Faction The River's Gift [Force Imbue]

[Mica Raha]

TAGS: Corazona von Ascania Ryana mina Nulgath Zardai Zaiya Ceti

Nulgath. Weird name. When Mica asked about the creature, Nulgath seemed to grow angry. She wondered if he'd overheard her, which annoyed her—she had been kind, after all! From across the river, it was impossible to determine who or what it even was. It was a heap of leathery flesh wrapped around visible bone! She'd gone out of her way to be not just gender-neutral but object-neutral!

A Sith. Mica was just starting to grasp the concept of a Jedi, so it was hard to comprehend what a Sith was. Something cruel, evidently. He was just skin and bones; maybe he was just cranky because he was hungry! Had he not visited the Coruscant dining hall yet? It was amazing! Though, given Cora's solemn reaction, she supposed Nulgath's hunger wasn't a physical manifestation but something deeper, and far more unsettling.

Mica watched the exchange, not fully grasping what was happening. To her surprise, she saw the flora bloom back to life—a resurrection of sorts. She thought of Fyrin.

Ryana returned the pendant to Mica before trotting off. "Thank you so much, you're a lifesaver," Mica said softly. She held the pendant firmly in her hands before looping it back around her neck.

She wade into the deeper parts of the river, up to her neckline. The pendant floated in the water, tied securely to her. The last few moments utterly confounded her. She could feel the conflicted emotions around her—the light of the Force mixed with the somberness of those close by. Quietly, she continued watching the scene unfold.

 

[Nulgath Zardai]

Those around: Mica Raha Ryana mina
​

Her gaze narrowed, lidding at the mention of echoes in the Force. He didn't know what she'd…had he….?

Cora's eyes flicked down into the water, staring at the gentle ripples of her own reflection. Her greatest of sins had taken place on her homeworld, and the death of Horace still seemed to hang over her like a specter at times.

Her focus shifted back to Nulgath, the mask back in place.

"May Ashla's Light guide you…" her head tilted to the side, as if observing him from a different angle, "...initiate."

Cora's words were enough to wipe the smirk the undead epicanthix's face and cause his brow to twitch slightly. A subtle expression that was followed by a quick reply of, " Indeed! I can only hope that the ripples of our pasts," he paused. " will guide to a brighter future. Thank you, Master Cora." He stated and did his best to give a genuine smile and even included the proper titles in his response. If he was an initiate, as much as it burned him to admit, then she was a "master". There was no covering up that she had gotten to him. That was evident. But he had also gotten to her. In some way or form, the damage had been done. Her body language was not beyond understanding. No. It was something he was hoping would naturally reveal itself to him and maybe with time, more would be revealed too. Knowledge is power.

And if Nulgath had anything. It was time.

" Nulgath." One of the sentinels said firmly. Nudging him with the force to redirect his veiled hostility away from Corazona von Ascania and back to the padawan beside him. The epicanthix had come to quickly learn not to press their patience too far. Nor anyone else's. There was fine line between mere banter and being told the phrase " You will cease hostility".

"If...you are a wound in the Force...Maybe I can help with healing it?" Zaiya innocently but genuinely offered. "I don't know much yet, and I'm still learning, but..." She let her voice drift a bit bashfully but continued nonetheless.

"My former Master Shan taught me that focus is a great way to help me learn how to heal. One shouldn't depend on them, but just like I used a shard of the Healing Crystal of Fire to help me learn, this may also help until you can feel a bit more whole enough to do it on your own. Master Iris Arani has taught me even more since then so... I hope this helps."

The teenager stepped forward then, extending the trinket to offer it to Nulgath. The metal now shone with a similar pearly iridescence that danced across Zaiya's skin, mirroring each swirl and faint glowing effect connected to her. It was crude, certainly not perfect by any means, but the genuine intent to help Nulgath's 'wound' was there, even if it didn't quite work that way.

