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Post by Rayanelle Di'Nova on Sept 23, 2024 7:20:19 GMT -8
The woman smiled warmly as Gwyn settled in and accepted her assistance, no matter how small in her eyes. With Gwyn's spoken thanks, she gently touched the girl's shoulder and answered mildly, "You're welcome, dear." Content that Gwyn was closer to fully recovering than she was from fainting now, the woman settled down, sitting opposite of them, mainly Jair, so she could better observe and mentally remark on his current ailment. She had an immediate idea of what plagued him, though, and the thought sent a spider shiver crawling up her spine. Her discomfort, though, was wholly masked. Only a skilled Force-user observing her emotions could note it.
Jair's forgetfulness about herself and his companion further confirmed her suspicions, yet she remained quiet and listened intently to the Jedi's explanation. This woman watched him with concern in her expression, but gentle warmth still radiated off her because of it. Her eyes looked between Jair and Gwyn, much like a mother might her children and their friends.
She didn't know why she was shocked, but Jair's willpower to remember that name spoke of his resilience.
"I am quite familiar with that family, Jair, although not as familiar as some others."
The woman took a breath, then swallowed. Her gaze never wavered from the Jedi.
"I am bound by an oath traced back for decades, if not centuries. My family was to aid them when called into action. My home is a safe haven despite their many wars, as was my mother's and my mother's mother's. I had never needed to fulfill that oath, though, until a young Shadows witch knocked on my door those many years ago. And then again soon after, when another showed up with... a certain Jedi in tow."
There was only so much she knew, and even from that scarce knowledge, there was even less she could share, bound by that oath she mentioned. The woman seemed torn; she wanted to convey more about those encounters, yet something stayed her tongue. She could share her story with him, with both of them, but with the answers she knew Jair sought, she was dancing on a blade's edge. She breathed deeply again and wrung her hands within her lap.
"They bore powerful witches, men and women tightly woven with the Force itself, like angels and demons that walked among us mortals. Among their many skills, the curse of memory alteration was a common practice on both sides—of the family of Shadows and those of the Light."
And if her assumption was correct, that it was by their hands that he showed up on her doorstep, confused and bewildered, then there was little she could do to interfere, especially after all these years. 'A terrible fate,' she had called it. A thought crossed the woman's mind, though. Perhaps remembering her name might spark something in the Jedi, for better or worse. Although fainting was not a desired consequence, she was fully prepared for it.
"Ah, but where are my manners? As far as you both know or remember, this is the first time meeting me," she said, smiling at Gwyn, although her smile didn't quite meet her eyes this time. She then turned to Jair and continued, "Please, call me Rayanelle." |
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Post by Gwyn on Sept 23, 2024 12:25:34 GMT -8
[ Gwyn | Living Room | Di'Nova Residence | Niango's Outer District Residence | Niango | Felucia ] Attn: Jair Crawford & Rayanelle Di'NovaGwyn nodded her head at Jair in silent acceptance of his apology, though she was mystified by why he felt the need to do so. The woman was the kindest person she had ever met, aside from Jair, of course, but it still baffled her no end. She was just a simple Nùe, born of nobility, but hardly significant in any meaningful way.
Her eyes lighted up when Rayanelle introduced herself, and since the woman already knew Jair, she was the only unknown left.
She bowed her head lightly, letting her long hair spill over her face, then she said, “How do you do, Rayanelle. I am Guinevere Iruwendl. I go by Gwyn.”
Her accent was akin to a Coruscanti, not that she knew that.
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Post by Jair Crawford on Sept 23, 2024 12:51:13 GMT -8
Jair smiled in relief that Gwyn appeared to be recuperating well enough, but he listened very attentively to everything the woman had to say. Her countenance now seemed very serious. Not harmful, or off-putting in any way, but very serious none the less. She knew the name, and the family. This was important. It was also not all that shocking that she was not willing to share everything she knew so lightly to a stranger... who would? Well, except, Jair had to remind himself, that he wasn't technically a stranger to her. It only felt that way from his perspective. But there were things that she would say that would stick out to him...
"...when another showed up with... a certain Jedi in tow..." was the first thing she said that stuck out to him. He saw flashes again when she said this. He didn't realize that he had unintentionally let his guard down a bit. He needed to sit down, to make sure he did not become too overwhelmed, so he did so instinctively. The ever so brief image that flashed before him was of the front door of this residence. This woman was greeting him, and another was with him at the door. A woman with crimson hair. The one singing a lullaby over the babe.
~"... My sister could probably explain it to you a little better if you really want to learn."~ ~"You have a sister?"~ Though faint, these words rang through his mind yet again. And it was then that it became apparent just who this crimson haired woman most likely was. The sister. This was a rather critical piece of the puzzle. But it was still but one small piece.
