open ☾ an arrival

[noch]

WHO: Merrin and YOU
WHERE: All over Temba
WHAT: One (1) very confused space witch makes her debut
WHEN: Right now?
WARNINGS: None yet, but will update if anything comes up!

A. YOU'VE GOTTA BE KITTEN ME

Despite the fact that Merrin is absolutely the type to hold grudges, she's somehow made peace with Voroka and the other mothkittens in spite of the terrible crime against her—at least judging by the fact that she's currently sitting cross-legged in the grass near the library while the kittens nap, lounge, and play in the sunshine around her.

A few bolder ones have already approached her, and she extends her hand towards one of them to let it curiously sniff her fingers. She's learned her lesson from last time, however, and she keeps her talisman, a palm-sized, halfmoon-shaped white rock, gripped tightly in her other hand to prevent another theft. That's the last thing she needs, now or ever.

"Hello, Voroka," she says to the mothkitten, though her voice doesn't sound welcoming so much as stern, like a disappointed parent. "Did you think I would not recognize you?"

B. LIFE'S A BEACH

It takes her a little while to find the path to the beach, but she eventually stumbles across it and—well, her home planet, Dathomir, is essentially a dry, harsh wasteland, and the largest body of water that exists there is a swamp, maybe a pond.

So nothing really prepares her for the sight of the ocean stretching out in front of her. It appears almost infinite to her, and she stands there on the beach for a long time, staring out across the water in wonder, her lips slightly parted. Her gaze keeps darting to the waves lapping against the shore as if she's... contemplating something.

(In fact, she's contemplating putting her feet in the water, though she doesn't know how safe it is, if at all. A lifetime on Dathomir has made her wary of everything, even if it looks harmless.)

C. SURPRISE! AT THE DISCO

After a few days of exploring, Merrin has finally started to get the lay of this place, and so she feels comfortable enough using her magick to teleport around—at least in the town center, where she's most familiarized, whether there are other people around or not.

The only thing that heralds her imminent arrival is a thick green fog that she materializes into, and then she's suddenly there, looking completely unperturbed, like she just stepped off a lift instead of blinking into existence halfway across the city.

D. WILDCARD

Of course, Merrin is still exploring. She can also be found in the hangar, inspecting all of the ships, including exploring her own assigned ship, the First Breath, at the inn, contemplating her food options and wishing she could eat Greez's steak, in the hotel, staking out an empty room (or not?) to claim, or pretty much anywhere else, seriously. Jedi and anyone who can sense Jedi will also be able to sense her—she feels pretty similar, actually, but definitively more... dark. Or sinister.

Or feel free to use any of her TDM prompts, if those speak to you more.

Comments

B. LIFE'S A BEACH

[heypartner]

"Yeah, it was like that for me the first time I saw it."

Cobb stood a respectful distance back from the newcomer so she could take in the whole sight of seemingly endless water. Tatooine was endless desert and canyons. He understood what it was like to suddenly see so much water when it's not part of the day to day.

He walked over slowly, a friendly enough smile on his face. Sometimes he came back to the ocean just to make sure it was still there. Which was what he was doing today when he spotted her. "Just get here?"

He's made an effort to try and learn every face. They're not a big group. It's easy enough to keep track. He'll get to talking to everyone in time. This seemed like a good time to say hello.

[noch]

Merrin turns towards the man when he speaks—for some reason, she almost wasn't expecting him to, if only because friendliness is a foreign concept to her—not caught off guard so much as thoughtful, her gaze sweeping over him, quietly assessing. For threat or out of curiosity? Both, honestly.

His accent is slightly different from any other one she's heard, and it just reminds her how little she knows of the galaxy outside her home.

"It must be obvious," she says, her tone dry. That would be a yes, she just got here. She slants her gaze back towards the ocean again. "My planet, Dathomir, does not have anything like this. Yours must be the same."

Since he said that he felt the same way, seeing this ocean.

[heypartner]

Dathomir is a planet Cobb only knows by reputation and stories. It's supposed to be harsh and the people from it cruel. He's a little surprised because this girl looks like she's roughly Jo's age and while careful about him, she didn't lash out.

