Private Let's Get Down to Business!

[Aurelion Nova]

OBJECTIVE - Stay Conscious

Directly following: This Thread

Where: Silver Rest Training Grounds
When: Too damn early

Aurelion sleepily staggered onto the training grounds of the Silver Rest with halting, tired footsteps. His singular eye low and drooping as the Padawan struggled to even put one foot in front of the other, let alone really WATCH where he was going. With his head bobbing in exhaustion and throbbing in dull pain from being unable to drown out the cacophony Kashyyyk's wild, abundant Force presence caused him.... he wasn't exactly at his best. Which, considering Juno had seen Aurelion beyond his best already, was saying something about how this training session was likely to go. Aurelion was barely able to form coherent thoughts to even truly COMPLAIN about his condition either and his robes were more than a little disheveled.

As opposed to when he usually wandered Silver Rest V1-T1 was, in fact, not present with Aurelion. The little astromech having said something about organizing some sort of 'surprise' for him after his training. Though Aurelion was so tired upon waking up he couldn't even be sure he had understood the little droid's binary properly. Even so as Aurelion approached Juno he knelt onto his knees, waiting for her to acknowledge him, and rested his hands on his knees. Head bowing in respect as he tried his best to center him, closing his eyes, and also desperately fighting off sleep reclaiming him as he gave a small, tiny yawn. His elongated ears drooping tiredly as he swayed a bit in place before correcting his posture as best he could.

 

[Juno]

Why oh why did she choose to start the lesson so early?

The thought lingered in Juno’s mind from the moment she woke up. She hadn’t made a habit of waking up early since her days as a padawan, not if she didn’t have to, at least. What’s ten more minutes? Thank you, snooze button. And maybe ten more after that. And another.

Only after that half hour had passed did the master finally groan in defeat and slide out of bed. Making few efforts to speed through her morning routine before heading to the training room. The door slid open to reveal Juno, hair still disheveled, heavy bags under her eyes, and a cup of caf in hand. She hadn’t even bothered to put on robes, sticking to a shirt and pajama pants instead. It was more comfortable anyway.

Aurelion was already there. Not bad. Juno raised one brow highly and gave a single nod of respect behind his back, before trudging over to the end of the mat and plopping down on the floor opposite her new padawan. The two sat in silence until Juno took a long, exaggerated sip of her caf.

“Morning.” She grumbled. Neither of them seemed to be happy about the starting time, “...Want some?” she held out the cup as something of a peace offering. One last perk up before getting to work.

Aurelion Nova

 

[Aurelion Nova]

OBJECTIVE - Being very, VERY tired

Where: Silver-Rest
Why: Training!
Wearing: Normal Clothes
When: Way too early
With: Juno

As Aurelion sat, waiting for Juno, his singular eye lilting and drooping dangerously as his form slackened and wavered it was all he could do to keep himself upright. His pointed ears drooping low as his arms went slack and he wiggled his nose slightly in exasperation. He sleepily checked the clock, she was five minutes late, he groaned softly. Rubbing his face weakly Aurelion's vision went hazy, his breathing slowed, and a warm, sleepy feeling began to radiate through this torso before his head finally fell forward. Passing out in place as he began to dream.

Somewhere between a second and an eternity later Aurelion lightly jolted awake as Juno was now sitting in front of him, offering him a cup of... something.... and looking even worse than he did. He mumble a soft burble of noises and could barely even see straight, his slender, pale hands reaching out and taking the cup. He took a small sip before glancing at Juno, then blinked, and blushed a deep, cherry red before looking away. Even his elongated ears burning with an obvious flush as he passed the cup back to her quickly.

He seemed.... more awake at least due to his embarrassment. His face, neck and ears all a cherry hue of crimson as he hiccuped shyly. His single, aqua eye trained on some random corner of the room as avoided looking at her directly.

