Session export: [Emissary] Spring Festival and Farmer's Market

The farmer’s market festival was always worth a visit for Orson Trent - a man of common birth but expensive taste. And for how often he found himself infiltrating elite social gatherings, rubbing shoulders and sharing drinks with the enemy, it wasn’t a simple vanity thing either, his missions occasionally depending on being able to correctly identify the flavours of a fine wine. There were few with tastes as infamous as the Emissary, whose cocktails were always a highlight of the Farmer’s Market. Orson strolled over to the bar, perusing the most recent offerings of the Emissary. Maybe there was something new and sophisticated on here that he could order at his next social gathering to impress whoever happened to be nearby.

With the Shiny Sith too busy to need the pale skinned and gray furred Zygerrian, Zag could finally do some restocking of the X-70B Shimmer. What better place to do that than the market at the Spring Festival?

Zag glided down the repulsor ramp and did some half-measured stretching, before jolting off to find the nearest food stall.

Vance decided that a nice takodana quencher sounded really good and began making his way towards the cocktail vender stall.

Alex tugged a little at the collar of his formal Marquis dress wear as he approached the festival grounds. The brocaded gold-and-burgundy tunic cinched with a black and gold braided sash paired with black jodhpurs trimmed with gold at the seams was probably a bit of overdressing for a farmer’s market festival, but he had been somewhat distressed to find that none of the other clothing stocked aboard his ship was in better condition than tatters. Unfortunately, even this outfit didn’t fit quite right any more - no great surprise given the many years it had been since he had last worn it. As he adjusted the left bracer worn over his sleeve - You will wear our armor - he turned his head over his shoulder to speak to the droid behind him.

“Steven, make a note that I must make some alterations to this outfit when we get back to the ship. The neckline needs to be let out by about an eighth of an inch and I believe the guimp braiding on the left sleeve is starting to come loose.”

“Very good, sir,” the lanky KX droid spoke with a modulated but fairly prim accent. “It will probably also need some care in washing after being worn through,” though the droid did not possess facial expressions, there was no mistaking the disdain as it looked around, “such colorful environs.”

“It is a bit of dirt and some stalls, Steven. Not like I am wearing my finery through a bloody trench,” Alex pulled up a map of the festival grounds on his datapad. “I believe the first stop will be the food stalls. I find any enjoyable activity is multiplied tenfold when enjoyed in the presence of a corn dog.”

“Wwwwrrrhrh.”

“I– I’m sorry, I don’t speak Wookiee…”

“Wahagggrgrg!” A point jabbed over the employee’s shoulder, towards where a colorful man was sprawled backwards in the hay and feed and various brown bits, having been affectionately mobbed by the goat kids.

“Oh! Him? He said he was fine, or something like that.”

The white-striped, dark visage of the female Wook huffed. Rue’s definition of fine was to be trusted oftentimes only about as far as he could throw.

At least Alk was defending him. Sort of.

She watched as the pygmy mott, free of his unjust booties for once, tossed his head and ran for a little goat bab that was doing the same. Only the goat used its forehead more where Alk used his horn.

He also ran over Rue.

At least she knew he was breathing still when he went, “ooomph,” and then wheezed in happy, bubbly laughter.

The scowl on Hunyi’s face softened a bit. It was hard to stay firm with him and the mott at times. Basically any time he was smiling and happy like that. However, these employees were clearly not good controllers of their adolescent animals…

Then again, there were other children in the ‘petting zoo’ and most of them did not get bowled over by baby animals. They were however starting to notice Rue rolling around with them, and mimicking him in turn. Best to nip that in the bud.

“Wrrrr,” she called over, and Rue sat up finally, rubbing his chest and stomach where he was most surely bruised, but she knew by now the male would heal. That didn’t make it better that it happened, but there was only so much one could do. Cubs would climb branches and learn to fall.

- “Wrrrr,” he called back, solid Shiryywook compared to most furless species but still sounding like a young one sweating in hormones to her ears. He beamed at her, all teef and glittering gold, then gave some last pets and got himself up to scarper over to the fence where she stood. “Hunyi! Hunyi look! They are called kids. Also there are the cubs, and the fawns, and lambs, and…” He went on a bit longer. “This one loves them all! But Alk best, of course.”

They both looked to the mott, now in ground jail. He was chasing an orabek calf if circles.

“I think also he is making friends.” Rue chirruped happily, then began trying to climb out. She offered a hand in silent brace, and he just threw himself on it to be lowered down. “What next? There is all the food! And the stalls! And the farms! This one thinks. If not I do not know why it is a market of farms.”

That was why they were here, Rue not knowing what such a thing was. Hunyi thought it might be a nice time for him. He certainly enjoyed greenery and gardening, so farming would be an interest, maybe. It turned out to be quite a lot of vendors and activities though. He’d stuck close to her, spooked by the crowds, at first, but had lit up at the petting zoo. <@244244400488710155>

“They have coffee stalls.”

Nathan Breeze peered over to the food and drink stalls, able to see fairly well over the crowd as he and Mikhail meandered their way through. The Pantoran hybrid remained close to his platonic-date for the day, the crowds not thick enough yet that he was truly anxious but… he was definitely only here because of the company.

Going out alone hadn’t been on the cards for a while. But it was nice to get out for once. Mostly. Sort of.

His hands were deep in his pockets.

<@160141735354171394>

Vance had finally made it up to the cocktail stall, he was still a little bit shy as he looked about the drink selections, but still was firm on his one. “Could I get a takodana quencher please?” The vendor nodded and got to work making the order and soon he had a glass of nice cool green liquid in his hand. He handed over some credits and then stepped back with his drink, taking a sip of it. “Refreshing and tasty, hmm might have to get some more later.” As he backed away from the stall, he spied a small bench that was unoccupied and sat himself down to drink a bit more and watch people passing. As he sat back seeing some smiles, laughter and a few couples, he sort of wished he had a date himself to do the festival with. “Course here I am all by myself and don’t really know anyone here. Why do I have to be so karking shy?”*He thought. *Should I really have come here?I just feel so out of place.“

“That would be nice, I think.”

The Arkanian stayed close at Nathan’s side, the two of them occasionally bumping as they worked their way through the crowd. Unlike the taller Pantoran, it was much more difficult to see over the heads of others and survey the market. He took every opportunity to tug at his collar or run his hand through his hair. His gut tingled with nerves, but he couldn’t place why exactly. It had been weeks since he had been out, even longer since he spent any time with his friend.

He glanced upwards at the blue face of the man he walked with, eyes trailing down to spot Nathan’s hands buried in his pockets. He looked comfortable.

Was he being too fidgety? Was he standing out? Why couldn’t he settle his nerves?

“C-coffee. I’ll buy.” He stated as confidently as he could, then lead the way off towards the stall he managed to get a peek of

Alex stood, half-eaten corn dog firmly clenched in hand, as he considered a sign which seemed custom tailored to dismay Steven.

“I do hope you are not really considering it, sir. Not in your finest clothes, at least, I beg…” the pleading tone in the droid’s voice was intense, but that was only likely to drive Alex even further toward engaging with the foolish idea. ‘Catch the Greased Puffer Pig!’ the sign proclaimed, and a fire burned in Alex’s eyes as he stared at it.

“Steven, it is an elusive prey. A difficult challenge! An affront to my honor as an acclaimed bounty hunter to insinuate that I could not lay hands on a buttered swine! I really should, right?!” Every word that came from his mouth slipped out faster and faster, a wild change from the usual comfortable drawl of his voice. “If it makes you feel any better, I can take my shirt off…?”

A mechanical sigh was the only response received.

“Oh- are you sure?” Nathan glanced over Mikhail, noting the Arkanian’s.. unrest. Was he okay?

Had he missed something?

He pushed a slight smile, “I.. appreciate it but you don’t have to.”

He stood, bare-chested and bare-footed in the muddy pen, staring into the eyes of his adversary. For it’s part the puffer pig appeared unperturbed in its greasy glory, simply snorting about in the mud to search for a snack. Alex slowly circled, keeping his eyes on the beast. At its normal size, it wouldn’t be too hard to get a hold of though the grease would make it a bit of a challenge. However, once it was startled or frightened and began to inflate, the situation would rapidly become untenable. If it made it to even one-and-a-half times normal size - barely a problem for the creature - there would be no way to get a decent grip on it any more. Alex was going to have to be quick about this - he wasn’t good enough at dealing with animals to be subtle about this, and the thing’s sense of smell was too good for him to hope to sneak up on it.

To the side of the pen, Steven stood, his master’s tunic over one arm and a bag of various and sundry snacks from the food stalls held in the other hand. Somehow the disappointment the mechanoid butler felt was palpable, perhaps in the slight slump of his stance or possibly in the way his gaze slowly tracked his boss as Alex moved around the swine. No matter how this ended, it was going to mean more work for Steven and only for the dumbest of reasons.

As the distance closed, the puffer pig began to side-eye Alex and nervously shuffle. Alex knew that his opportunity was now or never. He took a deep breath, called upon his inner reserves to bolster his strength and swiftness as much as he could, and leapt for the puffer pig with arms spread aiming to catch it in a colossal hug while it was still too confused to react.

