Private Family Gathering

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Shai Maji

"Vera?" Valery called out as she walked through the apartment and looked for her daughter. There was no response, so she followed her senses instead, and quickly found Vera inside her room. She was sitting in the center, her little legs crossed and her eyes closed. For someone as chaotically excited about everything as Vera, it was an extremely strange sight, but Valery knew it was the Jedi training getting through to her a little. She wanted to be like her mom, and to her five-year-old mind, it meant going the extra mile on training and meditations.

Valery just watched her for a moment with a proud smile, but with Shai's arrival time approaching, she did finally step forward to place a hand on the little Noble's shoulder and pull her out of her meditation. Vera opened her eyes, looked up, and smiled, "Hey mom!" she said before hopping up to her feet. "They will be here very soon, so let's wait in the living room, hm?"

"Okay!" Vera exclaimed before she realized that she didn't remember who was coming over. "Is it Amani?" she asked curiously, but Valery shook her head. "Her name is Shai, and she's like... a sister to me, but not actually. She's also bringing along her son, so might be a chance to make a new friend." Vera just nodded and seemed to like the idea of making more friends. After moving again, she lost all her friends, so it excited her a lot more than she even showed her mother.

After plopping down on the couch, Valery shifted over and wrapped an arm around Vera's waist to pull her close. For as long as they'd have to wait for Shai and her son to arrive, she'd take the time to just be with her little girl

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai was quite nervous about the meeting. Not only was she coming to Valery's house, her new house, for the first time, but both she and Yuri was going to meet both Valery and Vera. It was an unknown situation for her. Jumping head first into a warzone and levelling an entire city was easy compared to the tension of whether or not Vera was going to like her mommy's "sister" and whether or not Yuri and Vera were going to get along.

"Ma!?"

"Yeah, twerp?"

"Where are we going to?"

"To Auntie Valery. She is very special to me and she has a daughter that's as old as you. Her name is Vera."

"Valery and Vera? Did they run out of imagination?"

Shai frowned as she looked down at her son. One wouldn't expect anything funny about the two. Apart from the pistol strapped to her hip, Shai looked quite normal with her csrgo pants, tank top and yellow jacket. Even the sunglasses on her were utilitarian but stylish. Yuri was dressed in a simple shirt and shorts. He quickly realised what he did wrong as he looked at his mother's piercing glare.

"Be nice. Vera is probably like a sister to you. And Auntie Valery is very special to me. So no slapping, mean words or using their socks as chew toys. Got it?"

"Yeah, ma... sorry ma."

Shai's glare softened as a smile formed. She gently rubbed his head and took his hand as they reached the apartment door. Shai hit the buzzer and stepped back, waiting for the sliding door to open. Once it did, Shai immediately wrapped her arms around Valery in a tight hug. "Hot damn, it's good to see you! Love the neighborhood, seriously!" She spoke up with a large smile.

"Ma?"

Shai's smile grew at the little voice behind her. "Got someone special here. Yuri, say hi to Auntie Valery. Val, this is Yuri Maji." She introduced as she stepped back, allowing Val and Yuri to meet each other.

The little Shistavanen stared for a long moment with a mix of nervousness and confusion at her. "Ma, what's wrong with her?" He asked with worry in his voice. "There's nothing wrong with her. You've met humans before, Yuri." Shai spoke gently with a hand on his shoulder.

"No, I mean she smells funny!" Shai snickered as she glanced away for a moment, unsure of what to say. The glance she gave Valery did, however, silently confirm Yuri's words. "Yuri, be nice."

"Sorry, ma! Um... Hi, Auntie Valery, my name is Yuri and this is my ma." He spoke with a guilty voice as he looked down at his feet, carefully outstretching a hand to shake hers. He only looked up again at the smaller human behind Valery. "Ma, why does she look like she got hit with a shovel?" The little Shistavanen immediately recoiled as his mother landed a slap against the back of his head. "What did I say?" She muttered with a firm voice.

Whimpering as he massaged his head, Yuri looked at her and Valery before his gaze found Vera's. "Hi, my name's Yuri." He muttered with puffy cheeks.

Shai stepped forward and knelt down with a large, toothy grin as she looked at Vera. "Hey, Vera. My name is Shai." She introduced herself with a bright glimmer in her eyes.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Shai Maji

When Valery heard the buzzer, she got off the couch and took Vera's hand before walking over to greet her guests. The doors opened, and Shai was quick to pull Valery into a tight hug, which she promptly and tightly returned, "It's good to see you again too, Shai!" Valery said with a bright smile, while Vera just watched her mom hug the stranger quietly. But the girl's multi-colored eyes quickly turned to the younger Shistavanen, and she studied him like he was some exotic creature at the local zoo.

Still completely quiet, though.

