Movin' on Up (Gouyen and Robi)

[SashaKovalev]

With his familiar knock on the door, long and drawn out and the done only out fo sheer amusement each time, he leaned once again against the doorway, waiting for Gouyen or Robi to let him in.

His serious expression had faded, as it usually did around the two of them.

“If you don’t answer soon Im taking my saber to the door…” He joked, loud enough for them to be able to hear through the thick, old fashioned oak door.

[Gouyen Chee]

She was busy at the computer when the familiar knock came. Tap-tap, pause, tap-tap-tap, tappity-tap, rap, tap. With a nonchalant wave of her hand, the door opened.

"Hi Sasha," she said warmly, still seated in front of the terminal. A few key clicks to save and close the file and she turned around and rose to embrace her brother in the order. "What's up?" she asked, knowing that he ususally had something up his sleeve, besides his arm.

[SashaKovalev]

He stepped aside just in time to keep the door from giving him the good whack he sometimes needed. And then he walked in, closing it behind him.

“Oh….nothing.” He replied, his voice bordering on innocent, but those violet eyes of his betraying him. They sparkled with something mischievious.

He walked about her quarters, a wide grin finally spreading across his face.

“Feels a little cramped in here…” He commented, his words not insulting, but rather obviously leading to something else.

His hair was tousled, for he had just been outside in the rather strong wind of the day. And then, finally getting the approval he'd been waiting on, the first thing he had done was rush to Gouyen's room to speak with her.

[Gouyen Chee]

OOC: Dammit, I now have the theme from The Jeffersons running through my mind ... "Movin' on up, To the Eastside...."

She watched him roam about her quarters, grinning all the while. "Feels a little cramped in here...," he commented, mischief sparkling in his violet eyes.

"You're up to something -- I know it." She was trying very hard to look disapproving but a smile just kept breaking through. "'Feels a little cramped,' you say. I guess I've been too busy to notice it, but yeah," and she looked around the room thoughtfully, "it is a bit small. What I'd really like is one big room for everything and a seperate sleeping chamber." She looked at him a little wistfully. "What, do you have dibs on larger quarters?" she asked with a smile.

[SashaKovalev]

ooc: *laughs* And now I do as well.... :)

ic:

He paused, almost dramatically, which was not at all like him. But he was rather excited about this new opportunity, and he wanted Gouyen to be as well.

"Maybe....." He replied, still not completely answering her question.

And then he couldnt hold back any longer.

"What would you think of moving up a floor....?" He finally asked.

This might have seemed out of the blue for him, for he spent very very little time in his room. He was always travelling, or when he was around, he was either training apprentices, or coming to knock on Gouyen's door.

[Gouyen Chee]

"What would you think of moving up a floor...?" he finally asked.

She composed her face into an inscrutable expression. "That's the knight's quarters, isn't it?" He nodded.

"Hmmm...," she mused. Moving was a royal pain in the butt, but it might be worth it, particularly as she was taking on apprentices of her own and needed a private place to work with them.

"I'd have to have a balcony overlooking the garden," she said, then moved towards the door. "Let's take a look, shall we?"

[SashaKovalev]

He laughed now, seeing that Gouyen was likely going to be convinced. The quarters reserved for the knights were considerably larger, and had a much better view of either the gardens, or on the other side of the palace, the ocean.

He could almost hear her thoughts on what a pain it was to move.

"I'll help you move if you like the room..."He promised. That, and he would be sure that all the droids in the palace were reserved that day to help.

He moved towards the door with her, opening it and stepping outside. He held it for her and waited while she closed it.

"I kind of checked into things earlier this week...." He admitted, meaning that he had asked for permission for the two of them to move. He hadnt seen the rooms yet, for in all honesty, he hadnt cared. He'd just wanted to be away from the room he was currently in - the one across the hall from Felicians's old room.

[Robi]

Robi launched herself from her post on the bed. Hey you two, wait for me! she said silently, her claws scrabbling on the hard floor. I'm gonna live there too, and I have certain things I want to look for -- like carpeting. She managed to nip out the door, just as it was being closed.

