Another Fowl mess I've gotten myself into (Skylar)

[Jan VonFowl]

I grinned even wider at the sight of the girl rolling her eyes at me. I love making people exasperated with me. It comes very naturally. As we walked up to the speeder, I scratched at my cheek a little, trying to figure out how to move it. Finally, I had an idea. A stupid one, yes, but an idea at any rate.

"Well, Miss Stabby, I think I can teach you how to back that bird out. I certainly can't climb up to it."

[member="Skylar Ichor"]

 

[Skylar Ichor]

Skylar's mouth dropped open as she replied in a sort of exasperated voice.

"You want me, to drive that?! I can barely drive a rental speeder much less something that complex."

She really didn't think this was such a good idea.

[member="Jan VonFowl"]

 

[Jan VonFowl]

I shrugged at the girl, and gave her a sort of sympathetic shrug. It really wasn't my fault that I couldn't climb up to the speeder myself. She, herself, had stabbed me hard enough in the leg to make that impossible. This was sort of my not-so-poetic justice.

"It's not that complicated, y'know. It's the same as anything else. You don't even have to steer. Just switch to reverse and hit the pedal."

There was no reason a girl who spent her life stabbing people and running around Nar Shaddaa couldn't hit a gas pedal, right?

[member="Skylar Ichor"]

 

[Skylar Ichor]

Skylar uneasily propped Jan up against the destroyed stand and nervously got onto the speeder. She looked at the controls and looked back down at Jan.

"Umm, which button is the reverse?"

To be honest, all buttons looked the same to Skylar.

[member="Jan VonFowl"]

 

[Jan VonFowl]

I looked up at her and grinned like I had before. She really didn't know much about driving, did she? With a bit of a snicker, I made a motion like rolling my wrist.

"The joystick. Just push it to the "R" and hit the right pedal. You're tall enough."

At least if she got it down, I could drive us back.

[member="Skylar Ichor"]

 

[Skylar Ichor]

Skylar did as he instructed and lightly stepped on the pedal, making the speeder move back a tiny bit, and she gasped.

"I did it."

She stepped on the pedal again and backed it all the way out. She did a silent cheer and got off. She went over and checked out Jan's wound, which was looking better.

"You think you can drive, or do I need another driving lesson?"

[member="Jan VonFowl"]

 

[Jan VonFowl]

I almost could've danced... Y'know, if my fething leg hadn't had a gaping hole in it. I picked myself up and winked at the girl jokingly.

"Oh, you want another driving lesson that badly? Another time, maybe. Gotta get this bird back to your building and start fixing it. I don't fancy trying to fly it high in the state it's in."

With a burst of sudden excitement, I grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the passenger side, opening the door. Then, I walked back around and slid into the driver's seat. As I started the engine again, the familiar low purring escaped it. I grinned lazily at the white-haired girl, and sighed.

"I love driving."

[member="Skylar Ichor"]

 

[Skylar Ichor]

Skylar let herself be pulled into the passenger seat, still a bit shocked that she had just learned how drive.

"I bet you do, Jan, this speeder's cool. Where do you learn how to drive these things?"

She leaned back and settled into the seat, still wary of Jan, but trusting him enough not to kidnap her.

[member="Jan VonFowl"]

 

[Jan VonFowl]

I grinned at the girl, and grabbed the wheel, sending the damaged speeder towards the wide alley we'd just walked out of. Good thing the streets were big.

"Well, I've lived on Corellia my whole life. People there are big on flying. I'm no exception."

I patted the dashboard, and winked at the girl.

"This speeder is sort of like my baby. Designed and commissioned it for myself."

[member="Skylar Ichor"]

 

[Skylar Ichor]

"So, it is precious to you, like my pendant is to me?" Skylar could see how something one made oneself could be very precious indeed.

"What's Corellia like?" Never being off planet, Skylar was interested in the galaxy and its many planets, eager to learn more about them.

[member="Jan VonFowl"]

 

[Jan VonFowl]

I grinned at the girl as I carefully drove through the trench-like alleys that led back to her building. She understood well enough, and my voice was quiet. I was suddenly very aware that I was driving a speeder in the middle of the night, while chatting with a rather strange, if cute, girl sitting in the passenger seat.

