Private Little Girl, Big World

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

Day one with the Jedi Order, and Astri Elyse was already lost.

Oh what was she thinking, letting Dad ship her off to Coruscant? It had seemed exciting at the time! But now that she was here, everything was so overwhelming! The Temple was huge, and she was just trying to find the archives, and now she was in a room surrounded by flora and fauna that she'd never seen before—which was really cool, but she was so turned upside down that she didn't think she'd ever make it back to her room now.

"Oh man..." Came the quiet groan from her lips.

There was a ball of anxiety setting in her gut, like butterflies fluttering within her. Why hadn't she asked for a map? She was smarter than this... right? Or was she?

All she knew was that she really wished someone she knew was here. Dad, or one of her teachers, or even some of the people who used to make fun of her. She'd take anyone right now. Just someone to call for a little help, probably in the form of directions. But no. She was here on her own now. She'd... she'd just have to find her way out on her own! She could do that, right?

Or she could ask someone for directions... but that thought was almost as frightening as being alone.

So, in the meantime, Astri wrapped her arms around herself, and looked for an exit with wide eyes and a nervous expression on her face.

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Interacting with: Astri Elyse

-

"Are you okay?" A friendly voice drifted over to Astri from her right. Zaiya, a fourteen-year-old Lovalla, stood beside her, holding a small tablet in one hand and a case in the other. Her expression was a mix of curiosity and friendliness, her head tilted slightly like a curious bird observing another. Despite being the same height as Astri, Zaiya's appearance was strikingly different. Her white hair transitioned into a vibrant array of cobalt, magenta, and teal hues, adorned with tiny silver clips that caught the light.

But what really would catch attention were the mottled spots and stripes on Zaiya's face, neck, and arms. They shimmered with vibrant citrine hues of orange and teal, flecked with pale yellow reflecting her friendly curiosity and concern at Astri's apparent distress.

It was clear to Zaiya that Astri seemed lost, a feeling she could empathize with. She had lost herself before, relying on the help of Aris Noble or Colette to find her way out of the Room of a Thousand Fountains before.

"I can try to help you if you're not," Zaiya offered, her voice warm and reassuring.

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

"Are you okay?"

Astri jumped a full foot in the air.

When she graced the earth once more, she turned to the voice that had startled her, face so red that even the tips of her ears burned. But when she caught sight of Zaiya, her embarrassment rapidly shifted to awe, pink cheeks fading in favor of widening silver eyes. There were... there were so many colors on the girl in front of her. And her hair! Astri knew the galaxy was full of vibrant aliens—she'd read about a lot of them in books—but she'd never seen or heard of anyone like Zaiya.

She quickly realized that she was staring, and flushed in embarrassment anew.

"I-I'm okay!" She nodded quickly, "I'm just l-lost."

Oh this was mortifying! But at least the girl in front of her seemed happy to help. Astri still felt bad though, that she was interrupting her and whatever she was doing, just because Astri herself hadn't thought of asking for a map. Oh gosh, she hoped that this wasn't going to be a repeating issue. How was she supposed to be a Jedi like Mom, when she couldn't even navigate a room?!

"The Temple is just really big..."

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Interacting with: Astri Elyse

-

The sudden jump from the young girl startled Zaiya, her vibrant colors momentarily fading into a muted blend of grey with faint hints of yellow, betraying her surprise. With a nervous chuckle, she shook her head, amusement twinkling in her iridescent eyes. She didn't mind the lingering mesmerized stare; Zaiya was used to it, and she was starting to notice which stares were done in innocent curiosity and which ones were far more malicious.

The one Astri gave her was one of avid wonder-filled curiosity.

"Oops... Sorry about that," Zaiya apologized with a sheepish grin, feeling a tad embarrassed for unintentionally startling Astri. It seemed she was now on the receiving end of the startle.

"Yeah, this place can be a maze," Zaiya commiserated, assuring Astri that getting lost was a common occurrence. "I still get turned around sometimes," she confessed, moving a bit closer to the girl, her eagerness to help overriding any sense of personal space boundaries she might have missed.

