Leg Day

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira dropped out of hyperspace above Lianna in her little freighter, turning the ship towards the capital city with a slight adjustment of the controls. She was excited to learn a bit about dancing, and though she had learned a few formal dances at the Collegium for Young Ladies when she attended, she knew very little else. The professors there hadn't been interested in teaching the young girls about social live that didn't involve ballrooms and galas, and the boarding school hadn't focused on the fun things in life.

"Laira Darkhold, Far Runner requesting permission to land." She plugged in the transponder code and waited for a moment until the chime sounded and a mechanical voice told transmitted her a flight path to follow. The young woman stretched in the cockpit pulling her arms above her head after the long flight and running her fingers through her hair. All she really knew about her appointment was that she was asking for private lessons from a Zeltron woman affiliated or at least, used to be affiliated with the Jedi.

Her father had never held anything against the Silver Jedi, but he had been a leader in a purge of the Galactic Republic and a Mandalorian at that. Her mother on the other hand had lived on Alderaan and been a prominent member of the Republic until the leadership had turned rabid. She had had many great relationships with Jedi and could still tell stories about them, Laira's great Aunt a very prominent healer currently aligned with the Silver Jedi, [member="Rianna Ar'klim-Organa"] . It was because of that she had made the appointment with her loose alias Laira Darkhold, a young woman said to be born on Bothawui. She had never really trained on hiding her Force Sensitivity, so that would be as obvious to the Zeltron as her bright red hair.

The ship pulled through the atmosphere on autopilot, the landing sequence easy enough for the main computer to go through without intervention while Laira stood and moved back through the cabin. "What to wear?" she muttered aloud opening drawers and closets. She had pitiful few dresses on board, really only her royal gown and the cocktail dress she had bought from Master Perl's boutique not long ago. It seemed a little short to wear for dance lessons in her honest opinion, and compared to what she was used to, a little too revealing to wear in public at all. Laira settled on a pair of comfortable trousers that hugged her form and a shirt that was a little short for her, nothing special or terribly noticeable before making her way to the boarding ramp as the ship set down near the studio.

The change in air temperature caused her to shiver for a moment as she hurried from the ship to the front door of the dance studio. She had tried to convince herself she wanted privacy to protect her image if her identity was ever revealed, and so she could freely use the Force as she pleased, though most of why she had requested private lessons was to keep from embarrassing herself in front of too many people with how little experience she had.

"Hi, I'm Laira Darkhold, here for my lessons." She said to the first person she bumped into at the studio with a smile. "Do you know where I should go to see miss Perl?"

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Laira had bumped into a bouncy pink skinned Twi’Lek in the lobby of the studio, a gym bag slung over her shoulder. “Oh, you’re here for lessons? Her office is in the corner of the studio, in the back. Though that door, there.” She pointed with a bit of an exaggerated motion towards the door that lead to the dance floor. Subtly, she gave Laira once-over before smiling and continuing on her way.

When Laira would enter through the door, she’d find herself on the studio floor of glossy polished wood. One wall was covered entirely in mirrors, and the wall opposite to that was entirely windows to let the light in. In the far corner of the studio was a door, propped open a foot or so. A woman’s voice could be heard, arguing with a man.

“I don’t know why you think this is going to work.” Ivan grumbled, placing his hands on her desk and leaning his weight onto them in an exasperated manner. He raised his head and glared at Joza who seemed all too nonchalant about the situation at hand.

“You’ve doubted me before and I’ve come through.” Shuffling idly through a stack of documents on her desk, she glanced up at the dark haired man. “Pharmaceuticals is a new venture, but I can make it work.”

“You don’t have the experience.” Came the disgruntled reply. “And moving the headquarters? Are you sure that management will stay with you?”

Joza clicked her tongue. “Like I said, I’ll make it work.”

[member="Laira Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira smiled at the bouncy twi'lek and nodded, following her instructions through the studio. She admired the dance floor though it looked quite slick. She wasn't awkward or uncoordinated, but it looked like several people had probably taken bad falls on the shiny wood flooring anyway.

She looked at the mirrors for a moment, sucking her stomach in for a second and admiring her reflection, long, bright red locks framed her face and she looked fit. She took a second to flex in front of the mirror showing off the muscles her father had helped her earn. Hours every week spent in a heavy gravity room since she was a teenager, days in the wilderness with only her father and Blu the Wolf-Cat for company. No food, no water. Just a spear and the clothes on her back watching her father trudge through snow drifts and move boulders. He even taught her how to breath fire to keep herself warm in the arctic circle of Alderaan. She had always taken more to the Mandalorian side of her heritage, and then she stopped caring for it. It wasn't something she could do anymore, not knowing her destiny would lead her off that path. She let her breath out and there was very little change, though she almost burst out laughing at herself. The image of her standing alone in a dance studio flexing and making poses, how vain she must look to those passing by!

