These Eyes See More Than You Believe (Lynmeira)

[Suri Jaxx]

Rishi. A Planet so full of diversity that anyone and everyone that wasn't born or raised here could simply disappear into the population and no one would bat an eyelid...at least that was what people say. For the most part, they were correct, but for a blind near-human girl named Suri Jaxx, it didn't seem like it. Suri was the product of a star crossed love, a forbidden bind between a Miraluka and a Hapan. The child was as beautiful as a Hapan, but she had one flaw. Her beautiful brown eyes were useless to her, for like the Miraluka, Suri was blind. Her eyes didn't develop the nerves needed to provide vision. It was only thanks to being strong in the Force, like her mother, that she actually saw anything at all. Like her mother, Cereza, Suri saw the world through the Force. Her connection and reliance on it was so strong that she could see everything almost as good as someone with normal vision. She could not see if the world was bathed in daylight or darkness, but she could make out just about everything else within the Force. She could see the trees, the grass, the shape of flowers and the fauna that inhabited the world. She could also see the many humanoid species that inhabited the world, though facial details were often difficult until she knew the person more, or if the person allowed her to touch their faces so she could see them better in the Force. The best thing of all, that Suri relied on most was her ability to see auras. She often used the colour of someone's aura to determine if they were friendly or not.

Yet, even with her strengths and weaknesses, nothing could've prepared her for when her father's family discovered her existence. So vengeful was their wrath that her father, Llewen Jaxx, took his young family off Hapes and brought them here. He managed to convince the bounty hunters that followed them that he killed his wife and child for the sins in the hope it would appease them. His reward had been a blaster shot to the head and his body left for the predators. His fate didn't sit well with Cereza, and she fell into a deep depression. One day, when Suri was just seven years old, Cereza left while she was sleeping and never returned. Suri went out to look for her. However, to begin with, the girl was totally blind. She had yet to learn to use the Force within to help her see, so she wandered into a forest, lost and alone. As she wandered the forest, Suri's fingers touched everthing they found, and it was only because of this that Suri was able to connect to the Force for the first time to give her the sight she had now. In the beginning, it was little more than faint designs that helped guide her through the Forest, along with her extremely sensitive hearing and heightened sense of smell had helped her reach the Rishii village she lived in today. The village chieftain, Ranaku, took pity on the child and allowed her to stay in his village, on the promise that she pulled her weight and helped protect his village from danger. Knowing she had little option as she was too young and inexperienced to survive on her own, Suri agreed and stayed in the village to help. This proved to be quite a fruitful exchange as she often spoke to visitors that passed by or stopped to recuperate at the village. One happened to be a Jedi that taught her to use Force Sight to the best of its abilities. The Jedi she encountered left her with the parting words, 'Look inside yourself. The Force could do a great many things to help the Rishii, if you allowed it in' before moving on, saying 'It wasn't her time to leave... not just yet'. His lesson took to heart and now that she'd learned of the Force, the girl spent time on using those abilities to help keep the wild fauna away from the settlement by using the Force to control the beasts when they ventured too close. She also learned to jump up high and run faster on her own to avoid danger. She credits the Jedi for her new found confidence in helping her adopted Rishii family from falling into danger, yet he also gave her a thirst for something more. She had a thirst for adventure, a desire to find out what the galaxy was really like.

Yet something was telling her to stay. An unseen force telling her to remain with the Rishii. Was it the Force telling her someone would grant her that wish? Or was it really because her destiny lay with helping her Rishii family survive? The now fourteen year old did not know, but she remained all the same. Resting in a tree, Suri heard Ranaku speak to her in Rishii language from below. "Suri! Please come down! The scouts tell me there's Razor cats out in the jungle and heading our way! Please! You must stop them!"

Suri jumped down from her tree, landing on her feet before approaching in a fast walk. "Which way?" the girl asked as she walked with him to her house so she could grab her wooden staff.

"They were coming from the south, heading north. The scouts said they also saw a woman in the area too. She may be in danger."

The girl nodded as she turned and left her house, heading south to intercept. "I'll make sure she's okay and find out where those cats came from if possible. Will be back soon!" she said before reaching out in the Force to find where these cats were. Discovering them two miles south, Suri held her staff tight as she quickened her pace to intercept... all the while sensing something strange and powerful in the Force close by...

[Lynmeira Verashy]

After a very fruitful sale of elixirs and ointments at the Cove, Lynmeira (http://images.tvfanatic.com/iu/s--bv6yr6Qs--/t_xlarge_l/f_auto,fl_lossy,q_75/v1411852632/claire-sees-the-craigh-na-dun-stones-outlander-s1e8.jpg) had found herself in dire need of supplies to create more. While she made sure to offer healing help whenever possible without charging those in need, she remembered to make a living so she could keep traveling and ensure her cabin in the hills remained in good shape. So, the Hapan-born Jedi had packed for a few days trek farther in the hills, where she knew she would find the plants she used for her work.

She loved spending time in peace in the wilderness. In a way, the hardest part was coming back to the cabin, only to find herself alone, now that her Master Tullya had passed away. Even a year after, it still hurt the same. She had known her mentor was ill many years ago, but it took nothing away from the fact that she missed her. The Togruta had been her true family for such a long time that her death had left a void. Lynmeira was still able to hone all she had learned and carry on with the life Tullya and her had established on Rishi, but it wasn't the same.

She remembered her promise to the Togruta to seek out this rumored Jedi Enclave on Ossus; but the Force had been trying to tell her something for a long time. Lynmeira didn't know what it was but she knew she had to remain on Rishi until she found out. She always recalled that tremor in the Force in the area where she was headed to, but she had never sought the presence out. She was curious, maybe eager to figure this mystery out now. She knew it had motivated her choice of destination for that trek, because she could find the specific plants in two areas, but she had chosen the one where she had sometimes sensed that tug.

She had already camped one night and was on her second day when she reached the area she wished to spend time at. After a few hours spent delicately cropping and harvesting what she needed, she felt other presences around, a threat. She heard the roars indicating Razor cats. The natural predators could be very vicious. She was surprised when she felt them going away from her. She realized they might head to the village she knew was not so far. Gathering her pack, she followed the cats, in case she could help if they caught some locals who were in the wilderness as she was.

[Suri Jaxx]

It took Suri around 30 minutes to catch up with the pack of razor cats the Rishii Scouts had spoken of back at the village. As she reached out to the Force to understand the situation, she could sense at least four cats in the area, all of whom needed rid of somehow. The girl did not like to fight, knowing that they could easily kill her should she put a foot wrong, but if she didn't stand in their way, the Rishii back home would likely be killed, as would others that inhabited the area. As the girl tracked them, she continued to sense the strange, powerful feeling that had come and gone in the past. It called to her to find it, but the immediate problem had to take presidence, especially as one of them stopped and sniffed the air. It had picked up a scent... hers!

Another roar could be heard as the pack stopped and looked at her. The blind girl had no choice. she had to fight. Gripping her staff with both hands, the younger ones.. cubs she believed, ran toward her. one of them taking a leap at her. The girl dodged the first one as the second managed to swipe her left arm and the third at her back, both leaving bleeding claw marks. Managing to fight on adrenaline, she eventually knocked the cubs into submission before her attention turned onto the adult. In the Force, it was very big and as it charged at her, the girl felt apprehensive before she reached out to it in the Force.

"Stop!"

At first the creature hesitated before charging again. Managing to roll out of its way, Suri tried once again to make it stop. This time reaching out with both her left hand and in the Force to end the battle without more bloodshed. "Enough!" In an instant, the creature went from a charging mother, into a submissive cat. Skidding to a halt, its features changed as its anger subsided. Taking in a breath, Suri dared to venture closer, her hand still outstretched as the Force kept the creature in check. "There there... its over." she reassured the cat, even providing a small smile to try and ease its spirit. "Its not safe for you here or your babies...why are you here?" she said to the creature as her outstretched hand turned to pet it. The creature continued to calm itself down as the girl formed a connection to it. The razor relayed to her in the Force why it had come here in the first place. Hunters had forced her to move and she needed as new home for its babies. Sympathetic, the girl took a step back, keeping her staff that was held in her right hand behind her in a non-threatening position. She then pointed to the South west.

"Go... there is a protected area to the South west... you and your babies will not be hunted there..." she said. The razor cat turned to its babies, licking them all into awakening and moving them away from the village. Now that battle had been over, the girl reached out again and felt a strong presence nearby. Holding her staff in a defensive posture, the girl said in an audible tone. "Who's there?" In the Force, she could see something, but her blindness meant she couldn't quite figure out who or what was watching, something that concerned the girl somewhat.

[Lynmeira Verashy]

Lynmeira quickened her pace as the cats hurried up, hunting whatever prey they might be after. The Jedi wished not to let harm come to anyone. She was a healer at heart, but if she had no patients, it was a good thing for people didn't get sick or wounded. When she saw a young brunette farther away, as she went downhill after the horde of cats, she paused. She felt courage in that girl and she felt the Force make her pause and observe. She felt conflicted because she was a protector by nature but she also knew when to heed the higher power's guidance. So, she watched the brunette stand against the predators, but what was most striking was how she showed care for them afterwards, which warmed the Hapan's heart. The sight of a mother with her cubs reminded her that the universe could keep families together and that blood could be strong enough in the strong situation.

