Fate Decides

[Carsey Eviness]

Never once, when imagining his future, had Carsey Eviness pictured this. The teen had never been so cold in his life, and he’d resorted to cuddling up next to a kitchen vent, outside a seedy pub. The minimal heat it provided wasn’t enough to warm him, but it was enough to keep him from becoming a frozen corpse. The dredges of Coruscant weren’t kind to the street people. And the mortality rate of those under legal adulthood was on the rise. Carsey was doing everything he could to keep his name off that list.

His father had been an honest man, poor but honest, and he’d told Carsey, “All a man has is his name. Screws that up, he ain’ got nothin’.” But his father had never been in his own position. He’d never had to pick through dumpsters to find food, be it spoiled or not. And he’d never had to beg, for a job, for credits, for help. No, Carsey reckoned that even his father would have broken under his trials.

“Have you heard about the big strong man? He lived in a caravan. Have you heard about the Jeffrey Johnson fight? Oh, Lord what a hell of a fight…”

There wasn’t much else to do on nights like these, nights where you were either to sore or too weak to move. Carsey had taken to singing old songs from his youth. His voice was strained and barely above a whisper, all he could muster. His eyelids fluttered, heavy with anemic sleep.

“You can take all the heavy….weights you go….we got a…got a lad that can beat the whole lot…”

When he awoke, feeling sick, Carsey had trouble moving. His legs were quivery, his upper body nearly useless in helping him rise. Even his gums hurt, and he kept his teeth apart, not wanting to draw out the tender thrills of pain from surface touching surface.

“I need food.”

There was no one around; he’d taken to voicing his thoughts aloud. The boy flipped his hair back from his face, greasy, dirty hair. There was a smell about him, an awful sour smell that told the tale of his life, his lack of washing. Carsey had long grown used to it, as had the other wrecks down in his part of town.

The boy stumbled quickly out of the alley that had been his room for the night, stiff jointed from the cold and his held position. Even down here, in the lower levels, it was crowded. But there weren’t many socialites in this area, and they made the best targets.

“Have to make due. Need food.”

Walking aimlessly, Carsey began to bump into people, grabbing at what he could from inside their coats and pockets. From his view he was clumsy, but none of the passerby’s felt his nimble fingers. Disgrace filled him as he ducked behind a dumpster to count his newly acquired possessions.

“Man ain’ got nothin’ but his name. Screws that up he ain’ got nothin’. I ain’ got nothin’.”

[Faith Lerf]

As Faith walked along the crowded sidewalk in a smaller, more trashy part of Corusant, she was bumped into. She looked up at a boy, who seemed around her own age. Faith nodded and smiled to him. After passing, she reached into her robe pocket, so she could count what few credits she had left. When she reached in and found nothing she immediately knew what happened. She quickly turned around and saw the boy dart behind a dumpster. Being used to living on the street, this wasn't the first time this had happened to her, but this time, she wasn't going to let the boy get away with it, if she could help it. She turned and dashed after him. Yelling at him. "That's my dinner money! Hey you jerk! Come back here!"

[Carsey Eviness]

As Faith turned the corner, she was met with a steel pipe. Carsey stood there gripping the makeshift weapon, eyes frantic. Days with little and bad sleep had taken it’s toll on the young man and there was a wild glint in his eyes.

“Don’t. I don’t want to hurt ya, but I will. Don’t.”

He began to back away slowly, knowing that this alleyway went straight through to another street, without a block off. His knuckles were white around the bar, holding it so tightly was he.

“And don’t follow me. If you follow me I’ll hurt ya.”

[Faith Lerf]

Faith stops as she meets with a steel pipe, stumbling backwards a couple steps. Her eyes became cold. "You piece'a bantha fodder! How many credits did you take? You can't give me my few back so I can eat as well?!" She takes a step foward, but still not getting to close.

[Carsey Eviness]

Carsey swung the pipe experimentally, not trying to hit Faith—yet.

“Don’t move any farther. Mean it, kid.”

