Do you wanna build a garden?

[Lina Ovmar]

Mia had never been to an academy of any sorts, her skills were in a way, self taught if that's what you could call using knowledge forced upon her by a certain Sith Lord. The mandalorians had never had training grounds as such, they simply used what nature provided them with to hone their skills. The entire idea of the Jedi Academy was alien to her as was the concept of seeking a help from a Jedi.

She could have found the answers herself, learned how to encourage plants the way she'd seen before but in truth, she didn't have the time, nor the patience. She followed the worn path to the academy entrance, Shadow at her heels. The surface under foot shifted from compacted dirt to stone smoothed by a thousand feet. Shadows claws clacked loudly with each step he took, nose sniffing madly as he took in the new scents around him.

She came to a halt a few steps in and let out a low whistle of awe. Despite its size, it blended beautifully with its surroundings, ancient vines had been allowed some freedom to roam across the brickwork of the huge courtyard. Ahead of her a larger plaque rested with the Jedi code carved neatly into its surface. She let her feet carry her toward it, momentarily forgetting the reason she had come her as a calm settled over she'd not experienced in a long time.

Sensing his companions moment of peace, Shadow rested in his haunches at her side, leaning heavily on her as he did. Her hand scratched behind his ear automatically and she lifted her gaze from the words and to the structure beyond them. She wondered, if her father had not found her on Coruscant, if she might have ended up in a place like this, aware of her powers from a far younger age.

[member="Ilias Nytrau"]

 

[Ilias Nytrau]

"Many have found pause in the very place you stand," he said, coming in from tending his plot of herbs and other plants of real and supposed medicinal nature, traces of dirt adhered to beneath his fingernails - gardening gloves (barely used) sticking out of an external pocket of the bag that hung from his shoulder - were hardly of concern, it seemed, as he raked a hand through rust-hued hair, "some even find peace."

He continued into the courtyard, coming to stand aside of the Mandalorian woman and her canine companion, eyes dropping over the code-etched stone. That he could feel the nature of her Force-bound presence, that he could see the telling story in her aura gave him no cause to be anything other than a calm presence himself, and an inquiring steward of the academy, rather than a defender. There was no threat, that much he could tell.

"I suspect it might take more than the aura of this place..." he uttered low to himself, but the thought trailed off as he turned his face towards her, smiling cordially and briefly tipping his head, "I am Master Ilias Nytrau, steward of this academy, and representative of the network it anchors - how may I be of service this day, Miss...?"

Would that he could be acquainted with every resident of the moon, but he knew enough of its inhabitants to be certain of what variety of persons didn't belong.

[member="Mia Monroe"]

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Mia smiled slightly at Ilias' words, she cold imagine all who had come to pause at this spot had done so for a thousand different reasons. She drew her eyes away from the stone and looking to regard the Master who had come to greet her, noting a smudge of dirt on his nose, left perhaps, from the grubbing finger nails. "Monroe," she extended a hand to shake, "Mia." Shadow sniffed cautiously at his boots.

"I'm in need of some assistance Master Nytrau. I'm trying to transplant some Olbio trees from Myrkr but they don't take to it to well. I lost almost fifty trees in my first attempt." she hooked her thumbs into her pocket. "Specifically, I need someone who can encourage them to take root. I understand the skill, but have little time to practice it, in the grand scheme of things."

Shadow's nose was pressed firmly against Ilias' thigh, his tail wagging slightly at the new smells. "Shadow." her voice sharp, the hound looked up at her in response. "Enough."

[member="Ilias Nytrau"]

 

[Ilias Nytrau]

He realised what she was asking, but the question fell from his lips, regardless, as the implications paraded through his consciousness.

"Olbio trees? Ysalamiri?"

He looked down at Shadow, the snout against his leg and the swishing tail giving him pause. He lifted a hand, intent on stroking the animal. He too looked to Mia, when she gave that command, his face pleasant, though nearly impassive. He had at least one query of his own before he could answer her, and several more if he accepted, but didn't mind Shadow sticking his nose in things for a moment.

"It's quite alright," he assured, lifting his hand a little more, "May I?"

[member="Mia Monroe"]