Ask In The Middle Of It

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani knew the question was coming. Shaw was polite in how he asked, but she had hung around him often enough to know when there was an undertone of displeasure. She chewed on her lip, glancing down as she idly fiddled with a blade of grass, “When I drew up those vines from the earth, I felt a callin’ from it” She explained, “A whisper. And I knew I had to listen to it..trust it. It was the Force and I leaned into it and let it guide me,” Prani explained, “And it led me to them wolves. They’ve been asleep for decades,” Prani glanced towards them, “They ain’t just wolves. They’re…guardians of the Force..they can walk in realms we can’t see,” She said, knowing she sounded crazy, “I can’t explain it, Shaw, I don’t get it myself. But I knew I could leave to get them and I knew everythin’ would work out.”

She looked over to meet his gaze again, frowning, “I’m sorry, Shaw. I didn’t mean to leave you like that,” Prani said quietly. She began to smile again, “It’s…good to see yo-”

“The refugees are safe!” Regina loudly announced as she emerged again, betraying she had been watching and stewing for a moment. She brought over a basket of rations that she was handing out to survivors. She held out a bottle of water for Shaw. After a moment she handed one to Prani as well, “Um, Prani, they need more healing in the settlement.”

Prani stared at her for a moment- Any other Sreeya character woulda slapped this hussy upside the head right about now - but Prani only smiled in the end, “Of course,” She said as she rose to her feet, “You did real good, Regina,” She said with a genuine tone, “You saved all them people.”

Regina looked flustered, struggling with what to say. Prani simply patted her on the shoulder, gave Shaw a friendly nod, and began to walk towards Dinar.

Regina promptly sat down next to Shaw, scooting rather closer, “So.. are you okay? You look hurt,” She said, noting where his shirt was damaged, “You were sooo brave. And you look..really nice,” She said, “Are you going to stick around?"

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

The force had called to her. It was as simple as that. Shaw wouldn't be sitting here now if he hadn't answered its call himself earlier in that low altitude assault transport. How could he expect anything less of her? Prani was more attuned with the force than he had ever been. It was natural that she would answer its call immediately, abandoning all else—including Shaw. That still stung a little bit, so he tried not to think about it.

"You sure you didn't unearth some shrooms or something?" he teased her. He believed the whole story. Not because it sounded particularly believable (because it didn't) but because Prani was the one telling it to him. He knew she wouldn't lie to him. Before he could ask her any more questions—and oh boy did he have questions—and before Prani could finish what she was about to say Regina burst on the scene out of nowhere.

Shaw startled, accepting the bottle of water with a nod. He shrugged at Prani. What? He was really thirsty. "Thanks." There always seemed to be some kind of unspoken communication between two girls whenever they were together, and for the life of Shaw he could never pick up on it. It was like whole conversations passed, and he wasn't even aware. He was always just left with the aftermath, wondering what had happened and what had been said but not actually said. Next thing he knew Prani was walking back toward the settlement, and Regina was cozying up at his side.

Wait. Cozying up? "I'm alright," he replied, looking over at her. "What about you?" Then she saw the look in her eyes. The same weird look she had gotten earlier when they had hugged. Was she still in fight or flight mode or something? Looking for someone to lean on for comfort? Shaw fidgeted uncomfortably. He wasn't sure he was the most qualified for that.

"Uhhh maybe," he answered, not really sure what she had asked. "Shouldn't we go help Prani?" He didn't wait for an answer, hopping up and motioning for Regina to follow. He wasn't going to just leave her there, but he didn't really wanna be alone with her either. He wasn't sure why. It had never been an issue before.

The two of them caught up with Prani eventually, and Shaw rolled up his sleeves ready to get to work. "What do you need me to do?" he asked Prani, ready to take orders from her. Regina huffed in the background and took a very long swig from her water bottle. @Sreeya

​

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani was humming to herself as she stepped into the settlement, now in better spirits that the fight was over. There were casualties, but the cheering was infectious and they had all collectively fended off against overwhelming odds. The Loth-wolves were a huge symbol for them and it boosted morale all around. The diplomat who survived an assassination attempt was thrilled and more Jedi arrived on the planet within the next few days. A Knight would be here soon to finalize Lothal coming into the Jedi fold.

She was surprised that Shaw caught up to her, spotting Regina glaring from the back. Shaw’s question caught her off guard. Was he asking her what to do? He was the combat Jedi on the scene. He was the one issuing orders. Prani blinked a few times, “Uhh…honestly I was just gonna play some songs for these folks,” She admitted sheepishly, “Everyone likes some music to unwind.”

