Ask A Song So Long On Sonos

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

Spoiler: Music OOC

Leh’Min made her way over branches, under logs and tripped over into a bush with an “Oof!” She ran until she couldn’t, resting her butt on a wooden surface that served her purpose of finding purchase.

It was a moment of respite and Leh’Min’Ayd didn’t mind it even if that idiot kid named Lin had somehow gotten himself lost or sommat. Oh chit I hope he isn’t bear chow oh my what a lovely cow! She pointed toward a figure near her, realized it's a deer.

Amid the newfound quiet, only the sounds of chirping birds seemed to fill the wood, but was that a growl in the distance? Anyhow, Lemon had to focus on not being such a coward so she turned, made sure nobody was around, and at that began to sang, began to dance.

“Ohh my daisy ohh my darling ohhh a wonderful frog you are
Woah my lovely who’s O so very bubbly please get in my arms
I was once some pirate named…Pirate…and I forgot these lyrics
My name's Leh’Min’Ayd, I like lemonade, I’m a chicken if fearless”

Looked around again just to check and make sure nobody’s watchin’ or listenin’ to in turn judge her.

“WHO WANTS TO BE A FROG LIKE ME OR MAYBE A TOAD TOO WOOHOO”

Lemon… where are you?

“Hum?”

Checked left, checked right, nobody on that side, only a toad blinking at her on the other.

“Oh. Duh!”

Lemme see…got some trees…oh…more trees…wait…what the hett?…is that another tree? Oh yes fancy that, Linny-Din-Din, another tree! Oh look! More trees! Trees here, trees there, trees everywhere! Lemme sing it! TREE TREE IT RHYMES WITH TREE I’M A SILLY BILLY NAMED LILLY GIMME LEMONADE—

On and on the Lemon goes unless suddenly interrupted.

@Sicadorito (@Quin Leonkri / @Lin Queonkri)

 

[Quin Leonkri]

Quin wasn’t really expecting a response, since telepathic communication wasn’t always intuitive. Heck, maybe he’d done it wrong and Lemon hadn’t even received the message. But when his mind was suddenly bombarded trees and more trees and even more trees rhyming with billy and lemonade in the sound of his friend’s voice, he nearly doubled over.

LEMON! He hadn’t even known telepathic yelling was possible, but she stopped, so he assumed that it had worked. …Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. Well, not entirely. But, um, could you elaborate a little more? Like… what kind of trees? And don’t say the kind with leaves on them. Did we pass by there earlier? Still not being used to telepathy, Quin’s hand was on his ear as if he was using a comm.

Since he wasn’t getting anywhere wandering around like an idiot, he decided to take a break on a nearby rock. His feet were sore, his head hurt, and he’d lost his backpack. He was just glad that Master Mirror wasn’t seeing him like this. If it were a mission, sure… but this was meant to be a vacation. What would she think?

With a groan, he tried to lay down, but as he flopped back he remembered that this was just a rock, not the rock-hard bed on his ship. So he ended up falling flat backwards. He was too annoyed to pick himself up, though.

… Lemon, are you there?

@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

LEMON!

LIN!

To be honest Leh’Min hadn’t even known that telepathic dialogue could be so exhaustive when she offered her thoughts but evidently it had worked like a song so long on Sonos.

Hummm no I don’t think so. These trees just look like trees to me buddy but hummmmmmmm lemme take a looksy shut up for a minute chit.

Lemon looked this way, that way, ventured a little further ahead and paused to talk in her head.

Lemon, are you there?

Yeah I’m here where the hett else would I be dummy ok so there’s this huuuuuuge rock like a boulder or maybe it is a boulder I dunno but where are you anywho?

She continued moving but made sure not to go too far away from her current place.

Also I just stubbed my toe on a smaller rock and it HURTS WHAT COULD BE WORSE—

-RAWR!-

…Eek…

Lemon positively squeaked and was frozen, motionless.

Help. Me. Please.

@Sicadorito (@Quin Leonkri / @Lin Queonkri)

 

[Quin Leonkri]

A rock? Quin was near a rock too. But there were so many in this forest that Lemon could be, well, anywhere. Given that she was his friend, though, he forced himself to get back up to his feet. If something were to happen to her, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.

“Okay, Lemon. I’m coming.” He spoke the words out loud to make himself more determined, and it worked! His feet and head didn’t hurt so much anymore, and now that he was without his backpack, he could travel a lot lighter and quicker. He winced as Lemon said she stubbed her toe— that had almost happened to him earlier. But then her tone suddenly got a lot more serious. And fearful, it sounded like.

