A Penny to a Dime (Open)

[Devon Russels]

Devon had gained his new garbs and dity blonde hair cut. The once dark and mysterious look of the past seemed to lighten with his fuzzy side-burns cut and a more sharped, but still ruggid, hair cut. The style of the Jedi attire was quite unfitting for his somewhat slender, but ripped built. The light brown and tanned robe and cloak seemed for that of a hero, but he wasn't even yet working with the Force. There was much to learn even in the first few days, but he decided the first would be the best for going about the premise and getting to know everything and everyone he could.

So, he walked. Gardens of the most beautiful plants were placed all about the Greater Jedi's complex, along with numerous doors to student and knights alike's housing. The place was quite weird in that sense, because it seemed much more like a schooling academy than an Order, but Devon knew not to question it.

Even if he wanted to, he couldn't, no one seemed to pay him any mind as he walked through the lightly colored halls. The place was filled with a cheerful calmness, but not the most curteous of people. They seemed to pay more mind to their own duties than the duties of fellow Jedi. People of all types went in and out of the halls, from patrons of Coruscant, Senators and Jedi who just talked amoungst themselves as though Devon wasn't there.

Yet, it wasn't a suprise in the least, for he knew that the first day wasn't always the best for any "student".

When he finally came to a stop amoungst the halls, he found himself sitting at a bench in the garden. A small fountain was sat in the middle of the grass, the waters filled with exotic fishes of all types. Numerous he had never say, especially since he was a "space-boy". Everything seemed to new to him, so weird.

[Dae Jinn]

Dae stretched as she entered the gardens, her blonde hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. She was dressed fashionably, but comfy, in a tank-top and loose-fitting pants. In one hand, she carried a datapad, and a bottle of water in the other.

She walked into the garden, not really paying attention to anyone else who was out here, and sat down beside the fountain.

[Devon Russels]

Devon had become all the more costumed to sollitude throughout the previous months and had only grown all the more isolated in Greater Jedi Order in just the few hours he had been dressed in his garbs, but he knew that being curteous wouldn't help. Yet, he couldn't help but look at the lady walk pass, his eyebrow shaping like a hill over his sky blue eyes.

A smile formed on his face, his eyes closing in a sense of calmness as he pushed himself up to head toward the seating woman. Giving her sly smile as he walked up, her interrupted her silence.

"Hey, Im Devon..Russels. Imma new guy 'round..."

[Dae Jinn]

"Oh, hey."

Dae set her data pad down on her lap, one hand shielding her eyes from the bright sun as she looked him over. "Are you gonna sit down? The sun is really bright today."

[Devon Russels]

Devon glanced over, looking toward the sun, his eyes falling into a squint. Turning his head back, he looked down at the blonde lady, giving her a caring smile. Shrugging in response, he jumped down next to her, giving a better look.

She looked somewhat older than him, but she held most traits that physically that could seduce most. However, it wasn't the first time he had come past such a lady, but especially the first he would find in the Greater Jedi Order.

"So....whatcha name?"

[Dae Jinn]

"Dae." Her gaze went from him to the data pad. "You're new, huh? How do you like it so far?"

She pushed a stray strand of hair off her face, smiling politely at him. Since she'd started her friendship with Lillian, she was trying to meet more people, especially her fellow Jedi.

[Devon Russels]

Devon looked away at the thought of that, glancing toward the entrance into the garden. He hadn't exactly thought about his opinion on the whole Jedi Order, he just endured the isolation and silence of it all. Even though he was quite vocal, he had learned that holding it could provide alot more clear observation than when simply interacting with the enviroment.

Yet, this time, it wasn't exactly the same as in different situations. All he knew was that he was secluded like a new boy at a Imperial Academy, but without the scorn and hate. People nodded at him, curteous and caring, but avoided any conversation with him. So, there wasn't much to say about it all, other than simply shrug.

So...he did.

"Its...ok. Only been here for about twelve hours o' so."

[Dae Jinn]

"Oh."

Dae set the pad back down, turning slightly towards him. "Well, it gets better. I guess."

She laughed a little. "You'll get used to it. It's a bit different from "normal" living, but you know...it's alright."

[Devon Russels]

A smile grew onto his lips as he glanced over his shoulder at her. Giving her a cheerful, but noteable slow nod. It seemed as thought at first he didn't agree, but somewhere inside he couldn't help but do so.

"So you must've been here for a lil while, huh," he asked, turning about.

[Dae Jinn]

"A little while now, yeah."

She shrugged. "A couple months, give or take a day. I had, uh, an interesting job before I came here. So, it's a nice change of pace."

[Devon Russels]

The left eye of Devon went into a squint as he stared on. Leaning back, he observed her for a milisecond, letting her sink in. He could feel something different from her now, but he ignored it, because he must've looked dumb looking her all weird.

"What job?" He finally asked, freeing the thought off his mind.

[Dae Jinn]

"Sith."

She said it matter-of-factly, as if it didnt matter to her. To part of her, it did. It was her life for a long time, and she wasn't going to forget everything that happened to her just because she was a Jedi now. If someone didn't like it, tough.

