There's a Place off Ocean Avenue

[Kitrine Ryiah]

​

Kit stood at the threshold of her new dormitory, one small bag slung over her shoulder and a quiet, electric excitement humming beneath her skin. The polished stone floors of the Jedi academy on Naboo felt cool even through her boots,cooler than most would notice, but to her, it was grounding. Familiar.

Outside, the academy grounds were alive. Laughter echoed across the gardens as groups of younglings chased one another between the trees, their robes fluttering behind them. Not far off, a cluster of Padawans practiced under the careful watch of a Jedi Knight, training sabers flashing in controlled arcs, the steady rhythm of learning and discipline unfolding in real time.

Kit lingered for just a moment, taking it all in.

This was real.

For so long, her abilities had felt like something to hide, something unpredictable and dangerous. But here, they were something to be understood. Something to be shaped. For the first time, she wasn't the strange girl from the children's home, the one who was always cold, always different. Here, everyone was different.


And that meant she belonged.

She stepped fully into the room, setting her bag down on the neatly made bed by the window. Sunlight filtered through, warming the space in a way she barely felt, but still appreciated. Her fingers brushed along the edge of the desk, her breath steadying as she listened to the distant hum of the academy.

A new beginning. She just hopped her new roommate would be friendly.


Elora Praithwyn

 

[Elora Praithwyn]

​

Ella navigated the hallways of the Temple as best as she could, cradling a stack of books in her arms. Each one thick and heavy, and most of them written by her Master, the Jedi Knight Markus Kortu. One by Archeologist Chelli Aphra, while the rest were either on the Ancients of Naboo, the Eternal Empire, and a set just on the Empire of Xim the Despot by Bleys Harand, Sal Ransen, and S.V. Skynx. Under all of these was an Encyclopedia of Ancient Civilizations and a copy of The Essential Guide to Alien Species by Mammon Hoole. The smallest book was a book on Jedi Meditations by Jocasta Nu. Most of her work since arriving was academic. Piled atop those were a collection of small holocrons, and clustered around those was a series of parchment scrolls that were yellowed and brittled, some shedding fibers each time she was jostled.

She was headed to her dorm room, oblivious of her surroundings, mostly intent on just arriving safely. When she arrived at her room, El shifted her books from one arm to the other, realized she had no leverage, and then took a step back. Awkwardly, she lifted her foot, touching the control panel with her toe, and with a hiss, it slid open. Ella stumbled, her tower of books leaning and with a shout of "Poodoo!" that surprised even her, the books began to topple.

She gave up on trying to hold them all, and closed her eyes. Concentrating on the books as they fell. Before they could hit the ground, the books began to float, the holocrons too. A few of the parchments hit the floor, but the rest floated gently in the air. One-by-one, each book stacked itself onto her desk - an old wooden thing that was almost certainly an antique - and neatly, each holocron went to rest, followed by each one of the parchments.

Her eyes opened and she breathed a sigh of relief, looked down at the three scrolls on the floor, and one by one, lifted each with the Force, and settled them with the rest. At last, she hung her satchel on the chair and threw herself bodily onto the bed, her face buried in the pillow.

After a moment just breathing, she realized she wasn't alone and turned her head, blowing a whisp of her hair out of her face. "Oh, um... sorry. You are...?" She sat up suddenly and reached out a hand. "I'm Ella, Apprentice to Jedi Knight Kortu." She leaned forward, insistingly, "...and you must be...?"

Kitrine Ryiah

 

[Kitrine Ryiah]

​

Nerd Alert was the first thing that jumped into Kit's head as she watched the door open and a girl topple in with books piled basically to the ceiling. Despite this fact though the girl recovered quickly and used the Force to put the books on the desk, avoiding catastrophe. Not bad. Maybe there was hope for this roommate yet!

Kat just leaned against the wall, casual and comfortable with a grin on her face as she realized the girl didn't even notice someone else was in the room. Finally introductions were in order and Kit sprang off the wall and shook the girls hand firmly.

"Kit. I'm your new roommate!" She grinned again and bounded over to her own bed, perching on the edge. "Don't tell me we have to read all that already? Classes haven't even started!"

 

[Elora Praithwyn]

​

Ella, shocked, jerked back but not before the other girl grabbed and pulled her hand, gripping it tightly and shaking it like she was trying to loosen it from her arm. When Kit let go, El drew it back and rubbed on her wrist, certain it would fall off if she hadn't taken it back. Kit already reminded her of some of the leaping, wall-clinging amphibians on Naboo, and she seemed to have the energy of one as well. "Er... you can just call me El, or Ella,"

She decided it was best to be friendly though. It looked like this girl was going to be her new roommate for the extended future.

"Well... you probably won't have to read any of these at all," she said with a bit of a huff. "Sir Kordu--Master is a renowned archeologist and I think..." she looked around to make sure she wasn't being overheard, "a bit of a an egotist. Vainglorious. Conceited." She frowned a little, furrowing her brow, "I... don't think regular classes will be in session for a bit," her brows shot up, as she excitedly climbed the end of her bed to grab the top book from her collection, "but if you're looking for a way to get ahead in your studies--I always am too--try 200 Jedi Meditations, by Jocasta Nu. She was the Archivist during the Clone Wars and a Jedi Master! She was quite gifted, and a very descriptive author. It's light compared to 1000 Jedi Meditations by Jocasta Nu, but it will get you started on your Force Training." She shoved the book towards Kit as if to say 'Here! Here!'

Elora wasn't very good with people, and by the way she mistook Kitrine's maniacal energy for excitement over her studies, she wasn't used to girls her own age either.

Kitrine Ryiah

 

[Kitrine Ryiah]

Kit raised her eyebrow at the girls assessment of Master Kordu. Clearly she was not impressed by him at all, or at least not by his attitude. Why was she studying with him then? Maybe you didn’t get a lot of say over who your master was.

“Easy there brainiac. I’m not doing any homework until they make me and even then no guarantee.”

Kit gently tossed the meditative book in her desk, where it slid right to the edge but did not fall over.

“Nice!”

She jumped up, satisfied with herself and looked out the windows. “So ya wanna go check this place out then?”

Elora Praithwyn

 

[Elora Praithwyn]

​

Elora jumped to Kit's desk where Kit threw the book with a panicked expression on her usually placid face and a speed and agility she hadn't shown before. El stood, chewing her lips as she stopped the book from sliding with the palms of her hands.

"Careful! This is an antique! There's only twenty-three of these in print..." Gently, she straightened the book and cautiously withdrew her hands. "Okay... Okay everything's fine," she whispered, exhaling slowly.

"Um..." she looked up from the book and turned her head to look at Kit. "No, not really... I mean... sure?" Then she paused and said slowly and decisively. "Maaayyyybe."

"What do you want to go see? The library? The archives? The... uh... library?" Clearly El didn't think of anywhere else as worth visiting.

Kitrine Ryiah