Private Kings and Queens

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

"Not a bad idea. I wonder what's been on their radar lately," Valery said as she stepped away from the Bastion's control panels and walked out towards the back. She knew of the cultists on Midvintir, and even about the hostile natives living away from the more civilized world here. But she had a feeling there was much more than that — more local issues that weren't as extreme as entire civilizations colliding.

The smaller things would be a good place to start.

"I'm not sure where their police station or whatever they call it is, but I do know the way to the market. We can ask the locals for directions there and cover both things." Stepping out of the Bastion, Valery walked through the spaceport until they finally stepped into Midvintir's chilly air. But where she'd usually grumble about the cold, Valery's eyes were instead glued to their surroundings. Midvintir was a beautiful planet and the architecture was quite unique as well.

Not nearly as industrial as what you'd find in the core.

"Maybe we can even bring some souvenirs, hm? I'm sure they'll have some unique things here." Her mind was already going through possible clothing options.

Gatz Derrevar ​

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Valery Noble

"I'm not sure where their police station or whatever they call it is, but I do know the way to the market. We can ask the locals for directions there and cover both things."

Gatz frowned at that, his confusion clear. What else would they call their law enforcement? He supposed there were a few other words that got the job done, like "Royal Security Force" back home on Naboo, or "Coruscant Guard." Surely Midvintir couldn't deviate too much from the galactic norm for these sort of things.

Then Gatz walked down The Bastion's ramp.

It was like he'd stepped into a fairy tale. Gatz had been all over the galaxy. He'd seen planets of every variety, and he'd seen almost everything—including some things he wished that he could forget. But he'd never seen anything like Midvintir's capital city: a fantasy paradise built from stone, wood, and shingle. It wasn't even like the stone architecture back home on Naboo.

No, this was downright medieval. Gatz's jaw dropped as he took in some of the most beautiful views he'd ever seen.

"I... is this place real? Or did you drug me when I wasn't paying attention?"

There was even a goddamn fairy tale castle, built from stone brick, placed atop the tallest hill in the city. Gatz hated nobility and royalty. He thought they were concepts that ought to be abolished. But even he couldn't help but feel some kind of childish thrill at the prospect of seeing the castle up close.

"I..." Gatz's mind struggled to function, "yeah, I guess 'police station' wouldn't be the right term. Maybe 'constable?' That seems more fitting for this place."

He didn't need souvenirs in the same way Valery did. For one, he couldn't afford them. He also didn't really have anywhere to keep them. But, most of all, just being here was enough for Gatz. He'd humor Valery, of course, if she wanted to go looking for things to bring home for her children. But Gatz wanted to explore more than anything.

"I know we have work to do," well, they sort of had to find that work first, "but when that's done... I would really appreciate it if we could spend a little leisure time here, before we leave."

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

"Whatever they call it, I'm sure it's fitting." Valery snickered at his reaction to the planet. It was the same one she had when she first visited. But even now, after she had already seen parts of the city and palace, it was still mesmerizing. The capital, but even cities and towns beyond it, looked straight from a holo-movie.

To think it was real...

"Well, we're not exactly on a typical mission. I didn't pick up any specific assignments or make any appointments. We can take as much time as we'd like to walk around before we do some work." Of course, they'd also have time to look around after deciding how they'd help the people, but why not a bit of both?

It was much easier to help out once they weren't distracted by every little thing they saw.

Having left the spaceport behind, Valery started walking down the streets and looked around. Rather quickly, she noticed that people were often staring at them. Not with suspicion, but simply curiosity.

"You know, I think we stand out here, looking like this." She looked at him and smirked. "But that might be a good thing if we're wanting to show them more of the Jedi."

Gatz Derrevar ​

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Valery Noble

He supposed Valery was right: they weren't actually here on an assignment. This was a personal task for her, really, just one that could vaguely be described as 'Jedi business.' He was just coming along because she wanted some input about the idea of her wearing a crown, and because she thought maybe he could learn a thing or two along the way. And also probably because she just wanted some company.

"Yeah I guess... I guess we're not really working, yet, are we? Not until we stumble across something that needs our attention."

They could explore and window shop, and along the way, maybe they'd find someone to help. So it wasn't... it wasn't wrong to indulge themselves a little, right?

