Private &nbsp; Menagerie

Shan

Nothing ever seemed to change how much Colette hated the very essence of this planet. Where some saw the ever shining beacon of unity and of people working together, she only saw a planet so dead that anything that had a semblance of life had to be brought in from somewhere else.

But as much as she wanted to rave on and on about the state of the galaxy and how the so-called rich had deluded the poor into a state of wage slavery, this was not the time and place for it. Sure, where Makko saw an interesting organic lifeform, she saw a prisoner taken from their home and family to be oogled by children who didn't give them the respect they deserved. She didn't mention the fact that these proud, regal beasts were being denied their inherent birthright, because mentioning that fact would put a damper on the mood.

A particularly moronic kid made faces at the shapeshifting cat. Part of Colette wanted to toss the little chit in there with it to see how the kid would've liked it, but that wasn't fair on the cat. It deserved to hunt better prey than that.

"Well," She said with a heavy sigh. "I'd say something native to Coruscant but I doubt we'd find that here."

And why was it that the four of them were here? Cora and Makko was a couple, yeah, but Shan and Colette were good friends. And they just happened to have—

Oh…

Oh that was what Cora had been trying to hint at before. Colette looked to Shan by her side and gave him a smile. It was nice to be around him, that much was true. Even if the planet was the same old bloated carcass, he still made it bearable.

"I want what Shan wants." She said as if to challenge Shan before he could play the safe card. "Actually, I think Shan should get the first pick."

"Right, Shan?"

Shan · Dec 15, 2023

"Of course it can be a thing. You'd be surprised by what nature can reveal itself as." Shan said rather simply. He hadn't been raised around animals. Nar Shaddaa wasn't big on natural life but that didn't mean he didn't have a love and appreciation of nature. In fact, it was the opposite. When he had first joined the Jedi, Shan had fallen in love with all of the flora and fauna he could see. Though he was disappointed in the sight of so many creatures locked up behind cages.

In a way, Shan might have felt some kind of kinship with them, though that would have been back on Nar Shaddaa, where he felt trapped in a cage...Now, he felt more free than he had ever been before. Though he tried not to focus on that, turning his attention over towards Makko, Colette and Cora when the speaking started, raising an eyebrow as Makko asked what they should go first...and then Colette threw Shan under the bus, asking what he wanted to see first.

Damn it. He had already figured this was going to be some kind of date, as soon as he was invited but he had taken the risk because he wanted to be able to see nature again...It only crossed his mind now however, he could have just went to New Cov. Sure, the wildlife was incredibly hostile and deadly...but that was the fun of it right? Domesticated animals weren't as fun as the wild. Even though Sewer Rat always seemed to be more on the...wild side. Urgh. He shook his head, snapping out of his thoughts and glanced over towards the others instead.

"Honestly. There's a few native species to Coruscant you don't want to see. I had to fight some off in the sewers a while back...Long story." It was a very long story. That Shan didn't fancy going into right now. Mostly because it was about him being tricked by some droid that wanted his "help" in finding his master. He shook his head instead, tapping his chin. "If we're going to go for something that I want...I'm sure this place has some Hawk-bats somewhere." The Mirialan shrugged his shoulder at that, just holding his hand out towards Colette in case she wanted to hold his hand.

Corazona von Ascania · Dec 16, 2023

Cora observed Nightwatcher worm informational display, studious enough that Makko's comment hadn't really penetrated until a good few seconds had passed. Fortunately, Shan answered him.

Makko's hand taking a gentle grasp of her own was enough to pull her thoughts away from the diagram. Right, they were openly a couple now. After having to hide their relationship for so long, it was hard for her to wrap her mind around the fact that they could do something as simple as holding hands in public.

With a smile and a dusting of pink on her cheeks, she readjusted her grip so that their fingers laced together.

"I hear they have a family of boglings. I've never seen one in person, but they're really cute!"

The Asgavian forest cat didn't take too well to being mocked, shifting it's facial features to mirror that of the boy's own. A few of the surrounding adults gasped, one laughed, and the boy let out a shriek before clambering into the arms of his mother.

"I'd like to see the hawk-bats, too. They're native to Coruscant, right?"

She glanced to Shan's extended hand, then back at Makko, attempting to draw his gaze to the Mirialian's outstretched hand with an arched brow and a smile.

Oh, she was rooting for them.

Makko Vyres · Dec 17, 2023

There were these little conversations underneath the conversations, Makko realised as he followed Cora's gaze.

