Bad hair day

[Vexen]

Nose twitching in excitement, Ipsy scurried through the door of the cantina. A steady pitter-patter of droplets streamed through her muddy fur and onto the floor. Her large ears pressed flat against her head as she paused, taking in the gloomy interior.

It was so different from the stormy outside she'd just been exploring. People and creatures of so many species lounged within the building, their stories seeming to hover, patiently waiting to be discovered by the tiny Amaran. She began to shake off, only to notice someone sitting in the splash zone. Behind him, a path seemed to open, beckoning her toward the bar and the possibility of a meal. She'd already eaten her collection of squirmies and scalies, and the newest shipment wasn't due for another week.

No matter, Ipsy thought, yipping quietly as she remembered cantinas sometimes serve cactus juice. Stooping her head, the fox began the meticulous task of straightening her fur. She then scampered to the bar, tail wagging at the thought of some prickly pear. A small trail of water marked her progress. Maybe the bartender even had a wiggly treat or two, she thought. It couldn't hurt for her to ask.

[member="Ipsy"]

"I like your ears," came a soft complement. Normally Vexen was little more than a dark silhouette. However, she had also braved the storm outside and the moisture still glistened in her fur. It was, perhaps, an odd thing to say. Sat at the bar with a tub of juice before her, Vexen had surreptitiously watched her fellow canine shake herself down and had admired her long, sharp ears.

Rather than live worms Vexen had a small bowl of toasted treats on the bar in front of her. She didn't actually know what the usual diet was for her species, because she had never known another. There were just vague shapes, memories that shifted and changed when she focused on them. Only a familiar smell, similar to her own but subtly different, was clear as far as memories of other wraiths went.

Instead she had lived off scraps for the first decade of her life and then eaten whatever Micah had provided. After such a poor diet she was a little too fond of anything with a high sugar. Bright white eyes in that inky visage glanced back at the swishing tail. She didn't have a tail either. And almost no one could see the glorious stripes in her fur unless they could see in ultraviolet or had a powerful darklight to make them re-emit in the visible band of the spectrum and greens and yellows. Vexen sighed.

 

[Ipsy]

[member="Vexen"]

Ipsy looked up at the words, her eyes wide. "Thank you ever so much," she chirped, taking in the inky figure. "The rain has made your coat glisten beautifully. I bet it's perfect for exploratories."

Continuing her perusal, the Amaran noticed her new companion's bowl of treats. Her tail thumped in pleasure. "Wherever did you get those toasted squirmies? Do they sell them here? I'm Ipsy, by the way. What about you? What do you like to be called?"

As she waited for a response, Ipsy looked toward the bar and extended a paw. The movement drew her gaze toward a collection of brown goo marring her tawny fur. Flustered at having presented herself in such a way, the tiny fox began to brush away the offending mud. "I must look like a mess with so much gloop covering me. I'm afraid it's a byproduct of my day inside some nearby caves. It's one of my favorite pastimes."

 

[Vexen]

[member="Ipsy"]

Vexen didn't have a tail, but if she did it would have been wagging. Even when she had lived on the streets she had done her best to keep her fur in good condition. Her brush had been her most treasured possession. When Micah had found her and brought him back to his family home he had even made her an imbued one. Comments on her appearance were normally reserved to murmurs of apprehension or downright offensive.

"If you can see in ultraviolet or if someone had a lamp you could see my stripes," she added, keen not to go too far from the rare discussion topic of how nice her fur looked. "My friend likes to go hunting in dark muddy caves to find Force artefacts, so I understand."

She slid the bowl over towards Ipsy. "Help yourself, I'm Vexen. More snacks down behind the bar."

 

[Ipsy]

Finished with her ministrations, the now clean Amaran reached into the bowl.

"I would love to see them," she said as she delicately scooped a few morsels into her mouth. "I can see see quite well in the darkness, but I wonder if anyone has a lamp we could use for you to show me. I've never met anyone with fur the color of yours. Do you typically help your friend look for the artifacts? You should both join me on my exploratories in the nearby caves. It would be ever so much fun to have someone come along."

The bartender reached the duo as Ipsy spoke. Her words were punctuated by the tap tap tap of his foot as he waited for her to finish speaking. Finally, he interrupted, his gruff voice drowning out her exclamations over the taste of her snack.

"Yes, fox, whattaya want? I don't got all day to listen to yer yappin'. I gots mouths to feed, and it looks like yers is already full."

Unperturbed, Ipsy smiled at the Kotal. "I apologize for taking up your time, Kilf. I've just been getting to know someone new. Do you have any cactus juice? Or maybe whole pieces of a cactus? I would also like a lamp if you have one so I can see my new friend's stripy fur. Look, doesn't the rainwater make her coat sparkle?"

