Open Starlight Nu-Vaal Class on Telepathy

[Alhazred]

Open to all Jedi

Alhazred entered the classroom with head held high in mock confidence. In all actuality, he was entirely nervous. Ever since he had been knighted by Scorpio, he had become, for lack of a better term, antsy. He needed to do something for the Jedi. He needed to help them out in some way, and preferably not in a way that could potentially harm his peers like with the starweird incident. The talks of trying to convince the Givin to side with the Jedi were nowhere near the place he could help yet, and he was no crusader who desired to be on the front lines of battle. There was very little he could do at the moment.

Then someone, either a brilliant idiot or an insane genius, suggested teaching. Before he knew it, Alhazred was set to give a lesson to any Jedi who desired to learn telepathy. Had he ever taught anyone before? Never. Was he a knight fresh from being a padawan. Certainly.

Did that matter? Definitely not.

The green thing shook his head in wonder. In all his years, Alhazred never expected to be a teacher. On Yag'Dhul, he was considered 'slow' to the other Givin, and he had spent a lengthy time learning the basics of the Force with the Jedi alongside practical younglings. And yet, here he was, arranging the classroom seats into a circular pattern.

Once the room was set up, the small Nu-Vaal slid the large container off his back onto the ground. Tapping it lightly, Alhazred smiled as he reexamined for any cracks in the murky water filled container. His 'aide' was certainly unique, but he hoped it would help with some of the more advanced stuff. A quick examination of the time, and Alhazred noted the door for the room would be open to the public. Whether it was just one student or a dozen, it didn't matter. He would teach anyone who wanted to learn.

@Zay

 

[Caul]

I have to be better…
I have to be stronger…
I have to try harder!

Caul Barret sat cross legged and in a pseudo state of meditation outside the door of his most recent class assignment. He was early. Downright embarrassingly so, but he didn’t care. Telepathy was something he needed to work on and so he was ready to get to work. He finished his meditation and then stood up getting in a little stretching. His shoulders had been tighter than a hutt in slave outfit recently and his neck was bothering him, he was too young for this kinda crap… wasn’t he?

The sign above the door chimed and it’s color shifted from red to green. Class was open. WIthout hesitation he strode forward and stepped through the threshold. As he entered Caul realized the only other person here was an alien Jedi he didn’t recognize. They sort of resembled a Kel Dor… but he couldn’t tell if the Jedi was wearing a mask or a rebreather. Time would tell he supposed.

“I’m Caul,” he looked around the empty room, “Looks like I’m your student for the day.” The Padawan bowed, “Thank you for doing this class. I’m very excited to learn what you have to teach!”

Say one thing for Caul Barret, say he is enthusiastic.

@Narzen

 

[Tie’en Chianti]

Education was a powerful tool, regardless of the modality. The only harm could come from a poor instructor. Tie'en, anxious from her many years of isolation and study, felt aprehensive about taking courses with other padawans. She had choosen the sentinal path, in hopes to pursue her Mirialan pride. That, however, left her with very poor social skills and even worse manners.

She stood quietly outside the classroom, along with another young, appearing male, humanoid padawan. He seemed deep in thought, meditating, and she was happy to oblige his desire for peace and quiet. Tie'en wore simple, long, grey robes, which were styled with a cross design over top of her basic tunic, which was secured with mesh belt around her waist. A pair of boots peered out underneath the long him of the robe. Her face was visible, of a hood, which conveniently hid her choppy brown hair. Her hair was fashioned in a short braid, though it was obsucred by her her hood. The hair that was visible was unkempt and stringy, as if she had been pulling an all night study session. Her iconic Mirialan tattoos made a linear design across the tops of her cheek bones. Her saber was secured to her belt on her right hip and she seemed much more preoccupied with a datapad she was fiddling with, rather than the young padawan who was also waiting for the class to being.

