Learning to Live (COMPLETE)

8.6.2

Ahsoka looked around at her group as they walked towards the center of the sector. Granger was gone, which didn't bother Ahsoka, but so were Nox and Tyme. Everyone else was there.

"Did Nox already leave?" she asked, and Wheeler nodded. "What about Tyme?"

Jackson waved a hand. "Doesn't like social stuff. He's fine, don't worry."

Again, Ahsoka didn't understand why they thought Tyme was so introverted. She decided to drop it, but she didn't forget.

"Is anyone going to tell me where we're going? You said we were eating, but not where."

"Nuh uh," Luce said, sneaking up behind her and covering her eyes. "No spoiling the surprise. Does anyone have a blindfold?"

"Who carries a blindfold?" Jake asked, but Leslie pulled out a scarf and handed it to Luce. He tied it over Ahsoka's eyes, rendering her blind. Not that it mattered to someone like her.

Thyla groaned. "She has to see in order to walk, you guys."

Ahsoka grinned and faced Thyla. "Says who?" She turned around backward and started walking, facing the others. She used the Force to watch around her, and successfully stepped onto a curb on the side of the street.

Journey whistled, and Jackson gave her a round of applause. Jake scowled and muttered "show off," but Ahsoka got the message across. Blindfolded or not, she was perfectly fine.

"So if we're heading to the middle of the sector," Ahsoka started, turning back to face forwards, "is this place on a different level, or just in the thick of the buildings?"

Rya answered. "It's up a few levels, also in the thick of the buildings. We try to go as a group about once a month, and sometimes, the others come with."

Ahsoka remembered a conversation from lunch a few days ago. "Is this the 'Ribsy's' restaurant you were talking about the other day?"

The others groaned, and Ahsoka knew she got it right. Leslie walked over and pulled the scarf off, with Ahsoka grinning just a little bit.

Luce jabbed her in the ribs. "We can't pull anything on you. Stop reading our minds."

"I'm not reading your minds, trust me. You would probably be able to tell if I was."

Jake decided to take that as a challenge. "Okay, if you're not reading our minds, then I should be able to surprise you." He walked mysteriously beside her, then kicked at her legs.

Ahsoka jumped and kicked his back, but she landed her hit. "Okay, that had nothing to do with your mind. You just aren't fast enough, and your body language gave you away."
Wheeler laughed and shoved Jake. "Tough luck, hotshot."

"Yeah, don't challenge the Jedi," Luce teased, and Jake flushed red as everyone laughed.

Well, everyone except Ahsoka. "Not a Jedi," she reminded them, but none of them listened.

They finally made it to the elevators, but they had to wait for the same reason that Ahsoka tried to avoid them: they were extremely crowded. It was also Friday, and everyone seemed to have gotten off of work early. Ahsoka would have preferred to hitch a ride on a ship going up in the shaft or to use the Chasm, but this was their plan so she just went with it. Once they got on the elevator, a family of four joined them and rode up. The Gauges and Gear staff got off first, though, and the family went further up. Unfortunately, there was a gang waiting to go with them, so Ahsoka was glad that they had gotten off. She felt bad for the kids.

This level, 27-5, was a lot busier than 22 or 23. There were small casinos, bars, and entertainment buildings, kind of like on the surface.

Wheeler nudged her while they were walking down the street. "This place is kind of like a cheaper version of the surface. There are almost no residents here, except for the owners. Normal civilians don't live within a kilometer of this area."