Circle Circle Dot Dot...

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She'd never been around this many people in her whole life! Oh, she'd been to the Joffa marketplace on Cathar plenty of time with Dama, but there'd never been this many people around. Suddenly worried of being separated, Tak reached out a fast hand to grab a hold of the back of Wyl's shirt in a vice-like death grip.

She looked up at a few startled faces, but otherwise kept her hold on the boy firm.

When they stopped at the map kiosk, Tak gingerly released his shirt and moved to stand beside him, watching as he touched the screen with his finger. It was fascinating, watching him perform such a simple task.

And when he asked what she wanted, the little girl bit her lip. What did boys eat? So used to Cirr's cooking aboard Layla, her concept of what boys in general found appetizing was - even though much enjoyed by herself - very skewed.

Besides! What if she chose something like a bantha burger, and he thought it was gross (even though bantha burgers were great)?

"I like... "

Cirr was a boy after all, and Wyl probably ate the same stuff Cirr did all the time!

"I like Cizerack food. Like, sajoi and stuff."

[Wyl Staedtler]

"Sajoi?" Wyl scrunched his face. He'd never heard of sajoi before. He hoped it wasn't a weird vegetable. Vegetables were disgusting.

It took a few moments of hunting to find directions to the Intergalactic Food Court. That was probably their best bet for finding the mysterious fare that Tak enjoyed, and it was only two levels away.

Wyl reluctantly grabbed Teagan's hand - oh gross, gross, gross he was getting infected - and helped her navigate the crowds. She acted like she'd never even been in a city before!

The food court was massive and the heady mix of smells was overwhelming. As soon as they arrived, Wyl let go of Tak and wiped his palm on his trouser leg. His stomach growled. He looked to her expectantly. "I dunno what... that stuff looks like, y'know."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

"You don't?"

Huh.

Catching sight of a rather vacant foodstand, Tak slowly moved to the counter. A large man stared down at her and Wyl from behind the counter and pulled an odd face, but the little girl was determined to show that she ate the same food as boys. Wyl was probably just pretending to see if she really knew what sajoi were anyway.

Bolstered by the thought of proving herself, she put on her best serious face.

"I want a small bowl of sajoi."

The man furrowed his brow, but figured he'd seen stranger things than two kids ordering a bowl of mice.

"How many."

A quick look to Wyl.

"Um, four?"

A grunt, and the man dipped below his counter. First came a glass bowl, set on the countertop with a dull thunk. And then... one by one... four live mice dropped inside by their tales.

His job done, the clerk leaned an elbow on the counter and looked at his two customers.

"That's four and a half credits, and bring the bowl back when you're done."

At that, Tak turned to look at Wyl. She didn't have any money, and he was the one who said he'd find her something to eat.

[Wyl Staedtler]

He stared.

The little mice scrambled around in the bottom of the bowl, their tiny feet finding no purchase on the slick glass as they stretched up towards it's rim. Occasionally one would trod on another, eliciting an indignant squeak, before freezing and looking up with their tiny, jet-black eyes.

Help us, Wyl! They seemed to say.

Mouth dropping, Wyl silently paid the vendor and carefully took the bowl. He poked a finger in and gently stroked one of the little creatures. The boy stared at Tak in horror.

"You can't eat these!" He exclaimed. "They're alive!"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Now it was her turn to stare. They couldn't eat them?! But she thought this was what boys ate!

"But... "

Tak stammered a little in confusion, but soon enough she became defensive.

"I thought this was what boys ate!" She pointed at the bowl and it's little occupants. "I see boys eat these all the time! My Dama eats them, too."

Plucking one of the sajoi up by its' tail, the girl lifted it out of the bowl. It scrabbled in the air, squirming back and forth.

"She takes them by the tail, dips them in kree'ai sauce," she made a dunking motion with the mouse, "... and puts the whole thing in her mouth."

[Wyl Staedtler]

"Well you can eat yours then, but I'm not eatin' mine." Wyl declared, snatching the little creature out of Tak's hand and scooping a second out of the bowl.

He couldn't believe it. She was so weird. Who put mice in their mouth anyway? Wriggling, scratching, live mice. He wouldn't do that on a dare. Not even a double dare.

It was kind of impressive.

"I'm getting a burger." Wyl and his new pets headed across the court to a grill stand. "I only eat dead food."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Oh thank goodness! She didn't really like sajoi, but she figured he did. Apparently not, which was all the better for her.

