A Midvinter Spring

[Anna Song]

​

Thanebroek
w [member="Ikki Ike"] , [member="Boo Chiyo"]

On a continent surrounded by the sea there stood but one city for the welcoming of outsiders. Thanebroek. Here, nestled just beyond the lively activities of over a million Valkyri citizens, lay the Holmstead Inn. A hearty collaboration of wooden cottages made perfectly for visitors. After all, Midvinter was no place for common comforts. Here there was only snow, and ice, and hearth fire. A far cry from the automated civilizations of the Core. No. Here there was only what the hands could build and the axe could cleave. So Anna and Mas didn't mind the pelts on the bed or the furs on the floor. They made sure their happy cottage still felt like home.

Outside in the cobblestone square that marked the central courtyard of the Holmstead Inn, the other visitors were gathering. It was just past breakfast and the activities of the day were upon them. In first order, a visit to the Shrines of the Shield Maiden. Where Anna and Mas, and anyone else who dared brave enough to make the journey, were headed.

"Come on Master Petra. Everyone is gathering outside." The young Melodie Halfshape called from the door.

"Patience my young Apprentice. A wizard is never late. Mm. ...She arrives precisely when she means too."

Came the soothing voice of the beautiful Zelosian Jedi Knight. Mas Petra. (*Bio) A woman who always always took her patient time when pinning up her lavish blue hair. Mm. No matter what planet she was on.

Anna gave a sigh and rearranged her thick fur shawl. Looking quite lovely herself and ready for the day. Peering out from the cabin's hearty wooden doorway and towards the courtyard beyond. It was only her seventh day onworld. Poo. She sure didn't want to be late to the party.

___

 

[Micah tol Powl]

Snow and ice were a Pantoran's favorite things.

Unfortunately, he appeared to be alone in that opinion, as he'd been bitten twice. And that was just this morning. Suffice to say, one did not own an amphistaff without either equipping themselves with anti-venom or gradually developing resistances based on the frequency with which they were exposed to poisons by their own pet. For her part, the amphistaff from the desert world of Sernpidall was coiled in front of the hearth fire and seemingly eager for any opportunity to voice her displeasure at the chosen destination. The first time she'd bitten him, it had been because he'd tried to take her out of the cottage. The second had been when he'd let the fire burn out.

For all the fear-mongering about how the Vong-formed creatures had become invasive species on many worlds, the reality that Boo had discovered about the biots of the Yuuzhan Vong was that they were all spoiled divas.

Maybe he should have left Azi at home, on Voss, except he wasn't sure who was going to amphistaff-sit for him. There was Theo, but Boo kinda imagined [member="Coci Heavenshield"] might not very keen on that idea. And the last time he'd tried to put the staff in a kennel, she'd nearly killed the veterinarian.

...then there was this whole court thing, and now Boo was banned from entering about twelve parsecs around the Raioballo Sector. Not something he cared to repeat.

The boy was still rubbing the spot in his arm where two puncture wounds were visible. He'd bandaged it -- and re-bandaged it -- but the venom was still effective at inhibiting some of the body's clotting defensive mechanism. The other time, she'd just managed to catch the skin of his hand; which was barely a scratch. When the fire had gone out though? That had been one royally pissed off snake.

He'd hit himself with the anti-venom, just to be safe, and wasn't feeling the worst of it. But the gurgling in his gut told him that he probably ought to get something into his stomach with that much neuro-toxic pharmaceutical fun circulating around in his veins. He kinda felt like something in his stomach might help keep him from hurling... but at the same time, he kinda felt like throwing up might actually be the lesser of two evils.

What a way to start a morning.

Coming out of his cabin, the boy stood just outside the doorway. He was dressed the way most would have for the fall. Light jacket. No hood. No gloves. He had snow boots on, but that was just to try and keep his footing. He was from Coruscant, but the feel of the icy air cutting through his body... the sensation invoked an ancestral peace. A tranquility that suggested he'd come home.

...now, if this was home, which way was the food?

[member="Anna Song"] | [member="Ikki Ike"]​

 

[Ikki Ike]

[member="Boo Chiyo"] [member="Anna Song"]

There were sounds all around her, Ikki had arrived on the planet and been discovered by the native creatures. The undead while she stood there in the maid outfit and the golden circlet was on her ankle protecting from the snow and cold. She couldn't feel the bite of it but she didn't want to feel the bite of their teeth while they were coming around her. Slowly the tips of her gloves as the wire came out and she stood there calmly and focused with her hands going to the front of her body as something twanged plopping into the snow. The gleam of the wires while she moved her hands slicing into and through the ones with the special wire before she was moving and there were some bodies. She had a look on her face while adjusting her head piece to give her the serene look befre she started walking towards some of the settlements on the planet to meet up with the other jedi. Her sense of direction nice and strong.

