Ask Raxus New Horizons

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique still listened for a while, yet some time tiredness just won the battle and she drifted off entirely. She was cuddled up against Jon and it was more than comfortable, so that she was immediately in a deep, restful sleep that fully allowed her to recharge. She was used to always staying somewhat alerted, even while resting, but it was always different with him.

When she woke up a few hours later, the low rumbles told her that they were still in hyperspace, yet as she checked her watch and calculated, she figured they'd soon pull out and start their descent. She turned around to face Jon whose arms was gently wrapped around her side. He was asleep still, but as she assumed they only had around 20 minutes of flight left, she softly brushed against his cheek as she whispered, "Good morning".

It was always hard to tell the time when in hyperspace, but she had in mind that they'd reach Spintir around noon, so it was almost accurate. She'd wait for him to stir before she'd roll up against him one last time, pressing her head against his chest. "I'm afraid I've missed the movie's ending" she admitted, a hint of disappointment in her voice before she lifted her head and met his gaze. "Are you hungry?".

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

He felt her breathing slow as he finished watching the movie. After it had finished, he drifted off to sleep himself. His dreams were filled with stories of him owning his own ghost-hunting business slowly working to buy better equipment.

He was running away from a ghost down a long hallway; he could hear the ghost speeding up as the air turned to ice. He was a goner, for sure. He turned around, camera in hand, to hopefully catch one last piece of evidence before he died. The ghost sprinted at him, the machete raised in hand before it stopped right before him. "Good Morning," it said. The voice was familiar, soft even, not at all matching the grotesque ghost in front of him. He tilted his head slightly in confusion, taking a picture of the ghost. The flash finally jolted him from sleep.

Jon blinked his eyes open, revealing the true source of the voice. He chuckled at the dream. "Good Morning," he replied back, stretching slightly. He let a yawn and low rumble as she curled against him. "You did! You abandoned me to face it all alone." he teased with a slight smile on his face. "but seriously, it was pretty good." he shrugged.

He met her emerald eyes as she looked up at him. "I think I'll be alright with coffee. You want something? I can make you something?" he asked.

 

[Kalique Baize]

Before Jon really woke, he did slightly stir, a wave of panic washing over him. As his eyes flattered open, she softly asked, "bad dream?" before she gently cupped his cheek, running her thumb across it. "I'm terribly sorry...but I see you've been brave enough to manage" it drew a playful chuckle from her.

"Good huh? Seems like I'll get you to like horrofilms after all" as she lifted her head away from his chest again, she gave him a little wink before she stretched as well. "Guess I'll stick to coffee as well...Spintir has more to offer than ration packs anyway".

Kalique was already hyped for the fresh delicacies from the field. If it was the apple festival anyway, she was convinced she'd get a fresh apple in a bit and freshly plucked was hard to beat. "I'll go brew. You had tea duty last night" she remarked with a chuckle as she leaned in for a gentle kiss before she rolled out of bed and onto her feet.

Even if ship coffee wasn't the best, she knew how Jon liked his coffees. She remembered their coffee maker debate - the first playful 'argument' they have had planned their move. It drew a smirk from her as she brewed, and it was still on her lips when she brought the two cups bed to the quarters. "You still gotta update me with information on the dress code...is it casual or full fall mode?" she handed him his cup and soon took a sip from hers, excitedly awaiting his reply. "We'll drop out of hyperspace in about ten minutes".

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

He blinked his eyes a couple of times. "Maybe a little..." he said as the dream started to fade from his mind, already becoming blurry. Her hand cool across his face as they lay there.

"I don't know about all of that..." he said with a slight shake of his head. He didn't mind the movies, but they would always be Kali's thing, not his. "You sure?" he asked when she offered to go make coffee. As they kissed, his head fell back against the pillow as she walked out, smiling at her as she left. He was growing even more glad they had chosen to do this. He had some things he wanted to talk to her about, but that could wait until later.