"It's very nice to finally meet you, Yuri. Your mom has told me a lot about you," she said but right after the kind introduction, he seemed confused and commented on the way she smelled. Valery blinked and looked up at Shai, equally confused. She showered every day and took great care of her appearance and smell, so it was strange. But then again, perhaps it was because they were of a different species. "Well, at least I don't smell like grease and burgers half the time," she winked at Shai.

"Ma, why does she look like she got hit with a shovel?"

While Shai was fast to whack him against the back of his head, Valery just snorted and reached for his hand to shake it, but Vera could not listen to him being rude towards her mom, so she finally spoke up. "Mom, why is the talking plushie being mean?" she asked, dead-serious. Valery blinked and placed her hand on Vera's shoulder with that motherly glare in her eyes, "Vera... he's not a talking plushie. His name is Yuri, and be nice to him, okay?"

Vera blinked, looked at Yuri, then at Shai, and finally nodded. "Okay..." she muttered, a little annoyed. But that quickly faded when Shai crouched down and grinned at her. Vera just grinned in return and waved her hand a little, "Hello! I'm Vera and this is our home. Do you want to come in?" she asked before she glanced up at her mother, who nodded in approval.

"I have snacks~" Valery added quickly.

 

[Shai Maji]

"Mom, why is the talking plushie being mean?"

"Vera... he's not a talking plushie. His name is Yuri, and be nice to him, okay?"

Yuri looked quite cross at the little smooth-skin's comment about him being a plushie. A frown formed and a very amusing growl escaped his maw as he glared at the girl. "I'm not a plushie! You-you don't got any fur!" He tried to argue as he felt his cheeks begin to burn. It was completely unacceptable for a big, strong boy like himself to be seen as a plushie. But Shai was quick to land a hand on his shoulder and draw his attention up to her. "Yuri, be nice to your sister." She muttered, which immediately cooled the little Shistavanen down. "Yeah, ma." He whined as he looked away.

"Hello! I'm Vera and this is our home. Do you want to come in?"

"I have snacks~"

"Well sign me right up!" Shai quipped as she smiled at Vera. Yuri tugged at her sleeve, drawing her attention down to him. "Ma, can I have snacks?!" He pleaded as he hung on his mother's arm. "You had caf when we landed." The Wardog tried to argue with a firm look, but the pleading eyes of the little boy diffused any chance of her refusing. "Fine, you can have some snacks..." She pulled him closer to mutter into his ear. "But no chewing socks or live wires, got it?" He was quick to nod in agreement before he took off past the two women after Vera.

Shai let out a long chuckle as she got up and looked at Valery. "Kid's a little demon, I'm tellin' ya." She joked as she wrapped an arm around the woman and pressed her forehead against Valery's. "Karkin' missed ya, for real. Now where are those snacks you're braggin' about?" She quipped as she wrapped an arm around Valery's neck and entered the apartment.

Once inside, Shai placed her hands on her hips and took a few good sniffs of the place. "Nice spread ya got. But Yuri was onto something..." She took a few more sniffs before a hard scowl formed. She walked over to Valery for a few more sniffs... then drew War from her belt and flipped it over to particle mode. "Did someone try somethin' funny with you? I'm smelling someone else on you and it ain't just a friendly social call." She asked as she looked around the apartment with her pistol at the ready.

---

After raiding the snack pile with Vera, Yuri found himself staring at Vera's eyes as he popped one chip after the other into his mouth. "Your eyes look funny." He commented as he chewed on a chip. After a few seconds passed, he held a chip out to her. "Ma says you're my sister. Do you want a chip?" He asked with a sheepish voice as he held the chip out to her.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Shai Maji

"I'm not a plushie! You-you don't got any fur!"

Vera looked away from her mother and back at Yuri, but said nothing at all. She just blinked and looked a little confused because the plushie was getting angry now. She wasn't quite sure but Shai was quick to calm him down, so Vera just smiled and focused on something far more important.

Snacks.

The second Valery mentioned it, she practically bounced up and grinned wide, "Can I have snacks too, mom?!" She asked, just as excited about it as Yuri was. Valery chuckled and looked at Shai for a moment, who struggled to resist her kid's puppy eyes. Similarly, Valery had no defense mechanism against Vera's pleading eyes, so she also agreed.

"I have plenty of snacks for everybody."

Valery then turned to Shai while the kiddos ran off into the living room, and quickly found the snacks on the table. She pressed her forehead against the Shistavanen's and grinned, "Missed you too, and I think the kids beat us to the snacks. If you want any, you better hurry up." She turned and followed Shai into the living room, expecting her to go after some snacks as well. But instead, the woman began to sniff around and picked up on something. Valery was left confused for a few seconds, but when she realized what Shai was getting at, she burst out in laughter.

