Io's Training (Rev, Aquatic Jamboree)

[Aquatic Jamboree]

As time moved on, she could feel the soothing zephyr move past her, as she sat upon the cold front steps of the Jedi Academy. Adega Prime and Adega Besh shone down upon her as she enjoyed the tranquility of the weather upon Ossus. Io Lynnifae was yet another one of the Jedi apprentice of the academy, waiting to be taught by a respective master. It was another aesthetically pleasing day upon the lush green planet, one ideal for relaxing and resting. Io had plans other than to waste the day away though, and began to somewhat impatiently yearn for training. She kept her emotions in check though, and her patience was withheld as she continued to meditate, trying her best to clear her mind of thoughts of boredom.

Ossus reminded her so fondly of her home planet Vortex; a planet she felt she would never return to. She didn't regret her decision though, and felt as consequence for her actions, that she receive such a punishment. As fate had guided her, she was sticking with her decision, although she had traded her family and tribe for exploration, she kept herself from growing too homesick. With a kick off the ground, Io jumped up from the steps of the academy and pushed herself onto her feet. She ended her meditation for the time being, feeling her time could be used in a better, more productive manner.

Io returned to the insides of the Jedi academy, faintly smiling as she still found herself admiring the fine architecture of the building. Walking along she eventually brought herself to the training grounds within the academy. By her abilities alone, she could only go so far in learning about the force, what she needed was a teacher, a master that she had been waiting for, hoping for, would someone be willing to train her, and further her path down the ways of the force?

 

[Rev]

Tranquility was a quality that never seemed to leave the halls of the Ossus temple. The vastness of each room seemed to carry on to no end, but the peace that came from each room seemed limitless. Knelt in seclusion at the center of the training hall was one man of greater age than most. The Padawans and Knights that polluted this hall were all at least half his age, the middle aged man sensed a disturbance so suddenly, a ripple.

Rev's meditation process had been disturbed by something so minimal, but large enough to catch his attention. Reaching out through the Force he connected with one target, Io Lynnifae, and something told him to go to her. Standing from his knelt position some eyes fell on him, he was a Jedi Master in the Order after all. Not to mention he was a High Council member, his presence usually drew attention, one he wasn't particularly happy with. Shaking that thought off he spoke to a youngling and parted from the training halls.

As Io entered, Rev would leave. The youngling would do his minimal job, approaching the complete stranger and offering her a friendly smile. After doing this he spoke to her.

"Io?"

His voice held question, but something told him he was right.

"Here, this is from Master Ultor."

Bowing the boy disappeared into the crowds, blending into the rest. Io however would be handed a note with a unique writing style in Vorese reading:

"Outside of the temple lays a place of tranquility. It will call to you and is near the falls to the northwest. If you seek instruction meet me there. -Master Ultor"

 

[Aquatic Jamboree]

Io continued to hone her lightsaber skills, training within the hall, using the training sabers granted for youngling practice. She immediately stopped and turned around though, disengaging her blade as she saw another student behind her. He had a friendly smile etched across his face, yet it wasn't a face she had seen too often.

"Io?"

The voice called to her name, the young male spoke her name with uncertainty though, as if he wasn't sure. She couldn't blame him of course, she herself had never really socialized with the other younglings, and thus wasn't all too well known. Regardless he had found the one who belonged to the name, and so she gave blank monotonous response,

"Yes? How might I be of assistance to you?

She didn't think much of it just yet, but began to wonder why he would confront her. Was she in trouble? Did she do something undesirable? Apparently it was important enough to get her attention, as she stood waiting for him to give a response.

"Here, this is from Master Ultor."

The boy handed her a note, and zipped away soon after. She barely had a chance to thank him.

"Thank you for the note!"

She began to have her suspicions as to what the note contained, but was slightly shocked when she recognized the characters upon it.

There they were upon the piece of paper, the very characters she hadn't seen in years, except within the pages of her journal. The note asked for her to leave the temple and find falls to the northwest, to receive instruction. She felt her face as it curled up into a vague smile, although it didn't show out too greatly, she was bursting with excitement, finally she would have the teacher she was searching for.

