(D7, ME, Dol's) A Friend in Need...of a Pastry

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

(expecting)

Dhel stays alert as they make their way to the bakery. Not that she's a great lookout at her height, but she'd like some warning if they're about to get spotted by folks looking for her friend.

"Really should dye your hair if you're going to insist on this kind of thing. Nice, boring brown. I can pick some up tomorrow."

[Meiyokashi]

This late in the day there's certainly less people out, but those that are out are attending diners and other dinner focused establishments. Which is a small reprieve as Dhel and a cloaked Petra make their way to Dol's bakery. Petra herself, for most of the walk, distracted with the idea of what they were doing here for much of the trip.

"Gross," she kicks a can on the edge of the road into the road as they walk. Putting a hand up under her cloak as she thought about that idea and sighed. For a moment she was quiet as she sat with it but in seeking a distraction, "Thanks.. again. For coming.. doing this alone," she smirked to herself, shaking her head, "I probably woulda got cold feet or somethin' dumb like that."

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"Great thing about fur, cold feet are just never a worry!" Dhel bumps her shoulder against Petra's as they walk. "Anyway, no you wouldn't. You'd find a reason to get mad enough to push yourself out the door," She grins, hands in the pockets of her full skirt. The weather hasn't cooled enough for a jacket to be comfy over fur yet.

"Anyway, how bad could it be...nah don't answer that, we'll know soon enough." Dhel pokes her withone glossy gold claw. "Or I can distract you by finally asking what was up with that kiss?! Not that I mind and all, but kind of sudden."

[Petra]

"Well.." she looks down, walking a time while the question still lingered in the air. Dol's bakery coming into sight visibly as they neared it. "I- I mean it was all kinda sudden, right? I.." she fussed with the words, "I mean, it's not often someone comes and saves you from a swarm of masks comin' after you.. and, ya know, doesn't make me feel like some dumb kid getting in over my head or going to fast. Mara woulda scolded me.. Mylar woulda got quiet.. and-" she shook her head.

"I was happy, alright? Didn't really think about it.." she brings her shoulders forward, turtling up a bit.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Head tilted, Dhel tries to school her features, but can't quite keep the smile from her eyes. Hooking finger around the edge of Petra's hood, she pulls it back as they walk, just enough to catch Petra's eye before she darts her own quick peck at her cheek. "That's even then. Can always ask for more. Not like I'm tough about it..."

She lets it hang a bit, practically fizzing with her own amusement. "Anyway, I don't have as much responsibility as they do. So I just needed to look out for my friend. And that thing stirred some excitement, so maybe she wouldn't have scolded." The appearance of the bakery dims her down a bit as they approach.

[Petra]

For the briefest of moments there was a look in Petra's eye after the peck on her cheek, and the following words. However, Petra was able to flawlessly adopt into Dhels demeanor, letting it hang there for a moment. Watching Dhel until the topic shifted back and she was able to hide away in it, "Mara's- she doesn't want to get too involved like that yet but- yea," she watches the dim and looks ahead, steeling herself.

"Okay.. if she's not there we have a bit longer but, I got this. Just- just hang back, I'll talk to my sister and then we can.. hang out? Yea. That's the plan," she chuckles, distracting herself.

Petra: Deception vs Dhel: 2eP+1eA+3eD 1 success, 2 threat, 2 Triumph

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel nods, taking the quiet in stride. "And we pick up some sweets. It'll be great." The last is heading back into her normal, determinedly cheerful tone as they near the doors. Though it shifts serious again soon enough. "You need help with the 'oh...look, gotta go' thing just, umm...scratch your left ear, ok? I'll swoop in." Her clawed hand mimes a graceful swoop in front of her.

[Petra]

As they approach the door Petra's got her own smile back, and it didn't even fade as the tone turned serious again. Nodding, she scratched her left ear and looked to Dhel with a smirk, "What too soon?" she asked, smirk growing into a broad grin. Though her eyes flit to something behind her and the smile fades nearly as quick as it grew.

"Yea," she says, glancing inside toward Dol who was behind the counter watching them. "You mind telling Dol thanks for me? I asked him to keep at least one of the tables out here and to.. stay late," she adds the last bit on sheepishly.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"Maybe a little soon!" she laughs, then follows Petra's glance inside. "Sure. I'll see how much of his end of the day stuff I can afford for the favor. Got some decent tips the other night, so I can indulge in a bit of extra."

Hand on the door, she turns frowning a bit. The question is on her tongue, to check if she's ok being out here on her own, waiting, while people might still be hunting. But Petra set the meeting, and her backup. She's got this. So instead, she smiles reassuringly before heading in to pass along messages, pick up a generous bag of sweet and savory goods, and probably allow another to be foisted onto her of the day-olds that would be tossed at closing otherwise. Her eyes, and probably Dol's, drift out the windows frequently.

[Meiyokashi]

As the door swings shut slowly she can hear the first part of the meeting behind her- "Hey Petra," an uncertainty to her sisters tone, and the reply, "Clara.." and the door came shut, sealing away the voices and offering the two some not-quite-privacy. Dol, upon Dhel's entry, was already leaning on the counter and watching the two. When Dhel entered he offered a brief smile but kept watching Petra until she sat.

"Don't see those two together often enough.." he remarks, turning on his elbows with his hand rested in his palm he looks to Dhel. "Don't usually see Petra smile all that much these days either, so- good to see that too."

