Ask Onderon It's A Man's World

[Jaster Kovan]

Three. Two. One.

The moment that green fingers became a fist, a cluster of birds took to the air as two boys dashed out from the barrels on either side of the fruit stand. One grabbed an apple red as a human boy’s face when you pulled down his pants in the middle of the street, and the other grabbed a lemon yellow as the sun. Then they both broke and ran in opposite directions, ignoring the shouts of the vendor behind them and grinning from ear to ear like they had just won the huttball tournament.

Because why not? It was fun.

Pumped full of adrenaline and spurred on despite his chest fighting for every breath as he sprinted, Jaster raced down the street, his apple in his hand. He’d always been the faster one— he was confident that he would reach the meeting spot first, as usual.

Thinking of the pouty look on his friend’s face when they would get there, however, Jaster failed to register the person coming down the sidewalk just then. His dreams of glory were all but interrupted when he crashed headfirst into said person, sending his apple flying out of his hand. The only thing he didn’t know was that this person was a Jedi Padawan.

@LouJoVi

 

[Zessel]

There wasn’t anything extraordinary regarding Zessel’s visit on Onderon. It was the typical help the locals stuff that the Jedi were used to doing. After Raze left his pet loose on the planet, everything went to hell. Including the royal house. The authorities were slowly reorganizing, but the criminals were using this opportunity to do what they are good at: committing crimes.

The mission of the day was to help the local authorities catch some criminals. It had everything to be a very action packed mission, right? No! Because he was partnered with the most boring Jedi that ever existed. Knight Urlon Turim was an old Morellian, and when Zessel means old, he means ancient. The Padawan was sure that the man helped change the diapers of Master Yoda.

Anyway, he was old and boring. Urlon didn’t allow Zessel to help in tracking the criminals, something about it being too dangerous. ‘Dude, I fought cannibals. It wasn’t a bunch of crooks that would trouble me.’ the half-Arkanian thought, since saying it would have no effect whatsoever besides ending getting in trouble.

Besides, he was pretty sure that Urlon was half deaf.

Since he was left behind, Zessel decided to tour the city and get footage for a video about Onderon, while simultaneously buying ingredients that he could use in baking. Well, it was his plan until someone collided against him. “Don’t you look where you go?” he said, before turning to look at the person. To his surprise, the half-Arkanian saw only a boy. “Who are you?”

@Sicadorito

 

[Jaster Kovan]

While the person he’d run into didn’t seem fazed by the crash, Jaster wasn’t so lucky and fell back onto his rump instead. When the Mirialan looked up, he saw a pair of pale gray-blue eyes looking back at him. They belonged to a teenager from the looks of it… a teenager that was now talking down to him as if he were some mere child.

“‘Course I was looking!” Jaster jumped back up to his feet, glaring accusingly up at the teenager. “You were in my way!” If he hadn’t been walking in the middle of Jaster’s path, this wouldn’t even be a problem. Now he’d lost both his apple, hit his head, and he was sure that Ori would get back first and it was all this guy’s fault.

There was no way Jaster would catch up to his friend now, so he might as well make it very clear to him that he was very displeased.

At the white-haired boy’s follow up question, he pointed a thumb toward himself. “I’m Jaster. You can call me J,” he declared before crossing his arms and looking the other boy up and down. A blue and white metal cylinder at his hip, exposed by their earlier contact, caught Jaster’s eye. His clothes, too, marked him as an outsider. Jaster narrowed his eyes. “And who are you? You’re not from around here… Jedi.” Or maybe he was Sith, but was there really a difference?

@LouJoVi

 

[Zessel]

Zessel’s eyebrow twitched when the boy talked back to him. “If you were looking, then you would have seen me coming.” the half-Arkanian said, mentally counting up to ten. He was getting better in controlling his temperament. Besides, he would be a total jerk if he burst out with a child. Like, how old was that boy? Five? Seven?

