(no subject)

[ezra_of_lothal]

Who: Ezra and YOU!
What: Slice of life prompts in main post + winter mourning prompts separately, below
When: Throughout December
Where: The house with Obi-wan and Anakin Skywalker in Cassandra, the Sanctuary, Trench Farm, the woods past the farm, potentially other places in Trench. Memory spaces

Content Warnings:  None for slice of life prompts, warnings for will be in subject lines for winter mournings below


A.  Saber Katas

Most mornings, at or near the crack of dawn, Ezra usually does some mix of sitting meditation or saber practice behind the house where he lives in Cassandra. But it's never good to be stale, in one environment, so sometimes he also be found elsewhere, green blade ignited. The beach. Out beyond Trench Farm into the wood. Occasionally the rooftop of an abandoned building.

He also likes to mix up forms a little. Return to the basics of Shii-Cho, the first form Kanan taught him, and he helped teach to Sabine. Those moves may look the most familiar with swordsmanship of the sort when the blade isn't one of super powered light. Sometimes he goes with the acrobatics and aggressiveness of Ataru, that he is still working in making his own.

But anyone watching him long may be able to tell that he keeps coming back to Soresu - flowing and defense oriented. Both Kanan Jarrus and Obi-wan Kenobi, the Jedi he has had the most time to learn from, have favored it. It is, in that sense, a special connection to parts of his past that he cherishes.

Soresu katas are also simply the best moving meditation he has found, grounding him in calm.

Usually if he notices someone watching, he'll keep going until the end of a set, and shoot a smile in their direction when he has a moment. If someone gets a little too close, he's careful to pause. Even on a low setting, a lightsaber can sting.

B. The Sanctuary/Healing practice/post healing meditation

Now that Trench is entering the depths of winter, and some food growing parts of the work he does is on pause, Ezra feels like he can be a little more free with how much time he spends at the Sanctuary.

Slick saber moves are far from the only thing for a young Jedi to study and practice. Some of the work at the Sanctuary is so specific to corruption and beasthood, it barely has anything to do with anything he's learned from other Jedi, per se.

And sometimes someone comes in whom he can help out with help with a little good old-fashioned physical healing with the Force.

Not that he feels like he really knows what he's doing, with that, most of the time. He's trying to learn some medicine, in the scientific sense, too, to be more precise and effective than simply...pouring energy into a body, basically.

It's not really his energy. He's merely the focal point, although he's limited in what he can handle, asking of the Force.

Still, he often finds the process draining, just the bit of stabilization and speeding recovery that he can manage. Maybe it shouldn't be. He had so little time with fully trained Jedi Healers to learn this branch of knowledge, barely more than a handful of days. Now he's mostly making it up as he goes along.

Collapsing to a kneel under the guardian tree after he does some healing though, and soaking up it's presence for a while, that he's sure helps.

Did the Healers, in the era before he was born, go to the Room of a Thousand Fountains to rest and refresh themselves, he wonders.

C. Walking in the wood with hell hounds

And then sometimes a boy just wants to hang out with some of his animal friends. He's not a hunter; he never intentionally sets out to patrol for beasts.

He will, however, run or stalk through the woods alongside some of the more benevolent wildlife, his senses flung wide open to the Force, feeling and images from his companions flowing through them. Almost a battle meditation of sorts, even if there's no battle to be found (although of course, his companions may find one). His sense of individual consciousness fades some into the life, all around him.

[[OOC: Feel free to hit me up at skipthedemon or PM to brainstorm or ask for a wildcard prompt.]]

Comments

(cw: near death exposure to desert elements, hallucinations/psychic and emotional manipulation)

[ezra_of_lothal]

An encounter with a wizard in the Wastes

It starts with a boy lost on a desert world, listening to a (possibly familiar to some) voice of Maul, taunting him for his failures. Eventually, the young man loses conscious and wakes up in the camp of Jedi Master Obi-wan Kenobi, older than the face that may also be familiar to residents of Trench.

The boy speaks passionately, about helping his rescuer, about truth, and once Maul appears, making right the mistake he made in coming here. But ultimately, this younger version of Ezra yields to Master Kenobi's instruction. He chooses to trust, to turn his back Maul, who has tormented him so.

He takes the offered path home.

[jedies]

[ obi-wan is not surprised to see it play out this way. maul had told him a little of what happened in the past, though he wasn't aware of ezra's involvement. he feels a bit bad, to have so little involvement in the war, but that sense of guilt has long since left him. ]

Did you make peace with it?

[ezra_of_lothal]

[What a question. Ezra-in-the-present cross his arms, and ponders.]

I did in a way, then, enough to go home with hope in my heart. I did have what I needed, then. My family, our work together. Lothal.

[He looks over, and shoots Obi-wan a small grin.]

And now I know more parts of what was going on. The vision from the holocrons was true, from a certain point of view.

In a way I never could have imagined.

(Cw: Fire, death, grief for a parental figure)

[ezra_of_lothal]

Death of a Jedi Knight

Fire. Screaming - although aside from Hera howling Kanan's name, Ezra cannot truly remember much until their stolen craft touches down. He knows he must have told Sabine they had to keep flying. He knows he must kept Hera from flinging herself back to the fire.

