If I Could Fall In Love [D. Belargic]

[Sway]

When I was young
I fell in love
She was a goddess
With a world inside of her mind
When she moved on
Something went wrong
She took my power
And the love I had inside
Now that I found you
I don't know how to

If I could fall
In love again
I'd fall in love with you

If I could change
A grain of sand
Into a pearl I would

I pray in time
I'll come to find
Away to break through
And save this heart of mine
You've waited long
If you can't hold on
I wouldn't blame you
I don't think I'd be that strong
What am I to do
If I can't have you

If I could fall
In love again
I'd fall in love with you

If I could change
A grain of sand
Into a pearl I would

You love me so
Even though I don't know
How do you deal
With a man like me

If I could fall
In love again
I'd fall in love with you

If I could change
A grain of sand
Into a pearl I would
I would, I would, I would
-----

"25 499 996 ... 25 499 997 ... 25 499 998 ... 25 499 999 ... 25 500 000.

"Happy ?" Sway turned to the main leader, the man sitting in the chair behind the desk.

Behind him, was two other guards, three, with the one counting the bag of money. Sway was alone, she left the other members behind. She didn't want them to get involved into the cruel financial system, especially because they might do something foolish and lose their lives. With her arms crossed and her black gently wavy hair tied up loosely, she wore her usual attire of a white tank top, a jeans blazer and black leather pants along with orange tinted shades, covering up the forest green of her eyes. She tapped her foot on the floor, wondering why was he smiling. It annoyed her, but then again, everything annoyed her.

He scoffed as he stood up, leaning on the desk, on his palms. "Ryder, you still owe me another 20 000 000 credits."

Sway's face immediately changed into anger. She approached the table and slammed her palm between his. "What ?! You said last time that I only owed you--"

"You misundertood me then, sweetie." He turned to his guards. "Men."

The men grinned as wide as he did as they approached her. She stepped back, putting her hand behind her to take out her gun, but two of them had already trapped her arms. The last one signaled for them to take her outside, and they did. She kicked and yelled and cursed but couldn't seem to get out of their grip. They were two to hold her down, it wasn't fair, she thought to herself. As soon as they were outside, under the rainy night, the one that guided them outside the building turned and punched her in the face. She let out a groan of pain.

"<smallfont color={hovercolor}>-Censored-</smallfont>in' bastards ..."

[Dasquian Belargic]

“That’ll teach you, bitch!”

In the thick shadows of the alleyway, another sound like a shovel hitting wet cement resounded as one of the guards took out his frustration on Sway. One by one they continued to jeer and snort as all of their anger from their low-life jobs was about to be channelled out into the petite brunette.

Outside of the alleyway, just a few yards away, a Jedi Knight walked. He was just finishing his evening patrol of downtown Coruscant, before heading back to the Jedi Temple. Dasquian, a Council Member, walked with a certain carriage that seemed to compel even the worst of criminals to cease their actions and instantly turn over a new leaf. Tonight had been no different, and thus far he had apprehended numerous felons within the rougher areas of the city.

At this moment, he could sense that his evening wasn’t over yet. The Force told him otherwise.

He rounded the corner into a dark alleyway, and caught a noise that sounded like a whimper. Violet eyes narrowing, he fixed on some shapes that stood out in the black, and frowned. A simple gesture to his wrist and an orange blade coursed to life, lighting the majority of the thin corridor. At the far end of the alley, beside a door, three men had a young girl held against the wall.

“I suggest you unhand her.”

A gun was pulled out from its holster and trained on the Jedi Knight, though its owner instantly found the weapon being pulled away into the hands of the fair-haired man staring towards him.

“Now.”

[Sway]

Sway's forest green eyes turned to the stranger, an orange glow surrounding him. That glow came from the lightsaber, and by his words, Sway concluded that he was a Jedi. Even Jedis won't be very happy if they found out what kind of work she did. Taking advantage of the fact that the guards' attention was on the stranger, she dug her fingers into the two men holding her against the wall's shoulders and lifted her feet in the air, kicking the third up the chin. She then put her hands back down, crossing her arms in an X over her stomach, to pull out the two silver guns in her pants that she was unable to take out earlier. She charged them up with a swift shake at the handle and pointed the two weapons up the men's chin without turning around.

"Little <smallfont color={hovercolor}>-Censored-</smallfont>ers ..." She muttered, spitting a bit of blood on the wet ground.

