Faction Evening on Veradune | United Protectorate of Sovereign Systems

[Seo Linn]

Seo had expected the kiss to answer the question hanging between them. Instead, the expression on Dalvos's face when she drew back made her want to laugh and kiss him all over again. There was something wonderfully endearing about watching a man who could apparently talk his way through criminal ports, Sith territory, and whatever questionable negotiations his work required suddenly lose possession of nearly every useful word in his vocabulary. Her arms remained comfortably around his shoulders, making no immediate effort to retreat from the circle of his hands at her waist.

His request for further clarification drew a quiet laugh from her, warm enough that there was no mistaking her answer. "I thought I was reasonably clear," Seo murmured, her gold eyes lingering upon his. The admission she had made before kissing him had been deliberate. She liked him. She was attracted to him. More importantly, she wanted to find out what might grow from the unexpected connection they had stumbled into during their first meeting. Seo had never understood the value in pretending she did not feel something simply because acknowledging it made life more complicated.

Still, the almost hopeful way he looked between her eyes and lips made denying him seem needlessly cruel. Seo's fingers slipped lightly into the platinum hair at the back of his head, and she leaned closer until barely any space remained between them. "But if you require additional evidence for your investigation..." Her smile deepened, amusement dancing openly through her expression. "I suppose I can be thorough."

She kissed him again.

This time there was none of the tentative discovery of the first. Seo already knew he wanted her there, and she knew exactly what she wanted in return. The kiss remained soft but lingered longer, allowing her to enjoy the sweetness still clinging to his lips and the warmth of his arms around her. For a little while, the gathering beyond them faded beneath the crackle of the bonfire and distant conversation. There was no mission demanding her attention, no investigation waiting to be solved, and no wounded man she needed to keep conscious while a damaged ship carried them home. There was simply Dalvos, warm beneath her hands and wonderfully different from anyone she might have expected to find herself drawn toward.

When Seo finally eased back, she did not go far. Her forehead rested lightly against his for a moment, and the smile she wore had softened into something unmistakably pleased. "Better?" she asked, though the teasing glimmer in her eyes suggested she already knew the answer.

Her fingers remained loosely threaded through his hair as she studied him from this new, considerably closer perspective. It was only their second meeting, and Seo had no interest in pretending that meant she already knew where this would lead. She did know that she had thought about him after leaving the Copper Rose, that seeing him tonight had made her genuinely happy, and that kissing him felt considerably more natural than uncertainty had any right to allow.

"I meant what I said, Dalvos," she added more quietly. "I'm interested in you. I don't need you to promise me where this goes, and I'm not asking you to become someone more stable or conventional before I'm allowed to find out." Her thumb brushed gently along the edge of his hairline. "I'd rather discover it with you."

Then her smile returned, touched once more by that understated mischief he seemed particularly good at drawing from her. "Although if you ask for a third clarification immediately, I may begin to suspect subtlety isn't the problem at all."

Dalvos Thrakan

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"I haven't seen everything on Veradune. I would say repeat trips are in order. However I have seen you in your element. if you want to call it that."

Song was winding down and he stopped, pulling them to the side but not exactly letting go. Judah kept her close as they talked, rolling his eyes at her mention of seeing him in his element. It was amusing to him that she wanted to go all the way out to the Corporate Sector to do what? Make coffee and stare out at the water?

"In my element? Same person, just more casual clothing. Lots of those aforementioned calls."

Looking around at the gathering, it seemed to be winding down. Packing up the proverbial chairs. Gaze went back to Iandre Athlea ,wondering if she noticed the same thing.

"I'm not ready to call it a night but I think this is coming to an end. Maybe we can head back to town? You can show me some of those sights you keep talking about."

THREAD EXIT

 

[Garrion Der Rædwulf]

Hours had passed. The flames slowly dwindled, and the setting sun grew closer and closer to resurfacing on the other horizon.

Some began leaving, others deciding to stay with the group for the night. Though it was clear the event had gone on long enough.

Tomorrow was upon them, and with it would come new struggles. Yet, there would also be moments of victory, celebrations, and the pleasant reminder of what awaited them when the fighting eventually ceased.

