Ask Getting Off This Rock

[Milo Corr]

"It's fine," he rasped, chugging the water. It didn't seem to help all too much but he found it surprisingly enjoyable. He could have sworn that the vendor gave him a sly look, however. After finally getting ahold of himself once more the former vagrant dipped his head earnestly. "I can do that, though I don't think you'll find it all too thrilling. Unless you like that sort of stuff, I got a few old novels on there though." With thousands of years of history, and no credits, he rarely ever read anything modern, let alone watched.

Her other suggestion took him by pleasant surprise, following her glance to figure out just where the idea had come from. "Ah," he started, rubbing his chin for a thoughtful moment despite having come to an answer almost immediately. "Friend of mine, Garo, used to go in our youth. There was a crummy one not too far from where we slept. An old speeder crash had left a crack in one of the walls so we used to sneak in all the time and pluck wristbands off of the departing. Smell of vomit and every other day a ride was shut down for maintenance." He paused his eating to rub at his left wrist, tugging at the sleeve of his jacket like one of those thin entry bands. "Would save up for weeks just for a single day." Sandy visibly reminisced before tossing his utensils into the mostly empty bowl with a clatter and stuffed his ancient datapad back into the coat.

Standing up he straightened himself out. "I do, and as I said we're figuring out what you like. Whatever you want you can do, Zira, don't even need to ask." He tapped his temple as he began to walk, not giving her an opportunity to back out of the idea. The thought of the rides did cause his gut to grumble, perhaps he should take it easy... High speeds, rotation, spicy food, and Milo's constitution weren't likely to be best friends. "It is just nice when you do."

Milo could be grumpy, and he wouldn't be caught dead on a Merry-go-round, but a good time was not something he ever passed up. There were more kinds of fun than just narcotics. A bit of adrenaline and knee-weakening, head-spinning, gut-wrenching rides were just as good in their own way. "And the confections... Funnel cake..." He said aloud, imagining the greasy treats which only made his stomach complain all the more. "Quiet you," he muttered to his gut.

Unlike the one Milo had mentioned, this fairground, likely more of a permanent fixture given its proximity to the surface starport, was clean and orderly. Fried foods, melted sugar, and fragrant butter overwhelmed the senses, combined with the cacophony of voices screaming in laughter, challenge at some game, or just joyful conversation. A fair was one of few places where it was difficult finding a frown, unless you looked at the employees of course. Bright lights ensured that everything was illuminated the bright colors, with a hint more red than any other, of stands and hanging flags.

Admission was a bit steep, given the locale, but despite complaining about spending all his money on the motel and clothes just early, somehow fished out enough to cover himself. Where had he gotten that? In return the two of them received rather fragile wristbands to ensure that they weren't troubled by any staff.

Once inside Milo spread his arms out before them. "Where to, I can offer suggestions but this is your adventure." To the left, and circling much of the grounds, were the rides. The simply named tea cups which spun and whirled, hydraulic and mechanical arms with an array of seats which raised and lowered while rotating its occupants upside down and all around at high speeds, bumper speeders, and plenty more for any age range and thrill-seeking threshold. Down the middle were the many game stands with all sorts of prizes and scams, from classic ring tossing, target shooting, and ball throwing, to the strange and esoteric attractions picked up from the galaxy's many cultures. To the left were the shops which had not been crammed amidst the games, with all manner of gaudy and useless souvenirs, and of course the overcrowded food court.

"Feel like working those noodles off?" Milo tilted his head towards the rides.

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

“Of course I’ll find it thrilling,” She said excitedly, “I hardly know anything about anything. I’m tired of only learning about my masters and their likes and knowing just enough to entertain them. I would love to learn about everything people find dull or history or…who knows, answers to questions like why so many spices don’t work on me,” She said with a laugh.

Zira quirked a brow at his story about plucking wristbands and sneaking in, “Ohoho and I’m rude and impulsive, eh?” She said, chuckling as she recalled her own actions in stealing clothes from the lost and found. Her overall demeanor changed drastically from when he first met her - she was laughing more easily now, smiling as she took in the world around her and adopting a more positive outlook. It was all new and she felt like an entirely different person.

As Milo suggested a ride, Zira looked from his stomach to the rides and then back to his stomach, “Why don’t we just try out some games first,” She said apprehensively, “I don’t think we need those noodles to come back to say hello,” Zira said, biting back a giggle.

She eagerly walked over towards a stall that had toy blasters and target shooting. Zira forked over some credits for tickets to play.

The pimple-faced teen working the stall looked entirely unenthusiastic and was in the middle of picking his nose when Zira walked over to hand over the tickets. He straighted up and rubbed his fingers on his shirt, taking the tickets, “Steeeep right up and take your best shot! Top shelf prizes include the giant porg, rancor, loth-cat and others and if you hit the lowest tier you get some stickers,” He stared at Zira for far longer than necessary before finally getting the hint to step away.

The tiefling carefully aimed the blaster rifle and shot at the first row of targets, squealing and jumping around when she hit 8 out of 10 targets. She looked at Milo with wide eyes, “Did you see that!? I’ve never done that before! You try!” She said as she handed him the rifle to try.

