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Beyond - Legends Manhunt (OTP Challenge #17)

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by Mira Grau, Sep 24, 2020.

  1. Mira Grau

    Mira Grau Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    May 11, 2016
    Title: Manhunt
    Authors: Anedon, Adalia-Durron
    Timeframe: Beyond-Ledgends
    Characters: Marie Firestone, Adrian Malek
    Summary: After his mother died Adrian grew a bit distant from his wife, so Marie heads out to hunt the man she loves.
    Song: Manhunt-Karen Kamon

    [Chorus]
    I'm goin' on a manhunt
    Turn it around
    Women have been hunted
    Now we're huntin' around

    Manhunt
    We all got the need
    The one who's been waitin'
    Has taken the lead

    [Verse 1]
    I see him every day in the office
    He's sexy and he's smooth
    He's quick to look me over
    But slow to make his move

    I've been sittin' at home by the telephone
    Hoping I'm in his plans
    This waiting game is getting old
    It's time to take matters into my hands

    [Chorus]
    I'm goin' on a manhunt
    Turn it around
    Women have been hunted
    Now we're huntin' around
    Yeah, a manhunt
    We all got the need
    The one who's been waitin'
    Has taken the lead

    [Verse 2]
    Ruby lips in the mirror
    Black heels on the floor
    Perfume to draw him nearer
    A dress he can't ignore

    I know he'll be at the party tonight
    And he'll be lookin' so fine
    He'll be surprised when I walk up to say
    Man, I wanna make you glad you're alive

    [Chorus]
    I'm goin' on a manhunt
    Turn it around
    Women have been hunted
    Now they're huntin' around

    Manhunt
    We all got the need
    The one who's been waitin'
    Has taken the lead
    [Outro]
    I'm goin' on a manhunt
    I'm out for a kill
    Ooh-hoo

    This story is yet another collaboration between myself and @Adalia-Durron, featuring @Warrior_Goddess character of Marie Firestone.

    Other stories in the Marie/Adrian "verse":
    From Slavery to Aristocracy
    Powers vs Passions
    YOU DID WHAT?
    Bedtime Story
    Mom´s little Warlock
    A Date with Destiny
    Manhunt
    If you leave now you, you get nothing
    Shadows Eve



    Marie watched him leave for the hunt from the top lounge window, it'd been several months since his mother had passed and the chasm between them was only growing. She'd watched this so many times as she heard and somewhat felt her mother enter the room behind her.

    "I've asked you to knock mother." She said as she turned to face the woman. "What do you want?" This was the only way to deal with her mother.

    "I come and go when and where I please, you know that. He's gone again?" The older woman stated.

    Marie sighed and turned back. "Yes. Since his own mother passed he's been very....distant, preferring his own company and hardly talking to me." She confessed.

    "Has been performing his duties?"

    Marie spun back. "Excuse me?"

    "His male duties? Are you with child again yet?"

    "MOTHER!! That is none of your business!" Marie was incensed now. "I'll ask you to keep it that way!"

    Da Chume gave her daughter a lazy yet somehow sarcastic smile. "It is your duty to produce daughters as my successor."

    "Like you? Who had a grand total of one child!?! Lucky for you I was a girl!" She was angry now, her mother had hit a nerve as their intimacies had disappeared.

    Her mother sighed. "Clearly I am close to the mark. Whatever you are doing, isn't working girl. I don't know what the Galaxy out there taught you, but it is not working. Time you tried Dathomir style."

    Marie scowled. "What exactly are you talking about?" Marie demanded. She wanted her mother to leave. "And tell me fast before you go."

    The older woman chuckled. "Go hunt my child. You want him, go hunt him."

    Again he left alone, again he wanted to be for himself, and once again the fire of guilt burned inside him. It had been a few months now since his mother had died, since the happiness had sucked from his life. He had told himself that he needed to move on, that he needed to get past this, to be a better father and husband again. And from time to time he had been able to, had been more like his old self for an evening or even a full day but usually these times didn't last long and the divide between him and Marie seemed to only grow further.

    Adrian had talked to Marie about this, but in many ways talking about it only brought the issue back into his mind and seemed to prevent him from moving on. So he had sought distance, going on long hunts with nothing but his own dark feelings as company. He wished he could go back to the time before his mothers death, find a way to reignite the fire in his and Marie´s relationship, but he wasn't sure how to do it.