Though for now, the Protectorate could rest. They'd earned that much.

Garrion had opted not to stay, believing his tenure there was already too lengthy. To make up for it... he set course for Theed, reciting the speech he'd been practicing a few days now.

Much awaited them.

 

[Dalvos Thrakan]

"You know, uh," he said after a moment, clearing his throat and picking up the thread of thought. "I did offer to cook you dinner, didn't I?" He gave her a dazzlingly bright smile. "And I happen to have all the components, even if some assembly is still required. If you give me... Say, a couple of hours?" He gestured loosely around. "Need to stow away the rest of this stuff for the next party in need of an icebreaker, get cleaned up a bit," he says, despite already being dressed quite fashionably, "and then start prepping the meal. I'll send you where I'm staying, then I can thank you properly for saving my life, in the only currency accepted everywhere: Delicious food. Non-transferable, I'm afraid." He didn't move away from her, but only opened a little space to speak to her. Somehow, the second kiss seems to have settled him rather than driving the words from his head. It had been a warm and patient kiss, and it stilled the frantic fluttering in his chest, turning the directionless anxiety into a suffusing warmth that put even the fine spice-liquors he'd tasted to shame.

"If you're free tonight, I mean. If not, tomorrow?" There was an almost shy edge to his smile, pretty eyelashes fluttering for a moment as his hands lightly pulled at her waist, as if urging her to say yes.

As soon as she nodded agreement, he practically leapt from her arms, and chased Ace and the autodroid into frenetic movement. He paused for a moment and send her his address, then hustled off to help gather up all the discarded containers - and the occasional unwanted gift - left behind, chivvying along the other helpers as if a man possessed. With a couple quick gifts and/or bribes, he gathered up a crew of guests to help him set things right before his departure.

Watching him work, it was as if his feet barely touched the ground.

Seo Linn [[And exit!]]

 

[Viari Banu]

Jayna Ismet-Thio

Bonfire​

Cocking his head slightly he regarded Jayna's reaction to his word with curiousity. Fearing he may have overstepped or misspoke he was prepared to correct himself. However, her smile and giggling quickly waylaid his fears.​

​

Friend-Jayna's giggling brought a familiar warmth to his heart. He understood their song better now, it was a comforting lullaby like the gentle wind brushing through his feathers mid flight. Certainly, her presence had left an impression upon him, her kindness and curiosity were as comforting as those very same winds.​

​

On the topic of friends, he nodded enthusiastically, almost mimicking the humanoid mannerisms he's been so frequently exposed too. Although his ear-tufts lowered at the mention of her mother, although he could never claim to fully understand, he knew the pain and scars it could bring.​

​

He understood each bond between parent and child to be unique, which made the void unique too. Still he wanted to offer his support, and gently pressed his feathers against Jayna's palm. "I am sorry. I did not know." He said, "But Viari will help the hunt... Search..."​

​

He wasn't certain how, he barely knew her mother, but she barely knew his father and he imagined she'd do the same for him. Still, this wasn't a topic he wanted to dwell on, recognise certainly, but not dwell. Tonight was a celebration and a chance to rekindle a flame, with an close and valued companion.​

​

Delicate warmth wrapped around his wing, whisking them off towards the feast. A bounty that would lift the spirits of any who laid their eyes upon it, bright and colourful fruits contrasted the bronzen tokens of cooked meats. Even with his poor sense of smell, he could appreciate the aromas as they mixed together but Jayna quickly stole his attention back.​

​

"You do not sing?" Viari asked, his voice raised in genuine suprise. "Well... Maybe Viari can persuade you to share your voice later..." He continued with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He didn't plan to try and persuade her, but the night was young and who could say want antics they'd get upto.​

​

Sensing his feathers begin to collapse and bundle in her hands, he listened carefully to her request. A dance. That was genuinely surprising and uplifting, no one had asked him to dance before, his feathers fluff and tip of his tail wag brushing the dry earth away from him.​

​

"I would very much love to dance." He said almost in whisper, like it was a taboo or something secret and behind his feathers he felt blood raising to his skin. It was a shared, awkward moment that he escaped from by latching onto Jayna's offer.​