Regina stormed off by then but Prani glanced towards her and then back at Shaw, “I think she likes ya,” She said with a giggle. She kept idly walking through the settlement, catching the waves and appreciative nods from the locals who were thankful for the Jedi, “You’ve changed,” Prani said after a moment, looking at him. She would have to be blind not to notice the ways he changed physically or how he stood taller over her. However, it went far beyond that and it was even in the way he carried himself, “Hopefully you ain’t changed too much,” Prani said with a faint smile.

She glanced down and noticed the friendship bracelet, grasping his wrist to bring it up. She untied the bracelet very carefully and then retied it again to fit more comfortably, “There,” Prani said with a satisfied nod.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Shaw raised an eyebrow. "I thought you weren't brave enough to put on a concert?" he asked, recalling what she had said back on Takodana after he had first listened to her play the hallikset. He had often hummed that tune to himself over the last six months, particularly on nights when he couldn't get comfortable on the bed roll and couldn't fall asleep. It was rare that he couldn't fall asleep since Master Valtiere had usually run him ragged by the end of the day, but there were always exceptions. Always nights when you couldn't convince your brain that it was time to shut down and sleep.

They wound their way through the settlement, and Shaw couldn't help but notice how well Prani fit in with the locals as they exchanged waves and heartfelt smiles. This was the kind of environment where she really thrived. On the ground helping people. Making every little corner of the galaxy that she visited a little brighter just by being there. She had a knack for putting people at ease, and not just through the songs that she sung either.

And Regina—wait, where was Regina? Just as she had appeared out of nowhere she had suddenly disappeared. It was just Prani and Shaw now. Her voice caught his attention, and he stared down at her. "Who? Regina? Pfttt. No way," he laughed, "She's probably just working up the nerve to ask me a bunch of questions about Master Valtiere."

Tan fingers danced across the friendship bracelet she had given him, readjusting it to fit his larger wrists. That thing about Prani putting people at ease? Yeah, except sometimes Prani could really put a guy at... whatever the opposite of ease was. Shaw's wrist beat a faster pulse where she had grabbed it.

"Thanks," he said again, running a hand along the bracelet once she had finished. That was a lot more comfortable. He wasn't sure what she meant by hopefully you ain't changed too much, and he wasn't sure she would want him to ask either. But since when did that stop Shaw from saying the first thing that came to mind? "Good change or bad change?" he asked, a little nervous to hear her answer for some reason. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani was suddenly flustered when Shaw mentioned a concert, “It ain’t like that!” She protested unconvincingly, “It’s just.. Playin’ for folks is all,” She added shyly. Something about calling it a ‘concert’ just made it far more stressful. But just strumming some strings around people? That sounded doable. No one could convince her that the two were the same thing.

His assumption about Regina drew out a laugh to match his, “It’s prolly both,” She said with a smirk, though there was an inexplicable pang in her chest at the thought of Regina and Shaw becoming a thing. Prani quickly brushed the thought aside, jumping into her habit of looking around for some random topic to bring up to save the day. She spotted an unamused goat in the distance chewing on some hay and took a breath to start talking about it.

Shaw beat her to the punch by asking a question of his own that put her on the spot. Prani blinked up at him, twirling the blade of grass she picked up from where they were sitting earlier, “Good change,” She said with a genuine smile, “Ya seem..more sure of yourself. And yer lightsaber is pretty cool!” Prani admitted. The Shaw from six months ago would have hesitated a thousand times over about his own abilities. This Shaw jumped into the fray boldly and was a beacon of hope for others, “I just… don’t want Shaw Tours to close down permanently I guess,” Prani said with a sheepish smile.

They walked further into Dinar, the small town a glimpse into the simple lives of the people here. Thatched roofs and cozy little homes lined the streets. Smoke rose lazily from chimneys, curling up into thin wisps in the sky. There was a central area with a market lined with stalls and it was filled with stalls left abandoned by residents all flocking out to see the mythical Loth-wolves that were outside.

For some reason, the quiet around them and the sudden absence of commotion and chaos made Prani nervous. She looked toward the well in the central square, fidgeting with her hair or that blade of grass, “I missed ya,” Prani admitted finally, not having the courage to look at him. She chewed nervously on her lip, “I hadn’t heard from ya at all..” Prani mumbled almost too quiet to hear, shifting from one foot to the other. She was now twisting that blade of grass around her index fingers.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

"Mmm sounds an awful lot like a concert to me," Shaw teased the other teenager, but nothing he said could convince her otherwise. Whether she realized it or not Prani could be really stubborn sometimes, but Shaw didn't mind. It was funny to see which battles she picked and which she decided to let slide. Shaw wouldn't have always made the same choices regarding that, but that was just one of the many ways they were different. He was glad she was different. He liked her just the way she was.

