Party at the Blue Bantha!

[hadthehighground]

WHO: Everyone!
WHERE: The Blue Bantha in Coruscant's entertainment district
WHAT: A party!
WHEN: The last day before they leave.
WARNINGS: Fun times? Probably drunkenness.

After having found this place on an outing with Echo, Obi-Wan had decided he rather liked this one particular establishment they stopped at. So for their last evening on Coruscant, the Jedi had the place rented out. A network post also going up inviting everyone for one last hurrah before they have to go back to Temba.

Welcome to the Blue Bantha Bar and Grill!

Everything is very blue. A bright blue neon sign advertises the joint in the entertainment district. Its letters in Aurebesh with a little bantha head shaped neon light next to it as well. The lighting inside is distinctly blue as well. There is a mounted bantha head placed on the far wall above the bar, its fur having been dyed blue. Clearly it is the mascot of this place.

There are tables and booths in varying locations for people to sit. With the tables having bantha hide rugs under them that look reminiscent of shag carpet, while the booth seats have bantha hide upholstery as well. There's a band playing in one corner with space for people to dance. While on another side there are screens broadcasting sporting events from across the galaxy. Feel free to place bets on who you think will win!

Even the staff are either blue, or are wearing blue. It won't be uncommon to have a blue scantily clad Twi'lek waitress serving you. The long bar also has blue neon lighting with several stools to sit at, in which you can order whatever drink your heart desires on their menu.

Speaking of the menu, everything is made with bantha products. That is what they specialize in. Several types of Jawa Juice, a kind of beer made from fermented grains mashed in bantha hides, can be found here. As well as Bantha Blood Fizz, a sparkling drink made from purified bantha blood in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties. And of course they serve several drinks featuring blue milk, from just the plain stuff to several alcoholic concoctions. There is also food of course! Bantha steak, bantha burgers, bantha stew, and other meat dishes are served as it's pretty much this galaxy's equivalent of beef. You can even get desserts made from blue milk such as cheesecake and ice cream.

Have fun! The Temba group have this establishment all to themselves for the night!

((OOC: This is a mingle log so go nuts!))

Comments

OTA

[foundlingfather]

A few weeks was far too short, and yet almost too long. The last few days, Din had spent gathering the rest of whatever he'd need or want, once they went back. Even taking Grogu shopping, and picking the kid up stuff, like toys, clothes and even a new pram.

He's also already said his goodbyes to Coruscant's Mandalorians. Done with some reluctance, as he knows on Agra-10, he'll once again be the only one. Them wishing him well, as he continued on his strange journey, and that in the unlikely event he'd ever return, he'd always be welcome. He'd repaid them for their kindness, with getting them things they needed, and or otherwise couldn't get. In the end, also leaving whatever credits he had left over with them. They'd be useless on Agra-10 anyway.

He'd also restocked his munitions, including a new vibroblade. That, along with the Agrii apparently deciding to give him(Grogu??) his Rising Phoenix, had him feeling more complete, than he had since before getting to Temba. Now on their last night, he was at the blue bantha. However, he's more people watching, than really participating in any activities. Having found a quiet table off to the side. He's at least taking part in drinking, a straw having been dug up from somewhere. His current choice, a mug of Jawa juice. If one's observant or quick enough, they may even catch him lifting up the helmet just enough to get a quick bite of bantha steak, before the helmet is put back in place.

[heypartner]

Cobb held court at a table with a deck of cards, a bottle of spotchka, and bantha kabobs most of the night but eventually he turned the deck over to someone else and made his way over to Din's table.

He sat down next to him, reached behind his back, and set something wrapped in a dark green cloth on the table. Cobb pushed it towards Din. "Been tryin' to find a good time to give this to you."

There had been a few but Cobb had just never managed to work up the courage. Now with a few drinks and a party to distract everyone he figured why not? There'd probably never be a perfect time. Might as well make one himself.

