Ask Batuu Almonds: Activated; Jimmies: Rustled; Vibe: Checked

[Hiraya Manawari]

Batuu was absolutely... fantastic!

Hiraya had been looking forward to this trip after the Council announced that he would be assigned to a Knight, probably to gauge if the latter and the Tiefling would make a rapport and become teacher and student. The Padawan had always wanted to have one of the Knights or Masters to take him under their wing as their student, and he had been waiting patiently and not forcing things even if he wanted to just kick his way into the Council's chambers and demand for a teacher. Only his Ma and Pops' teachings stayed his hand, their teachings about patience drilled in his head.

He would be a liar if he said that being without a proper master didn't suck. He was jealous (just a bit!) of other Padawans who have masters of their own, of them going on missions and training and stuff. The Tiefling wanted all of those, too! So, with fingers crossed, he hoped that the Knight assigned to meet him here on Batuu would be a perfect match!

Batuu was fantastic, yes... because it was now his home, too! Ma and Pops decided to move here a month ago, and it was his first time on the planet. He'd spent almost all of his time with the Jedi, and this particular trip - while originally meant for Jedi stuff - was such a huge bonus because it meant finally going home to his parents!

Dressed in a casual, Ma-approved

attire ("No edgy punk or goth fashion on your first day in our new house, boy!"), Hiraya practically hopped off the stairs and made a beeline for the living room with a bounce on his feet. Ma was out on the market, and Pops was here making himself comfortable with a cup of black coffee. The Tiefling knew that Ma insisted on going out herself, and here Pops was, sulking because he was asked to stay put.

Pollux looked up from his datapad and offered his son a nod. He set the device aside just in time as Hiraya practically plopped on the couch beside him, the older Manawari grunting softly as he was jostled on his seat. He regarded his son with a curious look, fondness flickering in his eyes.

"I thought you're meeting with a Knight today?" he asked Hiraya after quickly giving the Tiefling a once over. The boy was dressed poorly, but then again it might be his overly-critical mind thinking. What if the Knight took Hiraya on a mission? Shouldn't the boy be wearing something more substantial, something that offered not just comfort but also protection?

"Yeah!" Hiraya happily replied, completely unaware of what ran in his father's mind. "He said to meet here on Batuu, so I sent him our address!"

"You told him to meet you here?" Pollux asked, one eyebrow rising as he gave the living room a sweeping look. Nothing was out of order; the place looked spectacularly clean and homey, to be honest. Anyone with a good pair or so of eyes could see how perfectly arranged everything was, and that the Manawari home was ready to receive guests. "Did you tell your mother?"

Hiraya blinked, then looked at his father, bewildered. Pollux stared back, not saying anything. Hiraya blinked again.

"I... didn't tell her...?"

"Are you asking me or are you telling me?"

The Tiefling's eyes widened, then wordlessly rose from his seat. He disappeared from the living room, and Pollux could hear the kid making a mad dash for the basement to grab cleaning supplies. His son returned minutes later, armed with said cleaning supplies.

"Pops! Help me clean up, please! Ma's gonna kill me if she sees we have a guest and I haven't done my chores!"

Pollux was about to playfully chastise his son, but a knock on the door gave him pause. Father and son looked at the door at the same time.

"Pray that's not your Ma, Hiraya," he playfully teased the Tiefling, eyes sparkling with mischief.

 

[Arctus Friers]

It would always be nostalgic for him to return to Batuu.

A fond smile was plastered on Arctus’ face the moment he set course for the planet, and it remained long after he’d landed his ship. It felt like yesterday when he and his most treasured friends spent a vacation here, on a time when snow blanketed the ground he trodded on and their joyous laughter and sibling banter filled the air.

These days he found himself wandering, learning the ways of the Force he did not yet know and trying to live up to what it truly meant to be a Seer. Surprisingly the path he chose oddly fit him well, because it took him places and he came to understand what he once struggled with. Though he frequented the temples and Starlight, Arctus found more at ease when he was on the move. His habits rubbed off on his Anooba, Nibs, and now the oversized dog became too restless when they stayed in one place too long. And then there was Selene…

Arctus had asked Haldir for help with regards to relocating Selene to another planet. Of course the Corellian chose Batuu - it was a no-brainer, really - and he was absolutely delighted when his fellow Jedi and friend agreed. Haldir had been one of the few Arctus ran to and trusted when it came to Selene’s care, and the Corellian felt that it was time to relieve Arkania of his bug-eyed lady’s presence, because; 1) Selene always picked fights with other wild dragons; and 2) he knew that he couldn’t keep on imposing on Haldir, even if the younger Knight assured him that he wasn’t.