Vance thought a moment. “You know I should see what else is out here.” He got up finished his drink, throwing the disposable cup into the nearest recycling recepticle and starts to make his way towards the Festival challenges. “Wonder what they got.” He saw a sign for catching a greased puffer pig and saw a small crowd starting to gather. “Huh I wonder…” Curiosity getting the better of him he strode over to get a better view of the pen. Managing to scoot his way through he got closer to the pen and saw someone leaping right for the pig. He smiled as his eyes watched carefully. “Oh this is gonna be good.”

Alex managed to get one hand around the pig’s leg and his other arm over its back as he landed, but couldn’t lock in a hold before the animal began to squeal and buck wildly.

“Oh, this is about to become very difficult…” he thought as he began to feel the beast swell up underneath him. His grip on its leg was broken as the limb inflated past the point were one hand could enclose it and Alex shifted to bring that arm between both forelegs and clasp the wrist with his other hand, at least securing a position to hang on as the rapidly-enlarging puffer pig took off through the mud of the pen.

As the direction of the charge changed over and over again, Alex found himself having to constantly turn his head this way and that to keep the muck out his eyes. Any opportunity he found, he attempted to slowly adjust his position until finally after several minutes of ongoing struggle he had managed to position himself atop the puffer pig’s back. Mudslick and greasy, he panted heavily as he considered his options. From where he was now, he was little more than a passenger being carried any which way the creature felt like going, and that could hardly be considered ‘catching’ it. But at the size it was at now, and with the added sweat and mud, actually managing to get a hold on it was going to be all but impossible. He also knew that if he was going to have any chance of victory in this challenge, he had to make his next move count because he was unlikely to find himself in a better position than the present. As he felt the puffer pig beneath him begin to shift its weight into another turn, he decided on his course of action.

Grabbing as firm a hold as he could with one hand on each of the horns atop the animal’s head, Alex waited for it to be committed to the turn and then hurled his body opposite the direction of the turn and perpendicular to the puffer pig. The sudden shift in momentum and weight caused the beast’s legs to slide out from under it and it fell heavily on its side, though the impact was greatly softened by the muddy ground beneath. In an instant, Alex had capitalized on the chance and leapt back atop the pig, now pinned on its back. While beclawed legs scrambled to find new purchase and regain an upright position, Alex leaned forward until his head was right next to its face. He had to get the puffer pig back to a calm state if he was going to “win” this challenge, and so he did the only thing he could think of - and just hoped it worked as well on livestock as it did on pets. He made gentle cooing noises at the animal as one hand snaked beneath its thrashing head to give gentle scritches at its chin.

The beast continued to struggle briefly, but gradually began to calm down and its size slowly decreased as the comfortable noises and pleasant sensation of scratching made it realize it was not in danger. As it shrank, Alex slipped out of his mount position and allowed the animal to get back to its feet, still continuing to scratch at its chin. With a gentle pat atop the head of his now-placated opponent, Alex got up from the ground. Running a hand through his now tousled hair to clear some of the mud out, an uncharacteristically boyish grin was plastered to his face.

“I think I have made a new friend, Steven,” he laughed to his droid valet as the puffer pig - now back to its normal size - nuzzled against his leg.

It was hard work being the only ambassador for Motts in the petting zoo. Alk had met every single animal that could not fly to evade him or outrun his deceptively fast little legs – although when he did have to run to say hi, he would get distracted at kicking up his hoofed heels and frolic until he forgot why he was running in the first place. Ever hand offered to him had been kissed and slobbered as he graciously accepted their treat offerings and pets. And all in all he only bowled over one large child…and Rue.

The dwarf mott deserved a well earned break. Finding a quiet corner, or well empty place, he circled thrice and plopped down on his hindquarters. Two seconds later, Alk flopped down onto his side aaand rolled right under the fence. He sat back up with a surprised and startled look, apparently having found a gaping hole in the fencing. Giving himself a shake, the mott stood and explored the muddy pen.

It took him a minute to notice the two beings in the pen with him and less time to amble over. An excited huff escaped him as he sniffed the puffer pig before moving on to off at muddy shoes.

Mikhail nodded, not sure if Nathan could even see the response as he pushed through the crowd. His path took him to the front of the caf stall, where he took a moment to catch his breath. The Arkanian looked over his shoulder, checking on Nathan behind him as he brushed his hair back again.

His eyes lingered for a few moments before he blinked and turned back to the stall. “Hello, do you have Spiced Latte still? The… autumn flavored one?”

It was busier than she had expected. The stalls looked pleasant enough, finally something not overly processed and more locally sourced. Zag hoped she could find some crisps at the very least. Maybe also some meats to eats. She had a small backpack with her that was filled with more bags, and inside those bags were probably more bags, she wasn’t really sure. If they all ended up being filled then she’d likely require someone to help her carry them anyway. A restocking of drinks wouldn’t hurt either, she carried with her a catalog of what they already had on the X-70B. Perhaps something new would be more appreciated.

Umangi’s little pink nose wiggled as it picked up pleasant scents and simply followed the trail instinctively. It was better at keeping the social anxiety at bay this way. She hid her emerald eyes under her black-haired bangs as she passed the dancers and the tall wooden pole in the middle of the fair. Scents of fresh fruit, grilled meats, and popcorn made it difficult for the Zygerrian to make a choice.

When she lifted her hand to check out some of the fruit she was met with suspicious looks.

Bigots the lot of ‘em. Maybe skip the fruits.

She put it back down and strolled onward. Her royal blood gave her an eye for quality, but a touch was always needed to be sure. Apples for example needed to be firm and the peel a little dry to the touch, not too thick or waxy, that’s how she knew it wouldn’t be too grainy or unripe. If she couldn’t check out the merch without someone eyeing her up then perhaps she could leave it until later, or just skip it altogether.

Not worth the effort. .

The next thing her nose picked up were the many different stalls filled to the brim with grilled meats, soups, noodles, kinds of pasta, and all sorts of street food. Time to check out some of the warm foods. Her eyes fell on a stall with skewers, served with a nutty sauce. Saliva built up in her mouth as she raised her hand. With an excitable hop, she checked out how they were prepared.

“Two, no, three skewers please, with sauce!”

Alex glanced down to the second beast which had made its way into the pen and was now snuffling at his feet.

“An abundance of new friends I find myself blessed with, it seems,” he reached down to scratch the mott behind the ears. “Steven, I need some gifts for my new friends. What did we pick up that would be suitable?”

The KX droid opened the goodie bag and began sifting through their purchases from the stalls earlier. Passing over most of the prepared foods - too much sugar and processed food wasn’t good for them - he found some produce they had picked up. “We have some fresh fruits and vegetables which you purchased, sir. I believe those would suit their palates.”

“Excellent, Steven! Pass me an ear of corn, if you would,” Alex approached the fence around the pen, the two animals following close behind him. Taking the proffered cob, he cracked it in half with his hands and offered one half to each of the creatures. The puffer pig quickly and excitedly snatched it away and trotted off, having just worked up a bit of an appetite with the struggle that had just taken place. Alk sniffed at the corn, considering. It had been a long day so far with many treats offered and eaten, but after consideration the esteemed mott decided that one more couldn’t hurt and retrieved the half-ear from the man while leaving behind a bit of slobber in return for the offering. Alex gave one more scratch atop Alk’s head while laughing and shook a little bit of the beast’s saliva from his hand.

“Steven, do be a good man and see if you can find me a public refresher somewhere nearby or at the least a bucket of water to clean up some of this mud.”

“Uhm.”

Nathan had had the words. He’d known exactly what he wanted about two seconds before and somehow it was already gone. Damn. He stumbled over his words for a few seconds, looking at the menu and eventually-

“I’ll just have an autumn one too. Thank you.”

Vance chuckled as he leaned against the fence, placing his right leg on it as he looked at the mud covered Alex. “I have to say, you put on quite a show there. Can’t say I would have done better trying to wrestle that little strong willed puffer, but I did enjoy watching all the excitement. Would you like a hand in getting cleaned up? I am sort a new to this whole festival going on.” The pink skinned Sephi warmly greeted alex. “I am Vance by the way.”

“I appreciate the support; I cannot say it is a common habit of mine to wrestle with livestock either, neither have I attended many festivals of this sort, but I saw a challenge and could not help myself but make the attempt,” Alex shook the mud off of his hand and wiped what remained on a scarce clean spot on his pants before extending it. “Around here I am known as Alex Draconis, glad to make your acquaintance Vance. I have trust that my valet Steven will be successful in finding me some water to wash down, so unless you happen to be a wandering towel salesman I do not know how much assistance you can be with cleanup. Once I am refreshed, however, I would certainly not be opposed to some company while seeing what other entertainment this festival has to offer, were you so inclined.”

The man chuckled as he shook his hand and gave a lopsided smile. “Company sounds fantastic! I sort of came here by myself and in my opinion this place is best enjoyed with others. As for water, well I did see a dunk a twi'lek I think just past this event. They might have some extra water, or maybe you could convince the Twi'lek to let you have a go at it.” He jested.

Steven returned, bearing a bucket of water and with a small towel over his shoulder.

“I’m afraid I could not find a public refresher, Master Alex, but the dunk tank graciously provided this bucket of water once I explained the circumstances.”

