Meta-Morphosis (Council Summoning Of Meta)

[Josh Dragovalor]

Actions and behaviors in missions resembling that of a dark sider? Dark force powers like Force Crush and Force Lightning? Attempting to learn Vaapad?

Josh knew Meta was a hard case, but where had THIS come from.

Josh had kept to himself quite a bit the last day, trying to make funeral preparations. Finding out that the Sith had finally slaughtered his beloved was the kicker after everything else that had happened to him the last few months. This was NOT what Josh needed right now.

But he had to be there. Spiraling into Force knows what, or not. Josh was a Jedi Master, on the Jedi Council, and he had a job to do. @Meta, his own Padawan, had been summoned to the Council chambers in order to discuss his actions. Josh was in a horrible enough mood before he got this news, why stop now?

Josh made his way into the Council chambers, his hood, uncharacteristically over his head and face. No, he wasn't trying to emulate Edward Kenway, he just didn't want the Grandmaster or the Council to see him like he was. Regardless of how much he attempted to hide it, the rollercoaster ride he'd been on could be easily seen in his face. His eyes were baggy, he hadn't slept a wink, meditation was impossible. His eyes told the story, the sorrow he couldn't hide, the overwhelming guilt at not having been able to save her. That lack of sleep was evident in his face too, he had a rather thick five o'clock shadow going on, which he hoped to hide under the shadow of his robes. All in all, the Jedi Master looked miserable, and rightfully so. He wasn't easily shaken, but too much all at once, capped with that devastating of a loss wasn't an easy thing to cope with either.

He took his seat as scheduled. He'd arrived early, and decided to take some time to review the evidence and notes... SOMETHING to get his mind off everything. He couldn't push it aside anymore, it seemed... It seemed so easy to do last week, but this? This he just couldn't.

He sighed, taking a deep breath. He tried to get lost in the notes, put everything aside to focus on this summoning... His Padawan needed him. The Jedi needed him. Personal issues could wait at the door.

@[member="Selena Halcyon"]
@[member="Kiskla Grayson"]
@[member="Syn"]
@[member="Tefka"]
@[member="Carn Dista"]
@[member="Phylis Alince"]

Featuring Special Victim... Err, Guest...

@Meta

 

[Tathra Khaeus]

Meta didn't understand the issue. The force wasn't such a linear thing, and labeling techniques and powers was childish and its not like he had hurt anyone, or went against anything the jedi stood for. However, maybe the other jedi just didn't look at it the same way he did. Maybe he was growing too powerful too quick and they were afraid? Was his master holding him back? So many questions and doubts filtered through his mind. So quick and unsteady he could barely keep it contained, although. There was no anger inside of him, at least at the moment. He simply wondered why he had been called before the Jedi Council for this when there were much more pressing issues to take care of. Not focus on himself for wanting to learn more about the force. However, this would be his first time meeting all of the council at once. He was nervous and anxious towards what he would be facing. Could he possibly be exiled? Was that too drastic? He didn't know, all would be decided by the end of the day. At least he hoped they would be, as the doors to the council chamber came into view. He stopped ahead of them, and closed his eyes. Allowing the force to run through his body, he let out a long and tempered breath. He wouldn't need it, not now.
He flipped down his hood and removed his mask. Thankfully not many people were around so early. His long white and grey hair fell down past his jaw. His hair was clean and long, he had it tied back in a pony tail, it reached his shoulders and no further. His tiger like eyes were surrounded by deep and brooding dark rings. Signifying his lack of sleep, he had relied too much on the force to keep him going as he trained. He however felt fresh, though his appearance did not represent this. In total there were six scars ranging in size and place on his face. One coming up from his neck to the top of his upper lip. Another across his left cheek, a third on his right eye and the last three were small scratches on his forehead, nose and lip. He relaxed his muscles and began to walk towards the council chambers, his helmet under his right arm and his lightsaber dangling from his belt. The council chamber doors slid open, the room was empty accept for all but one. His master, he almost looked as bad as he did. Joshua had his hood covering his face, but Meta could sense the pure anguish he was experiencing. Something much more pressing than what was currently going on here in this room. Meta took to center stage, he bowed slightly. "Master." He said, before returning to his original standing position. He awaited a reply, he had mentally prepared himself for this occasion. But was afraid it may have not been enough.

