The Show Must Go On (D6EA, Manka Cats Rule)

[Manny Donos]

"Yeah... yeah, that sounds good," Manny said, smiling playfully. "The eggs will still be there once we're done exploring. Even if we explore twice!" Manny was a surprisingly good kisser, but his innuendo skills were only moderate.

Gently, he began to lead the way back towards his room...

(/ftb?!?!)

[Sholua Tempes]

"True enough, and you need practise on your patter."

Being decidedly more impatient than Manny, she pretty much pushed him back to his room/carried him.

"About time, Cutey."

/ftb . . .

[Manny Donos]

Later...

"Ta-Da!" A grinning Manny stepped into the room, holding two plates. With his elbow, he closed the door behind him. He wore only boxers, revealing a frame definitely on the skinny side, although, as he would point out, he was at least a bit wiry. Perhaps surprisingly, he had a scar high on his abdomen, clearly from a blaster bolt, faded to white, but not gone.

The room was covered with posters, magic paraphernalia, and Manka Cats memorabilia, including a stack of giant foam fingers over in the corner. Over in the corner, amidst the Manka Cat posters, alert eyes would spot another poster of Magic Mika, sporting cleavage and a knowing smile, the sort that said I saw what the two of you just did.

Still grinning, Manny sat on the edge of the bed, handing Sholua her plate, utensils included. "Here ya go! One omelette, just like I promised! And, if you need it..." with a flourish, he produced a bottle, "-hot sauce!"

It was unclear where he had been hiding the hot sauce.

[Sholua Tempes]

She stared at him.

"Where were you car . . . you know what, don't tell me, just hand it over, magic boy."

If wounds were being compared, Sholua had some old and quite nasty blaster scars on her back, around her right shoulderblade.

[Manny Donos]

"Magic boy. That's a pretty good one." Manny grinned at Sholua. "I think I like Cutie better, but magic boy is too good."

He passed her the hot sauce, then studied her a moment, tilting his head. "Can I ask about this?" He reached out, gently running his fingers over the scar.

[Sholua Tempes]

"You can. It's an old wound and I'm as over it as I ever will be."

Hot sauce was added to omelette in a 'brave' amount.

"You know what I was, yes? At the very end of the war I was hunting an assassin droid in the depths of Lower City here. I had a full squad of Clone Troopers with me. Under my command . . . sheesh that sounds stupid now. I was a thirteen year old girl with a laser sword and I got to be in charge . . . Anyways, we were following some tracks when my Master sent me a warning through the Force. I had a split second to twist to the side before my own Clone squad shot me in the back. Without that warning I wouldn't be here."

She stuck a fork into the omelette.

"Last thing he did was save me. He'd already been attacked by his own Clone escort."

[Manny Donos]

Manny added a modest amount of hot sauce to his own portion. "Niiice." He said, giving her brave amount a thumbs-up.

Manny listened as he slowly ate, his eyes wide, his expression serious for once. "Wow... that sucks." He said, his voice filled with emotion. "And it's great. Like, it's both somehow, it feels like."

He shook his head. "I still don't know why they did that. Like, even if the Jedi did do something bad," and his tone was doubtful, "-bros don't shoot bros." He shifted, leaning gently against Sholua as they spoke and ate.

[Sholua Tempes]

"I don't know either. It was like they'd suddenly all decided at exactly the same time that I was the enemy and not the droids. Took me a while to figure out it had happened all across the Republic . . . or Empire as it was by then. Now I know it was an Order. Probably from the very top."

The omelette was consumed at her usual rapid pace, hot sauce and all. It would probably take quite some time to get rid of her 'eat while you can' instincts.

[Manny Donos]

Manny ate at a more leisurely pace. After all, he was thinking while he ate, so that slowed him down significantly.

"The top... you mean, like... the big guy? The Emperor?" Manny looked around, as though the Emperor was likely to leap out. But nope, just Manka Cats posters.

[Sholua Tempes]

"Yeah, that's exactly who I mean. Who else could order something across the entire Republic?"

She didn't expect good ole' Palps to leap out. She did give the Magic Mika poster a cool look.

[Manny Donos]

"Yeah... huh..." Manny frowned as he chewed. It made sense, so far as he could tell. What didn't make sense to him was how the clones could do it.

After eating for a few moments, he gave her a playful nudge with his elbow. "So... did I see all your tricks? Or are you still hiding a few? A good magician never reveals all their secrets, you know."

[Sholua Tempes]

"You really think you'd get all the tricks in one go?"

She waggled a finger at him.

"Some things need the right conditions after all, and some others are definitely special occasions only."

[Manny Donos]

He looked at her, smiling semi-blankly. "Is that like how I save all my really good tricks for double shots night, and I'm wearing my shiny vest, and no one's thrown up on the stage that night?"

Actually, that might be kinda close.

[Sholua Tempes]

"Only the shiny vest? Not the really shiny vest?"

Light . . . I'm thinking like him now . . .

[Manny Donos]

That made Manny grin; he leaned over to kiss her. "I guess you do know a lot of my moves, huh?" He said as he leaned back again.

"So, yeah. The really shiny vest. Maybe I'd even throw in my shiny top hat, too." He looked at her, eyebrows going up. "Have you seen my shiny top hat?"

[Sholua Tempes]

"No I have not, but I have a feeling you're about to show me anyway."

She leaned back against a pillow, idly wondering if Dhel had seen the shiny top hat.

[Manny Donos]

Grinning, Manny hopped up from the bed, pulling open a cubby built into the wall. A brief hint of many sparkles came out before he reached in, quickly pulling out an object, hiding it behind his back, and shutting it again. Then, spinning, and with a flourish, he placed the sparkly top hat on his head.

It was about what you would expect.

"Ta-da!" He said, posing, wearing sparkly top hat and boxers (non-sparkly). "What do you think?" He smiled at her, eyebrows going up, clearly hoping for a laugh, or at least a smile.

[Sholua Tempes]

He got the laugh.

"Oh light . . . never wear that combination outside your room . . . . "

She doubled over laughing. Boxers and top hat obviously not going to be a fashion hit in her opinion.

[Manny Donos]

Manny grinned. "Or... do you think I should get shiny boxers to go with the hat? Eh? Eh?" He waggled his eyebrows.

With a flourish, he took it off, offering it to her. "You wanna give it a try?"

[Sholua Tempes]

"Oh . . . don't you ever get shiny boxers! I think I'd laugh all week long."

She took the hat from him and set it on her own head, at a . . . dashing angle and struck a pose.