She noticed the way Sasha looked down the hall towards his current quarters -- there seemed to be an air of discomfort about him when he did that, like it brought back bad memories. Then she remembered what Gouyen had told him about the mission -- Feliciana Devano had asked that someone bear back the message that she loved Sasha. The pieces fell into place.

You're trying to escape bad memories, aren't you?

[Gouyen Chee]

Her hand dropped down to caress the Cybernian's head. "Of course I want your input, Robi -- you're a member of this order as much as I am."

Then she "heard" Robi's silent comment -- You're trying to escape bad memories, aren't you? -- and her eyes widened with comprehension. "If you are, I don't blame you. That's past and we all have to move forward now," and she turned and headed towards the stairs.

[SashaKovalev]

Robi read him perhaps a bit too easily. But this was not entirely surprising, as he let his guard down completely around both she and Gouyen.

His violet eyes looked to her, reaching to pet her head, perhaps because it was comforting to do so.

He nodded.

"I guess..." He replied softly. He then looked to Gouyen.

She had not bothered to speak only to him, for there was little that he shared with either one of them that he did not share with the other.

He sighed softly as they began to climb the stairs.

"Its just...its different now." He stated quietly. He tripped slightly over his words, the pain of her departure obvious to these two that he was so close to.

[Gouyen Chee]

Gouyen said nothing as the trio ascended the staircase. There really wasn't much she could say as she had never been in such a situation before. All she could do was to provide empathy, and when it came to her brother in the Order, empathy was available in boundless supply.

"Things change, you know," she finally said. "And we have to change with them. Maybe this move will be a good thing -- besides," she added, "I think I'm going to go with all new furniture and leave the old room as it is, waiting for some lucky apprentice."

[SashaKovalev]

Slowly, a grin made its way back to his face.

That was part of the reason he'd wanted to move. Change.

"All new furniture, huh?" He turned to Robi and grinned.

"Think we'll be allowed to sit on it?" He joked as they came to the first of many doors of empty rooms. They were left unlocked, for there was little reason to lock them.

[Robi]

I should hope so, she remarked, looking from Sasha to Gouyen. I like a comfortable seat as much as anyone else.

She reared up on her hind legs and used a nimble forepaw to open the door to the room. Actually, it was more of a suite, with a spacious living/dining/kitchen area and a seperate bed and bath area. Dropping back to all fours, she trotted in, sniffing intently.

Hasn't been occupied in quite some time, she said via the Force. Then, forlornly, There's no carpeting.

Moving to the far wall, she open the French doors to the balcony. It overlooked the garden, and was high enough to see over the surrounding walls to the Corellian plains below.

Mistress, Sasha, come here and have a look -- nice view.

[SashaKovalev]

He followed Gouyen and Robi into the apartment.

"I can help with the carpeting..." He replied easily to Robi's rather disappointed remark.

"I dropped out of school my last year to do carpentry work to support my mother while she was sick..." He explained. There was only a momentary flicker of sadness, for he had, quite some time ago come to terms with the loss.

"So dont let that bother you...." He added, stepping over to where Robi was to get a good look at the view. And then he looked to Gouyen.

"What do you think...?" He asked curiously.

[Gouyen Chee]

She entered the room slowly, surveying it with both her senses and the Force. It was clear that it hadn't been used in quite some time -- one need only see the layer of dust that coated everything to see that. It was large, much larger than her quarters on the lower floor, and was laid out much more like a small apartment. There was an L-shaped kitchen area in one corner, which was open to the rest of the living area. A small hall lead to the fresher and the spacious bedroom, which also had a pair of French doors opening out onto the balcony. And the view from that balcony was stunning -- the entire garden lay below, including a view of the pond where Shenraun was wont to lurk. Beyond the walls, out in the distance, lay the golden plains of Corellia, a seemingly endless sea of grass.

She just stood on the balcony, gazing out at the view, when Sasha interrupded her reverie.

"What do you think?" he asked curiously.

She turned to face him, tears welling in her obsidian eyes. "It's beautiful," she said, dabbing at the corner of her eyes with a sleeve. "It reminds me so much of home -- the wide, sweeping plains and all. And the garden -- so much like the compound of the Assazi Temple back on Selnath...." She stood there, speechless, entranced by the view.