A good change. Shaw let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. Why did it matter if Prani approved or not? It wouldn't change anything—he intended to be himself either way, but it still mattered. He wanted her to like the person he was becoming. "I am," he said. "I didn't know who I was or where I was going before. I didn't even know if I would stay with the Jedi. My parents just kinda dumped me with the Jedi for safekeeping until they got some stuff sorted out," he admitted. "I always planned on rejoining them." He had never told her that before, but he supposed there was no harm in it now that he had decided to stay. He was ashamed of it, but it was the truth and a part of him and he didn't mind owning up to it. "But Master Valtiere helped me realize that this is who I was always meant to be. I was always meant to be a Jedi." He plucked a leaf from the branch of a tree they passed under and smiled over at her. "I just didn't know it. There's still a lot I gotta learn." His smile grew. "And don't worry. Shaw Tours plans on opening up again real soon." So long as Prani stayed in one place long enough for it to.

Shaw beamed when she said his lightsaber was pretty cool. That was just about the nicest compliment anyone could give him. "Master Valtiere made the hilt himself back on Thrustra." Was he talking about Master Valtiere too much? He couldn't help it. He really missed him. "It took me hours to put it all together. At least that's what Master Valtiere said. I wouldn't really know, I was kinda out of it." And by out of it he meant in deep mediation. "Here. Check this out." He pulled the lightsaber off its clip and showed her all the intricate engravings. Then he held it out for her. "You wanna hold it?" Probably not a big deal to Prani, but Shaw was too proud of that lightsaber to hand it over to just anyone. Just as Prani had entrusted her grandfather's hallikset to him, he would trust her with his lightsaber.

Prani's next comment was quiet, almost inaudible, but Shaw heard it. It made his smile falter. So she had actually been checking her phone looking for a message? "I missed you too," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "We were out on this remote jungle world, and I didn't have any reception." He had messaged her along with his other friends once he and Master Valtiere were aboard the transport and he had signal, but she had probably already been here so hadn't seen it. "I'm sorry, Prani. I thought about you a lot. I brought you something back too!" It was back in the transport that had brought him here. Maybe he could give it to her before he had to leave. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

The admission that Shaw always planned to leave the Jedi stung. She didn’t understand why - because she herself was unsure of her place within the Order sometimes. But for Shaw to have considered the Order as nothing but a stopgap? It hurt a little that he never outright mentioned this before, but she could also understand it. Shaw missed his family dearly, especially his little sister.

“I think that’s what’s different,” Prani said, “You are Jedi now,” She said with a smile. Prani was blushing when he mentioned he thought about her a lot, “You did?” She asked almost too quickly. Prani fidgeted at that, chastising herself for being silly. He probably thought about all his friends, duh. They already talked about how Shaw thought all his friends were awesome. Why did she have this annoying desire to set herself apart from that? Why didn’t she just want to be another friend? With all the memes and silliness. Why was she being so selfish?

When he held his saber out for her to hold, her eyes widened in surprise. Prani knew how protective everyone was over their sabers, so she recognized the significance of this moment, “He made it?” She asked in surprise, “He ain’t known for doin’ that, you know,” She said, having spent enough time around padawans gabbing away constantly about Master Valtiere, “I think you may be his first apprentice…ever,” Prani pondered aloud, “He teaches group cohorts but always refused to take someone on,” She smiled at Shaw, “You’re special,” Prani blurted out before she could stop herself. Her face instantly burned hot and she distracted herself by focusing on the hilt, “Whoa…I ain’t ever seen one like this before,” She remarked, noting the detailed engravings and intricate design.

Prani curled her fingers around the hilt, but she was hit with a sudden and abrupt headache. She didn’t release the weapon, but she hunched over, clutching her head with her other hand. A series of images flooded into her mind and she saw tall, ivory towers and spires. She saw a breathtaking cityscape. She felt a whirlwind of sensations and unwavering resolve. She glimpsed dextrous fingers gracefully etching the designs by hand and perfecting every last detail. Prani gasped as she opened her eyes again, almost collapsing before she gingerly handed the hilt back.

“H-He definitely made it..” Prani whispered, still reeling from the strange intrusion. Shaw had grasped that hilt many times and never saw anything, so why did she almost collapse from it? There was nothing malicious, no trick, just a glimpse into the painstaking story that went into crafting the hilt, “I..I dunno what happened..I just saw someone makin’ that…then I saw a different planet..buildings..cities..” She trailed off. Prani finally shook her head, “Maybe I’m just tired from all the fightin’.”

She took a few steps and stumbled down to sit on a bench, practically falling into it. Her head still throbbed from..whatever that was.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

"Of course I did," Shaw replied, looking at Prani with a bewildered expression. Why wouldn't he think about her? Why would it surprise her that he did? They were friends. Friends thought about each other, didn't they? So what if maybe he thought about Prani a little more than the others sometimes? There was nothing unusual about that. It wasn't that big of a deal... right?