There were several seats in the council chamber, he didn't know if he was to sit or stand. But he remained absolutely still, the view from the council chamber was beautiful and dynamic. He appreciated the aesthetic taste of the jedi, in comparison to the sith their architecture was beautiful. However, this wasn't the reason he was here. He was here to discuss his apparently unjust actions that some might go as far as to say was very not jedi like. He didn't know if he was to be punished or not, or what the actual point of this was. He wanted the rest of the jedi to arrive quickly, as the air around his master was uneasy.

@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]
@Selena Halcyon
@[member="Kiskla Grayson"]
@Syn
@Tefka
@Carn Dista
@Phylis Alince

 

[Syn]

The padawan who had delivered the message to him was one he trusted, it wasn't often he had been contacted for council business and the purpose of this one had him standing taller while he changed his outfit. After everything that had been happening he only needed a few things and rolled his shoulders while he secured the two amulets he now carried everywhere. The interaction between them keeping mental influence away and bolstering his senses. It was a strange feeling he had to admit while he stood there and slid onto his wrist under the robes the taozin bracelets that had been fashioned for him. Meant to hide from the sight of others and the wonderful part was it worked without him having to use concealment or the current. Sometimes non exotic abilities were a powerful thing as well.

Which was what brought him to the council chambers and he walked lightly towards his seat turning around only in a small flutter of his robes for show while he turned to Joshua Dragonsflame and raised an eyebrow under his sash. Whatever he was trying to do it wasn't working properly or perhaps something else had happened he wasn't privy to. He didn't need to force the issue as there was little he worried about. If it had been jedi business he would have known about it and if he it had involved Nar Shadda and the Suns he really would have heard about it. The battle there or lack there of had been something he looked at as decent but the one he went there to handle hadn't been around. He had wanted to see Domino again but she hadn't been around, so he had done what else was needed and just taken it somewhat easy. The masters weren't needed to fight a bunch of pirates and slavers on the scale they were there.

However he was getting distracted now and folded his hands in front of him over each other while he thought about what was happening, someone trying to learn vaapad was dangerous... A master they would question, a knight they would look at but a padawan. Only once had this happened before and they had handled that, Darron Wraith handled it while he thought about the rest and just turned his gaze under the sash towards the boy in question. He let the voided effects of the taozin do its job, something he had learned when he was little and in hiding. The inquisitors quite adamant their masters wore them for protection and he had never been found in the force. Now he just stared awaiting the arrival of the other councilors and the Grandmaster, based on what he had observed from them. He might actually be the tame one with Carn, Phylis and Selena here. A notion that had him internally grinning.

@Joshua DragonsFlame
@Selena Halcyon
@Kiskla Grayson
@Rianna Organa
@Tefka
@Carn Dista
@Phylis Alince
@[member="Meta"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

Watching from the rather uncomfortable seat to the left of Meta was Phylis Alince. She wondered why all Jedi aspired to be on the council when the chairs were so hard and lumpy? Perhaps it was some sort of ‘point’ that power gained was never as good as power anticipated. Or perhaps they’d just hired bad contractors.

Either way, they were here not about chairs, but this young Padawan. Contrary to this writer’s claims, and other characters they write, Phylis was not the ‘iron rods nao’ type. Rather, she believed in conciliation and negotiation. Only if necessary should the big stick be involved.

Force crush, Sith lightning, Vaapad. Not good in a Padawan. It’d be like if some kindly Sith went around in white robes healing the sick. Hmm, at least Meta was not Enton.

She waited, waited for Selena or Joshua DragonsBane to say something. He still had the best name of anyone, she thought.

