Private Rivalries Rekindled

[Braze]

TAGS: Eloise Dinn

Braze tilted his head, his expression shifting from horrified to excited as the conversation turned back to combat. "Yes, very much so," he assured, his demeanor brightening. "It's as natural as speaking or thinking to me. It's like reading a book of someone's intentions and emotions... It's harder to really lie in a fight as well," he added, emphasizing the importance of combat as a method of communication to him.

His excitement grew when asked about his age, swelling with a semblance of pride as he proudly announced, "I just turned 14 not too long ago. I celebrated my Warrior's Right with Jasper." He watched her shake the bangles, his curiosity piqued by the various types of jewelry, but his gaze settled on one that seemed familiar to him. "I really like the one on your right hand that looks like... leather? With the large... jewel?" He hesitated, not wanting to misidentify them but spoke to what he thought they resembled. "I like larger statement sets that come across in an elegant way. It tapers to the back of your hand nicely, and the larger gem bit is a pretty focal point," he offered, his interest evident in his tone.

"What are some of them supposed to be for?" he asked, his earlier apprehension seemingly a thing of the past as he engaged more comfortably in the conversation, genuinely curious about the significance of her jewelry.

 

[Eloise Dinn]

Eloise kept her mouth shut as he excitedly spoke of his love of combat. What could she have said, anyway? “That’s cute. I had to wage war when I was your age, and now I’m not sure if I actually enjoy killing people or was just indoctrinated into it by my parents”? Hell no.

“Harder to lie in a fight?” she echoed incredulously. “Half my tactics involve tricking and deceiving people.”

Fourteen. Maybe she had been a little harsh on him at the party. Who wasn’t annoying and childish when they were fourteen? “I’m sixteen,” she provided her age without prompting. “When did you start training to be a Jedi?”

She glanced down at the article he was referring to. “I don’t know what a ‘statement piece’ is, but this is a leather bracer. It protects my hands and wrists—the gem is fake and just for decoration.”

"What are some of them supposed to be for?"

“The bangles are kukeri. It’s a religious symbol from the place where I grew up. Wood symbolizes the Goddess of the Upperworld, metal the God of the Underworld. Feminine life on one arm and masculine death on the other.” For emphasis, she spread each corresponding hand as she spoke. “These beads were spoils of war, and this pendant is the first thing I bought after I left home. And this...” She reached up to touch the pearl hanging over her brow. “... was a gift from my sister.”

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Eloise Dinn

Braze smirked as he delved deeper into the conversation. "But your eyes can follow the tensing of muscles, right? If you understand how they work, you can pick up on those tells and see a feint for what it is. It's all about studying the subtle twitches and movements... Though, I guess it's trickier with robes or anything that obscures the body," he mused, his voice tinged with a genuine curiosity about the mechanics of combat and the art of reading an opponent.

"Kukeri..." he echoed thoughtfully, rolling the word around in his mind as if tasting it. "They do seem enchanting. I can't imagine fighting with them, though. I'd probably get caught up in the sparkle and the sounds they make." His laughter was light.

His gaze drifted slightly, a faraway look touching his eyes as he ventured into memories of his past. "I was very young... Practicing skills for something significant before I was brought here. But those early days now feel like a dream, elusive and fragmented. I think I was seven when I arrived at the temple." He paused, the weight of his fragmented memories pressing down for a moment. "My family moved around a lot, encountering many different peoples. It felt important, but the details escape me now, lost to the fog of the past. Meeting strangers never sat well with me, though."

With a graceful motion, Braze twirled his saber before securing it at his belt. Turning his attention back to the present, his curiosity resurfaced. "Have you passed any of your trials to become a knight?" he inquired.

 

[Eloise Dinn]

Eloise shrugged. She was used to her opponents not being able to tell, but she guessed that a Jedi could sense their opponent's next move. That was something she'd have to prepare for.

"...I can't imagine fighting with them, though. I'd probably get caught up in the sparkle and the sounds they make."

She smirked. "If it distracts my opponents, all the better."