The half-Arkanian listened while the boy identified himself. “Okay, Jaster. I’m Zessel, nice to meet you.” he said, nodding at the Mirialan and offering a hand for him to shake. “You have a good eye. I’m really a Jedi.” it wasn’t very difficult for the kid to identify him as one, since Knight Turin forced him to dress in the traditional robes for this mission.

Honestly, Zessel didn’t dislike dressing this way. However, if he could avoid wearing that stuff, he would be happier.

Then, Zessel turned to look at the apple that the Mirialan dropped. “Sorry for it.” the half-Arkanian gestured to the fruit with his head. Good, now he was feeling guilty for having bumped against the boy. “Do you want me to buy another one?” he scratched the back of his neck. He was terrible with small kids. Last time that he had to deal with younglings, he had made all of them cry.

@Sicadorito

 

[Jaster Kovan]

Jaster scowled when the teenager pointed out the obvious. He knew what he said about not looking ahead of him was true, but he didn’t have to say it out loud. When he complimented him for having a good eye, identified himself as a Jedi, and offered him a hand to shake though, Jaster’s frown disappeared and turned into a barely suppressed grin instead. Maybe he had been upset about losing his apple and the race, but this was the first time he’d met a Jedi.

“Nice to meet you too.” Jaster took Zessel’s hand and shook it hard. His father had always emphasized the importance of a firm handshake. And with a Jedi it would probably have to be even stronger for them to feel it. This one hadn’t even reacted when he’d been running full speed into him! At least he was kind enough to apologize about the apple and offer to buy him another one.

“No, it’s okay.” Jaster studied Zessel, cocking his head slightly to the side as he looked up at him. “Is it true that Jedi have super strength? And that they can make things float?” He pointed to the apple on the ground. “Can you make that float?”

@LouJoVi

 

[Zessel]

Zessel shook the boy’s hand, feeling a bit surprised with the strength that he was using to shake it. He would say that it was even a bit painful, but his face remained neutral. The half-Arkanian wasn’t going to complain of pain because a child was somehow crushing his hand. He was a Jedi and older than Jaster, it would be shameful if he did it.

However, he wondered how someone so small could have such a strong grip.

What he expected, however, was the fact that Jaster would bombard him with questions. It was natural that someone so young would be excited about meeting a Jedi, especially when it happened for the first time. “Yes, we can have super strength when we use the Force to increase the power of our punches and kicks.”

The half-Arkanian turned to look at the apple. Making it float wasn’t going to be a problem and would be very easy. “Look at that!” he grinned at Jaster and opened a hand toward the fallen fruit. Focusing on the Force, it started to shake before flying toward him. Zessel grabbed it.

“See? It’s easy.” the half-Arkanian said, while throwing the fruit up and down on his open hand. “Isn’t it cool? With proper focus, I can make a lot of stuff fly, including you.” he wasn’t in that level yet, but the boy didn’t need to know that. "So, why are you running? Got in trouble?"

@Sicadorito

 

[Jaster Kovan]

Jaster’s brow perked up. Having extra strong punches and kicks sounded awesome! It would be like being in an action holomovie. Just looking at him now in his Jedi robes, he could picture Zessel as a superhero, one of those Jedi in the films that saved an entire system. But that thought seemed even more real when the apple on the ground started to shake. Then it lifted up and flew into Zessel’s hand!

“Whoa!” Jaster mirrored the Jedi’s grin, and he stared wondrously at the fruit in Zessel’s hand. The thought that his powers could be applied to even bigger things like Jaster himself was almost too much to comprehend. “So cool!” He answered Zessel earnestly.

As for his last question though, Jaster couldn’t help looking down at his feet.

“Ehm… I was on the way to meet a friend.” It wasn’t a complete lie. He looked up to meet Zessel’s gaze again after that, a proud smirk on his face. “It’s okay though, I’ll let him win this time. I always beat him in our races. And he didn’t get to meet a Jedi!” Then a thought struck him.