When he turned around he found Zaiya Ceti extending a trinket. A curious token. The gesture, a kindness that like the assistance received earlier, had once again shocked him. Lowering himself into a meditative kneeling position he glanced at the metal with awe as it mirrored the padawans own biological nature. In this moment of recognition, Nulgath blinked, relaxing into the present moment and struggling to decide on something. A thought. A motion of acceptance and truth. A symbolic action that was uncharacteristic of him so far.

And so the Epicanthix transitioned his gaze toward Zaiya and looked away. " If you fell down and injured yourself. Your body would naturally, slowly, heal itself. Your immune system would respond and fight off any infection." he explained. " In many ways the Force is the same. The force has a will." His eyes remained away from hers. " But there are some wounds that cannot be healed." He smiled slightly, an expression born of internal pain. A means to cope.

" When all creatures die, their essence, their very soul, rejoins into the Netherworld of the force. That is the cycle. Life and death. The force wills it so. But..." he accepted her offer with a single withered hand. Taking hold of the trinket gently, as gentle as he could because he knew there could be no gentleness with his words. " I am not of the natural. I am not dead and I am not alive. Just somewhere in the middle. A paradox. I am a wound to the Force. A void. A echo of the hundreds and thousands of lives I chose to take. Of the life, I chose to sacrifice. The essence of what I am will never meld back into the Force. I cannot be healed. My very presence is that of equivocal pain." His words were firm as he did not wish to leave room for any hope of his "condition". She was all too familiar to his mental, her ways and outlook on life, He did not wish to live something he had already done once before. So he initiated to repeat his cycle. A cycle of ambivalent traumas. " I see the way to look to me and how others look at you for it. Don't hope where there is none to be found." His voice went rough and eyes wide. " Don't spend your hope on pain, It is only a matter of time before I fail you as well. Then my pain will spread to you too."

 

[Aris Noble]

The Force imbued a soul into him?

Aris blinked slowly at the thought as the gears in his mind clicked together. He'd never thought about it before. Could something imbued with the Force even feel the flow? He had thought, perhaps, that he was like those trinkets, but if Azurine felt as much, did that confirm it? Was that what he was? He wasn't even paying attention to the fact she'd used him to avoid slipping further into the water, and his attention only shifted back once she mentioned how deep the water was here.

He glanced to the source, tilting his head.

"It's not that deep. Maybe ten feet to the bottom. Think you can follow to the source of this feeling you have?"

Azurine Varek

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Tags: Roman Vossari

Roman's chill vibe was actually kind of contagious. “A heartbreaker?” Lysander could only laugh as a hint of mirth danced in his green orbs. His cheeks also turned a shade of red, almost as if he were admitting there was a bit of truth in the older Padawan’s words. He had never thought of himself as one, but the thought did bring him amusement. “If only the mystery girl knew how poetic I truly am,” he suggested, rolling the talisman in his fingers.

With a sudden jolt, the fishing line twitched; he felt excitement flicker within. The energy around them shifted from playful to suddenly one of concentration. A heartbeat later, the talisman found its way into a pocket of his robe. The boy's heart raced as he moved to grasp the rod. Roman did have a way of exuding calm confidence, which made him feel more empowered. It was easy to note that his presence was naturally reassuring.

Taking a deep breath, he attempted to remove all other thoughts and focus solely on the task at hand. It was like he could feel whatever was beneath the river’s surface from a distance. His brows furrowed intensely. Every pull against the line sent little jolts of adrenaline through his being. And before long, the fish surfaced; it splashed and flopped against the water. In a final motion, he reeled it in.

"Honestly, I don't think I'll be spending much more time here. It’s probably best for me to head back to Coruscant and study.” While he appreciated the beauty currently surrounding him, being back on his home planet always felt heavy. Nevertheless, he understood the allure it carried for outsiders. "I always miss the Jedi Archives," he continued. "Just getting lost in all the holotexts outside of training and socializing..there's nothing else like it. Do you have anything specific on your agenda here? Or are you just going with the flow?”