His eyes closed, and he faded back into semi-consciousness until the smell of fresh coffee stirred him again. Jon was pretty no-nonsense with his coffee, preferring it to basically black with just a bit of cream. He sat up with a bit of a groan as she returned and took one of the cups from her. "Thank you." he said with a smile before taking a sip of the steaming liquid. As usual, she made it perfectly.

"Casual fall?" he said, giving her a somewhat confused expression. He certainly wasn't a fashion guy; he wasn't sure what "Full fall mode" meant. "I'm sure whatever you decide on will be perfect." he said.

He nodded as he took another sip before putting the cup down on the table and standing to get dressed himself. Right on time, the ship lurched slightly as they jumped out of hyperspace. They could land in the field behind his parent's house, the coordinates already programmed in.

As they stepped out of the sleeping quarters, the ship was already making its way down towards the planet As they made their way towards the cockpit. "So there is always this three-legged race; you better be able to keep up Demici." he joked as they made their way down the corridor. "We have to defend the family's honor and all that.." he said.

 

[Kalique Baize]

With the freshly brewed coffee smell in the air, Kalique couldn't help but notice this get-away was off to a great start. It was a relaxing, carefree moment and for once she could simply enjoy the simple moment. "You're very welcome" she took another sip of the hot liquid, a warm smile playing around her lips.

The way he repated her question made it sound a little ridiculous and she decided that it would probably be fine one way or another anyway. His quizzical look still made the exchange amusing and she softly added, "Sweater, skirt and boots then". As she was usually either in armor or in a uniform, she enjoyed occasions that asked for something different every now and then, hence she was simply hyped.

The ship initiated the landing sequence and they were headed right to the farm already. While they still finished their coffees, Jon kept elaborating on the festival, but the more he said, the more her lips parted. "Whaaat? No way" as a child, perhaps once at a birthday party, she had participated in such a race and it had ended badly.

"Defending the honor of the Baize family?! You know this is a reeeally bad idea for me" she his gaze more seriously, but there was still a smirk on her lips. Kalique and her slight affinity to clumsiness was a dangerous combination when it came to such games. Using the Force was cheating, so this was about to turn into a disaster.

"Damn...first thing we'll do is practice!". There was almost something pleading in her voice, perhaps even a hint of desperation. She was still thrilled, but this they'd have to fix. The ship soon landed and they could gather their belongings before they'd head out. Knowing Jon's parents, Kalique was certain they had been out, working for hours already, but she was wondering when they'd spot the ship.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

He waived his hand. "We don't need to practice," he said with a deep laugh. "You will be fine.." he said, taking a deeper sip from his cup as the coffee grew to a pleasant temperature. "...well probably." he teased.

She smirked, but he knew he enough to know she would fret over something even if it were as silly as some small competition. "Thank the gods it isn't a boat race." he joked again, an amused light dancing in his eyes. He gently kissed the side of her head. "You will be more than perfect." he said, winking before leaning back in his seat and relaxing as the familiar scene of his home region came into view.

Within minutes, they had touched down in the field not too far from his parent's house. He grabbed her hand as they made their way down the ramp and finally touched the familiar ground. His mother, Silvia Baize, was already moving out to greet them, moving quickly as she bunched up her simple dress. She had probably been out all morning working and would have easily seen the ship approaching. She beamed as she closed the distance between them. "You didn't tell me you were coming!" she said as she swatted at Jon before pulling Kali into a motherly hug. "Its been too long, dear. How have you been?" she said fondly, tightening her embrace before letting her go and hugging Jon.

"Hey Momma." Jon said warmly as they returned the embrace. "What brings you here? Besides getting something to eat.." she said, inspecting both of them. "The Empire not feed you? You both are too skinny.." she said with a huff.
"Your Father is around here somewhere. CAL!!!!" she yelled abruptly, sending a nearby flock of birds scattering into the sky.[/URL]

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique was ambitious by nature and competitions usually left her enthusiastic. As he had even talked about honor, the pressure was already high, and thus as he turned down her serious request for some training, she was literally a little nervous. Perhaps with the set rhythm of troop marching they'd be fine?