I’m coming, Lemon! Quin broke into a run. He didn’t know where he was running, maybe following the sound of her voice, but he couldn’t do that since he couldn’t hear her voice. But he could hear her in his head. And somehow, he could feel that he was getting closer. When he heard a growl, he knew that he was in the right area.

He’d just have to find her first.

Thinking fast, Quin suddenly let out a yell. Whatever was after her, he wanted it after him instead. After that, he stomped, banged a stick on a tree, tried to made as many loud noises as he could. When he heard the sound from the other creature come toward him, he reached out to Lemon again.

I’ll keep this thing distracted. Get to somewhere safe… and I’ll try to find you afterwards.

@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

Spoiler: Music OOC

Lemon ran as fast as she can. No way was she going to be dinner for the mother bear and her cubs. No way was she not gonna run. No way was she gonna die on an empty stomach. No way was she gonna remember the lyrics to her song but hey she had a song so long on Sonos so kriff it.

She didn’t look behind. No way was she gonna look behind. No way was she gonna—

I’m coming, Lemon!

WHERE FROM, CORUSCANT!? HURRY UP! WAAAAAHH!

No way did the Lemonade know why she communicated ‘Wah!’

RUN.

She does!

Can’t stop. Won’t stop. Even as the beast yelled at her, she wouldn’t look backward.

Go. Move. Run. Forward.

A voice told her. In this forest. Though it is bright. Despite its brightness. There was a darkness. The dark hunger and thirst of the monster behind her. The beast. The bear.

She’s scared. A girl is frightened. Yet, though the monster roared, though its powerful paws pounded the earth, Leh’Min’Ayd must listen to her heartbeats, her panicked breathing, the voice saving her despite this void.

Run. Oh yes. She does. Forth. Forward. Further. No stopping her. Running. Running up that hill. It’s a run. Yes. Like a dance. Yes. It’s a dance—

“WAAAAAAAHHHHHH!”

Leh’Min roared, affording the moment to finally look backward, only to end up crashing into something. She landed, lifted her head, spotted Lin Queonkri right beside her feet.

“What the hett?”

She heard nothing.

“Wait was that YOU yellin’?”

Spotted the stick.

“Were ya wackin’ that against the tree maybe?”

Slapped his knees.

“IF I BUMP MY HEAD ON YA ONE MORE TIME WHY I OUGHTA”

@Sicadorito (@Quin Leonkri / @Lin Queonkri)

 

[Quin Leonkri]

He heard running toward him, and Quin stopped banging the tree. Sorry, tree. Instead, he took out his lightsaber, ready to ignite it if the monster/creature/thing were to come his way. Hopefully Lemon had gotten to safety by now. He would hate if something were to happen to—

“WAAAAAAAHHHHHH!” Huh? That wasn’t in his head. As soon as he realized it though, he saw that something— no, someone, was barrelling into him at top speed. A flash of purple. He didn’t know whether to feel relieved or even more confused. What exactly had he been attracting?

This time, though, he backed out of the way before she would ram him with her head again, which resulted in her landing right at his knees.

“I’m… glad you’re okay.” Dropping the stick, he extended a hand to his Togruta friend. “Yeah. That was me whacking. I thought I could get the bear’s attention…” He heard a distant roar, then elected to finish his statement later.

“Let’s get back to the ship, shall we?”

@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

“Ship ship it rhymes with Lin!”

Also rhymed with Lemon but what the hett, kid!

Leh’Min gratefully accepted Lin’s gracious hand as extended and got on her feet. However, thanks to him who had failed to catch her and prevent her from falling, his efforts further earn him a slap across the noggin.

-SLAP!-

“THAT’S for whackin’ the tree and SCARIN’ me!”

-SLAP!-

“And THAT’S for the wet SOCK, boss.”

-SLA- Nah

-HUG!-

“I’m glad you’re okay, Lin, mah bud.”

-Pat-pat-

“Now quit playin’ around! Plenty of trees you can talk to later! We gotta get back to the ship, capische? Capische.”

-Finger-snap!-

A girl makes both lights twirl and whirl!
Leh’Min’Ayd performs the miracle twirl!
Lemonade is her name and she is a girl!
A lone girl who took a trip to this world!
Not alone tho! Boys don’t make her hurl!

-RAWR!-

The Lemonade casts FORCE SACRIFICE !
Lin Queonkri is promptly shoved aside !
Hope he can run but not like Lem does !
“WAAAAAHHH!” Beware! A bear comes !

@Sicadorito (@Quin Leonkri / @Lin Queonkri)

 

[Quin Leonkri]

Instead of the enthusiastic yes he was expecting(or maybe not, he didn’t know what to expect at this point), Quin was greeted with two slaps and a hug. His cheeks stung from the slaps, and he spluttered trying to answer. “I— I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to— I mean you’re fine— like not fine fine but—”

Then she hugged him. He stood there as still as a tree.