"Oh dear, no. You uh... are smelling my boyfriend," she said the last part a little quietly and smiled sheepishly. "It's a long story, but he has been very good to me," she said, her eyes clearly showing the deep affection she felt towards Aldric Laurent. She loved him, and she'd never hide that fact.

---

"Mom says they're pretty..." Vera said with a slight frown when he called her eyes funny. Other kids had bullied her about them before, but she never really cared all that much. But Yuri was supposed to be like a brother, right? So why he was being mean, she did not really understand.

However, all was forgiven when he offered her a chip. Vera grinned widely, grabbed the chip, and devoured it in a single bite, "Hmmm..." she hummed happily before she looked at him a moment longer. "Wanna see my room?" she asked, which was quite a thing for Vera. Nobody was just allowed to enter her room, so this was no easy decision.

 

[Shai Maji]

"Oh dear, no. You uh... are smelling my boyfriend,"

Shai blinked with surprise at her sister's words, but luckily her frown disappeared in an instant as a toothy grin took hold. "Boyfriend, huh?!" She quipped as she twirled her pistol on her trigger finger. "Well then, you just gonna leave it at that or am I gonna have to coax it outta ya?" She teased as she trained her blaster on Valery, though she quickly flipped the safety back on and holstered it as she grabbed a handful of chips. "What's his name, what does he look like, how'd you meet, you gonna let me meet him and tell him to get better deodorant?" She popped a few chips into her maw with a laugh as she leaned against the kitchen counter.

Valery wasn't going to shake the Wardog off her tail now...

---

Seeing Vera smile at his gesture brought a sheepish grin from the little Shistavanen as he ate his own chips. At the invitation of seeing her room, Yuri gave a nod and raced after Vera to see what it looks like. Upon entering it, Yuri finished off his snacks and wiped his hands against his shirt to make sure he didn't get any stains on anything as he looked around. "Oh wow!"

He rushed over to the window with wide eyes, staring out across the view of Coruscant. "This is so cool! I wish I had a window like this in my room." He looked at her with a big smile. He was a little jealous about her room's window, but he couldn't stay jealous at all. "You should come to Ma's ship and see my room. When we go somewhere, you can see space!" He explained as he looked out the window again.

Looking back, he noticed the plushies on her bed. A very confused expression spread along his features as he stared at them. "I don't look anything like those!" He tried to argue as he picked up one nearly as big as him. It was a big mistake. "He's soft..." He muttered as he looked at her with surprise... then hugged the plushie tightly as he sat on her bed.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Shai Maji

When Shai twirled her pistol around in the house, Valery narrowed her eyes a little. She was used to these things from having spent so much time with the Mandalorians, but the kids were close and the last thing she wanted was an accidental discharge in her apartment. But Shai was quick to holster it again, even though she first leveled it on Valery.

"His name is Aldric..." Valery began, still a little hesitant about just sharing everything. Shai, however, was like a sister. A very aggressive one she knew she couldn't get off her back about this, so she decided to just share it all. "Aldric and I met about 7 years ago when we started working together in the SIA. He went for an early retirement and a little while ago, I talked him into rejoining."

She paused for a moment and began to smirk as all those memories resurfaced, "I joined him on an assignment on Nar Shaddaa to get him back into things, and well... we got pretty close quickly." She winked and walked into the kitchen to grab some drinks, before pulling out a picture she had to show.

"This is him."

---

"The view in our last home was better," Vera said, clearly a little sad about having to leave it. But by living here, she was closer to her mother, which meant more time spent together. So she'd never really complain about it too much, even if she missed her garden and the forest near their old house.

At the offer to see his room, she began to grin again, "Mhm! Mom takes me for trips sometimes too, and it's really fun!" As a half-Keshian, she had some of her mother's natural gifts in space as well, albeit to a lesser extent. She could see everything far more clearly than most, so it was extra beautiful to her.

Turning to Yuri, she watched as he moved towards her plushies, and that grin she had only grew wider. "You are soft too, so also a plushie," she giggled and grabbed a smaller teddy bear, which was clearly her favorite. "This is Eddy, my first plushie," she held him out just to show him, but close enough to show she was hesitant about giving him up.

"Do you have any?"

 

[Shai Maji]

As Valery explained a bit about her new squeeze, the Shistavanen's grin continued to widen until she let out a snicker. "Oh yeah, me and Yuri could both smell that you two got close." She teased as she reached into her satchel and pulled a flask out. Peering over the flask, Shai carefully studied the picture Valery held up of Aldric.

"Dude's shoulders can hold up the Alliance, holy kriff." She quipped as she wiped some residual blood off her lips and stored the flask again. "Not a bad jawline for a smooth-skin either." She nodded with intrigue as she continued to stare at the picture.

Her crimson eyes flicked back to Valery with a very serious look. "And you say he's treating you good, right? No heart string tugging or emotional 'if you love me, you'll do this for me' crap?" She asked the Jedi. "Because if he's trying to manipulate you, he's gonna get a visit. SIA agents can get crafty if you let 'em in too close." She spoke with a look that betrayed some experience with a tense history.