"Ugh...it always comes back to the boat trip" she dramatically sighed as he brought that date back up, her lips grazed with a smirk. It was a hilarious memory, but she knew that it would never be forgotten. They soon entered the atmosphere and swiftly approached the surface before they grabbed their bags and exited.

Jon's mother was the first to notice the vessel that had landed close by and hurried over to meet them. Kalique's smile immediately widened before she put her bag down and wrapped her arms around her. "Hey there. We thought it would be a nice surprise" Kalique warmly replied, hugging her tightly before she let her greet Jon.

"Oh we're good! We've spontaneously gotten a few days off, so we thought we could stop by...it's been quite some time after all, how have you been?" Jon's father wasn't there just yet, but Kali was half-expecting him to pop up from one of the fields surrounding them in a bit.

Kalique immediately felt even more relaxed, his warm loving parents simply always managed to do that. The sun was still relatively low on the horizon, but its golden rays made the whole scenery look magical already. Kalique instinctively reached for Jon's hand again, gently running her thumb across the back of it.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

The wind blew through the field, causing a wave of warm colors as the grass swayed. The midday air was nice, but there was certainly that telltale crispness to the wind that foretold the coming of winter. She placed a hand on Jon's cheek for a moment as she smiled up at him before taking a step back. "Well then, we don't have to waste the whole day in this field. Come on, we will get you set up in the house," she said, turning back towards the house. "Where is your father..." she muttered with a slightly annoyed tone. "CALLL!" she shouted again.

They made the short walk back towards the house. "So I guess you are here for the apple festival?" she asked, turning towards Jon. Jon squeezed Kali's hand slightly. "Got to defend that title of yours..." his mother said proudly. Jon shot Kali a look. "I may have won this apple-throwing contest a couple of years in row." he said, knowing it sounded really silly, but people here took it pretty seriously. "Five years in a row!" his mother added.

As they approached the house, his father stepped around the house. Cal Blaize was a large man. He was followed by the family's dog, Bandit. "I didn't forget you were coming, did I?" he asked, shooting his wife a glance before she shook her head. "No, they just came by for a surprise visit." his mother replied.

"Wonderful!" his voice boomed, walking up to him. Jon extended a hand to shake it, something they always did. His father shook his hand and then pulled up in a hug that Jon would never admit was as painful as it was. He slapped Jon's back with a few good thumps before letting him go. "Its good to see you, son." he said, his face beaming. "Its good to see you too, dad." Jon said with a smile.

"And you..." he said, turning towards Kali. "You still putting up with this guy?" he joked before wrapping her in a similar bear hug. Jon reached down and scratched the dog behind the ears while he waited for Kali to be freed.

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique knew what she meant when she was talking about getting set up in the house - knowing them, they'd prepare a multiple course meal in a bit, making use of everything the fields offered. It was so much better than every high class restaurant offered because Jon's parents usually added so much love ot their freshly made dishes that there was nothing that compared to it.

Kalique happily followed, nodding as his mother mentioned the festival. "You did what?" So Jon was a literal legend here, and Kalique's job would be not to trip or make him trip at the three-leg-race..."I had no idea...but it explains a lot" she chuckled softly, wondering what others talents he had kept a secret.

Once inside the house, they were soon joined by his father and Bandit - the latter excitedly greeted them with a wagging tail. "It's good to see you, too" she softly replied, her smile widening before the air was almost squeezed out of her. Kalique knew he wasn't going all in like he did with Jon, yet he was definitely the tightest hugger she knew.

"I'm trying" she softly quipped before she nudged Jon playfully, a smirk on her lips before she squatted down and greeted bandit properly as well. "So how can we make ourselves useful? I bet there's a lot that needs to be done before the festivities begin?" Kalique asked, excited to begin. She had no idea when it would start, but there was always work on the farm, work she really loved to do as it was something completely different.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. Sure, he had made a name for himself here throughout his youth, but he had gone on to see so much more than the valley he had grown up in. He had seen so much more. It all seemed a little silly to him now.

