Adrenal Vapour

[Swamps]

Karon stood ready, his feet planted solidly on the cold stone floor of the training chamber. Darkness clung to him like a thick fog and curled upwards and around the enormous stone pillars that lined the circumference of the room. But Karon did not see the darkness, in fact he did not see. Instead he reached out, pushing with the Force. Finding smooth stone and the coarse fabric of banners. Somewhere, amongst the darkness, lurked his master. Somewhere.

There were traces, flecks of an aura. The occasional twist of colour against the swirling black. Karon shifted his stance, readying himself. It was frustrating. Usually the Miraluka had to make an effort to limit his vision, locked doors hiding secret conversations he should not overhear, but now he actually had to stretch himself. There was nothing! Surely he has left the chamber. Karon took a deep breath, watching the technicolour dregs of his aura swirl and dance in front of him. The Miraluka suddenly remembered he was being watched and turned his sight to the glass-fronted observation balcony. He could sense people above him there but their auras were lost to him, too far away. Much like his Master's...

[Moonfire]

Bellinda walked with ease through the hallways of the Coruscanti temple. Her steps reverberating pleasantly with every step against the columns and pillars that lined the wide open corridors. Night had fallen a few hours before and many of the Padawan's had already retired to the barracks for the night, eager to rest before another day of training and learning began.

Despite her physical exhaustion, spawned by a long day of physical training at the hands of the Weapon-master, Bellinda Maskrr was wide awake. Her mind craved stimulation, swirling with ideas, thoughts, things she had studied, conversations she wanted to have. The Grand Library, her most favorite place in the temple was still open, its catalogue of dusty books, datapad files, holocrons and artifacts appealed to all her senses and tonight seemed like just the perfect time to visit.

It had only taken a few minutes for her to download a wide variety of information and lectures and with a few choice words the librarian usered her back out, into the dark, chilly hallways of the temple.

As she marched, warm-buzzing datapad in hand something most peculiar caught Bellinda's attention. The flicker of a person, the brightness of their light as the moved in her periphery, probably in the sparring room. How curious.

Within a moment she had arrived, first passing the observation deck to get a closer look. Who was down there, at this time of night? They moved purposefully, yet with an edge of caution, body bent at the ready. Bellinda smiled brightly as recognition dawned.

Running quickly down the stairs of the spiral stair case she emerged at the main entrance, calling out into the climate controlled room as she did. "Karon! What're you doing in here so late?"

[Swamps]

Karon turned at her voice, its silky tones shattering his concentration. He moved from his readied stance and lowered his unlit saber, a brash smile crossing his face. He was pleased to see her, his best friend a welcome change from his solitary readiness.

"I could ask you the same, Bells."

He was surprised to see her. He knew for a fact that she enjoyed the night as much as he did. It's cool air and light breezes were welcoming and refreshing unlike the lazy warmth which seemed to dwell within the day. There was also the quiet. Very few trod the Temple's austere halls during the night or used it's training chambers. It was lonely but brilliant in its loneliness. But this was late even for her! She must have had a craving for some old text or something of the sort. The usual bookish excuse.

"We were training, me and Master Djorn. Although I'm half convinced that he's gone and wandered off. You know how he is."

Karon answered as she stepped closer, each footstep echoing between the hulking pillars of the chamber with ominous clicks. As she grew closer Karon could make out her face, the fragile curves of her cheekbones and her full lips. A familiar and welcome face. But beneath that her aura burnt as strong as any other Jedi's; a glowing, smouldering light which seemed to tear away at the darkness as she proceeded towards him.

[Moonfire]

"Training? At this time of night?" She laughed, brightly, surveying the room herself, content in finding nothing beyond the glowing silhouette of her dear friend in the room. This of course meant nothing, the Master most certainly adept at cloaking himself with the force, he could be lurking anywhere.

"I was just in the library, picking up some new lecture files." She said, tapping her datapad gently with her long fingers. "They just released a new series on the biomes of Ruusan, really fascinating. Have you been there?"

Her voice was perky, happy. It was so rare to see Karon on Coruscant, his Master a firm believer that a closed world made for a closed mind. Travel broadened perspective, and whatnot. "I've missed you, a lot."