Dice: 16/20

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

"History it is then," he declared, "And you're askin' me, maybe you're just special and I'm lucky: I'll take care of all those spices for you," he joked, waving her off. "I never said that I wasn't rude and impulsive, just you more so!" For Milo's part he was much the same as he was but he appeared more at ease. His withdrawal was contained in the singular twitching of a middle finger as they walked around the amusement park, and despite all the noise and chaos surrounding them he appeared unbothered. His bearing was a little taller and, with the industrial clothes, haggard was but an aspect rather than a defining feature. No longer were his expressions threadbare, beyond panic of course.

The vagrant followed her eyes and with a chuckle of his own. "Oh I've kept down worse, but I suppose you're right. Garo and I did that once, loaded up on greasy fried foods..." He hummed in memory, wincing at its outcome. "...Maybe not." He saddled next to Zira as she paid for the tickets, tapping against the counter as he looked between all the prizes and the targets, this he was familiar with.

Paying the worker a glance at his lingering, Milo looked over the blaster, his smile betraying the coming quip. "You know how to shoot one of those," he inquired coyly just as Zira began her set, knocking out most of the targets. With a light whistle Milo's head bobbed in a more subdued but approving manner, "I did, good shooting! But here, let me show you how a real master does it." Overconfident, Milo cracked his neck, rolled his shoulders, and stretched his spine before shouldering the toy firearm. "Watch this." Ten shots. Just as he began to pull the trigger on the first target a tremor in his arm knocked his aim off, missing the mark, and then missed again during his overcorrection. So his set went with four targets hit and six still standing, the clerk flashing the former vagrant a toothy grin.

Milo thumbed his wrist, trying his best not to blame his quirks, after setting the toy down with a scowl. "Guess I'm not as good as I remember," he started, looking as though he were about to demand another go.

Instead the teenager spoke up. "Ah, so sad! Pick your prizes and don't hold up the line!" Having hit a handful the former vagrant took the most convenient slip of stickers for himself, bearing cartoonish animals with wide taunting eyes and smiles, grumbling as he stepped away.

Rather than remain glum, however, he surveyed the other stands looking for their next target. "You sure that wasn't your first time, or have you got some gunslinging genes in you," he clicked his tongue, head shaking though not without a smile. "Most of these games are rigged more than a game of Huttball, but I know one I'm actually good at, come on!"

The next attraction was rather wide with multiple skee-ball lanes, with a variety of individuals rolling balls through the slot below transparent plastic and into the holes and gates marked with scoring numbers. A singular attendant sat behind a half-counter scrolling on a device, only there to hand out prizes and prevent bad behavior.

Rather than buying tickets he slotted more mysterious credits into a machine and a number of balls were released. Sucking in a breath, trying to dredge up his old knowledge and muscle memory, he began to roll them one by one up the lane with near perfect form, one following after the other near exactly, falling into the central hole worth a thousand points. All but the last one which bounced off the corner and dropped into the hate one-hundred marked gate. Despite not getting a perfect score he still gave an overexaggerated half-bow. "Not enough for a bonus round but if nothing else I could give the local champion a run for his money." Sandy slipped in the credits for another round, motioning the tiefling forward. "You can outmaneuver a bunch of gangers in a speeder, but can you out-finesse me in a game of skee-ball?"

Roll: 19/20

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

“Oh? Let’s see!” Zira said eagerly when Milo smugly declared he was an expert at shooting. While others may have been skeptical, the tiefling was happy to root for him, finding more joy when they both succeeded at a task. Unfortunately, he was terrible and almost shot the game attendant at one point. Zira giggled as she watched him take the stickers, “Look, that monkey lizard almost has that moody frown you wear,” She pointed at one of them, taking it and playfully slapping it onto his chest. Zira looked at him, the sticker, and then back at him and burst out laughing. For her prize, she picked a small, stuffed loth-kitten.

She had to laugh at his question, “Do you think a master would ever let a slave handle a weapon?” Zira asked with a raised brow as they walked towards the skee-ball area. She had never seen anything like this before and watched Milo easily land the skee balls where he aimed. When it was her turn, she apprehensively went to try. The first ball made it in okay into the 50 slot. She got ambitious and hurled the second ball towards the thousand slot. Somehow her aim was so off that the ball bounced off the side and thwacked a gamorrean on the back of the head.

“Shit!” Zira whispered, grabbing Milo and bolting in the other direction. It was only when they were out of the skee ball area that she stopped to double over laughing, “I think I’ll let you win that one,” She said as she glanced back to make sure the angry gamorrean didn’t follow.

They were near what looked like a coaster - an oversized caterpillar that went through some turns and dips and a single loop. Zira didn’t see the loop part of it and eagerly signed up to try it out. After waiting in line, the two were seated together and she was puzzled by all the contraptions to buckle her in. Once they started moving, anxiety struck and she stared wide eyed, “Oh..okay I’m scared.. Oh gods..” She muttered as the caterpillar just barely started to move. She shrieked when it did the smallest dip. When the coaster really started to go, Zira screamed and closed her eyes, her knuckles turning pale from gripping the bar in front of her, “THIS IS TERRIBLE WHY DO PEOPLE DO THIS FOR FUN OH MY GODS!! I WANT TO GET OFF! HOW DO I GET OFF?!?!?” Her voice was almost drowned out by the shrieks of delight from the rest of the guests on the coaster.

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

Milo stared down at the sticker, up at Zira, then back at the sticker. By his scowl he was not impressed. Yet it was lost during the games of skee ball as he sarcastically golf clapped after the first her first throw only for the second one to fly by his head and beam the gamorrean merely enjoying his day. "Hoh-" He started before being swept away, laughing just as hard, arms wrapped around his stomach and bent so far forward it looked though he would lose his balance at any moment. "Now that was a good shot!" He didn't even spare a glance back the way they went, sucking in breaths in a poor attempt at gaining control of himself. "You're supposed to roll it in, not fuckin' chuck it!"

