A Conversation

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

She shifted slightly as Jamie paid for her trinket, inspecting another small statuette. This one was of a Knight with a sword and shield. The carving was not ornate, nor particularly fine, but there was something about it that was almost endearing. She smiled slightly as she touched the odd little statue, finding that it put her at an odd sort of ease. Briefly she glanced down to her thigh where her lightsaber was holstered, wondering if the statue might have held an Angraal crystal.

Aela shook her head and called to Jamie. "Ready?"

She had no interest in buying any trinkets here, mostly because she was fairly certain that she could just ask Micah to make her some if she ever needed anything. Her brother was one of the best in the galaxy, or certainly getting there, and he would be more than happy to show off.

"I want to see if we can find a shop that sells bags." She told her padawan. "I need a nice one."

 

[Jamie Pyne]

There was a quick nod. "Mhm." She smiled, waving back to the woman as they made for the door. She called back, "Thanks again!" before the two exited. The item was most definitely unnecessarily expensive, but it was unique, quirky, and neat. It was all of those things and she needn't wait for someone else to make it for her. It was there, ready to be taken, and it made for a nice souvenir to remember this moment with. Another sentimental piece of property that she could place on her dresser that was already chalk full of other things.

"A bag, huh? Like a backpack? Or a handbag?"

Aela's sudden change in interests was entirely surprising Jamie. First she decided she wanted to go out, socialize and explore the city. That turned into shopping, willful shopping at that, and now she actually wanted to look for something for herself?

"And what have you done with the real Aela?"

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

"A backpack." She wasn't a princess...well she actually was but not a princess. "Not a purse."

It had become clear to her that carrying around all of the stuff she needed on a simple belt and a few straps just wasn't going to do it anymore. Not with where they went and what they had to do all the time. A backpack would let her actually carry the things she needed and given that they were always going all over the place it needed to be nice so the damned thing didn't fall apart inside of two weeks. She figured that they could at the very least check here. "It's for work."

She obviously didn't say what their work was, that would have been bad.

"Not for me." She would never admit to that.

This was for Jamie after all, this entire trip, not for her.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

"Uh huh." She said. "Sure."

If Aela didn't want to admit that she was enjoying herself that was fine. Jamie could see it in her eyes.

"Let's go get you a backpack then, for work." The two continued walking a ways from where they had come from. Dozens of stores caught her eye. Everything from stylish apparel to jewelry, expensive sunglasses, makeup, luxury speeder and yacht merchants, vacation and travel agencies. Fancy restaurants could be found on just about every corner, ranging from bars to clubs to quick grab and go, all the way up to fancy gourmet five star establishments. The smell of the mixing aromas was nearly intoxicating for a girl who loved food.

Focus, girl. Backpack for Aela.

"There!" Excitedly she grabbed the other Jedi by the wrist and pointed. "There's your bag store!"

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

The store that Jamie pointed out really was as advertised, seemingly entirely filled with just bags. Purses, backpacks, travel cases, suitcases, half a dozen other versions of bags that Aela hadn't even been aware that existed. As soon as they stepped into the shop the scent of leather and quality filled the air, her nose scrunching slightly as she nearly sneezed from the strong scent that filled the breath she took. Her head shook side to side for a moment as she tried to ward off the sneeze.

"Fi-ACHOO!" She managed to bury her face in her arm quickly enough that she didn't get germs everywhere. "Let's find something suitable for work."

That meant something simple.

"Nothing fancy looking." That would be difficult in a place like this, but all that Aela wanted, all she needed really was a sturdy backpack that she could take all over the place. She wanted it to last a while and carry a lot of stuff. It didn't need to be encrusted in ruby's, it didn't need to have ponies on the side, all she wanted was a good bag. Not too much to ask for.

She hoped.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie leaned to the side as Aela sneezed, her face contorting in mild revolt, as she tried to avoid being hit by any potential spray.

"Nothing fancy?" She looked around the rather large store. Does she know where we are? "O--Kay."

This would be a little challenging.

A lot of what made items expensive rather than simply a little pricey was that they were fancy. Expensive fabrics, gem accented, extremely rare materials, exclusive designers, limited editions and quantities. Those were the things that separated the bags here from what one might find in a common store or outlet elsewhere.

This was and exclusive club that Aela was part of, even if she didn't know it really.

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

Aela slowly began to wander around the store, looking for anything that matched her description. Unsurprisingly, there wasn't much. Most of what the store had was geared towards socialites, upper-class business men, and the children that those two would inevitably have. Everything seemed to be either made for style or the purpose of carrying only your wallet and one other thing. She frowned as she went through some of the displays. "Force."

She said as she came across her fifth bag with a pony made of some sort of gemstone on the side.