He listened to everything else she had to say, keeping note as best as he could, but he needed to be careful that he didn't overwhelm himself. He held onto his seat a bit tightly as he refocused himself to limit just how much bombardment of images from the Force he would be open to. Something significant must have happened at some point in this area, or near this area of Niango. As if the effects of whatever it was could still be felt in the Force to this day. And for Jair, it seemed to be amplified. Then the woman said her name, and he clutched his seat again. More memories flashed briefly, yet strongly. They were short flashes of the very place he was currently seated, and slowly but surely, the place began to truly feel familiar, along with Rayanelle. Though many details were still unclear. He waited until Gwyn and Rayanelle had finished exchanging introductions before speaking, to give himself some time to center himself again.
When he addressed Rayanelle again, she would be able to see, simply by the change in his genuine expression, that something crucial had just connected, and that he recognized her now.
"I... I remember you now... Miss Rayanelle... Lots of details are still fuzzy though. But it was me, wasn't it... I came here with her sister..."
There was little doubt that what little he had pieced together so far was accurate, at least in the Jedi's mind. Nothing felt out of place about any of it, with the exception of all of the details that were still so obviously missing. He still couldn't remember any of the Shadows' names, let alone what he was doing here at Rayanelle's house with her sister, or why. And the woman he had for so long lost all memory of... still so many of his memories of her were missing.
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Post by Rayanelle Di'Nova on Sept 24, 2024 8:04:51 GMT -8
"A pleasure, Gwyn," Rayanelle responded, her focus shifting from the Jedi to his companion with ease.
The specifics of Gwyn's accent and her rather regal formal name (at least to Rayanelle) went over her head. Rayanelle had dealt with several clients over the years, but most of them were born and raised on this world, in this city. But for the briefest moments, Rayanelle still wondered if Jair had found himself among royalty of a different fashion this time. The people he befriended were mysterious working. She knew better than to ask people outright their histories, though; it could be seen as distasteful prying.
"May I ask how you two know each other?"
A safer question, to be sure, and something that could help ease the heaviness of her and Jair's conversation. If they were long-time friends, Gwyn could help crack the ice in parts of his frozen memory. If the Force led them together, though, as Jair explained earlier, perhaps she held the key to helping him, too, in some regard.
But then Jair struggled, and Rayanelle noticed how tightly he gripped at his chair. Like a sudden wisp of a breeze, the woman was on her feet, only to kneel beside Jair and gently place a hand on his, his hand grasping so tightly onto the aged wood. She had hoped that the revelation of her name would spark something, and it appeared she was correct. When he finally returned from the memory flash, she remained as attentive as ever by his side. And she smiled a quiet smile when he spoke her name, not as a stranger but as one who finally remembered, at least in part.
Although her tongue was bound to honor the wishes of that family, she still nodded in answer to Jair, reassuring him that the connections he was making were correct. By the Force, he was resilient, to smash against those skills that locked his memory away and demanding their swift return.
"Although I cannot confirm nor deny their doings, I can help in other ways. There is a tonic I can make you, something you can take before you sleep. It will help you dream, where your mind can clear up those fuzzy details on its own. I only recommend that you tell another close friend or confidante. Miss Gwyn, for example. When it comes to that family, the dreams you'll have very well may be the worst nightmares you've experienced. You should not have to go through that alone."
It took everything in her to remain silent after that, instead of requesting he stay here for the night, allowing her, skilled in her arts, to also be that person. However, pressing shadows in her mind warned her she was already pushing dangerously too close the edge, too close to the line she could never cross. Rayanelle was resilient, too, though, and pushed those dark thoughts back. She also swore an oath to aid the innocent and heal the sick however she could. And she would do just that. |
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Post by Gwyn on Sept 24, 2024 10:12:15 GMT -8
[ Gwyn | Living Room | Di'Nova Residence | Niango's Outer District Residence | Niango | Felucia ] Attn: Jair Crawford & Rayanelle Di'Nova “......” Gwyn had opened her mouth to answer the question, but she was distracted by Jair's presence in the Force.
Now she understood why he would sit down and meditate so long and hard. It was like being in a metaphorical maelstrom that one could imagine or actually be in, yet no such true storm occurred around them. The woman was clearly aware of it too, for she was before Jair, far quicker than Gwyn herself could react.
Nevertheless, she was standing behind Jair, slender hands resting on his shoulders. She could barely touch the Force for now, as every time she did, memories of the Force Storm she'd unleashed came unbidden to her mind, the unnatural dark green clouds, the purple flashes of lightning lancing and scorching the surface, her hands covered in blood. But she would risk it if she could provide solace and aid to Jair.
Her eyes sharpened on Rayanelle. The way she mentioned not going through the memories alone, and the potion, made her wonder.
“You are Oath-Bound,” said Gwyn, awareness lacing her words, “there are things you know, but cannot share, is that not true? Jair Crawford has shared what he could recall with me...but this potion, can I take it too? Accompany him in this quest of his to reclaim his memories? I am a Sith, and my destiny is now bound to Jair's.”
