Yasha Cadera
Mom'alor
Whoops. Wrong C.
Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos
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Mantis Family Reunion (PM for Invite; Mantis)
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Yasha Cadera
Mom'alor
The Mantis Estate was a charred remnant in comparison to its former glory. At her father’s insistence, Yasha had yet to see it destroyed, but for the memorial they held at Aditya Mantis’ grave. So it was that the Mantis family (Daddy hated the word Clan on Epicanthix principle), was given a new house beside the Palace in Sundari. As [member="Baiko no Kaho"] busied around with the afternoon meal, Yasha played outside in the hopes of being the first to see her family come for a true meal together.
“And he was like ‘oh nooo I got hit! Bhhwaaaah! Where’d my leg go? Oh right I’m a droid never mind!’ And she was like ‘I’ll save you annoying boy! I mean droid!’ And she swooped in and TURNED INTO A BEAR and the battle enemy cowards went ‘aauughhh noooo oh noooo help meeeee ruun from Auntie Bear! Noooooooo’” Acting the scene out with a series of action figures and a small stuffed bear [member="Preliat Mantis"] bought her, Yasha flopped around on the yard laughing away. For all that happened, the child was still just a kid. She knew they would be leaving for Atrisia... this was her chance to know [member="Malika Mantis"] and say goodbye to [member="Silas Mantis"] and [member="Kaden Mantis"] before she left.
“And he was like ‘oh nooo I got hit! Bhhwaaaah! Where’d my leg go? Oh right I’m a droid never mind!’ And she was like ‘I’ll save you annoying boy! I mean droid!’ And she swooped in and TURNED INTO A BEAR and the battle enemy cowards went ‘aauughhh noooo oh noooo help meeeee ruun from Auntie Bear! Noooooooo’” Acting the scene out with a series of action figures and a small stuffed bear [member="Preliat Mantis"] bought her, Yasha flopped around on the yard laughing away. For all that happened, the child was still just a kid. She knew they would be leaving for Atrisia... this was her chance to know [member="Malika Mantis"] and say goodbye to [member="Silas Mantis"] and [member="Kaden Mantis"] before she left.
For all its beauty, Malika did not like Sundari. She never did like cities, even less so when they were sealed under a dome and situated in the middle of an inhospitable desert, but this was where her family was, and thus she had to swallow her distate and endure. Whenever the opportunity arose, she would take to the skies beyond the dome and let the thermals carry her high and away. But she'd always come back. The shadow of a great bird passed over little Yasha as she played, circling lower and lower over the Mantis household.
The first time she'd seen the child in the flesh she'd been bleeding out, the snow around her stained with her blood. Caught in the middle of a war, yet still only a child. She understood Preliat's decision to take her away, she supported it. Yasha needed to have a chance to be a child, to be safe and to be away from the terror. The shadow above Yasha would begin to shrink and morph as Malika drew closer to the ground, touching down lightly in the yard as the hard faced woman she chose as her human form.
"Su'cuy, Yash'ika." Malika smiled as she approached, before switching her tongue to epicant to make it easier for her niece. "What adventures are we playing out today?"
[member="Yasha Mantis"] [member="Preliat Mantis"] [member="Silas Mantis"] [member="Kaden Mantis"]
The first time she'd seen the child in the flesh she'd been bleeding out, the snow around her stained with her blood. Caught in the middle of a war, yet still only a child. She understood Preliat's decision to take her away, she supported it. Yasha needed to have a chance to be a child, to be safe and to be away from the terror. The shadow above Yasha would begin to shrink and morph as Malika drew closer to the ground, touching down lightly in the yard as the hard faced woman she chose as her human form.
"Su'cuy, Yash'ika." Malika smiled as she approached, before switching her tongue to epicant to make it easier for her niece. "What adventures are we playing out today?"
[member="Yasha Mantis"] [member="Preliat Mantis"] [member="Silas Mantis"] [member="Kaden Mantis"]
Yasha Cadera
Mom'alor
“It’s the adventure and ultimate victory of Auntie Bear over the wicked and stupid droidika armies of Smarmy McSwoonkisser. She was evil... well not evil, but this like, alien parasite settles in her brain. And made her do bad stuff? And made things sick. And... and that’s Ka-Denny the attack droid. He just lost his leg, but Auntie Bear’s got it covered... even though, even though a grimy sniper shot the hero girl, and she’s bleeding out! Oh no! She’s still firing her gun! Aauuughh! The Epicanthity!”
