The Journey is the Destination

[Cassia Edric]

Cassia was taking a brief break from her training on Dathomir and now found herself traveling from place to place. The teen didn’t have a specific destination in mind; she figured that she would see where she ended up. She exited the large passenger ship and walked out into the spaceport, she was now on Coruscant. This was a very unfamiliar place to her, she’d never been to this world before and it was vastly different from the wilderness that she was used to. The crowd at the spaceport certainly was a bit rough around the edges, and the young witch was starting to feel a bit out of place.

She continued on, but paused for a moment in front of a reader board, looking for her possible next stop. For a moment she considered making her way back to Bestine, she was feeling homesick, and it had been months since she’d seen her family. Though, she hadn’t parted on the best of terms with her adoptive siblings, some of them felt that she was being selfish to leave the farm in order to learn the ways of the witches. Cassia moved past the board and eventually settled on a small bench, where she could watch the other passengers filter through to their ships. Traveling alone was always interesting, but it was also quite lonely.Her blue eyes scanned the faces that went past, as though she expected to see a familiar face, but she had to admit the chances of that happening were quite low.

[member="Finnik Mann"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

Coruscant, why was Finnik back here? He'd abandoned the Sith some time ago, but the capitol planet still called to him. Why? It was because it was easy to go unnoticed. Finnik was an aimless wanderer who had still not settled, and likely never would. He needed training, but that wasn't likely to happen either. Sure he'd met some people his own age at some camp, but that turned out to be a set up of sorts, and like Finnik usually did when he was threatened, he ran. Why? Running kept him alive, simple. So, Finnik wandered, and it led him back to a world where he could hide.

He was dressed as if he belonged on the street. He did. The streets of Coruscant had been his home for a long time, and it was going to be hard for anyone to make it otherwise. Finnik was wandering around one of the space ports looking at the traffic of travelers as they passed on by. Usually he'd be stealing from them, but today he was just observing. There were the snobs, the free loaders, the middle class, the exotic, and the ones who didn't know what they were doing, well seemingly. What grabbed Finnik's attention was a familiar face. He smirked as she walked by and took a seat at a bench not too far from him.

Standing he walked up from behind her, and sat down as if he'd just arrived and didn't realize [member="Cassia Edric"] was sitting there. In truth this was all part of his plan to surprise her, but she didn't need to know that. The last time they'd met was that camp where he seemed to have a connection with her. Some of the others had pegged them as an item, but they'd just met, and events kept anything like that from happening. Besides the other brunette had been pegged as the morally loose kind while Cassia seemed to have a sweet innocence about her. Maybe that's why Finnik liked her. She was different from him.

"Excuse me, but do you know if the inbound from Zeltros has arrived yet, I'm expecting someone."

 

[Cassia Edric]

Cassia sat quietly and happened to notice out of the corner of her eyes that a man had taken a seat next to her. She kept her eyes forward and slightly lowered, trying not to attract any unnecessary attention. However, she heard him inquire about an inbound ship from Zeltros and she knew that interaction couldn’t be avoided. “I’m sorry, but I’m not sure.” She answered, it was just then that she happened to glance up to see that it was [member="Finnik Mann"] sitting next to her. Cassia couldn’t hide her surprise, but a smile grew on her face. “It’s nice to see you again, Finnik.”

She brushed a few strands of her long brown hair away from her face, feeling a bit bashful all of the sudden. Secretly she had been hoping that she would be able to see Finnik again, though she never thought that she would happen upon him by chance. But she had to admit that it was a nice surprise. When they had met in the woods of Ithor, Cassia had felt drawn to Finnik, but didn’t really get the chance to spend time with him… without the company of others. She moved a bit closer to him; there was no need to act like complete strangers after all.

“I was just planning to pass through Coruscant, but I could stay for a little while.” Cassia said, trying to sound nonchalant. “That is if you have time, I don’t want to impose if you already have plans.” She added, just in case he really was meeting someone from Zeltros.

 

[Judah Lesan]

"I'm not really waiting on anyone. Just used that as an excuse to get you to look my way," he admitted with a wink. "It seems to have worked."

