Pity Party

[Outlander]

The large park laid open, trees and shrubbery winding along stone pathways, each ending at the gleaming crystal statue crowning the wave pool in the middle, several alien extremities seeming to reach down and carress the water. The whole scene was serene, with families laying out on the grass to enjoy the day amongst the natural beauty of their surroundings, each at peace with themselves and their world.

Bria laid out sprawled beneath a large tree, with dark leaves and a wide base. At least two empty bottles say in her immediate proximity, with a couple more within crawling distance. Several injectors of various makes and legalities rocked with her heavy breathing, some still protruding from her, others fallen around. Slowly, her eyes moved behind their lids, and a hand came up to knock away the bodily intrusions.

"Blacked out again." She said to herself matter of factly, pushing several stray strands of bleached hair out of her face. Third time this week. A lazy look around confirmed her suspicions. This isn't the Wanderer. She began to sit up against her true wishes to just curl up and sleep on the ground. The grass made a softer bed than the one on her ship. But if the blackout was like her last, she could have been out for at least a day, which was not good for someone with an ever increasing sense of paranoia.

I've got some of my plates, she thought to herself as her eyes ran over her current attire. She had on most of her chest plating, as well as both gauntlets and both shin guards. All of her calf and forearm plates where missing, probably still on the ship, as well as most of her weaponry and helmet. Although she had apparently enough sense in her druged up state to bring her sidearm.

With several groans, Bria got herself up on two legs, leaning against the tree for support. For a moment, she thought about cleaning up the mess surrounding her, but the thought was banished for more pressing needs. Now, all Bria wanted was to know where she even was.

@Spud @Mr.BossMan

 

[Mr.BossMan]

Anthoni walked the park with a cold calmness. The park was beautiful and only a fool would deny such a thing. That being said he still had to remain aware, at every minute, every second, every moment. Awareness was one of the most precious things to have, it separated him from the others. Walking past couples holding hands, Anthoni studied them.

Each walked in their own way. Some were carefree, laughing and joking as they went on down the paved sidewalk. Some were more serious, clutching their lovers hand with a tight dependence. Almost as if they would vanish in the blink of an eye, leaving them alone for ever. Anthoni found himself looking away from them as they walked past.

Instead he focused on the soothing sounds of the park. The birds sang their sweet melodies, the crickets chirped away at silence, the water flowed with a steady white noise. Anthoni closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, inhaling the intoxicating aroma of the flowers. it was when he opened his eyes he saw the woman.

Laying down in the park, sleeping it seemed. The woman had armor on and Anthoni instantly went into predator mode. He was aware of his lightaber hidden underneath his all black clothing. He might of stood out like a sore thumb, but this woman, she intrigued him.

Thats when he saw a blaster on her hip. When she stood he could of sworn he saw confusion on her face. All that being said Anthoni simply stopped and leaned on a black metallic pole. He would watch this woman, observe her, the when he was ready he would either confront her or walk away.

 

[Outlander]

Bria wobbled slightly on her feet as she relinquished her hold on the tree. She stumbled forward somewhat, knocking over a still half-full bottle and spilling its contents into the grass She looked down, her senses still numb and a raging headache already beginning. Was it always this bright? She knew it wasn't; that it was just the massive amount of stimulants she's put in herself, but she still had to wonder as the sun forced her to shade her eyes. Although, it didn't go exactly like that as her metallic armed smacker her in the face, her own control of the appendage significantly weakened. The slap did somewhat help in focusing her efforts.

Hanging the near useless limb by her side, she slowly began walking towards the path, trying to move her stiff limbs without falling to the ground. Several groups, couples, walked along the path in front of her. They looked at her with various emotions. One couple cut their eyes away and began walking faster. Another stopped to look at the drunk Mandalorian stumbling through the grass. The most curious one actually looked at her with anger. Why, she wondered to herself.

After what seemed like a painfully long time, she'd made it to the path. Sitting down on a bench near the crystal statue, it became apparent she was totally lost. Although, not all was lost. On the horizon, she spotted sets of tall buildings. If she could just remember the local area, it wouldn't be too difficult to use them to guide her way back.

 

[Aella Fett]

Ahh, the fresh air, the warm sunlight, the occasional bits of eye candy. Aella had spent far too long cooped up on her H-7 Atiniir, or Endure as it was written in basic, she needed to stretch her legs and a nice walk through a park before hitting the nearest cantina seemed like a nice way to do just that. Aella was almost fully garbed in her Aliit'Gam/Vagabond mixture armor. The only part she wasn't actually wearing was her helmet, which was attached to the upper left corner of her jetpack, so she could actually feel the soft breeze in her long red hair. A woman can only stand leaving her hair in braided buns so her helmet would seal properly for so long.

