Private A Magick-al First Meeting

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Attire: Jedi Outfit
Equipment: Lightsaber, Nightsister Energy Bow
Companion: Grisial
Tag: Shan Pavond

A Padawan had asked to meet with Dreidi, a student of Kahlil Noble and there was clearly an interest in her abilities with Magick. It was something that Dreidi was happy to talk about, since she believed the more a Jedi understood it and how she used it, the more acceptance of Witches could happen. It wasn't a power necessarily dark or evil, it was just seen to be used by mostly dark and evil people. Dreidi had been determined to change that, break that mould if she had the chance.

Grisial was tagging along with her and enjoying the chance to explore more of the Jedi Temple that was outside the training grounds, she had guided him to the meditative gardens to enjoy the peaceful and mentally restorative aura that could be felt in the air. It was important in her mind since Dreidi knew that working her companion too much was only going to do more harm on their relationship than good, especially since it was just as important that Grisial have fun and play as it was to work.

Breathing in deeply, she looked around as Grisial was sniffing the garden flowers and prowling around, "keep an eye out for Shan, don't forget Grisial. Not sure what he looks like yet, but first impressions are always important." She placed her hands on her hips, watching Grisial go about his business, not paying too much attention to what she had to say since he was eager to have fun exploring.

 

[Shan Pavond]

This meeting was something Shan had been waiting for. Ever since he heard Dreidi get mentioned during the lesson about familiars and learning about the different ways the Force is used, Shan wanted to try and get a better understanding of it. Different ways of using the Force always intrigued the Padawan, always wanting to find unique ways of using the Force. Of course there was going to be plenty of methods he wouldn't be able to use, but that didn't mean he couldn't learn. Magick was just an interesting concept in his eyes, just because it was used by plenty of dark siders does not mean it was inherently evil. It was like he said during the lesson, the Force is not inherently good or evil. It is how it is used that mattered when it came to if something was good or evil in his mind. Sure, he was potentially naïve in that mindset but he didn't want to judge it. It also helped that Dreidi interested Shan since she seemed to be unorthodox compared to most Jedi, from what he heard about magick.

The Padawan made his way to meet Dreidi, keeping a small smile on his face. He was already trying to figure out what he wanted to ask the Witch, but couldn't quite figure it out. There were so many different ideas swirling in his mind. Either way, Shan arrived at the gardens, taking in a deep breath. Flora and fauna always helped the Mirialan to relax. The uniqueness of nature was slowly starting to fade away for him however. It wasn't something new anymore to him but that was part of why he had been looking for more places to explore, for new things to learn since the Galaxy had plenty of secrets. One sight that was new to him however was the Vulptex exploring the gardens, causing Shan to break out into a bright grin at the sight of the animal.

As he looked up from the Vulptex, Shan spotted Dreidi, giving her a small little wave. At least he assumed it was her. "Erh...Excuse me. I'm Shan. It's a pleasure to meet you." The Padawan lowered his head to Dreidi slowly, doing his best to be polite. She was a Jedi Knight after all, so she deserved to be shown some form of respect. Though he'll be honest, the fact she seemed to have some form of animal companion made the Padawan more comfortable around the Witch. "May I...pet your companion?"

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Attire: Jedi Outfit
Equipment: Lightsaber, Nightsister Energy Bow
Companion: Grisial
Tag: Shan Pavond

As Shan approached, Dreidi could tell that the young Padawan was interested in Grisial and Grisial was initially hesitant since he had been caught off guard due to the hyper focus he had on sniffing out the garden flowers. "His name is Grisial, I suppose the decision on petting him truly depends on Grisial." Looking to the Vulptex who looked to Dreidi then to the Padawan.

"He'll be able to understand you Grisial, he's a Jedi." Dreidi informed Grisial who had attempted to use Dreidi as a messenger between the two. He was normally eager to talk with others but more encounters with non-Force Users had him being more cautious than usual so Dreidi was helping him to sensing out who was a Force User and who wasn't.

Grisial turned to Shan and sat back on his hind legs, tilting his head slightly, Okay, you can pet me but no weird cooing noises, please.

"That happened one time and it was a very young child who wasn't Force Sensitive," Dreidi sighed, turning to Shan, "he gets dramatic and a bit uppity for someone who failed to notice someone approaching us." Grisial turned and glared at Dreidi, faux hurt energy emanating from him.

Dreidi didn't pay much attention since she knew Grisial better to know when her words actually cut the crystal fox, "so tell me Shan, why did you want to set a meeting up?" Dreidi was curious in what the Padawan was seeking to learn.

