-From the perspective of Nizzal.-

  After that enter, I went back to sleep and had a restful night.

  day in the early afternoon hours. I was just finishing my shopping. I paid for a few new clothes sine of them had been trashed... quite literally... This was also my usual aloime, and I nning to enjoy it to the fullest.

  Corust was a more than ideal pce to do that. To many people’s relief, the energy in this city sector had beeored throughout the night. I only imagihe extreme workload the workers had taken on themselves. It was lucky that at this time and age, the most dangerous work was done by repair droids or even nano maes.

  At the time I was walking by aertai district, there were a lot of them you could literally bump into one by walking around randomly. Well, for a p with a poputioy of Corust, you still o wait in lio get to use the maes. I could hear loud cheers ing out of the building. The door was left open, but even if it wasn’t, you could easily see the cavalcade happening ihrough the enormous window.

  I saw a bunch of kids. I could tell from a ghat they were around my physical age... Pying with a game called Jedi vs Sith. It was some sort of virtual reality arena fight simutor. They even got something that looked like lightsabers. Obviously, they were ing a seriously harmful energy beam, probably only something that could give you a small electric jolt in case of tabsp;

  Seeing that one of the kids was beating up another with suthusiasm, I could only smirk, especially hearing the other one’s annoyed shouts. I have always liked movies and video games. My master sometimes joined in as the sed pyer. Those were wonderful memories. Even so, I’d never pyed anything like this game before, and some of the kids got pretty oves, too.

  I was intrigued, however... it would basically be cheating if I ehis petition a up every kid. I am not that shameless.

  I decided to shake my head, caressing one of my leks in thought, and was about to walk away, just before an arrogant boyish voice called out to me.

  -Ooy! Are you only looking? Trying to y moves, yeah? Might as well join a your arse hao you.

  I was jolted from my thoughts at hearing the loud voice. I looked around quickly, searg for the person he was shouting at.

  -Hah, stop looking around like a fused chick. I was talking to you, tail-head girl!

  The other children around the room hissed and made shocked noises hearing the hurtful ent that most twi’leks were extremely despising. I would probably hate it too, if I didn’t have the memories of a bunch of differeic races that were usually also insulted in many ways. That, and a few thousand years of memories, might have made me disregard such stupid ents.

  Therefore, to the annoyance of the human boy, who seemed to have the iion of challenging me, I didn’t show any obvious rea. I only tilted my head while caressing one of my lek and asked, fused.

  -Are you talking to me?

  The other kids around the gaming area started giggling at the boy, who, in turn, blushed and became even more frustrated. Which resulted in an open challenge.

  -Now you’ve do, girl! I challenge you, if you don’t accept it, you will be forever branded as a scared kitten!

  He even pointed his toy saber at me in an actually real dueling sta first, I had the iion of simply walking away. Being called a scared kitten was something I could handle... However, seeing this too perfect fighting stance, I froze momentarily.

  I didn’t really know what his deal was. Didn’t know why this kid was trying tue with me? However, I knew a good stance when I saw one. Is this boy an actual padawan? That seemed unlikely... but could he actually bee this profit with it through pying a game? Well, I mean the most basic of the jedi stances could be downloaded by anyone who has access to the holo how odd, to thi so much effort into something that he would never be able to use to its fullest potential is just shog.

  What I mean is that jedi stances are created with the idea of existing and trained force sensitivity. If you didn’t have that, you would basically make yourself into a living target practice. What I mean is... even without the force a normal person with good reflexes would be able to use a lightsaber to reflect ser beams, it is uhat they would be able to reflect those shots at enemies with iion, but defending yourself from a few shots is achievable.

  What doesn’t work, is when the shots e from an ahat you ’t see, or there are too many, to coordinate your movements, to pce your body in the exact way that the sers would pass by it harmlessly, or inflig only light damage.

