34 『One of Three』
Before they headed back to the Palace, Ento had his clothes tailored and fixed after having bought a few other sets of tunics boots and trousers. With their things in a bags, hanging from their arms and in the packs on their backs, the two entered the Palace from the service entrance.
"Welcome back," One of the Officers waved slightly to the two, chuckling seeing them carrying a number of bags with clothes and accessories in them. Though it didn't seem like they were struggling.
The two have the officer a half assed wave before moving on, making their way down to the hangar bay of the lower levels. Once they did reach it, they entered the Scimitar and placed their things in the storage bay.
"Now that should be good and done," chuckling Ento looked over towards Vaylin.
She was just standing there, looking over the clothes which were in the bags as well as a few of the accessories that were in there. She took in a deep breath, only to exhale sharply.
"Something wrong?" Ento narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows at her.
"Not... Necessarily?" Vaylin responded in a quiet tone, sounding unsure of her own answer.
"Huh..." Ento huffed at this and shook his head, "So... What do you want to do anyways? I brought you here, you're free from your past. Do you have a plan?"
She just gave him a once over before shrugging, Vaylin didn't have plan. Though for some reason, she wasn't quite sure she was really free from her past either. She had no idea she needed a plan nor did she really feel like coming up with one. After being locked away for so long, being tortured and abused, practically scarred for life, she just wanted to go along with the moment. "Being with you sounds like a good plan," she couldn't help but give a silly little nervous laugh.
Hearing her giggle made his once furrowed brow raise in an arched position. He understood her answer, or at least thought he did. She didn't know this timeline, she wasn't really an adult, so her traveling capabilities were limited and it wasn't safe for her to be alone.
"I guess we'll go find Master Dooku, and then once we are ready, we'll head back to the Varykino." His suggestion was met with a short nod. So as he went towards the Airlock, she followed behind him.
As the doors opened for them to leave, the two walked down the loading ramp and planted their feet flat on the grounds of the hangar. Their eyes gazing over the somewhat lax atmosphere which seemed to have overtaken the Security Forces.
There was no reason to be on alert, as for the last five months there had been nothing of note. Of course that didn't mean they weren't ready for a list minute drill.
The double doors leading deeper into the Palace would open on their own and Dooku would appear walking towards them with his hands folding behind his back. A small grin formed over his lips seeing his apprentice and the young girl with him. "So you have returned... Good."
Behind Dooku was the Queen in her regal dress and her squad of Handmaidens that followed her generally almost everywhere unless she was disguised. Panaka seemed to be lagging behind them generously. It was subtly clear that Padmé was trying to hide a smile.
"Is something going on Master?" Ento looked over Dooku upon his approach.
Vaylin pursed her lips seeing Queen Amidala behind the Jedi Master.
"The Naboo Monarch wishes to see how far your training has come, my young apprentice." Dooku spoke with his aristocratic accent as always.
"Is that so..." Ento's eyes glossed over the girl in the regal dress and chuckled under his breath. He wasn't expecting an audience tonight, perhaps he could show off his prowess in the force then? "I have thing I offered to do for Vaylin when we return, you're welcomed to watch."
Dooku raised a brow to this as he made it within a few meters of his apprentice. "And what would that be?" He raised a brow slightly, wondering what exactly he had planned.
"A technique that would allow me to return her hair, to its original color," Ento seemed to be grinning now rather content with himself.
"Wait...? You can use the force for beauty care?" Panaka blurted as he moved to the front of the group beside Dooku, looking at the young man who spoke of changing the girl's hair.
Ento seemed a bit puzzled by the question, before scratching the side of his head with his fingers. "Uh... You can use the force for just about anything as long as you have the ability to understand and believe in it."
Understanding and belief was the primary way of using the force. The Jedi used the force almost void of emotions, with their belief of the light. The Sith often filled the force with their emotions and their twisted ambitions for unlimited power, though it is quite clear that each sith has their own philosophy. Then the Knights of Zakuul focused their greater sense of Justice into their abilities in the Force.
"Interesting..." Panaka seem to actually be interested after hearing what the boy said. It was mystical and he was more interested in the practical, though he was curious as to what the boy would do to the girl's hair.
That's when Padmé stepped forward from her flock. "Ento, Are you ready to return to the Varykino?" She didn't speak formally, he was a friend and there was only her guard around.
A small smile formed over his lips and nodded lightly. "We can depart in a few minutes I suppose." His eyes moved towards Dooku for a few seconds before shrugging. Turning back around, both he and Vaylin made their way up the ramp. The Airlock would pop back open and the two stepped inside.