Laira heard the voices arguing back and forth, a rather heated exchanged between a woman and a man about moving and pharmaceuticals. "Excuse me." She said, pushing the door open carefully so that she stood in the open door frame. "I'm looking for Miss Perl?" She brushed the hair from her face and shifted her weight to one foot, one hand on her hip. She jabbed a thumb at herself with her free hand, smirking as she looked at the two "I'm Laira Darkhold, and I have an appointment." The pretty zeltron had to be Joza Perl, but she didn't know who the man was, and she didn't really care. So long as he didn't ogle her while she tried to dance, he was of no concern to the princess.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

At the sound of a new voice, both Joza and Ivan suddenly stopped their arguing and turned their eyes toward the door. Upon seeing who she assumed to be her new student, Joza instantly brightened. “Oh! Of course, dear. I’m Joza, and welcome to Heartbeat House.” Standing, she beamed at Laira before shifting her gaze over the Ivan. The man was in a pilot’s suit, and his scowl had lessened slightly seeing the newcomer. Motioning towards the man, she practically waved him off.

“This is Ivan; he’s a pilot that’s been with me for quite a while. And he was just leaving.” She turned her focus towards him, smiling at the dark haired man with a barely exaggerated sweetness. The two had known each other for quite some time, and Ivan served as a personal pilot for Joza considering she was a hazard at the helm of anything that wasn’t a speeder. While they bantered and insulted each other often, there was a measure of companionship between them.

Ivan met her annoying smile with an unamused glare before turning towards the door to leave. He gave Laira a grunt of acknowledgement and a tilt of his head before making his way out the door and heading for the building’s exit.

“Don’t scuff my floor!” Joza called out, to which there was no response. Rolling her eyes, she quickly brought herself back to the present and the task at hand. Teaching was something she loved to do, especially when it revolved around dance. “So you’re Miss Darkhold. It’s good to finally meet you in person.” Walking out from behind her desk, she motioned for Laira to follow her out onto the studio floor. “You can take off your shoes and leave them over at the edge of the floor. We’ll start with some stretches to get warmed up.”

Moving so that her back was facing the mirrors, Joza stretched one arm to the side across her body, grabbing the shoulder of the stretching arm with her free one. “So, do you have any previous dancing experience?” The girl’s toned physique did not go unnoticed, and Joza tended to size up everyone as if they were a potential opponent—not that she was hostile or intended to fight anyone, but that sort of thing came naturally with combatants.

[member="Laira Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira shuffled in the door smiling widely, a little too excitedly, when the Zeltron introduced herself. She hadn't met too many people skilled in the Force that weren't her Father of the Shamans of the Clan, and she was excited to meet others. She nodded at the woman and then to the man as he made his exit. She watched him walk away for a second before returning her attention to the Zeltron woman stifling a laugh at her shouting at Ivan the pilot.

"Thank you, its a pleasure to meet you as well." The redhead followed Joza out to the dance studio. She took a moment to look over the floor again rather than admire herself in the mirror again, trying to hide her vanity just a bit from Joza. It was unbecoming of a young lady to act in such a way, she could practically hear her instructors voices in her head as she bent at the waist to remove her shoes, tugging on the laces until they were loose enough to step out of them. Once she did she placed them where Joza had indicated.

Laira took up a position in front of Master Perl, standing a few feet away from her. The Zeltron certainly was beautiful, more so than Laira had believed when she had been told. It was actually a little intimidating for the young woman, who had been used to being told she was the prettiest girl in the palace by everyone, but she did notice the other woman looking her over as well. She fought off the urge to say something cheeky and just went about answering her questions, starting her stretches. "Um, some. I can do a few formal dances, but nothing free form at all. Just remembering the steps and the rhythm for ballroom stuff I picked up." Laira was trying not to lie directly, but didn't want to reveal too much about herself. Bothawui wasn't devoid of ballrooms, was it? Everyone learned some kind of dance in school, like the waltz right? She put her feet together and bent at the waist, touching her toes. Laira was normally fairly limber and agile, but she could feel her muscles aching a bit.

"I've spent the last sixteen hours in a cockpit so you'll have to forgive me if I'm a little stiff to start with." She said with a smile as she bounced up with a little to much energy for a calm dance lesson. She couldn't help it, she was excited to meet another Master and to learn a dance that was a boring ballroom dance she learned in finishing school. She lifted her arms and mirrored Joza's stretching swaying at the waist slightly.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

“No worries, dear. Was your trip alright? We’ve got to make sure that you’re properly warmed up before starting!” The Zeltron gave Laira a large smile, letting go of her shoulder and repeating the motion on her other arm.