But the next clear moment is when he manages to get out the truth-

Kanan is gone.

His master is dead.

Ezra-in-the present takes control of the memory, and pulls away from Zeb's attempts at comfort. The memory freezes, while he slumps into a kneeling crouch. Then he looks out at the pre-dawn inky sky, over the grassland of his homeworld, letting himself sob without shame.

[hopesparks]

Anakin has ended up in a few memories by this point, so the sudden change of location isn't as jarring as it could be. He recognizes Zeb, sees his worry and anguish.

But Ezra is the focal point. The sobbing resonates with something in Anakin-- the echoed sound of a soul walking wounded. He closes himself off carefully so his emotions don't muddle the atmosphere. Instead, he sits cross-legged next to Ezra, close enough to grab onto but not so close that he's intruding. He is steady and quiet.

[ezra_of_lothal]

Ezra settles more solidly on the group, and scrubs at his face, with a couple of hiccuping breaths.

"Wonder if - if I end up doing this all over again next year, it'll be any easier," he mutters, with a bitter laugh.

At the moment, he's doubtful.

[survivalthroughhate]

Maul never has had the luxury of having a master who cared about him. Maul loved Sidious for many years without it being reciprocated. He often wondered what it would be like to have someone love him unconditionally. He sees that now, the way Ezra's master saves the rest of them at the expense of his own life.

Ezra was very kind to Maul when his own memories of the death of his brother were on display, so right now he tries to reciprocate. He doesn't say anything, only placing a gentle hand (far gentler than Maul usually is with anyone) on Ezra's shoulder, letting it rest there to show he understands. He understands what it's like to lose a family member in such an abrupt, horrible way all too well.

[ezra_of_lothal]

Ezra jolts at the touch, his head snapping up, and stares, wide eye at Maul for a long moment, his gaze still glassy with tears.

He doesn't sense in any intent to harm, so he slowly makes himself physically relax.

"...I miss him more than ever lately," he says, eventually, in a dull tone.

(Cw: Discussion of genocide, potential genocide, cultural appropriation)

[ezra_of_lothal]

A planned surrender

Ezra seems calm as he lets the stormtroopers cuff him and take him to the Admiral in charge of the fleet blockading his homeworld. He remains some semblance of call, discussing choices, strategy, and morality.

It's the Admiral's talking about 'saving' something about the people he's planning to kill or subjugate that makes Ezra's temper break.

Still, the young man remains defiant, while Thrawn proclaims all that matters is who has power, and he will take Ezra to someone who will teach him his lesson.

To the Emperor.

b.

[hearuthinking]

Now that Jason is more familiar with Ezra, he tries to at least say hello to the kid whenever they're both in the Sanctuary. And Jason is in the Sanctuary a lot more after he and Viktor assigned themselves as the planning duo for Allen's holiday celebration. He walks by the tree and pauses seeing Ezra there.

"You good there?" Jason checks. A lot of people do hang out by the tree to rest and meditate, but he feels obligated to ask just in case.

[ezra_of_lothal]

Ezra looks up, and smiles tiredly.

"Yeah. Or, well. I should be. Little drained, at the moment."

[hearuthinking]

"Try not to push yourself too much, kid," Jason advises him gently. He's seen Ezra working and though he doesn't understand a lot about Jedi powers, he doesn't need to: anybody can tell the kid is working hard.

A

[miyagimagic]

There's not much of a chance for detours this month. Not with the way the weather is plagueing this place, anyway - somewhere between the cold and the snow, most people would probably just prefer to stay home. But the former doesn't bother Daniel as much, being a coldblood, and the latter is at least a little avoidable - or at least not terrible - on some days.

.. besides, when he's out to grab some food, it's hard to ignore spotting something like this. It's like there's some internal karate-radar going off in Daniel's head, spotting the boy practicing kata by himself, and being unable to not watch it.

Or approach, after a little while.

It's not a surprise to see Ezra doing kata when the other talked to Daniel about them before, which is why he offers Ezra an amicable smile more so than anything else.

"Practicing out here even in this weather? You're dedicated."

[ezra_of_lothal]

It is, admittedly, pretty wild weather to be doing this just for fun.

Ezra had, as rooted as he in the Force right this minute, felt a shift of interest and attention towards him, although he wasn't familiar enough with Daniel's presence yet to register specifically who it came from.

No one felt it all like a threat, at any rate. The opposite, really.

He smiles very faintly, but replies solemnly, "Best to be prepared for any conditions, if I have to actually fight."

No teenage shyness or uncertainty today, all experienced warrior's calm.

[miyagimagic]

He shakes his head a little, though it's in amusement more than in any sort of disagreement - made obvious by him adding a: "True, true."

It's not like danger is going to wait to accost you under only the most pleasant of circumstances. Even in those cold months, Trench is probably going to be dangerous. Daniel may not have experience with it yet, but he sure figures it's going to happen. This place hasn't truly let up so far, after all.

"Still, you are making sure to stay warm, right?"

