Ask Yavin IV Two Rivers, Same Boat

[Severus Creed]

Severus felt ruined.

Like a starship raptured by a failed jump to lightspeed.

After his discussion with the Grandmaster about his...abilities, the Jedi temple on Yavin began to seem like less of a temple and more of a prison. He noticed that there was always some sort of guard or Jedi Knight keeping an eye on him, which didn't help the Padawan's struggles with trust in the slightest. If Alexandria couldn't trust him...then who could?

Severus did manage to hide from an older Jedi knight out in his special spot in one of the giant trees a ways away from the Temple. Sadly, all he could do was read about herbology and potion making instead of actually creating the potions while being watched an analyzed by the Order like a lab rat. Severus wasn't a lab rat.

There were days when he didn't know what he was, but he knew he wasn't a lab rat. Yeah, he couldn't refrain himself from using the Dark Side. Yeah, he still had a Sith Lightsaber after giving the first one the Grandmaster. Maybe he couldn't call himself a Jedi right now- but he wanted to someday. That was currently his drive to do anything these days; to prove himself a Jedi by becoming a Jedi Knight. Today was just not one of those days. Today, the Darkness inside him couldn't bare to be in the presence of another Jedi Master.

So, he sat in his tree with his book and read by his lonesome.

Hopefully, and just hopefully, no one else would bother him during his few moments of solace and solitude.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Arctus Friers]

Arctus felt lonely.

If anyone pointed out, they would probably say that the former smuggler turned Padawan looked kind of sad. Others might argue and comment on the glimmer of slight discontent that flashed in his eyes. If he were to ask himself he'd say that he just felt restless, the wanderlust simply rearing its curious head, and maybe he'd even agree to those who would claim that he looked sad because he felt like it.

He did feel downcast for the most part, probably because he found himself in his lonesome these past few days. Arctus had been preparing for his departure for Corellia to visit his family and learn the truth about his parentage – well, he only had issues with his father. He wrote a letter for his Master about his departure, and he realized that he needed to write to Clove and Ruzaan each. Both Padawans were preoccupied with lessons, however: Clove with her Master and Ruzaan with lessons. Of course he had his own, but the mounting dread he was feeling as the day of his departure drew near made him skip a lesson or two.

He wasn't ready to hear from Mum that Dad's not his father – if that was even true – but at the same time he was.

Scratch feeling lonely. He felt perplexed.

It was just one of those days when he couldn't seem to decide which emotion to feel first, a throwback to the old life he led where he really didn't have much of a good grasp on his feelings but glossed over them instead. His friend Saahnaa once told him that he might be depressed but he'd simply waved it off because he wasn't.

He wasn't, really. He just felt... off.

Arctus wandered around the Temple, datapad clutched in one hand while the other held a few pieces of paper and a pen. Earphones on and music playing from his datapad, the Padawan looked for a place where he could write his letters in peace other than the privacy of his own dorm room. He'd been hiding from the younglings, and he soon realized that they would soon find him if he stayed indoors. With a fond chuckle, the former smuggler changed course and headed outside instead.

"Gonna have to find a good spot," Arctus muttered to himself as he walked away from the Temple's entrance and past the courtyard. He frowned lightly when one song ended and a new one began, the familiar intro making him let out a rather weary sigh. "Note to self: Don't listen to sad but relatable songs when you're sad. But damn, I can't skip this one. Too fucking relatable."

The Padawan walked further ahead, humming along the song as he eyed one of the ancient-looking giant trees ways away from the Temple. Unaware that the tree was 'occupied', Arctus lowered himself on the grass and reclined against the tree. Settling his datapad on top of one thigh, he placed the papers atop it and began to write the salutations for the first letter.

Ruzaan pretty much went everywhere, so the first letter would be for Clove.

Dear Clove—

Ugh, what was he, ten?!

Dearest Clove—

Godsdamn it, Arctus.

While he figured out the best kind of greeting, the Padawan hadn't realized that he'd been singing under his breath.

"But they don't hand out medals to monsters like me. Oh, well," Arctus sang, shaking his head at the line but at the same time accepting it. He remembered the look the Sith woman Charlie gave him back in that creepy planet, when Arctus let the Dark Side overtake him for the sake of gaining whatever twisted kind of courage he needed to face the unknowable. She looked at him as if he wasn't even cut out to be a Jedi, just some crazed bastard that couldn't even make a half decent Sith.