“It will do for now, Steven. Thank you much,” Alex hopped up on one of the crossbars of the fence and poured some water over his bare feet to clear them from the mud and dirt. Taking his shoes back from Steven as they were held out, he then brought himself down on the outside of the fence and poured the rest of the bucket over himself to wash away the accumulated mud. Pulling the towel off of the droid’s shoulder, he then dried himself as best he could though the small towel did little more than keep him from being absolutely soaking wet. He was still dripping a bit, and he ran one hand through his hair as he slung the towel around the back of his neck.

“Please hang on to my tunic for a bit longer, Steven, as I continue to dry out.” Alex turned back around toward the fence and reached through to offer one more head scratch to the baby mott who was still munching away happily at the corn. “You have a good day now, little friend, and I hope you get the rest you deserve from all the younglings’ eager petting.”

Standing back up, he turned once again to face Vance, taking a grip on either end of the towel as he flicked his head back to sweep some hair out of his face.

“Now then, my new friend, what around here has caught your attention that we might go peruse?”

“Well not sure exactly.” He smiled at the cleaner Alex. “I don’t think anyone minds much if you didn’t wear a tunic.” He chuckled and winked. “I am not sure exactly what catches my attention right now other than your striking physique, but I know there are a variety of events and things here or so I have heard. I am just merely curious to explore the festival with company. So pretty much wherever you would like to go first I will most happily follow my good man.”

Hunyi hummed, deep and low, and turned to scan over the festival. There were several locations she had noticed had drawn his eye. Considering a moment, she looked back to him, rumbled and held up three finger.

“Raaaaagh,” Three options?

She rubbed her stomach beneath her chestplate, then touched her mouth. Her words being some of the earliest she taught him in Shyriiwook. “Are you hungry? Food?”

The impromptu miming, in no means any official sign language gestures, continued to her attempt to portray throwing a ball or whatever games she had noted. And thirdly, she barked about the flower stand and its blooms, gesturing smelling petals and tucking it behind his ears. The black and white wookiee’s lips pulled into a small smile and waited to see what and if the lad understood her, and his choice there after.

The past few weeks were a drag for Avery Watson. He spent his days lamenting a relationship that he ended. Although he was the culprit for his pain, it didn’t hurt any less. He wished things would have gone differently, but, alas, they were what they were.

While his son was being looked after by his good friend and mentor, Jax, the doctor spent his days indulging in excessive drinking and exercise. Working was off the table. Operating on patients while sleep-deprived was a liability thus, he was forced into a personal leave until he was deemed fit for duty again.

Hearing of the festival on Arx seemed to be a good way to get away from the familiarity that felt so alien at home without her there. Unfortunately, Avery put in half as much care as he normally did in his appearance, not bothering to shave or get a hair cut. Both the length of his hair and beard were outside his comfort zone. But his energy was too depleted to put more into fixing it.

He arrived at the festival’s market clad in a purple button-up, grey slacks, and black dress shoes. There was no tie or belt to accent the colors he wore. He was kempt enough for public spaces but he was most certainly not at his best.

After collecting a few cocktails, he ventured to the fruit section, seeking out exotic fruits. A satisfied sigh escaped the man as he bent over the samples and started pick at them, chewing slow to taste. Eevie would have loved this… The thought left as quickly as it came as he continued down the line of sample cups, hoping not to be too much of a nuisance to the stall owner.

Matcha had been through quite the ordeal since she last went out. She had quite the Siren Squad and had taken a break from her side hustle to focus more on herself. Her first order of business was exploring her interests and honing her skills in areas more practical to life. This is why she was at the Arx Farmers Market. Here, she’d be able to find food and ingredients she wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else.

The Mirialn perused the stalls for some time, chatting up a variety of vendors for information on their wares as well as for minor discounts. She may have been rather well off financially, but that was no reason to stop trying to save money.

Along her journey, she spotted a man dressed semi-formally, rocking some stubble and a very depressed demeanor. Someone who looked like they could use a friend. The woman finished the conversation she was having before making her way over to the man, where she led with a friendly “Hello.”

Avery was engrossed in the sweet array of fruit samples, ready to ask the owner of the stall if he could buy some. In his peripheral, a figure approached, not drawing his attention until he heard the simple greeting.

He pivoted to the source, his hazel eyes widening slightly. He recognized her from the disaster that was the mysterious, stressful, and allegedly ‘fun’ trip on Nar Shaddaa. It reminded him that he needed to have the matching tattoo he and Diy acquired on their trip removed. Thankfully it was hidden from view on his shoulderblade but embarrassing nonetheless.

Then there was the Mirialan before him who somehow ended up with his tie and refused to give it up. At least after his first few attempts. Of course, she eventually gave it back but in an unexpected fashion, nearly getting him in hot water with Eevie.

He pushed the memory aside, focusing on the here and now. The long-sleeved dress she sported was a burnt orange color and was well-fitted, hugging her form well. Since he was a gentleman, he didn’t gawk, keeping his eyes on her face.

“Hello,” Avery replied while beaming a bright smile, lowering the sample plate from his face. “Matcha, right?”

He always suspected that was a nickname or an alias but it would have been nice to know her real name if she had one.

“Well then, ironic circumstances to the contrary, I find myself rather dry at the moment and believe I could use a drink,” Alex turned toward where the cocktail stands were located. “Once we have found ourselves properly lubricated, then perhaps we can head to the midway to partake of some games and rides? I understand that is the sort of thing one does at these events.” He began striding toward the next location, drawing a few sidelong looks from folks due to his current bare-chested state, but nothing too outrageous.

While Rue clearly understood that he was being given three options, and knew those words very well indeed by now, he did not understand the second presented. His smile was bright though at her gestures for flowers, and he was very excited for those!

“Can food,” he replied promptly, such to say, he could probably eat something. He never knew her to answer her about being hungry. Logically, he understood hunger and the mechanisms, down to the hormones involved in the processes and all stages of digestion, excretion, and cellular absorption …but he didn’t know what hungry felt like. Still, he’d learned making measurements was helpful. “Small hungry?”

Then the hybrid tilted his head and repeated her throwing gesture back at her.

“What is this?”

“Awesome idea, could definitely use another drink myself.” He grinned following Alex to the cocktail stand. They both stood waiting in a small line. Vance chuckled seeing some of the various reactions of folks around them. “So what kind of drink do you like Alex?”

“I like to fancy that I have remained true to my more simple roots despite my circumstances,” Alex began idly swinging the towel out to his side, “and remain partial to a good beer or a Corellian whiskey. However, due to the necessities of some of my responsibilities I often found myself in situations calling for a more ‘refined’ choice, and so have developed a tongue for fine abrax. In general, though, I will not turn down any drink offered my way.” He turned around to face his companion as he spoke, walking backward as the line moved as easily as he did forward, and still managing to avoid bumping into any of the people ahead of them as if he knew exactly where they were.

“Now you,” Alex gestured toward Vance with the hand now wrapped loosely in the towel, “strike me as the sort to go for something a little more complex, though still not overly fancy. Maybe a simple mix - fruit juice and a base liquor - sweet but with a little bit of tartness, and a bit of bite on the backend?” Alex cocked an eyebrow and a slight smirk twisted one corner of his lips. “How close am I?”

He raised an eyebrow slightly back, winked and gave a lopsided grin to the man while chuckling as he moved forward with him in line. “You are not wrong, I do enjoy a nice tattooine Sunrise or Takodana Quencher. I think we have makings of a beautiful friendship happening right now. So as token of my gratitude and happiness. When we get up there, order what you like and I will pay for it. Steven too,if he is so inclined.” There were a couple more left before they reached the stand. Vance stretched out his arms, grinning. He was so much happier finding company with him and Alex was rather cute and was that him mildly flirting or just friendly banter? Vance wasn’t sure, but he was enjoying every moment. “So where do you come from Alex?”

Matcha was completely oblivious to the identity of the stranger up until he turned to face her. While Avery may have seen himself disheveled, he was in a much more put-together state than the first time they had met. Almost immediately after her realization, the Mirialan felt a bud of anxiety blossoming inside her. After Nar Shaddaa, the woman had spent quite a lot of effort ridding herself of the memory of the man and had finally succeeded, just to be reminded of him all over again.

The woman eyed his choice of outfit for the day, frowning ever so slightly when she realized how well the purple shirt complimented the bags under his eyes. Something had happened to him recently, and curiosity was bound to get the better of her.

“That’s right,” the woman said, her icy gaze meeting his hazel irises. “And you’re… Avery?” Matcha feigned ignorance, acting as if she had maybe forgotten the man and his name, a fib she was happy to run with for the rest of her life.

Alex walked back to the counter and grabbed the drinks, holding out the cocktail toward Vance.

“That sounds like a life hard-lived, though it seems maybe things have settled down for you,” he began a gentle stroll toward the midway, where the sound of games and rides rang out an enticing melody. “My people have a saying - one I do not necessarily whole-heartedly agree with, but I believe it is something to keep in mind during the hard times in life. Mishuk gotal’u meshuroke, pako kyore.” The look on his friend’s face made it clear to Alex that he had caught none of that.

