Singing in the rain while lounging in a tree.

[Kenrath]

Xander walked through one of the temple garden's not even minding the fact it was raining. It was a light and soothing rain. As he walked he found the same tree he had climbed with Mysa weeks earlier. He smiled shaking his head thinking about her and all the questions she had asked. The young always were so full of wonder and curiosity.

He looked at it for a long moment before climbing a few branches up the tree to high enough to find one to support his weight. Laying there he started humming a few bars of a song he used to sing as a child.


[member="Ella Nova"]

 

[Darth Ayra]

[member="Xander Stanforth"]

Ella had been in the gardens, on that particular day. She would need to be calm and sound of mind, for the tribulations ahead. With the intention of bringing down the One Sith, one Sith Lord at a time, required a guidance in the Force that only the serenity and calmness of a setting, such as the gardens, could provide.

She spotted a tree and felt herself guided towards it. Lowering herself into the shade, the Jedi Knight propped her back up against the tree bark and rested, watching the Jedi walking by. It was the calm before the storm, and although the galaxy was not at peace, here was a moment where peace existed; and so before the storm was struck, Ella would enjoy the tranquility, knowing that in the coming months to years, there would be no respite.

Above her, she heard someone humming and lifted her gaze to see who it was.

 

[Kenrath]

Xander continued to hum to himself taking much longer than was probably safe or reasonable to notice the new presence under the tree. He turned on the branch to where he was leaning against the trunk of the tree his legs dangling from each side of the branch. He smiled.

"Sorry thought I was alone out here." "Kind of peaceful in the garden this time of day."

He sighed.

"I'm Xander...........sorry probably should have lead with that."


[member="Ella Nova"]

 

[Darth Ayra]

[member="Xander Stanforth"]

"That's all right."

"My name is Ella Nova."

Turning away from the man, the Jedi Knight folded her legs and tucked her arms into the opposite sleeve. Closing her eyes, she immersed herself into the Force, allowing it to soothe and guide her. In that moment, she saw it again. The same vision she had been gifted, that had made her return to activity. It was no coincidence that the vision had come, once her body had recovered.

"It is the future you see," she murmured, almost to herself.

 

[Kenrath]

Xander dropped his hands holding onto the branch before dropping down hanging from it briefly. After a minute he dropped to the ground in front of her with a smile.

"Nice to meet you [member="Ella Nova"] or is it Master Nova?"

He sat down in front of her a few feet of space between them his legs crossed.

"What brings you to the garden?" "Not many come out here anymore."

He paused looking thoughtful for a moment.

"Sorry it you want to be alone I can go." "Should probably get back to training anyway." "Since I lost my Master opportunities to learn are few and far between."

He started to stand

 

[Darth Ayra]

[member="Xander Stanforth"]

Ella lifted her gaze to the man. He was a Padawan learner. Much older than the normal crop of students. "Please, stay if you like. You do not have to leave because of me."

She frowned, lowering her gaze to the floor, thinking about the visions she had been given.

 

[Kenrath]

Xander looked at [member="Ella Nova"] with a small frown.

"You ok?"

He paused sitting back down.

"Seems like you got something other the flowers around us on your mind."

He fiddled with a blade of grass studying her for a moment before looking around the garden semi-absently.

 

[Darth Ayra]

[member="Xander Stanforth"]

Ella looked back up. Perhaps another perspective, opinion or mind would be helpful. She was struggling to make head or tails of what she had seen, in the future.

"You're right, Xander. I do have something on my mind. I believe I have been given a vision by the Force. I have seen something in the future..." She trailed off.

 

[Kenrath]

Xander looked at [member="Ella Nova"] with a small hint of concern.

"I take it the vision is not of something good?"

He smiled softly but gave no indication of trying to lighten the mood.

"So what does the future have in store for us Ella?" "Are we going to be saviors of the Galaxy or fail to a fiery death?"

His tone was serious and in no way joking.

 

[Darth Ayra]

| [member="Xander Stanforth"] |

Ella smiled at his joke, regardless of the intention. It had lightened up her mood.

"I see death. I have watch Jedi fall. I sense a plot to destroy the Jedi. I have heard a mans voice. He spoke of revenge. I have heard this voice before..."

 

[Kenrath]

Xander smiled at [member="Ella Nova"] with a chuckle.

"You sure do know how to kill the mood don't you."

He sighed.

"Every day is a battle Ella." "Now I keep getting scolded and chastised for wanting to take the fight the bullies, bad guys, and miscreants." "I think it is the biggest reason why both my Masters dropped me." "Apparently it is not the Jedi way to fight."

He shrugged.

"If what you say is true then it sounds like most are just trying to avoid the inevitable."