She did not know why she said that last bit. Certainly that wasn't true, but perhaps, she was simply choosing to bind her own fate to this man. It was as good and noble a quest as one seeking redemption could take. Why not?
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Jair Crawford
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Post by Jair Crawford on Sept 24, 2024 11:15:32 GMT -8
Jair immediately put intense focus on putting up mental barriers to the Force once again, even more intently than when they first entered, for as eager as he was to accept Rayanelle's offer and to try her tonic, Gwyn's offer to accompany him and take it as well was an extremely concerning idea to him. And then she revealed her identity as a Sith. Why would she admit that, on a Jedi world? Jair's reaction was immediate, and he would attempt to address them both at once, because now he was concerned, for multiple reasons.
"Gwyn, this is a Jedi world, people don't need to know that..." He stated this, not in an admonishing manner whatsoever, but softly and only out of concern for her safety. He then turned to Rayanelle. "Please understand... her signature in the Force is more attuned to the Light than the average Jedi, including myself. Why she claims the title of 'Sith' is a complete mystery to me, and something I have chosen not to press, out of respect for her hospitality." He turned his attention to them both now, though addressing Gwyn first, before shifting to addressing both of them. "Gwyn, your essence in the Force is so pure in the Light...
... which is why I have very strong reservations about you following me all the way through this. There is one thing I haven't told you yet. One of my first memories... The most perplexing memory... I am suspended within a vast ethereal plane. It's a mystery, but there was this dread about the place... a smothering dread... as if the very essence of Bogan itself permeated the entire volume of... whatever that place was. It was... imbued with the Dark Side of the Force. In such a high concentration that I truly have difficulty describing it. I truly have no idea how that vision is connected with anything else... but I can't shake the sense that it is, somehow, very much connected..."
The gravity in his voice was unmistakeable. He didn't know what it was. But there was something about it that seemed very dangerous. And he had hoped that he would never even need to bring it up. But now that Gwyn was expressing willingness to go all the way, she had to know about this. Whatever this image was, she needed to know that it could be risky. And that she might not truly want to risk following him to uncover a memory of whatever that was. All of the details were still lost. Of every memory that had partially returned to him yet, this vision, this flash of this ethereal plane was the one he knew the absolute least about. Which only made him more concerned about it.
"It might not be safe... I know less about that memory than anything else, but the dread when I first saw it was... overwhelming."
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Post by Rayanelle Di'Nova on Sept 28, 2024 17:12:11 GMT -8
A blessing and a curse to Rayanelle, Gwyn was a sharp one to confirm what held her tongue. The woman nodded in agreement toward the girl, who now stood behind Jair, but there was something more in Rayanelle's eyes—an apology. She remained kneeling by Jair's side, but as the girl stated her intention, her desire to walk this path next to Jair, Rayanelle stood to her feet.
Jair might have softly chided Gwyn for speaking of her roots. She had called herself Sith, yet it hadn't bothered the woman even slightly. Rayanelle didn't need to be Force Sensitive to understand Jair's explanation; Gwyn was bathed in the Light, Sith or not. It was almost as if a particular type seemed drawn to this Jedi. Those chained in the pits of the Dark yet could walk within the serenity of the Light. It was a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Rayanelle wished time wasn't such a cruel mistress; else, she might try to learn more about these unknowns.
Jair continued, though, and his explanation stopped Rayanelle's breath. It took several moments for her to process and realize what it all meant. When it clicked, all at once, she inhaled deeply. 'You did it,' she seemed to breathe. Her brow had creased in worry and concern, and without another second to delay, the woman fluttered effortlessly and smoothly back into her kitchen as she had done a thousand times before.
"Only those of the Darkness might be able to lead you back, Jair," Rayanelle explained as calmly as she could muster. "It might not be safe for either of you, but that hadn't stopped you before, just as I suspect it will not stop your friend. Love for another drives men to do the most foolish things. Romantic, familial, or otherwise, it doesn't matter. As long as the bond is strong enough."
Despite the Force-awful humidity of Felucia, Rayanelle lit the kiln, its burning orange flames flickering faintly. Quickly, she threw in a pot filled to the brim with water and diligently tossed healthy amounts of dried herbs, fungi, and berries—all native to the rich Felucian jungles—into the water to let them steep. She fluidly covered the pot with its lid before she returned, but Rayanelle had worked so gracefully that it was easy to assume she had done this a thousand times.
"You might not remember your mission as I do, dear," she had explained while she worked, "but this is a journey I forbid you to take alone." She paused to stare deeply, firmly towards Jair for just a moment, to allow the gravity of her words, those she could speak, to sink in. "If you truly wish to regain that which you have lost, you are about to walk through a hell that you may wish to have left forgotten."
