Take Two

[chiaro_oscuro]

Ben Solo is out in the Plaza, wearing a dark sweater with a stitched-up hole in it and a sleek, dark blue cape. He's going out of his way to look flashy, though the effect is undone by the fact that he looks, for lack of a better word, disoriented. Like he isn't sure what he's doing or what he wants. The reason why becomes clear when he speaks - he's trying to keep a secret. 

As for what it is, there are clues in his flushed features and reddened ears. A large Corviknight is perched beside him, and he's got his notebook under one arm. This time he isn't drawing or writing, instead focusing directly on the person who approaches him. His eyes and the quiet in his voice point to his lack of confidence.

"I was, ah, wondering something. Let's say you wanted to do something for a good friend." He breathes in. "More than a friend. Someone you have plans to propose to. How should I go about making the occasion special for her?"

He wrings his hands a little bit. "Sorry. I'm...not usually like this. But I want to do it right by her, and put what she wants first."

Comments

[torsion]

"I still have a hard time believing in magic, but I know plenty about the horrible things science can do. And I can understand, especially as an outsider how it would be easy to not find it relevant or how to catch on." She reassures him, though she also doesn't know the levels of how far he went. As a friend, however, she might just put him in an armbar until she's satisfied with her frustration -- or something equally awkward.

"Cloning, to some degree, is used in the genetic experiments they do -- often on humans -- that I combat. Science sometimes doesn't know when to stop, especially when power or money is involved." Jill knew that too well, unfortunately.

She beams a bit at him, not quite jumping but there's a little pep in her step!

"You went through some shit, you survived, you're here, and you've got your girl. What's luck if not that?" She doesn't necessarily believe in luck (mostly because if she does, hers is pretty crappy), but sometimes she'd like to think other people had good luck. That fortune was on their side. Sometimes the universe just did good by someone.

"Rey, got it." Though Jill's started off, she hesitates when he asks where they're headed. "I was thinking the first I saw, but if you have a preference, by all means. I think we both prefer the same kind of atmosphere." As in anything but a night club, no pounding music or annoying dancing on the floor. That seemed to be both of their MOs. "If you saw my partner, I think you'd know him from a mile away. About six feet tall, just shy of three hundred pounds. I haven't seen anyone that's nearly his size here."

[chiaro_oscuro]

"We have cloning and bioweapons where I come from, too," Ben says, able to follow. Certain kinds of technology always seem to surface - he knows stories of the Clone Wars that took place long before he was born and which set the stage for everything that came afterwards. "They were used as weapons in war. Our galaxy is different from yours, but perhaps not so different."

They were both weapons themselves, at some point in their lives, and he feels he can connect with that. Ben is a weapon no longer.

He chuckles, a low sound that comes from deep in his chest. "I tend to stick out in a crowd, too. Six-foot-three, black clothes. I'm used to being the tallest man in a room." When he was younger he was always tall, though he had been skinny and long-limbed rather than barrel-chested as he grew into them. He's met taller, especially here.

Jill's instincts are right. Nightclubs aren't Ben's style - he prefers places where he can blend in, one more hunched figure with shadowed features and little to say. He tries to socialize, but it still feels strange. "There's a place I know close by where we both can get a drink and a bite to eat. That'll do."

[torsion]

"From what I gather, bioterrorism is usually just used to cull crowds and make people ill -- or die. Where I come from, as you already know, it's used to turn people into weapons and mutate them." But it sounds like despite hers being science and his being 'magic' that they're pretty similar. Of course, it's a downer to talk about this sort of thing so she tries to focus on the subject at hand -- or, at least the reason this conversation all started: someone might just be getting married on the horizon. Even as much of a dour pessimist that Jill can be, she still gets touched by that sort of thing.

"That's fair. I didn't realize you were quite that tall, though." She says while having to look up to meet his eyes. She calls herself five-five but she's a few centimeters short of it; he's nearly a full foot taller than her. Funny. "Guess I tend to be drawn to people who don't fit in... or maybe it's standing out?" A compliment rather than something awkward.

Jill prefers quiet places if she's out and about and if there's music, she prefers classic rock that isn't blaring with bass and beating so hard she can feel her heart jump in her chest. Atmospheric music in the background, if you will. Who knows? Maybe there'll be an old beat-up jukebox she can play some Springsteen or AC/DC on. She won't hold her breath, though.

"Then lead the way." She still walks like she's leading, however. Just a step ahead.

[chiaro_oscuro]

"From what I've seen, a lot of worlds here have things in common. Including similar problems in some cases." Ben listens curiously. "But some good things are there in common, too. I feel very lucky that we're having the conversation we are, and to have people in my life who care."

Ben shrugs a little. "Size isn't everything, obviously. Rey beat me in a fight twice, and I'm a head taller than her. It's a matter of how you use the skills you have and natural talent. We're...in sync. It's complicated, but we have a psychic bond that's unique to the two of us. We can talk to each other that way, and know how the other one is doing. It can be awkward, but it's also very helpful."

He leads the way, finding the place he's looking for about ten minutes ahead.

[torsion]

It isn't surprising to hear that there's commonality between worlds, even ones that seem vastly different than hers (like his). It's strange to think about space travel, about other planets being inhabited even if she was sure life was 'out there' somewhere. They just have means to travel such a distance that it's not like a shrimp or amoeba that's considered their life. Humanoid life is less expected.

"I never know how to express my gratitude when I get close to someone. I guess having their back and being honest with them instead of closed-off says a lot, but that tends to be 'normal' for the average person." Suggesting she's not like the average person, apparently.

"Oh, I can beat Chris. No problem. I'm strong, but my strength is in speed. It's the little hits built up rather than one good hit that's much stronger, if that makes sense?" She wouldn't call the bond she has with Chris to be a literal psychic bond, but maybe figurative. Ben, she imagines, means pretty literal considering. "It means there's a different slew of challenges when you train together, right? Chris generally can predict my movements, even when I try to sneak in a lariat or right hook instead of using kicks. It comes with knowing someone well, I think."

The walk's pleasant and she's happy to have company and to provide it for the moment, but she grows all the more curious about Rey -- especially when offered the information about their unique bond. Made for each other, she supposes. It's a nice feeling to find that fit and to acknowledge it, to get there.