Io ran back out the way she had entered from, passing under the entrance of the academy, and went right down the front steps. Io wasn't entirely free of confusion though, and wondered how this Jedi knight or master had come to learn her dialect. Soon feelings of doubt began to flood her as she made a dash down the stairs, but she pushed the feelings aside. After all knowing her language wasn't anything that could be grouped for potential of harming her. As she swiftly ran down the steps, she prepared herself for flight, feeling a need to express her joy by traveling by the wing rather the foot. She pushed off, catching the wind and maneuvering herself to the location mentioned within the note. She softly landed on the ground, as she came upon the falls northwest of the temple.

 

[Rev]

Knelt before the falls, Rev was in a deep meditation. He could sense Io the second she left the temple that radiated a presence on Ossus unlike any other. It chilled him but in the same instance warmed his very being, it was tranquility at its finest. Thunderous sounds erupted from those clear falls as the liquid crashed against unforgivable rock. Taking in a slow inhale his eyes opened just as Io plopped down on the soft grass lain out before this holy of places, at least to Rev.

Staring at the creature before him, it had been some time since he had actually saw a being from Vortex, but that aside, she was here for other reasons. Offering a friendly smiled the cloaked Jedi stared from behind his hood at the young being. The black cloak gave off a mystique unlike any of the other Jedi, his robes underneath hugged his body tightly, but loose enough for comfortability. Pulling the hood of his cloak down his blue eyes pierced into Io, then he spoke, but in her tongue.

"Greetings Io.."

Coughing at the attempt of constructing the strangers language he smiled, and now spoke in basic, knowing she could, or at least hoped.

"My apologies, I mean no disrespect for you or your peoples, Io."

The Jedi Master offered a respectful and elegant bow before standing a straight, educated stand. He was a Master within the Order, it was to maintain the proper image, despite his own feelings towards what outsiders of the Jedi thought of him. Perhaps in time he would be able to be himself.

"I am Jedi High Councilman Rev Ultor, and I will be training you in the ways of the Jedi."

 

[Aquatic Jamboree]

Io felt the moist green grass beneath the talons of her feet as she quietly paced herself toward the alluring falls. Right below the sonorous, yet serene falls was a middle aged human, whom she soon recognized as Master Rev Ultor of the Jedi Council. She could see that he was in peaceful meditation, and kept herself silent, and still. Io didn't have to wait too long and soon enough he was smiling and looking her in the eye with piercing blue eyes. She wasn't expecting the Vorese dialect to come from his mouth as he opened it to speak, and was a bit shocked with the initial greeting. She still wondered as to how he knew her language, but that question could be answered at a different time, and she had no intentions of straying from this training opportunity.

She gave a polite bow in response to his greeting, feeling quite honored to train under a member of the Jedi Council. He soon switched to galactic basic after the greeting though, apologizing for any possible disrespect. She understood it was in his best interests to apologize, but she felt it wasn't necessary to apologize when he had done nothing to offend her. He gave a elegant bow to her, and introduced himself, despite her knowledge on who he was due to his standings within the Jedi order.

"There's no need to be offering your condolences Master Rev Ultor. I'm quite thankful for your offer in training me as your Padawan."

With those words, she gave a graceful bow, feeling quite gleeful, as she could actually progress once again.

 

[Rev]

Rev smiled, it was good to see some of the Padawans still maintained decency. He hadn't expected anything less from a Vortex inhabitant. Smiling a friendly grin he motioned for her to follow him. They would approach the falls, standing on the moist slippery rock, it was much like ice. Standing on it he looked around at that majestic beauty that was laid out before them.

"Tell me Io."

He paused for a half second before turning to face her.

"Why do you want to be a Jedi? What is the reason you are here? You're the only being from Vortex I have seen in the temple, and the only one I have seen in a lifetime it feels like."

He laughed softly and adjusted his cloak, letting it drape around him more comfortably.

"I did not know your kind were capable of becoming Jedi, it gladdens me to be one of the only to train one of your kind, and to see you are capable of Force sensitivity."