  The human mind is simply incapable of reag to so many things without being empowered through the force. I was intrigued by the unusual tenacity of this boy. Therefore, I decided to push my mischievously curling lek behind my back, and said.

  -Okay, I accept your challenge. What is your name? I am Nizzal, just like that.

  The boy, as if he didn’t expect my words, blushed again, and said with a stutter.

  -...I am St-Steve...

  The other kids, seeing the sudden shyness of Steve, didn’t miss the ce to coo at him, whily made him turn even redder.

  I smiled, feeling amused by their antics. It genuinely felt good to be invited into a group of friends so randomly. I mean, these kids were obviously knowing each other for quite some time. They were ag overly familiar, making and ughing at their inside jokes. They were probably cssmates, or something like that.

  Oh, well, I actually had no idea about the current education system of the Gactic Republic. I am only familiar with the training of those with force abilities.

  I stepped closer to them while thinking about such stupid things, one of the kids... the one who was beaten by Steven earlier gave me the other toy saber and I ehe ring. I looked around, blinking at the absurd situation I mao get myself into once again.

  All the kids and even some of the adults who were present in the room stopped doing whatever they did, and now were looking over at us... Well, of course they would, its free eai, basically. It’s not like the boy tried to keep his voice down or anything.

  I huffed, feeling a bit angsty. The tension was gettioo... isn’t this supposed to be a game? Eh?

  I saw a green bde heading for my head almost immediately after I took my position. My instincts kicked in and I ducked, letting the bde swish over my head in a horizontal... beheading cut. I felt a bit ahis kid! Seriously, if I was your random street kid, I would have been spped by that, and probably g from frustratiht now.

  I looked up, sensing another ining blow, ohat I easily dodged by rolling to the side. I didn’t even ignite my lightsaber just yet.

  My casual dodge seemed to ahe boy, while also making him bee cautions of me. I could see a fire of rivalry ignited in those beady eyes.

  I was a bit aoo by his as... I mean, this kid challenged a random girl for no reason in a game that he was obviously very good at, and didn’t eve me get used to it. I believe that it was time to give him a lesson. I wouldn’t want him to turn out like dad...

  The parison somehow made seo me. Oher hand, I don’t think I could take another blow to my self-esteem, not so soon... If I were beaten by these kids, I might as well give the archive to one of them straight away.

  I finally ignited my blue toy bde and smiled at the guy while straightening up from my roll. I felt a sense of fear appear in the boy across from me after he saw my eery smile.

  -A few moments ter.-

  I was surrounded by a bunch of excited kids shouting my h shog happiness and joy. I saw that even the boy, eve, who I just beat offhandedly. He never even got o hittier the first two surprise strikes. I literally pyed with him, theed him while showing off my fluid moves.

  Now I uand that the kid probably only learned some of the basic moves, a few of which were copied with surprising care. However, he was very good for someone using a bde, without the help of the force, as he had no the face of the real thing. Ighe fact that I am over four thousand years old.

  I was suddenly feeling guilty seeing the pure happiness of the kids, who were shaken by my ease at handling the saber. I shouldn’t have let myself get carried away so easily... but I mean, my subscious reacted to the sight of an ining saber. They looked almost simir to the real thing, except its weight was a lot less.

  Suddenly one of the kids froze and shouted loudly, with a horror-stri fabsp;

  -DAMN! Look at the time, we are te for css! Ms. Lana will chew off our ears again!

  -What? Don’t make me ugh, we have fifteen more minutes just now... oh no... you are RIGHT!

  -Steve, we must get to css, quickly!

  -Okay, let’s go!

  Shouted Steve to the only irl beside me. I was feeling a bit rexed as this meant me being the target of attention was over. Don’t misuand me, I liked to be in such a position at times, but if that attention was given from a swarm of awed kids, I find myself being shy and a bit frustrated.