"Hew," he cooed, eventually getting ahold of himself as they got in line for the coaster. "Let me win, I'm pretty sure you got destroy- Wait a second... My prize!" A look of brief disappointment crossed his face before it turned wry. "Hold on- is that him over there," Milo pointed somewhere to the right while his other hand fished through his pocket, drawing out his earlier reward and peeled one off. The gamorrean was nowhere to be seen of course, it was just a distraction so that when Zira looked back he could make an attempt at poking her forehead with the sticker. A smiling goat-like creature with curved horns, wide eyes, and a broad smile. Not exactly flattering. "Payback, but you owe me a prize," he feigned grumbling.

With high spirits his jitters seemed to be under control, he only scratched his forearm once every few minutes rather than every one. Where Zira grew anxious the former vagrant appeared rather casual, suddenly not having a care in the galaxy. "Scared? You'll be fine- Wait, are you strapped in all the way?" Suddenly concern washed over him as he tried to get a good look before the coaster began to accelerate. It was, of course, a joke at her expense. A long standing tradition, you always lightly hazed first-timers. There wasn't even a twitch as he let out an uncharacteristically relaxed sigh as the ride began, only for it to evolve into raucous laughter at Zira's shrieking before they even hit the rollercoaster's first real dip. "Lift your arms," he shouted as they approached the twist, the force of their momentum shoving them into their seats as the wind deafened their ears and ran between the fingers of his raised hands.

When the ride came to an eventual rolling stop the vagabond was still giggling, not just because of the tiefling but the fresh rush of adrenaline. It was likely of no surprise that he evolved into a stim addict later in life, having gotten a similar hit from the pure rush and exhilaration that were amusement park rides. Unlike a stim, it passed quickly. "See, you're still alive! We can fix that though," he declared, pushing her towards the next ride with a dumb grin. He wasn't malicious, but...

It was a tall tower with a square of seats which shot up to its height before suddenly falling, its riders screaming their lungs raw. The hiss of air cut over the din of the fairground whenever it stopped only to begin anew. There was no better sight or sound while moving through a line where anticipation was concerned. "You can sit this one out, if you want," he taunted, despite being the one to drag her towards the ride. "I completely understand if you can't handle it." A bit ironic coming from Milo, who attempted to appear completely innocent as he strapped himself in.

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

“Huh? Where?” Zira blurted with concern as he mentioned that gamorrean again. By the time she looked back, he stamped a sticker on her forehead, “HEY!” She quipped, absolutely scandalized. Zira found a surface to look at the sticker, giggling at his choice before peeling it off, “It got you laughing like a hyena, so I’d do it again,” She said cheerfully at his complaint about losing his prize.

Zira did not, in fact, lift her arms as he suggested on the coaster. She was too busy using one hand to grip the bar and the other to clutch her straps after he had convinced her they weren’t secured all the way. Her tail came around to also wrap around the bar in a comical display, her shrieks of terror joining the cries of delight from others.

By the time they were done, she was out of breath and hunched over to grip the bar. Zira was trembling, but she couldn’t deny it had been exhilarating. She practically flew off the ride the moment it was time to get out, preparing to go to one of the spinning tea cups that looked far less menacing. Milo had other ideas and suggested what looked like a tower of death. She was about to protest when he said those magical words.

“Sit this out?” Zira quipped back, “Please, I’m not the naysayer between the two of us. Hmph!” She jutted up her chin and confidently sat to get strapped in. Unlike before, she actually asked the attendant if she was truly strapped in correctly. As they ascended up, Zira grimaced, “How far up does this thing go?” She mumbled, watching as everyone turned into little dots and specks.

Before she could ask another question, she screamed as they abruptly dropped. That sensation of freefalling made her squeeze her eyes shut, but this time it was a rush. Before long, her scream of terror turned into one of joy.

This time, she was in much better spirits after they stepped off. Zira was all smiles, looking around at all the different rides. However, she took a moment to glance at Milo, “Thank you,” She said suddenly, “I…I think this is the first time I’ve ever done anything just for fun,” Zira admitted sheepishly, “It may sound stupid to you, but this means everything to me,” She said quietly as she gazed at him. Her hair was a mess from the coasters and she still had the outline of a sticker on her forehead, but she was happy.

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

His verbal ploy had worked, and as they were getting strapped in the man merely held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Hey! I'm not a naysayer, just a realist. A very choosy realist." And an idealist in his own way, one which shot Zira a glance as they rose. Over the wind he could hardly hear her mumbling so he merely laughed a loud as they hit the very top, and began his own laughing shouts as they feel stories in a matter of seconds.

Growing up it had been one of his favorites yet as they descended Milo bit down on his lower lip suddenly his scream cut off. His chest expanded and contracted rapidly, coming in contact with the tightly locked harness, as for a moment he forgot where he was. Despite the cradling seat the fall, wind, and rush of noise took him somewhere else and by the time the ride came to an end remained in his seat for a bit longer than expected, palm to his head as he tried to collect himself, before slipping out. He appeared as threadbare as the day Zira met him with his hair far shaggier than normal, though he didn't offer any complaint. Blinking eyes, took in their surroundings once more. Surprisingly Milo wasn't scratching his arm, neither did his middle finger twitch, instead he rubbed his thumb against the side of his index finger, an uncharacteristic tic.