 

[Shan Pavond]

Whoa! The Vulptex...No, Grisial was able to speak? Shan's face broke out into a wide grin as he crouched down to give Grisial a few small pets. "Don't worry. I'm not much of a "cooer". Always thought it was a bit patronising myself." Nothing too forceful. It was a nice experience to say the least and Shan was happy to have it, even if Grisial seemed a bit wary. It made sense after what Dreidi had told him but it was a shame. It also made Shan more thoughtful to how other animals might feel, that weren't able to communicate in the same way as Grisial. Hm...No. No. That thought wasn't important for now.

Though once Shan was finished with his petting, the Padawan stood back up straight glancing over towards Dreidi with a small grin. "I was curious about how you work as a Jedi. How you see the Force, and how you use...Magick. I've heard people's opinion on magick, some of them were positive, some of them were negative. I want to be able to come to my own decision about it." If Shan was totally honest with himself, he had already came to his decision but he wanted to be able to see it, instead of just go off his own thoughts and feelings.

He sighed afterwards however, running a hand through his hair. "I also want to learn more about the different Jedi in the order. I've met plenty of good ones, but I've also met a bad one, which is why I'm interested in discussing things with you...not that I'm implying you're bad!" The Mirialan gave a nervous chuckle at that, shaking his head as he tried to pull his foot out of his mouth. "It's more...they used a "good" power to cause harm. Whereas you use a "bad" power to cause good. Does that make sense? I'm sorry if I've offended you somehow."

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Attire: Jedi Outfit
Equipment: Lightsaber, Nightsister Energy Bow
Companion: Grisial
Tag: Shan Pavond

As Shan began petting Grisial, the Vulptex was not pleased with the soft little pets, he preferred rougher pets especially since his crystals negated a lot of the sensation. When Shan stopped, Grisial made note to tell the Padawan to pet him better, perhaps guide him to his favourite petting spots. Dreidi had found a lot of them when she played with Grisial during training and he loved it.

"I think very highly of a lot of Jedi and they have a great understanding of many things, Magick, is not one many truly understand." Dreidi stated, a blunt start but she knew where Shan was coming from. "How I view the Force and how I use Magick are very big topics, we could spend hours where discussing all that." Dreidi chuckled as Grisial shifted into a laying down position to get comfortable, "I think Grisial has the idea where, take a seat since you are wanting to talk about big things." She sat on the grass and gestured Shan to follow suit.

Dreidi was curious when Shan stated that he had met a bad Jedi, that was a terrifying idea, there were some she might not see eye to eye on certain things, but she would never say that they are bad people. "I am so sorry to hear you interacted with a bad Jedi. Hopefully you mentioned this to Master Noble so he could locate them and ensure it is handled appropriately." Dreidi mentioned.

"In terms of Magick, I think many see it as dark or a bad power because it is misunderstood. Magick is no different to the Force, in the hands of bad or misguided people, it can do harm and hurt, but in the hands of those who are wanting to do good and help, Magick can be just as powerful as the Lightside of the Force." Dreidi looked at her hand, the whirls of green magical energy snaking around, "Magick can be used to heal and help, it can protect others from harm, defensive powers as well as offensive. Most just tie Magick to the Nightsisters of Dathomir, a small sect that is very loud and vocal about causing harm and doing bad things."

Dreidi paused, she never liked speaking badly about the Nightsisters since she was taught by some, but they were more like the Sith of the CIS. People approaching things in the wrong way and doing more harm than good. "It is also thought that Magick has to use negative emotions, hatred, anger, pain and sadness but that isn't true, while Witches can use those emotions to power their Magick, you can also use positive emotions like love, hope and joy. They can feed your fire that powers your skills."

"The way I see the Force is the same way I view Magick, they are different but it is two branches from the same tree." Indicating that there was more in common and shared between them than not. "Being a Jedi and a Witch is not an easy pathway for me though, I am judged on both sides by some. Especially since Witches and Jedi have not truly been allies, something that is what I am aiming to change. It isn't going to be easy but probably the best path for me."

 

[Shan Pavond]

"I don't mind talking for hours. I know I could use the distraction at the end of the day. Been spending nearly every day in the training rooms, trying to prepare myself so I'll be ready if I'm needed for...upcoming events." He shook his head afterwards after once he finished talking. Thinking of the war and the Mandalorians was exactly what Kahlil had told him not to do, but here he was, still fretting about it. He wanted to be able to be helpful but that would have to be something that required patience. Something he was slowly starting to lose funnily enough. Though he tried not to focus on that too much, as he watched Grisial lay down onto the grass and watched Dreidi take a seat on the grass as well.

