The Living Force [Coci]

[Lief]

She had been hot and bothered when the summons came, having spent hours exploring outside, climbing trees, and making friends. The canister was once again empty so she made a quick detour to the place Xander had shown her before skipping toward the classroom she had been asked to meet [member='Coci Heavenshield'] outside of.

Being that she had never been given any robes, Mysa currently wore a simple shirt, some shorts and of course had the big thick cloak Thrand had given her under one arm. It was far too warm to actually wear it! Likewise Éar kept her company.

While she waited the child slumped back against the wall and slid into a seated position on the ground. Whispering to her little Vhaanir the girl began to giggle, only it carried throughout the hallway and had her stare around fearfully at the echo. She hadn't meant to seem so noisy!

What would Coci be teaching her? The woman had already taught her how to write her name, the natural progression from there was... Well, Mysa did not know. But she was excited to find out.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]​

​

Back on Voss and within the Temple, back to duty. Like her family, she missed their time together on Midvinter, that holiday had ended too soon for her liking but Jedi work is never ending. Not only that, but in her charge, and her family is Mysa. A special little girl that is in need of care, not just as a family member in which she will experience the love and caring of those close to her, but a child of the force. So raw and untrained. It became apparent to Coci that the entire family is in danger, after the war, the once sleeping faction now at the forefront of the enemy and well in it's sights. As daughter to the Grand Master and herself, the family will become targeted and so Coci will prepare the child as best she can, protect them as any mother would.

She could sense Mysa before her black eyes set upon her. Her giggle making Coci smile as she turned into the corridor and found Mysa sitting on the floor. As is a custom of Mysa's, éar and her Fur of Vinter accompanied her. Yes back to duty, and it would be the first time Mysa would see her in Jedi robes decked out in her robes of station.

"Hello Mysa, I think éar might prefer to be outside?", she said on approach. "Shall we go for a walk?". Coci held out her hand for Mysa to take if she wished.

 

[Lief]

She continued to whisper and giggle, allowing the mini Vhaanir to prance about the fur at her side. Yet she heard the approach of another and immediately lifted her gaze - watching as Coci rounded the corner. What she was wearing was odd, not at all what Mysa was expecting, but she didn't care.

"Coci!"

Mysa sprung up from the ground, still clutching Éar, and ran over to the woman, before proceeding to hug her leg. "I'm sorry that I ran off earlier, I was just excited to explore." Doubling back she picked up the cloak and provided an eager nod to the woman's suggestion of heading outside. Éar most certainly did enjoy being outside, just like she did! What a coincidence.

Taking Coci's hand the little girl walked alongside her into the courtyard. "Did you know there's a big old tree in the gardens, and I climbed it!" There were naturally more than a few grazes upon her knees and legs from the adventure, but Mysa barely noticed them.

[member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]​

​

"Exploring is a great thing to do, just be careful", she said as Mysa gathered her things. Entering the courtyard, Mysa spoke of her days adventure so far, finding the old tree no doubt Master Whitelight would have attended too. "We are lucky to have such wonderful trees here on Voss, so different to Tabaqui and Midvinter but still beautiful. When the Temple was constructed and the gardens established, Master [member="Maya Whitelight"] had cared for them making them flourish. There is grove of trees here, that she had planted in honour of our former grand master, Master Iella E'ron. It is a peach grove and they are in bloom ... shall we go and see them?".

Turning from the courtyard and through a small gate, Coci lead Mysa toward the grove. It had been a place of meditation for Master E'ron, many hours she had spent there, reflecting on the issues of the day. Now the peach trees are fully grown and under Maya's care they give fruit in abundance each season. Coci had not at this point noticed Mysa's many grazes from her adventuring, but will and will mend her.

Now standing on the edge of the grove, the scent of the buds filled the air, the sounds of buzzing insects filled the ears and the living force filled their bodies. "It is time for me to tell you about what I do here, what Furry does as well and how we do it". She stopped and looked down into Mysa's face, she is referring to the Force.