@Meta
@Joshua DragonsFlame
@Selena Halcyon
@Kiskla Grayson
@Rianna Organa
@Tefka
@Carn Dista

 

[Rianna Organa]

Rianna's position had changed quickly with her arrival from Jedi Master, to teacher, to sitting on the Council. It amazed her at how quick things happened, but even now she and her writer were apprehensive about taking on such responsibilities. She was the quiet type, the one who supported others not so much the leader, and she was old world Jedi at that.

She followed the little map that she had the padawan draw out so that she would not get lost. How embarrassing that would be Jedi Master lost within the temple. That would be quite....funny.

She felt like tip toeing in these room were always so quiet as if they were waiting for the dirge to begin playing in the background followed by actors covered in dark robes carrying big sticks to keep everyone in order, and create an environment of doom and gloom.

However, she found a seat, bringing her legs up so sit indian style in the chair she leaned forward waiting and looking around the room. She knew very few, and very few knew her.

These concerns however would concern any Jedi. At least one skill she had would come in handy today, the one for listening.



@Meta
@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]
@[member="Selena Halcyon"]
@[member="Kiskla Grayson"]
@[member="Tefka"]
@[member="Carn Dista"]
@[member="Syn"]
@[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

Phylis waited for someone to do something. She looked around. Did things usually take this long? Were the other masters nervous?

Finally she said to @[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"], “So, Master, you called this meeting together,” she hinted.

And also, using (ironically) meta information, she suddenly realised she must have met Meta before on the expedition, if that had happened by now. It was all very confusing.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Selena suggested to me to have this called, yes" he said coldly as he went through his notes. "Since apparently since it's my Padawan, I had to call it"

His eyes finally raised to meet Meta's, from under the hood. Meta could barely see Josh's eyes, but what could be seen obviously didn't look good.

"..... How the blue hell does a Jedi Padawan go learning Force Crush and Force Lightning?" he asked curiously. "The meeting hasn't began yet, obviously. Selena, Carn, Tefka and Kiskla aren't here yet. But this is me, as a Master and a friend asking out of curiousity.... How? Why? I know you've had your little tantrums and brushes with the dark side, but to full out use the dark side as a Padawan, for... Some reason... I don't understand it. I sure as hell didn't teach you it, nor will I ever teach you it. If I did, I'd be as bad as my old Master, who attempted to convert me to the Sith at age 10" he said, shaking his head. "And he was caught quite quick as soon as he tried"

@Selena Halcyon
@Kiskla Grayson
@Syn
@Tefka
@Carn Dista
@Phylis Alince
@Meta

 

[Kiskla Grayson-Matteo]

Her ears must have been burning, because she appeared as if on cue when @[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] mentioned her name. Mentally, she scolded him. In the presence of a Padawan, it was Master Grayson dangit.
It had taken her longer than usual because she'd been assisting a quad of her own Padawans with assembling a report for their Coruscanti mission.
Less paperwork for her in the long run, if they know how to do it now.

She didn't apologize for her lateness when she caught the tail end of the conversation. Instead, noticed the thick atmosphere of the room and the heavy weight of brooding emotions. Josh's usually peppy visage was concealed beneath his hood, and that was enough of a warning. She didn't know him well, but in their friendship she had never seen him in any sort of discomfort beyond her own offence to him -- and that had been temporary. Poor Josh, another Padawan that was unsettling. He had mentioned something about another a few weeks back. Luck of the draw.

"Usually, actions are manifestations of curiosity."

Kiskla commented, somewhat sagely. She'd been talking about the darkside a lot these days, it seemed. What with her recent dissertation with a Sith Lord and all that. Besides, Kiskla wasn't a silent spectator type, of course she would make her presence known verbally (visually, she didn't need the help).

As she spoke, she took her seat. The same one that she had taken when the Council had first formed. Second last to the door -- only because @[member="Phylis Alince"] had been so insistent on being right next to the exit.