But Gatz had been the kind of man who indulged himself, once. It wasn't a road he wanted to travel again. It was such a stupid thing to feel conflicted over, but he felt uneasy about it all the same. If he wasn't being selfless at every hour, then he wasn't being better. Chasing after his own wants and desires while people on this planet needed help was wrong. And yet, Valery had been pretty particular about drilling the importance of taking a break into him.

And... he had just come off of a job today, assisting Ukatis in rebuilding. Plus... he'd just had a genuine panic attack. So, maybe taking a little leisure time to explore a cool planet with his best friend was exactly what he should be doing?

Gatz decided that he trusted Valery more than he feared relapsing into old habits. Tourism it was.

"Exploring would give us a good lay of the land, too," Gatz justified, "so it might even be better to enjoy ourselves a little, before we get to work."

"You know, I think we stand out here, looking like this." She looked at him and smirked. "But that might be a good thing if we're wanting to show them more of the Jedi."

Gatz looked down at himself, dressed in all black with a red jacket—which he cherished, because it was a gift from Val, and he didn't get gifts. But he certainly stuck out like a sore thumb. So did Valery, but at least she looked the part of a Jedi. If not for the lightsaber hanging from his belt, no one would make the same assumption of him.

"You look like a Jedi," Gatz countered, a little uneasy now, "I look like a thug with a lightsaber. I'd like to think I'm more than that, now, but I certainly don't look the part..."

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

"A lot of Jedi wear very casual things these days, you know," Valery said with a perked brow. "My outfit might look very Jedi to you now, but if I had worn this in my own time..." she trailed off and couldn't stop herself from smirking. Even her tunic back then was already very different from the usual Jedi attire. She rarely wore robes and it almost seemed like a particular goal of hers to avoid the earthy colors that most traditional Jedi wore.

Maybe she just liked being difficult.

"Hm, we could try a clothing store and see if they have something fitting here?" Valery smirked at the idea of dragging him along for a shopping trip like that. If he knew her well enough, he'd know that was going to take some time, and she wouldn't be satisfied with only trying one or two stores.

There was just too much out there!

"Or would you rather try some of the local food first?"

Gatz Derrevar ​

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Valery Noble

"I just... I feel like an imposter, sometimes." Gatz admitted. "Especially when I'm standing next to you, or anyone from the Order, really. I never earned the right to call myself a Jedi. I mean, who have I ever saved?"

It was kind of freeing, really, to get that off his chest. He was sure Valery would quickly rebuke him for saying such a thing, but try as he might, Gatz just didn't feel like a Jedi. He wanted to be one. He tried to be one. But everything he did ended in failure. And somewhere deep down, he still felt like some dumb thug that ought to be locked up for the things he'd done. And yet, he was a Jedi, even if he was a remedial one.

It was a frustrating thing: to feel like he was finally where he belonged, yet feel as though he didn't deserve to be here, all at once.

"Hm, we could try a clothing store and see if they have something fitting here?"

Gatz snorted. It was a welcome distraction, really. A reason to think of something other than his own inadequacies, and the panic attack that plagued him with self-doubt right as he was starting to feel good about things. If Valery wanted to go on a shopping spree before they got their hands dirty... then so be it. At least he could be of use to her as a pack mule.

Also he'd get to explore a little, so...

"Oh, now I see why you wanted to bring me along. You wanted someone to carry all your bags for you," Gatz tutted, trying and half succeeding at putting a smile on his face, "alright. I'll indulge you, but only if you feed me after. Then we can try out that local food you mentioned."

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

"My husband," Valery said rather bluntly before she began to smile. "You've always been way too harsh on yourself, Gatz. If you didn't deserve, or weren't ready to be a Jedi, you wouldn't be standing here today." This trip wasn't entirely Jedi duty, but she wasn't just going to bring along anybody for it either. The planet had a lot of troubling things going on, so there was always a risk at running into trouble.

Especially once they were out and about, trying to help the locals.

With that said, Valery decided to change the subject a little to brighten up the mood. The snort she got out of him made her grin and she had a feeling that it had helped. "I didn't bring you along just for that, no. But it's an added benefit." She flashed a rather smug look and looked around to see where the shopping streets were. The market was up ahead, and she remembered that tons of roads split from there, all with countless shops on each side.

"I'll pay for lunch, though. That's a fair compromise. I'm just not sure what they serve here." The only meal she had eaten here was at the palace, and she doubted that was anything like the usual meals people ate.