 

[Juno]

Juno took the cup and raised a brow at the boy, gulping down the rest of the drink and giving a satisfied sigh. She smacked her lips and abruptly hopped up, arching her back and stretching her limbs one at a time as she groaned tiredly.

“Alright kid, time to get going. Do some warm-ups, get yourself up a bit before we get started. It’s gonna be a much more rude awakening if you’re not ready.”

The master pulled the hair out of her face and tied it back messily, closing her eyes and focusing herself in silence for a few moments before straightening up in front of Aurelion.

“You don’t have a lightsaber yet. So, we’re going to start with some martial arts basics. A weapon is useful in a fight, obviously, but you can’t become dependent on one. If you lose it, you need to know how to defend yourself.”

Juno shuffled her feet against the mat, stretching her legs into an open back stance. She bent her knees and extended one arm slightly, facing the palm out and open, while keeping the other hand in a fist, held back and parallel to her torso.

“Follow my lead. Mirror my stances and movements. We’ll go through several motions before we try actual sparring.”

Assuming Aurelion joined, Juno would slowly begin going through a few basic stances and movements, allowing time for explanation or questions should he have any throughout the process.

Aurelion Nova

 

[Aurelion Nova]

OBJECTIVE - ZZZzzzz.....


Where: Silver Rest
Why: Training
Wearing/Wielding: Normal Clothes
When: Really early
With: Juno

As Juno stood Aurelion raised his sleepy, blushing face to watch her and when she arched her back and stretched he simply stared in sleep-deprived fixation. Not even present of mind enough to remember it was inappropriate to stare at someone, especially your master, before his head dipped down limply again. His single eye falling closed as he simply passed out due to exhaustion while tiny, soft snores left him while Juno talked to... well.... no-one now. His elongated ears drooping sleepily as he sat in front of her.

Truthfully the reason Aurelion was tired was not at all due to the time Juno had scheduled their training session. He had woken up at this time by himself for a while now. No. Instead the reason for his exhaustion was the existence of a singular nightmare that had plagued the young Padawan all night long. Not letting him sleep longer than an hour at a time before his fear and night terror would force him to jolt awake, sit up for an hour in pure exhaustion, before uselessly trying to sleep again.

He had repeated this attempt at rest multiple times before simply resigning himself to staying up the last two hours before the training and now as unconscious tears rolled down his cheek, he began to relive that nightmare all over again. The tears softly falling to his lap and splattering across his robed legs as he slept fitfully in front of her. The likely culprit that finally alerted Juno as she centered herself being a tiny, terrified whimper leaving Aurelion that.... sounded even more scared and helpless than a noise from a person had any right to sound. It was a noise of pure, unfiltered terror and abused innocence.

 

[Juno]

The master slowed her movements, stopping and standing in place as she saw Aurelion go right back to sleep. Alright, surely he can’t be that tired. Juno huffed impatiently before slowly and silently crouching in front of the padawan. Reaching out an index finger to rudely poke him in the face, she withdrew just before contact as he suddenly whimpered unconsciously.

“...Aurelion?” she muttered quietly.

Now Juno was feeling nosy. Clearly something else was going on other than an early wake-up. She reached out her hand again, ever faintly touching the tips of her fingers against his forehead and channeling the Force. Juno closed her eyes and in an instant was hit telepathically with a flash of whatever he was experiencing, all the emotion pushing its way into her mind as well. The experience abruptly awoke the both of them from the stupor, and the master immediately recoiled and toppled back.

Though she was caught off guard by the event, Juno’s face showed no indication of it, instead she simply looked at him before cautiously asking, “What was that?”

Aurelion Nova

 

[Aurelion Nova]

OBJECTIVE - N/A


Where: Kashyyyk
Why: Training/Sleeping
Wearing/Wielding: Normal Clothes
When: Early
With: Juno

As Juno lightly touched his forehead a flash of an old, ancient memory would grace her vision. She would see a female face contorted in rage and anger, a bloody fist raised above him, ready to be brought down onto his tiny body again and again as his small, pale hands were raised helplessly to defend himself. It was a brief thing, a still image like a night of total darkness illuminated by a flash of lightning. The emotions slamming into Juno was that of prue, unfiltered terror, helplessness and a heartbroken sadness only a child betrayed by the one who should love them could know.

