The Dark Academy on Korriban

With a groan Kristal was awake. As much as the staff had requested she remain at the Med-bay until she was fully recovered Kristal had no intention of doing so. Wanting to sleep in her own bed, regardless. Pushing herself up in her bed she sat there, looking at a wall for a long moment. It was dark, but her eyes adjusted to that well enough to know which wall she was staring at.

Her door slid open suddenly and the silhouette of a man stood in the doorway. He quickly walked in and he'd be easily recognized by Kristal in a moment.

Just at that moment a text message arrived to her communicator.



Sylvain smiled, but it appeared that he was hiding concern with that face. "Evening Kris. I thought I'd find you here. Didn't even have to check the medbay."

Suddenly a light filled the room, causing her to turn away from the flooding presence of it. There was the message, not that she had time to properly read it in time. Just that she now knew who was responsible for the door opening.

Kristal was dressed down, as she always was when preparing for bed, gray sleeveless shirt with gray undergarments. Leaving only the second of her two wounds showing. It was barely there by now, as the medical staff did good work but it seems that even when you have the medical advances they did that a lightsaber cutting through her chest. Barely noticeable under the strap that went over her shoulder, the edges of the wound. Little ripples in the skin.

"You know me well..." she said, even though she hadn't slept long her voice was still a bit tired.

More than you know... I've spent enough time thinking about you recently.

He smiled and came in to sit next to her. Pointing at the wound, "That's looking quite better. I was a bit worried it'd end up worse. It was a pretty nasty wound."

"It still is..." she reached up, placing a hand over it. Rolling her shoulder a bit, feeling it out, the hand a steadying point for the action. Not wanting to damage herself further after all. "The other wound healed completely... it would have been greedy to expect this one to have done much better."

"Is there something you require? Having come so late?"

Kristal turned her head, looking at Sylvain properly now as they sat. Hair a mess, though it was a bit more tamed due to the nature of it's shorter length. Sitting on the edge she lay a leg across it, propping up the other that hung off the side. Sole of her foot just visible under her thigh, facing Sylvain.

Sylvain smiled. Even in her rugged condition there was a kind of regal beauty to Kristal, after letting his eyes wander for only a second he replied, "Require? I guess, I wanted to put my nerves at ease. I saw you go down... and prayed that my stim pack would get you back up, but was still worried that it wouldn't end up being enough."

He looked down a bit and pulled up the lightsaber in his hand, "This should probably go to you. You're better with it and you took the brunt of the beating today." He smiled. "You certainly earned it."

And earned my admiration to an even further degree...

"I am just glad you brought two," she laughed halfheartedly with that.

Kristal held out her hand, palm up. "Earned it," she repeated, letting the words drift a little. Unsure about the validity of that statement. Wondering if that even mattered.

"What did you think of the woman. The Jedi we killed?" Kristal did her best to hide her intentions but there was no hiding how important this answer was to her. How much she needed Sylvain to be completely honest in his answering of it.

"I felt sorry for her to be honest." He replied, "Left behind by her friends; driven to insanity."

He smiled weakly, "I tend to be the softy out of us three... but I was impressed by her devotion to protecting her duty even though all of her friends had abandoned her and she'd gone mad."

He gently touched the visible wound with his index finger, only tracing over it really, "And she was a formidable foe."

He paused, "Why do you ask? You don't often ask how I feel about something."

With the lightsaber in hand she twirled it about in the singular hand. Fingers moving it about on her palm. Saber end up she held it in hand, marveling at it's craftsmanship as they sat there. Then that focus returned to it's considerations. In fact, she didn't even seem to completely react as Sylvain touched where the lightsaber now in her hand had cut through her.

Letting her hand go a little limp, feeling the weight of the lightsaber in it. "There was no sense of duty left in her, madness and none else... to subject someone to that is.." Kristal shook her head, that wasn't the point she was trying to make.

"That Jedi, she earned this lightsaber. I have not." Kristal looked straight, then to Sylvain. The hand with the lightsaber following. Holding out for him if he decided to take it.

"This weapon has a weight to it far greater than it's physical weight. It is not one meant for me to carry," her words were unsure. There was so much more to this weapon than merely the weapon itself. Was that a weight she could carry? Kristal was unsure.

"What kind of weight is that?" He asked with an inquisitive look.

"I know you to never to be one who shirks away from carrying your share and more of the weight." He said with a supportive smile. "What is it Kris?"

There was a question Kristal seemed about to ask but then her eyes turned away. Looking down toward the weapon still resting in her hands. That he asked was enough of an answer for herself.

"This is not merely a weapon. It carries the spirit of those that fought with it before." There was a glance away, toward where she held her own families sword, one that was carried down through her line. The one she carried now was her grandfathers. Ornaments for most of her family, it has been ages since any likely saw any combat. Sometimes, she wondered, if the blades they carried now ever truly did.

"It would taint it, to fall into my hands. I was not even able to defeat the one who wielded it prior. There is no claim I can make that shows I have earned this weapon."

With that she held it out further, right in front of Sylvain.

Sylvain smiled. He truly admired her sense of duty and honor. There was some incredible magnetism that emanated from Kristal as she spoke.

After listening intently Sylvain bumped into Kristal gently shoulder to shoulder. Then he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and held her hand that held the lightsaber.

"You say it that way, then nobody would deserve their first lightsaber. Or their first promotion, or anything they may not be ready for yet." He smiled, "It's by accepting the challenges placed before you that you develop and grow. You feel the spirits of this lightsaber are too much for you? Then use this tool to grow into your own name. Strive to make your name greater than any that has come before."

He smiled brightly and affectionately, "What today showed me is that you do have it in you to be better than you'd ever imagine. Refine your craft and become everything I know you to be. There is no one I respect more than you Kristal Serasai."