​

"Y-Yes." He said, clearly flustered stepping up towards the table. He looked around, witnessed people gathering food onto plates and what Rishii did best, mimicry. However, he kept his focus on Jayna and her words even matching her head-tilt subconsciously.​

​

"Oh, it's that type of drink. Kehehe..." Viari said mimicking laughter, "Yeah. Rishii don't process pale ale very good." He mused pulling together some food and turning towards Jayna with a chirp. "Viari was thirsty, asked local guide for a watering hole. They didn't give me water, instead giving me pale ale. It made everything wavey, and I found a man with a red hat silently contemplating outside. Spent all night talking to him, asking for wisdom." He said, looking around as if to check if anyone was listening.​

​

"Viari learned it was a garden decoration." He laughed, letting himself calm down before taking a nibble from some bread. "But I trust you, what drink should I try?" He asked, looking across the selection.​

Div created by Makeb​

 

[Jayna Ismet-Thio]

Objective: Enjoy the bonfire
Location: Veradune
Outfit: Casual Outfit
Tags: Viari Banu

Jayna's expression softened when Viari offered to help search for her mother. It was exactly the sort of thing she imagined he would offer—immediately, sincerely, and apparently without stopping to consider that he barely knew who he would be searching for. "Thank you, Viari."

Her fingers gently brushed the feathers he had pressed against her palm. "I mean it. But I'm letting people who are a little more qualified handle the searching for now." She gave a reluctant little smile. "There are Jedi looking. Friends of hers. People who actually know what they're doing." More importantly, people who could survive whatever had managed to take Jairdain in the first place. Jayna didn't say that part. She had heard enough variations of it's too dangerous to understand the argument, even if understanding it didn't make sitting around any easier.

The conversation turning toward singing was therefore a welcome escape. "You do not sing?"

Jayna shook her head emphatically. "No."

"Maybe Viari can persuade you..."

Her cheeks immediately warmed. She opened her mouth to deny any possibility of that happening, only to stop herself. Could he? Her gaze briefly flicked toward Viari, and the blush darkened. "...Maybe," she conceded quietly.

She could imagine singing for him much more easily than singing for a crowd. It would have to be somewhere private, though. Very private. Preferably somewhere nobody could possibly overhear her discovering whether she was secretly talented or catastrophically terrible.

"You might convince me," Jayna admitted with a shy smile. "But we'd have to find somewhere nobody else could hear." That was the deal.

The tale of Viari's first encounter with alcohol distracted her from the implications of everything else. Jayna listened with steadily increasing amusement as he described the watering hole, the pale ale, everything becoming wavey, and finally the mysterious red-hatted man who had apparently been wise enough to hold Viari's attention for an entire evening.

Then came the revelation. Jayna stared at him. "A...garden decoration?" She burst into laughter. Not the restrained little laugh appropriate for some elegant social function, but the sort that made her shoulders shake and forced her to briefly cover her mouth.

"You spent the whole night asking a garden decoration for wisdom?" She tried to stop laughing. She really did. It took another few seconds. "I hope he gave good advice." Jayna finally recovered enough to nod toward the collection of drinks.

"Yes. We're sticking to the innocent ones." The last thing either of them needed was to spend the evening conversing with Veradune's landscaping. Besides, if pale ale affected Rishii badly, she had absolutely no idea what anything stronger might do to him.

"Fruit juice first." She found two cups and began examining the pitchers, eventually selecting something bright and sweet for herself. She poured Viari a small amount as well, enough to taste before committing him to an entire cup. "Try that."

Then her attention moved toward the food. It was familiar to Jayna, but seeing Viari's reaction reminded her that what looked like an ordinary communal spread to her might be completely foreign to him. Zorren food filled the tables: roasted meats, breads, fruits, vegetables, sauces and dishes prepared in ways that reflected both Veradune's traditions and the many outside influences its people had adopted. Rather than simply piling things onto a plate and hoping for the best, Jayna looked back at her friend. "Actually, before I start feeding you random Zorren food..."