[Swamps]

"When else? In the daytime I have to see past the other pesky Jedi, you know. It gets distracting."

Indeed, it did. Upon returning from his travels with his Master Karon had been surprised at how hard he found training with others around. On the Nimbus it was just him and his Master, very easy to concentrate. On Coruscant things weren't so simple. He could see the Masters in their council chambers. The youngling clans in their training rooms, their small bright auras. So many lives clouding his vision making it harder to see clearly, like a lens out of focus. Karon drank in her laughter, he had missed her dearly. It had been roughly seven months since he had left the Temple with Eldred and he had missed Bells every second of the day. Before his departure they had been inseparable... He had found it terrifying to be so alone. The bald Jedi couldn't help but let a smile cross his lips.

"No, I haven't but Master Eldred has. He told be of these strange spherical creatures that float on the wind, apparently they have a talent for poems. We're going to try and fly Ruusan way soon anyway, I can't wait to go."

He lied.

Those bouncing aliens could wait. No matter how odd they may be or how exotic Ruusan itself might be he wanted to stay with Bells. Seeing the universe had been fun and a true learning experience but now that he was back... He wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around her and not let go, not ever. She was intoxicating, made him feel whole. But he felt his eyes, Eldred's. He couldn't. Not with him watching. But he might not even be watching... No, it wasn't worth the risk. It was forbidden.

"I've missed you, a lot."

The words came out of the blue, breaking through Karon's contemplative tirade. He was unsure, confused and stammered a little before responding.

"I missed you as well."

He paused, biting back the urge to speak his mind.

"It's been hard, on the ship I mean, with nobody to talk to. With.. With you not being there."

[Moonfire]

"Ruusanian Bouncers! They're neat little creatures, aren't they? I've done some research on them before, but I heard this series has some really fascinating information about the anthropology around them." Bellinda finished excitedly, her fingers flexing over the datapad again, considering opening the lecture file here, to bask in the steady monotone of the professor with her dear friend. But now probably wasn't the time, having not seen her closest friend in many months.

And they have been, in their way, long months. She had thrown herself into cases with her hulking Wookie Master, perusing the dark underbelly of their shining city world. Though, for the most part she was content. It was lonely, yes. But necessary, needed. Traveling had been good for Karon, Bellinda was sure of it.

The boy fidgeted some, his posture showing relief, yet unease. As though struggling to convey something he didn't quite understand. Without hesitation or worry the girl gently touched his forearm, long fingers cupping the limb comfortably in her palm.

"How long are you back? I have some free time tomorrow after physical training..." She trailed casually, other hand wrapping loosely into her mane of thick red hair, running through the soft locks. "I'd love to catch up."

[Swamps]

Karon felt her fingers curl about his arm and recoiled slightly in shock, drawing his hand away. For Bellinda touch was a rare thing, exotic even. Boundaries were important to her and he recalled vividly her profuse apology at brushing into another Jedi in the corridors. Karon saw her face drop slightly and he scolded himself. For her to do such a thing great courage was needed and perhaps desperation. He worried. Apart from a couple of holos during their separation they hadn't spoken, anything could have happened.

Without hesitation Karon intercepted her own retreating hand with his, holding her slender digits between his rough palms. Her hands were small and soft and fitted perfectly into his palms. Their hands were a testament to their childhoods; his rough and tanned from life in the slums and hers smoother and soft from a Temple upbringing. In a wandering thought the Miraluka asked whether two more different people could be found before banishing it and opening his mouth to speak. He did so slowly and with gravitas, quietly as if what he was to say was a secret just for them.

"I was on Corellia, alone at a bar. There was a girl, a Zeltros. She looked happy, bright and sparkling eyes and a real spring in her step. A few hours later, when she was too drunk to move, she talked to me. About herself, her life. She told me that her face was as much of a veil as the hood of my cloak, something to cast shadow on what is real. She told me how her act hid her sadness and anger..."

Karon trailed off, letting his words sink in before speaking again.

"Are you alright, Bells? Really alright, I mean."