Joza nodded idly as Laira explained what she knew about dancing. “Any foundations are good, but ballroom is a bit of a far cry from the type I specialize in. It’s called shaabi, rooted in tribal dances on desert words. Today it’s become a popular method of exotic performance, but can also be switched up for casual dancing.” Stretching her arms above her head, Joza smiled. One could say that she had a fondness for other redheads, and Laira was proving to be pleasant so far. Most of her students were easy to work with in that regard, but a few were overbearing and snotty.

“So, what made you decide to try a different style of dance?” Making polite conversation, Joza began working on stretching her legs, kicking her foot up behind her and grabbing the ankle to bring it closer to her behind.

[member="Laira Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

A long sigh escaped her lips. "It was alright. Nothing exciting just a long trip on a small ship." It would have been better if she had had to run from someone or shoot something. At least then it wouldn't have left her napping in the pilots chair getting stiff. Laira continued to mirror Joza's stretches swaying side to side a little to get the jitters out as she extended her left arm out in front of herself and gripped her shoulder with her free hand. "I had to pass over the hot-tub for a cargo bay, so you know how it is." She said with a laugh pulling her muscles taunt.

She listened to Joza carefully, with big, stormy, grey eyes regarding Joza intently. Laira seemed genuinely very interested in what the Zeltron had to say, relaxing her arms when Joza moved to the next position just long enough to sweep the long red locks of hair from her face. She figured should have tied it up or put it in a pony tail, especially if she didn't want to look like a fool in front of the Master. Laira felt like the Zeltron's opinion mattered even though they had just met, but she was always a little self-conscious. It helped that Joza knew her as Laira Darkhold and not Princess Organa. She could let loose a little more.

She dropped her hands beside waist and copied Joza's leg stretches, pulling her foot up to her backside while she balanced on one foot. "Well, I'm on my own now and I couldn't dance at a club to save my life. I figured it wouldn't be a bad skill to have, and wouldn't hurt my social life to be able to dance and mingle when I get the chance." It wasn't like boys were lining up to spend time with her, partially by her own choice, and she was a bit of a free spirit preferring to go her own way and keep from being tied down which had been a turn off on Alderaan. All the noble boys her age wanted a good little princess to up their status and maintain appearances.

Laira let go of her first leg and repeated the process on the next leg feeling the muscles stretch in her thigh as she did so. "I left my folks and got myself a ship. I do odd jobs, shipping this and that, salvaging. Some surveying to pay the bills, and when I have time I'd like to be able to have a social life." She had spent most of her first job's earnings on things from Joza's shop and these lessons and instructions, owing to the fact that the trust fund baby didn't really understand the concept of budgeting. She could survive with no money, but have limited amounts of credits and basic upkeep to survive was killing her. Already she had to eat noodles twice this week.

"Where did you learn to dance miss Joza?" She asked, emphasizing Joza's name to imply the question of how should should address the woman without having to ask two questions.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza smiled knowingly. “I can understand that. I spent a lot of time traveling around for meetings or otherwise. Long flights can suck the life right out of you.” Recently, she hadn’t had much of a reason to leave Silver space aside from the little trip to Atrisia to aid the Alliance. Thankfully the Outback hadn’t called on her since she’d given birth. A trip to the Kathol Sector from Lianna took a few days and she often took to pestering poor Ivan during that time. “I haven’t had to go very far in a while, thank the Force. Traveling with a baby is more difficult than I thought it would be!” She couldn’t imagine that a child his age did well with space travel, but sometimes he fussed on the short jumps from Lianna to Voss. She couldn’t imagine bringing him to Demonsgate or Ilum.

The Zeltron was a social creature at her core, and this idle chat with a friendly stranger was the sort of thing she craved on a daily basis. Though there was an ever present diluted warning in the back of her head—Laira could be a spy sent to gather information on her!—Joza focused on enjoying her company all the same. She loved to teach, loved to dance, and loved to connect with others.

“The best thing about dancing is that you can do it pretty much anywhere. Not while you’re in the middle of a firefight, but it’s a good way to relax and occupy yourself during boring tasks. Even just swaying at the hips or practicing arm movements makes things a little easier.” Switching to her other leg, Joza hummed softly. Laira’s own reasons reminded her of her own. The Zeltron had always yearned to leave her home, but quickly became overwhelmed and homesick once she made it to Sullust. It had been a trying time in her life, and the first time she’d experienced such anxiety. It had taken a lot of work, but she’d grown out of her nerves…or at the very least learned how to work with them.

At the mention of Miss Joza, a toothy grin spread across her face. “Just Joza. No “Miss” necessary.” Even back when she’d been more involved in the Silver Jedi, she never cared much for titles outside of a formal setting. Perhaps it was a relic from her own mentor—a patient and down to earth Bith who preferred for his student to refer to him by name. “I learned on Zeltros where I grew up.” Letting go of her leg, she switched to placing one hand at her waist, bringing the other over her head in an arc and bending in the same direction. This would be the last stretch before they started, as long as Laira was comfortable. “I worked as a waitress and club dancer until I was…15? 16? Then I left for more, ah, galactic pursuits.” She bit her lip to suppress a playful smile. “Have you ever been to Zeltros, Laira?”