He had done it, this lovely fool. He had somehow done it and managed to walk out alive. However, now, there was the newest worry, and Rayanelle's gaze shifted to the young girl who remained loyal to Jair's side. Rayanelle had only hoped for another Jair could lean on when those terrible memories poured in. Yet, just as Jair was willing to go to hell and back, quite literally, for another, so she seemed willing to do for him. An explanation she wished she could speak plainly for the girl, yet those dark chains, pierced deeply within her mind, yanked violently back on her when she even thought to try.
"Miss Gwyn," Rayanelle called out as she left the pot to simmer and returned to the two. "You are a woman of the Light yet also Sith. Might I assume then that you are tied to the Darkness of this world? Are you prepared to face your own demons to help your friend? The path you offer to walk with him will be one filled with more pain and suffering than any person should know, love. Are you truly prepared to face it side-by-side?" |
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Post by Gwyn on Sept 28, 2024 23:43:41 GMT -8
[ Gwyn | Living Room | Di'Nova Residence | Niango's Outer District Residence | Niango | Felucia ] Attn: Jair Crawford & Rayanelle Di'NovaGwyn pursed her lips when she heard the very mild chiding by Jair not to freely reveal that she was a Sith. He still had issues about it for some reason. Perhaps not all Jedi were like him? That was very likely the case and perhaps he was the exception. After all, the other Jedi she'd met were hell-bent on killing her. He spoke of how she seemed so imbued with the Light. That was not the first time she'd been told that. Many Nùe said she was so full of Light, she might well be a Jedi. She didn't understand until she met Jair.
Then Rayanelle began to speak. She heard all she said to Jair, and then to her, asking some questions. The same visage of the scorched land, her hands covered in blood came unbidden to her mind. The regret, the anguish, and she knew her answer before she even spoke.
“I am already dead,” said Gwyn, “and I am haunted by a hell that follows me no matter where I go. So much that I can no longer lie down alone lest the wretches that bide in the shadows of the night find me and tear into my mind. I must find my redemption and forgiveness in the void. Jair...”
She slowly walked around the chair to kneel down before the Jedi Knight, beside Rayanelle.
“I will hold my tongue about being Sith, if that is what you wish, but I will not lie if I am asked. A Sith is what I am, whether I am of the Light or not. Now, you speak of a place so filled with the Dark, yet you would brave it alone? When you surely need the Light to banish the dark, do you not? I will not belittle your strength, yet heed that I will not leave to face the darkness alone. In the short time I have known you, you have been nothing but kind and gentle with me. You are the first person in my life I would count as a friend. Would you begrudge me laying down my life willingly for a friend?”
No matter his answer, Rayanelle's statement brooked no argument, and neither did Gwyn. Whether he said yes or no, she was going together with him.
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Post by Jair Crawford on Sept 29, 2024 18:56:48 GMT -8
”… did what?” Jair had so many questions for Rayanelle. The way she reacted was quite bizarre, and very ominous. But before he could ask anything she had gotten up and began to swiftly brew what he could only assume was a potion… perhaps the very potion she had mentioned before. And then Gwyn spoke to him, and Jair eased up a bit, an apologetic expression on his features.
“Gwyn, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I just want you to be safe is all. Perhaps I was overly concerned though. It matters not to me what you call yourself. I can see where your heart is, and it’s filled with Light. But… if you insist on doing this with me, I need you to know that this is fully and totally your decision. If you so desire to do this, I will not stop you. And I will, despite concerns, welcome your company. Just know that you do not owe me anything.”
And Jair meant that. He did not want Gwyn to feel like she owed him anything. If anything, he felt indebted to her kindness, no doubt similarly to how she felt about his. He could not help but smile at her insistence, both in gratitude of her trust even in that she would go so far as to consider him a friend, and in a perplexed admiration of her boldness and strong will.
“You know, if you so chose, you would fit in with us at the Felucian Temple very naturally.” Jair stated this with a slight chuckle. But it was true. The very stubborn Jedi of Felucia would be a perfect fit for her, if she chose to consider it. But now was not the time to truly discuss that any further, as his smile furrowed ever so slightly into a more serious expression as Rayanelle approached them both again.
“But before either of us do anything… there is something I must know… Miss Rayenelle… what exactly did I do?”
This was, now, the key question. He had anticipated that she might not be able to answer because of her oath, but he still tried, because he found her responses so perplexing. And concerning.
“I know you are bound to protect the family you mentioned… I only ask what I did. Not the family. But what did I do…”
Rayanelle spoke of love, and of the foolish things one would do out of love. From what memories he had regained, he knew this woman he had known… he loved. It was all too obvious. The longing he felt every time he saw her again in his still fragmented memories attested to this. And then he had recovered the very memory where he confessed his love to her, as obscured as parts of it were. There was no denying that he loved the one he sought in his lost memories. But the way Rayanelle was talking… it was almost as if she had seen a ghost when he mentioned the vision of the ethereal plane out of caution to Gwyn. What could it possibly all mean? He hoped that Rayanelle would be able to tell him something, anything, even if it was partial or vague, without violating her oath, about what it was that he evidently did. And why it was so shocking.