Kilf grunted, then inclined his head. When he replied, his voice was slightly less curt. "I'll see what I can do, wee one. Just don't go talkin' the ears off me payin' customers. They needs to eat too." Nodding toward [member="Vexen"], he turned and began lumbering to the other side of the bar. Ipsy returned her attention to Vexen. "How long will you and your friend be here? I could show you so many interesting places that seem almost forgotten. They're some of my favorites that I've ever been to."

 

[Vexen]

[member="Ipsy"]

The other canine seems to bound between thoughts like a lepi. Micah had once described her like that but it had been in reference to her bouncing around the sparring room floor rather than between topics of conversation.

"Erm, Kilf, it needs to be a black light?" Vexen called after him. This would be embarrassing if he didn't. She'd talked about how nice her stripes looked and Ipsy had clearly been enthusiastic about the idea.

"Alright."

"You...Keep a blacklight?" Vexen asked, raising one eyebrow.

The bartender didn't reply. Someone further down the bar chuckled. Vexen's ears half flattened. This world was in mandalorian territory and the settlements that had sprung up around the temples were not always the nicest areas. She had a very clear mental image of the bartender directing one of the kitchen hands with his blacklight to mop up after a bloody fight.

"Erm..." What had she asked again? "Oh Micah isn't here at the moment. I've been at the temple for a bit doing some learning with Jedi. It gets a little boring thought. I could come see some places."

Kilf sauntered back over to them and slapped a mug of juice and a blacklight down. The lamp was a tube nearly a foot long with a hand grip.

"Three credits," he grunted.

 

[Ipsy]

[member="Vexen"] (OOC: I'll be able to respond much more quickly now, so if you don't see a response within an hour of you posting, feel free to yell at me through Josh! )

A long fluffy tail twitched behind the curious Amaran. Quivers of her small frame punctuated each movement of the beige streak as she relived the adventures she so adored. With the thought of embarking on another, a frisson of anticipation ran down her spine, the feeling a welcome friend that she greeted with warmness.

"Great," Ipsy yipped. "I can't wait. my friend Kelban hasn't felt up to joining me lately, so I'd be glad to have some company."

Ipsy paid Kilf for the drink and black light, then reached toward the mug of juice and brought it to her lips.

"Yum!," she exclaimed after draining half of the contents. Drops of the prickly plant's liquid dripped from her snout. "The cool taste of cacti always brings me home. Between this deliciousness and squirmies, I can never get enough." As she spoke, the vulpine palmed the black light. "Do you have any foods you really enjoy? I'd love to swap recipes after I see your stripes."

 

[Vexen]

[member="Ipsy"]

There was a confidence to the amaran that greatly endeared her to Vexen. It was the easy, outgoing nature that almost made Vexen feel more alive just be being around it. Some of the other patrons were less enamoured with the bold, rapid fire statements from Ipsy. The gran on the far side left his stool and went to find a quiet corner for nursing his ale.

Vexen felt ashamed at herself for the little twinge of jealousy she felt. She was curious too, but quiet, nervous and reserved. Everyone was a creature defined by their genetics and upbringing. Vexen was no different. She hadn't had an early childhood going on grand adventures with friends. She had been quite alone for ten years, stealing scraps when people weren't looking. Years of travelling with Micah had slowly changed ingrained behaviours. After all she was here alone and talking to a stranger. That was vast progress.

"Yeah we can do that. Might keep me from thinkin' on why Kilf has a blacklight so much."

Vexen put the light on the table and flicked it on. She needed to move quite close for the fluorescence to become visible. Her nose was almost on the bar. Most of her fur was still an inky black under the lamp. Not a regular black, but an impossible black that absorbed all light. But suddenly there were visible stripes as photos were remitted at a longer wavelength. Faint, dark green and yellow stripes that ran down the length of her muzzle.

 

[Ipsy]

"Great," Ipsy said, then paused. Her muzzle crinkled in distaste. She didn't want to reflect on the black light's existence, either. Doing so brought her back to the time she had fallen into a pile of manure while crawling through a wampa cave. It had taken her weeks to get the smell out of her fur, and even then, residue was still visible under one of the lights. Kelban had never let her live down that slip.

"I'd enjoy sharing foods as well. Thinking too deeply on the matter gives me the crawlies, and they aren't the kind you nom on."

Ipsy noticed the gran's retreat, but she wasn't upset. There would always be time to befriend the male some other time. For now, she was focused on the newfound friendship of her fellow canine.

[member="Vexen"] drew close to the light, and she couldn't help but stare.