"Are you headed somewhere specific or just enjoying the gardens?" Zaiya inquired, ready to offer assistance based on Astri's answer.

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

The girl's colors changed, and Astri had to fight to look her in the eyes, instead of watching the vibrant swathes on her skin.

"Oops... Sorry about that,"

"N-no! It's not your fault!" Astri was quick to exclaim, "I'm just... jumpy."

Oh, how embarrassing! If she'd just been paying attention to her surroundings, then there'd have been no reason to be startled. And now Astri was making this girl apologize to her, when all she was trying to do was help. She seemed nice! Sure... Astri had met her all of six seconds ago, and she didn't even know her name, but already this girl was trying to reach out to someone in need.

The girl stepped closer to her, and Astri blinked. She said nothing though, and instead tried to figure out what to say. What did people do when they met each other? Astri thought she was missing a step—oh! Her name.

"I'm, um, Astri," as far as introductions went, that was one of her best, "I was trying to find the Archives... and somehow I ended up in here. And it's really pretty here! But... it's not what I was looking for, and I'm not even sure I can find my way back to my room..."

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Interacting with: Astri Elyse

-

"Jumpy?" Zaiya gave a cant of her head. Deep amber intermixed with vibrant citrine hues would dance over her patterns in curious contemplation.

Did she mean that literally or figuratively? Then again, she just jumped when startled.

The thought brought a small chuckle and mirth dancing in her iridescent blue eyes. The citrine colors of her patterns shifted to a light blue, mirroring her amusement.

"Hi Astri, it is a pleasure to meet you." Zaiya would have shaken her hand, but her hands were full. "I'm Zaiya!"

"Oh, the archives." Honestly, she wasn't sure where the archives were either. Abashed embarrassment bloomed over her face in coral shades, replacing the blue.

"Well... I am not quite sure where the archives are," Zaiya began, rocking forward on the balls of her feet.

"BUT!" She added with a smile, "We can look for them together?"

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

The girl laughed, and Astri flushed a little more. But the young Echani couldn't blame her: she had just jumped a full foot into the air. Most people probably would have found a little humor in that. Heck, she might have chuckled a little if their situations had been reversed. So, despite the pink hue on her cheeks, Astri found it in herself to give a small smile in return.

"Nice to meet you too, Zaiya!" Oof, maybe that was a little eager.

And then—as Zaiya admitted she didn't know where the archives were—pink colored her cheeks as well. Though, it came in those same colorful swathes along her skin, and Astri thought that was much more fascinating than the way blood rushed to her own cheeks.

"Well... I am not quite sure where the archives are,"

"O-oh," Astri tried not to look crestfallen, "w-well that's okay! I can always—"

But Zaiya wasn't giving up just yet. Sure, she may not have known where the archives were, but the colorful girl was more than happy to get lost together! Which was relieving, stressful, exciting, and nerve-wracking all at once—Astri wasn't good with other people, but she wanted to be.

"Okay!"

Maybe she sounded a little too excited. But she wanted to find the archives, and... and maybe Zaiya could be her first friend here?

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Interacting with: Astri Elyse

-

"Perfect!" Zaiya immediately beamed at Astri Elyse , giving a little bare shoulder shimmy in joy, the bangles on her wrist giving a musical jingle as the coral over her patterns was quickly replaced by a happy teal hue.

"Come on, follow me. I at least know how to get out of the gardens." Zaiya gestured with a cant of her head over for the white-haired girl to come with her.

"So, where are you from, Astri?" the Lovalla teen asked, her steps lively as she studied where they were and which direction to go.

"Are you here to visit, or are you part of the Order?"

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

Was... was Zaiya dancing? She shimmied in a way that had Astri's eyes following her, and her head tilted to the side in wonder. Then, realizing that she was staring yet again, she shook her head and nodded at the girl—pink hue never quite leaving her cheeks. Maybe Dad was right: she really needed to get out more. No amount of reading had prepared her for an interaction like this.

