Private Sword and Dagger

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber | Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

"I agree," Valery said with a raised eyebrow, as she took offered lightsaber, looked at it, and offered it back to him. "I have my blasters too, so you keep it." It'd make her motherly heart feel a lot better if Aris held onto her lightsaber a little while longer, just in case. Valery only needed one lightsaber to protect herself, anyway.

The blasters were there as last resort, or if she wanted to try her luck taking down a threat further away from her

Valery then jumped into combat with him, and for perhaps the first time, she had to focus on her own target, rather than her kid. It meant having to place her trust in him and Seszil, but after everything she had seen today, she could.

"Aris?! Some are inside the city streets!" Valery called out when she picked up on screams beyond the open gate. "Can you go handle them? I'll hold the line here!" There were a lot of creatures coming her way, but he would have to trust his Mom too.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

".. Okay." Aris wasn't too certain how to feel about keeping one of her lightsabers, but she insisted. And she had her blasters, if she needed them. More than that, he could just.. See it. The concern she had for him. He smiled after a moment and tightened his grip on the hilt as he adjusted the blade strength. There was no low setting for these creatures, as sad as it made him. He couldn't stop them without attacking.

"I got it! Seszil!"

He raised a hand as they blitzed their way into the deeper streets. Seszil landed in his hand, and without delay the boy hucked the sword with all his might. The burst of speed was easy to see as Seszil flew forward to skewer one of the creatures as Aris sped along to catch up and bring the borrowed saber through another. "Help each other! I'll deal with them!" He shouted at the people standing around them. Fear, panic. He could see it on their faces.

They didn't move.

He gritted his teeth as another of the cat like creatures charged for him. He ducked under a swipe, then brought a fist up to it's jaw to send it flying up before swiping his blade through it's gut. "Move! You're in danger here!"

Aris was used to how the Epicanthix acted. They all knew how to fight, how to run. How to handle themselves in situations like this. Aris had never seen people who were frozen by fear. And he truly didn't know how to help them with that.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber | Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

Valery could never fight at her best, separated from her children while they were handling a threat alone. She much preferred to be right there with them to protect them, but deep down, she knew Aris could handle himself. And even now, while she was trying to still keep her senses on him as well, she was more than capable of stopping the jungle she had grown up in from devouring the city.

She wasn't going to let any beast pass, and trust Aris to protect her peoole in the city.

Within the city, Aris was handling himself well, but confronted by people frozen in fear. Some were just in shock, but others weren't sure what to think of a young child telling them what to do. Sure, he was taking down beasts most adults could never hope to stand up against on their own, but was it really safe to listen to him?

Then, there was a voice.

<Aris, to your left.> Vera's guiding words reached him across the stars, and would hopefully draw his eyes to a building, where a figure stood near the door. There was something darker about them, but the man was not wielding a lightsaber, nor did corruption really show in his face. Still, the beasts seemed to ignore his presence, and faint whispers that left his lips directed the animals to their targets.

He coordinated them.

"Are the Jedi so desperate that they must send their younglings now?" He laughed and two Vornskr's stepped by his side, growling at the young Jedi. The man himself drew a shock whip and let the energy crackle. The people around Aris just watched, still frozen, but this man was the key to get them all to safety.

He had to be stopped.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Vera?

Aris blinked in surprise, but he didn't hesitate to listen to her advice, sprinting to the left just in time to see the person who seemed to be in charge. He couldn't feel the Force or how others might be influencing it, but just seeing him walk unharmed through the beasts was enough. But the people close by weren't running. Didn't help one another, didn't escape. He gritted his teeth as he lifted Valery's saber up.

"Seszil, protect them."

"Of course."

Seszil floated between the beasts and the civilians, just as Aris took off like a bullet. No slowing, no hesitation. This man was responsible for people getting hurt, killed. He brought the saber down swiftly.

He had to be stopped.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber | Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

The man smirked when Aris had to tell his Guardian blade to protect the civilians. That meant one less threat to him, at least for now, and he felt confident enough that he could beat a little kid. Jedi were always the treacherous types, but this Jedi was still a little boy who couldn't hope to defeat him.

Still, as Aris took off like a bullet, the young Epicanthix would be able to see the shock in the man's eyes.

He pivoted on his feet to turn away from the strike, and just barely managed to evade the worst of it. The violet blade still left a cut across his shoulder, and anger rippled through the Force. With surprising speed, the shockwhip lashed out towards the boy in an attempt to shock, burn and maim him. He wasn't holding back at all.

But Valery had felt it too, and her anger was far more intense.

<Aris?> she asked, and she wanted to ask so much more. But she didn't want to distract him right now.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Aris couldn't respond to Valery, but he was fine. Even as he narrowly escaped from one of the lashes by diving underneath it. He couldn't batter away the whip, he could see that much already. Speed was the only advantage he had. And, well, he was pretty fast. He leapt forward again, aiming to cut through the man once more to try and use his overwhelming speed as he could. Seszil remained around the others, keeping the creatures back with it's sharpened edge, but they were close. Always close.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber | Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

He's fine.

