Private You Want Me To Wear What?

[Aliris Tremiru]

She was uncomfortable.

Aliris stared around the medic tent, clutching at the blanket she'd been provided. She was covered in bandages, and her body was at least in better condition than what it was when she was beat up by that Sithspawn. The one she wanted to make hers, no less. How much did the Jedi know? That's what had her on edge. That Knight seemed to know about the First within her, which was it's own problem. But what did the others know? Did they know she was a Sith? That she fought and killed the Ashlan's they tried to defend? That she was their enemy?

Would they kill her? Torture her? She wanted to leave, but she didn't have a place to go, not yet. And if they tried to stop her, what could she do? She needed to get out of here without getting into trouble, but the longer this went on, the less likely that seemed to be possible.

Maybe she just needed to wait till dark. Sneak out. Yeah, that was a plan. So long as she was left alone she could sneak out in the night and come back some other time when she was stronger.

Loomi

 

[Loomi]

Medical Tent
Tags: Aliris Tremiru

Word had spread pretty quickly about the situation of the latest visitor to the NJO's mobile medical unit, which Loomi had been sent out to assist while her Master was away. A girl had arrived injured. Councilmember Kai'el had informed them of her situation. Loomi's insides practically twisted thinking about it.

She was Sith... but just a girl. A teen, like her. The Godoan understood that the Sith were a problem. She remembered their name from her youth, what glimpses of it she had. They were the source of her suffering. She was sure of it.

But this was just a child. There was no way that this girl was like the people who had hurt her.

Loomi poked her head into the medical tent that Aliris had been left in, a bundle clutched in her hands. The girl was covered in bandages and seemed to be a bit spooked, evident by how she was holding her blanket. She wasn't a threat. The Godoan was sure of it.

"H-hello," Loomi called out, trying her best to come off as friendly. A nervous but genuine smile had spread across her face. "S-sorry, but I heard you were in rough shape. I-I figured you'd like some new clothes to wear."

The teen presented the bundle, a simple red dress she had made from a strange cloth she had found hanging in front of one of the windows in the Jedi Temple that she had decided to take with her. It's fabric was soft to the touch but breathable, she noted, so it naturally made a good foundation for a piece of attire. Her skills as a Mist Weaver made it quite easy to make clothes these days.

"S-sorry if it's the wrong size," she apologized in advance. "I-I didn't know how tall you'd be when I made it."

 

[Aliris Tremiru]

Still in her own mind, Aliris glanced to Loomi as she stepped in. She didn't hear words, just felt the fear and panic she'd been feeling this whole time. For a moment, it showed in her eyes just how ready she was to kill the intruder and try to make her escape. Calmer heads prevailed, though. If she attacked, she wouldn't escape. She was as much a prisoner as she was a patient, wasn't she? So she took a breath, and forced a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Oh. I.. Appreciate it. My last outfit was.. Burned. And uh, cut to ribbons, I guess. .. So if it doesn't fit it's better than a hospital gown, y'know?"

Loomi

 

[Loomi]

Medical Tent
Tags: Aliris Tremiru

Loomi shuddered for a moment. The girl's eyes became intense, and her emotions seemed to indicate an impending attack... but nothing happened. A sigh escaped from her diaphragm as her antennae curled back nervously. She didn't freeze up though, which was a notable improvement. Elom had at least helped a lot with her resolve.

"Oh. I.. Appreciate it. My last outfit was.. Burned. And uh, cut to ribbons, I guess. .. So if it doesn't fit it's better than a hospital gown, y'know?"

"Y-yeah..." she answered nervously, rubbing her arm. "Those things are real flimsy anyways..."

A frown came to her face. What was she supposed to say? Should she say anything? It seemed like the girl was pretty apprehensive to being here. Maybe she could at least do something to make her a little more comfortable, if anything at all.

"W-well," Loomi continued. "I-I believe the healers wanted to keep you here for another day to let your wounds become stable. After that Master Kai'el said you're okay to go. S-so you don't have to deal with this for too much longer at least."

Her antennae stood up on end suddenly. She hadn't given her name. That wasn't proper at all.

"Oh, I'm Loomi," she introduced. "It's... nice to meet you?"

She didn't know if it was yet. The girl very much seemed to want to injure her.

