Public Life in the Jedi Academy (Intro RP)

[Giovanni Vizsla]

Life as a Jedi wasn't always easy for Giovanni Vizsla. In fact, it was one of the most painful and humiliating times of his life. He was constantly treated as an outsider by his Initiate group and bullied wherever he went. His Jedi Instructors always turned a blind eye and his complaints all fell on deaf ears even the Jedi Council.​

Desperately needing some friends, Giovanni decided to go meditate in the corner hoping nobody would come and disturb him. Unfortunately, his band of bullies made their way over to him with their usual antics. After another verbal fight, Giovanni was exhausted. He made his way outside staring off into the courtyard wondering if he could ever survive in the Jedi Temple being heavily discriminated by almost everyone around him. Giovanni was deep in thought when someone approached him.​

 

[Avadna Tekoa]

"Thank you." Avadna smiled as the Jedi attendant that had been escorting her around slipped away. The Council was presently occupied, so the Togrutan ambassador could only hope her request for an audience would be answered sooner than later. There were many things that demanded their attention, she was sure, but peace should be one of their chief concerns. Though hope was far from lost; if she despaired that easily Avadna wouldn't have bothered leaving the Confederacy.

Though the widespread (and at times deliberate) misinformation regarding the Confederacy's efforts to secure their borders had not helped in her own efforts. The Silver Jedi, however, seemed position to understand; they took had taken to securing their borders, which was only a sensible thing to do -- so long as it was not taken too far.

As she strode away from the Temple for fresh air and not to disturb the Jedi, her green eyes fell upon a man a short distance off. She stood there for a moment regarding him and the surroundings. There was something out of kilter in the situation. Nothing definite, just a diplomat's reading of the 'room' so to speak.

Slowly, Avadna began to close the distance. "Hello. You have a beautiful courtyard." The observation both genuine, but more importantly an opportunity to gauge whether the man, Giovanni Vizsla , desired company or to speak on what troubled him.

 

[Myri Oakheart]

Giovanni Vizsla Avadna Tekoa

Myri was taking time to travel the galaxy, learning its peoples, its customs, and the traditions of the other Jedi. Her only conclusion was that there were more differences in the galaxy than anyone could track. But for now, she had come to the so-called Silver Jedi. It was rather disappointing, honestly. None of them were actually Silver. They were completely normal for their species, which made her wonder why they were silver.

But for now, she rested in her natural state in the courtyard, tucked in amongst the other trees. Four meters tall, brownish green, and completely indistinguishable from other trees. Myri appreciated the chances she could rest safely in her natural form. It eased some of the work that it took to transform and change her appearance, especially to maintain it.

She could sense the distress and unease of the youth and the arrival of the ambassador. If they watched closely, they might just catch some of the bark on the tree moving as she opened her eyes a tiny bit to inspect the newcomers. But hopefully they would not, and she could go back to sleeping in peace.

Unfortunately, that was not to be. She felt the prompting of the Force, urging her to act. She didn’t know how, so instead, she spoke up, in a deep rumbling voice that emanates from the depths of her tree-form.

“Indeed. They have done a decent job at creating a natural space, at least with the time they have had.”

 

[Giovanni Vizsla]

Giovanni snapped out of his trance as the girl ( Avadna Tekoa ) behind him talked. He looked over to the girl and over to the Jedi (Myri Oakheart) talking to her. For a moment, Giovanni looked around the courtyard and agreed with the two about how beautiful it was. However, his thoughts shifted back to his problems of everyday life with the other Initiates.​

"Well it's just too bad that even a natural space like this can't suppress how I feel every day!" Giovanni said angrily. His years of bottled up emotions finally blasted all at once. "From what I understand, the Jedi are supposed to be Peacekeepers, but based on my experiences, they sure like to cause chaos to those they see as outcasts!"​

Giovanni slammed his fist against the wall as the first line of the Jedi Code echoed into his head. There is no Emotion. There is Peace. "Yeah like as if I can feel any peace in this place when NOBODY has my back. NOBODY cares about some Mandalorian Force User who just wants to fit in and train like any other Jedi!" Giovanni thought as he tried his hardest to control his emotions but failed.​

 

[Avadna Tekoa]

There went the opportunity to ask if it was alright to smoke. Seemed a Neti had made their self comfortable in the courtyard. It'd be a faux pas to ask to set a bit of dried plant on fire in their presence. Often didn't see members of their species roaming the galaxy, actually; which was fortunate for Avadna because otherwise she'd never get a chance to light up.

