Ask Part Of Your World

[Prani Shalrazi]

“Look, Shaw, you ain’t gon’ convince me that this grown man can’t get past some tall grass,” Prani said hotly. Prani Shalrazi was known to be laidback, shy, mellow, and kind. But for some reason playing a video game brought out all kinds of frustrations from her. As promised, she decided to give gaming a try since Shaw at least made a valiant effort with animals for her.

The past week felt like a dream. Prani still couldn’t believe that she and Shaw had such a perfect date. She couldn’t believe they were official. Prani found herself smiling and humming a lot, staring at nothing, and putting a bit more effort into her appearance. She also noticed that the bullying went down significantly since word began to get around. At most, she got glances or whispers, but no one openly teased her. Was it all because she was dating Shaw?

Her class on droid programming got out early and she knew she would have to stress over that homework for hours. It was her weakest subject by far. Since she had some time, she asked Shaw if he was up for playing some video games. Shooters were an instant no from her so he tried something else.

And it only went downhill from there.

“LOOK! This man has a SWORD in his INVENTORY!” Prani said as she pointed at the Holoscreen. They were both seated on a cheap futon, “Why can’t he just hack them grass outta the way? Makes no sense I gotta fight some monster to get through this path when I see the castle just on the other side o’these bushes. This is some nonsense!” Prani huffed, pouting at the screen. Her character was repeatedly running into the boundary of a path in an RPG, “How does this fella kill them big spiders but can’t take on plants?”

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

This was like a dream come true for Shaw. He was sitting on a futon next to Prani, watching his girlfriend play a video game. It didn't matter that the futon was cheap and looked so old and so worn that Shaw wouldn't have been surprised to learn that Jedi Master Luke Skywalker had once slept on it. It didn't matter that his room was its usual cluttered mess, although he had attempted to make a last minute effort to clean it up a little bit. Shaw hadn't had to ask Prani to play video games with him. She had asked him, and he had been sporting a grin ever since.

Dating Prani had changed everything for the better. Shaw woke up earlier, more excited than ever to get the day started because a new day meant a new opportunity to see Prani. He sought her out to sit with at every lunch hour, found excuses to hang out with her between classes, and sent her the most random texts at the most random times. He hadn't forgotten what she had said about his clothing either, about being able to 'see him,' so he opted not to wear the baggy hoodie as often and sported more tshirts.

Shaw couldn't believe that just a couple weeks ago he had sat in this exact room stuffing his face with monkey bread and brooding following his failed cookout, sending Master Valtiere late night text messages that probably left the sephi confused. Now he was sitting here with Prani by his side. All was forgiven if not necessarily forgotten yet, and they were happy. Really happy. Both of them.

Though Prani wasn't exactly happy in the moment. The next time she glanced over at Shaw she would catch him snapping a picture of her with his phone. "Gotta capture your first gamer rage moment!" he grinned, eyes shining. "I'm so proud."

Then he would explain, "It's an alpha wall. It's an invisible boundary the game developers put in." He tried to think of another explanation. "Kinda like a force barrier, you know? There isn't actually anything beyond the bushes. Nothing that will render in anyway. It's cause they want you to go that way...." He pointed toward the monster blocking the path to the castle. "Just cause the game says it's an open world doesn't mean it always is." A lesson all gamers had to learn the hard way.

He grinned over at her. "Don't be afraid to kill the monster," he teased, "It won't make the pixels sad I promise." @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

“Rage? There ain’t no rage! Rage is a path to the Dark Side!” She rattled off while scowling at the screen. When Shaw explained it was an ‘alpha wall’, Prani’s face scrunched up. Was there a beta wall then? Whatever, this was infuriating. Everything was mislabeled and this was definitely not an open world. Nevertheless, she guided the guy to walk toward the other path with the monster. She did a quick inventory check and exhaled, “Okay, ugly, let’s go.”

When Shaw made the quip about pixels, she turned to scowl at him. Prani grabbed one of the pillows on the futon and chucked it at him, smiling to herself. Despite all the hype around dating, she remembered how much she just plain liked hanging out with Shaw. He was always her friend first, and the fact that she could relax and just be her genuine self with him was a testament to that.

Once the boss fight started, Prani yelped when her character took a hit, “WHY DID MY HP GO DOWN THAT MUCH FROM JUST ONE HIT! THIS GAME IS RIGGED!” Prani screeched, furiously mashing buttons, “No no no! Wait wait stop movin’, dagnabbit, I gotta drink a potion! WAIT FOR ME TO DRINK THIS POTION!” Her character began to run in circles before jumping out of the way and running away, “Why does the music have to be so intense? It’s stressin’ me out!” She said with a grimace, chugging the potion and getting back in the fight, “I’m hittin’ the parry button combo and it ain’t doing it. Look look!” She complained. When the monster landed another attack, she gasped, “Why, I never!”