It was no surprise that as Aella enjoyed her leisurely walk through the park most people tended to avoid passing too close to her, which she couldn't help but giggle to herself about. She was a rather intimidating size, not to mention the whole armored and armed thing as she was also carrying around her firestorm and her hiraku; holstered on her left and right hips respectively. She wasn't allowed to bring any explosives past customs though, that they knew of anyway. She did manage to stuff a few non-lethals in the false bottom of a hard-case pack attached to her right thigh, which she had filled with a few credit chips and some makeshift homemade uj'alayi.

It seemed most of the patrons at the park this time of day were couples or families, definitely more on the boring side but at least some of them were eye-candy worthy. A few individuals did stick out however. There was a man in black leaning against a pole, a little shady but not quite as interesting as the partially armored blonde stumbling her way across the grass towards a bench on the path. Someone had a rough night, or a fun night, or possibly both. What was really curious about her was that what armor she did have on looked like Vagabond armor. She could just be a mercenary that likes armor but there was the chance that she was a fellow Mando, something Aella was too curious about to pass up.

With a rather loud thump Aella sat down next to the blonde as she appeared to be trying to figure out where the heck she was, Aella could definitely relate. "Party a bit too hard last night?" Aella asked with a faint grin and a casual tone that said 'I've been there and I'll probably be there again'. "I don't have any water but I've got a few snack cakes if you're hungry." Aella pulled a paper wrapped rectangle out of the hard-case on her thigh and waved it back and forth for the blonde to see, which would be followed by a very sweet aroma of nuts, fruit, spices, and syrup that would be rather familiar to any Mando'ade that had an uj cake before.

 

[Outlander]

Bria looked over numbly at the woman next to her. She wasn't entirely sure why someone had decided to approach her, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to find out. A quick glance did tell her a few things: The woman was obviously a Mandalorian, which would either bode better or worse for her depending on the Mandalorian. Another glance told her she was in a considerably better state than Bria herself. As out of it as she was, she knew exactly how she looked to everyone else. Pretty much like she felt. Terrible.

Bria ignored the question, partially because explaining would be uncomfortable for everyone involved, and partially because she wasnt in a state to really engage in casual conversation. Although something that caught her eye, or nose, was the cake waves in front of her face. She looked down lazily at her stomach and realized she was actually starving.

"Thanks" She mumbled, taking the cake. She smelled it again, taking in the rich scents of the pastry before scarfing the entire thing down. She hadn't had uj cake in a long time, and the treat certainly started working its miracles. She felt better already, probably due to actually having some food to help burn off the residual chemicals, although the headache was beginning to come in at full force.

 

[Aella Fett]

No answer, well, apart from a numb stare that was just about as good as a yes. At least the sweet smell of an uj cake seemed to have an impact on the woman, enough of one for her to gaze down at her stomach and realized that she was actually hungry. "Thanks." The woman managed to mumble through her hangover as she took the cake from Aella, she sounded every bit as terrible as she appeared to feel. "No problem." Aella replied casually as she leaned back in the bench and crossed her right leg over her left, resting her arms on the back of the bench as she did so.

Yep, she was definitely hungry, judging by how quickly she scarfed down that uj cake. "I've got a few more if you want another, buuut you're gonna have to tell me your name first. Mine's Aella." Aella may have been speaking to the woman beside her but she was watching the couples that passed by giving them a wide berth, messing with the ones that lingered too long while staring by making kissy faces at them, that usually sent them on their way.

 

[Outlander]

Bria looked at the woman uncertainly as she lounged back in the bench. She wasn't One to give her name out to anyone. Especially with her... troubled history. But, she was still hungry, and the cakes did have a soothing effect. So, she took the alternative option; lying. It wasn't preferred, especially towards someone that had shown her such kindness, but she knew nothing about the woman and what she was after.

"Kaala." She mumbled, rubbing a hand through her hair. "Kaala Byron."

 

[Aella Fett]

"Kaala... Kaala Byron." Aella looked over at her bench sitting compatriot as she replied. If she had a reason to Aella could've called her out on that lie, well, probably a lie. Running one's hand through their hair was a classic tell, but Aella didn't care. She figured that this woman probably had her fair share of enemies and telling an armed stranger her real name probably wasn't on her to do list. "Byron eh? Sound's fancy." Aella half-heartedly joked as she pulled out another paper wrapped rectangle and offered it to 'Kaala'.