"Only to someone who's also been through it," he says with a shrug of his shoulders. "Yeah, Tatooine's just sand and rocks. Nothing like this back home."

He gestures to the water. The sight of it still fills him with this sense of wonder and dread. People say it'll never run out but legend said Tatooine used to have oceans so he's skeptical.

"Cobb Vanth." He inclines his head towards her. "Word of advice, don't mention your planet doesn't have water. Some folks are skeptical about that sort of thing. I guess their planets all have it or somethin'."

[noch]

Tatooine. She hasn't heard of the place—but then again, she hasn't heard of many places outside her home world. Just what her sisters would speak about, after returning home from some mission or assignment that Mother Talzin sent them on off-world.

Still, she makes mental note of the name, resolving to ask more about the place later, even if it means asking Cal.

"I am Merrin." She doesn't smile, exactly—sometimes it feels like the muscles around her mouth have practically atrophied, since all she used to do was frown—but her expression does soften a little as she inclines her head in return. "Is it so unusual?" She hesitates slightly, but then continues, by way of explanation, "I have not visited many planets outside of my own."

D

[out_of_order]

It isn't so obvious that the place in question is a workshop, with no signs proclaiming as much, and while there are a couple of crates sitting outside by the doorway, they don't exactly scream that there's salvage collected here.

The place the padawan had claimed is more like two buildings adjoined, the main and slightly larger one being used more for storage and tinker space, with several large bins off to one side filled with various pieces of machinery and equipment, and long counters spaced within.

For all that Cal had said the place was a mess, he'd since had time to clean things up, setting aside the things he'd meant to try figuring out and then gotten interrupted for a good month or so that he figured it would be easier to just start from scratch than try to remember where all he'd left off on them. But for now, they can wait. He's got other things to work on, and that's currently what one will find him doing as he stands by the innermost counter with a scattering of parts before him. Sparks reflect off his protective goggles as he welds some pieces in place. Standing on the table not too far off as usual, BD-1 watches him work.

[noch]

Cal's workshop isn't too far out of the way, but it's in an area that Merrin hasn't spent much time familiarizing herself with yet, so she's glad for the directions he gave her that point the way, especially without a sign out front. As might be expected, she doesn't bother to tell him that she's coming—as far as she's concerned, the directions were an open invitation. And besides, hadn't she said that she would like to see his workshop? That's plenty of warning.

Unsurprisingly, he's in the middle of... something—she's not sure what—when she arrives, though this doesn't really bother her. Instead, she greets BD-1 with a smile, then starts poking around the workshop, her brow furrowed curiously, though she's careful not to actually touch anything.

[out_of_order]

BD-1 borbles a greeting at the Nightsister, turning from his observation of Cal's work to instead watch as Merrin has a look around. There's a few repaired lanterns and things out. There's also a piece of equipment that looks slightly different from the Agrii's simpler styles. Beside it is a headset. So the music of ancient Coruscant and the core worlds at the time may not be anything he was familiar with, but Cal had still missed music enough not to pass up on an opportunity.

It isn't long before Cal's powered down his arc-welder and pulled his goggles down. He doesn't seem surprised to find Merrin there, but then he hadn't been so lost in his work that he hadn't sensed her arrival.

"Hey Merrin." It's still just a little strange to him to be greeting her so casually, but not so strange that he can't offer a smile. "How's it been?" Thankfully things have been pretty calm around the city since their return.

A

[beholding_archivist]

"Voroka?" Jon can't help but ask aloud as he exits the library and not only catches sight of Merrin, but also overhears her words. The one adult mothcat around and obviously the mother of the present litter is taking a ride on the comparably short man's shoulders, flicking her tail lazily once upon spotting the scene and then fluttering down near the curious kitten to give it a quick nudge with her head and a lick over its head before turning towards Merrin to inspect the unfamiliar person.

Jon makes no move to stop the feline, having ceased any attempts at controlling her whims. "I didn't know people are giving them names already." He notes instead, looking down at Voroka and from that one over to its siblings. But speaking of names...

