The Basics of Life (Phylis)

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy grinned at the exchange between Phylis and the droid. "Awww, aren't you just a sweet little droid." It seemed to her that the droid liked her. Which was so something she could get used to.

Her eyes followed as the droid headed out of sight. When he returned Izzy couldn't help but focus on the small little cake. She'd not been able to do anything but stare at such treats through shop windows in so long. "Oh wow, thank you." The young lady said quickly, more than happy to accept the treat. "We could share it, if you want some. I don't mind." At least she wasn't keeping it all to herself, though the thought had crossed her mind.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“That is very generous of you,” Phylis said eagerly.
A little late Phylis realised it wasn’t very polite to take food from the mouth of her potential Padawan.
“But…you have it. I can get more, and I think you need it more than I!,” she added piously.
Six-Nine made a rude beep which she ignored pointedly.

“Right, so are you ready to begin with some, hmm, practice?” she asked with a smile.

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy smiled softly, "As long as you are sure." Settling down she munched the last of her cake, much happier, much fuller than she was before.

She gave a nod, "I am. At least I think so." Izzy had little idea of what practice would consist of. It was still preferable than the alternative of being placed up for adoption. "What did you have in mind?"

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“Hmm, well, first of all I want you to explain to me all the times where you had the, hmm, incidents. Where you used your mysterious power. I’m most interested in your age and what caused them to happen; such as were you scared, angry, excited and so on?”

“After that I will have a better idea of how to continue. Our first step will be to let you relax and meditate. The Force is not something to fear, and once you know how to control it allows you to do great things.”

 

[Izzy Aureth]

"All of them?" The girl swallowed hard. There were quite a few events and most of them had been extremely unpleasant, if not downright frightening for her. "There's just a lot of them." Izzy shrugged slightly and sighed. "Not really too sure when it all started, I guess I began to pay attention to the strange things when I was ... maybe seven."

"I think at first, it was always when I was excited or frightened." The young girl sighed again, "And I mean, it became really obvious in the past year.... Especially after I ended up alone. I'd get into trouble with other kids on the street, adults. Always was scared, angry, or hurt when things happened lately. Windows would break, things would fly. I never planned it, usually just frightened me more..." There was a bit of pain to her tone, that admission wasn't easy. The last thing she wanted to admit was how much the Force had frightened her so far. "It always seemed to happen when things were really bad. At least that is the way it's been since my parents ... disappeared."

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
Phylis nodded understandingly.
“For me it came later, for the most part. When my brother fell into a river I was able to use the Force to lift him out and save him without knowing. Desperation, panic, strong emotions, all of that reaches a part of you normally locked off.”

“It’s going to be painful, even frightening, but we need to make it happen again so that we can control it. Hmm, I will use much more gentle means of bringing it out of you though. I’ve never been the sort to start scaring my students. Hmmph, until I ask them to start writing essays anyway!”

“So, Izzy, I want you to clear your mind. Don’t think about anything…remain calm. I’m going to help you.”

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy nodded, "I can understand that, I suppose." At least it certainly made sense to her.

Though a bit of a worried expression crossed the girl's features. A part of her, well a lot of her wasn't eager to experience it again, not after the last few times. Her eyes dropped to the floor, and she fiddled with her hands for a moment. "I guess ... this does have to happen. It's not like I can hide from it forever." Though she had one last comment. "Also, essays I don't find scary! This Force thing on the other hand ... terrifying."

The young girl gave a small nod, "Clear my mind ... right, I can do that ... I hope." With a sigh, she settled down and at least gave an attempt to clear her mind, and not think about anything. Which not thinking about anything might have been a wee bit harder than Izzy wanted to admit to!

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]

“We all fear things we don’t understand and can’t control, dear. It’s better to take ownership of it, to understand it so you no longer need to fear it.”

When Izzy declared she was ready, hesitant though it was, Phylis laid a gentle hand on the girl’s head.

“Relax…focus on my words. Feel the Force…you will know it inside you.”

It was a gift of Phylis, and some other Jedi, that they could help mentally open their students so they could ‘see’ the Force like a tide of icy water inside them.

