We Should Do This More Often

[Elijah Black]

Zylah's home on Ithor was isolated and hard to find. It resided deep within branches, vines, and a whole score of green. Unassuming and minimalist, it was an ideal place to lay low or rewind. Finding it shouldn't be an issue for her guest today though. Of course she'd get detailed directions. Way more than what she needed. One might assume she could find her way just through the Force, buuuuuut Kaia was coming and she didn't want to waste a moment. It had been too long.

Even the local beauty, Prudence the Jedi Cat knew something was up, lingering close to Zylah's legs and meowing with unease. She probably picked up on Zylah's excitement. Far from the tiny kitten Kaia and Zylah had played with as Padawans on Ossus, she was now a fully grown cat. And a little fat. Would have to see to that.

It would be just Zylah back at the old hideout. Herron had just journeyed out into the jungles of Ithor. He was probably headed to the abandoned Jedi temple. He had muttered something about needing supplies, but Zylah wasn't really sure if that was what it was really about. She didn't think he liked strangers.

Zylah had spent what little time she had on Ithor doing a combination of studying and training. This morning had gone towards the former. Not reading per say, but watching a holovid; old records of Jedi Masters hosting advanced group training sessions for Jedi Knights. It was highly informative.

For all her Jedi training, she felt she didn't have the patience for that sort of work anymore. All she could think about was meeting up with her friend, and she didn't really see any logic in curbing that. Instead of swimming against the current, she switched to something a little more physical. Grabbing a long, smooth staff she went outside for a little soft practice.

| [member="Kaia Vullen"] [member="Tegan Katarn"] |​

 

[Kaia Vullen]

It had been too long.

While Zylah had made her home on Ithor, Kaia had spent many of the past years on her home planet of Alpheridies, living far out in the open fields with the older sages of her kin. She had learned much before she decided to pack her things and wander. Then, she had gotten lost on the way. Not just physically, but spiritually too. The emotional state of the galaxy carried with it so much doubt that it had clouded Kaia's sense of purpose.

And then Tegan punched her in the face.

It had hurt, but it wasn't the first time she had learned something from a fractured nose. Nothing she couldn't fix in a jiffy, anyway. Still, it made her focus for a moment. And it certainly made her curious about Tegan. Most of all, it reminded her of her favourite Arkanian. Of course the two would have to meet.

"It's this way, I promise. Not far now."

She seemed sincere. Though it would be difficult to tell when Kaia was weaving between the branches and leaves, using her stick to gently push them out of the way rather than bashing or cutting her path ahead. A small portion of the way, she even walked on her hands. One could wonder if that was for fun or had some sort of utility.

"Just through he-" A sharp intake of air. clack something hit something in the distance. Kaia she shot off like a slug out of a barrel. So much so that the jungle itself looked a little perturbed at the sudden burst of movement. Tegan would probably, by now, sense that there were seemingly no limits to Kaia's energy output and unshakable enthusiasm. Though, she did lack a few things in the concentration department.

[member="Zylah Dvale"] [member="Tegan Katarn"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Kaia Vullen"] | [member="Zylah Dvale"]

"Ya said da two miles back, luvbug." Tegs retorted angrily- well, everything Tegan said sounded angry, but by this point Kaia would have a better sense of the impassive expression and the tone she took.

In truth?

Tegan was amused more than anything.

"If we take much longa-" Kaia suddenly ran off and Tegan's brows rose. Then a sigh. She wasn't coming back, was she? A peering down the wilderness, her back retreating and no laughter or joking. Nope, she was gone. Great. At the very least Kaia was as blind as a bat, it meant that she wasn't exactly good at covering her own tracks or anything remotely like that.

Might as well.

Tegan started running too, but had much more difficulty with it than her new companion.

Oh, her stamina was fine, this was a cakewalk in that sense- but she was used to the metal of her ship beneath her feet, the bustle of people around her, this whole 'living forest' crap wasn't her thing whatsoever.

Either way -- a few scratches richer and a bruise on her ass -- it didn't take long to catch up with Kaia... somewhat. "Hey, the feth you leavin' me in da forest for?"

"Haven't even punched ya again either.......oh helloooo."

Just over Kaia's shoulder was now a second lady.

Oh hey, sailor.

"Gon' introduce me to ya friend, Kay?"

 

[Elijah Black]

Zylah kept the session relatively light. She didn’t want to be drenched in sweat and have to take a sweat the moment they showed up. The focus was more on technique and form and drilling those in slow, deliberate and repetitive manners.