The slight tightening of Cora's grip on his hand spoke of her trying to re-establish their bond and get used to their new freedom. Freedom to take their time working things out.

Shan reaching out was particularly sweet. Makko had told Colette to just be honest with her feelings, but he hadn't had a chance to catch up with her after the Orchid Gala. Though Makko expected, when they were next on a mission he would be the one coming under scrutiny.

He smiled back to Cora. The underlying conversation continued with Makko admitting that he was rooting for them too.

"Soooo up that path takes us to Hawk-bats and then boglings are inside that building," said Makko, free hand tracing the map.

"I guess you can only have things that fly and things that hide in sewers left native to Coruscant."

Colette · Dec 17, 2023

Shan /

Corazona von Ascania

Hm, it wasn't until now that Colette could see how possessive hand holding could seem. What, did people expect that those they cared about would run away or something? Were they scared someone else would come take them away, or somehow sweep in and eradicate that person's love for the other and place themselves in the hole left behind? Wasn't it more appropriate to simply be near each other? Ugh, this was probably another one of those things Valery would have tried to scold Colette about. Another part of having to let her past die, letting more and more of who she was—

This wasn't a time and place to get worked up about it, and the words that were coursing through her mind weren't true. Valery only wanted Colette to accept that the galaxy was a cold place, and Shan just wanted to do what he had been shown to be a loving act.

She let out a sigh and eased her hand into Shan's and gave him a smile and a gentle nudge.

"See? I think that's a great idea." She said and walked along with the others, although she had to admit that the act of holding hands didn't feel like her thing and she gently eased herself out of it. There were better ways to show each other that they cared.

"Don't you think it's kind of fuuu~nnnnnned up…" Nice save. "... That the native species aren't free though?"

Yeah, no, she had promised Valery to mind her language now that she lived with the triplets on a more permanent basis. As much as Colette enjoyed those small microdoses of catharsis that came with cursing, there was something to be said about avoiding a mother's fury in case one of her little cubs dropped an F-Bomb at the dinner table.

"Imagine being put on display like a living trophy. Imagine that people lock you up in a cage where people can admire you from afar when it's not in your nature to be seen in the first place. Imagine if people made you out to be something you're not. These animals are the kings and queens being shown none of the dignity—"

Goddamnit, she had said to herself that she wouldn't. Colette exhaled a groan.

"Forget it. I said nothing." She tried to smile, like she had with Princess Claudia and Corazona. It looked strained. "Heyyy, look, a hawk-bat."

The marvel was… Painful.

Shan · Dec 17, 2023

In all seriousness, Shan did expect Colette to get taken away somehow. After all, his mother had been kidnapped and so he was worried the same thing would happen to Colette. Was it a rational fear? Far from it. But caring about someone wasn't always rational. And as much as holding Colette's hand was helping Shan to relax, and reassure himself that Colette was still there...Well, it was at least obvious to him that she didn't seem to enjoy it. So he let her hand leave when Colette eased herself out of the hand holding.

She'll be fine. There's no need to be paranoid. By the Force. This stuff was so confusing. He had been trying to copy Makko and Cora with how they were acting but...maybe that wasn't the right idea. Those two were their own people. Same with Shan and Colette. There would be different things that each of them liked. That was going to be the hard part.

"As much as it is...screwed up, they don't have a choice. Either the native species get held captive, or they get wiped out. Of course you'll have a few stragglers that are out there but..." His face fell ever so slightly at that, running his hand down his face afterwards. As much as Shan did enjoy seeing nature, he had to agree that it felt wrong to see them caged up. Nature was meant to be free. Flourishing. But that wasn't something that many people seemed to agree with.

Though his attention then went over towards Colette as she went on her own mini rant, before telling the group to forget she said anything. The Mirialan shook his head, nudging Colette with his elbow. "I couldn't forget anything you say. Especially when you have a point." The sight of Colette's..."smile" for lack of a better term, did cause Shan to frown however. He preferred it when she actually smiled naturally and this clearly wasn't one of those cases.

Corazona von Ascania · Dec 18, 2023

Colette said:
"Imagine being put on display like a living trophy. Imagine that people lock you up in a cage where people can admire you from afar when it's not in your nature to be seen in the first place. Imagine if people made you out to be something you're not. These animals are the kings and queens being shown none of the dignity—"

"Yes." Cora said dryly. "Imagine being treated like that."