---

"Ma says she's gonna teach me how to fly her ship and shoot her guns when I'm ten. You should come with!" Yuri spoke with a beaming grin. Though it quickly faltered as Vera once again called him a plushie.

"I'm not soft!" He tried to argue as he felt his cheeks start to burn. Trying to prove a point, he set the plushie aside and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. "See! I'm not soft."

The winter pelt he began to grow on Kestri wasn't helping.

His gaze shifted to 'Eddy' for a moment as he let go of Vera. "Eddy looks nice. I don't have one anymore. I chewed mine when I was sleeping. Ma said we're gonna get one tomorrow." He seemed to sadden a little as he explained to her, sitting back down as he pulled one of her teddies closer again.

He quickly perked up again, however, as a thought popped into his head. "Hey, you wanna play hide and seek?" He asked her with a bright smile.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Shai Maji

Valery snickered at the comment and rubbed the back of her neck, as a more sheepish smile touched her lips, "Yeah, things happened pretty quickly between us, but it felt good," she said before she showed the picture and grinned a little because of Shai's response to seeing him. "Mhmmm, he definitely has the looks," she said, as she looked down at the image herself, completely in love like a schoolgirl.

Only Shai's question helped her blink back into reality, "Hmm? Oh, no, not at all. He has never said or done anything to manipulate me. He has helped me a lot and just... being with him makes me very happy." She let out a sigh of contentment and put the pictures away for now.

"I'll have to introduce him some time, but I've already been dragging him to a lot of people for it, so I just don't want to overload him," she said with a chuckle. Valery had many friends, she had Padawans and even her daughter had to of course meet him. She really hoped all of that wasn't too much on him.

---

Vera was all grins when Yuri pulled her into a hug. The idea of joining him and his mother to fly and shoot the big guns was amazing, and now, she was getting all the evidence she needed for his new nickname as well! "You're fluffy," she said as she wrapped her arms around him and felt the soft winter pelt.

There was no embarrassment or awkwardness from her end at all — she just hugged and grinned at him.

But when she pulled back and he was saddened a little over the loss of his plushie, Vera did look at him more seriously. "Do you want the big teddy?" she asked after a moment before she pointed at the large bear he had been hugging. She could never give up Eddy to someone else, but if he needed a new friend, she'd give him the big bear instead.

He seemed to like that one the most, anyway.

At the suggestion to play hide and seek, she bounced up as well and raised her voice, "Mhmm! Just don't hide in mommy's bedroom. She'll get angry." Vera didn't seem to know why, but it hardly mattered to her. There were plenty of other places to hide, even if the apartment wasn't all that big.

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai gave a firm nod as her smile returned. "Good. Sorry if I'm soundin' paranoid, I had a bad... breakup... with a SIA agent about... twenty years ago? Somewhere around there." She admitted with a shrug as she poured a drink for herself as well. As Valery explained the awkward situation with Aldric meeting everyone, Shai gave an understanding nod. "I get that. Kind of had a situation like that with Xyoz... granted, that's for different reasons." She admitted with a guilty laugh.

"Although... it was rather amusing to introduce him to dad." She admitted as she shifted her weight a little. An idea popped into her mind that made her eyes go wide. "I just got an idea." She spoke up. "Just for the sake of balancing awkward meetings, how's about me and you organize a double date. I'll be able to meet Aldric and you can finally meet Xyoz." She suggested with a bright grin. The thought of Valery being able to sense Xyoz's true presence never even crossed her mind. "We can leave the kids at dad's place or something, he'll be able to take care of them without any issue." She continued on as she gave Valery a light nudge.

She was clearly quite impressed with her own genius plan...

---

Yuri reached the conclusion that he wasn't going to be able to win the argument and gave up on it completely, choosing instead to hold onto the big plushie in his arms as he sulked away. That, however, changed immediately as she offered him the plushie to take home. His grey eyes went wide with surprise and unbridled joy. "You... you mean it?" He muttered with a big smile. Immediately he hopped up, carefully set the plushie aside and rushed over to pull her into a tight hug. "Thank you, thank you! You're my best friend now!" He called out as he held onto her.

At the mention of where he wasn't allowed to hide, Yuri gave a solid nod. "Okay! I'll look first." He offered as he picked up the teddy and walked over to the bed to bury his face. "Ten, nine, eight, seven..." He started to count down as he shut his eyes. What he neglected to say at all was the advantage he had with his ears and nose.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Shai Maji

"I understand being paranoid very well. I'm still a little... scared," she frowned, as she clearly struggled to admit such a thing. But if anybody would understand, it would be Shai, "About the whole dating thing. I'm afraid I'll lose someone I love again. And that by bringing him close to me, that he'll become a target of those who want me dead as well." Of course, Aldric understood this and it hadn't changed his mind at all. But when the fear ran as deep as it did with Valery, it was still hard to fully accept it.