"Bought it on our little trip to the Mandalorian part of town," he explained as Din started to unwrap it. "Thought it'd be a good thank you. That was the most I've felt at home on this planet."

Wrapped carefully inside the cloth was a sheath for a combat knife. It was made to fit on the straps of a thigh or calf piece of beskar armor. The sheath was clearly Mandalorian craftsmanship and handmade by a talented leather worker. It was a rich caramel color and stamped on the front was the mythosaur skull stained black. Cobb had known the moment he spotted it he wanted to give it to Din.

It was a lot more than just a thank you. Cobb almost wished he still had his beskar armor to hide behind a helmet. His sabaac face was pretty good but he still felt like Din might read some of those new, stronger feelings in his expression. And that was a risk he was willing to take.

[foundlingfather]

Ah, those feelings. That've been bouncing around in the back of Din's mind, since he'd taken Cobb down to the enclave. He's been wrestling with them. He's finally figuring out how he feels towards Grogu, after almost a year of travelling together. The kid had found a kink in the armor, and wriggled himself underneath. Now these new ones seemed determined to piggyback right behind them, to open the crack more. It didn't help, that Cobb had backed up his statement of willing to help Din and the kid reunite. By later helping him with the armor, so Din himself could walk into the Temple to see the kid.

Now of course, Din's wrapped back up in his familiar, comfortable, Beskar armor. He'd watched Cobb on and off, while the other man played sabacc with others. The Marshall dressed in his familiar bright red, is pretty hard to miss when everything else is decked out in blue. Despite everything, Din had been relaxed at his table as he'd people watched, content to sit out of the way with Grogu in his pram. Cobb approaching the table has him sitting up more, though.

"Cobb." He manages in greeting, as the other sat down next to him. However, anything else gets cut off, as he the green wrapped package is slid in front of him. "You didn't...need to." His helm almost naturally tilting toward Cobb as he listened. There's slight hesitance, before gloved hands move to unwrap the cloth, focus shifting to it as he wonders what Cobb had picked up down there. There's a pause once he sees it, reaching out to pick the sheath up, and running a gloved finger over the leather, and the symbol. He's real thankful for the helmet that hides his expression, still his posture almost looks shy when he looks back to Cobb.

"Cobb..." The gesture's not lost on him, specially seeing the feelings reflected back at him. It's a little overwhelming. He's never been one for saying a lot, but still he's at a loss for word. What even do you say?

[heypartner]

"A gift ain't about needing to." He smiled, the look on his face a little soft and fond before it shifted into something more like a smirk. Even with the helmet on he could tell Din was a little flustered. It felt good to get under that stoic exterior. There was no surer way to know that he had done well with his choice. "It's about wanting to."

There were tithes and taxes on Tatooine that Hutts called "gifts" but everyone knew they weren't. Masters gave slaves "gifts" sometimes and everyone knew those came with expectations with no choice in the matter.

To Cobb gifts, real gifts, the kind that mattered had to be freely given with no expectation of anything in return. He wanted Din to have something nice and something of his people to take back to Tembra. Maybe give an idea of Cobb's feelings. That was it. What Din did with it or in response, well that was Din's choice.

"Should hold a decent sized knife," he said to give Din a safe escape. And himself. There was a flutter in his chest, a rush up his spine of something good and a little scary in the way Din said his name.

Cobb didn't want to look at it too closely in the middle of a crowded bar. No one seemed to be paying them any attention but... well, he was a private man. He didn't think Din would mind the change in topic either.

[foundlingfather]

Problem is, Din's not entirely sure what to do with them. He's not used to dealing with feelings that didn't have to do with combat. Last one to come close was Omera back on Sorgan, and there wasn't that almost instant connection with her. Not like with Cobb.

Fortunately(or unfortunately), the only person close enough to see them at the moment, is Grogu in his pram. Probably watching on with interest, like any kid would be. Everyone else is too distracted by whatever they're doing, or too drunk to notice. Something Din is thankful for.