Yasha sat on the sand of the yard, her toys around here. There was a girl-like action figure covered in red crayon, a bit of tissue paper coloured red, taped to her chest. “Nobody can resist Auntie Bear. Her fur is secret armour, and... and... it’s a dumb kids game.”
Hiding her face with her long brown hair, Yasha started picking up the figures into a pile. She was supposed to be almost an adult! A warrior of Mandalore, and she was caught playing with toys?! What would Ra say? The gurlanin Mand’alor would probably huff, narrow his eyelids and wait until Yasha composed herself, before leading into another mini-lecture on always being prepared for the inevitable betrayal.
How else could a child figure out her place in such adult circumstances as war without playing it out? Yasha’s hand paused over the action figure with the tissue stuck to it. “I like your bird form. You’re so cool, I must look like a little pebble when you’re flying up there... Uncle [member="Silas Mantis"] promised to take me flying, but then I... I made him lose his arm. But it’s okay, though! I fixed it! I did! I fixed most of it... are you gonna tell me to grow up already if I ask you to play with me?”
A girl held up her toys for her Aunt, deep brown eyes gazing into an inhuman, yet kind face. The edge of Mantis viciousness lingered in [member="Malika Mantis"], as it did with all who came to the family. Would Baiko be next? Would Yasha learn how to relax and play without worrying? Would Auntie Bear save Ka-Denny in time?!?!
Yasha sat on the sand of the yard, her toys around here. There was a girl-like action figure covered in red crayon, a bit of tissue paper coloured red, taped to her chest. “Nobody can resist Auntie Bear. Her fur is secret armour, and... and... it’s a dumb kids game.”
Hiding her face with her long brown hair, Yasha started picking up the figures into a pile. She was supposed to be almost an adult! A warrior of Mandalore, and she was caught playing with toys?! What would Ra say? The gurlanin Mand’alor would probably huff, narrow his eyelids and wait until Yasha composed herself, before leading into another mini-lecture on always being prepared for the inevitable betrayal.
How else could a child figure out her place in such adult circumstances as war without playing it out? Yasha’s hand paused over the action figure with the tissue stuck to it. “I like your bird form. You’re so cool, I must look like a little pebble when you’re flying up there... Uncle [member="Silas Mantis"] promised to take me flying, but then I... I made him lose his arm. But it’s okay, though! I fixed it! I did! I fixed most of it... are you gonna tell me to grow up already if I ask you to play with me?”
A girl held up her toys for her Aunt, deep brown eyes gazing into an inhuman, yet kind face. The edge of Mantis viciousness lingered in [member="Malika Mantis"], as it did with all who came to the family. Would Baiko be next? Would Yasha learn how to relax and play without worrying? Would Auntie Bear save Ka-Denny in time?!?!
There was a lot to read in Yash'a story, how she reflected the Civil War in her games. It pained Malika, but she did not let it show as Yash'a embarrassment caught hold of her and she his her face. Mailka moved forward and knelt before her, hand reaching to brush Yasha's hair away from her face.
"First of all, Yash'ika, you did not make Silas lose his arm." She plucked the bear from Yasha's outstretched arms, contemplating it for a moment. Fenn had had on just like it, give to him by his grandmother. He'd taken it everywhere with him. She blinked, and swallowed against the lump in her throat.
"Secondly," she said looking up with a smile. "Tell me more about this Auntie Bear, and the hero girl. Auntie Bear must save her, no?"
[member="Yasha Mantis"]
"First of all, Yash'ika, you did not make Silas lose his arm." She plucked the bear from Yasha's outstretched arms, contemplating it for a moment. Fenn had had on just like it, give to him by his grandmother. He'd taken it everywhere with him. She blinked, and swallowed against the lump in her throat.
"Secondly," she said looking up with a smile. "Tell me more about this Auntie Bear, and the hero girl. Auntie Bear must save her, no?"
[member="Yasha Mantis"]
Yasha Cadera
Mom'alor
“Auntie Bear is the secret weapon everybody doesn’t know they’re looking for, but is... Auntie Bear is the safest being in the universe, mostly cause she’s killer cool and super fluffy. It’s magical fluff. Her fur. It’s magic. Like Baiko is magic. Hero Girl knows it’s magic, but she won’t tell... mostly cause she’s bleeding out... thought she could handle a war cause of where she was from.” Yasha’s face lit up as [member="Malika Mantis"] asked her to keep playing, to be young a moment longer. Her fingers moved through the toys, pretending to fire little pistols, action figure
“Ka-Denny got scared, The Wolf went crazy and moody and he was whacked out on way too many stims, and Naree blew himself up with his own explosives, but Hero Girl wasn’t scared. She wasn’t allowed to be scared, Mand’alor gave her a mission. It’s hard to be scared when you know the secret. It’s the same secret Baiko knows and Auntie Bear knows and Daddy only thinks he knows but doesn’t cause I’m scared he can’t see it...” Yasha sniffled and bit her lip, strewing out her figures and setting them back up. She held her avatar in her hand and squeezers it until tiny knuckles turned white.