  I mean... all things sidered; I was still fourteen years old, and craved the attention of my peers deep down, but I never really had any friends of my age, beside Ahsoka and I would lie if I said that I was able to properly handle so much of their undiluted attention out of nowhere.

  I felt an almost invisible blush reach my s, and looked down, feeling somewhere between happy, shy and disturbed.

  Anyway... it will be over soon... EH?

  I was grabbed by two of the kids whose names I didn’t quite catch, as they were telling their the same time.

  EHHHH?

  I ced to sit on the shoulder of Steve... Who crouched dowo me while some of his friends “helped” me on his shoulder. He stood up, shaking me in the process...

  I grabbed his head to stop myself from falling off while he stood up, then he grabbed my legs that were dangling in front of his chest and began to run with the others in a random dire.

  Finally, ing to my mind, I excimed loudly.

  -ait! Eh? Hey!? What is going on? Put me dht now!

  -Stop kig, or I might drop you real this time... Nizzal, was it? Ah, but that’s too long. What about Nizz? That sounds cool...

  I was dht embarrassed by this oute... I mean, I was being kidnapped by a group of kids... Still; I said.

  -Call me Nizzy, if you must.

  -Roger that, we decided to make you an honorable member of our dueling group!

  I was fbbergasted by this logic.

  -And who told you that I want to be a part of it?!

  -I guess, no one.

  He said holy. I waited for him to tinue his expnation, but he did not. Which caused me to be even more shocked. This kid! Such cheek! Are kids so shameless nowadays?

  My eyes widened with a sudden thought and started filing with one of my arms.

  -What’s now?!

  -Oh shut up, my clothes... Where is my bag? I just bought new ones, if I lose them because of you lot!

  -Chill, Nizz. Luna has it.

  Steven nodded with his head to the irl beside me. She was also a human child, as most of the group was, actually. She showed me a reliable smile when she saw that I was looking at her, but she indeed had my bag dangling in her hands.

  -Geez, stated one of the kids. Panig over some clothes like that... Are you that poor, or what?

  I blushed furiously hearing the implication. I was a Grandmaster of a fug Intergactic-order, and nobody seems to give a shit about that! I mean... it’s true that it is a secret... but oh, man! How I wish that was not the case at times like this!

  The kids, seeing my extreme blush, have naturally misinterpreted it, thinking that they hit the nail on the head, which was as far from reality as it could be. Well... I mean, it’s not like I have much mo hand, thanks to Anakin... but that is only momentary. Also, I really liked the clothes I chose...

  The kid, who dropped the jab, was meaningfully punched into his side. As one of the others stated calmly.

  -Not that it would matter to us... if that was the case... Just ignore him, he was born like that, ’t help it.

  -Hey?! What’s that even supposed to mean!?

  Shouted the guy from the babsp;

  The others started ughing hearing his shout.

  -Stop ughing... damn..!

  -Frank, you are an iive fool! That’s what it means...

  Said Luna, who seemed to take my side over this, quite strongly. The argument was finished with that, and a few seds of silence appeared. I used the opportunity to ask.

  -Where are you taking me?

  I mean, it would be ridiculously easy to escape this bunch, but at this point, I was getting too involved to leave so easily. My curiosity also got the better of me.

  Steve stated in a loud voibsp;

  -We are going back to school of course. Ms. Lana would scold us if we had no proper reason for being te. So, you will be our reason.

  I blinked.

  -What?

  I asked, genuinely fused.

  -e on, you seem like a twelve-year-old... You will say that you got lost, and we helped you out, or something like that. You know, c for the team...

  -...I am fourteen...

  -NO WAY!? You are the same age as us?

  There were a few disbelieving voices appearing around me, followed up by quite hurtful words, like you are so small... and you are cute... or my favorite. I thought that she was only ten...

  I mean... female twi’leks were usually smaller in stature than normal humans. That wasn’t always the case, as there were exceptions as always... but I was not... one...