"I'm Jon, by the way. Jonathan Sims. I- I work on the former library building. I don't recall seeing you on Coruscant."

[noch]

Merrin doesn't look remotely surprised by the interruption, though she does shift out of her sitting position so that she's crouched on the ground in front of the mother and her kitten—just in case she needs to make a quick getaway. She hasn't done anything to hurt the mothkitten, of course—it's just that she's (rightfully, in her opinion) cautious of mothers and their protectiveness over their children.

Since it seems like this isn't a hostile encounter, however, she turns her head to look at the man who just approached.

"I am Merrin. I have only recently arrived," she explains matter-of-factly, her gaze sweeping over him, curious and critical. These are her allies, she knows, but a lifetime on Dathomir has made her wary of strangers, and she can't quite shake the habit. After a pause, she adds dryly, "This little one has earned his name."

[beholding_archivist]

Jon raises a curious brow at her words, then looks down at the mothkitten in question. "Oh? I can't say I know what it means, but- It has a nice sound to it." He looks from the winged feline back to Merrin, offering a friendly smile. "It's nice to meet you, Merrin. I hope Voroka hasn't caused you too much trouble."

Yes, he has accepted the name already. And maybe the little mothcat has as well. If it decides to adopt her... Well. There is very little he can do to prevent that anyway.

He looks over to the remaining lot of curious little eyes directed their way. "They are already very capable of taking care of themselves. I'm impressed with how quickly they grew up! But they keep the building free of other small animals." Just a bit of free trivia from Jon's gathering of mothcat information.

Surprise! At the disco (just outside the inn)

[demjiin]

Kaz hadn't intended to linger, but the green mist caught and held his attention. So when Merrin materializes she would see a teenager in an impeccably tailored suit and leaning on a cane. He had seen enough around Temba to show no surprise in his expression upon seeing Merrin but there was a definitely impressed note in his raspy voice.

"Interesting way to travel."

Always calculating, Kaz was wondering if she did that alone only or if she was able to take another person with her.

[noch]

Merrin isn't surprised to find someone nearby already—maybe it would've been a strange sight on Dathomir, outside of the Nightbrother villages, but she's slowly getting used to the idea of... other people. Around. All the time. After years practically in isolation without her sisters, it's both welcome and unwelcome, in its own way.

"Yes, it would be," she says bluntly, the to you part left unspoken. It isn't hostile—she's just direct. It's the same with her gaze as it sweeps over him, sizing him up curiously.

"You must be another one of these... He Rows," she says, her Dathomiri accent, very similar to Russian, coming out a little more strongly as she pronounces the last words. She's obviously still getting used to it.

[demjiin]

Russian, to Kaz, sounds like Ravkan. Similarly his countries language, Kirch, sounds like german. It was passing odd to hear a Ravkan accent from someone who very clearly wasn't Ravkan. Kaz was also far more appreciative of bluntness than the boring monotony of small talk.

"If you mean I was kidnapped and held here against my will, then yes."

Kaz looked at the dissipating fog with his flat, black sharks eyes then back to Merrin.

"Do you do that often?"

Does this work?

[ezra_of_lothal]

[continued from here]

He watches her body language, and listens, but he's really not sure what the best way to respond to that emotion is. "He...caused a lot of trouble for you?" he replies, tentatively.

yes, thank you! ❤

[noch]

"He lied to me, and deceived me into revealing the secrets of our magick," she replies before she can stop herself, her tone fierce. But her anger at Malicos, like before, comes as quickly as it goes, and she releases the tension in her shoulders. "But I was foolish enough to allow it."

Finally, she lets go of the leaf and lifts her head to meet Ezra's gaze, direct and steady, as if she's searching for something. They're starting to talk in circles—she's not very trusting and also not trustworthy in turn, especially without Cal to back up her story. She's also... tired.

Coming to a decision, she reaches up to pull down her hood, first from her chin, then her hair. It's as much a peace offering as when she says plainly, "If you are a friend of Cal's, then you need not fear me. I won't harm you."

