Private Rock Bottom

[Ara Sheridan]

Ara blinked at Iris' question as she tried to make sure that Iris wasn't having a blonde moment. She looked back at the expensive guitar then back at the second hand ones in front of them. "It's ten thousand credits, Iris." She muttered, the disappointment clearly evident in her features.

"I don't got that kinda money. I was close, but my account got frozen with the whole situation a few months ago. My mom managed to help me out with a thousand to get something like these. But I'm gonna have to figure out something to get some money for myself if I wanna buy that. A lot of money." She explained to her friend.

She spared one last look at the glass cabinet then picked up the white guitar in front of her. It was three hundred credits, but as she picked out a cheap case for it too, she quickly realised a problem as she set the items down on the counter by the teller. "Crap... hey, uh... could you... could you maybe borrow me two hundred credits, please? I'll pay you back once I get it." She asked as she checked the prices of a few other items she needed.

It was ludicrously embarrassing to ask Iris for money, especially when she only just managed to get back on good terms with her friend. She was going to have to hustle hard to get that money back as quickly as possible.

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris hummed for a moment as she flipped open her datapad. Scanned through to where she probably stored her credits. She had to have some, right? That's how she usually got her art supplies. She stared for a moment. Shrugged. Then pointed to the Elite as she nodded to the teller.

"We'll take that one, actually."

Ara Sheridan

 

[Ara Sheridan]

As Iris checked her datapad, Ara picked out the cheapest of the last components she needed. All of it was being checked by the cashier while Ara waited for an answer from her friend. She hoped that it wouldn't be a-

"We'll take that one, actually."

Ara's brow furrowed as she heard the words. It took a moment for the words to sink in, both for her and the internally deceased cashier waiting for the time to pass so he could close the store.

"Wait, what?"

"Wait, what?"

"Wait, what?"

The addition of a third voice took her by surprise. She and the cashier exchanged glances before she noticed his eyes go wide. Fear spiked within him as Ara turned to look at the door, where a masked Rodian stood with a blaster in hand.

Ara wasn't sure what to make of the situation. On the one hand, Iris was literally buying a ten thousand credit guitar and accessories for her... something she didn't know how to react to.

On the other, they were all staring down the Rodian who moved a little closer with his blaster at the ready. "Yeah, no you ain't. Hands where I can see 'em. Hand over them creds. You clearly got enough of 'em." He demanded. The cashier's hands were raised as he watched the Rodian move over to the glass cabinet.

"Um..." She looked at Iris, hoping that the Keshian could give some explanation of the situation. "I... we... what the kriff?" She looked back at the Rodian, who was just getting ready to shatter the display case...

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris would've seem confused or concerned by the surprise, but the flash of fear in the colors, the anxiety, the stress. It didn't take long for her to guess what had happened. Even without turning. She moved. Just a blur of an image, too fast for the Rodian's eyes to follow. She didn't have to hold back here. She was a Jedi, not a vigilante. In that blink of an eye she flashed her saber up, the pink blade cleaving the gun in two as she brought her heel around for the side of his head.

Sending him right into a slumber on impact.

She let out a breath as she extinguished her blade, glanced to the cashier. "Can I buy some cord? Something thick."

"Wha- Uh. Yeah uh. Just take it."

The man, too bewildered by just what happened, practically threw the cord her way. Which she used to tie the would be robber up.

"Ara, call the authorities."

Ara Sheridan

 

[Ara Sheridan]

Luckily Iris was in a far more calm and collected state of mind as the Rodian threatened them. Ara and the cashier watched in awe as Iris took care of the Rodian with flawless efficiency. Ara quickly snapped out of her trance and called the police.

"Way ahead of you." She spoke up as she set her datapad away and looked around. "That... that was awesome." Came the voice from behind her. The cahsier continued to stare in awe for a moment, before finally focusing on them again. "So, uh... You said you're taking the Elite?" He asked happily as he started to pull all the second hand stuff away and off the counter. He had a sale to make.