"Are you curious, Padawan @[member="Meta"]?"

 

[Tathra Khaeus]

Before Meta could reply to his master, he turned to @[member="Kiskla Grayson"]. "Yes master Grayson." But before anyone could reply he turned back to his master. Relaxing himself. "To clarify, the use of the ability of lightning is but a rumour. But, the practice of the two other abilities I have done little more than study and attempt to use them. Not to say I reached any sort of level that would be useful in combat. I wouldn't necessarily say its worth talking about." Meta said, his hands behind his back.

@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]
@[member="Phylis Alince"]
@[member="Rianna Organa"]

 

[Syn]

@Meta @[member="Kiskla Grayson"] @[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] @[member="Phylis Alince"] @[member="Rianna Organa"] @Tefka @Carn Dista

Syn looked at the padawan as he spoke and remained quiet. There was much he could say to the thought of him studying techniques and from the sound possibly intended to use in combat. His face didn't move but his senses flicked between each of the councilors while he sat there. He wasn't going to speak out of turn yet but finally let his neutral expression disappear while he spoke. "Somehow you say study and attempt like that makes it alright. You are a jedi child, we do not study the darkside unless it is to find more efficient ways to eradicate it."

His small snort and turn of the head was all the jedi master needed as he narrowed his hollow eyes on the boy. No need to flex powers or use them. Just searching him while he spoke more. "If your master does not know of your studies it reflects poorly on him for not seeing this but given what has happened recently that can be expected." Syn didn't need to turn to Joshua and he didn't need to see something was wrong, the boy had it hanging over him in his stance and smell. So fish and guess something bad had happened the reaction would say more as it went on but he kept his senses on the padawan.

"So your possibly dishonoring your master, these tantrums as he called them I would want to hear more about but I am fair and willing to listen. So explain, tell us why we shouldn't send you to the explorer corps?"

 

[Phylis Alince]

@Meta @Kiskla Grayson @Joshua DragonsFlame @[member="Syn"] @Rianna Organa @Tefka @Carn Dista

Phylis frowned. "Perhaps we are being too hard on the Padawan and his Master. Not everything either does is known to the other. Can any of us say with good conscience that we've never done anything as a Padawan we would not frown on now?"
She didn't know about them but she definitely had!

"The key point is though, Padawan, do you understand why it is dangerous even to study, even to practice such a thing? It is not like a child picking up a stick and pretending it's a lightsabre, it's not even like a person playing with a real lightsabre. The Force is the most powerful manifestation in the galaxy. Even the greatest of Jedi Masters cannot say what actions and reactions might come from an action. Hmm, from a cause maybe. Either way, the Dark Side is seductive, powerful, and even the best intentions can be swiftly undone. Many inside and outside the Order scoff at 'slippery slopes' and 'Dark Side corruption', thinking it is a fairy tale to keep Jedi in line. That is profoundly mistaken, as your own Master has so recently experienced with a good friend of his. The Dark Side is real, it is powerful, and it must not be taken lightly. Do you understand, Padawan? We are not doing this to be mean or something, we are doing it because too many have been in your place before as we do not wish to see another start down a dark path needlessly."

After that she looked quite passionate, and sat back, coughing slightly, not realising she'd been in 'motherly lecture' mode as much as she had.

 

[Tathra Khaeus]

Meta rubbed his brow, thinking of his next words cautiously. "I do understand, but I do not believe the dark and light is so, black and white." He said, explaining. "I believe that the powers in which the two sides claim to own do not belong to either. I believe that it's the user and their intentions that lead then to the darkside. Not the power itself, it's how you use it that decides if it retains a darkside or lightside aura." He continued to explain. However his rant was over now, he stopped while he was ahead. "But, I'm not saying I will deny your wishes, I am simply sharing my opinion masters." He said, the deepest of respects ringing in his voice.

