Ask Yavin IV Chick in the Nest

Laeonas Tannaras

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She'd address his robes-- the uncomfortably bland, ill fitting things that they were-- and tried to assign meaning to them. That it helped identify him as part of the order, and that there was some sort of higher meaning to the fabric. Were he not halfway out of it he would've laughed, but as such, all he did was gawk at her. "But these robes ain't thousands'a years old. Ai'd rather wear some stuff Ai usually wore." He declared, thinking back to the many different outfits he'd purchased for himself over the years.

Thinking about clothing, however, his eyes would light up before he'd make eye contact with Eph for a moment.
“Didnt ya say Ai’d look good in blue?” The Brentaalan asked, cocking his head as he’d look at his teacher. “Said it’d match mae eyes.” He’d repeat from memory. The padawan grinned; he’d remembered giggling like an idiot when he heard her shout that after him. That had to have been the first time she’d said something that illicited a positive response.

Her reassurance about there not being cannibals or beasts caused his muscles to relax. That was until her vivid description of the klikniks, which caused his eyes to widen and a trembling whimper to escape his lips.
“…spills… acid… to eat… meat…” he repeated, lip quivering slightly. “And ya think we don’t need a BLASTER?!” He asked, breathing heavily as he stood there.

They weren’t going looking for these things, thankfully. That was what calmed him down— besides knowing he could still use the force. In any case, Ephiny certainly wouldn’t be taking him to an infested area of the forest without weapons. This was a lesson on connecting to the living energy of the universe, not butchering acid spitting insects. Besides, that could be done another time.

The two would walk back through the temple. They wound out of the hallways, and eventually made it to one of the many exits. Going out into the yards around the perimeter of the temple, Laeonas would get his first good look at the forests. The trees went up hundreds of feet, reaching into the sky in a sea of green and brown. It wasn’t quite like the visions master Voran had forced into his mind— but it was quite similar. He’d seen it from inside the temple a few times, but as they began to enter the forest, it would be the first time he’d seen it properly.


“…nah.” He confessed, looking around them. “…it’s kinda laike ‘ome though.”


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Ephiny Daivand

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"The robes don’t need to be thousands of years old to show the Jedi tradition. Their colors do it." Ephiny explained to Laeonas, while he continued to complain about his clothes. "However, I think that you could adapt them to your style. But I suggest that you avoid the black." she didn’t enter in details about why he should do it. The Archivist was afraid that mentioning the Sith would make him have another negative reaction. The Brentaalan still needed more time to recover.

When Laeonas mentioned what she said about the color blue and his eyes, Ephiny blushed a bit. The Archivist didn’t expect that he would remember it. “W-Well, what I said is still true. Maybe you could add some blue in your robes.” she said to him, while turning her face to look at the path in front of her. She didn’t want the Padawan to see her red cheeks.

You don’t need to panic, the klikniks rarely attack humans." she said, trying to calm him down. “If any of them try to attack us, we can use the Force to protect ourselves. I’m also carrying my lightsaber. I’ll never let you get hurt.” she looked at his eyes, while smiling. When she promised to Laeonas that she would help him, Ephiny also considered as part of this promise not letting him get hurt. After all, he was her Padawan.

While they walked through the path that was going to make them enter deep in the forest, Ephiny paid attention to what Laeonas had said. “As I told you, I grew up on a farm. There was a small wood near it where me and my siblings used to play. I loved to be there. Tell me, why do you think that being there makes you feel like home?

After having walked for some time, they would reach a clearing. There would be some polished stones, which looked like benches. They were organized forming circles, being obvious that it wasn’t natural. Ephiny stopped walking and turned to Laeonas. “Here will be our first stop of the day. This place was made by the Massassi, an ancient species that lived on Yavin IV centuries ago.” then she walked toward one of the stones and sat cross-legged on it. The Archivist gestured for the Padawan to sit in front of her. “I want you to do the same that we did in the garden yesterday. Meditate and open up to the Force.

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Laeonas Tannaras

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Her explanation didn't really bring out any more sentimentality for his clothing. She'd explained why the Jedi order mattered, why he should venerate them and their teachings. Their philosophy, their code, all that he was intrigued by; but his reverence certainly didn't extend to their choice in dress. Still, her suggestion of adding color-- or any form of customization-- to the robes brought a number of ideas to mind. The drab beige and brown robes of the Jedi could easily be spiced up. Perhaps some dyes and a sewn in trim?

The warning about black interrupted the rapidfire stream of creativity however. He'd frown, opening his mouth to defend the color, before closing it. He liked black; it had been what he'd been most comfortable in for years. Black had kept him hidden on the streets at night from the cops. Black intimidated the rich folks he'd mug into handing over their valuables. Black was a no nonsense color, but it was also stylish, professional even. When he showed up to events dressed in black, it conveyed a sense of power and authority. He felt big in black.

But at the same time... he'd been wearing it for years. The preference extended back far before he'd cared about clothing or personal appearance to as much of a degree as he did now. Most of that black wardrobe in question didn't even look all that good. There were other ways to intimidate as well; his face paint had a tendency to confuse or intimidate the people he fought against. That, or they didn't take him seriously, which caused them to underestimate him. Still, it began to seem undeniable that black was just no longer that practical, or stylish.

All of these internal thoughts had caused him to completely ignore Ephiny's blushing reaction. Even if he hadn't been thinking about it and actually noticed, he wouldn't have been able to think much of it without the clearing of the haze that thinking so much provided. He didn't pay much attention to her color suggestion either, though it didn't matter; blue was one of the top colors on his list to try on. That, or the shade of that Ithorian flower from the other day, which he'd never once seen on clothing before-- at least, not back home.