The teenager studied Prani for a moment or two before he spoke again. "You've changed too you know," he said. "Remember what you said that day we were walking back from the lake?" After Shaw had capsized the canoe and they had both fallen in. "About not being good enough? About messing up while a whole bunch of villagers that were counting on you watched?" He looked around. Everything was calm. Peaceful. Dinar had been damaged but not beyond repair. The settlement would live to see another day. Its occupants would wake to another sunrise come morning. Laughter could be heard in the distance. The day had come at a cost, certainly, but all victories came at a cost.

"You didn't mess up." The excited faces of villagers that realized who she was and what she had done had been proof enough of that. And those wolves? That was like a message from the force itself. "And you didn't let anyone down. You saved these people. You were incredible today, Prani. You should feel proud of yourself." No one had been waiting to see her fail. No one that mattered anyway. Not even Regina, whose life had depended upon Prani in that moment, really wanted to see her fail. Maybe afterwards, sure, when the dust had settled, but not in the moment. A wry smile lifted his lips. "I would tell you I told you so, but..." He stared at her. "I'm still not sure you believe it yourself yet, so my gloating will have to wait until you do."

As soon as Prani gripped the weapon she hunched over and held a hand to her head. "Are you alright?" Shaw asked, concerned, but he didn't think she could hear him. It was like she was somewhere else entirely. Some kind of out of body experience. Prani collapsed onto the bench, and Shaw knelt down in front of her. He put his hand to her forehead to feel for a temperature or something like that. Was she getting sick? He didn't know. He felt as useless as he had back on Lorrd when Theia had broken her wrist.

"Maybe," he muttered unconvinced. He had a thousand questions he wanted to ask her about what she had seen, but he had just enough good sense to know that he should give her a minute to recover. "Here. Drink this." He opened the water bottle Regina had given Prani earlier and handed it to her. While he watched Prani, he reminded himself to try and contact Master Valtiere later and ask him about it. If anyone would know what had happened, it would be Master Valtiere. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani’s face burned hot again when he reminded her about her self-deprecating thoughts back at the lake. She remembered that moment vividly - the crying, the feeling of despair, the feeling of uselessness and like she didn’t belong. Prani was about to say something, but she realized something then. He remembered what she said back that day. Just like he remembered when she said she would never put on a concert. Frivolous and trivial moments in time, and yet he found them worth remembering. Prani didn’t know what to make of it - she only knew it confused and excited her all at once.

The episode with the saberhilt left her weak, and she was still slightly hunched over, her head dizzy. The visions left her mind, but it felt like she had the spins and her temples throbbed in pain. Prani was barely aware of his hand gently pressing against her forehead. She was clammy but otherwise felt fine. After a few moments, she finally started to recover, graciously accepting the bottle of water to sip from it.

“This…it happens to me sometimes..” She admitted quietly, something she had never admitted to anyone. Not even her family, “I.. see things sometimes when I play the hallikset. It’s part of why I love playin’ it. It takes me places. But…other times it happens suddenly when I touch somethin’,” Prani was too weak to think about this further. She would ask her Master about it because it was beginning to bother her now. It always came without warning and she never knew what object would trigger it.

“Will you..sit next to me?” She asked. If he did, Prani would sigh and look down at her lap, “I feel so weak, Shaw..” She admitted, “This all took a lot outta me..” Prani chewed on her lip, “I ain’t no combat Jedi,” Her pronunciation of the word changed to the proper term, “I don’t like fightin’..and yet I know I was born with this gift and I ain’t s’pposed to just do nothin’. I just wish I could focus on healing and savin’ and not cross blades with anyone"

She stared down at her hands for a while, the same that channeled her healing abilities. It came easy, but fighting never did, “I felt so much pain around me..saw so much..and I ain’t even around worlds where Sith or Raze followers actively occupy..” It almost seemed overwhelming. She wasn’t even sure what she was rambling about, but it was clear that combat taxed her and was not at all who she was.

“Thank you for comin’ back, Shaw, and thank you for choosin' to stay with the Jedi,” Prani said quietly, gently leaning the side of her head against his uninjured shoulder. She was too exhausted and weary to make much sense or look too deep into the gesture, just that it felt right.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Shaw considered what she said but came up blank. He didn't have a clue what it could be. Just another reason to hit the books even harder when he got back to Takodana and had free rein of the library again. Something he had never taken advantage of before but that he was realizing he really needed to.

"Have you talked to anyone about it?" he asked her, sliding onto the bench beside her without a second's hesitation. Someone other than him. Someone that would know a lot more than he did. That might be able to actually help. After that Shaw remained silent and kept all the questions and concerns that bounced around inside his head exactly there, in his head and to himself. He didn't say a word, just listened and let her vocalize everything she was feeling. It really helped to get it all off your chest, and somewhere in the back of his mind he realized that it was a big deal that even after six months apart Prani was still willing to open up to him.

