Sympathy for the Devil

[Micah tol Powl]

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJbWdA-BZvA​

The Planet Kashyyyk​

Silver Rest​

Adults were sadists.

Now, kids usually weren't ones to throw shade, but come on. Spankings? Please. Chores? You know, that whole unpaid, forced child labor by the very same denizens of the free worlds who claimed to oppose slavery...

And then there were school physicals.

Seriously, it was school. It wasn't like he was training for the Knights of Ren. Or the Primeval Bleeding Sun. Or the role of Darth Scorpius' slipper fetcher. Because those whole Sith slave thing had been no joke. The Dark Lord had killed two or three street urchins before Boo had come along, however unwillingly.

But still, it wasn't like school with the Silver Jedi really required a medical exam. Yet, here he was.

Granted, it had been awhile since his last physical. That had been conducted by a Jedi Healer named Teynara Jeralyr, back when the Silver Jedi had pulled the young Pantoran away from the cult of the Primeval. Her notes in his medical file narrated a horrific depiction. Marbled scaring of the soft tissue from repeated Force Lightning strikes. Fine fractures and indications of the bones having mended after being broken through the application of Force Crush.

Those were all mostly invisible. Concealed by the azure, powder blue flesh that dressed over the soft tissue and muscle. The physical scars were, for the most part, on the soles of his feet. The evidence of years spent barefoot and malnourished, crawling over broken bottles and through dumpsters looking for something that might have passed for food.

Then there was the puncture wound on his left hand. That did not appear in the notes left by Doctor Jeralyr, having occurred some time later. When the Silver Jedi had come to the distant, former Sith world of Tash-Taral. [member="Rasu Gan"] had been attacked by a tarentatek and Boo, ever the fool, had jumped to the Jedi Master's defense.

They had slain the tarentatek. Rasu Gan was safe. And all it had cost anyone was the spine that had impaled through Boo's hand.

It was a wound that had never fully healed. All the physical ailments had been tended to, but the spine had introduced a Dark Side poison to the blood. The work of Sith alchemy, severing the child from the Light Side of the Force even as it had twisted his cellular anatomy into the condition known as Sithspawn.

The wound was more metaphysical than it was tangible. It would seem to scab over and return a semblance of normalcy for a respite, however brief, only to break open again whenever there was a disturbance in the Force.

It tended to hurt whenever the Light Side of the Force was particularly strong, perhaps owing to its origins in a creature who hunted Jedi and guarded the tombs of the Sith.

Since he lived among the Silver Jedi, the Heavenshields in particular, his hand hurt all the time. The pain having become familiar.

It was all part of what had become his normal routine. Wrap the bandage around the hand. Feel the black, congealed blood oozing between the palm and the wrapping.

The youngling sat on the edge of the medical bed, his legs kicking idly. Unlike other Jedi younglings, the simplified tunic that we wore was all white rather than the usual earth-tones. Violet hair was a bit of mess, as the blue-skinned tween waited for the healer to come in.

[member="Kaharak Hyn"] | [member="Théodred Heavenshield"]​

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

The complexities of his son’s situation were many to say the least, the physical side was only part of it all, but if any sort of relief could be found for Boo than anything was worth a try. His hand had become more and more an issue over the time that he had come back into Théo’s life, and the fact that he was indirectly contributing to this ongoing problem was not something Théo could tolerate any longer. A solution had to be found, and there was no better place in the galaxy to start to look for it, than with the Silver Jedi healers.

He stood by the other side of the bed Boo’s back to him, his son had done a great job in concealing this pain and reoccurring wound from him for some time. And of course Théo wonder what else he may be hiding from his father not wanting to burden him with it, or out of some past conditioning that would not allow Boo to draw attention to himself out of fear of reprisal from masters that were cruel and unforgiving. Théo was not any of this of course, he is a loving father but this ‘conditioning’ is new to Boo and little by little their relationship moves toward that direction.

Boo was probably more relaxed by all this than Théo was, sitting on the edge of the bed more out of frustration that he has to be here, not wanting it and much preferring to be out among the jungle with friends mucking about. Lord knows he had done the same at this age much to the horror of teachers and parents alike, and deep down Théo would have much preferred Boo to be able to do so as well, without this hidden ‘ghost’ of a thing constantly hanging over his head. Not just the wound of the hand but the perpetual connection to the darkside without ever having the choice of it.