As the doors opened, Tie'en saved her short work note and politely slid her small data pad back into one of her belt's compartments. The doors opened to reveal a number of seats, arranged in a circle, making it clear that a lesson was about to begin. The young padawan who had been meditating in front of the door, quickly jumped to his feet and strode into the classroom. Tie'en, with a slow, pensive gait as she cautiously observed the instructor and his unique appearance. She did not know what specie she was looking at, which peaked her curiosity. She was almost tempted to ask; however, she had enough sense to not be so bold on a first meeting. The young padawan introduced himself as Caul, and Tie'en made a mental note of the fellow's name and gumptious nature. He was a lot more energetic than she was. She moved to the right, making some distance between herself and Caul before bowing her head politely and making her own introduction.

"I'm Padawan Chian-ti, Thank you for the opportunity to learn master,"

Tie'en stated courtously as she stayed standing with her head bowed, waiting to be instructed to take a seat. She was of a cooler temperment than Caul seemed to have; however that was only at a first glance.

@Zay @Narzen

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Shaw was fashionably late, but not really on purpose this time. He walked in wearing sweatpants and an oversized hoodie. Looking around at the other Jedi in their robes, he realized that he probably should have worn his. But it had been a last minute decision to come to this class. It had also not been his decision but the decision of a passing Jedi Knight who caught him chilling in one of the lounge areas playing a podracing simulator on his dataphone and told thim that he had too much free time on his hands.

Next thing he knew he was being sent here. It was a wonder the teenager had ever found the right class. This place was like a maze, and he was still trying to figure out his way around. There were only three other people in the room. One of them looked very familiar.

"Shili, right?" he asked Alhazred, eyeing the Jedi Knight. One of the other padawans was Caul, who he had just recently met on a mission to the planet Ellora. "Hey man," he greeted the other teenager with a dap. The last padawan, a Mirialin girl, Shaw didn't know so he settled for a friendly wave.

Then he slid into one of the empty seats and noticed the large container on the floor. "Whoa! We gonna be dissecting frogs or something?" @Narzen @Zay @Tetsu

 

[Victor-Ryder]

-Whoops! Sorry! Victor bumped into a group of students who were walking in the opposite direction to him. The padawan ran through the corridors -Shit! Late for another class. The young man was already becoming a pro at it, being late was already one of his "main skills". But not this time, this time he was going to be on time, or at least, as late as possible.

Telepathy wasn't something he would normally be interested in, but it was better than the assignments he should be doing if he didn't go to class. Victor was also an adherent of the philosophy that knowledge is never too much, so he was quite excited. Even though it wasn't something he was entirely interested in, he knew that if he put in a lot of work, he could actually learn something useful there. Also, with each new technique he learned, Victor felt a little more connected to the Force.

The young man stopped in front of the door. His breathing was a little heavy, but he was on time, or almost on time. I was only a few minutes late and apparently the class hadn't started yet.

Victor shook a greeting before entering. -Excuse me, teacher. He was coming in. -Sorry for the delay. He paused for a moment and noticed that apparently he wasn't the only one who didn't have much interest in telepathy. The room was extremely empty. Only 4 students, already counting Victor himself. He waved and greeted the first two, passing them and going to sit next to the third. Victor had had lunch in the cafeteria with Shaw and rookie Roanoke on another occasion. They were still getting to know each other, but the young man from Coruscant was the most familiar there, so sitting next to him was the most natural choice.

Victor greeted the other boy. -Hey man, what's up?!

@Narzen @Zay @Tetsu @throwitintothefire

 

[Alhazred]

4 students. 4 beings willing to put themselves under the guidance of the newly knighted Nu-Vaal.

Alhazred mentally shook at the idea that he was now the teacher instead of the student. How long ago it was when he was first learning how to utilize the Force.

"I am fortunate to have you" Alhazred replied to the first student. Caul was the most visibly eager of the bunch. It actually made Alhazred a bit more comfortable, sensing that much excitement from one student. In his own youth, he had never shown such excitement, and now understood why so many younglings of other species demonstrated such energy.