Between the two of them it seemed as though he was the one that couldn't handle it. That strain, however, loosened when he caught her glance, head dipping in both acknowledgement and to conceal some bashfulness as they navigated back out onto the main thoroughfare. "Don't worry about it, this is what life is supposed to be about." Widening his arms he turned to Zira, "Not carnivals I mean, but... Fun. No matter what anyone may say or tell you, we're meant to enjoy our brief time in this galaxy. As best we can at least." Some of his idealism shone in his expression, the comment could be seen as minor but the wide grin and the sincerity of his delivery implied that this was something he believed. Not in the manner of a libertine or a hedonist, but a dreamer.

"I haven't had fun like this in a long time, nor with anyone else. It isn't stupid," The last he could recall was with Garo, right before the two of them were taken with addiction. "There will be plenty more first times, especially once you get sick of amusement rides and overpriced games. So don't let them surprise you, hm?"

"Speaking of which, I chose the last one," he thumbed over his shoulder at the tower. "You're up next, Zira, and I'll try not to naysay whatever you pick. Much." Milo tossed his hair back as though he were some sort of high society stickler, only to chuckle at himself. Despite being a bit rougher around the edges, Milo returned her look with an atypical grin. For once he was enjoying himself in a way that didn't come from the tip of a needle. "Though, perhaps something less... Exhilarating," he spoke as he rubbed his chest.

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

Zira couldn’t stop smiling, wondering if it looked different than the fake smiles she usually put on for her masters and guests. Milo’s optimism was infectious and it lifted her spirits. For a moment, she almost forgot where she came from or what her story was. Could she forget about those chapters of her life forever and focus on the next ones? Could she toss that book away entirely and start a whole new novel? She glanced back at him, realizing she was vacantly staring off at nothing.

“Okay, we have to go try that sugary cloud thing,” She said, pointing to a cotton candy stand. Zira had been eying it for a while and had no idea what it was. She got a stick of it and stared at it in confusion. Zira looked at Milo expectantly as if looking for instructions on how to eat it - just like with the ice cream. After she took a first bite, she winced, “Why does it have to be so…sweet?” She asked, but she was soon hooked. She started to walk again, enjoying her overly sweet cloud snack.

The two began to approach an area that had a stage set up with a live band playing music. The crowds were clapping and dancing, the music upbeat and lively. Zira finished up her cotton candy and tossed the stick away, looking over at Milo with a grin, “Can you dance or is that too exhilarating for you?”

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

A small laugh escaped him as the tiefling, who had been looking into another word, came back to herself with only one thing on her mind: Cotton Candy. With a shake of the head he got his own stick and offered little help on how to eat it for he didn't quite know either beyond taking the widest bite he could before glowering as the sugar floss stuck to the edges of lips, which he wiped off with the back of his sleeve. Between the two of them it seemed as though he didn't rate it too highly and had resorted to picking bunches off until it was gone. "Because it is more or less pure sugar, and everyone likes sugar. Kids go crazy for the stuff," and like the choosy beggar he ate it quickly and tossed the mostly empty stick into the nearest receptacle. "Bit too teeth rotting for me and gets stuck to your fingers."

The crowd and the music caught his attention immediately and at first he thought nothing of it, just another attraction at the fairground- "What?" He paused, shading a hint red while glancing between Zira and those already dancing. Confusion crossed his face, brow furrowing. "You're joking right? I mean- I've never danced before, like ever," he stammered, hands fumbling in an inarticulate gesture. Bobbing to music played from his datapad in an alleyway didn't exactly count. "All I'd do is stomp on your toes." Twice now he had seen Zira entertain an audience, her value had matched her skills, but he wondered if she had danced in this sort of manner. Not for a crowd but in one. Looking at all the faces, movements, cheering voices, and the steady clapping, it did appear to be fun...

Milo had said he wouldn't criticize her idea too much, but this was far different than a ride. Yet who better to dance with than an expert, let alone Zira? He tried not to stare too long as the clatter of legs and swinging arms, as he scratched his own. The former vagrant awkwardly coughed then cleared his throat, eyes refocusing. "I- ah, well. No, I don't think it would be too much. If you want to, I mean." Removing that ratty jacket of his he laid atop a convenient railing and made a subtle washing motion with his hands before tugging on the sleeve of his workman's shirt to hide the pockmarks on his left forearm. He feigned poise by straightening himself out. "As long as you don't blame me for any injury that befalls us or anyone else. I'm not paying the medical bills."

Zira wouldn't be the only one striking new things off their list, should she be serious with her suggestions.

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

Zira patiently stared at Milo while he got through his various stages of coping with the request. First came shock, then came denial, followed by reluctant acceptance. She had to resist the urge to roll her eyes, her arms crossed over her chest, “How have you never danced before?” Zira blurted out before she could help it. He had lived more of a life than she ever had, and she thought everyone danced for one reason or another. She even recalled when her brother would dance in glee anytime a slaver was killed.

The moment he removed his jacket and barely got the words out, she grabbed him by the hand and tugged him towards the live music. The music had a quick rhythm and Zira began by lifting his hand and easily twirling herself underneath it. She turned to face him with a smile, “You just need to let loose and just feel the beat. Look how easy this is,” Zira said as she held both his hands in hers and showed him a quick four-step side shuffle. At the end of each, she lifted their arms and spun them both, Milo doubtless stepping on her feet a few times. Zira didn’t complain beyond an occasional ‘ouch!’ followed by a burst of laughter.

