Just Normal

[Dylan Copperfield]

Dylan Copperfield was just a normal kid. He did fine in school, and had been class president through each year of high school. He liked to fool around with his buddies, and auditioned for plays when he had time off work. Yeah, he knew he was Force sensitive, it didn't take a genius to figure it out. But Dylan had never worried about it before, or rather, had never bothered with it.

Now he was, and no one knew why.

As Dylan limped into the recruitment center holding his arm gingerly, his serious eyes--now clouded with a twinge of pain-- looked about the building. From the way his shirt protruded slightly mid-arm, it was obvious that the bone was broken. But the young mane didn't seem too concerned.

You see, Dylan was used to breaking bones by now. It was unusual for him to go a month or two without so. He suffered from a condition called Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Reall, compared to some with teh disease, Dylan was well off. But his bones were severly fragile, and often broke at just a mere tumble.

It seemed to him that he'd spent his whole life in and out of the hospitals, and by now the man had just grown accustumed to the pain.

"Excuse me," to a passerby," I'm looking to talk to a Jedi about enlisting here. To whom do I speak to?"

His voice was neither loud nor non-existant, but pleasantly in the middle with a proper amount of firmness. It had always been his voice that impressed the directors at auditions, rather than his looks.

"I can wait for as long as neccesary, but I'd just like to know."

[Wei Wu Wei]

"Oh, well that's not hard," Wei replied with a friendly smile. "Just find a Knight or Master and tell them your interested."

Wei noticed Dylan's broken arm and frowned. "If you leave it like that, you won't be able to use it again." Wei held a hand out towards Dylan's hurt arm and listened to the beat of Dylan's natural rhythmn. After a moment, Wei was able to match up his rhythmn with Dylan's and his arm began to mend itself. Within a few moments, it was done.

"There. That's better. So, when you finally do get to talk to this Knight or Master, they're going to want to know why you want to join the Order. What're you going to say to them?"

Wei motioned to a few seats in the corner of the large lobby and walked with Dylan to sit down. Wei had to admit that he was impressed by Dylan's ability to stay calm and firm, even with his bone broken. A key to staying in the Lightside was to always stay calm, no matter what the circumstances. But an uncanny ability to stay calm was no grounds to allow a person into the Jedi Order.

"I'm Wei Wu Wei," Wei said at last. "And you are?" Wei neglected to tell Dylan his rank on purpose. Wei liked talking to the hopefuls much better as though he were a recruit himself, or at least a Padawan. Wei felt that it helped the other person to relax more. Today, Wei played the Padawan.

[Dylan Copperfield]

Dylan stared at his mended arm, lips pursed in contained confusion. Certainly he'd heard that Jedi could do such things, and really it was just the same as having had it done by a bone-knitter (well, nearly at least). But the man chose to say nothing, following Wei to the motioned seat.

Only now that his arm was healed did it become evident that he had been aware. His face relaxed from it's hard-to-differentiate tautness, and a quirky smile flew across his lips. Dylan cleared his throat softly.

"I'm Copperfield, Dyl Copperfield."

He gave a casula two-fingered salute.

"So, when you finally do get to talk to this Knight or Master, they're going to want to know why you want to join the Order. What're you going to say to them?"

Dylan shrugged.

"I dunno. Haven't thought of it to be honest. The truth I suppose."

He could see the next question--'which is?'-- on Wei's lips and so he continued on his own accord.

"Which is I'm tired of being scared. I'm sure other people are. So why not help make them a little less frightened?"

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei smiled. "That's a pretty good reason. Jedi are symbols of hope and courage. It's that whole Lightside thing. So, you want to join the Jedi just because you want to be brave, and help other people be less frightened? Or is there any other reason you are wanting to join the Order, Dyl?"

[Dylan Copperfield]

"Heck, it's not a question of being brave. There's a very real chance that I'll die. Honestly, that scares me more than anything."

He knew he wasn't making a whole lot of sense. Dylan frowned.

"It's just a matter of being tired of...tired of not being able to be brave, tired of all the indifference people have. It's not a friendly universe out there."

He steepled his hands together on his lap, opening and closing the triange they formed absently.

"I'm scared, sure, but that fear doesn't seem so real if I'm lending someone a hand."

Dylan smiled, his shadowy blue eyes twinkling.

"Besides, I'll probably get knocked off my first time at trying to play the hero. I have this thing, with my bones. They...aren't my strongest feature."

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei smiled his biggest smile and tried not to laugh. He liked listening to Dylan. There was a great amount of potential in him for personal growth, and helping others. And Dylan knew it. It made Wei's heart sing.

"Of course death is a scary thing!" Wei said, his voice tuned down to a loud whisper. "All life in general is concerned with one thing: self preservation! So of course you're going to be scared!"

Wei was still smiling as he considered his next words. "But did you know that bravery is not the absence of fear? Indeed it is not. But rather, bravery is being afraid, and not letting anyone else know it."

Wei chuckled a little. "I commend you for your exasperation at the indifference people show. Indifference, the absence of love and caring, is a horrible state to find yourself in. In fact, some might argue that being indifferent would be worse than being consumed by hatred."

Wei sat forward in his chair, thinking about what else Dylan had said. "Do not worry about your bones, Dyl. I have learned, and seen that sometimes people are able to do great things not because of their strengths, but because of their weaknesses. You have no need to be fearful of falling short of being a hero. There is no need to fear anything at all."

Wei stretched his neck, listening to the small pops it made as he rolled his head around. "Dylan, before we go any farther, there is something that I must make known to you. The Jedi's life is not easy. In fact, you might not call it a life at all. See, because in order to be a Jedi, you must be willing to put your own dreams and aspirations on the shelf in order to see another person's hopes and dreams come true. In a sense, you will have to die to your own goals, so that another person might live to see his or her dreams come true."

[Dylan Copperfield]

"Well I'd say that that's a worthwhile reason to put your own wants on hold."

Dylan shrugged.

"I understand the implications and requirements of this decision. I'm in it for the long haul, the complete package. I don't jsut want the perks, that'd be boring and selfish."

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei could no longer hold it in. He laughed. It was a good belly laugh, and Wei enjoyed it. Wei soon calmed down, and held out a hand to Dylan for him to shake. "Well, Dylan. I don't think any Knight or Master would have a problem accepting you into the Order after hearing your explanations. And this Knight," Wei said, motioning to himself, "is no exception. Welcome to the Jedi Order, Dyl. You have quite an adventure ahead of you. But first, go find a room to live in. There are group classes to take until you can find a teacher."

[Dylan Copperfield]

For a moment the man sat stunned, and then he joined in on the laughter.

"Man alive, pulled that one over on me!"

Once again he shook Wei's--the [I]Knight[/]--hand, grinning good-humorously.

"Thank you. But I hope you know, now that I'll be here for awhile, I'll have a lot of time to get you back."

And smiling, he recieved directions to the living quarters to arrange a new home.

[Wei Wu Wei]

"Now there goes someone with potential," Wei said to himself. "It'll be good to see you again, Dyl."

Wei exited the recruitment center the way Dylan had entered. It was a busy day, and Wei had things to do. "Good luck, Dyl."