It might take a life time to achieve, but Théo would love nothing more to be able to give back to Boo his right to make a choice .. if he wanted it. “I am sure the healer will arrive soon”, he said softly and probably more to plicate himself. He walked around the bed and stood in front of his son, Théo wanted to give him a hug, to reassure him that he loved him and cared very much for his son but he was concerned that his physical touch would only cause more pain. The idea of not being able to do so, to show love and affection to Boo was also intolerable.

“How about we go for ice cream after this?”. Ice cream, the universal saving grace.

[member="Boo Heavenshield"] | [member="Kaharak Hyn"]​

 

[Kaharak Hyn]

Kaharak knew that he often garnered the odd passing glace whenever he chose to break his solitary moments and venture out among the other members of the Order. As much as it stirred at his mind to reject the instincts that were natural to his race, the Togruta found that he could not bring himself to socialise with others under the embrace of the Order. Rather than sitting among them, learning of his new allies and finding a new home for himself, Kaharak instead kept himself confined to his quarters when not spending hours in meditation wherever the influence of nature could be felt.

The fact of the matter was that he missed his home, the tribe he had be reared in and for which he had cared for in recent years. Backwater thought they may have been compared to the rest of the galaxy, he had lived a good life, one surrounded by loved ones, before he had learnt of the strife within the galaxy and chose to leave everything he had behind in the vain hope of rendering his aid to someone. A consequence of this, though, was that when he finally did venture out into the crowds, none were used to his habits.

Having chosen to forgo the more tradition robes of a Jedi, Kaharak had clung to his past by still donning the outfit he had worn with the tribe. A length of material made out of patched together, thin animal hides hung from his form, leaving a good half of his torso exposed as it wrapped around him and hung down to his legs. Beneath the wrap were a pair of leather trousers that lead down to simple sandals on his feet. A number of necklaces hung from his neck, many of them decorated with beads as well as the teeth and feathers of animals. Against the crowds that he passed as he made his way towards where his patient for the day way, his hands clasped in front of him holding a datapad and an expression that could only be described as serene on his features, Kaharak stood out strongly.

Coming up on the room he had been directed towards, the Togruta paused in place for a moment, feeling the two emotions being emitted by the presences on the other side of the door. Ever since he was but a child, Kaharak had been capable of reading the emotions of others and time and practice in the decades since had simply made him all the more adept - to the point that he only needed to pause a moment to gain nearly a fully measure of the emotions stirring within the room. Smiling to himself in particular at the care and concern that practically radiated from the elder of the two presences, Kaharak wrapped his knuckles against the door before it slide open to grant him access.

Halting just over the threshold as the door behind him slid shut, red and yellow eyes slowly surveyed the boy and man that greeted his gaze as Kaharak bowed slightly from the waist, his front two lekku falling forwards to hang freely before falling back against his chest as he straightened up. "I apologise for the wait. I meant to be here sooner but I'm afraid I must have slipped off into sleep while meditating by accident. I would ask, naturally, that we keep this between us." A self deprecating chuckle fell from smiling lips as Kaharak moved further into the room, offering a hand to shake first to the youngest of the pair - his patient - and then to the eldest. "Kaharak Hyn. Please do feel free to refer to me by name if you wish, I see no need to stand on formality. How do you both fair today?"

His gaze drifting back to the child, Kaharak looked beyond his physical site to stare into the Force, identifying the ways in which the corruption of the Dark congregated around the bandaged hand and twisted its way through the Boo's body. Although he had never seen a case specifically like the one before him, he had seen something on a much less extreme scale back with the tribe. From the notes that he had read on Boo, Kaharak was pretty sure that he had finally learned what had happened to Herlt to inflict him so, though he did theorise that whatever Dark-fueled poison or fluid had contaminated his old friend it had been administered in a much smaller dose.

[member="Théodred Heavenshield"] | [member="Boo Heavenshield"]​

 

[Micah tol Powl]

Doctors were all on their time.