    "Just look at us," he told Fluffy as they made their way through the forest. "Marie is the person that means most to both of us but we chose to go alone."

    She was right, Marie hated it, but her mother was right. Talking hadn't worked, affection had failed and now it was time to take back what was hers, Dathomirian style.

    Marie was a fit woman, despite having given birth, she made sure she kept herself as fit as she could. So trailing the big rancor had proved to be little trouble. As she watched from her distant hiding place it occurred to her that this wasn't going to be a successful hunt for him, he wasn't doing a very good job of keeping hidden at all. In fact she sensed his heart just wasn't in what he was supposed to be doing. This was more of a 'I want to be alone' ride and say 'it was a bad hunt' when he got back. He'd done that a few times in the past months. She wondered as she crept down wind of Fluffy if he went some where in particular and got off or just kept aimlessly riding.

    Adrian took a deep breathe and tried to once and for all banish the dark thoughts tormenting his mind. If he continued like this it would be another unsuccessful hunt and he would, once again, see the disappointment on Marie´s face when he came home.

    Climbing out of Fuffy's saddle he let her run free for the moment, hoping that maybe moving on his own two feet would allow him to get closer to any potential prey. Also moving again might help him clear his mind and concentrate on something different than his troubles. He walked slowly and silently through the forest, following a little creek while looking for fresh animal footprints in the wet ground.

    Marie allowed a smile as she removed the rope from her hip and brushed a stray lock of hair back. He was on the ground and clearly not aware of him. Fluffy was now drinking from the stream as Adrian walked on ahead. She'd have to let her know her Master was there so that the rancor wouldn't alert Adrian to her presence, that was first. Moving to the side she crept closer and waited for Fluffy to smell her, it didn't take long for the large beast to lift her head and turn toward Marie, who then emerged with her finger to her lips. Through her Force abilities she sent calming feelings toward the animal so by the time she was beside Fluffy, she was calm and quiet. Marie had kept her eyes on Adrian, he'd not even turned, he was so intent on what ever he was doing he'd not noticed. He wasn't hunting, she felt that.

    The further he got away from Fluffy the more Adrian felt his senses sharpening. At least for the moment it seemed as if the dark clouds had moved a bit into the back of his mind. But as soon as he realized that he felt that the darkness began to creep back into his mind. He blinked several times, shook his head to fight them down and it seemed to work, at least for a moment as he made his way further. Fluffy behind him became quieter as he moved foreword. Myriads of insects danced over the water and Adrian asked himself if this was truly a good place to hunt in his short, sleeveless tunic. Maybe he should turn? Walk a few meters into the forest, away from the water and the insects.

    Having placated Fluffy, Marie was now silent as she moved through the deep green forest beside the stream. Years of experience had her moving silently and had her preparing her rope with her prey having no knowledge of her potential strike.

    As he moved through the forest Adrian believed, just for a second that he had seen a shadow. But this was Dathomir and his senses told him he wasn´t in danger so he moved deeper into the wilderness.

    She was close, she stopped as he seemed to notice something near her. Had she cast a shadow? Remaining as still as she could she held her breath as he turned away, and began to move again. It was time, before he got too deep. While he pushed through the brush she surged forward in seconds and wrapping the rope ends around his two wrists and yanked them backward, essentially pulling him backward hard up against. "You're done." she growled to his ear. "And mine."

    "Mar..." Adrian's heart began to race and Marie attacked him from behind and tied his hands. But something told him this was different from the time had been captured and sold by her mother, it was closer, but still different to the times he and Ilona had tied each other up when they had been young, there was something else to it, something that reminded him of his first meeting with Marie. He wasn't sure why she was doing his but decided to go along with her game and began to struggle.

    "Don't!" She snapped as she yanked on the ropes tightening them. "I have tried to reach you the way the galaxy says I should.." She leaned very close. "But you're not listening. So now we do it my way, the Dathomirian way. Don't fight me, it will only make this worse." She hoped she was sounding threatening enough.

    "Okay," Adrian muttered quietly. He didn't stop struggling entirely but instead did it in a more playful way. "Please, forgive me mistress I shouldn't have tried to run away." he said half serious.

