Private Something A Little Different

[Liam Du'Cal]

Location: Naboo, Theed Transport Bay
Attire: [xXx]
Tag: | Ariya |

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It had been a bit unorthodox, the way this whole setup had happened. While from what Liam understood, it wasn't uncommon for people to reach out to the Knights and request admission, it was a bit strange - to him - to be assigned to someone before they had so much as stepped foot onto the grounds. But perhaps that was because this was an interesting case; the girl - woman. Woman in question was Force Sensitive, but by her own admission knew nothing of the Force or it's ways. That fact must have been both frustrating and frightening on it's own, so who do you send to pair up with someone like that? Why someone like Liam of course. Someone who wasn't afraid to step right in and make an arse of themselves just to make sure that this new person was not only comfortable in their own skin, but comfortable in their surroundings too.

So, he had agreed, and didn't even think twice about it at the time.

Now he was sort of questioning himself, but not in the way one might expect. His questioning was about himself rather than this woman he was supposed to be meeting. Was he ready for this? Would he be a good mentor to someone? Would he screw up? Would he let this mentee down? It was a fluster of questions all swirling around in his head, but they hadn't stopped him from being where he was supposed to be, when he was supposed to be there.

The transport bay was alive with activity, but he was keeping an eye out. He knew who he was looking for, and vice versa. This woman had been given his name and appearance so that there was no confusion or risk of her ending up with the wrong person in the wrong place. Plus, he was sort of keeping an eye on Force signatures, knowing that this particular person wouldn't be able to shield theirs, and being untrained? Well, it would probably be fairly easy to spot. And he was spot on to boot.

One of the transports was emptying out, and Liam easily dropped his tall frame from where he had been perched on a short wall. He could feel exactly what he was waiting for, and once he caught sight of the face that matched? An easy going, warm smile graced his expression as he approached through the waning crowd of people. "Ariya?" he called out to her as he got closer, just to make sure he didn't spook her for one reason or another.

 

[Ariya]

Exhausted. She was exhausted. She checked various devices on her lap to check time, location, media—then returned to staring out of the window in transport. She didn’t have a terrible upbringing. If anything, it could be considered boring. As typical as a growing woman could have. At least... she had thought. She had learned of the isolating upbringing she had experienced while living with her maternal grandparents, but times has its way of rocking a person’s world in short periods of time, doesn’t it? ​

Capabilities and dreams, visions, questions, discrepancies all came together after the passing of Ariya’s grandparents. A short term seclusion as she traversed the experiences unique to The Force and how such strong emotions can heighten the magnitude of—​

Stop it! She shook her head, starting for just a moment at the tablet that had been elevated to eye level for her. “No!” She hissed quietly, swiping the tablet and stuffing it into her coat. She rubbed her face and brushed back hair with her fingers, then wiped damp skin beneath her eyes that had darkened with the weeks that had been spent on this fear driven exploration. Though there didn’t seem to be an OVERWHELMING collection of evidence pointing to this Force being something ill-intentioned, she had learned there could be challenges that create dangerous experiences. She didn’t want to be someone who went down a darkened path and she also didn’t want to be found by those who are. She needed a safe place, and the passer-by who seemed to have a loose tongue while exploring his ‘stomping grounds.’​

Thankfully, the transport stopped. She lift her gaze to look at the little light indicating it was safe to exit, so she took up her carry on and began her descent down the transport hall. By the time she stepped out onto the platform and finally left its confines, her knuckles of both hands were white from the grip she kept on her carryon’s strap. "Ariya?" She had heard, and lift her gaze to peer at the speaker. Perhaps he could see the laundry list of emotions and toiling thoughts that gave her the softened purple under eyes and glazed over expression that met his inquiry. There was a long enough pause in silence to warrant concern. ​

“Master...Liam?” Did she even call him by the proper title? She didn’t know how to address him. In her eyes he was a looming tower of intimidation, at least in the ten seconds she’s been mindfully present. She also didn’t know how to approach being approached by name first—was this Liam? Or had she just stupidly out herself? ​

 

[Liam Du'Cal]

Tag: | Ariya |

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He felt that rush of emotion as soon as she had gotten close enough to him. For just a moment, Liam's head turned to the side and his eyes closed while he absorbed everything that was radiating off of this woman. While he wasn't exactly an empath, that didn't matter here. Ariya was most definitely untrained and uncontrolled, and that was going to have to be something they worked on quickly. Despite this, once he was sure he had control of himself, his gaze returned to her and his smile returned as well.

