The Dark Academy on Korriban

Sylvain woke up early that morning and sent a text out to his two closest friends to join him in the cafeteria. Despite being some of the more influential and popular kids in the academy they all were diligent students and early risers.

As he sat waiting for his friends to arrive he began working on his cardboard like bread substance and a glass of water.

Having recently visited the refreshers, Shaisha's hair was still damp as she pulled it back into a loose ponytail while walking into the mess hall.

Blegh. Paste. Makes me want to go out and hunt a tuk'ata for eatings instead.

"'morning, Syl," she waved to her foster-brother as she took a seat. "... Would it kill them to serve something else than paste?"

"I'm more worried about whether it will not kill us if we keep eating it; don't care what happens to them." He said with a chuckle.

"How're you doing today Shai?"

"Still too early to answer that," she covered her mouth as she yawned. "Been doing a lot of late night studying, I almost fell asleep during Lord Savas lecture yesterday..."

"And you? Getting enough rest these days?"

"Sleeping like a baby." He said with a smile.

"I told you before, but if you want another set of eyes reading stuff just let me know... I'd hate to see you anger your instructors because you were staying up too late."

"Nah, should be fine," she waved it off, "appriciate the gesture though, but you got your own stuff to worry about too. I'm betting there's plenty of stuff to keep you busy."

Shaisha gave him a playful wink.

"There's always a lot going on here, that's for sure; it's no moisture farm." He said with a smile.

"You get a message from Kris? Weird she didn't beat us here like she always does."

"Not that I know of..." her voice trailed off as she checked her communicator, just in case she might've missed any messages. "Didn't see her at the refreshers either, but maybe she got up early and just missed me."

Shaisha shrugged. "I'll consider sending out a search party after I've eaten this... delicious paste."

"I'll have to check my hidden camera's recordings of you two's refreshers if she doesn't show up soon."

He picked up the paste with his spoon and let it slop down. "What's on your docket today?"

"Checking up on some history... thinking maybe taking a trip outside later tonight, depending on the weather."

She pushed the paste around on her plate, her voice lowering. "Seems like you guys aren't the only ones who have picked up a weapon in the Wastes. I feel like I see more and more students each day with a lightsaber," Shaisha sighed, "this is so against the standard tradition of things."

Sylvain nodded, "The Head Mistress doesn't seem to be too strict about such things. Probably just a policy of the current administration."

He took a spoonful of paste and quickly swallowed it, "Does it bother you?"

"Hm, I guess it does, a little," her lips quirked in a half-smile. "I remember my mother being a stickler for tradition; preserving the history and cultural heritage of the Sith. Guess some of that rubbed off on me."

"Man, I might start sounding like the likes of Darth Thanaton some day now... getting all worked up about tradition."

"There's much about tradition that is crucial for stability and order... I too am worried about people like that Layne Hoshin having a lightsaber." He said with a nod. "But I'm a lot more comfortable with someone like Kris having one."

"Well, from what you said, Kris defeated a Jedi to earn her lightsaber. That in itself is on par with a final trial for an acolyte. Earning a lightsaber like that is acceptable to what I've been told of an acolyte's passage to earning the place beside a master."

Shaisha shrugged. "Times have changed a lot since my parents passed their tests to become Sith though."

"You keep forgetting that I was the one who fell the Jedi." He said with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah," she chuckled, "I still think Kris might've done most of the job, knowing her skill in combat compared to yours."

Shaisha winked playfully at him.

"If it weren't for Sylvain," Kristal said as she walked over from just out of both of their views. Placing herself promptly at what was now their table. "I would have died in that moment." It was true, even if it left out some many other things to consider.

Kristal seemed dressed and ready to go, in fact it almost seemed like she had been outside already in the day as a bit of dust clung to her boot. That she didn't seem overly concerned about mentioning why she was late left the impression it wasn't too important.

Shai looked up at her friend with a playful smile. "Careful, his head might get bigger if you flatter him so, Kris."

"Too late." He said with a smile. "Though I don't know how much larger it can get now."

Flashing a grin toward Shaisha, she then looked to Sylvain's head, saying in jest, "I admit, I want to see if it can get so large that doors impose a problem when walking through them.

"Shouldn't be too hard," Shaisha laughed, "just need to combine our forces, Kris, and he will tip over from the sheer weight of it."

Sylvain chuckled. He was always willing to laugh at himself.

"How are the wounds holding up Kris?" He said as he started back on his food after letting the laughter calm down a bit.

Bringing a hand up to just below her shoulder where the saber had struck her, she felt the space under her clothing where her skin was a bit warped. "Treatments healed it up well. However, less clear now but I have a reminded of the fact there still."

"Stomach cleared completely. You wouldn't even know I was nearly gutted in an abandoned station."

Sylvain smiled warmly as he could given the lingering taste in his mouth. "That's good at least."

Taking another bite he said, "Did I tell you I'm thinking of knocking Zash off my list of wanted instructors?"

"I haven't heard of it," she said, shifting how she was sitting a bit, getting everything in a more proper order.

"I wonder, " Kristal said with a leading tone to it, clearly working into a tease, "What could turn our dear Sylvain away from a beautiful woman?"