The Basics of Life (Phylis)

[Izzy Aureth]

Fondor

Food, clothing, shelter. The basics of life. Things that were far from easy to come by as a child alone on the streets. Izzy sighed as her stomach rumbled. It had been at least three days since she'd last eaten a thing at all. She had no coin to speak of, and it felt like security was getting tighter on Fondor. Which meant that it was harder and harder for even a little girl, who was practically invisible to all adults to steal something to eat.

Her eyes darted back and forth from the shadows of the alleyway she was hiding in. Izzy was just trying to find a good target, to nab something valuable that might get her a bite or two to eat. She eventually spied someone that seemed a good target. Brunette, strange robes but she paid no mind to that. The woman seemed not to be paying much attention to her surrounds, or so Izzy thought! Oh, the naivety of children.

Carefully she moved from her hiding spot and started to stalk her prey. It didn't take her long to slip through the crowded streets. Most folks barely paid mind to the tiny street rat. And she could only hope that this one wouldn't pay her any mind either. Slowly, cautiously she reached out to grab for what she thought was a coin purse on the woman's belt.

[member="Phylis Alince"] | [member="Valiens Nantaris"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
Phylis Alince was indeed not paying much attention to her surroundings at all. Currently the Jedi Master was considering a document she had discovered in her copy of the Jedi archives. It concerned the use of the Force for the unusual subject of teleportation. It was all theoretical, and Phylis knew the inherent problems, but she was curious if a variation might work.

Suddenly, a warning in the Force, a hand was reaching for her! Swiftly, she reacted and as the hand touched her belt her own hand snaked out and grabbed the thief’s wrist tightly.

Turning, other hand reaching for her lightsabre she paused, puzzled.
“Hmmph, a pickpocket!” she said, not letting the girl go. Seeing they were attracting attention she dragged the young girl into a nearby alley, looking down on her in attempted sterness.
“Explain yourself!” she demanded, still holding her wrist.

 

[Izzy Aureth]

A startled squeal escaped Izzy's lips as she tried to pull her wrist away from Phylis. No one had been that quick before. Instantly tiny fingers dug at the woman's hand, so tightly wrapped around her wrist. Anything to try and get free before she could be pulled into the alley. Her efforts were in vain. The small malnourished girl too weak to do much of anything that would actually get her free. "Just... let me go....Please." Her voice trembling as she spoke. "Please!"

The little girl was already on the verge of tears, afraid and worried of what this stranger would do to her. "I ..." She bit nervously at her lip, drawing a small drop of blood. Is she going to even care? Well, she could have already hurt you by now and hasn't ... Can talking to her really hurt that much? Guess not. Her eyes dropped to the ground and her shoulders slumped, a bit ashamed. "I was ... hungry." She finally whispered. "I just wanted to get some coin, so I could eat again. I'm sorry."

She pulled lightly again trying to free her wrist from Phylis' grasp. "Will you let me go now? Please?" With her free hand she was quick to wipe away the slightest traces of tears at the corner of her eyes.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
Phylis was far, far too kindhearted to be upset for long, especially with a starving girl. Slowly, she released her grip, holding up her hand.
“Wait a moment. Take this, please,” she said, reaching into an inside pocket of her robe and producing a collection of small credit chips. It would be more than enough for a couple of days.

“Where are your parents, dear? Do you have anyone who can look after you?” she asked after handing the girl the money.

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy withdrew her hand the second Phylis released it, crossingit over her chest a bit defensively. But she did as she was asked and waited. Her brow knitted together as she looked at the small pile of credit chips. It was more than enough for a few days, and more than she'd ever been able to get her paws on in a single day.

"But why?" She asked. No one had ever just handed her coin before. Carefully, she wrapped her fingers around the metal coins and just held then, seeming almost confused as to why this woman had given them to her.

Her shoulders rose and fell with a sad sigh, her eyes still on the ground. "Gone. Disappeared in the middle of the night, a almost a year ago. Never found them. They never came back." She shook her head. "No one. Don't have anyone. No other family. No one who wants me."

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
Phylis seemed taken aback by the first comment. “Why? Hmmph, because you are a child, left abandoned through no fault of your own. I must help in any way I can.”

Calling on the Force, a useful tool at times like this, she determined the girl was telling the truth. Her aura and sense in the Force was one of sorrow and desperation.

“My name’s Phylis. I’m a Jedi. What’s your name?” she asked with her best smile. She didn’t really understand or like children much, usually treating them as slightly dim adults.