The mischievous spark returned, and the corner of Lysander’s mouth began to curl. "Well,” he continued, his voice becoming more lighthearted, “if you get hungry along the way, I'm positive Cora could show you the nearest bakery.” He then stepped forward and knelt down, setting the pole aside. His fingers brushed against the fish, feeling it move under his touch before offering it to Roman. It was still attached to the line. He wasn’t entirely sure what to do with it next. "So, I guess we shouldn't eat this one either?"

 

[Azurine Varek]

Letting Go And Moving Forward

Outfit: Clothing | Right Arm | Glove
Weapons: Lightsaber | Hook Swords

Azurine moved her head to the side a bit, watching the different spikes move through Aris's aura. It didn't seem upset, more like he was having an epiphany. Clearly, what she had said left some kind of an impact. It might not have been a perfect answer, nor was she certain, but at least she was able to help him out with the observations she made.

"It's not that deep. Maybe ten feet to the bottom."

She looked at him in exasperation, gesturing to his height versus her own as if that alone made his statement much less applicable. "10 feet might not be that much for you, but that is literally twice my height! You could stack two of me on top of each other, and I would barely be above the surface!" She let out a quick sigh, stretching her arms back to prepare herself for this. The song in her mind continued to reassure her that it was alright. That she was safe and belonged here. Remember, it's not that bad. I can handle this... She thought to herself, doing her best to hype herself up for it.

"I couldn't give you an exact measurement. The Force usually doesn't work that way—I sure wish it did sometimes, but it doesn't, but I think it's wanting me to go out to the center there, because that's where that pull is strongest." She said, pointing out a bit past where Aris had been before, "And I'm pretty sure it wants me to take a dive into it. I don't exactly know how to swim, so maybe I'll just hold onto you for now."

Aris Noble​

 

[Roman Vossari]

Lightsaber: X | Talisman: X | Armor: X | Training: X | Casual: X
Tags: Lysander von Ascania

​

Roman watched Lysander with a quiet pride. The younger Padawan, with his focused brow and determined grip on the fishing rod, was a sight to behold. It felt good to see Lysander learn something new, especially something Roman enjoyed. The fish, a surprisingly large one, thrashed against the water's surface as Lysander finally brought it closer. It was even bigger than the one Roman had caught earlier.

"Nice catch," Roman complimented, his voice laced with sincere approval. He reached out, taking the fish from Lysander and deftly unhooking it from the line. He offered it back to the Padawan with a knowing smile. "I don't think we should." he said, shaking his head playfully. Roman knew it was tempting to see what would happen if they did eat it, but it was better to respect the nexus and creatures that thrived in it.

Roman settled back down beside Lysander, finally answering his earlier question about his own plans. "Just going with the flow," he replied cryptically, a faint smile curving his lips as he looked at the blonde-haired Padawan. "Maybe something will find me."

Roman's mind lingered on Lysander's admission of missing the Archives. It wasn't something many Padawans would readily confess. Most preferred the thrill of the training grounds, the clash of lightsabers, and the immersive simulations. It was a refreshing change of pace to hear Lysander express such intellectual curiosity. "A heartbreaker, a poet, and an intellectual?" Roman chuckled, starting the banter back up. "You are one of a kind, Lysander von Ascania. Your sister is going to have to keep a good eye on you."

He relaxed onto the soft bank, gazing up at the sky, allowing his thoughts to drift freely for a moment. A few minutes passed in comfortable silence before Roman spoke again, his tone becoming a bit more serious. "Don't get too lost in the Archives, though," he cautioned. "A lot can be learned outside of the temples, outside of books and data pads." He turned his head towards Lysander, a hint of warmth in his eyes. "And when you need an escape, you give me a shout. I'll break you out."

Roman's words held a promise and a subtle invitation, a reminder that even the most dedicated student needed a break.