When the razor cat led her babies away from the village that must now be closer than Lynmeira had ever been to it, she heard the girl speak up. With the display she had just offered, there was no mistake about her Force gift. The healer moved forward, quietly. "I saw the cats and followed them in case someone needed medical help. I was about to intervene but you did very well on your own. Your strength and your compassion were a sight to behold." She explained softly, curious about the girl, especially now that she could sense the high probability she had been the cause of the ripple she had felt in this area more than once over the years.

[Suri Jaxx]

Suri's keen sense of hearing picked up on the woman's footsteps, which in turn allowed the girl to lock onto her position more easily. The Force allowed her to gain some detail on what the woman looked like and her aura showed the girl there was no threat. Content that she was not in any danger, Suri lowered her staff and listened when the woman spoke of her strength and compassion. The praise made the girl smile a little. "Thanks... I don't like hurting animals if I can help it." she said. "If I can avoid harming an animal and save my settlement from harm, then it's a win win situation."

Now that the adrenaline was beginning to wear off, she could feel the sting of her injuries starting to kick in and she flinched a little as she stretched. "Those cats pack quite a pinch though, even if they were just cubs."

The wounds left behind by their claws were actually bleeding a fair bit, yet the girl didn't seem to be overly concerned because the Force didn't grant her the ability to see her injuries. In fact, she was so unconcerned that she spoke more of what she'd sensed from the mother. "Seems she was leading her cubs away from some hunters south from here." she said as she walked past the woman, using the Force to try and sense what could be going on. "It's not the first time I've had to intervene to stop these creatures from encroaching in this area. They all seem to be coming up from the south, though I don't know why... Chieftain Ranaku is growing increasingly concerned by this."

The girl stopped a moment to try and sense what could be going on. Her ability to sense anything distant though was somewhat limited as there was nothing strong to lock onto. Suri turned to look back at the woman, though her blindness meant her eyes didn't immediately lock onto the woman until the Force gave her more detail. "Have you seen anything in your travels?"

[Lynmeira Verashy]

"Hurting living beings should always be a last option, I agree." Lynmeira nodded to the girl, before her attention drifted to the sight of injuries. She pursed her lips with concern as the girl didn't seem to realize she had been wounded. In an unexpected fashion, she felt no pain from the younger brunette's aura. This was puzzling. She should feel the ache as well as simply see it. Observing the other Force user with more scrutiny as to get a better feel, it seemed as if her eyes didn't look exactly where they should, which made her wonder whether she might be blind.

"I haven't seen any hunter during my travels, but I am not done yet. I came to this area to harvest certain plants."

She took a couple steps towards the girl. "You are injured. Please let me help you. You wouldn't want the claws wounds to get infected." Understanding that her offer might cause concern as they were in the middle of nowhere and had just met, she added: "I am a healer. I have ointments and fresh bandages in my pack." Of course, she could also use the Force to aid her, but she was unsure of how much training or knowledge the girl had of her potential. She had encountered a couple individuals who instinctively relied on their gift without comprehending it.

[Suri Jaxx]

Suri frowned a little when the woman spoke about her being injured. The girl knew she had some injuries but where they really that bad to cause concern? "I feel alright... but if you wish to treat them, I won't stop you." she said before a small smirk came to the girl's lips. "Your aura is strong though... reminds me of someone I once knew." she said cryptically. "You don't need to hide with bandages and ointment if you don't wish to. You're like me... except you can probably see the world far better than I can."

The girl didn't elaborate more on her words, knowing the woman would work it out eventually. She seemed smart enough anyway and if she wasn't.... well that was her problem. The girl was curious as to what the woman wanted in this area, however. "This area is quite dangerous. I can help keep any beasts from attacking but those hunters are a concern...I don't mean to sound protective but I'd rather not leave you out here by yourself..." she said. "What are these plants you're looking for?"

[Lynmeira Verashy]

"You feel alright now but those claw marks aren't looking good. Thanks for letting me take care of you." She placed her pack on the ground and began to inspect the extent of the injuries. She couldn't help chuckling at the girl's remark regarding not hiding what she could do. "I see you met one of my kind before. Relying on the Force will help speed up your treatment for sure, but I've seen some allergies cases before. Some locals have bad reactions to some foliage the cats stomp over. So, I'll still give you an elixir to drink tonight so you're on the safe side."

She took a deep breath and reached out with her senses, feeling the alterations of the cells deep within the girl's body. The claws had ripped deep but hadn't damaged anything serious, which was a good thing. Bit by bit, she began to pour light into flesh and insides. "I'm Lynmeira." She offered as an actual introduction while working.

She smirked at the comment about the girl not leaving her out by herself. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful but I've traveled in this area for years. As dangerous as it can be, it is the only region if you don't want to travel by craft, where lidora roots are found. I use them in many of my potions."

[Suri Jaxx]

Suri sat still as the woman performed her magic and headed the girl's injuries through the Force. She could feel it coursing through and while the injuries stung in the process, she could feel then knitting together. Unaware of how bad her injuries were meant the girl didn't perceive pain in the same way. Her brain could not inspect its wounds and what she could not see didn't hurt as much.

As the woman worked, she introduced herself to the girl as Lynmeira. It was a pretty name. A kind and friendly one. Feeling she could trust Lynmeira, she offered her name in friendship. "Suri..." she turned around and smiled in Lynmeira's direction when she commented on the girl having met a Jedi in the past. "It was a long time ago...When I was about seven years old when I first met a Jedi... but I'd heard stories prior to that from my mother." she said before pointing her right index finger to her eyes. "He taught me to use the Force to see so I could be of better help to the Rishii settlement I live in. It helps me move around without crashing into things all the time, though I sometimes need to use my other four senses to help build a picture. For example, I can 'see' most things in the Force, but not its detail or texture. I would need to feel it with my fingers. It's the same with people. I can see that they're around but I can't see what they look like, I would need to use touch to feel what they look like and commit it to memory."

When the woman spoke of lidora root, the girl smiled as she seemed to recognise the name. "The local Rishii settlement grows their own lidora root for the same reasons and often eat it raw." the girl scrunched her nose a little. "Tastes horrible, but it does do the job." the girl stopped, knowing she was babbling a little before getting herself back on track. "They'd be happy to trade with you if you want to visit them. Saves a trek in the wild sometimes. Also, if they don't have a herb in stock, they can tell you where you can pick some of your own safety. They're good people."

[Lynmeira Verashy]

Lynmeira smiled when the girl returned the introduction. Suri was a lovely name, one that suited the younger brunette, the Hapan mused inwardly. She listened to what was volunteered about Suri's first encounter with a Jedi. What she hinted at about her eyes made things click - partially - in her brain. "You look fairly Hapan, if I might say so. Were you born blind or do you also happen to be part Miraluka, if you don't mind me asking?" The healer had met Miralukas during one of her travels with her late Master. She had been fascinated by their "sight" of the universe around them. Her master had thought that it would also help her learn from them about not using the Force to move around in dark places and hours, for Lynmeira sufffered from genetic Hapan night-blindness.

"You should be all set now. Let me just give you the elixir for tonight." The tall brunette searched into her pack and placed a small flask in Suri's hand. "I tried to grow some of the roots where I live, but the soil and sun exposition aren't good for it, which is why I travel to harvest them." She got back to her feet after securing her backpack again, so nothing would fall out of place. "I would be honored to meet the Rishii where you live. A trade would be appreciated."

[Suri Jaxx]

Suri nodded at Lynmeira's question when she asked if she had been born blind or was part Miraluka. "Both are correct..." Suri responded. "I take after my Dad mostly, who was Hapan...My mother was a Miraluka." the girl frowned a little as she thought of them. She missed them both dearly and while she knew her father was dead...the status of her Mother was unknown. Considering the way she left the girl to her own devices, however, Suri thought her dead also. "They are...no longer here."


Once Lynmeira had finished healing her wounds, the girl was handed a flask of elixir. Being blind, however made Suri naturally suspicious of its contents, but she could not hold onto this flask worrying about its contents. She needed her hands, which meant that, regardless of her reluctance, she needed to drink this now, rather than carry it. "Thanks...here goes nothing..." she said reluctantly as she dropped her staff at her feet and felt for the flask's cap and popped it. The smell was enough to make the girl flinch and it took a fair amount of effort to not gag at the smell. Blocking off her nose with the index and thumb of her right hand, Suri downed the drink in one, gagging involuntary as the last of it hit her stomach. "Urgh! I'll never get used to the taste of elixir. Thanks.." she said as she replaced the cap and handed the flask back to Lynmeira. She then held a hand to her mouth as a brief wave of nausea hit. A couple of breaths settled her quickly, however and she picked up her staff. "Ranaku's village is a couple of miles north of here. He'll be pleased that the immediate threat has passed and will gladly trade with you. He loves outsiders. If you have a story to tell, they all listen. It's how many of the Rishii learn about the galaxy around them." The girl then turned to walk along familiar paths, holding her staff with her right hand and walking like she had no disability at all.

As they walked, Suri couldn't help but be curious about her new companion. Lynmeira had been the first non-Rishii she'd spoken to in a couple of years, given that hardly any non-Rishii came by this way. "How long have you lived out there?" Suri asked. "Most people would live in the city, where it's safest..."

[Lynmeira Verashy]

"I recognize Hapan features quite easily, since I was born and raised on Hapes." Lynmeira admitted quietly. She wondered how Suri had ended on Rishii, at least until the girl said that her parents were no longer here. "I am sorry for your loss." She genuinely offered. Her own family had banned her from ever being in contact with them again when she had said she would go her own road years ago, even when she hadn't said she would become a Jedi. "Hapan culture can be unforgiving." She simply observed, not saying more about her own situation for now.