 

[Aliris Tremiru]

Try as she might to seem calm, she couldn't help but squint at both the mention of the Knight and the fact she was going to be just allowed to go. She doubted that much. She was a danger, if Braze told Jasper anything about her condition. And while she trusted Braze to keep from just telling people, she didn't expect him to stay quiet if he was asked. Aliris didn't feel like she was at danger of loosing herself yet, but there was no denying that if she did, a lot of people would die.

"They're not going to let me leave."

She fully believed that. But she did sigh. And let a more real smile finally address her lips.

".. I'm Aliris. .. Um. Is Braze okay..?"

Loomi

 

[Loomi]

Medical Tent
Tags: Aliris Tremiru

"They're not going to let me leave."

"Huh?" Loomi reacted, tilting her head. "W-why? Master Kai'el ordered you be allowed to leave when you were healthy... I-I don't think he'd lie about something when he seemed very specific."

Jasper was a younger man, one whom Loomi was very unfamiliar with. But she trusted the word of a councilmember, especially one who seemed to be a kind individual. Her attitude did change a little when she mentioned Braze , however, a faint smile coming to her face.

"Oh, y-yeah," she nodded. "He's okay. His injuries were minor, I-I think."

Loomi's frown returned. She had felt Braze's panic when whatever had happened occurred. The Godoan had been pretty concerned herself, but the boy had been afraid, and not for himself.

"I-I think he was really worried about you," Loomi added. "He felt really scared..."

 

[Aliris Tremiru]

The weirdest thing was that it didn't feel like Loomi was lying. It did little to make Aliris feel safe, though. The word of a Master like Jasper, who she didn't know, it didn't mean much. Not when a darker game could be played in the background. She was a threat, and all it'd take is someone with the right kind of power to kill her off.

The kind that'd go behind the Jedi's back if it had to.

"I'm glad they were minor. .. And, yeah, I guess he was, wasn't he?" That was still the weirdest thing for her. Friendship. She wasn't going to deny that she thought of him as a friend and knew he considered the same, but it still felt weird.

"I don't mean to freak him out. He just.. I dunno. It's weird, I guess."

Loomi

 

[Loomi]

Medical Tent
Tags: Aliris Tremiru

Loomi's mood adjusted. She seemed concerned, so this Aliris couldn't really be all bad, right? The Godoan knew that Braze could be odd, but he was a good person. Maybe he had just managed to make a connection like he had with her.

"H-he worries about a lot of people," she noted, "B-but it makes sense. He cares about a lot of people. I-it would be weird if he wasn't worried."

Loomi gave a warm smile. She did want to be more positive, and thinking about Braze did make her such. Either that or completely panicked, anyways. It flipped from moment to moment. Her connection with him through the force was still something that she was trying to figure out. Speaking of figuring things out, maybe they just needed some common ground.

"Th-they said the sithspawn you fought stabbed you in the gut, right?" Loomi asked. "That happened to me two a few weeks ago. Right here." The Godoan pointed to the diamond-shaped hole in her top, moving it ever so slightly to reveal the beginnings of the scar on her stomach. "I-I don't remember it very well, but I don't really have a good memory. I think I passed out."

 

[Aliris Tremiru]

"Even for people who don't deserve it."

There was a solemn smile on her face this time. She'd hurt him. But he kept thinking of her as a friend regardless. Went out of his way to save her, even now. Even when she was getting herself in trouble and danger. It was frustrating, really. Were friends really supposed to go out of their way like this? Was she supposed to? That's what was the most upsetting part. She felt like a terrible friend, when all she wanted was to be a friend.

Better to not think about that. Not now, not with the Jedi close by.

"Oh. Yeah. I got lucky." She raised a hand. Koboh Matter formed in her grasp from seemingly nowhere, the metallic crystal shifting in shape and seeming to grow further by the second. "Instinct took over. Made a shield to keep me from being stabbed too deep. The burn hurt more, I think."

Loomi

 

[Loomi]

Medical Tent
Tags: Aliris Tremiru

"Even for people who don't deserve it."

"I... understand," Loomi sighed, giving a faint smile.

Where did she even begin with all of this? She was nobody, a complete emotional wreck and ultimately naïve and incapable, but Braze continued to show her kindness and support where she could offer nothing in return. It was strange how she was beginning to meet so many people like that, all while she was left in the dust trying to keep up with them.

"I f-feel like I haven't been a very good friend, y'know?" she continued. "I keep getting myself hurt, o-or can't do something because I don't understand. I-I can't even finish a sentence without stammering. It just feels like I'm taking advantage of the people around me..."