"These are awful." All she wanted was something that looked decent enough but didn't fall apart in the first twenty hours. The Marshall frowned slightly and moved along, eventually heading all the way into the back of the store. There she managed to squeeze herself into an area of the store that wasn't made with only airheads in mind. A single wall was lined with backpacks made of Bantha leather and other similar materials.

"Jamie!' She called to her padawan. "Found some!"

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Aela's voice carried through the store. A couple of irritated women looked up towards the offending voice, murmuring something likely affirming that irritation. Jamie had been looking at a handbag, a fairly simple one, all things considered. It had an ivory color to it, was modest in size and just the right length. It was actually quite nice. Then again, she was also one of the airheads this store was geared towards, so it only made sense that she found something she liked with relative ease.

Jamie looked at the backpacks once she found where the girl was, then to Aela. They were certainly nothing appealing in terms of looks, but Aela seemed to like them. Her own backpack that she carried on missions and such was hardly anything pretty either, but she wasn't out to shop for practical things, at least not for SIS jobs down the road.

"I see." She held up what she'd found. "I think I'm going to get this."

Jamie could probably fit twelve of the bags she found inside Aela's plain brown Bantha leather backpack.

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

She blinked. "Planning on bringing some nailpolish to First Order space?"

Aela smirked at Jamie, the words being a joke of course. There was no telling where they would go next, though day by day things seemed to be leaning more and more towards heading into the First Order. It wasn't something neither of them could deny, so why not make fun of it instead?

Nailpolish was about everything Jamie would fit in that bag.

"I think I'll take something more practical." She took one of the bags off of the wall, inspecting it for a few moments.

The bag was certainly big enough for her, but compact enough that it wouldn't get in the way during the middle of a chase or something similar. She fiddled with it's straps for a moment, checking if they were comfortable on her shoulders before eventually deciding that this one was right.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

"Maybe." She nodded. "At least I'll look chic while taking down Sith imitators."

Jamie looked at her choice again, pleased with her decision. "Besides, If I need a burlap sack I'm sure I can find one in a barn somewhere."

Her tongue protruded from between her lips, making fun of the bag Aela was opting for. Jamie knew it was useful, she even used one quite frequently herself, but she hadn't planned to go shopping in one of the galaxy's finest and most ritzy places for something practical to Jedi business. At least not in the way that would be considered obviously practical.

"It's hard to blend in and look inconspicuous with a big brown camping bag on your shoulders."

If they needed to go to a fancy party, Aela would likely receive a few strange looks and an inspection whereas Jamie wouldn't be given a second glance.

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

"Well." Aela said flatly to Jamie. "I hate to break this to you my very young padawan."

She smiled as she said the last few words. "But we won't always be attending fancy parties and wandering the finest tourist destinations in the entire galaxy."

Her apprentice really hadn't experienced the other side of espionage just yet. The parts where they would wander around slums, live in forests, and deal with the criminals of the galaxy. When they went into the First Order that might well be what they would be doing. Both Jamie and Aela were already likely on record with the First Order Security Bureau, and that meant they couldn't do anything high profile like posing as Governor's daughters or anything of the sort.

No, if they headed into First Order space, it would get rough.

Of course, there was no telling if that would even happen. For all she knew the First Order could entirely surrender tomorrow.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

The blues in her eyes partway disappeared as Jamie squinted, glaring towards Aela with a half serious face.

"Very young?" Oh did she hate being treated like a child! "You're not so much older you know."

Besides, she had already taken Jamie to live in a cave for a few weeks on Dxun. She wasn't entirely ignorant of the benefits of a backpack, but the point was that she hadn't come to look for an expensive bag to drag through the mud, brush, and dirt inside First Order space. She had a bag, it was simple and fine, something she had purchased at an outdoor recreation shop, not a fashion store geared toward the rich and famous.

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

Aela only smiled, taking the bag and throwing it across her shoulder.

"Sure, but I'm still older." Stepping past Jamie Aela headed towards the front of the store where an assistant was already standing behind the counter. The young man appeared to be somewhere in his early twenties, wearing a suit that one might expect of a place like this. He was handsome enough, though of course Aela didn't really notice that little detail. She was too wrapped up in her own little world to take note of such things.

"Just this." She told him with a smile. "My friend means to buy something as well."

"Yes Ma'am."

The boy said with a nod, quickly beginning to ring up the backpack.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

"Not enough to matter." She quipped. "Just older." The word was more meant as a jab.

Jamie eyed the boy as he spoke quietly to Aela. Then she got an idea. A cynical, cruel one, but an idea nonetheless.

While she stood waiting and the attendant exchanged the backpack for Aela's credit chit she decided it was the proper time for her mischievous little idea. Her gaze caught Aela for half a second, just enough for the girl to see the small deviant twinkle glowing. But before the girl had a chance to say or question Jamie, it was too late.