 

[Lief]

The little girl frowned as realization hit her. Trees were living too, they had the Force flowing through them, and that made them very, very special. Just like everything and everyone in the Galaxy. Did that mean that she shouldn't have been climbing it? "Coci, do trees feel things too? Do they know when a leaf falls, or a branch, or if someone is trying to climb it?" Oh she really didn't want to be hurting anything!

"I'd like to see them, but... What are peaches?" She scratched the side of her head for a moment, before chewing on her lip. "Is it a type of flower? There were some beautiful blooms in the garden too!" Keeping her hand within that of her Guardians, Mysa followed alongside the woman and Éar alongside the child. It was a representation of everything she cared about! Her home, her family, her adoptive heritage.

When the orchid came into view the small child gasped. She could feel the Force pulsating through the grove, the small lifeforms busy at work as they buzzed through the garden and pollinated everything, upholding the cycle of life. It was a mesmerizing process, and one the child could not fully comprehend, but she could feel it all the same. "This place has a heartbeat" she murmured, before Coci's words stole her attention away.

Peering up at the woman curiously, Mysa's brows furrowed. "What do you mean 'what you do'? -- I already know! You're Jedi." The child beamed a smile up at Coci. "You help and save people! Like Doctors, and Protectors." What was the word Xander had used? ... "Guardians" she added, as an afterthought.

As small as she might have been, Mysa saw and heard things in her every day life. And while her Creator had never explained anything concerning Jedi or Sith she had given the girl a slight introduction to the Force. Add that to what she had heard through the Temple already and she could sort of add two and two together... Sort of.

[member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Coci stopped on the edge of the orchard, the gentle gasp that came from Mysa only equalled her own amazement at the blooming fruit trees. A soft breeze would swirl around them and loosen some of the soft pink petals which would float upon the air. Before she answered or addressed anything Mysa had said, "I feel it too, the heart beat", she said almost matching Mysa's child-like wonder.

"I believe that plants and trees do have some sort of senses, but not like you and I. There are many things in the galaxy that remain a mystery, but that does not mean they have no importance within our galaxy. Some people would like things like plants and trees to be nothing more than something to be used for practical purposes, but everything has a place and everything has a life and everything is connected"

She began to walk with Mysa once more, leading her down the avenue of trees. "Peaches are a fruit that grows on these trees, the blossoms you see on them is the start of that cycle of life. So yes, I think the trees know when their leaves fall, or a twig breaks, they are indicators to them, indicators of the next cycle in their lives. The petals will fall and the peach will grow in it's place. When the fruit is on the trees and ready to be harvested, come back here and taste one".

"I can't say for sure if trees feel pain but I do think they would not mind a little girl climbing upon them, after all they might love company as well?".

Coci stopped them once more, right in the center of the avenue and sat down on the manicured grass between the line of trees. "You have been making friends here in the Temple? You are right, Furry and I are Jedi and we employ the force to do our duty as Jedi, as you say to serve and protect those that are innocent, weak or in danger. We serves to fight for the freedoms of others, especially those that can not fight for themselves. Would you like to learn how to use the force? You can you know, and you are strong".

It was now Coci saw the small cuts and bruises on Mysa's legs. "Oh you have been climbing? come let me heal you".

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

Mysa could not help but smile when her guardian expressed a similar disposition upon entering the beautiful grove. Sometimes it was nice to have your quirks acknowledged, after all, and while Mysa wasn't entirely shy she did have a few nervous tendencies which had her often very quiet and unwilling to express what was on her mind. Perhaps that was a byproduct of growing up in total isolation, it was easier to keep things to yourself.

Scratching at her chin as Coci explained trees and senses and the like, Mysa began to nod her head. Perhaps she was right and the trees did not mind, they must get lonely anyway. It must be nice to be acknowledged, after all Mysa would often spend hours sat upon trees talking to herself and Éar, maybe she would try talking to the trees instead?

