Faction Wait for Sleep | Veridia (Jedi Academy)

[0-7]

Veridia
Tags: Ty'Raj Vex

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"Thank you for your guidance," Seven responded, offering a dip of her head.

Content that her work was done, not that it was even difficult or notably punishing, she set off to walk the path that Ty'Raj had specified to the southern plateau. She had seen the vessel when she had arrived in the distance, so she at least knew where it was she was going. That meant she could focus on remaining on the marked trail.

She didn't want to make any more mistakes for now.

 

[Matthew of Valendale]

TAGS: 0-7 ​

Sure enough, there was the Exonerator, 'parked' in a broad clearing just to the south, its sleek hull gleaming beneath the afternoon light like liquid pearl and chrome. Once she arrived, a staff member named Vincent greeted her with a courteous bow and ushered her aboard the opulent yacht, inviting her to wait in one of the lounges.


The cocktail lounge felt like stepping into another world... all soft gold light beneath a vaulted ceiling of glass that shimmered faintly with starlight projections. Crystal decanters caught the glow from recessed sconces shaped like blooming lotuses. Cushioned seats of midnight-blue velvet curved along the walls in crescent alcoves, each framed by cascading curtains of sheer silver threads that rippled at the faintest stir of air. A translucent bar of pale amber stone stood at the center, its base alive with slow-moving patterns of light like ripples over a sunlit sea. The air carried the scent of citrusflowers.

This, was the lap of luxury.

 

[0-7]

Veridia, Exonerator
Tags: Matthew of Valendale

​

Seven sat awkwardly in the lobby of this Matthew's ship. It seemed that Roten had found himself a notable upgrade to his position in life. This was... certainly luxurious. It was the kind of opulence that Seven would try to turn her nose up at and pretend made her sick, but in truth there was a jealousy in her she tried to mask about this sort of life.

After all, why wouldn't a pawn want to lay upon the lap of luxury?

Of course, her arrival being made known to the vessel had very quickly reached the ears of Roten. The Bursantian stormed off ahead of Matthew and marched his way into the lobby. He had a good string of words he wanted to say. Stuff he really wanted to get out of his system about how Seven was some sorry, outcasted lapdog looking for someone else's pity or something to that effect, but when his large red eyes finally landed on the Evereni all he saw was.... guilt. Sleepless eyes. Sadness. It was depressing.

His bristled fur was very quick to settle down.

"You look awful," Roten muttered, crossing his arms and flattening his ears. He tried to keep an edge in his tone, but it didn't stick.

"I thought you were supposed to have a handler," the former assassin noted, her eyes darting around looking for this Matthew character.

 

[Matthew of Valendale]

TAGS: 0-7 Roten ​

The tall, winged man stepped up beside Roten and placed a gloved hand gently on the violet Bursantian's shoulder, gently drawing him closer to his side.
"Roten," Matthew began, his voice calm and velvet-soft in that low, resonant baritone hum, "I appreciate your… enthusiasm."

He let the words hang a moment before continuing, tone measured but firm.
"It's good to see you taking initiative. But remember... composure is also a sign of strength. Let's not mistake emotion for conviction."

A faint, approving nod followed, just enough to preserve the young Bursantian's dignity before others. His hand slipped from Roten's shoulder as he turned his attention to the weary visitor, smoothing the air with a courteous smile.

"Now," Matthew said, voice regaining its effortless warmth, "let's make our guest comfortable before we revisit old grievances. There's time and place for such, and that is for later."

He extended a hand in welcome, wings shifting slightly in a quiet rustle of feathers.
"Welcome to our abode," he said with practiced grace. "You must be Seven."

 

[0-7]

Veridia, The Exonerator
Tags: Matthew of Valendale

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"It's good to see you taking initiative. But remember... composure is also a sign of strength. Let's not mistake emotion for conviction."

"Yes, boss..." Roten sighed.

The Bursantian's fur bristled for a moment, but it was quick to settle back down. He wanted nothing more than to air out his grievances... or at least that was what he had told himself. He hadn't been expecting 0-7 to be such a mess. His newfound empathy for others was making it hard to let his grudges bubble up to the surface.

Seven, meanwhile, nodded when referred to, hesitantly reaching out to shake Matthew's extended hand.

"I am," she confirmed. "I... hope I've not taken up too much of your time..."

This was just something she had to do.

 

[Matthew of Valendale]

TAGS: 0-7 ​

Matthew accepted her hand gently and offered a slight bow of his head in return.
"You came all this way just to see us. The least I can do is give you my full attention. So, how may I be of assistance this fine afternoon?" he asked, releasing her hand and focusing on her fully.

The hand resting on Roten's shoulder lifted briefly before settling atop the boy's head, offering a gentle, almost parental pat, an affectionate gesture meant to soothe, much like one might offer a child of their own.

 

[0-7]

Veridia, The Exonerator
Tags: Matthew of Valendale

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Roten huffed after Matthew pat him on the head, moving to fix his fur. Seven took that moment to compose herself before she began to speak.

"Well... unfortunately it involves revisiting old grievances," she muttered. "I felt, given that I knew Roten was here with you, it was only fair that I came to apologize. I acted to undermine him in... in our old life. I did so to prevent his advancement. Any hatred he feels towards me is justified."