He was kinda used to it. His adoptive mom had been a doctor. Boo was pretty sure that doctors didn't really have things like schedules. People got sick all the time. It was kind of a thankless job in that sense. Even when doctors did everything they could to help someone, people were still just gonna die anyway. So, really, it seemed like a whole lot of effort for not a whole lot of anything.

Slouching back, the young Pantoran put his back against Théo's, so that the youngling was resting with his head against the man's shoulder blade.

He liked when he could reach out and touch Théo. To reassure himself that Ser Scruffy was still there. That this wasn't a dream. That Théo had disappeared or left him.

Sometimes parents and kids didn't come home again. One morning, on Dosuum, Boo and [member="Irajah Ven"] had left for the day. Boo to his school and the Irajah to her hospital. Neither saw each other again.

So it was tempting to believe that this was all a dream. A dream he would wake up from, only to find himself slowly dying in some loub-paper box that he was living out of in Coruscant's Undercity.

Or maybe he'd wake-up in the menagerie of Darth Scorpius' sanctum, the elaborate hallucination brought about by a bad trip on amphistaff venom.

A phantom pain shot through his palm. He looked down at his hand, as though expecting to see the terentatek spine sticking through it again. But there was nothing there but the red-violet, angry scar.

A presence. Strong in the Light Side of the Force. "Healers here," Boo uttered softly, just before the door opened to admit a Togruta Jedi.

The man gave his name, but the Pantoran just assumed that, at this point, the Togruta was probably just talking to Théo. So, rather than engaging in pleasantries, the youngling did what every parent dread their kid doing.

He immediately addressed the Rancor in the room.

"Why are your eyes red and yellow?"

One was right and one was wrong. And if anyone had any doubts as to which was the right color, they need look no further than the Pantoran's bright, yellow eyes.

[member="Kaharak Hyn"] | [member="Théodred Heavenshield"]​

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

The approaching presence of another had been felt by him as well, there are not many on Kashyyyk that Théo knows well enough to tell who they are but assumed it to be the healer. A slight smirk crossed Théo face as his calming attitude helped easy his own troubled mind, as he walked through the door and introduced himself with a jedi joke, "Your secret is safe with us", he said shifting from the edge of the bed, bending at the waist to return the greeting and give respect to a fellow Jedi. The man was an impressive sight to say the least, by his physical structure one would not be amiss in thinking him a mighty warrior, and there was a look about the man that spoke of more underneath that calm exterior but now was not the time to discover such things.

The room in which they all stood was the usual type of room for a healing center, white and clean, sterile. Austere in appearance with little of any personable nature about the place, it was like the life in the place was sucked out of it which is one of those ironic juxtaposition in a place were lives are saved. They always did make Théo feel uncomfortable, the only times in which he had need of medical services was on Midvinter either from his father or an elder of a village who would attend to him through more old fashion remedies. But today was important for his son, not just a usual physical check up.

He was about to speak further when Boo introduced himself with a question that made Théo force back a wide smile. Out of the mouths of babes as they say and the words just hung in the air, but he would allow the healer to speak first .. no doubt he has been asked that question before today. And besides, Théo is not one for admonishing a child seeking to find out such curiosities to their mind.

"Thank you Kaharak, and please call me Théo .. this is Boo Heavenshield, my son", he completed the pleasantries while slightly stepping back for the healer to begin his work. He would leave it to Boo to tell of his injury.

​

[member="Boo Heavenshield"] | [member="Kaharak Hyn"]​

 

[Kaharak Hyn]

The question posed so bluntly by the child was one that Kaharak had heard in variation of tones and forms for years, dating back to the time in which he himself was a child. The question had been asked all the more upon a return to his tribe a decade and a half prior after nearly a full year of being missing with his right iris a blazing yellow rather than the soft brown it had been and a new found purpose to devote himself to the path of a healer. In the past he had snapped back at those that asked the question, youtful anger bubbling beneath the surface of his mind to try and hide the fact that he was hurt at the fact that his peers so gleefully asked why he was different. Now, though, he only greeted the questions with a gentle chuckle and a smile.

"Well, if you want the boring explanation," he smirked softly at Boo, "then what I have is called Heterochromia Iridis. Essentially, one eye is lacking the pigmentation of the other, resulting in a different iris colour. The more action-packed story is not for polite company, I'm afraid, as it tells a tale of young fools delving where they ought not. But, then, I guess you would understand when I say that my yellow eye was once brown and that some marks of corruption don't really fade."