"Your fur is incredible," she breathed. "Thank you for sharing it with me. I bet the colors are so vibrant when you're covered in ultraviolet. Do you do anything special to make it that shiny?"

 

[Vexen]

[member="Ipsy"]

Vexen couldn't blush, but he fur could bristle with embarassment. "People don't get to see it much," she said quietly. "But you need a sonic at just the right frequency. And then... well Micah can make all kinds of things right. Things with the Force.

"He made me a brush that keeps it really nice and soft. Bit of a silly thing really I suppose. Almost no one can see it and I spend a bit too much time worrying I suppose."

She was aware of the fact that she was repeating herself, but people didn't tend to ask her questions like these.

"I've always quite liked the way Micah makes bacon and eggs," she offered.

 

[Ipsy]

[member="Vexen"]

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Ipsy said with a smile. “My mama always said the most important things in life are friends, family, and yourself. You should never be afraid to take care of your needs, especially if it means keeping your coat nice and shiny.”

Her sable eyes grew dreamy as she remembered her pack. “When my friend Kelban and I were little, we would always spend much of our time exploring. And whenever I came home for dinner, my mama would say ‘a clean fox is a healthy fox,’ and then she’d make me clean my coat until it was nice and shiny. You aren’t a fox, but I think it would still apply to you.”

The tiny vulpine shifted as a feeling of embarrassment briefly washed over her. She hoped her new friend didn’t think her too odd. It sometimes took a while for people to get used to her conversations, but she endeavored to make them as enjoyable as possible for whomever she encountered.

“How do you like your eggs? I often like to eat mine raw, but I’ve also become partial to having them sunny side up. I don’t think I’ve ever had a chance to try bacon. Papa usually hunted food like rodents and locusts for us. We never had a lot of exotic foods.”

 

[Vexen]

[member="Ipsy"]

"Scrambled," Vexen replied quickly. Then her eyes widened. That was a silly thing to do. Even in the gloomy bar opening her eyes wide left them stinging from the light. She brought up both paws to rub them.

"How can you not have had bacon before?" She asked incredulously as she rubbed. "'Scuse me," Vexen added, pulling her goggles from her bag and strapping them over her head and under her ears. It had been a silly thing to take them off, but it was nice to be without them for a time. If they went somewhere dark underground she could probably enjoy being without them for a while again.

Friends and family first. Vexen idly wondered what her life would have been like if she'd had either in the first ten years of her life. Though perhaps she had known some in her earliest years.

"Might have some at the temple. Ever bin in there?"

 

[Ipsy]

[member="Vexen"]

The tiny padawan's nose scrunched in thought.

"I think I just never had the opportunity to taste it. My parents taught me to save my coin and to keep luxuries as luxuries, so the thought of trying bacon hasn't ever crossed my mind. Is it a supremely scrumptious treat? I wouldn't mind trying it if I could give the leftovers to someone if I don't enjoy the taste. I wonder if Kilf would make us some eggs and bacon if we asked him to."

Raising her paw, Ipsy attempted to recapture the bartender's attention. She wasn't positive that he'd be willing to cook for them, but she liked the brute and enjoyed talking to him whenever she had the chance--even if he pretended their conversations inconvenienced him. However, Ipsy ignored his sour moods because she knew he liked her. His tusk cat Gordo had told her so.

Her tail swished in amusement as she responded to her companion.

"Not today. That was actually my next stop after my exploratories, but I got caught in the rain and decided a nice den or building would be nicer than letting my fur get soaked. What about you? If Kilf doesn't have any noms, would you want to go ask around at the temple?"

 

[Vexen]

[member="Ipsy"]

"Oh there's always someone who will finish off leftover bacon," Vexen replied. "Normally me," she added quietly in an abashed tone. Once Micah had retrieved her from an ithorian herdship she had gone from food being remarkably scarce and an active lifestyle to becoming quite sedentary and having as much food as she could eat. She had become quite squishy around the middle before deciding she needed to take action.

"The temple has a kitchen, but the cafes around here in the port tend to do better grub," Vexen said after a moment's thought. "I think a lot of those Jedi just eat like salad and stuff to show their discipline."

Vexen was easily influenced by Micah's views. His own mother had bee a Jedi, but it was Aela who seemed to have taken to the more strict code of the Jedi Order. Micah was more of an explorer who used the Force to do good where he thought it could be done. Vexen liked that, liked the freedom of travelling with him instead of being told what to do, where to go.

"Yes?" Kilf asked testily, having reached their end of the bar. He was wiping down a glass with a towel. Vexen thought that given the state and smell of the towel it was more likely to be making the glass dirtier than cleaning it.

