[ In her short years Rey did not know anger like this, but as he pulled her off the ground with a powerful, unseen hand she could do nothing but writhe against that force, howling her displeasure. She had done everything that she knew how to do, and usually that was enough to work on the older scavengers, scaring them away from her after the first shreking bite and kick or two. For someone so small she could be so fearsome - an ability she would hone to a razor’s edge in later years.
Still twisting against whatever it was that held her up before the stranger, she glares, her jaw jutting outward ferociously, as though if she had the power to, she would crush him like a bug for making her feel so helpless.
She hated feeling helpless, she hated all of this. ]
What do you want?
[ The little girl demanded it so hotly you could almost believe that he had trespassed in her home instead of venturing into the sandy ruins of a far-flung dying world. He had business there, but this was no place for a child, but hunger did funny things to a person. ]
[ Her anger was all-encompassing, like a hive of agitated hornets unable to be contained within their hive. It was raw and abrasive against his own presence in the Force. The fear had been pushed to the background, but it was still there- would always be there no matter how much she tried to forget it or be greater than her fear.
It wasn't her focus now, but it could be. Anakin could feel her potential despite her outward hatred and disgust. But oh, how he understood it.
He offers her a condescending smirk, raising a finger to his lips to shush her. Everything about the young girl was noisy, reminding him too much of himself. ]
I already told you, or weren't you listening? I was looking for something important, but I found you instead.
[ The back of his head still throbs painfully, and he reaches back to touch the spot with a wince. ]
You're a resourceful little thing. It's been a very long time since someone has managed to best me. This is a dark place, youngling. Tell me- what are you hoping to find here?
[ He keeps her elevated with the Force, pulling her closer. He knows better than to pull her close enough to bite, but it's easier to study her. ]
[ Rey wanted to cry and just hang there in defeat, limp and starving - but she didn't know how to not fight, at least not yet. The fire of youth gave her a rage that in time would be tempered by a limited foresight honed by years.
If she survived this - and the little scavenger wasn't at all sure that she would. He was strong, and he was mad.
Rey got madder.
Just as her shoulders had begun to sag with a worn in tiredness and the stranger's questions came precariously close to being answered the little girl roared, before rearing her head back, sending a wad of spit sailing in grim defiance in his direction.
Whether she knew she was doing it or not she pushed back against his hold on her within the Force, not breaking that grasp, but giving him enough resistance to fight a little. ]
[ The girl wouldn't be quite so interesting if she didn't have such an indomitable spirit. Leave it to the desert planets to fail at beating someone down until they died. Instead, wearing the softer flesh away to expose hardened nerves.
The wad of spit lands on his cheek and the expression of amused interest morphs into annoyed displeasure. He wiped it away with his free hand, his control of the Force around her squeezing just a fraction as he found his own will fighting against hers. Another reason he simply let her go. It was much more complicated, now. ]
If I let you go, the only outcome will be killing you. Do you have any idea what this place is?
There are ghosts here, but there are things to sell- machine parts.
[ Rey grunted, struggling against the unseen but still tightening grasp the stranger held her in. She hadn’t wanted to relent any information to him - but Rey believed it when he said killing her was an option.
He had a bloodthirsty sort of look to him which only added to fear that had begun to seep into the little scavenger’s mind. ]
[ He's amused by the notion of ghosts. Perhaps the local legend had morphed the Sith presence at the outpost into something less sinister to conceal their own worries. The outpost was in a better condition than he expected, which would make his search easier than it would have been were he to dig through the disrepair.
Anakin watches her process everything with detachment, his head tilted to one side. He likens her to a puzzle, the pieces clear, but scattered in a jumble. Something he would very much like to solve. ]
No, I don't think I will. It would only be a waste of potential.
[ He walks down the corridor, dragging her with him so he can continue his search while she tires herself out. He'll be fatigued later for keeping this up, but it will hopefully be worth the inconvenience later. ]
Potential? [ Some of the fight goes out of her replaced by fearful curiosity. She had already begun to grasp what older scavengers were capable of - Rey had the distinct sense that Anakin was capable of much worse. She wanted to keep fighting, but Rey had played every card up her sleeve - and the little scavenger was very tired. ]
What are you going to do, if not kill me?
[ Rey didn’t think off-worlders ever went here to the badlands, and all the ones she had seen were usually confined to Niima Outpost before leaving as abruptly as they came. She had no idea where this stranger could have come from and what he intended for her if not death.
It was terrifying - the sense of powerlessness being put in this position brought her, those emotions threaded through with white hot rage and indignation. Rey knew she was only a child, but she would have given anything to never be made to feel this way again. ]
[ People in difficult situations fight the hardest, and he hadn't been disappointed. He stays silent for a stretch of time as he walked down the corridor, deciding where to look. He needed to go lower. ]
Don't you feel it, little mouse? I certainly do.
