The wood made a thud as a pair of knuckles met the hotel door. Solemnly, Kyoko's attention snapped at the outside barrier. Quietly placing an article of clothing in her dresser draw. Slowly making her way to the outside world. Kyoko's expectations rose to a hopeful anxiousness in her pulse. Expecting a towering being waiting for her on the other end. Her fingertips touched the cool knob guiding the door open. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw just whom it was beyond that door.
—
Heavy footsteps paced the hallway. Debating; summoning the courage to speak to the woman that is just a head of this door. Halting his body at the woodwork. He took a deep breath as his arm out reached. The events before rushed to overflow his mind.
Quickly John followed the actress keeping with her paces. Towing his luggage behind, it knocked the back of the brit's feet. The wheels would make rush of rolls and thuds on the red carpet. Following the two, Kuon wanted to clear the air. Rising his arm to grasp her shoulder. He wanted to plead her to turned and face him. She had to know, "This isn't what it looks like." His voice was dry and tired from the night that he had. Over exhausted to possibly even be standing. Kuon did not care if he was straining himself from the lack of sleep. He just desperately wanted to look directly into her eyes.
Kyoko nudging his touch off, "You don't need to explain," Not wanting to face the man that was standing behind her. She still felt Ren's body heat radiating off him. Causing her own body to be hyper aware from where they stood. Softy, her voice carried a chill. A cold breeze that ghosted the two men. Scaring the brit when his eyes landed on her displayed emotion. "I had a long seventeen hour flight. ... I think it's best if I just go and get rest." What was he to do? Kuon's arm went slack. Fingers grazing her back as they fell to his waist side. The tips of his flesh jolted her. Her chest clenched in a horrid pain. She loathed herself even more so. And with that, Kyoko took her leave. The poor brit was caught in the cross hairs. But he still shot Ren a look of disgust and quickly ran after his dear friend. "Let me walk you Kyoko," His voice carried in the hallway. Kuon's efforts fell to the waistline. Watching the two fade from his view.
Halting at the wood, attempting tap his knuckles on it. A marathon of scenarios played in his mind's movie theater. None of which had an ending he wanted to actually see. Taking a deep breath to summon the courage. Kuon shook his nervousness away with a flicker of his head. Slowly his arm outreached for the wood again. A phantom of muffled voices passed through the door. Once again his hand stopped. Not drumming his knuckles at the woodwork. His arm slacking back to his waist side.
—
"Ma—Miss Muse!" Kyoko's voice cracked in surprise. "What are— It's great to see you!" Her face plastered with a false smile. Ten blinked her eyes a few times. Her imagination of how this encounter was vastly different from what she expected. Sure; Ten being here was not scheduled till maybe tomorrow but… Kyoko's could at least perform better acting. A cold front ghosted Ten's small spine as Kyoko's doll like eyes seemed soulless. Displaying her lips with stitched on smile. It reminded Ten of door to door salesmen way back when. A facade of cheerful friendliness as they attempt to sell you on an item that both of you are well aware the other does not need. "Are…you alright Kyoko-chan?" Ten tried her best to hide her fears in her voice. The living Kyoko doll tilted her head in confusion, "Yes! Of course I am." Ten's mouth did a nervous twitch as she witnessed the actress try to sell her on the lies. Forcing herself to smile, Ten uncontrollably did a nervous laugh. "Eh..ha…If you say so…." Making her way to the kitchenette counter. Ten fished for her beauty products out of her luggage. "Well…let's just get started."
—
Hours had passed since… Kuon waited outside her door. Falling from grace, sitting solemnly on the dirty red rug. His indecision was a bolder in his own way. Unable to perform any motion. The stakes were high in his mind. If a small miss step happened he feared losing her all together. Everything about them was well…delicate. If his careless foot makes just the slightest kick of a rock of poor judgment, their glasslike relationship could shatter.
The brass of the knob juggled before it slowly turned inward. Calling to his attention, Kuon quickly jumped to his full length. His heart hammed in the drum of his ears as he let out a shallow breath. The door creaked open to find a familiar face awaiting for him on the other side. Locking eyes at the being in front of him. John's eyes were a loaded weapon aiming at him. The brit's face turned sour as if he was offended by Kuon's presence. "Don't bother … She doesn't want to see you." His stance held proud.