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Post by Rayanelle Di'Nova on Sept 30, 2024 17:01:00 GMT -8
With Gwyn's answer, the wheels were in motion, their paths set. Despite the raw fear that should have shaken Rayanelle to her soul, she smiled.
It would take another few moments for her brew to finish steeping. The woman's gaze only occasionally diverted back to the kiln as if to check on it from afar, yet she seemed to know like a sixth sense. The heat of the flame, the temperature of the water, the state of the flora which bled and incorporated themselves within the liquid. A potent mixture, as the two would soon discover for themselves.
Rayanelle took a beat to allow Jair's question to sink in and exhaled slowly as she pondered the answer. Jair made a valid point that he only inquired about his actions. However, like hers, his past was intensely interwoven with this family. But the raw foundation of the answer to his question...
"You ventured into Chaos and managed to return to the land of the living, Jair."
The woman's emerald eyes locked upon the Jedi with a severity laced with gentleness, a warning swarmed with pride. Although she feared that her answer would spark a thousand more questions, it also set an expectation for the trials the two would soon face together. Regardless, these were Jair's memories, and if he had the resilience and strength to embark through those hellish memories again, then it was his right to reclaim them.
"That is the last question I can answer of yours, dear. If it is your heart's desire to remember what was lost, it will be your choice to relive it, to remember it, to shatter the c-"
The woman shuddered, sighed, then took a breath.
"-instead of listening to empty words and hope for meaningless answers that cannot be given, that I cannot give."
Rayanelle spoke calmly, yet even she couldn't mask the defeated expression. It was gone in the blink of an eye as the woman steeled her nerves and then glanced at Gwyn to glimpse any possible re-evaluation of her earlier claims.
"So again, I must ask you—both of you. Are you absolutely certain about this? Doubts of any kind could fester and tear away at either of you—at both of you. While the tonic's effect is far from real, it influences the mind, and the memories will feel as genuine as reality. With something like this..."
With something like this, a memory beyond what any mortal should have experienced, she feared that infections and diseases, rooted in Chaos's mere existence, might plague their minds and rot into their souls, forever altering them both. However, she left well enough alone, her words trailing off. She did not want her words of doubt to stir within them when they least needed it. Regardless, she needed to be sure—needed to ask one final time—before the brew was finished, before she handed it over to them, before they embarked on this journey that very well might not have the outcome they hoped for.
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Post by Gwyn on Sept 30, 2024 20:11:21 GMT -8
[ Gwyn | Living Room | Di'Nova Residence | Niango's Outer District Residence | Niango | Felucia ] Attn: Jair Crawford & Rayanelle Di'NovaThere was little more to be said. Gwyn's mind was made up. Since escaping the First Order and the Sith, her destiny was leading up to here. To Jair, and to Rayanelle, and whatever else that might be in store for her.
“If he goes, I go,” the redhead said resolutely.
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Post by Jair Crawford on Oct 4, 2024 18:06:42 GMT -8
"Are you absolutely certain about this?" "If he goes, I go". But Jair just looked back and forth between Rayanelle and Gwyn, his mental defenses now more sharp and active than before. Perhaps it was instinctive to a degree, but what Rayanelle just answered caused him to put up his defenses and shut out his senses of the Force again because he could not possibly have heard her correctly. He continued to look back and forth between the two of them with an absolutely dumbfounded expression.
"I'm sorry... Chaos? As in... the Netherworld? That Chaos?"
He looked back over to Gwyn. "This... this is... this just became far, far more serious than I could have ever anticipated in my wildest imaginations... Chaos..." He looked back over to Rayanelle. "What in the blazes was I doing venturing there? How was it even possible for me to ent-" Jair stopped. She couldn't answer these questions. She couldn't possibly make it more clear that she couldn't answer these questions.
"Right... the oath. I'm sorry. I just... that makes no sense why would I..." Love? The foolish things one would do for love. He was beginning to piece some things together already. Rayanelle had mentioned the foolish things people would do for love, right after she realized what Jair had done in the past. Why else would she mention that if there was not a connection? And this... mysterious woman that Jair was trying to remember... he knew he had loved her. There were but a few logical conclusions one could narrow things down to now.
"Love..." Jair whispered. A flash of the memory of Chaos very briefly encompassed his senses. He was not there alone. And whoever else was with him... was somehow... shielding him from the chaos around him. Like a bubble. But he could not see the figure of the other person, only sense their presence in the memory. But again this went away in a flash. He looked over at both of them, ever so slightly pale at the weight of everything he had pieced together. "I ventured into Chaos... because of love..."
The very idea of it was still hard to grasp, and he was still keeping up his mental defenses for he knew if he didn't, he would very quickly become overwhelmed. But perhaps that's where Rayanelles tonic would help, which, at this point, Jair was going to take. There was no going back now that he had come this far.