"That's me," he assured her with a single bob of his head. "But uh...just Liam." he had no desire for her to call him Master, or anyone else to call him as such for that matter. Force rank or not, it didn't sit well with him. He was just Liam.

"So, is that all of your stuff, or will there be more?" Something told him that, that was the most of it, and it didn't really surprise him. He's seen others come along with a lot less than she had on her after all. "Either way, let's get out of the way, yeah?" his smile turned grin and he offered to take her bag without a hitch. Granted, he didn't take it from her, he was quite able to see that she was using it as some form of physical grounding. And that was fine, but it was always polite to offer regardless.

"Is this the first time you've traveled away from home?" Maybe he was asking too many questioned, but in Liam's experience it was best to keep talking. Sooner or later something would surface and break the ice, and right now that seemed to be what was needed.

 

[Ariya]

Attire: Click me!

"Is this the first time you've traveled away from home?"​

Boy I was it ever. She didn’t even catch most of what he had said—she was too caught up in everything happening around them. His reach to offer holding her bag had been met with a jerk back and a look of surprised uncertainty. Dramatic, she recognized. She sighed through her nose—Ariya! Get it together!— “Please...don’t.” She noted calmly. “Thank you, though.” A smile in its slightest form touched the corner of her lip before it washed away once the barrage of thoughts re-consumed her. ​

Leave, you don’t belong here.​

This is stupid.​

What are you doing! Go home!​

Please, don’t kill me.​

What is the point?​

This is stupid, you’re over reacting. Nothings wrong with you!​

Something...something has to be.​

“I’m so hungry.” She admitted. “I don’t think I’ve eaten since notifying you I left.” Three days. She hadn’t touched food in three days, supposedly. ​

“Could we stop somewhere? Please?” ​

 

[Liam Du'Cal]

Tag: | Ariya |

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There wasn't even so much as a flinch from Liam when she reacted the way she did to his offer. He had just kept his grin, dropped his hand away, and nodded as if nothing were out of the ordinary. Hey, he had been the new kid once upon a time, and he could very vividly remember the way it had felt to have his own things in hand rather than letting someone else help. It had been comforting, to hold onto his own things, even as outgoing as he was - is.

But his thoughts were drawn back when he finally got some form of speech out of this one. "My next suggestion was going to be my favorite little tea shop," he told her, his grin broadening just a tad. "They have sandwiches, cakes, all sorts of things that probably aren't good for you, but taste too good to say no to."

He made a vague gesture in the direction he smoothly started leading her in. "This way, c'mon. My treat." he added with another simple nod, waited for her to catch up, and then started towards their first destination.

 

[Ariya]

Her sapphire orbs nearly glistened again as he offered to grab a bite to eat. The descriptions sounded lovely to be honest. She trailed behind, then right on his heel once they were well on their way. Emerging into their location wouldn’t quite warrant culture shock per say, but the magnitude far out weighed her little home Hubble she had grown up in. Her eyes dart in every direction to soak it all in and for this moment as they traveled, she was distracted by her inner monologue. ​

“There’s so much, here.” She had noted. She found herself inching that much closer to Liam’s frame so to not become lost or fall behind as she granted herself flexibility to just take it all in. “I didn’t think..” What didn’t you think, Ariya? That seems to be a habit lately. ​

Shut up!​

“How much further?” Maybe food will help quell her self sabotage. ​

 

[Liam Du'Cal]

Tag: | Ariya |

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Liam couldn't help but to nod to her outward expression. "Theed is large, for sure. But you'll get used to it in no time, I promise." he agreed with her, but at that point, he didn't much after her. Not because he was being rude, but because the answer to her inquiry was right there in front of the both of them. Just a little corner store front, fashioned like something you would see on an old holocron, Nothing too frilly, but it certainly had a feminine touch to it, though before they stepped within Liam paused and turned to his follower.