“Loosely it means ‘pressure makes gemstones, ease decay.’ That last part I have never quite felt right about. While hard times and adversity can certainly bring out the best in a person, I can not believe that taking joy in the easier times and grasping hold of them when and where you can leads to weakness. If anything, in my life I have found that those who hold out hope for a life of simple, basic pleasures fight all the harder for it.” He smiled and spun as he walked, holding his arms out to indicate the sights, smells and sounds of the festival surrounding them.

“The tough times we have faced in our lives - when we had to scrape and scrounge and crawl and bite and kick and scream to survive - was just payment up-front for this,” he laughed and took a long pull from his beer as he scanned the assorted booths and rides, trying to decide which amusement to engage with first.

Matcha waited a beat for Avery’s response, mildly concerned when he didn’t respond right away. Her worries were swept away when he smiled down at her. The Mirialan wasn’t oblivious to the hint of pain in the man’s eyes, but given his less-kempt appearance, she wasn’t surprised.

She watched as he grabbed a fruit and gladly accepted it as an offering for further conversation. The woman inspected the fruit, turning it over in her hand a few times before taking a smaller bite in case she didn’t like it. Matcha hummed as the sweetness of the fruit coated her tastebuds. After a few chews, she swallowed and smiled. “Damn, I definitely need to pick a couple of those up.” The woman reached into her basket and pulled out a red fruit and offered it to Avery. “Here, I’m a pretty big fan of this one.”

Vance grinned..“Yeah you are right and I am definitely gonna take full advantage of that! So what would you like to do I am sure we can find something to play or hey you want to try a ride?” He chuckled as he started to make his way towards a bunch of different festival rides. “Ooh that looks fun!” He said taking drink and points out a carousel of different animals and a few seats. “I think this would be fun! I always wanted to ride one of these growing up.” Alex just saw Vance’s face light up as he kept making his way to the carousel.

Avery waited with bated breath as she tried the fruit. Only when she expressed her delight did his tired smile reach his eyes. “Good, isn’t it?”

When she offered him the redfruit, he gladly accepted it, not hesitating to sink his teeth into the juicy treat. He chewed and let the flavors settle on his tongue before he glanced at the Mirialan and nodded.

“That’s amazing! I’ve only had redfruit jam before but this… is a lot better than I imagined it would be.” Some of the red juice trickled down the side of his mouth without his notice as he continued. “So, what brings a lady like yourself here?”

He gestured to the food market stalls but he was meaning the festival as a whole.

The doctor blinked. She remembered his name? Their introduction was fleeting on Nar Shaddaa yet he thought her name was more memorable than his own. Well, that was partially true. In reality, he remembered her name for reasons too embarrassing to speak out loud. Reasons even Eevie, his lover at the time, knew nothing about. And he was content to leave the thoughts swarming in the back of his mind.

After he ended the relationship, the only thing he could think about was how much he must have hurt her. Everything they went through fell to the wayside because he had to come to grips with the fact that he just didn’t love her anymore. It wouldn’t have been fair to her to continue. The look on her face was something he couldn’t erase from his mind. Though the Sephi insisted she only cared that he was happy, he couldn’t shake the feeling that her happiness hinged on him. He knew he shattered her.

As crowded as his thoughts were, he refocused his attention on the almost stranger. His smile grew but it didn’t reach his eyes as he nodded. “That’s right.”

Under her gaze, he was starting to wish he would have dressed better. And shaved. And got a haircut.

Thinking on his feet, he grabbed his favorite sample thus far and extended it to Matcha. It was a piece of bluefruit that was pale blue in color and had a sweet taste with a hint of tartness to balance it out. “Give it a try. It’s my favorite so far.”

“I have been many places and called more than a few of them home,” the two made it to the front of the line, “though I suppose of most relevance - let me have a Quarren Kelp Ale, please - would be that I was born and raised on Manda’yaim or Mandalore, and most recently called the Lyarna system my home. Still do, to some extent, as it is where my estate resides more due to the inconceivable difficulty of moving it than anything else.” Alex handed the towel over his shoulder to the KX droid, who neatly folded it and stored it away in some hidden compartment. “Thank you for the kind offer, though Steven does not drink. Messes with his circuits something terrible.” Alex laughed again, while over his shoulder Steven met Vance’s eyes with a look that - even on an immovable droid face - clearly said This is every day of my life.

“And you, Vance? From what parts do you hail?” Alex shifted to the side a little bit to allow his companion to address the person at the counter.

“ I will take a Tattooine sunrise please, and I am paying for both of the drinks, thank you.” He smiled to the bartender behind the booth and set down some credits for both drinks. As he listened to his new friend while they waited for the drinks to be made, he tilted his head slightly as he moved off to the waiting side of the booth to let others order drinks.

“Mandalore and Lyarna, well those are some places I don’t think I have ever been to yet. So you you are Mandalorian? Interesting and pretty awesome.” He folded his arms a moment leaning back and chuckling at the droid.

“Ah, well I hope you get a nice uh what is it like oil bath or something for yourself then out of this.” Thinking a moment to the question asked, he sort of frowned slightly. “Well to be honest, I don’t really have much of a place to call home. I grew up as a slave to some pirate colony on the outskirts of Coruscant’s city. When I was a young adult, I found an opportunity to escape and stowed away to Ryloth om some ship. Spent some time there, became a mercenary for hire and then came across a Twi'lek lady with a really nice estate. She offered to hire me at times to help and she herself hated slavers so she even gave me a place to stay since I had nowhere to go. I don’t suppose you have met her, though apparently she is known to some of the other brotherhood factions. She does love to socialize now and again, but unfortunately she is not here because she had to take care of her daughter and tend to her estate so she kind of asked me to go. I think she just wanted me to get out and have fun personally.” He laughed.

“But yeah Ryloth I guess on the Versea Estate is where I call home for the moment.”

The bartender lady called out. “Tattooine Sunrise and Quarren Kelp Ale up!”

Being an ambassador was, indeed, very tiresome if honorable work. Especially when his gifts of kisses were not so well taken by new acquaintances. The number of times a hand shook or wiped off his slobber would have been offensive at this juncture, had he not reasoned that this kingdom perhaps saw it as tradition to do so. Also, he was given half a corn ear by the one gentleman, so it could be forgiven graciously. Sharing with the puffer pig delegation was just and true.

But after some time at his duties making the rounds, the young Mott realized it had been a tick since he’d last laid eyes upon his mother and his Rue. And that simply would not do. Alk always went with Mother or Rue, especially Rue, excepting that once recently when Rue had insisted on going a place alone and not taken Alk (which he was still somewhat sore about, even if he had accepted the apology treats).

The dwarf mott’s honor had been seen to course here. The others were prepared to gallantly greet future waves of admiring children, he had made certain. Now his duty was to his own kith and kin. What if his Rue’s very long mane got sticks and leaves in it again, and he was not there to eat them? Or there was call for a cuddle, but they were without him? Catastrophe.

Alk appraised his options, after another brief roll in the mud and some skipping of course. The fences were vulnerable. He was certain he could defeat one.

Wiggling his hindquarters, the brave bold mott charged with all his might, his head lowered and mighty horn ready. With a toss her broke free without any resistance at all.

(Nearby, a child watched the mott run directly out under the bottom railing taller than him and giggled.)

- Freedom! He could not forsake it. He had to find his herd. Determined, the calf took off at a trot, tiny ears and tail flapping madly, scarf billowing in the breeze.

There were many people, but not his people. He eventually did spot a colorful one though, with hair nearly as long as Rue, and nearly as bright. He made haste, then stopped and lifted up to paw at her for attention.

“No that’s everything, thank you.”

Nathan responded, and the pair moved aside for the barista to take more orders, waiting the short few minutes for the coffee to be prepared and moving away from the line. The Pantoran hybrid blew gently on the surface of the liquid.

He looked to mikhail, trying to find something to break the quiet with, “Have.. you had this before? This specific flavour. I don’t think I’ve heard of it.”

<@160141735354171394>

The little diplomat perked at the sound of his name. Aha! He had found an ally!

Mmm….scratches…

But also! An ally! His rump wagged, and he butted into the gracious hand and was sure to leave an exquisite kiss to convey his gratitude in this time of dire circumstance. (That’s a lot of spit, ma'am).

What followed was a hoof stamping of utmost import, as he accepted her fealty and bequeathed to her the dispositions thereof of such a knight. Justice, snacks, scratches, chivalry, so on and so forth.

That done he pulled from her hand, stomping and kicking up circles of urgency. His Rue and Hunyi needed to be found. Her predacious eyes and verticality were needed!

“That’s exactly what I thought when I tried it. Sometimes fruits that are usually made into different things aren’t too good but these here are a pleasant surprise,” Matcha said with a smile, glad the man enjoyed it. She would’ve been embarrassed if he spit it out. Avery had been a tad bit too overzealous, it seemed, evidenced by the excess juice dripping down the side of his mouth. She reached into her basket and grabbed a napkin she had received along with a sample and wiped off the side of the human’s mouth before tossing the paper back into her bag.

