sanctity and serenity

independent star wars oc written by haley. mutual follows through demandpeace.

[solamederis]

crdered:

 TEXX LISTENED WITH UNBROKEN ATTENTIVENESS to the poor Padawan’s words, his reptilian eyes ever trained respectfully on her tear-streaked visage. His scaly brow creased in visible concern: it was the first he was hearing of Nerra’s crash landing, and that, too, made a flower of WORRY blossom in his too-caring heart. But if there truly was any uncertainty of Nerra’s survival there, Texx did not let it show – he only let out a soft, “Aw, kid…” and wrapped a large arm around her tiny shoulders, pulling her in close to his side. Texx wasn’t sure if this was the kind of comfort she needed – oh, he was never the best with words, not even in Dosha – but it was the kind he had to offer.

 “Don’t cry, okay? Can ya take a deep breath for me?” The brutish Trandoshan requested of the weeping girl, his lips curling into a sympathetic smile & yellowed teeth poking out slightly. Texx gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze with his gigantic three-fingered hand and SIGHED. “Lisssssten, I know it’s real sssscary thinkin’ about all of the thingsss that could be happenin’ over there with him. Nerra’sss my friend TOO; I know exactly where yer at right now.” 

“But think about it, Chyla. Ya gotta have a little faith in the guy. He’s SSSTRONG, an’ he’s brave, an’ he’s way sssmarter than ME, for example.” He chuckled, hoping a light tone would alleviate her fears. “—– TRUST in the Force, little one. Let whatever comesss, come: THAT issss the JEDI WAY. An’ in a day or two, you’ll find that you had nothin’ t’worry about at all. Okay?”

Chyla curled into Tex’s large, scaly body, pressing against her eyes with the sleeve of her robe to try and stop her tears. She knew it wasn’t the Jedi way, which made her feel all the worse for being so scared about Nerra. The Masters applauded her for her gifts with the Living Force, so why couldn’t she focus well enough to know Nerra was safe?

“I know--I’m sorry--I know I’m supposed to be better, think better, feel better--” She sniffled and wiped her eyes again with the sleeve of her robe.

“I don’t mean to be so weak, so emotional, I promise,” she whimpered.

“I know it’s not the Jedi way, but I try to focus and can’t. I--It’s hard. I sometimes feel like he’s the only one who knows how to talk to me.”

[solamederis]

enneads:

Either she was playing along or, more likely, based on the response, she was genuinely unsure. He could use that. He felt a little bad taking advantage of it, of course, but it might buy him enough time to get some food. And maybe he could explain then.

But the biggest flaw with this whole plan, of course, was having to talk.

He didn’t understand the first half of what she said, it being mumbled around some waffle, but he got the gist of the context from her follow up. Tarion shrugged halfheartedly before sitting down across from her. He took a moment before answering to grab a napkin, then looked around–only to see no pen or pencil around. Which meant he couldn’t write her a message or anything, which would have been easier.

Fiddling with his now useless napkin, Tarion grimaced slightly. “I’m okay,” he said, despite his nose hurting like hell and his stomach growling. He didn’t elaborate, instead asking, “you?”

She raised an eyebrow as he sat across from her. A waffle, some iced coffee, and a stranger sitting across from her at her favorite diner as she was just trying to eat some food before going back home and going the hell to bed.

Still--was this nice company or something else or was, in her exhaustion, she actually did forget who this guy was?

The napkin thing was, sure, a little weird, but she did her best not to judge. Everyone had a nervous fidget.

“Um--” She slowly fidgeted herself with her knife in her jar of peanut butter before smearing some across her waffle. “I’m okay. I’m--I’m sorry--I’m really tired so if I forgot you, I’m really sorry, but do I know you?”

[enneads]

closed starter for @solamederis

Dan didn’t like going to school much anymore, but it wasn’t all bad. It was something to focus on, for one, and then it was a place where he could interact with living people who weren’t his mom. Seeing Mr. Waran-the-social-worker wasn’t so bad, either, at least not all the time.

Even if Dan didn’t have many friends–it was hard to let people in, to be honest, with all he’d been through. With all he knew. With all he saw and heard. It didn’t help that he could hear the other children thinking

(what a creep, little danny is)

about him like that. How was Dan supposed to interact with normal people, anyway? Sometimes it was even hard to know who the normal people were, and he had to feel it out. But this girl (Chyla) he knew was one. He knew it like he knew other things.

Carefully coming up to her at recess Dan asked, “you’re Mr. Waran’s foster kid, right?”

[solamederis]

Considering it was now the fourth teacher that had yelled at Chyla for climbing trees, Chyla figured it was best just to spend her recess reading on the ground, as boring as that was.