He seemed unsure of when he had been brought to the Temple, but gave a tentative age: seven. "That's about how old I was when my parents started teaching me about the Force," she said, not offering any more detail than that. "But I only came here about a year ago."

"Have you passed any of your trials to become a knight?"

"No. Amani hasn't mentioned it yet." Truth be told, she might not bother. Eloise was not an average Padawan, and her master knew it. "I don't need to prove my skill and courage."

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Eloise Dinn

Braze smiled, genuinely captivated by her words. This experience, unexpectedly pleasant, took him by surprise. "You know, there's definitely more to it than just skill and courage. I've tried getting details about their trials from others, but nobody seems too keen on sharing specifics," Braze said, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity as he grabbed a small hand towel to dry off. "I've actually had a lot of fun today," he admitted with a lightness in his tone, turning towards Eloise. "Maybe you'd like to join me and the rest of the group sometime?"

 

[Eloise Dinn]

“I wonder why.” Eloise’s tone was coy, but Braze had made the same observation as her. For whatever reason, Jedi Knights didn’t talk about the details of their trials. Probably because they were different for everyone and it was no use giving Padawans a false impression of what to expect.

"I've actually had a lot of fun today. Maybe you'd like to join me and the rest of the group sometime?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Maybe,” she said. Truth be told, she didn’t know who constituted Braze’s “group” apart from a few obvious faces like Loomi, Shan, and Ko. “Would you be willing to do the same with me and my ‘group’?”

Probably he didn’t know much about her friends either. But if he knew anything about them, it probably had something to do with them being troublemakers and outcasts.

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Eloise Dinn

"I haven't exactly figured it out, but some seem to be pretty uncomfortable topics," Braze offered his insight. "I don't mind meeting new people, so sure," he continued, his curiosity piqued. "Who is your 'group'?"

He asked curiously, intrigued by the idea of Eloise having a group of friends. Braze didn't spend time with Eloise himself, and he didn't really know anyone who did, so he couldn't think of anyone familiar. He could only imagine who they might be.

 

[Eloise Dinn]

“Figures.” If the Trials were tailored to each individual, of course they would include things that were private or deeply affecting. Not exactly fit for casual conversation.

“I don’t have one,” she replied, arms still crossed. “My friends don’t interact with each other, and I imagine if they tried, they’d wind up hating each other.”

She smirked at the thought. Albrecht was a Ukatian noble, and therefore a casual sexist as well as privileged and entitled. Resh was a clone created by a cult that intended to use him as a vessel for the spirit of the Sith Lord they worshiped; he had all the emotional baggage that came with such a heavy backstory. And Maeve Linahan was a Jedi Shadow whose radical hatred of all things Dark Side and determination to eradicate them from the galaxy had left her cold and distant. She also had a violent streak—but then they all did. Frankly, you couldn’t be a Jedi without one. Imagining the three of them together was downright hilarious, but definitely a recipe for disaster.

“I asked because I wanted to be sure you didn’t see me as a ‘fix it’ project,” she said, letting her arms drop to her sides. “I'm not some wayward girl hanging with a bad crowd that you take pity on and try to absorb into your clique. I might hang with you sometime, but I won’t change just to fit in with the popular kids.” So if that's what you think, forget it.

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Eloise Dinn

Braze frowned at hearing they would hate one another. " Well, not everyone will get along. I guess I can understand it. "
As she mentioned 'fixing it,' Braze's expression shifted to one of skepticism. "You can't just fix people—that's the kind of wacky nonsense you'd find in those fantasy novels, you know, with sparkling vampires and all that." he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. He believed firmly in the autonomy of individuals, arguing that people's actions were their own to decide, and any attempt to alter them would likely be met with resistance if not outright hostility.

"But," he continued, softening, "Sometimes, just being invited can mean a lot." This admission revealed a softer side to Braze, one that valued connection and the simple yet impactful act of inclusion. As the conversation drew to a close, Braze's tone warmed. "It was nice talking to you," he said cheerfully, his head bowing in a respectful, albeit casual, nod. This gesture underscored the sincerity of the connection he felt, however fleeting, marking a respectful and thoughtful conclusion to their exchange.