Kyp Durron was trying hard not to sulk in his quarters. Chii had followed him like a puppy, and he wondered if she would do so all the time. Meaning, really all the time. That might become inconvenient. Cilghal had not been a big help, but if she couldn't find anything, that was not her fault. She was one of the best healers he knew and if she was stumped, there was nothing to be found.
He was just trying to remember the exact time Chii had turned up, hoping to find a clue as to where she came from, when his comm beeped.
"Yep," he said, accepting the call.
"Where are you messenger boy?" Ganner Rhysode asked, not even waiting until the screen lit up. "Don't tell me Skywalker gave you such a talk that you forgot about our training session?" he teased. "That is not like our gentle Grandmaster at all."
Gentle Grandmaster, Kyp thought disgruntled. I bet he's laughing up his sleeve about me being stuck with that one. He glanced a Chii. The girl had settled down in a corner, seemingly content to watch him. Which was very well on the one hand, and very unnerving on the other. Kyp sighed.
"Not Skywalker, but I'm on my way. Just don't run away."
"And let easy victory slip away," Ganner laughed. "Not in your wildest dreams, Durron."
The comm winked off and Kyp got up. Training with Ganner was fun and he had no intention of missing that. Even if it meant another confrontation with Chii.
"I'll got training now," he told the girl on the way to the door.
"Kyp, training?"
"Yes, you got it," Kyp was too tired from her continued questions to be exasperated. "I'm going to train now. And somehow I get the feeling I won't go alone."
"Chii?" she asked, as she fell into step beside him.
"Yeah, just what I thought."
It was unlike Kyp to brood, but he could not keep his thoughts from circling around a way to get Chii back to her former home. She was probably missed, maybe there was somebody who really cared for this annoying girl, and it was his duty to return her. Better sooner than later.
Ganner waited for him in the gym, glancing curiously at Chii when she entered after Kyp. "You brought reinforcements?" he joked. "Afraid to face my amazing fighting skills on your own?"
"I'll explain later, Ganner," Kyp almost sighed. "Right now, let it suffice that I can't shake her. Just pretend she's not there, right?"
Ganner raised a brow. "Does that mean I don't get introduced to your cute friend? What happened to your manners, Durron? Lost them in the laundry again?"
Kyp glared at his friend. "You asked for it. Chii that is my friend Ganner Rhysode, Ganner, this is Chii."
"Chii?" the girl said softly, looking at Ganner. Then she bowed suddenly. "Welcome on Yavin."
Ganner snorted. "You certainly have humour, Chii." He clapped her on the shoulder. "How did you end up with such a killjoy as Kyp?"
Chii considered his question for a moment. Then she clapped him on the shoulder, too, almost toppling the taller man over. "Chii with Jedi killjoy Kyp." It sounded rather proud.
Ganner was about to double over with laughter, when Kyp's elbow caught him in the stomach. "Not funny, pal. Better be careful what you say, she picks up things randomly."
"I'm not a killjoy, Chii," he then turned to the girl. "Don't get any frigging ideas."
"Kyp not killjoy," Chii repeated dutifully. "Chii get frigging ideas."
"You're a sweet pair," Ganner laughed. "Let's start before I exhaust myself laughing."
Grumbling Kyp began to warm up. Having Chii around was annoying enough, but that his friends should think it funny. He could not believe it, his idea of fun certainly looked different.
Chii stayed true to her nature, and copied his every move. Her long hair flew in all directions, whipping across the faces of Ganner and Kyp.
At first, Kyp tried to ignore her, as well as the suppressed snorting from Ganner. It was not his fault that this blond haired slowpoke imitated him. Gritting his teeth, he took a step away from Chii to avoid her flying hair.
When the two men unhooked their lightsabers, Chii searched for one in vain. She watched with interest as the blades extended and the Jedi took up fighting stances.
"You sure, you don't need her help?" Ganner asked, swinging his blade at Kyp's head.
Kyp blocked the strike, the blades sizzling against each other as he twisted the blades around each other, forcing Ganner's saber downwards. "Go on like that, and you'll need Cilghal's help," he shot back. With a quick step back he released Ganner's blade, pushing it down and aimed for his now unprotected middle.
"You could need it." Ganner blocked Kyp's attack with an attack of his own, launching a series of quick hits at his left side. All strikes were parried, though, so he aimed the last low at the feet.
Kyp jumped over the yellow blade easily, following it with his own and forcing it up over Ganner's head. With the sabers locked over their heads, he took a step towards his friend, his eyes sparkling wit mischief.
"Come again?" He indicated a painful contact between his knee and Ganner's crotch.
The other Jedi jumped back. "You're having a mood toady, Durron." He shook his head and shut down his lightsaber. "And you're impossible to train with when you're like this. Get back to me when you calmed down."
He grabbed a towel and turned to leave. "If you have enough of that grumpy spoilsport, just get over to me, right?" he said to Chii in passing.
"Chii?" She looked from Ganner to Kyp and back.
"Yeah, just go ahead and leave me for that stuck-up jock. See if I care." Kyp clipped his lightsaber back on. His mood was indeed less than agreeable, but Ganner was not helping at all.
"Kyp care," came the prompt answer. The girl stood up, but instead of following Ganner, she approached Kyp. "Kyp training, Chii care."
For the first time, Kyp felt the urge to ruffle the girl's hair. Slow as she might be, there was something ultimately naïve about her that seemed impossible to resist.
"Okay, Chii. In that case, we train. I am to teach you something? Teach you I will. Come." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the shelf with the trainings weapons. "Take this one," he gave Chii a saber. "I will now teach you how to use a lightsaber."
"This lightsaber, for Chii?" She looked at him questioningly.
"No," Kyp shook his head. "You will practice with this lightsaber. If you want one for yourself, you will have to build it."
"Chii build lightsaber?"
The Jedi couldn't help but laugh. "No. Chii will not build a lightsaber."
"Why?"
Kyp studied the girl in front of him, searching for an answer she could understand. "Well, not now. I will explain another time, it is all very complicated," he finally answered.
Chii nodded and seemed satisfied. "Kyp explain later."
"Very good, now pay close attention…"
