First Reply Sandy Walk

[Balru Iolar]

Balru let out a happy feeling, weirdly excited to mess up at least a little to see what would happen. She thought for a moment, not sure how to respond really.

“Well… hopefully I have good friends when it does happen.” She said, quickly shifting a little to avoid running into someone, then looked back to her new friend as they continued walking.

“So, anything embarrassing happen to you?” She asked curiously. Seemed like a fun question at least. They had been talking about the embarrassing moments her mom had anyway. It would be fun to learn a few more, right?

Xian Xiao

 

[Xian Xiao]

Xian let out a soft laugh at that, the sound slipping free before she could stop it, and she nodded as if the answer were already decided.

"Oh yes," she said, still smiling, a little sheepish now. "Certainly."

She walked for a few steps before continuing, hands folding loosely behind her back as if bracing herself for the admission.

"I once got turned around in a Coruscant transit hub and followed the wrong group of commuters for almost an hour," Xian added, amusement threading her voice. "I was convinced I was being very subtle and very capable. Turns out I had just blended in with a tour group from Corellia, and no one questioned it."

She glanced sideways at Balru, eyes bright.

"I only realized something was wrong when they started handing out matching jackets," she finished, laughing again. "So yes. You will absolutely get into your own kind of trouble."

Her smile softened, more reassuring than teasing.

"And when you do," Xian added, "you will have friends. That part you can count on."

Balru Iolar

 

[Balru Iolar]

Balru made a sound that might’ve been a laugh. She was definitely happy, but it was just one of those things that didn’t always translate well for a Lervon. “Wow. And I thought I could get turned around.” She in monotone, though it did feel light.

She would then look when Xian said she’d have her own mistake, and friends to help. “That’s good to know. Hopefully not of them will be too bad.”

Xian Xiao

 

[Xian Xiao]

Xian let out a soft laugh and nodded, the sound warmer than humorous.

"Honestly, it probably will not be as bad as some of the things I got into growing up on Coruscant," she said lightly. "That place has a way of teaching lessons the hard way, especially if you are small, curious, and very bad at knowing when to walk away."

She glanced ahead as they walked, then back to Balru, her expression turning a touch sheepish.

"I once tried to steal from an Atrisian gangster," Xian admitted. "Not a big score, not even something impressive. Just a stupid, desperate choice made because I thought I was clever." She lifted one hand slightly. "I very nearly lost this one for it. He thought making an example would be educational."

A pause, then a faint smile.

"So trust me when I say mistakes happen, and some of them are memorable in ways you do not want," she continued. "But you survive them, you learn, and if you are lucky, you end up with people around you who make sure one bad choice does not define the rest of your life."

Her eyes softened as she looked at Balru again.

"You will make your own trouble," Xian said gently. "But it will be yours, not your mother's, and it will not mean you are alone."

Balru Iolar

 

[Balru Iolar]

Balru had a surprise sense around her as she looked at the hand, and listened to the story. "That's... a lot. Hopefully I won't end up in that much...." The Lervon then stopped and thought over things, realizing pretty quickly what she was about to say. "I guess if I'm a padawan that's more of a when than an if." She said, giving a little, oddly monotone chuckle. She shifted around as she took in where they. Market stalls. Lots of people. A lot of it definitely wouldn't be for her. Clothing wasn't exactly something most Lervon likes. Just made shifting more difficult. Some cheaper jewlry which she could use, but wasn't something for her. Food looked nice at least.

She wasn't looking where she was walking, turning only to bump into someone. "Ah!" Her form shifted and twisted as she tried to reform herself, multiple crystals pulled along for a moment as she pulled back any of herself that had been puled away. "I should... probably look where I'm going." She said as she quickly got herself back together.

Xian Xiao

 

[Xian Xiao]

Xian flinched when Balru bumped into someone, her hand lifting instinctively as if to help, even though Balru was already pulling herself back together. She let it drop again once she saw the crystals settle, relief softening her expression.

"Hey, you're okay," Xian said quickly, stepping a little closer so Balru wasn't dealing with it alone. Her tone was gentle, not scolding, not amused at Balru's expense. "That happens here. Honestly, I've run into more people today than I did in a whole month on Coruscant."

