S H I F T

Chapter 3: Hiding

Magdalene didn't want to admit it, but this whole thing was awkward for her. Extremely awkward, actually. Kylo didn't have to be by her side everywhere, but he was with her a majority of the time. Kylo didn't even have to read her mind to tell she was uncomfortable. He tried to make it less strange by trying to start a conversation but it either was really simple questions or just a simple observation. What also made it awkward was the amount of stares that came their way. The story of them flew around the ship like wildfire, everyone now in the know of Mags and Kylo's "relationship".

They eventually ended up back in Mags' quarters, Kylo sat on her sofa with a lack of a helmet and Mags fetching a drink for the both of them. Kylo looked at the wall ahead of him, studying the painting of a woman that hung above the bookshelf. "That's a lovely painting," he comments as Mags comes with refreshments. "You think so?" She questioned as she sits next to him, "I like it too." "Who is it of?" He asks. Mags stiffens, but answers him blandly, "My sister." "She's quite pretty," Kylo says. Mags pursed her lips before voicing her input. "If only she believed that." The room grows quiet as they silently sip their drinks. "Do you have any siblings?" Mags queries. Kylo shakes his head. "There is only me," He replies ominously, "Do you have any other siblings besides your sister?" Mags nodded. "2 older brothers. One dead for good reasoning and the other is a grey Jedi, somewhere hidden in the galaxy that the First Order is trying to track down." Kylo nods. "And your sister?" Mags grows silent and cold, her mind slipping to somewhere else as she hears her sister's screams echoing in her head. Kylo sees her tense and regrets asking that question. "I-I'm sorry," he says, "I can see asking that distresses you." Mags shakes her head and the screams fade as she returns back to a regular state of mind. "It's alright. It is a valid question after all."

Mags didn't go any further explaining and Kylo didn't question it, not wanting to pry at anything she didn't want to speak of. He looked around her quarters, studying every knickknack and feature. Her room was quite simple, nothing really sticking out besides the painting except for a safe in the corner by her bed. He didn't bother to ask about it considering she seems to keep a lot of things about herself quiet. That was something about her that he was interested in. There was practically nothing in her file except that she graduated from the academy. He spent nights thinking about how that was even possible to just have a name, dead or missing siblings, education and confirmed kills on her file. The last time he went through her confirmed kill list, he could barely get a quarter of the way through without his hand starting to ache from all the swiping through page after page on the data pad. How was someone able to kill so many people in only a couple years?

He then remembers her mentioning her brother being a grey Jedi that the First Order was trying to find. "You said your brother was a Jedi," he comments, "Is he the only force sensitive in your family?" Mags shakes her head. "All my siblings had it but it seemingly skipped me and I was given my shifting abilities in its place. I'm not sure why it skipped me but I see it as a blessing because otherwise the First Order would've killed me by now,"she replies. "Perhaps it hasn't awakened in you yet," Kylo mentioned. Mags shrugs, "If it hasn't come yet, I highly doubt it ever will." Mags takes a sip from her drink. "Besides, I enjoy what I do and wouldn't be able to be here if I was one with the Force." Kylo nods, knowing she was right. The First Order was eliminating all Jedi and the galaxy was narrowed down to only a couple, Mags' brother being one of them. Kylo assumed that if her parents hadn't died yet, the First Order had already killed them and he didn't bother to ask about them.

Kylo jerks from his train of thought as a black cat jumps next to him on the couch. He eyes the hairy creature as it stares at him with its bright yellow eyes. "Sorry," Mags apologizes, "This is my cat, James." She pets the cat's head, it's purrs livening up the room. "Does Hux know you have a pet on here?" Kylo questions. Mags raises a brow. "Of course he does," She answers, "James plays with his cat Millicent all the time." Kylo looks confused. "Did you not know he had a cat too?" Mags asks. Kylo shakes his head. Mags shrugs. "He usually comes over with Millicent after his shift," she explains, "but sometimes it's every couple days since we both tend to have busy schedules."