[Moonfire]

And so her face did fall as he recoiled from her touch, before being snatched up between the large warm hands, holding her tiny hand within. The roughness of his calloused palms, even after all these years among the Jedi first caught her attention. A smile formed again, an expression neither of them could acknowledge, but her shoulder's loosened and her mind relaxed, an easy tone falling between the two.

As Karon spoke down a chill began to work its way down her spine before finding its way to her stomach, where it sat and worked its way into knots. Her teeth sought her lip, though her fingers remained relaxed between his own.

"Karon..." She started, voice edged with concern. "I'm fine, I assure you. Are you okay? What made you think I'm not alright?" Bellinda asked gently, watching for an sort of indicative set of his shoulders, something to clue her in to what was going on.

[Swamps]

And there they were again, flashing through his mind. The very images he had spent hours and hours trying to dispel. A woman, on the floor. Sitting in a pool of her own blood with her leg twisted out in front of her. A woman that looked disturbingly, tortuously like Bellinda. He felt his face twitch as the thought tore through him. It wasn't her, it couldn't be her. Not her. Not her. He took a deep breath and held her hands a little closer.

"I... Have dreams."

He stopped. This was stupid, just a dream. No, they were common. Signs of the future: premonitions, visions, foreshadows, echoes... Just the sort of thing he should act on.

"And you're in them. You're... Bleeding. Your leg..."

Karon's voice broke a little as he continued. No! He would not allow it! It would not, could not, should not be her! She was innocent and young and... Yet, she was different the woman in the dream. She was her but older, wiser, scarred...

"I... I worry."

He gulped and waited for his friend's reaction. Surely she would think he was mad? Sampled some death sticks on his travels or something or like. Terrified, he waited.

[Dutch]

Patter patter patter... patter patter patter...

So sounded tiny feet clad in boots. The temple was quite empty at this hour, only a couple Jedi were seen, most similar races that probably had a different sleep schedule than other races. None really paid attention to blur of blonde as she dashed from room to room, only to pop in for a moment before she would stamp a foot in frustration. The girl nearly knocked over Master Tyrion, a dwarf who also happened to be quite the talented diplomat. She babbled several apologies incoherently before she dashed away once more in her searched.

Halli Price came to the Temple fairly often, maybe once every month or so depending on her Master's and the High Council's schedule for her these days. She stayed with Bellinda, like when they were younglings, and had actually locked her friend out for the day as inspiration hit and she commandeered the room for creative purposes only. A slideshow of inspirational images, and a recording of Halli's favorite opera: Desitjo, dels Sols. It was a beautiful piece, written by Iluny Mestre Mata deVela and performed by his twin sister. Halli wished she could sing half as beautifully as her. Not to mention a bowl of her favorite sweet.

But she had finally finished after eighteen hours of straight work. And it showed on her. Clad in her usual Jedi robes, Halli had left the brown cloak behind and was in the simple cream colored tunic and pants. Except for the fact that head to toe, Halli was spattered in a dazzling array of colors in various shapes of paint. She finally felt out into the Force and picked up on two presences. Bells! Karon! Thought the girl excitedly as a big smile broke out across her face and she ran faster, the pitter patter of her boots audible through the halls.

She finally reached the room and burst into it without hesitation, already mid-sentence about something that involved a rancor and a heroic warrior chick with blonde hair like her and how she thought that the face turned out to look more like Bellinda. And they were holding hands.

Those gentle eyes of Halli's would widen and her jaw dropped. Had she not still clung to the door handle, she may have stumbled over and fell. She looked from Bellinda to Karon and back again. Her two best friends, both Miraluka. Both blind. Halli's master was convinced that the Force had a sense of humor, and he always noted the cruel irony of Halli's talents as a painter and the two people's opinions she cared about the most, would never truly see her works.

"Oh... my... BELLS! What are you doing! Oh no! No no no! What if you get pregnant! Bells! Stop touching Karon! Karon! Stop liking it! What if the Masters find out! You'll get in SO much trouble and Bells I don't think you're ready to be a mom yet and Karon you won't be able to travel and save people and stuff so STOP HOLDING HANDS!"

[Moonfire]

Bellinda's face twisted up as Karon spoke, her hand held gently between his own, though it was not a moment of tenderness. No this was fear that ran rampant across her dear friend's face, that swirled in moved ominously about him.