He put one hand over his pocket protectively, where his assortment of cred chits and valuables were held.

“I really don’t want to knock you.”

[Faith Lerf]

Faith takes a small step back, assuring the boy that she wasn't going to make an attack or anything. "Who are you calling a kid? You're just about my age! All I want is my few miessly credits back so I can eat today as well, I don't want to go hungry either. You won't have to knock me, I won't do anything, really. All I want is to eat today." She says while holding her hands up in the air to show no harm.

[Carsey Eviness]

“You may be my age but I’m much older than you’ll ever be, kid.”

Carsey was moving backwards again, brandishing the pipe with a touch of fondness. He liked the feel of the cool steel, liked how it fit in his hand just so.

“All you want is to eat today? Yeah so did I, yesterday, and the day before and the day before. Right about now,”

He glanced at the pipe and back at Faith.

“I’m pretty desperate. Desperate people do desperate things. I’d suggest you turn tail and run. Go home, go to the Watch, whatever. But don’t move forward another step. I will hit you.”

[Faith Lerf]

Faith stands her ground, not moving foward or backward. She wasn't going to let this boy scare her. She scoffs lightly as he comments on her age, I guess he feels he's the only one who has gone through rough times. "Fine, keep the credits. I'll be able to make more doing some work. When you are hungry tomorrow and the next day remember this, I will be eating because I changed my life. I was able to get out of the desperation you are in."

[Carsey Eviness]

That made him angry. Snarling, Carsey took a step forward, raising the pipe threateningly.

“Listen Girly, don’t talk about my life as if you know it. This place, you don’t get out of. It’s the bottom line, the end of the road. You live it as best you can until you die.”

He jutted his chin up, defiant and arrogant.

“You want to give lectures, go to city hall. The upper-level folk like to hear about it. Makes them feel charitable.”

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

*Natia had been a slight way behind Faith, wanting to keep an eye on her sister when she saw the little encounter between her and Carsey. She approaches quietly, behind Faith, using the Force to hide herself in shadows so that no one can see her or her owl who is perched on a walking stick in her hand. She is a fourteen year old girl, who holds herself as if she is 30 years old. As if she has seen far to many evils in the world. She has, especially for someone her age. When she's standing beside Faith, she drops the shadows, making it look as if she just appeared out of nowhere. Dressed in a blue dress with a darker blue cloak. A darker blue belt is at her waist, holding her lightsaber to her side*

**Poledra, the snow owl, stretches her wings as the shadow drops from around her and Natia and hoots loudly**

You will not be hitting my sister. In fact, you will return her credits to her, and I will give you a hundred credits in return.

But if you don't return the credits, or you do hit my sister, you will not be happy and you will wish that the Watch dealt with you instead.

My sister has not had a good life. Neither have I. So don't worry one bit. You aren't the only one in the boat and you can get out of the rut you're in.

[Carsey Eviness]

He jumped.

“Frell me, you just popped up, didn’t you?”

Carsey looked at Natia with a quizzical gaze and the tightened his grip on his weapon. Her offer was enticing but there was something about it that was lacking. Carsey, when he lifted something off a person, developed a strange attachment to it. He wouldn’t give the credits up easily.

“Well jack-in-the-box, here’s what you can do with your credits.”

He spit on the ground.

“Frell ‘em. I’ve got mine, you’ve got yours. You don’t belong down here. Ge’ out.”

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

*Natia smiles, going to just play on what Carsey said about her popping up. She is a nice person, but she does have a mean streak in her*

Yes, I did just pop up. And I can more then just that. I can do alot more.

If one hundred credits isn't enough, then I offer you two hundred credits as well as a place to stay for a month. But you must return my sisters credits to her in order for you to get the two hundred credits and the place to stay for a month.

*Natia is first going to try peaceful methods in getting what she wants, but she will use force if necessary*

[Carsey Eviness]

“Are you deaf?”

He was half-serious as he asked the question. The proposal that she’d procured was probably the best that Carsey had ever had. But he would not take it. He would not submit this time. No, this time he would stand his ground, and avoid humiliation.