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy seemed completely surprised by the Jedi's words. "But, no one cared before. No one even seemed to notice." She then cocked her head curiously to the side, "How did you know I was there?" The woman's reflexes, and reaction had been much different than what she expected.

The coins she quickly put away in her pocket and timidly glanced up. "Izzy." She said quietly. "Jedi? One of those space wizard like people?" Clearly no one had taught her what a Jedi was exactly. Much less did she even realize she had the same gift of the Force. It was all too strange to her. To her, it was all myths and legends of far off people who did strange and scary things. Not living breathing people, standing right in front of her.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
Phylis peered at the girl.
“Hmmph, well, yes, for lack of a better word. Space wizard isn’t quite what I had in mind…but it will do. Now, hmm, how did I know? Well, I am a Jedi, we can sense the presence of people, and of danger.”

She continued to look down on her. “Izzy, hmm, nice name. So is there nowhere here you can go for help? No, hmm, shelters or anything?” she asked vaguely. Social security was not something she’d often dealt with before.

 

[Izzy Aureth]

"Oh." The girl said simply. That did make her slightly more curious. And there was something else, "Sense people and danger?" Her brow knitted together for a moment as she thought through her limited experiences, "I can do that too..." Izzy paused briefly, it didn't always happen for her. It was still a sporadic thing, or at least she just didn't notice or pay enough attention. "Well sometimes." Sounding a bit sheepish as she nervously toyed with her shirt.

"Thanks." She said quietly and sighed. Her eyes dropped to the ground again, before Izzy shook her head. "No. I wouldn't take things, if there was somewhere to go." The child gave a small shrug, trying not to think about it too much. "Been alone for a year. Never saw or heard of anything like that."

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
Phylis frowned, looking sadly down at the girl. It would be wrong to send her off again. Besides, her comments had intrigued Phylis. There was a sense about the girl she could feel, the flicker of the Force perhaps.

Well, if Fondor did not have a way to care for the girl, Phylis knew where would. She knelt down in front of the girl.

“Izzy, I’m leaving Fondor tomorrow. Did you want to come with me? I can find you a place to stay where you won’t be hungry or alone.”

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy looked nervously at Phylis as she knelt down in front of her. A part of her wasn't sure she could trust her, but she'd been so kind. The woman hadn't been too upset with her for trying to steal from her! And even gave her somme credits to survive on for a few days. It was more than anyone else had done for her in the last year. Which that alone gave her enough to trust this particular adult a small bit.

For a moment the girl considered Phylis' offer. She lifted a hand to her lips, biting at her fingernail for a brief second or two. "You promise? I won't be alone anymore?" It sounded a bit like paradise to her after the year she'd had. "I don't want to be alone or hungry. I think, I want to go with you." Izzy didn't sound entirely sure, and truth be told, she wasn't. The alternative here on Fondor, wasn't something she wanted to really even think about. It had been so hard on her so far.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“I promise, dear,” Phylis said with a warm smile. She rose and held out her hand. “Come with me, Izzy, it’s not far. But first, we’re going to get you something new to wear.”
She reflected that it was well that she had no ill designs for the girl. Fortunately, the Jedi Master was fully willing to undertake this charity with no ulterior motives.

Presumably the girl had taken her hand, and so Phylis led her to a small children’s clothing boutique. Having a Jedi Master entering with an emaciated girl raised a few eyebrows among the more well to do customers.
“Excuse me, Master Jedi, we do have clothing standards,” an attendant said, looking down her nose.
“Hmmph, that is why I am here. Izzy is going to select a set of clothes and shoes she likes and I will pay for it. Am I clear?” the Jedi Master said. Her usual confused nature was replaced by a sudden steely look and tone.
“Yes…yes of course, Master Jedi.”
“Izzy, go try on what you want. I will wait,” Phylis said. She looked around the shop. No one dared protest or meet her gaze.

 

[Izzy Aureth]

"Okay." Izzy finally said, feeling a little more at ease. Reaching out, she took Phylis' hand to let the woman lead her wherever they were going. "New clothes sound nice." After all what she had was rather pitiful and had only been what others had thrown away.

As they came into the shop, Izzy heard the attendants words, and was quick to shift behind Phylis. It seemed easier to hide than deal with the woman looking down her nose at her. Though, she seemed a little surprised by Phylis' reaction. She'd expected her to give up, not stand up to the woman.

Once the matter was settled, Izzy slowly stepped beside Phylis. For a moment she remained there a little uncertain of where to go first. "Yes, Phylis." She said quietly, and shyly she released the Jedi's hand. The girl took a couple of tentative steps forward as she glanced around the shop.