Prani almost beat the monster but the boss got a final hit in and the ‘GAME OVER’ flashed across the screen, “AWWW BOOTS!” She yelled, hurling the controller in frustration. Prani gasped and the controller was abruptly suspended in air inches away from the Holoscreen. She heaved a sigh of relief, floating the controller back and handing it to Shaw.

She was blushing furiously, “I dunno what came over me,” Prani cleared her throat, looking at Shaw as she stuck a strand of hair behind her ear, “But um.. I hope you’ll keep lettin’ me play ‘cause I’ll get that mean ogre next time. He ain't got no business standin' in the way and blockin' the path for them innocent folk,” Prani said as she looked back towards the Game Over screen.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

"Ugly?" Shaw raised an impressed eyebrow, nodding along as Prani finally gave in and followed the linear path that the game wanted her to. "I didn't know you had it in you, Prani Shalrazi." Of course it wasn't particularly hard to call a massive, hairy monster that was actively trying to kill you ugly, but Shaw was still impressed.

The miniboss hit Prani's character with the first swing. "It's because you didn't upgrade your armor, remember?" he couldn't stop himself from smiling as he watched her character pull out all the old tricks for when you didn't know what you were doing. That boss fight panic had set in and she was just trying to survive and not worry about dealing damage. Prani had had a reason for not upgrading her armor earlier in the game. Something or other about not wanting to steal the iron plates she needed for the blacksmith.

"Don't sweat it," Shaw had begun to console Prani when her character was on his last leg of health. "I didn't beat the ogre my first time ei—" He had assumed that her initial reaction would be disappointment. Her actual reaction was better than Shaw ever could have expected. She yelled out and chucked the controller at the screen. A real gamer rage moment if he had ever seen one. Shaw just stared wide eyed at first, totally shocked. Then he fell against the back of the futon and dissolved into laughter, entire body convulsing.

"First time I've seen your wild side since you stole that jet ski!" he managed to wheeze. Staring down at the unharmed controller Prani handed him, he couldn't help but tease her. "Nice save." He cocked his head to one side, lips lifted as he stared at the screen where the words G A M E O V E R glared back at them in bright red letters. "With the controller, not the game. cause ya know... you're dead." Grinning, he jumped up before she could throw another pillow at him and asked, "You want a fizzyglug? I've got a couple here." They weren't cold because he didn't have a mini fridge or anything like that, but it was still something to drink.

Shaw smiled over at her when she asked if she could still play. "Of course. You don't even have to ask." Then an idea occurred to him. "Hey, I can get you a keycard so you can come by anytime while I'm gone and play." Shaw wasn't sure how long Master Valtiere intended to keep him away from the temple this time, and he liked the idea of Prani booting up his console to play whenever she wanted to. It might as well get put to use! @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani’s embarrassment over losing emotional control was not improved by Shaw doubling over and cackling like a hyena. She sat there stewing while staring at the GAME OVER. Why did the words have to look so bold and red? As if the loss wasn’t painful enough, the words had to be emblazoned to really highlight the failure.

Remembering the jet ski, however, drew out a smile from her, “I can’t believe I went back to fill up the gas..” She mumbled, “I bet those folks were so confused when they went to use it next,” She giggled. Prani glanced over as Shaw got up to get them drinks. She was used to seeing him in hoodies and overly baggy clothing, but lately he had taken to more form-fitting attire. Prani was only recently getting used to the idea that she was allowed to check him out. He was her boyfriend. Even so, her face heated up when she looked over his broad shoulders, the budding muscles on his arms, and even his cute…was she really looking at his butt?! Prani coughed and looked away, “Uh yeah sure!” She squeaked, mortified. She was happy that the fizzyglug provided a distraction.

Prani popped open the can and took a sip, “One day I’ll take ya to Genassa with me and have you try some of the drinks we make from the local fruits,” She said with a smile. The smile faded just a bit as she remembered that she still hadn’t heard from her parents. Even for her traveling family, this was getting to be uncomfortable levels. Prani made a mental note to ask for leave soon.

When he offered to give her a keycard, her eyes widened, “Wait…for real?” She asked, genuinely shocked, “Y-You mean it? Wow, I know you’re all about your personal space,” Prani said as she cast a glance around his sty of a room. She vaguely stared at a pizza box in the corner. How long had that been there? Pretty sure since she first met him. She shook her head and looked back at him, “That’s real sweet. If you don’t mind at all, then yea,” She said with a smile, “But I’ll prolly clean this place so hide anythin’ you don’t want me to see,” Prani said with a smirk.