“Huh?” He didn’t know whether to hug her back. Girls and their mixed signals… I never thought I’d say this but Cousin Pete’s right.

“Uh— I— uh— yes, ship.” Quin nodded, blinking a few times, nodded a few more times. Then, before he could wrap his head around what was happening, Lemon was dancing, twirling, then he heard a roar…

He knew what that meant, if not anything else.

“Ruuuuuun!!” This time though, he was running away from the volcano. That was the closest he would get to finding their ship, anyway. And running after Lemon, too, so he wouldn’t lose her again. The thought comforted him. Following the lemonade, that was easy. Let her lead the way. And so he ran.

@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

“I AM running for goodness sake!”

Leh’Min’Ayd did a double-take, noticing that the weird kid named Lin was following her for some reason.

“No no no WAIT you’re supposed to be the BAIT”

There was ravenous growl that sounded like the sound a bear might make.

Worst came to worst, the bear would eat the Lin, the Lemon would sit in the shade and wait, the bear would eat its prey for breakfast and Leh’Min’Ayd would return for dinner to reclaim the music box then get lost and off this planet and good riddance.

Well, not really, but it was an interesting thought...maybe?

“SABADA AND HAVE A BANANA”

At that, Leh’Min suddenly sprung upward, banking on the Force toward a treetop. Sure, Lin could follow her, they could hop across branches, but that wasn’t what she intended.

Assuming he didn’t that very instant, he would run past her, beneath her, and the bear would chase after the kid.

And the other kid named Leh’Min’Ayd would leap from her branch and land on the back of the bear with a roar of her own OYA.

“Beware the LEMONAAAAAAAAADE”

-THUNK!-

-RAWR!-

“WAAAAAAAHHHHHH!”

@Sicadorito (@Quin Leonkri / @Lin Queonkri)

 

[Quin Leonkri]

“What do you mean I’m supposed to be the bait?” Quin did a double take too. “WAIT! Why do I always have to be the bait?”

Due to the current situation, however, there was no time to debate on switching roles. What had to be a bear was closing in, and Quin was running out of breath. He glanced behind him to check how he was doing, but he was horrified to see that the only things he could see were the salivating jaws of a bear.

Even worse, he didn’t even see Lemon ahead of him anymore when his head turned back.

“Leeeeeeemonnnnnn!” he shouted, but to his surprise he suddenly heard her yell behind him. “What—”

Quin turned around and was confronted with the strangest sight in his whole life— Lemon wrestling with a bear. What the hett??!! He skidded to a stop, made a 180 turn, then ran back toward her. As the bear was trying to shake off the purple Padawan, he slammed into its hind leg at full force, causing it to roar, rear up on its hind legs, and run off in the opposite direction.

“You alright?” He didn’t even know how many times he’d said that today.

@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

Spoiler: Music OOC

“WAAAAAAAHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!”

Despite being terrified Lemon was actually having the time of her life trying to ride this bear by straddling its neck with a leg on either side and swinging over its shoulders!

To be fair if a Jedi Knight or Master were nearby they would probably correct her for misinterpreting the meaning of Taming Beasts or Animal Kinship or Beast Control or Animal Bond or Animal Friendship or Beast Trick or whozitwotzit.

“WOAAAAAHHHHH HELLOOOOOO I’M IN A RODEOOOOOOOO!!!”

The next moment the bear was on its hind legs after Lin dived right into it.

“SABADAAAAAAA!”

Lem cried as she, yet again, and prolly for the 500th time today, landed smack on her backside.

“You alright?”

She didn’t even know how many times he’d said that today.

The AUDACITY on this guy.

“All right?” Lemon got up and dusted the dust off her butt. “Psh! Me!? Pfft! Ya! OYA! I’m aight! I’m fiiiiiiine! I'm more all right than a Mandalorian ridin' a mythosaur to the liquor store! Sabada! Wasn’t like I didn’t have Bear Bond under control or nothin’! Wasn’t like we weren’t gettin’ along or nuttin! Wasn’t like— Ahhh gimme a high five!”

There was a grin in her eyes as she held up her right hand—but her eyes weren’t right.

“C’mon my guy! HIGH FIVE IT! Bring it in, Linny Lin!”

@Sicadorito (@Quin Leonkri / @Lin Queonkri)

 

[Quin Leonkri]

As a matter of fact, Quin could not tell whether Lemon was fine or not from the way her words spilled from her mouth. All he knew was that she was talking, and that if she was talking that meant she could breathe, which meant that she was alive, which meant that she was, technically speaking, alright.