 

[Anna Song]

Food!

A pack of little girls ran past Anna's door. Each one holding a sweet roll in their happy paws. Oh my! It did appear there were baked goods being presented out in the courtyard. Apprentice Song simply had to have one,

"Mas I think I can see a honey cart so I'm going out early! See you soon! Bye!"

She scampered away from the door with a happy jump. Leaving poor Knight Petra to fumble with her hairbrush,

"Okay dear, have... Wait, Anna! Not so fast. Ooo... That girl. I swear. More saltwater than brains between her ears some days. Poo."

The Jedi Knight frowned and went back to touching up her perfect blue hair. Vanity being something a weakness for the beautiful red-skinned woman. Anna would just have to adventure out into the chilly air by herself for awhile. Hmph.

"Bah. What am I saying. The girl will be fine. After all? I did train her myself. Mm."

Mas peered closer to the mirror as the noise from outside filtered in through the windows. Anna came skipping down the cottages outer steps and skidded to a icy stop in the middle of the courtyard. Noting the presence of two young women who were selling their baked goods to the visitors this morning. Yum! So Anna grabbed a new smile and dashed off to catch them. Somewhat oblivious that others might have had the same idea as well.

[member="Ikki Ike"] , [member="Boo Chiyo"]​

 

[Micah tol Powl]

He'd been here twice before, and never realized...

Midvinter was actually quite nice.

You know, when there were not undead hordes or crowds of Jedi everywhere. Not that there was anything wrong with that... Well, undead hordes, that... that there was a lot wrong with. But, the Jedi? The Jedi were just something that the boy was getting used to. But up here, in the mountains, the fresh snow, the clean air...

Suddenly nothing else mattered.

Except food, that is. On that note, as the honey cart went rolling by, the young Pantoran casually strolled toward it. As he did, the violet-haired youth realized there was another prospective customer making the approach like it was Beggar's Canyon, and coming in fast. Two steps back avoided a collision, and the meek youth politely queued up in the line for the cart behind the blonde woman now in front of him.

Not wanting to be impolite -- they had, after all, nearly met just now -- the boy casually offered, "Good morning," as he waited in line with her.

[member="Anna Song"] | [member="Ikki Ike"]​

 

[Ikki Ike]

[member="Boo Chiyo"] [member="Anna Song"]

Ikki saw it in the distance as she was moving in the snow with a look on her face while she was seeing a cart moving in the distance with her hands remaining clasped. She hadn't encountered anymore things to fight but she had been working with some of the more dangerous creatures but now was surrounded by all these tall people. She raised an eyebrow while moving with some of her attention on a few of the things. She looked at a cart and there was a jedi... well she was guessing. There were not many short blue people on a world full of tall pale skinned people with muscle as one lifted her up and she gasped. "Let me down let me down let me down."

 

[Anna Song]

Anna pounced at the chance to stand in line for a sugar filled breakfast. She didn't even feel bad about edging in past [member="Boo Chiyo"] . Survival of the fittest after all. Sweet rolls are to die for.

"Oh?" So she was bit surprised when he said hello, "...Um. Hi there. Good morning to you too. Hehe. Sorry about skidding right past you there. Hungry, ya know."

She gave a quick cough to think,

"Um. So. You... You don't look like a local? Sh'maybe??"

She couldn't have been more lost. Especially when a large male nordling came waltzing right up to [member="Ikki Ike"] and swooped her off the ground. Oh! Maybe he needed a maid to go with his new house? Or, ...something??

 

[Micah tol Powl]

The Pantoran seemed to think about that question.

A local? "Hmmmm," the child mused a loud. That could be a complicated question, considering he was from Coruscant. Not a popular place in the galaxy right now. He had a dorm room on Oswaft Station, which wasn't far from Midvinter. And he was a member of the Sanctum, and that was local. "Depends on your definition of 'local,'" the Pantoran decided finally.

At the sound of a gasp, the boy's head turned.

...then tilted to the side.

Someone was holding up a...

Well, he supposed it was a girl.

Or a woman. She looked older than he was, so that was probably qualifying for 'woman' vice 'girl'. Was there an imperial definition that distinguished the use of one versus the other? Some social demarcation he was unfamiliar with?