She'd never be able to live with herself if he got hurt because of her.

At the mention of a double date, though, Valery's smile brightened again, "I'll bring it up with him, and let you know. We have a few things planned already, but I'm sure he's up for it." Valery also had her ways to be very convincing, and there was just no way he could be her partner without meeting Shai. The Shistavanen was too close to her for that.

"And I'm sure the kids will be fine if we leave them with someone, yeah. They seem to get along pretty well..." She couldn't overhear what they were saying, but she felt her daughter's joy through the Force. It made her really happy, knowing that her little girl was finally making some new friends again.

---

"Mhmm! I mean it!" Vera said with a big grin. There was just no way she could have her brother be sad about these kinds of things, and she had earned herself plenty of plushies. Yuri then ran over again to pull her into another hug, and she returned it happily with the innocent smile she always had. But when he called her his best friend, even Vera was pulled back down to earth for just a moment.

A best friend? She had very few, and they were all much older than her. Amani, Silas... but now she had a best friend?

"You're my best friend too," she said, her voice softer while she tightly wrapped her little arms around him. But after a long moment passed, it was game time, so while Yuri began to count down, Vera took off and ran into the living room, then into the kitchen. Valery watched it happen, blinked, and shrugged her shoulders when she looked at Shai again.

Kids.

Vera looked around and decided to hide in one of the cabinets. There was no way he'd find her there!

 

[Shai Maji]

"I understand being paranoid very well. I'm still a little... scared,"

Shai gave a firm nod in understanding as she listened to her sister speak. "I get that completely. Last time I dated an agent, the dude wanted to arrest my mom." She commented casually as she took a sip of her drink. "That's why you pop 'em in the-"

"About the whole dating thing. I'm afraid I'll lose someone I love again. And that by bringing him close to me, that he'll become a target of those who want me dead as well."

The Wardog immediately shut up as her eyes widened. "Oh you mean that kind of scared..." Shai muttered as she glanced off with pursed lips and an awkward stare. Valery was definitely not having the same issue as she had in her youth. "Hey. Don't worry." She set her glass aside and closed the distance to take hold of Valery's shoulders. "You're a Jedi. Probably the most Jedi to ever Jedi. Don't get scared. Live your life. Otherwise you end up like me." She warned as she gave the Jedi a shake.

A smug look soon graced the Shistavanen's features as she looked at Valery. "Besides... if he ain't man enough to protect himself, just send him to Kestri." She let go and moved back to her spot against the counter, taking an obnoxiously loud slurp of her soda. "We'll make a man out of him real quick." She cackled away.

"I'll bring it up with him, and let you know. We have a few things planned already, but I'm sure he's up for it."

"And I'm sure the kids will be fine if we leave them with someone, yeah. They seem to get along pretty well..."

Shai's smug look and choice of bad jokes disappeared for a moment as she thought over the options. "That'll be a blast, I'm telling you. Yuri and Vera are definitely fine, can smell the smiles from here." She quipped as she tapped her nose. "Me and you gotta go out sometime as well, by the way. Rishi's just a stone's throw away from Kestri. Think about it, book in at a lodge, just a proper week or two without a care in the galaxy." She lightly tapped her blaster holstered on her hip. "Can also take the time to teach ya how to shoot like a Mando. Put that space magic to good use." She flashed a wink at Valery, though her attention was drawn to the little girl running past them.

Crimson eyes watched curiously as Vera clambered into a cupboard without a word or glance. It all became clear when Yuri's snout poked around the corner. A warm grin formed as Shai watched her son sniff away as he snuck through the kitchen. Shai gave Valery a look that signified it wasn't a unique instance.

Yuri's nose quickly sought out the little girl hiding in the cupboard. With a mischievous grin he lingered by the door for a moment, then yanked it open with as scary a snarl as he could muster.

It wasn't really all that impressive.

"Found you!" He tapped her shoulder then scrambled off with a laugh. "You're it!" He called out.

Shai watched it all play out with a loving, dreamy smile. "Yeah, they're fine..." She muttered. "The hell am I supposed to do, Val? He's all alone on Kestri. He's only gonna start training when he's seven. There really ain't that many people his age around." She asked with a hint of concern in her eyes as she looked at Valery.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Shai Maji

"You're a Jedi. Probably the most Jedi to ever Jedi. Don't get scared. Live your life. Otherwise you end up like me."

With Shai's hands settled on her shoulder, and those words being spoken, Valery could only smile and show her appreciation. She had heard something like this before from Shai, back on New Cov, and other friends had encouraged her as well. But it was going to take time to really set aside her fears completely. If Aldric's life was endangered or if something were to threaten Vera's safety, Valery wasn't quite the same about how she handled it.