She squeezed Makko's hand a little tighter, and the tide of unpleasant thoughts receded into the back of her mind. Colette absolutely had a point, but Cora couldn't think too hard about it without her mind going into some darker places.

Cora looked back over to Shan and Colette, a warm smile drifting onto her face at watching them interact. They were so different, yet they seemed to work well together. It shouldn't have been a surprise.

"It would be nice if there was a way to see them in their more natural habitat." She admitted. "That way we could learn about them without being so…invasive?"

They stopped in front of the hawk-bat enclosure, and Cora watched as one preened on its roost.

"Is there anything you wanted to see, Colette? Makko?”

Makko Vyres · Dec 18, 2023

Corazona von Ascania said:
"Yes." Cora said dryly. "Imagine being treated like that."

She squeezed Makko's hand a little tighter, and the tide of unpleasant thoughts receded into the back of her mind.

Makko gave a little squeeze back. During the darkest moments of her life Makko had - in desperation - learned out to reach out through the bond between them. When she had been on Thule, as a more experienced Jedi Knight he had come to understand it's nature. Even as he couldn't not reach through the darkness surrounding that world.

Now, the little squeeze of her hand was accompanied by a similar gesture through the bond of his consciousness brushing against hers like a warm ray of sunlight.

"I did do some reading..."

He glanced at Cora.

"...Yes reading...And a lot of them either can't be returned to the wild, are almost extinct or are in breeding programmes to return them to the wild. There are a whole load of them came from world's overrun by the Bryn-a-dool ..."

Makko always struggled with that word.

"...or the You-tan-vong."

He struggled with that word too.

"They've got an aquarium two levels down," Makko suggested.

Colette · Dec 18, 2023

Huh, and here Colette thought it was pronounced Brine-dull. She gave Shan a smile as he explained the situation with the animals and then looked over at Makko as he explained it further. A long exhale blew from Colette's nose as she tried to see the good in what he was saying. Arguably there could have been more suitable planets for repopulating a species, but if what he said was true then the goals were at the very least noble.

"I, uh-" Colette exhaled again, shook her head and motioned her hand towards the aquarium. "Water animals, I guess."

"The Juice-am-wrong-" or was it Wu-Tang-Song? "-is kind of fascinating in a way. A lot of bad, a lot of good." She said as they continued walking. "I mean, it was before my time. Out here, I mean. In the galaxy."

As the quartet walked through the crowds of infantile men and infantile infants, a thought struck Colette.

"Do you think they'll have any sperm whales in the aquarium? I've heard a lot about those. Although, they might be too big for this place… And how anything could even live under water is amazing to think about. Like, how do they breathe? I mean, gills, yeah, but surely there has to be something more?"

Corazona von Ascania /

Shan /

Shan · Dec 18, 2023

"I mean, I could give you the huge biology talk about how animals breathe under water...but I feel like that would just bore the three of you." Shan broke out into a small chuckle at that, rubbing the back of his neck as he was more interested in watching the crowd around them, a small frown forming on his face as he let his mind wander. Sentient beings were always the most curious type of creature to Shan. Though he tried not to focus on that, shaking his head and returning his focus to the group.

"A...lot of groups like the Yuzhang...have both good and bad parts of them. All organisations do. It's just a matter of perspective." Perspective. Something Shan had been learning as of late, with his conversations with various Mandalorians. The small frown still on his face as he had his mind turning all of those different opinions. Life was difficult. Very difficult.

As Shan glanced around, he noticed Cora's smile and just gave her a little wave, letting his frown fade away. He hadn't really checked in to see how she had been doing since they got back...but now wasn't the time to ask about that. They were here on a dat-...a day out. Yes. That's it. Even if it looked like a date. And might have sounded like a date...What was that saying?...If it quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck...it's probably a swan. Yeah. That's totally the saying. He didn't get it wrong. Not whatsoever.

Corazona von Ascania · Dec 20, 2023

Cora arched a brow at the mention of Makko reading - not just the fantasy books she'd recommended, but for knowledge - but otherwise didn't comment.

Her lips did twitch into a smile at his mispronunciations, which she found to be adorably earnest.

The conversation shifted to the boons and banes of groups like the Bryn'adul and the Yuzhang Vong, both of which she’d only learned about from books and documentaries. Cora considered herself fortunate to be born into an era where neither were at their height.

