Private Padawan Mischief

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

The soft hum of the Temple's circulatory systems filled the otherwise silent Council Chambers, broken only by the subtle rustle of Valery as she moved to stand before the central seat. Sunlight filtered through the tall windows, casting long, deliberate lines across the polished floor. She folded her arms lightly, gaze calm but focused. There was no immediate frown on her face, but neither was there the easy warmth she was known for outside official duties.

A datapad rested in her hand, displaying a brief incident report: unauthorized repulsor board activity in the western corridor. Multiple eyewitnesses. Minor property damage. Padawan Gem-in-trash, again.

Valery exhaled slowly through her nose. Not angry. Not yet. But curious.

With a tap of her fingers against the armrest, her voice carried through the Temple's comm system.

Padawan Gem. Please report to the Council Chambers immediately.

She didn't raise her voice — she didn't need to.

Then, with quiet composure and the faintest hint of amusement tucked away behind her gaze, the Grandmaster waited.

Gem-in-Trash ​

 

[Gem-in-Trash]

Gem-in-Trash was already irritated with the talking-to she was being given by the Knight who had reported her. She skimboarded inside the temple all the time to little to no consequences. After all, if she didn't, how would she know where it was safe to skimboard?

And then she heard the call for her to go to the Council chambers.

By the Grandmaster.

There was absolutely no way this had anything to do with her skimboarding in the Temple. After all, the Grandmaster handled too many important duties for this to be her primary concern.

"Sorry, sir, it sound like I'm being summoned," Gem said to the Knight, "I'll be sure to report for punitive duties after my meeting."

"Uh huh," said the Knight as Gem started to scamper off, nearly bumping into the Protocol Droid - it was all mostly their fault, anyway - as she darted away to the lifts. She considered getting back on her board on the way there, but decided that the lifts were too busy to bother. Once at the Council level, she decided to lean her board up against the wall rather than carrying it with her - she wasn't about to stand there with her board in her hand while talking to the Grandmaster - and double checked her jacket. Gem didn't like wearing her robes when she wasn't on some kind of actual duty, and she wasn't about to keep Valery Noble waiting while she went to go and change. Gem wasn't even sure it had been properly laundered anyway.

"Padawan Gem-in-Trash, reporting. You called for me, Master?" she asked, holding her hands behind her back and swaying a little bit.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

Valery didn't look up right away.

Her eyes remained fixed on the datapad as the soft whoosh of the Council chamber doors parted behind her. She could hear the distinct rhythm of footsteps — just a little too casual for someone about to face potential disciplinary action. She exhaled quietly through her nose. Of course.

Only once Gem-in-Trash came to a stop and delivered her greeting did Valery finally glance up. Amber eyes met the Padawan's with calm composure. Not stern, but certainly assessing. The kind of look that didn't need to ask what happened — it just waited for you to offer it up.

Valery arched one eyebrow ever so slightly.

"I did," she said, her tone level, clipped just enough to be official — but still warm beneath it. "And I appreciate your promptness, Padawan Gem."

She set the datapad down on the armrest beside her and clasped her hands behind her back.

"Now, before we get into it…" A slight pause. Her gaze flicked, just briefly, to the lift hallway beyond. "Did I happen to see a repulsor board leaning against the wall outside my Council chambers?" She looked at the camera feed on her datapad and then back up at her.

Another pause.

"Because if I did, I imagine it has nothing at all to do with this report." She tapped the datapad with one finger, a touch of wry amusement creeping into her voice. "The one detailing unauthorized repulsor board activity in the western corridor, along with eyewitnesses, minor property damage, and — according to one particularly flustered protocol droid—what I quote as 'a daring maneuver around a sacred statue.'"

Valery gave her a moment, letting the silence linger just enough to draw out the discomfort — not cruelly, just... effectively. Then, at last, she sighed and allowed the barest twitch of a smirk to tug at the corner of her mouth.

"Tell me, Padawan," she said dryly, "Was the maneuver at least as daring as the droid claims?"