He laughed as she joked. Things were certainly more casual around his parents. Even as they had grown more comfortable, there was a certain stiffness around her parents. It just came from the totally opposite worlds their parents lived in.

Silvia waved a dismissive hand towards her. "Y'all don't need to do a thing. Just relax and enjoy yourselves," she said with a warm smile. "I just need to finish a couple of things up in the kitchen, and we can leave," she said.

Jon started catching up with his Father, and his mother made her way into the large open kitchen in the next room over. "So, how have things been?" she asked Kali as she pulled two pies from the oven and set them on a rack. The smell of fresh baked goods filled the kitchen. "You taking care of yourself?" she asked with a casually worried tone.

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique was excited, not just for the festival, but also to make herself useful. There was already an incredibly delicious smell in the air, but as she followed Silvia into the kitchen, it kept intensifying. "Oh...that smells absolutely amazing". Were pie contests really a thing? Why had Jon never mentioned...she definitely had to take a look at that recipe.

She heard Jon and Cal chatting in the living room still and Bandit happily stayed with them it seemed, while Kalique's attention was on Silvia. As always, she appeared rather worried, but Kalique softly waved off her concerns. "I am...and things are busy as always, but good" Kalique explained before she closed the oven after she removed the pies.

"I'm mentoring many Squires at the moment which is a really rewarding task" she continued, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "Jon is taking great care of me, too...I try to get him out of his office whenever our schedules allow it" she added with a reassuring grin, before she returned the question. "How have you been doing?". While everything seemed fine, Kalique still wanted to make sure they weren't in need of help, regardless of with what.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

Sylvia smiled as Kali noticed the aroma. "Oh, I'll have to get you the recipe! Its an old family secret, but you are a part of the family," she said as she winked at Kali.

"Oh, Cal is talking about that stupid boar he has been trying to hunt for the last two months. "I had it in my sight, its like the tree moved." she quoted the story as Cal said the exact same words in the other room. She rolled her eyes before chuckling.

Sylvia turned towards her as she explained what was going on in her life. It was clear the woman truly cared about her and was interested in her life. "That's so good to hear. You look exhausted, though. We are so proud of both of you and what you do for the Empire, but you can't let that eat up your whole life." she warned.

"He better," she said with a smile. "I swear, before he met you, I think he just worked and went to the gym," she said as she wiped down a counter with a towel before setting it down. "Oh, we have been fine!" she said. "Its been a bit of a struggle this year. We certainly aren't as young as we used to be, but the harvest was good enough," she said.

"Now, we should get going, I think!" she said. "Jonathen," she called out to the other room. "Be a dear and help carry these pies out to the speeder for your mother." she asked. "Gotta keep them busy, or they wander off and get themselves into trouble," she whispered as she leaned over to Kali.

Jon appeared a second later, his father right behind him. "I know exactly where he is at, going to go back up there tomorrow morning if you want to come." his father offered. Jon placed a hand on Kali's back as he slid past her to get to the pies.

"We ready?" he said, picking up the container.

 

[Kalique Baize]

"I'd absolutely love that!" she immediately replied, a warm smile planted on her lips. She lowered her voice as she passed Silvia again, almost whispering, "perhaps I can surprise Jon with it". It was a cunning plan and if he worked later than her the next time, he wouldn't see it coming. Still, she wondered whether she'd even get close to his mom's perfection.

As he mentioned the boar, her eyes widened slightly. Boars could be dangerous and even though Cal had countless of experience, she was a little concerned. "Oh wow...that sounds like quite a challenge" Perhaps they could help with that at least, she thought.