She slowly turned, without taking off her weapons from the men that beat her. The corner of her eyes fell on the Jedi, studying his features quickly. "It's not smart for someone like you to wander around here."

[Dasquian Belargic]

There would be no favouritism here – Dasquian waved Sway’s hands down to the ground, so that the muzzles of her pistols faced the floor. The lightsider paced forwards, lowering his saber to his side. He moved with an air of confidence, calm with the situation.

“If you are attacked, use equal force to fend off your attacker. Once you have gotten out of their reach, make sure you report the incident to your local police.”

The beam he held shifted upwards for a moment, just long enough for Dasquian to take in the girls features, and for her to do the same when looking at him, before it coursed back down into its hilt with a crackle.

“I suggest you go home. Coruscant at night is not a welcoming place, as I have no doubt you already know.”

He paused, clearing his throat.

“If you require a bodyguard back to your residence…”

[Sway]

Sway lifted her hands back up to push back the Jedi. "I don't need you, your help or your guidance, Jedi." She then muttered.

At the glow of his lightsaber, the man's facial features were easier to see. Indeed, he wasn't an ugly man. She licked her lower lip to chase away the disgusting taste of blood, her eyes not leaving him. She uncharged her guns and put them back from where she took them. She ran her hand up to her slightly bruised cheek, stroking it softly, gazing at the man. She wasn't one to let her guard down.

[Dasquian Belargic]

His eyes narrowed somewhat. One hand lifted and came to hover a little distance from the girl’s cheek. Warmth suddenly enveloped her skin, causing her to shy away, though it was soon clear that he was not attempting to hurt her, but instead heal her wounds. Within a matter of seconds the bruise on her cheek was gone and the damaged tissue in her jaw and mouth was knitted back into its rightful state.

“I’ll take that as a no.”

Dasquian smiled in the darkness and gave a brief nod.

“… Take care, and may the Force be with you.”

This said, the Jedi pushed his saber down into its holster, turned, and began to pace away. His mind expanded backwards, watching and anticipating further moves from the girl, should she make any.

[Sway]

Sway's arched her eyesbrows, confused. She then sighed and lifted a hand towards the Jedi, her other hand going up to her forehead as she grunted discreetly.

"... Wait."

She approached the man, the lifted hand gently resting on his shoulder. She didn't like receiving help from people, but she hated treating badly people that were nice to her. She walked up slowly to his side, another sigh escaping her mouth.

"I guess I could use an escort back home ..."

[Dasquian Belargic]

“I thought so.”

Dasquian motioned a hand ahead, folding the other behind his back.

“Lead the way, Miss…”

The last word slipped at the end, volume dropping. It was a not so subtle way of asking exactly whom he was helping this evening.

[Sway]

Though the last word slipped, Sway replied anyways. " .. Ryder. Sway Ryder."

With a name like that, it was obvious that it wasn't her real name, but she didn't really care. About nothing. She turned her head towards the Jedi.

"What about you ? What's your name ?"She asked.

[Dasquian Belargic]

“Dasquian Belargic, Jedi Knight.”

He smiled.

“Sway… that’s an interesting name. If you don’t mind my asking, what profession do you work in?”

[Sway]

"Pharmaceutics." Sway answered instantly, forcing a little smile of her own.

He smiled. A tingle. She ran her hand over her forehead to shake off the feeling. Ahead, suddendly, was a herd of lights. It blinded her for a moment, confused but then she quickly realized that they were motorcycle lights, and the ones riding those motorcycles ... She grabbed Dasquian's hand and pulled him into an alley, where she pinned him against the wall before her hand quickly rested on his mouth. She shushed softly, moving in closer to him so they'd go by unnoticed, but her green eyes were fixed on the riders. She leaned her head up besides his to whisper in his ear.

"You don't want to know." She simply said with a hint of sarcasm to hide her sadness, her fear, her paranoia.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Once he had eased Sway back from him, Dasquian instantly placed foot over foot and bent his head around the corner of the alleyway to try and spy the riders as they retreated. His violet eyes narrowed as a frown creased his brow.

“… Were they with the men who were attacking you?” he whispered.

[Sway]

Sway gently trailed her fingertips down Dasquian's lips and chin. A sigh escaped her mouth, as she closed her eyes and nodded, her glossy lips frowning. For the first time in a few months, she felt guilty again, almost ashamed that she had gotten herself in too deep.

