Veren Lorollo's Jedi Training

[Ares]

Veren Lorollo walked into one of the many open courtyards of the Ossus Jedi Temple. He was amazed at how quickly he had been accepted, and just itching to get started. He hooves made a repeated clik, clik, clik on the stone floor as he walked to a balcony, and leaned against the railing.

And he would wait.

 

[JM76]

Chester Ducere made his way through the Jedi Temple situated on Ossus. The temple was just as vibrant as the day he had first stepped onto its hallowed grounds, several years ago, to begin his own Jedi Padawan training. A subtle breeze passed over his well-kept blond hair and caressed his pale skin. Although he usually wore flamboyant, elegant clothing while he was out and about or on a mission, Chester decided to don the traditional robes of the Jedi - a tan robe with a brown overcoat and khaki slacks - when he went about training Padawan learners.

Veren Lorollo had assigned to him for tutelage; the young equine-like Force-sensitive would be his first Padawan. Since the Padawan had been assigned to him several days before, Chester had spent several hours learning all he could about the traits, hobbies, likes, and dislikes of both Veren and his species.

Chester reached out into the Force, and felt the presence of his new Padawan. Trailing his student across an open courtyard, Chester followed his Padawan until he had stopped near a balcony. Approaching the "equine" from behind, Chester stood near his would-be Padawan and hung his arms over the railing.

"Fine day for a stroll, isn't it?" Chester asked nonchalantly. "Hello Veren Lorollo. I'm Chester Ducere, and I'll be the Jedi Knight in charge of your training."

 

[Ares]

Veren inclined his head to the Jedi Knight raising one reddish-brown eyebrow, and replied, "Good to meet you, too."

Then he grinned, his teeth shing like white marble. "When'll we start training, Master Ducere?"

 

[JM76]

Chester heaved a long sigh before turning and sitting atop the balcony railing. Although he had no sense of balance to speak of, Chester utilized the Force to keep him propped up on his lowly perch. He returned his Padawan's smile with a wry grin of his own. "In due time, young Padawan. Do not worry; life goes on and we have many days to train," suspecting disappointment from his Padawan, Chester added, "Do not worry, though. We shall begin soon enough. But first, let me show you to your new quarters."

Removing himself from the railing and returning his feet to the solid ground of the balcony, Chester motioned for his Padawan to follow him toward the Padawan's chambers. As he quickened his step, hoping his Padawan would keep up, Chester turned back toward his pupil: "So, Veren. Tell me a bit about yourself. Why do you want to become a Jedi? Why are you here?"

 

[Ares]

Chester heaved a long sigh before turning and sitting atop the balcony railing. Although he had no sense of balance to speak of, Chester utilized the Force to keep him propped up on his lowly perch. He returned his Padawan's smile with a wry grin of his own. "In due time, young Padawan. Do not worry; life goes on and we have many days to train," suspecting disappointment from his Padawan, Chester added, "Do not worry, though. We shall begin soon enough. But first, let me show you to your new quarters."

Removing himself from the railing and returning his feet to the solid ground of the balcony, Chester motioned for his Padawan to follow him toward the Padawan's chambers. As he quickened his step, hoping his Padawan would keep up, Chester turned back toward his pupil: "So, Veren. Tell me a bit about yourself. Why do you want to become a Jedi? Why are you here?"

Veren laughed, a sound which was so infectious, it would put a bit of happiness in a rock. "All too true, Master."

He turned from the balcony, his marine blue eyes glowing brightly. He followed the Human, grinning. Veren kept up with long strides, his hooves clacking on the marble floors.

"Well, I wanted to join because on my homeworld, a Jedi is revered as a hero and a guardian of peace and all things good. To be one is to inspire the youths to be good citizens, and to be honorable when they reach adulthood."

Veren flashed his master an almost impudent smile. "In a way, you could say I just want to perform my civic duty."

 

[JM76]

Chester continued to walk in silence, although it was obvious that he was deep in thought. "That is a noble cause indeed," Chester finally said, interrupting the silence. "Your world - I assume - will be allies with our Order for many years, if that is the primary mindset of your people. Even the Republic and its Senators do not trust us as you do."

Chester stopped in front of a steel-gray door, amidst several other doors along a long hallway that served as a dormitory of sorts for the Jedi Padawans. Finding the door unlocked, Chester used the Force to pull open the automatic door and reveal Veren's Jedi chambers. It was like most other Jedi rooms - small and spartan, with no real decoration or lavish design. There was a small chair in the center of the room for meditation, a rather uncomfortable looking cot to sleep in, a shelf to keep any possessions, and a single window to allow light to enter the dimly lit room.