"I think I might try something that's still fitting for a mission. Just... something a little warmer than what I'm wearing now."

Gatz Derrevar ​

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Valery Noble

Gatz wanted to argue, because he always wanted to argue. Kahlil was a resourceful man. He'd have found another way off that planet. But Gatz supposed that it was the thought, and the attempt, that counted in the end. And besides.... there had been more, hadn't there? The children Valery had helped him save, and all the slaves they'd freed in the process. The various slaving rings he'd busted after that. The researcher in that dumb lab back on New Cov. Then there was Cora's sister, and there was Jenn, and what about those rebels he and Inanna had saved on Carlac and—

Huh. That was a lot of people still alive, because of him. Weird. Well, Gatz supposed that the evidence was stacked in Valery's favor, so he nodded at her with a small smile.

"Thank you for believing in me," he said quietly, "even when I haven't always believed in myself."

Valery might have decided to use him as a pack mule, but at least he was getting lunch out of the deal. And the distraction would be good: if they jumped into action right now, after the... episode he'd just had, Gatz didn't think it would end well for anyone. He needed a little time, and a little bit of a breather before he was ready to get back to almost dying. Clothing shopping for Valery wasn't the most novel of ideas, but it was still relaxing with a friend.

Plus... Midvintir was cold, and she needed at least a coat or something. Valery hated the cold as much as he hated the wealthy.

"Valery, I'm pretty sure you're going to find a wench's dress at best here. So unless the mission is to pour ale in a tavern, I wouldn't get your hopes up about functionality."

Unless she wanted a suit of, like, plate armor or something.

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

"Sometimes that's all we need. A lot of people tend to get stuck in their own heads, and sometimes we just need someone else to help get us out. To help us see something that seems so obvious, but we just struggle to acknowledge" Valery said as they walked along the city streets. "I've been in that position myself and I think many others have, too. Especially when life gets difficult or stressful." And his life had been rather stressful for a long time. She did feel it was improving and that he was learning a lot at the moment.

But she didn't blame him for having a hard time moving on completely from the things that happened. It'd take time and experience.

"It'll be fine," Valery said on the topic of clothes. "They have some fancy shops too. With outfits of leather but warmer materials as well. People here are used to the cold, but they still wear their layers." Not that there wouldn't be any dresses here, but she had plenty of those and she wasn't going to wear one while they were sort of on mission.

Or, at least, able to go on a mission.

"There, what about something like that," Valery said as she stopped right before a shop and pointed at an outfit on display in the window.

Gatz Derrevar ​

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Valery Noble

Difficult. Stressful. Deadly.

If Gatz stopped to think about everything he'd been through last year, he'd fall apart. He'd lost too much, suffered so much, and the trainwreck that was his life didn't seem to be anywhere near the end of the tracks. Some nights, when the night terrors kept him awake, he wondered how much longer it would be until he snapped and someone had to commit him to an asylum. How many times could he be a sliver away from death, and come back, and still be sane?

Some days, the only thing that kept him from giving into despair was remembering how much time and effort Valery had put into him. If he gave up and just went catatonic, everything she'd done for him would be wasted. And how could he repay all the kindness she'd shown him with that? Maybe that wasn't a healthy way of coping with everything he'd been through, but it was the best he could do.

Do right by Valery. Be of service to someone. Those were the only reasons he had to live, right now. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep trudging along.

"I'm trying so hard to believe in myself," Gatz admitted, "But it's always the same story: I accomplish nothing and end up hospitalized. Sovereign Station. Denon. Hoth. New Cov. Carlac. Every time I try to help, I fail, and you or someone else is forced to deal with my fuck up."

That, too, was like a weight off of his chest.

"I'm trying my best, but I feel like I'm getting nowhere—except maybe the morgue."

For now, Gatz distracted himself with taking in the sights around him. If nothing else, he did find joy in the simplicity of Midvintir. It really was like a little fantasy pocket dimension hidden amongst the rest of the galaxy. Gatz wasn't so sure that he'd like to live here, especially with the rumors of dragons having returned, but it was certainly a novel place to visit.

"There, what about something like that," Valery said as she stopped right before a shop and pointed at an outfit on display in the window.

"The cloak looks warm." Gatz said, "but I gotta imagine the leather chest piece would hamper your Ataru. Looks stiff."

