Ask Ajan Kloss Reunions and Rocks

[Juniper]

Nara sat, at peace. Kind of. As close to peace as an eighteen year old girl can be. With nothing but the rocks around her, the trees swaying in the breeze and the cacophony of life echoing in the air. She sat cross-legged, eyes closed. Around her, a dozen rocks floated gently, spinning and swaying and swirling. Rotating as she thought about things. The smallest thought or urge was all she needed to stop them, change them, let drop to the ground or float higher. As she did, she felt herself rise a little. Maybe. Perhaps she was just imagining it.

The swamp was no different from the other times she'd been there. No different from when she'd been there the first time, aside from the lack of several tons of outdated starship sinking into the water. The memory of it brought a little smile to her face as she concentrated. The swamp might not have changed, but Nara had. Still the same girl, but in two years, a lot can happen. Her hair was longer, tied loosely instead of a braid. Her cheeks a little less full, slightly more shaped. A couple of new scars and nicks on her chin, above her eye.

Breeeeeeeeet-chirp.

"Shut up Three-B, I'm thinking." And of course, poking out from her pack, there was her faithful droid. No Nara without Three-B. He stood watching her, head cocked to the side.

Chiirp cheep cheep chirp bree!

"I told you to be quiet..." she said, a little sharper now. "When have I ever cared about a fuss at the temple. Apart from the ones I make?"

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

Oren wasn't looking forward to this day, returning to the temple and experiencing the world again after all these years. The landscape had hardly changed when he secretly arrived, but he could feel the energy, time had changed the galaxy around the pair, while he had been frozen in time.

He was a Jedi, but still he felt different, a loner in a world he put all his life into. He had decided to abandon his robes, instead opting for a short sleeve button down, that revealed his toned arms and the half sleeve that rested on his left forearm. He wasn't ready to face Nara, not yet. Instead, he opted to head to the spot where they had shared their best memory. He walked along the trail, remembering simpler days, and that was when he saw her.

She looked slightly different, thinner, but taller, as her face had properly filled out. She looked on the cusp of becoming a grown woman. He stopped, a sharp breath escaping his lips, and he almost turned away, he couldn't, it was really her. "Did..did you crash the ship in the water again?" His voice nearly choked on his attempt, he could feel the water building in his left eye. "N..Nara..."

 

[Juniper]

Nara tried to concentrate, feeling what she could through the force. She didn't pick up on him though, not until he was close. She bristled instantly. The presence approached and she scowled. Probably someone from the temple given the unenviable task of dragging her back there. Or some Knight deciding they'd come to offer advice. Stubbornly, she faced towards the water and kept her focus as best as she could. She'd wait for them to make the first move. Then she'd tell them where they could shove their advice.

She heard his voice.

Her eyes opened and the rocks dropped around her, a quick procession of wet slaps against the grass. No... it's not. No it's not. I'm imagining it again. This is my brain breaking. I've finally gone insane on this planet. Or this is some stupid trial of the force. She stood up and turned, expecting to see nothing but the trees. But there he was. Oren.

She didn't breathe as she looked him up and down. Seeing the changes, vast and different. The man there didn't seem to match much of the Oren that'd lived in her head, still two years younger, still more father figure than mentor. The same kind eyes... well, eye. The same voice.

"New jacket?" she asked, her face as straight as she could keep it. Then, the smile blossomed. She couldn't hold it back anymore. Nara dashed through the grass towards him, throwing her arms around him and pressing close to him, tighter than tight.

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

Oren felt the breath escape from his lungs as he saw Nara sprint towards him, her hands wrapping around his body, the two of them finally reunited after two long years. His left hand would plant against her back, holding her tightly while his mechanical hand rested against the back of her head. She would be able to feel him shiver, as his knees grew slightly weak.

"I..I missed you," his voice would crack as a knot slowly formed in his throat. There was so many things he needed to say, to learn, and in that moment he felt like he needed to fill two years of missed type into that instant. He could feel a tear run down his cheek. He would peer down towards the young woman with a soft smile, the sensations on his face pulsing a bright red. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you, to watch your path grow..I failed you."

tag: @Charndley

 

[Juniper]

Nara buried her head in his chest, taking in the feeling of him again. His presence, his voice, his warmth. She'd imagined this moment for a long, long time. Constantly playing through her mind at what she might say, how sorry she was that she couldn't be there or do anything. Or how long she felt angry about it all, still to this day, and the sheer helplessness she felt at it all. That she could do so many things, great things, that could help people... but not him.

"Shut up, you did nothing like that," she told him, looking up at him. Her eyes shone but she managed not to cry. Not yet, anyway. "It's not... it's not your fault. It happened." The grin came back, bright and big, the same slight dimples and creases in her cheeks that he'd remember.

"I missed you too," she admitted, before looking at him again. Taking in the muscles. And the clothes. And the... tattoo.

"I missed a lot, clearly."

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

Oren's cybernetic hand would run across the slight indent of her cheek, as he looked down towards the girl he saw as his own. He wouldn't hide the fact that he had tears running down the side of his left cheek, he wanted her to see it, to feel his emotion he felt at this moment.

