open & close

[articulations]

WHO: Leia & OPEN (with some closed starters)
WHERE: around De Chima mostly
WHEN: after her arrival around April 5th to the weekend
WHAT: stuff and things; family hugs, catching up with anyone who wants to, NEW MEETINGS??
WARNINGS: TBA

NOVI ( open )

[ Seated off to the side with a mug of coffee and a half-eaten pastry left on a plate, Leia was scrolling through her comm. She'd been gone for a month and that meant that there was quite a bit for her to try and catch up on. Not paying any attention to the other bodies coming and going in the small but cozy cafe, she was quite content to sit there by herself, undisturbed for the time being.

There were other things as well for her to get caught up in— her social media app that was mostly used to promote her work (with the odd candid shot from either herself or a paparazzi), getting back into gear with being a spokeswoman for BEU, and of course the work itself that followed her home in the form of a notebook to act as her agenda for the upcoming week and ideas, and then there was the sketchbook that contained fabric and texture swatches, more notes, rough sketches.

The sketchbook lay open to show the pieces of fabric glued to the page. Leia paused and set her phone down, reaching for her mug as she chose that moment to then look toward the entrance to catch who was entering. ]


DE CHIMA PARK ( open )

[ Meditation wasn't something she'd done much of on Endor. Things had moved way too fast to think. She'd been lucky for a night or two alone with Han, before they'd overthrown the Empire and won. Here and now, in one of the many parks of De Chima, Leia sat cross-legged with her hands loosely clasped. She watched a group of four throwing around a frisbee in the distance from where she was sitting in the shade of a tall tree, the branches swaying gently overhead with the breeze.

Needing to get her head back in the game, needing to focus on being stuck here until the next time the porter decided to ship her back home for another month or longer, a deep breath was taken. She rolled a shoulder before she closed her eyes.

Thinking back on her time spent meditating with Obi-Wan, she pictured him across from her. Speaking to her, guiding her. Listen to your surroundings. She did. Reach out. She did. Let the Force guide you—

Leia's eyes snapped open as a twig broke nearby, head lifting and turning to see who it was breaking her concentration. ]



[ wildcard; pm me if interested in anything not listed here! we can do a closed thing. ]

Comments

( closed for luke )

[articulations]

[ Obviously she would be taking some time off of work at the Princess Palace, at least until she was able to work things out between the transition of being back home for a month and suddenly being brought here months after the war had ended. It seemed that she had been sorely missed; she could sense through the conversation with her brother that there was something further upsetting him. Leia knew how he could get, not wanting to burden her with his fears. He needed to know that she would always be there for him as she knew he would be for her.

The last message she'd gotten was that he was on his way. She'd sent him a short reply to tell him that she wouldn't be at the house, that she would be just outside of it across the street at the park.

And that was where she waited for him, staring off while she was lost in thought thinking about Endor, about what they needed to do when they returned home to pick up the pieces the war had left behind. ]

[faithfulson]

[ Leia would get to feel Luke's presence in the Force before he appeared at the entrance to the park, reaching out to her as if quietly asking he could still come to her. He flashed a bright smile, before heading toward her, looking like he was just barely restraining himself from pouncing on her and hugging her tight. ]

Leia...

[articulations]

[ She barely had time to turn when she felt him close in, smiling wide as his arms went around her and hers hugged back nice and tight. ]

Luke. It's so good to see you.

[ Breathing in she dropped her face to his shoulder to press there, taking a moment to enjoy the hug and closeness. ]

[faithfulson]

I missed you, Leia.

[ He hugged her back just as tight, resting his head against hers, as if that would help convey how much she had been sorely missed over the past month. It was awhile before he pulled away, though he was reluctant to move very far. That didn't keep him from reaching up, running a hand though her hair. ]

I think this is the first time I've seen just how long your hair really is.

[articulations]

I noticed.

[ Her words were mumbled into his shoulder and she leaned into him, relaxed, content, until he leaned back. She smiled when his fingers combed down through the long, free hair hanging over her shoulder. ]

Now you know why I'd cut it.

[ One memory at a time. ]

( closed for poe )

[articulations]

[ She said she would be in touch. That was when she'd first returned. Now it was days later. Her memories had chosen that exact point in their conversation to return in full that she'd had to cut it short to make sense of everything, without the distractions. And then she met up with Han at the house, made up for the lost two weeks that he'd been missing her, and they'd talked.

Now Leia had someone else who was very important to her to talk to, remembering the fall in his expression when he'd realised she didn't remember him. She needed to fix that, something better done in person.