The thought of him being gone always bummed her out. Prani took another sip and sighed, “Why does only your Master take you away like this?” She asked moodily, “Everyone else stays around the temple. Why you gotta be gone so long?” Prani looked away, “It ain’t fair..”

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

"Wait. Did you really fill it up with gas?" Shaw glanced back over his shoulder at Prani still seated on the futon. His brown eyes softened as they met hers. He knew that she had taken the time to rope the jet ski to Chaz's boast and return it to the exact same spot were they had 'borrowed' it, but he didn't know that she had filled it up with gas too. Shaking his head fondly at her, he smiled to himself and popped the caps off the bottles of soda. "You really are out there doing the most, Prani." Something he had told her before but still wasn't over.

Sodas in hand, he sunk onto the futon beside her. "You okay?" He quirked an eyebrow. Her voice had come out in a squeak. A knowing smile crossed his lips, and he handed her one of the glass bottles. "Voice is getting hoarse from all that screaming you did, huh? Girl gone full on gamer." Had Shaw realized that she had been checking him out he would have had a very different reaction, but his back had been to her and he was a teenage boy that was too oblivious for his own good.

Shaw perked up when Prani mentioned taking him to Genassa. That... that was a big deal. He studied her out of the corner of his eye to see if she really meant it or if it was just one of those things people say but they'll never actually get around to doing. Did that mean he would get to meet her family too? That would be... that would be a really big deal, wouldn't it? Or was he overthinking it? He was overthinking it, wasn't he? "That'd be awesome," he smiled. "Bet they'd be a lot healthier than these sodas!" Yeah, he was overthinking it.

"Course I mean it!" he grinned, surprised she even had to ask. He raised a stern finger. "But you can't go cleaning my room for me. That isn't in the girlfriend duties." He looked around the room. It did look pretty bad, didn't it? What would his mom say? She wouldn't be offering to clean it for him, that was for sure! "I'll uuuhhh tidy the place up before I go, okay?" Maybe go out and buy a candle or something. Girls liked candles, right?

There was an instant change in Prani's mood when Shaw mentioned going away. He scooted closer and threw an arm around her shoulders. "You know me," he said, trying to make her smile, "I need all the extra help I can get." Then he leaned in and placed a fleeting, tentative kiss on her temple. "It'll be okay." Insides squirming, he was back on his feet again. He hoped she didn't mind. "I almost forgot I got you something while I was gone!" Maybe that would cheer her up. Shaw didn't realize that he could just listen to her and not try to fix it.

The teenager rifled around through his things, eventually finding what he was looking for in his duffel bag. Aha! He returned to Prani with two pieces of paper, well worn sheet music. "Bought these on Jedha after I constructed my lightsaber." He had had some time to kill after Master Valtiere had left and hadn't wanted to return to Prani empty handed, so he had wandered through the marketplace. It wasn't like he could pick her something up on Cularin. There had been a pretty plant he had found and attempted to repot, but when he brought it on board Master Valtiere informed him that it was extremely poisonous, so it had to be thrown out.

Shaw couldn't read sheet music, but he had liked the words. "Thought you might want to add them to your repertoire." He grinned, hoping she liked them. "This one's my favorite," he pointed. Like any self respecting teenage boy Shaw liked the part about Ragnar's ugly red head rolling around on the floor. But Prani would probably like the other one better. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani turned even redder when Shaw pointed out about her voice. Why was she such a mess around him still? She only laughed and nodded along, focusing on drinking the fizzy soda. She quirked a brow at him when he offered to clean his room instead. He was willing to clean the room himself despite her being more than happy to do it? Prani grinned at him, “All right then, but I don’t mind, you know that right?” She said, “What’s considered ‘girlfriend duties’ anyway?” She asked curiously.

Her mind was on him being away when Shaw wrapped an arm around her shoulders. This still made her heart skip a beat, but it didn’t plunge her into nervous anxiety like before. Prani sighed and leaned against him, one of her hands coming up to brush over his, “You don’t need extra help,” She said defiantly, but she knew he was just giving platitudes about a situation he couldn’t change. The kiss against her temple made her heart race faster. Prani turned to look towards him, but he was already moving away.

Prani’s mind was still on that tender gesture, coming out of her reverie when he came back with sheets of music. She smiled at them, “I’ll learn ‘em right away!” She said brightly, taking a look. Prani already began to hum the song he said he liked, “Thank you,” She said as she smiled up at him. She very carefully placed the sheets in her bag.