"Oh, that's nice," Astri spoke quietly, as Zaiya confirmed that she could at least navigate them out of... wherever she'd stumbled into, "I... I've been in this room for a lot longer than I'd like."

Neat place. Probably somewhere she'd like to come back to, eventually. But at the moment, she was lost, and she just wanted to know where in the Temple she actually was. If not for Zaiya, who knew how much longer she'd have wandered aimlessly?

"So, where are you from, Astri?"

"Oh! Umm. I'm from Eshan." She answered, "I... I came here to learn how to be a Jedi, like my mother was."

She stopped speaking for a moment, allowing a pause of silence to permeate the space between them. And then she realized that she should probably ask Zaiya the same question. Because that was how you learned about someone, right?

"I, uhh, what about you? I've never seen... someone like you before?"

She hoped that wasn't rude. But she was so interested in Zaiya. For all her readings, Astri had never seen or heard of her species.

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Astri Elyse

-

Astri kept staring, but Zaiya continued to pay it no mind; the Lovalla teen had told herself that moving out of the university meant more people would likely be staring at her. Some would do so out of curiosity. Others in awe. Some in suspicion. She couldn't keep getting bothered by the increased stares, not if she wanted to try and join the Order. Joining meant that odds were, just like Shan said, would require meeting more people who need help. Some would be grateful. Others might not. But the point was that Zaiya wanted to help out anyway.

"It's okay, you know," Zaiya commented, flashing a soft smile as she turned slightly to look at Astri as they walked. "I know. I glow. " she gestured to herself despite carrying the tablet in one hand and the small case in the other.

" I can tell you don't mean any harm by staring, so it is okay." she assured the Echani girl. So Astri is from Eshan? Zaiya never heard about it before but her curiosity sparked in bright citrine hues over her markings again. The longer Astri would observe Zaiya, the more it would become clear that the colors seemed to shift based on her emotions. The girl would make it clear by adding, "My kind are from Volik; it is a world in the Unknown regions. I'm a Lovalla and we are very, very rare. My skin changes colors over my patterns based on what I'm feeling... so-o..." she gave a side to side slow wiggle of her head and then added in a self-effacing manner, "I guess you can call me a walking glowing mood ring."

Zaiya chuckled, seemingly not bothered by her own self-ribbing joke. To be honest, her color shifting was muted. Compared to a Lovalla, who had well-established social bonds, Zaiya's bioluminescence and color-shifting would be considered dull and rather pitiful.

"Eshan, where is that at?" Zaiya asked, heading through one of the garden paths that would lead them to the center stairs. "And oh, that's so nice, is your mother here with you too?"

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

"I know. I glow. "

"I'm sorry!" She declared anyways, despite Zaiya admitting she had no issue with her curiosity, "it's just so different from what I know. And it's pretty!"

Maybe a little awkward to say, and even Astri knew that, but she didn't want Zaiya to get the wrong idea. She wasn't weird, just interesting. Everything was interesting to Astri, who had spent her entire life amongst the Echani. Until just recently, she'd never even left the planet before! But... excited and curious or not, she really should work on her staring, she knew. Not everyone was going to be as nice as Zaiya.

But on the topic of curiosity: Zaiya's homeworld and people sounded so enticing. Astri had read about the Unknown Regions, of course, but lacked knowledge of many of the individual planets found there. Volik was not a world she'd ever heard of before, and likewise, the Lovalla were just as much of a mystery to her. She wondered if the archives would have information on them both?

The mere thought had her excited. So much so, that she failed to realize that the best source of information about both Volik and the Lovalla was Zaiya herself.

"Eshan?" Astri tilted her head. Zaiya wanted to know about her? "it's in the Inner Rim. I was born and raised there, like most Echani. My mom too... but she's gone now."

Astri's tone didn't seem to hold much emotion about that, her mother's death having occurred when she was quite young—too young to have really understood what it meant, at the time.

"B-but your people sound way more interesting! You all have color changing patterns? What's Volik like?"