Settling down alongside Coci when the woman sat down, Mysa dropped the fur cloak to the side and settled Éar upon it to give the woman her full attention. Mulling over every word that was said, and every confirmation of what she had thought or heard to be true, Mysa began to nod her head. "I would like to, I want to help people." And it was true, she did. When her cuts and bruises were brought up the child frowned a little. "It doesn't hurt" she said, with a shrug, however it would be interesting to see what the woman would do to remedy it!

[member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

"It is good you are not hurt, but still I will look at those scratches, just in case of infections", she said moving Mysa's legs a little to have them straight. Some of the bruises looked like they are old, from previous adventures maybe, other more fresh and dark, the cuts had closed over and already healing itself, which Coci would simply allow nature to run it course there.

But one of them still red, she decided to form a demonstration on. "There are many ways a Jedi can help people. You could become a guardian or sentinel, they both serve to protect the Jedi as well as others or you could heal people". Coci's healing ability is good, but not at the level of Master Whitelight. Her hand held only inches above Mysa's leg remained there over the cut, until Mysa would feel a warm sensation on her skin. The force used to remove any impediments that might cause infection before the skin knitted and closed over as if there had been no scratch at all. Even the redness had vanished.

Coci's hand moved over the fresh bruises to find any severed vessels still bleeding, but most had stopped and did not need attention. "Like all things in the force, skills and talents, they need training and practice", she said as she finished.

She dropped her hands to her lap, "Do you remember back on Tabaqui when those flower buds settled in your hair? would you like to learn how to do that?".

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

[Sorry for the late reply ]

"Okay Coci!" she said, before watching intently to try and see exactly what she had planned. Stretching out her leg when Coci tried to move it, and without much warning her skin began to tingle and feel warm. The young girl's eyes widened and a gasp escaped her as she saw the swelling seem to lessen and the broken skin knit back together before her very eyes.

"How did you do that?" she asked, blinking in amazement. She had never seen anything quite so magical before. Imagine all the people she could help and save if she knew how to do this! "I don't want to have to fight people" Mysa said, in a rather firm tone, "I want to help them. I want to make sure they are okay and cared for, the way that you and Thurion took me in and cared for me."

Then she was reminded of her first exploration of Tabaqui and she smiled. "Yes, please, Coci, I was wondering how you did that!" She had enjoyed the floating buds which settled within her snow white hair, she had kept one of them - it was even here with her, though it had been packed with her things. Mysa had yet to unpack her things into her dormitory.

[member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

She only smiled as Mysa marveled with the magic of healing through the force. Her black eyes only flicking up into her face when she was done and sat back on her own legs. "Healing is an art, like most talents through the force. I believe the use of the force to be a 'talent', it is something of a gift given to us .. to you. A natural ability that like most talents, needs to be practiced and forever strengthened for us to use for ourselves and more importantly for the benefit of others".

"Those that take the path of a healer are more extraordinary than most Jedi .. I believe. They are more selfless and the good ones", a point a little debatable to Coci at times, "Are those that see no barriers. They heal everyone regardless of whether they are friend or enemy. Master [member="Maya Whitelight"] is one such Jedi and most talented in this field of art".

"But did you know that Furry is a very very good healer? better than I am", which is very true indeed. "A long time ago he had to self heal, he had sustained a very serious injury and over a period of several days, he healed himself. I had to mend a broke leg of his once, the first time I did something like that, and with a couple of goes I got it", she smiled, "He is quite clumsy did you know? but more importantly, I tell you this because even masters are not good at everything, and even with the skills they have, they are always improving and learning to be better Jedi".

At this moment, a soft breeze danced around them, tickling at their skin and hair and kicking up the fallen soft blossoms from the ground. "Look", she pointed to the petals. "See how the breeze lifts them up and in the air .. watch". Coci raised her hand, and with little effort through the force the petals swirled in a circle and came toward them.