...oh heck, let's just split the middle and say, someone was holding up a random broad.

Who was also dressed like... Something. "Why is she dressed like that?" the boy finally asked, thoroughly confused. Of course, adults did strange, strange, straaaaaange things. Especially between men and women. So he was kinda glad he had no idea.

[member="Anna Song"] | [member="Ikki Ike"]​

 

[Ikki Ike]

[member="Anna Song"] [member="Boo Chiyo"]

Ikki felt a large beard brushing against her face while she was held there seeing two who did not look like the locals as she was put down and the small atrisian stood there for a moment looking at them. Her anklet still on as it radiated the tapas shield to keep her warm in the harshest snow storms. She looked up with black pools at the two talking as she bowed her head and moved away from the large locals with sacks of drink she could smell from them before she moved using her small size and stood opposite the boy with blue skin. He was taller then her as he looked like a boy while she was just past being a teenager offering a smile. "The locals are very friendly."

 

[Anna Song]

Anna's head tilted to the side as Boo asked about the woman's clothing. Her eyes seemed confused at the obvious question. It was clearly a fashion thing. Mostly. Probably. Sorta.

Anyway, the giant put the tiny person down and then wandered away. His curiosity must have been satiated by simply lifting the unique woman. Perhaps he simply wondered how much she weighed. Well enough. Now that [member="Ikki Ike"] had finally approached them, they might soon get some answers. Anna returned her attention to the sweet cart and ordered her breakfast. Paying in whatever trinkets the local population used for currency. Then she returned to [member="Boo Chiyo"] 's side to ask more questions.

Starting with Ikki's comment,

"Hello. And yes. That one certainly took a liking to you, didn't he? Hehe. So um... Are you? Erm. ...Are you here for a sweet roll too?"

It was the obvious question to start.

 

[Micah tol Powl]

As the Melodie turned her attention to the...

...was that a maid outfit? The lack of winter clothing really made no sense.

At least, not until the boy spied the circlet around the woman's ankle. It was a Sasori device. One that he was familiar with, and had in his possession. Albeit, not with him or on him at the time. He liked the cold. He just used the survival circlet, which he wore as a choker, in Type II atmospheres that were not 'Pantoran compatible.'

It was Force device. Which meant that the woman had some level of skill in using it in order to power the mechanism.

All of this, the young, former spy noted to himself. Curiouser and curiouser. Turning, the boy plopped down a handful of local peggats and motioned for a sweet roll.

[member="Anna Song"] | [member="Ikki Ike"]​

 

[Ikki Ike]

[member="Boo Chiyo"] [member="Anna Song"]

She was looking at the two of them and then there were the sweetrolls as the small apprentice bowed her head getting one of the sweet rolls while she moved into place with them. "I am Ikki Ike, maid within the gold temple and possible padawan to master Kei Amadis." She bowed her head a little while eating and speaking in a soft voice barely above a whisper while her small size made her look more like a child. The scars and cuts from Felicity where the young princess and her had brutalized each other falling down stairs, through windows and off a waterfall on Naboo well they were healed but still white against the honey brown skin. "I am sorry, I do not remember your names."

 

[Anna Song]

The courtyard was familiar with visitors from other worlds. This was where the concentrated every morning and night, after all. So if [member="Ikki Ike"] was dressed funny or sounded quite foreign, well... Anna didn't mind. Everyone is an alien to a Melodie anyway.

"Oh. Introductions then?"

She sounded a bit surprised but carried on none the less,

"Okay. Well. Good morning. ...I'm Anna. And like many of us staying here, I'm not from this sphere. I'm from Voss. An Apprentice. Like you."

Song turned to [member="Boo Chiyo"] and gave a shrug. I guess introductions it was? She gave a pout of her lips and a wave of her hand. I guess that meant he could introduce himself too. Ya know. If he felt like it.

 

[Micah tol Powl]

"Mmmmmph?"

The wave of Anna's hand was met by a perplexed look on the part of the youngling. Half a sweet roll was jutting out from his face, as the boy appeared to have attempted to take on the glazed beast with one bite. Sticking fingers wagged in the air, as the icing-coating tween finally took a chuck out of the hot, sticky bun and proceeded to attempt to free his tongue.

Just what was he supposed to say at these things anyway? Hi, I'm Boo. I'm from Coruscant. Yeah, I'm... I'm down with the Sithness.

This? This right here? This was why he never talked.