At one point the music picked up and she linked her arm through his, skipping to the beat in a circle. She stepped away to clap her hands and resume the dance, following what the others were doing in a locally known jig. Since she didn’t know this particular dance, she fumbled just as much as Milo, and laughter and giggling accompanied the entire, embarrassing effort.

The next song was slower-paced and everyone around them drew closer. Out of habit, Zira did the same, her arms wrapping around Milo’s neck. After the first step, she paused, her eyes wide as she realized this dance was not exactly like the others. And why did it feel as if she was suddenly looking at him for the first time? Were his eyes always that blue? “I… we don’t have to if you don’t want to,” She mumbled awkwardly, her face suddenly very hot as she averted her gaze.

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

"Woah- Hey!" He called in surprise as he was tugged amidst all the dancing figures, twirling under his arms. Dense and thick-headed, he stood there trying to wrap his head around the simple routine, before moving stiffly to the music. He was a few half-seconds slower than her but as the pace continued he slowly fell into the routine and began to match, at least until they circled around. "Sorry, sorry" He exclaimed and muttered each time he clipped or stepped on the woman, and just as he felt he was getting the hang of it the song changed and so too did the dance.

At least this second dance involved both of them making fools of themselves, to the enjoyment of the crowd as much as each other. Zira's laugh was infectious and try as he might to be the stoic, he couldn't help but join in himself. While he had focused on the mechanics of the first dance, nervously moving in tandem with the tiefling, he now transitioned into someone who simply enjoyed the moment as neither of them knew what they were doing beyond what they could steal from the others. One of those rare wide smiles, more common in the last few hours than before, crossed his face.

The sandy-haired man froze as her arms enclosed around his neck, spine ramrod straight as he regarded her with wide eyes and a reddening face. Why was the air so hot? He was all too aware of just how close Zira was, the bells and whistles firing off in his head yet they were not the reason behind the hair on his arms rising. Since the moment they had met he had acknowledged her as alluring, yet it meant something entirely different given the position the two of them were in now. It gave him a reason to ignore decency and simple stare, as everyone else, catching the sparkling gold of her eyes as they looked away. As if catching himself he looked elsewhere, focusing upon the other dancers, mouth failing to supply an answer.

With a steadying breath and slackening shoulders, his arms encircled her waist, fingers intertwining over the small of her back as he drew nearer. "Do you?" Milo attempted to meet her gaze with a measure of unfamiliar confidence and, should Zira not pull away, began the dance as he took the lead based purely on what he had observed from the others.

Given its purpose and target it was far easier than the two before it, with near effortless steps though the former vagrant still either stepped too far or too little for them to end up exactly where they started. Despite his nerves he only twitched a little, and gradually his movements became less wooden, evidently appreciating the tiefling as they danced, his scarlet coloration failing to diminish until the two of them were well into it. "Is this what you meant by feeling the beat," he inquired with that wry grin of his, rocking a bit more animatedly, arms inviting her to follow his movements.

Yet all things must come to an end, and rather than reach a satisfying crescendo the leisurely music diminished to a calm lull before silence, leaving the vagrant a moment to gaze at her before the crowd's applause stole his attention, hastily pulling his hands back. For a second he was afraid of being the focus of the praise, luckily it was centered upon the musicians. Milo cleared his throat and politely stepped away. "That was..." There were too many words to describe it. "Exhilarating, but in a good way. Thank you, Zira." There was an awkward stilting to his tone but it was genuine.

"I wouldn't turn down another one," he began with a warm look before glancing to another ride, a rather large wheel carrying a number of cabins which idly spun on its axis. At its height giving its occupants a heightened view of Kuat city, despite the many towers which dwarfed it. "But I think we both could use a moment to catch our breath."

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

Zira expected him to pull away, and she wondered if she should draw back to spare any awkwardness. She felt his arms slip around her, sliding down to lock around her waist. Zira looked up at him again, his question echoing in her mind. She looked at him and recalled all their time together, all those times they ran away from danger, the times they felt so helpless, but also the times they felt like a team. It was a reality she never experienced before, and for once she didn’t feel so alone. She saw all the Holomovies about the perfect smiles and the dazzling men. And yet she found Milo’s grumpy and sour expressions to be suddenly endearing. She recalled his exhausting need to argue every point or complain about every scenario as the most memorable. It didn’t match anything of what she heard or saw in the media and left her perplexed.

“This is the first time I’ve wanted to dance with someone,” Zira admitted sheepishly with a smile, her face a tinge of purple from the flush to her cheeks. She had danced for as long as she could remember and did it professionally, but this was an experience that was entirely new territory.

She didn’t say it aloud, but dancing like this, dancing with him, had the same effect as their dwelling. She felt safe. It was a sensation she never thought she could feel with another, her ability to ever trust virtually nonexistent for as long as she could remember.

They moved together and it was liberating in more ways than one. She let go of her thoughts and focused on the moment, the here, the now, and the simplicity of it all. Zira caught his smile, the one that came more naturally now, the one that belonged there, “Something like that,” She said with a grin as they spun a few more times.

Exhilarating. She could agree with that, but in a way that was different than the rides and yet inspiring a rush all the same. Spices rarely gave her a high, but this simple dance came close. She didn’t understand any of it, nor did she want to.