"Thank you for trusting me with your lesson. Please, sit" Alhazred gestured. Chian-Ti's, the second student, curiosity was evident. Whether it was because of Alhazred himself, an unusual being in the galaxy, or the container containing the wriggling tumor-like thing, was uncertain. Still, her curiousity pleased Alhazred. It was familiar to himself.

Shaw's arrival made Alhazred smile, even with the misidentification. "Alhazred, young master Shaw" He replied warmly. "And of sorts. It'll be evident later" Alhazred remembered the young man on a recent trip to a snow filled paradise. That was...an adventure to say the least. Still, he was curious what Shaw's reaction would be when he discovered what the wriggling thing was inside the container.

"You are on time. Regrets are uneeded." Alhazred commented to the final student. Truth be told, Alhazred wasn't sure if he was on time or not. He lost track of the time with greeting the other students.

4 students. Alhazred breathed a sigh of both relief and nervousness. He didn't know how many to expect. Having none would've been a nightmare on his self-esteem. Having four was simply a challenge for himself, but one he needed. At least he got a nice round number.

"Have you had encounters with telepathy in the past?" Alhazred asked the group. Once they answered, he continued.

"The Force is in all living things. You, me, the wandering Wamp Rat, the burdensome Bantha, even the superlunary Summa Verimoth and the elephantine exogorth. As Jedi, we recognize that connection and open ourselves to it fully. Telepathy is simply us impressing our thoughts into the Force for someone else to recognize. We speak through the Force, and through the Force, others hear what we say what our mouths do not."

Alhazred stopped a moment to let his practiced words sink in. It wasn't anything revolutionary, but they were words that helped Alhazred in his first practicings.

"Now I will need to have you to pair up. Let's see... Caul, you will be with Chian-Ti. Shaw, you will be with Victor. While its possible to be telepathic with creatures who are not force-sensitive, its easier to practice with those who are. So first, face each other and begin to meditate. Let yourselves be drawn into the Force. Empty your minds, and be one with the Force. Just don't lose yourself completely, as I will have further instructions."

With that, Alhazred gestured to the students. The lesson had begun.

@Zay @Tetsu @throwitintothefire @Victor Ryder

 

[Roanoke]

For the first time in his entire life as a student, Roanoke is late.

He pauses at the entrance of the classroom, his chest tightening as he observes Jedi Knight Alhazred deeply engrossed in discussing telepathy with the four students who arrived on time unlike him. Torn, he stands silently, a shadow at the doorway, contemplating his next move.

The weight of his past still clings to him like a second skin; as an ex-Sith acolyte, punctuality and discipline had been drilled into him not just by his former master but also his strict parents, yet today, his affections for his adopted tooka-cat and his newfound hobby of knitting had distracted him from those lessons. A part of him whispers to leave, to escape the embarrassment and the possibility of reprimand for his tardiness. Another part, the part that had driven him to seek redemption and a new path among the Jedi, urges him to stay, to face the consequences and to embrace this learning opportunity.

Taking a deep breath, Roanoke steps forward, the decision made. He would not let his past define him, nor would he allow his small misstep today to derail his journey to becoming a Jedi. With a resolve that is still new to him, Roanoke quietly approaches Alhazred, ready to apologize for his lateness.

"Master Alhazred, I apologize for my tardiness," Roanoke begins, his voice steady despite the flutter of nerves in his stomach. "I allowed myself to be distracted, but I am here and committed to learn. May I still join the class?"

@Narzen @throwitintothefire @Victor Ryder @Zay @Tetsu

 

[Shaw Amaris]

That's what he thought. They had been together on Shili. That had been a craaaazy night but Shaw couldn't forget that face. Or those tendrils? Whatever. He couldn't forget Alhazred. His name, certainly. But not his face. He had a very memorable face. Shaw wasn't sure what kind of species he was, but it was not a species he had ever seen before. Not even on Coruscant.