Wow, okay so she was scooting closer. They weren't strangers, and they kinda had that pseudo date, or that's what Finnik had called it after she mentioned she liked the woods. Actually, Finnik was curious as to where she was going. She didn't strike him as the kind to want to make Coruscant her home, meaning she didn't seem Sith to him. Maybe she was just apssing through then, and if that was the case, then maybe he could tag along. Either way, he was flexible, as long as they were going the same direction together when they stood off the bench.

"Well where are you headed to? I mean I just keep coming back here, though I've tried leaving this place at least four or five times by now. For whatever reason, I keep coming back to Coruscant. Maybe you can give me a good reason to go somewhere else? When was the last time you went on an adventure... oh and maybe this could be an official date this time."

Right, because they were both thinking it. Finnik usually said what he thought as long as he knew it wouldn't get him in trouble. He had a pretty good filter in that sense, though sometimes he pushed it, like that one time with Morgana. Anyway, Finnik was curious, were they staying on Coruscant, or going somewhere else?

[member="Cassia Edric"]

 

[Cassia Edric]

“Yes, this time it’s really a date.” Cassia said with a smile. “To be honest, I really didn’t have a specific destination in mind. I was thinking of going home to Bestine…” If Cassia came back to her home world with a boy, her family would certainly want to know about it. She also had a feeling that her older brothers would surely gang up on Finnik… Cassia shook the thought from her head, they hadn’t even been on their first date yet, and meeting her family would surely scare him off. And that was the last thing she wanted to happen.

Her eyes shifted back towards the reader board, she did recall seeing a ship outbound for Naboo. It’s true that the capital city of Theed had always called to her, and she had heard that the lake country was beautiful. It was a location that was by far the opposite of the rocks and oceans of Bestine, not to mention that it was also very romantic in the mind of a teenage girl. She wasn’t really sure what sorts of adventures could await them, or if it would end up being a bit tame for a guy’s taste.

“How about Naboo?” She asked, tilting her head slightly as she turned back to him. “I’m open to other ideas though.” Cassia grinned .

[member="Finnik Mann"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

A date, score! Cassia was pretty, his own age, AND wasn't trying to enslave him. In all reality, Finnik didn't care where they wound up going, or if they stayed on Coruscant. It was easier to hide, and life was way more fast paced on the large city planet, but then again, people were still stuck to a certain routine. Finnik liked being free. He'd never been to Bestine or Naboo, so he didn't mind.

"Naboo lake country huh," Finnik said with a grin. Oh Cassia was about to learn his sense of humor one way or another. Whether she liked it or not was a different story. "You know they say the Lake Country is where people arrive as friends, but leave as lovers. It's a romantic getaway to be sure."

Finnik stood and offered his hand while his head bobbed over to the ticket counter. Flights to Naboo were pretty inexpensive since it was a destination after all. All the traffic meant more tickets sold and they could offer lower fare. This was actually just what Finnik needed as his credit supply was always up and down. At the moment, he didn't have much, so cheap was the way to go. Hopefully Cass didn't mind cheap.

"C'mon, I've never been, and our last romantic foray into the woods was interrupted, and personally... I want a shot at getting that first kiss..."

Yeah he went there. First he was only eighteen, second he was a young man, and third, his filter wasn't always on all of the time.

[member="Cassia Edric"]

 

[Cassia Edric]

Cass chuckled at Finnik’s comment about Naboo’s lake country, but for all she knew, it could very well be true. That is, if the lake country really was as romantic as it was made out to be. She reached out and took his hand as she rose from the bench, she was tempted to keep holding his hand, but she let her hand gently slip away from his. She blinked a couple times when he mentioned getting a first kiss, and her grin widened. Cassia socked Finnik playfully on the arm, despite her innocent looks; she could give a pretty mean dead arm. It was one of the skills one learned when growing up on a farm with a bunch of siblings. “Well, we’ll see about that kiss. You’ll probably get one, if you’re lucky.” Cass said with a wink, there was always fun to be had in some innocent teasing.

She approached the ticket counter, thankfully the tickets were well within her price range and there happened to be an abundance of seats available. Cassia purchased a seat near the window in the economy class, making sure that there was a seat available next to her for Finnik. After her fare was paid she stepped aside to the boarding area to wait for Finnik, she readjusted her rucksack on her shoulders and turned her gaze to the large ship. This certainly was a first, traveling to a new place with a cute guy, it was enough to make the heart flutter just a bit.