Travelling to the outskirts of Nonah, it wasn't until she was standing at the door that she thought of what she would say to him. Still, her hand reached to ring the doorbell. ]

[flightforfreedom]

[Behind the closed door came a series of beeps in binary, which were, in full, 'General Organa is at the door', and then Poe calling 'yeah I saw the security feed pop up on my comm, one minute'.

Twenty seven seconds later, Poe appeared at the door, freshly showered, hair still dripping and sticking to his forehead in dark curls, a towel around his shoulders. He was dressed pretty casually, just a pair of sweatpants and a black shirt, and when he smiled at her it didn't quite reach his eyes.

He'd already prepped himself for disappointment.]

Princess Leia. [Not General.] Came by for your stuff? Come on in. That's BB-8, by the way.

[The droid whistled a cheerful hello and then rolled into the living room as Poe stepped out of the door.]

[articulations]

[ You didn't need to be Force sensitive to catch a feel for the emotions coming off of someone like they were Poe. He was just an expressive individual, not all that good at masking his emotions. He would make a terrible spy.

Leia glanced at him and then looked down at the droid. Well, at least one of them was cheery. ]

Hello, BB-8. [ Best not be rude. It was always the cheery droids you had to be on the lookout for. ] Actually, I came by to see you.

[ As Poe stepped out of the way, she stepped inside, hands tucked in her front pockets. ]

[flightforfreedom]

Well, you're always welcome. [He closed the door behind her, and then stepped past her to pad towards the kitchen.]

You want something to drink?

[BB-8 burbled a 'Hello, General', and then rolled off to follow Poe into the kitchen.]

Park, sith space case incoming

[jadus]

[His years of seclusion had been almost entirely spent in deep space and uninhabited worlds. In some ways, it had been a satisfying life. But the chaos of a living planet held its own appeal. His life, the few lives around him, they had been all rigid and constrained angles. Now everything had become spiraling fractals once again.

It was overwhelming, if he were to be honest. His senses were not attuned to this anymore.

This was likely why he did not notice the meditating mind so close to him, as he stared up at a tree. Every plant had new growth on them, but this one lagged behind, buds only just beginning to open.

He reached up, and a twig meters above his head snapped off its branch, floating slowly down to his hand. Perhaps he would make something of this.]

skeet skeet

[articulations]

[ She hadn't yet had the chance since their first discussion on the network to meet in person. And here he was, towering where he stood, looming. Leia shifted and leaned back on a hand to get a better look up at him. ]

Darth Jadus. [ To think she would be addressing a Darth— a Sith Lord— so civilly. ] Are you lost?

[jadus]

[There was a slight shift in his posture as realization dawned. He was not alone.]

Princess. My apologies. [He looked down at her over the heavy collar of his armored robes.] Not physically lost. I spent years of quiet seclusion in the void, listening to the galaxy. The complexity and noise of standing on a living world requires... adjustment.

[articulations]

Your biggest challenge would be trying to meditate in all of it.

[ Her hands rested over her crossed calves, not intimidated in the least by the armored robes. She'd faced worse: Darth Vader, Palpatine. Tarkin. ]

You're more than welcome to join me.

( novi )

[girlybruiser]

[ Nonah is her "official" hometown here, but with the knowledge that there are other Porter cities, Haru has been curious to explore them. She's been to Heropa now and while she has yet to visit Maurtia Falls, the unsavory rumors she's heard about the city makes her somewhat hesitant to go visit on her own. Perhaps she'll ask one of the Thieves someday.

There's no particular goal in mind today regarding De Chima; she simply wants to get accustomed to her new surroundings. She does, however, eventually stop at a cafe once the wafting scent of coffee lures her in. It's quite quaint and cute, an inspiration for how she would like her own cafe to look one day when she's able to open one. For now, she grows interested in sampling something of theirs, curious about the roast and any special ingredients they add to their drinks.

She does become distracted by what appears to be someone's sketchbook lying open. Drawn to the fabrics, Haru edges closer without realizing she's essentially hovering over Leia. Her eyes are glued to the fabrics, marveling at them. ]

How elegant... [ Finally, her eyes drift to the young woman seated inches before her and she steps back immediately. ] I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to pry.

[articulations]

[ Leia had only become aware of the young woman once she'd come to the point of hovering within her personal space. It was on her though, the fact that she wasn't speaking up, waiting on the girl instead to notice. When she did, Leia held up a hand. ]

It's quite all right. I would ask if any of this interested you, but seeing how caught up you got with what's laid out, I suppose that answers my question.

[ Smiling, she gestured to the open seat across from her. ]

[girlybruiser]

[ A faint blush that retreats quickly as the blood in her face settles back into its place, Haru nods appreciatively. ]

I hope I am not disturbing you.