"Uh oh," Shaw whispered to Caul, who was the closest, when Alhazred said they might be dissecting something later. He leaned further back against the backrest of the chair and fiddled with the bracelet on his wrist. "I failed biology."

When Alhazred asked if they had had any encounters with telepathy in the past, Shaw thought back. Only a few weeks ago the answer would have been a very firm no which he probably would have followed up with a laugh. Where would he have encountered telepathy? The only reason he really knew what that was in the first place was because of some of his favorite comics. But now he really wasn't sure about the answer. He thought back to Shili, where he had first met Alhazred. Shaw had approached that cave, and something had filled his mind. Something dark and powerful and entirely out of his control. Had that been telepathy or was that different? He wasn't sure so decided it was best not to answer.

Shaw was excited about the opportunity to pair up. Gotta be real. Mostly because he was hoping the other student would help carry him through the class. Joining Victor, Shaw greeted him with a nod. "Hey dude. How ya been? Shouldn't we sit down or something?" He was pretty new to the order, but they'd started him on a pretty heavy regiment of meditating since day one. Apparently it was their thing. Every other time he'd been sitting down, usually on the ground, so he sat down on the floor outside of the circle of chairs and faced Victor. "I'm still getting the hang of this mediation thing. Got any tips?" he asked the other padawan. @Narzen @Zay @Tetsu @Victor Ryder @Graveyard Shift

 

[Caul]

Shaw’s arrival was a welcomed one. Caul finished their dap by blowing up his hand, which was lame, but he’d done it and there was no going back. Yes, he hated himself too.

“Nice to see a familiar face,” he said with a chuckle. When the Knight mention dissecting something, Caul frowned and his eyes drifted to the weird container on the other side of the room. He was pretty hungry, but he wasn’t sure he had the stomach for whatever kinda eggs were in there. Shaw’s “Uh-Oh” made him laugh, “Are great wizards scared of knives?” he joked.

A few other padawan strode in and once everyone was settled the Jedi Alhazred paired them off. Caul was bummed he didn’t get paired with Shaw, but he quickly shifted gears when he met his partner. The Padawan bowed respectfully, “Hello, Chian-ti, I’m Caul. It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

Once their introductions were done he knelt down and allowed himself to sink into meditation. Well, “sink” is being generous. Caul closed his eyes and then basically remained exactly the same, just blind. Sure, he could “feel” everything in the force, but he wouldn't like “FEEL” anything or hear? He wasn’t really sure what the sensation of telepathy would be like, but he was eager.

It was about then that another Padawan joined the class. Caul dared to peek with one eye and spotted another familiar face. A small smirk spread across his lips as he closed his eye and did his best to focus for longer than a second.

@Narzen @throwitintothefire @Tetsu @Victor Ryder @Graveyard Shift

 

[Tie’en Chianti]

She slowly raised her head out of the gentle bow as she was given the instruction to sit. She watched as another pair of young padawans entered the chamber, eager to partake in the educational exercise. Chi'anti, with the mechanical awkwardness of a protocol droid. The young man introduced himself as Caul and he respectfully bowed to her.

"Chi'anti, it's a pleasure to meet you Caul" she responded with an awkward curt bow. She was not very sociable, typically, and she fumbled for a moment before taking a seat. "Please...sit, I don't know anything on the subject so please be kind to me," she offered with a gesture to the seat opposite her She sat over top her knees in a seiza position over top her her seat, trying to get comfortable but sitting stiff as a board. Caul seemed much more relaxed than she was as he closed his eyes and seemed to instantly be in a state of calm meditation. She stared across at him awkwardly as Caul mediated quietly. As another padawan entered the room, Caul peeked over, giving an expression of familiarity.

She blinked her eyes, quickly trying to still her mind so that she could "feel" the force. She was feeling clausterphobic with all of the new padawans coming to participate in the training. She tried to imagine that she was isolated, in a sea afloat, by her lonesome. She took a deep breath, trying to reach deeper into her connection to the force, though she felt herself clamping her eyes shut tensely, rather than drawing any connection to the living force...She wished it were easier to mediate, but she was feeling somewhat self concious.