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Astri Elyse

-

Zaiya laughed, the musical sound bubbling forth with a joyful tone. Her face scrunched up in mirth as she smiled at Astri Elyse , only to blush in abashed pleasure at the compliment that her color shifting was pretty. Her patterns shone a vibrant coral hue, their edges softly glowing in a golden bioluminescence.

It was nice to be told she was pretty. By all accounts, she wasn’t as vibrant as other Lovalla, so it was an affirmation that she was still pretty nonetheless.

However, confusion would dampen Zaiya’s hues over her mottled spots and stripes to soft dove gray when Astro mentioned her mother was gone. Gone where? Did she leave Astri here and go home? Due to the lack of emotive tells, Zaiya didn’t understand that Astri meant her mother had passed.

Echani. Had I heard that before? Zaiya wasn’t sure. In her mind she hadn’t picked up that Braze was Half-Echani. I’ll have to ask Astro more about the Echani after this.

“Oh, yes all of my kind do. We use it as a way to communicate.”Zaiya explained, making a right along an exhibit of Dantooine’s prairie grass.

“Each color or color combination relays an emotion we are feeling. I’m actually not as vibrant as other Lovalla. The Varnesh from the southern continents are actually far more colorful. It’s mesmerizing to see.” She continued, explaining, “ I’m a Dresh from the northern regions, so I have nicitating membranes over my eye and can see into the ultraviolet spectrum. Plus I can handle cold really, really well.”

What else?

“I honestly don’t remember Volik that much. I left there young with my parents when they were hired to be professors. But what I do remember is all the mountains, waterfalls, and lots of open space and the pretty snow.”

Turning to Astro, Zaiya smiled inquisitively, “Tell me more about Eshan and your people. What is it like?”

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

Astri watched as Zaiya's colors went from... well, colorful, to a muted grey. Oh no! Was that her fault? Shoot, she wasn't even sure of what she'd done! But if Zaiya's people communicated through the shifting of colors on their patterns, then what did grey mean? Was there a Handbook to Lovalla that she could check out of the archives? She hoped so. At least then she'd stand a chance of understanding the shifts in the other girl's colors.

Or you could just ask her, her mind whispered. But that seemed... that seemed... well, Astri didn't think she could bring herself to ask. Not yet. Maybe... maybe she could work her way up to that?

“ I’m a Dresh from the northern regions, so I have nicitating membranes over my eye and can see into the ultraviolet spectrum. Plus I can handle cold really, really well.”

"You can see on the ultraviolet spectrum?!" Astri's eyes practically sparked, "what's that even like?!"

The way her voice echoed down the hall made Astri shrink back and wince. Had she really been that loud, just now? Had she ever been that loud, ever? She really hoped that didn't disturb anyone...

But then Zaiya asked about the Echani, and Astri found herself focused on something else.

"Oh, well, um... we're a matriarchal society... but the Alliance recently passed a motion to enforce gender equality amongst its planets, and that's been... a very turbulent transition. A lot of my people are unhappy with it." She explained, brows furrowing, "and when my people are unhappy, they express it through fighting. In fact, to my people, battle is how we learn to understand each other. We consider it the most honest form of communication."

A pause.

"I've... never been a very good Echani, though..."

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Astri Elyse

-

"Hmm..." Zaiya pondered for a moment, her patterns shifting in a dance of dark amber hues as she explained the elusive color palette of Eshan. "It's like very faint violet tones and shadows," she began, her voice thoughtful. "Imagine being outside on a full moon night, with an indigo sky casting everything in shades of violets, pale grays, and deep indigos."

A mischievous grin crossed her face as she turned to Astri. "Of course, it depends if Echani can see the same color wavelengths I can. I can perceive spectrums most humans or other species can't. Everything is much more vibrant, with shades that are difficult to explain... with a sort of iridescent quality to it. And when you add in the bioluminescence, it just makes it even prettier."

Her curiosity piqued, Zaiya delved into the differences between matriarchal culture and the new gender act on Eshan. "How would it be different between a matriarchal culture and the new gender act?" she mused, her confusion evident. Lovalla culture, she explained, was more cooperative, with less emphasis on gender differences in the work area.