[ It would be rude to decline her offer, so Haru moves to take the seat across Leia, looking quite sheepish. ]

Thank you.

[articulations]

You aren't. I would tell you if you were.

[ She offers another smile, reassuring, friendly. Not wanting Haru to feel like she's really bothered her, Leia's hand extends across the table. ]

I'm Leia.

de chima park;

[wronganswer]

[ Anderson cuts a pretty innocuous figure-- short, lithe, in simple jeans and hoodie with out-of-place worn combat boots on her feet, and a soft, wondering expression as she wanders around the park. She's from a place with little to no greenery, and although she's been here a month now, she hasn't yet gotten used to the casual wildlife interspersed with the buildings in their tiny cities.

Leia's mind is so still and at one with the surroundings that even to her telepathic senses, she doesn't register it. She keeps those senses on low as a default, not wanting to intrude on anyone's mind without reason, but not totally shut off so she can sense distress if anyone needs immediate help, and she's not used to encountering people calm enough that they don't show up at all that way. Needless to say, meditation is not a regular feature of Anderson's life.

It makes her incredibly surprised to encounter her, and her hands shoot up, palms out, in a passive no-threat-meant signal. ]

Sorry, [ she says quietly, over the chirping spring birds. ] I didn't know you were here.


[ ooc: if I could get you to respond to her telepathy permissions or just give me a quick yea or nay, that would be great, btw! sorry for the trouble!! ]

[articulations]

[ Leia shakes her head, rolling her shoulders, one after the other. ]

If you did, I would be surprised. I'm not exactly putting myself out there, unlike some people.

[ She nodded over to where the group played with the frisbee, their voices faint as they drifted over, clearly enjoying themselves.

For the moment, Leia's mind was calm. Even with her unexpected visitor, she was relaxed. A little on her guard, yes, but that was to be expected in a place where so many Force sensitive beings were living, good and bad.

Speaking of Force sensitive... Anderson was given a curious once-over. ]

[wronganswer]

[ There's no real indication of just why her mind is so ... at one with the surroundings? Anderson's not sure how to put it. Usually people make ripples, leave traces of their presence that she picks up on, even if she doesn't listen to them directly. But it's her first meeting an actual honest-to-God Force sensitive, and it leaves her bemused.

She's pretty level-headed herself, but not because she feels at one with things. Anderson glances over at the frisbee group. ]

I'm surprised you noticed me with how much noise is happening. [ She tries not to come out with by the way, I'm a mutant exactly on first opening her mouth, because it tends to spook people, but it's not a secret, either. ]

[articulations]

I wasn't sure who was approaching, I could only sense that someone was.

[ Family and close friends, she can make them out in the Force better now with her meditation training. New faces, people she's never met, they were tricky to pin down when it came down to it. ]

I was meditating. It also helped block out the noise so I could better focus on my surroundings. You just happened to be there.

novi

[recommendations]

[ Entering at that moment is a teenager dressed casually, her long black hair tied up in a voluminous ponytail. It's Momo's first time in De Chima, and she was feeling a bit peckish, so she decided to check out a local coffee shop. She glances about the shop briefly, before heading over to get in line for the register. Once it's her turn, she asks what variety of teas they have on offer. The question stumps the poor barista, but in the end Momo just settles for a cup of Earl Grey and a parfait, paying the cashier and taking her purchases with a smile and a 'thank you.'

In the time it's taken for Momo to order and receive her drink and snack, the café has become much more crowded, not leaving any empty tables. Momo cranes her neck to search out an available seat, seeing one off to the side at a table where a woman with a sketchbook sits. She makes her way over cautiously. ]

Excuse me, do you mind if I sit here? There aren't any other seats...

[articulations]

[Leia, dressed in a business casual dark suit, her long hair done in a thick braid to hang down over the front of her shoulder, glanced up from the notes she'd been handwriting out. She'd seen the girl come in and then disappear in the crowd, and one look around now revealed just how busy it'd gotten.

No other seats..?

This place was popular during this time. ]

Not at all. I'm not waiting for or expecting any one. The seat is all yours.

[recommendations]

Thank you.

[ She takes the seat, setting down her purse and purchases. She fiddles with the teabag for a bit, trying to let it steep before drinking it. She can't help but glance at the open notebook the other woman has. Her eyebrows raise slightly. ]

Are you a costume designer?

[articulations]

Not...exactly. I work at the Princess Palace. Mostly I do face styling. Lately, however, I've been branching out with some designs, as you can see.

I may as well do something with my time here.

[ Military work, though, now that she keeps on the down low. For good reason. ]

I do some security detail elsewhere, nothing too notable.

What about yourself?