Matcha pondered his question for a moment, wondering how much she should potentially share before deciding. “I’ve been roaming the galaxy doing some soul searching, and when I heard there was going to be a market at this festival, I just thought, kriff it, why not go get some ingredients and try cooking up something special for myself.” She maneuvered the basket in front of her to show off her current haul. The container was half filled with a variety of fruits, veggies, spices, meats, and more.

Avery blinked when, without warning, the Mirialan reached over to wipe the side of his mouth with a brandished napkin. The gesture was so casual that he thought perhaps it was a bit of a cultural difference between Humans and Mirialans. Otherwise, most other near-human species would just offer the napkin as a courtesy.

If she wanted his undivided attention, she had it now. He listened to her speak about what she was doing and where she was headed. Intrigue was etched into his handsome features until she was finished, showing off her basket of food. “Soul-searching, huh? And cooking? First, I have to know; did you find anything? Second, just for yourself? Don’t get me wrong, I respect it if that’s the case. I almost expect all that food to be for someone important in your life too.”

Matcha looked confused for just a moment. She had just shown off her entire haul from the market, so what in blazes could he be asking about? But then it hit her. He was asking about her soul-searching journey. She sighed and shrugged her shoulders as she thought over the past couple of weeks. “Nothing I was hoping to find. But I’m still searching. Hoping…” She chuckled lightly, her laugh hiding something greater.

The Mirialan waited a beat before continuing, having to process the second question he had offered her. “And…” she sighed. “Yes. All of this is for just me. Why do you ask? You hungry?”

“Far be it from me to interrupt a dinner date. Even if you’re alone. I’m a strong advocate for self care. I can enjoy a meal by myself as much as I could in a room full of people. Unless… that’s an invitation?” If that was the case he was not in the slightest bit prepared for such. His plan was to gorge himself on fruit and cocktails until he was plastered. Perhaps ride a few rides in between.

“Regardless, I don’t wish to be a bother.” He pivoted the conversation back to the soul-searching topic. “Any idea what you’re looking for? I can tell you right now, it’s impossible to find something that’s not there. You need a concept or,” he said, tossing up the bitten fruit behind himself and seemingly catching it. He presented both hands as empty before reaching beside her head, presenting the mysterious fruit again.“…An object.”

Alex smirked a little as they approached the carousel. Not exactly the most thrilling of carnival rides, but hadn’t he just been talking about simple pleasures? It would be hypocritical of him to turn around and not let his new friend indulge in a childhood fancy. While they waited for the ride to finish its current run so they could board, Alex finished off his beer and tossed it in a nearby garbage receptacle. While the carousel was not exactly an intense experience, it was still not terribly advisable to try to drink while being spun around at the same time.

When the platform gradually slowed to a stop, the attendant held the gate for a moment to let the previous riders exit before letting the new line climb on. Alex mounted up on a plastic creature that resembled nothing so much as a giant, ambulatory mop head fronted by large curling horns. Grasping firmly on the bar extending to the roof of the structure, he chuckled a bit as he looked across at Vance.

“Hopefully this goes better than the last time I tried to ride a bantha. That is an experience I would not like to soon repeat.”

Vance gave a lopsided grin. “Oh, I bet that was quite a ride though.” He chuckled as he decided to ride on a red Acklay beside Alex. “Well hey, if this one gets exciting I can always tell that guy over there to stop.” He pointed to the teenage human looking so bored at the station. He was leaning against the side of the ride start eyes half closed and yawning a bit. He gave a half-hearted smile to people also hopping on the ride. As the sat waiting for it to start, Vance could hear creaking from the old machine’s parts. “I wonder how actually stable this ride really is?” He nudged Alex. “We could very well have an interesting ride. Hey is Steven riding too?” He asked looking about for Steven.

Matcha did in fact plan to eat all on her lonesome while watching a cheesy movie or maybe listening to some music to try and drown out the fact that she was alone in the act. She hadn’t intended on inviting Avery but she thought she might as well at that point. He continued his trail of thought, and she listened.

In all honesty, she had no idea what she was looking for. Her life had just become so tumultuous that she thought it best to wander for a while until she figured out what she should do. However, all that thinking went to waste when Avery threw a fruit in the air and somehow found it behind her ear. Her chest fluttered at the gesture, his person suddenly within arms reach once again. “I’m uhm… I’m still searching, actually,” She blushed, taken aback by his magic advances

It had taken them a few moments to reach the site. Muz stepped off of the ramp, letting his eyes adjust as they glided across the scenery. It had been a while since his last visit to a function such as this. Hopefully, this one wouldn’t end in another ‘once in a lifetime’ disaster, like that one did. He almost had to wonder how much impact his presence had on the weavers as they manipulated those threads of reality. Dismissing the thought for later, he felt the crunch of good soil beneath his boot, the rich smell of fried dough, the happy chattering of people. Getting out of Sadow Space, out of Kyataran Space, was a necessary discomfort for a variety of reasons. And yet, this one felt less a discomfort than some.

The droid that followed him was new and yet not. A recent rebuild of an old friend, Leena’s work evident in the smoothness of the antique’s movements. He normally wasn’t in need of a valet or protocol droid, but he figured that getting the core used to being around people again would be eventually useful. Besides, as Leena had joked, the droid could do the talking for him. There was at least some additional utility in that, he had figured. Muz paused, letting Forge catch up before he took a deep breath, letting his senses drift across the crowd, feeling for familiar patterns, friendly faces, and maybe even one of those fried dough confections.

Steven stood off to the side behind the railing, staring off into the middle distance and for all the world giving off the energy of an extremely disinterested parent. When he saw Vance looking toward him he raised one hand, moved it as if to begin waving, and then clearly gave up and dropped the hand back to his side as he turned his head to look out at the festival again.

“To be perfectly frank,” Alex spoke as the carousel began its rotation, “I am not entirely sure Steven understands the core concept of ‘fun.’ I am fairly certain the only time I have seen him express anything that could be considered more than contentment is when he is polishing and maintaining his hatchets. I do my earnest best to make him more sociable and just more friendly in general, but I do have to respect his boundaries and also accept that there is only so far he is going to be able to stray from his core programming.”

There was a bit of a shudder as the carousel got up to full speed. Clearly maintenance, while at least performed at a cursory level, was not a high priority for the machine and the people performing it may not have been the best at their jobs. Still, though, it seemed to be mostly holding together. A click sounded and Alex turned his head to the side, reaching out and snagging a ring from a slot along the side of the ride. Pulling it back, he briefly inspected it.

“Damn. Iron,” he shrugged and hucked it at a target on the central pillar of the carousel, landing it directly in the center and causing it to drop down into a bucket below.

Vance grinned. “Score! Wonder if they will give you a prize?"As the ride moved, Vance was happy. "I know it’s just a kiddy ride, but I felt like I needed to just at least go on one once since that never happened when I was a kid.” Continuing its ride, the carousel began to interestingly pick up a little more speed than normal, spinning them around quite a bit faster. Vance laughed. “Well look at that guess they can go faster than I thought.” He watched as everytime they went around steven was now a sort of blur of metal. “Well this ride shouldn’t be too much longer. How you feeling Alex?”

“Feel no need to apologize or justify the ride, my friend. It is what festivals like this are made for; to provide an environment just enough outside the norm that one can indulge in the joyful childish urges that we often feel we are not allowed to entertain as adults.” Alex felt the carousel begin to rattle a bit as it accelerated; not yet enough to be truly concerning, but if it went much faster things may start coming loose. Glancing over toward the operations panel, it appeared the teenager in charge of the ride had turned his back in order to chat with a few other adolescents that had come around. Again, nothing necessarily of distinct concern, but it seemed they may have been in for a longer ride than originally planned if the youth remained distracted.

Alex narrowed his eyes a bit, making note of the position of the ‘Emergency Stop’ button on the panel relative to his place on the rotating platform. He reached out and snagged another ring from the dispenser, subtly sliding this one into his pants pocket against the possibility of a future need.

“For now I am finding this quite enjoyable as well. As I said, it is often important to remind ourselves of the simple pleasures to be found in life. Not nearly as thrilling as the sensation of a world’s sky ripping past you as you make atmospheric drop clinging tight to your Bes’uliik, but also far less likely to be shot at so I suppose it is a fair trade,” Alex’s laugh seemed a bit more muted than previously, though it was impossible to tell if it was due to his concentration or simply overpowered by the noise of the carousel as it continued to spin.

Vance held a bit tighter onto his Acklay as they spun about. “Yeah, I suppose you are right, though I think it should be about time to get off. Seems our operator is still talking with his friends.” He replied seeing the teenager still discussing something. He thought a moment over what he might do to stop the ride from getting too out of hand. “I don’t suppose you got something that could stop our ride cause I think if this goes a bit too much more I might lose my drink.” He smiled softly. “Rather not lose 7 credits of Takodana Quencher quite frankly and I am sure Steven will be happy to have us done with this ride. I would love to see what else we can do here and hey maybe we could try a game and win a prize.”

“I believe I can manage,” Alex pulled the ring back out of his pocket. For a moment, he contemplated the back of the distracted ride operator’s head. It would be extremely easy and honestly he probably deserved it, but on some level that felt a little unnecessarily cruel. Alex took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment, and began to count in his head. Time seemed to slow as he opened his eyes again and cocked back his arm at the elbow. 15…16…17…now!

