Ask Can You Feel The Love Tonight

[Ezra Thorne]

Ezra’s jaw tightened and he discreetly gave Dash a look as the Rhinnalian eagerly announced they were Jedi. Had his boyfriend learned nothing from their multiple near death encounters? The part Sephi remained silent as Dash drove the conversation nonchalantly with a tentacled mess in humanoid form. Sometimes he almost missed the banality of his old life where his biggest concern was where he wanted to go eat for the day.

He crossed his arms over his chest, scowling the entire time. At long last when Dash finally turned to ask him what he thought, Ezra gave him a humorless look, “Oh but please, don’t let me interrupt your afternoon tea with an otherworldly tentacle monster that wants to drown us,” He grumbled dryly, rolling his eyes. Their personality differences were insane sometimes. He moodily started walking, letting Dash lead the way following behind Mr. Tentacles.

As they moved closer to Mr. Tentacles, he felt a pulse in the Force. It was similar to what he felt before they found Jadis’ holocron. However, this time there was no hint of malice associated with it.

“Ferren Barr walked a path that toed the fringes of the Jedi Way,” The voices said, “The way of the Jedi Shadow.”

Ezra’s face scrunched up, “Jedi Shadow?” He asked quizzically. As a Padawan, he wasn’t permitted to even know that Jedi Shadows were a thing. As a Knight, Dash would have more insight. However, only the Council truly knew about what the Jedi Shadows were and what they did. The monster unfurled the tentacle hands again, this time waiting for the boys to grasp. If they did so, they would be pulled down into the pool of water.

@Alhon

 

[Dash Pavan]

Ezra made a show of being apprehensive and put out, but Dash just couldn't believe he had absolutely no interest in the thing. They could literally have just found a hidden wonder. Besides, the Rhinnalian had a feeling in his bones that the creature genuinely meant them no harm.

They crept closer, intrigued and confused in equal measure about the mention of Jedi Shadows. "I've only really heard about them a handful of times" Dash told Ezra "I think they're like a secret thing, if they're real at all - like Sith killers maybe?". He was no scholar of Jedi ways just yet and was half guessing if he was honest.

The glowing creature extended two tentacled appendages now, offering one to each of them. It was their last chance to run, but Dash could not do it. They might have found something special here. Besides, if this thing did try to drown them, then he would find out just how much water he could really freeze.

"Trust me" he said as seriously as he could, grasping the creature's hand and watching Ezra do the same.

A warm feeling washed over them, a sense of brushing against a single mind, made up of many smaller parts. The individual jellyfish had combined to form a lattice of thought and emotion and both Jedi would sense immediately that it did not intend them any harm. Instead they were shown flashes of the past, in which an Iktotchi Jedi crouched over the pool, communing with the very same creatures.

They were gently pulled down into the water, having time to take a breath before they entered its world.

@Sreeya

 

[Ezra Thorne]

Everything inside Ezra told him to fight it and struggle, but he trusted in the confidence Dash had. That mattered to him even more than the reassuring energy the thing projected. He relaxed and allowed the tentacle creature to pull them down. Strangely enough, he hardly felt the cold water. They were going far below the depths and into an underwater tunnel. After going through the tunnel, they were finally able to come up for air. There was a hidden chamber here deep under that pool of water.

The part Sephi climbed onto the patch of land, soaking wet. He realized then that whatever was down here was meant to be very carefully hidden. The two boys were only here because the tentacle beast allowed them.

Ezra kept walking along the path, the air much cooler down here. Up ahead, he could make out a platform with what appeared to be a holocron. His eyes widened and he looked at Dash, “Did you know this was down here?” He asked incredulously. How did his boyfriend even point out this cave? There were many pockets in the mountains along the water, but he picked this particular one.

@Alhon

 

[Dash Pavan]

Their journey through the depths with their new friend was a blur, a strange mix of feelings, light and sensory overload. When they surfaced in the hidden chamber, Dash had to pinch himself to know it was real.

He hauled himself up onto the rocky surround, following after Ezra who was suddenly more game for their new adventure. Inwardly, the Rhinnalian breathed a sigh of relief. He had been very sure the tentacled creature was a friend, but he was still glad to be proved right. He would not have lived it down otherwise, if he had lived at all.

"Did I hell" he replied, looking past his boyfriend to the strange shiny item on its little platform. Despite the drama, Dash still did a double take when he glanced at Ezra, his curious little face illuminated by the glow. His boyfriend always looked perfect to the Rhinnalian, even down here.

Dash slipped past Ez, briefly gripping his bare torso and nuzzling his face in the narrow passage. Creeping closer to the pedestal, he saw that they might just have found another holocron. A curious grey shape with many sides nestled on the wet rock, glowing markings giving little away. It had a 'secret' feel about it and not just because it was hidden in a long forgotten hiding place.

Dash stuck a hand out behind him and beckoned Ez closer. "Come on baby, you know I've got my own. If we're making a habit of it, then this one's got to be yours".

@Sreeya

 

[Ezra Thorne]

Ezra was gawking at the holocron, trying to figure out if it was another shady thing like the Jadis one. He was momentarily distracted when Dash took advantage of the tight space by nuzzling against him on his way past. Ezra had to grin at that, offering a playful slap to his boyfriend’s rear as he walked. However, Dash would note that, as expected, Ezra didn’t initially follow. He kept standing there staring suspiciously.

When Dash asked him to step forth, he sighed and finally moved. Even he knew there was nothing malicious here, but his personality sometimes got in the way. At long last, he reached for the holocron. The moment he picked it up, he felt a warm sensation throughout his entire body. The walls parted before them, revealing spiraling steps that no doubt led out of this chamber and into the ocean again.

Ezra made for the stairs, “Come on, let’s get out of here,” He called out to his boyfriend. He didn’t want to open the holocron here, but he knew it was something he would share with Dash.

@Alhon

 

[Dash Pavan]

Dash had no idea where the steps came from. But then he had very little idea how a holocron came to be hidden under a nondescript cave on busy world, watched over by a mass of tentacles. He was increasingly learning to just trust in the Force.

They headed up and stepped back out into the light of day, Ezra carrying their curious find. It did not feel dangerous or give off any bad vibes when Dash looked at it, but he knew from the Casket that holocrons could be double-edged swords. They would need to be more careful this time. "I wonder how it even opens" he said, thinking aloud. The Casket had needed his particular brand of Force use to unlock. What was the special move for a geometric grey box?

The wind ruffled his hair and he remembered just where they were. A glance at the sky revealed the sun was already beginning its journey down towards the horizon. "You want to take it back to the suite?" he suggested. Their boat was still moored waiting for them, bobbing almost eagerly on the lapping waves. They still had time if they left now.

It had been a hell of a day, and it was not over yet.

@Sreeya