Fiction:Niyra's Training/The Shattered Mountain

Story
Makoro was in the library, this in and of itself wasn't particularly unusual, being the son of scribes Makoro had spent most of his growing years in libraries and had grown into something of bookworm as a result. No, the unusual thing today was not him being in the library but rather the reason for him being in the library. He walked to the big circular desk occupied by the academy's librarian, a white female Ugandalorian who looked like she had been sculpted out of ice and bones, and had all the personal charm of frostbite. Makoro approached the desk and stood there a little awkwardly not used to needing help with this kinda thing.


 * Makoro: "Ummm."

The librarian looked up from her book with a glare that could defeather a partridge before speaking very slowly and with a tone that could be best described as "get on with it".


 * Librarian: "Yes, what is it that you need?"
 * Makoro: "Eerrm yes, I'm looking for a book about Vanara behavior."
 * Librarian: "Is this about Miss Niya."
 * Makoro: "Uh yes, how'd you know?"
 * Librarian: "Sweetheart, there is only one Vanara in this entire academy who has made no secrete of her fondness for you."
 * Makoro: "Really?"

The Librarian gave him another look that one usually reserves for children who eat cleaning pods, sighed, and stood up reluctantly.


 * Librarian: "Come on."

She quickly led him past rows and rows of shelves until they reached the section with books on the behavior and biology of alien races. She then led him over to the V section which contained precisely one book on the Vanara. The librarian handed to him and Makoro thanked her before going to look for a place to read. As he was weaving through the shelves he spotted a familiar red and gold Ugandalorian reading a book on sword play. Makoro waved slightly and whispered out a greeting.


 * Makoro: "Jallas!"

Jallas looked up to see Makoro and shouted out in much less quiet voice...


 * Jallas: "Makoro!"

Both immediately jumped upon hearing a sudden "shush", and looked to see the librarian glaring at them from behind a bookshelf before she slowly slinked away. Makoro and Jallas watched her go before turning back to one another. Makoro quickly went over it sit beside his friend.


 * Makoro: "So what are you doing here?"
 * Jallas: "Reading up on old Mendel sword techniques, might be something I can use in practice. And what about you? That's a highly unusual choice."
 * Makoro: "Uh yeah, Niyra's been acting a little weird lately."
 * Jallas: "She's a Vanara, define weird please."
 * Makoro: "Well, she keeps singling me out during sparing, so at first I thought I angered her somehow, but then she keeps insisting on sitting next to me during meals."
 * Jallas: "Doesn't she usually sit by you anyway?"
 * Makoro: "Yeah, but now it's like she's timing it so she can guarantee she gets a seat next to me. And then one day she offered me some of her food and to accompany her on one of her midnight hunting excursions."
 * Jallas: "What'd you say?"
 * Makoro: "I turned her down on both, she makes her food way to sweet and I wanna sleep at midnight. She that was okay with her, but then she was all moody the rest of the day."

Jallas sighed and folded his arms before speaking.


 * Jallas: "I think she likes you."
 * Makoro: "You must be joking."
 * Jallas: "Hardly, she offered to feed you. If I asked her for some of her food she might try to eat me as well."
 * Makoro: "Yeah but what would she see in me?"
 * Jallas: "You're loyal, kind, helpful, all good traits."
 * Makoro: "I doubt someone like Niyra's into that."