Still, though, the support from people close to her made a huge difference.

"Thanks, Shai," Valery said before a smirk appeared on her lips, "You'd think I date a wimp? He's a tough guy. He can protect himself and well, he can also protect Vera and me when we need it." Not just literally with guns and armor, but also on a more personal level. Right now, after everything that happened, it's what she needed most.

"A vacation with just us two?" Of course, that had to include shooting practice or other things with weapons. "That sounds like a good time. I've just had a vacation with Aldric, but soon I might see about a new one." Whatever else they'd get up to, she wasn't sure and Rishi was a planet she associated with crime and problems. But with Shai, almost anything could be fun.

Valery then watched as Vera sprinted through the house to hide, and soon enough, Yuri came sniffing his way around the corner. With little effort, he found the little hybrid girl, who squealed loud and high-pitched when he yanked open the door. "Yuriiiii!" she exclaimed before she jumped out with a grin and gave him some time to hide.

"Yuri has less of an advantage than he thinks he does," Valery said with a smug smirk. Vera was already with her eyes closed, and the Force was giving her visions of where he tried to hide. It was not going to take very long for her to find him.

Valery then looked back at Shai, and nodded with a frown of her own, "It's... a concern I have for Vera too. She was crying the other day because she had no friends, and her birthday is coming up," Valery said with motherly pain in her eyes. "I wanted to ask if you could visit with Yuri for her birthday? Maybe they don't need a ton of friends, but if we can coordinate times for them to be able to play and have fun with each other, that'll help already."

 

[Shai Maji]

"Yuri has less of an advantage than he thinks he does,"

"Hey, hey! Having a sharp nose is one thing. Space magic is just straight up cheating." Shai teased with a bright grin as she raised a finger at Valery. "In all fairness, if I had the Force, I'd abuse the hell out of it. You can brush teeth, make breakfast and strip a blaster all in one go every morning!" She continued with a snicker.

"It's... a concern I have for Vera too. She was crying the other day because she had no friends, and her birthday is coming up,"

"I wanted to ask if you could visit with Yuri for her birthday? Maybe they don't need a ton of friends, but if we can coordinate times for them to be able to play and have fun with each other, that'll help already."

The mention of Vera's birthday had Shai's eyes widen for a moment. "For real? Hell yeah, we can do that! I, uh... need to check what we can organize as a present. I don't think a speeder, gun or Beskad will be all that fitting." She scratched her chin in thought for a moment. "Actually, a Beskad would actually make for a real good present, now that I think about it..." She mulled over the options as she glanced off at Vera and Yuri. "That or a hydrospanner. Every kid needs one of those."

Looking back at Valery, Shai's toothy grin spread again. "You wanna go out? Get a drink or something?" She asked as she shifted over and wrapped an arm around Valery to hug her close.

---

A few seconds was all Yuri needed to disappear into the apartment. Not paying attention to the layout, Yuri ran into a big room and slipped into a corner of the closet. He even went the extra mile and used various objects and clothing to hide himself from view if Vera managed to find him.

With a big smile, the Shistavanen waited anxiously to see if she could find him. She didn't have a nose like him or Ma. But what he didn't realize was that he unintentionally broke the rule of where he was allowed. Unaware of the mistake, Yuri stayed deathly still and slowed his breathing to be as quiet as possible.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

"She's not intentionally using it. She is still learning how to control her visions," Valery said before she rolled her eyes at Shai's comment about abusing the Force. When it came to its use, Valery's views on the Force were still very traditional, so she visibly cringed at what Shai was thinking about. Luckily, the conversation quickly shifted to a far more pleasant topic.

"Strangely enough, the hydrospanner might not be a bad idea. She has been learning some mechanics skills from a dear friend of mine. But just a plushie or something simple would also be fine." Valery smiled warmly. She was clearly happy that Shai and Yuri were going to visit. Anything that made her little girl happy was very important to her, especially in these difficult times.

Her gaze then briefly followed Shai's as the kids ran off, but returned to see the woman's toothhly grin. "Going out, hm? That sounds like fun. You want to leave the kids here with my nursery droid or drop them off somewhere?"

Meanhwile, Vera ran towards her mother's room, realizing that Yuri had gone inside to hide. Within only a few seconds of him settling inside the closet full of clothes and personal items, Vera suddenly pulled open the doors and stared at him with widened eyes that showed how terrified she was. "We can't be here. If-"

"Vera?!" Valery called out once she realized where the kids were. Her demeanor was a mix of nervousness and motherly anger, which would likely be confusing to her Shistavanen sis. But there was a very good reason for it.

"Yuri, run!" Vera screamed while she reached for his arm to pull him out and along with her. She didn't care clothes were still attached to him - all she knew was that she had to run.