He looks back to the sheath as he fights those emotions back down. Getting flustered over a gift was stupid. But the truth was, Din didn't get gifts that often. Usually he was the one giving things, doing things, and not expecting anything but payment in return for them. He really is grateful for the gift. The thought that went into it. It'll be a nice reminder of the time spent here.

"...thank you." He finally says after a few moments, gaze tilting back up to Cobb. His voice steadier, less flustered, than it was. The fingers of the hand closest to Cobb twitch against the table's surface, as he resists briefly reaching out to touch the man's hand. "It should." He's taking that out, glad for the change. He turns his gaze back away, and shifts to reach under the table with one hand. He straightens again, this time his hand isn't empty, but instead holding his shiny new vibroblade, that glints in the blue lighting. Because of course he'd bring a knife to a party.

"Let's see..." He picks up the sheath, and slides the 'blade in, and by luck or something it actually fits perfectly. "It'll work."

[heypartner]

The kid was fine. Cobb assumed he didn't full understand the unspoken conversation going on between him and Din. Little Grogu could watch all he wanted. If they needed to distract him Cobb would get him something to eat and all would be well.

"Not bad for pickin' something I thought just looked good." Cobb grinned a little easier. Maybe, just maybe, he had worried a little bit that his gift wouldn't actually be useful. That would've left him in a real awkward spot with Din who would definitely be too polite to say anything. He had done good though and could breathe a little easier.

Cobb picked up his drink and took a sip as he looked at the crowd of assembled people, unconcerned with a knife at a party. That was just a party back in Mos Pelgo. "You ready to go back?," he asked when he looked back at Din. "I'm sorry you gotta leave your people behind."

Din was another one with ties to this place like the Jedi.

[foundlingfather]

There's still that low roil of strange emotion in his chest. But for now, he's not wanting to touch on it. He's a Mandalorian. He's faced crazy and scary situations before, including the krayt dragon, and come out of them like they were no big deal. But this? This felt different. It's strange and a little scary, even if part of him knows it shouldn't be. It's something he both wants to see it out, yet at the same time doesn't.

"You did good. Can't wait to use it." And he means it. Even if it hadn't fit well, Din would have found some way to use it. It had meaning behind it, in more ways than one. With the addition of the knife, the sheath looked whole and amazing. A puzzle that had been missing that last critical piece. He's going to have to find the right spot for it on his armor. One hand trails over the fine craftmanship, and the symbol again. Part of him really wants to take a glove off, to feel the texture of the leather on his fingers. But in a bar isn't the place, maybe he would later. For now, he's content to let it rest on the table in front of him. He leans back in his seat once again, giving a glance Grogu's way to make sure the kid's still fine, before he turns back to Cobb at his question, helm naturally tilting toward him.

"I am." Coruscant is a...nice planet. It provided basically everything they would need when they went back to Agra-10. But give him the wide open spaces of the Outer Rim worlds any day. Being down in the underground with the Mandalorians, had felt like being in the Covert on Nevarro once again. It felt like home. "I won't forget them, they were generous." Miniscule as it is under his armor, he could feel the weight of the pendant against his chest, a comforting sort of weight.

"Thank you...for helping taking those supplies down to them." Because of course it had fallen on him to take them down. He hadn't been sure the Mandalorians would appreciate a bunch of strangers showing up at the enclave, and he'd recruited Cobb, because thy knew and accepted him as Din's partner.

[heypartner]

Well, shit. Cobb takes another drink to cover the rush of emotion in his chest. There's something about Din not just thanking him but saying it was good that touched off... something. Happiness. Contentment. A little bit of pride. It was a jumble of things that rounded off to good. It was a good feeling.

He'd tuck that feeling away for another time. Maybe the next time he felt like nothing and couldn't stop rubbing the back of his neck he'd think of this instead.

"Of course," he said, clearing his throat a little just to dislodge those last little bits of emotion. "I can't help my people in this time but I can help yours. That's worth doing."

