Empatheias Mailbox/Amulet

[lostapprentice]

[God forbid you have to deal with this absolute mess, but he has a mailbox and can be contacted through the crystals.]

Comments

[oratorical]

[She raises an eyebrow at the description of what his last crystal was. Sure, that one was entirely less related to Ben than this one is, but she doesn't think it means this one has no reason behind it.]

And yet this is the crystal that went to you, when it could have gone to others you doubtlessly consider more connected to that symbol than you are.

[lostapprentice]

[Ren gestures with the hand holding the amulet, as if to signify the entire planet.]

Have you looked around this place at all? Tell me what part of it makes any sense.

[oratorical]

[Her attention follows his hand, but not entirely because of his gesturing. She's looking for any slight glimpse of the amulet again, especially the image of it next to Ben to keep in her memory.]

I can't say you're wrong. There's very little about this place that makes sense.

[Or maybe it's only meant to seem that way. Who knows. Either way, she plans on interpreting the meaning of that crystal--if there is any--in the exact opposite way he wants.]

[lostapprentice]

[Oh no she won't, not if he has any say. He knows her better than to assume she'll accept his meaning without him explicitly pointing things out.

... He doesn't expect her to accept it anyway, but at least he'll have made himself clear.]

Then don't think that this piece of rock has any meaning to me. I've discarded that heritage and you know it.

[He shoves the thing into his pocket, stepping forward so he's behind his armchair and taking a drink of his glass.]

[oratorical]

[Her expression melds back into a more guarded, distanced sort of expression, because she knows Ben discarded that heritage and it hurts to hear it. This was more his heritage than anything connected to Vader, to the family she didn't even know besides Luke, but he can't seem to accept that.]

Then perhaps you'll wind up with something you consider more fitting next time.

[lostapprentice]

I could only be so fortunate.

[He grumbles this at the wall before taking another sip, leaving his hand in his pocket.]

Is that all you came to discuss, or will I have to suffer your presence even longer?

[It's his way of asking if he needs to sit down again.]

[oratorical]

[She'd like to stay, considering that their conversation aside from the initial outburst had been far more successful than nearly any she'd had with Ben thus far. But she has no real reason to stay beyond that desire, and nothing else to question him about now.]

No, that's all I needed to know.

[So she moves toward the door, pausing momentarily to add--]

Though I'd also like to remind you to exercise restraint and not attack others. I don't want you to fall back under heightened supervision from the Enforcers.

[Well that and she doesn't want others from their galaxy to get hurt by him. Because she knows what happened between him and Finn, and she isn't happy about it.]

[lostapprentice]

[A red sheen comes to the nearby surfaces as his eyes narrow—though out of amusement— and his tone is almost light as he replies.]

If you're referring to the traitor, we merely had... a spar. [No harm done.] Is he complaining about it? I thought it was enjoyable.

[Apparently he's forgotten his desire to have Leia leave, with this new topic.]

[oratorical]

[it's a good thing he's forgotten because she's not about to leave on that note. She frowns, crossing her arms in front of her at Ben's apparent amusement.]

Finn wasn't complaining. I ran into him and noticed his face was bruised, and he said you were responsible.

[also she really questions what you find enjoyable, Ben.........]

[lostapprentice]

[He wasn't complaining, really? Ren has to raise his eyebrows, some interest showing in his expression and the way he cants his head.]

Good, maybe that means he'll be interested in another round. He did manage to get a few hits in, so it could be worthwhile.

[His split lip has healed by now, sadly. Ren would have only looked so much better than FN-2187 if not for the Force augmenting his natural healing.]

[oratorical]

[That just earns Kylo the flattest, most unamused stare. Because that's literally the opposite of what she said to do here, Ben, why do you not listen???]

I'd hope, if that's your plan, that you make sure he actually wants to spar with you. I don't want you to have to go back under constant supervision.

[lostapprentice]

[Because he likes punching people, that's why.]

I'm sure I could give him a few good reasons to.

[And the threat of supervision? It only makes him pull out another, slightly related topic, though he watches her with narrowed eyes for several silent moments first.]

... have you met a man named Rook recently?

[oratorical]

[take up knitting or something instead.

There's a flash of suspicion in Leia's expression at his question, but it vanishes quickly, replaced with something more difficult to read. Suspicion, only because she knows who Bodhi is and what he helped them accomplish, as well as Ben's thoughts on people he perceives as traitors. (shoutout to Finn)]

I have. Did something happen to him?

[lostapprentice]

[Yes, go ahead with whatever you suspect, Mother. Show him what you really think of him.]

I'm surprised you haven't heard. He was injured last month and took a while to recover. His arm was in a cast for at least a few weeks.

[oratorical]

I haven't seen much of him since the wedding, admittedly.

[But now that she considers it, she should've paid closer attention to Bodhi, she should've checked in with him more frequently. Especially knowing Krennic is here and just who Krennic happened to be. There's no one else she can imagine being responsible for this, considering she doesn't think Hux would attack someone who had betrayed the Empire long before his time.]

How do you know him?

[lostapprentice]

[His gaze gets a bit sharper as he continues, his jaw tense.]

I'm the reason he only had to stay at the hospital rather than the morgue.

[Whatever Krennic might have said, Ren has no doubt that in this place, Bodhi would have died from whatever injuries the man inflicted on him, if he was allowed to have his way.]

He wouldn't have been so fortunate if I had been under supervision.

[oratorical]

[It's not quite what she expected. Which isn't to say she entirely suspected he had harmed Bodhi, just not that he... would intervene to protect him. Leia blinks in surprise, before a genuine grateful smile spreads across her face.]

I'm glad you were around to help him. Thank you, Ben.

[lostapprentice]

[His expression, as ever, remains a scowl.]

You can thank me by not bringing FN-2187 up again.

[And you know, by not reporting him to the Enforcers. Which he thinks he's made fairly obvious.]

[oratorical]

[Well she wasn't planning on reporting him, more worried about someone else reporting him. But she can accept these terms, with one condition of her own.]

Provided you don't attack him again, I have little reason to.

[lostapprentice]

[And of course, because he's an obstinate idiot, he's not going to just let the issue go like a normal person who wants the other one to leave things alone.]

I'm not going to break him. He should be grateful all I decided to do was challenge him to a fair fight.

[oratorical]

[He wouldn't be her son if he were a normal person that let things go. And maybe Leia would realize this were she more detached from the situation, but for now she's only mildly annoyed by Kylo's continued pushing of this issue.]

Was it a fair fight? You're trained in the Force.

[lostapprentice]

[Ren puts his free hand against his hip, straightening up.]

Of course it was. I didn't use the Force once. If it wasn't, I never would have let him hit me.

[oratorical]

[On one hand, she's glad Ben didn't resort to using the Force in a fight against someone she doesn't think has that same ability. But on the other hand, as evident by the frown spreading across her features, she's not all that pleased Finn punched back.]

Did he hurt you?

[lostapprentice]

[Ren sends her a skeptical look, thinking both the question and the frown bizarre reactions.]

Of course he did. The only reason he managed run away was that he hit me hard enough to stun me.

[oratorical]

[That does nothing to get rid of the frown, and instead only makes Leia more concerned. She steps closer to him, her gaze searching for any signs of bruises or anything else that may have been left behind in a fight.]

And you're okay now?

[Well sure he's standing and talking just fine, and probably was out training or something earlier because of how he's dressed, but she's worrying. Because she knows just how hard he can and does push himself. Such as that time he didn't get a new amulet soon after his old one was full.]