Private Paint The World Brighter

[Iris Arani]

"The park? Actually, yeah. I can take you to the park I go to. Close by my apartment. It's a nice little place." And there were kids around, too. People to interact with. Kids to interact with. With how busy Valery was, it wouldn't be surprising if Vera didn't get out much. So.. Yeah. She lead the way to the cafe, chuckling as she ordered them both the hot hot pot.

"First, though, lunch."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Tag: Iris Arani

"Really?!" she asked with big, bright eyes. Valery had lately been a little busy, so they couldn't go to the park that often or do other fun things. For Iris to take her there meant a lot to the little Noble who, of course, was only bouncing around a little more now. Full of energy and with her stomach still growling, they entered the cafe. Vera watched people eat what looked like super tasty meals all around her, and brought her index finger up to her lower lip while she almost drooled.

"Yuuum..." she said, eyeing a big bowl of spicy noodles. "Do you eat here often, Master Iris?" If she did, Vera just had to come along more regularly. If Iris was going to teach her stuff, they could also eat lunch together, right?

After they reached the counter, Vera looked at one of the stools at the front. It looked a little big for her, but that only sparked her Noble stubbornness, and so she began to climb her way up, so she could sit. "Hmmm...." she muttered but with a little effort, she sat down and grinned at whoever was working there. "Hello!"

 

[Iris Arani]

"When I'm onworld, all the time. We'll see how you like it and if you do, we can make it a habit, hmm?" Even if she didn't end up training Vera full time, this she could do. This she wanted to do. Vera was as much her sister as Valery was her mother. She held back a laugh as she watched Vera clamber up into her seat. Behind the counter the single horned Devaronian just raised a brow. Glanced between Vera and Iris with a curious look.

"No, I'm watching her for her mother."

She answered an unspoken question. No, Vera wasn't hers. He just chuckled and nodded before glancing to the little Keshian.

"Alright, then what are we getting?"

"Same thing as always. Two, actually. She's brave enough for spicy, right Vera?"

"If you're sure, two coming up."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Tag: Iris Arani

"Okay!" Vera exclaimed happily. Even if Iris couldn't always be there either, it was another friend who would make sure she wasn't alone so often. That got her all excited, and it showed as she bounced up and down on her seat again. Even when hungry, it seemed as if she had an endless supply of energy.

Who did she have that from?

"Mhmm! Gimme spicy!" she said, mostly because it's what Iris was taking, and Iris was cool. So if she took the same food, she'd also be cool. Vera then turned to look at Iris and tilted her head slightly. "Master Iris?" she asked but with a tone that suggested she had a follow-up question ready.

"Do people make jokes about your eyes, too?" she asked, noting that Iris, much like her, had very unique eyes. The reason for the question, though, were the few who tried to bully or tease her about it. In most cases, it didn't bother her but now that she felt like she had very little friends, she wondered if that was the reason.

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris bit back another laugh at the colors around Vera. Seemed children were really impressionable, huh? Something to be careful of for sure, in the future. Right now? Spicy food was always the best. Hopefully it didn't end up hurting little Vera, though.

The question caught her off guard though.

"I'm.. Not sure. For a while I didn't really pay attention to people. And when I started to, I don't think someone ever even commented on my eyes. People don't even comment on my scars. Are kids making fun of your eyes?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Tag: Iris Arani

Nobody even commented on Iris' eyes.

That surprised Vera a little. To her, they were very pretty but some people thought these kinds of colors and patterns were strange, and she had heard plenty of people talk about it. Maybe her own eyes were even weirder, or kids were just a lot meaner. It didn't really make a difference to her though. "Sometimes but the other Padawans are scared of mommy, so they don't. Not at the park... they are mean." Still, she liked going there to play and with Iris joining her, she felt safe.

Vera's eyes then turned away when she smelled their food being brought over, and she visibly brightened up. She was already bouncing in her seat a little again and grinned widely when her plate was set down. "Hmm! Yum!" she exclaimed before she grabbed her fork and took a large bite.

Almost immediately, her face turned red and she dropped her fork, "Ahhh! Hooooot!"

 

[Iris Arani]

".. Weird."

