Private Unmarked Foundations

[Meri Vale]

Meri shook her head gently at the first question, the motion small but deliberate.

"No," she said softly. "I remember it."

Her fingers tightened around the notebook in her lap, not in distress exactly, but in careful control.

"I remember it very clearly," she added, after a pause. "The rooms. The light in the mornings. The way the air smelled after rain." She stopped herself there, breath evening out again. "I just can't go back."

She glanced at Kuhbee then, catching the way his shoulders dipped with guilt, and hurried to soften it.

"You didn't upset me," Meri said, a little firmer this time. "It's just different, remembering something and being able to return to it. They aren't the same."

At his next question, and the droid's enthusiastic translation, something in her expression shifted. Not sadness. Wonder.

"Kashyyyk sounds…" She searched for the word, then smiled faintly. "Divine. Peaceful. Like it remembers everyone who lives there."

She tilted her head slightly, curiosity overcoming her usual hesitation.

"Can you go back?" Meri asked quietly. "Whenever you want, I mean. Or is it something you have to wait for, too?"

Kuhbee

 

[Kuhbee]

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Location: Naboo
Equipment: Translation Droid | Lightsaber | Jedi Robes |
Tags: Meri Vale

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Kuhbee gave a soft low growl of sadness when she said she could not go back. He opened his mouth to ask why and the droid hissed at him.

(Don't ask her why! She may not want to talk about it you oaf!)

Kuhbee smacked his droid sharply and it sparked slightly while the Wookiee cub let out a frustrated low growl. Wookiees were annoyed easily. It was something as a Jedi he had to work on.

Her description of his home planet made him nod reverently. She was absolutely right in her description. It was a wonderful place.

"Grww Arggii Grikkklll"

(No.. I have to wait. Wookiee's are not usually Force sensitive, but I am. That makes me dangerous until I learn to control it.)

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[Meri Vale]

Meri's expression softened at once, the tension in her shoulders easing when she understood what he meant. She offered Kuhbee a small, sympathetic smile, the kind that did not press for answers or rush to fix anything.

"I don't think you're dangerous," she said quietly. "At least… not because of that."

Her gaze flicked briefly to the droid and then back to Kuhbee, understanding the concern even if she did not share it. "You don't have a temper problem," she added, gentle but certain. "You get excited. That's not the same thing."

She hesitated after that, fingers tightening lightly together as she considered his earlier question again. When she spoke, her voice stayed calm, but there was something careful about the way she chose her words.

"I remember my home," Meri said. "Very clearly. The halls, the gardens, the way the light moved at different times of day." A faint pause followed, just long enough to mark the shift. "But remembering and returning are not the same thing."

Her eyes drifted away for a moment, unfocused, as if seeing something far older than the ruins around them. "Some places change in ways that make it… unsafe to go back. Not because you forget who you were," she said softly, "but because others remember too well."

She looked back at him then, the sympathetic smile returning, steadier now. "So waiting makes sense. Learning control makes sense. It's not a punishment. It's just being careful with something important."

After a beat, she added, quieter but sincere, "Kashyyyk sounds beautiful. I hope you get to return when the time is right."

Kuhbee

 

[Kuhbee]

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Location: Naboo
Equipment: Translation Droid | Lightsaber | Jedi Robes |
Tags: Meri Vale

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"Grrwii Giig Aggrii"

(I hope you get to return to your home too.)

Kuhbee's words were sincere. He could feel that she was carrying the weight of history, and perhaps that was why she was so interested in old ruins. She understood what it meant to have a complex history. She was also a very kind girl who didn't think Kuhbee was dangerous, and that made the young Wookiee so excited. So many people got scared of Wookiee's because of their strength but deep down Kuhbee was a gentle soul.

A sound on his comm unit beeped and Kuhbee clicked it off, right as his droid wheezed (that will be the alarm telling you that you need to return to the temple. You do not want to be late for your class.)

"Grwi garri Gbrri Rooannn"

His words sounded sad and indeed his eyes looked slightly down. (It was nice meeting you today. I hope we get to hang out again. You seem really nice.)

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[Meri Vale]

Meri's expression softened at his words, something warm and sincere settling behind her eyes. She lifted her hand in a small, careful wave as he started to go, her voice quiet but clear when she answered.

"It was nice meeting you, too, Kuhbee," she said gently. "I'd like that. I hope we can spend time together again."

She hesitated just a heartbeat, then added with a faint, hopeful smile, "Good luck with your class."

As he walked away, Meri kept her hand raised a moment longer, fingers moving in a slow, friendly wave, until he disappeared from view.