She glanced around at the market stalls, the crowds, the noise, then back to Balru with a small, crooked smile.

"And yeah," she added, a little sheepish but honest, "being a Padawan kind of turns everything into a 'when.' You don't go looking for trouble. It just…notices you eventually."

Xian hesitated, then shrugged lightly.

"But it doesn't all have to be bad trouble," she said. "Some of it's just embarrassing. Or loud. Or sticky." A brief pause. "Okay, sometimes dangerous too. But you learn. And you usually don't do it alone."

Her eyes flicked down at Balru's shifting form, curious but not uncomfortable.

"If you want," she offered, "we can walk a little slower. Or I can keep an eye out so you don't have to watch everything at once."

Then, a hint of warmth crept into her voice.

"And for what it's worth? You handled that way better than I would have at first."

Balru Iolar

 

[Balru Iolar]

“Oh! Uh…. Thanks.” Balru remarked as she followed, still looking around, if more carefully. She thought about the offer of help by looking around. “And yeah. That’d help.”

She then thought about the kind of trouble Xian said Padawans would usually get up to. Hearing “sticky” made her shiver a bit. Lervon weren’t fans of having their bodies constrained, which was all that sounded like.

“Hopefully I avoid anything sticky. That… wouldn’t be fun.” She remarked, thinking about how to respond. She wasn’t exactly great with people, all things considered. “And thanks for helping.”

Xian Xiao

 

[Xian Xiao]

Xian slowed just a little so she was walking more in step with Balru, her attention shifting from the crowd and stalls back to her friend. At the comment about sticky trouble, she made a face immediately, nose wrinkling in very clear agreement.

"Yeah, no," she said quickly. "Sticky is the worst. I learned that the hard way on Coruscant. Glue traps, bad alleys, and one time something that was definitely not supposed to be alive. So you're already smarter than I was."

She glanced around again, then lifted a hand and pointed gently, not touching, just indicating direction. "We'll start with not getting lost and not bumping into people. That's a good first goal. Everything else comes later."

At the thanks, Xian shrugged, a little awkward but sincere. "You don't have to thank me. That's just… what friends do, I think. Help each other not have terrible days."

She offered Balru a small, crooked smile. "And if you do get into trouble, it probably won't be sticky on purpose. We'll deal with it together."

Balru Iolar

 

[Balru Iolar]

Balru looked, following the point. "Ok. Starting simple." She said before following the point, giving a slight laugh as she thought about it. "Yeah. Together." She said before spotting a hair due someone had, and tried to mimic it. She thought for a moment before shifting back, not convinced she like the look of hair.

Xian Xiao

 

[Xian Xiao]

Xian smiled when Balru finally followed her pointing, relief and quiet pride mixing together in her expression.

"See," she said gently, nodding once in approval. "You've got it. Just… one thing at a time. That's how I learned most stuff. Trial, error, and… a lot of embarrassment."

She watched with mild amusement as Balru experimented with mimicking someone's hair, then shifted back again, clearly unconvinced. Xian couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.

"Yeah," she admitted, grinning, "I did that too. Tried copying people and then went, 'Nope. Not me.' You kinda figure out what feels right eventually."

She bumped Balru's arm lightly with her own, friendly and reassuring.

"And hey. You don't have to rush it. We're learning together, remember?"

From there, the day unfolded slowly and easily.

They wandered through crowded walkways and quiet side paths, past market stalls and shaded gardens, over bridges and along balconies that overlooked glittering water and distant towers. Xian pointed out what she found interesting. Balru asked questions. Sometimes they just walked in comfortable silence, taking it all in.

They shared food from street vendors, watched performers and travelers pass by, and paused more than once just to stare at something beautiful or strange.

By the time the light began to shift and long shadows stretched across the stone, Xian felt tired in the good way. The kind that came from discovery instead of stress.

She glanced at Balru, smiling softly.

"I'm really glad you're here," she said simply.

And together, they kept walking, letting the rest of the day belong to them.

Balru Iolar