Running to catch up with him, Tak looked down at the bowl he still toted. Sajoi were kinda cute, and if he kept two, then that meant that she'd be able to keep the others. She hoped Zem wouldn't mind.

"I don't really like them much. Honest. I just thought that you did."

Blowing out a frustrated breath, the little girl reached out to grab a hold of Wyl's sleeve as a group of Dugs passed by. They were a little more than intimidating, and Tak found herself squeezing as close to Wyl as she could.

"I really wanted a burger with bacon and cheese," she very nearly whispered.

[Wyl Staedtler]

Wyl was so relieved he didn't even mind when she scrunched up so close they were practically hugging. He did his best to look brave and heroic until the alien crew had walked by.

"That's my favorite." He confessed to Tak with a crooked grin, getting in line. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all.

In no time they were sitting at one of the booths in the court, thick bantha burgers in front of them and a basket of fries in between. Wyl took a fry and set it on the empty tray, putting his sajoi next to it. They nibbled eagerly.

"Hey Tak," Wyl spoke through a mouthful of meat and cheese, juice dribbling down his chin. "Is a Dama like a mom?"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She paused with her burger almost to her mouth. A moment of thought, and she bit into it with particular ferocity. Nodding as she chewed, the little girl swallowed her mouthful before setting her meal down and reaching for a fry.

"Uh-huh. She's a Jedi like Zem and you are."

The fry disappeared into her mouth.

"We used to live on Cathar. There weren't as many people there as there are here though. Not even at the Joffa market."

Reaching into her front pocket, Teagan pulled out a small pocket-charm - a small sandpanther fang on a little leather thong with black beads - and held it out across the table to Wyl.

"That's where I got this."

[Wyl Staedtler]

"Wicked!" Wyl took the trinket and held it aloft. He'd never seen a real fang before, not up close like this. Grinning appreciatively, the boy stuck it between two knuckles and growled, swiping at the little mice. They scurried to the far edge of the tray and he giggled.

"I used to live on Coruscant. There's tons of people there." He handed Teagan her charm back and lifted up the top bun of his burger so he could peel away a lettuce leaf.

Wyl took another monstrous bite. "So you came here with your mom and Zem? Is he your dad?"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Taking back her charm, the little girl regarded it for a moment before setting it back on Wyl's tray.

"You can have it, since you bought me something to eat."

Tak gave Wyl a wide smile while picking up her burger again and taking another bite. She shook her head at his question though and spoke after she'd swallowed.

"Zem isn't my dad. He's just Dama's friend. She made him bring me here, but I don't know why though."

[Arya Ravenwing]

Back in Bespin.

Back at Cloud City.

Arya tried not to duck when every security detail passed her, managing to suppress her urge to hide by simply turning her head away. Krasst but she couldn't live this way. But she'd been hired to bring a shipment to the City, so she'd done it.

Credits talked. They had a way of convincing her to do just about anything.

But now she was hungry, so the smuggler slunk to the nearest food court and located a bantha burger. She felt like she could eat the whole bantha, not just one tiny portion, but she settled for ordering three.

Arya took her tray to a table, passing by two kids who were playing with their food. Check that, playing with mice. She shuddered, and plunked her tray down, picking up a burger and chomping into it.

[Wyl Staedtler]

For the second time that day, Wyl found himself staring at Tak with his mouth agape. With reverent caution, he picked up the gifted treasure and slipped it over his hand to dangle around his delicate wrist.

"Really? Thanks!" He ran a finger across the fang. It didn't seem a fair trade - after all, she'd only gotten a silly meal out of the deal. After a moment's thought the boy reached into his pocket and produced a flat, gray stone. One edge was jagged where it had split, and in the center of that rough edge ran a sparkling blue vein.

"This's for you." Wyl slid the rock across the table. "It's from an old Jedi place on Dxun. We almost died there, 'cause there were these droids? And um they came out and had blasters and were all 'tseeew tseeeew!' at us and then Morgan came outta nowhere with a speeder and he can fly like a stuntman and so we didn't die."

"It was cool though." He smiled. "Morgan's just my friend too, not my dad. You'll like him."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Plucking the rock up from the table, Tak felt its' smooth contours with a careful finger, and upon turning it so she could see the jagged edge, the little girl stared at the sparkling blue. She'd never seen anything like it before, and licking her lips she grinned again.