“Ya know, I think he would really love to meet you.” He looked at Zessel for another moment before suddenly reaching out and grabbing the Jedi’s hand. “Come on! I’ll show you our spot. It’s only a few blocks away.” Then he started to pull Zessel along with him, regardless of whatever protests he might give.

@LouJoVi

 

[Zessel]

”Yes, it’s very cool.” Zessel said, still playing with the fruit. The admiration that Jaster showed had made his smile grow. Since the number of followers of his baking channel increased and he won the Teens Baking All Stars, the Padawan had got a lot of attention and he really loved that.

As if wanting to impress the Mirialan a bit more, Zessel made the apple float a bit over his open hand.

He listened to Jaster’s explanation why he was running, but immediately noticed that there was more to the story than the Mirialan was revealing. Zessel could feel it through the Force. However, he decided to remain silent and accept the boy’s excuse. The half-Arkanian wasn’t going to inquire about these details.

It could creepy him out, and Zessel didn’t want to lose a fan.

“Lead the way!” he said to Jaster, before smiling. Zessel couldn’t wait to impress another person with his Force abilities. Maybe he would win another fan. He would let himself be carried by the Mirialan, turning to look at his surroundings. The pair would pass near a magazine stand where a poster was announcing the new edition of the Bakers magazine was being sold.

And Zessel was in the cover, since it was one of the prizes for winning the Teens Baking All Stars.

@Sicadorito

 

[Jaster Kovan]

Floating apples and all, Jaster couldn’t wait for Zessel to show everything he’d just seen to Ori. He couldn’t wait to see the look on his friend’s face when he would tell him that he’d run into a Jedi! Zessel would be like a celebrity in their friend group, and Jaster would be the one who found him.

Grinning along with Zessel, the two would head down the street before they passed a magazine stand run by a human man. The man was reading one of his own magazines, the one that the poster was advertising. Jaster had to pause when he looked at it. He looked at the face plastered on the front cover. Then he looked at Zessel. Then back at the magazine. Back at the Jedi.

“Wait…” Letting Zessel’s hand go, Jaster moved up for a closer look. The man didn’t pay him any mind and focused on the magazine. Grabbing one quickly and hiding it using his clothes, Jaster would scurry his way back to Zessel and show him the cover, a triumphant grin on his face.

“Look! This baker looks just like you.” Just then, he heard a shout from behind him.

“HEY! YOU! You have to PAY for that magazine!” The man had finally put his magazine down, and now had traded it for a bat. Jaster’s eyes widened. He would have returned it anyway... maybe.

“Uh oh. We need to run!”

@LouJoVi

 

[Zessel]

”What happened?” the half-Arkanian asked when Jaster let go of his arm. He watched the boy run toward a magazine stand, where some posters announced the new editions of some of the publications that were being sold. Zessel saw his picture on the cover of the baker one and understood why the Mirialan ran there. The boy probably thought that he was famous.

He was so distracted by thinking that the boy was a new fan that he didn’t notice the Mirialan stealing a magazine.

A large smile appeared on Zessel’s lips when Jaster returned. “It’s because this baker is me. I won an important competition and…” he couldn’t finish because the owner of the stand appeared screaming and running toward them. The half-Arkanian frowned and turned to look at the green-skinned boy. “Did you pay for that?”

Apparently not, because the Mirialan wanted to run. Zessel moved his hand to his pockets, already prepared to pick some credits. However, he found nothing. Damn, he had forgot his wallet on the ship! “It seems like a good idea, but leave the magazine here.” he said, geturing for Jaster to do it.

@Sicadorito

 

[Jaster Kovan]

“No.” The word slipped out of Jaster’s mouth when Zessel asked if he had paid for it, and as the man marched closer, the boy realized that he looked familiar. He’d stolen from this man before… a comic book. But this time the man was prepared, and that bat looked extremely intimidating.

When Jaster saw that Zessel didn’t have the credits for the paper, he decided to listen to the Jedi’s advice and drop the magazine instead of running. But the man didn’t stop, and he looked as determined as ever to teach the Mirialan a lesson he most likely would never forget.