Swallowing, the boy gasped as his mouth emerged victorious from the mortal combat of breakfast. "Boo," the boy supplied finally. "I'm from Laekia."

Okay, so that was technically a lie. But he was a registered denizen of Oswaft Station, so he was kinda-sorta from Laekia. In a 'that's just where I go to school' sort of way. That totally counted, right?

Plus, who talked when there were sweet rolls? Not waiting for more conversation, the boy shoveled the behemoth bearclaw back into his mouth.

[member="Anna Song"] | [member="Ikki Ike"]​

 

[Ikki Ike]

[member="Anna Song"] [member="Boo Chiyo"]

Ikki was looking at Boo and listening while Anna spoke, her sweetroll bigger then her hand but it was delicious and she wasn't paying attention to truth or lies. Why would they need to lie where they came from after all and she was wondering what the plan was for them to do here? They could find a lot of things on a world like this but there wasn't much to do and she knew many people didn't always enjoy the cold, or zombies or mixture of both.... Or questions. She had a lot of questions but there had to be something while she continued to eat and looked towards the tallest person in the group.

 

[Anna Song]

Anna's eyes flickered between the two beings who stood before her. They were so... Awkward. Her fishy eyelids blinking many times in strange patterns. Trying desperately to make sense of it all. Thank goodness somebody else arrived to break the silence. Otherwise Anna would have probably just darted for the nearest bathroom.

"Hello hello"

Mas Petra appeared at her Apprentice's side. Her blue Zelosian hair being perfect, as usual. The tall woman smiled at the group and eyed the sweet rolls indeed.

"Well well. It does appear a good morning to all. Hello and hello. ...Anna? Would you mind introducing me to your friends?"

Friends, Anna gasped? She didn't know these people. They had just gathered because breakfast sugar was amazing. They weren't friends. ...Still. Anna gave a sigh and decided to make the most of it.

"Yes Master Petra. This is Boo. ...And this is Ikki Ike. An apprentice."

Waving at hand to all present. Mas nodded in kind. Giving a soft bow to each in turn.

"Hello Boo. Hello Apprentice Ike. Wonderful to meet you."

Petra wrapped her dark leathers and furs about her with a twist of her wrist. Ready to begin again.

"So Anna? Shall your friends be accompanying us to the Shrine of the Maidens today? Off to see the ladies fight I assume. Hehe."

Song grew wide in her eyes and spun about in confusion. Not sure of what to say next,

"I... Um... Well..."

Unsure of how to reply, Anna simply gesture to [member="Ikki Ike"] and [member="Boo Chiyo"] to answer for and of themselves.

 

[Micah tol Powl]

More people.

Much talking. Not nearly enough enjoying of the sweet roll. Where was the justice? Where these people priorities? And why did everybody wait until he'd taken a giant bite of bearclaw to ask him a question?

Shut the feth up. Eat breakfast.

How hard was this? Even Sith understood this.

Swallowing down the last of the honey bun, which had disappeared in a remarkably short amount of time, the youngling said, "I'm headed that way." Shrine of the Maidens... not so much his thing. Ask him again in another year or so.

"I'm going snowboarding, and the mountain near the shrine is supposed to be sweet as!" the boy offered, with a bright smile.

Snow was a Pantoran's best friend.

[member="Anna Song"] | [member="Ikki Ike"]​

 

[Ikki Ike]

[member="Boo Chiyo"] [member="Anna Song"]

Ikki was listening to the master and to some of the others while she was letting some of her thoughts go to what they could do. Seeing fights and choosing to snowboard were... things one could do she was certain and wasn't opposed to either but she was certain she could find something fun to do while standing there and taking some more interest in the wall suddenly. "Ah I am fine with doing anything." She said it softly but kept eating the sweet roll while standing next to the boy and looking at the padawan with her master. Curious and cusious but not to much her job to clean up after.... Hey maybe they would not run into zombies.

 

[Anna Song]

Petra raised an eyebrow at Anna's company. It did appear they all had different thoughts about what they would being today. Ah well. Good enough. The red-skinned woman simply shrugged,

"Well. I suppose it's back to business then. Wish your new friends goodbye Anna. Then we must be off."

Anna grabbed a napkin and began struggling with her hands. Still a bit unnerved by how the morning was progressing so quickly. Especially in such strange company.

"Very well. ...Erm. Good luck you two. I hope you enjoy your visit to Midvinter as well."

And with that Anna and her Master returned to their cottage. They had a very busy season ahead of them too.

___

[member="Ikki Ike"] , [member="Boo Chiyo"]

*end thread*