Room 313, Saturday evening

[solo_sword]

Jaina had kept to her room, because while she was aware her mother was in town, she knew that it wasn't her mother, not yet, and she didn't want to traumatize Leia with her future daughter showing up on top of everything else. Still Jaina knew she was there, which was weird, and it was making her a little homesick.

Not wanting to do anything resembling moping, she went to the door, opened it, and sat on her bed to start tinkering with some spare parts, just to see what she could come up with. Yay distractions.

[Hey, my brain's up for playing again. Come play!]

Comments

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Trenor, who'd been running down the hallways, skidded to a stop at the open door and stuck his head through. He still wasn't wearing anything but pants. "Hi!"

[solo_sword]

Jaina looked up, greeting him with a smile. "Hi," she said. "I haven't met you yet, have I?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

He tilted his head, then sniffed deeply, several times. "I don't think so. You don't smell like I know you." He was standing very straight, eyes hopeful, practically quivering while he asked, "Have you got any treats?"

[solo_sword]

...First time she'd ever had her smell referenced like that. Okay. "Um. I think I've got a bag of chips around," she said, getting up to get it. He didn't ping exactly right to her, but she'd been feeling a little off today. "Long day?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Trenor didn't know what chips were, but treats were always good. "Karal came and got me from the stall and then I ran around a lot and Inara gave me breakfast and I ran around some more and then I had a nap, and now I'm exploring!" He looked a little guilty, dropping his head and glancing nervously at the door. "I am not supposed to leave Karal."

[solo_sword]

...Fandom just didn't get any less strange, but at least Jaina knew why he didn't seem exactly right. She held out the bag for him, asking, "Should we find Karal for you?"

The other option was to actually go exploring with him around the dorms, which would be neat but Karal might not like that. So she would keep that to herself.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

He considered her, then the door, lifting a foot and setting it back down, then shook his head. "Karal will find me," he said confidently, taking the bag and turning it over and over. "I like it here. How do I get to the treats?"

He hoped the treats were inside the crinkly stuff, because he'd eaten it before and it did not taste good.

[solo_sword]

"Here," Jaina said, reaching over to open the bag full of non-crinkly things. "They're just right in there."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Thank you," he said and pulled some out, chewing them thoughtfully and with great care. "These are good!"

[solo_sword]

"I'm glad you like them," she smiled. "So where have you explored so far?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"All the floors under this one and the stairs, and then here." He sat down where he'd been standing and kept munching the chips. "And before here the woods, but Karal didn't ride me like he usually does, and we were going to go to the ocean but I fell asleep. Is this your stall?"

[solo_sword]

"It's my room," she corrected. "You don't have to sit on the floor if you don't want to. I have a chair, or the bed. It might be more comfortable."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Room. That's where Karal was taking me. He said I can't sleep in my stall when I'm like this." Which was good, because it wasn't comfortable any more, and the hay was bad. Eyes bright, he looked around the room, then scrambled to his feet, clutching the bag of chips, and sat down on the bed, leaning against her shoulder. "This is comfortable! I like this!"

[solo_sword]

"Good," she said, grinning. She had no idea what was going on, but she was actually okay with that. "See, you're discovering all sorts of new things."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Which was when Karal's voice floated down the corridor, sounding very worried. "Trenor?"

Trenor started and pressed harder against Jaina. "I wasn't supposed to run off."

[solo_sword]

"It's okay," she assured him. "Don't worry, I've done this a hundred times." She wasn't joking. Raising her voice, she called, "We're in here, Karal!"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal peered into the room, sagging with relief when he saw Trenor was safely with Jaina. "I was worried about you," he said, walking into the room and smiling at Jaina. "You were supposed to stay with me."

Trenor hung his head and looked woebegone.

[solo_sword]

"He's been all right," Jaina assured Karal, smiling hello. "We've been making friends."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Thank you for looking after him," he said to Jaina gratefully. "He's, well, he is Trenor. My horse. I do not know why or how."

Trenor looked up at his name, eyes wide and questioning.

"At least if you had to run off you found someone who would keep you safe," Karal said, smiling at Trenor. "I am not angry."

[solo_sword]

"Told you it'd be fine," Jaina said quietly to Trenor.

In her normal volume, explained, "It's Fandom. I think these things just happen."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Trenor bobbed his head and started eating the chips again, grinning because he hadn't gotten into trouble. "He can never stay mad with me," he said, though he hadn't caught onto the concept of whispering.

Karal sighed and shook his head. "I think you are right," he said to Jaina. "It was a shock finding him this morning, but now it almost seems normal." Trenor peered into the bag, then upended it over his mouth to get the last few crumbs. "Almost."

[solo_sword]

Jaina giggled before she could stop herself. "And I had to meet him sometime, right? Does this count as another atonement?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Either that or something else I need to atone for," he said, laughing helplessly as Trenor dropped the bag on the floor, nudged Jaina's shoulder with his forehead, and hopped to his feet.

"Thank you for the treats," he said, and trotted over to lean on Karal.

Who was getting used to it and just patted him absently.

[solo_sword]

"You're welcome," Jaina said, laughing. She'd get the bag in a minute. "Have fun."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I have no doubt it will be interesting," he said, taking Trenor's hand. Trenor just blinked at him mildly. "I think I will take him upstairs and attempt to get him to sleep. Jaina, thank you, again," he said over his shoulder as he led Trenor from the room.