"The tonic. I'll take it. I am sure of it." He said this now with a renewed sense of urgency. As for Gwyn, he knew she had made up her mind as well. As much as he had pieced together, there were still so many questions and gaps left unanswered. He still couldn't remember her name. And that just wouldn't do. Not for someone he loved. And after all, if he had survived this journey, he knew he could survive remembering it.
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Post by Rayanelle Di'Nova on Oct 5, 2024 14:51:22 GMT -8
Rayanelle did not move at first and remained steadfast by Jair. Gwyn spoke her resolute answer, unwavering and unchanging, to which the woman nodded firmly in understanding. So long as the girl knew the fullest extent of what was to come next and still held true to her earlier resolve, then that was all Rayanelle could hope for.
"Yes... that Chaos... a place where no Jedi like yourself should have gone. And yet you did, for your own reasons that I pray you'll remember."
As she had expected, though, Jair's wits seemed frazzled by the realization. Chaos, a place she thought would have ended him, where she thought she would never see the Jedi again, and the reason for her warmth and surprise to see him on her doorstep all this time later. The gentlest smiles started to curl at the edges of the woman's lips as he seemed to remember more, slowly yet surely. The nature of her tonic, though, would take these small fragmented pieces, minor shocks to the mind and soul, and plunge him deep within this forgotten territory, like a hefty weight chained to him, sinking him within a vast ocean.
Yet he was sure. As was his companion. Rayanelle stood to her feet and addressed the red-haired girl.
"Miss Gwyn, I have faith in you that you will keep him safe. I know you will not prove my faith misplaced."
And she meant that, every word.
Without another moment to waste, the woman hovered back into her kitchen, where a deep and earthy odor wafted from the kiln. Yet, as Rayanelle took the pot from the kiln and carefully removed its lid, that earthy musk suddenly turned into a sharp, gut-wrenching tang. With careful movements and her senses seemingly shut down, Rayanelle worked to transfer just the essential liquid into glass vials, large enough to hold the few ounces she deemed necessary. Even from a distance, the potion seemed to glow a vibrant teal with white shimmering particles dancing.
Rayanelle prepared two, one for Jair and one for Gwyn, corking each at the heads to seal them for the time being. The glass bottles were still relatively warm to the touch; Rayanelle pressed one into Gwyn's hand and the other into Jair's. However, the woman stood quiet momentarily, gently holding Jair's hands over the bottle with her own, before reciting her instructions.
"Just pull the corks when you're both ready, but wait to open them until you're ready. The less exposure to the outside air, the better. I should also warn you of the taste, but please do your best to drink every drop to ensure the effects are their most powerful. And make sure you're comfortable. The effects should hit you relatively soon after you've consumed it."
Those effects would be nothing short of one of the galaxy's most potent hallucinogens. A dream-like state meant to open the mind, a bridge to the soul. Most others requested her tonic to overcome memories that wanted to be buried, to heal the mind and soul by facing that which scarred and killed. However, for Jair and Gwyn, it would be a journey to face what was taken from the Jedi, to relive it and all its horrors, and to reconquer. Rayanelle only prayed that this was the best course for the two, that Jair could regain what was stolen, and that they would walk out of this unscathed.
"Do you two have a safe place to go? I-" Rayanelle looked back to the empty rooms in the back and shook her head. "I cannot open my home to you for anything more... or help any more than I already have. I'm sorry."
Too much. She had helped too much. It was like durasteel talons, crafted of wickedness and shadows, clutching and scratching and clawing within her mind. A warning Rayanelle shook off again, but she wasn't sure how much longer she could. |
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Jair Crawford
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Post by Jair Crawford on Oct 5, 2024 15:46:29 GMT -8
Jair listened closely to every word Rayanelle said as he took the warm flask in his hand. The journey ahead of them could be dangerous, however, though he had kept up his mental defenses relatively well, he sensed... something... There was something about the way Rayanelle said that she could not help any more than she already had that was just... concerning to him, for some reason.
"Miss Rayanelle..." Jair started softly, but with an expression of concern evident now on his features, "We have not put you in danger, have we?"
Jair looked over at Gwyn briefly. Normally he would hesitate to do something like he was about to do, but somehow, in the very short time he knew her, he got the sense that Gwyn very well would likely be in agreement with this proposition. However he could be wrong. Nevertheless, Jair proceeded.
"If we have put you at any risk... should Gwyn be alright with it, perhaps you should come with us." Gwyn would have to give the okay, of course, but Jair felt pretty sure she would be totally behind the idea. It felt utterly inappropriate to Jair to leave Rayanelle here after potentially bringing risk to her home, which was something he would have never wanted to happen in the first place, without at least offering her safe passage elsewhere. He might have been completely off base. Perhaps he was overly concerned about something that amounted to nothing. Still, he sensed something enough to feel the need to at the very least make this offer.