There was a small smile as she felt his shoulder bump up against hers. Hand to her shoulder, hand to her hand. They'd been close for a long time. Friends for a long time. This was one of the few times she ever seemed to have let that veneer of hers fall away. Perhaps it was because of the hour, perhaps it was the injury, or perhaps even the overall stress of the day. Whichever it was it drained on her a lot. Made it almost too easy to let herself rest her head on his shoulder, but she didn't. No, she couldn't. Not yet.

Sitting there with Sylvain she looked to his hand over hers, lightsaber between.

"My abilities always receive praise, but I rarely see the ones you possess receive the same. There is something to be said for those who craft words to the proper purpose. And you have always had quite the mastery of words Sylvain," Kristal said with a light laugh. Reserved as she almost always was. However here, now, it almost seemed perfect for the moment.

He smiled. His speech was probably about as close as he was going to get to a confession right now. He felt comfortable holding Kristal in his arms and smiling while looking deeply into her eyes.

When she laughed Sylvain felt a slight jump deep within him. This was a victory like unto the slaying of the Jedi, but only on a very different front. "I got a laugh." He said out loud. "And genuine praise." He smiled warmly.

"Take the lightsaber Kris. Your thanks is my reward for the day." Mustering up all the courage he had in his teenage body he raised his hand from Kristal's shoulder to her head and tipped it into his shoulder, holding it there for a second before returning his arm back to her shoulder.

"Not bad for a present on a 'first date' eh? I can see about getting a different color if you don't care for the blue." He said with a teasing voice and a slight chuckle, drawing back on his joke from last night.

Perhaps in her hands the weapon might meet it's true purpose once again, to protect someone. Not on the side of the conflict that was in mind on the day of it's constructions likely, but perhaps this blade may allow her to take strength from the spirit of the warrior she faced today. The one that almost got her. That she was at a significant disadvantage because of the lightsaber was not something Kristal ever once considered.

Next thing she felt was something that imbued strength, but she was guided there by something soft. It felt different, different than it usually felt with Sylvain. "I will earn this then," she said, shaking the hand a bit to emphasize the fact she was speaking of the lightsaber.

"I've had worse," she said in jest, with a suppressed laugh. "If only actual suitors thought to bring me out and kill a Jedi, but then those that normally sought me practically ran away when they realized I was stronger than they."

He smiled and in the awkward manner of many teenagers who are suppressing their feelings said in jest, "Who says I'm not an actual suitor?"

Kristal laughs a bit, still suppressed given the hour. Patting his chest, "You jest. We both know I am not your type Sylvain."

I don't know that...

He chuckled awkwardly.

"What's my type then?"

"Someone a bit more fun, I picture. Those girls you enjoy. Fun and energetic as they are. Socialites." she said, stirring from her spot. Raising her head from his shoulder a bit. Not intending to seem as if she was pulling away, but if she stayed there a second longer she might actually fall asleep now. And that would be rude.. not that she thought Sylvain would mind given how long they'd known each other.

He chuckled, "I don't know that's what I like so much as it is low hanging fruit..."

He gently squeezed her shoulder before asking, "If you were to pick a type of girl that would be good for me, what would it be? And why?"

Shaking her head, Kristal laughed a little. Deciding to poke a bit of fun, "Is this the latest exam?"

Looking ahead of herself in no distinct spot as they were sitting shoulder to shoulder. Kristal thought for a moment but then shook her head again. Unable to come up with a response.

"Still, you know as well as I that I don't know that many faces. Certainly no one so well as to be able to pick one who might be good for you."

He smiled and chuckled, "No pressure. Just trying to see what you thought of what type of attributes I could benefit from."

He lowered his arm, scratching her back ever so softly as he lowered it to his side. "I hadn't mentioned it yet, but it looks like my mom is getting quite ill... my dad told me yesterday."

He smiles and kicks his feet, "Makes a young noble think about what's important in finding a suitable partner."

The initial thought she had was tossed aside, deciding it only made sense that she had never thought about it so directly. After all, the instigating moment was the apparent truth of his mothers failing health. Of course that was always a possibility with her own parents being directly in service, to an extent. However, she never quite got the shake he had.

"Your mother is ill? Do they know the affliction?" she asked, not sure really what else to say. There was concern in her voice, as anyone would expect.

Kristal naturally turned to her left, to face him. Like a seated pivot she now faced him more than sat side by side. Now, as she was turned, her thigh rested more on her ankle, exposing more of her foot from underneath her bare thigh. Bringing her right hand into the space between them as she rested the arm along her lap.

Sylvain would normally look at a woman dressed like Kristal with eyes that sought for an opening; an opening that would lead to a night of passion. But despite the strong attraction he felt for this woman, there was some other emotion that kept him from going off the rails. It was hard for him to discern what that emotion was, but it fit somewhere near the ideas of affection and admiration.

Shaking his head, "Her condition is gradually getting worse, but as of yet it is not clear how it is happening."

He smiled weakly, "It appears that my coming of age ceremony this past month was more than just a formality. I'm no longer a boy anymore, and need to start conducting myself as a noble man of the Empire would and should."

"Chin up," she said with a bit of that commanding voice she was capable of, but a touch or two softer than normal.

Bringing her hand up to place a knuckle under his chin, raising it slightly.

"First you will have to become Sith before you worry about any of that," she offers first, adding with a light smile that seemed a precursor for her next words. "I do not know if that is at all a solace."

Lowering her hand from his chin she placed it on his shoulder with a quick pat, a show of affection for the friend she had always had. The only one she ever really had. That, as it were, was only one of the two halves that made it difficult for her to realize it was anything more than it had been.