Now if he could only think of something helpful to say. This was where he always struggled. When it came right down to it he never knew what to do or say whenever it really counted. He was just going to have to hope for the best. "You expect too much of yourself, Prani. You already are doing something with that gift. Look around you. Didn't you see the way their faces lit up when you passed by?" It frustrated him that she couldn't see how incredible she was even now after everything she had accomplished that day. "Where would the order be if we all fought on the front lines?" Shaw didn't really know, but nowhere good that was for sure. "The galaxy needs a gentle hand just as much as it needs the edge of a blade." Maybe it needed a gentle hand even more. "Its Jedai like you," he said, pronouncing the word as she once had, "That the galaxy will remember."He missed the cute way she used to say it, but he supposed nothing could stay the same forever.

As for those moments when she would be forced to wield a blade? Forced to fight? He supposed they would be inevitable, but they didn't have to be her focus, and she didn't have to feel bad about it. "I would lowkey be worried if someone with a face like yours wanted to go around hacking people up," he teased, his speech kind of petering ouy into something a lot less inspiring at the end. "That'd be a dangerous combo. Just be you, Prani. Listen to the force. That'll get you through it."

Not very helpful? Probably. But Shaw wasn't sure what else to say. They all had to face things they didn't want to, and he didn't blame her for being scared. He wouldn't admit it, but he was scared too. “A Jedi must be prepared to witness tremendous suffering,” Master Valtiere had said.

Master Valtiere had also said that everyone had a presence in the force, no matter how powerful they were. When Prani laid her head on his shoulder, Shaw swallowed but immediately reached for her hand before he could lose the nerve. He wanted to be there for Prani, even if it was difficult for him. Without even realizing it, he would lend her some of his presence through the force for her to draw strength from. It was as if the force knew what he wanted but didn't know how to do and did it for him. The force was his ally Master Valtiere had said...

"You don't have to thank me for staying," he said softly, not sure if she had fallen asleep. "You'll never have to thank me for staying." @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani hadn’t considered those angles. When had Shaw become so wise? Usually, it was her telling Shaw not to discount himself or encouraging him to give himself more credit whenever he suggested they only got through a mission because of her. Whatever he experienced during those six months fundamentally changed him. He grew up a lot and she only wondered how they would both individually change and grow.

She smiled fondly when he pronounced Jedi like she used to, making a mental note to say it like that again. She remembered how she referred to herself as a nature freak jokingly, and he put an end to that. Prani changed the way she said Jedi after cowing to mockery, but Shaw reminded her that she wasn’t being true to herself.

His next words caused her to gasp dramatically, “What do ya mean a face like mine?” Prani asked, starting to giggle, “What am I s’ppose to do with this face then?” She asked as she briefly glanced up at him with a smirk before resting her head again. For a moment there was a lull in the conversation, but it didn’t feel awkward or strange. It was comfortable. She could simply exist here with Shaw and they could both be in entirely different worlds in their minds. And yet she would still feel anchored and grounded. This had been missing the entire time he was gone.

Prani felt him grasp her hand and while she initially stiffened out of nervousness, she relaxed almost immediately. Her face burned hot, but she was soon distracted by the Force energy he was intentionally, or perhaps unintentionally, lending her. Within seconds she felt stronger and rejuvenated. Prani exhaled softly, squeezing his hand and not letting go just yet, “You just healed me, you realize that?” She asked softly as she lifted her head to look at him again. She was so proud of him then that she couldn’t help the wide and genuine smile.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Prani's question caught him off guard. "Uhhhhh." Mind a panic, he did the worst thing he possibly could have given the situation. He looked down at her and stared, unable to look away once he caught her eye. He swallowed and tried to hold as still as possible, resisting the urge to squirm away and catch his breath. Was sitting there as stiff as a board any better? Probably not, but that was exactly what he did.

How was he supposed to answer that? What could she possibly expect him to say? He decided that the best answer was to give no answer at all, but that was awkward when someone was looking at you just waiting for a response. It ended up working out. She didn't keep him in the hot seat for long, looking away and laying her head back down against his shoulder.

Silence followed after that. It allowed Shaw a chance to reflect and recoup. He didn't really reflect on anything specific, mostly just on Prani in general. Now that she wasn't staring at him he realized that she had just been teasing him, just like he always teased her. That it really wouldn't have been that difficult to come up with a response. Probably. Just because he couldn't think of a response that didn't sound flirtatious didn't mean he couldn't if he really wanted to. Even if it had sounded a little bit flirtatious, why would it have mattered? Prani was his friend. She would have just laughed it off or... yeah, she would have just laughed it off.