Sadly, it was already too late for them. Right as Vera sprinted out the door with Yuri in tow, Valery snatched her up into her arms and looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Yuri, save yourself! Run!" She yelled, as if the big scary monster had claimed her life.

"Vera... what did I say about going into the bedroom?" She asked sternly. She did not need her or strangers to enter the bedroom she shared with Aldric Laurent For...reasons.

Shai Maji

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai waved Valery off at the suggestion of a plushie. "I'll just organize all of it, make both our lives easier." She remarked. Upon being asked what to do with the kids, Shai thought long and hard for a moment. "Xyoz ain't in the neighbourhood right now, he's got trouble on Denon. Ain't got anyone else on Coruscant, as far as... hold up! Ain't Silas on Coruscant?" She asked with a bright grin. "I met him a while back on New Cov, but he said he's your padawan. We can leave the kids at him, he'll probably keep them busy enough." She suggested.

However, the conversation cut short when Valery marched off with a mix of concern and anger. Shai only stared on in confusion, quickly following after her. She hoped that Yuri didn't do something serious...

Yuri, on the other hand, was becoming increasingly concerned and curious. The scents in the closet were becoming overwhelming for the young Shistavanen. He wasn't sure what he was smelling, but what made him blink was a pair of fuzzy binders he found. He didn't get a chance to inspect much as Vera yanked the door open and dragged him out. A startled yelp escaped him as she pulled him along, only to run right into Valery and Shai outside the room.

Despite her cries to run, Yuri stared up at the two women with big, grey eyes. Hanging from one ear was a funky piece of clothing. He wasn't sure what it was for, but the two cups were oddly perfect for hiding both ears like a helmet. But in his hands were the curious binders in all of their fuzzy glory. "Ma, is Auntie Valery a police officer?!" He called out with a giant smile. He held the binders up for them to see more clearly as a glimmer of admiration filled his eyes. "That's so cool! Vera, did you know?!" He glanced between the three of them.

Upon seeing the spectacle, Shai was rather concerned about what was going on. However, that shifted as Yuri held up the binders. Her eyes widened before a squealing laugh escaped her. Yuri could only look on as his mother folded over and leaned against the wall for support as she laughed. "Yuri... give... give it..." She couldn't complete the sentence as tears filled her eyes. She briefly managed to compose herself and take the binders from Yuri, but one look at Valery had her laughing all over again. "Yeah, Val! Are you a cop?!" She teased as she gave Valery a nudge, cackling all the way.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

With Vera squirming in her arms, Valery stood completely frozen when she spotted a bra hanging around Yuri's ear. But even worse were the binders he held, as well as the question he asked about it. Shai burst out in a crying laughter and Valery felt her entire face burning bright red. Her lips parted to speak and finally answer the question, but Vera beat her to it. "Nuh uh, mommy is a Jedi," she said with a big nod, not realizing what position it put her mother in.

Valery blinked, her cheeks still completely red, and shook her head. "I'm not a cop....but Jedi sometimes need to catch the bad guys too," she answered but the young Noble knew enough to understand that they didn't have binders like that, especially not the fluffy kind. So before her daughter could make things even worse, Valery quickly added, "Aldric is an agent...he needs them sometimes." Yep, totally.

She wanted to just cease to exist right about now.

Valery then reached for the bra and gently pulled it off of Yuri's face, which got Vera to focus on that instead. "For Mommy's chest. Master Iris says it's very big," she blurted out with no shame or realization of what she was saying in her voice at all. In response, Valery squeezed Vera just a tiny little bit, and she squealed immediately. "Did she now? I'll talk to Iris Arani later." Valery muttered before she looked at Shai with narrowed eyes.

"Not. A. Word. About. This," Valery said with a fiery glare. "To anybody." She seemed very serious about this. "And if you're done laughing, let's drop these two off with Silas and get some drinks. Talk things over a little more..."

Finally, she set Vera back down and sighed. "No more going into my room, Vera," Valery said sternly but with a completely blank expression, Vera suddenly pointed at Yuri. "He did it."

Valery blinked and sighed. "Both of you."

Shai Maji

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai's laughter cycled between squealing, to cackling, to desperate wheezing as she slumped down against the wall, clutching at her stomach while trying to wipe the tears from her eyes. "Who's the one gettin' arrested in the evenings, huh?!" She wailed as she toppled over. Yuri simply stared on with confusion at the two women for a moment. Vera's remark didn't help at all. "Why would Auntie Valery need it for her chest? Is it like armour or something?" He asked.

Shai simply laughed further.

Valery's warning went unanswered for the moment, at least until Yuri looked at the binders again. "Those look like Ma's, actually. Hers is pink."