The confident reassurances of his teacher were picked up on, and nearly all of the tension within him dissipated. Laeonas was not the paranoid type; while the initial description of the predators scared him, both Ephiny's weapon and their abilities seemed more than a match for such beasts.
"...that's mighty nice of ya." The man replied to her promise, a blank expression resting on his face. This kind of gratitude was still so... odd.

Her next question caused a pause that kept Laeonas thinking for... well, several minutes. It was a tricky question to answer. There were a number of things that were familiar about this place, in spite of never being here. His experiences with the visions that master Voran had forced into his mind was one thing. But...
"It's... well, 'ow tha place is set up, y'know?" He'd explain, glancing around the forest. "There's towerin' pillars of life, laike skyscrapers or tenaments. Tha 'ole place is teamin' with livin' things. There ain't any rules out 'ere; even if 'ome was built outta duracrete, it was as much a jungle as this place."

The explanation seemed to come out of nowhere, and Laeonas' brow furrowed. "...Ai feel weird after talkin' laike th'at." Was all he said on the matter. Finally they’d arrive at a man made structure, and without prompting the man sat on one of the conveniently placed stones. As always, Ephiny had an explanation over something he couldn’t care less about. “Hope this ain’t what we’re actually out ‘ere fer.” He thought.

As it turned out, that wasn’t what they were out here for. Ephiny asked him to perform the same exercise he had yesterday.
“…a’right.” He’d respond, cracking his neck and taking a long, deep breathe. It didn’t take long to focus, with the force all around them practically calling for the man. For a moment, he hung there, simply drawing on the force. Than, like that, he dove in.

He felt everything. All of it around him, expanding for miles in every direction. The profane world and the ephemeral were stretched out before him, intertwining in a harmonic synergy. The chirping of far away birds, the rustling of branches. He could hear the song of the plants, an untuned, unstrung cacophonous melody that all of one species played together with their fellows. It was all so… large. It went on forever, and he was just one part of it.


“…it really is laike ‘ome.” He’d whisper, eyes slowly opening as he sat there. “So much… everything. It’s all there, all… goin’ on, with or without ya. But yer in it; and yer as much a part as anythin’ else.” The man went on, smiling a little bit. “…Ai’ve never gone th’at deep before.”


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Ephiny Daivand

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Ephiny watched Laeonas prepare himself to meditate. She was satisfied that he didn’t complain about it. Even if he already did it yesterday, the man still needed to practice more of how to connect with the living Force. The Archivist wanted her Padawan to be used with it before she teaches him a Force ability.

After the dark-haired man finished connecting with the Force, he started to describe what he felt by doing it. Ephiny smiled at his explanation. It was a simple, but good way to explain these feelings. “You felt how the living beings are part of the living Force. We exist as part of it and without it no life would be possible.

Laeonas, always that your rage threatens to consume you, I want you to connect with the living Force and focus on these feelings of being part of it. Then, let go of anger by allowing it to be replaced by the peace that came from the Force.” Ephiny hoped that through this, the dark haired man would be able to calm himself and remain focused.

Since you already learned how to focus, I’ll teach you a Force ability, Force healing. I already used it on you sometimes. Do you remember?” Ephiny used it to heal him on Jabiim and at the Medical bay. The Archivist had asked it because she wanted him to exercise his memory. It would help his mind to recover.

Since it’ll be your first attempt, we will start with the basic version of it. You will use the Force to alleviate the fatigue of your muscles.” she explained to him. At another time, Ephiny would teach Laeonas how to properly heal someone. “I learned how to do it with a Jedi Healer, who used to say that Force healing came in three steps. First, you need to gather the Force around you. Second, you need to focus the Force on the injury, it can be yours or of another person. Third, you visualize it being healed.” the Archivist explained to him. It was exactly how she taught Clove some time ago during their visit to Ossus.

Let's start with step one. You learned how to connect with the Force, now you need to t gather it around your body. Remember, don’t try to impose your influence over it, because this way nothing will happen. Do it with calm and peace.” Ephiny smiled at him, hoping to encourage Laeonas with it. She was certain that he would be able to learn it without problems.

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Laeonas Tannaras

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These were... basic lessons. The bare bones understanding that anyone who wished to use the force had to learn. He already knew that the force bound all life together; yet there was something about hearing it from her that made it ring truer than it ever had. This was not a holodisk, it was not his own thoughts after tossing crates around with his mind in an abandoned warehouse. This was a lesson, being taught to him.

That she added in something completely new was... also interesting. The lessons weren't just information dumps or practice on something he didn't understand; the woman was explaining the practical benefits of putting what she said to practice. He had always had a problem with his emotions. She was giving him a way to actually keep himself composed. He wasn't qualified to definitely say that Ephiny was good at teaching, but he certainly felt like he was learning.

The woman told him what came next, and the man was a bit surprised to hear what he'd be doing.
"Force 'ealin'? Ya... ya think Ai can do th'at?" He'd muse, before thinking on her question. "...yeah. It was after master Voran slammed me t'tha ground." He muttered. It was a bitter memory, to say the least. A reminder of the less pleasant things that had brought him here.

