In the Forest

[Retroboy]

Apophe sat in the forest, listening to the sound of the wildlife around her. She sat in a small tent, more modest than one might expect for royalty. A hookah sat before her, and she drank smoke from it casually, resting in a comfortable bean-bag chair, oversized to fit someone like her. She pulled the smoke up into her lungs and then blew it out from her nose, feeling herself relax. There were many ways to treat her headaches, but sometimes the chemical route was the best way to go, especially when she could isolate herself from her subjects for a portion of time.

Idly, she fanned herself as she smoked. It was hot, very hot, on Zakuul, and sweat glistened on her skin. To manage the weather, she dressed only in a pair of dance shorts and a very, very loose tank-top. Even then, it was hard to manage just how hot it was. She occasionally took breaks from the relaxing smoke to drink some cold tea she had brought with her on her trek out into the wilderness.

Had she been irresponsible, taking this little excursion away from others? Perhaps so, but she needed it. People were beginning to tire her out and she needed time to be alone, to savour the victories she had one. She wasn't going to be gone long, anyway. Maybe a few days to recuperate, and besides, she was easily reached by her commlink. Her eyes flicked to her swoop-bike. She could get back to civilization in a few hours if she really wanted to. If she was needed.

She hoped she wasn't needed.

And then, like that, her commlink buzzes on. She groaned. The smoke has made her lazy. She didn't want to answer it. But, she did it anyway.

"Something happened," she droned. "Something bad?"

"No, nothing like that, Imperatrix," the voice responded, soft and feminine. "Just wanted you to know you should be expecting a visitor."

"A visitor," Apophe repeated. "Who? Why?"

"Didn't catch her name, or her reason. Just uh... expect her, okay?"

Apophe sighed, sinking into her chair. So much for solitude, she thought sulkily. She had been hoping to spend this alone. Hopefully they weren't here to talk business or whoever they were, they were going to be going home very disappointed and very tongue-lashed. That is, if Apophe could muster the energy.

@Phantom

 

[Phantom]

Amelia's swoop bike flew through the trees, diving left and right, surprisingly making it through without a scratch. She was put here for the same reason that Apophe was, to unwind. She was planning on just doing it alone, but when she heard that Apophe was out here already, she figure she might as well join the woman who she was supposed to take orders from. Not that she actually would, anyways.

Amelia soon came upon the camp of the Imperatrix, taking in the sight of the modest, yet affective set-up. She parked the bike and exited the craft, her ever-present sword was strapped to her waist, the black scabbard complimenting the rest of her out fit. Which, consisted of a form-fitting tank top, a pair of black jeans, and her combat boots.

"Afternoon, Highness. I thought you could use some company. Don't be mad, I come bearing gifts." She reached into one of the compartments in the bike, pulling out two glasses, and a bottle of Rum. Holding up the bottle for Apophe to see, she continued, "Arkanian Rum. Hard to get, but damn, it's worth every credit. Best part about it is, it's always cold." She walked over and set the bottle down on a little fold-out table she had also brought. She sat down accross from the other woman and poured a glass for herself, handing the bottle to Apophe if she wanted it.

 

[Retroboy]

Apophe was about to start one of her rants when she saw who her visitor was. Instead, she simply reclined further into her chair, sighing through her nose. Amelia looked good enough to give her a pass on this little intrusion, more than she'd give a lot of people.

The rum made her eyes light up. She leaned up, abandoning her hookah pipe. Sitting up was unpleasant, but she had company now, and they were bearing alcohol. That was what was missing from this little venture. Alcohol. A smile now crossed her face, lazy and crooked, as she accepted the bottle and began to pour herself a glass, still fanning herself with her right hand.

"Gift accepted," she cooed. "I suppose you can stay. Not like I was doing much out here."

She crossed her legs, smiling down at Amelia. Apophe was so much bigger than the woman, but she didn't really mind that. Apophe was much bigger than most people. She'd never met a person she had to look up at.

"So, what inspired this little visit?"

 

[Phantom]

"So, what inspired this little visit?"

"Honestly? I needed to unwind. Which, might I add, is very hard for someone like me, especially since I have ADHD. I saw that you had come out here, and thought you might want a drink and some company." She raised her glass to her mouth and took a long sip, savoring the taste of the rum.

She smiled as the familiar burn of the kiquid made its way down her throat, it was almost like doing spice, but more of an art. Amelia looked to Apophe, fully grasping how large the woman was compared to her own small frame. "So, you don't mind if I stay for a couple nights? I've got my own tent and everything, I will try and not annoy you while I'm here."