"Using the force, we can lift things, as small as these petals, and in time, to much much larger objects", Coci summon the petals to rest in Mysa's lap. "You have some ability in pushing and pulling with the force, most force users do and you have an ability to use telekinesis .. I want you to try and lift them up and into the air above us". Without further instruction, Coci wanted to see what level of understanding and skill Mysa already had.

 

[Lief]

Mysa chewed her lip in thought as Coci explained the way a Healer was viewed. "I don't think anybody is more extraordinary than anybody" she said, frowning a little, "I mean there are some people who do remarkable things without the Force, like Doctors..." Rubbing at her neck in thought the little girl glanced up at the trees and sighed. "And don't all Jedi act in the best interest of everyone? They're protectors, defenders, that doesn't benefit them as an individual, in fact they can be hurt by it. But they do it selflessly."

Then she mentioned Thurion, which made her eyes widen. "But I thought Furry was a Guardian? I didn't know he healed!" It seemed there was always something new to learn and be amazed with! "I like the idea that you both learned what you needed, it feels more practical" she said, looking back down to Coci. "Better than learning something you'll never use, anyway."

As the breeze met them Mysa glanced at the blossoms which were carried upon it and then smiled as she saw Coci redirecting the momentum so that they circled around and landed within her lap. Reaching down she took one up into her hand and inspected it, eyes wide. She was still adjusting to seeing the true beauty of nature. Then Coci instructed her to lift them.

Now Mysa had some moderate training with tutaminis, not in the sense of energy absorption but instead the act of transferring energy about her person, more specifically feeling the Force move through her person and directing it. But how did she touch the Force that was not within her? That which was around her? She had felt it before, she knew when it was being used and she could feel it coursing through everything around them, but she had no idea how to tap into it.

Frowning she focused. Her eyes closed as she did this, and her hand twitched at her side as she flowed the Force through her body the way she had been taught by her Creator. Then she imagined herself reaching out, not with her hand but with the Force that lay within her, and with some added focus and determination one of the petals within her lap lifted but an inch, flailed in the air and then dropped back into her lap.

But even that strained her, and she opened her eyes and sighed a little. "How do you do it without so much thought?" she asked, squinting her eyes down at the petals to try and do it again.

[member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

"Oh, I agree with you', she smiled. A child's wisdom can be more profound than that of any adult. "And it is those people that work for the great good without the ability of the force that are extraordinary and they are the ones we as Jedi need to assist and protect. We also protect those that are not capable of protecting themselves. Not all of them want it but regardless we are there for them. A Jedi will always act without self interest as a primary ambition but a Jedi has to have ambition to be powerful in order to achieve the Jedi mandate, to serve others. To grow strong but without the desire to be better than most or all powerful at the expensive of lives. It is a fine balance and sometimes Jedi will fall to their desires and walk a different path".

"Self vigilance is just as important as vigilance against the darkness". She added after a pause.

Coci sat back a little, "Thurion is a guardian, that is his primary role as Jedi and grand master, but he can heal and is very good at it. I am too, but not as skilled as he. Since our lives have become blessed with children in it, I began to learn how to heal, before that I did not know. You see, a Jedi .. even a master has much to learn and in a way we never complete the journey of learning as the force has a will of it's own and unlimited. Your journey as Jedi to seek knowledge and better ourselves never ends".

However Coci went quiet as Mysa began to try to lift the petals. And with each passing moment, Coci smiled sensing her achieving the ability even if only for a short time. One petal raised in the air, only an inch or so, but that was enough to have Mysa know she can do it and begin to believe. As the petal fell to her lap, "Very well done", she said softly. "Take a moment to clear your mind, remove as much thought from it as you can. It takes time and practice to do this without thought as you say, but in fact you cannot do it without thought, but you fill your mind with it and it only".