[member="Laira Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira quite liked the Zeltron. Perhaps it was the generally pleasing pheromones and Laira hadn't noticed them, or perhaps people just gravitated towards outgoing, energetic people like the Zeltron. It didn't matter too much to Laira so long as she had fun and learned something the trip would be worth the hours in a cramped cockpit. Joza seemed kind-hearted and a free spirit like herself, but was significantly more experienced in the Force, in life, in struggling. Laira saw this as an opportunity to make connections and glean wisdom from a mentor just as much as she enjoyed the thought of learning this Shaabi dancing.

"I'm sure my mother could tell you horror stories about having to travel with me and my brother when we were little. Luckily for her I took to flying well." She enjoyed it, piloting a little sub-capital ship through the galaxy, riding Thranta on Alderaan, driving a speeder bike. They were all activities she loved doing to cut loose, where she could go as fast and as dangerous as she wanted and she didn't have to trust anyone but herself. It was where she had total control over her own fate, even when she was being shot at, it was all up to her.

She hadn't been in too many fire fights. None really outside of practice and training, and there was no telling if her father had used live rounds or not without asking him and trusting how he answered. "You never know what skills you might need in a firefight. It could come in handy, you never know until it does." Laira said with a short laugh as she mirrored the zeltron, bringing her arm over her head and leaning in an arch pulling her abdominal muscles tight. She didn't have six pack abs or anything, but she worked hard on keeping a flat stomach and it showed in a situation like this. Red hair dangled towards the floor, several locks falling across her face. With a slight exhale she blew some stray strands away from her mouth and continued to listen and watch the pink skinned woman.

A waitress, a dancer at ages younger than her? Laira had been in a prestigious finishing school at that time, living a lavish lifestyle her parents provided her. She'd been raised to appreciate hard work and understand its value, but Laira'd been provided for all her life until she chose to walk away from all that to make it on her own. She could only imagine what it was like to have to fend for herself at that age, without knowing anyone, without the formal training and education she had now. It was hard to believe that the Zeltron had come so far in what could only be a handful of years, but it put things into perspective for her, and gave her more respect for Joza as they chatted back and forth. The young redhead also caught the bit of restraint at the end of the sentence, which she wasn't sure what it implied. Perhaps a boy, but that didn't sound like a Zeltron to her.

When asked about Zeltron Laira had a short string of images she'd seen and imagined about Zeltron flutter through her mind, causing her to blush, "No, I've never been to Zeltros. I can't afford to get trapped thereand spend all my money. A girl like me, they'd eat me alive I'm sure." She tried to hide her shyness with a coy smile. The thought of a hedonistic planet seemed, beyond her capabilities. She was a bit of a flirt, willing to bat her eyelashes and puff out her chest at anyone, but in truth she was very shy and reserved beyond that. She'd never dated anyone really, and what few crushes she had developed while growing up had always let her down, wanting more to be dating her title than her.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

At the mention of dancing coming in handy during a firefight, Joza couldn’t help but laugh good naturedly along with Laira. “I don’t think that shimmying will keep you from getting shot at. I mean, you could try, but I wouldn’t risk it.” For all that she’d done, the Zeltron had rarely tried to seduce her way out of a battle. It usually only worked on certain types, and was more likely to blow up in her face than actually fighting back, or trying to escape. At a certain time, in a certain place, maybe it could work. “But hey, it helps with balance and agility. So it’s not just all for show!” The Zeltron had been dancing far longer than she’d been fighting, so it was only natural that she was sure-footed in combat.

Erm, when her mobility was fully intact. Nothing a cybernetic limb couldn’t fix.

Letting go of her stretch, Joza returned to a neutral position. “Let’s get some music going while I show you the basics.” Picking up a small pocket datapad that was left near the mirrored wall, she tapped a few buttons to activate the studio’s sound system.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOyuZXUkawg[SIZE=10pt][/youtube][/SIZE]​

“Alright, so, posture. Back straight, but not rigid. Chest lifted. Thighs close together, but not touching, knees bent softly. Not locked in, but not like a squat. Keep your pelvis neutral—there’s a lot of hip movements with this dance so you’ll learn to control the muscles there after a while.” As she demonstrated, Joza gestured to the parts of her body as she could without breaking posture. “It might be a bit much as a beginner, but don’t worry about getting it all right all the time. The more moves you learn and the more you practice you do, the more natural it will feel. That’s what this dance is all about—looking natural yet almost regal, in full control of your body.”