After a few minutes of silence had passed, each occupied with their own thoughts, Prani squeezed his hand. Shaw just blinked, looking down and then back up to meet Prani's gaze. "I did?" Surely not. He didn't know how. "You're not trying to hype me up now are you?" he chuckled. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani rolled her eyes at his skepticism, “Naw, you willed it,” She said, “You wanted to make it happen and let the Force guide it. That’s all there is to it,” Prani added. They were looking right at each other, sitting very close, holding hands. And yet somehow both were stuck on what happened next. There was nothing in the friendship instruction manual about this. Prani’s impulse to talk about something stupid and random began to bubble again, but she pushed it down.

“Shaw..uh..” She began, blinking a few times. Prani fidgeted and glanced down where they were still holding hands. Her face was burning hot and she was sure he could hear her heartbeats. Why did other girls like Regina have such an easy time talking to him? Why could they just throw their arms around him without a second thought? Why was every step such a struggle for her? She feared he would simply find her silly or, worse, think she was some sort of weird freak. Prani began to internally panic, gingerly sliding her hand out of his.

“Hey, there’s a bell tower near the back of the settlement. Ya can see the mountains and valleys from there. Wanna check it out?” Prani asked suddenly, standing up. If he agreed, she would lead the way through the markets. Her mind was still reeling from earlier. Somehow those moments on the bench eclipsed all her spirals about the battle from earlier. Even around them now more Jedi reinforcements were arriving and a Knight was on the scene to speak with the local diplomat about affiliating.

And yet, none of that was on Prani’s mind right now. She was being a weirdo. She cast a sideways glance at Shaw, frowning to herself before she gazed ahead. She needed to focus on just being a friend. Shaw had a bunch of friends, she was one of them, and they were all incredible. Prani repeated that to herself several times as they began to climb the medium-height tower. It wasn’t an exhausting climb, but it offered a stunning view of Lothal’s endless fields and valleys.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

"Really?" He couldn't stop the grin that spread across his lips. "I'll have to tell Master Valtiere." To have Prani's approval was really something. To have Prani's and Master Valtiere's? A dream come true. Maybe the sephi could teach him about force healing. Shaw knew he would never be a great healer like Prani or anything, but it would be nice to know a thing or two about the basics. He tended to be accident prone, so just for his own survival if for nothing else.

The teenager's hand suddenly felt empty and awkward without the warmth of Prani's, like he didn't know what to do with it now when he had never had that problem before. He thought back to that canoe ride on the lake, to the tingling sensation that he just couldn't shake every time Prani's fingers brushed against his while showing him the hallikset chords. He couldn't remember any of those chords now, but he never had forgotten the thrill of her touch. That was burned into his memory.

Briefly he wondered why she had let go, but he promptly squashed the thought. They couldn't sit here for forever holding hands, could they? Plus his palm had probably started to get sweaty or something. "That sounds like fun," he jumped up, falling into step beside her. Her unfinished water bottle would float after her, tapping her on the shoulder as Shaw grinned. "Don't forget your bottle."

Neither of them said anything as Prani led the way through market stalls. This silence wasn't as comfortable as the silence that had proceeded it, but it was still manageable. They had plenty of distractions and plenty of walking to do to keep them occupied.

When they reached the bell tower Shaw walked up and pulled on the doors. Locked. Squinting in the sun, he looked around and spotted an open window not far off the ground. They could use that to gain access and then all they had to do was climb the stairs or the ladder inside. Easy peasy! The teenager leapt to the windowsill with all the grace that climbing a mountainside day after day had given him and grinned down at Prani, extending a hand to help her up.

"Come on! Shaw Tours is back in business, and this time you have our personal guarantee that this is a private tour." So in other words no Reginas to spy on them or museum curators to berate her. Shaw really didn't think anyone would mind if they clibed the tower just to see the view from the top. The locals probably just kept it locked up because it was old or because they didn't want teenagers doing drugs or something. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani felt a gentle tap on her shoulder and saw the bottle, “Look at you,” She said with a smile, tugging the water out of the air and into her hand. His mastery of the Force was impressive. His Master was doing a great job, and with how often Shaw mentioned him it was apparent they had a strong bond, “You miss yer master, don’t you?” Prani asked him quietly with a smile. She had only heard about the inseparable bond Masters and Apprentices had. It was far rarer now since Knights and Masters often took on multiple students. Master Valtiere opted only to take on Shaw.

She groaned when the doors were locked. Prani had just walked in the day before! Then again, maybe she was the reason they thought to lock it. She was about to suggest just going back to the market when Shaw jumped up with the grace of a cat on the windowsill. Prani stared at him in stunned silence.

“I dunno if they want anyone climbin’ this..” Prani trailed off. She could already hear Regina’s loud and obnoxious voice approaching.

She grasped Shaw’s hand, hoisting herself up with some difficulty.