She couldn't help chuckling at Suri's reaction with the elixir. That wasn't the first time she had seen that. "At least, I know you'll have drunk it and not tried to feed it to some poor flowers that would have dwindled because of it." She retired the empty flash and attached it to one of the rings on the side of her backpack.

"My Master was the one who was good with stories." She mused, remembering how Tullya was gifted with captivating audiences. The Togruta kept saying how Lynmeira had the same gift every time the Hapan had to be the storyteller. Yet, the Hapan wasn't so certain. "Thank you for taking me to your village." She added with a smile as she followed Suri, noting the easy with which the blind girl moved around.

"I have lived on Rishii for several years. I came here with my Master when illness would see her to her last years. We chose to build a cabin in the hills, only going to villages and towns to trade and sell elixirs and ointments. With what she had lived through, she wanted the scenery and the quiet."

[Suri Jaxx]

Suri pulled a sad grin as Lynmeira offered her condolences. "You're right about Hapan culture being unforgiving. When my Dad's family found out he'd married a Miralukan and had a child with her, they sent a Bounty hunter our way. He died... protecting mother and I." Suri said sadly. "As for Mother... I don't know. She just...left one day while I was sleeping and never came back. I went looking for her despite not being able to see a thing...and well... ended up out here. Ranaku found me one day and because I couldn't find my way back to the city I came from, I was allowed to stay provided I helped his hatchlings reach maturity."

Though she was sad about the circumstances that led her to this point, she felt more sorry for Lynmeira and the loss of her Master. "I'm sorry for the loss of your Master." Suri said softly. "As I understand it, its a bond not unlike that of a parent and child. Doesn't matter what race or creed you are, that kind of bond hurts the most when it gets broken...and judging by your tones.... it sounds like she suffered greatly in the past...and she had a kind student that looked after her in her final years." Suri offered a kind smile to Lynmeira. "Though... Jedi never really die.... do they? Your code... an Elderly Jedi named Davin Mahera came to my settlement one day, looking to trade supplies. He told me of the things that happened during the Jedi Purge. He still clung onto the code despite all that had happened to him and the Jedi that had become his family. When I told him I was sorry for the loss of so many of his friends... his family, he chuckled at me, ruffled my hair and said, 'Young one, There is no Death... There's only the Force. We leave these bodies behind and return to the Force to be reborn as Jedi once more." The girl canted her head slightly and smiled at Lynmeira. "Its a nice belief to keep to your heart. A comfort that, while you may never see them again in their previous form, they aren't gone forever. They may even one day walk to you and say 'they remember you' even if you've never met them in their current form."

A gust of wind grazed Suri's cheek in a way that made her look up, a Rishii scout was flying overhead and the girl called to him in Rishii language, informing him of the danger that had passed and that she had a friend with her. The Rishii scout responded and after an exchange of words, the Scout flew back toward the settlement. Suri smiled and looked to her new friend. "I hope you're ready for a welcome. Ranaku and his brood can be quite excitable when someone new arrives to trade." Pointing to the disappearing form of the scout, Suri had a smile of pride on her face. "Asharru is one of the hatchlings I helped look after when I first arrived. He's informing Ranaku of our approach..."

[Lynmeira Verashy]

Lynmeira wasn't surprised by what Suri said about what happened to her family because of her mixed bloodline. Even with pure Hapan lineage, the tall brunette had been cast out by her family when refusing to comply by the life they had picked for her and wanting to explore new options. Thank the Force, she had never told them that she was pursuing the training of a Jedi. She recalled certain very heated discussions when they had found out about her Force-related readings when she was younger. "I am glad that Ranaku could give you a place to stay."

She nodded to what the teenager said about the Force. "It binds everything and I still feel my master's presence at times. I sometimes see her in dreams. The cabin can still feel empty without her here. I had built it for her when we moved to Rishi for she wanted to spend her last months there." A soft smile curved her lips. "Months even turned out into a few years." She couldn't help thinking that the name Davin Mahera rang a very faint bell, and she would go through some of her master's old journals to see if she had mentioned him. It was the only way Lynmeira might know the name for she knew she had never met this person.

She grinned at the brief exchange between Suri and the Rishii. For sure she had been grateful for her language skills when she had begun to travel with her master. It was so helpful to learn new languages, especially when settling down for a while as she had done on this planet. "Well, I wasn't planning to turn this trip into a social event, but I am fine with it. Most of my interaction is when I go to town to sell what I craft. Pirates of all sorts play tough but they make for very loyal customers for ointments and potions."

[Suri Jaxx]

Suri smiled a little as Lynmeira spoke of the Force... and had to admit, a part her was curious to know more. Suri knew she was Force Sensitive herself. She used the Force to see and to control beasts when she needed to, yet she didn't understand how she was able to use the Force in this manner. It was just a part of her, a part of who she was. A tool she used but not truly understanding its full potential. Lynmeira's words fascinated Suri and began to really wonder just what she could be capable of if she just allowed herself to trust someone enough to teach her...but people always came and went in the young girl's life and while she was always pleasant to all she met, Suri knew they'd all go their separate ways eventually. There wasn't always time to really get to know people.

Yet since Lynmeira had been on Rishi for years, did that mean she was unlikely to leave anytime soon? Maybe she could get to know her better? For now, these were questions Suri kept to herself. She didn't want to appear like someone that clung onto their coattails at first opportunity. She made the decision long ago to let people make their own decisions on whether they wanted to get to know her.

As the two approached the outskirts of the village, Suri could sense the excitement in the Force as Asharru told Ranaku about what had transpired. As they entered the village proper, Suri was greeted by the crash hugs of several young Rishii, knocking the wind out of her. "Umph! Man you lot are so brutal at times!" she said in a strained voice as the youngsters giggled with glee as she knelt down to hug them. Ranaku was the next to follow, walking to them in a friendly, yet excited manner.

"Why hello there!" he greeted them before looking over to Suri. "The flock are excited to see you with all limbs intact, Suri. I see you've brought a friend too!"

Suri smiled as she stood up, the youngsters still hovering around her to find out more about the new person. Suri took this chance to introduce Lynmeira to the people that became her family. "Lynmeira, this is Chieftain Ranaku, the leader of the village. Ranaku, this is Lynmeira, a healer and the person your scouts reported. She treated my injuries after my scuffle with the Razor cats. As you say, she's a friend to me."

Ranaku approached Lynmeira with an appreciative smile. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" he said quickly. "You are friend to my flock. Suri is precious to the flock as you can tell. She's saved the flock lots of times and helped my hatchlings grow and fledge. She wasn't badly hurt, was she?"

[Lynmeira Verashy]

Lynmeira now knew that the disturbance whose ebb and flow she had felt in the Force in this region over the past years was Suri. There was no denying and she knew that the Force had guided them to finally meet. The Hapan was unsure of what exactly it was supposed to entail but she was already fond of the girl and was happy to be in her company. Watching her interaction with the Rishii made her grin and chuckle. The youngsters were adorable and the adults were as extrovert as some Rishii could be. It was something she had needed to get used to when interacting with natives upon her arrival to the planet years before. She had grown used to it and liked it despite her own reserved nature.

"Greetings Ranaku. It is a pleasure to meet you. Suri's skills are impressive and I am glad I could help her with her injuries afterwards. And don't worry, she is fine now." She reassured the protective Rishii. Seeing how Suri was well considered and liked was nice. "Suri was kind enough to invite me to visit you, since the razor cats cut my hike short."

[Suri Jaxx]

"I'm fine Ranaku. Lynmeira treated my wounds...see?" Suri said as she showed her back to the chieftain. Her clothing was ripped with claw marks but there was next to nothing other than old blood where the claw marks were. "See...the worst I need is a change of clothes and a bath."

Ranaku hurriedly inspected Suri's body, amazed that there were little in the way of injuries. "This is amazing! I see little at all but three lines! It's like magic!" Suri looked over at Lynmeira with a knowing smile though she didn't say anything as Ranaku looked at the woman, bowing in appreciation. "You are great healer, Lynmeira. If the flock can help you with your magic, we will gladly do so!"

Suri smiled as she looked to her new friend. "We're very helpful to our friends and those in need. You can ask myself, Ranaku or any of the flock's scouts for any information you need. Ishari is the flock's herbalist. Trade here is quite different to that of the cities. Most Rishii here will give you what you need in exchange for knowledge instead of credits. Ranaku's flock is young so they rely on other people to pass on their knowledge to help the flock grow. Depending on who you ask, that knowledge can be a lesson or any news about the state of the galaxy, or even if there are anything that could potentially be a threat to the flock. Some may even ask for a history lesson."

Suri looked over to Ranaku as he looked to Lynmeira. "Is there anything we can do to help you more?"

[Lynmeira Verashy]

Lynmeira couldn't help grinning as she bowed her head to Ranaku's praise about her magic. She met Suri's gaze briefly, as they both knew that this magic was nothing but the Force. In a way, the Hapan marveled at how people could see the Force as magic. It alleviated some of the difficulty of the history tied to Force users in the past decades. "I thank you, Ranaku. I make potions and ointments I sell and trade to help others so I traveled in this area to gather certain plants and roots I work with."