Preliat’s eyes looked up through Yasha’s features. Hard, terror-inducing eyes. The gaze of a girl so vicious she played alone and roared into war without fear. Yet the face was wrong. Forehead furrowed, chin wobbling, nose twitching. The face of a vulnerable little girl. “We’ve already been through the worst days of our lives, Auntie Bear. You have. Baiko has. I have. Kaden has too but he doesn’t get it yet... life can’t get any worse than what we already went through. I don’t know why that doesn’t make the tremblies go away from Hero Girl. She shouldn’t ever be afraid again.”
“Ka-Denny got scared, The Wolf went crazy and moody and he was whacked out on way too many stims, and Naree blew himself up with his own explosives, but Hero Girl wasn’t scared. She wasn’t allowed to be scared, Mand’alor gave her a mission. It’s hard to be scared when you know the secret. It’s the same secret Baiko knows and Auntie Bear knows and Daddy only thinks he knows but doesn’t cause I’m scared he can’t see it...” Yasha sniffled and bit her lip, strewing out her figures and setting them back up. She held her avatar in her hand and squeezers it until tiny knuckles turned white.
Preliat’s eyes looked up through Yasha’s features. Hard, terror-inducing eyes. The gaze of a girl so vicious she played alone and roared into war without fear. Yet the face was wrong. Forehead furrowed, chin wobbling, nose twitching. The face of a vulnerable little girl. “We’ve already been through the worst days of our lives, Auntie Bear. You have. Baiko has. I have. Kaden has too but he doesn’t get it yet... life can’t get any worse than what we already went through. I don’t know why that doesn’t make the tremblies go away from Hero Girl. She shouldn’t ever be afraid again.”
It’s magic. Like Baiko is magic.
Malika blinked, but said nothing on the matter. Whatever secret Baiko had was not Malika's to divulge into, not unless it threatened Yasha. She did not hold the same view the Mand'alor and his fanatics did. The force was not corrupting, it was not an illness. It simply was. It was people that were corrupted, people that became sick and used the force in destructive ways.
"On the contrary, Yasha." Malika said softly reaching to pull the girl into her lap and hugging her. "Going through the worst of things always makes the fear worse. The Hero girl is afraid that, because she has lost her mother and her brother, she will lose everyone else too. Auntie Bear is scared too, see she lost her baby boy and her husband. She didn't lose them in a war, or in the mess that..." she paused trying to remember what Yasha had called her, "Smarmy McSwoonkisser made of Manda'yaim. They were taken from her by sickness. No matter how hard she tried, nothing she did would make them better." For a moment, Malika's voice trembled. a beat, a breath and she continued, keeping it calm and steady.
The last thing Yasha needed was another broken role model.
She moved the bear towards the hero girl. "Now she finds the Hero Girl and her friends, and she wants to take their fear away, to protect them. Because she id frightened she will lose them and be powerless to stop it. The fear will never go away. Auntie Bear knows this, she's walked the galaxy for two hundred years and seen all the worst it can offer. The trick the Hero girl needs to learn, is to not let the fear control her."
[member="Yasha Mantis"]
Malika blinked, but said nothing on the matter. Whatever secret Baiko had was not Malika's to divulge into, not unless it threatened Yasha. She did not hold the same view the Mand'alor and his fanatics did. The force was not corrupting, it was not an illness. It simply was. It was people that were corrupted, people that became sick and used the force in destructive ways.
"On the contrary, Yasha." Malika said softly reaching to pull the girl into her lap and hugging her. "Going through the worst of things always makes the fear worse. The Hero girl is afraid that, because she has lost her mother and her brother, she will lose everyone else too. Auntie Bear is scared too, see she lost her baby boy and her husband. She didn't lose them in a war, or in the mess that..." she paused trying to remember what Yasha had called her, "Smarmy McSwoonkisser made of Manda'yaim. They were taken from her by sickness. No matter how hard she tried, nothing she did would make them better." For a moment, Malika's voice trembled. a beat, a breath and she continued, keeping it calm and steady.
The last thing Yasha needed was another broken role model.