Her head tilted curiously. "What do you like?" She gestured across the table. "What's your favorite thing to eat? Meat? Fruit? Fish? Something sweet?" Her smile turned playful. "You traveled across seven stars, so you must have found something worth eating."

Jayna moved closer to Viari as other guests passed behind them, comfortable enough now that the brush of his feathers against her no longer surprised her. "Tell me what you like, and I'll find you something."

Her eyes briefly wandered beyond him toward the fire and the people moving to the music. She hadn't forgotten his whispered agreement to dance. Quite the opposite. Food first. Then dancing. And perhaps, if Viari really was persuasive enough, they might eventually find somewhere quiet enough for him to discover why Jayna Ismet-Thio did not sing.

 

[Viari Banu]

Tags: Jayna Ismet-Thio
Objective: Relax and rekindle old friendships

Bonfire​

Viari's throat rumbled with a strange sort of purr, his offer of support appearing to add kindling to bright spirit standing besides him. The presence of familiarity was a warm comfort, a chance to finally let his guard down and forget the leviathan that pursued him across the sea of twinkling silver.​

​

"I mean it. But I'm letting people who are a little more qualified handle the search for now."​

​

Viari's ear-tufts tightened disappearing beneath his downy of cream and sunfire, he tightened his muscles forcing himself to maintain eye contact despite his instincts to pull away.​

​

"There are Jedi looking. Friends of hers. People who actually know what they are doing."​

​

If her first words were the nail, that was the hammer, and whilst he could recognise the wisdom, appreciate it even, he struggled to reconcile her words with his own self. He had spent a good portion of his life searching for a missing father, only to discover the architect of his life and sorrows were the very same thing that hunted him now. It was hard not to imagine her words as a criticism, and for a brief moment he recoiled, feeling the shadows closing in.​

​

It was a crack in his spirit, a solitary vulnerability in his good-natured spirit and one his hunter exploited without hesitation. Viari hated hurting people, the very idea was an anathema, and yet he couldn't help but want to rip and tear into the leviathan with beak and talon. No. That's exactly what it wanted.​

​

He exhaled, pushing the trapped air from his lungs, his talons relaxing from the groves they had built beneath him, allowing his gizzard soften and focus once more upon Jayna's sincerity.​

​

"Sorry. Viari understands. It is very wise, but all the same if adventure reveals anything Viari will share." He promised, uncertain if Jayna picked up on the turmoil or not. It was good Jayna had friends she could rely on, better yet that they were Jedi.​

​

"Challenge accepted!" He trilled, ear-tufts raising again he took her upon that challenge, if Viari could persuade her to share her song, even in-private, he would consider that a blessing.​

​

Jayna's reaction to his story was honestly liberating, her laughter soothed the soul and the banter that followed anchored him back in the only thing that mattered. This moment, this celebration of unions, and Jayna's companionship.​

​

"I hope he gave good advice."​

​

"Was a very good listener." Viari mused, "his patience legendary." He laughed, following her nod towards the selection of drinks.​

​

Viari didn't really understand his own biology very well, not nearly as well as his father did at least. All he really knew was that the closest thing his tribe had to the effects of alcohol was when they consumed overripe berries or fruits. He wondered if that was true of the beverages here too.​

​

When Jayna drew his attention to the drink, he watched with a strange sort of amazement at the selection on offer. The brightly coloured fluid being poured into a cup. A cup. He already knew how this would end.​

​

Viari didn't hesitate however, picking up the cup, raised his beak and opened it to tip the contents inside. Most escaped, tinting his beak orange and staining a couple of feathers. In a strangely dignified manner, he reached for a napkin set upon the table and wiped his beak clean before announcing, "Delicious!"​

​

The sweetness was admittedly a little overwhelming for someone who almost exclusively drank water, but the change was welcomed.​

​

He resisted the urge to begin preening, understanding it to be rude. He could probably find a bath or river later to clean himself, instead he distracted himself by stealing a bowl meant for soups or deserts and poured some more inside, before explaining with a cheerful chirpy, "Cups and beaks don't agree with each other."​