That managed to silence the Wardog for the moment. She glanced over to Valery, then to Yuri. Her cheeks burnt up underneath her pelt as she tried to think of an excuse. "Yeah, and you'll probably be stealing them in a few years, you little squib." She deflected without hesitation. "Why would I steal them? I don't want to be a pig." Yuri argued with a frown. The rather harsh nickname for the police went unaddressed for the moment. "Give it a few years." She continued with a frown as she managed to get up to her feet.

"No more going into my room, Vera,"

"He did it."

"Both of you."

"Hey, you never said that was it!" Yuri immediately deflected as he looked at Vera. "It stinks anyway, I don't wanna go in there again!" He continued as his cheeks puffed out and he looked away.

Shai, finally somewhat composed, tossed the binders into Valery's room and closed the door, chuckling nervously as she looked over to Valery. "Yeah, let's drop 'em off." She agreed without hesitation. "My speeder's just outside, come on." She grabbed her things and scrambled to get to the speeder parked outside. For the moment, she played it cool. There would be plenty of time to talk in a few minutes. "Okay, Yuri... I want you to be on your best behaviour. You and Vera are going to visit Silas Westgard for a bit, he's a good friend of me and Valery. Got it?" She spoke over her shoulder as she blasted off towards the temple.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Shai Maji

"Who's the one gettin' arrested in the evenings, huh?!"

When it seemed like things couldn't get any worse, Shai was able to make a comment that had her blushing all over again. The Shistavanen had never seen her like this before, and if it wasn't for this little accident, she never would have. As close as they were, their relationship wasn't one where they shared the most embarrassing things about each other's life. They supported each other and laughed with each other, but this was something she'd never hear the end of.

Her son, of course, also decided to add to it with a comment about the bra. Vera just looked at Yuri, then at the soft bra that couldn't possibly be armor, and then at her mother's chest. She shrugged and Valery was glad she could actually keep her mouth shut for once.

But what had been a nightmare thus far also took a turn in her favor, when Yuri made a comment that had his mother blushing. Valery immediately made sure that Shai could see the smug grin on her face, "Pink, huh? I'm sure it looks real cute on you, Shai," Valery said with a grin while the kids just seemed even more confused.

On the topic of entering her room, the two kiddos seemed to finally turn against each other.

"Hey, you never said that was it!"

"I did!" she said before she stuck out her tongue and turned away with puffed cheeks too. Valery blinked at it and nudged Vera to stop being angry. Luckily, with a mention of going to Silas, she perked up again. "Silas?! You'll like him, plushie!" Vera said with a warm smile to her best friend again.

"Alright, let's get going then," Valery said before she took a deep breath and settled into Shai's speeder. She really could go for some drinks right about now.

 

[Shai Maji]

"Pink, huh? I'm sure it looks real cute on you, Shai,"

"Keep laughin', sis, I'll bind you to the temple walls with 'em." She fired right back with a daring grin. Yeah, they were going to kill each other before the day was over. She couldn't get the kids to Silas fast enough, racing like a maniac through the skylanes at incredibly dangerous speeds while likely breaking every single traffic law on Coruscant.

Yuri, on the other hand, clung to his new plushie with one arm and to Vera with the other as he grinned from ear to ear. "Ma's the best with a speeder!" He quipped as he looked at Vera. "She says she has a friend with a podracer. I'm gonna build one when I'm bigger." He chatted away as if it were a relaxing drive.

Shai, on the other hand, merely spared an occasional glance at Valery from the corner of her eye. A snort escaped her as she looked ahead once more. "So who's the bad guy? You take take turns on week days then flip a coin for the weekend or what?" She muttered with a laugh building in her throat once more.

In what was likely a new world record for the Coruscant police scanners, Shai landed the speeder by the temple stairs and immediately set out to find Silas Westgard . "Hey Silas, what's up." She greeted him with a casual smile before dispensing Yuri into his arms. The poor child merely stared up with confused, grey eyes at the man before looking back at Shai. "Ma, he looks creepy!" He shouted at tears jerked at his eyes. "I don't wanna get stuffed, Ma!" He called out.

But it was no use. Shai grabbed Valery's hand and dragged her off the moment Vera was handed over. "Keep an eye on 'em for us, we'll be back!" The Wardog called out over her shoulder.

---

Back in the speeder, Shai gave Valery a shove as she cackled all over again. "I can't believe it! Oh man, this is gold! I wonder what the council will say if this ever got out." She teased with a grin big enough to rival the sun. The speeder took off towards an entrance to Underworld, gently descending among the freighters and transports as the darkness drew closer.

"There's this super good place I know of. But... one thing..." She gave Valery a poke in her side as an evil look took hold. "I'll keep my lips sealed... if you don't do that Force thing that flushes your system." She extended a hand for the woman to shake. "We got a deal?" Her eyes burned with a devious glimmer as a maw full of razor sharp teeth glistened against the passing lights.

She had Valery. Hook, line and sinker. And she wanted to make sure her sister knew it.

Valery Noble