As they worked on the right stance, Joza had to chuckle softly at Laira’s response about Zeltros. “Smart girl—but my people do know how to have a good time. If you’d ever like to go, I can recommend a few places that are…easier. With less aggressive types, you know? But I get what you mean. I’m a native, and sometimes even I have trouble resisting shelling out too many credits.”

[member="Laira Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira couldn't help but let out a laugh at the Zeltron. "No silly. I don't mean stripping in the middle of a fire fight. I mean the grace and fluidity of movements dancing teaches, how to flow in combat is better trained through dancing than some martial arts." She could only imagine herself pulling off her jacket and shirt at some poor confused Sith Acolyte and having the boy either become utterly infatuated or impaling the pretty redhead with a shrug. It was a funny thought, though a bit impractical. She could bet if Joza tried that tactic she would have her own Order of followers.

The zeltron straightened and so did Laira, rolling her shoulders and bouncing on her toes for a second, burning off some of her energy and excitement. She was nervous she came off as too eager or too bubbly for Joza or for the situation, but it was hard for her to hide. As the zeltron gestured to herself demonstrating the proper posture, Laira did her best to match it, straight and loose, not locked and not rigid.

"You might have to come with me to chaperone, make sure I don't do anything i would regret or spend too much money on dancers." Tame was not a word that described the Zeltros she knew of, and she enjoyed the thought of going, but it would have to be with peopld she knew, she liked. Like Joza, who she felt she clicked with very well, very quickly.

She mirrored the woman as best she could, but the svelte posture wasn't the easiest to just manage on the first try. She managed well enough for a beginner and in her mind she looked pretty good. Not enough to attract crowds, but good enough for her. She hadn't fallen down yet. "Like this?"

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza had to laugh, albeit good-naturedly at her misinterpretation. “Alright, I suppose you have a point. I still wouldn’t recommend stripping in battle, no matter how confident you may be.” She flashed Laira a toothy grin at that. It wasn’t as if the Zeltron had never used her body or her moves to get something she wanted or help complete a job, but certain situations required a blaster more than exposed skin. “I can attest to the fact that dance training does help flexibility and overall movement in battle, which can be important for us when going up against larger opponents.” Not that either of them were short for their respective species and age—in fact, they were roughly the same height—but you came across all types in fights. Having good control over your movement was never a bad thing. “Speaking of, how often do you find yourself in a combat scenario?”

Her question, like all the rest, was friendly. Laira could tell her as much or as little as she liked, and Joza would be satisfied. But she had to wonder…was she aware of her sensitivity to the Force? Best not to suddenly broach the subject right now, lest she startle her student.

“Sure, sure. I can show you all of the best clubs and bars! If you like shopping, I know some great boutiques.” The Zeltron was proud of where she came from, and delighted in showing others around. Not too many in the Order were interested in what the pleasure planet had to offer, not from beyond a clinical standpoint anyhow. “They like vibrant colors, so I’m sure they’d love your hair. Which is gorgeous, by the way.”

Dropping her own posture to check Laira’s, her eyes scanned over the young woman for a few moments. “Good. Bring your ribcage out a little more, though. Pretend you’re wearing a beautiful necklace and want to show it off, or something.” Moving back to the front, she reassumed the position and gestured towards her right hip. “We’re going to start with a basic movement called the hip slide.” As she spoke, she gently pushed her hip bone out vertically without leaning her weight over to the side.

[member="Laira Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira blushed slightly at the Zeltron jokes at her misinterpretation, brushing her hair sheepishly out of her face. "I avoid it most of the time. Not because I can't handle myself, but because it's easier when you don't have to fight at every cantina you go to. Sometimes just batting my eyelashes and a pretty smile can defuse a situation, sometimes it takes a little mind trick to get the job done. But occasionally I have found myself in situations that require a spear and a blaster."

The redhead's eyes widened a little bit as she realized she had not only told the zeltron about her Force sensitivity offhandedly, but had casually mentioned messing with others minds. "Not that I would ever intrude on someone's thoughts without needing to." She realized how invasive that might seem and tried to continue with the lesson as though nothing had happened, pushing out her chest, breathing in a little bit to make her chest be a little more distracting.

She kept moving on with the conversation awkwardly, trying to put as much distance between her remark and the now. She slid her hips as close to matching Joza's as she could. It felt a little odd, like a weird way to move one's body, but the movement was fluid and natural, making her hips look attractive and her backside looked appealing, that couldn't be denied.

"Oh, thank you. It's naturally this color. A lot of people don't believe me because my parents both have dark hair." She smiled bashfully before continuing, "You are gorgeous as well. It's actually a little intimidating that you are so pretty." It was true, not that Laira was interested, but she could take notice.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza nodded slowly. “That’s the smart thing to do, don’t get yourself into a fight unless it’s the only viable choice. And it seems as though you’ve already learned to use your pretty face, so I’m not sure that there’s much left I can teach you.” She couldn’t help but wink, as if to imply that seduction was the main subject of today’s lesson. Teasing, of course. At the mention of a mind trick, she arched a crimson brow and a slow smile curled at the corners of her lips.