The woman explained what they'd be doing next, and Laeonas smiled a bit.
"Ai... actually kinda know 'ow ta do somethin' laike th'at. It ain't perfect, but Ai can... well, Ai can draw on tha force, and mae muscles will feel laike Ai got a good rest in." He explained, a bit excited-- before he stopped. "Though... it ain't perfect. Ai can't do much else with tha force after Ai try somethin' laike th'at; takes a lot out'f me." The man clarified.

"...ya probably know 'ow ta do somethin' th'at simple without needin' ta lay down afterwards though." He'd add, smirking a bit. The woman explained the three basic steps he'd need to take. It was straightforward, and he didn't have any issue understanding. "Force, focus, see it." He repeated, taking a deep breathe. This couldn't be to hard, right?

The man sat there, listening to the opening explanation of the first step. Gathering the force was something anyone who'd ever used it had to do. How she explained it differed from his usual technique by a bit, however. When he used the force, he pulled on the background existence of life-- the living force, as she'd explained it. Her approach seemed to be a lot more... open, to say the least.


"Don't try... to impose my will... what?" He'd ask, confusion coloring his expression. "...ya mean tryna get it ta do what Ai want? But... 'ow do Ai get it ta do what Ai want?!" Laeonas asked, brow furrowing as he wracked his hair. "Th'at... th'at don't make any sense!"


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Ephiny Daivand

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When Laeonas mentioned that he used to use the Force to alleviate his tiredness, Ephiny thought that it was very dangerous. Trying to use Force healing without the proper training could cause more damage than good. "You can't use it to avoid rest. This constant use of the Force can make you even more tired, to the point of making you faint." she explained to him. "Promise to me that you will not use it to avoid rest. Having some time to sleep and doing it properly is very important."

You can never abuse the use of the Force, even if you are going to use it for healing purposes. If you do it, you can suffer from severe exhaustion. With time, you will learn that there are some Force abilities that put more strain on your body, with their constant use being considered dangerous.” Ephiny explained to Laeonas, her voice with a serious tone. The Archivist wanted the Padawan to understand how important it was. He could end up dying for abusing the use of the Force.

Laeonas confusion about not being able to impose his will over the Force didn’t surprise her. She remembers how he had used it in Jabiim, in a raw and violent way. It wasn’t how a Jedi would do, being more close to the Sith.

A Jedi don’t use the Force as their tool. We are part of it and we respect it’s will. You cannot force the life itself to make what you want. However, if you “ask” it in the correct way, it’ll answer you.” Ephiny said, smiling at him. “This is why I taught you how to connect with the living Force first. Now that you can connect with it, you can show that you don’t want to dominate it.

Through this connection with the living Force, you need to make feelings of peace and calm flow. Make these become one with the life that is around you. If you do it and have patience, the Force will soon start to gather around you.” the Archivist was basing this explanation on what one of her students at the History class told her. He had learned it from Master Voran. The Morellian was always wise.

Now, try to do it. Establish a connection with the living Force by using peace and gather its strength around you. I know that you can do it.” she smiled at him. Ephiny had learned that showing positivity to her student always made them be successful on their lessons.

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Laeonas Tannaras

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The woman's response to his explanation on his technique wasn't what he was expecting. His eager demeanor and excited smile faded as she explained how dangerous his use of the technique was. "...oh." He muttered, aquamarines trailing down as she explained it to him. He'd desired praise so much that he hadn't actually considered what he wanted it for. As she explained it to him, the man couldn't help but feel foolish. Why use the force to avoid rest? It wasn't like his body would remain untaxed by such exhaustion.

"...Ai understand." He replied, and on some level, he was being honest. But the aching that came in his chest outweighed any higher understanding of what he'd done and why it was wrong. Expressed gratitude was new to him, but shame was
very familiar. Not quite as familiar as anger, lust or thirst, but it was there, and it was heavy. But he wasn't a child; this wouldn't distract him from the lesson. Not to badly, anyways.

Looking up again, he listened intently as she explained the way a Jedi was supposed to use the force. He listened, and the man could feel the weight of shame lifting-- hoisted up by another emotion. It tasted of soggy, out of date noodles and curdled blue milk. It stank of sweat, trapped in a towel that hadn't been thrown in the wash. It felt like goo on his tongue, a sensation that made him want to gag, but to which Laeonas didn't actually react physically.

There wasn't a word he could think of that properly described how he felt about her explanation. It was a feeling that had been prompted by her suggestion-- her instruction-- to request strength from the force. "You cannot force the life itself to make what you want." She'd so strongly declared, yet it rang in his ears like a bell. "You cannot, you cannot, you cannot, cannot, cannot, cannot cannot cannot cannot cannotcannotcannotcannot--"


"AI CAN!" The human shrieked, leaping to his feat. Aquamarines burned with a wild look, face twisted in a mixture of distress and rage that wreaked of wounded pride. "Ai can-- Ai CAN command tha force! Ai've commanded all mae karkin' LIFE!" He shouted at her. The cadence of his voice was uneven, cracking at high and low points alike. He turned his attention to the stones around them, those ancient slabs that hadn't been moved in hundreds-- thousands of years.

The man reached out, fingers in both hands splayed. The ground around them began to rumble, and those stones-- ancient and unmoved-- began to shake. Laeonas' splayed fingers began to curl inward, wrapping around imagined structures to get a grip. As if he were lifting the world, Laeonas let out a roar, the stones beginning to unsettle, to come loose--

--and than, the man collapsed.