"It's a shame I don't have some hair of the dog, might dull that headache I'm sure you have." Aella said in a mildly disappointed tone, directed at herself not 'Kaala'. Giving 'Kaala' a more thorough glance over Aella noted the faint but distinctive markings of injection sites on the woman's arm, so she was 'that' kind of partier. Not that it bothered Aella, everyone had their own ways of living. The only question that came to Aella's mind was 'Was it living or coping?', which wasn't exactly something she wanted to ask. "So Kaala, you wouldn't happen to know where a girl could get a good stiff drink around here would you?"

 

[Outlander]

Bria nodded dully at the mention of something to relieve the pulsing throb currently wreaking havoc on her head. She had stocked up on some medicine back on the Wanderer, but it was obviously of no use to her out wherever she was. Although, she had to admit, she'd woken up in far worse places. And her current company seemed about as harmless as a fully armed Mandalorian warrior could.

"I don't know where we are." She said quietly, looking around. The buildings in the distance didn't seem immediately familiar, but that would change in time. Just had to wait it out was all.

 

[Aella Fett]

"I don't know where we are." Aella couldn't help but crack a cheeky smile as she went back to people watching. Yep, she definitely 'partied' a little too hard, and it was a rather funny situation when you're not the one waking up some random place with a mind splitting headache and half of your armor missing. "You're in Phelar sweetie, one of the more populated cities on Eriadu. Aella took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air and the war sunlight for a moment before continuing on.

"Can't help much as for where in Phelar though, all I know is the way back to the spaceport." Aella pointed back down the path she had came from and between a few skyscrapers in the distance. "It's that way if you're curious."

 

[Outlander]

Bria looked back the way the woman pointed. Eriadu... It did sound familiar. And if there was a spaceport nearby, that mean it was probable she had wandered from there. Her ship was the only place she really felt comfortable staying in. She probably could have afforded staying in a high-rise for a few days, but it just didn't offer the same sense of security. Although that security didn't matter at all if she just wandered off, which was happening more and more frequently. She'd have to start locking down the Wanderer whenever the drinking started.

"Thanks." Bria said gratefully. "I can probably get home from there."

 

[Aella Fett]

"Thanks. I can probably get home from there." "I'd show you the way if you want, but there'd be a few food and drink related detours along the way." Aella stated in a casual tone, glancing out of the corner of her eye to see if that young man in black was still watching from his spot a little ways away. "You're free to tag along if you want though, I'm sure you could use a proper meal and a drink that wasn't mostly alcohol to take the edge off that head-ache." This offer was tossed towards 'Kaala' in a somewhat kinder tone.

Aella at least had her loyal, if a bit rough around the edges, droids that would come looking for her if she got drunk and passed out in the middle of a park, she wasn't sure if 'Kaala' was lucky enough to have someone look out for her so why not do it herself. Besides, it wouldn't be very Mando of Aella to just let another likely Mando'ade wander around helplessly in her current state, not to mention that she was pretty cute. "You never know, we might have some fun in the process."

 

[Outlander]

"I dunno." Bria said lightly, averting her eyes from the girl beside her. It made her at least somewhat suspicious, having a person offer their help out of the blue like she was. It went against what she's learned her entire life. The only people you could trust where family, and that didn't hold much weight when your family raised you to be a monster. Maybe she was just being genuinely nice? If she wanted to kill her, it was more than clear that she was in no state to put up a fight, so why risk her gaining her sense again?

She didn't look like an amateur, so that ruled out her just overlooking that detail. So, that left just a good Samaritan, or someone trying to coerce her into something. She guessed she was fine with those odds. "OK. I'll come along."

 

[Aella Fett]

"I dunno." Aella glanced back towards 'Kaala' as she spoke, the woman actually appeared to be thinking it over, which was far better than an outright no. It's not like Aella's offer wasn't suspicious, she knew full well that it could easily be taken as a means to lead 'Kaala' out of a public space for whatever nefarious reason or put the woman in a state of debt for later coercion. Nonetheless she hoped 'Kaala' would accept her offer, it wasn't often that she came across a fellow Mando'ade after the Fracture outside of contact with the Confederacy or the Underground.

"Ok. I'll come along." "Wonderful!" Aella replied enthusiastically, cracking a cheesy grin as she clapped her hands on the fronts of her thighs and pushed herself to her feet. "I'm sure there's a diner around here somewhere..." Pausing for a moment Aella turned back towards 'Kaala' to see if she was ready to move on. "...hopefully one that doesn't mind arms and armor, though I doubt they'd make much of a fuss with me around; to our face at least." Aella casually shrugged as she joked about her abnormal size, a fully geared mercenary that stood a few inches shy of seven feet didn't usually have trouble getting into said establishments, the problem was how on edge she tended to make more 'civilized' people.