“I understand. As an empath, sometimes I don’t have much of a choice in the feelings and thoughts that I read. Or I used to. It’s taken quite some time to learn how to control it.” In a similar vein, Joza disliked reading the thoughts of a friend or even neutral. Those things were private, as she’d like her own privacy to be respected. But an enemy? Have at it. Noting the puff of the chest, she chuckled softly. “I should have been more careful with my phrasing—lift your ribcage, not your tits. Well, they’ll be lifted by virtue. The whole ambiance around this dance is that the posture is more subtle, less in-your-face.” Allure didn’t always come from overt sexual behavior and miles of bare skin.

At the comment on her appearance, Joza smiled gratefully. “Why thank you, dear. I’m sure that you’ve turned quite a few heads yourself, hm?” Insofar as hair color was concerned, Joza got the same comments…probably a little less considering the vibrant nature of her race. But Zeltrons, ever pursuing beauty, did dye their hair quite often. Noting that she seemed to get the hang of the hip slide, Joza moved to mirror the same thing on the other hip. “Try sliding back and forth, hip to hip.”

[member="Laira Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira grinned mischievously, "I wouldn't say I've stayed out of fights unless it was the only viable choice. Sometimes I just gotta cut loose and let people know I'm not just a pretty face." It was true especially when she had stayed with her Father in the mountains during winter, surrounded by Mandalorian teenagers like herself. Sometimes she had felt the need to put their showboating to a swift end. Her smile returned to bashful at the Zeltrons wink, averting her gaze for a moment as Laira blushed.

"Sorry," Laira muttered, adjusting her chest and ribs to better match the pink skinned alien while she was instructed. Part of the young girl wanted to close up and cross her arms with embarrassment at her mistake. She couldn't really empathize with the Zeltron. The redhead wasn't very skilled with reading minds, though she could sense some people's unguarded surface thoughts and emotions in her immediate vicinity when she tried, and with some effort she could alter the weak-willed's thoughts. Normally she used her affinity with the Force to enhance her own body. "How is this?" She looked back into the Zeltron's gaze seeking her approval.

The music played softly in the background, and Laira tried to hear it, to feel it in herself and let it loosen her up. She had realized she had just embarrassed herself and was no much more nervous around the Master. "I'm sure there have been some, but I don't pay that much attention to them." She slid her hips to the the other side like Joza showed her, doing her best to leave the rest of her body stationary and motionless while her hips slipped from side to side, not exaggerated but noticeable.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up reading minds or anything. I'm not that good at it anyway. I can't tell what you are really thinking, only that you are nice and enjoying yourself." Laira offered Joza an apologetic smile for her mistake, "I know you probably don't want to talk about the Force or anything." Always a sensitive subject for those not involved with one of the Orders that went door to door recruiting infants. Laira's training with the Force had been extensive in her childhood, but the philosophy was little. Her father believed it was a power source to be respected, and that like all power it was corruptive if one surrendered themselves fully to it.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza tsked, albeit teasingly at the mention of Laira getting into fights. “Well that pretty face is still intact, so you must be pretty good in a fight.” She flashed a grin, pearly whites showing. The Zeltron had a myriad of scars, and often covered the ones on her face with some skillfully applied concealer. “That almost sounds like a Mandalorian thing, you know.” The comment was not made disparagingly, moreso thoughtfully. Joza’s estranged father was a Mandalorian Warmarshal, and after meeting him for the first time she spent a while on the fringes of Mando culture, learning but not exactly immersing herself. The fights were…frequent, but almost friendly in a way. The Mandalorians seemed to accept them as a way of life.

“No need to apologize. You’re not going to get everything right the first time, and it’ll take a little while until things start feeling natural. I’ve tripped over my own feet once or fifteen times during my first round of lessons.” Her gaze slid along Laira’s form, analyzing her posture for a few moments before nodding. “There you go. You’re getting it.” After a few more minutes of hip sliding, she noticed her student moving more fluidly as she slid hip to hip. “You’ve got the hip slide down, now let’s try a hip circle. In steps first. Slide to the side, then front…” Shifting her hip to the side, she moved it forward in a notable motion—nothing smooth or fluid about it. “…to the side, then back.” It was a standard hip circle broken down into parts. “Once you get the forward and back down, try connecting it all together.” Smoothing the motion out, her hips swung in a tight, well-practiced circle.