In a broken voice he croaked, jumbled words about about prophetic dreams and his worries. Biting her lower lip Bellinda raised a hand, slowly, fearfully to cup his face. Beneath the soft fingers she could feel the tension in his jaw, the expression she could not see.

"Karon... I'm okay. It's okay, I'm right here-" She cooed, her voice barely above a whisper, comforting. Bellinda wasn't sure exactly what his dreams meant, or if his fears were more than his protective nature, stressed by his Padawan training, but she aimed to reassure.

"I'm not go-" Bellinda continued, only to be cut off as someone bumbled into the training room, talking already at full speed.

With Halli's sharp intake of breath Bellinda withdrew her hand from Karon's smooth face, standing tall and straight, stiff at attention as the girl before them rambled, her hand still trapped between his own.

"Oh... my... BELLS! What are you doing! Oh no! No no no! What if you get pregnant! Bells! Stop touching Karon! Karon! Stop liking it! What if the Masters find out! You'll get in SO much trouble and Bells I don't think you're ready to be a mom yet and Karon you won't be able to travel and save people and stuff so STOP HOLDING HANDS!" Halli said full speed, paint speckled limbs flailing in panic.

"Wha-wuh-What?" Bellinda finally asked, all but doubling over in laughter, wrenching her hand carefully from Karon's as she laughed so hard, so deeply, gasping between heaving fits of giggles.

"Halcyon Price! You are too funny!" Bellinda choked out between giggles. "You can't get pregnant from hand holding!"

[Swamps]

Karon felt goosebumps rise across his face and although grasping desperately for words they slipped through his fingers like mist. He stuttered a little instead before falling silent.

"Karon... I'm okay. It's okay, I'm right here-"

He sighed and actually believed her. Maybe the dreams were just dreams, products of an overactive imagination. After all Halli was the prophet not him! He just hit things and carved wood... Karon opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a jabbering voice that could have only been Halli's. Speak of the dark side. She stopped and gasped, her mouth falling open in shock. Karon felt Bellinda's hand shot from his face in response and stifled a smirk as he saw her straighten up.

"Oh... my... BELLS! What are you doing! Oh no! No no no! What if you get pregnant! Bells! Stop touching Karon! Karon! Stop liking it! What if the Masters find out! You'll get in SO much trouble and Bells I don't think you're ready to be a mom yet and Karon you won't be able to travel and save people and stuff so STOP HOLDING HANDS!"

He flinched at her high-pitched tirade before clutching his chest as he exploded with laughter. He hadn't laughed so hard in months... Oh, it was good to be back.

"You can't get pregnant from hand holding!"

"And regardless, Halli, I think Bellinda would make a fantastic mother."

Karon smirked, baiting his two friends. His dreams would have to wait for now. Halli being the hypochondriac she was would no doubt lose weeks of sleep over it if she knew.

[Dutch]

Halli stared at Bellinda and Karon. Her mouth gaped open and close wordlessly. She put her hands firmly on her hips and continued to look between her two friends as she began to flush. Apparently having both Zeltronian and Ocsin in your blood led to some brilliant blushing. Halli's skin would turn from slightly pink to bright crimson. She furrowed her brow and pursed her lips defiantly.

"I know that Bells! I-I'm not a Youngling!"

She said with a small stamp of her left foot, unable to stop the slight stutter of indignity. Halli moved into the room further until she was next to her friends, and a light kick was sent into Karon's shin.

"Bells is only seventeen Karon! How can she be a good mother? Jedi aren't allowed to have babies and especially not with other Jedi and if you two have babies they'll be blind too and is that really fair to the baby when you could have one with a different race with eyes and then your baby could see but you probably shouldn't be out having babies anyway... and why do you two always have the lights out!"

The girl said with a whirl before she trotted to the light panel and flipped it on to reveal her friends better. Bellinda's hair was always so much prettier in the light, especially sunlight. She would try to stifle a smile as a memory rose. Sweet wind of the Jedi gardens. Brilliant sunlight shone down on the two young girls. Halli babbled as usual and Bellinda sat and listened with a smile as the blonde girl brushed and braided her friends hair. It was that day that Halli began to confide into Bells regularly, even when the Miraluka girl didn't want it.