As Aurelion jolts awake he yells in fright, the Force answering his subconscious call and lashing out with power enough to tear the mats around him and make the wind lightly lash at Juno, billowing her clothing as Aurelion's hands fly up in the same defensive, primal position they were in during Juno's short vision into his mind. Aurelion sniffles, blinks in confusion, and wipes at his eye as he looks around. Briefly forgetting where he was before he sees Juno and crawls forward. "M-Master? Are you okay?"

Gingerly, with timid care and affection Juno had likely never felt before, he begins to timidly brush her arms and shoulders. Checking her for any sort of injury. Genuine, true concern for her and her well-being shining in his light blue eye as he looks at her. An undercurrent of guilt and regret that his outburst through the Force had startled her washing off of him to her senses.

 

[Juno]

Juno sneered in surprised confusion, both at what she saw in Aurelion’s head and his reaction. The care he took to ensure she was unharmed made her feel a strange mix of calm and uncomfortable. She shook her head and instinctively batted his hand off of her, standing up and brushing off. “I’m fine, Aurelion.”

Juno steadied her breathing before looking down at him grimly, locks of hair shadowing her face as she asked in a serious tone, “Are you fine?” She didn’t know how to properly express it, but whatever concern led her to take him as her padawan only further amplified. The master made no effort to address anything specific she saw, for fear of triggering the boy further. She held out her hand to help him stand up.

“We can continue this training another time, if you’d prefer to take it easy. Or even, change today’s lesson to something more… academic.”

She quieted her tone as she spoke again. It was all she felt she could offer, to change the subject to something else.

Aurelion Nova

 

[Aurelion Nova]

OBJECTIVE - Recover


Where: Kahyyyk
Why: Training
Wearing/Wielding: Normal Clothes
When: Early
With: Juno

Aurelion winced as Juno swatted his hands away, recoiling from her, and stayed kneeling even as she stood up. After brushing herself off and looking at Aurelion with a grim, serious expression he looked... terrified. His eye was wide and worried as he was now speechlessly afraid that he had done something incredibly wrong. Her question hit him like a ton of bricks and Aurelion shook softly as he stared up at the intense redhead, his face flushing in distress as he bit his lip. Finally lowering his gaze to the floor as she watched him.

He didn't say a single word, now spurred to alertness by his fear, but when Juno mentioned changing the training his eye widened. His head snapping back up to look at her as tears pricked at his eye, his arms lightly shaking as he staggered back to his feet. His thin shoulders set in a shaky, emotional show of defiance as he shook his head. "N-No... I... I'm okay. I p-promise. I just.... I-I just....." Aurelion trailed off, staring into Juno's hard eyes and swallowed thickly, his gaze falling to her feet as he begins to mumble.

"I-I've been having... n-nightmares..... Master. I-I haven't slept right i-in days.... it's.... bad. Things like w-what you saw... e-every night. ALL night. I can't-...."

Aurelion choked up, shoulders hitching as he closed his eye and raised a hand to cover his face. Sniffling loudly as he hunched in on himself and shook his head. Trying to walk around and past Juno as he spoke up again. "I-I'm sorry I-I... I don't.... d-deserve to be here....."

 

[Juno]

Juno watched and listened intently as the boy stood up and explained himself. Nearly cutting off the last of his words she poked a finger at his chest and spoke again, “It’s got nothing to do with your self-worth, Aurelion. If you didn’t deserve to be here, you wouldn’t be a Jedi to begin with.”