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Gwyn
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Post by Gwyn on Oct 5, 2024 20:32:50 GMT -8
[ Gwyn | Living Room | Di'Nova Residence | Niango's Outer District Residence | Niango | Felucia ] Attn: Jair Crawford & Rayanelle Di'NovaGwyn wasn't sure what this Chaos place was entirely, but from the way Jair and Rayanelle spoke of it, she could surmise it was not a place meant for mortals. And Jair was something of a truly special case for having survived entering it. Now he was...technically going in again, if only in the form of memories. The man, unlike her, could be a closed book when he wanted, and she could not get a read on his thoughts and actions when he was sealing himself up with the Force. She could only get that he was closed up, and nothing else.
Rayanelle placed a glass bottle in her hands, uncomfortably warm, but the redhead gently wrapped both hands around the bottle protectively. This was vital to ensuring she could follow Jair into what amounted to hell based on what she understood.
Her head raised sharply when she heard the tone in Rayanelle's voice, and the way she worded her sentence. Whether it was an imagination out of a desire to see or because she could understand the woman's plight, she thought she perceived something like dark claws reaching out for the woman's head. A sudden frustration within her welled up, as she felt a different kind of warmth filling and building within her body. The Force was manifesting her desire to soothe and protect the woman that had opened up herself to Jair and Gwyn, now she wished to do something in return, but what?
Lifting one hand while the other carefully clutched the bottle, she moved her hand, as if swatting something away that wasn't physically there. She couldn't even understand what she was trying to do or if it would yield any result, since this went beyond the scope of anything she'd ever learnt of the Force, not to mention her own current dilemma in her inability to touch the Force properly anymore. Yet she felt something extending from her, manifesting on her wish.
She wanted to hold the metaphorical claw away from Rayanelle.
Jair must have sensed it too. Of course he did, and offered for the woman to follow them. Would that work? The Force was not limited to worlds. Would her oath let her follow them even?
“My ship is all that I have to offer,” said Gwyn, “there is plenty of space and many rooms. For all you have already done for us, this is the least I might offer in return, my lady.”
Gwyn bowed her head in acquiescence. Jair was right, but how did one ease the pain of violating a Force-bound oath?
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Post by Rayanelle Di'Nova on Oct 6, 2024 8:23:21 GMT -8
Rayanelle had hoped to shelter the two as best she could from the consequences of her actions. However, she quickly realized that there was only so much she could have done, and Jair promptly picked up on the remnant clues left for him to find. Danger, risk—what she chose to do was her own decision. She hoped to put both their minds at ease as she looked up and smiled that warm, quiet smile.
"I have made my decisions. You have not forced my hand nor swayed my mind to do anything but what I knew was right."
Rayanelle would not lie to them. She would not denounce the danger she knew awaited her or the risk she had taken in assisting them. She prayed it would be enough to ease their worries, to assure them she took on this burden of her own accord.
The woman then turned her deep emerald gaze to Gwyn. Her smile never wavered in its certainty. Those claws, like smoke, dissipated as Gwyn's hands waved them away, but like a festering plague, those shadowy talons quickly returned like flies to a carcass. Yet Rayanelle did not seem to mind, somehow, as if she didn't notice them. If she did, she refused to let them strike fear in her heart.
"The people of Niango have trusted me and my family for generations to be here for them. I cannot leave them suddenly, not like this."
Rayanelle paused, if only to take a deep breath and exhale just as deeply, and then bowed towards the two in farewell and gratitude.
"I will pray for your safe travels through these memories and your protected future despite what you'll face. Tread carefully, and take care. Both you."
After speaking, Rayanelle lifted her head and gave them both an encouraging nod. There was nothing more that could be said, answered, or done. It was time for them both to take the next step in their journey, one that Rayanelle could not walk with them. |
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Jair Crawford
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Post by Jair Crawford on Oct 6, 2024 9:25:37 GMT -8
Jair nodded solemnly at her answer that she would stay with the citizens of Niango. This kind of loyalty is something Jair greatly respected, though he was still a bit concerned for her safety.
"Well, Miss Rayanelle, in that case, I respect your decision. But I feel in this case the very least I can do is come back once all of this is said and done. No questions, no risks." And of that much he was certain. If all went well, he would have no more questions to ask her, and even if he did, for whatever reason, he would stay his tongue next time, just for the sake of Rayanelles safety. "My one and only purpose for returning would be to see that you are ok. It would give me peace of mind, if you would allow it."
He stood up to his feet, holding his vial very carefully. As he did so, he couldn't help but notice and wonder what Gwyn was doing earlier with her hands. He allowed himself, ever so slightly, and carefully, to sense the Force, and that's when he too saw what he assumed she did. Those same claws... He did not like the feeling they evoked. He continued to speak to Rayanelle, as he was, indeed, addressing her, but as he continued to speak, it might become apparent to her that Jair was also attempting, for better or for worse, to speak through the Force to whatever this thing was that was looming over her. It was as if Jair thought his words might sway this thing, and convince it to leave Rayanelle alone.