He stood taking a few steps away. He didn't leave however he just stood there looking further out into the garden his back to Ella.

 

[Darth Ayra]

[member="Xander Stanforth"]

Ella frowned. The Jedi always resorted to finding other ways to resolve a conflict. Drawing your lightsaber, was the last option a Jedi was provided with. But confrontation was apart of the Jedi's mandate. All Jedi had to be prepared to draw their weapons, so that they could defend themselves or the innocent.

"Who were your masters?" Ella spoke up.

 

[Kenrath]

Xander shook his head.

"Doesn't matter who they are." "Jedi fear falling to the dark side." "So much though that they will avoid all conflicts just to avoid having to dance."

He chuckled.

"I am not capable of doing that Ella." "I will not sacrifice a single innocent life just to hide from the darkness that each and every man and woman in the galaxy fights within them every day."

He smiled softly.

"And if that means I am Master less and distrusted then so be it."

[member="Ella Nova"]

 

[Darth Ayra]

[member="Xander Stanforth"]

Ella decided that she liked this man. He was type of Jedi that the Republic needed, and by extension, the galaxy. Perhaps he understood the concept that action was required a little too much, but that could be refined. After all, he was still a Padawan learner and had yet to complete his Jedi training.

She was a traditionalist and thus didn't like meeting Jedi, who had begun their training into their extended years. From birth, the Jedi were raised to be Jedi. They did not suffer the consequences of growing up outside the Jedi Order, where they were forced to suffer.

Ella knew a Torgruta who had recently begun their training to become a Jedi. The child had discovered his Mother and siblings had died at the Battle of Coruscant. He had seen his father descend into a depression, that had led to him abandoning his son. The Torgruta had even been forced to steal food, clothes and other necessities to live. Growing up on Tatooine, after going through all that, would lead to memories that were tough to forget. That type of suffering led to fear. Fear led to the dark side. Hopefully the Torgruta would not go through such an ordeal, later on in his training.

She studied Xander silently for a few moments. She sensed he was a good person, but like the Torgruta and other Jedi who begun their training late, he had experiences that would define him. Jedi did not know fear, however.

Nodding, Ella said. "What if I were to tell you that I knew a way to help you complete your training?"

 

[Kenrath]

He looked at her with a weird look.

"Really and how is that?" "Between my age and the uncomfortable way people seem to think I want to fight everything that walks or looks at me wrong."

He chuckled.

"Nobody wants to go anywhere near that." "I am lucky they are not trying to turn me into a simple farmer." "You Jedi do that don't you?" "I could have sworn I heard that somewhere."

[member="Ella Nova"]

 

[Darth Ayra]

[member="Xander Stanforth"]

"The Jedi do not dictate what anyone does. We simply advise and guide them to what they want to be. I don't pretend to know what has occurred since your time with the Silver Jedi, but I sense that you would still not be trying to become a Jedi, if you did not want to be one."

"Do you want to fight everything? Speak your thoughts Xander, before they betray you."

 

[Kenrath]

Xander smiled shaking his head.

"No I don't want to fight everything." "Some of my favorite times are in places like this very garden." "I just don't like people who bully others because they feel they are stronger and for that reason give them permission to do so."

He shook his head.

"Being a Jedi was never my goal in life Ella." "It chose me it seemed and I figure I can embrace it or hide from it." "I simply chose not to hide."


[member="Ella Nova"]

 

[Darth Ayra]

[member="Xander Stanforth"]

"The life of a Jedi is about sacrifice. Standing up to those that oppose others is a sacrifice that the Jedi often participate in. It is why we continue and always will defy the will of Sith Lords and others who wish to impose themselves, in some form of power. Consult the Force Xander and you will discover your answers. It will show you if your future lays in the Jedi Order, the Silver Sanctum or somewhere else. To defy the Force is to upset the natural ways of things."

 

[Kenrath]

Xander chuckled.

"The natural way of things?" "Is it natural to subjugate others you consider weaker?" "Is it natural to abuse the weak?"

He smiled.

"I don't need to consult the force Ella." "I know what my purpose is." "To defend the weak against the strong." "I have known that since I was eight years old."

He shook his head.

"It is your people who tell me that my purpose is wrong and that I should turn away from it." "But if I do that then doesn't it pretty much guarantee your vision will come true." "What is the since in searching for a third when only two options appear before you."

[member="Ella Nova"]

 

[Darth Ayra]

[member="Xander Stanforth"]

"Perhaps you misunderstood what your masters taught you. Perhaps they meant that you are not ready to fulfill that place. To defend the weak is admirable, but to do so as a Jedi requires an in depth understanding of the Force, the code and the tenants that create the mandate that we all follow. It is why techniques such as Form Zero was created. Are you prepared to solve situations without the need of force? Without violence?"