She wasn't wrong when she pointed out life couldn't be all about work, but sometimes it was hard to gain some distance. It was exactly why this trip had been a great idea. "We'll take care, I promise...you're right". She had to chuckle when she mentioned how Jon had been nothing but work and training because it simply wasn't hard to imagine- she had met him like that, too, and she had been just the same.

As she mentioned the struggle she sympathetically winced...yeah, it was probably harder to hewr every year and with them mostly working, it had been newly impossible to fly over for assistance. Before she could reply though, Silvia was already mentioning that they needed to leave.

"I'm ready" she thus replied, planning on bringing the issue up again, but for now she tried to make herself as useful as possible by offering to carry whatever they still needed. As they moved into the speeder, she assumed it was definitely a bit off, especially as the distances between them and other farms were quite a bit.

"So where exactly are we headed? And I still feel like I need to prepare for those competitions" she remarked with a smirk, hiding the genuine inner nervousity and focusing on the positive excitement instead as the four made their way over to the speeder.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

"I am sure he would love that." she said, her face beaming. She took a step closer and placed a hand on the outside of her arm. "He is lucky to have a woman like you in his life." she said, squeezing lightly before the two men entered the room.

Jon grabbed the container, cracking the lid to look inside before his mother promptly swatted his hand. "Those are for the competition, not you!" she said, his face warning but her voice jovial enough. "Hey..." he said, giving her a feigned look of shock. "I was just looking!" he said, picking the container up and heading for the door.

"One year, maybe when he was 10 or 11. Jonathen ate a whole pie in the backseat when no one was looking," she explained to Kali with a chuckle as they walked outside. Jon continued walking, pretending not to hear the story, but smiling as he walked outside.

They claimed in the speeder and made their way down the remote country road as they made their way to town. Out here, farms were spread apart, but it wouldn't take terribly long to get there by speeder. "Hilltop. Its nearby. Outsdie of this festival it isn't much, but they go pretty all out for this weekend." Jon explained. They hadn't done much exploring of the nearby towns during their visits because there wasn't much there to see outside of festivals.

Jon nudged her, knowing she was going to fret over the silly competition. "Look, if you fall, the only thing that will happen is that it will be captured forever on tape. Its basically a win-win for me." he teased.

 

[Kalique Baize]

For Kalique, it had always been easy to see the similarities between Jon and his parents. Jon had been the first person she had met that simply had a way to make her feel so incredibly loved and always warm from the deepest parts of her insides, and once again Silvia's genuine words touched her deeply, too.

Here on Spintir, Kalique was literally as happy and relaxed as nowhere else and the smile on her lips was most warm and genuine. As the man walked back in, too, her words kept lingering, always making her happy about this boundless acceptance his loving parents had always met her with, even if they, too, weren't force users.

"That...adds up" she chuckled at her story about the cake while she envisioned young Jon happily yet quietly munching the cake in the backseat. Jon had a habit of trying her food before she finished dishes, too, and it never failed to draw a smirk from her.

She reached for Jon's hand as she met his gaze with a mixture of pure joy and a hint of genuine nervousity. Kalique was incredibly excited to see more of the area, yet she wanted to perform correctly and simply didn't feel prepared. "As if you, above all people, need more footage" she dramatically glared at him for a moment, obviously hinting at all the convenient leverage he had gathered throughout the years.

However, she had a quick comeback and thus leaned forwards a little. "Oh, Cal, can we watch some old tapes tonight? I haven't seen Jon's incredible stage performance in ages". She then threw Jon a smirk while she softly stroke the back of his hand.

The song was damn catchy and she loved going through childhood memories with them all, especially because all that was left of hers were those ridiculous portraits. Her gaze then drifted to the mesmerizing country roads again as she happily took it all in, however soon spotting first signs of the festivities in the distance. The cakes incredible smell was in the whole car and Kalique was grateful for the wonderful moments made here.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

They passed rolling fields of grain and grass as they moved toward the small village. The whole thing filled Jon with a warm nostalgia. He smiled at Kali as she grabbed his hand. The smile only grew wider when she mentioned all of the "documentation" he had collected over their several-year relationship. While the joke had always been to hold it over her, he had never actually shown anyone any of it. To him, they were all precious items, each holding an extremely fond memory of their time together.

