All Stories are True

[Scherezade deWinter]

Madalena grinned from ear to ear. "You know how sometimes there is a stripper jumping out of a cake?" she asked, giving him the most innocent look she could give, "so like that, but instead of a stripper, a hundred Porgs!"

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

“I... Think that could get a little messy for a children’s party” Josh would admit, scratching his head. He should have known. He should. Have. Known. “When you take care of one porg, you know having one in the room alone is trouble. Now imagine a hundred.”

He smiled lightly. “Appreciate the thought though.”

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

"A thousand, then?" she asked, keeping the innocent look on her face for a few seconds more before she gave him a tired laughter. Madalena shrugged then. She would have to come up with another idea. But it was okay; she was a cesspool of wonderful ideas, and she had a month to come up with something and perfect it. "How much longer before we get to Naboo?"

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

“No” He responded with a laugh as he playfully ruffled her hair. “Let’s just get porg icing, why don’t we?” He suggested. He was smiling big though, it was really nice being able to shoot ideas together for their son’s birthday-

His son’s. Not theirs. His smile faded as the memories came back. Memories of what he had, what he had lost, and would never have back. This had been his and Shmi’s thing, going through cake ideas, browsing cakes, shooting ridiculous, nonsensical ideas that were just for jokes sake...

He looked away when he realized she would see if he let it get to him any longer. He began to walk back toward the couch. “Not much longer. We can wake them in a bit.”

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

She caught the smile fading from his face, but she had a feeling it was not something either of them wanted her to ask about. Sighing, Madalena downed another bottle of water. At least she was beginning to feel a little bit better, though she still wanted to get some of that decent sleep.

Realizing only now that she was still wearing the silly Jedi robes, she quickly hurried to the machine. It was a mere few minutes later that she walked out of the refresher again, this time wearing her own clothes. They didn't exactly leave any wiggle room like Josh's robes had, but she was much more comfortable in them.
[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

As Madalena would walk out in her own attire, the Jedi would casually look her up and down, shooting her a cheeky grin that was essentially just to tease her as he would move to check the coordinates in the cockpit. He was still a bit drowsy admittedly, and a bit groggy from the sudden wake up call courtesy of Madalena, but it seemed that they'd be down to Naboo in a few minutes.

With that, Josh would gingerly move Jason as the child would wake up, letting out a loud yawn. Josh smiled softly then. "Hey, it's time to get up. We're getting food" Josh would tell him as Jason would spring up to a sitting position, nearly knocking over Porgbert in the process. "We'll be landing soon, let's get you cleaned up."

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

As Josh turned to wake Jason and Porgbert up, Madalena moved herself back to the kitchen. Her stomach was gurgling by now, reminding her that it had been over 24 hours since she'd last eaten, feeling like it was going to digest itself again. It wasn't a fun feeling. She hoped the food would go down easier than it did the previous day though, since that hadn’t been fun either, especially when it contrasted with her amazing steaks.

When she walked back to where the couch was, Madalena stopped far enough away, almost afraid to startle Jason again with her mere presence. "Good morning," she tried to say softly.

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

(ignore)

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Jason looked up at Madalena and hid under Josh's arm, and Josh let out a sigh. "Jason, she didn't mean to scare you" He spoke softly. "It was an accident, okay?" He told the child, who bit his lip. "It was scary, daddy..." Jason would whisper timidly. "I know" Josh would answer with a small smile as he pulled him into a hug, before giving him the stuffed porg. "That's from her" He said, pointing toward Madalena, though Jason didn't seem to entirely understand. He supposed it was just going to take time. It wasn't a shock, she had gone from a complete stranger almost, to being nice... And then scaring the daylights out of him. Not to mention the whole thing with people screaming while she held him, and the ungodly sound of the exploding porg. It was going to take... A little while.

Josh would pick up Jason and let him rest on his shoulder as he would give Madalena a smile. "All in due time" He spoke as he would leave to clean Jason up. The two would re-appear soon enough and Jason had been cleaned up, while Porgbert was busying himself with looking for scraps from the movie treats they'd had a few hours before.

