For Old Times' Sake

[Raven Cadera]

It was still an hour or so left until the wedding. Or rather, the moment Raven and Praxton would each say the Mandalorian wedding vows, which would be done quickly, so there wasn't exactly much to prepare for a wedding ceremony. No flowers, or dresses, or suits, or sappy music...

Raven had given her armor a good polish though so it looked impressive for the occassion.

But there was some time to sit down and shoot the breeze, metaphorically. Shooting the breeze wasn't very effective. Outside the enclave, Raven was sitting and waiting, lazily munching on some dried fruit that she had brought to share with the others.

[Jyrvess Ertil]

Jyrvess had considered wearing her diplomat's attire...but instead opted for something more rugged. Beyond her suspicion the Mando would appreciate functional attire over ceremonial finery, there was the bigger concern that she might have to dodge a few hurled drinks before the end of the night.

Spotting her old friend enjoying a snack, the ex-spy made her way over. "One would think being that shiny would make you a bigger target?" She smiled slightly, "Back on Corellia they said it was bad luck for a groom to see their bride's dress before the wedding, but I feel pretty confident Praxton has seen you in that armor a number of times."

"How are you feeling? I know Mandalore's excitement can't be helping calm any nerves."

[Raven Cadera]

Raven smirked at Jyrvess as she finished chewing on the current piece. "Oh, I imagine it will get dirty again soon enough, and besides, I don't mind being the bigger target on the battlefield. Certainly you prefer them to shoot at me than you, right?" Absently she dabbed a corner of her mouth. "Feeling... a little nervous? Not too much, just a little. Especially with all the other folks being here today, but a celebration is a good occassion to meet under good circumstances, I suppose..."

Shaking her head for a moment, she looked up at Jyrvess from her seat. "Why's it bad luck to see a dress before the wedding?"

[Jyrvess Ertil]

"One of those things, its bad luck because it is and always has been," Jyrvess shrugged, "Probably has some old story behind it but at this point just a traditional saying. I don't know everything after all."

"I would be surprised if it stays shiny by the end of the ceremony. Some of your wedding guests are rowdy folk and celebrations are few and far between these days with all the work needing to be done." She sighed, "And well some of the beverages are...well a bit strong of vintage shall we say."

"Mind a little company, still a little time before everything really ramps up."

[Manny Donos]

Manny had been looking for his friends. Raven, Jyrvess, whoever. And now, stepping out, he spotted both of them! Awesome!

He wasn't going to miss a chance to talk to them. Raven was like a sister to him. And Jyr was like... a young aunt, maybe. Or a teacher. Or maybe a babysitter. Actually, Raven was a little bit like a babysitter to him, too. Was that weird. Nahhhhh...

"Ayyy, Raven, Jyr!" Grinning, Manny walked up to the pair, hands waving as he pointed at one of them both of them, switching arms, just a ton of pointing. "Whoa, a wedding, huh? Isn't that great? I knew that guy was your boyfriend."

Manny frowned. "Actually... was it that guy? I just know it was a guy with a jetpack. You know, I still can only tell the difference between a boy Mandalorian and a girl Mandalorian sometimes."

[Raven Cadera]

She chuckled. "I too doubt it will stay clean by the end of today, but that is fine. Beskar is easy to clean." One of its many perks. Though Jyr might probably had been surprised over the past year how much the Mandalorians valued things being neat and tidy to a degree - a clean camp that could quickly be packed up was important for survival. "Company is good though, please join me."

Patting the surface beside her, she indicated there was plenty of room as Manny showed up too. "Hey, Manny. Glad you could be here today." The man got a wave and a smile.

His comments earned him a sigh, followed by a brief shake of her head though one done more out of resignation. "Yes, it was that guy. But he wasn't my boyfriend then."

[Manny Donos]

"I knew it! I mean, there was totally something there." Manny grinned. "I mean, there was something about the way he was all like: 'Those guys are dead, bro' when I told him what happened. The way he said that, yeah, totally." He used a deep growly man voice when imitating something Praxton had never actually said.

His grin became a trifle more mature. "But seriously, congratulations. Marriage is probably a big deal to Mandalorians, right? Like, it means something really meaningful?"

[Raven Cadera]

Raven suspected that wasn't what Praxton had said, but she let Manny have his fantasy.

"Thank you. And yes, of course!" She sat a little bit straighter. "It's an unbreakable promise, to be together, share everything..." there was also the last part about raising warriors, but Raven omitted it for now. Manny would probably make it awkward!

"But what about you, Manny? Found someone nice yet?" She tactically shifted focus to him.

[Jyrvess Ertil]

Jyrvess shook her head as Manny arrived, "Hello Captain Donos," She smirked, "The Mandolarians watch out for each other I notice, but I seem to recall Praxton possessed a certain...urgency beyond merely one looking out for a sister in the enclave when we spoke that night."

She took the offered seat, "The path to today had already been set back then. Even if neither of you two realized it."

Taking the cue, Jyr shifted her own part of the conversation to Manny.

"What was it they called you back on Kamda? Manny 'No Girlfriend'?" She teased.

[Manny Donos]

Manny winced, and then winced again as Jyr took her shot. "Nah, no one special. Just... nah." He shook his head, smiling ruefully. "That's the nickname that Varina came up with for me. Hope that doesn't keep coming up..."

He spread his hands. "And I mean, it's not like I've never had girlfriends! It's just that a lot of the girls that I meet accidentally give me the wrong comm codes. One time I called a bantha fodder store and asked what they were wearing." He scratched at the side of his head.