Equally surprising was the amount of emotion -- specifically anger -- in Giovanni's voice. Perhaps it wasn't her place to intervene in the affairs of the Jedi, but this young man seemed to have progressed to a dangerous state. Such deep emotion could easily result in lashing out with the Dark Side before one realized it.

"It is a lack of understanding that separates us. It is a lack of acceptance that pushes us apart. Please, tell us what others have done to stir such strong emotions," the Togruta asked calmly as she observed the man. That he lashed out wasn't worthy of judgment. That he was not abiding the code not a crime. Avadna hoped he could be calmed, however, and a resolution with those that troubled him found.

Tag: Giovanni Vizsla | Myri Oakheart

 

[Giovanni Vizsla]

Giovanni's patience had already grown thin. Her ( Avadna Tekoa ) mystical way of speaking just added to his irritation. Without saying a word, Giovanni pulled up his sleeve and showed them his tattoo on his upper arm: The Mark of a Mandalorian. This was ingrained into his skin right after he was born forever branding him as one of the Mandalorians who proudly fought against the Jedi on many occasions.​

"This is what I am," Giovanni tried to explain as calmly as possible. "The moment those other younglings saw this mark on my arm, I was immediately exposed as an outsider, a forbidden kind that the Jedi should never had allowed inside the Temple." Giovanni's anger started to rise again as he remembered the day he was exposed. "Since then, I was all alone in the world of Peacekeepers! All of my grievances fell on deaf ears even the Jedi Council! All they ever did was scolding me for not controlling my emotions and drilling the Jedi Code over and over again to the point where I crack! It's only a matter of time before I really lose it and things may get physical real fast. I can only imagine what the Jedi Council will do then..."​

Giovanni balled his fists hoping this would calm himself down. However, that only escalated his emotions even more. He knew that following the Jedi Code was impossible as long as the Jedi do not stand by him.​

Additional Tag: Myri Oakheart

 

[Myri Oakheart]

Giovanni Vizsla Avadna Tekoa

Were she in her humanoid form, Myri would have rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sight. But, at the moment, she was a tree. Trees did not engage in such behavior. Neither did Jedi, technically, but she wasn't very good at the more... diplomatic parts of the Jedi yet. It was she was here in the courtyard rather than in with the rest of the Jedi. She needed the time away to reach out and feel the moment of the Force. For now, it was deeply disturbed and out of balance, like the student experiencing a violent outburst of anger.

She shifted her form, miniaturizing the massive tree-like being into that of a tall woman with white hair and pale eyes in clearly hand-woven clothes. "If you lose control and act violently, I have no doubt you will be brought before the Council, reprimanded, and assigned penance. Seems to be how they do they things in this modern Jedi era. Maybe sever you from the Force. Can't say."

Myri crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "But for a Mandalorian, someone belonging to a legendary warrior culture known for its honor, pride, stubbornness, and occasional brutality, you're not acting like one. Especially as an adult. I'd have thought you grew out of being affected by the words of children whose brains aren't developed enough to distinguish the abstractions and nuance between their history books and individuals."

She settled herself more comfortably in the Force as she pulled herself up into the branches of an actual, normal tree. "And until you learn the most basic lesson of being a Jedi and the Jedi Code, there won't be any training. You are out of balance, controlled by feelings. It makes reaching out and sensing the Force, let alone letting it guide you impossible. They have good doctors here. Go talk to a psychologist and learn how to differentiate yourself from your emotions. You want to be a Jedi? A peacekeeper? Learn how to create peace within yourself. If you don't, it will be impossible to create peace in others."