 

[Ipsy]

[member="Vexen"]

"I will be sure to give you my leftovers then, Vexen. It's always a memorable experience to share someone's favorite deliciousness with them. You get to learn so much about who they are."

Ipsy turned her attention to the glaring barkeep.

"Kilf, do you have any bacon or eggs?" Ipsy stood upright on her stool and leaned toward the Kotal, delicately placing her forepaws on the countertop. Her hind feet seemed to dance over the seat's wooden surface, punctuating each word, her small form unable to contain her sheer amount of energy.

"I've never tried bacon, and Vexen was just telling me how yummy it. Gordo might even like some. I wouldn't mind sharing with him. He could maybe even accompany Vexen and me when we do some exploratories today. What do you think?"

Midway through her musings, the vulpine became entranced with the rough routine Kilf was using to clean the glass he held.

'Swipe the inside of the glass' 'Dip the towel into a bucket at his feet' 'Swipe the outside of the glass' 'Inspect his handiwork' 'Repeat'

'Swipe' 'Dip' 'Swipe' 'Inspect' 'Repeat'

Ipsy grimaced. She wasn't sure how often Kilf rinsed out the bucket, but Koldo said it had been a while. Ignoring the lump in her throat, Ipsy gingerly reached a paw toward the barkeep.

"I wouldn't mind helping you clean up if you're worried about extra work."

'Swipe' 'Dip' 'Swipe' 'Inspect' 'Repeat'

Kilf continued his task, only pausing his protracted stare to inspect the glass. He didn't respond.

"Poppa always told me not to leave messes, and I don't want to infringe on your hospitality. You've been ever so nice to me. You and Gordo both."

The Amaran's squirms grew in proportion to the bartender's prolonged silence. Finally, though, Kilf grunted. After a nearly imperceptible tilt of his head, he set the cup and towel on the counter and walked into a back room. He returned a few moments later with packages of bacon and eggs in his arms.

"How do you want your eggs," he asked.

 

[Vexen]

[member="Ipsy"]

Vexen had been relatively certain that the barman was just going to ignore the amaran until she gave up. However, it seemed that Ipsy didn't give up easily. Vexen would have, she knew. After the first attempt she would have given up a perceived lost cause and retreated to another bar or more likely have returned to her room within the praxeum.

The defel had only been confident enough to go out into society without Micah for a few years now and she was close to fourteen years old. She didn't quite know her age, but it was around that many years. Certainly she hadn't quite finished growing yet.

Ipsy had an energy she wished she could replicate. An enthusiasm for life. She was polite, but not afraid to keep talking in the face of stoic silence. Maybe she wouldn't want to be quite as talkative as the orange and white amaran, but maybe, she reflected, she could manage more than a few quiet words with strangers. Maybe if she was more outgoing people would be less tentative about her appearance.

Vexen eyed the glass as the bartended left. Her nose moved a few inches closer and twitched from side to side before she recoiled. Whatever was in that bucket did not smell like cleaning solution. It smelled like... everything. Everything all at once, but not in a good way.

"Scrambled for me please," she replied to Kilf. "So where are we going to go then?" Vexen asked Ipsy, trying to sound more enthusiastic in return. Partially it was a deliberate change, but she found her demeanour infectious.

 

[Ipsy]

[member="Vexen"]

Ipsy hopped into the air, barely containing her excited yips when Kilf returned with the food. She had a feeling he'd stop cooking if she became too exuberant.

"Thank you Kilf! You're ever so incredible. Gordo always speaks so highly of you--the mice do too. They like to tell me every time you leave out bits of cheese and crackers for them at night." Ipsy paused to draw a breath, then launched back into her monologue. "I'll have my eggs sunnyside up, please. I like to keep my yolk kind of raw. Of course, raw eggs are always good too, but sunnyside up is a special kind of yummy."

The barkeep expression turned pained as the Amaran rattled off her order. He enjoyed the little one's company, if not for himself, then for Gordo. He didn't know how the tiny fox and the tusk cat spoke, but he figured she had some type of force power that allowed her to do so. She was always running every which way in search of things to do and people to talk to. It could be off-putting to customers. Sighing, he moved to complete her order.

"Yea, wee one, you'll get yer eggs and cured pork, but that'll be the last of it. I can't be waitin' on ye hand n' foot when I've gots more payin' customers to worry about. Gordo can join ye, if he wills it. I'll not be stoppin' the furball from rompin' with ye."

This time, Ipsy couldn't contain her yips. She couldn't wait to introduce Gordo to her new friend. Vexen might not be able to understand him, since he was a cat, but she was sure they'd still get along without trouble.