A brow arched. “Don’t worry, love, I’d know if you were trying to probe your way into my mind. Well, I’d hope I would know. You might secretly be a mentalism Master.” She chuckled, brushing a stray tendril of crimson behind her ear. At the mention of the Force, she blew out a little huff of breath. “That’s a bit complicated. It’s not as if I don’t like talking about the Force, but I’m not a fan of the aggressive, radicalist philosophies that surround it. Tends to turn a discussion into an argument. Ah, sorry—I don’t mean to offend.” She grinned a bit sheepishly, realizing that she didn’t know how Laira herself viewed the Force. “How long have you trained with the Force for, if you don’t mind me asking?” The question was light and inquisitive.

[member="Laira Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

"I'm alright. I don't work out all the time just to look good." Though that was a major reason as to why she maintained her physique so diligently. Only part of it was to remain in combat shape with her lithe dueler's muscles on her otherwise voluptuous frame. "Its also an Eriadian thing. My father was from Eriadu, served with the Protectorate for years." She had learned the best lies were fraught with truth. As close to parallel to the truth as possible. Her father was from Eriadu, he had served with the Planetary Force aligned with the Protectorate, and he had lived on Bothawui for some time after his youth. It was easier to tell a lie that was mostly true.

She was correct however about fights being from the Mandalorian side of things. Her father had ensured that she was raised to be a Mandalorian Warrior just as her mother had raised her to be an Alderaanian Princess. They had wanted to ensure that she had every choice available to her and that she could love and respect both of her cultures, and so she had learning from her mother and grandmother as well as from a prestigious finishing school and training in the Mandalorian Enclave on Alderaan, with occasional trips to the jungles of Vendaxa. Instead she was learning pelvic dances from a Zeltron posing as a poor spacer.

The redhead smiled at the talk about the Zeltron messing up while she had first been learning. It helped to know she wasn't alone. Laira felt awkward moving her hips like this, it didn't exactly seem natural and she didn't remember seeing anyone walk like this in her life, but the glances she stole at the mirror and at the Zeltron woman assured her it appeared alluring. "I'm sure you are just being modest." her voice was low as she had her attention mostly on following the movements, side to side, then front, then to the side, then back, and working in a slow, jerky circle with her hips without really moving the rest of her body. "And boys really like this?" She asked inquisitively.

"Oh, I don't know much philosophy. Just the bare basics of how I'm supposed to use it and how I'm not supposed to lean to the light or to the dark too much." Really her Father had avoided teaching her much about the philosophies of the Force because he didn't believe there was much philosophy about it. His views were simplistic and could be said in a sentence or two. His teaching focused more how to use it and when, how to feel it in herself and in others, how to passively touch the web of energy that connected all things. "I haven't been traditionally trained. Just whatever lessons my father could scavenge together for me. How to use the Force to run faster, jump higher, pick up heavy things, a little bit of how to make fire." That was the whole truth in reality. "He did his best, but there was only so much he could teach, you know and without knowing the instructions from the traditional Force Orders he shied away from trying to teach their philosophy. What is it you believe Joza?" It was possible the Zeltron knew more than her father ever could being aligned with the Silver Jedi, and either way, it was her duty as Princess of Alderaan to understand other people's beliefs.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza almost giggled. “You’re sweet, but trust me, I was rigid as ever when I first started. But I started young, so I’ve had plenty of time to work up to where I am now.” Yes, Zeltrons did indeed start young. No question there. Her force sensitivity was discovered at an early age, but her mother outright refused to let the Jedi take her for training, so she often wondered how her life would have been different if she’d been raised in a temple by monks. Growing up with a single mother in a poorer area hadn’t been easy, but she was loved. Would she still be the same emotional, social creature had she been brought up by the Jedi? Probably not.

“Boys? Oh, I suppose some do.” She continued circling her hips, wrists moving in soft circles to frame her body. “It’s more about you and your own body. Dance for yourself, not the boys. That’s sexy.” She winked, raising her arms above her head slowly before lowering them gently. It was a less competitive style of dancing, made to look effortless for all of the work put in. It could be casual and risqué with overdrawn movements, or elegant and precise.

“So your father is a Force user, then.” It was less of a question and more of an observation. Joza had nothing against anyone by virtue of using the Force, sans Sith or those who had malicious intent. “I was taught mostly by the Jedi, but the Order I’d belonged to was more lax than most at the time. They allowed practitioners of the Dark, but not anymore.” She shrugged. “I’ve learned under the Light, but I don’t place too much stock in dogma myself. Personally, I’m of the belief that the Force is more of a can-opener. It’s those who use it that are good and bad, not the Force itself.” While she typically held more wariness towards the Dark considering its destructive properties, Joza had a handful of friends who were of the Darker might. “I don’t like to let alignment get in the way too much. I’ve met those who call themselves Jedi but are scum, and Dark siders who have kind hearts. Just gotta look at the person behind the Force, y’know?”

She chuckled, shifting her hips from side to side again. "If that made any sense, I hope. I don't blame your father, anyway. Orders and their philosophies can get violent."