She chewed her lip nervously as she kept staring at her bag, “Hey um.. I made ya somethin’ and I dunno it’s prolly stupid and I’m not trying to act like I’m stakin’ a claim or somethin’ like that. I mean I guess in a way? I mean but then again not. It’s really just meant to be an inside joke ‘cause I didn’t know what the heck ya meant when you first said it and then I guess in a way maybe it’ll stop them others girls from..wait but that’s not the reason because like I ain’t tryin’ to act like I’m some controllin’ person or… but I thought it’d be cute seein’ it next to your other one since it shows where we started and where we’re at now and..” She looked at him. He was staring at her, “Oh gosh, Shaw, why don’t ya ever stop me from ramblin’? Golly…” She mumbled before reaching into her bag and pulling out a handmade bracelet. It was similar in design to the friendship bracelet but with extra colorful beads and then a few that spelled out the words ‘BOOED UP’. Prani blushed furiously as she held it up.

“Aww never mind, this is silly,” She blurted awkwardly as she started to put it away.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

"I know," Shaw said, brown eyes muted and heart full. It wasn't her dropping a hint or trying to make him feel guilty. It wasn't even one of those half-hearted 'Fine, I'll do it myself' comments. She really meant it, and she really didn't mind. Shaw knew all that, but he still wasn't going to let her clean his room for him. She was his girlfriend, not his maid. "But you already do enough for me, don't you think?" That was a rhetorical question, but he realized that she would probably try to answer it so he continued. "Girlfriend duties? Hmm let me see..."

He made a silly, contemplative face and stared up at the ceiling. "Oh you know—hand holding, borrowing my hoodie when you're cold and never giving it back, stealing fries off my plate..." Then he looked over at her and answered a little more seriously, "Being there for me through the ups and the downs. Not giving up on me when I fail. Telling me off when I screw up. Believing in me through it all." His voice trailed off, and he cleared his throat. He had just made it awkward, hadn't he? Way to lay your insecurities bare. Shaw. "You know... stuff like that." So pretty much "Just... being you. What—what about boyfriend duties?" Did that pretty much sum up boyfriend duties too or were there a few things she wanted to add?

When Prani said she had brought something Shaw perked up and glanced at her bag. "So long as it's not your droid programming homework," he grinned, "You know I won't be any help." Then Prani started rambling. Shaw didn't stop her because he was genuinely curious about what she had to say, and more than a little confused about what she was trying to say up until she pulled the gift out. Then it clicked, and he understood why she was so worked up and embarrassed. She didn't have any reason to be. Her wanting to 'claim him' was—to use a saying Prani probably wouldn't understand—the biggest green flag. It meant she was proud of him. That she wasn't embarrassed by him. Honestly? He found it hot, but he couldn't tell Prani that.

"Prani," he said almost sternly, grabbing her hands before she could put the boo bracelet away. "It's not silly. It's my new favorite accessory," he said, recalling what he had said that first day they had met. He meant every word, eyes memorizing the intricate bracelet and lighting up when he read what the beads said. He met her gaze and smiled, holding his wrist out for her to tie it on next to the friendship bracelet. "You mind doing the honors?" Then, "You going to wear one too? Cause I'm not even going to pretend like I don't want to claim you." @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Half the things he listed made little sense to her for ‘girlfriend duties’. Why would she steal his food or hoodie? She couldn’t deny that the oversized hoodies did look incredibly cozy, but to not give it back? Prani stared in wonder, realizing there were lots of little nuances to this whole dating thing she had to get down. When he listed the rest, she smiled, knowing she did a lot of that already. When he asked her, she blinked in surprise. Truthfully, she hadn’t given this any thought, “Um… what ya already do. You always lift me up when I'm down, I feel like I always got someone in my corner and you also support me even when I don't,” She said with a smile, “Oh, but you need to tell me when to hush,” Prani said with a giggle, “I go on ramblin’ and you just let me spiral outta control. But most importantly..” She grasped his wrist, running a thumb over the first bracelet she ever got him, “Don’t stop bein’ my friend. No matter what happens, I ain’t ever want us to stop bein’ friends.”

His reaction to the new bracelet was better than anything she could have expected. Prani was reminded of the very first day they met in that tavern during winter. She remembered that boy who felt so out of place among other padawans but cheered up from the bracelet. Prani smiled widely and tied the bracelet, though she coughed and blushed intensely at his casual remark about claiming her, “Golly, Shaw..” She mumbled as she often did when he said anything that made her whole body heat up.

“I’ll wear one too, but you gotta make it,” Prani said with a smirk, “I ain’t about to make my own girlfriend bracelet,” She said with a giggle. Prani paused to admire the new bracelet next to the old one, smiling fondly at them both.

Prani rose to stand, glancing at Shaw, “Are ya busy tonight? There’s a fair downtown I was hopin’ to check out. I think a lotta people we know might go there,” She said. Prani may have been unfamiliar with a lot of city living, but she did know fairs.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

"But I like it when you ramble," Shaw said, all smiles, "It's cute." But the teenager would make a mental note to try and intervene where he could whenever she rambled since she had specifically requested it. He just wasn't quite sure how she expected him to do that yet, but he supposed he would figure it out on the fly. That was how he usually figured things out.