Driven by instinct, Jaster pulled Zessel’s hand so that the Jedi would end up in front of him, using him as a shield.

“W-wait! Look! This is Zessel from the magazine! From the baking competition! He’s famous! He’s a celebrity! Everyone knows him!” Jaster squeezed his eyes shut, terrified of what would happen, but to his relief the man’s footsteps stopped.

“Huh?” Jaster peeked out from behind Zessel, and the man was squinting at him, his bat lowered.

“You’re this Zessel?” He gestured to the magazine on the floor with his bat. He paused for a few heartbeats before he glared at Jaster. “What the kark is a star like you doin’ with this moron?”

@LouJoVi

 

[Zessel]

Zessel watched while the boy slowly placed the magazine on the ground. However, it wasn’t enough to make the man stop walking toward them. The dude looked so mad, even more than what could be considered normal for someone that had a simple magazine stolen by a small child.

Unless, it wasn’t the first time that said small child stole from this man.

Shit, he was carrying a bat. What did Jaster do to make him that furious?

And now, said small child was hiding behind him. The white-haired boy didn’t expect that he would end becoming the accomplice of burglary. Even less that Jaster would use his fame to stop the man from trying to avenge the theft. The Padawan could be happy for his face being in a magazine, but he was aware that it was only read by a certain niche of people.

The only reaction that he could muster was to smile and wave at the man.

Surprisingly, the man seemed to have recognized him. Wait, did he really become that famous?

“Yes! It’s me!” he said, smiling at the man. His mind was thinking fast in a plan to not have Jaster being hit by that bat. “I’m trying to teach him good things! See, this little boy wanted so bad an autograph that he picked the magazine, but I told him that it was wrong and should give it back to you with an apology.”

@Sicadorito

 

[Jaster Kovan]

Jaster jumped onto the bandwagon as soon as he possibly could, nodding like his life depended on it. Maybe it did. He didn’t want to have his brains bashed in. Thank goodness Zessel was backing him up. He owed this Jedi his life.

“Yeah! What he said! I wanted an autograph!” the boy blurted out, and the man glared at him instead.

“Sure you did. Like you wanted an autograph on that copy of—”

“But— Jedi don’t lie! I’m sorry for taking it, I am!” Even though he now knew that wasn’t true and that he’d said it in the spur of the moment, it still made the magazine stand owner pause.

“I s’ppose…” He eyed Zessel one more time, looking him up and down in a heart-stopping moment before he bent down to pick up the magazine that Jaster had dropped. “Alright. I’ll let you go this time. This one’s on the house.” He threw the magazine at the boy, who barely caught it in time. “Get your autograph, and stay the hell away from me from now on.” With that, the human would turn around and head back to his stand, leaving Zessel and Jaster alone again.

The Mirialan looked up at the Jedi in awe, clutching the magazine tightly against his chest.

“Was that the Jedi mind trick thing you just did?” he asked, eyes bulging. “You saved my life!”

@LouJoVi

 

[Zessel]

Zessel waited expectantly while the man decided what he was going to do with them. He really hoped that his half-baked lie would stick, because he didn’t want to fight against that dude, because he wasn’t going to allow Jaster to be hit by that bat. He could be a little thief, but it was still an excessive punishment for him.

The Padawan felt relieved when the man finally believed in what they were saying. Not only that, but he also gave the magazine to the Mirialan. “Thank you, sir! You are very nice!” Zessel said, trying to be pleasant. He didn’t want the man to make the human pissed with them again.

As the stand owner walked away, Zessel took it as his cue to do the same. He gestured for Jaster to follow him. “No, it was a very good lie.” he whispered to the boy, not wanting to sell it as the use of the Force because doing in a situation like this one would be wrong.

“I saved, but don’t do that again. Stealing is wrong and you can get in situations even worse than this one.” he said, but it was in a concerned tone rather than an annoyed one. “So, where is your friend staying? We should show your autographed magazine to him.” he smiled, before pulling a pen out from his pocket.

@Sicadorito