[member="Finnik Mann"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

"Better hope I'm lucky then..." he returned with his own wink.

They quickly settled up on getting their tickets, and found themselves in the boarding area. Tickets for the economy section were cheap, and they were seated on the side with only two seats. Finnik was fine with that as Cassia took the window which saved the aisle for him. With his longer legs, he preferred aisle seats. He could still see out the window, and stretch his legs if needed. The situation was the best of both worlds for him.

Finnik was excited, and the extra bounce in his step gave it away. What were the chances he'd run into Cass again, and have the opportunity to take a trip with her to some romantic destination. For a first official date this was a pretty good deal. Hopefully everything would go off without a hitch, because Finnik genuinely liked this girl. She was innocent kind of girl that was a rare find. Despite all his flaws, rebellious nature, and obvious lack of innocence, Finnik was still attracted to nice girls. Could he be a nice enough boy?

Taking his seat next to Cass, he smiled at the stewardess as she handed them the safety information. After she walked off, he turned to Cass and smiled again. He leaned across her, just slightly, to peek out the window.

"Okay I do some pretty spontaneous things a lot, but I have to say this is the first time I've up and followed a pretty woman to one of the galaxy's most romantic destinations. I'm actually going to enjoy this!"

[member="Cassia Edric"]

 

[Cassia Edric]

“It looks like we’re here!” Cassia announced with a smile as she looked over at Finnik. Their ship pulled into Theed Spaceport and after a few moments the doors opened to allow passengers to exit. She watched for a moment as the crowd began to file off the ship, and once there was an opening she and Finnik made their way out as well. Cassia loved to travel, but this was the first time she’d ever embarked on a journey with a guy… she was hoping that their trip would go smoothly, but this was a world uncharted. As they moved out of the spaceport into the grand city of Theed, Cassia’s eyes lit up and she tugged on Finnik’s sleeve. “Oh! It’s lovely, isn’t it?” She asked in a soft tone that was laced with wonder. There was much to take in between the lush scenery and the beautiful architecture.

She noticed a small market nearby, and realized that they should probably grab some food to pack along. It also dawned on her that their spontaneous trip may have let a few other details fall to the wayside… like lodging and transportation. From what she understood, the Lake Country was a rural location, and probably too great a distance for them to walk. Despite these little issues, she was determined to have a good time; two of them would find a way to make it work. “Let’s stop at the market, and we can see about getting out to the Lake Country.” She looked to Finnik to see if he agreed with her plan.

[member="Finnik Mann"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

Well Naboo was certainly beautiful. The city was a different kind of busy than Coruscant, and the architecture was amazing. Theed was a destination of it's own, and Finnik was tempted to stay there. However, he loved the idea of exploring the lake country. The rural nature of it meant it would be quite, and the two would be able to get to know each other quite well. Besides, the lake meant one thing, swimming, though Finnik only had the clothes on his back. Yeah he didn't plan this trip out well, and clearly [member="Cassia Edric"] was thinking the same as they needed transportation and lodging.

"Well, we do have some options. The market is full of vendors, and there seems to be a lot of hay wagons we could hide in from the rural farmers bringing their produce into market. We can wing this whole trip if you want."

About then, Finnik spotted a sign for speeder rentals, and smiled. He put his hands on Cass' shoulders and turned her gently before pointing it out.

"Or we talk him, or mind trick him, into letting us have a speeder for the week. You have a whole week don't you?"

Where did the week long getaway thing come from? Wow that was what real couples did, take vacations together, and they certainly were not a "real couple" seeing as how this was their first date. I mean they might be by the end of the trip, but Finnik was doing this like he did everything. He was going with the flow. There was no plan, but the one he made up on the fly. It was the life of the street rat coming out in him, but it was who he was.

 

[Cassia Edric]

Cassia thought about stowing away on a farmer’s wagon, but the thought of riding for hours covered in hay wasn’t all that appealing… but she had to admit that the mischief of the act would make it fun. Growing up on a farm had instilled a deep appreciation for farm folk, and she knew that they could often come down hard on would-be troublemakers. She decided it would be best not to mess with the farmers, lest they should incur their wrath. Cassia felt Finnik’s hands upon her shoulders, and soon she was swiveling to face a sign pointing them to speeder rentals. A smile grew on her face, now this seemed like a great option.