 

[Aquatic Jamboree]

Io was glad to see that Master Ultor was smiling a lot, it showed signs of positive productive training, with a happy master and happy apprentice, things went more smoothly, she kept this note in mind as she returned a cheeky smile. As he motioned for her to follow, she did so without objection, trailing behind him as he approached the foot of the grand falls. She as well admired the falls, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths for both its aesthetic beauty, and natural grace within it's very own existence. Ossus was beautiful in that way, the life upon the planet was untouched for the most part. It wasn't a dead planet like the large city planets, lush fields, living oceans, and soothing air occupied Ossus, alongside knowledge, it was like an ideal realized when she first arrived on the planet.

She paused her connection with the peace and harmony of the planet when Master Ultor began to speak. She opened her eyes and turned to face him as he asked her why she wanted to be a Jedi, soon after he asked why she was here. The questions were rather blunt, and felt a bit rude in their manner, but she didn't take offense, as she didn't see them as being asked in a negative context. She felt she could trust Rev Ultor with her reasons, despite barely knowing him on a personal level. He gave a soft laugh, but she was clouded with guilt and didn't laugh alongside him.

She closed her eyes for a moment, gave thought to the questions, and then opened her eyes alongside her mouth to speak.

"I originally left my planet in a selfish wish to obtain knowledge, and learn more of the galaxy outside Vortex. I wanted to go beyond, expand my horizons, and see a wider concept of the galaxy. I'd seen a few minority members of my species leave every so often, and I wished to go where they were going. The ones that returned only came back with minor stores of information, I wanted more than stories from old pilots, I wanted to write my own story."

She looked at her master with emotionless eyes and gave a deep sigh before continuing in a bothered, slightly depressed voice.

"I had no prior knowledge of the Jedi upon Vortex, and didn't even acknowledge their existence. Upon meeting one first-hand though, I could just sense they had good intentions, not for their own personal gain, but the peace of the galaxy. My goals changed after learning about the truth of the outside worlds. The blissful harmony of my planet was nothing like the horrors of cruel slavery, widespread poverty, and endless greed on other planets.I felt a desire to heal the balance of the galaxy, a need to help those in need."

Io tried her best to contain emotion from her monologue, but failed as a Vor in doing so. She had always been a bit different from the others, she had more difficulty in holding back her feelings when they grew to high levels. She looked at the Jedi master before her, hoping to hide the distress in her eyes, she was able to hide it to a faint glimmer, before speaking once more.

"Not many Vors leave Vortex, we may be a highly advanced civilization, but they feel no need to leave, I begged to differ, and so I made up a part of the minuscule minority that decided to leave Vortex. I had always noticed my force sensitivity ever since I was young, but never really knew what it was, it was the force though that has led me here, and I'm honored to be your Padawan."

 

[Rev]

Rev listened to Io with focus, he was taking in all the information she was dealing out and putting it in a "memory bank." Her life was not very different than most of the other Padawans and Jedi that populated the Order. Seeing the pain she felt for a selfish act he would change that.

"You hold grief.. and pain, but I do not understand why. Emotions are a part of the Jedi as I am sure you understand, that we must control. You were not selfish Io, the Jedi are a class of selfless guardians, one cannot so easily arrive at our temple with selfish intentions."

He rested a hand on her shoulder, the Vors were a unique species, her emotion made it easier to connect with. Perhaps this is why she was here, her difference is what inspires her? He pushed that thought to the back of his mind for later thought.

"I sense one day you will return to your people and be looked upon not for leaving, but what you have achieved for your people Io."

He took a step away from the rock and gave the falls one last look. Nodding to Io he pointed to a clearance in a field adjacent to the falls and slowly walked over to the center of it. The tall weeds came up to Rev's waist, as he dropped to his knees the only portion of his form sticking out was the top of his head.

"Join me in meditation, Io."

Waiting patiently, Rev's breathing became slower, inhaling once nearly every minute. His body was at complete tranquility before he finally spoke.

"What is the Jedi Code, Io? Tell me what it means to you, and recite the Tenets of our Order."

Taking in another slow breath he waited.