He'd hand on his hands and knees, huffing loudly as he lay there. The man lay there for a moment, breathing slowly growing more intense-- before he let out a yell.
"GAHDAMNIT! DAMNITDAMNITDAMNIT!" He cried, punching the ground over and over. "SON OF AN 'ORE! YA WORTHLESS PILE OF SHITE!" He screeched, smacking his head against the soil.


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Ephiny didn’t expect that Laeonas would have an explosive reaction with her explanation. The Brentaalan had once again let his rage overcome him. His yelling would not even be necessary to identify his furious state, the Archivist could perfectly feel it through the Force.

She watched impassively, while Laeonas tried to prove that she was wrong and used the Force to move the stones. His actions were being fuelled by his rage, but the Archivist said nothing. She only stayed there watching him, not smiling or looking with disprovation.

Even after he stopped and collapsed crying on the floor, the Knight would continue silent. When he finally calmed down, Ephiny would raise and approach the man. Kneeling beside Laeonas, the Archivist would hug him. “Are you feeling better now?” her voice would sound in a maternal way, while she shared with him feelings of calm and peace through the Force. Who watched the scene could thinl that the Brentaalan looked like a child crying because he was frustrated and she was the mother that was comforting him.

Laeonas, you can do what you want with your life. However, you can’t impose your will over others. Look at the buds of these flowers.” Ephiny pointed to several wild flowers that were around them, between the stones. “If you try to make them blossom with violence, they will be destroyed. However, if you ask them calmly, perhaps they will listen to you.” she closed her eyes and raised her left hand toward them, while her right was still around the man. By focusing on the plants, the buds would start to open, revealing several colorful flowers.

Then she turned to Laeonas, with a smile at her lips. “To be a Jedi you need to respect the will of the Force. You can’t try to control, it’s impossible. We let it guide us and when we need help, we ask it calmly and kindly.” she picked a tissue from her pocket and used it to remove the dirt from his head. “Now try to do it. I know that you can. Remember that you need to be calm and with peace.

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Laeonas Tannaras

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The tantrum, which had flared up rather quickly, didn't last for long. Laeonas' fists would pound into the ground, he'd screech at the top of his lungs, and than he'd slowly stop. The blows to the soil would grow lighter, his throat would grow hoarse and his voice grew softer, and rage would fade into exhausted shame. Not just over his failure, but over the embarrassing, pathetic, childish display he'd just put on. Gratitude, and now, self awareness. These developments came with growing pains, and Laeonas' were particularly agonizing.

A mix of relief and self-disgust reared within the pit of his stomach as he heard Ephiny's voice. His mind flew back to times walking through the door of his apartment. Memories that followed more heinous crimes, or after near death experiences. The relief that came with a closed door and a wall behind him, and the relief of his mother's voice-- before that same voice prompted self disgust, shame, and fear that threatened to make him break down. What was this, if not something he should be ashamed of? Who was she, if not a person whose witnessing brought even more embarrassment?

Than, again came those words. Telling him that he couldn't do things. She'd seen him use the force-- seen him choke a guard with nothing but a thought. Had he not imposed his will-- to meet the Jedi-- over an obstacle that had gotten in his way? He provably could do just that. Despite all his flaws, despite the sorry state that he was in, despite all the suffering he endured-- he was Laeonas, son of the Tannaras, wielder of the force. No matter what anyone said, that was a fact.

Yet all he heard when she spoke was her trying to dispute fact-- and he couldn't remain silent. Even with all the shame he felt, a spark of anger kindled within him.
"Yer tellin' me th'at Ai can't do what Ai've done-- will ya tell me th'at Ai ain't 'o Ai am 's'well?" He wanted to spit at her, to turn the anger he'd directed at the environment around them at her. That was the moment disgust flared up again, not just at all he’d done so far, but at the mere thought of what he might have done.

As she explained further, Laeonas tried his best to put aside how he felt. He tried to listen as Ephiny explained the futility of trying to use violence— if he wanted to be a jedi.
“So… it ain’t th’at Ai can’t… but that Ai shouldn’t…” he’d mutter, eyes lighting up with recognition. “…but Ai shouldn’t… if Ai wanna be a Jedi…” he continued, wracking through his hair.

It was one thing to give up on crime. To say the man had wanted to stop was an understatement. Now, after years of trying and failing, he’d been ready to commit to a life without such base cruelties. Yet here he was, being presented with not just a challenge to his lifestyle, but to… well, everything he’d ever done. The man’s life, if not by struggle, was defined by the threat of force to get what he wanted. Now, here he was, being asked to forsake that.

Would he accept— could he accept— should he accept. Questions that couldnt be answered immediately. Couldn’t be answered for… well, awhile.


“Eph… Ai need ta meditate. Alone.” He replied, staring again the soil beneath them. “Can… can Ai just be ‘ere fer a few hours?”

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Ephiny watched Laeonas reaction to what she had said. She could feel how he was feeling through the Force. The mixture of rage and embarrassment. She had decided to stay silent, waiting for the Brentaalan to control himself. The Archivist didn't want to have her Padawan thinking that she was reprimanding him. After all, she only wanted to help him.

While she was hugging and comforting him, Ephiny heard his muttering. She smiled, he was finally understanding what she wanted to explain to him. The Archivist didn't mean that he couldn’t use the Force this way, she knew that he was strong with it and very capable. He had potential to be a great Jedi.

However, Laeonas needed to understand that he shouldn’t use his desire to control when using the Force. At least, he seemed to be starting to understand it. Even so, Ephiny knew that he would still need to learn more about how a Jedi uses his abilities with the Force.