She listened to what the teenager explained about receiving help from the flock. "I would be delighted to meet with Ishari. I am not so acquainted with events in the whole galaxy, but I could share some of my recipes with your herbalist and maybe offer seeds of a new blend of local flowers I obtained a couple of years ago?" She looked at both Suri and Ranaku, wondering whether that could be suitable as a trade. She was more used to do commerce with pirates than with the Rishii, despite the fact it wasn't the first time she interacted with the natives.

[Suri Jaxx]

Suri listened as Lynmeira spoke of what she could offer in trade for what she needed. A small smile pulled on her face as she seemed to understand how the trade worked and as what she was willing to trade would help ensure the flock's survival, Suri was pretty certain Ishari would agree to such a trade. Ranaku's nod of confirmation reinforced that belief. "Yes! Yes, I believe Ishari would be willing! Help flock, it will!" Ranaku said before turning to Suri, "Suri, can you take Lynmeira to Ishari please? She should be at her hut. If not, she'll be picking herbs outside the village." Suri nodded an acknowledgement to the request and watched as the Rishii chieftain bowed his head to the Jedi. "If we can help in anything else, feel free to ask us. In the meantime, I must attend to the rest of the flock. Fly free and soar high, Healer Lynmeira. Speak later, Suri."

Suri bowed her head as the chieftain left. The girl pondered on his words of 'Speak later'. What was it he wanted to speak about? Putting it to the back of her mind for the moment, the blind teen moved her head in the direction of her Jedi friend, pulling a small smile. "Ishari's hut is to the north, not too far away." As she guided Lynmeira toward Ishari's home, Suri couldn't help but be curious to find what Lynmeira thought of the welcome. "You'll have to forgive Chieftain Ranaku for his excitement at meeting you." she said. "He loves meeting new people but he can be a little overbearing at times..."

[Lynmeira Verashy]

Lynmeira couldn't help finding it amusing how the Rishii tended to be more exhuberant than the non natives she met with at the Cove and various multi-species settlements on the planet. It had required some getting used to the first times she had interacted with the Rishii, and to a degree she still found them as welcoming as overwhelming, but she had grown a liking towards them. "Thank you, very much, Chieftain Ranaku. I appreciate it a lot. I'm certain Suri will show me everything I need to." She bowed her head, hand on her heart before he left.

Returning her attention to the teenager by her side, she chuckled softly to what she explained about the leader of the flock. "No apology needed. The Rishii are amongst the most extrovert people I have met in my travels." She canted her head as she pondered on something. "What about we stop by where you live before going to see Ishari? You said it yourself that you could need a change of clothe. I am in no hurry." It was Lynmeira's caregiver's mentality that was taking over and she was already very grateful for all that Suri had done, so she wanted the girl to take care of herself too.

[Suri Jaxx]

Suri was glad that her new friend hadn't felt intimidated by Chieftain Ranaku's exuberance. Others that came and went in the past often felt wary after such, so it were a nice change to know someone that did not. She was also surprised when Lynmeira suggested they go back to Suri's home to get cleaned up, not because she knew she needed to, but because it was an unusually kind gesture from an outsider to consider Suri's needs over their own. "Umm....sure. We could do that.." she said, her voice expressing that surprise. She stopped for a moment, using the Force to explore her surroundings so she could 'remember' where her hut was. It had a particular shape and as it was only her that lived there, Suri had only a potted plant that she planted within her home. Honing in on it, Suri gestured for her new friend to follow. "I promise not to be too long in cleaning up."

Soon, they arrived at Suri's hut, that was carved into a large tree. It wasn't the biggest hut but for Suri it was adequate space. There was a fireplace in the middle of the hut and the different areas had been blocked off by dividers. "My home is your home. Feel free to explore it as you wish." she said with a smile before pointing to the area that served as a bathing place. "I'll be over this way."

The girl then proceeded to strip down behind the divider before stepping into a container of river water that she'd taken in earlier in the day. As she cleaned off the dirt and dried blood, a question swam in Suri's mind that perhaps Lynmeira could answer. "Lynmeira... do you know if there are many Jedi left in the galaxy?"

[Lynmeira Verashy]

Suri's reaction was a little bit of a shock to Lynmeira. She had offered for the girl to take care of herself without thinking twice. It was how the Hapan normally operated, how Tullya had educated her for years. She heard the surprise in Suri's voice as much as she sensed it through the Force. She took in the surroundings as the other brunette took her to the hut. She smiled at the beauty and simplicity of the place. "Take all the time you need, please. I am in no hurry. It's not as if anyone was waiting for me at home." She chuckled softly. "Tullya's spirt can always poke me in dreams regardless of where I reside."

She didn't wander too much around the small habitat although Suri had invited her to do that. She sood by the fireplace, having always had a fondness for them since she was a little girl. It always gave a sense of peace and home to her.

Suri's question made her remember her promise to Tullya and she could almost feel the Togruta poking her slightly in the arm. "I don't know whether we are many, but there have been rumors about a small enclave of our kind on Ossus. My Master and I heard about these shortly before her passing. She made me swear I would seek them out after she was gone."

She fidgeted a bit with the hem of her sleeves, locking her gaze on the fireplace anew. "I didn't leave Rishi so far. I have always felt something or someone was needing me here. I had felt a stir in the Force several times in this region. It is also why I came here today."

[Suri Jaxx]

Suri canted her head slightly as she listened to Lynmeira talk about the rumour of an Enclave on Ossus, and of how she hadn't left Rishi because she felt that someone needed her here. "Huh...I kinda felt the same." she said as she stepped out of the bath, wrapping a towel around herself to maintain some dignity as she stepped out of the bathing area and toward an area for changing clothes. "I've wanted to leave for a while...to explore and find out what happened to mother, but a recurring dream kept telling me to stay... until recently." she said. "Ranaku's children have fledged now and are capable of handling most of the dangers out here. They have been for a while."

Dropping her towel, Suri then proceeded to get changed (http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/erx/imgs/7/f/7f127c78.jpg) into a pair of light blue jeans, a grey top and white hoodie as she continued to talk about the dream. "I find myself on a strange world. I can feel the history of the place, filled with both light and dark energies. I find myself standing at the foot of a temple of sorts. I wish to explore it but a voice, not too dissimilar to yours tells me to wait. Said that I shouldn't go alone. I look to find a woman with dark hair and stunning eyes beside me. 'Wait a while. We'll go together.' she said." Once she'd change her clothes Suri returned to the fireplace and sat down a moment. "Last night.... that dream came again. This time, the woman didn't tell me to wait. 'Your time to fly will come soon, little bird. I'll be beside you.' I didn't quite know what to make of it. Yet I find myself wondering if it really is time for me to...'fly'."

[Lynmeira Verashy]

Lynmeira listened with great interest to what Suri revealed about her dreams and the feeling she had had. The pieces were coming together and what she had intuited in the past hours was confirmed thanks to the teenager's own dreams. "I believe we were meant to cross paths. Truly do it and not just feel certain things ebb and flow in the web of the Force."

The Hapan eventually looked at the younger brunette when she sat down. "While Tullya was still alive, most of my attention was turned to her but even back then, I have felt a tremor in the Force every time I hiked in the area of your village. This week, I decided I needed to unveil the mystery. You were that mystery Suri."

While Lynmeira had never thought she would say these words, they made sense in her soul. "I am unsure whether I would stay on Ossus but I wish to keep my word to my late Master. You would be welcome to travel there with me. And if you wish so, I would be honored to help you learn more about the Force." She grinned to the brunette. "If you can put up with someone who has never given any lesson to anyone, except maybe in gardening."

[Suri Jaxx]

Suri canted her head as she listened to Lynmeira say that she believed they were meant to cross paths. It made sense, even to the blind teenager that this encounter was meant to happen. It felt right... more so than before. Maybe it really was time to go. Time to be with human kind again. If she were to go on a grand adventure of learning the power within her, she'd rather take it now than never. "A mystery...." Suri repeated as she put a hand near the fire to warm up. "Maybe it is time to unravel that mystery huh?" the teenager pulled her hand back and looked toward Lynmeira, a slight smile pulling on her face and turning to her. "I wouldn't normally ask another but...may I 'see' you a little better?"

Suri held out her hands to Lynmeira. "Before you wonder, I know you're there. I 'see' you in the Force, but right now... it doesn't show me much, other than the fact that you are there." she explained. "It doesn't show me what you look like."

[Lynmeira Verashy]

"I would say so." Lynmeira replied quietly, in agreement with Suri's observation about unraveling the mystery that had drawn them together. She listened with curiosity to what the teenager asked, which made a lot of sense. The Hapan didn't know what it was to be blind on a full scale, but she still recalled how much she had marveled when Tullya had taught her how to rely on the Force's guidance when in dark places where she couldn't see.

She placed her hands in Suri's. "I watched you handle your surroundings well, but didn't know how much details you perceived." While Suri was curious about what she looked like, the Jedi also lowered her defenses, opening herself to the Force and letting the younger brunette have a better understanding of who had just offered to train her.

[Suri Jaxx]

As Lynmeira placed her hands into her own, Suri started forming the connections needed to know what Lynmeira looked like. Normally, she would use her hands to feel the facial features of a person, so connecting with another through the Force was a new experience for her. As she looked up, at Lynmeira, the Force began to change her perceptions. Instead of a featureless body, Suri saw someone she could finally identify with. Lynmeira's features came to life before her and Suri's sightless eyes lit up with as much happiness as her smile. "You are whom I've waited for..." she confirmed, once she finally got detail to Lynmeira's features. Of course, the connection in the Force worked both ways as memories were shared. They took the form of voices, however, since Suri had never seen the galaxy with sight at any stage of her life.