—
Kyoko was silent, arching her head around to help Ten unfix the tinfoil attached to her scalp. "Kyoko-chan." She answered back with a hmmm. "You're almost done. Just lean back…" The beautician plucked the last aluminum out of her hair. Gently easing her clients back agents the sink. It was quite relaxing. Letting the warm water carry her woes down the drain. All of her heartache ebbed for the moment. A genuine smile graced her lips. Miss muse was truly magical, even her dear friend John couldn't find a way to remedy yesterday's pain. The witch carded her fingers through the newly dyed hair. Messaging the actress with shampoo and conditioner. Rinsing the old soulless Kyoko away. This hiss of the water disappeared with a creek of a faucet. Pleased with her work, Ten shrilled in excitement. Toweling her clients locks. "You look amazing!" Ten grabbed her round brush and dryer. With each heated blow a layered wave draped. Ashe brown against her freshly sun kissed Dubai skin fit Kyoko perfectly. Highlighting hidden freckles in her cheeks.
With her all her travels out of the way. They were only left with complex choreography. The studio and production team believed it would be best to get rid of the wig. Fashioning the young actress with small hair extensions and a beautiful dye job done by yours truly. When Ten was all done with the final touches she allowed Kyoko to peer into the small hand mirror. A light sheered across the sliver frost of the defective object. She almost did not recognizes herself. If it wasn't for the wig that she once wore, she probably would not believe it. Meeting the gaze with the glass. Finally Kyoko was physically introduced to the haunting hazel eyes in front of her. Finally meeting face to face was Rey.
—
There was a throbbing pain at his sides. Sending shards up his nerve endings. Sharp broken glass pulsating through his veins. Twinging, color of red invaded his senses; clouding his vision. Muffled sobs of a girl's cries echoing above, "No." Her lungs heaving for air towering above him. Ren's vision was blurred as he fully awakened from his trance. His heated gaze strode upwards to find that trader, FN-2187 (Finn) with the girl,Rey standing over a ledge. Her palm gripping her jawline, holding back and losing composer as the body before Ren fell in the pit of darkness. A wave of rage radiated over him seeing those two together. His heavy foot kicked his metal mask off the edge. Aiming his recent frustrations of his own creation out. He wasn't going to let them escape—especially with her.
Finn had to act quickly on his feet grabbing one of Rey's arms. He tugged her away from the chasing beast baring his fangs. They escaped to the back opening behind them, running, huffing in the snow capped wood. Not even thinking of the tracts they left behind. Deep into the dark forest, only halting when they were out of breath. It was good, anyway, to amongst all this darkness the forest felt clean and safe. That is until the a figure appeared out of the shadows. It uttered a single word, "Stop." The three of them stood face to face.
—-
Yashiro's eyes shifted between his two talents physically seeing the tension that filled the air. Kyoko quietly ducking away from them in the break room to "go find John." Cold stares from the brit always not to far behind. Aiming his daggers at Ren. Refusing to give his favorite couple a moment alone. Yashiro did not know what to do. "Don't." Ren's voice was a stone wall. No amount of times Yashiro flung his body at the slab there wasn't a single crack. There was a beast crawling underneath Ren's glassy sensitive features.
The actor's eyes were matte. Those eyes, Yashiro was sure of it now. Those all knowing eyes were one of pain, anger and hurt. Spilling outwardly into the world, these intense emotions that were well beyond Ren's own mortal existence. Yashiro experienced this natural deserter only a few times since coming to the states. His answer for what laid underneath the mask was undesirably true.