    She could not control herself, Marie burst out laughing. "Ok, that's not working for me." She released him. "I just needed you to know I want you back, all of you, not just your presence." She walked around to face him. "Please come back to me, don't make me hunt you down."

    Adrian turned around to her and pulled her into a hug, "I'm sorry, I... I should be better than that. I will try my best to be that again." He stepped back and gave her a smile. "But that moment you had me, haven't felt so alive since mom died.... Though of course you only got me by surprise. How about this? You give me say, a lead of five minutes and we see how good at manhunting you really are?" It was a challenge, a tease, something that might help both of them.

    Marie gave a lopsided smile. "Winner takes all? You're on."

    When they returned to the tribe that evening, Marie proud after the successful hunt, Adrian securely tied to Fluffy's saddle in front of her, both of them where smiling. The hours they had spent in the wilderness chasing each other had made the dark clouds disappear from their minds and filled the rift between them with happier memories. Marie's 'Man Hunt' a success.
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2020
  2. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Superb response to the challenge as Marie resourcefully bridges the gap crated by Anedon's sense of loss and grief.
     
  3. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    Thank you, we always have fun with these two.


    Sent from my X Wing via sub space.
     
  4. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Aww, now, that is a successful hunt if I ever saw one! I love how Marie takes matters into her own hands here, and how her little "hunt" to retrieve Adrian starts as a Dathomirian-style assertion of dominance but then becomes something more tender and more reciprocal, something that helps clear some of the clouds of grief from Adrian. (And it just goes to show that even her tiresome old mom has at least some good advice to offer now and then! ;) ) I always enjoy the banter between Adrian and Marie, and this was no exception. Congrats on another wonderful collaboration—always great to have you both in these challenges! =D=
     
  5. Mira Grau

    Mira Grau Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    May 11, 2016
    Thank you, yeah it starts Dathomirian and then turns into something else, I think in the future they have more playfull hunts like this together. :)
     
  6. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    Thank you @Findswoman - Marie is difficult to channel all the time, she's avoiding me right now...........but I hope she returns soon to torment her husband :p
     
  7. Kit'

    Kit' Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 1999
    Aww, I'm not sure the word 'sweet' is the right one for the situation or the 'man hunt', but you could definitely see the love behind Marie's actions (although not her mothers). This was really cool.
     
    Adalia-Durron and Anedon like this.
  8. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    Thank you @Kit' We are having a lot of fun with these characters and writing them like RPG.....
     
  9. amidalachick

    amidalachick FFoF Hostess Extraordinaire star 5 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Aug 3, 2003
    Great response to the challenge!

    Poor Adrian. :(

    Marie definitely did a good job hunting, though. :D I love the banter between them!

    Awww! Such a sweet ending. Awesome work! =D=
     
    Anedon likes this.
  10. Mira_Jade

    Mira_Jade The (FavoriteTM) Fanfic Mod With the Cape star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2004
    Aw, this was so sweet! And something I could completely see happening. [face_love]

    You know, her mother had it right here, at least! Even if she, of course, managed to say a few horribly embarrassing things first. But that's Dathomiri bluntness for you. :p [face_laugh]

    The whole 'hunt' was wonderfully written! And I love how they just broke down into laughter here. It really broke the ice to allow for an honest, beautiful catharsis.

    [face_laugh] Love it!


    Thanks for sharing this great response to the challenge with us. It was wonderful to see Adrian and Marie again. [face_love] =D=
     
    Anedon and Findswoman like this.
  11. Mira Grau

    Mira Grau Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    May 11, 2016
    Thanks, yeah Adrian is going through a hard time here, but as you said, Marie is there for him. :)

    Glad you enjoyed it, we inthially tought to end it with Adrians challenge but then decided to add that last bit for a bit of closure.


    Yeah it seems even Marie´s mother has the occasional good suggestion. ;)

    Glad you liked it. Its a bit of nicer spin on the 'normal' Dathomirian manhunt I guess. Something they might have passed onto their kids if their Shadows Eve tradition is any indication. ;)

    Thanks, nice to see you still enjoy these characters, as they really have a growing 'verse' these days. ;)
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2020