Through her interactions with Laeonas, she noticed that the Brentalaan always used it associated with violence. She thought that it would be a long journey until he learns how a Jedi should use the Force. And she would help him with it. After all, she had promised it to him.

"Of course, I'll give some time for you to meditate." she said, letting go of him and getting up. It would be a good opportunity for Laeonas to reflect on the changes in his life that he would need to accept if he wanted to be a Jedi. The Archivist pulled a comlink from her pocket and gave it to her Padawan. "Use it to call me when you finish. Take all the time that you need."

After giving it to Laeonas, Ephiny started to walk out of the clearing. However she would not return to Temple, the Archivist would stay in the forest, watching him from a safe distance. The Brentaalan have no weapon with him and while he meditates, the man would be vulnerable for an attack. The forests of Yavin IV have dangerous creatures, she would make sure that nothing would attack her Padawan. Another promise that she made to him was that she would make him stay safe. The Knight always fulfills her promises.

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Laeonas Tannaras

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As Ephiny withdrew, Laeonas would pull on the force, extending his awareness outward. She was still there-- distant in the profane, but a hair's breathe away when he extended his perceptions past his vision. It wasn't unlike the feeling of when he'd "leave" a room, only to wait in the threshold beyond so he could listen in. But he could feel the emotions that radiated from her, and they weren't of curiosity or deception. All he felt was concern, empathy-- and a feeling of protectiveness.

Set at ease by his seclusion, and the knowledge that the eyes that watched him weren't in judgement, but in watchful protection-- he felt comfortable enough to relax. Taking in a long, deep breathe, Laeonas began to lose focus on the world around him. Meditation required a calm, emptied mind, and over the course of the next few minutes, which soon turned to hours, that was what he'd try to apply to himself. By the time he was finished, the sun was hanging low in the sky. On the periphery of either his or Ephiny's perceptions, they would be able to sense many a predator in the forests.

But none moved to attack them. For whatever reason, they left the man in peace. The klikniks went on their way, the swarms of piranha beetles flew elsewhere. They seemed to grow distressed whenever they approached the calm man. There was no change in Laeonas' state of mind or his expression, the former remaining peaceful and the latter a blank, emotionless canvas. The question of whether or not it was intentional or subconscious might play in Ephiny's mind, but whether she'd pursue the answer was another question.

As Laeonas finally ended his meditation, The man would come to his feet, standing up and stretching in place.
"...damn, th'at took awhile." He'd mutter to himself, looking out at the horizon. Turning his head in the other direction, he waved at Eph, a weak smile on his face. "...Ai'm done. We can start again." He clarified, not wanting to give his teacher the wrong impression.

The man was already preparing the exercise when he suddenly remembered just what he was supposed to do. "Uh... Ai was supposed ta fix mae fatigue... but Ai ain't fatigued anymore." He called, standing there.
"...should Ai, laike, get a rock and smash mae 'and?"


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While Laeonas remained alone in the clearing, Ephiny stayed some meters away perched on a tree. From there, she was able to watch him. The Archivist had promised that would leave him alone, but at any signal of danger she would run to help him.

When the Brentaalan started to meditate, she was able to feel him connect with the Force. It was like what she felt when he did it yesterday at the gardens. Ephiny smiled, this part of the training of her padawan was already coming to an end.

She never thought that he would take much time to learn how to connect with the living Force, after all Laeonas already had some knowledge. However, Ephiny thought that he would have some difficulties due to his disposition to feel anger. The Knight was surprised and happy that he seemed to be doing it without problems.

During the hours that her Padawan was in deep meditation, Ephiny would continue to watch him. Her eyes would never leave him. When a kliknik appeared at the clearing, the Archivist prepared to go help Laeonas. However, as soon as the creature approached the Brentaalan, it ran away. The Knight frowned, she never saw something like that happen before. She was intrigued.

The same thing happened when other creatures tried to approach the man. Ephiny's curiosity grew with it. What could have been happening? She would search about it in the Archives when they returned to the Temple. However, her mind was already making some hypotheses.

Her musings were interrupted by Laeonas calling and waving at her. Ephiny wasn't surprised that he knew where she was. The Brentaalan probably felt her presence when he connected with the living Force. At least he wasn't mad about it. The Archivist would jump from the tree, landing gracefully on the floor thanks to the use of the Force.

After walking to the clearing, Ephiny would smile at Laeonas. "No need for you to get hurt. There is another place that I want to show you. When we reach there, you will probably be tired again." she explained. They still have some time to visit this other place, before needing to return to Temple.

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The sight of his teacher's approach was one that filled him with relief. As calm as he'd been in his own little meditation, the thrust back into the profane world brought with it it's associated anxieties. Concern would've written itself onto his face, but it was slowly scribbled out as Ephiny found her way over to him. He appeared completely oblivious of anything that may have happened, his expression not betraying any hint of a deception. It either meant that he'd done what he'd done unintentionally, or he had an incredible pazaak face; from all Ephiny would've seen so far, controlling his emotions was something that he needed to work on.

He'd give her a surprised look when she mentioned that there was another location she'd planned on showing him.
"Damn, guess th'at works out." He'd reply, finally closing the distance as he'd jog over to her. "If ya wanna save time Ai can still just break somethin'. Back 'ome Ai figured out this real easy way ta break a ring finger, made it real easy ta ge-" He'd begin, before stopping himself. "...it was useful." He'd add, not wanting to delve into the specific utility of such things. Ephiny would probably find it distasteful anyways, and the last thing he wanted to feel right now was more shame.