"Thanks!"

She set the rock on her tray before taking her burger up once more. She'd already eaten well over half.

"I've never been to... Dxun? Is it -"

Pausing mid-sentence, Teagan narrowed her eyes. Something smelled funny... like...

Her meal forgotten, she nearly dropped her food to stare at Wyl, eyes now wide as saucer plates as she leaned forward a bit and spoke low so only he could hear.

"Do you smell that?!"

[Wyl Staedtler]

"Smell what?" Wyl whispered back, hunching to meet Tak mid-table. He sniffed experimentally. All he got was a whiff of congealing bantha patty.

He glanced over at the mice to see if maybe they'd pooped, but the tray was empty except for the gnawed fry. Wyl crinkled his face. Just to be safe, he snuffled his arm; nope, he was passably clean.

The boy shook his head and shrugged to indicate he had no clue what she was talking about. "What kinda smell is it?"

[Arya Ravenwing]

Halfway through her first burger, Arya paused long enough to stick the straw of her large drink into her mouth. She let the bubbles of the Fizzyglug brand cola tickle for a moment before swallowing. Taking another huge swig, she happened to look down at the duracrete ground and choked at the sight of a tiny white mouse thing crawling across her boot.

Cola scorched its way up and out of her nose as she scrambled out of the way, ending up perched on top of the swiveling chair that was attached to her table. Coughing and wiping her face with a napkin, Arya scanned the ground for the mouse but now couldn't see it. She caught the kids staring at her, and glared. Stupid kids.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

"It smells like- "

Interrupted by the woman at the next table, Tak snapped her head over to stare. A funny look, and the little girl soon enough turned back to Wyl.

"My Dama has a friend... well, he's my friend too sorta, but anyway he's got a necklace. It smells funny... like how it smells now."

Tak pursed her lips in thought. How could he not smell it? It was strong! And not only that, but it was close. Almost like it was coming from...

Lips parting, her jaw nearly dropped as she looked once more to the lady.

"I think it's her!" she whispered carefully.

[Wyl Staedtler]

Wyl turned to regard Arya suspiciously. She didn't look very nice. She kept glowering at them as she ate her burger, as if they were next. The boy's eyes narrowed.

Anyone who made faces like that was trouble, even if people were always saying you couldn't judge a datapad by it's display screen. Wyl knew that was a lie, just like your eyes getting stuck if you crossed them too long was a lie. Sometimes you could tell, and eyes never really did get frozen.

"She keeps lookin' at us." Wyl arched his eyebrows. A Rodian across the way barked in surprise, and Wyl caught a flash of white movement. He scrambled out of his chair and ran over, dropping to his knees to crawl beneath the table. He emerged a few seconds later, hands cupped around the escaped sajoi.

As he passed Arya, the boy's steps slowed. Wyl surreptitiously leaned to the side and breathed in deep. Huh. He still didn't smell anything.

Wyl slid into his seat and set the little mouse down with it's friends. "She smells normal t'me. Are you sure?"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Tak nodded vigorously, her eyes going to Wyl as he sat back down.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

A moment of realization, as she remembered that her nose was more sensitive than Wyl's; he wasn't a Lupine, after all.

But, the lady smelled like Rasmuss' necklace, she was sure of it. Pulling the leftover crayon from her pocket, she grabbed at one of the paper tray liners and set it between herself and Wyl. She lowered her voice to a whisper.

"I have a friend, his name is Rasmuss. My Dama had to go get him from Coruscant, and he came with us to Schwartzweld. He had a necklace... "

Making a circle on the paper, Tak tried to draw what she remembered the medallion having looked like.

"It smelled different than me and Dama," she pointed to the lady, "... and that's what she smells like."

[Arya Ravenwing]

Kids made her nervous. Arya eyed the boy as he walked past her, noticing the lean in and deep inhalation as he made his way back to his seat. Biting deeply into her second burger, she chewed the huge mouthful quickly and washed it down with a swig of cola.

Stretching a bit, she caught sight of the little blonde girl's drawing, and nearly choked again. Leaving her seat, the smuggler crossed the distance between the seats and pinned the girl's arm to the table. Arya stabbed at the drawing with her other hand. "Where did you see this?"

The boy jerked up and made like he was going to run or kick her in the shins or who knows, so Arya grabbed him by the shirt, getting a big handful and holding him at arms length. "Don't mess around, kid, tell me."