"To be fair," he'd say with a slight smile, "I did chop someone's legs off, so it's my fault I was gone." He'd sigh, as he took a step back to get a good look at the girl. She seemed slightly taller, she had grown into her body slowly, and had to be on the cusp of completing her training. He could feel her brown eyes peering over his look.

"Prison does things to a man," he'd say with a gentle chuckle, "But, I'm still the same old teacher that brought a Baby Jawa back to the Jedi," he'd lean in for another hug, holding the girl tight. "How's the Convor doing? And are you with that Helmet Boy still?" The Jedi Master just knew, something was up between the two of them. "And when do I get to meet him?"

tag: @Charndley

 

[Juniper]

Still the same old Oren. He'd been through two years of prison that, in her mind, were largely unjustified. But he admitted it with grace and believed in the punishment. In so many ways, she didn't understand him. More importantly though, she respected him. Admired him. Loved him? That was probably true. Oren was practically her Dad.

She shrugged, like it didn't matter. After another hug, she smiled at him again. "The Condor's doing fine. Still the same ship," she said, thinking about it. "Y'know, still in need of like, twenty different upgrades and it shoulda been scraped before you were born, but it flies." A distinct thought forming in her head now, about having to give him the keys back. The one silver lining in Oren being gone was that his ship had been considered hers. Having a ship like that had granted her a measure of independence. Not that she couldn't leave and go places before now, but shuttles and transport had nothing on the comfort of your own ship.

"Rynn is good..." she lied. He wasn't good, he was unwell. Bad days and good days. She was getting better at telling which was which. "He's busy doing his thing a lot. I try not to get in the way. Least he doesn't call me wizard-girl much anymore." Nara blushed slightly, looking away for a second. She'd seen her master flirt, tease and blush around every female Jedi between the ages of 25 and 50. Why was her own love life so embarrassing? "There might be a few bits of his stuff in the ship still, sorry. I'll get it cleared out."

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

Oren didn't need to hear the words come from her lips, he would simply smile as he felt the love come from her. They shared a bond that he rarely felt with others, and she had slowly grown to become a woman that any Jedi Master could dream of. A proud smile would form on his face as he nodded.

"The Condor is still running?" He'd say with a surprised laugh, surely she would have scrapped it, or so he thought. "Did you fix the port side, tail light, yet," the words came out with a gentle tease. He could see the way she spoke of the ship, and the feeling of pride she had always felt about it.

He then heard her speak about the Mandalorian, Rynn, so that was his name? He could see that something wasn't quite right between the two of them, but he wasn't going to pry. "You're grown woman now," he'd say with a gentle smile, his hand flicking the blade that was clipped to her side.

"Nearly prepared to become a Knight, and continue the legacy." He would lean down to be at eye level with the girl, "I've taught you everything I know, and I believe you are ready." He'd sigh, promising himself that he wouldn't choke up, "You have your own life to live, places to explore and relationships to build...Rynn's things can stay, because just like my Master passed it on to me, the Condor is yours now."

He would hear a soft chirp from an ancient droid, he'd turn to see R2-H5 sitting along the rocks beside Three-B. "R2," he'd smile towards his trusty companion before turning back, his hand placing gently against the side of her cheek. "It feels good to be home."

tag: @Charndley

 

[Juniper]

Nara smiled with pride as he touched her saber. It'd been hard, constructing it without him. The whole two years had been hard. Without her Master there to guide her, show her the way. Luckily, happily, there were others who'd helped her. Guided her, shown her a better path. Though the pains of what'd happened had never truly gone away, she'd been able to move past some of it and grow.

"I'm not sure I'm ready to become a Knight just yet..." she admitted, with a slightly uncharacteristic hesitance. All sorts of things were wrong in the Galaxy, wrong in her world... the idea of being a fully-fledged Knight was still uncertain to her. Though she was surer now about wanting it than she once had been.

The gift surprised her though. Her mouth fell open as she stared up at him. "Master... I can't accept that. It's... it's not mine. It's yours. You have much more.... you can... it's from your Master." She knew how much his relationship to his old Master had meant to him. She didn't want him to give it all up just for her.

"What are you doing to do, Master?" she asked him. Not just about the ship, obviously. About his plans. About what he was going to do. "Have you been to the Temple yet?"

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

There had been so many things he had missed, birthdays, missions, dates, tears, and smiles. Two whole years he would have to learn of through words alone. He felt the tears building up in his eyes as he held the saber for a moment, before giving a fatherly nod towards the young woman. The Jedi had taken care of her and most importantly she had taken care of herself and grew as a Jedi and a person and he couldn't be anymore proud of her.

"You're going to be an excellent knight," he'd say as he pressed his mechanical hand against her shoulder, "I believe one hundred percent in you and your abilities." His fingers would squeeze gently against her as he sighed, looking over towards the rock he had sat on all those years ago. He thought of the Condor and his own Master giving him the ship around the same age. She had made it her home and respected it, and he knew that she would take far better care of it than he ever did--and one day she would pass it down to her own.