A quick snap and Alex sent the ring spinning through the air rapidly, audibly whizzing with speed, striking dead-on at the ‘Emergency Stop’ button. A loud buzzer blared from the panel as the gear in the carousel disengaged from the motor and it began to decelerate naturally. The ride operator nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound as he turned around to see what had happened, then realized he had let the carousel be going for nearly twice as long as it should have. It also seemed like some quirk of the faulty maintenance on the machine had let it go much faster than it was intended to, though only to an uncomfortable but not dangerous degree. As the ride finally slowed down enough to let the passengers safely disembark, Alex stepped clear and picked up something from the ground near the panel. As he flicked it at the ride attendant and turned away, the light caught and glinted off the shiny brass ring.

The wide-eyed attendant caught the ring and sort of blushed from embarrassment at his lack of attention. Vance had jumped down, he staggered slightly from all the spinning feeling slightly dizzy, but not too worse for wear. He placed a hand on Alex’s right side a moment trying to stabilize himself. “Little dizzy, but not too bad. So where to next my Mando in-” He looked at the regularly clothed Alex and winked. “amazing clothes!” As they walked away, Steven came over and as usual seemed very unimpressed at both of them.

Among the friendly presences was one he’d only met fleetingly. Director of Arcona’s Dajorran Information Agency at the time, but now Consul, Zuza Lottson was enjoying a day out after all the mess on Selen.

This was the first break she’d been able to take since before the Blizzard herself, and the Arconan was damn determined to enjoy it, a warm beverage in hand and a bubble stick tucked onto her belt. Frond was at her heels, the Cythraul behaving for once. Well… He’d been getting better at behaving more and more recently. Still only a year old, he had energy to match her own but Zuza had noticed him maturing. He wandered off less, was more focussed, took to his training better. The puppy love stage was fading and a formidable but still kind being was forming instead. His golden eyes watched the crowd, though Frond was relaxing too, his tail wagging slowly behind him.

They’d arrived earlier in the day, enjoying familiar faces and catching moments to pick up on the ongoings outside of Arcona as well.

She didn’t expect to feel him in the Force. Lord Ashen, the name unfamiliar to her in its historic relevance, but despite their brief meetin Zuza would struggle to forget him all things considered.

“Come on Frond.” she patted her hip, before walking toward where she’d sensed Ashen arriving from, not taking too long to spot the man over the crowd and beelineing toward him with a smile and a wave.

“Hey there!”

Fingerguns. Muz thought, perhaps a little too intensely. He wondered for a moment if he had projected the word, watching the young Consul as she approached. Her smile gave no indication of if he had or not. After what had happened on Port Kasiya, he remembered the hyperactive one responding to the Rite of Exaltation in a heretofore unexpected way before zooming off to help others. His calls to the Consul as his own Ancient Clan arrived at Selen to honor the old alliance had been diverted by Marick, so Muz hadn’t had any interaction with her since.

He dipped his head a degree, eyes gliding from her to her beast. Cythrauls were not unfamiliar to him, but he was still somewhat impressed by how many of those in the Shadow Clan made use of them. He wondered idly if they still used that moniker. The Shadow Clan. Something tickled in the back of his mind about that. Another set of circumstances, another reality, another set of shells, and that meant all so much more. It wasn’t as fleeting a thought as he would have liked. He shook the thought away. It wasn’t useful now.

“Consul…” He spoke, slowly, his voice less gravelly than before, but still slipping out into the Force and echoing in her head. It seemed that while he’d never really get used to speaking too much, at least he was using his vocal cords enough to not have them shred as easily any more. “How have you been?”

…That was weird. He spoke but his voice echoed in her head too. It was helpful, the low tones not the easiest to hear over the general kerfuffle and noise of the fair, but it took her a moment to process what was going on, her smile fading for a moment until, ultimately, Zuza had grasped the situation enough to not really give a kark how he communicated with her.

Frond lifted his head slightly, taking in the scent of the stranger but, as if knowing what was to come, sitting on cue as Zuza began to talk.

“Busy as kark, but good overall. I heard you came to Selen, never got the chance to thank most people for that but… Well, thank you. We needed all the help we could get.”

Muz nodded slowly, a hand going to his chest in a gesture of humility. He had come to Selen, but if Marick was to be believed, the nature of their enemy precluded him from engaging in the direct ways that he preferred. Still, he was not without resources, and had deployed his own retinue in various locations to assist. It seemed that the days of wasteful internecine fighting were finally behind the Brotherhood. Then again, he hadn’t seen much of some of the other clans. Perhaps the factions had simply gotten …larger.

He tilted his head for a second, the recognition blooming in his mind as he felt the Zeltron’s pattern on approach. Returning to the moment, he continued. “I am glad that things worked as well as they did.” He paused, as if he were translating himself from another language internally. He let his eyes slide across the concourse, then back at the Consul. “It is good to take a moment to enjoy that which we work toward.”

Like fried dough. He smiled at the thought briefly and gently, as he had been coached. Too long or too toothy, and the message would quickly veer from friendly and warm to predatory and terrifying. It was a lot of calculation, constant checking on actions to be able to mingle after spending so long focused on matters that didn’t require social graces. And yet, here he was.

<@645466919415054357>

Zuza followed his gaze, looking over the fair. The summer festival would be delayed this year on Selen, with the population recovering and.. a lot of disaster management to be handled even with the Summit taking over to ensure it still happens there needed to be time to rest, to grieve.

Her smile softened. It was good to have a moment of peace finally.

“The fried dough is pretty damn good. The one near the entrance here is real busy but if you want I can show you one a bit further in that’s got good stuff without waiting for ages.”

Something niggled at her mind about how he… was. A slight strain that stood out as unusual but exactly what it was or why escaped Zuza.

Avery brought the fruit back to his lips, taking another careful bite so as not to make another mess. He chewed, placing a finger on his chin, head tilted up as he listened to her answer.

“Interesting. Well you look pretty young so you’ve got time to think and search. I hope you find whatever it is you’re looking for.” The thought made him feel melancholic because in a similar way he thought he found everything he had been searching for. As it was, everything fell through. The scariest part was that he felt certain. And then suddenly, the feeling was gone. Embarrassingly enough, Matcha was partially the catalyst for the recent events that unfolded in his life. Something that would remain in the depths of his mind forever.

“So…dinner? Are you eating alone?” He flashed her a charming smile, gesturing to her basket.

If Muz’s eyes hadn’t been scarred, someone might have seen them dart between the Consul and the Emissary as she approached. Yet again, it was a bit of a shock. Taldryan folks mingling with Arconans… The years he had spent in the outer reaches after he had left that cursed throne had been fruitful, necessary even. But the Brotherhood’s evolution while he had been preoccupied with those threats had been something that he had found repeatedly remarkable. Cotelin was right, the Brotherhood didn’t need him to play the villain in order to unite, it just needed time and iteration. He wondered for a moment about some of the threats since then, and the threads that wove… No, not here, not now. He pushed the memory of Korriban aside, refocusing on the present.

Dipping his head a degree, Muz let out a low growl of mirth, the man’s chuckle agreeing that long lines were something to be avoided. “Good stuff, you say?” Curiosity bloomed behind those blackened eyes as he turned his head back toward the Consul.

“Mhm, they have a really range of toppings as well. Come on!” Zuza tilted her head before starting to walk. On turning she spotted Erinyes in the distance and her smile widened for a moment, raising her hand and waving enthusiastically to the Emissary.

It made sense she would be here but Zuza hadn’t had a chance to meet up yet.

<@645466919415054357>

“I think perhaps following that experience we may wish to keep our feet on solid, immobile ground for a bit. At least until you get your bearings back about you,” Alex held on to Vance by the shoulder to help steady the other man. “Perhaps we should investigate the carnival games? I believe I may have seen a sh-”

He stopped suddenly as the hair on the back of his neck stood up, tingling with a sensation he was unused to feeling outside of an intense battlefield. Predation. His eyes darted toward the carnival entrance near the landing pads. An oppressive weight of it seemed to settle over the fairground, as if something immensely powerful had just arrived. For the moment, at least, it seemed more of a passive aura and not that whatever the source of this was meant to pose an active threat. Alex shook his head to clear his thoughts, cleared his throat, and turned back to Vance.

“Excuse me; a shooting gallery and some sort of bean bag toss attraction. And if my ears do not deceive me, there may also be a Test of Strength bell-ringer over there which I may have to avail myself of.”

Matcha watched the man eat his magic fruit, her attention captured by his every gesture at this point. She cringed when Avery called her young, the same feeling of inadequacy rising in her now as it did any other time someone made a comment on her age. She felt as if somehow people were devaluing her achievements and struggles through life so far just because she hadn’t lived through as much. But, for now, Avery got a pass.

And then he motioned to her basket, bringing attention to the variety of foods and the plans she had spoken of earlier. Once again, it seemed as if he was fishing for an invite, and with a smile like his, who would she be to deny him such a pleasure. “I don’t have to be. Are you free tonight?”

“That is a good question.”

Avery didn’t expect her to offer an invitation. For some reason, he paused, thinking as though there were some grand plans he may have forgotten about. The hospital on Selen pushed him out. Even though he missed his baby boy terribly, Liam was in good hands for a few days. The gym would be there for rock climbing and sprints. In short, he had no plans.