"You'll learn to quiet those thoughts without the inner turmoil, just so you know." he informed her, then stepped just far enough to be able to open the door for her and allow her to enter the building first.

An elderly couple both looked up from their places - one packaging something for a customer, the other at a ridiculous appearing register, and grins immediately split both faces. "Liam!" the pair called in unison, to which the Knight waved a hand to the pair, allowing the door to fall shut behind him once Ariya and he were both through.

"I've brought new taste buds." he informed the pair, to which they both shift their crinkly, amused gazes to the woman. "Give her the goods, and my usual please." he grinned at the pair once more, gestured to a circular table and set of chairs for Ariya to sit at, then stepped away only far enough to be able to pay.

 

[Ariya]

His acknowledgement of her inner thoughts shocked and worried her. How did he...no rebuttal from her thoughts, she let the question remain unspoken and followed dutifully to the little café. Once within she looked around before setting her sights on the elderly couple who doused Liam in verbal affection in their tone. It made her miss her grandparents. ​

When sights were directed on her she rest a hand at her heart to stave the emotion back. Thankfully, they didn’t address her just yet and seemed to signal a table to inhabit, so she went to it and let her bag sort of sag off her shoulder and onto the floor gently, then pushed it with her foot under the table and sat down with a heavy sigh. It’s not like she has been standing for hours, but she was exhausted none the less. ​

“Could I have a hot drink?” She asked of Liam once he would come around to the table. Honestly, a hot drink, a hot meal, and a bed sounded lovely—but she knew there was much to do before then. It’s not like she arrived in the middle of the night, the day was still relatively young.​

 

[Liam Du'Cal]

Tag: | Ariya |

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"Already taken care of," Liam had already been sure to order warm drinks, not because he could read minds, but because its what he wanted as well.
"When it's done, they'll have a kettle for me to bring to the table." he added with a grin. He had also said for the elder couple behind the counter to pull out all the stops, which meant there would be food soon too. Good food.

"So, aside from the obvious shock of starting a whole new life, how are you holding up?" they didn't have too long to sit and gab before food would come, or tea before that, but for the moment, while there was quiet? He wanted to touch base. This was his student, she was his responsibility, and the last thing he wanted was for her to fall apart under his charge.

 

[Ariya]

Liam Du'Cal ​

She lift her gaze to him, but his question couldn’t be heard thoroughly through the thick haze of ringing in her ears. She gripped her own thighs and nearly dug her nails in just to remain calm and collected. “I wish I had gone through worse.” She admitted. “Maybe I would handle this better.” ​

She sighed out slow and long as a way to defuse without attention, closing her eyes as she did so in order to better envision something calm like slow rolling dunes, or a slug gliding along a leaf idly. She then opened her eyes and refocused on Liam. “I’ve never really...had the opportunity to hit rock bottom before now. Nan and pop always made me feel safe. It’s like I’ve walked into an alternate reality.” She shook her head. “I don’t understand why I lived this way..” She had nearly whispered this, uncertain just how safe they were to speak of her...qualities. “I wish a lot of things.”​

 

[Liam Du'Cal]

Tag: | Ariya |

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His smile lessened just a tad, and he made a noise in his throat as he considered her answer. "Well, that's not exactly unexpected." he told her, and it was entirely true. The fact that she had uprooted from her home and took a blind leap here into this new place? It was scary, and to add that on top of whatever it was she had gone through before now? Well...