"Mommy...how long will we be on Rishi for?"

"A little while...until the bad men stop hunting us."

"Did we do something bad, Mommy? Why are they hunting us?"

"Listen closely, my darling. Your father is a good man...don't ever forget that. His family though. They are the ones that sent those hunters. They are the ones that killed your father and they are the ones that hunt us still."

"But why? Why would do such terrible things?"

"Because your father and I fell in love. Because we created something beautiful that they fear. Because we created you..."

Suri let go of Lynmeira's hands when she realized what she'd shared and looked up at her with some worry in her eyes. "Sorry... I didn't mean to share that memory..." she said, though sighed with a little sadness. Pushing it aside, Suri forced a smile through to get back to the subject of her future. "If you're willing to take on someone like me as your student...then I'm prepared to be your very first student...and might enjoy a little bit of gardening too! Hehe..."

Of course, for Suri, that meant she would soon have to say goodbye to her Rishii family. She hoped that Ranaku would understand that it was her time to go, but she'd promise to return some day. "I'll take you to Ishara. Then I must speak with Ranaku so he knows my future plans. I owe him that much after he took the risk by taking me into his clan."

[Lynmeira Verashy]

Lynmeira couldn't help smiling when Suri said she was who the teenager had been waiting for. She felt at peace and despite the challenges that were likely awaiting the pair, she knew that the Force was at play there and had learned how to respect that and heed a call when it occured.

When she suddenly experienced some of the younger brunette's memories, she frowned slightly, feeling sorry for what she had gone through. At least, her parents had loved her, even when she had lost them both. "Please don't apologize." As the teenager accepted to become her padawan, for Lynmeira recalled the term with clarity as it had become more of a pet name than true rank in her mind with her strong bond with Tullya over the years. "I am willing and we can figure that whole teaching and learning thing together, right?"

She nodded to what Suri said next about the village. "I don't know what tomorrow will bring but even if you come living with me while we are on Rishii, know that you'll always be welcome to visit Ranaku and the young. If we go to Ossus together, I don't know yet whether I'll choose to live there. Rishii has very much grown on me over the years and it's been more home to me than anywhere else."

[Suri Jaxx]

Suri smiled a little as the plan was somewhat laid out. "Sounds good..." she said with a small smile. "And I'm...cool about leaving Ossus if you don't wish to stay. There's a big galaxy to explore. I just hope that I..." The blind girl paused and suddenly felt rather sad. It took her a moment to actually finish the sentence, "...that I'm able to find the rest of me when we do go." Suri hung her head slightly and sighed. What she hadn't mentioned before was she was not...or at least believed she not, the only Jaxx child left. She had a twin out there. She could still feel it in her heart, the faith...the belief that her twin sister, Serah was alive. Her reason for not mentioning her sister to anyone was for many reasons. Protecting her was one, but another was the fact that being ripped from her sister like she had was hard for her. She missed everything about Serah. She missed how they worked together, played together, finished each other's sentences. No one... not even Ranaku knew how lonely and incomplete Suri had felt without Serah at her side.

Shaking off that sadness and longing, Suri pulled a soft smile. "No worries though... I'll find that part of me again someday, She's likely still in hiding...I just need to figure out where." Suri then cocked her head toward the entrance of her home. "Shall we go find Ishari?"

[Lynmeira Verashy]

There was something unsaid, some heavy secret, that lingered in the conversation, based on Suri's reaction and how she mentioned "the rest of her". Lynmeira pondered what other wound plagued the blind girl's soul, but she knew better than to ask. The Hapan was a rather secret person by nature and she believed that while Suri and her understood they were meant to meet as they had, they had only spent a few hours together. Time would allow them to share more about themselves and she wasn't going to pressure her newfound pupil into spilling all her secrets and give away every detail about her life. After all, there was much Lynmeira hadn't said either.

"I am certain we can figure things out as we go. I learned a long time ago that planning everything rarely works as expected."

She canted her head to the side and wonder who this other part of Suri was, and her curiosity possibly radiated through the Force, but she didn't say a word about it. "The good news is that I have a ship already, so we will be able to travel wherever we must. And sure, let's go speak to Ishari. I'll need to make solid stocks of supplies before we leave Rishi."

[Suri Jaxx]

Suri nodded as she sensed Lynmeira's curiosity. The blind girl could've shared what she meant, but for the moment decided not to. It wasn't that she didn't trust Lynmeira, it was more to protect Serah. She didn't know if the bounty hunters were still after them and if she went looking through the holonet, it might get picked up by the Bounty Hunters chasing the family. Maybe when they were away from Rishi, she would tell Lynmeira more, but for now, there were other important things to do, such as meeting Ishari. Heading out of the hut, Suri located Ishari in the Force and travelled north. There were young Rishii everywhere, laughing and playing and adults teaching them many things about the wilds. It filled the girl with some pride. She helped them learn of their environment when they were young and now those same fledglings were now teaching the younger generation. It would be strange to leave them after so long but she knew it was the right thing to do. She just had to make certain though that they were truly ready to go it alone and the recent events made the girl wonder if there was something going on.

Coming to Ishari's shop, Suri pulled back the bead curtain and stepped aside to allow Lynmeira in first before following behind her. "Ishari...its me, Suri. I brought a friend with me."

Ishari looked up from her work toward Suri and the newcomer, the same excitable exuberance bounced from the Rishii to them. "Welcome! Welcome! Ranaku told me to expect you two soon!" she moved toward Suri and embraced her with a feathery hug before looking at the newcomer. "Oh! And this is your new friend right?" she said before bowing her head slightly. "I'm Ishari. The village herbalist. What can this old bird do for you, friend?"

[Lynmeira Verashy]

Lynmeira followed Suri to the herbalist's hut. She smiled at the older Rishi, always amused by how exuberant these people were. It was lovely though, once she had grown accustomed to it a few years ago. "Thank you, Ishari. I appreciate you seeing me. I am Lynmeira." She always made sure to introduce herself, though she had never given her last name since traveling across the galaxy with Tullya. In a way her last name didn't mean anything anymore, since her family had outcast her when she had expressed her desire to do her own thing. She had been considered a disgrace to her Hapan relatives and sent away, even when they had no idea of her Jedi path.

"I am looking for lidora roots. I need a rather large stock of them to prepare elixirs and ointments. I would be more than happy to share some of my seeds or my recipes with you as a trade." It was amusing because her family was deep in commerce, but she had never been so interested in gaining merchant skills, until she had lived off the grid with Tullya. By now, she enjoyed trading with all kinds of people.

[Suri Jaxx]

Ishari smiled at the newcomer and listened intently as Lynmeira spoke of what she needed and what she was willing to trade in return. Ishari pondered on this a moment before nodding. "Sounds reasonable to me, friend. As it so happens a fresh crop is ready for harvest, Miss Lynmeira." Ishari looked toward Suri. "Suri, take Haren with you and head North East. Haren will help you harvest the Lidora Root. Bring a quarter of the crop over."

"Okay." Suri responded before looking to Lynmeira. "It'll take about an hour to harvest it all so I'll leave you in Ishari's hands for the time being. See you soon!"

She waved to Lynmeira and Ishari before turning to leave. The elder Rishii sighed. "Such a nice kid she is. She needs more than just us to be complete though. She needs to start her search for something better...and find that part of her missing." Ishari then looked at Lynmeira with a smile. "Did Suri tell you she was missing something, perchance?"

[Lynmeira Verashy]

"Please, just call me Lynmeira," she replied with a fond smile to the herbalist.

"That's great news." And uncanny timing but the Hapan wasn't so surprised, given the mystery that had finally unraveled thanks to her meeting Suri. "See you soon then." She bid the teenager goodbye before returning her attention to the Rishii.

"She certainly is." She was happy to see the Rishii love Suri so much, though she hoped that the girl wouldn't miss them too much while they traveled. "I offered to take her with me to explore other places." She simply explained, leaving the whole Force matter untold.

She wondered how much the Rishii would know or not about that missing part Suri had mentioned. "She did. I didn't ask what it was, but she did."

[Suri Jaxx]

Ishari smiled when Lynmeira said of her offer to take the girl with her to explore other places. She was delighted even. "Oh you are a dear." she said happily. "Ranaku will be happy for her too. We've both noticed her feeling the need to fly and be with the featherless again." she said, though when Lynmeira spoke about Suri mentioning she was missing something but didn't know what, the girl sighed. "Oh Suri... you need to open up more child." she said to herself before looking at her guest. "She's missing a vital part of her....a part that came to life with her."

Ishari looked to Lynmeira and canted her head. "She is one of two born, yet for the past seven years, she has been alone in this world. She's been adopted into the flock as our own, but she needs her twin to feel complete." Ishari then smiled and decided to offer a different kind of trade. "We will give you as much Lidora Root as we can spare. In exchange, instead of your seeds, I ask you to take the girl underwing, help her grow and help her feel complete. Give her what we cannot. When she returns here one day, she will share what she's learned with you."

[Lynmeira Verashy]

"I have planned to travel off world for a good while, as I promised a late friend I would do so. I am glad I didn't do it right away so I could cross paths with Suri," Lynmeira explained. While she kept certain things to herself, she felt compelled to say a bit more about herself to the Rishii, especially with how good they had been to the teenager.