(Little girl, little girl; only eleven and you fill your head with so many stories as to keep the nightmares away.)

She looked up from her book--a biography of Anne of Austria--with a puzzled look on her face. No one really talked to her, let alone really cared to know anything about her.

“Uh--yeah,” she admitted, unsure if she was about to get mocked for being a foster kid.

[solamederis]

rinnlaochra:

You can’t leave, Lyra. Not now. Now when I–

But, she could. Of course, she could, because she was one of the kindest beings he’d ever met, incessantly putting herself aside to help others. His mind felt like it was running through every memory they had together since they’d met, as if it were reminding him exactly how much she meant to him…

Reminding him of each time in the last couple of months that he, always so open with his emotions, had not been able to tell her that he loved her. He hadn’t done it before, and perhaps he should have, but how could he drop that on her now, right before she left?

Would he ever see her again?

“It’s been wonderful to have met you, Lyra, and to have gotten to know you,” he murmured, his gaze flitting away for a moment before he looked back at her again. “I hope you know what you’ve done here means to people…what it means to me.”

He looked like she’d knocked him upside the head with the hilt of her blaster. Chyla wanted to look away, but couldn’t bring that much more cowardice into her heart. It was dumb to ever let herself get this close to anyone. Why was he so special? What made him worth all of that risk to let him near her?

“I know. And I’m sorry I have to leave, but somewhere else needs me more.” Everywhere needed her. Everywhere was hurting and in pain; she just needed to leave Talia and put it behind her.

“It’s wonderful to been your friend, Rel.” I love you.

[solamederis]

bellassan:

Ferus’ own first month after having left had been chaotic. He’d already been through three planet by then, had worked for board for a week or so before moving on, never felt like he had any idea where to go or even if he wanted to go anywhere at all. He’d been completely without direction and in a lot of ways without soul. His own decision and the factors behind it had tormented him every minute, every day.

Honestly, he wasn’t sure how he’d kept going. But he was happy that he had. And he would be more than happy to be a point of stability for Chyla.

Squeezing her shoulders, he let go of her with a smile. He’d be sure to give her another hug later. For now, he was just happy that she’d actually given him a laugh, small as it was.

“Trust me, I don’t mind. I’m happy to see you. How did you know I was here?”

She stood a little straighter at his insistence, the care in his words giving her a little more confident ground to stand on. So maybe this wasn’t that bad of an idea, maybe this was what she needed to do, what needed to happen for her to find some stability.

“I looked you up,” she admitted. “I--there was a little bit of some other help, but I tried my best to find any instance of a Ferus Olin.” She’d had a dream of him three months ago, before she’d even left, of him sitting by a lake. Some sort of gift of the Force, some sort of direction to go. When the last news she’d heard had been of Bellassa, she connected it back to her dream and bought a ticket with nothing more than a little bit of hope.

“I’m happy to see you, too. You look--You look great, Ferus.” He did. He looked relaxed--something she never would have exactly managed to match with him, but it suited him. “Bellassa has done you good.” 

[solamederis]

enneads:

[Chyla Richi: 7:35 AM] i’m gonna plead the 5th or whatever. no comment. [Chyla Richi: 7:37 AM] i’m on my way now

[Trever Flume: 7:45 AM] I threw in an order of breadsticks for your troubles. But, you have to share. [Trever Flume: 7:47 AM] Please leave a note or text Ferus and Roan. I’ve been called way too many times when you were just at my place. [Trever Flume: 7:48 AM] Though I’m glad to see your dedication to pizza is still strong.

[enneads]

closed starter for @solamederis

Having been at the Temple for a few years now, Dan could almost put his childhood out of mind. Even if he missed his mother much of the time. And, sometimes, even his father. The version that he remembered best.

But half the reason he could put it out of mind was because there was so much else in his head. His telepathy grew stronger and stronger every day, especially with the help of the Masters, but it didn’t become any easier to control. It never got any quieter. The voices in his head were omnipresent.

But the Gardens… at least it was quieter there. He could feel the lingering presences of many beings, but things were quieter. So he went there a lot, when his mind was most troubled. When he was most disturbed by his nightmares and daytime visions and the many many beings that crowded his mind.

Dan sat back hard against the tree, only dimly aware of someone

(Chlya)

in the tree above him. He didn’t much worry about it. He just wanted some peace and quiet and he wanted that spot and he might cry if he had to move somewhere else.

[solamederis]

She found herself with much greater clarity in the Gardens than anywhere else in the Temple, save maybe the Archives. The Masters said a good Jedi could find clarity anywhere, but Chyla was reading a holobook at the time and didn’t remember the rest of the lesson.