The problem was he hadn’t shaved in days, his hair was loosely kempt and too long, and for the first time in forever, he wasn’t dressed up. He always dressed well if… something like this would happen. In his mind, this was as good as a date. He was in no state to look for anything serious but she seemed like fun.

“I am free tonight. Though, I will need to make a stop if I join you.”

Muz raised an eyebrow in bemused question at the words, watching as the Zeltron moved closer. He could feel the droid shift it’s weight behind him. His mind flitted back to Forge, its programming and Leena’s Mechu-Deru still in a form of infancy. The old cores and imported memory banks would be useful, but how his old astromech would fare in this new body remained to be seen. A few steps closer now, and Erinyes was close enough for conversation.

“I understand congratulations are in order, ‘Emissary’.”

“Yeah the festival’s turned out great.” Zuza beamed, but quietened as Erinyes noted that they had something for.. Muz. Oh that-

Wait wasn’t that name of one of the old Grandmasters?

As this information hit her with a realisation, there was a moment of shock before she shrugged it off. Neat and good to know, but he already seemed pretty damn cool anyway so it just made sense.

The scene around Videk Torr was an unfamiliar one. The streets had been blocked off and vendor stalls and he could see some sort of rotating ride was visible with seats carved to resemble various animals from multiple planets, had been moved into them. He felt a mixture of both disgust and amusement. It was foreign concept to his strict Mandalorian life. Gatherings there had been full of drinking, fights and contests of strength and skill. This seemed like idle time just to be idle. Since being labeled an exile from his former clan Videk had wandered from one backwater planet to another. Work was easy to find as a heavily armed man in Mandalorian armor though he found no honor in beating drunks senseless and the odd bodyguard job. Perhaps he could find some more honorable work where he could make use of skills here on Arx.

Finding a small venue being operated as a makeshift noodle shop Videk walked up to make an order and get a drink of water.

“Perfect,” Matcha said with a happy lilt at the end. She was excited to be able to cook for someone other than just herself. The Mirialan looked down into her basket and thought of all the things she could possibly make for the man, but before she questioned him on his dish preferences, she had a more pressing query. “What sort of stop do you need to make?”

Avery quirked a brow letting out an almost nervous chuckle. “Why?”

His smile was infectious as he finished his fruit with one more bite. Tossing the core into the nearby waste bin, his attention was back on her again. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to stand you up.”

“Can’t a girl be curious?” As much as Matcha wanted to trust him, she couldn’t help the underlying issues she grapppled with on the daily. She had a feeling deep inside that if she let him go run whatever errand he needed to run, he’d never come back to her. “Because I could use some help getting all this,” she motioned to her basket, “And whatever else we get for dinner tonight inside.”

Although there was no obvious struggle she had with the basket, how could he say no to a lady in need? “What else is there to get?” Avery ventured, hopefully taking the heat off of her previous string of questions.

Matcha idly chewed on her lip in an attempt to calm her nerves. She had no idea what was happening to her. Her heart was fluttering, and she was barely fighting the urge to blush and giggle. This never happened with other men, yet here she was, feeling like a schoolgirl just talking to him.

“It really just depends on what you want to eat tonight. Anything you’ve been craving recently that I could whip up for you?”

“Surprise me,” he said. “I can eat anything.” He winked at her, slipping one hand into his pocket, the other adjusting his hair.

There was no doubt in his mind that she was one of the most gorgeous creatures he ever laid eyes on. Which is why he would be remiss not to tell her and to fix the mess that was his appearance.

“I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but I think you are incredibly beautiful.” Although it came off as a tactic or mere flattery, he meant it and he wanted to get it off his chest. “That being said… I need to shave and put some real clothes on.”

“That’s really not very helpful. I hope you know that.” Matcha chuckled in response to his choice not to make a choice. Her cheeks darkened as he complimented her. She brought her basket before herself and held it with both hands, swaying slightly. The Mirialan was called beautiful almost every time she visited a bar or a club, so she was plenty used to hearing it by now, but hearing it from Avery felt like the first time she’d heard it all over again.

“I think you look handsome just as you are. No complaints here. And you’re wearing a button down and slacks. You’re better dressed than ninety percent of the people here. I really don’t mind.”

“Just ninety percent?” Avery asked, feigning a mild sadness. It was rare that he was this underdressed yet he still managed to be in the upper percentile. At least to her, which made him feel a touch better. He supposed he could spend another day attempting to outpace the other ten percent. For now, he was glad she returned his rather simple compliment.

“Jokes aside, just cook whatever you were planning to before I crashed your dinner plans.”

“Test of Strength? Oh so I get to see just how strong those muscles of yours can be? I am so game for that!"He replied grinning and gesturing his right hand as he walked alongside Alex still holding onto his right arm. "Lead the way!”

“I would not go so far as to say I am particularly strong,” Alex scarcely noticed the hold on his arm as they walked, “especially among the Mando’ade. It is part of our culture to keep ourselves fit and capable, but even the best of us cannot forestall the inevitability of age. The more years I add on, the more the little creaks and groans add up I am afraid to say. Still, I think I should be more than capable of besting a bit of carnival tomfoolery.”

They approached a tall red-and-white striped tower, betopped by a bell. A smarmy-looking togruta stood next to it, leaning on a comically oversized mallet. One of Alex’s eyebrows curved upward in shock at the overly stereotypical nature of the attraction, but decided to let it slide as part of the intended spectacle of the day.

“Step right up, step right up! Ring the bell and win a prize!” The togruta called out in a clearly over-practiced patter. As Alex and Vance approached, a near-predatory grin greeted them. “You look like a couple a’ strapping folks! Should be no trouble at all for you to take one of these lovely prizes from me!”

Alex considered the hammer for a moment, then turned to size up the tower. It was tall, probably a little over 6 meters if he had to hazard a guess, but seemed to be well maintained and likely didn’t have much in the way of impedance for the puck. He held out some credits to the barker and took hold of the mallet.

“A lot of the time,” he said as he adjusted his grip on the mallet, making sure he held it firmly with one hand near the base and one hand just beneath the head, “it is more a matter of accuracy and leverage than it is of strength.” He moved the mallet behind him at about hip level, and continued his talking as he began to swing much to the clear annoyance of the togruta barker. “An extremely strong blow applied to the wrong place will not send nearly as much force into the puck as a weaker blow struck dead center.”

As the head of the mallet reached the apex of the swing arc, Alex slid his leading hand down to join the other near the base of the handle, causing the mallet to accelerate rapidly. With a slight grunt as he leaned forward - half by intent and half by the weight of the mallet pulling him - the head slammed down onto the padded plank, sending the metal disc rocketing upwards. In a blink, it was already above head height. Three meters, four meters, it continued climbing rapidly and was fast approaching the bell. Just shy of the sweet peal of victory, the puck slowed, finally stopped, and then began to fall back to the base.

“No prize, but so close! Care for another try?”

“I think one of those is about all my poor back has in it today, I am afraid. If a prize is to be won today, I feel it is more likely to come from something better suited to me. Lovely time, though,” Alex laughed again as he waved over his shoulder to the togruta and stepped back over to Vance. “Well, you win some and you lose some, you know? Would you care for a go, perhaps, or maybe a try at one of the other games?” Alex gestured at the other small booths nearby, seeming to contain a variety of diversions.

Vance eyed the credit hungry Togruta moment as well as the surroundings. Thinking a moment he grins. “Aye, hand me that mallet.” He handed the Togruta some credits and took the mallet in hand. “Think I will try a go.” Mimicing Alex, Vance focused himself letting his lead hand slide to the base as he swung the hammer with all the force he could muster into the dead center of padded plank. He watched the metal disc skyrocket to the bell with a resounding ring. He then watched the Togruta’s smug expression change slightly, with a bit less enthusiasm. “Heh, we have a winner folks, Pick your prize.” Vance grinned at the Togruta as he selected a small Mott Plushie. Satisfied, he handed the plushie to Alex. “Correct,in the games of luck and chance we do win some or lose some, however you clearly would have had the win my friend. I just merely copied your technique and added a little more oomph is all.” He winked to Alex as they walked towards some of the other games. “And I simply just couldn’t let that Togruta get away with all your credits. So what other games do they got? Would love to see you do one better suited to you.”

Muz nodded, half a smile across his lips as he had considered. Diplomacy? He did not miss those days. Capable as he might have been, when he was practicing anyway, he much prefered a more direct solution to problems. He blinked away the memories of the past decade that raced unbidden behind black eyes. There was no negotiation with those he had chased after Korriban, after Pravus took that mantle up and left the remainder of those foes to him. Tilting his head, he turned back to <@432543120635461643> . He somehow had missed that the enthusiastic young consul was also on the Zeltron’s staff. Good for her.

“Fried dough.” The words slipped into the air, vibrating from chords both vocal and mental. I think I owed you a conversation anyway…

Reiden got out of his ship and entered the fairgrounds, his ID9 Seeker droid Sparks in tow. Despite working for the Voice and his high position within the Inquisitorius, he didn’t usually make his way to Arx often, his work mainly done through holocall. Although he was there recently following the return of a bounty for the Envoy Corps. The world was nice enough and he made a mental note to visit more often, especially if there would be more events such as this. The concept intrigued him and from what he heard of such things, it seemed like there was something for everyone.