​

Viari followed her to the spread next, and true enough much of it was foreign to him. Despite travelling the galaxy, for better or worse he remained a primitive in the eyes of civilised people. He hunted and gathered what he could from the land, only occasionally resorting to barter when necessary. The Auric Basin, and by extension his tribe, was isolated even by Rishii standards and while food was abundant, competition by the predators was fierce making it scarce, too scarce to have feasts with any regularity. Therefore, it was easy for Viari to be in awe even after all these years.​

​

"Everything is worth eating." He said, then tucked his beak into his chest perhaps in embarrassment. "Viari means... enjoy fish." He said almost bashfully, before trying to explain himself.​

​

"Choice is a strange thing. We don't usually get a choice, it's whatever hunters or gatherers can find." He explained, attempting to avoid staring at a nearby species of sturgeon that seemed of particular interest. "May I..?" He said, seeking permission.​

​

Once given, Viari would follow Jayna's guidance selecting a mixture of fish, meats, and the occasional piece of fruit and vegetables. His selection of the latter two was perhaps the more interesting choice, selecting a predominant portion of hotter foods that less adventurous and masochistic spirits avoided. He ate those by the forkful like it was nothing.​

​

Other species assured him they were hot, could burn the tongue or mouth but for him they were sweet, sometimes sour, adding a nice accent of flavour to the saltiness of fish or juiciness of red meats, of which he preferred the rarer variety.​

​

He sat besides her, keeping his wing always close, shielding Jayna from the cold and heat but never restricting her. His tail swept in long arches behind them, as his excitement grew watching the dancing, and studying the different forms. Some energetic. Some relaxed and graceful. Both beautiful in their own unique ways.​

​

"It's been many moons, since Viari had the opportunity to just... Relax." Viari said, looking at Jayna with bright amber eyes. "Your invite. It meant a lot for you to remember Viari." He nodded, "Perhaps one day Viari can invite you to Rishii celebration. Lissant perhaps..." He said wistfully. The moon festival felt distant now, he hadn't returned home since the day he left, since the day he began the pursuit of his missing father. With a gentle shake of his head, he dismissed the thought and gently wrapped a wing around Jayna's palm.​

​

"You wanted to dance?" He said beginning to stand.​

Div created by Makeb​

 

[Jayna Ismet-Thio]

Objective: Enjoy the bonfire
Location: Veradune
Outfit: Casual Outfit
Tags: Viari Banu

Jayna noticed the change in Viari before she understood it. His ear-tufts tightened. His posture changed. For just a moment there was something guarded in the way he looked at her, something beneath the easy warmth that had been there moments before. Jayna's brow furrowed slightly. She was sensitive enough to the Force to know that something had shifted. She wasn't nearly practiced enough as an empath to understand what.

So she did the only thing she could think to do. "Hey." Her voice softened, and the hand already near his feathers gave them a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry." A small smile followed. "My mom and I are going to be okay."

Jayna wasn't entirely certain whether she believed that with absolute confidence, but she wanted to. More importantly, she needed to believe it. "And I really would appreciate anything you hear. Anything at all." She hesitated, then gave him a slightly guilty look. "I'm behaving for now."

That qualification came far too quickly. "But..." Her nose wrinkled. "If everyone keeps telling me to wait and nobody gives me something useful to do, eventually I'm probably going to collect some people and go after her myself." Jayna shrugged as though that were an entirely reasonable compromise. "I can only be patient for so long."

The return of Viari's enthusiasm thankfully pulled her away from more serious thoughts. "Challenge accepted!"

Jayna giggled. "Oh, no." She gave him a suspicious sideways look. "I have a feeling you're going to get me to do all sorts of things I never thought I'd try." Somehow, that realization didn't concern her nearly as much as it probably should have.

The story of Viari's accidental drinking companion continued to be far safer territory. "Was a very good listener. His patience legendary."

Jayna immediately started laughing again. "Well, that's important." She managed to collect herself. "Finding someone who doesn't interrupt is harder than you'd think."

Then came the fruit juice. Jayna watched Viari raise the cup. Her eyes widened slightly. Then the juice went everywhere except where either of them had intended. For perhaps half a second she simply stared. She did not laugh. More importantly, she did not point out that the predictable failure of a cup against a beak had just proven exactly why introducing Viari to alcohol would have been an exceptionally poor idea.