Ezra definitely sounds calm today. Even Daniel can notice that.

But apparently nothing is going to stop a fussy dad type from fussing.

b!

[grice]

[ next in line is a boy entering his early teens, limbs just a year away from being completely gangly and short-cut sandy blond. he remains at the open door's frame with an amount of uncertainty in his body language. shy, uncomfortable— but worse would be to do nothing at all about it. on vi's own proposition to visit the sanctuary, which did remind him of so much healing that happened, both physically and mentally), he decides that giving something a try was better than not trying at all.

he probably waits until his hovering presence is known, a hidden hallway behind the rest of the wall that makes up the room Ezra sits in to work. ]

Can . . . I come in?

[ezra_of_lothal]

[Ezra turns towards the younger boy and flashes a warm smile.]

Hey, Falco. You sure can.

What's up?

[grice]

[ falco's entry is on-demand; once ezra gives permission, he steps past the door frame and keeps his hands close to his middle— mostly fidgeting with the strap of his messenger back across his chest, so he could busy his fingers with something to hold. ]

I think I need some help. With— [ he tries to gesture, but comes up flat on what he should gesture to his hands go right back where they used to. ] With feeling— Awful.

c!

[centile]

With his senses so open Ezra might feel a blip on his radar. A spark of muted power, easily ignored on a surface level. It flares up rather suddenly and immensely, just a massive pool of power that doesn't seem to have an immediate end, that seems to want to pull all other power into it. Blue tinted, warping to shades of green, purple and pink, tied to the sudden burst of frustration, the kind pointed inward at oneself like a knife. Disappointment.

It's gone quickly, and if followed it will lead to a middle schooler staring at his hand not too far into the forest. A massive log nearby was very clearly recently moved, sparks of power still wafting off it. Some of the plants nearby are greener and more full of life than they should be.

And the boy himself blinks to see someone coming, glancing to the dogs blandly, then Ezra. "Those aren't like the zombies?" he doesn't sound too alarmed, just curious. Hopeful even, he really doesn't want to deal with more zombie dogs.

[ezra_of_lothal]

Oh, that all feels very familiar. Perhaps not exactly like Force use as Ezra experiences it, but there can be many similarities with other flavors of psychic and magic use, in Ezra's experience.

Ezra slows to a stop, and when he looks towards the boy, a couple of the hellhounds look as well, in eerie unison.

Yeah, he should probably reel himself back into his body more. He kind of has to, to open his mouth and reply. So there's a sliver of delay before he reassures, flashing a small, warm smile, "Nah. They're nice as long you're nice to them. They're my friends."

He glances between the kid and the log. "...practicing?" he hazards.

[centile]

There's something familiar about Ezra too that Mob immediately notices, down to how he feels... hm, stretched for a moment. Usually people with an aura meant trouble lately for him on first meeting, but so far the Trench has been different. Everyone has some sort of power here, at least with sleepers.

He nods to the bit about the dogs, easing a little and looking at them again. Kind of scary looking but they were still basically dogs, and he offers a tiny wave to the pair of them in greeting. Definitely on board with being nice to them.

But then Ezra is speaking again, making Mob glance to the side, a touch bashful in his muted way. "Um... in a way." He glances at his hand again before looking up to Ezra. "Are you a psychic too?"

c

[stilljustyou]

( There are many times that Frisk explores on their own. It's something they did for the most part at home. While they're more than aware that it could be dangerous, that's never stopped them before -- especially now that they've learned some self-defense. At the least, they're quiet enough not to attract the attention of any beasts wandering around.

However, the moment that they stop on a tree branch is the moment that they do attract unwanted attention from one of the monsters. They turn towards Frisk, a low growl escaping them.

Frisk takes a step back quickly, not knowing that Ezra wasn't far behind. )

Finally, I'm here

[ezra_of_lothal]

[Beasts, as opposed to other animals around, are pretty distinctive in the Force. As are Sleepers.

So when temporarily nearly collective being of Ezra and a few hellhounds come across a young looking Sleeper being growled out, Ezra instinctively immediately relays what he senses to the hounds, along with his flare of concern-

One of the hellhounds bolts forward a little, stepping into the kid and the beast, growling back.]

b.

[worldcleansing]

"It looks like you overdid it."

Now that he's had time to settle in well enough, Light has been learning this new world. With the threat of corruption forever over their heads, the sanctuary seems like an especially important location to learn. Still fresh to this land and without too much danger, Light isn't worried yet, but that could change.

While he hasn't stalked Ezra — Light isn't prone to stalking strangers — he had noted the boy's existence after seeing him heal another person. It seems like a very useful skill. It's only coincidence that has him walk by as Ezra collapses.

"But it looks like you managed a lot back there."

Sorry for my slowness!

[ezra_of_lothal]

Ezra shifts and blinks up, without any recognition.

"Thanks," he says, with a sigh.

"I try, with what little I know." He smiles faintly, a little rueful and just a touch bitter. "I'm no master healer."

Maybe that would have always been beyond him, in any life. But today, in this life, he's resenting that there's no one to really, properly teach him. Not as a Jedi in the Order at full strength would have been taught, anyway.