THE VEINS OF THIS WORLD PULSED IN HARMONY ; it was felt , the force shuddered at whatever it touched … all was new , unknown, FRIGHTENING in its suspicious capabilities but she found as much excitement as she did hesitation , eyes alight with the magnitude of it all. to have such power would be ….. intoxicating , and not for one moment could she imagine it all , to craft with her hands when all they knew was DESTRUCTION.
Perhaps it had inadvertently drawn her here ?
The force had rippled a massive rift across the sky when she’d passed it , unbeknownst to the power it held , and its ultimate intent . It worked in mysterious ways ; it always had . Some manner of sentient decision making HAD to be embedded into the code of reality ….. Talon could sense that, it wanted more from her , anticipated MORE.
She too, wanted all the stars had to offer .
“ Well that is a delightful surprise. ”
With the abstract reality she now inhabited , it’d hardly seemed plausible that such a simple delight could be readily available — then again , he’d crafted stone , plant, and LIFE from his hands , what was a touch of pleasure amid the necessary & mundane ? She smiles , warming a bit to the idea that she’d spend some time here ….
It was peaceful , once given thought – so far from the jedi, & any bounty hunter worth his salt. She was wanted across any & every galaxy , and it’s begun to take its toll . Settling … calming … soothing ; her hand flexes , and pats the back of his gently once – contact with an otherworldly entity was frightening, but she wanted to extend what gratitude she could before absinthe surely stole it away.
“ I’ll take anything you’ve got .”
Her laugh thereafter was weak —– there’s not too much amusing about the situation she’d found herself in , and yet she insisted on pushing jokes through the very small fissure of her fear. She smiles at him, and gestures that they go forth into whatever room ( out of , realistic THOUSANDS ) , he kept his stores within.
“ Thank you , again . I cannot imagine this is a pleasant change of pace . I know I would prefer my isolation to be … isolated . Away . Empty.”
❝ WHAT CAN I say? I’m a man who prides himself on being full of surprises, ❞ says Ego, and it’s a more obviously truthful statement than he thinks he’s ever made before. In spite of the generally welcoming and outgoing image of himself he tends to project to the rest of the universe, he’s quite an enigmatic figure, ceaselessly internalizing even the most innocuous thoughts and plans that may happen to cross his mind. Naturally, such a secretive personality works to the advantage of one with a flair for the theatrical like Ego. The more he keeps to himself, the more he gets to put into a dramatic reveal. ❝ When you’ve lived by yourself for as long as I have, you get accustomed to keeping stuff to yourself. If there’s anything that slips my mind or I neglect to mention, feel free to ask. I promise -- I don’t keep big secrets. ❞
AND THERE’S A coy smile there to hide a devilish lie. This planet was practically built on secrets -- some of them far too dark, too COMPLICATED for anyone to ever know. In his mind, there’s never been any question, and the things he’s done have always unequivocally been the right thing to do ( at least, that’s what he TELLS himself, especially when those troubling thoughts keep him up at night. ) But he knows what others would say if they ever were to find out. He can see it now already -- the judgment on their faces, that sense of moral superiority that all mortal beings seemed to possess, especially around him -- and the last thing he needs is another threat to such carefully-laid plans.
IN ANY CASE, Ego suspects he’s not the only one here who’s kept their share of secrets. Talon intrigues him -- or perhaps it’s not so much her as it is her POWER that draws his attention. Her energy feels so vastly different from anything he’s ever felt before, even in all his journeys to different planets in his search to begin The Expansion. If he’s being entirely honest ( a rare feat for Ego ) it worries him. He’ll just have to bide his time, he supposes, and see what he can find out in the meantime.
❝ WHAT ABOUT YOU? ❞ he asks, and there’s a flicker of almost boyish amusement in his gaze. ❝ Are you much of a secret-keeper? You seem like a woman who has her fair share of stories. Not a bad thing at all, of course, but -- well, I do wonder whether or not I’ll be able to hear them, as long as you’re my guest. ❞
MAINTAINING A CURIOUS, watchful eye on her all the while, Ego beckons her through a winding corridor just off to their right; the noise of their footfalls, usually soft and ambient when there’s only one person walking through these halls, now seems oddly amplified, echoing off the high, soaring ceilings. In theory, he supposes he could simply conjure something, but it would take so much effort -- and, more than that, he wants to take this opportunity to get to know this stranger he’s taken into his midst. A little stroll might be just the thing to get the real measure of her.
❝ AH, NO NEED to thank me, ❞ Ego assures her as they continue walking, punctuating his sentence with an artless, dismissive wave of his hand, as if shooing away a fly. His tone of voice sings of modesty, and he’s careful to ensure that it’s seen as genuine; first impressions make all the difference in this sort of situation. ❝ It’s a refreshing little change, if you ask me. Good of you to keep me on my toes like this -- I was starting to get lazy, being by myself here and all. If you prefer isolation, though, I think you’ll be more than comfortable here. There’s not many who even know this planet exists. It’s all you could want in privacy. ❞
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