The master relaxed her posture and let out a heavy sigh. She rubbed her eyes before studying over Aurelion one more time; He might say he’s ready, but everything else indicates otherwise. “It’s not a topic up for discussion. If you’re hardly getting any sleep, then you’re not in a condition to learn, and it’ll be a waste of both of our time.”

She walked towards the door, stopping just in front of it before turning back around. “These... dreams of yours. Do you have any idea how to stop them? If this is really happening every night, then it’s a problem.”

Aurelion Nova

 

[Aurelion Nova]

OBJECTIVE - Explain


Where: Kashyyyk
Why: Juno
Wearing/Wielding: Normal clothes
When: Kinda early
With: Juno

Aurelion jumped slightly as Juno poked him in the chest, making his face flush softly and his ears droop timidly as she reprimanded him. Strangely this didn't make him react horribly, instead he simply felt embarrassed and confused for a brief moment. It wasn't until Juno mentioned this being a waste of time that something inside Aurelion's head clicked and he nodded numbly. He was used to being a waste of time, he could accept that, rather than simply confusing his Master. The idea that he was a waste of her time was more familiar and, on a subconscious level, much easier for him to grasp and accept than his own problems with the Force.

As Juno walked away his eye remained on the floor, a numb, chilled acceptance settling over his mind until she turned back, and asked him about stopping his dreams. He bit his lip in thought, glanced at her, and took a shaky breathe. "I-I...." He swallowed, remembering the moment he and Taozi Fuyuan had shared before she had adopted him. He nodded, hesitantly, before approaching Juno and glancing up at her. "I think.... I think so but... I can't.... can't do it alone....." He seemed incredibly nervous about this, fidgeting from foot to foot as if he were a child that was just caught with his hand in the cookie jar and was awaiting some sort of punishment.

"It won't.... be easy." He muttered suddenly, shrugging, and hugging himself "You don't... h-have to do it for me....."

 

[Juno]

Juno furrowed her brows when she saw Aurelion seemed to close in on himself. Evidently what she had said about him, he did not take away the intended message behind it. She listened curiously as he explained his thoughts on the dreams, not actually expecting to hear him say he knew of a way.

She laughed, “Do it for you? Yeah, definitely not.” Juno marched back up to Aurelion and nudged him on the shoulder, smirking “But. I can help you do it. i did make you my padawan, after all." Her attempts at motivation combined with her highly unprofessional demeanor was a confusing mixture, though it was sincere.

"How to we get started?"

Aurelion Nova

 

[Aurelion Nova]

OBJECTIVE - Attempt to Heal


Where: Kashyyyk
Why: Juno
Wearing/Wielding: Normal Clothes
When: Early
With: Juno

Aurelion winced as Juno said she wouldn't do it. His ears drooping as a brief bout of depression hit him, only for her to nudge him playfully and give him that fierce smirk, and his ears perked up as she clarified. Making him blush and nod sheepishly at her mention of making him her Padawan. That, at the very least, was encouraging enough for him to sit down before her, cross his legs, and motion for her to do the same. "O-Okay..... we just need... to sit here and ummm.... well...." Aurelion offers her his hands once she sits, swallowing deeply, before blinking back tears as he murmurs "J-Just... please... don't... worry while it's happening."

With that being said Aurelion took Juno's hands and closed his eyes. He extended his presence in the Force toward her and Juno would easily be able to discern the fractured, damaged psyche of her Padawan. His potential in the Force was immense, like a great glass sea or a towering fortress, but this sea... this fortress of potential, is broken and fractured with whispering wounds of atrocities long committed. Whispering wounds in the Force that, as Aurelion reached out to Juno, began to pull her into her Padawan's psyche. Into an infinite darkness where she could feel his presence all around, where a rush of noises and sensation would reach her, muffled as if by feet of water, before..... slowly...... becoming clearer.