He glanced up when his name was called, "Hang on," he told her, then got to his feet so that he could retrieve the tea that was finished for them. He thanked the older woman with a smile, then brought the kettle and cups to the table. He set the tray they were on down, then seated himself. "Food will be out soon." he informed her, then tucked his chair in. "Now, as for why you lived the way you did? Could be any number of things, but the most common?" he sighed and poured tea into both cups and slid one over to her. "People who aren't Force sensitive themselves, often times don't know how to deal with someone who is. Sometimes the sensitive is cast out, other times they're sheltered. It's more common than you know."

 

[Ariya]

Liam Du'Cal

Ah, tea. She held the cup to warm her chilled fingers, mulling over his words. She had known this to be true only because she had gone through her grandparents belongings before leaving, making sure to take or secure what was important. She found a journal of her grandmother’s inner dwelling, a lot of it revolving Ariya’s growing powers. ​

“They did everything to scrub my existence outside of the village.” She agreed. Her grandparents sheltered her, the world outside the little meadow was only reflected in tablet visuals and her daily lessons. None of it had been shown in ways that enticed her to seek life outside the village out. “Why do we hide?” Maybe they didn’t all hide, that’s the answer she’s hoping for. Perhaps her grandparents were too uneducated to understand—rather than understand too much and decide losing their granddaughter was a risk they had been unwilling to take. Either one? She wasn’t mad. She loved her time with them—she wouldn’t hold this against them.​

 

[Liam Du'Cal]

Tag: | Ariya |

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His head shook quickly after she had posed her question. While he had sat quiet for her story, to hear her out and let her feel free to speak, her inquiry made him set his own tea down on the table so that he could steeple his hands and look at her squarely. "We do not all hide." he informed her, not quite sternly, but the words were firm, to make sure they sank in. "But, sometimes a Force user is born into a family that doesn't know how to protect them, or to teach them, or to train them. And so in order to keep that Force user unknown and what they deem 'safe', they go to any lengths."

It was something that Liam couldn't personally understand, considering how he had grown up. He had been raised by a Force Master, after all. But he knew enough people who hadn't been, who had been sheltered and hidden away to be kept from the horrors that could befall someone sensitive to the ways of the Force. "Here however, there is no hiding." he added with a single nod, then took his cup back up just as an array of foods were brought to their table and set down between them.

 

[Ariya]

Liam Du'Cal

So here, it was normal? Here she could roam free? That thought was beyond her, but one thing she knew was as soon as she had the freedom to explore, she wants to lay in a garden. Maybe just grass—at least outside, during the day, in the breeze. Yeah, that sounded lovely.

She watched food be brought and her eyes grew like saucers, licking her lips delicately before waiting for permission to pick at foods. Once given the go ahead there would be little room left on her plate that she filled in a jenga-style puzzle, making sure a taste of everything was present. She dug in, and for a time feeding hysterical hunger was all she could do. Perhaps sickeningly so.

She would calm to a respective pace soon enough, it didn’t take much to begin filling her belly.

“Does everyone know you’re here?” She didn’t specify who ‘you’re’ was, but given the topic at hand..”The people who want to find us.”

 

[Liam Du'Cal]

Tag: | Ariya |

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He said nothing about her hunger, nor about the way she went about sating it. Liam himself chose a sandwich and a couple of other things, but it was really more of a sampler style meal and so he wanted to be sure that Ariya got to try everything as well as get her fill. Plus, he personally wasn't all that hungry, but if he didn't eat something while he was here, he'd be hit with a shoe.

But again, her inquiry caused him to shake his head. "There aren't many who want to find us," he told her, and his brow creased as his arms folded across his chest. "I honestly don't even really know where you got that notion. It's pretty rare for anyone to be hunted anymore, unless you're really pissed off the wrong people. And from what I gather, that hasn't been the case with you."

He wasn't sure where she had gotten her information, but she seemed to have an outdated ideal that their kind were being hunted down. That was definitely something they needed to clear up now. Last thing he needed was a paranoid, panicky mentee jumping at her own shadow.