 

[Giovanni Vizsla]

(Myri Oakheart, Giovanni is actually a child in this RP right now if you haven't realized already.)​

Regardless of whether that Jedi knew how to calm Giovanni or not, the condescending lecture he received only angered him even more. It was as if she was adding more fuel to the fire as the Jedi didn't attempt to sympathize with him or even try to understand how he felt. If only she had but a taste of life in Giovanni's shoes of being tormented day after day without rest by those other Initiates. If only she and the rest of the Jedi Order understood the difference between controlling emotions and discrimination, she would have acted differently. Unfortunately, she was like every other Jedi including the Jedi Council: ignorant, cold, monotone, and most importantly condescending. Giovanni slowly approached the "tree-like Jedi" as he spoke.​

"You tell ME to learn how to create peace!?" Giovanni sneered. His feelings of frustration and abandonment from the Jedi swelled around him. "Well riddle me this! How can I create, let alone find any peace when NOBODY is allowing me the courtesy of treating me with the same respect as every other Jedi here!? Everyone here has done nothing but discriminate against me in almost every way! I may be a Mandalorian, but I still deserve the same respect as any person would have! There is no Emotion, There is Peace!? Well does that mean that I have to be a doormat to everyone else in this Temple? Does that mean that I have to allow others to walk all over me for the sake of finding peace!? There is no Ignorance, There is Knowledge! Yeah truly hypocritical when they don't even acknowledge the discrimination around me and do something about it in my favor! No wonder people fall to the Dark Side, in fact I don't blame them! Until the Jedi acknowledge their hypocrisy and change their ways on how they treat all people within the walls of their own Temple, the Jedi Order and the Council must take full responsibility of why some of the Jedi had fallen to the Dark Side!"​

Additional Tags: Avadna Tekoa ​

 

[Avadna Tekoa]

Her green eyes beheld the tattoo that Giovanni both proudly and sullenly displayed for them. One that heralded one born of Mandalorians. Visual markings were so of the easier to draw out hostile encounters, but the young and foolish were capable of finding even the smallest of things to latch on to. A tattoo only made it easier.

As Myri spoke, Avadna sensed this situation was doing to instill in her the desire to drink rather than smoke by the time it was over.

"There are those here that will guide you. Those that care, as I do in standing beside you now. With the right teacher you can learn to see the world through new eyes, and help others like yourself; to change the galaxy for the better," the Togruta added to Myri's more straightforward approach. It would seem the two feminine figures present would offer two lanterns for the road ahead. Avadna hoped he would find one illuminating.

A slight downturn to her dark lips followed the youth as he strode forward menacingly in Myri's direction. His emotional response was only growing stronger. "Even Children of Jedi may be cruel until they are fully taught to understand peace and how it benefits us all. You have suffered, and for that amends must be made, but will you join the ignorant that hurt you? Come, sit with us, and we will discuss all you have seen or heard." They were at the metaphorical negotiating table, now all they had to do was sit and talk.

Tag: Giovanni Vizsla | Myri Oakheart

 

[Giovanni Vizsla]

Giovanni did his very best to calm down. At least the Togruta ( Avadna Tekoa ) understood how to ease the tension brought by the "tree-like Jedi." (Myri Oakheart) At least someone was going to try to listen to what he had to go through and cared enough to help Giovanni back on the path of light. Unfortunately, unless the rest of the Jedi Order is swayed in favor of Giovanni and his grievances, there is little hope that he will remain or even want to remain a faithful Jedi.​

"I really wish I can see the good in Jedi, but all they have shown me were nothing but reasons to hate them even more," Giovanni said softly almost ready to cry. "All I ever wanted, from the moment I stepped foot into this Temple, was to fit in, make friends, and progress forward both as a person and as a Jedi. The Jedi pay me back by allowing younglings to behave in such a way that even a normal person would feel oppressed and worthless. They would constantly disturb me while I try to meditate and find peace. They would always belittle and berate me because I'm different from the rest of the Jedi. I would try to talk to other Jedi and even the Council about this, but my complaint would fall upon deaf ears. They would only tell me to trust in the Jedi Code. If I follow the code, I will always find peace no matter the circumstances. I don't have people I can consider as friends. In fact, I was surprised that you would reach out to me because I had come to the conclusion that the Jedi defend only those that are within their interests and abandon others who are outsiders. I had always wondered why Jedi fell to the Dark Side when the principles of the Jedi are clearly black and white. I realize that they fall because they are abandoned by the Jedi Order. The Jedi are responsible for creating those that fall to the Dark Side because they are hypocrites in what they preach. I'm sure there will come a time when I will be forced to choose whether to stay as a doormat for Jedi to walk on or to stand up for myself and risk getting expelled from the Order."​

Giovanni stared into the sky as he laid down on the ground. All he ever wanted was to find happiness within himself. Now, the only question was whether the Jedi Order will make him happy or not. Which ideas will truly make him happy? The Light Side of the Force or the Dark Side of the Force?​

 

[Myri Oakheart]

Myri let herself drop down to hang upside down from the tree-limb. Children were strange. She'd never actually met any of them before, and as far as humans went, it was hard to tell their ages apart. She had been a sapling once, but that was several hundred years ago. Apparently they did not like being treated like an adult. Odd, but she made a mental note.