 

[Aris Noble]

Was that deep, even if it was twice her height? Aris was so used to being in the water that he certainly didn't think much on it, but maybe he should. It probably didn't help how long he could hold his breath. But, down was where Azurine wanted to go. Perhaps even needed. He smiled softly, reaching over to take the Zabrak's hand in his own and pulled her towards the deeper parts of the water. "Then no more hesitating. Let's go, Azurine."

Azurine Varek

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

" Indeed! I can only hope that the ripples of our pasts," he paused. " will guide to a brighter future. Thank you, Master Cora."

Cora's smile subtly tightened. One finely manicured eyebrow twitched. Ukatis, ironically, tended to bring out the worst in her. She did little more than tilt her head in response, but maintained eye contact.

As Nulgath Zardai turned toward Zaiya Ceti , her eyes followed. They lingered on the Lovalla Padawan for a few long moments, gaze softening. It wasn't quite jealously that coursed through her at the sight, but distrust. Cora had grown rather protective over the Padawans, particularly the young women.

With one final nod to the sentinel that stood guard, she let her attention drift down the river. Lysander von Ascania and Roman Vossari were fishing, engaged in what seemed to be lighthearted conversation given their body language. The sight unwound the tension that she'd held in the both the Force and her shoulders, a genuine smile working its way onto her face.

That's right. This is what we're here for.

Nulgath was not entirely forgotten. Cora drifted closer to Mica Raha , observing the girl for a few quiet moments as she waded up to her neck.

"What do you think of him?" She asked simply.

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Tags: Roman Vossari

Though it may have not been evident with his typical demeanor, Lysander did carry somewhat of an understanding for protecting living things; even in an act as simple as catching a fish. Besides, growing up in luxury, he was accustomed to meals prepared by master chefs. The idea of eating some simple fish from the river was actually absurd.

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the creature that was wriggling around high into the air. It sailed upward before splashing back into the water. It may have been confused by what just happened, but it was still unharmed. As he shifted back to Roman, a wide grin spread across his face. He could never resist an opportunity for more jesting. "Instead of Roman the fisherman, I guess you are now the guardian of our planet's ecosystem, huh?” His voice was light.

The grin became crooked. “She can try, but she should know by now that I'm not someone to underestimate.”

His brow furrowed slightly; there was a bright hint of intrigue in his emerald eyes while considering Roman's words. It was easy to detect the sense of nobility in the other Padawan. It meant his lineage also carried weight. Lysander’s chin tilted ever so slightly as he scanned over the river before them, both hands clasping behind his back. In that moment, he truly believed his posture carried a power that transcended beyond the Force, and influence, too.

"You know," the boy continued, his voice firm and carrying tones of enthusiasm, "the play halls of Daphnes are unmatched. It is a must see for any visitor on Ukatis. I assure you, the orchestra there is better than anything you’ve ever heard.” He turned his attention back to Roman. “And you must not forget the jousting events. Our knights are rumored to be the toughest in all the galaxy. There are many tales of their courage.” A pause followed, allowing his words to settle. “They could split a blaster bolt in half with their lance if they so choose.”

The Padawan stood frozen in place.

“And yeah, you’re right, Roman,” he finally replied, reflecting on the comment about being lost in the archives. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “I promise I’ll reach out soon. We should plan for an adventure. I’ll still bring my datapad, of course..in case you try to challenge me on anything. But it would be nice to reconnect outside of all this. And thank you for teaching me about fishing. I really enjoyed it.”

With a simple nod, he extended a single hand. “Until next time, friend.” His voice was as warm as the connection he felt toward the older Padawan. After that, he would be ready to depart from the river.

-Thread Exit-

 

[Roman Vossari]

Lightsaber: X | Talisman: X | Armor: X | Training: X | Casual: X
Tags: Lysander von Ascania

​

Roman met Lysander's outstretched hand with his own. A genuine warmth bloomed within him. "Until next time, Lysander," he replied, his voice carrying a hint of the same friendly sincerity. He held the younger boy's hand for a moment longer than necessary, a silent acknowledgment of their newfound friendship.