Brown eyes drifted between Prani and the friendship bracelet and then back again. A comfortable warmth settled in his face. Shaw's heart felt full. Really, truly full. "You don't need to worry about that, Prani. I'm not going anywhere." He held the friendship bracelet up just like he had that day by the lake. "You're stuck with me, remember?" Teasing her, he added with a big grin, "Even if you run off with that swole Kyle Ren impersonator from the museum. Don't play innocent with me. I saw the way you were eyeing him."

Shaw didn't hesitate to agree to make Prani's boo bracelet, nodding emphatically. "You're gonna have the second best boo bracelet there ever was!" Second because hers was the first and he didn't kid himself that he could top it. "Think you could send me a tutorial or something? I made a necklace once, but it was pretty cheugy." He still wore it anyway. Just because he was good at braiding his little sister's hair didn't mean he would be good at braiding a bracelet. Did you even braid a bracelet? "What's your favorite colors?"

A fair sounded like a lot of fun. "Never too busy for you," Shaw grinned, hopping up. "Let's go!" He threw open the door to his dorm and followed her out into the hallway. They hadn't made it five steps before his hand sought hers out, squeezing it tight. "This gives me the chance to really show you off. Just in case anyone didn't already know we're together." He shot her a playful look. "What? You thought this would be a soft launch?"

That was when his dataphone dinged. Once. Twice. Three times. Shaw ignored it. This was his time with Prani! Whatever it was would just have to wait. Then it went off a fourth, fifth, and sixth time. Giving her an apologetic look, Shaw pulled his phone out to check. Then, "Uhhhhhh you mind if we make a little detour on the way to the fair?" @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani looked mortified when he brought up the Kylo Ren actor from the museum re-enactment. She recalled how she was thinking back to her sappy star-crossed novels and gawking when he effortlessly carried Rey away. Instead of dying in embarrassment, she playfully traced a finger along Shaw's bicep, “Well with you workin’ out so much, I’m only gonna have eyes for you,” She said with a laugh before immediately turning red. It was one of her first attempts at flirting so hopefully she didn’t completely botch it. All those other girls had no problem making snappy remarks like that to Shaw, so why couldn’t she?! And they weren't even his girlfriend, darn it!

As they stepped out, Prani ignored the usual glances that came their way. It was no secret they were dating with how often they met up for lunch or held hands between the halls. Initially, Prani tried to be lowkey simply because she hated that much attention, but Shaw was not having it. Over time she grew comfortable displaying their relationship in public. Lunch period still consisted of the jock-type Jedi casting glances and wondering why Shaw didn’t want to join them or Stacy glaring from a distance. Everyone got the hint and didn’t bother to say anything anymore.

“Have ya been to fairs before?” Prani asked, “I know they ain’t too big on them city planets,” She said. She couldn’t imagine a fair like the one downtown being set up on a dense ecumenopolis like Coruscant. Her thoughts were interrupted when Shaw’s dataphone rang off the hook. She wasn’t surprised - he was still Mr. Popular after all. However, when he kept choosing not to answer, Prani quirked a brow, “Are ya gonna get that?” She mumbled before he finally said something about a detour.

“Sure,” She said, “Everythin’ okay?”

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Shaw just stared, brown eyes torn between the flushed expression on Prani's face and the path her finger traced along his arm. It tingled and stiffened involuntarily beneath her touch. His mouth suddenly felt very moist as he managed to say, "You uuuuhh noticed, huh?"

He had never considered the fact that Prani might notice or care about stuff like that. He wasn't sure why he had never thought about it before, but he certainly was thinking about it now. Was it conceited of him to to be flattered she had noticed? Selfish of him to hope she said it again sometime? Probably so, but it still got his stomach doing backflips. As if Master Valtiere hadn't already given the teenager all the motivation he needed to train as hard as he could. Nothing like a little touch from Prani to make Shaw want to hit the gym every chance he got.

"Never," Shaw shook his head when she asked if he had ever been to the fair before. He was excited to try something new out. Even more excited to get to experience it with Prani. "What should I expect?" He hesitated, a thought occurring to him. "Uhhh will there be a lot of animals there?" Shaw knew being around animals came hand in hand with dating Prani. He just wanted to be prepared was all.

The series of text messages he had received hadn't exactly been coherent, so the best answer he could give Prani at present was, "Not sure." He shrugged as they veered off the path that led toward town. The fair would have to wait for now. At least Prani was a good sport about it.