So here she was, reading about Galactic Basic sign language in her favorite tree. She climbed a little higher today than usual, particularly struggling to focus with her feet so close to the ground. Sometimes others looked at her strangely for preferring heights to being cemented down, but Chyla didn’t talk to very many beings, anyways.

Out of the peripheral of her golden eyes, she saw another Youngling--he looked to be a few years older than her--sit at the base of her tree. Immediately, she could sense his distress, his confusion, his trouble. Chyla frowned and set down the holobook, frowning. Did she know he was there? Did he want company, or solitude? Should she leave him alone and find another tree, or try and offer some comfort? But she was so young--what comfort could she bring?

Chyla looked up at a pale pink flower above her head. She stood and plucked it, cradling it in her small blue hands for a moment. She looked back down to Dan, frown alleviating a bit. Gently, she floated the little flower down to his side. Maybe just something to make him smile would help. If not, she could be quiet.

[solamederis]

the-delusion-of-a-dreamer:

She had been on planet, attempting to figure out her next move, and if it would be worth the risk with the Empire’s current suspicions about her. She had broken off from them moments ago, choosing to explore the base. She might be spending more time here soon.

“Not at all.” Satine gave her a kind smile. “I do have experience with children, I understand completely.” She walked closer, getting a better look at the child in the woman’s arms. “How old is she?”

Satine paused, looking back up at the woman. “I apologize that was rude of me.” Introductions were so tedious she often forgot them. “My name is Satine, it is a pleasure to meet you two.”

“No, no, no, it’s all right, I promise,” she smiled, looking briefly back at Adiri before back at the woman--Satine...Satine? As in the Duchess Satine Kryze? Chyla wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to voice her recognizing of the woman or not, as Satine hadn’t used her title. Maybe she wanted to hide for a moment, too.

“Lyra. My daughter is Adiri,” she replied. “Oh--she’s just about three months old. We just moved here and she hasn’t quite adjusted.” Chyla had her own suspicions of why Adiri struggled to sleep, but couldn’t recognize them as real or only double her fears for her daughter’s sleep.

[jedicoded]

( @@solamederis​ from here )

                                                               HIS HEAD POUNDED - it had been months since his encounter with the Sith on Zigoola, but the headache they’d induced persists. He’s found that it grows more intense when he is fatigued, or when he encounters immense suffering. Seeing as he’s a soldier in a war that has no end in sight, these two factors are generally heaped upon him at the same time. Thus, the ever present headache. 

     He folds his arms over his chest, surveying the devastation wrought by the Separatists’ nerve gas. It’s disgusting that such a weapon could even be used, & at the sight of all these villagers   ( innocents! trying to flee! but caught in the crossfire )   affected, anger hums under his skin. He breathes deeply, & attempts to let it go. 

     The battle is done with, he reminds himself, & they had won. Why doesn’t it feel like a victory? He wanders, knowing that Anakin is fully capable of handling the 501st, in an effort to see if he might lend a hand or even provide some … moral support? It sounds boorish, even when he thinks it. 

     A whispering presence in the Force, familiar but only just, pulls him along. He stops along the way, nodding, offering a word here & there. But he searches for the source of that whisper.  Suddenly a voice calls out to him & he knows that this is who he’d been looking for. Turning his head, he finds her, eyes covered with a bandage. He’s surprised, to be sure, but warmed. Glad that she’s alright. Wondering how she came to be here, guessing the answer. A thousand thoughts & questions enter & exit his mind in the space of a moment. 

     ‘Chyla?’   he exclaims, walking over, pausing right in front of her.   ‘You’re here!’   Making no attempt to hide his surprise, he kneels.   ( looking down on her seemed strange )   ‘I didn’t expect to find you here, of all places.’

[solamederis]

It was only going to be a matter of time until she was going to run into someone she had known from the Order. For as violent as the universe could be in this time, Chyla was actually very rarely in the middle--or even near--war zones. She mostly helped with refugee transports and adjustment with resettlement, establishing medical care; but then there were urgent matters of civilian endangerment that she was needed for.

And well, she always went.

“When one leaves the Order, Obi-Wan, they don’t simply drop into the oblivion of the universe.” She had never been necessarily close with Obi-Wan, and that was mostly to do with how ill her and Anakin got along. Chyla’s patience and temperament for healing, matched with her discomfort in combat, never mixed well with Anakin’s anger and inkling for sparring. He worked better with other Padawans (”worked” and “better” being subjective) and that was that. Still--she found his presence some shade of comforting and bittersweet she didn’t have easy words for.

“I wish this was a more positive reunion, but it is good to see you well.” The Force around him was tinged with sadness and anguish, but she could tell of above all, he was at least healthy. (Even if she was still currently incapacitated otherwise.) 