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy was more than glad to hear that others feared things they didn't understand. Made her feel better about how she had felt with the Force.

She tensed slightly feeling Phylis' hand touch her head. It had been a long while since anyone had really touched her at all. And at first it was all she could think about. Soon enough though, she felt herself get swept away as her mind opened, able to glimpse the Force for what it was within.

"I ..." She tried to speak, uncertain of what she was seeing. Uncertain of the Force, unsure how to feel about it all. "See something ..." She whispered quietly. "What is it?" Izzy finally asked.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“It is the Force you see, Izzy. Do not be afraid, reach for it with your mind, touch it. In time it will be as second nature as breathing or moving.”

It was time for Phylis to get philosophical. Never a good sign.
“Hmm, there was one planet I went to many years ago where the natives were Chthonic – that is underground dwellers – and they were all blind to visible light as we know it. I tried to explain to them about colour and shape and I found I could not. How can you explain to someone with no eyes what sight is like? Hmmph, they replied that they sensed the world around them with a form of sonar, and could ‘see’ the world that way. However, they could not explain, and I could not understand, what they meant.”

“Hmm, what I mean is, it is not possible to explain the Force to those who do not have it. But you will see soon that it is a sense just like taste, feeling, sight and all the others. It’s time to open your eyes, Izzy…it’s time to enter a new world.”

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy nodded, listening. Taking a slow breath in, reaching out only with her mind she finally touched the strange waters of the Force she had seen. It felt odd, unnatural to her. Still she didn't withdraw from it, allowing herself the time to adjust to what the Force felt like. Giving herself also the time to understand at least enough that she didn't have to fear that feeling.

Slowly the girl opened her eyes, at least seeming to better understand now. "I think ... I think I understand a little more. It feels strange, odd still, but I guess I'll adjust in time."

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“Hmm, yes, well I won’t rush you. What I want you to do each night is meditate and focus just as we did now. Don’t try to use it, but just become in tune enough to see it. We do that for a week, and you should be able to take the next step of reaching for it.”

“In the meantime, I’d like to continue your education. Now, I’m not necessarily the best teacher as I tend to assume people know what I do…so if I go too fast please tell me. However, let’s start with the Jedi. Hmm, a discussion about who we are, what we do and why we do it. What do you know already?”

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy nodded slowly. "I can do that." It would give her time to adjust, and become familiar with the Force before having to make that leap to actually attempting to use it in any form.

"Truthfully, I don't know much. I wasn't even sure they were real until I ran into you." She said with a shrug, "It was mostly just stories that different folks would tell. About battles on distant planets. Fights between good and evil, light and dark. To realize those stories, may not have been just stories is a little bit of a shock to me. I know the Jedi in them did good, helped the people that needed it most. Protected the weak and defenseless. Things like that."

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“Hmm, yes, very true. At heart, the Jedi are servants of the Light Side of the Force. We exist to use our gifts to help others. Being a Jedi is not easy, and it’s not the way to personal wealth and power. Being a Jedi is about helping.”

Phylis sighed. For a moment she looked older and tireder.
“Traditionally the Jedi has formed Orders and Councils to train and support each other. Being a Jedi relies on having those around us who can help and support us. At times though the tide turns against us. The Jedi Order is scattered at present, split into rival factions, and many of our greatest masters are not around to guide us anymore. We have had to forge our own paths, and I hope I am skilled enough to train you as well.”

Knowing that her words had not exactly been glowingly positive, she produced her lightsabre and handed it to the girl.
“I’m guessing you know what this is, hmm? Careful with it, a lightsabre will cut through anything it touches.” She paused, her innate honest getting the better of her. “Hmmph, or at least it should do, but there is always a suspiciously high amount of things resistant, but that’s by the by.”

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy listened carefully, taking in every word. "Well, I'm not exactly looking for wealth or anything of the sort. I'd much rather help out those I can. Rather have things be more complicated, more difficult. I know what it's like to be alone, unable to get the help needed."

"I see." She said quietly. Not sure what to think about the Jedi Order being split up into the factions it was. "I have faith in you, that you are skilled enough." A bit of a smile formed on her lips as she looked to Phylis. Izzy trusted her.