“Yeah, that does not look pleasant,” She said with a grimace at the spinning ride. Zira fell into step beside him, the fair growing quieter now that it was late evening. Their path took them towards a little bridge that crossed over a lake, the surface of which glinted with the shimmering reflection of the moon. Zira never had the luxury to simply stare and admire such sights. She took a moment to peer over the edge and down at the outline of her horned head, “You know much of the galaxy thinks tiefling and devaronian are devils?” Zira remarked. There was even a trade for their horns being sold as aphrodisiac, but she didn’t add that unfortunate tidbit, “They tell children ghost stories about us.”

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

Milo couldn’t quite determine when he had started to trust Zira but given all the chaos they went through on the first day it wasn’t all that difficult to figure out why. That gruff and picky exterior was a shield earned through years of poverty and a lack of security where food and shelter was concerned. It was also one that he found the ability to lower whenever she was near, and could seemingly override his discomfort when his personal boundaries were intruded upon. Her chidings had stung from the beginning, yet slave or not she had freed him from the prison that was his homeworld and stuck around. Now Zira enjoyed an innocent wonder that he had only felt as a child.

When was the last time his heart had fluttered like that without it being the product of some high, had it ever?

It beat all the more with her admittances of first time wants with alien hued flushes, and now again though at a slower pace as the two of them stood upon a bridge staring into waters which idly rippled with the evening’s breeze. He crossed his arms upon the railing, jacket folded atop it like a pillow for his head. Briefly, Milo peered at his disheveled mop of hair before merely watching her moonlit reflection as Zira began to speak. He wasn’t simply taking in the tiefling’s appearance but was trying to catch her expression amongst the water’s chaotic yet calm undulations. If there was one thing he had seen a thousand times it was his reflection, on the waters of artificial parks or in the runoff pools from higher levels. Zira’s was, however, entirely new and curiously easy to stare at.

“I don’t see a devil,” Milo blurted out with uncharacteristic forwardness, hastily looking away to hide that resurgence of crimson. “I- I mean I heard them, growing up, might have even believed them before sense got beat into me. Not hard when you don’t know any devarions or tieflings.”

“Superstition never really meant much to me after that though, wasn’t a luxury I could afford.” Credits were credits, whether you lifted it from the pocket of a devarion, a besalisk, or a neimodian. Probability was more important than myth. At least it used to be.

“I could be wrong, you could just be waiting for the right opportunity to pluck out my soul," Milo paused, tilting his head towards her. "But I’m not holding my breath,” he chuckled lightly, seemingly amused with himself though was quick to sober. His gaze began to gravitate towards the tiefling once more, this time observing the horned woman rather than her imperfect reflection. “Do you believe yourself to be one?” What reason could she have for raising the subject, was it a warning or merely just a curiosity?

“I knew some devils, could even say I was one myself, of gluttony. Wasn’t too long ago, either.” He failed to elaborate, instead continuing with his previous line of thought. “But you need more than just horns or strange skin to be something like that.”

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

Zira glanced at him when he blurted out that he didn’t see a devil, “Didn’t you say I was rude and impulsive?” She asked with a grin, her tail playfully tapping the side of his leg. She thought she caught a blush on his face, but didn’t press it in case it elicited blushing of her own. The music and noises began to die down in the distance, leaving them to their thoughts and the gentle lull of water beneath them.

She smiled at his quip about plucking out his soul. The smile didn’t reach her eyes - because it couldn’t be further from the truth. She always had an underlying distaste for anyone in her company, always a little pearl of rage cloistered deep within the confines of carefully manufactured boundaries. And yet, none of that existed with Milo, no fantasies of running away from him, no inklings of vengeance, no secret disgust whenever he touched her. It was all new and it was all difficult to process. This was the first time she could stand so close to a man and not mentally dissociate and find a place far away.

“I thought I had to be one,” She all but whispered, eyeing the horns in her reflection, “A devil,” The word held the weight of the anguish of all the slaves she remembered on Zygerria, “I thought it was the only way to survive, the only way to live by my terms. My brother leaned into it. He wanted to kill and destroy because the galaxy gave us nothing so we had to snatch it. I thought I had to learn to hurt others to find any measure of this elusive thing called freedom. I thought there were no such things as heroes and being a good guy got you nowhere,” Zira took a deep breath and exhaled. She finally looked up at Milo, her elbows still resting on the side of the bridge.

“But you’re showing me I don’t have to be any of that,” Zira told him, “You’ve shown me I can be something more, that I can just be Zira and still find my way. You’ve shown me that even someone as insignificant as me matters, that I have a place in the galaxy. You’ve made me want to be a better person,” She smiled then, “I guess that makes you a hero after all,” Zira finished, her gaze lingering on his. She knew he would dismiss her sentiments - he always did - but she didn't care. She didn't look away this time.

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

Zira’s words had more of an effect than any sort of compliment. He grew bashful and began to fidget with his hands, in his mind he was about as far as one could get from being a hero, beyond a villain of course. He was meek, craven, incapable, but somehow his actions had an effect on her. “You are both of those things but- ah- well,” he started waving her off, it wasn’t quite humility but shame. It started from a desire to earn some credits after all, not simply altruism, even if he had lived by his ideals through it.

“We make devils of ourselves when we feel there is no other option, sometimes all it takes is an… An outstretched hand from another to show us the way. I used to be, feel, and think much the same.” Albeit far more pathetically. “But the good are such because they care more about others than themselves.”