@Zay @Narzen @Graveyard Shift @throwitintothefire @Victor Ryder

 

[Victor-Ryder]

"Have you had encounters with telepathy in the past?"

Victor did a quick search of his memory and found nothing relevant but another teacher's lessons. -More or less, Professor Boosk has a habit of using telepathy to get the attention of students during his lessons... Other than that, never.

He accompanied Shaw and sat facing him. He crossed his legs and took up the position to meditate.

"I'm still getting the hang of this mediation thing. Got any tips?"

-Got the wrong guy, I never had much patience for meditation. The padawan paused for a moment, trying to remember the meditation classes. -What's even the basics? Close your eyes, take a deep breath, empty your mind and feel the Force... He began to follow his own instructions. -Let her connect with you.

The new voice distracted the young Morelian, who opened his eyes to see that the newcomer was Roanoke, the former acolyte. Victor waved at him, then looked again at the companion in front of him. -Sorry, I lost focus. He tried to go back step by step. - Close your eyes, take a deep breath, empty your mind, feel the Force and let it connect with you.

The young man laughed and continued. As he repeated the step-by-step, something told him that in addition to the Force he would have to connect with his partner as well, so he was trying to expand his mind until he reached his friend... Always trying his best not to lose focus. Something that happened easily.

@Narzen @Zay @Tetsu @throwitintothefire @Graveyard Shift

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Shaw was out of luck. Victor was just as much a newb as he was when it came to meditation. At least Shaw wouldn't feel totally out of place, so that was a positive! The teenager shook out his shoulders like he was about to work out or something hard like that. In a lot of ways this kind of stuff was harder for Shaw. Slowing his mind down. Focusing in instead of out when there was so much he wanted to go do and so many people he wanted to go and see.

Following Victor's instructions, Shaw closed his eyes. Step one: check. Then the door swung open, and he looked up to see Roanoke. "Hey dude!" he called out, waving his hand at the other teenager. If there was no one else to pair up with Roanoke was welcome to join he and Victor. Then he remembered what they were supposed to be doing and turned back to face Victor again, closing his eyes.

He took a deep breath and tried to focus on the steady rhythm of his own heart, a trick one of the knights had encouraged him to use. Emptying his mind was the hard part. Who was he kidding? So was feeling the force, but maybe it would be easier surrounded by other Jedi. Many of which actually knew what they were doing. @Narzen @Victor Ryder @Graveyard Shift

 

[Alhazred]

The latest student (@Graveyard Shift ) apologized profusely, but Alhazred tried to make it seem like he didn't mind.

"Of course, come in and sit." Alhazred gestered. "We were simply starting by meditating and getting our minds ready. Sit, and do the same. I will partner with you when I can, or if we have another latecomer, they will partner with you. "

Alhazred looked over the other students. He could sense there was a little trouble among them trying to get attuned with the Force. It was no surprise really, but it was an oversight of the Nu-Vaal. He had half-expected the students to meditate quite easily, but then again, he had done a lot more meditation before his first missions than many padawans. Just because he was geared towards pursuing the path of a Jedi Seer.

"Um..." Alhazred started to stammer, trying to think of some helpful advice. He had been prepared for the telepathy, not helping guide into meditation. He took a moment to relax himself, before trying to advise Shaw and Victor (@throwitintothefire and @Victor Ryder ) "Relax, and focus on your current emotions. Recognize what you are feeling, and then, let it go. Breathe in....breath out. Inhale...exhale, and let your mind empty itself. If you get distracted, do not worry. Simply acknowledge it to yourself, refocus and let go."

After a bit of guidance to the students, Alhazred looked around again, then continued.