But Halli could no easier hold back her glee than stem the tide of a flood. She giggled lightly and her trademark big, toothy smile would spread as her presence in the Force flooded with joy and she sheepishly walked back to her friends. Her head slightly bowed to hide her eyes beneath her head, she held her hands in front of her body loosely.

"...Sorry I kicked you Karon."

Halli said sheepishly. Another memory came to her mind, and she further bowed her head to hide her face. A younger Karon sat with her and Bellinda on the steps of the Temple. Halli idly finger painted as Bellinda and her were listening to the melodies of a harp over a datapad. He told them a Master had picked him, the first of the trio. Karon was going to leave. He was going out into that big, bad galaxy. For the first time ever, Halli was glad neither of her friends could see. Neither could see the tears that mixed with her paint as she swirled it around.

It was that day that Halli first realized that Karon meant more to her than she thought.

[Swamps]

He grinned a little as she flashed, he loved her and Bellinda deeply but loved nothing better than to jibe them. Like poking a Krayt Dragon with a stick just to see it's reaction.

"Ow!"

Karon exclaimed, if only in surprise, as he felt Halli's tiny foot crash into his shin.

"Bells is only seventeen Karon! How can she be a good mother? Jedi aren't allowed to have babies and especially not with other Jedi and if you two have babies they'll be blind too and is that really fair to the baby when you could have one with a different race with eyes and then your baby could see but you probably shouldn't be out having babies anyway... and why do you two always have the lights out!"

He twitched a bit, his grin souring somewhat. Was blindness really unfair? Personally he hated the term, he was not blind. He simply saw the world differently. Others were surprised at his lack of understanding of colour and form and expected him to mourn his species's shortcomings. He could say the same about them! They did not see emotion or aura like he did, were they missing out? Perhaps...

He held his tongue. Halli was young and unassuming and besides one should not anger the Krayt Dragon if you didn't like it's roar. He watched her move sheepishly towards them, her aura slowing in motion. It's flares of light flagging and slowing until the broiling silhouette of light seemed to move in slow motion. For a brief second he wondered whether the Human eye could ever find something like an aura to watch.

"...Sorry I kicked you Karon."

"It's fine, really."

Karon responded, flexing his leg a little. It hadn't so much been the pain as the surprise. Halcyon Price was not known for her violence, anything but. In their last training session she had soundly thrashed him, the duellist of the trio, and not made a single blow. She was something to behold when the chips were down, that was for sure. She had blocked every thrust and slash and arc he had made as easily as she now won he and Bellinda over with her trademark smile. All innocence and naivety.

Karon raised his head from surveying his leg to Halli, her aura... She watched it churn slowly and with great weight, as if mulling something over. Something deep inside. Her silhouetted head was bowed as if to hide her face. She often forget how far their sight penetrated when in their presence. She could not hide herself from them. Karon may not have been able to see her face but he knew that something was going on there. Tears perhaps, or a frown?

"You okay, Halli?"

[Moonfire]

"I know that Bells! I-I'm not a Youngling!" Halli's indigence drawing another giggle as Bellinda tried to control herself, the uproarious laughter spilling out between gasps of air as the slender red head held her sides, blindfold slipping as she shook.

"Hal-Halcyon!" She stuttered between giggles, adjusting the slick red wrap about her face as she did. "Karon and I aren't having any children, ever." Bellinda explained with a casual wave of her hand as she regarded the shape of her friend.

Halcyon Price was in their young clan, despite being just a little younger than the duo, and on day with little warning she just appeared, attached to her hip. At first it was almost annoying, the bubbly, talkative girl who followed Bellinda everywhere, touching her hair and prattling on and on about things the older girl didn't care for or about. But with time and Halli's persistence Bellinda came to love her new friend, finding a form of companionship she didn't know she wanted.

As time passed and everyone went their separate ways in the galaxy, Bellinda found herself quite comfortable on Coruscant, the only home she had ever known, even if she was alone. She didn't think that she'd miss them like she did. That small little yearning for Halli's endless talking and Karon's jokes bloomed inside her and rustled occasionally, usually after a particularly long training session after she relaxed and allowed her mind to wander.