“I don’t know if I’m good, how I showed you all that, or if I’m particularly heroic, but… Thank you. You do not have to be a demon, none of us do, and you deserve nothing less, Zira, than to find your way.” Milo began to rise, straightening his spine as he looked up at the stars and the moon though his eyes quickly lost their focus. “We are capable of anything we set our hearts to, we are not insignificant, for what is the point of our struggle otherwise?”

A slave’s existence was harder than an addict’s but even with his freedom the man found succor in distraction, in escape, rather than in life itself. Only the lost and taken did such. “You matter, if not to the galaxy than to yourself, and to me,” his tone was not lined with romantic subtext but honesty, a parallel of that sincere yet ardent expression he held whenever speaking of things the idealist believed in. They had escaped Empress Teta together, struggled to find a new life on a new world, and now they simply enjoyed one another’s company in the night’s breeze.

Milo did not have friends, had lost those close to him through the hardships of the dregs. For years the former vagrant was only animated by the very thing which had ruined his life. Everyone else became an obstacle between him and his desired outcome. Then Zira appeared, slipped into his reality and turned it upside down so swiftly that he had yet to recover from the whiplash, in her own way forcing him to be something other than a grumbling transient without a plan.

Despite his mind’s warnings, Milo inched closer, returning the tiefling’s look. He was surprisingly still, not a twitch or a tap of the finger, breath half held in his lungs. “Question is… What do you wish to become? Who do you want to be?”

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

Caring about others more than she did herself. Her entire life had been about serving others and putting everyone else above her interests. There was no such thing as putting Zira first for as long as she could remember. There was an irritated flick of her tail, her mind wandering at the thought. No, she didn’t want to put others above herself. For once, she wanted to do just the opposite. But then she considered Milo. If harm befell him, would she not do her best to aid him or stay by his side even while in danger herself? Would he do the same for her? That definition was different, but still far out of her comfort zone. She would be selective about it, but she could never get behind ideologies of putting everyone else first.

Her line of thought was interrupted when Milo spoke next, reminding her that she mattered to him. Zira searched his eyes when he said the words, catching the sincerity. She wasn’t sure what she was searching for, or how much she believed him. But it felt good to hear nonetheless.

“You didn’t have to do anything,” Zira answered, “You just had to be Milo. That was enough. That is enough,” She responded to his earlier doubts about being a hero. Perhaps this was an odd case where they glanced at one another and saw something they did not see within themselves. What did Milo see when he looked at her? Not a question she was brave enough to ask.

He inched closer and her heart began to flutter and thunder against her chest, her tail betraying her with the way it began to swish side to side. Otherwise, she kept her cool through years of measured practice, “I just want to be Zira. Whose story I can write,” She answered, her posture relaxed. She was comfortable in his presence and sampling this new sensation of a man so close and yet holding her undivided attention.

“You haven’t scratched in at least the past hour,” Zira said with a light smile.

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

Milo wasn’t quite there himself, he didn’t owe the galaxy any amount of altruism and neither did he seek to give it some. Idiosyncratically, while he held everything he spoke as an ideal, he only lived by them where it was convenient or necessary. When the cost weighed down his guilt more than his gain. In the case of Zira the former far outweighed the latter in the beginning and had since evolved into something else.

For a man who had wasted every credit chasing addiction, living a lesser existence, being called enough coaxed out an impossibly wide grin that he tried to and failed to self-consciously hide. “Well Zira isn’t all too bad, I could think of worse people to be,” he teased. “If nothing else she has spirit.”

“And oh I want to,” the addict sheepishly admitted. “Felt improper given the company,” It wasn’t far from the truth, his heart’s drumming and mind’s racing inflamed his anxiety, but he resisted it somehow. The tiefling’s proximity was settling yet also the source of his concern. Milo could hardly recall the last time it drummed to its own tune without the inducement of adrenaline and like the addict he was, the man narrowed the space between them until their shoulders nearly touched.

Rather than push any further he glanced at the moonlight speckled waters while running a hand through his hair, failing to smooth back the unruly mop, another tic to distract from his more common tells. While capable of subduing his peculiarities, Milo did not have Zira’s training. This was one but another area he had sparse experience with and struggled to hide the fact behind his coarse exterior, try as he might. “You know, Zira.” Milo started, carefully choosing his words. “When I imagined getting off of Teta I planned to hop worlds until I could go no further,” not that the former transient could afford a ticket as it was. “But this…” He paused. “This was the last thing I had in mind.” Surprisingly, it wasn’t a complaint.

“I… Appreciate you pushing me out the door, in more ways than one I mean. I’d still be there without your little plan, and even if I did get off I wouldn’t be here.” It was clear he meant more than solely Kuat but everything from motel rooms to employment, spicy noodles and amusement rides, purely standing upon that bridge with her. In his wordy fashion, Milo continued, lifting his head as he faced Zira, earnest eyes attempting to meet her gaze. “Since we met you’ve been teaching me something I hadn’t realized until recently: Sometimes it’s better to just act.”

Choosing to live by those words right then, accepting whatever he was feeling in the moment rather than learned rationality, he threw caution to the wind. Despite his breath hitching, Milo held out a hand in an open but unstated invitation. A first step. “There’s a couple of secrets I’ve been meaning to share, though I only figured out one more recently.”