Juno's senses would finally clear to the sound of crying and sniffling. Her body now was tiny and incredibly thin, weak and her stomach twisted in pain, no sight met their singular eye as she quickly became aware she shared bodies with her Padawan...... now much younger. Their eye is raw, red and painful from crying and in the pitch blackness they suddenly begin to scrabble forward on hands and knees through the darkness. Tiny, terrified, panting breathes leaving them as they clumsily feel ahead of themselves. Their hands brushing a wall, and they turn, before crawling even further.

Eventually their hand brushes a door and they stop, now panicking fully as they paw at the door and whimper, sobbing and mewling in a desperate, choked voice. The door only responded with a negative 'bzzt' noise to indicate it was locked as their voice leaves their lips. "P-Please let me out!? I-I'm sorry M-Mama! P-Please I-I'm hungry and I-I don't w-w-wanna be here a-anymoooore!" They collapse to their hands and knees again after a few moments, their heartbeat filling their ears as their tiny chest heaves with effort, panic settling in as they curl up against the door.

They lay there for a long time, nothing but the sound of their heart pounding in their ears, as they cry to themselves. Aurelion's thoughts of the time as audible to Juno as her own would be. 'I-I'm all alone.... she d-doesn't care about me.... she's n-never.... coming back.... I-I'm sorry... sorry.... sorry sorry sorry.....'

 

[Juno]

Juno sat down opposite Aurelion, going along with his motions until they connected through the Force. She had never been quite so drawn into a vision like this, being trapped in another person's body, forced to relive an experience such as that. As it played out, she felt everything he had felt in that moment, unable to pull away.

Once it ended, Juno slowly and silently withdrew her hand from her padawan's. Looking down and away from him for a few moments that seemed to drag, gritting her teeth. Should she… ask him about it? Try to reassure him? Say nothing? As much of an emotional being she was, Juno was highly withdrawn, especially when it came to sensitivity. Her blank face hid any outward response, though perhaps the lack of expression could in and of itself betray her inner thoughts. Finally she looked back at Aurelion, asking in a contradictory mix of apprehension and bluntness,

“So, is that… it? Are the dreams over?”

 

[Aurelion Nova]

OBJECTIVE - Cry


Where: Training Room
Why: Juno
Wearing/Wielding: Normal Clothes
When: Mornign
With: Juno

As they parted hands tears began to flow down Aurelion's pale cheek from his single, watery eye. Thick, heavy tears as his shoulders shook gently and he swallowed, his breathe hitching and catching in his throat as he tried to contain himself. Unfortunately Juno's blunt response smashed what little self control he was currently mustering and he closed his eye slowly, his shoulders shaking more as he silently shook his head. Sniffling as his hands began to shake, his jaw clenching before his teeth began to chatter and goosebumps cover his pale porcelain skin, it was as if he was in the midst of his own personal blizzard.

With his throat constricting, his heart aching, Juno would be able to feel the phantom sensation of the pain her Padawan was in. It was hard for him to breathe, his heart felt like it was gripped in an iron fist and she would easily be able to feel her words had hurt him as well. Coughing softly he shook his head again, his eye opening as the tears continued to flow and it was highly doubtful he could even truly SEE her through them, but he looked at her all the same and murmured in a tiny voice. "N-No. Th-That was.... o-one of th-them....." he stammered, struggling to properly form even the words to speak to her.

His arms, continuing to shake, finally dropped limply to his sides as his head hung. His porcelain pale face flushing a dusky, splotchy pink that crept down his neck and even up to his ears. His tears silently falling to the mat beneath them as he nearly broke down before her, only barely holding himself together by the tiniest bit of will.

 

[Juno]

Juno shut her mouth and swallowed hard when Aurelion began to cry. Looking back at his tear-stricken eyes, she slowly stood up and moved to sit back down next to him. Placing a hand on his shoulder, the master stayed silent, choosing to let him pour all of his emotion out. Stricter masters might demand better self-control in such moments, but Juno knew that if he bottled them up it wold only be worse. Better to let him express himself now so he could grow from it later.