Iris canted her head to the side. In a place like Coruscant, was Vera actually being teased for her eyes? Where there were so many different humanoids and near humans and even fully alien? Or was that more from her old home? They themselves weren't human anyway, so it's not like it mattered much. Ahh, too much to think about. Iris opted to just shrug it off. There were a lot of things she could help Vera with, this probably wasn't one of them.

Not easily, at least.

".. Wait Vera not such a big bi- Oh dear." Lost in her own train of thoughts she failed to stop the coming catastrophe. A nervous smile took over as she nodded. Both towards Vera and towards the owner, who just chuckled and poured out a glass of milk.

"You have to be careful eating spicy things. Drink some milk, it'll help."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Tag: Iris Arani

Vera looked at Iris with teary eyes, both because the food was spicy and because the meal was also hot temperature-wise. She had taken a big bite in all of her excitement and really regretted it now. Her little arms were flailing around too much now, so when the glass of milk was placed in front of her, she knocked it over instead of picking it up. With a saddened expression, she watched all of it disappear.

"HmmmHmmm...." she whined with a pouty face.

"I'm sorry, Master Iris..."

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris raised a hand just as the glass got hit. Froze it, the milk, kept it from completely spilling out. And smiled. "It's alright, Vera. Take a breath. Calm yourself." She set the glass down with a wave of her hand before reaching over to gently pat her head.

"You'll be okay."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Tag: Iris Arani

With Iris talking to her, Vera was able to calm down easily enough. Or perhaps it was just the fact that she didn't spill all of her milk that kept her from breaking. She loved milk and Iris just saved her glass, which she picked up again to take small sips from while Iris patted her head.

For just a minute now, her little Noble energy was suppressed, and she actually sat still and seemed calm. Vera then started eating again, slowly this time, and she seemed perfectly fine.

"Hmmm..." she said, clearly enjoying it. But without any shame, she quickly added, "Mommy's better." Finally, she looked back at Iris and looked at her for guidance. Usually, she'd listen to her mother and what she planned to do next, so without mom being here, Iris was in charge.

"Master Iris? Can I have some ice cream too?" Was always worth a shot.

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris and the owner both bit back a laugh. He simply nodded, as if understanding. Nothing beat a mother's cooking. That much he could agree with. The Knight started to eat her own food. Faster than Vera, she was used to the spicy. It was her favorite, after all. She raised a brow once they both finished though. Ice cream?

"I thought you wanted to go to the park?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Tag: Iris Arani

Vera blinked at Iris' response.

Ice cream...?

Park?

Ice cream......?

Park?

"Hmmm...." she doubted that they had something they could bring along, and she could always get ice cream back at home. So rather than letting the thought of sweet ice cream distract her, she hopped off the stool and held out her hand to Iris, so they could start walking again. "I wanna go to the park!" she exclaimed with a big nod.

"Does your park have a big slide, Master Iris?"

 

[Iris Arani]

"Park it is, then. And yes, yes it does. Two slides, actually." Iris flashed a wink before setting some credits on the counter to pay for lunch. Then led the way to the park for the two. It wasn't a far walk, just down the street from the cafe itself. She hummed a little, glancing to Vera as they did. Just curious, making sure she's not melting or anything after all the spicy food she just ate.

"Are slides your favorite?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Tag: Iris Arani

Vera seemed to be doing completely fine, as if nothing had happened in the restaurant, and hopped along while she held on to Iris' hand. Especially after what happened at the Arcade, Valery had told her to stay close to whoever was babysitting, and she made sure to listen to her mom. Those people had been way too scary and if staying close would help keep them away, she'd never go against it.

At the question about slides, Vera looked up and grinned, "Only if they go fast!" she said, which likely didn't surprise Iris at all. She was Valery's daughter after all.

After arriving at the park, Vera was quick to run off toward one of the big slides. She only made sure that Iris still saw her, and waved when she reached the top. "Loooook!" she called out before going down with her arms up in the air.

"Awe, she's adorable," a woman who stepped up beside Iris said with a smile. "How old is she?" She then asked, clearly believing that it was Iris' own kid. But as they talked, Iris would soon feel a strange tremor in the Force — danger, not for her own life, but for the little Noble she was watching over.

Up high in a nearby building, a sniper was preparing to take a shot, while several more men were closing in on the park from all directions, ready to finish what they had started at the Arcade.