"Shall we go?" Josh would ask Madalena as he picked up the stuffed porg. As it was too big for Jason, he'd need to carry it, but he knew that Jason had grown attached to it and would want it while they were there.

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Madalena nodded. There was no point in delaying. Jason needed time to get adjusted to her again after what she'd done, and the only way to give him that time was to actually do stuff together. Josh brought the gigantic stuffed porg with him.

With Porgbert, it was easier. Madalena clicked her tongue and the Porg just flew to her, sitting firmly on top of her head as though he'd known her for years and years. She was always good with animals.

The smell of Naboo hit her the moment they stepped off the sip. She paused in her step for the briefest of moments, trying to make sense of it. It was a nature type of a planet, with forests and lakes and whatnot, so she was supposed to like it, no? But something gnawed on her insides, telling her that she did not.

[SIZE=11pt]"How can a place I've been at so many times before feel like the first time?" she wondered, not realizing she'd done it out loud until after the words were out of her mouth. She shrugged, and looked at Josh and Jason, "it's probably because I'm tired and hungry. Nothing to worry about."[/SIZE]

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Well, aside from that time she blew up the porg at the petting zoo anyway. Josh watched as Porgbert seemed quite taken with her though. Interesting... He doubted that the memory wipe could just conveniently make her a natural with animals, or make animals naturally drawn to her. It just didn't work that way. What exactly had Scherezade done with that witch spell? Regardless, so long as Porgbert would not be harmed, then it would be alright.

They would step out and Josh would smile as the familiar air of Naboo would hit his face. It was a comforting thing. It felt like... Well, yeah. Home. Though Madalena did not seem to share the same sentiment, even saying it felt like it was her first time here.

"You've definitely been here with me" Josh answered. Recently, even. As Scherezade.

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

"I know," she answered, "it just feels weird. Like I've never smelled Naboo before."

She sighed. It was probably a lingering side effet of that drinking from two nights ago, or the lack of sleep, or the hunger. There was nothing else that could have caused that. She'd been here multiple times, she knew. There was a day she and Josh had sat by the lake and talked about the whole Brayden leaving west and stuff. That was the last time. Before that she'd been here a few times too.

"Seriously, double march," she grinned, "if I don't get any food soon I'm going to start thinking that I've never met any of the three of you before either."

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

The Jedi would laugh as he would wrap an arm around her, the porg arm, as he would pull her close and nudge her playfully. Jason was too taken with the sky to notice.

"Oh come on, don't start saying things like that" Josh would crack. "I'm sure once you've had some good eats, you'll be fine. You had a hell of a bender, I can tell that, so it's obvious that you'd feel a little weird."

Odds are her "little bender" was actually the months of drinking nonstop and not eating or drinking, but...

"Come on, let's pick it up. The sooner we get there, the better" He spoke as he would start to head out of the spaceport as they would enter Theed.

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Her stomach audibly grumbled as they marched into Theed. She tried to pull her abdomen muscles in to calm it down, but it was too damn late. She needed food, and she needed it now.

"It's been over 24 hours since it ended though," she pointed out, "more like closer to 36 hours by now. The effects should really be over."

Still, she marched hard and fast, her legs glad of the exercise.

When they finally got to the place, Madalena let Josh and Jason pick their seats out first. She clicked her tongue again and Porgbert flew from her head to Jason's, making himself comfortable there, and then she took the available seat as closest to the window that was still open.

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

As they would arrive, Josh would allow her to move to the window when he noticed her eagerness to. Shrugging his shoulders, he would sit on the opposing side of her, letting Jason look out the window as well while Porgbert would nestle into his head. Once they were seated, Josh would hand the large stuffed porg to Jason, who would immediately gasp in delight and wrap his arms around it in a great big hug.

"You planning to order the steak then?" Josh would ask Madalena. He was still... Getting used to her being able to eat. She never did as Scherezade after all. Not besides that one time, anyway. He just hoped that there wasn't going to be anymore incidents.