"I was thinking we could go explore some caves I found nearby. The rain seems to be letting up, and there will be all sorts of new things to see because of the water. What do you say? Would you want to go after we eat? I can show the way."

 

[Vexen]

[member="Ipsy"]

Vexen's ears turned like saucers towards the sound of a pan sizzling.

"You're going to break that stool!" she laughed. It wasn't like a human laugh, it was raw and throaty. "I think I've just abou' dried up now. I'd love to go exploring."

Vexen knew she felt that way now, but there was a good chance she'd had to push herself up out of her chair after eating. A nice bit of bacon and eggs tended to make her feel sleepy, but then full of energy after a little while. She idly brushed at her fur. The thick coat was still damp, but there was a difference for her between wet and wet. When she'd been out in the storm the slanted downpour had soaked her right through. She wasn't large and could get very cold when her fur was wet through.

Her nose twitched as the scent of cooking meat reached it.

"So who is Gordo?" she asked.

 

[Ipsy]

[member="Vexen"]

Nose twitching, Ipsy settled her haunches on the stool and licked her chops.

"It smells delicious, does it not? Kilf is an incredible cook under all that gruffness."

She sniffed the air, then patted her fur.

"I believe I've dried off too, which is surprising. My coat does ever like to hold moisture for as long as possible. And I apologize for any confusion you may have been feeling! Gordo is Kilf's tusk cat. He's the bread to Kilf's butter, in a way. The two are rarely separated for long."

Ipsy smiled, thinking of the feline's tendency to hide around corners and pounce on Kilf throughout the day. The kotal usually knew his pet was nearby, but always pretended to be startled when Gordo jumped out.

"Gordo is one of the happiest tusk cats I've ever met. He's always up for adventure. My force powers allow me to communicate with species like him that aren't typically capable of speech. Of course, they all have their languages. They're just unable to form the words you and I are speaking. But don't worry about not being able to understand him. I'm certain the two of you will become as fast friends as you and I."

As Ipsy spoke, a lean figure slinked from the same room Kilf had brought food from a few moments before. It moved with a lethal grace, and two large tusks hung from its lower jaw. Kilf faced the sizzling pan, so the feline as it sank onto its haunches and leaped toward him.

"Mraaaooowww!!"

The cat landed on Kilf's back with a soft thud, then began nuzzling and licking the Kotal's face and horns. Without pausing in his cooking, Kilf reached back with one hand and roughly scratched behind its ears. Loud purrs began to emanate from the tusk cat.

"That," Ipsy said, pointing, "Is Gordo."

 

[Vexen]

[member="Ipsy"]

"He's definitely got a lot of gruff. Enough to hide a lot of stuff," Vexen murmured. The tusk cat could have happily curled up and taken an entire table in the bar. It seemed a content thing from its behaviour.

Often Vexen had seen such animals poorly treated. But despite his demeanour she could tell Kilf wasn't the kind to mistreat an animal. Vexen had met people who saw her as less than an animal, who had been willing to treat her badly.

Vexen had questions. Several of them. "So, do different kinds of animals think in different ways? Do you know how to do many other things in the Force?"

 

[Ipsy]

[member="Vexen"]

A chitter escaped Ipsy at her friend's inadvertent rhyme. She enjoyed the little parts of conversations, especially when their humorous aspects were unintentional. It was always intriguing to note the subtle flairs each individual seasoned their words with. She and Kelban had often ignored sleep to stay up past daylight and guess individuals' backgrounds from their favored sayings. Those musings had helped her grow into an empathetic Amaran with an open personality and a heart geared toward friendship.

"Their thinking can be different," she said to Vexen. "It differs based on each species' culture, upbringing and various experiences. And it's also important to remember that no two individuals think the same anyway, regardless of whether they had the same upbringing. Even if we look at a situation and come to the same conclusion, the means by which we reached that conclusion are likely much different. That's what I love about meeting new people. Everyone is so diverse, and there is always something to learn from their thoughts and feelings."

As she spoke, Ipsy's voice filled with passion. Her small frame grew still, and the only movement was her tail swish--swishing behind her.

"I'm fascinated by the worlds around us. Everything we experience, we perceive differently from everyone else. No two impressions are the same. It's in that passion that my force powers come into play. I've told you I can communicate with animals, but I'm also able to perceive the ups and downs of individuals' emotions. It's humbling because no matter how much you read or speak to others, you can always learn more."

Ipsy paused, reflecting.

"I'm also able to do use some basic powers, but I'm obviously still learning. For now, those are the specializations I've discovered in my force sensitivity. What about you, Vexen? Have you learned your specializations?"