Relocating Selene hadn’t been an easy task, and yet here they were.

Selene wasn’t the only reason Arctus had come to Batuu, however. He was summoned by the Council discussing with him the prospect of being assigned a potential student. With the kid’s file sent to him, Arctus learned that the Padawan’s name was Hiraya Manawari, that the young man was a Tiefling, and that he’s only sixteen. The Knight wasn’t fazed in the slightest - hells, his best friends were once teenagers, and he had been thirty when that wonderful friendship started. He’s good with kids and pre-adults, and being ‘saddled’ with a teenager? He was more than fine with it!

And he’d heard that the kid was an absolute goofball. Arctus had a feeling that they’d get along pretty well. Hopefully.

When he sent the kid their meeting place, he received a home address in return. The Padawan lived in Batuu, it seemed. The message was loaded with emojis, all happy faces and sparkles, which made the Knight chuckle with amusement. Equipped with a fixed destination, Arctus set out alongside Nibs after making sure that he landed on the right spaceport (the Tiefling even sketched a map for him, bless his horned head). Guided by the map, he even made sure to ask other beings if he was in the right place, until the Knight found himself standing by a wooden gate, with a mailbox labeled ‘Manawari’ in Basic.

Arctus exchanged a quick glance with Nibs, who barked happily at him. At his Anooba’s encouragement, he carefully pushed the gate open and made sure to close it behind him, before making his way through the vibrant garden and stopped in front of a very quaint and homey two storey cottage.

Nibs sat beside him, sniffing at the door, tail thumping on the ground. Arctus took a deep breath, then rapped on the door.

”Hello! I’m Arctus Friers, Knight of the Jedi Order. I, uh, I’ve seen the mailbox outside, but, er… just wanna make sure if I’m in the right Manawari house…?”

Stars, he hoped he was. But what if it’s just another sentient with the same name? Arctus pulled out his EZPhone (gifted to him by his twins) then checked the message he received from Hiraya, the hand drawn map loading up on the screen.

@marshland

 

[Hiraya Manawari]

When the door knocker announced themself as one Arctus Friers, Knight of the Jedi Order, Hiraya's shoulders visibly dropped with relief. Abandoning his cleaning supplies, the Padawan practically bounced his way towards the door, a wide grin on his face as he swooped past his father and pulled the door open.

The human standing by the front door bore a striking and rugged appearance, with a strong and muscular build that made him look like an action hero in a holomovie. While Hiraya was taller than the man by a few inches, the Tiefling could tell that one punch from the Knight was enough to knock the Padawan out, what with those broad chest and shoulders, and those fists! Master Friers had high cheekbones, a strong jawline, and piercing but kind hazel gray eyes, and short brown hair and a mighty-looking beard. Looking at the Knight, Hiraya couldn't help but feel as if he'd seen the man in a superhero or even an antihero movie before...

"Hello, Master! You made it!" Hiraya cheerfully greeted the Knight, a wide, bright smile on his face. He opened the door wider, gesturing for the older Jedi to come in. "Come in, come in! Make yourself at-"

The rest of his invitation was caught in his mouth when his crimson gaze finally fell upon the large Anooba sitting beside the human Knight, its tail thumping happily on the ground. The dog-like creature looked so well-behaved, yet it exuded an excited aura that was too palpable to ignore. A delighted gasp slipped past Hiraya's lips, eyes sparkling, as he exclaimed his excitement loudly.

"Doggy!" chirped the Tiefling with the sheer exuberance of his seven-year old self. He moved to pet the creature, but a hand on the back of his collar stopped him from doing so.

Pollux grabbed his son's collar just in time before the boy could pet the Anooba without its owner's permission and the animal's consent. He tutted at Hiraya, lightly chastising the boy with a quick shake of his head when those crimson eyes looked pleadingly at him.

"Good day, Master Jedi," the retired Ranger greeted the Knight evenly, hand still clutching the back of Hiraya's collar. "Yes, you're in the right place. Do come in."