And truth be told, she didn't know what else to do. This kind of weakness was something Juno rarely if ever exposed to others. Maybe she ought to take her own advice in mind one of these days. She shook that thought off for now. It wasn't about her anymore. It's a Master's duty to help lead the next generation of Jedi to greatness. She saw the signs. It was why she took him under her wing. And Juno was going to make sure that Aurelion Nova did not turn out like her. Even if it sometimes means hurt for them both.

 

[Aurelion Nova]

OBJECTIVE - Lost


Where: Training Room
Why: Training?
Wearing/Wielding: Normal Clothes
When: Early
With: Juno

As Juno moved beside Aurelion and laid a hand on his shoulder he tensed up immediately, almost wincing away from her as he continued to shake. His tears falling more and more slowly as he wiped at his eye, cradling his face in his hand, before he suddenly leaned into Juno and looked up at her. His eyes wide and clearer now, confusion and hurt and PAIN in them as his hand found hers, squeezed it desperately for some sort of anchor to reality. Something to keep him from slipping back into a deluge of those memories that haunted him.

As Aurelion stared up at her in silence equal to hers, his wide eye searching hers, he finally broke. Slow, trembling gasps left him as he stared into her eyes, into her soul, searching for an answer to a question he asked in the smallest, most heartbroken and confused voice the galaxy had ever known. "W-Why? W-What did I-I do wrong?"

 

[Juno]

Juno looked back at her padawan, unflinchingly meeting his gaze as he asked his question. Thoughts raced through her mind for an answer in the silence that followed.

"...Nothing."

She spoke straight-faced. no hint of deception or holding back, just the truth.

"You did nothing wrong, Aurelion."

The master gave a deep sigh, never losing eye contact as she resumed,

"Sometimes, bad things happen to no fault of our own. And sometimes there's nothing you can do about it. What matters is that we move beyond such things, and grow stronger in defiance of them."

Juno stood up, taking Aurelion's hand with her to bring him into a standing position.

"That is your lesson today."

 

[Aurelion Nova]

OBJECTIVE - Juno



Where: Training Room
Why: Juno
Wearing/Wielding: Normal Clothes
When: Early
With: Juno

As Juno gave her answer Aurelion's heart dropped, his breathe racing from his lungs in surprise, and his eye widening to the size of a dinner plate as he stared at Juno in disbelief. He didn't even breathe as she spoke to him, though his heart hammered in his chest with every word that passed her lips, every syllable that registered to his panicking mind as he sniffled. He swallowed, thickly, as she told him that he was to grow stronger in defiance of these bad memories, that he was to grow regardless of their hold on him, and he felt his heart soar in response.

As Juno helped him to his feet, informing him that THIS was his lesson for the day, Aurelion clutched her hand softly and stared at her, his eyes now raw and red from emotion as he nodded. Still not releasing her hand for a long moment before he suddenly stepped forward and hugged her, sniffling against as he pressed his head to her shoulder and murmured quietly "Th-Thank you.... Master."

He stepped back, flushing softly, and then shook his head. Seemingly gathering himself as he glanced at her. "N-No... even...more than being my Master.... thank you Juno. Y-You're.... very sweet." Aurelion looked down, shuffling his feet for a moment, before he shrugged and gave her a genuine smile as he murmured softly. "I-I just think.... you don't w-want people to know it....."

 

[Juno]

Juno tensed up awkwardly as Aurelion suddenly wrapped his arms around her, reciprocating the hug with a simple pat on his back as she closed in on herself physically. As he called her sweet it was all she could do to grit her teeth and grumble,

"Sure, kid. Just don't go around telling people that."

The master gently pulled away from the hug eventually, happily reclaiming her personal space.

"Alright. Get outta here and take the rest of the day off. Hang out with some friends or whatever, I dunno what kids do anymore."

Slowly walking to the door, she called out one last time, "But seriously, tomorrow we're starting martial arts! So be ready!"

Aurelion Nova