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

"I'm ready to wolf the entire menu down," Madalena said as she eyed the menu that was on the table, sending glances to Jason every so often to check for signs that her presence made him uncomfortable in any way. Thankfully, he was so caught up with the toy she had gotten him, that he barely even noticed she was there.

"Come to think of it," she said after a quick contemplation, "I want a burger and bantha wings. And a platter of cheeses. The burger should be bun-less though. Bread is icky."

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

“Sheesh, I hope you’re willing to pay for your end. Just because you’re a trust fund baby doesn’t mean I am” He teased, sticking his tongue at her in turn. He owned a business but his salary, while enough to pay for what he had, didn’t have too much beyond that. Wasn’t -that- big of a business.

“I’ll probably have the steak for myself. As for Jason... Hmm... I haven’t been here with him in awhile. I can’t remember what ordinarily one would order for a two year old here” He said as he looked over the menu. Usually Shmi had ordered for Jason. Chit.

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Madalena gave Josh a playful punch into his arm. "Wookie-lover," she teased, "this meal's on me." Perhaps she had used the wrong word when she'd mentioned a trust fund earlier. Then again, her usage of the word 'thingie' should have implied that. She knew her parents set aside some money for her and Brayden, about a year's worth of salary compared to what she would be making with the CIS. She'd spent half of it on her ship, and the other half... Most of it was still hers. She'd figure out smart ways to invest it later on. For now though, she'd pulled an amount she believed would suffice for the coming month, and locked the rest up to collect interest. The amount she had pulled had more than enough to over their meal tonight.

Looking at Josh and Jason, she didn't really know what Jason often had either. She knew the kid liked his ice cream, but that was easy. Every kid loved ice cream. Except for her, seeing how she was special.

Now she tapped Josh on the shoulder though, as she turned the menu around. "There's a children's menu," she grinned, "you're supposed to order something from there."

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

He did wonder what she had meant, seeing as Scherezade didn't have a cent to her name almost, after all that alcohol. Though she did save on not buying food, water or bacta. Perhaps she finally got her backed up salaries? It would explain a lot, after all, such as why she had suddenly come into so much money and called it a trust fund. A princess she was, but this princess had been prin-up broke up until recently cess as long as he could remember.

Either way, it was still good that she wasn't in... That state anymore, of not eating or drinking or anything, and only spending credits on alcohol while not looking into her salary issue. Not to mention she had room for bacta now. Which would help keep her alive a bit longer.

"Thanks" He spoke when she offered to pay. "Oh! Right, children's menu" Josh would burst out as he remembered that yes, that was a thing. Looking over the menus, Josh would write something down for Jason to order when the waiter came around before looking toward her.

"So are you feeling any better? You went on a hell of a bender as I said. For hours" Josh would inquire. More like months. "You told me that you wanted to fly with the porgs."

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Scherezade had indeed gotten her backed up salaries. She had used an old connection to find a slicer that would do her work for her. He had hacked into the databases of the CIS, removing any hint that she had ever existed there. Her files were replaced with one for a woman by the name of Madalena Antares, Coruscanti-born, a refugee from the recent attempt at glassing the planet. All the little successes Scherezade had in the CIS, all her participations in various battle fields, it had all been credited to Madalena. If anyone tried to check out records, they would found someone who looked right, all of who's records checked out. Madalena had everything that Scherezade did not; credits, happiness, true friends... And a future. Scherezade had given her all of that and more. But Madalena Antares would never know it, as Scherezade deWinter no longer existed.

Presently, Madalena was fantasizing about the food she was about to eat. Maybe she needed more than what had thought she'd order, but... Well, considering her reaction to the food the previous day, perhaps it was better to start smaller. She would just start with the wings, and then if she could handle it, move on to the other, bigger, juicier things.

When Josh said what she'd done...

Madalena's face shot up, the look of surprise on her face. "You're lying!" she accused him, "I would never say that! Just how drunk was I?!"

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]