"In the Force, we all have a unique impact. A presence that is entirely our own. Think of the Force as one Orchestra. The Force's song is glorious and magnificent and awe-inspiring, and each of us is an instrument. We all have different timbres and tones, producing our own unique notes. While one might be akin to a crisp hammer-dulcimer..." At this Alhazred gestured towards Chianti (@Tetsu), "...another may be more like a lively Jizz-box." A gesture towards Caul (@Zay). "But we are all part of the Orchestra. To meditate is to attempt to harmonize with the Force's song. The more we harmonize, the stronger we become one with the Force"

Alhazred paused before continuing.

"As Jedi, we can harmonize with other beings. To continue with the metaphor, we can adjust ourselves to play the same notes in the same chord with the same timing. We can resonate with other beings. By doing this, we can begin to sense each other's presence, then general emotions and eventually, thoughts. For now, as you meditate and stretch out your feelings, recognize the unique presences you feel in the Force. Specifically, the strongest one you feel should be the one closest to you, physically speaking. "

Though emotional closeness could theoretically influence this Alhazred mentally said to himself.

Alhazred turned to face the latecomer (@Graveyard Shift). As his partner for the exercise, Alhazred began to quiet his own mind and began to reach out in the Force. The whole analogy of the Force being a song was very influenced by his own Synesthesia, but he hoped these youths would find some use in his own experiences. With a few deep breaths, Alhazred began to hear the Force's song. But his goal wasn't to hear the song. It was to provide Roanoke something to sense in his own mind.

 

[Caul]

Caul settled back into his meditation. He wasn’t why, but he kept feeling anxious. He shifted a little then, took a deep breath and felt the feeling ebb only to return once he’d balanced, which was really throwing him off. As the knight began to speak, he let himself open his eyes and as he did, Caul realized his partner looked a little nervous. The Padawan considered their instructor's words, but his brain just kept turning everyone into instruments, which wasn’t helping him focus at all.

Instead he turned his attention to his partner. He closed his eyes and immediately began to feel anxious again. His eyes opened, was she the one that was nervous? Was he feeling his partner’s emotions? He snapped his eyes closed– boom anxiety. He opened them, nothing. Close, anxious, open, fine.

Caul boot scooted a little closer to Chianti, in a quiet voice he said, “These kinda things can be a little nerve wracking, huh?” he did his best to offer a comforting smile. “Here, don’t focus on what you’re feeling, try to focus on something else,” he leaned in conspiratorially, “Normally, I get started by doing an old sparring technique, I start at my feet and then move up. I make sure nothing feels off in my body and than normally allows me to move, uh… outward? If that makes any sense,” he said with a chuckle.

“Remember, we’re in this together, we’re partners, I’ve got your back if you’ve got mine.”

With that Caul closed his eyes and did exactly what he’d explained working his way through his body in order to spread his consciousness outward.

@Narzen @Victor Ryder @Graveyard Shift @throwitintothefire @Tetsu

 

[Zessel]

Zessel was rushing through the halls of the Temple as fast as he could. It was normal for him to get late in the classes, his mind was always drifting around in different topics, never focused on the same thing for a long time. Unless it was something that he was really interested in.

Unfortunately, it was never the case with classes.

Even with his ongoing visits to the psychologist, there were still days that he forgot about his tasks. The alarm that he set in his datapad helps, but unfortunately he forgot to charge it after he went to sleep last night. Maybe he needs to set an alarm for that too.

When he arrived at the room, Zessel opened the door with so much strength that the handle hit the wall with a loud sound. “Sorry! I’m late!” he said immediately, before staring at the Jedi that were gathered there. He was going to wonder why they were gathered in a circle, before remembering that it was a telepathy class.

Ugh

He would need to stand still for a long time.

“Can I still join?” he asked the octopus-faced Jedi, which name was still too complex for his hyperactive, fourteen years old mind to remember.