“I don’t know about using a mind trick on him, I’ve never done it before.” Cassia stood in thoughtful silence for a few moments before she turned to face Finnik, moving in a bit closer, as if to discourage others from overhearing their plotting. “We should talk to him first… then if it’s too expensive we can mind trick him… but we’ll leave him a tip.” Cassia said with a nod. “And yes, I can stay a week.” She added with a slight blush. She stepped to Finnik’s side, took his arm, and started off towards the speeder rentals.

[member="Finnik Mann"]

 

[Judah Lesan]

She was a good girl and didn't want to just take the speeders. They needed them though, and had little credits for them. For Finnik this was something not questioned, he'd just mind trick the guy and take what he wanted and leave no tip. He also didn't want to seem like he didn't have credits, or ask [member="Cassia Edric"] for the funds to rent one. He nodded his head in agreement anyway.

"Okay we try it your way first," he said walking up to the guy.

The back and forth went for a while, but they actually negotiated a price which was affordable for them. They polled what they had, and paid the man, and now had the package deal which included a lakeside villa for them to share for a week. With a smirk Finnik looked to Cassia, they had one speeder bike, and hopped on the bike.

"Hop on and hold on!"

When she got on he sped off to the villa. The drive was amazing, very pretty, and they arrived just in time to figure out what kind of food there was to eat in the area. Finnik might have to fish for it. First thing first was to see what they had in the villa. It was more like a studio, but that's what they could afford. Finnik blushed when he saw they only had one queen sized bed in the villa. There was a couch, so he set his bag on it.

"I guess I'll take the couch?"

 

[Cassia Edric]

Cass bit her bottom lip as [member="Finnik Mann"] entered into negotiations over the price of the speeder and a place to stay. For a moment she felt a bit of worry growing inside her, maybe this wouldn’t work out well for them. However, there was a ray of hope and she smiled as she put forth her credits with Finnik’s… just enough to get them by.

Cass climbed on the back of the speeder bike behind Finnik and let her arms gently wrap around his waist. She immediately knew that she was blushing, and felt thankful that Finnik couldn’t see her face at the moment. As they took off on the speeder she was a bit caught off guard, and her hold on Finnik tightened slightly. The teen watched with a smile on her face as the lovely scenery sped by, she’d never been in a place so peaceful before. She felt that it was almost like being inside of a classical painting, something that was too beautiful to be real.

She walked alongside Finnik into their small villa; Cass looked up at him and blinked a couple of times. She’d looked just in time to see the slight blush on his face, and she instantly knew they were having similar thoughts. The villa was certainly a bit small, but most definitely a cozy place to spend a week. Cass stepped over to the bed and set her things down on the floor, her gaze shifting to Finnik.
“Are you sure?” She asked, tilting her head. “I mean, I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.” She said in response to his offer to sleep on the couch. Though, she didn’t want it to seem like that was an invitation into the bed with her just yet. “Maybe we can switch, tomorrow I can take the couch.” She smiled brightly.

“What should we do now? Do you want to rest a while, or should we go out and look for something to eat?”

 

[Judah Lesan]

"I'll be fine, I mean unless you actually WANT to share the bed. I kinda figured since we didn't really know each other and such that it might be jumping the gun a bit. We haven't even kissed, so I wasn't about to assume we were going to share a bed. I've slpet on worse, so I can just keep the couch."

He smiled at the offer. Her sentiment in thinking about his comfort touched his heart more than he would admit to her. Growing up on the streets meant he had been the only one to truly look after his own comfort or needs. He learned when someone usually did care, it was because they wanted something. Finnik did not sense Cassia wanted anything from him in return for her kindness. It was refreshing and only made her more attractive to him.

Finnik opened the curtain which was covering the large glass window and sliding door which led out to a small deck overlooking the lake. It connected to the beach, which only made Finnik smile more. Now he was thinking food. A small fire pit, and grill were set up, so they could make whatever they wanted. If they had anything.

"How does a picninc on the beach sound? The sun is going to set soon, and the weather is perfect. I mean this is a vacation were taking together, absolutely counts as an official date. It might as well be romantic right?"

[member="Cassia Edric"]