Clack. Wood hit wood. Zylah pulled back and readied her stance. But she felt something. Something was changed. The trees felt… Bubbly.

The wooden staff dropped down onto the soft grass below. The enthusiasm she sensed did not come from the trees of course. Zylah turned around, just in time to see a certain Miraluka launching from behind the treeline.

“Kaia-oopfh!” Zylah had exclaimed with outstretched arms, ready to receive the powerhug. But she had not been prepared for this big ball of sugar. Zylah toppled over, easily, and the pair dropped down onto the grass in laughter and merriment.

“So good to see you! Glad you could make it! How was the trip?” By the time Tegan ‘Slowpoke’ Katarn caught up, the two were standing again.

Zylah exchanged glances between Kaia and the newcomer. “Ah, this must be your friend” she said with a smile “Zylah” of course Tegan probably already knew that, but introductions were introductions. She would leave it up to Tegan whether they were doing a handshake or this whole thing from a distance. The Jedi were adaptable.

Meanwhile, while the trio were distracted and lulled into a false sense of security, a veiled danger was approaching. Under the cover of tall grass and leaves, a mighty jungle cat crawled towards the two-leggers. And then, at precisely the opportune moment, the tiny fluffball Prudence, the terror of Ithor, slayer of mice and the peeve of squirrels launched. Kaia would feel her sandpaper tongue upon her face, that much was certain.

[member="Kaia Vullen"] [member="Tegan Katarn"]​

 

[Kaia Vullen]

Kaia was just about ready to explode.

"You would not believe what happend. So, I was back home in the mountains when you contacted me, learning from master Sharakah -She is soooo strict- but her wisdom score is like way off the charts, and when she said I should go, it was so amazing. I ran all the way to Malmarmade and hiked with some space traders, but then we were ambushed and had to go all the way to Tatooine, there I visited Master Corvus' house, it's a real ruin now. So I met some refugees from the Silver Jedi, they let me ride with them to Kashyyyk, which was nice, I wonder what happened to them. So then I found a shuttle going to Alderaan and figured that would get me closer- You have no idea how depressing Alderaan is these days. It got me into a real rut, I couldn't even think straight. Then I got an offer to do some work for a few credits thanks to this flyer that flew in my face. So then I was at the GenPals convention and I won a Griffin -He's at the ship, I didn't want to scare him, he'll be fine-"

Deep breath

"And at the convention I met this one. Yes, this is [member="Tegan Katarn"], she's my new friend. Teagan, meet [member="Zylah Dvale"], Zylah meet Teagan. Teagan punched me in the face, broke my nose actually, and then I felt all better. She's like Des, actually."

Kaia quickly turned as she sensed the predatory nature of a dangerous creature. She crouched slightly, her hands splaying out protectively as the slightly chubby cat pounced at the Jedi Knight.

"Prudence!"
Kaia dropped her staff in the grass and picked up the cat, feeling her sandpaper tongue licking the tip of her nose. Kaia's response was to do two pirouettes (or should we say purr-ouettes) and a reversed cartwheel without her hands or head hitting the ground. Prudence looked perturbed as she clawed herself fast to Kaia's tunic, but relaxed when Kaia softly and almost soundlessly fell back in the grass with a sigh.

The bubbles evaporated with the sigh, becoming absolute calm. Prudence purred on Kaia's chest, taken by the wave of relaxed energy flowing out of her.

"Prudence put on weight, Zylah."

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Kaia Vullen"] | [member="Zylah Dvale"]

"What can I say, mah punches are known to heal da stupid." Tegs added as a clarification before she finally made her approach, after watching the whole shindig with the cat and Kaia. If there was one thing that Katarn had noticed after a few weeks (more like days, but it felt like weeks) with the blind girl, it was that she was hyperactive as feth and known to bounce around.

Part of 'er wondered if the Galaxy wouldn't have been better served with her remaining depressed, hopeless and useless.

A glance over to Kaia as she stepped up to join them at the clearing.

Naw, she was cute like that. There should be some hope in the Galaxy, she reckoned, people that could smile and be bubbly while others fought the bloody good fight. If they weren't there... what were they really fighting for otherwise?

"Tegan Katarn," Tegs replied, extending her arm casually for a shake. "Pleasure is all mine."

Most people would maybe have covered up their interest, but Tegan didn't really have the time for that. After about your second suicide bombing you start wondering if life wasn't a bit short for that sort of nonsense. So her eyes flickered with interest down the curve of her neck as her hand extended, smirking just a bit at the edge of her mouth.