At the edge of the lake Prani and Shaw stood by several of the LARPers most loyal members. It looked like they had been in the middle of a small scale reenactment when one of them had texted Shaw. Each of them looked as frazzled as the next, although the padawan dressed up in a DIY Master Yoda costume looked particularly freaked out. "Dude. Tell me again what happened," Shaw said, staring into the water with a thoughtful expression on his face. Something black was floating around in it.

"We don't know!" Drew exclaimed, starting to panic. "Simon got pissed off when Alex hit him in the shin with his lightsaber, and he tossed it into the lake, and when Alex swam out to get it—he just disappeared! Screamed and called for help and then sunk and then just—gone!"

Simon, the one dressed up like Master Yoda, stepped forward. "It wasn't my fault! Rules are no contact—"

"Oh shut up," Drew barked, looking between Prani and Shaw. "I—I swam out after him but I can't see anything with this black stuff floating around. It's been like fifteen minutes! I'm afraid he's drowned or something!" @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani could tell this was stressing Shaw out, so she reached down her hand to grasp his. His dataphone was constantly buzzing. She glanced up when he asked about the fair, chuckling as he asked about animals, “There might be some, but it definitely ain’t like the pettin’ zoo,” She said. She wouldn’t laugh about the eopie incident, but she couldn’t deny it was a comically unfortunate sequence of events.

When they arrived by the lake, Prani’s jaw dropped when they relayed the situation.

“Why didn’t y’all call a Knight?!” She asked, quickly running to the edge of the lake to see the strange black film coating the surface of the water, “What have ya been doin’ for fifteen minutes?!”

“Um well, we didn’t wanna get in trouble-”

“OH GOD I’VE KILLED ALEX!” Simon screamed, clutching his head. He began to bawl, his green makeup running down his face.

“IS HE DEAD? YOU THINK FIFTEEN MINUTES IS TOO LONG?”

“Calm yer fathier,” Prani said with a sigh, “Alex pays attention in classes. He’ll at least know Breath Control..” She said, trying to make her voice sound bolder than it was. As she spoke, she used a hairtie to put her hair up in a ponytail, “Call a Knight!”

“Gosh, Simon you’re just too much,” Jax, one of the other boys huffed.

“Look, we need a strategy,” Said Carl, dragging Shaw into a bro huddle, “How badly are we screwed if we tell a Knight?”

“They’d shut us down!”

“IT’S A KID IN THE WATER!”

“Oh man Alex was such a good kid,” Simon sniffled, wiping his snot and green paint on his Yoda sleeve, “If he’s alive somehow I’m letting him borrow my ZBox anytime he wants..”

There was a splash in the background that was muffled by all the boys bickering and panicking. At some point, Drew tugged on Shaw’s sleeve, “Hey um.. I think your girl just dove into the water..”

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

All four teenage boys stared at Prani as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. Jax was just the first one to vocalize it. "Because we're not supposed to be out here! Do you know how many weekends we've spent in detention this month alone!?" He was hot under the collar, clearly annoyed with Shaw for bringing Prani along, but it was hard to take him seriously when he was dressed up in a torn crop top and a pair of pants that were way too short for him.

Before Alex had gone missing and Prani and Shaw had arrived on the scene the teenagers had been reenacting the Battle of Geonosis. Someone had to play Senator Amidala since the select female LARPers the group had enjoyed had recently bailed after 'simping drama.' Shaw had only heard about. He didn't really know all the details. Just that Jax must have drawn the short straw today and it had put him in a sour mood. "We call a knight and we're screwed!"

Between a 6'5" Simon that had hit his growth spurt early and showed no signs of slowing down bawling his eyes out and the other three bickering about what they ought to do next, it was hard to focus. Getting in a huddle didn't really do anything to help them come up with a game plan, but it made them feel like they were coming up with a game plan. Up until there was a distant splash and Drew tugged on Shaw's sleeve.

"PRANI!" But she was already gone. The lake water rippled out from where she had dove in. Shaw followed, wading in after her.

"DUUUDE!" Drew called out, waving his arms. "Where are you going!?" Did Shaw really have an answer for that? Not really. Just... after Prani and Alex!

"CAN I HAVE YOUR LIGHTSABER IF YOU DON'T MAKE IT BACK!?" Carl called. Once word had gotten around that Master Valtiere had crafted the hilt it was the envy of many a padawan.

Shaw didn't answer. Just tossed his dataphone at the group. Simon reached out for it, but all the running green makeup made his hands slippery and the device was dashed against the rocks and cracked. "Just do what she said! Call a knight!" Water up to his neck, Shaw dove.

Meanwhile, while all of the boys were distracted on the shore, Prani would discover that this didn't feel like the same lake she and Shaw had capsized their canoe in that day. This water was stagnate and still. Unsettlingly still. The dark film across the surface of the water made it difficult to see two feet in front of you, even with the bright and glaring sun of late afternoon overhead.