Reaching out, seeming oh so curious about the cylinder that Phylis was handing her. She took it, and gave it a careful once over, making sure not to touch any buttons. "Yes, a lightsaber. Never seen one in person before. Never held one." It seemed strange to her as she rolled it over in her hand, looking at every last detail. "It doesn't feel like much. But I recall from the stories, and like you said, that it cuts through almost anything."

She nodded, "Strange that... You wouldn't think there would be that many things resistant to it."

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“Hmmph, you’d think so, wouldn’t you?” Phylis commented dryly.

“Thank you for your faith in me…I will do my best to try and prove it justified.”
She took her lightsabre back, but then went to a storage cupboard and produced a similar looking cylinder.
“This is a training lightsabre. It weighs and acts just like a regular one, but the blade is low-powered so it will only sting on contact rather than cut. When the time comes you will make your own lightsabre, but first you will need to learn the Force and how to use a practice blade before you can use the real thing.”

“So, let’s take the next step, Izzy, I want you to go meditate. We’ll have dinner after that, and then I’ll take you on a little adventure!”
Adventures were fun!

 

[Izzy Aureth]

"Such an oddity." She replied, trying to wrap her mind around that.

A smile crossed her lips, "You're welcome. You gave me a change instead of sending me on my way to an orphanage, when no one else even noticed I existed at all. So, I think it's a safe bet to have faith in you." She said sweetly.

When Phylis returned, she took the training saber, and once more rolled it over in her hands, examining it. "Interesting ...." Her curiosity certainly rising. "I suppose I would. Do I get to keep this for now?" She had a keen interest in playing with it a little but for now held back.

"Okay," She said softly. The young lady, slowly got up from the floor. "An adventure. I like the sound of that." The kiddo said before she slipped off to a quiet place on the ship to meditate. A new concept surely, but she figured she'd more get the hang of this stuff as time went on. The little girl flopped down, curling her legs underneath her. Closing her eyes, she slowly worked to clear her mind to spend a little time learning how the force felt, and how it connected to her and the world around her.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“Hmm? Oh yes, keep it, dear girl. I trust you not to be silly with it,” Phylis said with a smile. “Now, away with you,” she said, shooing her Padawan off.

Dinner was supposed to come after meditation, but Phylis was not always the most focussed on time.
So when Izzy would eventually come looking for her, the Jedi Master was hard at work in the Alkahest Forge. She was talking to Nibbles. It was unclear if the rat was talking back.

“So…how about if I try a triangular crystalline lattice?” Phylis was saying. “Hmmph, well, of course that will have trouble with energy dissipation, but correct energy flows ensure…” she paused, looked around.

“Ah, hmm, Izzy. Oh, is it that time already? Hmm, well, I’m sorry. Let’s get you fed. Nibbles…don’t eat anything!” she ordered the rat.
The Jedispawn gave her an innocent look…but as soon as she turned her back he started nibbling on a crystal.

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy seemed glad to keep the saber. It was just too cool to her. Too interesting. Curiousity, might just get the best of her. And finally she was shooed off for meditation time.

Once her meditation was complete, Izzy didn't smell any food, and found herself wandering the hallways looking for Phylis. Coming into the Forge, she heard the Jedi's voice. She couldn't help but smile, when she saw just who Phylis was speaking to. Eccentric certainly was the woman's style.

"It's alright. You got busy." Izzy said understandingly. Then they were off, and Izzy glanced back to see the rat nibbling at the crystal and couldn't help but grin. "I don't mind the delay. It's fine."

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“Hmm, yes, well, I’m not so used to working with a Padawan. You’ll have to remind me if I have forgotten something. At least you can look after yourself.”

When they got to the galley Phylis started preparing food in a haphazard manner. At one point she had to extract Greenie from a cupboard where he’d made a nest amidst the food packets.

Finally though she got enough ready so they could sit down and eat. Six-Nine again showed his favouritism for Izzy by sneaking her some special treats otherwise hidden from Phylis!

“Even my droid is conspiring against me!” the Jedi Master complained, gnawing on some bread.