Rain, Rain, Go Away

[ladyofthesands]

Arha had been standing in the same spot for a very long time, staring into the the rainsoaked world she had asked he Sensorium to create.  She had done much research before she had begun to pull the world into her mind--many hours in the library looking at all sorts of worlds with rain--and now that the world was actually created, she couldn't make

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[jedimacguyver]

Obi-Wan had been watching for a full ten minutes as she steeled herself to go in, and then fled in horror from the deluge. He was ready for it, of course, and caught her up in his arms as Arha fled blindly from the artificial weather.

"Easy! Easy now, relax," He cautioned the girl gently, "Deep breaths. It's not going to hurt you."

[ladyofthesands]

Obi-Wan.

Acting like a wali was the stupidest thing she'd ever done in his presence. It was just water. Just. It wasn't boiling, it wasn't acidic, it was just double bonded hydrogen and oxygen. Telling herself that didn't help. Arha realized she was attempting to bury herself into him and forced herself to be still, letting the momentary terror of the rain subside.

"Thought," she said tightly, "I could do it. I thought I could."

[jedimacguyver]

His first instinct was to suggest a warm blanket and hot tea, but the look on her face changed her mind. This was a test, a trial.

"Take a deep breath," He instructed her, "And center yourself. You can do this. I'll go with you."

[ladyofthesands]

I can do this. It's just water. Water. That's all. And it's just fear. Arha drew a breath in and let it out slowly, pulling on the Force just a little even as she pulled on her training as a Bene Gesserit. She would be calm and she would face this.

She opened her eyes and fixed them on his, her gaze sharp and her jaw tight enough that she could feel her teeth creak.

"I will do this," she said in a low, steeled voice. "Do not let me back out." Her fingers cupped his face and her eyes blazed with determination. "It is only fear, yes? Just fear."

[jedimacguyver]

"I will make no such promise," Obi-Wan cautioned, "But I will not leave, without you."

Taking her hand from his face, he deliberately held it between his own, offering support. For a long moment, Ben seemed to study her expression, then nodded, decisively, "You can overcome this. But you must remain calm. Patience; use the force."

[ladyofthesands]

Arha nodded once and curled her fingers around his hand before briefly squeezing it. There was no sense in being afraid of this water falling from the sky. She had no trauma from it. It is the sandworm.

Arha half pushed herself away from him and glowered at the doorway. She had faced the gom jabbar, the desert sandstorms, the great Shai-Hulud, she had faced a terrible darkness when Kalim and the entire hieghliner was destroyed. What did it say if she couldn't face rain? She was Fremen and she was Bene Gesserit.

If the two together were not enough, she would be Jed-Eye. It was to the Force that Arha turned and she opened her mind to it, let it settle within her, armored herself in it.

"I am calm," she said quietly, and her voice was steady.

[jedimacguyver]

Wordlessly, Obi-Wan took a step forward, then another, moving in time with Arha's feet. The rain washed over his shoulders oppressively, and without thinking he blew, clearing the wet from his moustache enough to breath. He knew it made him look like a walrus, but didn't care. Wet. Wet-wet-wet. Oh, well, it was still better than Kamino, and he'd had to fight in that.

[ladyofthesands]

Wet, wet, wet, it was wet, it was horribly we-- Arha pushed the panic away and clung to the Force (and perhaps to Obi-Wan's arm)as the hard rain slammed through the trees. She fought the impulse to run and then Obi-Wan distracted her.

She bit down on her bottom lip, but knew he'd sense her amusement anyway.

And it was just wet, sheets and sheets of wet falling from an unfamiliar sky. Her heart was still attempting to roar in her ears but she fix that and forced her body to be calm. It was as much a physical thing as it was a mental thing. She let her senses expand slightly instead of compressing them down. It wasn't cold rain.

It was warm.

The colors weren't murky at all, in fact, all around them was brilliance despite the rain itself. And even that was starting to let up. Not a great deal, but enough that the huge leaves were starting to block it out.

Arha steadied herself against Obi-Wan, her expression as determined as ever, but not quite as terrified.

[jedimacguyver]

"There, now," He gentled her grip with a patting hand. Obi-Wan turned to look at her, questioningly, "Alright?"

[ladyofthesands]

"I have not died," Arha said and the bite in her voice was definitely not geared towards him. "It is," she swallowed hard, "...acceptable."

Her fingers loosened a little more until they were just resting against his arm and she let out a breath. Still alive. It was unpleasant and made her skin crawl, but she was not dead.

[jedimacguyver]

And there they stood, like two idiots, soaking to the bone in a rainstorm of their own making. Obi-Wan stoically let the water drip through his beard for a few minutes, listening to the half-musical cacophony of raindrops on leaves around them, then sighed.

"Enough?" He asked, teasing Arha with mild sarcasm, "Or shall we stand here until we catch cold? Even a Gungan would get out of this mess."

[ladyofthesands]

"It is never enough," she muttered and flashed a smile. "But for now, I'm sure it will have to do." The world was saved for later recall and they were left standing in a great white emptiness that was the default room setting. Arha's hair was plastered to her face haphazardly and she closed her eyes, warm rain or not, it was starting to chill her. She raised her body temperature to stop the shivering.

[jedimacguyver]

Obi-Wan noticed the sudden warmth in once-frigid fingers, and frowned, "Oh, surely not...you're cheating!"

Of course, he would say that, hair stuck flat, beard saturated, and with his Master's cloak clinging to his plantsuit's shoulders and chest as if painted there. Obi-Wan rolle dhis eyes longsufferingly and sighed. The thing ones does for one's friends.

[ladyofthesands]

"Is it?" she murmured innocently, her chin tilted as a drying unit and a pile of blankets appeared along with a couch. Cups of hot tea, as well sat, steaming, on a low table. "Give," Arha said, tugging at his robe authoritatively.

[jedimacguyver]

Prudishly, Obi-Wan clung to his robe a moment, then let it go with as much grace as he could muster, allowing the weatherworn garment to be taken from him. Presently, he found himself ensconced comfortably on the couch, sipping tea and warming up in comfort. It had an odd taste, like desert spices and bitter cinnamon, strangely familiar, somehow. Obi-Wan considered the cup thoughtfully, and nearly let it go, but for a lack of else to talk of, he asked, "What is this tea? It's wonderful, but I've never tasted anything quite like it."

[ladyofthesands]

"Spice," Arha murmured after tucking his robe into the dryer. "Not real Spice for you, but the taste of it, I see, is one Stacy has elected to let you have. My cup will have my daily allotment of Spice in it. It is very much that bitter cinnamon taste."

She crossed the space to the couch and curled into the plush cushions after retrieving her own cup. Arha curled into Obi-Wan, letting her heat augment that of the tea and blanket as she nudged up her temperature a little more.