There was a black liquid all around her, as if someone had dumped a barrel of ink into the lake, but as soon as she hit the water it spread out and created a pocket of water around the teenager. Prani would have a few seconds to observe the foreign fluid. It appeared to be lifeless, as stagnate as the water it floated in. But Prani, ever attune to nature and connected to the force that flowed through her, would sense that there was something off about it. That it almost... pulsed?

Then it would gradually begin to close in around her, as if it had been studying her just as she had been studying it, and that pocket of water would be gone. The liquid began to move and bend, taking shape as it attempted to snake its way around her legs and arms like black chords of rope. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani was prepared when she dove in, so she formed an air bubble around herself with the Force. It was a complex, and yet crucial technique taught to Padawans. Of course, most still didn’t practice it or pay attention so they hardly got it down. The liquid around her was black and seemed to react to her presence. Before long, it began to form into tangible shapes to grasp her and pull her under.

The anxiety almost threw her concentration, but she knew losing her focus would cost her life. Prani called on the Light, using it to form a shining beacon that would illuminate and cut through the darkness. She did not fight against the dark tendrils that grasped her, but she unleashed the vivid light in an attempt to make them withdraw and to reveal a path down.

‘Alex!’ She spoke through the Force, trying to reach through the depths to sense for him. Prani wasn’t strong enough to keep up multiple Force uses, so she could only focus on trying to find a way through the darkness.

Meanwhile, the four guys would try to jump on Shaw and physically yank him out, “DUDE DON’T GO IN THERE!”

“LOOK AT THE WATER! IT’S COMING TO LIFE! WE GOTTA GET OUTTA IT!”

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

"Let... go... of me!" Shaw struggled to get the words out as four teenagers jumped and restrained him. He was dunked under the water at first by their combined weight, and then they began to drag him back towards the shore of the lake. Waist deep in the water all five boys struggled with each other, a collection of uncoordinated arms and legs that splashed around in the water. No one knew who was doing what or whose arm it was they were holding or who they had just bumped into or who had just smacked them across the face on (hopefully) accident. It was a pathetic display of testosterone.

They were all soaking wet by the time Shaw managed to throw three of them off, using some of the techniques Master Valtiere had taught him and some of the moves Nash had shown him once upon a time. He sent them tumbling backwards toward the shore with a force push. It was just Simon that he couldn't shake. The lumbering teenager refused to let go of Shaw, large arms wrapped around his midsection and face pressed against his chest. Green makeup was getting all over Shaw's shirt. "Bro! Get OFF me!" Shaw would yell, dragging Simon deeper into the water in an attempt to shake him.

"NO!" Simon wailed. "WE'VE ALREADY LOST TOO MANY MEN TODAY!"

Shaw had had enough. Alex was missing. Prani was out of sight and hadn't surfaced. He propelled the other teenager with the force, took a deep breath, and dove underwater. Just as something from beneath snaked around his legs and someone from above grabbed ahold of his wrist.

A brilliant light shot forth from Prani's hands and cut through the darkness. The darkness parted around her again, just as it had before. But this time it shrank from her, keeping its distance as the beacon blazed a path toward the bottom of the lake. Prani would be able to see that here the lake was much deeper than any of the teenagers might have imagined. More encouraging she would be able to sense a faint presence in the force. Alex, perhaps?

A path had been illuminated—one that she could follow if she chose and that would eventually lead her to a blue hole. An underwater air-filled cave. The dark amorphous lingered, waiting for an opportunity to seize her once more and drag her to the depths. If it could not do that, waiting to surround her on every side that would cut her off from the surface. There was nowhere to go but down. @Sreeya

dice roll 12/20

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani had no idea that Shaw jumped into the water after her. Her focus was solely on retrieving Alex. There was little thought to her own safety and she actively pushed away fear beginning to creep in. It took a lot of focus and strength to keep that air bubble and the Light to push the tendrils away.

Because of the brilliant light, the path she cut through the water was cleared to follow if Shaw swam fast and stayed close. Eventually, Prani climbed into that cave, popping up to take a gasp of air. She took deep breaths, looking around to find the next path. She could feel Alex, but it was faint. She guessed he had applied Breath Control to shut down his airways and preserve himself, but he was unconscious.