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

"Well, let's bring some change to that then, hm? Out here, we're going to help with problems we can handle without risking our lives with every move we make." She also needed less intense assignments herself from time to time. Her body and mind were fit and strong, but if she didn't give them time to rest, she would eventually succumb as well. Sometimes, that meant a break or a small vacation, but sometimes it could also just be a matter of choosing simpler assignments.

Not every mission was combat-heavy or pitted a Jedi up against the most dangerous beasts or duelists in the Galaxy. A lot of problems were much, much simpler.

First, though, it was shopping time.

"Ehh, it looks fine and I can also use something other than Ataru for once. I just think it's cute and it looks warm." She grinned and without asking him or saying anything else, she headed inside the shop. She'd have to try it on or perhaps even find a different outfit to try.

Maybe several!

"Do you see anything you like?"

Gatz Derrevar ​

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Valery Noble

"Well, let's bring some change to that then, hm? Out here, we're going to help with problems we can handle without risking our lives with every move we make."

Right. That was the point of this extended stay on Midvintir. Just to find ways to lend a hand that didn't involve almost dying constantly. Ways to help where his inadequacies wouldn't get in the way. It was a chance to actually feel like he was the Jedi he was supposed to be. Because it couldn't all be lightsaber duels and fighting Imperials. Sometimes being a Jedi was as simple as reassuring someone that everything was going to be okay.

Gatz liked helping in simpler ways. It was something he could actually do.

"Yeah," he breathed out in relief, "let's find you something warm, get lunch, and then let's do something that matters."

That wouldn't fix his problems. Gatz still just wasn't good enough to stand alongside the other Jedi. Midvintir might be a nice distraction, but eventually he'd come face to face with something that could kill him again, and he'd fail again. But he'd rather help someone in smaller ways than curl up into a ball and drown in misery. So, he supposed he just had to be mindful of the present, and deal with his inadequacies when he crossed that bridge again.

Except... that wasn't very proactive, was it?

"Val..." He felt almost timid. Gatz hated asking things of Valery, because she'd already done so much for him, "I— now that little Eryx is here, would... would you be willing to pick my lightsaber instruction back up? W-when time allows, I mean. I know how busy you are, and there's a whole war... but I'm tired of being unable to defend myself, and I'm tired of feeling useless."

Maybe that was an odd request to make, as Valery looked through dresses, but if he didn't bring it up now, Gatz didn't think he'd have the courage to bring it up later. It was hard to ask for help in the first place... but it was even harder when he felt like he was on the verge of taking advantage of Valery's goodwill and generosity. She already spent so much time with him. It wasn't fair of him to ask more of her, but he had to.

But then she asked if anything caught his eye. Gatz wasn't the foremost expert on fashion—come on, he wore a ridiculous red leather jacket everyday of his life—but there was something he'd spotted on a rack they passed.

"Well, I don't think you'd be able to fight very well in it, but there's this," Gatz grabbed the dress in question off the rack, held it up, and grinned "it even has sleeves. I know you don't know what those are, but we normal folk like to cover our arms so that we don't get cold."

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

He wanted her to teach him more about lightsaber combat?

Valery looked over her shoulder, tilted her head, then offered a grin, "Of course, I'd be happy to teach you. I've started hosting classes as well, so my body is cooperative again. I'll teach you in private though, so we can focus a little better on where you're at and where you want to be." Each Jedi had a preferred style or perhaps a mix of different Forms they liked to use. Some wanted to dedicate a lot of effort to dueling skills, and others just wanted to be able to defend themselves well enough.

She could tune her training to those wishes.

Valery then turned back to the racks of clothing and idly continued to browse. She had already made her mind up about the outfit she showed earlier — that one was coming home with her. But now that she was here, perhaps she could find something else, and maybe Gatz would see something he liked too.

Which... he did, though not in a way she had expected.

"You know, I meant if you saw something you liked for yourself." She snickered and walked over to look at the dress. "I also wear sleeves. Sometimes." She did have some jackets and shirts with sleeves, though not nearly as much as she probably should. There was freedom in her arms feeling the sun.

A sun that wasn't very warm here, but the point stands.

"I like it, though. Maybe something for when we're not looking into assignments later. Or for back at home." It'd be comfortable for when she'd be working around the house, and perhaps for going on walks.

