If there was anything in the town that Trychon could be positive hadn't changed, it was the small pub. Not because he had a low opinion of the place, in fact it was quite the opposite. This was the one place, besides his home in the forest, that he knew better than any in the village. He knew the forest had changed over the years, maybe one ruin out of many that he'd lived out of for years would not have changed, but the pub... the pub he knew every nook and cranny of, and it really had not changed one bit.
He found his conversation with Pon and a few of the others who had stopped in to be pretty droll. That aside, they were not constantly bringing up all of the old teasing, only occasionally. Everyone seemed more interested in hearing about life outside of their planet than they did reliving the bullying he went through.
If him being the child that showed up out of nowhere as a toddler and eventually moving into the forest as a teen did not make him the most interesting person or thing the town had ever experienced, leaving the planet unexpectedly and returning years later certainly did.
If he bothered to tell them about his actual adventures, their minds may not have been able to take it. Instead, he gave them pretty basic stuff that he was inventing whimsically as he told it. Sure, he could have given them bland parts and versions of his real adventures, but that would entertain them and not himself. He'd rather everyone be entertained.
After about an hour and a half, he'd managed to gather a crowd of nearly a dozen of the locals. Most of them went to classes with him, though many were still several years older than him. Only Pon and a few others had actually been his age, but all the children in the town had classes together.
Almost as if on cue, Thad walked in with Cordelia in tow. He had expected to run into one or both of them, and had hoped to run into Cordelia, but like everything else, he'd failed to come up with anything resembling an actual plan for it. Trychon had to try very hard to hide the fact that he noticed them.
The small gathering was impossible for the newcomers not to notice though. Cordelia obviously recognized him immediately and had a look of shock and happiness on her face as she approached the group. Thad also looked surprised, but his emotions seemed to trend the other direction quickly. He stalled for a moment in disbelief before catching up to Cordelia as she sat down in an open seat directly across from Trychon.
A thousand questions seemed to cross Cordelia's mind, but Thad interrupted just as she decided which to ask first.
"So Shun decided to show." He grunted with a small portion of a laugh. "I guess he forgot why we called him that, after all."
With that, Trychon's pretense of being the memorably timid young teen dissolved. "Your inability to come up with an original or entertaining nickname has nothing to do with anything. Really a very sad way to try and assert dominance."
Cordelia had been his closest and maybe his only real friend for most of his early life. She was the only reason he had hesitated to leave the village to live in the forest when he turned thirteen, and she was the only reason he returned so many nights to visit. He wasn't sure how she felt about him now or about his return, and suddenly very little else mattered. She knew him better than anybody besides his own brother, and she certainly knew more about who he was prior to six years ago.
Thad was not happy about his return and it showed. Trychon wondered if his absence had finally given Thad enough of an opportunity with Cordelia, like he'd always wanted. It didn't matter at the moment, though. Thad had grown out a little in the past few years, but he'd grown no more subtle. He was looking for a fight, and the years passing had not made Trychon any less likely to oblige.
Whatever Cordelia's involvement with the man, she also knew what was coming. She'd broken up countless fights between the two in the past, until they got too strong for her to help. The last time Trychon had seen either of them was days before he unwittingly stepped into the shuttle that took him to Korriban on autopilot. He'd managed to beat Thad unconscious that night, and he didn't stop inflicting damage as soon after as Cordelia thought he should. She was probably right. She ended up staying to make sure that Thad got the help he needed, though she seemed to be more understanding than mad. The fights had gone the other way more often than not.
"I'll show you dominance, little man... Everyone wondered what happened to you all those years ago, but I knew. Always playing with your little gadgets and toys, you were smart enough to know that a beating was coming your way and you figured out a way to run away like a baby." He turned to Cordelia. "Haven't I been telling you for years that Shun here just turned into a baby and ran away, baby?"
Trychon snarled briefly, but he knew it wasn't the insults that got to him. It was him bringing Cordelia into the argument... and then calling her that. Him calling her that was exactly what caused the fight the last time, and whether or not they were friends or more now... or even married, Thad still knew that was how to get to him.
Trychon stood up from his seat, but no longer had anything to say. Pon surprised the Sith when he also stood up, and got in between the men. "Stop it, Thad!"
Thad looked even more surprised than Trychon did, allowing Pon the opportunity to continue. "We're actually having a kriffing good time. Shaan's got good stories, jokes, and there's drinks. Let your issues go and enjoy yourself with us."
"My issues?" He cried out incredulously. "You're all insane!"
With that, he shoved Pon out of his way and rushed at Trychon. Cordelia took half a step in their direction, as though she was going to try one last time to get between them. She stopped when either her common sense kicked in, or she noticed that Trychon was holding up his hand to tell her not to bother.
Thad closed the distance and began swinging, but he could not make a single attack connect. Trychon simply moved his head to the side and down a few inches to dodge the first few that were largely off the mark to begin with. As Thad started trying to control his punches more, the Sith simply held his ground and used the Force to deflect the punches just enough.
The large man was quickly becoming winded. "What are you doing? You gonna beat me with one of your retarded gadgets? Is that what this is?"
Trychon stopped the next punch in mid-air and held it there. Through the force, he drew his double-bladed lightsaber from its hiding spot and ignited both blades in mid-air. He spun it a few times and then while still holding the struggling Thad in place, he slowly slid the black blade closer to his neck, until the sizzle of sweat dripping onto it could be heard in the now silent building.
"I don't need anything to beat you. Nothing at all." He then leaned in close enough to whisper into his hear. "This crummy town and you may not have changed over the years, Thad... but I have."
The entourage that had been enjoying Trychon's company had slowly backed away over the past minute since the fight started. Only Cordelia stayed put. From the back of the group, one man yelled out. "Come on Thad... let's get out of here!"
"I'd be happy to oblige." Trychon said.
Thad tried to say something, but his jaw would not open. After he got a grin and a wink from Trychon, he went flying up and over all of the bystanders, and through the door to the street.
The bar cleared very quickly after that, leaving Cordelia and Trychon alone again for the first time in six years. They stood motionless, neither sure what to say at first, communicating through eye contact only.
Finally, Cordelia stepped up to him and gave him the hug she'd wanted to when she first walked in. She followed it with a soft slap, and then with a small tear beginning to form in the corner of her eye, she finished with a soft kiss and took half a step back.
"What was all that for?" Trychon asked.
"Let's see... in order... 'It's great to see you, where have you been, I missed you...' then 'Why the hell did you disappear on me without a word and not get in touch for six years?' followed by 'I've never forgotten you."
"I'll take it."
"Let's go for a walk. I think this town and you may still need some space." She reached out her hand to him, and he grasped it. Before letting her lead him off into the distance, he pulled her hand to his lips and returned her kiss.
Then they strolled off into the town and beyond, with no sign of anyone else between them and the wilderness, their path only illuminated by the light from the two small moons overhead.
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