@[member="Phylis Alince"]
@[member="Syn"]
@[member="Kiskla Grayson"]
@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Always be wary of the dark side, my Padawan" he said, more gently now. He smiled faintly at Meta under the hood.

"Do you know why we avoid including the dark side in our teachings like the plague, Meta?" he asked. "It's because of how seductive the dark side can be. Using it, even in practice, for things like that may seem small at first... But it consumes you. It grabs the curious nature of men and women, and it pulls you in like an abyss. And before you can stop yourself, you've become something that even you won't even recognize anymore"

He frowned for a moment. "You know, there was a time when I was a Padawan. I was really young. 9, 10, maybe? I'd been in the Jedi since I was 5 years old, I didn't trust anybody. I was scared to. But how can you blame me? I had lived my first childhood years travelling from place to place, taught to trust nobody but my mother, my father, my brother, only for them to die in front of my own eyes. Or so I thought... But, that's a story for another day. The survival of select family members I will tell you on your own time, if you wish to ask on my time off"

"But there was one man I trusted. He went by the name of Pinewrap Icaf" he explained.

"To make this short, Pinewrap was my first Master. My mentor, he was my father figure and my friend. He taught me everything I knew for those first five years. I trusted him, I loved him. And you know what he did, Meta? One day, I came in and he had this smirk on his face. He knew I was different from the others because of my heritage, and that was something he took advantage of. That day, he told me that the dark side wasn't something to fear. That the Jedi were wrong to shun it and not practice it. He taught me to use the dark side, and that day... A little bolt of lightning erupted from my hands as I used my rage that I'd held in for so long, as instructed. A little part of me knew it was wrong, but... I was naive at the time. I was young. I hadn't been fully educated about the seduction and corruption of the dark side. So I kept trusting him, I believed what he said"

"Then the next day, I got into a sparring session with a rather... Loudmouthed 12 year old Padawan. I was different that day, my mind had been abuzz with what Pinewrap had taught me. And when things got heated, it's like instinct took over" he said with a sigh.

"For that moment, the dark side took ahold of me. I firmly believed that the dark side was something to explore, after what he had taught me, and I lost control for that moment. While the bolt that erupted was weak, it was enough to harm my fellow Padawan, and I was so angry that I kept doing it. I'd used my rage and I couldn't stop it, and it was like I wasn't in control of myself anymore"

"I was investigated... I was afraid I'd get thrown out onto the streets, or that the Masters would look down on me. I was confused, I didn't know what was going on. All I could do was be honest, and that brought the investigation to Pinewrap"

He smiled sadly. "Whallah. Pinewrap was secretly a Sith Master, a double agent. They couldn't catch him, he escaped, and I never saw him again. But that taught me, very early on, about the seductions of the dark side. Just that little thing, whether it's initiated by curiosity, or by the teachings of someone you love and trust... It can destroy you. It can corrupt you. It can make you do things that would make you unable to recognize yourself anymore"

"I never got over that, actually. I did find a bit of closure, years later, but now I know the temptations and corruption of even practicing the dark side" he said.

"I know it sounds a bit overbearing. It might even sound like we're holding you back. But pursuing dark side teachings can destroy a man, especially a Jedi. We called you here to answer for things like this because we want to protect you. If the Jedi hadn't acted for me, I would probably have kept prodding at it, kept seeping into the dark side into it corrupted me to the point of no return. And where would I be then?" he asked. "It's something I'll never forget, and it's one of my driving motivations as a Jedi, to see that it NEVER happens to another Jedi. I'm not afraid of telling that story now, you see. I tell it to set an example, so that people know that the dark side is real. The dark side is dangerous, and the darkside is HELLA seductive"

"As for your sayings... It requires something different to properly use something like Force Crush, in comparison to something like Force Light. One uses rage, a dark side tool... The other does not. You use your anger, and it can twist you into something that you don't even recognize"

 

[Phylis Alince]

@[member="Meta "]@Kiskla Grayson @Joshua DragonsFlame @Syn @Rianna Organa @Tefka @Carn Dista

Phylis frowned. "Hmmph, yes, well, the Potentium has issues. What with almost all of its adepts ending up as Dark Jedi or Sith."