He was Jedi, he kept telling himself after he, Clove, Ruzaan, and Felix escaped from that dread planet. But he also had the Dark Side of the Force, so did that make him less of a Jedi?

Arctus let out a loud sigh. Hopefully no one would find him at the moment so he could collect his thoughts and try to focus on the current task at hand other than thinking about his own dilemma.

@Charles

 

[Severus Creed]

While Severus read on, now getting into Dark Matter and How It Relates to the Force, the black-haired boy heard...singing? Yes, dreaded slightly off-pitch singing.

He only sighed and shut his book, waiting to see if the bloke would leave, but he seemed to linger below his tree. Severus knew better than to act hostile- especially to another Jedi -so he waited patiently, as the Grandmaster had instructed him to work on, and decided to try and depict who it was that was singing to fight his growing annoyance.

After a few minutes of second guessing himself, Severus finally decided to just go an find out who it was, dropping to a large branch to greet the stranger from the advantageous high-ground.

It was a Jedi Knight! Or...now that Severus got a better look at the older fellow, he realized it was just another Padawan. Arctus Friers, to be exact. An audible sigh escaped him before he spoke.

"If you wish to finish whatever it is you're writing, try not listening to music with lyrics. There are many great instrumental songs out there that are perfect for writing essays and the like." But Severus could sense this assignment was self-instructed to be completed by a self-created due date. It was personal, and there was something about it that gave Severus a vaguely familiar feel from the Force.

One of Padawan Creed's gifts, besides his mass intellect, was his attunement with the Force. Of course it wasn't anything compared to that of the Grandmaster, but it was great enough to match the many Jedi Knights. Though the man below him was older, Severus didn't sense as strong a connection, which increased the boy's curiosity ever so slightly, allowing it to distract himself from his growing problem in using the Dark Side.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Arctus Friers]

Relatable music blaring from his earphones, Arctus was blissfully unaware of the rustling of leaves above him that were not quite caused by the wind. He continued to sing under his breath, not really bothering to correct any off-keys because there was no one watching. As such, it took him completely off guard when he felt the ground next to him vibrate when something heavy landed on that same spot.

Under normal circumstances he would've whipped out one blaster already and shot whoever the hell took him by surprise, but mindless murder was not the Jedi way and besides that would have earned him an embarrassment of a lifetime – and, of course, guilt. The former smuggler instead let out a curse, visibly startled for having his concentration broken so abruptly.

"Holy shit!" exclaimed the Padawan with wide eyes as he looked up at the culprit. Taking his earphones off, he managed to catch what the younger Padawan in black clothing was saying. One hand flying to his wildly beating heart (what for? There were no threats of Sith on Yavin IV), an amused grin split the former smuggler's face as he huffed out a laugh. "You startled me, mate! Didn't realize someone's up there."

Because where else would Padawan Severus Creed come out of when there were now obvious signs that the young man had been up on the tree long before Arctus arrived?

It only took the older Padawan a few short moments to gather his bearings and organize his things. Since there was nothing secretive about the nature of his letter – and he hadn't really written anything yet aside from a very informal Heya, Clove! – he didn't bother covering the paper. Arctus took the advice into consideration with an admitting nod as he took said paper and waved it around a bit.

"True, that. But weird as it sounds instrumental songs just distracts me more," he admitted with a light laugh. "Makes me want to put lyrics into them. And to be fair, I'm only stuck with the salutations. 'Dear' is an age-old classic, but not every letter calls for that stuff, innit?"

The younger Padawan was holding a book, though Arctus couldn't make out the title since part of Severus's black robe was obscuring it. The young man was a curious study. Arctus had seen Severus around, though every time the latter seemed to be guarded – for a lack of a better term – by a different Knight each time he saw the kid. He didn't know the reason behind it nor would he assume. But he was curious as to the whys and hows, so the former smuggler refused to beat around the bush.

"Severus Creed, right?" it wasn't a question but more of a confirmation. Although the chances of mistaking Padawan Creed for someone else was slim given that the young man possessed a signature look. Arctus had heard other Padawans talk smack about Severus, often commenting about the dark-haired teen's sarcastic and cynical nature. This was the first time he was going to actually interact with the Padawan in question, so he guessed he would see firsthand if such accounts hold truth.

"Looks like an interestin' book you're reading. Mind sharing what's that about?"

@Charles