Squeezing Makko's hand, she enjoyed the idle chatter. Going to the zoo was what normal teenagers did, and none of them had a normal childhood by galactic standards. Makko had been an orphaned street thug on Denon, and Shan grew up in the dregs of Nar Shaddaa. Colette lived among a tribe that regarded her as an outsider, and Cora had an extremely sheltered upbringing.

It was nice, for once, to pretend like they were normal teenagers, doing normal teenager things.

She noticed Shan's little wave, and her smile warmed. Cora was no stranger to social situations, but this time she was with people she liked and wanted to be around. No one was watching her every move here. No one around them even cared for who they were.

"I once went to Sedri with the Jedi, a planet that is mostly water. I don't think that I saw any large sea creatures there, though." She lifted a hand to her chin in thought. "Only…pirates? It might be worth a visit soon, now that things have calmed-"

They strolled past the bogling display, and three of the furry little creatures were sat on a tree branch as they groomed one another.

"-oh!" Cora exclaimed, disengaging from Makko as she approached the glass. With sparkling eyes and a toothy grin, she gazed at them in childlike wonder. "Goodness, they're even more adorable in person!"

Makko Vyres · Dec 21, 2023

With his rudimentary education, Makko offered no commentary on how a whale could breathe underwater. He was certain he had read something on the holonet about them before, but he didn't want to say anything that made him look silly in front of everyone. Despite his jokes, Makko could feel self-conscious about some of the facts he hadn't learned at a school.

He could have to take Shan up on his offer of an explanation later.

He could still join in with Cora's amusement at him reading non-fiction voluntarily. For all the hours he could spend pouring over binary and code, he preferred his entertainment in video format.

Makko glanced at Shan and Colette as Cora took a few quick steps ahead towards the glass. The two of them seemed to be having a good time. He and Cora had been together in secret for months and months before the wedding, but everything was still very fresh for them. They had been through a lot and would be taking their own time to figure things out.

"Oh," went Makko, moving up to the glass. "When you said bog-ling I did not picture something that cute."

He took a step back, turning to a series of small glass windows on the other side of the corridor. The area was reserved for smaller animals and there were several small arachnids hiding in their boxes.

"Cool."

He took a step back and then realised there was a runway under the path. He couldn't figure out what it was until a bogling darted past.

"Oh, hey, look! They've been given tunnels underneath us," he said. Several tunnels had glass covers so the guests could see the boglings skittering to their outdoor enclosure and back.

Colette · Dec 21, 2023

Shan /

Corazona von Ascania

They looked liked furred, wingless chickens with arms. Eyes like big beads that darted around with a nervous glance at all the people that was looking at it. Colette let in a deep breath and tried to keep herself from despairing, and Shan was most certainly helping with that.

"I would love that." She said and gently nudged the boy with her shoulder. Her lips curled into a smile for a moment as she managed to forget what was going on around her. She couldn't help but just look at him for a moment before looking away, embarrassed at having been caught staring for just a little too long.

"I, uh, would love to see this Sedri planet." Colette said. "Water was so rare to my people and yet there's whole planets full of it. First time I ever saw the sea my first instinct was to drink it, and…"

Colette put on a sheepish smile and rubbed at the back of her neck.

"It didn't taste great."

She cleared her throat and looked away. It was not her proudest moment to admit to. She looked at the arachnids and pointed at them. Some might have found them frightening, but they were really just another part of their eco systems. This wasn't their eco system, but… Well, maybe if they were here to be preserved she could overlook it.

"Ever wonder what these little creatures would say if they could talk to us?"

Shan · Dec 22, 2023

"Yet another way Nature can surprise you." Shan said, in response to Makko's surprise about how adorable the Boglings looked. Though Shan still had a small frown on his face as he crouched himself down to get a look at some of the animals. He could only imagine how frightened some of them must have been at seeing all of these giants just staring at them. It was perhaps for the greater good, but that didn't mean he had to like it in the end. Animals deserved to be free, as much as people did at the end of the day.

"It's always interesting to see how species adapt to their planets. How the Selkath have adapted to Manaan. How the Tuskans have adapted for Tattooine." It was also interesting to Shan, how much a planet could mean to certain species. How it felt to have a home for them. Part of him wished he had that kind of thought towards a planet, but there wasn't any planet that felt like home to him. It was more...the people who he was with, that made him feel like he was there.

Though the Mirialan was snapped out of his thoughts at Colette's question, glancing over towards the Arachnids for a moment. "It depends. Are we saying that they can think about the world in the same way as us? Or not? Because if not, they'd probably be asking for food or better shelter? And if they can think about the world in the same way as us...Who knows what could be going on in their mind?"