[solamederis]

bellassan:

Ferus laughed some more, soft and friendly, at the way that little remark completely carried her away. And like he’d said to her, she was acting a suspicious amount like he himself had, back when he’d met Roan – head over heels too quickly to want to admit it.

“I can tell you think it’s working”, he said, grinning. “Relax. Enjoy yourself.” And then, just to be difficult, “blush some more.”

He’d heard the sparknotes of this story before, but he was internally approving the more he heard of the guy. Not that he needed to hear a lot a lot, because Chyla was a pretty good judge of character, and she was giddy all the time now.

“So … let me guess, you’re in the texting all night phase?”

She threw her pillow at him for the snarky comment with a laugh. So, apparently there was no hiding it--she was smitten. Doesn’t mean she wouldn’t still try to play it cool.

“Ugh. Yes,” she laughed, hiding as she covered her face with her hand. “I was up until two or three last night. We were just....talking. It was really nice. Talked to him about Elaine, my job, my friends. He sent me some pictures of his sketches.”A pause. “He uses a ridiculous amount of emojis when he texts.” It was pretty endearing, though, if she had to say. Certainly made her smile.

“Uh--we’re going to an arcade tomorrow night.”

[starsscarred-deactivated2023100]

@solamederis continued from this painful place

He can’t believe what he’s seeing, because if he does, how can he reconcile that the Chyla he sees now is the same one he had always known? Had loved with every fiber of his being? Rel knows that he shouldn’t have snuck onto the transport–it’s way out of line, and he had no business being on a military transport–but something has been off about her for a while now.

Being secretive wasn’t a particular skill of his, but he’d managed it long enough until they’d arrived because he had to. He’d wanted to believe it was nothing, that she was just stressed, that she was–

That she’s still the person I know and love.

“Chyla…what’s happening to you?” He stares back at her, voice confused and pained as he tries not to look at the white-armored bodies strewn behind her. What did I miss, Chyla?

[solamederis]

“You don’t understand what I feel, Rel,” she snapped. Her hands were trembling, her body shaking; it felt like her insides were disintegrating underneath the Force. It was bending her, snapping her, crushing her--she couldn’t quite get a clear breath through her lungs.

“You don’t know what I’ve seen--what I have to endure every day. What it’s like to feel everybody’s pain--I couldn’t--I couldn’t just stand by anymore--I couldn’t take it.”

[solamederis]

“with you i never feel I’m out of place,” /Tarion

@enneads || i don’t wanna go find the meme

There was nothing but a dim fire between them. Camp was two or three clicks behind them, but Chyla had taken a walk for the space. About an hour ago, Tarion had enjoyed her. For a bit, they talked, for most of it, they stayed silent. Then Tarion said that and Chyla looked over at him with a soft, speechless smile.

“Thank you,” she signed.

[solamederis]

onceinamoon:

[Chyla Richi: 7:27 AM] well some of us sleep at that hour ok [Chyla Richi: 7:27 AM] I’m at Roan and Ferus’s ya and sounds good I’m ok with that much pizza

[Trever Flume: 7:30 AM] So did I wake you up or were you up, too? [Trever Flume: 7:31 AM] Is this an instance where I’m ordering for a later point for you to come over or are you mysteriously on your way?

@enneads

[solamederis]

onceinamoon:

“Great,” the teenager said. “Can do.” And he would. But he mostly just wanted to get to the food and then sleep part of things.

So.

Sitting up now that she was done, Trever shrugged. Normally he preferred something with a little more heft than the vegetarian fare that Chyla could offer, but well, ‘pizza’ was still sufficient.

“Pizza’s fine,” he said. “Unless you wanna order more.”

“So you want me to order more,” she corrected, rinsing off her tools in the sink with hot water and antibacterial soap. She’d fully sterilize them later, but mostly wanted to get at least the cleaning out of the way to focus back on Trever.

“What do you feel like?” she asked, filling a glass of water and bringing it to him--with a straw so he wouldn’t have to tilt his head back too far.

@enneads

[thebelleoflucifersball]

hazedhowell:

special-agent-spooky-mulder:

concept: a heterosexual man and a heterosexual woman. they are friends. neither is secretly in love with the other. They spend time together, just the two of them, and don’t feel the need to hook up. Their spouses don’t worry about them.

@actofgenius​

[solamederis]

“ The Masters said a good Jedi could find clarity anywhere, but Chyla was reading a holobook at the time and didn’t remember the rest of the lesson. “

From a future reply to be queued featuring like 6~ year old Chyla.

I’m laughing I love this nerd.

[vavaharrison]

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