He's Fine.

Valery had to keep reminding herself that, as she felt her son engaging his first potentially dangerous enemy. He wasn't some untrained thug or a soldier barely equipped to fight a Force User. This was a wielder of the Dark Side, and her son was just a kid. Sure, he had been trained by the Sword and Shield a bit already, and learning more at the Temple every day, but he was also still very much her son.

During their clash, the man was impressed with Aris' speed, but retained his confidence as his whip lashed out at the boy. It was only after Aris ducked down low to evade it, and he couldn't withdraw it back in time, that a flash of panic erupted in his eyes. He felt a painful burn in his side from another hit-and-run move, and gritted his teeth after narrowly escaping death at the hands of a 9-year-old again.

"This has hone on long enough," he hissed before raising his hand towards Aris. Lightning crackled between his fingers, and a powerful surge came right for the boy with the intent to burn and brutally kill. Only for it to disperse around a barrier of Force energy. Finally, Valery had enough. The ground around them all had cracked open because of her motherly fury, and she wanted nothing more than to take this man down for trying to electrocute her son. But by shielding Aris with the barrier, she gave him an opening to finish his enemy off instead.

"Now, Aris!"

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Aris steadied himself, prepared to strike again. He could do this. He was faster than this man and his whip, so he could- The boy's eyes widened as fear rippled through his mind, his body. Danger. He wasn't sure what of, but he could feel it. Death. Death was coming. The sparks of lightning were something he'd read up on Sith being able to do, but this man hadn't seemed like a Sith.

But now it didn't matter. He braced himself for what was going to come next, fully expecting pain. There wasn't. He blinked slowly, opened his eyes to see the barrier around him. "Mom."

"Now, Aris!"

He didn't hesitate. With the barrier around him he surged forward again, lifting his blade up to cut down the man who'd brought so much death. At least, he would have. As he neared, as he got up close and was about to swing the killing blow, he couldn't. Aris gritted his teeth as he stayed the blade, instead bringing around his fist for a heavy punch to knock the man out. It was one thing killing the creatures that were hunting, he couldn't bring himself to kill a person.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber | Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

The man watched his arcs of lightning being deflected with little to no effort, and stood frozen as the young boy exploded towards him like a bullet. He couldn't draw his weapon fast enough anymore, and there was no way to evade this strike. His eyes closed and he seemed ready to accept death, when his vision went black, but not permanently so.

"Aris!" Valery called out again, and this time she couldn't stop her voice from breaking up a little. She ran over and pulled Aris off his feet and into an almost uncomfortably tight hug. The animals of the jungle were all retreating and this man wasn't going to get up, so she needed this.

She was still a Mom.

"Oh baby, you did so good. You aren't hurt, are you?" She looked him over, sighed in relief and planted several kisses on his forehead and atop his head. She didn't care that some citizens were still there, albeit no longer frozen with fear.

"I'm so, so proud of you." Again, the hug tightened up a little while his feet continued to dangle above the ground.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Aris breathed. Heavy breaths, tense. How could he not be after that? He flinched just a little as Valery picked him up, clearly more surprised that she was than anything else. Then, smiled. It was just a little smile, but he was quick to return the hug. Even with all the overly embarrassing affection Valery gave. "M' okay, mom. I'm okay. Just.. Tired." He let out a heavy sigh, slumping against her. He was really, really tired now.

More than he thought he'd be.

"I think m' gonna sleep."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber | Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

Valery knew it was overly embarrassing affection for his little warrior heart, but she needed it. The way his smaller arms reached around her to return the hug, only made her think he needed it too, and not just to rest. "You did great, sweetie," she said again, as he told her that he was okay. "Go rest against me." She crossed an arm underneath his butt and hoisted him up against her right shoulder, so he sat comfortably in her arms.

"Seszil, I'm sure I can rely on you for protection, hm?" She smiled, knowing that they'd be safe.

By the time Aris woke up from his nap in his mother's arms, he'd find himself on his back, wrapped up in blankets and within a bedroll. He was within a cave now, and not too far away, Valery was sitting at the entrance, staring out and up to watch the stars. It was late at night now, and the jungle felt quiet.

There was something almost somber about the way his mother looked up at the night sky.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Aris yawned loudly as as he woke up. Stretched a little before looking around. Then blinked and practically jumped to his feet. He was in a fight. The city was attacked. It took him a moment before he realized that they were, in fact, not in the city anymore. He let out a sigh of relief before wincing. His body ached. It wasn't used to how he pushed it. But he was safe, at least. He stepped out, looking towards Valery for a moment before finding a spot to sit next to her.