Gatz Derrevar ​

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Valery Noble

'Want' was probably too strong a word to describe how he felt. Gatz hated lightsaber combat. What had once been an exciting prospect had only turned into another way to take life, and he'd done enough of that to last a lifetime. In the end, wielding a laser sword was no different to him than firing a blaster, except that he was better with the sword than he'd ever been with a pistol. Hell, he was better with the lightsaber than any other Jedi art he practiced.

But it still wasn't enough to keep him safe. He was just so tired of never being enough.

"Thank you." Gatz said quietly, "I won't steal too much of your time. I just... I want to be useful for once. I'm tired of always getting in the way."

Valery snickered as he held out the dress he had picked for her. Was it really that silly of a fashion choice? But no, that wasn't what she found humor in. He'd simply misunderstood her meaning, when she asked if something had caught his eye. Truth was, Gatz hadn't even considered looking for something for himself. He was about to protest, again, that he was flat broke, as usual. But... technically, wouldn't buying a spare set of clothes be covered by the Order as a living expense?

"Well..." He started slowly, "it would be nice to own more than three shirts, two jackets, and two pairs of pants... and I have worn these boots a little thin..."

He used to have more, once. He used to have more of everything: a full closet, a full pantry, a full bank account and a ship that wasn't falling to pieces. That was what being a smuggler had wrought. Maybe not happiness, but comfortableness. Now he was destitute: he could fit all his belongings in a small box. Didn't even have a home anymore.

But for the first time in his life, he was actually a good man—or at least close to it. Gatz took little pride in anything these days, but even he couldn't help but feel a little warm when he managed to help someone. Of course, this life also came with all the near death experiences...

He was somehow both worse off and better off than he'd ever been. Broke in terms of monetary value, but not in morality. Wealthy in terms of purpose, but not in happiness. Gatz thought he liked this life better though. Even if only by a little.

"But I only really look good in thug chic." Gatz counterargued, "so unless you see something I might look good in, this might not be the clothing store for me. Or tailor, or whatever they call it here."

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Now she was squinting.

He really had so little clothing? Jedi duty often meant getting dirty, or at least very sweaty, so fequent changes of clothes were necessary. Now, they were also in a much colder environment, so having something appropriate that also didn't make them stand out too much wouldn't be a bad idea. A good coat, perhaps, or at least enough layers to stay warm even with prolonged exposure to the elements.

Some good boots that kept his socks dry were important, too.

"Well, it's not just about looking good. At least get something that'll keep you warm. The city isn't too bad because there's heating everywhere and people are bunched up together. But if we leave, you'll notice that it's going to get much colder." Valery looked down at his boots and squinted again.

"Good boots are important too. If you get cold feet, you're in trouble." Valery stepped closer and placed her hands on his shoulders to pull him around to the men's section.

"So come on, let's see what they have. I'm sure it'll look fine."

Gatz Derrevar ​

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Valery Noble

Oh no, she was squinting. Valery only did that when she didn't like something—and in this case, the only 'something' not to like was what he'd just said. On one hand, he wanted to defend himself: if she considered how many times he'd nearly died, and therefore ruined whatever clothes he was wearing, didn't it make sense that he had so little left? She'd bought him two jackets knowing that he had none left.

On the other hand: this was kind of a repeat of the time he'd been starving, and hadn't told her. Just on a smaller scale, and not as serious. So... he couldn't fault her for being a little displeased that she was just now learning of how sparse his closet had been.

"Valery, I'm just gonna die and ruin them again, so what's the point in—"

She took him the shoulders, and started forcing him in the direction of clothes.

Oh. This wasn't a choice. Gatz understood now. He was getting clothes and he was getting new boots. He'd long since learned that when Valery wanted her way, she got her way. And in this case, 'her way' was him spending the Order's stipend on a new outfit. There was a time when Gatz would have refused, argued, and they'd have butted heads until one of them walked away.

These days, though, Gatz was just happy that someone cared enough about him to wrangle him into buying clothes. Was it silly and embarrassing? Of course. But it was so much better than the alternative. So, instead of fighting a losing battle, he sighed and pulled a few things off the rack. Yes, including boots and something to keep him warm.

"This looks ridiculous. I'm going to look like a dork."

But it was weak resistance, offered by a man already stepping into a fitting room. Or whatever they called them here.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

It was a good thing he didn't resist.