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

“Since when?” Zira couldn’t help but quip back at Milo’s sentiments at scratching being improper. After all, he had done it practically every second of every day around her thus far. Even as the words left her mouth, she wasn’t naive enough to miss that some things had changed since their very first meeting. She had considered him a means to an end to be sold to a better Master, and he saw her as a ticket off Empress Teta. And yet, somewhere along the way, they stumbled into getting a taste of delightful, mundane civilian life. It always felt a luxury for them both regardless of their vastly different backgrounds. Always elusive.

Zira smiled when he thanked her, replaying her version of things. She had been so caught up in how his presence had changed things for her, that she hadn’t even considered that she could have done the same for him. When he mentioned that sometimes it was better to just act, her brows rose in surprise. Milo? The man who overanalyzed every little detail before taking a step suggested it was better to act? “I never thought I’d hear you say that,” She said with a grin.

She was aware of their proximity, of course. And she was still surprised by how much it didn’t bother her. Zira didn’t step back despite the way it was both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. It was a foray into uncharted territory and felt as if she was navigating social settings she never experienced before. Her heart and mind remained firmly present and she didn’t run into that locked box she normally confined herself to while she serviced her masters. There was not a single element of that here and it made her feel like a lost, nervous teenager.

He offered his hand and she glanced down at it, her tail swishing from side to side. Secrets? There was a pang of anxiety. Was this the reveal? Was this when he would tell her she was a slave after all? That all of this was just a test and she had failed miserably? No. She gazed into his eyes. She knew his eyes even if he didn’t. They spoke volumes even when he didn’t. There was no malice there, and Zira knew malice - Zira knew little else. In the absence of it, she only saw authenticity.

She didn’t say a word, gently slipping her hand into his. They had grabbed each others’ hands for multiple escapes and emergencies, but this was something else entirely. This felt different and she was still not quite sure why, or perhaps she was almost afraid to know why.

@Cartoonkarl

 

[Milo Corr]

Amusement crossed his eyes at her quip, trying to maintain a collected grin which broadened as her hand touched his. Not much better than a teenager in his own right, a bead of sweat appeared on his forehead and there was a slight clamminess to his palms, but that did not stop him from gently squeezing it, drawing it close to him but merely possessing it. Despite the moment, he refrained from doing anything else, there was no force in his grip, and neither would did he lead her away.

“Since right now,” he half whispered, hardly knowing what to do next. There was nothing sinister to him, no devil in the details, since the start he had been a very easy man to read. Mundane in every sense of the word, honest eyes set above a genuine but pensive smile.

He wasn’t the smoothest individual and true to form the former vagrant had to fill the air with something rather than simply stare into her eyes and enjoy the moment, mind clouded with a jumble of thoughts. “Well, I don’t know if it was just the dance and I’m overthinking it, but…” Milo dragged it out, “I think I like you.” Immediately he cringed, face flustered and scrunched. Good going. He could have brought up her beauty, but Zira had been traded because of such things, could have pointed out her talents but that wasn’t much better either, so he just spoke honestly, not that those other aspects were untrue. At least that was one secret out of the way, the other was far less interpersonal.

But he had already begun digging, why stop now? “You’re talented, pretty, but you’re also… Fiery.” Slave or not, the tiefling had a will of her own even if it was unused to the freedom she now possessed. Zira wasn’t just some lilting flower, especially now free of that collar; and as he mentioned earlier she had spirit—spirit which appeared in every impulsive action or example of self-determinism. Milo had been used after all, even if the end result took them in a completely unexpected direction, such as this very moment. “And kind. Well… At least to me, mostly… When you feel like it.” A wry curve touched his lips.

His second hand rested atop hers and, lifting himself by his toes negligibly, the man leaned forward slightly. Milo seemingly ran out of words as he stared at her, clearly anxious, both trying to determine and prepare himself for her reaction.

@Sreeya

 

[Zira Suvan]

Zira was surprised at how comfortable it felt just to have him hold her hand. It was a gesture she experienced often, and it was always part of a job, always work, and as methodical as doing a household chore. Her subconscious wanted to revert back to that, but she actively stopped herself. No, for the first time, she actually wanted this touch. She had to admit it to herself a few times over as she gazed at him. There were slaves in Zygerria who grew a fondness for other slaves, stolen moments, and hidden affection when they weren’t serving their masters. Zira had never dared, and yet this exchange made her wonder if this was what they experienced. This new sensation that was derived from simple, mundane things such as just looking at their face, being in their proximity, dealing with their moodiness, bickering with them, laughing with them.

Milo’s admission caused a flush to her cheeks, her tail swishing erratically. Even if she said nothing, her tail always betrayed her, always a step ahead in expressing her thoughts. Zira smiled at Milo when he began to tell her what he liked about her and she had to fight not to let her emotions overwhelm her. She had been given countless compliments before - on her beauty, her talent as a dancer, her tantalizing skills in bed. However, no one had called her fiery before. Fiery was a trait that was all on her own, her truest nature, the one she kept locked away at all times. And yet the one that surfaced long enough for Milo to like it.

Zira said nothing for a moment, staring in silence into his eyes. He was always the wordier one of the two. Normally it was from her struggling on what to say, but this time it was an almost comfortable silence. She took that moment to truly look at him, shamelessly gazing into his eyes and allowing herself to get lost in them. Zira asked him something she had only daydreamed about, a concept that seemed forever alien to her.

“Will you…take me out on a date, Milo?” Zira asked finally, almost shyly, “It’s what people who like each other do, right?” She asked as a smile touched her lips.

@Cartoonkarl