Instead, her cheeks flushed. "Oh." She suddenly felt partially responsible. Of course cups were made for mouths shaped like hers. She had been so accustomed to humanoids that it hadn't even occurred to her that Viari's beak might require something completely different. His appearance had been one of the first things that had fascinated her about him. Apparently she still had quite a lot to learn about what being Rishii actually meant.

When he calmly exchanged the cup for a bowl, Jayna offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I should've thought of that." His dignified declaration that the juice was delicious made her smile again.

Then they moved on to food. "Everything is worth eating."

Jayna giggled. "That is a dangerously enthusiastic answer." His correction brought a nod. "Fish. That I can work with." She began looking over the dishes, occasionally pointing something out before Viari's explanation about food on Rishi made her pause. Choice being unusual was something Jayna had never really considered. For most of her life, food had simply appeared. Even now she could walk into a kitchen and expect there would be several options. She glanced across the enormous spread differently after that. "Well, tonight you get choices." Her smile returned. "Everything here is safe to eat."

She lifted one finger importantly. "But unless Rishii secretly have three stomachs or something, we should probably remember that being allowed to eat everything doesn't mean we actually should."

She caught him staring at the sturgeon. When he hesitantly asked permission, Jayna blinked. "You don't have to ask." She nodded immediately toward it. "The food is for everyone. Take whatever you want." She helped him navigate the unfamiliar dishes without trying to dictate his selections, although watching him casually devour foods that she knew had sent grown Zorrens scrambling for water earned him several increasingly impressed looks.

Eventually they settled together. Jayna leaned naturally toward the shelter of his nearby wing while they watched the gathering. Comfortable warmth gathered between the bonfire on one side and Viari's feathers on the other. "It's been many moons since Viari had the opportunity to just...relax."

Jayna smiled. "I'm really glad you accepted." His admission that being remembered mattered to him made that smile soften. "Of course I remembered you." There hadn't really been any question of that.

She looked out toward the dancers. "Relaxing is apparently required around here." Jayna sighed with theatrical resignation. "Everyone keeps telling me I need to relax. Ian tells me to be fourteen. Other people tell me to slow down. Rest. Have fun." She looked back at Viari. "I think I'm surrounded by people conspiring to make me do nothing."

The mock complaint lasted only a moment before her expression became thoughtful. "Though..." A familiar little spark appeared in her eyes. "I could use an adventure." Probably not one involving disappearing mothers, Sith Lords, battlefield casualties, or anything else that had recently qualified as an adventure in Jayna's life. Something smaller sounded nice.

When Viari mentioned a Rishii celebration, her eyebrows lifted immediately. "Lissant?" She didn't recognize the word, but the curiosity was obvious. "I'd love that." Visiting Viari's home had never occurred to her before. Now that he had suggested it, however, she wanted to see it. The idea of discovering the place that had shaped him suddenly seemed fascinating. "Really. If you invite me, I'll come."

Then his wing wrapped gently around her palm. "You wanted to dance?" The confidence Jayna possessed while discussing adventures vanished almost instantly. Another blush spread across her cheeks.

"I did." She stood with him. "And I still do." Jayna held onto his wing as she guided him through the gathering and toward the bonfire. The music grew louder as they approached, joined by laughter and the scrape of boots against packed earth. Couples and groups moved around the fire in several different styles, some graceful, others far more enthusiastic than coordinated.

Jayna slowed when they reached the edge. For a moment she watched. Then she looked at Viari. She stepped closer, leaning toward him enough that she could speak without raising her voice over the music. "Don't worry about what they're doing." Her dark eyes settled on his amber ones. "We don't have to dance like them."

A smile slowly formed. "I'll follow your lead." Jayna gave the wing in her grasp a small, encouraging squeeze. "And before you ask..." Her smile became playful. "No, dancing does not count as getting me to sing."