Jon's father perked up at the question. "Oh! That's a great idea! Syl, where is that box of stuff?" the man said, turning to his wife. "I am sure its in the attic; I think I remember where we put it," she replied, looking back at Jon and winking, knowing how much he "loved" those old tapes. His love of keeping videos had certainly come from his parents, who had made sure to capture as much of his childhood as they could. He narrowed his eyes at the woman sitting next to him before lightly pinching her side. He soundlessly mouthed, "You're gonna pay for that." before shaking his head with a chuckle and pulling her closer to him.

They arrived a short time later; the small farming village transformed with all sorts of colorful decorations. The small village normally only held a couple hundred people, but that had ballooned to a couple of thousand as it did every year. They exited the speeder and started to walk into town. They parted ways from his parents for the time being with plans to meet back up later. "So this is Hilltop..." he said to her as they started down a road with merchant stalls on either side. People obviously sold apples and various dishes involving apples, but people also sold all sorts of other things as well. There were also different games.

A breeze made its way through the streets, a slight chill carried by it, prompting Jon to search for a particular stand. He found it a moment later. "Oh, I think you will like this.." he said as he ordered two drinks. A moment later, the merchant returned two cups of warm hard apple cider. He paid and handed one to Kali. "These can be pretty dangerous. More than a few people end up passed out in the fields because they have a bit too much," he said with another laugh.

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique was well aware that his parents would never say no to reviewing old footage and indulging in fond memories. Kalique was actually quite sad about how her parents hadn't really kept any recordings, neither had they done actual filming, so all that was left were the ridiculous portraits that decorated their estates.

However, this was while she loved delving into the Baize's collection even more. She could be a little part of his early years and the videos were simply lovely and she couldn't wait to see more - obviously, she was also quite amused about his reaction. "You can try" she teasingly mouthed back, however the truth was, that she didn't doubt it. Jon already had a lot and he was always quick to gather more...

As they did reach hilltop, Kalique's eyes widened further in excitement. The decorations were lovely and she wondered where all the people came from. "I can't believe we've never visited before" she was certain Hilltop was usually something far less lively, but right now she found herself marveling at the views all around.

They said goodbye to their parents for now and Kalique noted the smell of apples and other delicacies lingered everywhere. "This is absolutely awesome". It was nothing compared to markets and fairs she had ever visited as it was much cozier, but it was hard to take in all the impressions at once.

They approached the first stand and Kalique eagerly examined it, before she excitedly met Jon's gaze. "Warm Apple cider? It smells great!" she smelled before she took a sip, the sudden warmth spreading through her body and made her comfortably warm again after the fresh fall breeze had swept through the town.

"Ohh...okay I see. Well, we gotta be careful or else we won't peak at our upcoming performances" she added with a soft chuckle before she let her gaze drift across the main street. "Is that archery back there?!" she pointed towards a stand that offered a relatively simple bow with apple targets. "Ohh you're going down" she threw him a challenging smirk before she grabbed his hand with her free hand, interlaced their fingers and lead him towards it.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

They strolled along the market row, cider warming them from a slight chill in the air. Jon had a smile plastered on his face. He was glad to be here with her.

"And we know how one of us handles their alcohol," he said jokingly with a raised eyebrow. "Don't worry, I'll throw you over my shoulder if it means finishing the race," he said with a wink.

"Hrm?" he asked, his eyes following hers to a field at the end of the row. Apples had been set out as targets, and people were given three arrows to try and hit as many as they could. "I think s..." he was cut off as she grabbed ahold of his hand and started pulling him down the way. He let out a laugh as he stumbled and caught up to her.