Ara, in the meantime, was reminded of what was going on. She walked over to Iris and leaned in close, not wanting anyone else to hear. "Iris... you're serious, ain't ya? You really wanna buy this?" She asked as she pointed to the guitar next to them. "It's super expensive, Iris. Don't worry sbout it. I won't be able to pay you back until next year." She tried to reason with her friend. "You're already a hero today. No need to go for a tally." She joked with a faint laugh.

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

"I.. Have more credits than I know what to do with. And, c'mon. I know you'll pay me back." Turned out her art sold for a lot more than she thought it would. Someone she made some deals with on that was probably making more than she did, but that was fine with her. Honestly, she should be a little worried about that. She wasn't. But she knew she should.

"And.. You deserve it. It's my gift to you. For surviving. And turning your life around."

Ara Sheridan

 

[Ara Sheridan]

She knew that Iris wouldn't budge, despite her protests. But to still see the guitar and all of its accessories getting packed up, and Iris paying for it all, had Ara frozen in place with an overwhelming wave of emotions. She gravitated towards the counter and took hold of her brand new case and stood aside when the police came to take the subdued criminal away.

When the time came to go, Ara followed after Iris with wide eyes and the case hugged tightly against herself. She finally managed to snap out of her trance when she began to comprehend that she had a brand new item of her own... and that it was all paid for by her best friend. An enormous grin formed as Ara stopped and carefully set the case down, only to jump at Iris with her arms wide open. "Thank you, thank you!" She practically squealed as she smacked a kiss on the girl's scarred cheek and held onto her as tightly as she could. She lifted her up and spun around as she laughed with sheer joy.

She didn't ever want to put Iris down, but she probably needed a chance to breathe. Ara set the girl down and picked her case back up, but the grin remained right where it was. "Holy kriff, thank you!" She went on again as she walked with her friend. She couldn't wait to try it out for the first time... but which song? They could figure that one out back at the temple.

For now, she was simply enamoured by the case in her arms.

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris took some pride in just seeing how happy Ara was in the colors. It was.. Heartwarming. Especially after the last time she'd seen the girls colors. Today was just a great day for the two to just.. Reconnect. She laughed as she was picked up though, hugged. Even returned the hug, despite the initial surprise. Even returned it. Laughed at the kiss on her cheek. Yeah, this is what she wanted. Her friend happy.

"Stop thanking me alreadyyy. I said you earned it."

Ara Sheridan

 

[Ara Sheridan]

Ara's grin was unwavering as she hugged her case and walked on with a spring in her step. "Well tough luck, girl, I'm gonna be makin' this up to you however I can!" She cheered as she continued on. "I'm stickin' you for dinner tonight! Hell I'd stick you for dinner by candle light if wouldn't look weird!" She continued.

By the time they got back to the temple, the halls were relatively empty. Only a handful of Jedi still roamed the halls, but they didn't pay much attention to the duo as Ara led the way to the kitchen. When they got there, the Zabrak gingerly set her new case aside and began work on a magnum opus of a meal for Iris and herself. Or at least, as close to a magnum opus as she could get with the limited ingredients. She finally decided on a dish. A spicy chicken stir fry.

It wasn't as glamourous as a burger, in her opinion, but at this point their usual meal together usually was a burger. She wanted to do something different for her friend.

"What's going on in the alliance these days? I heard there was a mess on Ilum the other day. Also saw a ton of new padawans this past week. Was checking out this other dude the other day. Massive suit, looks like a droid." She spoke up as she worked on their meal

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

"Why would it look weird?"

Iris tilted her head, oblivious to the connotation the candle would actually mean. Once they were back, she just.. Blinked. Watched as Ara was the one to cook up their meal. She really was in a good mood, huh?

Good.

"Yeah, the Empire was there. Strip mining for a super weapon. We were just there to explore and see what might've been wrong and.. Yeah. All the Padawans got dragged into war. No one died, thankfully, but.. Yeah. .. Oh, right. That's Zoar. He's uh, usually pretty scared but he's really nice. Really good with tech."

