It was the first time the whole family had been called together in a while, whether or not everyone would respond to the call was a question. The Patriarch of the Armis Clan landed at Giletta Spaceport with the youngest of the family in tow. He knew, at the very least, that Sofila would meet them, she had been the one to answer his call first and arrange everything. A simple outing with the family for the first time since Wulfram and Lillian had gone to Kiast. Estle City was as bustling as ever, and a smirk settled on Wulfram’s lips as he thought back to the years he served among the Arconans here.
“Good to visit an old home again. Even if it’s just as an outsider looking in, now.” He remarked as he stared off into the horizon for a moment.
The idea of seeing the entire family together in one place was rather exciting, so exciting that the young Kurs'ika had become almost child like in her inability to sleep. Yet there was no way she would ever let the others know that. There was a certain measure of bravado and pride to keep after all. Yet before her father alone, no such deception was needed. A light yawn sounded off behind Wulfram as she approached her father.
With a slight demeanor of sleepiness she ribbed her dad, “Don’t tell me you’re going all nostalgic on me buir, if you stop moving forward then you’ll truly be an old timer.”
“Massive.”
It was the only word Zyrethi could think of to describe the city. Towering sections of buildings, gleaming white against the rocky backdrop, soared so high they split the very clouds themselves. It was a great effort not to let his mouth hang open there in the middle of the square. There was, after all, already enough to deal with. It was better not to advertise himself as a wide-eyed tourist.
A wince crept over Zyrethi as a man, human, brushed past his shoulder. Their contact was brief, yet despite his layered clothes offering some defense, he couldn’t completely shield himself from the stranger’s emotions. Irritation, a slow and pointed sensation, grated against his mind. Zyrethi’s jaw clenched. Thankfully, it wasn’t long before the surge of emotions subsided, along with the accompanied headache. Once it did, he disappeared back among the crowd.
…
It was beside a rubbish droid, trapped in a desperate battle to sink further into his robe, when relief finally came. The momentary flash of Sofila’s familiar figure came into view. And… was that Kurs'ika too? Already on his way, Zyrethi hurried his pace and nearly managed to stumble as he did so. “Hey, guys!”
“Me, nostalgic? No, never!” The old man chuckled as he ruffled Kurs'ika’s hair and matched pace with her.
He then caught sight of Zyrethi as he came charging from the crowd and stumbled amidst them.
“Zyr… Meter yourself, you’re going to hurt yourself if you’re not careful.” Wulfram said with an undertone of worry as he stepped forward to help the youth up.
“KURS'IKA! ZYRETHI!” They were the first two that the tall Mirialan saw and she went up to them quickly and grabbed them into a hug before Wulfram can even help Zyreth up, this muscular Mandalorian got it. She placed kisses on their cheeks before releasing them. She wore cargo pants with boots and a simple tank top. Her holster for her blaster was safely secured on her thigh and as always, a hidden knife sheathe for the beskar dagger at her lower back. Maybe another surprise or two.
“Hiya Buir!” She kissed him on the cheek too with a big grin from ear to ear followed by a hug. She pulled away, practically excited and full of energy today. Her body shifted weight on the heels of her foot, left to right, left to right, left to-
“So karkin’ nice to finally have a break from my job. SO!” Sofila clasped her hands together, “What’s the plan today? Where are the others?” She looked around for the others, especially a certain red-haired female, the tattle-tale white fur of Asani, black and brown fur of Mei'Ka, blue skin of Arden, and of course, the paleness of young Erin.
“Right where you least expect us” replied the Kushiban to the much taller Mirialan while walking up behind her and waving. “You work too much.” she stated, T visor helmet hiding her expression but the humor in her voice was apparent, she was teasing the taller sibling. “So where are the rest of the babes?” she asked, blaster strapped to her back, cerulian armor reflecting the surfaces around her. She was ready for combat at least. “Buir, Kurs'i, Zyreth” shed greet everyone with a wave or a hug depending on their preferance considering she was in armor. “But that is a good question, what is the plan?” she asked looking up at Wulfram quizzically.
The red in his cheeks didn’t last long.