"I have given you the same respect I give every adult. Telling you the truth plainly and without mystic mumbo-jumbo. And I will continue to do so," Myri said from where she dangled. "You've almost reached the first breakthrough in understanding the Code. It's not literal. Following the code doesn't make peace. It's a reminder. Think of them as touchpoints. Everyone has emotion. That's a fundamental fact of life. Only the most incompetent Jedi say the point is to suppress emotion. That's unhealthy. And no ignorance? That's a reminder to always be learning, not a statement of universal truth. The point is continued self-growth. And there are other codes that communicate these more clearly."

She cleared her throat before continuing. "Emotion, yet peace. Ignorance, yet knowledge. Passion, yet serenity. Chaos, yet harmony. Death, yet the Force. All these exist and our journey is to learn to transcend them and not let them dictate our choices. Which is a chat I shall be having with the other younglings and masters here. Quite sternly, I think. There's enough problems with the Bryn'adul and Sith without them tolerating such behavior."

Giovanni Vizsla Avadna Tekoa

 

[Avadna Tekoa]

Avadna was relieved when Myri's words weren't as forthright as they'd been at first. The Wisdom of the Ages was a bit much for a child to take in all at once. Even her discussion of the Code might be too much given Giovanni's emotional state; but she didn't feel the need to offer advice later as she had moments ago.

The Togruta heard what the youth said, and had her own thoughts about the future. As he lay down and look up at the sky, her green eyes watched him as Myri had spoken. Only when he was still did Avadna add her own thoughts, "A Code is just a means of remembering a deeper Lifestyle. Don't think of it as anything more. Because it is not what we say, or even what we feel that shapes who we are or who we will become. It's our actions. Emotions can influence or even control our actions, but only when we let them. There are young men and women that attack you out of ignorance, and they will need to be taught such things are wrong by their Masters. You too will have chances in life to define your shape and that the world. To stretch out a hand and uplift the suffering, or to push them down into squalor. Don't become too obsessed with the failings of others that you lose sight of the world around you."

Tag: Giovanni Vizsla | Myri Oakheart

 

[Giovanni Vizsla]

Giovanni still couldn't shake the feelings off of him. He understood what the Togruta ( Avadna Tekoa ) meant when she talked about the code being more of guideline to a way of life, but he felt that she did not seem to realize that even the Jedi Instructors and other Jedi Masters turn a blind eye to his situation. Otherwise, Giovanni wouldn't be in this situation. He sighed trying to be rid of those thoughts but failed miserably.​

"If only it were that easy," Giovanni whined as he sat up and faced her. "I wish someone would actually tell those younglings that. After all, it's them that cause the chaos. Being angry and out of balance like this is truly exhausting, but I feel like as if I'm not given a choice. I try to find my inner peace yet those insufferable children counters me at every opportunity. It's really frustrating."​

Additional Tags: Myri Oakheart ​

 

[Myri Oakheart]

Giovanni Vizsla Avadna Tekoa

Myri had heard enough. Whoever was running this temple wasn’t doing their karking job. And she was going to be sure they knew it. Was she part of this organization? No. Did she live at this temple? Also, no. But Jedi were Jedi regardless of what badge they wore.

She dropped from the tree branch and gave them both a sharp look before heading off towards where the sounds training could be heard. Hopefully she would catch both the local council and the padawans at their lessons. If not, she would go find them and throw words about their behavior.

 

[Avadna Tekoa]

The ambassador of good will turned to follow Myri with her green eyes for a few seconds. With a small, apologetic smile she looked back to the young man. "The path may be long, and the storms may try to sweep the road out from under your feet, but eventually you come across a traveler... and while it may not shorten your journey, or improve the weather, just knowing the universe hasn't turned against you can be enough. That said," Avadna drew in a breath before she let it out in short order, "best you didn't follow her too closely into a war of words." The Torguta chuckled.

"Come," she extended a hand out toward him, "perhaps you can point out the young ones that have much to learn."

Tag: Giovanni Vizsla | Myri Oakheart