Childlike Innocence (Open anything)

[Celeste Skyheart]

Celeste down the alleyway. There weren't many people on the street this time of night - most were inside, asleep, or out in bars or clubs. She liked to be outside at this time, when it was quiet and fairly peaceful.

Right now she was curled up next to a wall of a building, her guitar in her lap and a piece of paper and a pencil in her hand. She rubbed her finger against the pencil awhile, a habit she'd developed while she thought. Slowly she wrote,

And she looks at all around in childlike innocence
And he wonders how she can live that way
How can she be happy when only ignorance is bliss
And life's not all that it's cracked up to be

Not bad for a start, she thought. Quietly she strummed a few notes, then chords, humming softly.

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth had been walking down the street when he heard the sound of a guitar from a nearby alley

he walked into the alley and stood next to Celeste "hello."

[Celeste Skyheart]

Celeste glanced up at the man, her amethyst eyes looking him over. "Hello." She quickly scribbled something more down on her piece of paper.

Hope glimmered softly in her eyes
Light whispered in her step
He watches from the shadows
Unable to forget
The things he's seen, the things he's heard
The lies that weigh him down
The pain that will not go away
And keeps him darkness-bound

Once again she strummed a few notes. Not the right tune for this song. She decided. With a sigh she put her pick in between two of the strings and brushed aside a few strands of her white-blonde hair.

"My hobby," she said with a smile, gesturing at the paper and guitar. "I find it's easier to think at night, don't you?"

[Zereth Lancer]

"yes.....I like the night."

[Celeste Skyheart]

"I'm called Celeste." The girl held her hand out for Zereth to shake.

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth shook her hand "my name is Zereth Lancer nice to meet you"

he smile warmly.

[Celeste Skyheart]

Celeste returned the smile.

"So what brings you out on the street tonight Zereth?"

[Zereth Lancer]

"I was just wandering the streets something I do alot since i have nothing better to do with my life but wander this galaxy alone with no freinds no family"

Zereth said sadness in his eyes.

[Celeste Skyheart]

"That must be rough," Celeste said, her smile saddening. She remembered briefly her own father, who had died some years ago.. the only family she'd ever known.

"I would like you to be my friend." She said, her face completely open. "Would you like to be mine? You'd have someone to walk around with."

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth looked into her eyes with his blood red ones

" if you want to be my friend then id have to tell you more about me......Im a Sith."

[Celeste Skyheart]

"Hmm." Celeste nodded slowly, her gaze sad.

She sighed. Picking up her pencil, she scribbled a few more lines down while she thought. In what pale light the moons of this world gave off, she seemed even younger than she was, more a girl of fifteen than nineteen.

Finally she asked, simply, "Why?" looking back up at him. The lines of her song seemed to mirror the look in her eyes. Childlike innocence.

[Zereth Lancer]

"I just wanted you to know im a sith most people dont like me because of it....but if you dont mind ill be your friend"

Zereth said to Celeste.

[Celeste Skyheart]

Celeste smiled. "I don't mind. I need a friend, too."

The girl folded the piece of paper and put it in her pocket. "Do you have any hobbies, Zereth?"

[Zereth Lancer]

"well.....i dont really have any hobbies."

[Celeste Skyheart]

"Well that won't do." The girl strummed randomly on the guitar as she spoke. "Can you sing at all?"

[Zereth Lancer]

"not a note"

Zereth said planly to Celeste sitting down next to her on the ground

[Celeste Skyheart]

"Really?" Celeste said. "That's too bad." She strummed a little more. An idea suddenly struck her.

"Hey - can you play?" She gestured to the guitar.

[Zereth Lancer]

"a little bit" he said plainly

[Celeste Skyheart]

Celeste held the guitar out to him. "Let's hear."

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth picked up the quitar and started a sad song that seemed to change Zereth as he played.

[Celeste Skyheart]

Celeste listened to the song. It was so sad, but beautiful. Watching Zereth as he played, she noticed a change had seemed to come over him.
She felt an urge to sing to his music, but was afraid he'd stop playing, or that she would disrupt the beautiful song, so she only sat quietly and listened.

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth kept playing he could sence that Celeste wanted to sing along with his music

while he played he spoke to her "you can sing if you want it dosnt matter to me."

[Celeste Skyheart]

In response Celeste sang, softly at first. She sang of tears and sorrow, of regret, and vast loneliness. She continued on awhile, a little louder and more confident as she went; then her voice slowly faded away and she listened again to the guitar playing alone.

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth enjoyed her singing when she stoped he kept going for a few more minutes then stoped and just stared at Celeste for no reason he just felt like doing it.

[Celeste Skyheart]

Celeste looked back at him for a few minutes. Slowly she smiled. "That was wonderful," she said softly.

[Zereth Lancer]

"thank you Celeste" Zereth lowered his eyes no longer staring at hers

"Maybe i could start a music career someday......" he paused not knowing what to say.

[Celeste Skyheart]

"Maybe," she said. "You're definitely good enough."
They sat in silence few moments.
"Uhh.." Celeste said quietly. "How's... your life been?" She smiled slightly at her weak attempt at conversation.

[Zereth Lancer]

"my life has been a living nightmare i have no home no family no past to look back on all i have is the cloths on my back and a couple of credits in my pocket"

Zereth said with pain in his eyes that Celeste could clearly see.

[Celeste Skyheart]

She'd figured something like that. Suddenly and unexpectedly she took his hand.
"Well, not anymore. Now you've got a friend, too."
Celeste gave his hand a slight squeeze.
After a slight pause, she said, "Life is... rough." Understatement. "You've just got to hang in there, you know?"

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth squeezed her hand "yes i've been hanging on ever since i can remember and i and happy to have you as a freind" he gave her a warm smile something Zereth didnt do very often.

[Celeste Skyheart]

Celeste smiled back.
"It's getting late," she said finally. "I should go." It was plain she was reluctant to.

[Zereth Lancer]

"yes it is late" Zereth cheched his watch "nearly midnight."