Shan took a seat in the grass, carefully folding his legs underneath him. When he first started sitting like this, the pins and needles in his legs used to drive him crazy but now that he'd been doing it for a while, his legs didn't seem to scream at him in annoyance anymore. He just brushed his hands along the grass carefully, letting out a content sigh. He just let his stress fade into the grass before turning his attention over towards Dreidi.

"Oh. There's no need to worry about letting Master Kahlil know. Both him and Master Valery were there during the...incident." He wasn't sure how much of the situation he could actually talk about. Part of him didn't want to talk about it, it still scared him. There had been plenty of times he would wake up in a cold sweat after having a nightmare of the scenario before trying to calm down and relax once more. But that wasn't important for now, what was important was what Dreidi was going to try and tell him.

She started off blunt, which Shan could understand. It made sense that some Jedi wouldn't understand magick. It's part of why he had came, because he didn't want to be one of those Jedi. It seemed useful to know about, especially as Dreidi started to talk about the connection with the Nightsisters, and why some people might have seen Magick was being some dark and evil. Interestingly enough, it was also making him start to think differently of the Mandalorians. It was like Kahlil had said, not all of them would want the war. Like how Magick wouldn't always have to be used for evil. The Padawan just frowned in thought, continuing to listen to the rest of Dreidi's explanation. Listening to how emotions could influence Magick which made sense considering how much it was connected to the Force.

"Hm...This might sound incredibly simplified, but would you say the Force and Magick are like fresh water and salt water? Both being incredibly similar but at the same time also fundamentally different?" The Mirialan cupped his chin between his forefinger and thumb, still frowning in thought as he was trying to wrap his head around this. "The best choice is rarely the easiest one from what I've learned. I've made a few...hard choices since I arrived at the temple. I can only imagine what you must have went through. I promise you either way however, that I will never judge you. You are giving me plenty to think about, in how the Galaxy, the Force and other entities work."

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Attire: Jedi Outfit
Equipment: Lightsaber, Nightsister Energy Bow
Companion: Grisial
Tag: Shan Pavond

Dreidi nodded her head, "Glad to hear your enthusiasm." It reminded Dreidi of how she was as a young Padawan, always super keen on learning everything that the Jedi had to offer. When it was clear that the bad Jedi was known to both of the Nobles, Dreidi was happy to not approach the topic since they were more than enough to handle anything like that. Dreidi was also sure that Kahlil would help Shan pass through this.

She smiled when Shan attempted his own metaphor for the two, "close but I use the tree analogy because for me, they seem to be two branches that come from the same trunk. Diverging at some point but still related and connected. Dathomir Magick is related to ancestry, our ancestors bestow our powers to us. The Force is the midichlorians in our cells. How we get the powers differ but they are, from what I believe, the same pool." Gesturing around them, "The Force, it is something intangible and all around us, thousands of cultures have their own perspective on 'the Force' as the Jedi call it. However, that doesn't mean they are fundamentally different. Just means the approaches one has to that energy is unique and another branch on the tree."

Pausing for a moment, "take for example, the Sith. They use the Force but the way they approach it is the completely opposite way that the Jedi approaches it. Whether or not their approach is morally correct is a separate issue, for this discussion, it is important to understand they see the Force different and use it differently, even though it is the same trunk. It is all the Force." She hoped that would assist in clarifying her views on the matter of the Force and Magick, that they were the same thing but different approaches to using it.

"It is good to see more and more Jedi accepting my ways in the Force and with Magick. Know that I will always be here to assist you as well with any issues you might have."

 

[Shan Pavond]

The Mirialan grinned when Dreidi said she was glad to hear about his enthusiasm. He had always wanted to learn as much as he could about other people. If he wanted to be able to be diplomatic and talk things out with people, it was going to need him to actually understand how they see the Galaxy. There was no point in him just seeing the Galaxy through his own point of view, he was only one person in a galaxy filled with billions upon billions of other people. Assuming that everyone saw things the same way as him would just be arrogant at this point and Shan didn't want to be arrogant. He wanted to help bring people together, or at least as much as he could.