 

[Viari Banu]

Bonfire - Dancing​

Tag: Jayna Ismet-Thio

"Oh, yes." Viari countered, as he plated up his selection of food, allowing his mind to wander with ideas and surprises. He began with simple, rather mundane activities that probably wouldn't have all that rememberable. No more rememberable than him staining his feathers in juice anyway, ordinarily that might have been enough but today was special, a reunion of friends deserved something far more unique and special than a plain old story about talking, eating, and dancing. It wasn't until Jayna spoke of her boredom, that he finally decided on his answer to be revealed later. She wanted adventure, he would give it without the adults being any wiser.​

​

Carefully eating his plate of food, Viari listened to Jayna's complaints, names of people he didn't appreciate and words he appreciated less. He could understand their argument, the wisdom they were trying to impart but the method felt wrong. Her mother is missing, and if Jayna was anything like him, the last thing she would want to do is sit back and do nothing, but he knew haste was a far more dangerous mistake. Viari had gone into the Galaxy with no knowledge of the challenges and dangers that awaited him, for every friend he had made on his adventures, he had found two enemies and some of them had both the influence and power to chase him across the stars but he wouldn't insult her intelligence. She knew was dangerous, probably better than he did.​

​

Viari gently bumped his shoulder against hers, not looking at the dancers so much as watching her out of the corner of his bright-eyes. A faint, knowing glance tugged his gaze away and closer to Jayna, his ear-tufts lowering to a half-mast in recognition of her frustrations. "Elder-Ian sounds like a good person, but his song is equal to a blunt instrument." Viari said, keeping his voice low as to conceal their conversation beneath the sound of music. "If anyone tells you to 'just be fourteen', Viari can kick their chairs for you. It sounds like they want you to pretend someone close didn't just disappear. Viari felt the same way, and did exactly that, go on a adventure."​

​

He let the music swell for a second, letting his words linger in the air for a short time. When he spoke again, his voice faded from a teasing tone into something more solid, steady, and entirely on her side. "Frustrating as it is... besides the terrible song, the elders aren't wrong. Their song just struggles explaining it. They are terrified of you running out of energy, a blade blunted by pressure before your own hunt even begins. If you go into the galaxy like I did, you might be unprepared to face the dangers between you and her. It almost cost Viari everything, Viari does not want you to make the same mistake.​

​

So let's not do it because the Elder-Ian told you so. Do it with Viari because when the real work begins, when you start your adventure, you are full of energy and ready to seize the moment and if you ask, Viari will be there to help you." He said hoping to frame it in a more positive context.​

​

As the conversation returned to something more ceremonial and he nodded firmly, at her query, "Yes, Lissant. Your flock would call it... a... Moon festival. Banu flock carve special crystals, that whistle in the wind and shine under the moons soft light. There is food, dancing, and... singing." Viari concluded with a short burst of laughter.​

​

He watched the smile form, her encouraging squeeze of his wing and led her out onto the decking, with firm strikes Viari tested the acoustics of the wood, memorising and internalising the sound. Eventually, after finding some space, Viari chirped at his partner, "Oh, do not worry. Viari saving that for a surprise." He countered with mischievous tinge.​

​

Viari knew how to 'dance', he knew and practiced Rishii routines with enough frequency that he was fairly confident he could dance with another Rishii partner. Jayna however, was not Rishii and he doubted she'd appreciate the aerial acrobatics in the same way, but that didn't mean he couldn't take inspiration. Viari's grip was soft and gentle, not unlike the primaries that snapped across his wing a second later, forming a curtain of ruby.​

​

Initially cautious, he kept his movements slow and purposeful, with an unhurried, and small routine. He moved in a narrow circle, at the outer boundry, avoiding the sweeping arcs of older pairs. Viari's talons scruffed the boards in a measured cadence that gave her something solid to match. With confidence, his talons struck more firmly, adding a drum beat to the music that cloaked them, his feathers wrinkled and broadened with the pace of their movements, delicate as the wind that brush between them.​

​

"Once we are done, Viari has one more thing to show you." He said, in a quite and hussed tone a conspirital spirit beginning to take hold.​

​

Div created by Makeb​

 

[Jayna Ismet-Thio]

Objective: Enjoy the bonfire
Location: Veradune
Outfit: Casual Outfit
Tags: Viari Banu

Jayna had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing too loudly when Viari offered to kick people's chairs. The effort failed almost immediately. A giggle escaped her anyway as she looked up at him. "Thank you. I may keep that offer in reserve." She bumped lightly back against his shoulder.