Gem-in-Trash ​

 

[Gem-in-Trash]

Gem stood straight as the Grandmaster finally regarded her. The girl looked over her should towards the door, and then back to Valery Noble .

"Well, yes. It's my Repulsor Board. I mostly use it to get to class on time. Usually early. I would have put it back in my quarters, but I figured if the Grandmaster was calling for me, it was probably going to be important and I shouldn't keep her waiting," That much was at least partly true. Gem fought the urge to smile, and managed to fight it down to just raising an eyebrow, "This is important, right?."

Gem stroked her chin, "Well, I'm not sure I can precisely corroborate any reports, but I would suppose that if one were to perform 'daring manuevers' then the western corridor would be the place to perform any sort of righteous grinding. After all, it is quite spacious, with angled walls, and there's only one place any experienced boarder could possibly come too close to anyone else, and only if a person was, say, walking on the left side of the corner into that hall, as opposed to the right side as is commonly used, and considered courteous. After all, the Jedi Order takes people of all shapes, sizes, and speeds, don't we?"

Gem, of course, knew she had been caught red handed, and bring brought to the Council Chambers about it was an...Escalation of her habit of disregarding the rules about riding her board. Really, though, she was compromising by using the western hall for tricks.

"And besides, that statue is huge and heavy. There's no way it was in any danger...From any such maneuvers. The damage to the floor around it was superficial."

Gem held her hands in front, and then caught herself.

"I would guess. In the event of any such accident that may or may not have occurred."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

Valery listened in complete silence.

Her expression didn't shift — not when Gem confirmed it was indeed her board parked outside the Council chambers, not when she launched into her impressively detailed hypothetical defense, and not even when she invoked righteous grinding with a straight face. The only hint of a reaction came from a slight twitch at the corner of Valery's mouth — the kind of restrained amusement only a Jedi Master and mother of chaotic small people could master.

When Gem finished with a very diplomatic "I would guess," Valery exhaled slowly through her nose… and finally spoke.

"I appreciate your… thorough analysis of the architecture," she said dryly, folding her arms across her chest. "And I admire your optimism regarding the durability of Temple statues."

She let that hang in the air for just a second.

"But Padawan," she continued, voice softening — not less firm, but more personal now, "Next time, it might not be a statue." Her gaze held steady, calm but direct. "It could be an Initiate stepping out of a classroom. A Knight who's not expecting someone to shoot past on a repulsor board. Or a younger Padawan who's still learning to control their instincts in the Force."

She let her hands fall to her sides again, her posture easy — but still very much in Master-mode.

"I get it. I really do. The Temple is big, and you've got places to be. But we don't ride in the halls — especially not at speed. If you want to use your board outside, in the open courts or the training fields? Fine. But no more stunts inside." Valery's eyebrow arched ever so slightly again. She tuen turned back toward her datapad, picked it up, and tapped the screen a few times before looking back up.

A small, knowing smile tugged at her lips now.

"Sound fair, Padawan Gem?"

Gem-in-Trash ​

 

[Gem-in-Trash]

Gem thought of a few more arguments about there being Jedi of all sorts of sizes, shapes, and, most importantly, speeds, but she knew that, at this point, she'd pushed all the boundaries she could. If she was getting a talking-to from the Grandmaster, the line had been crossed. When it came to thrills and mischief, Gem was okay with toeing the line, even playing hopscotch with it, but she valued the trust of Grandmaster Valery Noble more than having fun.

"I understand, Master. I thought I could be careful enough to avoid causing any damage or harm, but I suppose this shows otherwise. I can't promise I won't in an emergency. But for fun and games, I'll keep it outside. And maybe if there's like a test or something I think it might help with-"

Gem stopped herself before going too far with that line of thinking, "If that happens, I'll get permission. And supervision."

A thought occurred to her in that moment, and Gem wondered if now was a good time to suggest it. After all, she was in trouble. But it was also an opportunity. She did have the Grandmaster's attention.

"At the risk of spreading trouble, I'd like the opportunity to teach some of the other Padawans and maybe some Younglings. It's a lot of fun, and we could set up obstacles, ledges, and banks to teach them balance. I know some places in the city where skimboarding is pretty common, I could help guide some of the older ones through there so they'd get more used to being in Coruscant, too."