She moved the bear towards the hero girl. "Now she finds the Hero Girl and her friends, and she wants to take their fear away, to protect them. Because she id frightened she will lose them and be powerless to stop it. The fear will never go away. Auntie Bear knows this, she's walked the galaxy for two hundred years and seen all the worst it can offer. The trick the Hero girl needs to learn, is to not let the fear control her."
[member="Yasha Mantis"]
Yasha Cadera
Mom'alor
Yasha gladly crawled into her Auntie [member="Malika Mantis"]’ lap and cuddled in. She fought a sniffle as she nudged her body as close as she could, shutting her eyes and remembering for a minute that things were good at home, that her Mama and Daddy weren’t fighting before she died. Yasha remembered her mother holding her.
Curled up with Malika, she no longer missed it. This was better. Malika understood more than Mama did… Yasha knew it in her bones.
“If I don’t help, everyone else will die. Ra says it’s my duty to Manda’yaim, and that I could really do a lot of good things someday… to save my family… even the Mando’ad’ike that hate me.” Looking up at her Aunt’s face, Yasha saw the momentary shift of pain in Malika. Just as she stood on a stool and hugged her father after Preliat destroyed the Aditya AI, so now did Yasha hug her arms around Malika’s neck and kiss her cheek.
“I’ve gotta find a way to learn your trick… but I’m little and don’t know how… Hero Girl needs Auntie Bear… ‘cause…”
Clinging to her Hero Girl toy, Yasha’s lip continued to wobble.
“I’m going to be Mand’alor someday. Baiko said so. She saw it, said Ra was grooming me, which I didn’t understand, he never did my hair, but then… she said it meant getting me ready and… please don’t make me go away, Auntie Bear. I don’t wanna be afraid. Isn’t there some super power which makes fear go away?”
Curled up with Malika, she no longer missed it. This was better. Malika understood more than Mama did… Yasha knew it in her bones.
“If I don’t help, everyone else will die. Ra says it’s my duty to Manda’yaim, and that I could really do a lot of good things someday… to save my family… even the Mando’ad’ike that hate me.” Looking up at her Aunt’s face, Yasha saw the momentary shift of pain in Malika. Just as she stood on a stool and hugged her father after Preliat destroyed the Aditya AI, so now did Yasha hug her arms around Malika’s neck and kiss her cheek.
“I’ve gotta find a way to learn your trick… but I’m little and don’t know how… Hero Girl needs Auntie Bear… ‘cause…”
Clinging to her Hero Girl toy, Yasha’s lip continued to wobble.
“I’m going to be Mand’alor someday. Baiko said so. She saw it, said Ra was grooming me, which I didn’t understand, he never did my hair, but then… she said it meant getting me ready and… please don’t make me go away, Auntie Bear. I don’t wanna be afraid. Isn’t there some super power which makes fear go away?”
"Oh sweet girl," Malika said softly, closing her eyes and tightening her embrace and Yasha kissed her cheek. Tears leaking from beneath her eyelids. "I wouldn't dream of sending you away. I will stand by your side and protect you now and always. And when you take the mantle of Mand'alor I will fight for you too." She stroked her hair and kissed her.
"That is the best I can give you, the best I can do to help make the fear go away. There is no magic, no whispered words that can take it away completely." she drew Yash'ika back, just enough to see her face. "But its okay to be afraid, Yash'ika. Without fear, there is no courage." she noticed the trembling of her lip. "Its okay to cry too, little one."
[member="Yasha Mantis"]
"That is the best I can give you, the best I can do to help make the fear go away. There is no magic, no whispered words that can take it away completely." she drew Yash'ika back, just enough to see her face. "But its okay to be afraid, Yash'ika. Without fear, there is no courage." she noticed the trembling of her lip. "Its okay to cry too, little one."
[member="Yasha Mantis"]
Yasha Cadera
Mom'alor
“I don’t want to go.” Yasha sniffled and rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hand. Her lip wobbled hard, chin dipping as she tried to fight off the tears. [member="Malika Mantis"] didn’t stop Yasha’s ideas, or tell the girl she was being foolish. Malika believed her, or so it seemed, and her mighty arms were comforting, safe and warm. Yasha snuggled in, clutching her toy.
“But tears are bad! They lead monsters to your position, and then you die for real.” Yasha whimpered. It didn’t matter, the tears were coming. Malika allowed them to come in this sacred familial space, resplendent with the courage she imbued. The girl who shed no tears since her first battle in the Civil War began to sob. Her arms around around Malika’s neck, and the child’s head pushed into her Aunt’s collarbone.
If tears were okay, Yasha had been holding onto some for far too long.