"But Ian is a woman." There was an amused little emphasis on the correction before Jayna's expression softened into something more thoughtful. "And...she is wise. Annoyingly wise sometimes." Jayna sighed, though there was no real irritation behind it. "There is value in experiencing youth. I know that."

Her gaze wandered briefly toward the fire. "And Iandre is my Master now, so she has the unfortunate advantage of being close enough to actually make sure I do it." A small smile tugged at her lips. "She can interrupt training. Drag me somewhere. Tell me I'm done for the day. That sort of thing."

Jayna let the humor linger for a moment before her voice became quieter. "It's not just her, though. A lot of the adults in my life want me to keep my distance from what happened to Mom." Her fingers shifted slightly against Viari's wing. "I understand why." She did. Mostly. "But I can only be patient for so long." There was a stubbornness in the statement that made it very clear patience had an expiration date.

Viari's next words surprised her. Not because they were especially profound, but because they came from him. From someone her own age. From someone who had actually done exactly what she kept imagining doing. Jayna listened without interrupting, her expression gradually losing its playful edge. He had gone searching. He had found friends. He had found enemies. And he was telling her that rushing out unprepared had nearly cost him everything. That mattered. More than another warning from an adult ever could.

When Viari finished, Jayna nodded slowly. "That...actually makes sense." Her smile returned, smaller but sincere. "And I appreciate you saying it." She looked at him for another moment. "Especially because you did go." Jayna's shoulders relaxed. "I think that's what makes it easier to hear from you." She squeezed his wing gently. "So I'll try." A pause. "I make no promises about how long 'try' lasts."

The seriousness faded almost completely when Viari described Lissant. Jayna listened with open fascination. "A moon festival..." The description sounded strangely familiar. Food. Dancing. People gathering together. Only with carved crystals that sang in the wind and reflected moonlight. Jayna's smile widened.

"That actually sounds a little like this." She glanced around them. "Only...bigger. Maybe?" Perhaps not physically bigger. But grander somehow. More ceremonial. More rooted in a people and their traditions. "And prettier?"

Then Viari added the final detail. Singing. Jayna immediately giggled. "Of course there's singing." She shook her head. "I should have known there would be a trap hidden somewhere in the invitation."

Then the dancing began. Jayna had been trained to move. That much she knew. But this was different. Viari's steps weren't the measured advances and retreats of Makashi, nor the explosive leaps and shifting angles of Ataru. The cadence was unfamiliar, built around talons, wings, and instincts shaped by a species meant to fly.

For the first few moments Jayna concentrated hard. Her eyes followed his movements as much as they could, while the Force filled in what her vision missed. One step. Shift. Turn. Match the rhythm. She treated it almost like a sparring exercise. Except there was no opponent. No weapon. No threat. Only Viari. That realization made it easier.

Jayna stopped trying to predict every movement and started letting herself respond. Her lightsaber training helped with balance, timing, and footwork. Years of learning how to read another person's motion allowed her to follow the changes in Viari's rhythm without stumbling too badly. And when she did make a mistake, she laughed instead of becoming frustrated.

That might have been the biggest difference. Jayna was enjoying herself. Not because she was mastering something. Not because it would make her a better Jedi. Not because anyone expected anything from her. Because it was new. And because Viari was there. His talons added their own percussion to the music, and Jayna gradually found herself moving with it rather than thinking about it. Her smile became brighter with every turn.

Then came the quiet promise. "Once we are done, Viari has one more thing to show you."

Jayna's eyes narrowed immediately. Suspicion. Very obvious suspicion. She tilted her head toward him. "One more thing?" For half a second she tried to look stern. It didn't survive. Her expression broke into a wide smile. "You've been planning something." She was certain of it now. Jayna stepped through another turn, following the beat of his talons before drawing a little closer again. "I should probably be worried."

Her smile only grew. "But I'm not." She looked up at him, curiosity practically glowing in her dark eyes. "I can't wait."