Oh, yeah.

She knew what she was doing.

 

[Elijah Black]

Her eyes opened slightly and her eyebrows perked up as she realised she was in for a ride. The page at which Kaia spoke was impressive and without a question charming.

"Oh! Wow... What?"" Zylah occasionally interjected these one-word statements, it was really all she managed to fit in between the moments when she assumed was when Kaia breathed. It was a genuinely fascinating tale, and Zylah wanted to hear all about it.

Kaia sped along and got to the part of how Tegan had gotten herself into this story. Zylah smiled again, doing the introductions all over would be redundant of course. But her look quickly shot back at Kaia when she mentioned she'd gotten punched, but then back to Tegan, definitely confused now, as Kaia continued to explain how it had made her feel better. The throwback memory of Des being shot into the mix was the final bit that made her feel like she'd lost all track of the conversation. So many memories and impressions.

Zylah wanted to ask about Alderaan, but thought it best not to go into great detail with them all standing out here. No way she was gonna be a bad host! Or would she? Truth be told, she didn't really know how to host. "Sounds like you've been on quite the adventure. You'll have to tell me all about it in detail later"

The Kaia-Prudence situation had Zylah laughing with joy, admitting briefly "I spoil her" She should probably cut back on the treats. But kitty was just so gosh darn cute.

Naturally, intentionally, powerfully, Zylah's attention got dragged away from the cat spectacle and drawn to miss Katarn. "Nice to meet you, Tegan" Zylah shook her hand in return. The interest in her eye and the tension in the air felt hard to miss.

"And welcome to Ithor" she would take a step back and to the side, gesturing with her arm to the facility. "Might not be much, but it's home. Wanna come inside?" her poor-host senses were tingling, leaving her guests just standing like that

 

[Kaia Vullen]

"Oh but she is beautiful"

There was something in the air, something that made it twitch inside Kaia's senses. She couldn't tell right away, but then Tegan spoke. A wide smile spread over Kaia's lips. Not necessarily a happy smile, nor a sinister one, but a knowing smile - A smirk perhaps. Her neck arced so her face was turned towards Tegan, displaying the smirk of knowledge. Empathy came natural to Kaia and Tegan made no effort to show her interest.

"We would love to come inside"

Kaia got to her feet, and not in the usual way. Instead of straightening herself forward, she rather just threw her feet over herself like some sort of spring, all the while keeping Prudence unharmed in her arm. She slipped a foot under the two sticks on the ground and kicked them into her hand.

"Walking this far made me thirsty. I would love something to drink, if you don't mind"

Kaia buried her nose in Prudence's fur and wiggled her face back and forth, making some sort of speech-like sound into the cat. Prudence looked at Zylah, then at Kaia, and batted the miraluka on the head with a soft paw.

"Yeah okay, that's fair."

Kaia let Prudence down with the last shred of the cat's dignity intact.

[member="Tegan Katarn"] [member="Zylah Dvale"].

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Zylah Dvale"] | [member="Kaia Vullen"]

"Think I might learn to like the jungles... an' sure!" Tegan murmured while winking back at Kaia just as Zylah turned around to lead them towards her abode. Oh, she fething hated the jungles, the forests, the animals and all that in between. Her scene had always been the open streets, the cramped ships and the dirt an' grime of the urban background, it had made sense to her.

The people and everything in between.

This?

That fething cat?

The way the ground was giving away slightly every step she took? No, that wasn't something that Tegan had any fate in. But... then... she didn't have much eye for the forestation, did she?

Her attention was elsewhere. That elsewhere was currently walking off expecting them to follow too. Tegan started walking, stepping in close to Kaia, leaning in as they walked and murmuring softly. "You help me with da an' I will teach ya how t'swing like I do." Clearly those two were close friends and whoever said you could get someone into bed, while their closest friend hated ya?

Well, they hadn't ever been to Lorrd.

This made more sense.

The abode itself was pretty neat all in all, stepping through with the door closing shut off the sound of nature behind them. Tegan immediately liked it more, especially considering there was solid floor here.

"How long ya been 'ere then?"

 

[Elijah Black]

Watching Kaia and Prudence interact always made her happy. How could it not? Kaia on her own was cute enough. It was hard not to laugh.