Valery was a stubborn woman, and when it came to silly things like this, she absolutely didn't take no for an answer. He needed extra sets of clothes, so he was getting them. That was it. No arguing and no procrastinating it either. The planet they were on had plenty of decent options, and especially reasonable ones for the environment and style that people chose here. It'd make them stand out a little less and perhaps make it easier for people to get to know them.

Change was never easy, but if they showed a willingness to adapt a little and immerse themselves, she was certain the people of Midvintir would appreciate it.

"Stop complaining, you dork," Valery said with a grin as she pushed him along towards the dressing room. "I actually like that outfit a lot and I'm sure it'll look fine. It has leather and stuff... like your jacket!" She gave him no time to respond and slammed the door of the dressing room shut.

Then, she stepped back and waited.

Gatz Derrevar ​

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Valery Noble

Valery slammed the door behind him, and Gatz was left looking at himself in the mirror. Well, no way out now. With a sigh, he made disrobing a quick process. He stopped only to look himself in the mirror once more... only to immediately avert his eyes at what he saw. Gatz didn't feel like a man—didn't look like one either. He was a corpse, pulled apart and stitched back together time and time again, and it showed.

Maybe it was vanity unbefitting a Jedi, but he couldn't help but dwell on the fact that he'd been attractive once. But not anymore.

Gatz shook his head, and blew out a heavy breath. There was nothing he could do about his grotesque form now. So he turned away from the mirror, and started donning his medieval garb—which by the way was far more time consuming than he'd thought it'd be. A leather jacket could just be slipped on easily. Wrangling himself into a leather jerkin was annoyingly complex.

Gatz stepped out of the changing room a few minutes later, more morose than he had been before.

"I used to be cool once. By the Force I had it all: money, infamy, and women. Now I have a best friend who dresses me up like I'm about to go LARPing."

It was a genuine attempt at a joke, but he rather thought he butchered the delivery. Gatz was starting to wonder if he should just start breaking mirrors as soon as he saw them. It might save his confidence from the inevitable blow that would come from looking into them.

"There will be no pictures," Gatz tried again, "no one can ever know I wore this. It's fine that you know, because you already know how lame I am. The others cannot find out. My street cred would be in shambles."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

"I used to be cool once. By the Force I had it all: money, infamy, and women. Now I have a best friend who dresses me up like I'm about to go LARPing."

Valery rolled her eyes and was about to threaten him with her camera when he mentioned that there would be no pictures. She placed both her hands on her hips, sighed and looked him up and down, "Fine, have it your way. But the outfit actually looks good if you ask me. It's also not LARPing, or whatever that may be, but it's fashion here." She huffed and pushed against his shoulders to nudge him in the direction of the shopkeeper.

They were taking this home.

Once they reached the shopkeeper, Valery placed down the credit chips needed for both outfits and offered the man a smile. Then, again, she nudged Gatz along to leave this shop behind. He had good clothes and boots now, so what was next? Maybe a- Valery paused after hearing her own stomach growl.

"...so, what about some food next?"

Gatz Derrevar ​

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Valery Noble

"Fine, have it your way. But the outfit actually looks good if you ask me. It's also not LARPing, or whatever that may be, but it's fashion here."

"...You get one picture. Make it a good one."

Look, she clearly wanted a picture. And she was going out of her way to make sure he was taken care of, as she always did. Was Gatz particularly thrilled about having a photo of him in this ridiculous get up? No. But he figured the least he could do was bend a little. Valery didn't have to do anything for him at all. Like, ever. She chose to look out for him anyways.

If she wanted a silly photo, then the least he could do was oblige

When Gatz noticed that she chose to pay for the outfit, he opened his mouth to argue, but thought better of it. One, that was yet another battle he wouldn't win. And two, he'd rather spend the small stipend the Order gave him on clothing he actually liked. Plus... technically, the Order also covered necessary expenses for missions. And, if the Grandmaster herself insisted upon dressing like the locals to blend in, was he not fulfilling a mission objective that she herself had tasked him with?

Gatz didn't usually feel this way, but in this case: let this come out of the mission funds, or from her personal funds. Buying these clothes hadn't been his choice after all.

As Val nudged him out of the store, Gatz was about to mention food before he heard her stomach growl. And then his own stomach growl. Their embarrassing shared symptoms of hunger were shortly followed by Valery suggesting that they correct that.

"Well, you did agree to buy me lunch," Gatz smiled, "but uh... what constitutes 'lunch' around these parts?"