Although he would have preferred a method other than having it juiced out of him, Zy’s feet kicked uselessly in the air. Sofila’s grasp was tight—tight enough to drive the buckles under his cloak into his skin. His knees cracked when he hit the ground, dropped from their difference in height. But even a choked-up cough wasn’t enough to keep away a locked pair of arms around Sofila’s shoulders. Well, mostly around her shoulders. Her frame was large enough that the tips of his fingers could only barely touch each other. “Sofila!”
Warm pinpricks tickled across the surface of his skin. Slowly, it grew until all other sensations were blotted out. Happiness poured out from all of them at once. He couldn’t help but drown under its pressure. Not that he would want to fight it if he could. His smile grew sloppy. “Oh! …Asani too?” He waited until she greeted her way down the line of siblings. That was about as much decorum as he had left. His hands snaked their way around her armor during their hug. It was easy; after all, she was just a tiny, little rabbit. But… heavy? No, that was just his head falling to the side. When did she get so blurry too? “Small. Missed youuu, Sa*-ni*.”
“It’s good to see you Asani, Sofila.” Lillian finally emerged from the ship, in armor but sans helmet. She had become a lot more accustomed to going about her daily life without the helmet, but found the armor was just comforting if anything. The redhead smiled softly, tugging at the scar across her lips, and took her spot near Wulfram.
“Kiast is so boring without Sof’s shenanigans.”
“That’s the first thing you’re going to talk about? Not how you spent weeks staring at the gaudy… Sorry, I mean beautiful to the point of excess Imperial cathedral?” Wulfram ribbed as he nudged his elbow into Lillian’s chestplate, turning to face everyone as they began to congregate.
“I could only imagine how the Empress would respond to having this rowdy crowd around, though. Much less how each of you’d respond seeing the Praxeum across the cloudlake.”
Lillian’s expression immediately soured and she huffed, a slight flush spreading across her freckles. Green eyes looked away from the group and the Mandalorian crossed her arms across her chest, mumbling something incoherent in Mando'a under her breath.
“HIIII BUIR!” Sofila grinned as she went over to Lillian and kissed her on both cheeks and gave her a hug. Then she does the same to Wulfram.
“I am sorry things are bori- WAIT A MINUTE!” Sofila scoffed as she looked absolutely fake-offended.
“I do not cause shenanigans, that’s all her.” She pointed her thumb behind her and very low, where Asani was.
Asani raised her hands in faux offense taking a step back. “I am no such troublemaker! I am a prestine meiloorun fruit, innocent and sweet!” she said, her helmet hiding whatever expression she may have been making at the time. Although the blaster on her back certainly did not inspire confidence in the ‘innocence’ presented in her words. “I don’t get in trouble anymore” she said her voice sounding proud of the fact.
More and more, the ground wobbled beneath his feet. Hard rock hit him, or maybe he fell, butt first, onto the pavement. It was hard to tell as it all began to swirl. What was hard rock a moment before now stretched out into one eternally long spaghetti noodle. It was cozy to watch, like he could have fallen right in and drifted through like it was water.
Wulfram—Dad’s voice couldn’t have come any clearer than a finger snap in front of the face. His surroundings resolidified, for the moment, and his eyes, half-lidded, sobered up enough to listen to what they were all doing here.
Kurs'ika remained by Wulfram’s side throughout the arrival of everyone else. With a bit of a constructed pose she stood, hands in pockets at the sides of a brown duster she had on. As the excitement shifted around from family member to family member, she remained relatively quiet. Most got a nod, and at Asani’s protestation of not getting into trouble any more, Kurs'ika cracked a smile, “Buir and I cornered the market on trouble making.”
It sounded cooler in her head than it did out loud… kriff it, too late to unsay it as it were.
“You should’ve seen him when he was younger,” announced an orotund voice, unfamiliar to all those except Wulfram himself. Stepping into the light of the Selenian sun was a man clad in beskar armor, its plating airbrushed a medley of earthen tones–light and dark greens while the rest of it was a mix of autumn browns and brass yellow trim.
“He’s calmed down a lot in his old age.”