The high-five was another indication of “alright”. But what was that look in her eyes? He raised his hand hesitantly to accept it.

“High five?” Quin placed his palm against Lemon’s. It was more of a tap, really, not at all what one would consider a high-five, but he wasn’t sure what to expect from a girl who had just wrestled a bear. Other than, of course, to expect the unexpected.

“That was cool, though.” He grinned. That he had to acknowledge. “You did good. Your master would be proud.” He meant it.

@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

Lin spoke. Lemon listened. Lin met Lemon’s hand with his hand. Lemon gripped it. Lin said somethin’ sommat cool-good-master-proud whatever. Lemon grinned. Teeth part.

You just activated my trap card.

“SABADAAAAAA!”

The Leh’Min’Ayd squeezes the Lin’s hand !
Doesn’t hesitate and she spins to his back !
Moving quickly Lemon is! Oh moving fast !
Hand in hand! Lin’s other hand is grabbed !

And the Lemonade casts Force Jump and lands atop Lin’s shoulders.
Knees bent, a leg hanging over either shoulder.
Hands in hands, they serve her as her reins and are placed on her shins.

Lin shouldn’t have high-fived her. Shouldn’t have interrupted her Bear Bond, more like.

“NOW SHUT UP AND MOVE IT, HORSIE! GIDDY UP!”

The Lemon points ahead with a roar !

“FORWARD AND ONWARD TOWARD THOSE TALL—”

The Lemon coughs as Lin moves forth !

“—Furball.”

@Sicadorito (@Quin Leonkri / @Lin Queonkri)

 

[Quin Leonkri]

Quin had regretted that high-five almost as soon as his hand made contact with hers. He knew he should have listened to his instincts.

“Aw. I should have seen it coming.” He was more disappointed with himself than his current situation with Lemon on his back, but despite all that he sported a grin on his face. A mischievous one as Lemon giddied him up.

He started out at a walk before breaking into a run. Though his lungs and legs were tired, he was having too much fun to care and soon he was laughing and coughing along with her. He wouldn’t make it far before he slowed and started to wheeze, dropping Lemon like a sack of, well, lemons.

“That— was great!” He grinned. Then doubled over coughing. He held up a hand should Lemon attempt to say something. “I’m— fine.” A few coughs later he was back to normal. Then he grinned again.

“Do you think… you could carry me?”

@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

“THIS IS ONE SHAMEFUL LINNY PERFORMANCE!”

Lemmy patted Linny on the head but it was more like a slap.

“STOP TROTTING AND GIDDYYYYYYYYY”

Only she didn’t really mean canter into a friggin’ gallop.

“WOAH SLOW DOWN SILLY HORSIE I haven’t even passed the equine examination yet.”

Believe it or not sometimes even the Lemon doesn’t know what the hett she says.

“Ooooh a sticky with leafies!”

A bug in her mouth made her cough it out.

“Wonder if Jedi Knights ever piggyback on Masters— WAAAAAAHHHH!”

Yep that’s the eleventieth time she’s crashed on her back.

Leh’Min accepted Lin-Lin’s hand without giving him a slap so there was that.

“Hummm carry you?”

Compared to Human guy this Togruta girl weighed about as much as the feather she picked up.

But…wait…a girl is a Jedi!

“ALL ABOARD THE LEH’MIN’AYD TRAIN COME GET YER LEMONADE”

She crouched down and waved Lin over to swing his legs around her shoulders. She might be skinnier and weaker and smaller but the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider…laughable.

@Sicadorito (@Quin Leonkri / @Lin Queonkri)

 

[Quin Leonkri]

Quin had just been joking about her carrying him— how manly would that look? So he was taken by surprise when Lemon actually went with it and hoisted him onto her back.

“Wait I wasn’t being serious!” But the decision had been made, and Quin knew better than to argue. He just hoped that Lemon wouldn’t bring this up. Ever. Again.

So he sat there, and whether or not Lemon decided to move or just stand there he clung onto her head and tried not to fall back. It would probably hurt her more than it hurt him, but anyway…

“I think that’s our ship!” He pointed forward, spotting what looked like sunlight gleaming on metal. “We’ve gotta check.” He glanced down at Lemon.

@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

Lemon made a mental note to bring this up to every Jedi in the palace. Forever. And. Again.

At first, balancing between her own strength and the strength of Force Piggyback, Leh’Min almost lost her balance but fortunately didn’t drop the kid. Not like he did. She wasn’t an idiot like him. She was the Lemon, not the Lin.

Then she began to walk. Like a trot. Not like a gallop. She wasn’t a friggin’ idiot.

