[D8ME] Now THIS is Gravball

[Manny Donos]

"Yeah, pretty much." Manny said. "But they mix it up a bit. I mean, it's not like the two of them are the only two who score.

He shook his head. "Not comms. Hand signals and stuff. Lots of teamwork."

Antilles bounced the ball off the wall, Sleebo caught it, he shot... it just bounced off. "Awww, c'mon!" Manny yelled, waving his arm in disappointment. He looked at Jyrvess. "That's part of it, too." He nodded.

[Jyrvess Ertil]

"Well it looks they recovered quickly," She points to the other team losing the ball mere seconds after they had taken it, "Considering how quickly the reaction was...I'd wager they had this backup plan prepared."

She laughed slightly, "You are really getting into this."

[Manny Donos]

"They probably did." Manny said. "Maybe not a plan for exactly that, but close enough. And then lots of practice. It's just like magic." He nodded.

He grinned at Jyrvess. "That's half of the fun! You can't just watch the game in silence." One eyebrow went up, and he reached for the bag, coming out with a foam finger.

His grin grew. "What do you say. Eh? Eh?" He offered the foam finger to her.

[Jyrvess Ertil]

A heavy sigh, "Nope." She pushed the finger back to Manny.

"I can tell, one could get the beat of the game by just hearing to the crowd. I imagine it can get deafening in the stadium."

[Manny Donos]

Tsking and shaking his head, Manny put the foam finger on his own hand.

He sighed. "Yeah. It really is." He turned to Jyr with a wan smile. "It's why I really wanted to take you to a live game. Hear everyone cheering, everyone getting into it... that's really the experience." His lips quirked. "One guy, even with my enthusiasm, can't really match it. I mean, I can try, but I't just not the same."

He sighed again. "I hope there's gonna be more games here, sometime."

[Jyrvess Ertil]

"It may be awhile....but someday there will be games with no Imperials terrorizing the population. It's a bit simple of a future to be honest, but still one worth fighting for." She responds seriously, "In the mean time I guess I will have to make do with one very eager fan." Her smile returned.

[Manny Donos]

Manny smiled back. "Yeah. Hey. I'll do my best." He clinked his bottle against hers again.

There was another shot, another near miss. Manny groaned. "Okay, so, when the Manka Cats do score, you gotta cheer. Even if you didn't watch sports, there's something you'd cheer for, right? What do you do when you cheer?"

[Jyrvess Ertil]

"I guess you will discover that when your Manka Cats score." Jyrvess took a drink, "I was brought up a proper lady. Born on Corellia....ok that part isn't so much a planet known for proper ladies....but I lived a lot of my adult life on Courscant near the Halls of power, the Jedi, and center of learning."

[Manny Donos]

Manny grinned. "I guess I will."

He relaxed back against the couch, stretching his arms along the top of the sofa. "Yeah? No kidding. Tell me about that." He said, his tone encouraging. "I never even saw a Jedi, not a real one. One of my favorite vids growing up was Sword of the Guardian, though. And now they're all gone..."

The Manka Cat offense pressed onward...

[Jyrvess Ertil]

"I met a few in my time in Intelligence, usually I was just the young aide carrying papers for an older agent as he delivered a report." She leaned forward watching. "...Dad fought alongside them though. He had been a soldier for years and commanded some of the few pre-War Republic Army forces. When the Clone Wars broke out, he largely played a support role for the Jedi lead Clone armies."

"He said that watching them was as the legends had said: able to push their bodies far beyond the limits of non-Jedi, defeating gun armed droids with just a lightsaber."

[Manny Donos]

"Wow." Manny said. "That sounds really incredible. I wish I could have met one, once."

He gave Jyrvess a sidelong glance. "Sounds like you were close with your dad, huh? You mentioned him during our thank-you lunch, too." Manny chuckled. "I swear, my tongue is still numb from that."

[Jyrvess Ertil]

Jyrvess's smile turns sad, "My mom died when I was young...and dad was gone most of the time. But he always tried to make up for it when he was home. I was his only child." She sighs, "He was killed by the Empire, worse they twisted his legacy for their own ends."

[Manny Donos]

"Oh." Manny said, his voice soft.

"After a few moments, his eyes sympathetic, he reached out, gently putting his hand on Jyr's shoulder. "I'm sorry. That really sucks. I mean... that's terrible."

Antilles made a pass. Manny cleared his throat. "So... I know I said no spoilers, but this is kinda heavy, and there's about to be a goal." He smiled. "You ready to cheer?"

[Jyrvess Ertil]

Jyrvess looked at Manny, "...you have no idea. Its...."

"Yeah, sure, let's move past...." Her eyes went back to the game. "Oh...you mean right now?"

The ball went into the goal and she cheered. Not particularly loud, but earnest....less about the goal and more about releasing her feelings.

To Manny it probably sounded like a particularly excited "Yaaaah!"

[Manny Donos]

"Wooo! Yeah! Manka Cats! Wooooooooo!" Manny cheered, and yelled, and waved his foam finger in the air. He was definitely loud, but Jyrvess could probably tell that he wasn't quite as loud as he could have been.

He turned to face her, still grinning, his face flushed. "Pretty good, Jyrvess!" He laughed. "You did great. How do you feel?"

[Jyrvess Ertil]

"A little better..." She sighs, "I'll admit the yelling did feel like a good release."

Jyrvess leans back into the sofa, "I guess it makes one naturally louder when you are right in the middle, literally feeling the energy of the crowd."

[Manny Donos]

"Yeah? Good!" Manny said, smiling at Jyrvess. "That's a big part of what it is. I mean..." He shrugged. "The Empire's bad, but stuff's been bad here for a while. I guess when we go to a game, we can forget it."

He, too, leaned back. "Yeah... it's really something. Everyone cheering together. The cheers, the dances, the songs. Oh yeah, there's dances and songs." He smirked at her. "Maybe next time. But it really feels like you're part of something bigger. Even if it is something kinda silly. I mean, Gravball isn't really that important. But at the same time it is, you know?"

[Jyrvess Ertil]

"It brings people together, there is nothing wrong with that," Jyrvess nods, "There is much to be said for shared experience, it lets you know that you aren't alone."

She smiles slightly, "Which is why the Empire has banned all such gatherings for now. All those people coming together for gravball might realize their own number and cause trouble for the Imperial leadership."

[Manny Donos]

"Yeah." Manny said, half-smiling. "That's part of why I don't just want friends. I want a crew, you know? Like you and Fuff and Vince, or you and Raven. People who you know that they'll look at for you if you get in a jam, or whatever."

He chuckled. "Like, for instance, if we keep causing trouble for the Imp leadership. I think I like doing that."

After the Manka Cats scored, the Banthas were beginning to rally, and hold the ball more often.

[Jyrvess Ertil]

"After leaving Intelligence, I found it hard to trust anyone. Always looking over my shoulder and expecting either some shadowy agent to emerge and drag me back or some uniformed thug to stop me in the streets." She replied, "Every person I met I had to wander if they weren't plotting to turn me in for credits."

Jyrvess rubbed her neck, "I wouldn't call it a crew but...being able to trust again. I know I give you a hard time Manny, frankly your childish nature irritates me sometimes. But thank you, for this...it means quite a bit more then my demeanor would let on."

She smiled awkwardly, "It's nice to talk to someone again, do something so...normal and not be afraid."