As Lysander released his grip, Roman watched him turn and walk away, a graceful, almost regal strut. A faint smile played on Roman's lips, a reflection of the unexpected camaraderie that had blossomed beside the river. He lingered for a moment, his gaze following Lysander until he was swallowed by the lush greenery. Maybe he would take the younger Padawan's suggestions. The play halls, the orchestra, jousting even. All sounded like good ways to get Roman's mind off of the day to day training.

Then, with a deep breath, Roman turned and headed back towards town with his fishing pole, a newfound lightness in his step. The day, though initially intended to be independent learning, had ended on a surprisingly positive note.

 

[Mica Raha]

Mica really wanted to reply with a question. Did Nulgath Zardai smell? She couldn't tell from here. Was his flesh completely dried out or was he actively decomposing? That might answer the question. Well, she didn't ask lest her innocence offend him again.

"I'm not sure, Master," Mica said, replying to Corazona von Ascania 's inquiry. "He scares me, but because he feels familiar? 'Some wounds that cannot be healed,'" she repeated as she looked at her pendant. "I get that. But… a lot of impossible things have happened to me recently. So… I don't know if that's true. He seems pretty convinced, though."

The breeze swayed and Mica could overhear the murmurings in the distance with her antennapalps. She brought her attention back to the moment. "What about you, Master?" she asked Cora, then paused. "You seem to have a history." The last bit was just as much a statement as it was a question, but one that implied Mica wouldn't be offended if Cora chose not to elaborate.

 

[Katherine Holt]

Tags: Ryana mina​

With her eyes closed Katherine focused on condensing and sharpening her senses. Slowly but surely, the Padawan grew deaf to all sounds around her. From the wind blowing through the trees, the chatter of others, to even the gentle sway of the river itself.

All that was left was feeling, the sensation of the water around where her legs were submerged. Using that as an anchor, Katherine stretched out her senses through the Force. Almost immediately, she felt the presence of other Jedi nearby. Katherine tuned them out, putting her focus solely on the river.

She could feel the Light, faint as it was flowing amongst the river’s stream. It did not fill the Nexus as it should, but it would take more years still to reach that point. But it was active, slowly regaining what it had lost to the Dark corruption.

Katherine reached out with her free hand, grasping a hold of that chord in the Force. She began to channel the restorative properties of the river into the talisman.

Only to pick up a disturbance as it approached her position. It moved through the water, approaching her full of curiosity. She didn’t know what it was, certainly not big enough to be another Jedi. The presence was much smaller, almost as though it was a-

The Padawan’s eyes snapped open to see a small racyon just as it hopped onto the riverbank, behind her, then back into the water again. Katherine opened her mouth to speak, but found herself more so bemused by the little one’s antics. It was only when she heard someone approach, that the Padawan turned her head.

“Oh it’s all right, as long as he doesn’t try and take a joyride on my hoverchair.” Katherine said, taking a moment to examine the Twi’lek who had approached. She was someone Katherine wasn’t familiar with. “I kind of need it.”

Though the idea of the little racyon flying about in the hoverchair did greatly amuse the Padawan.

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora frowned pensively, both at being called master and at the girl's admittance that Nulgath felt both scary and familiar.

"We do have a bit of history," she admitted. The knight again glanced at her reflection , eyes lingering on the tendrils of blonde as they bobbed gently on the surface of the water.

"I witnessed him use some sort of Sith alchemy to twist the lives of his own allies into something monstrous."

She squinted into the river, recalling the particular shade of blue her blade had cast on sickly pallid skin as she'd held the tip beneath his chin. "He seems to have lost the ability to do such things after the Dark was burned from him."

Cora glanced over her shoulder, watching as Nulgath Zardai interacted gently with Zaiya Ceti . The girl could light up a room with her bubbly nature, but it looked as if she'd done more than that for the former Sith.

"It also seems as though he's gained a change of heart." There was something wry in her tone which implied that she did not believe her own words.

Her thoughts drifted back to Mica's earlier words. Some wounds cannot be healed.