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel nods. "Yeah, kind of hiding after the other night. Things got kind of hairy. Tryin' to keep her spirits up when she really wants to be out doing...something. You know?" She looks back out the window at the body language, sharp ears tilted toward the conversation just in case it gets shouty. "Petra wanted to thank you for staying late and," she waves at the outside table, "everything."

"D'you see Clara around much on her own?" Dhel asks, looking to Dol for a moment with the question.

[Meiyokashi]

""Always for her," he says, looking distantly ahead with that expression of unvoiced worry. "Really are looking for her then.." he shakes his head, focusing back on Dhel. "I do, I do- surprising as it is I didn't know the two were sisters for the longest time. Petra comes in on her own, hangs around as she does but Clara.. Clara and I have a rapport from her always picking up a box of this or that from the shop. Makes sense thinking about it..." he looks back to Petra.

At the moment, outside, the two girls have sat and they're clearly going through those awkward first moments of not being able to manage to even talk to your sibling. A little dance with the little topics in order to avoid the big ones that always lead to fighting. Any sibling could recognize it.. wasn't a great sign for whatever caused the rift.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"Makes sense, how?" She watches, wondering if it would help or hurt to take something out and tell them to cut to the chase before the night got old.

For the moment, she settles for pulling out a 50 credit chip, keeping her eyes on the pair. "For something like a late snack for Bothan and human appetites?"

[Meiyokashi]

Nodding, "I can find something and it makes sense cause-" his attention shifts, and following his gaze Dhel would see Petra sitting back in her chair, ghost white. Just the moment it looked like she might disappear she stood up so abruptly that her chair went flying backwards and she was shouting. What sound did come through was unintelligible but she was clearly giving some strength to her voice with it. Clara however, equally as frightened by something was glancing from her sister to the street behind her and pleading, from the looks, with Petra.

Before anything else could be done the white boots of stormtroopers came in from both sides of the window. Black boots of an officer stepping through the space between them and approaching the girls. As he did Clara seemed frozen as she looked to him but Petra was still going. Once he started speaking Petra lashed out at him and the troopers were quick to come in from behind and seize both of her arms, one each. As she was lifted off and moved out of the windows view the officer approach Clara with the other two troopers coming in to stand behind him. They exchanged words briefly and then he turned to leave while Clara sank into the chair clutching something. Shaken she didn't even seem to register what happened as she stared blankly out over the city street.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel's headed for the door as the chair goes flying, not remotely sure what she means to do, but the sight of so many stormtrooper, so suddenly, is like ice stabbing down her spine, freezing her to the spot. She fumbles for her comm, turns panicked to Dol and back again as half a dozen 'things to do' clash and collide in her head and limbs. It's too late as she stumbles out the door, calling...who? Then switching it off. Are they watching, listening?

"Clara! What the hell?!"

[Meiyokashi]

Clara tightly gripped something in her hands, twisting it like a coil of rope. For a few seconds it was like she hadn't heard Dhel at all but suddenly she got up, "I.. I don't know it just.. it just happened but," she twisted the item again, fluffing it out and looking down at the Imperial cap she had in her hands, "I can.. I can do something. I'm- I've," she looks to Dhel, her cheeks soaked with tears. Sniffling she clears her face and turns to the window. Seeing Dol inside, the way he looked at her, it broke her heart again and her expression wavered.

Forcing on a calm demeanor she inhaled, and then exhaled, cleaning herself up in the window like it's a mirror.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Another chill, this one suspicious. "They give you that?" Dhel gestures at the cap, shock keeping her voice cold. "Did you tell them you were meeting her here?" Voice warming to a growl, fists clenched to keep her voice down, having had all the warning she needed about drawing that kind of attention.

[Meiyokashi]

Clara's voice, in turn, went cold. "Yes. No," simple answers only as she wiped away the tears and fixed her clothing. One more look inside as Dol met her eyes with only the deepest levels of disappointment, and then walked away. For a second her lip quivered but she focused on her reflection looking back at her. Focus returning to the moment she caught notice of something in how Dhel spoke.

"She didn't tell you.." she shook her head, "no, she wouldn't. I'm an Imperial officer. Went to school.. learned the steps- someone needed to keep us out of the Lower City when mom and dad passed. Petra never.." her voice cracked a little, forcing her to pause to find resolve again.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Oh. Dozens of little moments clicked into place. "No...no she didn't tell me. She knows damn well how many I've lost in their traps...and now she's..." She can feel every hair bristling, adding a ludicrous attempt at size-enhancement to her 5-foot frame as she all but slams both hands onto the little table. "Do you want to come by and see what comes back out of where they're taking her?! I can show you that, easy." Years of training couldn't keep her from choking on the pain and anger she can't keep from her voice.

She runs both hands up through her hair, scraping hard along the scalp as if she can rake her thoughts into tidy rows that will make sense, that will tell her how to fix this. "I have to go. have to let people know, get friends to...I don't know...but something!" She starts to leave....pauses...reaches into a pocket and tosses a crumpled flyer at the table. "If you learn *anything* that can get her out of there, they'll pass a message to me there. Kriffing hells."

Obviously upset, she pauses long enough for an answer she doesn't expect to hear, before turning to start off toward the printing press that wasn't going to be the sanctuary she hoped for tonight.

[Meiyokashi]

It takes her a moment to process, but by the time Dhel looks back Clara has just begun to move. Kneeling down with robotic movements she picks up the flyer as it bounced from the table and onto the ground and reads it, scanning it with intent. When she finishes she neatly tucks the flying into her back pocket. Looking to Dhel just to see her there, and then turns walking away.