Then she turned back to her brother in the Order. "Part of me wants to take this room and not look at any others, but the other part of me wants to see if it is possible to improve upon perfection.. She stood there, musing.

"Let's go and look at some of the other rooms -- there may actually be one better than this," she added with a smile. "And besides -- don't you need a new room too?"

[SashaKovalev]

He noticed tears welling a bit in her eyes and looked away for a moment, a slight flush coming over his cheeks. He was more than familiar with women crying, for his mother had cried constantly when she was alive.

But tears of happiness were a new thing to him, and he could only smile slightly and wait for her to explain.

It's beautiful. It reminds me so much of home -- the wide, sweeping plains and all. And the garden -- so much like the compound of the Assazi Temple back on Selnath....

Amd them she turned to him.

Part of me wants to take this room and not look at any others, but the other part of me wants to see if it is possible to improve upon perfection..

He laughed at this and shook his head. The grass was always greener, he supposed.

Let's go and look at some of the other rooms -- there may actually be one better than this. And besides -- don't you need a new room too?

He nodded and they made their way for the door.

“Yeah,I do need a new room. But I don’t really care much what it looks like. Just somewhere to throw my stuff…” He replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

His current room barely looked as if he lived there. The only tell tale sign were the clothes that he tossed haphazardly here and there when he was in a hurry or just plain exhausted. He didn’t spend much time in his room. When he was on Corellia, he was usually found out by the lake, down by the sea, or hanging out in the library or Gouyen and Robi’s quarters.

“You’re the one who needs the nice room…” He quipped.

“Im tired of your cramped place right now…” He added with a teasing grin.

With this, he pushed open the room of the door across the hall. Instantly, from the living area, he could see the sea down below. He didn’t say anything, but walked to the doors and stood out on the balcony, the wind ruffling his already tousled hair.

He stared in silence for a moment, and then looked to Gouyen.

“This is where I want to be.” He stated quite simply.

[Gouyen Chee]

"This is where I want to be," he stated quite simply.

She moved up to stand beside him, taking in the view, which was truly spectacular. Coronet lay spread out below, looking like a child's playscape, and beyond lay the eastern ocean, glittering silver-blue in the distance.

"I see why," she replied after taking in the view. She stood silent for a moment, then turned back to the first room, directly across the hall. She looked around and then went back out to the balcony, where the afternoon sun was streaming in through the window. The shadows in the garden were beginning to lengthen and the sun turned the grasslands into rippling fields of gold.

She eventually pulled herself away from the view and studied the apartment with a critical eye. Then she noticed why the room had no carpeting -- the floor was beautifully polished hardwood. It looks like Robi will have to put up with area rugs, she thought to herself.

"And I'll take this room," she stated quietly as she stood in the doorway, looking into Sasha's new room and out through the windows. "That way, if one of us gets tired of the view, they can always go across the hall and enjoy the other's view." She grinned playfully. "Let's get moving, so to speak -- the quicker we get going, the quicker we can enjoy the view."

[SashaKovalev]

When she agreed to the room across from him, his face lit up.

"And when I need someone to help me out with all that domestic stuff, I can just come across the hall and...." His voice trailed off as he moved away from her, prepared for a playful slug.

"I dont think it will take long for me to move..." He stated, thinking of the fact that he'd only really come with one bag, and he hadnt really bought anything to make his room a place to live in.

Perhaps in the new room, he would.

"Want me to help with your place?" He asked as they began to head toward the stairs back down to their 'old' floor.

[Gouyen Chee]

"And when I need someone to help me out with all that domestic stuff, I can just come across the hall and...." His voice trailed off as he moved away from her, prepared for a playful slug.

The playful slug came right on cue as Gouyen bopped him one on the shoulder. "You know, they have droids for that," she snapped in mock indignation.

"I don't think it will take long for me to move," he stated. She wasn't surprised by this little revelation -- Sasha probably hadn't taken much with him when he joined the order. She had somewhat more, seeing that she came on her own ship, but her possessions were mostly lightweight and compact, such as clothing. And since she was leaving her furniture in the old room, it wouldn't take too long for her to move either. The worst part would be picking out the new furniture and having it moved in.

"Want me to help you with your place?" he offered as the headed down the stairs, back to their current quarters.