Ara Sheridan

 

[Ara Sheridan]

Ara listened as Iris explained what had happened on Ilum. It sounded surreal, to hear that Ilum, of all places, was attacked by the Empire. But it made sense. It was a cultural point of significance for the Jedi... and it had a ton of kyber crystals for whatever superweapon they were building. Luckily the mood shifted when she explained who the massive droid was. "Wait, so that's like a suit for the dude? That's pretty dope." She admitted, preferring to leave the politics and news of war alone for now.

But when asked about why a dinner by candle light would look weird, Ara gave her friend a smirk. She shuffled the meat and vegetables around a bit then placed a lid over the pan to let it simmer for a bit. "Come on, Iris. Can you imagine what'll happen if someone saw that? Me and you, candle light, clearly enjoying the moment... people will think we're goin' out or something. I ain't ruining your good reputation by tying it to mine. With the amount of gossip and stories around the temple about me, I ain't gonna do that to you." She explained gently as she leaned against the counter.

"But hey, you probably got someone who'll wanna do that whole thing with you, right? I'll just keep spoiling you with podracer rides and good food to make up for it all." She quipped as she returned her focus to the food.

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

"I don't think Padawan's should date. Each other, other people. I know it sounds kind of strict, but.. Yeah. You've seen what it can do to you. What it's done to me." Already she was thinking about Kai Bamarri . The things she ignored because she wanted to be his friend. Be more than a friend. How it turned to something terrible. How he betrayed her. She frowned as she glanced off, out the window.

"But don't think like that. You don't have anything to make up to me. You never did. I just.. I was in a bad place when you came by. I shouldn't of pushed you away like that. I'm sorry."

Ara Sheridan

 

[Ara Sheridan]

Ara nodded as she mulled over Iris' words. She definitely had a point. "That's true. It's... tricky. But... let's be honest, I don't think what happened necessarily did something to me. I feel like it simply showed me what I really was under everything. Where I am now? I can guarantee that something like that won't be happenin' anytime soon. But still... you're onto something. I mean... peeps comin' from broken homes with no people skills, now raised in an order that needs people to keep a cool mind? It ain't a surprise I've seen a pregnant padawan walkin' around the other day... as well as what happened..." Her casual demeanour shifted as she looked away with a frown. Despite her desire to move on, despite her fight to be better, the memories of what happened between her and Kyell still stung.

She wanted to forgive him and Miri, apologize for what she did and just how vile she was. She simply couldn't understand why it was so hard for her to move on. Her thoughts, however, were drawn back to reality when Iris continued. "Nah, Iris." She started, leaning against the counter as she practically stared into her soul. "You helped me in more ways than you could ever know that day. I wasn't lookin' for someone to tell me I did wrong. I was lookin' for justification. A voice to say that I did right. Kyell's look of horror... you turning your back on me... Master Valery... y'all did what was needed. I can't pay y'all back for something like that, but I want to. I want to do for you what you did for me." She explained to her with determined sincerity.

With a deep breath she looked back at their food. "Alright, time to dish up." She muttered. Soon Iris had a hefty portion of spicy stir-fry in front of her along with some juice, with the Zabrak sitting across from her. A hum of delight escaped her as she smiled. "Oh yeah, this is good." She muttered, taking another few bites.

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

"You want to turn your back on me in my time of need because a Sith Lord was whispering for you to kill yourself in your dreams?" Iris raised a brow. It was hard to tell if she was making a joke or not for all of two seconds before she snickered. Trying to bring light to the conversation wasn't really something she was good at, but if she kept being down about what happened, wasn't that just going to be the mood for it all?

She took up the stir-fry once it was passed on, taking a bite. Sighed in delight and nodded in agreement. This was good. She didn't even speak, just took another hasty bite before leaning back in her chair with a delighted smile on her face.

"You're pretty good at cooking y'know."