"I see. It's interesting. I know other Mirialans like to see the Force almost like a...religious entity. That each of our actions ripple through the Force, and affect both ourselves and our species. It is...an interesting thought process. Not sure if I necessarily agree with it." It was similar to Shan's own beliefs in the Force, but he thought it affected more than just an individual or their species. It affected everyone as a whole. Your actions could cause consequences for anyone. Though it did mean Shan was more like his people than he thought, even though he hadn't been raised with them. Either way, he nodded as Dreidi spoke about the Sith. They were another group of people Shan had been thinking about, trying to wrap his head around why they did the things they did. It was clear that some people turned to the dark side out of fear or anger...but there were also probably those who just turned to the dark side since it was "fun" to them. The pain, the misery. And Shan just couldn't wrap his head around that.

Though Shan broke out into a bigger grin when Dreidi said that she'd be there to assist if he had any issues. "That would be much appreciated. I will always stand behind those who mean good. As long as they aren't bringing harm to innocents, I will do everything in my power to help." Of course that could cause a potential predicament in the case of a situation where innocents had to be harmed, but he didn't even have his mind set on that.

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Attire: Jedi Outfit
Equipment: Lightsaber, Nightsister Energy Bow
Companion: Grisial
Tag: Shan Pavond

Dreidi nodded her head slowly, "there are many races with different views on the Force and how they perceive it. Part of why I became a witch of Dathomir was because I was curious on the various views that people have out there." It was understanding the culture of Dathomir that lured her in and why she adopted the Nightsister ways before becoming a witch outside of the Nightsisters since their path was more aggressive, darker than Dreidi was comfortable with.

"Is there anything else that you wanted to know about Dathomirian Magick?" Dreidi asked curious to see what else Shan was curious about. Grisial had gotten everything he wanted from sniffing around the area and wandered over to Dreidi, settling down and resting his head on her lap, Dreidi gently pet the Vulptex, caressing his crystal fur gently. His soft purrs demonstrated he was feeling content and pleased with his exploration.

Dreidi smiled to Shan, waiting to see if there was anything else that he wanted to learn from her.

 

[Shan Pavond]

Understanding culture was something Shan had been interested in. Learning how other people thought, or their festivals. It would help him drastically in his goals to try and help unite people. Shan wanted to help heal people both physically and mentally, and that required understanding people. Their culture, their beliefs, their emotions. It was all vital for him, and so finding out how different people saw the galaxy was vital. It's why he was enjoying all of what Dreidi was telling him. Considering the Padawan had barely known anything about magick, learning about all of this was like opening his eyes and seeing a new colour.

His eyes went towards Grisial as the Vulptex started to get pets from Dreidi, the Mirialan breaking out into a small smile at the pair of them. He had never really had a pet himself, so it was interesting to see how connected Dreidi and Grisial were. No, pet was the wrong word. They were more like companions. They weren't just a simple relationship of pet and owner. Even if he hadn't had a pet, he could see the bond clearly as he leaned back against the grass for a moment, thinking about if he had another question before shaking his head over towards Dreidi.

"No questions. I'm just happy to have learned more about the Galaxy. Knowledge is always a useful tool at the end of the day, after all."

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Attire: Jedi Outfit
Equipment: Lightsaber, Nightsister Energy Bow
Companion: Grisial
Tag: Shan Pavond

"Grisial is unlike other Vulptex, our Force Bond connects us in ways I'm still learning but means he can communicate more clearly and tends to be very expressive in ways other Vulptex are not." Dreidi explained as she noted Shan was watching Grisial, "it's interesting and not uncommon with witches from Dathomir, and apparently not uncommon for Zorren to have a companion." Dreidi chuckled, from both sides of her family it seemed that having animal companions was a common trait they both shared.

Looking at Shan, "seeking out knowledge is good and understanding the galaxy more is definitely something we should do as Jedi, just be mindful of your search for knowledge. I am sure you only have good intentions but for some, seeking knowledge, having a need to learn more, it can be a slippery slope down the Dark Side." Dreidi had met people desperate for knowledge that no Jedi, no person wishing to do good, would seek out, "has taken me time to understand what some believe a Jedi must be here on Coruscant."

"I came from a faction that was mostly Sith or Grey Force Users. They were a lot more aggressive and harsher at times, meant that my experiences on my own actions was skewed by how I had seen others who had good intentions." Dreidi never regretted her time at the CIS, it was invaluable time that helped her grow, showed her the path to Magick and it also meant that she saw a side of the Sith that few others did. Allowed her approach things with the Sith from a less 'kill them all' mentality that some held.