Loomi let out a faint exhale, continuing to rub at her shoulder. Where was she even going with this? It just made her seem like a complete mess, which she certainly was. The Godoan needed a way to give this a more positive spin.

"But..." the teen began again, "Braze once told me that being friends with me made him want to improve himself. I-it's all so strange. I'm not anyone special or interesting at all... b-but maybe having friends is a good reason to improve myself too."

The Godoan hung her head. No, that didn't make any sense at all.

"S-sorry," she apologized. "That was just incoherent rambling..."

Her attention shifted to the strange metal the girl had summoned. It was quite pretty, if not a bit alarming.

"That's... strange," Loomi noted with a frown. "What is it?"

 

[Aliris Tremiru]

So Braze was like that for a lot of people, huh? It made sense, actually. He was probably one of the warmest people she'd met in her life. Warm and bright. Aliris's gaze lowered to the blanket in front of her. She wasn't warm or bright. She was just.. Angry. Scared. She hated the Jedi as she hated the Ashlans, and yet they kept showing her kindness. Why did they have to keep showing her kindness like this?

"Improving yourself because of friendship.."

It seemed so incredibly childish. And yet, wasn't that what she was? A kid? For the first time she wished she could just be a kid and not think about anything more than trying to have friends. She couldn't, though. Not with the First in her head, and all the hate she felt still.

".. Oh. Koboh Matter. I'm not too sure what it is exactly. It can act like water, but it's hard as durasteel and can be a handy shield or sword when I need it. It also turns to air, though that's poisonous. .. It's really affected by the Force, though. I came in contact with it when I traveled to Koboh and it's just sorta stuck around. It's my power. Not something I borrowed or inherited. It makes me strong. Deadly."

Aliris paused for a moment, glancing back to the other girl. Frowned just a little. She felt.. Embarrassed? The Sith put so much stock in power, but the Jedi didn't did they?

"I seem wrong, don't I?"

Loomi

 

[Loomi]

Medical Tent
Tags: Aliris Tremiru

"I seem wrong, don't I?"

"A little," Loomi admitted awkwardly. "B-but you don't feel wrong."

The girl frowned, tilting her head a little. Her fear and anger was potent, but she understood it. Loomi had spent her life afraid. Angry at the people who had hurt her, even as she couldn't remember their faces. They were similar, just walking different roads in the night. The Godoan felt herself feeling an overwhelming amount of sympathy for Aliris. Would she be like this if she hadn't been found by the Order?

"I-I'm afraid too," she noted. "N-not of you, I mean... I... bad things happened to me. I can't remember them very well, but thinking about the people who did it still being out there... I-it keeps me up at night. But that's okay, right? I mean, i-if I wasn't afraid I think there was something wrong with me..."

Well, she did think there was something wrong with her, but that was for another time. Loomi forced a smile, trying her best to keep positive. Like had been done for her.

"Stuff like that means we're real, y'know?"

 

[Braze]

...

 

[Aliris Tremiru]

A little. A much sadder smile formed on her face as she kept her gaze on the sheets. She was wrong. About so much, and she knew that much, but she didn't want to face that. Part of her just wanted to rage and blame the Ashlans, and she'd be right to. But she hated that part of her. Her grip tightened for a moment as she squeezed her eyes shut. How did her life get so messed up?

"B-but you don't feel wrong."

Huh? Aliris blinked, looking up at Loomi for a moment. Listened to what she had to say. Everything she had to say. This was different. It wasn't like Braze who didn't understand what she'd gone through. It wasn't like Wake who wanted her to be as messed up as he was. It was someone who understood. Who'd been through something similar. It upset her. It upset her so damn much. Why did she have to smile like that?

Tears formed in her eyes before she could stop it. Full on tears, the kind she'd been suppressing all her life. Not of pain or misery, but of relief. If this girl could still force herself to smile for the sake of others, did that mean Aliris wasn't too far gone?

"Stuff like that means we're real, y'know?"

"Yeah, it does, doesn't it?"

Loomi

 

[Loomi]

Medical Tent
Tags: Aliris Tremiru

Tears. She was crying, but not in a bad way. It was an emotional release, something pent up that she was finally letting out. Loomi couldn't help but tear up a little herself, thinking about how she had done the exact same thing.