"How have you been faring among the Jedi?" She asked gently.

Mica Raha

 

[Ryana mina]

Katherine Holt

Ryana chuckled at Katherine's response "I doubt he could even operate it but best not give him the idea" she said. Knowing the little racyon as she kept an eye on pip "my name is ryana and the little ball of fluff swimming around is pip" she said as she saw pip swimming. She caught his occasional looks at Katherine's hoverchair she figured what he was planning he was gonna try and prove her wrong.

The red skinned twilek took her bracelet off her wrist and knelt down into the water and continued trying to imbue her families bracelet it wasn't as easy as Destroying droids or helping reclaim a world from the clutches of darkside forces. As she drew on the light side nexus in the river to help her she could sense pip trying to climb into Katherine's hover chair. Stopping what she was doing she used the force to bring pip to "i brought you to swim and come back to ukatis not to be a menace" she said as pip grunted then stuck his tongue out before ryana let pip get back to swimming figure 8s between Katherine and ryana. The padawan would go back to trying to imbue the bracelet.

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Interacting with: Nulgath Zardai

Zaiya listened intently, her gaze unwavering despite the weight of Nulgath's words. His voice, so steeped in pain and finality, sent a pang through her chest. The vibrant hues of her skin dimmed momentarily to muted ambers and soft bronzes, reflecting the ache in her heart. She could feel the truth in his voice, the immovable wall of his belief that he was beyond redemption, beyond healing.

But even as his words pressed down on her like a heavy shroud, another feeling stirred within her -- a quiet defiance, born not from stubbornness, but from the unwavering light of hope that had always burned within her. The Force was limitless. She believed that, with every fiber of her being.

When Nulgath finished, his voice rough, his gaze averted, Zaiya let a moment of silence settle between them. She shifted, her colors flickering to gentle golds and a warm ombre of bronzed pinks, like the first rays of dawn breaking through darkness.

"I hear what you're saying," she began softly, her voice steady despite the lump in her throat. "And maybe you're right. Maybe you can't be healed right now, not in the way we think of healing. But that doesn't mean I can't hope."

She leaned forward slightly, her bioluminescent patterns glowing faintly as she chose her next words. "The Force is... endless. It's not just in life and death. It's in everything. It binds us, connects us, and moves through us in ways we can't always see or understand. So, yeah, maybe you're a wound in the Force right now. But wounds... they're signals, alarms, like you said. Pain means something is wrong, something that needs help. And the Force... it always finds a way."

Her voice wavered slightly, but she pressed on. "You don't want me to spend my hope on pain. I get that. You think it's pointless. But what if it's not? What if the Force finds a way for you, someday? Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday. Isn't it worth leaving the door open? Even just a little crack?"

Zaiya's hand instinctively rested over her heart, her glowing patterns swirling gently. "I'm not saying I know everything. Stars, I probably don't even know a quarter of what you do. But I trust the Force, Nulgath. And I trust that it doesn't abandon anyone -- not even you."

She paused, her eyes soft but resolute as she studied him. "So, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'll get hurt, or you'll fail me like you think you will. But I'd rather trust in hope and risk the pain than close myself off and never give the Force a chance to show me what it's capable of."

Her colors brightened, a ripple of teal and gold shimmering over her skin like sunlight on water. "You might not believe in yourself, but that's okay. I'll believe in you enough for the both of us."

 

[Orion Pavond]

UKATIS - STONEGROVE - APOTHECARY
Eloise Dinn

Silence. That was a new strategy. His eyes twinkled in curiosity at the development, smiling as his eyes narrowed a little before relaxing. There could have been a few different reasons for that. Either she was trying to avoid saying something out of turn or her focus remained more so on the mission ahead rather than spare any towards his antics. Although, with the look she sent his way, Ms. Dinn definitely had feelings about being called a lady.