"Pretty confident..." he said as they made their way and waited. "Have you ever shot a bow before?" he asked curiously. He had grown up hunting with both rifles and bows, though it had been years since he had touched the latter. Even if she lacked experience, the Force gave her heightened perception and dexterity even if she wasn't actively channeling it. He wouldn't be surprised if she took to it pretty easily. As they waited, several people tried their own hand at the bow. Some were good, some were absolutely awful, but everyone was having a good time. Regardless of who won, they would have fun. There had always been a healthy competitiveness between them.

"As champion, I'll go first." he said, shooting her a grin before stepping up and taking a bow. They would also provide Kali one as well. "Best out of three?" he asked in confirmation before taking up an arrow.

He knocked the arrow and pulled back slowly, taking in a breath before holding it as he aimed briefly. A second later, he let the arrow fly towards an apple. His arrow didn't hit the apple straight on, but it did pierce it and knocked it down, arrow running through it. He turned to Kali, smiling as he gestured for her to give it a shot.

Roll: 11/20

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique feigned hurt as he brought up her low alcohol tolerance just like that. "Wow...you could also just have some faith for once". No doubt he was right, if she was to down the cider in a few minutes she'd probably end up giggling non stop before she'd fall asleep somewhere.

"You know me...after the slingshot championship I have to restore my reputation" she playfully nudged him, fondly remembering how Jon had aced his mini slingshot shots. The Ewok kid had given Kali the slingshot and it still amused Kali greatly that he had been given a necklace, but Jon had used the slingshot as though he had never used anything else. Now he had to prove his archery skills - Kali loved their playful completions a lot and the opportunity was great.

"I have not...no, actually, I tried an energy bow once, but that was just for fun and it didn't go so well..." she couldn't help but chuckle, but there was a tiny hint of genuine concern written into his features. "It will be fine, you know I'm a quick learner" she gave him a reassuring smile as she set down her drink and grabbed the bow she was offered.

"Bring it on, Baize" she fiercely met his gaze, a wide, challenging smirk on her lips while she analyzed his posture and movement, hoping to pick up something that would aid her. She tested the bowstring carefully, figuring out its resistance before Jon hit the first apple.

"Alright" she gave him a praising nod before she knocked the arrow and took a breath. Cheating through the Force would have been possible, but she refrained from actively doing so, always preferring equal odds. She knew it wasn't all equal as the Force affected her perception, but she wasn't so skilled at aiming as her combat style was different, but as she aimed and let loose, the arrow perfectly hit the apple's middle. Her mouth flapped right open in genuine excitement, wondering whether it was mere beginners luck, but a hit was a hit.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

"I have nothing but faith in you." he replied warmly with a chuckle. "I guess we will see if you can win back some of that "reputation"..." he said as the approached the field.

He thought as much as she explained her experience. "An Energy bow? Now that's a weapon I would love to get my hands on sometime.." he said. It probably wasn't a fair competition, given the experience gap, but she had brought it up. She was gifted in the Force, and that gave her access to all sorts of abilities, but it didn't equate to good ol' fashioned practice and hard work, which is actually how Kali had gotten to where she was. He didn't know anyone who was more hardworking and dedicated than she was.

"Oh, I am sure you will do better than fine," he said with a smile before he let the spirit of competition take him. He loved Kali, but he was going to win this thing.

He studied her as she took a position. Her form wasn't perfect, but it was a hell of a lot better than most people, especially those new to the bow. She let the arrow loose, and it struck an apple dead center. Given her expression, she hadn't been expecting to do so well. Jon let out an impressed whistle. "Gods...I am so attracted to you right now..." he said quietly. They were in a competition for sure, but that didn't mean he couldn't also be proud.

He pushed those thoughts out of his head for the moment and focused on his next shot as he took his place. Taking in another breath, he shot a second later. The arrow missed the apple he had been aiming for by a good bit before it hit the backstop that had been set up to catch arrows. He let out a disappointed breath. "Guess I'm a little out of practice.." he said. Hopefully, she was just experiencing a bit of beginners luck, and he wouldn't get behind.

Roll = 2