It took her a moment or two more before she started to wander from rack to rack, looking for something she liked and would fit her. Soon enough she walked back to Phylis, a simple blue shirt in hand and a pair of jeans. Socks and shoes were there too. "Is this okay?" The little girl asked timidly. "I was not sure. Never really been to a shop like this." Izzy gave a small shrug. It was just the way things had been for her.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
Phylis turned as Izzy appeared and nodded in approval. “Looks splendid. How much?” she asked the attendant.
“Comes to a total of 355 credits. I trust you have cash on hand as we don’t accept IOUs.”
“Hmmph, of course I can,” Phylis said, a bit offended. Digging into her belt she produced credit chips and placed them on the counter.
The woman, again frustrated in her efforts to demean the Jedi, took them and handed her a receipt. “Have a nice day,” she grit out.
“May the Force be with you. Come, Izzy,” Phylis said. As she approached the door she gestured with her hand and it opened by itself to allow them exit. It wasn’t necessary, but Phylis was feeling like she needed to show she was a genuine Jedi. It might also impress little Izzy too.
“We’ll head to my ship and leave at once.”

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy looked more than surpised at the number and the sum of credits exchanged. Credits like that, had never been spent in her household. The words between the two seemed tense to her.

The little girl was quick to follow along Phylis' side. Seeing the wave of the Jedi's hand and the opening of the door on it's own was a bit shocking. That wasn't exactly what she was expecting. Well, Izzy hadn't been sure what to expect, but the Force certainly seemed like magic to her. "Did you do that?" She had to ask, looking all wide eyed and surprised.

Though she had one more question to ask. "Where are we going? I mean, I know we are leaving here. Just to where we are going, that I don't know."

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
Phylis smiled. “We’re going to the planet called Laekia. There’s an orphanage there where I can find a home for you.”
Approaching the ship, she gestured and the ramp unlocked, allowing them access.
“Welcome to my ship, the Wellspring!” Phylis said enthusiastically. “There’s a bathroom and fresher through there if you want, I’ll get some food for us.”

A skittering of claws and Nibbles the Jedispawn ran up Phylis’ back and peered at the newcomer.
“Oh, and this is Nibbles. Don’t mind him, he’s very sweet,” she said with a smile.

 

[Izzy Aureth]

"Oh," Izzy said quietly. Her eyes dropped down once more to the ground as she waited for the ramp to open. Truth be told that wasn't a thought she liked in the least. She didn't believe for a minute she'd just been abandoned. A new family wasn't what she wanted. Izzy wanted hers back. And still how they just disappeared in the middle of the night, did bother her, much more than she let on.

Izzy pursed her lips together for a moment and nodded, "Thanks."

Hearing the noise, the little girl whipped around. Her eyes locked onto the little creature and she lifted an eyebrow. "Nibbles, interesting." It seemed an odd name to her, but the woman had seemed a bit odd to her too. So maybe it was fitting. "He's kinda cute." Though she was quite hesitant to reach to touch the little creature.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
Nibbles groomed himself and generally looked cute.
“Don’t mind him, dear. He just wants cheese, or, hmm, something.”

She stopped, seeing the girl was upset. However, Phylis could see little choice. She was definitely not the sort of person to be put in charge of a child, and the girl’s parents were gone. Perhaps she could have searched for them, but the trail would be a year cold and she did have other matters to attend to.

“I’m sorry, Izzy…I’m not sure what else I can do. You wouldn’t want to be roaming around with me. Hmmph, I’m not really the best person for primary education and such things,” she added.
Phylis was not a very sympathetic teacher, mainly because she assumed everyone was as intelligent and as educated as her…which sort of defeated the purpose!

 

[Izzy Aureth]

The tiny girl gave a half-hearted shrug. "I don't want another family." I want mine. That thought she chose not express aloud. "I don't want to be stuck between."

"Have you tried? To teach someone like me?" Of course Izzy had to ask. "And you really don't know me. I'm not that bad, I promise." Maybe her hope was a little misplaced. Izzy still didn't think an orphanage was the right place for her.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“Hmmph! Yes, I have tried teaching children,” Phylis said. She seemed to have been burdened with several children over the years. It had rarely ended well. Children wanted things she could not provide like ‘fun’ and sugary treats.

She did think back to Izzy’s words on Fondor though and her own sense of the girl.
“You have strange abilities though, you said? You can do things others can’t? Can you show me?”