[Devon Russels]

A smirk carved its way onto his face as his gloved hands were pocketed into his pants. There was something interesting about how she said it, along with what she said that intrigued him. Leaning back against the seat, he looked up into the sky, his eyes closing, letting his lips reform into a straight, serious line.

"Atleast one person other than me here isn't perfect," he said in an almost whisper.

[Dae Jinn]

"Heh. You won't find anyone who's perfect. Not here, not anywhere. So there's no point in trying to be something you're not..."

Again she smirked. "You won't find a Jedi here who doesn't have some flaw."

[Devon Russels]

Devon agreed, but everyone here seemed as through they were better people than him. They brought shame to his past, the things he had done were viscious, comparable to scoundrels, but they were fighting as heroes. It was something children envisioned from where he was from and now he was trying to become one. Even through all the adversaties that he had face he had managed to come face to face with his youthful dreams.

Yet, in only seventeen years he had grown shorter, looking up t the dream. Inside, he felt he wasn't ready, but he wouldn't tell anyone that, not just yet.

"Of course...but everyone here seems like space angels compared to me. Who knows what'll happen outta this...maybe I'll be some ol' space angel too."

He left his eyes drift. They fell upon the small, exotic, beautiful beings swimming about in the fountain. Before his eyes they were graceful, like how he had thought a Jedi would be, but maybe to others these fishes weren't so amazing.

[Dae Jinn]

"Maybe."

Dae looked straight ahead. "Where I grew up, it didn't matter if you were Jedi or Sith, if you were a Force-user, you were dead. End of story. No devils, no angels. It was a lot simpler there."

[Devon Russels]

She talked, but he didn't listen to every word. Like his eyes, his mind drifted too, letting the lenses guide his thoughts. Even as he was fixed on the fishes, he let the topic of them wetten his mind in numerous thoughts. A smile made its way into his face as the last words of Dae came out. He had a blank gaze, as though he could see through everything.

Finally, refocusing, he pulled his eyes away to the face of the lady. A smile came back to his face as he began.

"I was thinkin'....Were those things in the pond where you came from? Were they...amazing there?"

[Dae Jinn]

She raised a brow.

"Fish? Yeah, we had fish back home. And no, they were never amazing. They still aren't."

[Devon Russels]

He smiled at that.

Suddenly standing up, he grabbed at her hand with the softest of touch. The warmth of his gloved hands was transfered into Dae's as he pulled her up from the seat toward him. He beamed at her in a strange innocence, pulling her with him as he jogged toward the fountain through the garden.

Stopping at the concrete border that prevented the water from falling out, he stopped. Looking into the reflection in the water, giving himself a smile as his dirty blonde bangs dangled over his blue eyes. Bent over, he placed his hand into the water, swaying it back and forth, feeling the cool liquid chill his hands behind the gloves.

The swirls that were created from the cupping and movements of his hands were amazing to him. Inside, he felt just like a kid again, but in essence there was something in his conscience telling him to stop. There was something in the back there showing exactly how awkward the moment was, but he could care less at this point. He hadn't seen fishes before and rarely had, even in his youth, seen a fountain of the magnitude he had before him.

"Ain't it beautiful," he said as he moved his hand one more time, alarming a nearby fish who quickly splashed away.

[Dae Jinn]

"I suppose."

Dae folded her arms across her chest, obviously not impressed by the water, fish or fountain. She had seen plenty in her life, and wasn't as amazed as Devon was by these things.

[Devon Russels]

Devon kept his face fixed toward the water, but his view traveled to the side of his eyes, looking at her. A mischevious look came upon his face, but it was well hidden by his drooping hair. Quickly, and playfully, he pushed her into the fountain.

It was only seconds after she splashed that a howel of chuckles and hoots came out his mouth. His index finger pointed at her wet body, his laugh carrying on as his stomach hurt more and more. Placing his hand on his belly aching gut, he went on with his ridiculing taunt and snicker.

"Hahah, I gotchu! I got'cha!"

[Dae Jinn]

He bent over, chuckling harder, when the wind was knocked out of him. Something slammed into him, knocking him onto the hard ground. Dae stood in the fountain, sopping wet and not at all amused.

"So, you think that's funny, huh?"

[Devon Russels]

Devon tried his best to try and regain his composure, placing his hands back in his pocket as his face was filled with stress. He was clearly not expecting the punch...

"Yea--" he wheezed. "It was kinda...funny."

Letting out a small cough and deep inhale, managing to fully regain his compsure with one long lasting gulp. Then, suddenly, an amused smile came back to his face. Even though all he had managed through all of it was a big punch to the chest and a laugh, he was happy. Atleast he got the chance to laugh.

Jumping into the small body of water, he came over to her, intentionally kicking up water into her face as he trotted.

"Heh...I'll see ya around, eh?" He said, giving her a small peck on the cheek before running off. Before he exited the small garden area, he looked back, winking at her before busting out in laughter during his jog.