"I have done a 'small' amount of research on it and other subjects. I have found, Padawan, that practically every single person who has fallen started with a statement similar to yours. 'Shades of Grey' comes up often, hmm, as does 'intent' and 'balance'. I am confident that every Jedi who has slipped into tyranny has told them the same things. Did not Anakin Skywalker claim he was doing what he did for, admittedly misguided, reasons."

"And of course, you are incorrect on a key part of this. The Force is not like a knife. A knife can be used to cut someone, or it can be used to cut up fruit. It is the intent that counts, yes? But the Force is not like this. To summon lightning, to summon the power to crush the life from something you must tap into negative emotions. This is not 'crush'," she said, taking out a pencil and using the force to snap it.

"That is merely telekinesis, it is who you use it on which counts. But lightning, that is something that can only come about through the channelling of negative emotions. It is not simply a handy way of starting a fire or fishing, it is a weapon of the soul."

"It is well to have opinions and a view, but in this case the preponderance of evidence is against you...whether it suits you or not!"

 

[Tathra Khaeus]

"But how can one fight the darkside and not be consumed by it if they haven't conquered it?" He asked, tilting his head. "And should those who are consumed by it shouldn't really be allowed to join the Jedi if they weren't strong enough to defeat it?" He asked waving his arms in a question. "Say if a young Jedi has never experienced the darkside other than its presence from a Sith or mere temptation, how are they meant to reply it once experiencing the raw rage it produces?" He asked, befuddled by the masters looking over of this.


@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]
@[member="Phylis Alince"]
@[member="Kiskla Grayson"]
@[member="Syn"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"We're taught to defend against it, Meta, but NOT taught to USE it" he said, sighing. "We are never blind to the dark side. But we never use it for our own means, because if we do... Then what are we?" he asked.

"We would be no better then the Sith"

@Meta

 

[Tathra Khaeus]

"But the Sith use it to help themselves. How are we the same if we use it for justice and good?" He asked once again, he didn't understand why it was so bad to use your enemies greatest strength against them

@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

@Meta @Kiskla Grayson @Joshua DragonsFlame @Syn @Rianna Organa @Tefka @Carn Dista

"Not only that, we would be Sith."

"Ah, yes, the old 'use their strength against them' argument. A good idea, except that it's a fallacy and doesn't work. Every great fallen Jedi has tried that. Revan, Ulic Qel-Droma, Anakin, Jacen Solo. All of them called on the Dark Side to help them and because 'why not, I am pure of heart!'. Sadly, it does not work like that, Meta. As nice as it would be if we Jedi were just sticking our heads in the sand to deny you your rightful etcetera etcetera, experience has taught us this. The amount of Jedi and Force users who have successfully balanced the light and dark, used the Dark Side and remained pure? Zero. Amount who have tried to do so? Hundreds. Thousands."

"We're not afraid of you growing too powerful or trying to hold you back. Hmm, that's the usual chestnut which comes into your mind at this point. Came into mine once. I was wise enough to see that we are simply telling you the truth."

She shifted attention. "Your lightsabre. Where is it?"

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"That's why I told you the story, Meta" he said. "The dark side of the Force is seductive and capable of corrupting you, and you can't stop it once you've gone too far. And then just like that, our "Justice and good" turns into us destroying the very people we strive to protect. And then what are we?"

When @[member="Phylis Alince"] brought attention to Meta's lightsaber, Josh raised an eyebrow, tilting his head curiously.

 

[Tathra Khaeus]

He pushed back his cloak, and took it from its dangling position on his belt. "When she mentioned none had balanced both. His mind pondered Revan as she spoke, however he held his Lightsaber out in front of her. "Here." He said, holding it in the palm of his hand.

@[member="Phylis Alince"]