Yet he began to feel it anyways; guilt for what he'd said and done, what he'd thought about saying and doing. He was supposed to be a Jedi, but even the most warped, distorted understanding of Jedi had them doing good. They were supposed to be paragons; not whiny, temperamental madmen. Standing there, the man felt a weight on his chest, and it wasn't one he wanted to let crush him. He'd let out a long sigh, and turn to his teacher.


"...Eph... Ai... Ai did somethin' wrong earlier." He began, still avoiding a direct apology. Every word sounded choked out, and the man struggled to speak over himself. It was like he was fighting to get a sound from his throat. Nevertheless, he'd speak regardless, as difficult as it was. "Ai... Ai felt laike ya were attackin' what Ai could do, what Ai am. When ya talked about 'ow Ai couldn't command tha force, it sounded laike ya were sayin' part of mae-- mae... what's tha word..." he tried to explain, trailing off.

"...it just felt laike what ya were sayin' was meant ta put me down." He said, giving up on finding the word he was trying to think of. "But Ai acted laike... laike a complete karkin' baby over it. Ai didn't listen ta what ya said; if Ai 'ad, Ai wouldn't 'ave gotten mad. But Ai just 'eard ya, and it drove me crazy." Laeonas explained, pressing a finger to rub at his temple. The throbbing was intense, to say the least.

"It... even if ya'd meant what ya'd meant, it would've 'ave been right ta do what Ai did. Ai'm supposed ta be a Jedi, not a... not a scumbag." The Brentaalan finished, finally breaking eye contact with the woman. For a moment, he simply stood there, trying to decompress after all he'd just said. It wasn't an incredible apology, but for a man whose only response to feeling hurt had been to shout curses or attack someone, that he'd chosen instead to meditate, calm down, and try to say he was sorry-- it was a big change.

"...Ai just 'ope ya can fergive me fer all th'at shite, and th'at we can just... well, continue tha lesson." He added, looking over at his teacher with the weakest of smiles. "...th'at alright?"


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When Laeonas once again talked about breaking something, Ephiny wondered why this was the first thing that he said regarding the use of Force healing. The name of this ability was very suggestive and the first time that the man saw someone using it was when she healed his wounds on Jabiim, but she had already explained that he was going to start with the basics. However he continued to insist with the idea of breaking something.

The answer for this came when the Brentaalan mentioned how he had learned an easy way to break a ring finger, but had stopped before he could enter in the details. Ephiny could feel how Laeonas was ashamed by it. This made her conclude that he mentioned breaking bones constantly because it was a normal part of life and something that he was used to do, but now was afraid to tell it to her. The Archivist wanted her Padawan to open with her, but she was going to respect his privacity. She hoped that when he felt confortable enough around her, Laeonas would reveal his past. “I understand, and now I’m going to teach you how to heal wounds and broken bones. You are now going to be

She was going to walk out of the clearing when Laeonas started to talk again. Ephiny turned to look at him. While he talked, she noticed that it was an attempt to say that he was sorry, but he was having difficult with it. Perhaps he wasn’t used to do it. Through the Force, the Archivist felt a bit of self-hatred and shame. This was another thing that they needed to work with.

After the man finished, Ephiny smiled at him. “Yes, I forgive you.” she had already forgave him even before he had asked for it. The Archivist understand how difficult adapting to the teachings of the Jedi Order must be going to him. “Now, follow me. We still need to arrive at this place that I mentioned and then we need to return to the Temple before the night. We don’t have much time!” she said, before starting to walk fast.

They would walk for some time, with the Archivist always paying attention to their surroundings. Their walk would be long enough for the Brentaalan to become tired again. At some point, they would be able to hear a loud sound. Ephiny would stop walking and turn to Laeonas. “This was the place that I wanted to show.” If the man approached her, he would see that they were in a cliff and in front of it there were several waterfalls. The water that fell from them formed a large river that flowed through the forest. A rainbow could be see, being by the sun’s rays that were hitting the small particles of water.

She sat at the grass, pointing for the place next to her as an invitation for him to sit there. If he did it, Ephiny would continue with their lesson. “The Force is like this river. If you use it with violence and with desire to conquer, it will only cause destruction.” she pointed to a cliff that had collapsed due to the strenght of the water. “However, if you use patience and respect when dealing with it, you will be able to make wonderful things.” then she pointed at the green forest around the river and the rainbow.

Then she looked directly at Laeonas. “I want you to once again open yourself to the Force. Feel everything that is around you. Then, you will focus and gather it around you. We will start with this first step.

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Ephiny's eyes were on him, looking at him in a way they hadn't before. The man felt like his heart was in his throat as he looked away. It was like her eyes were pressing into him, a weight that felt increasingly intense. Even though the gap between their speaking was brief, it felt like an eternity. The pressure only released when the woman quickly replied with a forgiveness, but it felt rushed. He wanted to press if she was serious-- and than, she reminded him of the time.

"...shite." he muttered, cursing himself for how long he'd taken. Promptly, Laeonas would begin moving alongside the woman, focused entirely on getting where they needed to be. Ephiny didn't break the silence, and so, neither did he. Anything he felt at the moment faded from view; it was irrelevant next to this. It was one thing for him to feel bad in the moment, but he could recognize how his mood would only get worse if his tantrum actually made it more difficult for them to complete this lesson.

As they went on, Laeonas would be able to hear a sound in the background. As the two Jedi continued, it would only grow louder, until it was eventually hard to hear anything else. It reminded him of white noise on a holo, or the running water of a sink. As they crested over a hill, it'd become clear that the sound was running water-- but like nothing Laeonas had ever seen before.