 

[Outlander]

Bria nodded, getting up to her feet. She shook slightly, still uneasy moving. But the shakes had fallen off enough to seek out food with her new associate. Cake was good, but an actual meal would probably clear up her nagging headache. And if worse came to worse, ale offered a temporary fix. At least enough of one to get back to the Wanderer, although the voice in the back of her head reminded her how bad her condition already was without help from another glass.

The girl made a remark about her size, and it wasn't hard to see why. Her large and conditioned physique would be very intimidating to civilians. It was in stark contrast to Bria's own more squat build. She had kept herself in top condition, but she had stopped bothering to maintain it some time ago. Now, some of the muscle had broken down, and she appeared much frailer now, even if she could still beat most thugs that crossed her path.

Focusing back on the situation, she let out a small, halhearted chuckle.

 

[Mr.BossMan]

Anthoni leaned against the pole as he watched the two women speak to one another. It may have been all of twenty minutes until the pair decided to leave the park and head towards a diner. He could hear their voices from the moderate distance he was, they were muffled but he could hear them none the less. The giant was very loud and casual, one would say. Were as the other woman, was cautious and more hushed in her tone.

Either way the women were about to leave the park. And for some odd reason Anthoni was intrigued by them. They made a strange couple, one big the other small. One quiet and the other loud. And yet they were the same.

Mandalorians the both of them. He learned much of Mandalorian culture back when he was training for the "organization." It must have been six months of exhausting academic test and material Anthoni covered over the Mandalorians. He could name every war they fought in, every battle, every great general. He could tell you what Mandolor looked like to the exact detail.

But Anthoni has never been. He has never experienced the planet, what it feels like to walk in its woods. The feeling of its wind brushing against his scarred flesh.

Anthoni waited some more. He diminished his force presence to almost non existence, then with a thought. He seemed almost to disappear in his back ground.

 

[Aella Fett]

Aella started to walk in the direction she had pointed out earlier, back towards the spaceport that is, while making sure to match her pace with the hungover woman beside her. In the meantime she would go back to people watching, though there wasn't much new to see. Mostly they passed by couples and individuals exercising or just enjoying their day, all of which got out of their way pretty fast and even faster whenever Aella winked, blew a kiss, or made other various sultry expressions in their direction. Civilians always cracked her up.

"So what's your preference? I could go for something spicy myself but I'm open to suggestions." Aella inquired casually, casting a sidelong glance towards 'Kaala' as they neared the park's edge.

 

[Outlander]

Bria walked slowly alongside Aella, keeping her pace down by necessity and comfort. Her joints felt stiff, and the sited where she'd injected herself where numb. She shielded her eyes with a hand as they moved further into the sunlight, squinting. It was a very nice day, but the sun wasn't helping matters. Bria couldn't help notice her new associate watching the passerbys intently, even chiding them with winks and kissing expressions. Odd, but she'd be lying to herself if she said it wasn't amusing in itself. She even broke a smile when one man blushed in return and scampered off.

"Spicy sounds good." Bria said appreciatively.

 

[Aella Fett]

"Spicy sounds good." "Spicy it is then!" Aella responded enthusiastically, taking note of what actually appeared to be a smile on her temporary traveling companion's face with a quick glance. "We just have to find a joint that serves it." As the two of them reached the park's exit Aella put her hands on her waist scanned the surrounding structures for any sign of a place that served 'Exotic Cuisine', if anyone had spicy food they would and there was bound to be one nearby in a trade city like Phelar.

"There!" Aella pointed to a partially damaged neon sign that read 'Kairo's Cantina & Exotic Diner' that pointed into an alleyway lined with various small shops and businesses. "The ones with the broken signs will either have the best food you've ever had or the worst, sometimes both if you count food poisoning." With a light laugh Aella would lead the way to the cantina slash diner, which on the outside looked like it had seen better days but was nonetheless in better shape than its more seedy counterparts.

The inside was also a little worse for wear but still well kept, it probably was an older establishment. The atmosphere was darker than most restaurants with lighting over each individual table, the bar, and a stage where live music was performed; though it looked like the band was currently on break. The air smelled faintly various foods, liquor, and smoke. Given the time of day there weren't many patrons in Kairo's, only a few people at the bar and a few more spread throughout the restaurant, and it was currently in 'seat yourself' mode so Aella pointed 'Kalaa' to a table on the far wall where she could watch the door for anyone 'familiar' or out of place.

"I think that table'll do, we can people watch from there." She said quietly to 'Kalaa', pointing to the far wall, it was certainly of strategic value should something unexpected happen. Of course the two of them would receive some rather cautious glances from the patrons and the workers alike but at least no one was rushing over to them and saying they couldn't be here because they made the other patrons uncomfortable.