matter really…”

His voice trailed away and he shrugged.

“…Clingy.”

[Fauna Sang]

"She's a mesh of Thanatos and Galatea, not me.." She cursed under her breath, pressing a hand absently to her forehead. How did Morrigan pick up her love?

"Vega, I didn't plan for that. I swear. I had her created before I died." A shudder ran down her spine again in a disgusted idea of Morrigan loving Vega.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“What are you apologizing to me for? I’m surprised you can even handle talking to me without feeling repulsed,”

Turning on his heel, he looked up at the three moons and wrinkled his nose somewhat.

[Fauna Sang]

"Hey, time heals everything," she responded absently, her mind still working over how her love for the man could have been carried on by the girl.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“Apparently not,” he said as he tilted his head back to look at her, tapping the scar over the bridge of his nose before motioning to her ‘X’ shaped blemish.

Looking back away, he ruffled his hair partially with one hand.

“… So you don’t hate me?”

[Fauna Sang]

"Guess not." Her arms folded loosely as she looked toward the ground. She closed her eyes, her lips tracing across her lips. "But.. What difference would it make?" Her tone had gone quickly from light to rather glum, despite her attempts to stop it.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“You tell me,” he said, an almost sordid tone in his voice.

[Fauna Sang]

Not as much of a difference as I'd like.. Fauna thought, blocking her mind for a moment. "Well.. We've managed to keep up a conversation." She said, her lips forcing into a small smile as she looked over at him.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“Bravo, us.”

With a bit of a yawn, he lowered himself down into a crouch, and began to fiddle with the laces on his boots, still facing away towards the moons.

“Well I’ve heard lovers can make amends and be acquaintances, so I don’t see why not.”

[Fauna Sang]

"Imagine that."

Fauna looked toward Vega, her head tilting to the side.

"So how's Daiquri?" She asked, her voice soft.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Standing back up, he pushed his hands into his pockets and nodded slightly.

“She’s good. Pregnant, infact,” he said with a slight laugh.

[Fauna Sang]

A smirk grew across her lips as she looked up at the sky. "I'm not sure that's the best way to describe being pregnant."

She turned back around to face the Lupine. "I'm glad things have worked out for you, though."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“Mhmmm…”

Inhaling and brushing his forearms with his palms, he glanced about for a moment.

“You know, though I really do like lurking about in the shadows at night, I’d really prefer to talk somewhere more hospitable.”

[Fauna Sang]

"I somehow doubt this city's going to be much help for that." She pulled a face, looking around at the street of darkened buildings. "I think they have a 7 o' clock bedtime for the entire planet, in fact."

Fauna shrugged. "Any other ideas?"

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“Do I look like a walking map?”

With a frown he looked around as Gitane had done, and so no place was open.

“… Red Dwarf is planet-side?” Vega said with a bit of hesitancy, throwing the idea out.

[Fauna Sang]

"Not sure.." She shrugged again, her hands folding behind her back. "Wherever's fine."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

He gave a bit of a groan at her flippancy and mentally questioned why he was even bothering before beginning to walk off towards where he had landed the ship.

“…I see you’re as dismissive as ever.”

[Fauna Sang]

"Vega!" She called after him, before taking a few quick strides forward to catch up with the Dark Lord. "Stop, okay?" Her hand reached out to grab his arm.

"I don't know this system. I just landed hear because I needed some repairs done. So how should I know what's around here?"

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“I shouldn’t even be talking to you,” he muttered. In his mind, his opinion swung a full 180 degrees.

“Look... just go. I’m not one for small talk or awkward silences, so go. Before I change my mind and do something rash.”

[Fauna Sang]

"Shouldn't even be talking to me?" Fauna let her hand drop, her mind swirling in confusion.

"I'm not going, Vega. Especially not before you explain what you mean."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

The Darkside centipede had been what had influenced the sudden change. It reminded him of his dedication to Daiquiri, and how his exploits with Morrigan had ‘rocked the boat’. It couldn’t happen again, the insect explained, or else Vega might loose the woman and become distraught; the only thing that would come of that was emotional weakness, something the parasite could not abide by.

He continued on walking, more determined.

“You are no comrade of mine; I have no obligation to speak with you.”