 

[Ariya]

Liam Du'Cal


She seemed perplexed that he was confused about her concerns, and that confused her in return. She leaned to pull her bag up into her lap, then began rooting around in it until she pulled a datapad and two holocrons out. “These.” She noted. She didn’t say what was on them—but when he would look them over, whether here or later on in private they had information stored of very old, long dead issues. Perhaps of a time when their kind was in danger.

“My grandparents gave me these when I asked why I was always home.” She noted. Misled by old and long quelled issues, it seems.

 

[Liam Du'Cal]

Tag: | Ariya |

---------------

He could almost taste her confusion that had come in reaction to his own. Admittedly, Liam had to suppress a sigh, not at her but at himself for not being better at this sort of thing. He was good at making people smile, cracking a joke at the right time, but this? Dealing with someone who was not only uninformed about the Force at all, but had been misinformed throughout the entirety of her life, apparently.

A fact that she then proved to him when she came up with physical documentation - or at least what she considered documentation. Never the less, Liam reached out to take the pieces from her, and he loft a brow as he pulled up the information on the datapad. "Hoo boy..." he sighed and ran his free hand through his hair. "Alright so, first of all...Did you check the dates on these?" he glanced up over the edge of the datapad without really lifting his head to do so. "Because this? This is old news, Ariya..."

The devices were slid back to her and he adjust in his seat again so that he was leaned more towards her and the table. "Now, that's not to say that we don't have our problems. But danger comes to any and all things, in many different forms. This, what you're doing here?" he tapped the table once or twice. "You will learn the things you need to know here. To protect yourself, to protect others - whether it's needed of you at the time or not."

 

[Ariya]

Liam Du'Cal

Her brows were knit the more he spoke. She felt a sick pit in her stomach—sure she had seen the dates but there wasn’t much in knowing what happened after, or if things were still in such a state of despair. “It’s all I knew..” She admitted. She didn’t have the heart to call her grandparents paranoid or conspiracy koots, but the shoe seemed to fit the more she had dug around in their things post passing.

She sighed slow and began to eat her fill again, mulling over the enlightened news. “Can this go away?” She asked in curiosity. “The Force—the...the happenings.” She didn’t know how to explain it. “Or is this forever?” She felt like she was asking a silly question, but she didn’t know if this was a removable power or something forever intertwined in her life, so she may as well get the correct answers now.

 

[Liam Du'Cal]

Tag: | Ariya |

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While he had expected her response about the one life being all she had known - the fear, the questions, the doubts and such - what he hadn't expected was the inquiry that had followed. For a time, perhaps a little longer than either of them would have liked, Liam merely stared across the table at Ariya. Not in a condescending sort of way, but a truly thoughtful sort.

"Well," he eventually started with a clearing of his throat. "The short answer is yes. It can go away. You can close yourself off from the Force, and that would be that." he shrugged a shoulder as he laid it out for her, then folded his arms back across his chest. "Or, you could harness it. Learn to control it and the abilities that can stem from it. You can use it to fight, or to heal. To aid people in whatever way you deem is suited best for yourself. However, that decision is ultimately up to you. There is always a choice to be made."

 

[Ariya]

Liam Du'Cal

"Heal people?" She asked with another surprised expression. Well, that sounded lovely! At least now it would be known where her heart stood. "Can anyone do that?" She wondered. "I don't think I'm that much of a fighter." She admitted with almost a chuckle. Because of her intrigue she had paused in her eating again, choosing to listen more intently with the knowledge of healing. She wondered if it had limitations, or if illness was apart of this ability. She wondered how long it took to reach a point where healing could be done well--and if maybe she could take that gift back home for a short trip and take care of the community who rose to the challenge of taking care of her. Yeah, lots of new and hopeful things with deciding to reach out and not live in isolation. She's starting to feel much better about this.

She even smiled. "I don't think I'm much of a fighter, but I could try." She at least tacked on.