"Unless you transfer to Coruscant or spend your time offworld, you will probably spend many long hours in here. Get familiar, get comfortable, and meet me in the western courtyard in fifteen minutes," Chester concluded. Turning around, Chester headed out to the courtyard to catch up on meditation while his Padawan got used to his new home.

 

[Ares]

Veren replied, "Our people remain loyal to the good, not the desperate."

He looked at the room, then grinned. "I'm fine with it. I've had to share a bunkbed with a Wookiee before. If you ever have to do that, make sure the furball has bathed sometime before. Otherwise they smell like old karj chips.."

The young Jedi walked into the room, examining it. If you looked at it in the right light, it was luxury. He always looked at how lucky he was, not how much he lacked. The Equine examined the cot, and the chair. When he was sure his Master was gone, he pulled a small bag off of his belt, and shook the contents out. In it was a beautiful silvery-blue crystal. He had found it when he had been flung out of hyperspace by an engine malfunction.

He had never found out the Hyperspace Co-ordinated, but he remembered the world. It was frigid. Covered in ice and crystallized glaciers, with a continual snowfall. He had managed to repair his hyperdrive, but not before he had found this large crystal. He had kept it, hoping he would be a Jedi one day. How lucky he was.

-----

OOC/ I have to go to bed now. It's almost 1:00 A.M... -yawns-

Oh, and in case you're wondering, Veren landed on Mygeeto. But he lost the location, so no worry. I'm not messing with the galaxy's timeline. :)

 

[JM76]

{{OOC: Indeed; I'm sure nobody will mind.}}

Chester had made his way into the western courtyard and reserved a small area in the fourth garden for himself and his Padawan, so they could meditate and study without interruption. Using the Force, Chester assembled several moderately heavy stones into a unkempt pile.

Taking a seat near a small meditation pool, Chester cleared his mind and allowed the Force, in its splendor, to wash over him and engulf him so that he was lost to the outside world. However, he made sure to leave the tiny bit of alertness active inside of him so he could pull himself out of his meditative trance as his Padawan approached.

 

[Ares]

OOC/ I have a picture of Veren- with his future lightsaber- on his profile now.
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BIC/ Veren pulled out the Jedi Datapad from his backpack. He had pretty much moved in, and he wanted to know somethign before he left. He looked up his master on the Online Archives. Very impressive- his master was apparently an excellent fighter, a philosopher, and a diplomat. But Veren thought, Wait.. That describes just about every Jedi in the Order..

He chuckled at his joke for a second, then put the datapad down. He placed most of the stuff in his pack, and placed it under his cot. He then opened the door, and walked towards the Western Courtyards. The young, brown-haired, faun-like Jedi looked out the various windows at the beautiful, unspoiled world that was Ossus. A truly beautiful planet. It really reminded him of his home... But no more. He was a Jedi now. He could dwell on the past later.

After several minutes, he reached the courtyards. He tentatively sent out a gentle, probing thought, and found all the living things in the gardens. Okay.. Then he had to narrow it to sentient living beings. Then, he found the mind of his master- at peace, meditating.

Veren walked into the courtyard, stopping once to examine a beautiful flowered plant, and to make sure it was healthy. He then continued to his master, who was by the reflecting pool in the center.

"I am here."

 

[JM76]

Chester left his meditative trance as his Padawan approached. Brushing away the leaves that had settled on his cloak, Chester waited for his student to approach before sending out a greeting. "Hello, Veren. If you don't mind, let us begin immediately. Recite the Jedi Code and explain its tenants in your own words, if you don't mind."

 

[Ares]

((OOC/ Heh! Easy.. On another RP site I was the Jedi High Master and trained no less than four padawans over a year!))
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BIC/

" There is no emotion, there is peace.
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
There is no passion, there is serenity.
There is no chaos, there is harmony.
There is no death, only the force."

Veren inhaled preparing for his usual long-winded explanation.

"I believe that the first tenet, of emotion and peace, is really the core of the Jedi Code. Feeling the true, fluid entity that is the Force, and letting it flow through you like a winding stream; yet, at the same time, keeping any irrational or dangerous emotions in check, lest your mind become clouded and you lose control of yourself. When you have the Force as an ally, losing control is not an option.

"The next, speaking of ignorance and knowledge, is a tenet I believe incredibly important. If one is ignorant, one cannot know. A lack of knowledge is, well.. A horrible thing to me. To lack knowledge is to lack learning. And with no learning,.you will not know what is right, and what is not. I consider this statement fundamental to the Code.

"'There is no passion, there is serenity.' I see passionate, wild, uncontrolled beings everywhere I go. In a Force-user, this is dangerous; it leads to the Dark Side. Only in true peace of mind, and in calmness is order found.