Laeonas had, over the course of his travels, seen oceans, rivers, lakes and ponds. The first time he'd looked at an ocean from above a planet's surface, he'd been mesmerized. Trying to imagine the sheer volume was incomprehensible; most images he had in his mind were of empty, still, neverending water in all directions. It never moved, stagnant and unchanging, like a filled tub. Only now did he see that his preconceptions weren't true.

The stars had been wondrous to witness, the flora and fauna of the galaxy had filled him with wonder-- and yet now, water, the source of life, captivated him with it's beauty. It moved, unending, unstoppable, unconquerable-- and it was gorgeous. The hue of light that hung above it, almost like a halo, left him with a mouth that hung open in shock. This world was like nothing he'd ever seen, nothing he'd ever experienced.

It was magnificent.

When Ephiny spoke again, he felt a smile slip across his lips. It was such a simple metaphor, and yet it played off so well. Had she known that he'd never seen something like this before? Had she guessed that this would be his reaction? He couldn't know, and he wouldn't bother to ask. It'd come up another time; maybe when he was no longer a student, or maybe when he wasn't forced to wear these godawful robes anymore.

The instructions came, and Laleonas would respond with a nod.
"...a'right, 'ere we go." The man whispered, reaching out with the force. He'd take a long, deep breathe-- and than, he started to concentrate. Concentrate on the world around them, on life, and on surrounding. The profane and the immaterial were two inseparable parts of their reality; it was one of the first corrections he'd received on his technique. Now, he experienced the closest to the full picture that he ever had.

The force swirled around him, calm-- calmer than it had ever been. All that was left was for his teacher to tell him what came next.


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Ephiny smiled with Laeonas' reaction to the waterfall. The Archivist had brought him there because she imagined that he probably never saw something like this place. After he asked her about how someone makes food, the Knight thought that perhaps he didn't see many things in his life. She wanted to show him how the Galaxy had so many things and all of it was connected through the Force.

The Archivist waited for him to start to do what she had asked. She felt him once again open himself to the Force. He would be able to feel how different it was from the clearing. There was much more life around them now. There was so many trees and the creature flying in the sky. It was a place like this one that would make you feel how wonderful the Force was. They were so small in comparassion to the waterfall, like how they were small in front of the living Force.

Then she felt the Force start to gather around the Brentaalan. Different of what happened at the clearing, when he tried to use his anger to lift all the stones, now he was covered with calm and peace. Ephiny was proud of him, he was finally learning how the Jedi use these feeling to communicate with the Force.

Now that he already gathered the Force around him, was time for the second step. “Very well, Padawan. Under normal circunstances, you would touch and focus it in the place where the injury is." she said calmly to Laeonas, not wanting to break his concentration.

"Beyond using this ability to heal wounds, you can also use it to relieve the fatigue of your muscles. For that you will need to focus the Force on the muscles that are tired from the effort. Then you visualize as if they were no longer this way." Ephiny explained to Laeonas. Even if it was the a basic version of Force healing, it followed the same principle of when someone used it heal wounds. “Now, do it. Focus and vizualize the healing.

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Ephiny didn't betray any emotion in her immediate reply. She was calm, almost stoic, as formal as she possibly could be. The change in demeanor was unexpected, but he assumed it was more than likely because she was concentrating on what he was doing. He'd known from personal experience that mistakes while using the force could end very badly. Ofcourse, it was all speculation; perhaps she was finally succumbing to exhaustion. Or she was dissatisfied with his performance-- though, he had a feeling she'd make any dissatisfaction clear.

The instructions remained the same; unchanged from how they'd first been delivered. It was a much more direct process than how he usually used the force. Typically, Laeonas simply manifested his will into action by calling on the force. This was an extra step, one that challenged him to not just will things to happen, but to gather a full picture of what it was he wanted. It was... different, but everything else she'd taught him had been effective. Why would this be any different?

The man took another deep breathe, his aura radiating off him as it always did when he drew on the force. Uncharacteristic were the emotions that came with it-- rather than determination mixed with some passionate emotion, wrapped around his will was radiating peace, a calm that he usually never expressed. The force was alive around him, and he could feel it. With a call, it was invited in; and than, he got to work.

The man's legs had been, for the most part, left sore from how long they'd been traveling. They'd ache trying to support the rest of his frame, and the flats of his feet pressed hard against the ground beneath them. Laeonas would picture himself, relaxed, muscles pumped and ready to move. The image would stick, and the midichlorians within would begin to make it a reality. The seconds passed, and than they turned to minutes-- until, finally, Laeonas' eyes opened again.

Slowly, the man lifted one of his legs-- than, the other. He'd take a few steps forward, than turn, backwards. He'd jump a few times, and stretch a little once he was finished with them. The man took another breathe, as long as the first he'd taken. For awhile, he stood there, idly stretching his legs.

Than he'd turn to his master, the subtlest hint of a smile on his lips.
"Ai did it right, didn't Ai?" He'd ask, before it broke into a grin.


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Ephiny watched Laeonas while he did what she had instructed. The Force around him was full of peace and calm, giving the man an aura of serenity. The Archivist smiled, no one would even think that this was the same man who until a few hours ago was completely filled with anger.

Then she felt him use the Force, focusing it in his muscles. Usually, a Padawan would take some time before being able to do it perfectly. However, Laeonas seemed to be doing it well. Perhaps because he already used a rudimentary version of it. A version that was more close to the Dark side.