"And regardless, Halli, I think Bellinda would make a fantastic mother."

She broke out into a grin, giving Karon a gentle shove.

"I'm not going to be anyone's mother, ever. I'm a Jedi, and so are the two of you! We're all just friends." She teased, wagging a finger before the pair like a chiding mother.

"And I'll have you know Halcyon that I am not blind. I see quite well." With a laugh she poked her finger into Halli's side, wiggling it into her ribs. "I can see that you are incredibly silly, and you cut your hair again. And.." She withdrew the finger from her friends side, feeling the cool stickiness of half dried paint.

"You've made a huge mess of my room."

[Dutch]

Halli literally jumped with a tiny squeak as Karon queried her state. She stammered a few nonsensical phrases before she shook her head as if to shake the thoughts off like water and smiled brightly once more.

"I'm ok!"

She piped in. Her eyes went to Bellinda as she talked of being a Jedi. And they darted from the red-head to Karon as Bells spoke of them all just being friends. Halli fought down a little flare of jealousy with an angry mental stomp and flared her nostrils slightly. Her momentary mental battle distracted Halli long enough for Bellinda to use one of her favorite tortures on the little blonde: Tickling. Halli squealed and jump away from Bellinda as she giggled uncontrollably and stomped her feat. She cried out in mock fright and laughed as she darted behind Karon to cling onto his robes. Her laughter never ceased as she peered around her friend at Bellinda with pursed lips and narrowed eyes.

"Some would call it an improvement Bells."

Halli said grumpily. Color was such an important thing in her life, it expressed things that the girl never could verbally. She thought of the room she shared with Bellinda when on Coruscant, their old room from when they were younglings. The entirety of the walls, floor, and ceiling was covered in a dazzling array of greens and blues and reds and yellows and indigos. A multicolor extravaganza that made Halli smile every time she turned a light on, which was often because Bellinda sat in the dark. Always. Then Halli realized Bellinda had commented on her hair. How did she know!?

"How come you always know Bells! It was getting long and a pain and I wanted braids and... yeah..."

And you knew you were going to see Bellinda. And Karon...

She giggled sheepishly and stepped gingerly around Karon. With a twirl she scampered over to Bellinda to cling onto her left arm and cuddle it against her. Halli smiled and nuzzled her face affectionately into Bells' should with a happy sigh.

"So mister adventurer... you better have some good stories for me this time! The gundark and the gungan was a little too hard to believe, I really can't see a gungan hiding by smearing himself in gundark poodoo and pretending to be a baby gundark which is silly cause gungans don't have four arms like gundarks do but then again they do both have big ears except gungans droop and gundarks are pointed and don't gundarks eat the young anyway or maybe that was something else like maybe rancors or krayt dragons or..."

Halli continued to list on the galaxies worst and scariest creatures, her eyes peered up in contemplation and her brow furrowed in serious thought as she tried to ponder more species. It took her a few moments to realize that she was rambling, and once more turned bright red before she buried her face into Bellinda in embarrassment.

[Swamps]

Names of feared creatures usually whispered in hushed tones came spilling from Halli's lips in a tirade of the galaxy's deadliest, ugliest and most infamous followed by a challenge. The bald Jedi raised a single eyebrow in response and smirked in knowing. He had just the story.

"Well, I can promise you I have the most excellent story for you... And one far more exciting than the Gungan and the Gundark. A story of monsters, great peril and of course the usual derring-do associated with my exploits!"

It still amused him that she hadn't believed that story. Admittedly it hadn't been true but it had been entirely believable. He had thought the whole thing up whilst on a lazy trip to Naboo, protecting a senator. Honest and very necessary work but not in any way exciting. So in his boredom he had learnt a lot about Naboo, listening to anything he could find about the beautiful planet and its secretive Gungan population. His experience on Geonosis had been anything but boring, he'd been sent there to find a bounty hunter who'd taken a liking to Jedi targets but he and his master had become embroiled in something far more dangerous...

"But it's getting late and I can see you're tired Halli. So perhaps we should wait until tomorrow?"

He teased, a playful grin playing across his face. He loved Halli but couldn't resist baiting her, she was so cute when she was angry.