There was a splash and she jumped back, staring as Shaw popped up. The faint light Prani produced was the only thing illuminating the underwater cavern. She stared at him wide-eyed, her hair matted to her face, “What’re you doin’ down here?!” She asked breathlessly, clearly exhausted from applying so many Force powers, “Darn it, Shaw, it’s too dangerous down here! I don’t even know what that black stuff is!” She said between catching her breath. The hypocrisy in her statement went right over her head.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Shaw felt like he had been sucked directly into a whirlpool. Something had wrapped itself around his legs, constricting his movements and flinging him one direction and then another. Something else had wrapped itself around his midsection as soon as he'd been drug underwater. Someone to be more specific—Simon. Shaw couldn't see a thing, not until they had been plunged deeper into the water and he caught sight of traces of light. Then whatever had had ahold of his ankles relinquished its grip. The beacon had cut a path directly through the darkness, a path that he could follow.

It wasn't easy, not with Simon clutching to him and nearly choking the life out of him every leg of the swim. He wasn't sure if the big guy didn't know how to swim or if he was just really scared. Not that Shaw could blame him. He was terrified too, whatever that black stuff that floated directly behind him the entire time a great motivator to keep moving.

Shaw came up with a splash, dragging Simon up with him. He spluttered and beat on his chest a few times as he crawled on hands and knees onto dry ground. Between Simon and whatever that dark amorphous was, he had swallowed a lot of water.

Relief washed over him when he looked up to see Prani standing there safe and sound. She looked exhausted, but at least she was safe. "What am I doing?" he coughed, standing up and trying to catch his breath. "What are you doing? Why are you always running off without any explanation?" Back on Lothal. At the cookout—okay, that one didn't count because that had been Shaw's fault. But Lothal totally counted. Now she had dove headfirst into a lake and hadn't even given him a head's up! She could have died or something!

Simon just sat there awkwardly, half his green makeup gone and his little Yoda ears sitting lopsided atop his head. @Sreeya

dice 14/20

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

There was a second splash as Simon popped up as well. Prani had to bite back the urge to bury her face in her hands. This was a mess to begin with and now there was a random guy that got dragged in. How the giant dude even managed to get into the cave without collapsing it was a wonder. Prani’s focus was back on Shaw when he threw accusations at her.

“And why do ya think I don’t ever know what I’m doin’?” Prani shot back, still gasping in between speaking, “You act like I gotta ask you before I go and do somethin’ any Jedi would do! You ain’t ever ask me before you leave for 6 months at a time or charge head first into combat missions, Shaw Amaris, so don't even…” She blurted out, emotions starting to seep in. Prani noticed Simon sitting there mortified, one of his prosthetic ears slowly sliding down the side of his head.

Her face flushed as she realized she was standing in an underground cave arguing with her boyfriend. Prani took a breath, “Look I’m sorry…” She chewed her lip, “L-Let’s just get Alex…I think he’s alive..”

“Hey um..guys.. I don’t really wanna go deeper..” Simon whimpered, adding to their dilemma.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Shaw blinked. It wasn't that he didn't think she knew what she was doing. Shaw had always believed in Prani. She had certainly saved his butt enough times. Sometimes from outside forces, sometimes from his own severe lack of forethought or... any thought at all for that matter. It was just that she ran off to do it without ever telling him what she was doing or that she was even doing it in the first place. "I didn't say you had to ask me, but a head's up would just be nice—that's all! A quick 'Hey Shaw, I'm jumping into this spooky lake and may never see you again!' or something!"

What she said about him leaving for six months and charging into combat did strike a chord with him, but he wouldn't say anything about it for now. He was looking between Prani and Simon, the focus of her attention at present, and got the idea. Prani had been kind enough not to discuss their problems at the cookout in front of Caul. If Prani didn't want to hash this out in front of Simon, he would return the favor. She was right anyway. They needed to find Alex and get out of this place before whatever that thing in the water was came back.

"We've got to," Shaw said, slipping an arm under Simon's armpit and trying to pull him to his feet. Dude wasn't budging. There was a dazed look in his eyes. Shaw strained. "Come oooon, Simon..."

Simon crossed his arms and shook his head aggressively. One of the lopsided Yoda ears smacked Shaw across the face. "No! I'm staying right here! I don't want to be down here!"

"You're —you're the one—" but that wasn't going to work on Simon. Shaw drug a hand across his face and tried another route. "Prani says Alex is alive. He's counting on us to come and find him!" Shaw felt like he was talking to his little sister, trying to get her to do something she didn't want to do, not a teenager twice his size. "You—you don't want to lose a good man, do you?" The LARPers were loyal to a fault. Shaw wasn't sure if it was going to work or not at first, but eventually Simon sniffed, nodded, and stood up.

Up ahead Prani would still be able to sense Alex's presence in the force—weak but still alive. If they followed it, the cavern would wind and gradually become more narrow until they reached a crevice where stone had cracked. It was just big enough to squeeze through if they dared, and Prani would know that Alex was just on the other side. If Prani peeked through the opening she would catch a glimpse of Alex, sprawled out supine and surrounded by little pools of water. @Sreeya

persuasion dice roll 19/20