"Believe you can do, 'see' it lifting and focus on that alone, and when you have 'mastered' that, it will become more easy to summon the ability to you, without much thought". She hoped that made sense to Mysa, and not confused her more. "When we are not training, I want you to use this ability to bring objects to yourself, like your hair brush or cup of blue milk, even try pour the blue milk into the glass. Don't worry about any accidents. Most Jedi would frown about this", she mocked frowned. "But it is a good way to learn and grow better at it".

 

[Lief]

"So they have to aspire to be strong, but not for personal benefit? That makes sense, though I can see how some Jedi might get that confused with needing to be strong for themselves instead of the Galaxy and those who inhabit it..." Mysa bit her lip, pondering on the implications of such. She didn't want to be anything great, she was happy being little Mysa Snowstrider; she did want to help, but she didn't want to change the Galaxy. "What's your Path, Master?"

As Coci explained the ways to better perfect the art of Telekinesis, Mysa tilted her head to one side and listened with sincere fascination. So her mind didn't have to be entirely empty, instead focused? She could do that!

With a nod at her instructions to practise more outside of their lessons, the young girl looked back down at the petals in her lap and her eyes squinted ever so slightly. Please move... Inside her head, Mysa's mind was pleading with the petal, before she instead closed her eyes and breathed in through her nose. Maybe it was best if she meditated a little, cleared her mind, and allowed herself to ease into it. Too much focus might be even worse than no thoughts. She didn't want to overthink the process, but Mysa hadn't ever really used the Force before now.

[member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

She would not interrupt Mysa's concentration with an answer to the question of her path not yet. Coci closed her eyes and focused on her Padawan, sensing her attempt and emotions as she tried again. "The force lives in you Mysa", she spoke to her in but a whisper but she would hear. "Allow it to come to you, ask it to".

"In your mind, see the petal rise up before us, imagine your hand cupping it.. it is you that makes it lift, it will not answer to your pleading". Coci opened her eyes and watched to see if she would do it. It would matter little if she did not succeed, it is the trying that counts, the practice and the willing to believe.

"You use the force every single day, since you were born ... you may not have recognised it, or even felt it, but you it is there". Coci looked down at the petal and waited, it was up to Mysa now.

​

​

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]​

 

[Lief]

Imagine what you want to achieve. It sounded so simple, especially when you brokered that scenario with a child with an overactive imagination. Yet Mysa could not help but overthink it. The petal quivered and shook in her lap, but that could just as easily have been due to the wind. Breathing in slowly, she kept her eyes closed - eye lids fluttering - and tried to picture herself lifting the petal.

Well, that she could do... But in conjunction with the Force?

Biting her lip, and clenching her hands not in frustration but concentration, Mysa sat there for what felt like years. In truth minutes passed, and Mysa inadvertently worked up a sweat.

But finally she compartmentalized it in her mind. She willed the Force to move the petal, pictured herself lifting it up into the air between herself and her Master, and slowly began to exhale.

One eye opened in curiosity. The petal, while only several inches from her lap, was most definitely floating. Not wanting to disturb her achievement, the young girl was afraid to talk or move even an inch. Instead she simply stared.

Was she really doing that?

[member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

A smile crossed her face as she noticed Mysa's one eye open. It was soon followed by a giggle, "Yes you are really doing this", she spoke as softly as possible. "Now lift it up more, imagine your hand raising it up in your mind".

"Remember, the force lives in everything, it speaks to us through eons of time and rivers, and trees, stones and birds and all living things. Even if those that can not sense the force, it is still living in them, speaking to them, informing them and they use it, they just don't know they do". Coci's face took on a look of pride for the young girl, she is clever and will grasp this skill quickly, she just needs to believe.

"You are strong with the force, trust in that and allow the force to enter you. Don't try and rationalise it, not even I can do that".

​

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]​

 

[Lief]

Her attention did not waver. She did not allow her control or the petal to drop, and so with Coci's guiding words she visualised herself lifting the petal further. Lo and behold it happened! Amazement flooded the child's expression, absolute awe brimming to the surface of her being. This was no trick, this was real. The Force was real! Up until now she had never used it herself, not in any tangible form.