@Narzen @Zay @Tetsu @throwitintothefire @Victor Ryder @Graveyard Shift

 

[Roanoke]

Roanoke visibly brightens when Alhazred doesn't seem to mind that he's late, and even accepted the mohawked teen by gesturing for him to join the class. Bowing deeply as a show of gratitude, he takes a seat on one of the empty cushions, returning Shaw's and Victor's greetings with a happy little wave. He also spots Caul who is paired up with another Padawan whose name Roanoke does not know yet. Maybe there would be time for that later.

He listens to Alhazred speak, taking in the latter's instructions and tips. As the Nu-Vaal takes a seat across Roanoke, he closes his eyes and takes deep, calming breaths. Meditation always helps calm him down, and as his earlier embarrassment about being late begins to ease. His stance melts into one of relaxed contemplation, his expression smoothening into that of calmness.

Back in Kashyyyk, Natalie taught him to not use the Dark Side of the Force any longer. While it is something Roanoke was strictly taught as an acolyte, he also despised using it, only doing it simply because he had no choice yet. But even now he still falters, for breaking a habit, a routine, that has been drilled to him cannot easily be achieved overnight. It's a commitment, turning away from the education he received, but Roanoke is determined to do it anyway.

Whenever he reached out to his former Master through the Force, it was one guided with anxiety, with fear. But this time, Roanoke is finally given the opportunity to burn with curiosity instead of wilt with fright. Through the Force he reaches out to Alhazred, a shy, tremulous heartbeat in the grand scheme of things. Tinged with Darkness still around the edges, but curious, timid, a quiet breath of exhalation that translates into the Force as the first stirrings of dawn.

To Alhazred, he sees the Force as a Song. To Roanoke, the Force is an explosion of Color, and of Taste and Scent combined.

Through the lens of the Force, Alhazred is teal, and the scent of old world parchments that the mohawked teen saw and smelled once when he accompanied his parents on a trip. Roanoke smiles, his mind picturing the Nu-Vaal walking in the Archives, a look of quiet contemplation on the Knight's face, all the while unaware that it's the message he's beaming on to Alhazred's head.

Roanoke barely hears Zessel's arrival, his mind focused on the task at hand.

@Narzen @throwitintothefire @Victor Ryder @Zay @Tetsu @LouJoVi

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Shaw had to hold back a snicker. "Bruh. He called you a jizz-box," he couldn't stop himself from mouthing to Caul from across the room with a big grin. @Zay

Then it was time to settle in and focus. No one else was joking around or goofing off anymore. They had all fallen quiet with only the occasional whisper amongst themselves. Even Zessel, the latest student there was ready to learn and get serious. Shaw supposed he had no choice. Even if this was something he had not enjoyed. Even if it was something he wasn't good at.

Usually the advice Shaw got was to let go of his emotions and thoughts entirely, which was sorta impossible, wasn't it? At least for him. But Alhazred's advice was different. New. Perhaps even better? Focus on what you're feeling. Recognize what you're feeling. And then let it go. A little doubtful but a little eager to fit in, Shaw would begin.

First things first. What was he feeling? Certainly a little conflicted. A little guilty. Conflicted because something foreign had been pulling at him recently. To put it simply? The urge to use the force. To not just use it but maybe even to use it really, really well. Just like he had seen Prani and Heidi use it on Shili when they had called upon nature itself and nature had answer. Just like he had seen Nash use it to save their lives. Just like he had seen Krel use it to defeat those bandits singlehandedly.

Guilty because that was exactly the sort of thing his parents had forbidden him from doing. That he had always been told was wrong. That he had suppressed and never wanted anything to do with for years. Until he had come to the Jedi that is. Until he had met some truly incredible people with amazing powers and abilities. Now he wasn't sure what he wanted. Or did he and he was just too afraid to reach out and grasp it with both hands?

Shaw took a deep breath, allowing the oxygen to fill his lungs before breathing it out through the mouth and diaphragm. Just like he had been taught to do in recent weeks. Then he tried his best to just let it go. Let go of the conflict. Let go of the guilt. And deal with whatever was left after that. @Narzen