"That would be great," she responded. "Although I don't think I'll be needing your carpet-laying expertise -- I noticed that the floor is beautiful hardwood, so I'll be using area rugs so I don't cover it all up."

[Robi]

Robi shot her a hurt look. How could you? it said. I thought you were going to go for wall-to-wall.

[Gouyen Chee]

"Yeah, I was, but after seeing that beautiful floor, I changed my mind. But don't worry," she said, dropping a hand down to caress the Cybernian's head. "I'll make sure those rugs have anti-skid backing so you won't slip."

Then an amusing image came to her, of Robi trying to get up to speed and kicking up folds of carped behind her. She chuckled softly and silently shared the vision with Sasha.

"That's what I don't want to have happening," she said as she pushed open the door to her quarters.

"Care to help me choose furniture?" she asked. "And maybe choose some new stuff for yourself?"

[SashaKovalev]

Sasha followed Gouyen and Robi into their old quarters.

He shrugged at the idea of picking out furniture.

“I’ll be happy to go with you, but Im not sure Im the best one to consult on what would look best..” He replied as he made himself at home and sank onto Gouyen’s comfortable couch.

“You’re not trading in this one for a new one, are you?” He asked, disapproval in his voice. He’d spent so much time with them here, chilling out on this couch. He’d spent more time there with them than in his own room, he felt like.

[Gouyen Chee]

"But I need a second set of eyes to make sure that the colors are compatible. You see, the Assazi are mildly colorblind -- a trade-off for improved night vision -- and I want the colors to be somewhere between bland neutral and garishly bright." She smiled, slightly embarrased, as she remembered outlander comments about the Assazi's screamingly loud color schemes. She didn't want that to happen here, hence her asking Sasha for a little help.

"You're not trading in this one for a new one, are you?" he asked, disapproval in his voice.

She turned to look at him. "Well, I was thinking about. Why -- you like it? It's yours if you want it."

[SashaKovalev]

But I need a second set of eyes to make sure that the colors are compatible. You see, the Assazi are mildly colorblind -- a trade-off for improved night vision -- and I want the colors to be somewhere between bland neutral and garishly bright.

At this, Sasha grinned.

“And you trust me to help you pick these out, huh…?” This was less a question and more of a revelation for him.

"That’s a big risk, ya know…” He added with a teasing grin.

He ignored her question for a moment about the couch, not wanting to admit that he was perhaps a bit sentimental about the thing. She had been the one he had turned to in dealing with the difficulties he’d had over Feliciana leaving. He’d spent an increased amount of time there just hanging out with the two of them, and the thought of things changing too drastically, furniture or not, mildly alarmed him. He wasn’t ready for any other big changes just yet, besides rooms, of course. But even that had taken much time to get used to before he’d even proposed the idea.

“Well, it’s a good couch.” He defended.

“Yeah, I’ll put it in my room…” He agreed, patting the arm of the well worn couch with whatever hint of affection one could show for a couch.

“You want to go into the city after we move your stuff to look?” He asked.

[Gouyen Chee]

"And you trust me to help you pick these out, huh?" he asked, part question, part revelation. "That's a big risk, ya know."

"Don't tell me you're colorblind too," she replied with a chuckle. "In which case I think I'll stay with the blandly neutral."

She was a little surprised with his fondness for the couch. Somewhere between Sasha's frequent visits and Robi's fondness for sleeping on it, it had gotten a bit tatty. It probably had a lot of good memories for him, she thought, in spite of, or perhaps because of, its somewhat worn state.

"Yeah, I'll put it in my room," he agreed.

"Good. That'll give your room a lived-in feeling. And if you keep visiting me as often as you do my new stuff will very quickly get that 'lived-in feeling.'"

"You want to go into the city after we move your stuff to look?" he asked.

"Sure," she replied absently. She was considering how they would move the couch when an idea struck her. "Seeing as I have a couple of apprentices now, I was thinking that perhaps I could use them to help us move. Cheap labor and a good lesson in Force-manipulation objects. Then we could all go into the city together. How 'bout it?"

[SashaKovalev]

He shook his head in response to her question of him being colorblind. He wasnt at all, he just wasnt sure he was thebest one to ask about interior decorating. But he supposed he could make an effort, at least.

