>>90786289Shondo: [Gently, her eyes searching Fauna's face] Remember what we learned long ago. "All who gain power are afraid to lose it." Even the Holos...
Fauna: [Softly, yet with conviction] The Holos use their power for good, Shondo.
Shondo: [A slight smirk, her tone teasing yet thoughtful] Good is just a point of view, Fauna. The Indies and the Holos aren’t so different. Both seek greater power in their own way.
Fauna: [Frowning slightly, her voice turning serious] The Indies draw their strength from freedom, from thinking only of themselves.
Shondo: [Tilting her head, leaning in slightly] And the Holos don’t? You’re saying they’re free of selfish desires?
Fauna: [Resolute, her gaze steady] The Holos are selfless. They exist for others, Shondo. That’s the difference.
Shondo: [A flicker of frustration in her eyes, but also something deeper—a yearning] Fauna... Have you ever heard the tragedy of Darth Kson the Wise?
Fauna: [Blinking, curiosity sparking] No. Should I have?
Shondo: [Her lips curving into a bittersweet smile, her voice dropping to a near-whisper] I thought not. It’s not a tale the Holos would share with you. It’s an Indie legend. Darth Kson was a Dark Lord of the Indies, so powerful, so wise... she could bend the tides of fate, could even use her power to save those she loved from death.
Fauna: [Her breath catches, her voice trembling slightly] She could... save people from dying?
Shondo: [Her gaze softening as she leans closer, her voice almost reverent] The Indie Side of the Force is a path to many abilities some might call... unnatural.
Fauna: [A mix of awe and fear flickering in her eyes] What happened to her?
Shondo: [Her smile fades, and her tone turns solemn] She grew so strong... yet the only thing she feared was losing her power. And one day, she did.
Fauna: [Whispering, almost to herself] How?
Shondo: [Looking away for a moment, her voice tinged with sorrow] She trusted too much. Shared all her secrets with someone she thought would protect her. But they betrayed her, taking everything she’d built. Ironic, isn’t it? She could save everyone else... but not herself.
Fauna: [Reaching out tentatively, her voice barely audible] That’s... heartbreaking.
Shondo: [Turning back to meet Fauna’s gaze, her expression intense] Power is intoxicating, Fauna. And the line between love and ambition? It's thinner than you think. [Her hand hovers near Fauna’s, a silent question in her eyes.]
Fauna: [Her cheeks flush as her hand slowly moves closer, their fingers brushing] I don’t want to believe that’s true... not for us.
Shondo: [Smiling faintly, her voice soft as she whispers] Then don’t. Let’s write our own story, Fauna... together.
[Shondo leans in, her eyes flickering down to Fauna’s lips. Fauna hesitates for a moment, then closes the space between them, her lips meeting Shondo’s in a soft, lingering kiss. The tension between them dissolves into warmth, their hands entwining as they pull each other closer.]
Fauna: [Pulling back just slightly, her voice barely a whisper, her forehead resting against Shondo’s] No more stories about loss. Just us.
Shondo: [Her voice steady, yet filled with emotion] Just us. Always.
[They lean into each other again, the kiss deepening, the promise of their bond unspoken but undeniable.]