"Harmony is a marvel of the Light Side- everything is in order, and has a place. It all fits together like a Corellian Mekai puzzle. If there is no harmony, all falls to chaos. That is what the Dark Side is. A dark, shadowy, chaotic jumble of emotions and feelings. In true harmony, you cannot have these. The galaxy has an order, and it is up to the Jedi to find it.

"Now.. The last tenet. This is most likely the most profound statement a Jedi has ever said. The Force binds us all, keeping us together. In death, the being in question is merely lacking in a physical body; you still feel them in your heart. Whoever ascends is still in your memories, pumping through the blood in your veins. Loss is an illusion. As for my own death.. I do not fear it. When I do leave this plane, I will merely have begun the journey that the Force offers."

 

[JM76]

{{OOC: Very good. But check out this page. We use a slightly different version of the Code in this RP. ;)}}

Although his expression remained stoic and unemotional, Chester was pleased with his Padawan's description. He knows the Code well; I am surprised. An excellent explanation, he thought. Standing, Chester walked over to the nearest bush of sunblossoms. As the name suggested, the flowers needed an excessive amount of sunlight to grown correctly. Running his hand through the brush, Chester seemed almost lost in thought before he returned his attention to this Padawan.

"Very good, Padawan. Your recitation is sound and your interpretation is true. Remember that a Jedi lives by word and deed - a Jedi's actions prove his dedication to the Code."

"Now then, let us begin training you in the Force. The Force, as you no doubt already realize - is not a tool. You are the tool of the Force; it flows through you, guiding your actions. However, there are times when it is necessary to tap into its power. I noticed you have an affinity for nature, or at least, that is what I assumed. This is good. Too many Jedi were indoctrinated by the chaos or passions of urban living," Chester continued.

"The first power you shall learn shall be the power of Psychometry. Not everyone is accustomed to using this power, but perhaps you will be able to pick it up easily. This power involves grasping or touching an object and 'reading' its history through the Force. Experience what it has experienced, so to speak. It is widely used by Jedi investigators, because we can use our ability to view the events that surround an object and pick up clues and the like."

Chester motioned toward a bench near the edge of the grove. "Use your latent Force abilities to identify the species that have sat on that bench in the past few hours. If you have difficulty at first, do not worry. This is a strenuous Force ability to start out with, but I have faith in you."

{{OOC: Feel free to make up the species.}}

 

[Ares]

Veren bowed slightly. "Yes, Master."

He walked over to the bench, and examined it, pursing his lips in thought. He ran his right hand over his right horn, a genetic habit exhibited when deep in thought. He leaned over it, then kneeled down next to it. He placed his fingertips on it. He strained his brain, trying to feel what the bench had had on it, trying to identify what was on it.

So far, no luck.

He pushed his mind out with the Force, attempting to pull the images off of the bench's surface... Again, no luck.

Then the young faun-like Jedi remembered. Let the Force flow through him...


And he did. He felt the energy slowly flood out of his fingertips, onto the cold stone. It seemed to swin on the surface for a minute, then return to his hand. In his head were three fuzzy images that he could barely distinguish.... But he could.

"I.." he panted slightly from the exertion. "I sensed.. One Wookiee, early morning. Then a male Bith, and a female Twi'Lek. I couldn't tell what the Wookiee was."

He then turned over his hands, and looked at his fingers. What looked like a little blister was on every fingertip. He winced. This would take practice....

 

[JM76]

Chester nodded sagely, watching his Padawan identify the occupants of the bench. Although it took the young Equine a brief amount of time, Chester was pleased when his student discovered the identity of the three species who had spent time here.

"Very good, Veren. I can sense that you are tired - weary. Do not fear. This is a natural side-effect when one first begins to consciously tap into the Force," Chester walked near his Padawan, putting a single foot on the steel-colored bench: its gray coloration starkly contrasted with the lush greenery around it.

"Your first attempt at Psychometry was a success. Consider this your first step into your journey as a Jedi. While there is little more you can do to practice this power with me, feel free to test it as you will. It will become easier to use with time. I must warn you, however, to avoid using Psychometry on corpses and tools of murder. Such objects house deep resentment, pain, and horror. The images that could flood your mind could very well lead you down the path of despair - the path to the dark side," Chester smiled, "That path would be quite unbecoming of a promising Jedi such as yourself."

Chester continued on his previous train of thought. "Now then, onto your next test. A basic power that all Jedi must learn is to avoid seeing with your eyes. The ability to use Force Sight. Your eyes and other senses betray you, do not trust them. Let the Force be your guide. Your next test will be to keep your eyes closed, open your mind's eye to the Force, and experience the world as the Force would want you to experience it by seeing through the Force. I shall join you."

Taking a seat on the bench, Chester invited his Padawan to have a seat before closing his eyes and activating his Force Sight.