She wasn't certain what Ishari might reveal but the mention of Suri's twin came as a surprise but made a lot of sense given what the younger brunette had hinted at. She was sorry to hear that but the thought that her sister might still be alive was a good thing. The Hapan was no seer, but she would do all she could to help Suri find her sibling back. Lynmeira had no one left to hold onto, for Tullya was one with the Force and her biological family had turned their backs on her many years ago.

"I will do that, I promise," she said solemnly. Yet, she also had her piece to express. "I'd still like to offer you some of my seeds and even recipes. Please consider that a token of my appreciation not only for your help today but for having watched over Suri for all these years."

[Suri Jaxx]

Ishari smiled and bowed her head to the woman before her. "Thank you. It does this old bird's heart well to know you are the one to watch over her now." She chuckled at the woman's insistence of sharing her seeds and recipes and rather than argue otherwise, she decided to agree. "Her care was nothing. But if you insist on this trade, then I will not object. Let us see what you have."

Meanwhile, Suri had managed to locate Haren and the near-human and Rishii companions had found the land Ishari had spoken of, where the farmers of the village grew their crop of Lidora root. There was a lot to harvest this time round and as Ishari wanted a quarter of the crop, Suri was full glad to have Haren at her side. "Thanks for coming out with me Haren." Suri said. "I could've been out here for hours otherwise."

"Its no worries dear Suri." Haren replied. "So, who is the featherless woman you brought to the village?" he asked as the two set about harvesting.

"Her name is Lynmeira and she's a Jedi... those people in the tales passing travellers tell." Suri replied. "She helped heal my wounds when I was attacked by the Razor cats that threatened the village. She needs the Lidora root for her elixirs so rather than have her life put in danger further, I brought her back to the village to trade for it instead." Suri looked down a little as she decided to let Haren in on her future plans. "She's also offered to help me with my Force skills...maybe even train me to become a Jedi like she is...but it means I will be leaving the village soon...perhaps for a long time."

Haren seemed a little down at the thought of not seeing Suri again. "You will come back though...won't you?" he asked. "The flock would miss you terribly."

Suri smiled and nodded to Haren as she continued to pull out the roots needed and tossing them into a nearby bucket. "Of course I will!" she said reassuringly. "When I do... I'll have lots of knowledge and tales to share."

"Good! I look forward to the tales."

Suddenly an alarm call filled the skies. Both Suri and Haren looked up, while Suri held her staff at the ready, opening herself to the Force to find what the cause of the alarm was. She could feel a threat nearby, one armored and armed. "Go! Take those roots back to Ishari and tell her we've got company. There's Mercs in the woods!"

Haren nodded and took the bucket as a blastershot was heard in the distance. Suri meanwhile took off toward the target she sensed, running through the woods and dodging trees like any other sighted person could. She soon came across a fallen Rishii, one that likely sent out the alarm. He was still alive, though barely. Kneeling to him she held his hand until he passed seconds later. She bowed her head in mourning for a moment. As she did so, however, the sound of charging blasters filled her ears. The girl gasped slightly and held onto her staff tightly. "Well well... you are a hard creature to find. Who would've thought I'd have to kill a bird to get your attention?"

Suri froze as the voice echoed in her ears. An old memory echoed within of a voice similar to him, telling her mother that he was coming for them. It seemed he'd been trying to find her all these years. "I've done nothing to you....or to them! Why do you hunt me still?"

"Oh my dear, I never leave a contract unfinished." he responded as he grabbed the girl and forced her staff out of her hands. "Give me that!" he said before chucking it aside, out of Suri's reach. "I've wasted so much time on finding you child. Cereza did well to hide you from me for so long."

"Mother...." she said as the hunter hooked her to a tree using her clothing. The girl started crying at the thought of her lost mother. "Mother had no hand in me being here. I came alone."

The hunter smiled darkly, "I know... Cereza confirmed that she knew not where you or Serah were, yet I've found you...and soon, I will find your sister."

"Like hell you will!" Suri responded as she used what strength in the Force she had to kick the hunter in the chin. He fell backward and struck his head on a rock nearby. He fell unconscious. He wasn't dead thankfully, but left hanging in the tree was incredibly uncomforable. She had to get a message out somehow...calming her mind, she decided to do something she'd never done before, and call for help within the Force and hope Lynmeira would hear it. ~Lynmeira...the Hunter... he found me. Need help...please...~

As she sent this, Haren had returned to Ishari's hut, panic written all over his face as he dropped the bucket of roots. "Elder Ishari! Suri needs help! One of our scouts alarm called and Suri said it was a merc! She's not capable of dealing with him on her own but stayed behind to buy me time! Please! We have to do something!"

[Lynmeira Verashy]

"I will miss Rishi and plan to return here at some point," Lynmeira explained as she began to show the herbalist which kinds of seeds she had, including special blends she had worked on over the years. "I know I am supposed to visit other places and I will, now that I found Suri, but having had a place where to stay for a few years was a nice change of pace. My late mentor who was like a mother to me had beautiful last years of existence here." It warmed her heart to know that Tullya had enjoyed her time left, longer than expected, when they had come to Rishi. The Hapan wondered whether Tullya might have had a vision of how fate would bind her to Suri. She would meditate on that question later.

Speaking of herbs and plants with Ishari was a pleasure and the elderly Rishii was full of knowledge. Lynmeira was grateful she had accepted her trade, and the discussion was interesting.

Then, she felt a sharp tremor in the Force and she knew it was from Suri. She didn't feel any distinct words through the young bond they were developing, but it was clear that the teenager needed help. Her facial expression must have betrayed her concern, because Ishari queried about what was happening. The Hapan barely had time to answer that another Rishii bolted inside the hut.

"I will go help her. I know where to find her," she replied without hesitation, leaving at once, not saying why or how she could find Suri. The Force would guide her and she had to hurry.

[Suri Jaxx]

Still trying to find a way of getting out of her situation, Suri became alarmed as the Hunter began to stir from his unconsciousness. She had hoped she'd have more time and maybe a little more backup before he woke up, but as he stirred, he was barely able to contain his rage. It simmered within him as he staggered to his feet. "Ooh you'll pay for that you little brat!" he said as he approached her, striking her across the left side of her face with the back of his right hand. Almost immediately, Suri's left cheek began to swell and bruise from the strike. "You dare try that again little girl and you'll be worrying for far more than your sister!" An evil smile pulled on his face as he pulled out a knife, pressing the sharp end of the knife under Suri's chin. "Speaking of your precious sister, maybe you can tell me where she's hiding..hmm?"

Suri spat at him, the spittle hitting him in the eye as she replied, "I'm blind you nitwit! How am I meant to know where she's hiding if I can't see what's in front of me? Besides, even if I knew I certainly wouldn't be telling you!"

The Hunter growled at Suri as he wiped his eye and pressed his knife at her chin once again. "Don't test me little girl. You'll get burned."

"Who's testing you? You couldn't see the truth even if it hit you in the face and I'm supposed to be the blind one!" Suri responded, her body quivering with fear and adrenaline as she was unable to enact her fight or flight instinct. "I don't know where she is. I don't know where any of them are! I don't know if they're dead or alive because I've been alone for the past seven years!"

Suri soon began to sense help on the way. She just had to keep the Hunter talking. "Why does my father's family want me dead? I've no desire to know them or threaten them...why do they wish me dead? Why do they wish for all of us to die?"

"Because to them, you are all abominations. You are stains on their proud lineage. A bounty was placed on you all... And right or not, I intend on collecting."

He took away his knife and replaced it with a blaster, pointed at her head and ready to pull the trigger. Her thoughts turned to her sister as Suri closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable to happen...

[Lynmeira Verashy]

Lynmeira managed to keep her inner peace as she sped outside of the Rishii village, into the woods where Suri had gone. She was fixated on the girl's aura, finding it somewhat surprising she did that so easily. While they had only met face to face a few hours ago, the Hapan had felt her presence many times before so she was more familiar with Suri's echo in the Force than with most other people due to that.

She didn't care about hiding how her fast pace wasn't natural for a human-looking individual. She relied on the Force to guide her and to make her movements safe and quick so she would get to her newfound pupil and friend in time.

While she felt fear from Suri, it was eventually joined with more than that, and even a degree of peace, which impressed her.

Her eyes darted on the man holding a blaster at Suri although she was still far from them. Reaching with the Force, she tossed the hunter a few meters away from the teenager and closed the distance, pulling his weapons to her. She had only heard the last of his words.

"You'd better disappear unless you want to collect your remains," the Hapan stated sternly. There was no hatred in her tone but she was making it clear that she wasn't going to let him harm Suri, not now or ever.

[Suri Jaxx]

"No! Mommy please don't let Serah go! I don't want to leave without Serah! Please Mommy! Don't take me away from my sister!"

"Serah...forgive me. I never wanted to leave you. Now I'll never know you again...I'm so-"

Suri suddenly felt the rush of the Force as someone, or something swept the hunter off her feet. A gasp escaped the girl as the edge of the Force Push knocked her off the hanging spot and crashing to the ground. Fear had taken her and as her heart raced, the sight gifted to her in the Force faded. Suri literally could not see what was going on around her, which worried her even more. "Oh Gods... oh Gods...oh Gods!" she said as she trembled. What was happening around her?

It was only then that she heard a familiar voice in the darkness. "You'd better disappear unless you want to collect your remains..." It was Lynmeira! Suri looked toward the direction of the voice, a mixture of emotions from fear to relief came to her, yet it also served to inspire her. As she calmed herself enough for the Force to return her sight, the girl looked up to watch the hunter get to his feet, stunned by the sudden throw and his weapons being taken from him, though his simmering rage began to grow.

