Kyp felt extremely relieved when he could spar with Ganner without Chii around. The girl had a way to follow him around, if only with her eyes, that was uncanny. As if she expected him to make everything alright, or as if the world would end if she lost sight of him. It seemed like a pressure taken of him, so physical, that he almost looked around at times to see what it was.
"You're doing good, messenger boy," Ganner said. "Trying to beat me fast so you can get back to your princess?"
"Not for my life," Kyp said grinning. "We can spar forever as far as I'm concerned."
Ganner blocked his strike and caught the blades in a lock. "You should really reconsider your priorities, Kyp. She's helpless as a pup and," he took a step back, almost wrenching the hilt from Kyp's grip, "you're the only one she really listens to."
"Well, that's the first thing I'll have to change then," Kyp replied, sidestepping Ganner's next attack. "She can't just glue herself to me like that and expect me to like it."
"You don't have to like it," Ganner said, trying to land a hit on Kyp's back. "Just accept the responsibility."
"But -" Kyp began.
"No, no 'but', Durron," Ganner replied, braking through his defences. "Life's not a candy store where you can pick and choose." With a flick of his wrist he yanked the lightsaber from his opponent's hand. He directed it to himself with the force, sating at Kyp through the crossed blades of their weapons. " It's more like sabacc," he grinned mischievously. "If it deals you the Idiot, you can just hope the other cards for a full array follow."
"Idiot," Kyp mumbled. "That one fits, at least."
Ganner shut down the blades and gave Kyp his sabre back. "Be happy you have some influence on the cards of life," he said. "Much of the hand you'll end up with will be your own doing."
Disgruntled Kyp took his lightsaber. "But I don't have to like it."
"No messenger boy, you can hate it all you want. And see what friggin good it does you." Ganner left laughing.
"Ha ha," the young Jedi grumbled. He was not left to grumbling long, though since Chii bounded into the room just after Ganner had left.
"Chii back," she ginned happily. "Chii full of sunshine now." She bowed beaming. The she looked at Kyp, still half down in he bow. "Kyp not happy?" she asked.
"Eh, it's nothing," he replied. "Lets practice some, right Chii?"
"Chiii-hiii!" The girl bounded off to get the training blades. "Chi fight goo." She stated igniting hers.
"That remains to be seen." Kyp fell into an attack stance. To his satisfaction, Chii dropped into the proper defence. "Good, Chii. Let's spar."
The young girl had forgotten nothing he had shown her the day before. But again her impossibly long hair tended to get into the way. Unimpressed, Chii was about to cut through it, when Kyp stopped the exercises.
"We have to do something about that hair of yours," he said. "I am sure Tionne will know a way to braid it."
"Chii braid hair?" The girl looked at him curiously.
"Yes, and we will ask Tionne for a style that's not only practical, but also looks okay. Or would you rather be ugly?"
The girl considered that for a moment. "Chii not ugly," she finally decided. "Chii braid hair with Tionne." Putting her saber down, she began to walk off.
"Hey, do wait for me," Kyp called after her. "You can't just walk off like that."
"Chii walk and talk," the girl informed him firmly. "Chii walk Tionne and talk, braid hair."
"You learn fast, Chii, but your grammar drives me up the wall," the young Jedi sighed.
Chii watched him expectantly, looking to the nearest wall every now and then.
"Not much grasp of metaphor," Kyp sighed.
Tionne was not in the archives, though. They finally found her in one of the more tamed places around the temple, that almost deserved to be called garden. She was reading from her pad, occasionally taking notes on a second pad beside her.
"Tionne," Kyp called out as they approached.
The Rindaoan looked up, cocking her head slightly. "I feel trouble approach," she smiled.
"Hello Tionne." Chii bowed.
"Hello Chii," the archivist replied. "What insolvable problem do you pose now to Kyp."
"It's not that bad," Kyp said before Chii could answer. "Chii's hair is in the way when we spar. I could only make simple braids and those would be a deadly weapon if she turns her head. There has to be a better way short of cutting her hair."
Tionne regarded Chii and Kyp for a moment. "I could try some Alderaainas styles. Master Skywalker's sister showed me some of those," she said thoughtfully. "I don't have any pictures with me right now, though."
"Tionne sunshine?" Chii asked suddenly.
"Well, yes," the woman replied. "The archives do need a huge make over and Master Skywalker managed to hire Ghent for that." She shook her head slightly. "He's gifted with computers, but - not so when dealing with people."
For half a second, Kyp had the image of Chi and Ghent trying to make conversation before his eyes, and he found it difficult, not to burst out laughing. That was an idea he needed to implement subtly.
"Well, if you don't want to go to the archives now, we could use a private terminal," he suggested.
"In your dream, Durron," Tionne winked at him. "I think I can remember how to turn braids into a kind of crown. But you have to help." The mischief was unmistakable in her voice and face.
"Chii help!" The girl exclaimed full of enthusiasm.
"Yes, you will help, too," the Rindaoan assured Chii. "And you will have to remember how to do it, so you can do it with only Kyp's help."
"Kyp teach well, Kyp learn well." Utter conviction spoke from her tone.
When the girls couldn't see, the young Jedi rolled his eyes. He just hoped Ganner wouldn't catch him out here, braiding Chii's hair. He'd never hear the end of it.