"Oh I knew you'd chicken out!" She exclaimed as she shook her head. "Fine!" Her head cocked to the side, the boy looking up at the sudden outburst. Jamie leaned over the counter and gestured with her finger towards the girl next to her. "Aela here thinks you're cute and wanted to know when your shift ends if you wanted to come out with us?"

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

Aela instantly colored, turning the shade one might expect of a setting sun on the horizon or a strawberry. She stared a deathly stare at Jamie, almost looking as though she was about to stab her apprentice in the gut and walk away.

"No!" She pointed a finger at the boy, his mouth hanging open slightly as though he were about to say something.

"Absolutely not." Aela said sternly. "He looks like he's about twelve."

She had no idea what the drinking age was here, but Aela was nearly twenty six now and there was no way she was interested in anyone that looked like him. The lad seemed somewhat taken aback by her words, and Aela immediately felt a bit of remorse flow through her. "I'm sorry, you were the butt of my friends very poor joke. You like nice enough...just...well not grown up enough."

With that Aela turned on her heel and walked away, not dignifying the situation with more of a response.

Jamie would get yelled at later.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie burst into a fit of laughter unlike that of anything she could remember in a very long time, perhaps before she had first left Naboo. It was undeniably a terrible joke, especially by making this poor kid the unknown participant of it, but she simply couldn't resist. It was hysterical. She stood and laughed all the way until Aela pushed the doors of the shop open and stormed outside.

The girl then turned back to the boy who looked more dumbfounded by what had just transpired inside of the last five seconds. "I'm sorry. I am. But she needed that. More than she thinks." Aela was socially dead when it came to anything hinting towards romance. She couldn't pick up cues, she didn't even register attractiveness on even a basic level. She needed help, and if embarrassing her into it was the only way to do it, then Jamie was happy to enact her revenge for the age comment in the form of embarrassing help.

The blonde paid for her bag, thanking the boy and apologizing once more for the confusion before hustling off out to find Aela.

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

"THAT WAS NOT NICE!" Aela screeched at Jamie almost the minute she stepped out of the store, practically pushing the girl forward and out onto the street.

Aela was not at all pleased about what had transpired in there.

It was true that she usually couldn't recognize...or even really acknowledge the attractiveness of others, but pointing it out like that was both uncalled for and entirely out of the question. Jamie well knew that Aela wouldn't have allowed the boy to come with them in a million years. He had been a teenager! A child! She huffed slightly as she pressed her padawan forward in the street, clearly trying to get away from that particular store as quickly as she possibly could.

Poor boy. "What is he going to think!"

She continued on with admonishing her padawan.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie stumbled a bit forward, not quite expecting Aela to push her, but continued giggling all the same. "NO BUT IT WAS ENTERTAINING!" She tried to shake off the laughter long enough to catch her breath as they walked further down the street. "Your face." She slapped her knee, shaking her head. "Your face was so red!" Oh it was clear Jamie was enjoying the thought of taking Aela out of her element.

"He's not going to think anything. I told him I was sorry before I left."

Though he probably wished it wasn't a joke. Aela was hardly unattractive, even if she were ten years older then the boy.

"Calm down strawberry face!" She bumped the girl with her shoulder. "Maybe that will teach you not to criticize my age, huh?"

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

Aela let out a loud 'hmpf' and continued to push Jamie forward unless they were well out of view of the store, stumbling forward until they were nearly out of the shop district. Eventually Aela looked backed to see if the boy had followed after them or something, but when she found nothing a sigh of relief pulled across her lips. "You're lucky I'm a good sport."

Years of sibling rivalry had helped her gain that trait, though she would have her revenge...eventually.

The Jedi Marshall let out a loud breath, then finally looked up to see where they had wandered to. Her lips thinned for a moment as she tried to read the bright neon signs, her eyes barely able to adjust to the amount of light they gave off. She blinked a few more times, then finally realized that they had somehow gotten all the way to the casino district. The realization caused her to listen to the sounds around her and suddenly she heard nothing but slot machines, pazaak, dejarik, and of course Sabacc.

For a moment Aela marveled at it all, then a small smile touched her lips.

"Let's go play." She'd never gambled before, but it was supposed to be a night of fun...plus she saw opportunity for vengeance.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

A good sport? "You call that back there a good sport?" Her eyes widened. "Were we in two different places just then?" She shouted loud enough for the whole store to hear, likely demoralized the poor boy and then proceeded to stamp her feet all the way out the door, only to shove Jamie down the sidewalk for the past two or so miles. That was how they had wound up here.

"I hate to see when you get angry!"

Looking around it was clear where they were. Jamie hadn't really ever been to a casino either. It wasn't something she was allowed to do back home for obvious reasons, not that they had really any to begin with, but that was a whole different story. Even benign gambling was forbidden, despite her father's secretive pod-racing gambling that he did on the side.

"Fine." She said, "But you're gonna wind up leaving broke."

[member="Aela Talith"]