 

[Retroboy]

Apophe couldn't help but smile at that answer. She lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip, savouring the burn of the rum. Few things were as nice as a cold drink on a hot day. Gently, she placed her glass down and then folded her hands into her lap. She regarded Amelia again. She had met with her a few times now, and each time had found the woman more intriguing than the last. Who would have guessed she had issues with focus? Given her reputation, Apophe had expected someone with a sort of steely resolve, unswerving. But nothing was what it seemed among the Void Serpents. It was one of Apophe's favourite things about her little empire.

"I'm sure you won't annoy me," Apophe said lazily, her eyes flicking up to the sky. Her smile got wider. "You can stay, but that means you're going to have to put up with me and all my little quirks."

She giggled. "I won't be playing Imperatrix out here," she said in a playfully warning tone. "Just out here to relax. Going to eat, sleep, fish, probably listen to the holo-net a bit... get drunk."

As an after-thought, she produced a small tin from a pack she kept next to herself. Using a little key attached to the tin, she pried it open and then flicked a morsel - a smoked mussel - out from the can and into her mouth. Idly, she offered the can to Amelia.

"Want one?"

 

[Phantom]

"I won't be playing Imperatrix out here. Just out here to relax. Going to eat, sleep, fish, probably listen to the holo-net a bit... get drunk."

"I would hope so, even the Queen needs to get drunk and have some fun every once in a while, right?" Amelia watched Apophe pull out what looked to be a small container filled with Mussels, she watched the woman plop one into her mouth, and graciously accepted one when it was offered. She ate the mussel with some hesitation, it had been almost a decade since she had one, and they were still as slimy as she remembered, but good, still.

She took another sip of her drink, letting the alchoholic liquid wash down the mussel. Setting her glass back down, she looked to Apophe, "So, what's first up on the list of things to do?"

 

[Retroboy]

Apophe flicked another few mussels into her mouth, chewing slowly as she mulled over Amelia's question. The truth was, Apophe didn't really go into any of this with a strict sort of plan, but instead had wanted to simply do whatever her heart told her to at the time. To be free from the needs of foresight and instead just embrace a little bit of anarchy. After all, she had just come from war, where everything had to be so strictly controlled for fear of the enemy taking advantage.

"Well, if I'm going to be, like, super honest with you," Apophe said. "I'm uh... I'm a little stoned. So I dunno."

She looked around herself, before fetching something from her pack. It was a guitar, small compared to her body but average to anyone else, and she rested it across her lap. She figured, if anything, perhaps a little music might make for something to pass the time. After all, who didn't like music? Using an acoustic string instrument was a little rustic by inner galactic standards, but that never really stopped Apophe, even if she did normally like things louder than that.

"Maybe I play a song or two, then we go fishing, maybe swim a little bit. There's a river not far from here that's got a lot of these weird, tasty fish. Huge, too."

She strummed her guitar as she spoke, turning the knobs to make sure that it was in tune. Apophe needed no outside help to figure out the exact tuning. Though she had difficulties in many areas, Apophe was something of a musical savant. She loved music almost more than anything else. She could easily get lost in a song.

"You know any songs? I got a few if you can't think anything," she said. Her face was serene, her eyes half-shut. As she played, she felt the stress melt off of her shoulders.

 

[Phantom]

"Maybe I play a song or two, then we go fishing, maybe swim a little bit. There's a river not far from here that's got a lot of these weird, tasty fish. Huge, too. You know any songs? I got a few if you cant think anything."

"Sounds like a plan. As for any songs I know... I've got nothing. Go ahead, Dazzle me." She would lean back in her position, resting her back against a tree trunk, and listened to Apophe play. It was actually quite good, and Amelia found herself humming along.

---

After Apophe had finished with her songs, Amelia got up and went to her bike, sifting through it's contents before producing a bathing suit. She came back and motioned to the tent, basically asking if she could go in and change. Without waiting for an answer, she went in, putting the suit on under her clothes. She came back out a minute or so later, "Come on, are gonna fish or what? I'm hungry."

 

[Retroboy]

Apophe smiled, stowing her guitar as she rose. She didn't bother putting on any sort of bathing suit - her own clothes could get wet and it wouldn't bother her. She retrieved her fishing pole, one of those old ones without a reel, just a long, flexible piece of wood and some string with a hook on it. She brought a tackle bag with her. She had only fished a few times before but she was confident she would be able to master the process quickly enough.

"Alright," she said. "Follow me."

She began walking, taking slower strides so that she didn't leave Amelia in the dust or force her to run after her. It was amazing just how much faster long legs made someone. As she walked, she casually checked the bag to make sure she had everything she needed, before stowing it and slinging it over her shoulder.