 

[Ares]

Veren sat on the bench, next to his master. He closed his eyes, and used the Force to block his ears. He did his best to ignore the smells of the garden, and inhaled deeply, then exhaled. He pushed his mind out into the surrounding area as he let out his breath. In it, he found a world he had never thought of. The flora around him was much different- the hideous Ooka plant was a bright beacon of light, and an example of survivability. The Baffor Trees were somehow a group mind, and the reflecting pool teemed with life in the form of villages of algae clustered near the warm surface.

He then turned his new vision to the area around him. His master seemed almost blindingly radiant in the Force, a strong pillar of the Light Side of the Force. He saw through the walls, into te other courtyards. Other Jedi Padawans trained- an Arcona with a Weequay master, and two Rodians sharing a human master.

He finally, almost regretfully, pulled his mind back in, and unstopped his ear, let the scents of the garden flow back into his nose, and opened his eyes. He inhaled deeply, pulling himself back into the real world. He shook his head a bit, his vision still slightly blurred.

"That was... incredible.."

EDIT:

OOC/ I have to go to bed.. Early day tomorrow, and it's almost midnight. I'll be on tomorrow evening, as usual! =)

 

[JM76]

This time, Chester smiled with approval. "Indeed. The Force is truly an incredible thing. It binds us, sustains us, and empowers us. The fact that we can glimpse into its power and substitute it for our sight is miraculous indeed," Chester remained seated on the bench, although he fidgeted from time to time; he would have to get used to the metallic feeling of this bench. "Your skills with the Force are commendable, especially for a Jedi Padawan. Since you have passed most of your other tests, we shall proceed immediately to the next lesson."

"A rather simplistic ability that all Jedi should know is the art of Breath Control. It is not a complicated power by any means, but one that is often overlooked. Poisonous gases, depressurized spacecraft, and toxic atmosphere can spell doom for the unprepared sentient. Breath Control negates these death traps. You can use this power to allow the Force to slow your body's constant need for oxygen and sustain yourelf with the limited amount of oxygen present in your lungs. The stronger your connection with the Force and - technically - the more oxygen you have stored in your lungs, the longer you can keep yourself from passing out."

"Go ahead and attempt this power, Padawan," Chester said, who had ceased his movement and remained motionless on the bench.

 

[Ares]

Veren Lorollo nodded.

He inhaled as deeply as he could, then tried augmenting it with the Force. He felt a bit of a strain in his chest, but then... He could feel the Carbon Dioxide in his lungs building up. Not good.

The young Equine then made a gamble- he tried something with the Force. Veren used the Force to force (no pun intended) the carbon dioxide out of his skin pores. He felt better. Then he used a reversal of the trick; this time, he pulled oxygen in. But only oxygen. He made sure to only do that, because in a real combat situation, only oxygen would be suitable.

He breathed like this for about five minutes, then began using the normal method. He gasped real air into his lungs, as if his body disliked using that ability.

"Was that good?"

 

[JM76]

"Very much so," Chester said approvingly. Just keep in mind that you can only sustain yourself for so long; do not overexert yourself." Chester made his way to the pile of stones he had set up earlier. Brushing the dust off of the topmost stone, Chester motioned for his Padawan to draw near.

"Your next test will be to utilize telekinesis to grasp these stones and levitate them above the ground. Start with a single stone," Chester said, grasping one of the flat rocks with both hands, showing its general size and weight, before placing it back down into the messy pile, "and once you have firmly established your hold on that one, continue to pick up stones with your mind. I would be interested to see how powerful your telekinetic powers are; mine weren't as refined as a Padawan. Begin when you are ready."

 

[Ares]

Veren lifted his hands to point at the rock. He summoned the Force, and let it flow from his fingertips, swelling under and around the rock, and lifting it up, slightly. He bit his lip after it went up about two inches from the pile. He closed his eyes, and slowly wrapped the Force around the rock below, slowly, painstakingly lifting that, and moving it to the side. The young Equine mothodically lifted the other rocks, each less high than the former, into the air. By the time the second-to-last rock was levitating, Veren was sweating and straining his face in concentration.

Then, he heard a bird twitter.

His concentration faltered, and the rocks all clattered to the ground, scaring the noise's perpetrator, and sending it flying off. Veren could only gawk at the stones on the ground after all the effort he had put into it.

"Did I do alright?"

 

[JM76]

Chester stood silently, not betraying any emotion through his facial expression. As the bird fluttered away and the rocks crashed into the ground, Chester glanced at his Padawan, and then at the pile of rocks.

"You have the capability to do very well. However, to truly succeed when using the Force, you must block out outside events. Try again, lifting the same amount of rocks as before - but do not become distracted by anything. Once you have lifted the rocks, count to 10, and then you may release your hold on them."