[member="Laira Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Laira moved her hips around in the circle Joza showed her, taking her time to step around, turning in a full circle once as she observed herself in the mirror watching her movements in the reflective sheen of the object. It didn't look bad, it was just different. She grinned at the zeltron, "It's not me buttering you up, promise." The redhead held her arms up over her head like her mentor was, continuing to rock her hips around in a circular motion.

Joza's advice about dancing was solid, Laira had taken this lesson in order to learn to have fun better, so that when she did get to have a night-life she wouldn't feel out of place or awkward and so that she could have some training not from her parents. They provided her a very solid foundation of knowledge and skills with a formal education from one of the premier finishing schools in the Core and several powerful Force Users and encyclopedic Holocrons, but that was just some of what was out in the galaxy. "I know, I was just wondering if they did." She blushed and bashfully looked up at the zeltron. "I'm not exactly trying to lure in a husband or anything. Though I would like to know more dances than formal and what some spice junkie called the 'grind'. I'm not even sure that one is real." Her tone was light hearted and jovial, trying to imply she was joking and not being serious. She had no intentions of settling down, or even sleeping around. Just enjoying freedom and life while it lasted. Her arms dropped back around her waist as she danced standing with her feet still.

"Yes my father was a Force User. He liked to warn me not to push too light or too dark. He thought that both extremes could be bad, but if you kept a nice balance, kept your head or stayed who you were, it would be alright." Laira emphasized the word Was to imply her father was deceased or something else, hoping that mentioning the possibility of dead parents would usher the conversation away from revelations about them. She had already accidentally let slip a few things she probably shouldn't have. "No, its fine Joza. I don't mind really. I don't know enough about the Force as I probably should and I know less about Jedi and Sith. Just so long as I can get my dancing lessons in while we chat I'm good."

The redhead turned to have her side facing Joza. "I know some of the basics of Fire Shaping and Earth Shaping. Not a lot, but enough to mess with things. What kind of Force skills did you learn?"

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

When Laira insisted that she wasn’t trying to butter her up, Joza couldn’t help but smirk. “I mean, it’s actually working, so…” A light laugh followed, though she was as much serious as she was teasing. The Zeltron was absolutely not immune to compliments, and enjoyed having her looks and skills praised in any arena. As experienced as she’d grown in combat over the years, dancing would always be her first love, something she’d come back to just to enjoy herself and feel fulfilled when she was down.

As the younger redhead blushed with the mention of attracting boys, Joza had to stifle a grin. Did she know just how adorable she was being? Still, it was refreshing to see a young female spacer out and about experiencing the galaxy for herself for no other reason than to live. Joza’s own introduction into life beyond Zeltros was a hodgepodge of anxiety, pheromone withdrawal and being thrown into battle. Adversity had toughened her, though. “Don’t think you’d really need to do much to lure a husband in, hon.” She grinned, leaving it up to Laira to interpret it as she would. “Besides, men can be trouble. If they’re not clingy, they’re angry and angsty. My advice,” She raised a finger, hips still swiveling as if it were second nature. “Is to not waste the best years of your life on chasing some guy, no matter how good his hair is.” Her tone was less authoritative and more cheeky, as if she were advising a younger sibling. Still, there was a bit of wisdom behind her words given her own experience with relationships. “Oh, and the grind is very real. It’s exactly what it sounds like.” Even as Laira was joking, Joza would wiggle her bottom for a few moments in the aforementioned grinding motion with an airy laugh.

Settling back into their tabala, Joza’s focus returned to her student. She was doing well, falling into the rhythm of the dance. The chatter helped with that, making sure that she didn’t concentrate too hard on getting the moves right, which was a mistake most students made. Gradually, awkward movements would feel more natural. “I’d have to agree with you father, for the most part.” Those who did not devote themselves to either side were said to be unable to tap into the full and complete power of either Light or Dark, but Joza herself was somewhere in the middle. Keeping herself centered was more important that obtaining “ultimate power.” “Some people let their alignment and use of the Force define who they are—but I don’t think that’s any way to live.”

When the topic turned to Force skills, Joza hummed in thought. “I’m a Fire Shaper as well. Used it mostly for lighting cigarettes, but hey, sometimes it’s useful in battle.” She mentioned offhand bemusedly, as if implying that being able to generate fire in a battle would be considered a bad thing. “But I prefer defensive techniques. Creating walls, barriers and the like.” She wasn’t about to delve into the nitty gritty of what she could do and her own battle techniques, but those who faced her on the battlefield could find out pretty quickly what her preferences were. Fore preferences, that was. “Isn’t it like that old saying? ‘The best offense is a good defense’? Or is it “The best defense is a good offense’? You know, something like that.” It helped that her typical allies tended to specialize in being battering rams.

[member="Laira Vereen"]