Zaiya's interest was further sparked by the revelation that Eshani culture used fighting as a form of communication. "Oh, so your culture uses fighting to communicate?" she mused, recalling Aris's similar explanation about Epicanthix culture. "I heard that fighting is a good way to know someone's personality and that it can be very beautiful to see people spar."

However, when Astri admitted she wasn't a very good Echani, Zaiya's concern grew evident. "What do you mean you're not a very good Echani?" she asked, her colors shifting to a dove grey flecked with pale yellow. "Is there a particular standard to be one? Aren't you just an Echani because you were born one?"

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

Astri did her best to keep up with Zaiya's description, but she quickly lost hold on the metaphor. That wasn't the other girls' fault though: trying to describe the ultraviolet spectrum to someone who couldn't see it was basically the same thing as trying to explain color to someone who'd been born blind. Honestly, she was impressed that the Lovalla was able to describe it as well as she had.

"That sounds so pretty..." Astri was—as she had been since Zaiya started speaking—wide eyed, "I wish I could see like that. My vision isn't any different than a human's."

But then the colorful student asked after how her culture and its government would change, under the new act passed by the senate. Astri took a moment to try and put it into words, but politics was something she'd never found much interest in.

"Honestly, umm, I think the only real difference is that men would find themselves in positions of power more often." Astri shrugged, "but to my people, that's a huge upheaval of our culture. Our matriarchs have always made the decisions on Eshan. B-but... maybe 'we've always done it this way' isn't a good enough reason to resist change..."

Then came the real question: why wasn't she a good example of an Echani? She thought she could answer that, and still address how her people 'talked.'

"Y-yes. We consider sparring the most intimate form of communicating, and the most honest... and an Echani who struggles to learn how to fight, in turn, struggles to communicate with her people." Astri suddenly got real quiet, "l-l-like I do."

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

They finally came to the stairs and Zaiya gestured in a friendly motion for Astri Elyse to follow her down, adding, "So the stairs in the middle take you down and out of the gardens, while the ones on the rear will lead you up and further into the exhibits."

It was curious to hear about the political ramifications of how the new gender law impacted culture. But did gender equality really mean that men had to participate in final decisions if the culture had it as a matriarchal society? Wouldn't it just be like... a monarchy? If it were a queen, then the queen would make the decisions, not the consort.

"Y-yes. We consider sparring the most intimate form of communicating, and the most honest... and an Echani who struggles to learn how to fight, in turn, struggles to communicate with her people." Astri suddenly got real quiet, "l-l-like I do."

This struck a similar heartfelt chord in Zaiya's chest, resonating with her in a way that felt deeply personal. She was a Lovalla who didn't quite fit the mold, struggling to find her place and identity in a universe that expected her to conform to certain norms. Hearing Astri's struggles to identify as a real Echani because of her difficulties in learning to fight sparked a wave of empathy within Zaiya, manifesting as a soft, pearly luminescent glow that danced over her skin in empathetic hues.

"Oh, well, not everyone learns how to fight the same way, at the same time, or at a set pace," Zaiya reassured Astri, her voice gentle and understanding.

"Just take your time. Perhaps you can find other ways to communicate effectively, like exploring different fighting styles or simply dedicating more practice and time to honing your skills. I don't know how to fight at all, but I have friends who do. Aris is working hard to become a Battlemaster, and Braze possesses a wealth of knowledge in various combat techniques and maneuvers," Zaiya explained, her tone brimming with encouragement, thinking of Aris Noble and Braze .

"I believe that now that you're here, you'll discover your own unique way to convey yourself as an Echani. Perhaps you'll even develop your own distinctive fighting style," Zaiya continued, her words filled with optimism and faith in Astri's abilities, those opal blue iridescent eyes meeting the Echani's own. Every one of her words was genuine in their regard and optimistic belief.

"And I have no doubt that it will be truly wonderful and beautiful to witness."

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

The stairs that led down would lead her out? Astri swore that she'd gotten here by walking down a flight of stairs? Right? Or... maybe she had climbed up? Oh no, she already couldn't remember how she'd gotten here in the first place! But... if Zaiya was showing her right now, and they were leaving the gardens... then it had to be this particular flight of stairs, right?