"It's yours now, enjoy it and see the galaxy with Rynn, with your friends, with students, with yourself..Find the peace and serenity that you're looking for, and through it you'll find the memories that will help carry you through the darkest times of your life." He'd sigh as he thought of what he was going to do.

"I'm not sure yet, a lot has happened in two years, and it seems I need to meditate and find myself, and my goals.." There was a hesitation in his voice, "I haven't had the courage to enter those halls just yet."

tag: @Charndley

 

[Juniper]

The Condor seemed too great a gift. It held so much significance to Oren. But maybe it reminded him too much of what he'd missed. Or the mistakes he'd made. It certainly reminded Nara of the mistakes she'd made... and the months she'd spent scraping mold and spores out of the engine cyclers. She wouldn't push against it any further... if he wanted her to have it, she'd accept it.

I've become a ship owner. I suddenly have opinions about landing fees.

His words made her eyes tear up a little, but she wasn't going to cry anymore. She was determined. Oren was back, this was meant to be happy time. What she'd waited for, for years. She was not going to waste time getting upset over it. She'd done that enough when he'd gone away.

"I'll see. Soon, maybe. Or later. Whenever I'm ready to be a knight, I'll face the trials," she said firmly, nodding. She'd learned what she could from him... and the others. From Brienna, from Hannibal, from Maxims. The Knights who'd made time for her and her friends in the Padawans. And Rynn, of course...

"Y'know, when I found out you'd been arrested I stood in the middle of the hall in the temple and shouted at everyone?" she told him, standing there with a slightly embarrassed smile. "I stood and yelled and shouted at all of them, asking them why aren't you doing anything and why are you leaving him there to rot?" She might have gone a tiny bit further than that. "They really chewed me out for it. All I got in return were... harsh words. But they still let me walk around the halls. They still helped me when I needed it."

She took his hand and squeezed it affectionately. "This is the Temple. This is your home and this is where you will always belong. With us, with the Jedi." She smiled softly, looking up at him with bright eyes. "And if you're struggling with the courage, don't worry. I've been winging it for what, two and a half years now? And nobody's figured out I'm not brave yet. I can help you fake it," she teased, winking at him.

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

Oren would cast his arm around the girl's shoulder as they walked, the two droids quickly following behind them. It felt good to be home, and safe with the Jedi again, with Nara and Nashyr, and with a sense of purpose. He had a new drive to explore and challenge himself in the force, in a time where the galaxy desperately needed Jedi who would stand against injustices. "I believe you will do an excellent job with your trials," he'd say with a soft whisper. "And once you're done with them, I will knight you personally.." The markings on his face would glow with a soft hue, as he thought about the moment he never got to have with his own masters.

He would turn his head slightly as she mentioned her outburst in the temple, "I imagine that a lot of Jedi didn't take too well to that," he'd chuckle softly, as his mechanical hand gave her shoulder a soft squeeze, "I didn't want their help, I turned them away when they came to the detainment center," he'd say with a soft whisper. "And I may have felt your force signature sulking around it as well, but you didn't stop in to say hi?" He'd raise a brow, as he teased the girl.

"My home is with the Jedi, you, and...Nashyr," he'd say softly, hoping that the girl wouldn't react too bad to the announcement. "I..well, we danced at a Light Festival, right before my arrest..and well, I couldn't stop thinking about her." He'd say with a huff, his face turning bright red, "Well, when I got released, I traveled to Rishi and asked her to come with me...and well...let's just say it was one the most magical experiences I ever had." A soft twinkle filled his lone working eye. It was probably a bit too much to share with the girl, but she'd probably notice that he seemed to walk a bit lighter.

"Thank you..for never giving up on me," he'd say after some time, as they slowly approached the temple grounds. He had reconnected with everyone that was close to him, it was now time for him to face the rest of the order and the galaxy, and to make amends for the things he had done. He knew what had to be done.

OOC: Feel Free to do one more post and then /END
tag: @Charndley

 

[Juniper]

"I don't know what you're talking about, Master. I wasn't anywhere near Coruscant," she lied brazenly, shrugging. She still wouldn't quite look Oren in the eye as she said it, but she'd managed to stop herself blushing like she used to. "I spent sixteen years of my life avoiding prison before becoming a Jedi, I am not about to start dropping in on them now."

Nara bit her lip as she listened to Oren talk about Nashyr. She knew Nash a little, mostly by sight and from hearing her talk around the Temple, rather than personally. She grinned though, hearing the obvious affection in his voice for her. "Awww... you're such a huge, massive softie, ain't ya?" She playfully punched his arm. "I'm happy for you two. Whatever the both of you want," she said to him, with a little of the wisdom of someone who's experienced her own joy in a relationship. Maybe not one as conventional as Oren and Nash.

"Hey, like I'd give up on you. You never gave up on me." Nara sighed, looking up at the profile of the Temple, breathing in the air again. "I'm only here because of you, and I won't ever forget that." She squeezed his hand before slipping her own out of it, stepping towards the Temple.

/END