"Yeah," she nodded, retaining her smile.

It was nice, in a way, knowing that she wasn't alone in how completely off track her life had been. Looking back into her mind only seemed to cause distress, with vague memories of abusive silhouettes and glaring monsters. She didn't know if she'd ever figure out any of that, but she wanted to try. For the people around her and for herself. Maybe that was something they could tackle together.

"G-golly, I'm sorry," Loomi laughed, now full on blubbering. Tears were streaming profusely from her one good eye. "I-I'm not very good with this kind of stuff. I'm a complete mess."

Loomi sniffled, vigorously wiping her face clean as best as she could before attempting to recompose herself.

"A-anyways," She stammered, "Y-you wanna try on your new clothes? I-I can step out for a moment."

 

[Aliris Tremiru]

Eventually Aliris got herself under some control. She reached up, sniffling as she wiped at her eyes. Blubbered out a laugh. It made sense why Braze cried so much. It felt honestly freeing. But she couldn't keep crying, right? Especially in front of a strange- No, acquaintance. They were at least that much, right? Maybe more given Loomi had even made her a dress. Which she actually looked at now.

.. Was that made from a towel?

Aliris bit back a giggle before she nodded.

"Yeah, I'd like to try it on."

As soon as Loomi left she would pull it on, adjusting the dress as she needed to fit it. It was big. Aliris wasn't very tall, after all, but it was comfortable. Like.. Well, a beach towel.

"What'd you uh, make this out of anyway?"

Loomi

 

[Loomi]

Medical Tent
Tags: Aliris Tremiru

Loomi was very visibly giddy when she came back in. Something about a person actually wearing a thing she made had the Godoan's stomach all fuzzy. It felt as though she had genuinely accomplished something, even if it was not incredibly notable. It wasn't long though before questions began to pour in again.

"What'd you uh, make this out of anyway?"

"Oh," Loomi reacted, placing a finger on her upper lip. Her antennae curled back and forth as she thought. "I'm... not too sure. I found it on a wall just hanging there. It clearly wasn't a painting. It would've had something on it if it was. I thought it was a pretty fabric, and it's soft but not itchy. I-it didn't seem like anyone was using it, so I took it down and made something new."

It would become very apparent to Aliris that Loomi had no concept of what drapes were. There was a lot about human culture, especially higher end human culture, that she simply didn't understand. Her genuine naïveté would make such a point very apparent.

Suddenly a wave of embarrassment came over the teen's face.

"Golly," she continued, her cheeks now a bright pink. "I-I didn't do something wrong, did I?"

 

[Aliris Tremiru]

Oh. Ooohh. That did explain why it wasn't as rough on her skin. So not a towel, but a curtain?

".. Depends on how attached someone was to their curtains, I guess. But it certainly is a much more beautiful dress than a drape." Aliris gave a more calm smile. In truth she was all for the destruction of public property. The uniform academy she was raised in would've been so much better if there had been someone like Loomi making beauty out of the boring crap no one paid attention to. She did a little spin with the dress before letting out a sigh.

It was the first time she'd ever worn a dress.

"I really, really like."

Loomi

 

[Loomi]

Medical Tent
Tags: Aliris Tremiru

Curtains... Had Loomi heard that word before? It didn't ring a bell, but the implication was that it served a purpose. Maybe it had been hanging in the Temple for a reason. Aliris didn't seem very bothered by this. She did a small twirl before expressing that she really liked it, which made the Godoan's heart flutter.

"I'm glad," she nodded, positively beaming now. "It's the first time I ever made a dress, s-so I'm glad it came out okay."

A frown came to her face, followed by a look of concern in her eye. She had just remembered that Aliris would only be here as long as she was recovering, then she would go off on her own. Would she be okay? Loomi now found herself worried about the well being of this potential new friend.

"Are... you gonna be okay?" Loomi asked, folding her hands above her chest. "Y'know, when you leave?"

Her voice was overflowing with concern and compassion.

 

[Aliris Tremiru]

"When I leave.."

Aliris echoed the sentiment, though the smile she had was now completely gone. Did she still want to leave? The Sith encouraged her to live a life of brutality and murder. Just as the Ashlan's did. But the Jedi didn't seem to push for that. All she'd been shown was kindness, even in the face of her distrust and anger. She didn't know what she wanted now.

".. I don't know. I need to talk to the Jedi from before to decide anything."

Loomi