“Dang buddy I knew ya had a heavy head but what the hett do ya eat for a livin’, Lin, spaghetti made outta CHEVIN!?”

To be honest, walkin’ was too slow a waltz for her so she developed her trot into a canter.

Ship spotted in the distance. Lemon summons the power of the Schwartz and there’s your Force.

“Just…-pant-...hold…-pant-...your…-pant-...horses…”

-Crash-

Lin landed on his back and Lemon landed on Lin with her back.

“Must…have…snack.”

@Sicadorito (@Quin Leonkri / @Lin Queonkri)

 

[Quin Leonkri]

To Quin’s surprise, Lemon actually was able to walk with him piggybacking on her despite their quite significant difference in weight. Yet another surprise hidden up her sleeve, he wondered how strong she would be when she had adrenaline running through her veins. Capable to run with a bantha on her back?

“That doesn’t sound appetizing.” But if Lemon knew Quin, she would know he ate everything, so even if Chevin spaghetti was a thing he may as well have tried it.

“You’re doing good!” As Lemon began to pant, Quin gave her an encouraging pat on the head, grinning widely. But right as he finished his sentence he lurched backwards, landed on his back with Lemon on his chest. His breath was knocked right out of him.

As soon as he could breathe properly again, he would pull both himself and Lemon up to a sitting position.

“Once we get back to the ship, you can have the rest of the snacks,” he promised with a smile. While he was somewhat hungry, he was more tired than anything, so he would just go to sleep while Lemon ate. It was just a short walk away now, more tempting than ever.

“I’ll even offer you a ride.”

Quin got back up to his feet. With what remaining strength he had, he scooped Lemon up into a bridal carry and walked the rest of the way back. Once they were in front of the ship, he would set her down so that he could get the ramp of the ship open.

His heart dropped just then.

“My keys were in my backpack!”

@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

Spoiler: Music OOC

Well, a girl is positively pleased and pretty purple, obviously, but also pretty bubbly. Hungry! Oya. Thirsty. Sure. Tired? Ya. But, hum, snacks sounded great. Having the rest of the snacks? Awwww ain’t Lin great? Carry her the rest of the way? Piece o' cake!

Except, even where she had drawn the Force around her like the spawn of Darth Vader to carry Lin, she didn’t have the brawn that he did, and he probably never needed the Force to begin with when he lifted her and moved forward.

This did indubitably dawn on her and there’s your bubbly swan in the pond between these trees that she sees.

But she’s not watching ‘em.
Nah not really. Ain’t listenin’.
Nah…see…a girl went silent.
Motionless. Ya a girl is quiet.

Lin walked on, and maybe Lem is just givin’ the kid a break, let him walk without having to talk, let him breathe without having to speak but, truthfully, she didn’t even wanna speak, didn’t wanna think, didn’t wanna see, so she closed her eyes and just breathed.

A girl let a boy carry her and, while a kid would never admit it to the kid, Leh’Min’Ayd wished that walk would never stop, as the purple peacock, in some strange way, felt like a baby bird in his arms, one with a crazy burn in her heart.

There she is, on the grass like she’s back home in the backyard, only a girl never had a home, never had a yard.

Lin mentioned his keys when Lemon’s eyes opened. She got up, stood beside him, said nothin’, expressionless, and didn’t slap but placed a hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye, yes, eyes into eyes.

“Then...let’s go back, Lin...”
Other hand, other shoulder.
“Let’s go get that BACKPACK!”

RUN.

She does!

“Hum.”

A girl paused and spun.

“Ya got the uh…music box…I forgot.”

@Sicadorito (@Quin Leonkri / @Lin Queonkri)

 

[Quin Leonkri]

So much for some sweet, sweet sleep. Quin had been looking forward to that. But his backpack—

“Oh, no.” At Lemon’s reminder of the music box, Quin remembered that he’d forgotten that too— dropped it somewhere along the way. That meant that they had to look for two things, face the bears again, retrace their whole path. Arms spread. Back arches. Convulsing.

“NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

A call, shout, scream, yell that could reach as far across the galaxy as Thila. A “no” so long on Sonos.

Slumping over when he ran out of breath, Quin would exchange a look with Lemon. Though their situation was… disappointing, he found that he was still smiling. Maybe it sounded cheesy, but maybe that was the power of friendship. How it could make you smile even when you had to fight bears, to track down the impossible. How when everything seemed lost, you knew it could be found again. With a friend.

It was the peak of power. The ability to keep going. And Quin had Leh’Min’Ayd to do it with him.

“Let’s head back, then. Shall we?” He extended a hand.

@Die Shize