[ Frankly, it was quite difficult to ignore such a presence in the Force and it would be irresponsible of him to let someone like that go unchecked. Even though she'd stopped struggling, she was still like burning embers. He debates it for just a moment, letting her drop carefully to the floor. Trusting that she wouldn't run away again, that the knowledge of what he would tell her was enough.
He puts a hand on his own chest. ]
There's a power- right in here. It's inside you, too. Burning hot like a sun.
[ He crouches down to her level. ]
Have you ever done something you couldn't explain? Jumped a bit too far and made it- or fallen from a great height and come away without a scratch? Do you know anything about The Force?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Still twisting against whatever it was that held her up before the stranger, she glares, her jaw jutting outward ferociously, as though if she had the power to, she would crush him like a bug for making her feel so helpless.
She hated feeling helpless, she hated all of this. ]
What do you want?
[ The little girl demanded it so hotly you could almost believe that he had trespassed in her home instead of venturing into the sandy ruins of a far-flung dying world. He had business there, but this was no place for a child, but hunger did funny things to a person. ]
no subject
It wasn't her focus now, but it could be. Anakin could feel her potential despite her outward hatred and disgust. But oh, how he understood it.
He offers her a condescending smirk, raising a finger to his lips to shush her. Everything about the young girl was noisy, reminding him too much of himself. ]
I already told you, or weren't you listening? I was looking for something important, but I found you instead.
[ The back of his head still throbs painfully, and he reaches back to touch the spot with a wince. ]
You're a resourceful little thing. It's been a very long time since someone has managed to best me. This is a dark place, youngling. Tell me- what are you hoping to find here?
[ He keeps her elevated with the Force, pulling her closer. He knows better than to pull her close enough to bite, but it's easier to study her. ]
no subject
If she survived this - and the little scavenger wasn't at all sure that she would. He was strong, and he was mad.
Rey got madder.
Just as her shoulders had begun to sag with a worn in tiredness and the stranger's questions came precariously close to being answered the little girl roared, before rearing her head back, sending a wad of spit sailing in grim defiance in his direction.
Whether she knew she was doing it or not she pushed back against his hold on her within the Force, not breaking that grasp, but giving him enough resistance to fight a little. ]
Kriff off you bantha's asshair! Let me go!
no subject
The wad of spit lands on his cheek and the expression of amused interest morphs into annoyed displeasure. He wiped it away with his free hand, his control of the Force around her squeezing just a fraction as he found his own will fighting against hers. Another reason he simply let her go. It was much more complicated, now. ]
If I let you go, the only outcome will be killing you. Do you have any idea what this place is?
no subject
[ Rey grunted, struggling against the unseen but still tightening grasp the stranger held her in. She hadn’t wanted to relent any information to him - but Rey believed it when he said killing her was an option.
He had a bloodthirsty sort of look to him which only added to fear that had begun to seep into the little scavenger’s mind. ]
Are you going to kill me?
no subject
Anakin watches her process everything with detachment, his head tilted to one side. He likens her to a puzzle, the pieces clear, but scattered in a jumble. Something he would very much like to solve. ]
No, I don't think I will. It would only be a waste of potential.
[ He walks down the corridor, dragging her with him so he can continue his search while she tires herself out. He'll be fatigued later for keeping this up, but it will hopefully be worth the inconvenience later. ]
no subject
What are you going to do, if not kill me?
[ Rey didn’t think off-worlders ever went here to the badlands, and all the ones she had seen were usually confined to Niima Outpost before leaving as abruptly as they came. She had no idea where this stranger could have come from and what he intended for her if not death.
It was terrifying - the sense of powerlessness being put in this position brought her, those emotions threaded through with white hot rage and indignation. Rey knew she was only a child, but she would have given anything to never be made to feel this way again. ]
no subject
Don't you feel it, little mouse? I certainly do.
[ Frankly, it was quite difficult to ignore such a presence in the Force and it would be irresponsible of him to let someone like that go unchecked. Even though she'd stopped struggling, she was still like burning embers. He debates it for just a moment, letting her drop carefully to the floor. Trusting that she wouldn't run away again, that the knowledge of what he would tell her was enough.
He puts a hand on his own chest. ]
There's a power- right in here. It's inside you, too. Burning hot like a sun.
[ He crouches down to her level. ]
Have you ever done something you couldn't explain? Jumped a bit too far and made it- or fallen from a great height and come away without a scratch? Do you know anything about The Force?
no subject