When he finished the healing process, Laeonas started to move around. This made Ephiny feel proud for her Padawan, he was able to properly use Force healing for the first time. It was only the first step in his journey to become a Knight. Before reaching this point, the Brentaalan would need to learn other abilities and she was going to teach them to him.

You did it! Good work, Padawan!” Ephiny smiled at him, while clapping her hands. “Not every Padawan is able to do it at their first attempt.” the Archivist explained to him. She noticed how the man seemed to have moments where he hated himself. She hoped that by saying it, Laeonas would appreciate the good things that he did.

Looking at the sky, Ephiny noticed that the sun was already close to the horizon. The night was coming and they needed to return to the Temple before it arrived. Getting up from where she was seated, the Archivist turned to her Padawan. “Come, it’s already getting late. We need to return to the Temple.” she would walk toward the trail that they used to arrive there. Suddenly, she would stop and turn back to the Brentaalan. “Laeonas, do you want to have classes? I could teach you Languages, History, Biology, Astrography and other things. If you are interested, I could also find some other Jedi to teach you other things. What do you think?

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The woman's reaction to his success was clearly positive, and it only made the man's smile widen. Yet the satisfaction he felt wasn't as intense as it had been before. For whatever reason-- the calm that had come with using Jedi teachings, the volatility of his emotions leaving him drained, or the development of their relationship as teacher and student, such basic praise didn't carry as much weight as it did just hours prior. Ofcourse, he'd never not enjoy a good ego stroke, and he was still ultimately happy with his teacher's reaction.

"Not every Padawan's a twenty somethin' th'at's been usin' tha force since 'fore they could walk, ayy?" He joked, though he was still smiling at the compliment. He hadn't actually met any other Padawans yet-- at least, not properly. Perhaps one of the Jedi he'd seen on Mataou was a Padawan? Perhaps he'd meet them again? Perhaps there were other Jedi he'd previously met that he'd one day meet again?

The idea of meeting Rishe, Brienne, or any other Jedi he'd previously known once again was an interesting one. His mind wandered, considering the possibilities. They'd probably be ecstatic to find that he'd joined the order, and it would be nice to meet with people who weren't strangers to him. But on the other hand, it could mean the rest of the order knowing how checkered his past was. But would that mean much? It certainly hadn't stopped Master Voran from personally inviting him to join them.

The man was taken from his distractions by Ephiny's prompt that they needed to return to the temple.
"Right, right." he muttered in response, but they wouldn't walk more than five meters before the man stopped. The man couldn't guess as to what could be more important than returning to the temple.

That was until he heard her offer.

It was a bit difficult to understand what she was suggesting. "Classes" wasn't a term he was familiar with in any sense, nor were things like "biology" or "Astrography." She may as well have been speaking Duros to him, up until she mentioned a word he did understand: "teach." The incomprehensible gibberish she'd just mentioned suddenly made sense-- not because he understood them, but because he knew what Ephiny spewing incomprehensible jargon at him was supposed to be: learning.

The woman was offering him an education. Not the kind he could get off a datapad, or was taught in a back alley-- but the kind where he read books, where a teacher explained things he didn't understand. Growing up, the people around Laeonas had always treated such a proposition like it was beneath them-- that only weak, effeminate rich children went to school, and that real men and women "worked" instead. He'd never held strongly to such convictions though-- education was, after all, one of the things he could have had, had his father not rejected him and his mother.

He'd seen firsthand how valuable the learning he had received had been to him. Literacy was constantly useful in his day to day life, to the point where half the jobs in the gangs he joined involved him reading, where others couldn't. Learning more about the force was useful enough on it's own. What could proper learning do for him?

He had only truly pondered it for a few seconds; the man's answer had been decided the moment she'd suggested it.
"Yeah." He'd answer, blinking before he realized that that wasn't really a proper answer. "Ai mean... Ai think it'd be useful. Ai'm... guessin' th'at most of ya 'ave got good schoolin', but... well, Ai never really got any. It'd be nice ta... well, know 'ow things work, why tha way things are... and where things are. Ai barely know 'ow ta read a starmap." He confessed, smiling sheepishly.

"Ai'll try and figure out anythin' ya choose ta learn me with... teach."


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Ephiny smiled with Laeonas joke. He wasn't wrong, few Padawans with his age were able to learn a Force ability so fast. The man's previous knowledge about using the Force was what made him successful. The Archivist wondered how it would be when she taught him other abilities. Perhaps she will teach him Plant surge next time.

While she waited for the Brentaalan to give an answer to her offer, Ephiny thought that perhaps he could have felt offended. She didn’t think that he was dumb. The Archivist had thought that he would like to learn more things, not only Force abilities. Maybe this could help him stop having this self-hatred.

She smiled when he accepted her help. "I'll teach you everything that you want. Usually the younglings and Padawans would have classes with teachers. I teach them History." she explained to him. "But you already are an adult, so in these cases we can search for tutors. When I don’t know something, I'll ask a friend to help teach you."

Now the sunset was starting, making the forest become more dark. They really need to return to the Temple. "Come, let’s return." then Ephiny walked through the trail. While they walked, she would continue to talk with Laeonas. "I was thinking that we could start with Language classes tomorrow. What do you think?" she also hoped to teach him more of Basic.

Their walk back to the Temple would happen without problems. Since the night arrived when they were still on the trail, Ephiny activated her lightsaber to illuminate their path.

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