"Yes, that's it exactly. My lightsaber's another thing like that. My mom made it before she... disappeared."

I shook myself. My parents' deaths weren't something to dwell on, especially not within earshot of this girl. She didn't need to listen to me.

"Anyway, Corellia's fun. Lots of diners and big spires and lights... It's like Nar Shaddaa with fewer gangs running around. Possibly because CorSec is really strong."

[member="Skylar Ichor"]

 

[Skylar Ichor]

Skylar smiled for a bit, but then her expression became serious, "Maybe I should move there. I hate being pushed around by the gangs here. It's all because of —" She caught herself before she could say 'one stupid mistake', "Nevermind. Anyway, moving somewhere with more security would mean a chance for a new life away from this place, right?" Skylar hated and loved Nar Shaddaa, she wanted to leave and yet she wanted to stay. This decision to move had long been growing in her mind, torturing her thoughts and tearing her apart. She needed guidance in which way was the best way.

[member="Jan VonFowl"]

 

[Jan VonFowl]

I smiled back at her, shrugging as I parked the speeder in the alley next to her building, and then mentally slapped myself for not asking her name. I'd just been giving her teasing nicknames for the last few hours. Now, I actually looked at the girl and held out my hand.

"I'm a moron. I didn't even ask you what your name was. And here you are, talking to me this whole time... And helping me get my speeder back... And, well, stabbing me, but that's a different point."

[member="Skylar Ichor"]

 

[Skylar Ichor]

Skylar laughed, for she had completely forgotten too, and she felt safe giving Jan her name. She gave his hand a firm shake.

Oh my I had totally forgotten to introduce myself as well. My name is Skylar Ichor, but you can call me Sky. I'm a pickpocket."

The last part was meant in jest but was also true. She smiled a huge geuine smile and laughed again.


[member="Jan VonFowl"]

 

[Jan VonFowl]

I laughed back at Skylar and hit the button that opened the doors to the speeder. As a whole, my bird had only suffered damage from the blaster cannon that'd hit the engines, and even that wasn't too horrible to fix. The repulsorlift engine was going to be difficult, because I'd need to use spare parts, but that was it.

"A pickpocket, huh? Fun. But how do you get people to look away from that pretty face long enough to reach into their pockets?"

[member="Skylar Ichor"]

 

[Skylar Ichor]

She shrugged and blushed, no one had called her pretty before.

"Well no one ever really notices me, I'm just that good at blending in."

When they finally got back to her building, she watched him check the engine with curious eyes.

"It'll still fly, right?"

[member="Jan VonFowl"]

 

[Jan VonFowl]

I smiled at Skylar some more, and almost laughed when I saw she was blushing. It was really cute. But I mentally shook myself and went back to the conversation. My smile turned into a little bit of a smirk at the comment about blending in.

"Well, I tend to notice when a girl stabs me in the leg and screams at me incoherently."

I took one last look at the engines, and nodded.

"But so can a bird with a broken wing, so long as its tail is intact. I wouldn't trust myself to be able to fly it back up to the spaceport at the Promenade."

[member="Skylar Ichor"]

 

[Skylar Ichor]

Skylar gave a embarrassed laugh.

"That was a different circumstance. I thought you were trying to kill me!"

She suddenly noticed how dark it was getting when she realized she could only just make out Jan's features.

"Well then let's get your bird in the garage and go inside. Don't want other thieves coming and mugging us."

She gestured towards the stairs.

[member="Jan VonFowl"]

 

[Jan VonFowl]

I grinned amusedly at Skylar, realizing that all I could see really clearly was her white hair swishing around slightly in the wind. Popping the doors back open, I moved to sit in the speeder, waiting to pull it around the corner into the garage.

"Well, whatever the circumstance, you certainly made my day a lot more interesting than it would've been. As for the speeder..."

I had a sudden idea, and I stepped away from the driver's side to slip an arm around Sky's shoulders and squeeze them.

"...how about you take another little driving lesson?"

[member="Skylar Ichor"]

 

[Skylar Ichor]

Skylar started when Jan put his arm around her shoulder.

"Um, sure, but quickly."

She slid out of his grasp and into the seat.

[member="Jan VonFowl"]