"So," Apophe said as she stepped over a root that almost tripped her. "I don't actually know all that much about you, beyond you being a pirate and all that. Oh, and I guess the ADHD thing. So, uh, where were you born, what do you like to do?"

 

[Phantom]

"So, I don't actually know all that much about you, beyond you being a pirate and all that. Oh, and I guess the ADHD thing. So, uh, where were you born, what do you like to do?"

Amelia's mouth quwirked into a half-grin, "I could say the same for you. But, you asked first, so I'll humor you. I was born on Yavin IV, my father was an Anzati Jedi, and my mother was a small dairy farmer. Basically the definition of humble beginnings. Anyways, that was a long time ago. As for what I like to do, well, ever heard of the Dread Pirate Swann?"

Her pirate name wasn't much of an answer, but if Apophe knew her history well-enough, the name would sound familiar. "My past aside, What do you like to do? What drive you to become Imperatrix?"

 

[Retroboy]

"You know, I actually have," Apophe said. "You're much older than I thought."

It seemed almost unfair that Amelia still looked like this when Apophe would have to deal with eventually aging and sagging. Though, given her mother's genetics, that'd probably be further off than most. Apparently most women amongst her mother's line looked good even into their old age. Still, the idea that Apophe would eventually get older and weaker terrified her on a very primal level, though she was loathe to admit that. The Yahm never really expected to live a long time, they expected to die in battle. Though elders were respected among the Yahm, very much so, it was seen as slightly shameful to have lived that long. Somehow, Apophe expected she might see her twilight years.

"But what I like to do?" Apophe said, digesting the question. "Well, lotsa things. Play music, pretty people, listen to music, drink, eat, uhhhh..."

She shrugged. "Lotsa things, like I said."

She took in a breath of the hot air, enjoying the nature around her. For as deadly as it was, Zakuul was devastatingly beautiful. A polar opposite of the endless white of Yahmsborg and New Satramand, it was vibrant and full of so many colours and sounds. It felt so very much alive compared to any other planet Apophe had been to.

"Why I became Imperatrix, though," she said with good humour, as though she had heard a joke. "Well, somebody had to, might as well have been me. We were in chaos, my dad was stupid, I saw a place the Void Serpents should be going to, I decided I was going to lead us there. My sister and some of my half-siblings helped."

 

[Phantom]

"You know, I actually have. You're much older than I thought."

"Didn't Arsolyn tell you? I mentioned it to her when she recruited me, but i guess she didn't pass on the information."

"But what I like to do? Well, lotsa things. Play music, pretty people, listen to music, drink, eat, uhhhh... Lotsa things, like I said. Why I became Imperatrix, though. Well, somebody had to, might as well have been me. We were in chaos, my dad was stupid, I saw a place the Void Serpents should be going to, I decided I was going to lead us there. My sister and some of my half-siblings helped."

Amelia listened to the story with increasing interest, chuckling a bit when she thought it was necessary. "That, is a very good story," she said as she stepped over a rather large root. "So, I have this skill where I can read facial expressions really well, and I am pretty sure I picked up surprise in your face when I mentioned my ADHD. Care to elaborate?"

 

[Retroboy]

Apophe was startled by Amelia's admission, and that was plain on her face. She had grown used to the idea that her head was a place safe from others, and that her face would betray her, even though it should have been obvious that it would, startled her a little bit. She had gotten pretty good at putting on her game face. How did that slip?

Oh.

Right.

She was stoned. Her guard was down. But was that a really bad thing? She had been cutting herself off from people a little too much lately, ever since she had become Imperatrix. It was right to let her guard down sometimes. Wasn't it? Besides, it wasn't like the Dread Pirate Swann was going to do anything when her guard was down. She was safe right now.

"Uh, well, like," she stumbled. "I dunno. I mean I guess it's kinda surprising since being a leader means you need to focus a lot. I know I have to uh... Like I don't want you to be offended or anything... but I have to uhm... I have to always keep on task, gotta keep my mind on one thing and not swerve too much."

Her face was red. This, of all questions, had embarrassed the mighty Imperatrix of the Void Serpents.

 

[Phantom]

"Uh, well, like, I dunno. I mean I guess it's kinda surprising since being a leader means you need to focus a lot. I know I have to uh... Like I don't want you to be offended or anything... but I have to uhm... I have to always keep on task, gotta keep my mind on one thing and not swerve too much."

Amelia laughed at Apophe stumbling over trying to answer the question, she figured she should intervene and clarify things. "Relax, it's fine that you were surprised, most people are. Plus, I was just messing with you. Usually the next question they ask is 'How did you manage to lead your crew like that?' Am I right to assume that was yours? I'll answer it for you if you'd like, but maybe later, I'll keep you guessing."