The Miralukan stepped to where Wulfram was standing and extended his hand to shake. Then, he spoke in Mando'a. “It’s been a while, vod. Seems like you’ve been taking care of yourself.”
He shifted his attention to Lillian. “Or perhaps she’s been doing that for you. You must be Lillian.”
Finally, he took a moment to take stock of all those present. “I count four. Where are my other vodu'ad, Wulfram?”
Vodu'ad = nieces/nephews. In this case, nieces.
Bare fingertips tightening around a strut of the ship, Erin’s brown eyes peered at the reunion behind a slightly darkened sheet of glass. A Mandalorian helmet peeked out from behind the spacecraft, a clashing poncho draped over the slim figure from her neck down to her bare knees. The clattering of tools at her beltline sounded with each slight shift in posture, though not as loud as if she were wearing the rest of her armor. Pidgeon-toed boots lining the ground, Erin watched her family nervously, silently judging the new man.
Sofila rose her eyebrow at the new stranger as she instinctively stepped forward. She can take a hit or two. Her body remained tense when the Mandalorian went for a handshake for Wulfram and the way he talked more, the more she slightly let her guard down. He talks as if he was an old friend not an enemy.
“Wait, Vodu'ad? Are you Ba'vodu? BUIR! You said you had a sister but I didn’t know you had a brother!?”
Wulfram chuckled at his ad'ika’s question before he took Teon’s hand, bringing the man in close and checking their chests against one another. He looked among the gathered and turned back to the landing craft to make a gesture, before making another gesture to Estle at large.
“Some of your vod are still in the shuttle, either asleep, or gathering their wits. Others have landed before me and are taking in the grand city of Estle. The others? Beviiragir par shereshoy.” The elder Mandalorian laughed as he let the man go, patting his shoulder.
“Ad'ika, this is Teon, your Ori'vod, though, one could say he is my vod, tested in battle. When I met this shab-spewing fool I learned the meaning of ‘Burc'ya vaal burk'yc, burc'ya veman.’ We were both in over our heads and well, at least we got a few of the other kids out of there.” He said, thinking back to the earlier days.
Beviiragir par shereshoy = Fishing for the lust of life and much more.
Ori'vod = Older sibling.
Burc'ya vaal burk'yc, burc'ya veman = A friend during danger is a true friend.
The euphoria was stronger now.
Still, some part of him knew this wasn’t right. Small, but what senses remained managed enough to bite the inside of his cheek. Was it weird to like the taste of your own blood? Probably. He certainly would never want to admit it publicly. But pain was clarity. Sharp, and crystal-like, even a small wound was enough to squash his double vision. “Mhi ganar or'atu aliit?!”
Not a force on this planet could have stopped how quickly Zy righted himself. His fixation locked itself firmly on Teon. The way he laughed and moved with Wulfram, the resemblance was uncanny. Resemblance took time to foster, and time meant adventure. “Does that mean gar kebise ibac any cool stories about Dad?” The glow in his eyes wouldn’t have been impossible to hide, even had he wanted to. “Or wait! What if we all celebrated coming together, and went somewhere to eat?”
“Hmm, I guess we could go out to eat.” The shortest member stated staring at their ori’vod with interest. “So Buir mind enlightening us with stories? Im sure we’re all eager to hear more.” her voice was stern almot like she was testing something.
“Im sure ba’vodu Teon would be happy to regale us with tales of his adventures as well. We’re eager to learn more of his past whereabouts.” she seemed a bit suspicious of him, likely being protective over her younger siblings.
“It goes without saying that we are getting sooo much karking food,” Sofila laughed. “I do worry about Buir’s money sometimes. Well! Let’s get food and hear the stories! The others can either catch up or stay in ship. I’m too kriffing hungry to wait for their sorry lazy asses.” Sofila then extended her hand to Asani, and she would recongize the gesture. The moment Asani grabs her hand, Sofila would yank her into the air and Asani can land on her shoulder.
It was always their thing when they were young.
…When they were not biting each other head’s off.
“There’s a reason I refer to my banking account as ‘The Child Support Fund’” The elder Mandalorian chuckled as he motioned for the others to carry on.
“Food sounds excellent.”