"Wow" she whispered, afraid that speaking too loudly might cause this miraculous moment to end. "Did I really do that?"

Feeling rather confident by this point, she tried to move it slightly to the left. This proved considerably more difficult than simply lifting it, and instead of moving it sort of jolted a little bit in place, quivering as if the wind had snagged it. But it was a start, and Mysa was more than happy with the outcome!

[member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

"Yes you really did it", she said smiling wider. "I am proud of you Mysa, now all you have to do is practice like I suggested". Coci reach out and plucked the petal from the air and placing it to her nose she took in the scent of the blossom. With a twinkle in her eyes, Coci lifted the petal in the air using the force and let it dance toward Mysa's nose, and upon her skin she made the petal dance to tickle the point of her nose.

"Now to answer your question", she said remembering Mysa's curiosity about her purpose as Jedi. "I have taken a long time to reach my purpose as a Jedi. Many years ago I worked for the Army of Light to help them fight against the Sith, there attitude was very strict toward them with little to no mercy in their hearts. In those days I was like that too. But .. as I continued my training, went to war and fought in may battles, I realised that there is more to life and it's experiences that drive people and I learned that even though the Sith are bad and do bad things, there is always hope. Hope for them to redeem. Then I moved to Coruscant and joined the Republic in a hope to help them protect the citizens under their control and at that point I began to change more. But their direction was at odds with own and the circles in which I worked I did not like", she would not go into the political debate regarding Jedi involved in the political movement of the Republic. "And so I moved to the Order of the Silver Jedi, which today is the Coalition, and it was then that my choice became much clearer and so too my path as Jedi".

Coci's sat up stretching her back, "My path now is to serve the Sanctum and those that we protect against any threat to freedom and to help those that need it, if they ask for it". She looked Mysa in the eyes, "Sometimes a Jedi needs to fight, by this I mean in battle in order to do this, in order to protect and maintain their freedom. Which means, sometimes a Jedi has to take a life. This is done lightly nor should it be and each time a Jedi takes a life a part of them dies as well".

She let out a long sigh, but it is best that Mysa knows the truth of it all. Of her, and what sometimes is required of a Jedi. Even a healer.

​

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]​

 

[Lief]

Coci was proud!!

Internally the little girl was ecstatic. Her mind ran in fifty different directions, yet she was brought back to the right moment in time as a delicate scent drifted into her surroundings and her nose began to tickle and itch. Mysa could not help but giggle in response. Then, as Coci began to tell her story, Mysa fell silent and listened attentively.

She especially liked the talk of redemption. Nobody was beyond saving, or hope, the Force was a unifyer and death separated beings more than any distance through space could. It was also irreversible, at least for 99.9% of the Galaxy's inhabitants.

As Coci's story finished Mysa's eyes seemed alight with wonder. Her Guardian and Master had been through so much, she had seen so many Jedi fighting for different caused, and in different ways.

"Why don't all the Jedi work toward the same goal?" She inquired, with a very slight pout, "and similar methods? Surely it would be easier to help the Galaxy and its people if everybody was on the same page?"

[member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

"Generally, yes they do", Coci moved into a move comfortable position on the grass. Mysa is curious which is normal for one this age. "The overriding goal is to help people, but I guess it is the way in which they do this that differs".

"Some Jedi, like myself, are more what you would call a warrior class, that training in combat in order to fight against the evil in whatever form it takes, others are philosophers and educators that seek knowledge to pass on to other so that they can learn and teach others, and there are healers. The way in which you help is only limited by your imagination really".

Coci stood up, "Shall we walk?".

Waiting for Mysa to join her. "Then there are the different Jedi groups, like the New Jedi Order, the Jedi order and the Sanctum, although they are on the same page, we have different thoughts about how to do things, which makes life great! I mean it would be very boring if we where all the same".

​

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]​