"Yes ..." She murmured. "They want me dead."

[Dasquian Belargic]

Dasquian looked down for a moment at the hand touching his face, before gently pushing it away with his palm. What would a gang of motorcycle-riding thugs want with a Pharmaceuticals vender? The Jedi could see no reason for them to be chasing her.

“… I think perhaps there are things you are not telling me, things which would dispel this confusion I am feeling.”

[Sway]

"You are a stranger, Sir Belargic. You can't expect me to give you answers and make your confusion go away that easily."

Sway stepped back from the Jedi, running her hand through her hair, almost nervously. He was after all, a stranger, and her, a pro at keeping secrets. She rotated her neck and took a sneak peek, discovering that the other riders were gone. "Well, what do you say we keep on going ? I don't live very far from here."

[Dasquian Belargic]

“A stranger I may be, but in this situation perhaps it would be wise to trust me. After all, don’t imagine those men will simply give up…”

Arms folding behind his back, he began to walk with Sway as she carried on towards her home.

“… Do you need any form of protection from them in the future?”

[Sway]

"I need protection for life, stranger. But no one can give it to me, so .."

Sway shrugged her shoulders, she knew very well that her life was in constant risk, but she seemed to have grown used to it. She never really bothered to see if that was a good or a bad thing.

"I manage." She offered a forced smile.

[Dasquian Belargic]

“That is a terribly reckless way to live.”

Dasquian frowned, then mulled over something. As a Jedi he lived a similar life. He was pitted against the greatest forces of the galaxy every day and was the last stand between good and evil. All that separated him and the death of millions was a lightsaber and a small array of Force powers. What put him above the average being in this situation were, of course, the Force and the support he received from those scores of others in his Order.

“… Would you not like to live a safer life? A more stable one?”

[Sway]

"Doesn't everyone ?"

Sway kept her answers vague, a little hint of confusion in them. She couldn't help it, that was just the way it was with her. The Jedi seemed to have led a life similar to hers, just like every other Jedi in this galaxy. But this one, there was something else in his eyes that bothered him. As he frowned, she lifted her finger and pushed up his chin slightly, retrieving her hand right after since she was unsure if he liked to be touched or not.

"Now, now, let's turn that frown upside down." She talked with obvious sarcasm in her voice, attempting to cheer him up a little.

[Dasquian Belargic]

A smile tried to urge onto his lips, though he held it back.

It’s hard to smile when there is so much wrong with this galaxy, he thought.

On second thoughts perhaps it would reassure her of his good intentions. Dasquian offered a smile. It was the kind that, though comforting, suggested that it could vanish as quickly as it had come. This same persona surrounded the Jedi a lot of the time, giving the impression that though his intents were just and good he would not hesitate to defend innocence … at whatever cost.

“If I may say so, I think you underestimate the danger you could be in… if you would truly like to change, then the Jedi can offer a safe home for you.”

[Sway]

A giggle escaped her mouth as he smiled. A sincere one.

Sway thought it would be over once he smiled, but realized quickly enough that he wasn't the type to do so. A real Jedi Knight, he was. "I'm not good enough for the Jedi, Dasquian." She said with an almost sad tone.

"I'll never be."

[Dasquian Belargic]

“Everyone is good enough, no matter what background they may have.”

Dasquian’s expression became a deal more sincere now.

“… I can’t force you into anything of course, but if you do change your mind on the matter, the Jedi temple – as I’m sure you know – is in Coruscant city centre.”

[Sway]

"I do. I avoid that place."

The stopped in front of a metal steel door, leading to an underground lair. She sighed and looked over at Dasquian.

"You don't know me, Dasquian."

[Dasquian Belargic]

Seeing that Sway had, presumably, found her home, Dasquian nodded.

“That I do not. My apologies if I have offended.”

He bowed his head for a moment.

“… Now, it appears you are home, safely, as promised, I’ll leave you to your rest.”

Dasquian bowed formally then turned and began to pace away.

[Sway]

"Uh, wait, Dasquian !" Sway cried out.

She marched quickly, catching up with him. She put her hand on his shoulder as he turned around to face her, a smile drawing on her glossy lips. She leaned in and kissed his cheek, at the corner of his lips.

"Thank you." She murmured, before walking off back home, watching him over her shoulder, at the corner of her eyes.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Dasquian blinked, then smirked, and finally smiled before turning and carrying on back home to the Jedi temple…

[FIN]