Private Baby No, Van Gogh

[Madison Starr]

Madison expected something more... I don't know. Colorful? Maybe.

<Huh.>

She quickly closed their meld and the golden world fell away. Leaving her once again. Back in the tumultuous middle.

"Sorry. The meld wasn't helping."

Starr frowned and slowly stirred her cup. Her mind was elsewhere now. Remembering something a friend had once said to her. About magic.

"You're a brave one, ya know."

She took a sip of her coffee and pointed to the world around them. The vast emptiness of the city that surrounded them. So immensely full of people, and noise, and movement, and color. A calamity all it's own. If shopping is what you're afraid of. I mean.

"Do you always see the world like this? This, jumble of perfect colors? This, translation?"

It was fascinating really. Madison had just assumed Iris was young, or worse. Crazy. But know she remembered that alien peoples live life in remarkably alien ways. Some much smarter and more efficient than humans. That maybe Iris wasn't just some stranger with a talent for painting and seeing the world through the Force? Maybe she was Jedi Master. With myrid talents and abilities far, far beyond human comprehension. A God. In teenager's clothing.

Then. She watched Iris nurse a scalded tongue.

Anddd. Mmm. Maybe? Well. Maybe she thought better of it now. Mmm. Yeah. Less remarkable Godhood now. More... Mm. Let's say? More teenager in teenager's clothing. Yeah. That was probably it. Young. Just, very very. Young.

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

And the meld was dropped. Iris blinked, turning her gaze from where she'd been randomly staring around to Madison Starr. Confused. Though the other woman answered any question on what happened before Iris had the chance to ask. Though.. Brave? Wait, what made her brave? Iris frowned, her gaze lowering to the cup in her hands. Nothing about her made her feel brave.

"All the time. It's.. Hard to see through. Usually I just let the colors carry me." Right. How many people had she killed like that? No, she never killed anyone without a choice. But how many times had she come close from hiding behind the colors?

"I'm not brave."

 

[Madison Starr]

There was something unexpectedly boring about Iris. But Madison just couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Well. I think you're brave."

She nodded with a sigh. Sipping her coffee and looking around the room. Almost content.

"Heh. Most Jedi I meet never even leave the temple. So? You've got that going for you."

She turned her head and looked around again. Reminding herself of the time. They still a class to finish. Madison still had a painting to redo. Bleh. But she didn't want to leave her sanity break just yet.

"Mm."

She looked back at Iris. Pondering her coffee.

"So? What'cha think?"

She waved a flat palm in the air. Side to side. As if to say, "Yes? No? Maybe?" Wondering if she had an opinion on Rhinestone's finest brew yet.

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris idly flexed her left hand. The black glove on it was as uncomfortable as ever, but it did hide the broken skin. And made her feel less conscious about the missing pinky. Was leaving the temple all it took to make her brave? The Padawan retreated inward, sorting through her thoughts one by one. Seeming to forget Madison Starr was there for a moment.

"So? What'cha think?"

She blinked, glancing back to the other. Then to her hand. Confusion at first, before she realized they were talking about the coffee.

"Oh. It's bitter and it burned my tongue. I like it though."

 

[Madison Starr]

Madison chuckled,

"Well then. Hehe. There you go! I've done my good deed for the day. Introduced a fellow Jedi to the magical world that is, coffee. Ha. Perfect."

She smiled and checked her phone. Probably time to head back anyway.

"Well. That's me, I suppose." She nodded. Aiming to stand up and take her leave. "It was good to meet you. I'm Madison, by the way. Stop by the Temple some time if you ever want some more coffee advice. I've always got something brewing up. Hehe."

She stood up and took her cup with her. Giving her legs a small stretch too.

"And good luck with the painting too. I think I'm going to stick to the culinary arts for now. Hehe. Might try baking tomorrow. Anyway.Ta ta dear!"

Starr grabbed a few napkins from a nearby counter and moved to take her leave. Heading for the parking garage and forgoing another attempt at Jessica's classroom basics. She'd had enough oil painting for one day. Besides. There was just something magical about a blank canvas anyway. Like that teenager girl back there. Iris.

You're just never quite sure what will come next.

Iris Arani