Dooku, followed by the Queen and two of her handmaidens, entered right behind them. It appeared the rest were going to remain behind as decoys should anything happen.
However just as they came through the airlock, Vaylin and Ento entered the turbolift, the female teen clinging to his arm as they did. It was clear the tight spaces still bothered Vaylin.
When they finally reached the cabin, Ento made his way over to the pilot's seat and sat down.
"Hello Organic Overlords! ...Enjoy your picnic?" The R2 Unit quipped, rolling on over to them, as it whirred its domed head in a wildly circular motion. "Hmmm~?"
Vaylin just blankly smiled down toward the droid as it was being as quirky as ever.
Ento took his turn to roll his eyes and shake his head side to side, "Yup, good time." He responded even though they clearly didn't go on a picnic.
As Dooku entered the bridge, he looked around before narrowing his eyes on the trio. "Padawan, begin the departure sequence once the Queen is seated," He ordered which was something Ento was going to do anyways.
As they were already on board, he retracted the boarding ramp and sealed the Airlock.
Once the Handmaidens and Padmé entered the cabin, he looked over towards them with a light smile. It seemed Amidala had switched out her regal robes for a maiden gown. So as soon as they sat down, he turned forward and started up the engine, bringing the ship to a hover. Without delay, Ento lead the Scimitar out of the hangar and over towards the direction of the Lakeside home they had been staying in for the past five months.
+ + +
With the forward deflectors online, it only took mere minutes to make it out to the Lake Country, which would have taken a lot longer by speeder.
As the vessel came in for a landing, there seemed to be someone waiting out front for them, someone almost everyone within the ship could identify by now.
Dooku raised a brow at this, rather curious as he leaned forward to peer outside the main viewport. "What is Damask doing here...?" The Jedi Master made his way over to the lift and entered it quickly, being the first one to descend.
"It seems we have an unhealthy stalker..." Ento stood from his seat and both he and Vaylin went down next.
Unlocking the airlock, Dooku would waltz down the extending boarding ramp and rest the bottom of his boots in the grass. "Hm..." Turning to the side and walking towards the visitor he raised a brow. "What brings you here, Magister?" This was the man who introduced him to Sheev Palpatine and someone who he confided in about his disillusions with the Senate and Jedi Order.
"I've witnessed flashes coming from the central Balcony for the past five months," the Magister looked to the ship his acquaintance had emerged from. As he thought, it was the Scimitar.
"Is that so..." Dooku chuckled as it seems the training of the two teens had disturbed someone who he knew.
That's when Ento and Vaylin came walking out together.
"Yup, definitely the same guy," his head tilted to the side looking over the man.
Vaylin pursed her lips slightly as she tugged on her hood a bit.
Behind the two were the three handmaidens, one of them being Padmé Amidala in disguise.
Damask let his yellow eyes gaze over the two tweens before resting on the handmaidens following behind them. That was an interesting sight to see, a handful of the Queen's guards. "What brings the Handmaidens here?"
Dooku glanced over towards the girls in orange, and then over towards Ento and Vaylin. "The two are going to be demonstrating their lightsaber training, as well as a peculiar force technique I am rather eager to witness." He gestured one hand towards Ento and Vaylin as they approached. "Would you mind sitting in?"
Damask's eyes widened slightly, seeing as the man had been training two apprentices at once, but only referring to one as his padawan. He found this rather interesting to say the least. That and the boy knew a force power his master didn't know? His eyes moved towards the ship, while he had a hard time sensing it, he could sense the R2 Unit which in turn could sense him somehow.
"This... I would like to witness this," The Magister coughed. This Muun had seen Dooku as his potential replacement for Palpatine should he have been exposed or killed. Yet, he didn't expect Dooku to resolve to something else, to someone else.
His eyes flickered to the boy once more, "What will this technique do?"
Padmé looked over the nonhuman, curious of the relationship between him and Dooku. She however didn't stop as she continued on forth into the house with her two handmaidens in tow.
Dooku looked over Damask, a small smirk across his lips. "He's going to permanently turn Vaylin's hair back to its original color."
"Original color...?" Damask grinned at this, this boy could manipulate the biology of a living being? The boy may as well be a potential candidate as an Apprentice to this Sith Lord, if he could only turn him to his ideals. Perhaps he could turn both of them?
He was also growing rather curious at the way the boy felt through the force. Just how had this been done? He narrowed his eyes the girl for a few seconds before turning towards the doors.
The four would then make their way inside. Vaylin and Ento moving in front of Dooku and the alien, before moving into the common room. When they entered, they could see the Handmaidens had already moved the furniture around so that they could sit and spectate comfortably.