“I said you don’t belong here. Anyone else found you, you’d be dead. Us dungeon dwellers don’t like surfacers. Ge’ out.”

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

*Natia looses the smile that was on her face. She is not concerned about her safety. She has been down here often enough that she has no problems. And while Faith is with her, Faith will have no problems*

No, I am not deaf. I am thankful my Father never got around to tampering with my hearing like he did the rest of me.

I do belong here. And I am not a surfacer. If anyone does find me, I won't be dead. Because I can just disappear anytime I chose to.

*Natia, to impress on Carsey, uses the Force to pull the shadows around herself and her owl again. While in the shadows, she walks over to beside Carsey, her one hand resting on her lightsaber, while her other keeps hold of her walking stick. When beside Carsey, she drops the shadows, and her expressionless face is just staring at him*

I have no fear of what might happen to me here.

*Natia uses the Force to grip Carseys pipe, so that he can not swing it at her, or her sister*

**Poledra spreads her wings and leaps into the air and circles above the group**

I give you one more chance to return my sisters credits to her, before I do something to you. If you return her credits, you will get two hundred credits and a place to stay for a month, free of charge.

[Carsey Eviness]

Again she popped up from out of nowhere. Carsey was beginning to suspect he was delusional. Staring hard at Natia, the young man grit his teeth and put a hand in his pocket. IT emerged, clasped around a few credits.

“You wan’ ‘em? Fine.”

Arching his arm back, Carse tossed the creds as far as he could. A distant clattering as they hit the ground was all that was heard. He turned back to Natia, a smirk on his face.

“Frell your offer. And frell you. You don’t belong here.”

He shouldered by the girl, shoving her roughly.

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

*Natia nods her head and uses the Force to grab the credits before they hit the ground, but she doesn't bring them back. But as her focus is diverted from the credits, she loses her grip on them and the clatter to the ground. A look up Pol sends the owl flying off in the direction which the credits where thrown in*

Thank-you young man.

*Natia digs into her pocket and pulls out a credit pouch and tosses it at Carsey*

There should be enough in there to cover expenses for a hotel room for a month and the two hundred credits I said I'd give you.

*Natia uses her walking stick to steady herself*

I belong where I chose to belong. And you belong where you chose to as well.

[Carsey Eviness]

He didn’t reach to grab the cred pouch. It hit his back, and he smiled as it clunked on the ground. Madness, it was pure madness not to grab them. Or pure pride.

“Bugger off. I said I didn’t want your money.”

Carsey licked his dry lips.

I belong where I chose to belong. And you belong where you chose to as well.

He laughed bitterly.

“You’ve got a lot to learn little girl. We belong where they put us. No arguments.”

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

I used to believe that pal, but over the years I learned that we belong where we chose to. Not where others put us. If others put us somewhere, then we are put there with our consent.

And I'm far from being a little girl. I never have been a little girl, though I desparetly want to be one.

[Carsey Eviness]

He huffed, shook his head, and began to walk away.

“I’ve had about enough of this.”

Carsey turned one last time, obvious dislike on his face.

“Don’t trip on your way up.”

OOC: Good show :)

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

*Natia reaches with one hand, and uses the Force to call the credit pouch to her hand and then tucks it away*

I won't trip on my way out.


OOC: Thanx

[Faith Lerf]

Faith looks to her sister, a slight smile comes to her face.
"Thanks." She mumbles as she watches the boy leave. She shakes her head. "I guess there is no way to get through to him, he must understand only he can change himself." She sighs.

[imported_Natia Telcontar]

*Natia nods her head slightly*

You can only change if you wish to. Not because somebody else wants you to.

And not a problem.

[Faith Lerf]

Faith nods, she only wishes she could have gotten through to him. It was a shame for a life to go to waste like that, she knew there was much more she could be doing. If she could do it, then anyway could do it, who really wanted to anyway.
"Well, now what?" She looks to her sister.