 

[Iris Arani]

"I.. Slides have different speeds?"

That was probably the most enlightening part of Vera's question. Slides were slides. They could be faster than others? Iris had never gone on a slide herself, so now it was a whole thing she needed to figure out. Eventually. She just smiled and watched Vera run off, keeping an eye on her. Watching the girl have fun. She needed fun. Everyone needed fun now and again.

"Five, now. She is pretty adorable, isn-"

A pleasant conversation. Iris wasn't aware in the slightest that the woman thought the far too young Jedi was in fact the mother, but she was up for an actual conversation. At least until the colors darkened. Without hesitation Iris took off. Her saber ignited, flashing to her palm as she leapt onto the slide and swung up. The blue arched, cutting through and absorbing the shot that had been sent her way. Vera's way.

More. The colors continued to turn around them. More blasters?

"Padawan Vera, we're leaving."

Panic, fear. There were no doubts in Iris's mind those were going to overwhelm Vera. The most she could hope was the idea of being a Jedi would help the young girl be brave enough to move. Her second blade ignited, the pink blade flashing through the air to knock a blast back into the woman she'd just spoken to. Her eyes widened as the blaster in her hand lowered.

"We want the girl, Jedi. Don't make this hard."

Iris crouched protectively over Vera, both blades moving slightly as she started to take numbers on just how many were here. A dozen? And the sniper. Blasters all pointed their way as the park seemed empty. Had it been all this time?

How long had they been following the two?

<Domxite.>

<Already on my way. I've alerted the authorities.>

"When I say go, we run." She turned her gaze, giving Vera a brief, encouraging smile. "We got this."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Tag: Iris Arani

The woman didn't get a chance to respond — Iris was gone and shielded Vera against a powerful sniper blast that would have killed the little Noble instantly. Vera wasn't oblivious and screamed when she saw the blade ignite and heard the deflection. It was happening again and she didn't understand why. Of course, Vera knew her mom was important because she was also the most important person in her own life, but these attacks were beyond her understanding.

She just wanted some time to play outside and have fun.

"Padawan Vera, we're leaving."

Those words, however, seemed to help Vera calm down. She wanted to become an amazing Jedi like her mom, like her dad, and like Iris, and being called a Padawan reminded her of that again. She sniffed and nodded while Iris protectively crouched over her to shield. "Yes, Master Iris," she said, trying her best to keep herself calm.

Mommy taught me to be calm...

The Imperial hired mercenaries, however, were not going to make the escape easy. They had the entire park surrounded, a sniper in a flat, and another sniper hadn't revealed himself yet, but was covering the exit paths in case the Jedi would make it there.

"Master Iris..." Vera said before she pointed down one particular path "There." She didn't explain it but the Force was showing her a vision. Giving her some direction. "Two bad guys," she then added, so Iris knew what to expect.

 

[Iris Arani]

That path?

She glanced that way, only briefly, and nodded. The Force spoke to Vera in it's own way. A way that Iris trusted. Her secondary blade extinguished as she reached down to scoop Vera up. Padawan name or not, the fact that Vera was still a child burned in the back of her mind. Then took off. She was fast, faster than a lot of the guns trailed on them could follow. Some. Her blue blade absorbed the bolts as she cradled Vera to her chest.

Flashed through the two by the entrance. They dropped, unconcious. Iris wasn't one for killing, and she certainly wasn't going to kill in front of Vera any more than she had to.

"Where to next? What do you feel?"

Keep her focused on guiding them. Keep her focused so she wasn't full of fear. Domxite was coming. They just needed to evade long enough for the others to get here.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Tag: Iris Arani

Vera readied herself to run along with Iris, but she was given no chance — the Jedi Knight scooped the little Noble up into her arms, and took off with lightning speed. The few bolts that were able to keep up were expertly deflected, and Vera's guidance made sure Iris ran into far less trouble than she otherwise would have. The attackers had prepared and cut off the most likely escape routes.

So Vera took the least likely ones.

"There!" she called out but not long after Iris followed the little girl's guidance again, Vera suddenly began to look pale and trembled as another vision entered her mind. This one was stronger, and she couldn't control it at all. "Master Iris..." she said weakly, only seconds before a powerful repeating blaster opened fire from an apartment window. Each bolt was strong enough to rip up the ground, and the path of destruction was coming straight for the two Jedi.