He laughed at the suggestion og Gouyen's apprentices being put to work, and nodded in agreement.

"That sounds like a perfect plan...." He replied, making himself even more comfortable on what would now be his couch as he waited for their arrival.

"So who have you got for apprentices, anyway?" He asked.

"And how is their training coming along....?" He was sincere as he asked, for he really did want to hear about this. Gouyen was an excellent teacher, he knew this first hand, for she had taught him several thigns over the course of their friendship.

[Gouyen Chee]

"Southstar is my first apprentice -- I worked with him on battle meditation back when I was still an apprentice. Then there's Dreth Kindo, who I haven't had much time to work with. We met in a tavern on Naboo, fighting a Jedi knight and padawan, so I know he's pretty good in a fight. The third apprentice is a fellow named Tunaris Sori -- I met him just a couple of nights ago, so I haven't had a chance to work with him."

She closed her eyes and concentrated, sending out a Force summons to her apprentices. Come to my quarters on the second floor for training.

That done, she turned back to Sasha. "How about your apprentices? How are things coming along with them?"

OOC:This may take a bit -- Southstar is away for the holidays, and I'm not sure about the other two . I'll PM them and invite them into the thread.

[SashaKovalev]

(ooc: no worries, Im only here until friday, then I'll be gone for a week. Happy holidays! :) )

As she told him about her apprentices, he committed each to mind, along with the things she had told him. He wondered idly how she found the time. Two was more than enough. He would have preferred only one, really, if he hadnt felt some sort of duty to the order to help with training.

“Mine are coming along fine….” He replied with a shrug.

“Judas has a lot to learn, but he’ll get it all in time. He grows stronger with each meeting. I guess we used to be friends some time ago as children, but its before I remember much about my life. Im not sure if its from an accident he told me about, or if it was something my mother did to prevent me from figuring out who I was and where I came from….” His expression darkened momentarily, and then returned to his more easy going expression that he usually had around her.

“And Zatania is…well…” He struggled slightly.

“She’s older in soul, I suppose. Her studies are focusing more on relearning, or remembering the things that she once knew. Her story is rather complicated, but basically she has take over the body of another and knows she was once a skilled warrior, but cant seem to recall how to use the force without being taught it all over again.”

He picked up one of the nearby pillows on the couch and tossed it to the other end.

“She’s distracting.” He admitted, saying out loud what he had barely admitted to himself.

[Tunaris Sori]

Hearing his newly made masters call in his head, he was able to find his way to her quarters on the 2nd floor.
He walked through the narrow hallways, eager to meet Gouyen once again.
He entered the door way.
Sori bowed out of respect for the Sith present and spoke.
"Greetings, master Gouyen." He looked around the room, "I heard your call, what is your request of me?"

[SashaKovalev]

Sasha was almost thankful for the interruption of Gouyen’s apprentice. He knew she would ask him later – perhaps force him to explain what he had meant. They looked out for each other, and he knew this conversation had been a long time coming.

Violet eyes studied her apprentice. His expression was neither welcoming, nor harsh as he looked to him.

[Tunaris Sori]

Tunaris stared deep into Sasha's eyes. Sasha looked tense. Tunaris could feel Sasha's dark powers eminating from him. wonder would he is....... he thought. Tunaris shot him a sarcastic playful smile and walked into the rooms interior as he turned back to his new master.

[SashaKovalev]

He noticed the smile – a mixture of playfulness and sarcasm that came off as…cocky. He might have been annoyed had he not recognized it as the same expression others often saw from him. He did not return the smile, but the corners of his lips might have twitched mildly in amusement as they fought back a grin. It wasn’t a game of rank that he was playing, for he cared little about such trivial things, but rather is was a natural reaction that he would have given to anyone he didn’t know all that well.

Smiles were reserved mostly for those he considered friends and with whom he felt some level of comfort and trust.

Instead he settled a bit more onto the couch, kicking his feet up on the coffee table in front of him. He’d been scolded about it once before by Gouyen, but she had since given up on him. It wasn’t that he was disrespectful of her property, but rather that they were so comfortable around each other, as brother and sister were that a simple swat would get him to exhibit some manners if necessary.