The pair reached the river, and my what a sight it was. She could practically see the roasted fish now, what a wonderful feeling it was. She moved to the small beach where she assumed they would start fishing. "Ready to go?"

 

[Retroboy]

Apophe nodded curtly, face still red. She had no idea why she stumbled like she did, but there was no going back now. It was clear that Amelia was enjoying it, too. The monster. Apophe did not relish making a fool of herself like she just did, especially in front of someone like Amelia. Is this what her courtiers went through when they tried to impress her?

Probably.

She was quick to set up her fishing rod, hooking on some bait she had collected in the woods, a little red beetle with eight eyes like a spider. She imagined the fish would like that. Then, she wedged the rod in between some rocks, testing it to make sure that the rod would not come loose from the rocks when a fish bit and tried to get away. Then, content, she went back to join Amelia.

"Wanna wait for the fish to show up? Wanna swim?" She asked, now over her embarrassment. For the most part, anyway.

 

[Phantom]

"Wanna wait for the fish to show up? Wanna swim?"

"Sure, I could go for a swim, it's getting hot." She turned and walked a few feet away, not that it would do much for privacy, it was more for courtesy. She slipped out of her boots while pulling her hair up into a tight bun. She then proceeded to remove the rest of her clothing, leaving only her bikini. Unfortunately, it was her only bathing suit, so she couldn't wear anything less revealing without wasting a pair of clothes. But, she didn't really care, Apophe had already seen her in the suit, so it wouldn't be too awkward.

Without waiting for the other woman, she ran into the water, diving a few feet out, resurfacing a few seconds later. "Come on Apophe! The water feels wonderful."

 

[Retroboy]

Apophe grinned, watching Amelia for a moment, before rushing in to join her in the water. The coldness shocked her for only a moment before she threw herself beneath the flow, immersing herself in the river. She emerged shortly after, running her fingers through her hair. She had forgotten how nice it felt to get into the water when it was hot out. And boy, was it hot out.

She smiled at Amelia with a sunny expression. "So, you've known me for a little while now."

She giggled. "Am I really as scary as everyone seems to think I am?"

She flexed her mechanical talons, and showed off her sharpened canines. For some reason, Amelia gave her the impression that it would be okay to be a goofball around her. She hoped that doing so wouldn't be a mistake.

 

[Phantom]

"So, you've known me for a little while now. Am I really as scary as everyone seems to think I am?"

Amelia giggled a bit as well, "Why would you think that? But honestly, I don't find you very scary compared to some of the things I've seen other Anzati do. Lucky for you, I don't have their appetite. But, the real question is, are those talons of yours retractable?"

 

[Retroboy]

Apophe flopped into the water, landing on her back and floating, her arms spread out. She stretched to look at her talons, wiggling them again. Not as scary compared to what she's seen Anzati do, hmn? The Yahm used to eat people too, although that particular cultural habit had died out a generation or two ago. At least, among most of them. Some still kept up the habit, even though it was discouraged by the priesthood. Apophe didn't care either way - eating people being some sort of special evil seemed strange to her, but she also had no motivation to indulge in it either. Though it sometimes helped in negotiations when she threatened to do it. She wondered if she would ever have to follow through.

"They aren't," she said. "But they aren't really as sharp as they look, either. Yeah they'll cut you up if I whack you hard enough with them, but they're not going to cut you if I just touch you with them either."

Her talons had many benefits to them, not the least of which was that they looked intimidating. Few people wanted to engage with a woman who had claws of steel, especially when she was the size of a bear. Another benefit was that her body didn't have to pump blood to extremities far larger than they should be and strain themselves. There was the combat applications, of course, as well. But there were downsides. They were cold to the touch, which made intimacy... difficult for people unused to that, and people were often hesitant to be touched by them at all. Not to mention, her arms had very little sensation at all.

She sighed through her nose.

"I've thought about replacing them with something nicer, but they're sort of uh, integral to my 'look'," she said with a snort. "A lot of what I do is about image."

"I mean, I'm always going to be a little freaky looking," she said. "I'm frakkin' massive and that bothers people.""

 

[Phantom]

"I've thought about replacing them with something nicer, but they're sort of uh, integral to my 'look'. A lot of what I do is about image."

"I would imagine so. With your reputation, had i not known you well enough, I wouldn't dare offend you."

"I mean, I'm always going to be a little freaky looking, I'm frakkin' massive and that bothers people."

Amelia smiled, "Well, it may bother some people, but it doesn't bother me. As far as I care, you can be whomever you want when you're around me." She eyed Apophe with a slightly mischievous smile. Lifting her index finger lightly above the water, she called on the Force to flip the Imperatrix over to face down in the water, laughing a bit as she did so.