Stepping into the shop a few patient seconds after Dinn made her entrance into the shop and began her demands, Orion gently lowered his head and stepped inside. His hands in his pockets as he glanced around the shop. He made note of a few different cabinets and shelves. The medicines being peddled here. He could ascertain what a few of these items did. As he kept to the outer periphery of the shop and the interaction between Dinn and the shop owner, Orion began slowly fiddle and spinning a few of the jars and small bottles on the shelves.

"Listen," the apothecary retorted, "If I stop selling this stuff, I'll go out of business. You going to shut down every shop that sells this stuff? I got to put a roof over my head."

The owner dragged a hand over his face before taking a deep breath.

"And those clinics the princess set up aren't helping matters there either," the shop keep complained further before setting down his ultimatum as his hand touched upon the table between the pair of them, "Unless there is something in the local laws that says I have to hand over my registry, either purchase something or leave, Padawan."

His eyes became confused as the owner began peering past the Padawan, looking for something or rather someone.

"Where did your friend go?"

If Eloise Dinn spared a glance about the room, she would notice that her knight was simply gone. A few moments passed before the sound of footsteps and the door creaking open as Orion poked his blonde, green head through the doorway of the storeroom. Taking another gentle step, Orion lifted up a bottle of a strange liquid, not dissimilar from what was on the shelves listed as an "aphrodisiac".

"Don't mind me. I was looking for something a bit more fresh and potent in the back," Orion apologized meekly with an apologetic smile, putting his hands up to show he meant no harm, "But I seem to have gotten turned around. Do you keep any cough drops as well?"

"Wha-?" the owner sputtered at first before shaking his head and collecting his thoughts, "Hey! You're not supposed to be back there!"

The shopowner stepped away and past the desk before marching over to Orion, accosting the Jedi as he began checking the Mirialan's pockets in case he stole or stored away anything he should not have. Rapidly sifting through Orion's pockets, Orion's eyes widened and began waving his arms.

"Whoa! Easy there! I haven't stolen anything!" Orion pleaded his cases before he yelped suddenly, "Ouch! Hey! Watch it!"

While pharmacist and Jedi Knight became a mess of flailing limbs and cloth, Orion's eyes quickly flitted between the desk and Padawan Eloise Dinn. As his limbs flailed, there was a moment where there was concentrated movement, a purposeful contraction of muscle and digits as his fingers swiped to one side. A brief flash of blue across his eyes followed. Through a minute yet practiced and precise application of telekinesis, Orion's sense of touch could feel books and documents within the desk. Immediately, he locked onto that sense of simulated touch before floating those items out of the desk.

And right in front of Eloise Dinn.

A quick flash of a smirk followed before Orion returned to distracting the pharmacist, flailing those limbs and stepping left and right and away from the shopowner's reach, to keep him from checking all those pockets in one go. It would only buy her a little time.

Whatever she did next, it would be all up to her.

 

[Jack Wright]

(Tags: OPEN)

This was getting ridiculous.

Minutes upon minutes of trying, even on the smallest of pebbles, he came up short. He just. Couldn't. Meditate.

Sighing for the umpteenth time, the young Jedi leaned backwards on his spot and clenched his bent knee tighter, digging into the soft fabric as he worked to stay calm. Maybe Jack was overthinking it? Perhaps it was more challenging to imbue the Force through a small object, as opposed to a large one?

Glancing to a large boulder not ten feet away, the weary Knight settled on a self-depreciated shrug. It was worth a try, pushing himself onto both feet, the young Knight swung both lean arms back and forth, all but waddling for the nearest boulder, figthing to keep his frustration from being felt, but if earlier's demonstration was any indication.

That'll be a losing battle.

 

[Mica Raha]

Mica watched Corazona von Ascania 's reaction—her facial expressions and tone thoughtful, yet conflicted.

"Sith alchemy…" the padawan repeated, trailing off. She didn't know what that was, but the idea filled her with dread. A sick, heavy feeling settled in her stomach.

Mica felt her earlier kindness slipping away. Perhaps precipitated by Cora's wry tone, she blurted out, "Why does he get to live after what he's done? It's not fair. Not everyone gets second chances… but he does?" The abomination Nulgath Zardai couldn't even appreciate what he had been given. She thought of Fyrin, again.

