A while later, Mace was still in the diner when Sabe re-entered, this time followed by Padme. Both were wearing workout clothes.
"Hey, what have you guys been up to?" Mace asked curiously as they sat down beside him.
"Ohh! We went to a self-defense class today!" Sabe replied excitedly.
"Wow!"
"Yeah, kicking a guy between the legs all morning really takes it out of ya!" Padme sighed, slumping into the chair.
"Takes it out of you?" Anakin laughed as he cleaned their table.
"Now, we can kick anybody's butt!" Sabe declared and Padme nodded in agreement.
"After one class? I don't think so," Mace snorted.
"What? You wanna see me self-defend myself! Go over there and pretend you're a serial killer! Go on! I dare ya!" Padme said, suddenly all flared up and ready for a fight.
"Well, of course you can defend yourself from an attack you know is coming, that's not enough. Look, I studied kara-tay for a long time, and there's a concept you should really be familiar with. It's what the Jedi call..." he held two fingers to his temple and twisted them slowly as he said the word "shuura".
"Isn't that a kind of fruit?" Padme replied thoughtfully.
"No, it's a concept!"
"Yeah it is! It is! It's a fruit native to Naboo!" Sabe replied.
"All right, maybe it means that too…" Mace huffed, annoyed that he wasn't always right.
"Ohh! I would kill for strawberries and cream right now!" Padme declared, looking around for a menu.
"Y'know what? Fine! Get attacked! I don't even care!" Mace huffed again.
"Come on Mace. We're sorry. Please tell us what it is," Sabe said in a deapan tone.
Mace sat up straighter and leaned in excitedly. "Shuura is a state of total awareness. Okay? Only by achieving true shuura can you be prepared for any danger that may befall you!"
"You mean in case someone is trying to steal your fruit basket or your straw hat?" Sabe couldn't help but comment and Padme burst out laughing. Mace mocked her, then moved even closer.
"All I'm saying is, it's one thing being prepared for an attack against like each other; whole another story being prepared for an attack, I don't know, like a -" he turned and put his face close to Padme's as he screamed "Surprise!"
Padme calmly wiped the spit from her face.
"All right, you know that one was coming, but that doesn't mean you have shuura," he said, doing the finger thing again.
"Ooh! Y'know what? If we made reservations, we could have shuura in about a half-hour," Padme said to Sabe, who giggled again, but nodded in agreement.
"Y'know what…fine...go eat if you must! But mark my words...you'll need shuura after I've finished with you."