He looked at Raven. "But really, that sounds great. Sharing everything... that's like having a bro for life, but like a hot bro!" He nodded. "So what are you guys gonna do next, then?"

[Raven Cadera]

Raven laughed, and pushed some dried fruit over to the two of them to partake in if they wished. "Maybe you'll have more luck now that you have a ship? Probably some girls who like that."

Picking up another piece herself, she turned it over a few times between her fingers. "What do you mean? The Mandalorians, or... me and Praxton?"

[Jyrvess Ertil]

"Or both of us." Jyrvess accepted one of the pieces of fruit, "Though...seems all three are heading the same direction. Or in a similar one at any rate."

"I must be honest Manny, I knew you had wanderlust but never took you for someone who could fly a ship."

[Manny Donos]

Raven laughed, and pushed some dried fruit over to the two of them to partake in if they wished. "Maybe you'll have more luck now that you have a ship? Probably some girls who like that."

Picking up another piece herself, she turned it over a few times between her fingers. "What do you mean? The Mandalorians, or... me and Praxton?"

"Maybe..." Manny scratched his head doubtfully. "I mean, I've got a lot going on, too. And yeah... I guess I mostly mean you. And Praxton. Mostly you."

"Or both of us." Jyrvess accepted one of the pieces of fruit, "Though...seems all three are heading the same direction. Or in a similar one at any rate."

"I must be honest Manny, I knew you had wanderlust but never took you for someone who could fly a ship."

Manny grinned. "Hey, what's a pilot but someone with fast hands! And you know me, I've got the fastest hands around!" There was a blur of motion, Manny reaching into his jacket with a series of flourishes, and then suddenly he was juggling three... eggs, of course.

"Oh, hey, Raven, that reminds me. I made you a cake for your wedding." Manny grinned at her, still juggling. "But I didn't have all of the ingredients, so I just had to substitute more of the ingredients I did have."

[Raven Cadera]

Raven quirked an eyebrow, but she couldn't hide that she was a little amazed with Manny's dexterity. "Does that mean it's an omelet...?" If there was something Manny always had enough of, it was eggs. "I'm sure it will be welcome anyway."

There was going to be a lot of food that night. Some cake would be good along with it.

"As for me... I still have my mission to complete. Finding something that was left behind by a traitor, that could be beneficial to the Mando'ade. Next possible destination is the planet Bellionas, which isn't too far from here. I'll be going there next." What was next for her and Praxton both, well, time would tell.

[Manny Donos]

"Uhhhhhhh..." Manny coughed. "Yeah, it kinda came out that way, yeah. A really fluffy omelet."

Still juggling, he looked at Jyr. "Hey, we've got stuff on Bellionas, right? You know, wink wink kinda stuff?" He winked, in addition to saying wink.

[Jyrvess Ertil]

"...I help the Mando'ade you know. Raven knows I am heading there next." Jyrvess shook her head, "But...in truth I also hope to make contact with the local resistance groups. Still hoping to get people working together against the Empire. I assume that is what he is winking about, but you know that behavior is one reason I trust him."

Her voice goes deadpan for a moment, "No ISB Agent would ever believe he was a real rebel. And my own former coworkers wouldn't even spare him a second glance."

"And I am not surprised its an omelet. I am more concerned what other ingredients you through into it, I visited your home back on Kamda so I know what you keep stocked."

[Raven Cadera]

"Oh, I believe it," she said, nodding profoundly for a moment as she looked at Manny. "That ISB-slimeball barely noticed Manny when they were rounding up people all over the city." Now she looked a bit more critical at him. "... I wonder if it's the eggs. Or something else."

It possibly couldn't be the lack of armor and weapons.

"Of course, I'll help how I can, Jyr. We're better when combining our strengths." Raven's actual strengths, Jyr's smarts, and Manny's... magic?

[Manny Donos]

One by one, Manny caught the eggs, and tucked them back into his pockets. "Hey, I just know how to make someone think I'm something I'm not. Like, he probably looked at me and was all like 'psh, he's just an egg-juggling magician with no girlfriend, psh'. Little did he know!" Manny pointed at his temple, and then pointed at the two of them, nodding.

And then he nodded again. "But yeah, that sounds great. I'd love to help out more. Help the people on Bellionas do their thing. You know I'm always happy to do more, ever since I cut back on crime." He frowned, thinking. "Well... changed crime. Now I do mostly happy crime!"

[Jyrvess Ertil]

"If it makes you feel better many philosophers would argue that rebellion against a cruel state is not a crime." Jyr smirked, "But in your case I am going to assume...smuggling? Doing your egg trick on a larger scale."

"I suppose to be fair you were an egg juggling magician with no girlfriend, he only failed to consider that there may be more." She chuckled, "But in truth it pays to appear harmless when laying low. And anyone walking into a room with a Mandalorian is going to be distracted to begin with."

Her tone turned more serious, "Thank you both, though we will have to be careful. From what I understand the Imperials have put their thumb down even harder there then Kamda."

[Raven Cadera]

"Yeah, I don't think it's really a crime either to bring down the Empire." Maybe a war-crime, but what did that matter to most Mandalorians.

"Hmmm... I'll have to think a bit about how to blend in better, without causing too much attention." For most people that would be something as simple as just not wearing the helmet and armor, but Raven did take the significance of wearing both quite seriously. "I suppose I'll try to cover up more...?"