“How’d you do that so easily?” Prani asked, wonder in her tone. After hopping in, the ladder was easy to climb to the top though it was a bit wobbly. Prani clung to it each time it moved, peering down and regretting it every time. The mention of Shaw Tours brought a smile to her face.

“Where was the waiver for Shaw Tours? Ya know, the one that doesn’t take liability for lost canoes or broken bones,” She inquired as she took another peek down, hoping she wasn’t about to fall.

With Shaw’s help, she finally made it to the top. The view was breathtaking, a massive bell above them. The area right below the bell was filled with bird nests. The valleys stretched out for miles, fields of tall grass and rivers that snaked through the land. There were mountain ranges in the distance, thick clouds moving in to herald a storm approaching eventually.

“Ahhh I could stare at this all day,” She said with a content sigh as she gazed out over the horizon, the wind brushing against her curls. Prani missed nature like this at all times, always confined within temples or the space station bases.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

"A lot," Shaw admitted when Prani asked if he missed Master Valtiere. Was it that obvious? He supposed it was. He had talked about the sephi a lot. It was hard not to when his thoughts followed the sephi, wondering where he was and what he was doing and if he was alright and why he had left Shaw's last four messages on read. That last meme was really funny too. It was gracious of Prani not to complain about it, and—believe it or not—he missed his master a little bit less now that he was with her. Glancing over at her, the wind whipping those long, twisted curls he realized there was nowhere else he would rather be at this moment.

Trying not to make it so obvious that he had been staring at her he asked, "But what about you? How are things going with Elidan?" He had been meaning to ask her that anyway. The last time he had seen her she had just been assigned to the half anfynn. He hoped they were getting along and that she was happy.

The wooden ladder groaned and swayed after every other step, not exactly filling either teenager with much confidence. Maybe this was why the bell tower doors had been locked. To keep someone from breaking their neck. "I am shocked that you think Shaw Tours would even need such a waiver," he said once he reached the top, adopting that old tour guide voice of his as he helped her step into the belfry. It was a little rusty, but it would come back to him eventually. "I can assure you, madam, that the canoe incident was a fluke. Our guides are experts. You couldn't be in safer hands."

Luckily the belfry floor was a lot sturdier than the ladder that led up to it. Shaw leaned against the railing and stared out at the view. Prani was right. This was breathtaking. Totally worth risking the crickety ladder. The teenager felt his dataphone buzz and took a quick peek at the message. Looked like the Jedi transport that would shuttle him back to Takodana wanted to get ahead of the storm. Something like dread crept into his mind at the thought of leaving Prani again so soon.

Before he realized what he was doing, before he could stop himself he blurted out, "Hey, Prani? Do you mind if I ask you something?" Shaw wanted to facepalm himself but didn't dare. If she said yes, he would briefly consider throwing himself from the belfry of the tower. He could survive the fall, right? It wasn't that far down. "Are you all booed up?" That was something he could ask, right? It wasn't too personal? It was too personal, wasn't it? @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani smiled when Shaw admitted how much he missed his Master. She only heard about how aloof the Sephi was, but clearly he was engaging enough to teach Shaw a lot and also form a relationship. She wondered how little padawans actually knew about the man beyond his infamous exploits in Sith space and the fact that he was exceptionally beautiful, “I hope I get to meet him one day,” Prani mused aloud, "And Master Elidan is wonderful! He is very closely aligned with the kinda Jedi I wanna be. He's just juggling several padawans.."

“Well Shaw Tours is guaranteed to make me break some rules, that’s for sure,” Prani said with a raised brow. She was normally very by the book, but she found herself skirting just out of the boundaries when Shaw had his impulses. Prani kept gazing out over the horizon when Shaw spoke again.

“Of course, you ain’t ever gotta ask if you wanna ask a question, silly,” She said with a smile. When he asked his follow-up question, she stared at him. He was left stewing in his own anxiety while Prani was left perplexed and running through every variation of what the heck he just asked, “Booed up? Like boo as in givin’ Shaw Tours a bad review?” Prani blurted out, utterly confused, "Um no? I'm only givin' ya positive reviews, right?" Why did Core Worlders talk like this? Prani was going to need a dictionary at this point.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Prani stared at Shaw. Shaw stared back at Prani. This had taken a turn for the worst faster than Shaw ever could have dreamed of in even his worst social nightmares. It was the kind of scenario that kept you awake at night. Anticipation quickly turned to desperation. Shaw felt like his insides were quivering, his stomach tying and retying itself into knots. Couldn't she just say something? Anything? Even a flat out mind your own business would have been better than this waiting. It wasn't in Prani's nature to be cruel, so she must have just really gotten the ick or was just really uncomfortable or something.

Shaw had managed to screw things up as usual.