The Bursantian stood their for a moment, rubbing at his shoulder. He already knew this. Any time she ever showed up it seemed like it was purely to upstage him. When Lord Kalrath rejected his request for further training, he could only assume that she was to blame. Yet even so, he had been away from Kalrath for so long now that he could see the holes in that life he used to live.

"I tried to convince myself it was for his safety," Seven continued, "But it was... for my own survival. I was afraid, and as such acted selfishly... I had nothing but my own self preservation-"

"Enough," Roten butted in, letting out a huff. "You got your priorities all out of wack. Why are you so worried about me when you look like you haven't slept in days?"

Seven froze in place, her eyes darting to the ground.

"...I'm not sure," she finally admitted after a moment of silence. "I just thought..."

"I don't hate you," the Bursantian sighed, "But forgiving you won't do anything until you forgive yourself."

Roten turned and tucked his hands in his pockets, storming off.

"I'm going to train."

Seven let out an exhale, wrapping her arms around herself below her cloak. After a moment she spoke to Matthew again.

"Did... he mean that he didn't hate me?"

 

[Matthew of Valendale]

TAGS: 0-7 ​

Matthew let the two speak without interruption and did not move to stop Roten from leaving. For a while, he was silent, watching the young woman as he thought about her question.


"Hate is an interesting emotion," Matthew began quietly.


"I don't think he hates you... not really," he said softly. "It's good that you tried to make amends. That's the first step toward building something new. But he's right about one thing."


He paused, choosing his words with care. "Apologizing is a strange thing in that regard. It is more for you than for the person you've wronged. Saying sorry only matters if you follow it with action, if you take accountability and work to keep the same mistake from happening again."


His voice grew quieter. "You both came from a place where things were not as they should have been. That kind of environment leaves scars we don't always see. Hate often hides something deeper, like hurt or fear. And if you truly want to help someone else, you have to start by helping yourself. No one can tend to another's wounds well if their own metaphorical ecosystem is still on fire.... Would you like some honest advice?"

 

[0-7]

Veridia, The Exonerator
Tags: Matthew of Valendale

​

Seven let out an exhale. She knew that the words Roten spoke were right, in some regard. Maybe it was a little selfish of her. She had only come to apologize to make herself feel less guilty. That wasn't fair to him.

"He seems far more considerate than I remember, even if he's... rough around the edges," she noted with a sigh. "You've... given him a lot, it seems."

She paused for a moment, brushing a little hair out of her face as she thought over what had occurred.

"I'm not in a position to deny advice," Seven finally decided.

At this point it would be foolish to not take whatever she could get.

 

[Matthew of Valendale]

TAGS: 0-7 ​

"You are... Don't discredit yourself. " Matthew stated simply. "Roten's feelings are... not anything you're personally responsible for. Just keep reminding yourself that you're not responsible for any one else's emotional well being. Just your own. and that's who you need to focus on right now. "

 

[0-7]

Veridia, Exonerator
Tags: Matthew of Valendale

​

"That... may be true," Seven muttered. "But... what if I care about it anyways?"

It was a strange thing to admit, but Seven did care. She didn't know she could, but she did. One would assume that a life of death and violence would make someone cold.

It seemed to only make Seven soft.

 

[Matthew of Valendale]

TAGS: 0-7 ​

"It's kind to care... but you have to take care of yourself first. That's something most people don't realize until they're already burned out. Empathy's a double-edged sword. The same instinct that helps you connect to others can also make you take on their pain as your own. And when that happens, you start confusing compassion with responsibility.

If you keep trying to manage someone else's emotions, you stop them from learning how to manage them themselves. It feels noble, but it's not. It's enabling. People need to face their own discomfort if they're ever going to grow.... You're also likely neglecting your own emotional well being to try and maintain someone else. " Matthew explained.

 

[0-7]

Veridia, The Exonerator
Tags: Matthew of Valendale

​

"I suppose that's fair..." Seven sighed.

Her own emotional state wasn't exactly healthy. Or at least, it needed some improvement. Being away from Kalrath had already helped some, but there was still damage to work on. The other side of that coin was that Seven didn't really know anybody well. She wasn't sure who she could lean on. It wasn't really clear if there was anyone out to fill that role.

She just hoped it was that she hadn't met them yet.

"Thank you for looking after Roten," she finally managed to say. "You have given him much needed structure. Pirates don't exactly make for stable households. He should have never been dragged into the business of his mother."

A real rotten woman. Gashra had been a savage to the grave. Kalrath lamented her lack of Force sensitivity. Her cruelty and greed made gave her Sith-like qualities that Roten lacked.

 

[Matthew of Valendale]

TAGS: 0-7 ​

"You don't have to thank me for that... no one deserves to be born in to a poor environment... This is why we do what we do. " Matthew offered simply. "Some times just offering what help you can where you can is enough... " Matthew offered.

 

[0-7]

Veridia
Tags: Matthew of Valendale

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"You're a good man for doing so," Seven noted. "That is a kind of quality I find... uncommon where I'm from."

It was certainly more than she felt she deserved. Then again, maybe that was something she needed to learn to accept herself. These Jedi people and their allies seemed very willing to do so.

In time she'd learn to accept it.

"Thank you for your time," she expressed with a polite dip of her head.