“But tears are bad! They lead monsters to your position, and then you die for real.” Yasha whimpered. It didn’t matter, the tears were coming. Malika allowed them to come in this sacred familial space, resplendent with the courage she imbued. The girl who shed no tears since her first battle in the Civil War began to sob. Her arms around around Malika’s neck, and the child’s head pushed into her Aunt’s collarbone.
If tears were okay, Yasha had been holding onto some for far too long.
Malika wept her own silent tears as the girl sobbed into her, heart wrenching in her chest. How long had she been holding this in? Why had no one told her that here the monsters wouldn't get her, that here she was safe and protected. "I've you got you, my girl." She whispered stroking her hair. "No monsters will touch you. Never again will you need to fear them. I will protect you."
She rocked the girl gently. "Haat, ijaa, haa'it." she murmured in mando'a. "Jii akay ni kyr." She didn't try to stop Yasha crying, knowing that this was what she needed. Instead she began to hum softly, a lullaby she'd sung to her own son when he was upset. Oh, [member="Preliat Mantis"] where have you been for your daughter?
[member="Yasha Mantis"]
She rocked the girl gently. "Haat, ijaa, haa'it." she murmured in mando'a. "Jii akay ni kyr." She didn't try to stop Yasha crying, knowing that this was what she needed. Instead she began to hum softly, a lullaby she'd sung to her own son when he was upset. Oh, [member="Preliat Mantis"] where have you been for your daughter?
[member="Yasha Mantis"]
Yasha Cadera
Mom'alor
It was hard to stop a child from thinking about monsters, when one’s planet was decimated and mother lost to the volcanic inferno. When even one’s vode were the enemy, how could one say there were no monsters? Ra called it a sickness. Was that what a monster was? Someone sick and uncured? Somehow it didn’t seem right.
“But auntie… I can touch me. Aren’t I a monster, too? That’s what they think. I know it… I know it.” Yasha choked out, shutting her eyes to the reality of how the soldiers looked at her, gave her a wider berth after Strider let the girl come with the Commandoes over MandalMotors. After Sundari, after Cold Iron City… the little rekr was the untouched child, an empty bit of hell, which clung to the living like a dreadful stone around their necks. Daughter of [member="Preliat Mantis"], maybe the kid was plain born wrong.
Eyes still shut, she could picture each of the trophies she collected for Ra, over forty seven, and many more unclaimed. How a child without beskar’gam could do such a thing, how a child regardless of armament could dispatch grown Mando’ade was still a question murmured through the barracks, or upon sight of the child.
The lullaby flooded around her, a comfort in the warm sand and sobs of the girl. She wept until her muscles lost their tension, slumping against Malika out of exhaustion and release.
[member="Malika Mantis"]
“But auntie… I can touch me. Aren’t I a monster, too? That’s what they think. I know it… I know it.” Yasha choked out, shutting her eyes to the reality of how the soldiers looked at her, gave her a wider berth after Strider let the girl come with the Commandoes over MandalMotors. After Sundari, after Cold Iron City… the little rekr was the untouched child, an empty bit of hell, which clung to the living like a dreadful stone around their necks. Daughter of [member="Preliat Mantis"], maybe the kid was plain born wrong.
Eyes still shut, she could picture each of the trophies she collected for Ra, over forty seven, and many more unclaimed. How a child without beskar’gam could do such a thing, how a child regardless of armament could dispatch grown Mando’ade was still a question murmured through the barracks, or upon sight of the child.
The lullaby flooded around her, a comfort in the warm sand and sobs of the girl. She wept until her muscles lost their tension, slumping against Malika out of exhaustion and release.
[member="Malika Mantis"]
"What they think and what you are, are two very different things, Yash'ika." She kissed the top of the girls head, stroking her back as the tears flooded from the girl in heart wrenching sobs that drew Malika's own silent tears flowing freely.
"You are not a monster, Yahsa. You are a Mantis. We are all monsters in the eyes of those who do not understand. Fear drives them to think and say such things. But let them fear, ad'ika, let them say what they want. It is just words. And when it comes to it, when you take up the mantle of Mand'alor that fear will command respect, and they will follow you. That is all that matters."
[member="Yasha Mantis"]
"You are not a monster, Yahsa. You are a Mantis. We are all monsters in the eyes of those who do not understand. Fear drives them to think and say such things. But let them fear, ad'ika, let them say what they want. It is just words. And when it comes to it, when you take up the mantle of Mand'alor that fear will command respect, and they will follow you. That is all that matters."
[member="Yasha Mantis"]