"You okay, mom?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber | Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

The loud yawn and little stretches brought a motherly smile to otherwise somber lips, and even his started reaction to waking up made her feel a lot better. But as he walked over to sit down beside her, there was definitely a strange feeling in her chest. This had been the first time she had to let her child go to fight on his own. Sure, she was more than close enough to step in at any given point, but it didn't feel that way.

Every inch of physical space between them back then had made her feel more nervous.

"Well, there's going to be a time when you'll really understand this feeling. But as your Mom, it's not easy to have you fight and be exposed to danger." She smiled a little and leaned in to wrap an arm around his shoulders to pull him close. "This is how I like you to be. Close, warm and hugging your silly Mom." She chuckled and kissed his forehead again before looking up at the stars.

"Were you afraid back there? When I asked you to head into the city alone to help those people?"

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"No, not at first."

Aris frowned for a moment after returning the hug with his mother and just sitting with her. That was the nice part of the day, being with her like this. But now thinking about what had happened had him.. Off.

"When the lightning came, I was afraid again. .. But also when I attacked him. I didn't want to kill him. But it also felt like I had to. I know I didn't, but.. Did I do something wrong? Should I have struck him down, mom?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber | Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

After their little hug broke, Valery kept herself close to him and just looked down at her son. She could tell that he was off, so she wanted to be with him to offer whatever comfort he enjoyed while she listened to him at the same time. Whether that was just sitting side-by-side, or a full hug.

His comfort was the most important thing to her.

"In your position, a lot of Jedi would have struck him down," Valery began with a calm tone. "But a true Jedi always finds ways to preserve life if they can, so what you did was the right thing. It was the Jedi way," Valery said with a proud smile while she continued to look at him.

"As for the lightning, I will teach you how to defend yourself against it. Your future Master will also teach you those things, but...it's still okay to be scared sometimes. When it happens, it's important to me that you know that your Dad and I will always be there to protect you." Valery turned to look up at the stars again while she waited for his reply.

But there was more to this place she wished to share with him.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

".. Okay."

Aris nodded slowly. It made sense. It made a lot of sense. Jedi were supposed to preserve all life, even if someone was being evil, like that man before. He closed his eyes, thought about it for a moment longer before smiling warm. "I'd like that, a lot. I want to become the best Jedi ever."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber | Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

"I want you and your siblings to become the best Jedi," Valery said before she leaned in and lifted him over her leg, so she could have him sit between her legs and lean forward to wrap her arms around him. Together, they could watch the stars this way, and continue their conversation.

"My old Master once took me to these caves. It's where we camped the night I got scarred, and we came back bere a few times after that. Just to watch the stars and talk about what it means to us to be Jedi." She let out a soft sigh and tightened her embrace a little.

"It's not that long before you will have your own Master. Are you excited for it?" She asked with sincere curiosity, but she was clearly feeling something about it all too.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Nervous, mostly."

Aris leaned back comfortably, letting his eyes focus on the stars above. He'd have a master soon. He'd be traveling around the galaxy with them, away from family, to learn more on what it meant to be a Jedi. He already understood why Valery and Kahlil couldn't be his master, but it still made him nervous. "What if I don't like them? They don't like me? What if what they teach me isn't something I agree with? There's so much uncertainty with it that has me really nervous."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

New Cov

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber | Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble

Letting go was never easy, but right now, Valery could find a little comfort in not letting go. Her son was safely in her arms, sheltered from fear or people with bad intentions. It wouldn't last forever, but a Mother needed these moments every now and then. Especially once he'd started traveling with his own Master to become a Jedi and confront dangers like the one she had. Sure, she wasn't going to allow him to be thrown into the war at his age, but even as a Padawan, there could be unexpected trouble at every corner.

That thought made her nervous.

"Well, I'm sure they'll like you. You're amazing," she said with a sincere smile, knowing she was definitely biased here. "Your Master will only accept the pairing if they feel some chemistry, so I wouldn't worry too much about that. As for teaching you things you don't agree with... that's part of why your Dad and I won't be your Master."

"It's important to hear other perspectives, even if you might not agree with them. Similarly, your Master should give you the freedom to develop your own views as well. As long as they're still appropriate for the Jedi, of course." She leaned forward and kissed the top of his head.

"You'll also have Vera to lean on, hm? You two seem to get closer and closer now that you're also training at the Temple together. Not all brothers and sisters are like that with each other, you know?"

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Aris stayed quiet for a moment longer. He was mulling over what Valery had said, really thinking it through. A different perspective would probably be good. Yeah. Jedi were supposed to at least try to see from all points of view. The Galaxy had untold numbers of cultures and beliefs. Their way wouldn't be the only way. He sighed, nodded. Smiled that little smile he had. "Vera's the best. I know I'm not like her or the triplets, but she's always treated me as her brother. Everyone's really treated me like family, even when I was still trying to figure out what that meant. So.. Thank you, for being my mom. And helping me have family."

Valery Noble