"Because when you really think of it... I could just, open myself to the Force here... anywhere on Niango, really. And I am fully convinced that the Force would continue to show me the answers I seek. It would just be riskier for me, because of how strongly the visions could overwhelm my senses all at once. And they would be more fragmented, and come slower... it would take longer to piece things together... but I have no doubt I would still eventually find the answers. These..." he said gently holding up his flask, "...just make the process safer." At least that was what he presumed, and sensed.
Jair continued to address Rayanelle, but now, especially, it would seem almost like he was speaking over her, or through her. It would be now, given her intuition, that she might strongly suspect that Jair was trying to come to her defense. His words alone would betray this intention. "So if anyone has a problem... your problem lies not with this woman, but with the very will of the Force itself."
Jair was not even aware of how powerful and commanding his voice had become at this point. All he was doing was trusting in his intuition in the Force, but his words came out of his mouth as if he spoke with an authority unknown to him. Were it to be real or have any effect was also an unknown to him, but he continued to speak with this boldness. Hopefully it would not take Rayanelle or Gwyn too off guard, as he wasn't even aware of it himself. "She has betrayed nothing. The will of the Force brought me this far. The will of the Force allowed me to see what I have seen so far. And the will of the Force will show me what I seek... one way or another. So, stand down!"
Jair blinked awkwardly, and looked back and forth between Gwyn and Rayanelle again, his voice now down to its usual calm and casual tone. Well, his tone was as casual as it could be under such circumstances, at least. Though he did sound a tad bit flustered. "I- I'm sorry, I'm not sure quite what led me to say all that." Jair shook his head slightly as if to center himself, and get back to the task at hand. "At any rate, Miss Rayanelle, as I said, I hope you will let me return afterward, just to see that you are safe."
He looked over to Gwyn, to see if she was ready to go. He did not want to linger any longer than they needed to out of concern for Rayanelle.
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Gwyn
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Post by Gwyn on Oct 6, 2024 22:00:16 GMT -8
[ Gwyn | Living Room | Di'Nova Residence | Niango's Outer District Residence | Niango | Felucia ] Attn: Jair Crawford & Rayanelle Di'NovaGwyn nodded and bowed her head low to Rayanelle in silent farewell. She had tried her best, but there was nothing she could do. Clutching the bottle in her hand, she rose and exited. There was...a mild eagerness, a curiosity, for just how intense the experience would be. She was going with the intention of protecting Jair, but if she understood this potion correctly, Jair would see into her memories too. She felt like she had nothing to hide, but something in her felt afraid. Afraid of what Jair would think, if he saw any of her life.
Sighing quietly, she quietly marched beside the man, and opened up the boarding ramp to their ship. She felt a small pang of surprise as once again the ship seemed to anticipate their arrival and desire to board.
She followed him up to the ramp and then waited for his decision. They could do this anywhere in the ship, but the question was where. She noticed the temperature was much more comfortable here. Not cold, and not humid and hot either. Breathing a sigh of relief, the girl pressed her palm against the bulkhead, enjoying the cool sensation, and though she felt it a bit silly, she let her gratitude be felt...by the vessel.
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Post by Rayanelle Di'Nova on Oct 10, 2024 15:59:18 GMT -8
Rayanelle quietly listened as Jar spoke to whatever evil spirits or dark forces he believed were haunting her. It seemed he attempted to talk with the dead, with forces far greater than he understood. Truthfully, he was not wholly wrong in his assumption, but she knew better than most that his convictions fell on deaf ears, that they would not share his opinions. The woman said nothing and only offered him a sad smile.
"It would be nice to see you both again, dear," she agreed softly. "I will pray that the Force guides you both safely back to my doorstep again, just as It did today."
Rayanelle bowed her head in farewell once again as Gwyn led the two back into the streets of Niango. As her door shut, the stillness crept in, a silent solitude that once brought peace but was now a warning bell pealing in her head. She refused to dwell on it; she would be safe. She stated she would continue serving the people of Niango. She meant every word of it. She was sure she would still be hale and whole when Jair and Gwen returned; however, sentencing still awaited her, a punishment she would accept happily.
Nothing, not even facing her demons alone, would change her mind. |
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Jair Crawford
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Post by Jair Crawford on Oct 10, 2024 17:50:01 GMT -8
Jair nodded to Rayanelle, convinced that they would indeed meet again. He bowed, oddly optimistically. "May the Force be with you, Miss Rayanelle." And with that he turned around to catch up with Gwyn. Gwyn seemed even more ready to get out of there than he did. He could only assume that Gwyn might have sensed something. He did not question it. When he finally caught up with Gwyn, he acted like nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
"I sense we need to do this on a different world..." Jair knew this might sound counter-intuitive, so he tried to explain his logic, and what he sensed, as best he could. "I will need to open up my mind to yours, and yours to mine, in order to establish a proper link when we take the tonic, or we might find ourselves going on entirely separate journeys. But I can't really open my mind here... not without getting completely overwhelmed."
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