  I would be actually sixteen if I ted the time I spent frozen... but then I should probably also t the few thousand years of extra life experiences...

  ...

  How did I get into this situation again?

  -A few mier.-

  I ut down in front of the supposed school... and was literally herded inside while thinking, how did I get myself into this in a seemingly never-ending loop? As, as the saying goes, everything that has a start will eventually e to an end.

  I found myself standing in front of an angry aremely strict looking woman, who was staring at the surrounding kids with a doom promising gaze. I swallowed my saliva as his gaze focused ohen ged into a slightly fused and less hostile expression.

  One of the kids spoke up, sensing the momentary break iension that the woman was elig. Damn... I swear these kids sometimes seem like force sensitive... How could he catto it so quickly...

  -Ms. Lana, we are sorry to be te, but we found this little girl. She seemed to lose her way... We couldn’t leave her behind just like that.

  Lana’s expression was filled with doubt as she listeo the expnation. She turo me with a practiced and soft gaze as she asked in a theatrical, warm voibsp;

  -Is this true, sweetheart? Were you lost?

  Uh-oh... I felt speechless by the obvious disbelief in the dy’s voice.

  I was discretely nudged into my back, and I started to nod furiously. I might have overdo...

  -You tell me, if these bunch of good for nothings got you into trouble sweety...

  I felt a shiver run up my back, but seeing the hopeful eyes of the surrounding kids melted my heart.

  I decided to do my act.

  I blinked a few times, ag overly hesitant, which was irely an act at this time, and said.

  -I... I kind of lost my way... sorry for troubling you...

  The woman stared at me for a sed, then ged her behavior pletely.

  -Oh, no, you do not. I am actually proud of these good for nothings, except Luna of course… they have finally done something good besides wasting their money by pying video-games...

  I could see some of the kids feeling guilty by the undeserved praise. They were such good kids; I mean... kidnappers... e to think of it... someone t as a kidnapper if he or she is a kid too? Probably... A thought for ter.

  Whatever...

  I was ushered to sit down with the others. I was told to wait out the csses, then they would help me find my way home. Since I described the restaurant where I stayed to them, which everyone knew of, they promised me to lead me there ter.

  I sat down and watched the csses in silence, looking at the things the kids were learning. I mean, it erfect opportunity to fill in aing hole ihe archive. Current education of the Republic specifically. The presentation retty good too. I ehe light workout and decided to solve the offered problems for myself.

  One of the kids noticed me following the css, and solving the problems, by writing inside my digital hat I used to write up the orders of the ers, and things like that. It was a low budget, carriable miniputer.

  The nosy bastard dared to snatch away the device from me, whie pletely uedly as I was submerged in my thoughts and calcutions.

  He g the note, probably expeg some random drawing, and was surprised to see the solution to all the problems that were presented. Most kids have only solved half of the problems, and I was doh it for a few minutes now.

  I wasn’t even trying, just passing the time... is it not that I wao show off to children... or... was it? To be ho, I wasn’t that certain anymore.

  -WHOA! Nizz solved all of them already...

  Stated the kid loudly.

  A shadoeared in front of us and took the note from the kid’s hand while scolding him.

  -And did you ask Nizzal if you could borrow her note, David?

  -Ah... no, Ms. Lana...

  -Shame on you then.

  With that, she started to carefully look over my solutions... While I was screaming inside my head. You didn’t ask to look at it either! I could see that her expression was getting ever more strained... I mean, maybe it was because of that hyperspace double jump calcution that I did on the side... I mean, I was troubled by that thought for a while and decided to get to the end of it... I only finished one part of it, as my mind got carried away... halfway through it... But... I inteo finish it...

  -This is all good...

  Stated Lana, which was followed by anasp from the throng of kids.

  I could also hear a disbelieving whisper from the teacher, which sounded like this...

  ... and what is this? I have no idea what this calcution is...

  Damn... I am starting to think all things sidered I am a ridiculously bad spy…