It was an idea she'd been sitting on for a while; there were a few other Younglings and Padawans who rode, but mostly with Gem, and all her friends from her Youngling Clan were starting to get picked as Padawans or otherwise throw themselves into their studies. Gem was already known for being a bit of a menace, but she was also known for always volunteering to help; this was an opportunity for her to pay it forward with her favorite hobby.

"There's a lot of technical stuff that goes into maintaining a board, too. I know a bunch about repulsors because of it," she added, hoping that would sweeten the offer.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

Valery listened with quiet attention, her gaze steady as Gem's tone shifted from playful to earnest. The respect, the reflection — it was all there. A good sign. And then came the real twist — not a defense, not another bold maneuver… but an idea. Valery's brow arched again, but this time with interest rather than exasperation. When Gem finished, there was a brief pause.

Then she smiled.

"I think that's a wonderful idea, Gem," she said, her voice softening even further. "Balance, agility, spatial awareness — there's a lot that can be taught through motion like that. Especially for the younger ones who learn better when they're moving." She set her datapad aside completely now, fully focused on the Padawan before her.

"And I like that you're thinking not just about the thrill of it, but how to share that skill. To teach. That's the sign of someone beginning to think like a Jedi." The compliment wasn't given lightly — but it was earned. Valery folded her arms again, but the gesture was relaxed now, casual even.

"If you're serious, I'll give you the blessing to organize a few lessons — start small, with a group here just otuside the Temple. Talk to the Temple instructors to coordinate time and space. And if you want to take a small group off-site into the city for experience," she added, giving Gem a knowing look, "That can happen too. But you'll need a Knight to help supervise. Deal?"

Her smile grew just a little wider.

Gem-in-Trash ​

 

[Gem-in-Trash]

Gem's ears twitched in excitement as the Grandmaster started to give Gem's recommendation serious thought. Her smile went from that of mischief to sincerity; Gem was a big believer in fun lessons, and this was a perfect chance. She knew she had to restrain herself from getting too excited or too overboard. There were logistics to consider.

"Thank you, Grandmaster. I won't disappoint you," she vowed, bowing to her. Gem was well acquainted with the Temple instructors, too; they would be all too happy for the chance to keep Gem out of their fur for a little while, "Is there anything I can do for you while I'm here?"

Gem hoped that Valery Noble would be too caught up in Gem's change of demeanor meant that any punitive work would be forgotten

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

Valery's smile lingered as she watched the shift in Gem's expression — the way the mischief gave way to something steadier, more genuine. It wasn't just about the idea anymore. It was about responsibility. Growth.

"You're welcome," she said warmly. "And I know you won't." She dipped her head slightly in acknowledgment of the bow, then straightened with a small stretch, the datapad now fully forgotten at her side. At Gem's question, Valery arched a brow again, but this time the amusement returned to her voice.

"Unless you're secretly volunteering to help sort through a week's worth of mission reports and Council scheduling notes…" She let the words hang for dramatic effect, then gave a slight shake of her head.

"No, there's nothing else. You're free to go, Padawan."

A beat.

"Unless there's something else you'd like to bring up?" Her tone was casual, inviting — not pressing, just leaving the door open, as any good Jedi should.

Gem-in-Trash ​

 

[Gem-in-Trash]

Gem nearly blurted 'No', but stopped and thought for a moment.

Was there something she should confess to Valery Noble ? Gem caused an awful lot of trouble. None of it was serious, though. At least she didn't think it was. Gem gave a shrug and shook her head.

"No, I don't think so. Thank you, Grandmaster."

Now released from her talking-to, and with a belly of productive energy, she practically ran out of the Council chambers, barely stopping to pick up her Skimboard, and down the Turbolift. At the bottom, she threw the Skimboard onto the ground, about to jump on it and ride it to her next destination when she remembered she was not supposed to do that anymore. With a sigh, she picked it back up, tucked it under her arm, and broke into a jog instead.