It wasn't lost on her how her tone and attitude had changed from what she said previously. Her emotions were in turmoil.

After wrestling with her emotions, Mica answered Cora's question as calmly as possible. "I'm not sure, to be honest. Sometimes I don't feel like I belong. I don't understand this stuff." She lifted the pendant out of the river. Droplets of water fell, glistening in the sunlight. "I don't know… I'm sorry." She felt like she needed to apologize, though she didn't know why.

The current activity exemplified how she felt. She couldn't understand this whole Force thing. Everything was so overwhelming. Instead of floating in a gentle Ukatis river, Mica felt adrift in a vast ocean with no land in sight. Her whole life had been ripped apart and replaced with whatever the hell this stuff was. Was this supposed to be her second chance?

 

[Azurine Varek]

Letting Go And Moving Forward

Outfit: Clothing | Right Arm | Glove
Weapons: Lightsaber | Hook Swords

Aris had moved ahead of Azurine with an easy confidence, his larger frame slicing through the shallows as though the water were an old friend. Then turning back, he paused and waited, extending a silent invitation for her to follow. She hesitated, but he didn’t seem to rush her too much at first. He stood there, unwavering, a quiet reassurance in the face of her hesitation. Her gaze flickered between his outstretched hand and the expanse of the surrounding water. She took a quick, deep breath to calm herself and moved to take Aris's hand. He didn't give her much of a choice then, quickly moving forward.

She had no idea how this was going to go, but it was still so serene here that she doubted that something too horrible could happen. She sure wished the Force could just give clear, blunt instructions sometimes, rather than just beating around the bush and hoping the message got through.

When the water reached past her chest, just below her neck, Azzie froze, a small bit of panic flashing in her eyes. "I don’t know, I—" but she cut herself off. No, she had to see this through. It was time she faced this head-on, and with every passing second, she could feel the resounding presence of resonating aura around her seem to fill in cracks that were left behind in her.

She knew her bones were more dense than others, or else she very likely would have broken something in one of her many spars with him by now, so floating was difficult, to say the least. She ended up having to grab hold of his arm with her other hand to keep her head above the surface, though she did her best to watch and mimic the movements. She allowed herself to feel the gentle rise and fall of the current, their rhythm surprisingly steady. The world seemed quieter here, the vastness of the water no longer an enemy but a presence she could begin to coexist with.

Aris Noble​

 

[Katherine Holt]

Tags: Ryana mina​

“Hmm, yeah that’s probably a good idea. Something tells me the little guy would find a way.” Katherine chuckled, watching as the mischievous racyon tried to ‘subtly’ look towards her hoverchair.

The Padawan smiled as Ryana introduced herself and Pip. “It’s nice to meet you both, I’m Katherine.” Watching the Twi’lek move to imbue her personal item, Katherine decided to return her focus to her own imbuement. Although her attention wasn’t fully there, as she was keeping half an eye on Pip as he made an attempt to reach her chair.

She didn’t do anything, more so curious to see how the racyon would try and climb. The hover chair was floating above the ground, a little bit out of Pip's reach. But something told the Padawan that he was the determined type.

Unfortunately for Pip though, Ryana had seemingly sensed his attempt and used the Force to pull him away. Katherine laughed lightly as she watched the little racyon stuck his tongue out in response.

With him seemingly content to be swimming, the pair returned to their respective attempts to imbue. Although instead Katherine opted to watch as Ryana attempted hers, using what appeared to be a bracelet.

A personal item?

“Try and focus on what connects you to the bracelet.” Katherine began, speaking quietly enough hoping not to disturb the Twi’lek’s concentration. “I’ve no attachment to the talisman I’m using, so I have to focus more heavily on the intent. For you; and I am assuming there’s a personal connection, you might find it easier to ‘open the door’ as it were, and allow the Force to flow into the bracelet.”