—
A pool of red was resting beside this monster. Rey almost felt compassion for it. Almost saw him as human. His fist hammered at the wound summoning more negative energy out. A heated flash reminded her just how that wound was infected, "You're a monster." Her face curled into a beastly snarl. Rey pulled her belted blaster off of her person. Ready to take aim. Before the trigger squeezed, Kylo rose his hand to halt her. Gritting his teeth, the pain surged his body. He struggling against her new found powers, resisting him with fury. Kylo wished not to fight her. Swinging his wrist forward, a force brushed Rey off her footing to toss her aside and out of his own dangerous way. "Rey—Rey!" Finn's footsteps crackled in the snow as they rushed to her side. Slamming himself next to the unconscious girl. The ex-stormtrooper inspected her for injury. Hoping to quickly get her back on her feet. A beam ignited behind him. The lightsaber's fiery glow bounced off the snow.
Kylo twirled his weapon in attempts to show superiority over the green trooper. His fangs barren while Finn turned to face the beast. The sting of the pain was beating in him. Heated anger seeping out. This fight had to be between him and that "Traitor!" Kylo bellowed to the ex-stormtrooper. The hum of the saber resonated in Finn's ears. The weapon's gleams bounced around the white frost and draped his features.
With Rey's blaster swung out of reach with that fling; there was nothing else that Finn could fall back on. Resorting to his only line of defense, his umbral fingers grasped at the cold object attached to him. Thumb activating silver hilt of the saber Maz gave him back in the dusty hallway. Draping the world around him a neon blue. Finn pulled it away from his body for a moment and admired the blades glory.
Some reason, the simple sight of this item gave Kylo a pause. As if he knew were it came from. Lifting his own saber to point at that traitor's hand, "That weapon—is mine." He bared his teeth once more. Despite his fears, Finn rose the saber up to depend himself, "Come and get it." Snarling in his reply to the towering figure. Anger heated to a brighter flame, "I am going to kill you for it." Finn rushed forward. Ren lunged with a strike only to be blocked by Finn's parry. Crossing their weapons against each other repeatedly. Shards of light illuminated the snow around them. Refracting up to hight their bodies. Clashing the beams together. The longer this tournament continued the stronger Kylo seemed to become. He was enjoying this challenge, feeding on it. That was until Finn unexpectedly grazed his beam against Kylo' arm. Causing the beast to take a step back. Expecting just a simple excursion. A mere game to a quick death. Now he had touched skin. It was time for play to end.
Kylo advanced swiftly with purpose. The ex-stormtrooper fought back as much as he could. Relentless Kylo landed a opening. Swing his beam across his opponent's chest. Sending the saber flying out of his hand. Kylo's fist connected with the traitor's face. Twirling him in a daze. His sweltering beam glazed the back of the ex-troopers. It was over.
Thumbing his own weapon off, Kylo extended his hand out to the other saber. The hilt emerged in snow twitched back and forth with a force. He strained as his hand stretched out further calling the weapon. Finally the lightsaber rose. Bulleting in the air. He ducked, shooting past him. Taken back, he looked past himself to search for the weapon. Seeing it land in hands of a girl. Rey. Whom was equally as shocked that the saber responded to her call over his. Her fingers wrapped tightly at the rod. It fit snugly in her resting grasp.
—
End of ch. 22
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A/n: Ugh okay so first I had most of this chapter written out in the beginning of the month but then I found a lump on one of my babies stomach. And rushed her to the vet. Worried sick over her. (She's safe now. Thank god I found it in time.) And held off writing the rest for the mouth still her stitches where out. And then I was dragging my feet to actually write again. Went back into the story find my footing. Edited almost every chapter (party out of procrastination) but it helped me re-engage with the story. Threw away the old draft of this chapter because every time I even looked at it… The dang thing wasn't settling right with me. I think this was the longest beat I had with a chapter too. I believe a full month of not writing all thanks my world's chaos. Anyway, I can actually breath a sign of accomplishment now. Lol This chapter is heavily inspired (at least the movie part) by the adult novel of the force awakens. Actually I think a few sentences might be a direct quote.
Thank you so much for waiting and reading! I say this everytime & everytime I mean it! I appreciate you so much! Without you I would have probably given up on this story long ago. If anything definitely right after finding a lump on one of my dogs. Please stay safe and healthy! And have a great day. I hope to see you in the next chapter. Which might be the last one. We will see.