[ezra_of_lothal]

Ezra is uncomfortably reminded again he hadn't precisely played fair with the spirits of the Nightsisters, either. It had been more Maul's deal than his, and he'd been so frantic to get Kanan and Sabine back he hadn't stopped to honestly negotiate before destroying the altar.

He tries to focus on the positive. "That's good." It wouldn't be nicer if her phrasing sounded more like her default was not wanting to hurt people, rather than spelling out a reason she wouldn't hurt him, but he'll take it. "I won't harm you either, unless it's to defend myself or someone else, and even then, I'd try not to."

SURPRISE!

[beepbeepmotherfucker]

Eddie noticed the green smoke and immediately tried to steer clear of it. Unfortunately, that's a little hard to do when it's right in the path he's trying to walk.

Then a young woman steps out of it, seemingly out of nowhere.

Eddie promptly screams and stumbles backwards.

[noch]

The scream gets a pair of raised eyebrows out of Merrin, which is about as much surprise as she visibly shows at any given time. On Dathomir, she doesn't have to worry about running into other people, because—well, outside of the Nightbrother villages, there really aren't any.

Let it not be said that she isn't helpful, though, because when he stumbles backwards she lifts her hands and summons more of the bright green fog—ichor—that wraps around behind him and prevents any falls.

"I surprised you," she says flatly, because she has a bad habit of stating the painfully obvious. "You're unharmed?"

[beepbeepmotherfucker]

WHAT THE FUCK MOVING GREEN FOG?!

Eddie flails slightly, trying to get away from the weird fog stuff before finally gaping at the woman. "Yeah! Holy shit, how the fuck did you do that? Do you want to give someone a heart attack?!"

TDM Con't

[hooliganstatus]

((ooc: from here!))

"In everything," Aeon muses, watching it bloom in her palm once more with great interest. "Where are you taking it from? Does it go back there when you stop?"

[noch]

She hesitates slightly again, a small furrow between her eyebrows, because she's never really had to think about where magick comes from. It just is. Everywhere. In trees and mist and blood. In the living and the spirits of the dead. In the hearts of planets and stars. There is no beginning to it and no end. Magick is infinite.

"There's no... taking. The energy used for magick is not so limited," she explains. "I reshape it for my use, but that is like shifting just one grain of sand. The desert does not notice it."

She pauses, her gaze sweeping over the other woman, and she adds neutrally, "You are very curious."

[hooliganstatus]

"So it's like air. Breathe it in, breathe it out, someone else breathes it in. Interesting."

She's pleased with the explanation - for now, at least - and nods a little. "If you don't ask questions, the world is just boring. Don't you think?"

Surprise! (A Merrin!!!!)

[seeingscarlet]

It happens so quickly, and although the color is right to be one of Wanda's long-gone friends, she's startled enough that she instinctively pulls several nearby objects and debris to levitate in the air near her...at least until she sees this isn't heralding the arrival of some horrible monster. Wanda lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and lets the objects slowly settle to the ground.

"I'm sorry. You startled me." Her accent might sound a little familiar. "I never know what to expect here but it isn't always good."

witches have to stick together!!!

[noch]

Merrin doesn't look surprised to find someone nearby, but she does look surprised to see magick in action—it can only be magick, she thinks, even though the energies don't quite feel the same, and the ichor isn't right. The woman standing in front of her doesn't look like one of her sisters, but her accent...

It's all both familiar and not familiar at the same time. She almost doesn't know what to think.

"You are..." She hesitates slightly, her eyebrows knitting. "A Nightsister?"

yes!!!

[seeingscarlet]

She can't quite describe what that green misty stuff felt like, but it's both like and unlike anything she's ever seen before. It's hard to describe. But the accent...this is almost like looking through some sort of weird mirror. The differently-colored magic, the accent, the red...

"I'm an Avenger. I've never heard of a Nightsister." Wanda tilts her head. "Why? Do you recognize this?" And she summons a small wisp of power in demonstration.