Ara Sheridan

 

[Ara Sheridan]

Ara's heart sank at her friend's words, thinking that she somehow messed up what should have been a genuinely sincere promise. Luckily Ara began to snicker, prompting the Zabrak to start laughing too. "Karkin' hell, Iris, you'll give me a heart attack." She laughed before she took another bite of her meal. Her green eyes shifted at Iris' compliment as a smile took hold. "Thanks." She muttered as she took another bite.

"Probably the only good think ol' Joe ever did for me, teaching me to cook. If you're ever feelin' lazy or tired, just hit me up, I'll dish you up quick." She offered her friend with a smug look, clearly proud of her culinary skills. "Might not be able to cook all that gourmet stuff people people can, but ain't nobody got anythin' on me with soul food." She proclaimed with a laugh.

She finished off her meal in relative silence and sat back into her seat. After a few moments, though, she stood up and fetched her new guitar, returning to her seat as she rested it in her lap. "Let's check this baby out..."

After playing around with the thing, reading the instruction manual, and simply tossing it aside to keep playing around, Ara had the guitar figured out for the most part. She stared at Iris in thought as she tried to come up with a song. Something finally popped up and she adjusted the settings on the instrument before taking a deep breath. "Kinda nervous here, not gonna lie... let's see if I still got it."

She plucked the strings and tuned it, before finally bringing the instrument to life in front of her friend.

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

"Don't let anybody say I don't know how to make a joke, huh?" Iris snickered into another bite, just giving Ara a wink. Then a nod. Joe, huh? Not a name she recognized, but clearly someone of some importance to the Zabrak. Something to ask about another time, she figured. "I'll bug you all too often with that kind of offer, y'know. I like cooking, but I like eating other people's cooking more."

Then, silence. Just for a little while. Iris listened to the music, letting her eyes close as she focused on the sounds. Forced the colors aside just so she could hear. All it took was a couple moments before she smiled, calm and wide. Nodding her head along to an imaginary beat behind the song played.

"You're good, you know. At playing."

Ara Sheridan

 

[Ara Sheridan]

A daring grin took hold at her friend's comment on the offer of food. Ara looked up at her for a moment as the music's volume lowered to a gentle melody for ambience. "Tell you what, how 'bout I swing by your place to cook you and Briana one hell of a spread, and in return I can crash on the sofa if it's too late to get back to the temple." She proposed with a dance of her eyebrows.

Looking back at the guitar, her own head nodded along to the music as she played for them, only looking up as Iris, once again, complimented her. "Thanks... it's really one of those things I don't wanna kark up. I messed up a binch of stuff, but mechanics and music I don't wanna screw up." She looked at the instrument again, only to brighten up as an idea took hold.

"New deal! How about... I teach you to play and I cook y'all food a few times a week... and in return, you help me get back into the graffiti game. I haven't painted a wall up in a good six years or so." She offered as the music itself seemed to shift to a more energetic tone.

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris blinked in surprise. Then laughed. Nodded. "That.. Yeah. Yeah! I mean, I'm not really around there much these days, but when I am that could be a lot of fun. So.. Yeah. You're welcome over whenever, I guess."

Ara Sheridan

 

[Ara Sheridan]

Ara nodded with a wide grin as Iris agreed to the deal. "Alright, bet. Just lemme know when y'all want me over and I'll hitch a cab. Just pitching up and knocking on the door feels weird." She admitted wuth a chuckle, switching off her guitar and putting it back in its case.

"Come on, let's get outta here. We both probably gotta be up early tomorrow." She commented as she set their dishes aside in the kitchen and picked up her case. But as they walked, an idea popped into Ara's mind.

"Hey... you maybe wanna crash in my room tonight? I still got my holoprojector, we can maybe watch a movie before we hit the sack." She offered with a warm smile as she gave Iris a gentle bump with her shoulder. A perfect way to wrap up the day in her mind.

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

"Alright."

Iris wasn't going to argue. Given the last unannounced guest was technically announced but she herself almost kicked his head off, it was probably a good idea to have people who came over be planned out ahead of time. She blinked, though. Tilted her head. Sleep here?

"Yeah. That'd be nice, I think."

Ara Sheridan