Seconds stretched on and on, and jumping off the belfry and taking his chances with the fall was looking better and better by the minute. What was a few broken bones or a fractured spine in the grand scheme of things? When Shaw finally couldn't take the silence anymore, he ran a hand along the back of his neck and took a step away, putting some distance between the two of them. So that had been a bust. It was a punch to the gut, sure, but he didn't want to lose her friendship. "Look I'm sorry, Prani. I didn't mean to make things weird. I won't—"

Then she finally spoke, and Shaw just deflated. She didn't understand the question. He had totally forgotten that Prani wasn't up to date with modern lingo. That meant he was going to have to ask her again, but this time straight up. He deflated even more. "You know, booed up," he said, painfully aware of her brown gaze on him. What was the best way to explain this? The quickest. His words and thoughts were scattered, hastily put together and it would show. "A boo is like your significant other. Like a—a boyfriend or girlfriend."

Did he have to come right out and ask again? He swallowed hard, breaking eye contact with the teenager. "So you know... asking if you're all booed up is asking if you're—you know—single." That sounded so much worse. If he had been smart he would have let her go right on thinking he was asking about Shaw Tours. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

While Shaw was turning into a nervous mess, Prani grew progressively more confused. At some point, she stood there with her arms crossed over her chest, head tilted inquisitively. What the heck was going on? Why was he struggling so hard to get words out? She noticed he took a step back and it stung, but his whole theater following that was distracting and strange.

“Are you okay?” She blurted out at some point between his terrible explanation as he started off using the word again. By the time he finished clarifying, it was Prani’s turn to become a nervous wreck. Her face was burning hot and she stared with wide eyes. She was so flustered that the Force began to act strangely due to her strong affinity for it. The water in the bottle clutched in her hand suddenly froze into a solid block.

“Uh..I..uh..” Her head had been on Shaw Tours, so this completely sucker punched her. He was staring at her and she knew it was rude to just awkwardly stand there like an idiot, “No! I don’t have a…a boo..” She mumbled, scrunching up her face at the word. Why was a boyfriend or girlfriend called a boo? Isn’t that what ghosts said in children’s stories? Weird. Prani blinked at him, “Do you?” She blurted out before she could stop herself. She didn’t even realize how badly she wanted to know the answer to that question, but she never had the courage.

“Wait..why’re ya askin’?” Prani asked, now fidgeting with her curls, “And please just speak plainly, Shaw, you know I can’t understand them cityfolk words!” She pleaded, a hint of frustration dipping into her tone. This was a stressful enough conversation without lingo making it more confusing.

Meanwhile, Shaw would get more pings on his comms about regrouping to head out because combat Jedi were needed elsewhere.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

"No boo?" No boo. The teenager nodded, the only sign of just how relieved he was to hear that. Maybe this wasn't a total bust after all, provided he could get the next question out without making an even bigger idiot of himself. "Me?" he gestured lamely at himself. "Nah, I'm not booed up..."

A bolt of lightening streaked across the sky in the distance, herald of the approaching storm. Restless eyes landed on Prani, and before he could lose nerve saying, "Cause... I wanna ask you out, Prani." Wasn't it obvious? Maybe not. He hadn't realized himself until seconds before he had sprung the question on her. The whole situation was even more awkward now thanks to his poor choice of words, so that didn't help.

Wait. Was asking out also slang? He didn't know. He was miserably confused at this point. For once he wished he could talk more like Master Valtiere. Say something really intelligent and dignified that would catch her off guard and impress her because Shaw never said stuff like that. Master Valtiere probably had no problem asking out girls. "You know, on a date. Like a I pick you up at six and we go get dinner or go to the movies and steal glances at each other and stand awkwardly at your door for a few minutes before I drop you off at the end of the night kind of date." Was that plain enough? He was really trying. In case it was too plain, he added quickly, "I mean it can be something real casual! It doesn't have to be a big deal if you don't want it to be a big deal."

A series of alerts pinged in his pocket. It was a mercy that it had interrupted his ramblings, but that meant he had to go, didn't it? His stomach dropped, but he tried to tell himself that maybe it was for the best. Not just for him but for Prani too. He had thrown this on her out of nowhere, and she looked just as flustered as he felt and he could tell she was getting annoyed. Maybe some distance was what they needed.

As if in protest of that idea he would start to take a step closer but stopped himself. "Listen, Prani... I know I just sprung this on you out of nowhere," he said, licking his lower lip nervously, "You don't have to answer right now. You can just... just let me know next time we see each other, okay?" He would suggest through text or a phone call, a faster means of communication, but he wasn't sure that she would, and he didn't want to be left suspended any more than he already was, waiting around and constantly checking his phone for a text message or a phone call that might never come. Better to just say it face to face. To know when the answer was coming. And if she just never said anything? Well, that would be its own answer. But he knew she wouldn't leave him hanging. She wasn't the kind of girl that would do that. @Sreeya