“Sure thing, I can grab you something to drink” Zylah vanished into another room after leading them into a wide, open space which was primarly used as a living room. “Ohh, it depends. I’m usually on the move. I guess I sleep more on a ship than I do here. So in terms of time spent, not that long.”

“Maybe a few years?” Zylah reemerged with three big glasses of water “But really this is Herron’s place, I mostly use it to lay low or regroup.” Hard to stay still in one place when the galaxy was in constant motion and in constant need of saving.

“Let me know if you want something stronger. We have that too, somewhere” She said to the both of them, but the words were obviously aimed more at Tegan.

“So, what do you do Tegan? And how did you two meet?” she asked, curious about her new guest

[member="Kaia Vullen"] [member="Tegan Katarn"]

 

[Kaia Vullen]

Help me with that and I will teach you to swing like I do

Kaia stopped, her head turning to Tegan. Her smile had changed, shrunk, flattened in ways as it thinned her lips, but still it was present at the corners of her mouth. Help Tegan, practically a stranger, eel her way into the good graces of her oldest friend? Someone practically family? And a Jedi too? Unheard of. Then again, Zylah was a strong independent one.

"You punch like a scoundrel."

Her voice was flat and accusing, and from Kaia's experience, she did punch very much like the scoundrels she had met on her travels. Then again...

"Deal."

Kaia's smile spread into a fully fledged grin, the dimples in her cheeks deepening mischeviously as she jumped into a seat and crossed her legs. The sticks she had carried remained where she had stood and, after a split second, tipped against the wall. Intentional? Fortunate? Who knew?

"Zylah'sun, I think today demands celebration. I have missed at least two of your birthdays! Not to mention Life Day."

-'sun meant sister. Miraluka had a tendency to call their friends and acquaintances that, though Kaia had not done so to Tegan yet. It was a mark of familiarity, trust and friendship. Besides, sometimes Kaia was uncertain if Tegan preferred 'Sun or 'An, maybe something else? It was difficult to tell.

[member="Tegan Katarn"] [member="Zylah Dvale"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Zylah Dvale"] | [member="Kaia Vullen"]

In truth Kaia... confused her.

But in a good way.

You couldn't really hate or dislike a bubbly little presence like that no matter how acerbic you were. The fact that Kay seemed willing to help her with this... this only served to make her more pleasing in her eyes. "Oh, ya, it sounds like celebrations are in order." She supplied smoothly within the framework that Kaia was leaving her. One leg crossing the other while she watched the water with something of suspicion.

Where Tegs had come from...

Well, water had a tendency to have a chance of being contaminated.

Wine, ale? Stronger than that? Those were always good in comparison. "Maybe some ale to start with, eh? See where it goes next." Tegan watched Zylah disappear again as she went to search for the stronger drinks and that made her lean in to Kaia.

Very conspiracy, hush hush, it amused her a touch.

"What does ya friend enjoy? She one of 'em tight-pants Jetti or more... less?" Murmuring hushed and beneath their breath.

 

[Elijah Black]

“Alright! Good thinking” Zylah said with a smile. After putting the water down she was up again and on her way to fetch something else for her guests.

It took her a little longer this time around. Zylah wasn’t exactly a big drinker herself, and wasn’t entirely familiar with the cabinet. In the end though she emerged back out, with two bottles of ale and a flask of something a bit more golden…

“Cheedoan whiskey” Zylah told inquiring minds. “It’s not mine but… I’m sure he won’t mind” she said with a little playful smile. She liked whiskey. Did she like whiskey? She probably liked whiskey. Well, only one way to find out, right? After handing Tegan her ale, Zylah poured herself a glass, leaving Kaia with the option of water, ale and whiskey.

[member="Kaia Vullen"][member="Tegan Katarn"]​

 

[Kaia Vullen]

While Zylah was out getting the extra drinks, Kaia focused on the pitcher of water with two fingers. The water stirred, shifted, and then bubbled up over the top. A shifting bubble of water floated out of the pitcher and into the cup.

"Zylah is a bit of a tough nut." "Not the tightest, but tight."

However, rather than call the cup to her, she bent forward and picked it up with her hands. She turned it twice left and once right. She sippded from the cup and held the water in her mouth for a moment before swallowing.

"She likes good and upright people who do the right thing."

She wasn't even kidding. Kaia had never really seen Zylah flirt with anyone. So, with the utmost certainty, she went with what she believed Zylah would like, without really knowing it all that well.

"So Zylah, who is Herron, really? I've never met him before."

[member="Tegan Katarn"] [member="Zylah Dvale"]