At the same time, others were closing in from all directions, hoping to encircle and trap them.

This was going to be a fight.

 

[Iris Arani]

Vera's guidance made it easier for Iris to focus on just moving. Evading, striking where she needed to. Most importantly, keeping Vera safe. That was always the most important thing. Then, fear. Vera's fear. She blinked once before narrowing her eyes. And jumped just as the ground started to blow apart. And right towards another of the mercs as they rounded a corner. Her blade cut right through them, the next, all in a fluid motion as she weaved through them like a dancer.

She needed to. Vera needed her to. The desire to protect always made her strongest. Her blade was focused, sharp. Her grip tightened as she kept Vera close to her chest. "Keep talking. Keep focused. Where are we going next, Padawan? Domxite will be here in a moment. I can feel them." They were close. Gunfire was a quick way to attract law enforcement, and they already knew what was happening. She could hear the gunship.

And feel more lethal intent. She spun, her blade flashing up to catch another bolt along it's edge. She'd gone between the buildings to get out of sight of the snipers, but it left little room for them to actually run. Especially with the other end having more coming. Iris took a breath before arching her blade up. Cutting in a quick circle before sending the portion of the wall down.

Then set Vera within. "Stay down, stay out of sight. I've got this." She gave a smile, briefly so. Vera would be safe there. Iris's second blade ignited as she took position in front of the hole. Flicked her blades up, readied herself. Then they came. Trained mercenaries, former soldiers, rounding the corner to let loose blaster bolt after blaster bolt. Iris moved. She weaved through the initial barrage, descending on the first.

There was no nonlethal edge this time. Her blade severed them apart before she knocked another bolt into one of the others. Her hand came around, sending the lid of a trash barrel into a third. A kick dealt with a fourth. She was a whirlwind of limbs and blade, her eyes narrowed in absolute focus. One after another. Then the gun from before revved up. Blasterfire ripped through the alley, shredding the floor, building. Nearing Vera.

Iris raised both hands towards it's wielder. One, to the gun. The other, the man behind it. The color's weaved under her control as the barrel of the gun slammed downwards. The man? He flew right towards her and her waiting blades. Both punched through his chest.

Then silence. Iris let her blades extinguish as she rushed to where she'd stashed Vera. Above, Domxite and the officers they'd gotten came into view. Blaster fire continued, though now it was from the peace officers to protect both the Knight and the young girl.

"Vera? Are you alright?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

​

Tag: Iris Arani

"Okay, Master Iris..." Vera told her without her usual energy or excitement when she was asked to stay low and hidden. When it really mattered, though, Vera would always behave — even at the age of 5 she understood that a lot of people were after her and that the only way to be safe was to listen. It was something Valery hated more than anything because she wanted her kid to live a happy life, but deep down she knew no child of hers would ever be able to live without the fear of being targeted.

But for every thug wanting to end her daughter's life, many more, far stronger people were willing to protect her, and few were as determined to do so as Iris. She was practically Vera's older sister, and a Jedi she looked up to immensely just because of the stories she heard from her mother, and she hadn't even nearly heard all of them. It helped form a connection that was already so strong that without looking, Vera could see what was happening.

Glimpses of the battle around her entered her mind through the Force, and while the more gruesome details were luckily not displayed, she saw enough to know just how cool Iris was.

When it was finally all over, and the two Jedi were left in silence, Vera perked up to see Iris approaching her, calm and steady even after an intense fight. Her multi-colored eyes had her mother's fiery sparkle to them, and she nodded with a bright smile. "That was so cool, Master Iris!" Vera exclaimed. "You did the-" she punched into the air to show it, "And the-" she kicked her little leg up and finally made a big 'bgwhoom' sound of destruction.

She no longer seemed scared and all of that was because of Iris. But right before they could be picked up, Iris' comm would start going off, and a familiar voice came through.

<C> "Iris, I felt what was happening. I don't know if you can respond, but please tell me she's okay," Valery's very worried, motherly tone said, even though she could feel that Vera was just fine. She just needed confirmation from the woman she trusted so, so much.