Marker, if he could've sent to Mos Pelgo all the things he could buy here with Agrii credits the town wouldn't have to worry about a damn thing. He couldn't help thinking about it while he loaded and unloaded crates. Finally, all the supplies in the galaxy and his people couldn't benefit.

"Did you know the woman that organized all that is a Senator?" Cobb said the word like some folks might say bug. That little piece of knowledge was still rattling around in his head and bothering him. "She was real helpful. Never gotten that from a politician before. Not without bribing 'em first."

A politician that was genuinely nice... it didn't fit in Cobb's brain.

[kyley_b]

Din's quiet, relaxing evening out is shattered by an intoxicated redhead shouting, "Mando!"

Kyle stumble-hurries to Din's table, smiling widely. "Mando! Hey, dude! It's so good to see you! Dude, dude I saw a stuffed Blurrgy, it was fucking weird. How have you been liking this place?"

He sits down before he falls down.

[foundlingfather]

Din's been watching Kyle, like he has everyone else. He'd almost been tempted to step in, when the young man had pestered the band. But held off, as others took care of it. Now, though, as Kyle enthusiastically approaches, he was just finishing taking a drink of one of the blue milk concoctions, with the help of a straw.

"Kyle." He says in way of greeting, setting down the mug as he gives him a nod. "...and you didn't buy it?" With the way the kid seemed obsessed over the beast's name, it's amazing he didn't. Watching Kyle nearly stumble sitting down, Din reaches out a hand to help steady him.

"It's been a...good trip." He's sort of glad the Agrii sent them here. As reluctant as he is to say it, since he still didn't necessarily trust aliens. "Stocked up on alot of things for when we go back." Which, like everybody else's stocked up stuff, is back on the ship in the hangar, ready to go. "How have you liked it?"

[kyley_b]

"No, no, I mean stuffed as in taxidermy," Kyle explains, gesturing at the dyed and mounted Bantha head as if that will help clarify. "Me and a bunch of people went down to the old museum in the basement." He means the lower levels.

"Was it good to see all this stuff? It's got to be more familiar to you. I guess that would be nice but also kinda sad, since we can't stay. I hope Mr. Kenobi doesn't cry, he seems to like it here."

Kyle smiles with the self satisfaction of the inebriated. "I've had a lovely time. I almost got eaten by a guy, I think, and I got to see lots of aliens. No Marklars, though. That's the only alien language I can speak, so that sucks."

[foundlingfather]

His helm tilts as he listens. Ah, his mistake. Still, finding an old museum? Interesting. He's spent a lot of time down there since they arrived, and didn't see one. Must have been in another part. "What else did they have there?"

"This...was my first time to Coruscant. I lived in the outer rim. Usually didn't have a reason, to visit the core worlds." Much less THE core world that is Coruscant. He's quiet for a moment, as he considers. "There are people here, that I'll miss. But...I won't miss being in a large city." Give him the vast open expanses of the outer rim planets any day.

"Eaten by a guy?" Kyle can't see it, but that gets a raised eyebrow from him. "Hmm, Marklars...haven't heard of the species."

[kyley_b]

"Everything! It was a galactic museum. They had weapons, and statues, and clothes and art and just everything."

Kyle nods. He's from a small town, so he can at least understand being less comfortable in huge cities.

"Yeah! A cannibal, you know?" As if that's normal. "I dunno where their home planet is."

[foundlingfather]

"Huh." Sounded like quite the place, then. "Anyone go with you?" He can't imagine too many others went, since this is the first time he's hearing about it.

"Good thing they were stopped, then." He agrees, and tilts his helm. "Tell me about these...Marklars."

[kyley_b]

"Yeah, uh, Ezra and Echo and Jon and Raphael and Tommy and Shiro and Clarice -- dude, she's new, and she's ginger! And she's an FBI agent, on earth that's a big deal, she shot this weird blind cat that was gonna kill me! It was totally sweet!"

He's just going to sit beside you now, Mando. "Marklars? Oh. They all look the same, with these big egg shaped heads with veins. And they call everything Marklar. But they're nice."