One thing in particular caught his interest when he first heard about this festival - some mysteriously aged whiskey, which he had heard was connected to the Emissary in some way. He made his way through the grounds, glancing at the stalls and making note of anything that caught his interest that he would want to check out later. He stopped by some to talk to the people working and asked if anyone had seen a Zeltron. Of course, that could backfire given there were who knew how many in the galaxy, but it was worth a shot. Before long, he managed to have some luck and found someone that could, hopefully, point him in the right direction and he set off.

Yuki disembarked from the freighter she had ridden in and stretched casually. Long trips in cramped spaces took their toll on the giantess. Looking around herself, she began to slowly take everything in. For all intents and purposes, it felt like a Faire to her. She could see vendors lined up as far as she could see in most directions and the smells of a petting zoo were coming from somewhere.

Well, I made it here. Might as well walk around and see what I can find.

It was still a long ways off, but the Nagaian woman liked to be prepared and Lifeday gifts ahead of time made sure they could be sent out on time even if she wasn’t there to send them. She moved carefully, trying her best not to jostle anyone as she made her way through the crowd. The small droid riding her back trilled softly at her in a near constant stream of sounds. “I know, I know. We’ll look around and then head home. Just a quick trip. Three, four hours tops.”

Yuki smiled broadly and continued her slow pace through the crowd, stopping at stalls and looking over the goods. It seemed the giantess had a goal in mind and was slowly making her way towards the petting zoo.

“Delightful!” Alex declared, looking at the plush mott he had been handed. “A lovely reminder of the small friend I made today. As for my specialties,” he continued to speak as they approached a nearby stall, “I should be rather proficient at this shooting gallery. I would hang up my helmet were I not.” Passing the stuffed mott to Steven to hold, he stepped up to the stall and laid some credits down on the counter before picking up the low-power ion blaster rifle used to shoot the mechanical targets. He gave a quick inspection of the blaster, noting that the sights were a little off and making a mental note to compensate for that with his aim. Planting his feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart and sinking down into a comfortable firing position. Alex raised the rifle up to his left shoulder, right hand firmly gripping the forestock as his left smoothly wrapped around to place his finger on the trigger. He concentrated on the targets moving down the line at the far end of the booth.

A deep breath, held, and time seemed to slow as he lined up his shot - slightly to the left of the intended spot due to the poorly adjusted sights - and waited for the right moment. Hold…squeeze a screech sounded from the rifle as an ion bolt hurtled through the air to strike the target, causing the light atop it to go from red to green. What followed was a rapid succession of screeches and bolts, each time the trigger was pulled the bolt struck true causing the light to change. A loud clanging of a bell announced the “golden target” was about to appear, the last thing necessary to go from a regular to a top-shelf prize. Alex hadn’t missed a shot yet, and he wasn’t about to start now. One more deep breath, a little of a forward lean into his stance, and a slight adjustment of the rifle into a more comfortable hold as the daylight began to fade. One final squeeze, and after the briefest instant, a wild ringing of the bell as the golden target light changed.

“And that,” Alex laughed as he set the rifle down, “is how I am still standing here today, the veteran of countless trenches and battlefields across the galaxy.” He pointed at a giant stuffed porg on the top shelf and passed it over to Vance as the attendant handed it over the counter. “A fair and like exchange, my friend.”

Looking around, Alex noticed that the day’s light was beginning to fade. As they stepped away from the booth, he started looking about the crowded grounds.

“We may be soon approaching the end of the days’ festivities, I am sad to say. However, I do believe it is rather traditional at these kinds of events to close out with some sort of grandiose display: fireworks, a parade, something of the sort. Perhaps we should begin looking for a pleasant vantage point to take in whatever finale is to come.”

“Oooh how lovely, I would love to watch the fireworks.” He smiled. “Wonder where we can find the best spot to see them.” He started to look around.

Taking his bowl of noodles to a nearby table Videk inspected the meal. There was the obvious noodles, some sliced meat and veggies. It contained some sort of hard boiled egg that had been marinated and a clear broth. As he began eating he found the flavors to be subtle and not what he was used to eating. His meals with his former clan had been bold and spicy. This was delicious in a different sort of way.

People milled about the area, some armed and some dressed in varying levels of attire. Elegant dresses and flight suits were mixed into the crowds. It was a curious mixture as there seemed to be no social or class system at play. At least that was somewhat familiar as Mandalorians valued combat prowess over the size of their bank accounts and birth rights. Now he wondered where he could get a drink stronger than his water.

As Reiden was asking around after Erinyes, someone told him to head to the bar. He raised an eyebrow for a moment but nodded. On one hand, he was surprised by the instruction. On the other, it made a certain amount of sense that someone of her standing in the Brotherhood, not to mention the organizer of this event, would be so looped in regarding the goings-on of the festival. With a known destination, he pulled up the layout of the grounds in his mind’s eye and took a moment to orient himself before heading towards the bar.

He reached over and gave Sparks a pat, the droid having since perched on his shoulder. “Don’t worry, everything is fine. Enjoy the day out” he reassured the droid, offering a smile.

“Hey this was the one I was gonna pull us too as well. Waaaay quieter than the ones near the doors.” Zuza commented as they arrived, settling into the back of the line and gesturing for <@284848346672136192> at least to join her.

“They’ve got all sorts of different fruits, chocolates. Cheese as well though- not with the chocoalte. Or- That might be somebodies thing I guess.”

~Somewhere Far Away from Arx~

“But they are selling fruits, Cole-”

“Our unit is full, Sofila.”

“BUT CARAMEL APPLES.”

Muz stepped alongside the pair, deft fingers pulling credit chits from one of myriad pockets that lined his warcoat. The thought of savory dairy and sweet confection confused him for a moment before he considered alien taste buds. The consul was right. Could be somebody’s thing. He held up his hand, shaking the chits in his had for a moment, using a gloved finger to push the silver coins from Kyataru out of the way. Obviously there would be myriad other ways to pay, but he held that cold hard cash worked best for people who worked in food and drink.

The line moved faster than he would have thought, not that he minded. It made sense. It wouldn’t take a whole lot of time or effort to make the treat, just the right equipment and skills. After a moment, there was an expectant glare and an artificially warm smile pointed at them. Muz just nodded a degree, putting three fingers up, then setting down some of the chits on the bar. It was probably too many, but it was a rare treat, so he didn’t mind. The worker didn’t seem to either, the smile shifting in subtle ways that he would question for the next few hours.

Treats finally dispensed, Muz took a bite as Zuza made for the toppings bar. A bit of powdered sugar flared into the air around his teeth, threatening to punctuate the dark of his clothes. A twitch of an muscle, an iris widening, and the particles flew elsewhere as he let the flavor settle in his mouth. A rare treat indeed. Now, a drink to help wash it down.

<@645466919415054357>

“It does not look as yet if anyone else is preparing in or claiming spots, so perhaps one last swing past the refreshment stands for a snack and drink to accompany us as we watch the close of festivities?” Alex posited the question to his companion, turning back toward the booths they had left a little while ago. “I imagine there is likely to be a pleasant place we could find near that section of the festival grounds as well. Would only make sense from the layout.”

“You are a genius, Alex. I think another drink and perhaps maybe a corn dog, carmel apple and some cotton candy sound wonderful.” Smiling, he gave Alex a nice pat on the shoulder and followed him to the food vendor booths. Looking about he spotted the corn dog and cotton candy booth. “You want any specific cotton candy, carmel apple or corn dog, Alex?” Then he spotted the funnel cake booth. “Wait they have funnel cakes? Hells yes! We got to have one of those.” He grinned. “It isn’t a faire carnival without a funnel cake.”

Funnel cakes on plates firmly grasped and piled high with powdered sugar, whipped cream, and what appeared to be some sort of fresh local berry, Alex had his eyes set on a particular spot nearby. While he and Vance had been waiting in the brief line for the funnel cakes, he had spotted a convenient table partway up a small hill. It seemed it would provide a perfect vantage point, near one end of the fairground but elevated enough to provide a view of most of the environs. Whatever the close of the days festivities would be, it would serve them a perfect view of it. He strode confidently up the hill, set his plate down on the small table, and flopped casually into one of the seats placed at it.

“I do think this will do nicely for our purposes, my friend.“

There were so many options, so much food, Cassandra thought to herself as she wandered along looking at what all there was.

Kasiya had maybe a fraction of this…at least, publicly visible and available that is. Her eyes locked onto what looked like a glazed donut…but it wasn’t a donut?

It had…cookie pieces on top. And what looked like cereal. And creme. Yet the donut itself looked like a brownie?

“Excuse me,” she asked as she pointed toward it, “what is this?”

“Oh, it’s our Rise and Shine Extravaganza. Brownie batter brownie filled with caramel, topped with creme, cookies, sprinkles, and crunch cereal. Everything meant to start your day off right.” the vendor responded as he bagged one up. Cass handed over some credits as they exchanged.

“Thank you.” She said, still eyeing the…concoction. She needed to get out of the city more often…