[Fauna Sang]

"Dammit, Vega!" She kept walking after him. Her mind shoved into his before he had the chance to stop it, searching for answers. After a minute, she sighed and let her thoughts snap back. "Come, now. The woman managed to claim you from me. And believe it or not, I have no plan to ruin that."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

The insect concluded after a moment of silence this was true, that she had a low chance of regaining him, however licentious he might be. The sudden intrusion of his mind, however, it did not like, and it sent a shudder of pain through his body as a result, due to which he twitched.

“… I still don’t think Daiquiri would approve,” he said, in part to Gitane, but also in part to the centipede.

[Fauna Sang]

The flinch caught Fauna's attention, and she slowly began to realise that things were suddenly different. "What's wrong, Vega? Just a few minutes ago, you were suggesting we both go somewhere else to talk. And now you're treating me like I'm trying to kill you."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Mentally, he fought with the symbiotic entity for control, which he quickly regained though was again shocked because of it. One hand clenched over his temple as he winched, breathing in sharply through clenched teeth. With a shake of his head he looked back to Gitane.

“She doesn’t like you… if you come she’ll think I’m… deceiving her.”

[Fauna Sang]

"She barely knows me!" She took a step toward him, her eyes narrowed as she stared at him.

"Besides, who said we were going anywhere near your home?"

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“She doesn’t need to know you to know that I was in love with you, and that you created this… thing that ticks her off beyond belief!... and it wouldn’t matter where we were, we can sense each other. She could sense I was with you,” he said all in one, slightly flustered.

[Fauna Sang]

"Where does you loving me in the past come into any of this?" She snapped, her fingers clenching at her sides. This argument was quickly growing tiresome.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“Maybe she doesn’t trust me!” he snarled, turning sharply to walk again.

[Fauna Sang]

"If she doesn't trust you, then she doesn't love you!" The words slipped from her mouth before she even realised it.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“I didn’t say she didn’t… it’s just… Imagine you were her!”

Brow knitting into a deep frown, he growled, “Dara or Athena, would you have wanted me socializing with either one of them knowing how I had felt about them?”

[Fauna Sang]

"Felt, Vega. Past tense. And I never kept you from socializing with either." She folded her arms across her chest.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“You aren’t like her,” he stated bluntly.

“You both have different ways of perceiving things…”

[Fauna Sang]

"Does that mean we're forbidden from even talking, then?"

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“… Maybe.”

A slight smirk tugged at his lips.

“Though I suppose there’s only one way to find out.”

[Fauna Sang]

"Oh?" Her brow arched as she let a hand drop to her left hip.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“Well… two really. The safe method of actually asking her, or the not-so safe method of just… turning up. I’m not sure I particularly like the second.”

[Fauna Sang]

"Do what you wish, Vega." She'd given up trying to figure out the man's mind by this point.

"Just know that while I may have lost you as a lover, I don't intend on giving up a possible friendship so easily."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

He made a thoughtful little noise and shrugged. For some reason, he felt incredibly infantile. Idly, he chewed the inside of his cheek and looked up again.

“… I don’t think you’d be very welcome really. Especially not with Morrigan there.”

[Fauna Sang]

Sighing, she hid the look of rejection tryng to form in her eyes. "..Fine." Fauna shrugged, turning around to start down the street.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Quietly, he hummed a tune to himself as he watched her pace away. Half of him felt guilty and longed to reconcile with his former apprentice, but the other half knew how this would jeopardize what he had with Daiquiri. With a sigh, he nodded to himself.

… If you’re ever in the neighbourhood…

[Fauna Sang]

..I'll drop by, some time. That is, if you aren't worried about your love hating you for it. She threw the thought at him, keeping a steady pace. Her eyes stung with tears, her hands clenching into tight fists.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Don’t be a stranger.

Pushing back his remorse, he turned and walked in the opposite direction towards Red Dwarf, to head back to Fascinataru.

[Fauna Sang]

Standing infront of her own, rented ship, she signed and sat on the dusty sidewalk. She didn't want things to be left so poorly again.

"Vega.."

Her fingers pressed against her temples as she stared at the road. After a moment, Fauna stood and climbed into the ship. She'd take him up on his words, soon enough.