[the_child]

Grogu leans over in the pram, trying to see what's under that helmet one of the times he takes a bite.

HE'S CURIOUS, OKAY?!

I have no good icon for this. pretend, lol

[foundlingfather]

Curiosity killed the loth-cat, don't you know that?

Still, it was no secret between the two of them, that Din had started to get comfortable enough to eat around Grogu. Even long before they came to Agra-10, or Coruscant. Din had some how always managed to keep the kid from seeing anything.

But now, towards the end of the trip, something may have changed. Whether on purpose or not, one of the times he goes to eat, he doesn't block the view. The black neck covering giving away and the lip of the helmet lifting enough to reveal..

A chin. No weird alien skin colors here, but tanned human skin, and stubble of facial hair. It's brief, as he pops the bit of steak into his mouth, and then helmet's back in place. He ducks his head, whether out of shyness or to chew it's hard to tell, for a moment. Then looks at the curious kid with a tilt of the helm. There's a swallow, before:

"You hungry?"

[the_child]

But satisfaction brought it back.

His eyes widen as he spots that little glimpse of skin and hair beneath that helmet. Whoa. Granted, that didn't tell him very much except to narrow down what type of species or race he could be, but still! It's huge to actually see that much!

He smiles and nods in answer to the question. Yes, in fact, he is hungry. Why do you ask?

[foundlingfather]

One of the things the local Mandalorians helped him with, was with the creed, particularly with the whole helmet thing. That it was okay to take it off...particularly around those considered family. But overcoming something you upheld since you were a kid, isn't easy.

The smile makes him chuckle a little. Of course Grogu's hungry, when isn't he? He slices off a piece of steak, and offers it to him.

"I'll get you something." Why didn't the kid have anything already? Who knows. But he'll wave down a passing waitress, to order the kid food, and some of that regular blue milk.

[the_child]

Yes. Yes. Listen to them. Take off the helmet for the kidlet.

He reaches out and takes the piece of steak. Oooo yes, please. It's stuffed into his mouth and disappears in an instant. Does the kid even chew? Not really. It's all good, though.

[foundlingfather]

He's trying to. He swears. It will happen, but not in a crowded bar. Sorry. Din's convinced the kid just swallows everything whole. Where he puts it all, he has no clue. He's not that big.

"Want to sit up here?" Would probably be easier than in the pram. If so, he'll move his hands to offer to pick the kid up and put him on the table.

[the_child]

That's fair. Don't want to flash everyone yet, right?

I mean, if that frog thing was any indication, he really does swallow everything whole. Eh, doesn't seem to bother him, at least.

He nods, holding out his arms to Din so he could pick him up.

[thesepreciousthings]

Clarice had seen plenty of people in armor, but the suit seated at the table nearby was a new sort. She watched him with curiosity, noting his reticence to remove his helmet more than absolutely necessary, and wondered if he was hiding some sort of disfiguring war injury. She was taking a moment away from mingling, savoring a piece of blue cheesecake, and smiled over at him.

"Kinda nice not to be in the middle of it all for a minute, isn't it?" She said by way of greeting.

[foundlingfather]

Din had noted her sitting at the next table over. Made him a little more cautious when lifting the helmet. Making sure he blocks any view. Right now though, he just had a glass of blue milk, with a straw in it so he didn't have to lift the helmet. He definitely had to take straws back to Temba. When she speaks up, his visored gaze turns toward her, helmet tilting a little.

"It is." He nods in return. Even if he himself hadn't really mingled, except when people came over to his table. He's trying to be social, though. "How's the...cake?" He nods to indicate the desert.

[thesepreciousthings]

"Really, really good," she says, her eyes going wide with earnest enthusiasm. "The milk is a little sweeter than what I'm used to back home, so it gives it just enough flavor without them having to add anything. Texture's really smooth, and whatever they used for the crust isn't too much, either."

She smiles a little, never forgetting her manners. "My name's Clarice Starling. Nice to meet you."