Turning to face Théo as he spoke, Kaharak offered a quick tilt of his head in recognition of his words. "In that case, it is a pleasure to meet you Théo. And do feel free to take a seat, by the way. Anywhere you like." As he spoke, Kaharak was lowering himself into a seat, bringing him to roughly equal eye level with youngest in the room. "And a pleasure to me you as well, Boo. Now, I'm sure the both of you have better things to be doing than talking to me and would probably prefer this done with quickly, no?" The smile quirked at Boo showed that Kaharak's comment was directed more towards him than Théo, the Togruta's attention shifting almost completely onto the child and addressing him as an equal more than a child to be talked down to.

Tapping the Datapad in his hands, Kaharak continued to address Boo. "Now, as you can probably guess, I have naturally read your file in preparation of this meeting, but, if it is okay with you of course, would you be willing to explain to me in your own words what happened and the symptoms you face? I don't mean to be pedantic or waste time, it's just, well, I'm sure you understand that sometimes adults just don't understand. I personally, from experience, find that sometimes adults will miss out details that are important to kids and, in doing so, complicate things where there needn't be complications. Would this be fine with you, Boo?"

[member="Théodred Heavenshield"] | [member="Boo Heavenshield"]​

 

[Micah tol Powl]

Did adults practice being boring?

As Théo got up from the side of the bed, the Pantoran fell back atop the exam table as his Scruffy-pillow just up and absented itself. The Togruta was explaining the eye thing, but Boo's attention span was beginning to time out even before the man had started into the other part of the story.

The youngling was giving Ser Scuffy the side eye as he sat back up. Ice cream, huh? Just what kind of ice cream were they talking abou...

The blue-skinned youth's attention shifted again, as the Togruta male dropped into a seat and saddled up so that he was face-to-face with the violet haired youngling.

There were a lot of words that happened next. Some of which Boo had been able to follow. Some he was a little confused about. And at least one, Boo had no idea about.

The healer didn't want to complicate the complications? Or the complications were complicated? Or were they complicating complications by complex...

...the Pantoran just shook his head to try and get that line of thought from out of his head. "Uh..." the child began. He had no idea. But he wasn't going to admit that he had no idea. "Sure," the boy offered finally.

Pushing himself up slightly, so that he was balanced with all his weight on the palms of his hands, the child pulled his legs up and back, so that the knees were propped atop the exam table. Then he shifted his weight back, rising up until he was standing on his knees atop the exam table. This allowed him to lean over and whisper directly into Théo's ear. Because Théo was way, way too tall.

"What does pedantic mean?" the child asked, completely, totally on the down-low.

Real subtle like.

[member="Kaharak Hyn"] | [member="Théodred Heavenshield"]​

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

By all accounts, the accounts that had happened and beginning to happen within the short space of time that had passed between them all in this small room, the healer was a man of patience, or rather if he did not have patience before this, he was going to need them now. It was going to be a long session that much was apparent. As Boo crawled up onto his legs and near Théo's ear, he leaned in to listen to his son's question, and there was little doubt the healer had over heard it as well.

"Concerned with details, err .. wanting to be precise with facts and stuff. Basically, he wants to hear from you what you feel about your hand and what it is you are suffering .. in your words not mine". And the healer was right to ask this of Boo, because Théo wound never have the understanding of the injury or what was the pain in his boy. All he knew was that something had to be done. "Just tell him what you know and everything. Don't worry about me, you tell him what happens when you are close to me or anyone with the light".

Théo took Boo's legs out from under him, as his arms wrapped around his son, and sat him on the bed once more. This time Théo did the same and sat alongside him for support as well as being close for any further questions he might have. It was odd sitting here with Boo like this, Théo felt like he was ten years old again and sitting beside the child that had been his friend so many years ago. It was like time had turned back, and he felt just as perturbed by the surroundings and the idea of a medical just like Boo was now.

He could not help but lean against Boo, his arm reaching out to hold his son by the waist ... by the Gods of Midvinter let not the healer ask for their history, or night would fall well before this session would end.

​

[member="Kaharak Hyn"] | [member="Boo Heavenshield"]​