Corazona von Ascania · Dec 22, 2023

Cora was entranced by the boglings. They were just so darn cute with their impossibly wide eyes and skittish movements.

They only thing that drew her attention away was Makko's discovery of the tunnels. Cora was perfectly content to watch the little creatures as they scampered about.

"You…drank salt water?" Cora stifled a giggle, one hand pressed to her mouth. "I think we all have, at some point. By accident, or…by curiosity."

Cora followed Colette's gesture over to the large, hairy spiders. She visibly shivered.

"Probably something like that, yes." She agreed with Shan. "The forest critters on Ukatis were driven by food. Or protection. From what I observed, anyway."

Despite her status as a noble, the Ascania estate was situated on a swath of agricultural land bordered by forests.

"I'm…not a fan of creepy, crawly things, though."

Makko Vyres · Dec 23, 2023

Makko had learned something about sea water. Apparently it was not for drinking.

Good to know.

Colette said:
"Ever wonder what these little creatures would say if they could talk to us?"

Makko listened to Shan's very reasonable explanation. Then Cora's He then pointed to the creepy crawly tanks and grinned.

"That one is thinking 'put your hand in here so I can bite it.'"

Makko dropped to his haunches by the tunnels. He found it fascinating how slow and careful they were moving in the main nest area, but zipped down their tunnels as if they were fired down them by compressed air.

He was grinning like a child.

"Shall we see where their outside enclosure is?" Makko asked.

Colette · Dec 23, 2023

Corazona von Ascania /

Shan

Shan approached the spiders with a logical, analytical mind. Corazona approached the spiders with a slight measure of trepidation, and Makko approached it with… Inexperience, Colette would call it.

"Some are venomous, yes. But most spiders are actually relatively harmless to us." Colette said and smiled at the little critters. "They eat flies and weave webs that can be harvested to make silk with. Or at least so the weavers of my people used to say. Spidersilk Weave can sell for quite a fortune on the market."

"Like cats, it's entirely possible to live in harmony with a lot of these things. They keep out bloodsuckers and other flies." She stopped and looked at their outside enclosure. "They're just not quite as cute as a… Small little tabby kitten with white spots on her stomach and chin though."

Colette smiled faintly at that. She had no idea where her fascination with cats had come from, but there were so many kinds of them and they were such a perfect little companion. Capable of self-care and care of others.

Sharp inhale.

"Loth-cat enclosure?" She gasped and turned to the others. "We have to go see the loth-cats, right now!"

Shan · Dec 27, 2023

"Eh. Sometimes Spiders and creepy crawlies are all people get to experience" Shan was never concerned with spiders, or any kind of insects. They all had a role in the galaxy. Though...That did give Shan a curious question, glancing over towards Colette as she spoke about cats and kittens.

"...Would you still like me, even if I was a spider?" He wasn't sure where the question came from. But it was a question at the very least. Though he shook his head and tried to think about the idea of being a cat instead. Getting to laze around all the time...Scratching people when they give you attention...scratching them when they don't give you attention.

Though he was surprised to see how excited Colette seemed to be at the mentioning of Loth-Cats, a small smirk spreading across his face. This was a mental note for later. He also had to figure out when Colette's birthday was...but now he may or may not have the idea of a present for her. For now though? He had to focus on the present. His time with Colette, Cora and Makko, instead of focusing on the future.

"Sure. Sounds good to me. Just don't run off without us."

Corazona von Ascania · Dec 28, 2023

Makko Vyres said:
"That one is thinking 'put your hand in here so I can bite it.'"

Cora shot him a glare and cradled her hand. Colette's explanation, though informative, did nothing to ease her discomfort.

"I don't care for what they do or what they make, so long as they keep away from me." She gestured to the arachnid display, briefly wondering what it would be like to live in a galaxy without spidersilk weave.

Colette's fascination with cats was more welcome. A small little tabby kitten with white spots on her stomach and chin was oddly specific, though. So was Shan's question about him being a spider.

Cora shivered, knowing her own answer to that. She shot Makko a look of warning against asking his own spider-related question.

"Shan has Sewer Rat, I have Lula II, and Colette seems to like cats…what about you? Do you have a favorite animal? One that isn't a creepy spider, I mean."

Makko had grown up in an urban jungle, but she wondered how prevalent pets were on Denon.