"Ho ho! A Jedi have we?" he growled as he moved toward Lynmeira, unaware that Suri was moving toward her staff, which lay in the grass not far from him. "This has nothing to do with you Jedi. Get lost before I make your pretty face match the girl's."

While his back had turned away from the girl, Suri had quietly managed to grab her weapon and gripped it tight as she decided to stand up to him. "You don't want to be doing that..." she warned the Hunter. As he turned around to hit Suri again, the girl surprised him by knocking him down with a strong swing from her staff. She then straddled him, using her weight to pin him down and pressed the middle of her staff against his throat, making him believe she was willing to kill her, though she provided Lynmeira with a look that stated she planned on letting him live. "If you value your life... you'll tell me everything I want to know and then... if I ever see you or your cronies ugly mug again, or I find out you even harmed my family in any way, I won't be so merciful." there was no anger in her face, no hatred in her tone. She took no pleasure in threatening the hunter like this, but if the Hunter were to ever leave her and her family alone, she had to act like she would kill him. "You spoke of Cereza and Serah like they were alive. Where are they?"

"I...I don't know of Serah's location...but Cereza is still alive. Sold into slavery." he croaked.

The revelation both shocked and angered Suri as she pressed the staff tighter still around his throat. "You son of a..." she growled at him. "Where?!"

"She is on Nar Shadaa, with a clan of Nikto known as Morgukai, they're...."

"Jedi killers..." Suri finished before pulling the staff away from the Hunter's throat, she was saddened and angry, yet calm and collected. "Were I any other person... I'd have killed you for what you've done to my family. Afterall, you've killed my father, and you've killed my Rishii brother. I would be no different to you if I killed you out of vengeance." Suri stepped up and off him though kept her staff primed to strike. "Get out of my sight Hunter! If I even hear a breath with your name on it, I will not be so merciful. Tell my father's family that they will receive no satisfaction from my death, nor will they receive satisfaction from Serah's either!"

"What of my weapons?" he protested as he got to his feet. "I'll have them back now..."

"They're no longer yours, Hunter." Suri replied. "For your crimes against the Rishii settlement, your weapons have been confiscated and you are not welcome amongst Ranaku's clan. The wilds have all that you need to survive. Now get lost!" As Suri threatened to smack the Hunter with her staff to chase him off, she sensed the presence of a Razor cat nearby. The girl decided to give the Hunter a little incentive by connecting with the Razor Cat in the Force just briefly but enough for her to encourage it to hunt the Hunter, not to kill, but to teach...though the Hunter didn't need to know that. "You might want to start running...there's a Razor Cat nearby on the prowl." she said calmly, looking in its direction. The Hunter clocked threat immediately and looked at Suri briefly before turning to run, the cat immediately beginning to give chase, though not at its top speed. The girl wanted to laugh inside. For all the Hunter had done to her and her family, being chased by a Razor Cat was less than what he deserved, but if she were to follow Lynmeira's path, she would have to show him mercy. She had done so by letting him live, but perhaps not by letting the cat chase him. Once the Hunter and the hunted ran off into the distance, Suri looked over Lynmeira. She deserved an explanation of what had happened and why this situation came head in the first place. "Thank you...I'm sorry you to see that." Suri said sadly. "And don't worry about that Hunter...he'll live. The cat will run him out of the territory, not kill him. A man learns nothing if he cannot put the lessons learned into practice."

Suri sat down on a tree root nearby and gestured for Lynmeira to sit with her. "You deserve answers...and I can't leave you in the dark...not after this." Suri took in a breath to steel herself for the questions. "What do you wish to know?"

[Lynmeira Verashy]

From the corner of her eye, Lynmeira had seen Suri grab her weapon, which was why she didn't make a move herself against the hunter, after she had disarmed him. She was unimpressed by his threat. "It has everything to do with me. I will not warn you twice," she stated coldly and very calmly. She wasn't one to let evil menace innocents and the Hunter wouldn't harm Suri or anyone else in her presence.

She let Suri pounce the hunter and interrogate him. She felt in the girl's aura that she wouldn't kill him and she trusted in her newfound pupil. While she would help in any way she could, she also respected the teenager's right to handle the situation. She also took in the information that the discussion revealed about the younger brunette's life and relatives, piecing things together from what both Suri and the herbalist Rishii had told her.

When the hunter asked for his weapons, Lynmeira made no gesture to return them, firmly showing she didn't intend to do as he requested. She was glad that Suri was on the same wave length and only gave a firm nod to show her alignment with the teenager's decision, much to the hunter's dismay.

She said nothing at the whole Razor cat feat until the hunter had disappeared. Then, she couldn't help smirking. "I'm not worried," she simply replied, showing she had no problem with it.

Her expression softened as she came to sit with Suri. "You don't need to apologize. As for answers, well, I learned you have a twin sister before coming here and I believe the other person you asked about was your mother?"

[Suri Jaxx]

Suri was kind of surprised when Lynmeira seemed to approve of her actions, even having the razor cat chase the Hunter, though she did smirk a little when Lynmeira spoke of knowing Suri had a twin. "Serah is my twin, yes..." Suri responded, nodding in confirmation. "Cereza is my mother. When my father's family sent that bastard out to hunt us, Mother and Father decided to separate Serah and I in the hope that it would throw the Hunter off the scent. It had been the first time in my life that I'd ever been away from Serah. We were born together, raised together, went everywhere together....to suddenly be ripped from her like that... I feel incomplete."

Suri sighed as she looked down. "And now hearing about Mother... I feel despair. I know that right now... I can't do anything for her. Not yet..."

[Lynmeira Verashy]

Lynmeira didn't know what it was to be close to one's parents or to a sibling. The one true family bond she had experienced was with her Jedi Master. She grew up feeling different from her family and being quite a loner, which she still was to a degree. She couldn't pretend knowing the pain Suri was experiencing but she was glad that the teenager could bring it up to her already, although she realized that circumstances had kind of forced that revelation.

She gently reached out and slowly rested a hand on Suri's shoulder. "Why can't you do anything?" she queried, curious about the younger brunette's reasoning behind this.

[Suri Jaxx]

Suri looked over to Lynmeira when she asked why the girl felt she could not do anything to help her mother right now. "Because I'm not ready to face them..." Suri replied. "The Morgukai are Nikto that are trained to hunt and kill Jedi. Going in to help her right now would be folly, even with the help of others." Suri sighed and looked outward. "I'm not being defeatist about leaving her with them... but I know I can't just march in there and demand her return. I'd get captured too...and don't get me wrong, I know you'd do everything you could to help ensure my safety and the return of my mother, but I don't want to be a burden in battle. I want to be standing beside either you or whomever else decides to help me."

Suri looked down again. "Right now, the best I can do is barely be able to navigate without smacking my head off the nearest tree and stopping animals from attacking. I don't know much about Nar Shaddaa, but I doubt it has any sort of woodland or animals. If I can't navigate the dangers of a place like Nar Shaddaa, then I'm not going to be of any use in a battle there. I need to change that..."

[Lynmeira Verashy]

Lynmeira knew who and what the Morgukai were. She had never met any of her kind but Tullya had heard that one of the padawans who had escaped the purge had fallen into their hands and hadn't survived. She had set foot on Nar Shaddaa a few times for pit stops and it wasn't a planet she liked at all, though she had difficulties imagining anyone who did except pirates and outlaws of some weird kinds, or they had to be Hutts.

She arched a brow at Suri, listening to what the teenager replied. "You are contradicting yourself, do you realize it?" she asked calmly.

"You can do something. You can get ready to go help your mother. By getting ready, learning to use the Force and become stronger and smarter, you are doing something both for your family and for yourself."

[Suri Jaxx]

Suri said nothing as Lynmeira spoke about her contradicting herself. She felt no need to defend her words for she herself knew what she'd meant. As her heartbeat calmed once more and the Force returned her some better sight, her eyes looked upon the fallen Rishii not far away from them. Sighing in sadness, she lifted herself to her feet and approached the body. She knelt down and gently scooped him up into her arms before rising to her feet again. "That's exactly what I intend on doing...once we get Kirari home." Suri finally replied. Deep inside, she was hurting at this particular Rishii's loss, for he was one of the first fledgelings she helped raise during her early years. To have him die so young hurt the girl inside, yet she showed little emotion outwith. She just held him close and whispered, "May your soul fly free in the clouds. Your death will not be in vain..."

She looked over to her new mentor and sighed. "Once Kirari is given a send off, I'll be free to join you on our journey." she said before looking in the direction her staff. "Can you carry my staff for me until my hands are free...please?"

[Lynmeira Verashy]

Lynmeira nodded to Suri's words and she let the teenager take care of the deceased Rishii. She bowed her head and silently said a few words of well wishing for his return to the Force, leaving the teenager the only one speaking aloud. The Hapan Knight wasn't familiar enough with the one who had passed to fully partake but she respected the transition from life to the Force and showed respect.

"Of course." The tall brunette replied, reaching out to fetch Suri's staff when asked to. She then waited for Suri to lead the way back to the village.

[Suri Jaxx]

Adjusting her stance so she could carry Kirari's lifeless body more easily, Suri led the two back to the village. When they arrived on the outskirts, the blind girl instantly felt the mood change from anxiety to sadness as they saw her carry their fallen brother. Another of the Rishii came toward them, extending his arms out to the blind child to take Kirari off her hands. In the Force, Suri watched as the other Rishii came together, with Ishari came over to the two, embracing Suri with a hug almost like a mother's to her child. It was the first time in a while that Suri let herself cry. "I'm so sorry Ishari...I didn't get to Kirari in time." she said sadly. "The hunter got to him before I arrived..."