She chose to believe that she'd entered the garden this way. It was the only thing that made sense. It wasn't like she'd fallen in through the roof, right?

"Maybe we all learn at our own pace," Astri half-agreed, quietly, "but when you grow up in a culture that puts an emphasis on fighting to communicate... not being able to do that well is like trying to communicate in broken language."

It wasn't that she didn't understand Zaiya's point. She did. Agreed with it, even. Astri just wished that, of all the things she could have picked up slowly, fighting hadn't been one of them.

But then Zaiya insisted that, whatever style of fighting that would eventually suit her, it would be beautiful. And Astri flushed a whole different shade of red. She wasn't sure anyone had called her pretty before, directly or indirectly.

"T-thank you," her nervous stutter began anew, "b-but I think your colors are way prettier than any fighting could b-be."

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

“You’re right. It can be difficult to communicate. I feel the same, even though my emotions are out there for anyone to see, no one will really be able to truly understand me without the bonds that my kind have that go with it.” Zaiya could empathize with that, moving down the steps until they went down two levels.

“What part of it do you believe you can’t do well? Is it a particular form or just skill level?” Zaiya asked, curious, only to add, “ only if you are comfortable sharing of course.”

Needless to say, Astri Elyse ‘s compliment had Zaiya flushing as well, but in abashed pleasure. Compliments were nice. Especially since Zaiya did her best to try and look prettier and more colorful since she knew she couldn’t get as vibrant as other Lovalla.

“Thank you for saying that. It means a lot,” she flagged her a grin, leading her through to get towards the hallway that would lead them back into the temple.

 

[Astri Elyse]

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

Astri didn't quite understand the specifics of Zaiya's trouble with communicating—how could she, without being Lovalla herself? But the gist of it? Yeah, that she understood down to her bones. It wasn't that she didn't understand tones of voices, or facial clues... but her mind had been preconditioned to understand a person through their fighting forms first. Only, in turn, for her to fail to be able to properly replicate those forms.

Like she could hear and understand, but not speak properly. It was... lonely.

"It's skill level..." Astri said softly, ashamed, "it's always been skill level. Imagine it like trying to learn a second language. Then think about how you might feel, surrounded by people who speak it much easier than you do. And imagine how hard it would be to hold a conversation for long, until everyone stops trying at all."

She wrapped her arms around herself. Oh. She'd made herself sad. Astri wondered: if she'd been colorful like Zaiya, would the patterns on her own face be grey now? Or... blue? Probably a melancholy color like that, right?

"I guess... that won't be much of an issue here, though." She tilted her head a little, "I guess I can just speak Basic and not worry about punching everyone to learn how they feel."

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Skill level. Okay, Zaiya mused, leading Astri Elyse through a rounded corner that oversaw the Corellian exhibit and then through an archway that would lead them directly into the temple.

"That makes sense." Zaiya pondered some more only to laugh at Astri's comment about not having to punch someone in the face to communicate, vibrant shades of cerulean dancing in amusement over her skin. Opal blue eyes would glitter in mirth over to the Echani, and she gave a wiggle scrunch of her nose in glee.

"No, no punching required to talk. Although I think I have a few friends what would want to spar with you and train if you like? They are both looking to become Battlemasters on different types of fighting. I'm honestly not a great fighter at all; I just barely learned how to fall properly without hurting myself." Oh a sudden though sparked her delicate features, a vivid bright orange hue radiating from her mottled stripes and spots as she looked at Astri.

"Oh, maybe you can show me what you know? That way I can learn with you without any worries about judging how skilled you are or not; we can both learn from each other. I read that one can learn much by teaching and showing someone else than trying to do it all on your own." she offered, thinking about it.

"I can in turn let you know what are the emotions I color shift into! Well at least the ones I know of - I know emotions are a bit complicated, but would be neat to actually have someone else know what I'm feeling or thinking like another Lovalla."

A chuckle and a mischevious grin, "Like a secret language."