"Hush dear Suri. I know you did your best to get to him in time." Ishari said gently as she stroked the back of Suri's head while in the embrace. "Fate can be a cruel mistress, but Kirari's sacrifice and you and your friend's intervention has saved us from losing anymore of our flock. He will be honoured as a hero. As will you and Lynmeira." The old bird pulled away from the embrace and with a gentle touch of a wing, she lifted the girl's chin up, looking at her eye to eye. "You two make a great pair. You should go with her."

Suri frowned slightly. She had intended on having this conversation later with Ishari and Ranaku but it seemed fate had other ideas. "Ishari...?"

"Young lady, I know you've been feeling listless lately." Ishari said with a firm tone. "You know yourself that you cannot stay here forever. You're old enough now to start finding your place in this galaxy and you need to be with your own kind to do just that. You've done what was asked of you and more since you've arrived and now it is time for you to spread your own wings. Go with her. You'll always have a home here, but your destiny lies elsewhere." Ishari then leaned closer. "Besides, don't you have your twin to find out there?"

Suri smiled and nodded slowly. "I do... I was going to talk to you about this tonight but with everything that's happened..."

Ishari chuckled slightly. "You did your best and this is what you must do now. We will be fine now that the hunter has been dealt with and we'll keep guard to ensure our flock is safe once more." She then put a wing to Suri's cheek. "So get what you need and spread those featherless wings of yours."

Suri pulled Ishari into one more hug before nodding. "I'll be back to visit. I promise."

"Be sure that you do! We'll miss you here." Ishari said before turning the girl around. "Now get going you scamp! Be sure to say your farewells before you leave."

A small giggle escaped Suri's lips before looking at Lynmeira. The girl smiled at the Jedi Knight and wiped the residual tears from her blind eyes. "Shall be back shortly, Master." she said before disappearing toward her hut, gathering her belongings. Ishari meanwhile returned to her shop to gather the supplies Lynmeira had requested, handing them to the Jedi in a handcrafted woven bag. "And for you my dear. The Lidora roots you requested along with some other supplies to help you both on your journey, wherever it may take you." she said kindly. "While we'll mourn the loss of Kirari, we're glad that our featherless member of our flock still lives. The girl is a kind, brave soul that has lightened our lives since her arrival. We're confident now that being away from here is in her best interests. She needs to play her part in the galaxy whole."

[Lynmeira Verashy]

Lynmeira carried Suri's gear in silence. She didn't try to close herself from the girl's sadness, also noting her devotion to her adoptive people. If there was one thing the Hapan knew well, it was to find family where you didn't expect it. For the briefest of moments, she felt the faint presence of her late Master brush against her aura. It brought a subtle smile to her lips. She knew that the Force was at play and had been for a long time regarding who turned out to be Suri, her pupil and the person who would lead her to finally make it to Ossus, to see whether the rumors were true.

She kept holding Suri's gear as she observed the exchange between her and the Rishii. Her heart broke as she watched Suri cry. Yet she found it important that the girl could accept her emotions. While as Jedi they weren't to let them rule over them, ignoring emotions couldn't lead to anything good. She had learned that over the years.

When the Rishii then told Suri that it was time to her to go, she felt gratitude, laced with brief fear of the unknown, which soon dissipated. She had the impression that they would both grow through the adventure that was awaiting them.

She smiled and chuckled a little as Ishari shooed Suri away to go get ready. "I'll be waiting for you," she simply replied before handing her stuff back to the younger brunette. She watched her scamper off, before returning her attention to the Rishii.

She bowed her head to the herbalist as she accepted the small package. "Thank you. I appreciate it. I look forward to my journey with Suri. I believe we will both learn a lot from each other. And I have ties to Rishii as well, so we will visit again." She hesitated for a moment and them murmured words that weren't always so prudent to utter in the galaxy. "May the Force be with you, Ishari."

[Suri Jaxx]

Stepping into the unknown...with heart racing and eagerness to take her first steps into a new life, Suri arrived at her home and prepared herself for the heartrending goodbyes to her Rishii family. Putting a hand to her heart in a vain effort to quieten it, Suri felt something that she'd barely felt since she were a young child...hope. Stopping for a moment in quiet contemplation, Suri clasped her hands, pressing them against her chest and closed her sightless eyes, lowering her head in prayer. It was something she very rarely did, except when she was praying for a safe journey, or when one of her fledglings became sick. This time, not only was she praying for a safe journey, she was praying for the new life she was about to embrace and praying that, along the way, she would find her sister again. She loved her Rishii family, having grown with them and helped nurture them to their current state, but without Serah, without their mother or their father, Suri felt incomplete. She would continue, as always, to keep moving forward and do her best not to look back, though it wasn't easy at times.

Raising her head, Suri pulled a soft smile as she set her mind to positive things. The chance to explore the galaxy...in her own way, was an exciting time. Picking up a pack that she normally used for gathering harvest, Suri packed in some supplies for the trip ahead. For a girl that had lived with the Rishii for the past seven years, Suri had remarkably few possessions. A blanket, a few woven T-shirts and hand-stitched shorts -that fitted her lithe, agile frame-, her staff for defence, a illuminated visor (http://www.ohgizmo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/light_up_led_visors_by_illumi_nation_6-740x555.jpg) and a pair of sunglasses (http://d2ydh70d4b5xgv.cloudfront.net/images/a/e/versace-ve-2021-1001-11-gunmetal-gray-visor-aviator-mens-medusa-sunglasses-nwc-4105b13dbceaee0c24469f1969ef263c.jpg). For a girl already blind, one would initially find it most curious that she even had such things, but the idea was simple. While the Rishii didn't mind her blind appearance, the other races were not so kind. Some would even take the opportunity to try to attack or steal from her. By wearing her visor or her sunglasses, Suri saved herself from getting too much attention as her useless eyes wouldn't freak the others out. The visor was good for night time and dark places so others could keep track of her at times she may wonder where she shouldn't.

Once she packed what she needed, Suri donned her sunglasses and put the visor in her pack before hoisting it onto her shoulder and grabbing her staff. It was time to go. It was now or never and the young teen took in a breath as she walked away from her old life. Using the Force, she located her friend and Master quickly and walked to her current location. As she moved closer, the Force showed her there were more Rishii nearby, all waiting for her. The clan had been told of her departure and they all wanted to share their well wishes. Each hug both galvanized and hurt the girl as she'd have rather left quietly, without fanfare to save her heart from breaking. She said her goodbyes, a few tears escaping as she walked from them. When she finally joined Lynmeira, Suri smiled at her, eyes hidden behind her glasses, yet her cheeks showing telltale signs of fallen tears. Wiping her eyes a little she looked to the Hapan and nodded to her. "I am ready... shall we go before I become a gibbering wreck?" she said, half joking, half serious.

[Lynmeira Verashy]

Part of Lynmeira didn't want to leave Rishii, which was ironic as she had always loved exploring new places. Yet Rishii had been the closest to home she had ever got. She felt her late master's presence ripple subtly at the edge of her perceptions and she could almost hear her encourage her gently but firmly to continue her journey. And the Hapan had made a promise she intended to keep to her friend and mentor. She had to let go of her time on Rishii and embark onto the next leg of the adventure known as life. And she wouldn't go alone. She was curious about teaching one of her kind, of spending time with yet another Jedi, which she hadn't done since the Togruta's passing.

She waited in silence for Suri to be ready. She let her own thoughts play in her mind and let the Force wash away her concerns. Her life was very different than what she had expected when a child but there was so much more beauty, whether in joy or gravity.

She smiled encouragingly to her new traveling companion. She saw the signs of tears and she admired Suri's courage to leave behind home too, because it was what the Rishii had been to the teenager as well. "We shall," she replied simply before leading the way.

As the duet left the village behind, she spoke again. "We will go back to my hut in the woods so I can gather my belongings as well, bid one last goodbye and then head to the Cove where I have my ship. We will need some supplies for the trip."

[Suri Jaxx]

Nodding to her new master, Suri clutched at her staff as they walked away from the village that was once her home. Her heart ached at the thought of leaving them behind, but the blind student was determined to follow the will of the Force... and her heart. Filled with the hope that, one day, through dedication and hard work, Suri would finally be reunited with at least one member of her family. She would never stop searching for answers on their whereabouts, but she also understood that she had to keep moving forward, live her own life. Suri had to trust in the Force, and hope that their paths crossed along the way.

Following Lynmeira by her side, yet a step or two behind, the blind girl listened as the plan of action was spoken to her. Though quiet, she was actually quite curious to know where Lynmeira had been living all these years. Since she couldn't 'see' in the normal sense, however, Suri had to rely on what the Force would show her, along with her other heightened senses, such as touch, smell and hearing, to understand her environment. With every step, the smell of feathers and dander diminished, replaced by smells of moss, wet sticks and woodland plants. With every step, the sounds of her Rishii family faded, replaced by the sounds of native wildlife. A lot of questions entered her mind in that moment. She learned to cope in this environment, but would she be enfeebled in another? Would she be able to be the Jedi Lynmeira believes she could be despite her blindness? She had no answers to those questions yet, so could only trust Lynmeira and the Force to guide her while she built up her confidence.