TEST DRIVE: NOVEMBER

[empevents]

— TEST DRIVE: NOVEMBER —

Welcome to empatheias' test drive meme. This test drive is to help interested players test their characters in the game's environment. We've included a few prompts that incorporate specific elements of the game, though you'll find all of them have a lot of leeway for players to get as creative as necessary. Before diving in, here are a few things we'd like to remind everyone about the game in general:

• Date reminders. Reserves open Tuesday, October 25 and Applications (Canon | OC) open Tuesday, November 1st.
  
  
• OC Reminder! Just a quick reminder that original characters are allowed. Those interested can also use the test drive. OCs do not need to be reserved.
  
  
• Emotions are key! Empatheias' premise focuses on how anyone's emotions can affect their environment, be it big or small. While not every emotion will cause a reaction, significant ones definitely will. How much effect a character will have will ultimately be up to you, the player. Also, while we're giving a lot of leeway for the test drive, keep in mind that there will be some limits in the actual game.
  
  
• Everyone has an amulet. All characters have a unique amulet that is specialized for them. It will contain all of their emotion drops and it serves as the network device. Remember, communication is telepathic. Otherwise, it works basically the same.
  
  
• Assume the character is already in the game. Because "OMG WHERE AM I IS THIS REAL LIFE" threads aren't going to be very helpful in this test drive! Plus those are going to happen in-game, anyway. So to make things easier, just assume that they've been around at least a week or so. Still learning the ropes, but not a complete "first day" experience.
  
  
• First or third person allowed. Your threads can be in either first or third, but we'd advise being flexible about it. Remember, these threads can also be used in your application for samples! Reminder: We only require one sample and it can be done in either format. We have also made a change to our sample requirements, so look over the Applications page!

Now with that out of the way, here are some prompts you guys can work from!


PROMPTS

• Prompt A: How about giving the emotions a try?

• Prompt B: Refer to the Task Board and choose a task your character may be interested in taking up. For this prompt, you could have your character ask for help, already be in the middle of the job, or react to it in some way. Perhaps they were an unfortunate victim or want to create a job countering an existing one. You could even have a prompt making a job request. Creating jobs for the purpose of the test drive is absolutely doable.

• Prompt C: How about giving the amulets a go? Start a telepathic conversation and see how it works. Remember, the amulets are sending out the owner's thoughts so might want to be careful about how the stream of consciousness goes...

• Prompt D: The Boreas Harvest Festival is fast approaching, and the farmers are trying hard to work through the bleak weather conditions to get their crops in before they go bad from all the apathy. All hands on deck—but there may be too many unwanted hands roaming around.

1. Scarecrows. The scarecrows that have been set up as a festive reminder of the time of year have unfortunately come under the influence of some errant strong emotions from the farm hands that work in the fields. Unfortunately that includes trying to ward off anyone who enters the fields with pitchforks and is one of them carrying a torch? Maybe if they can be convinced that you are trustworthy they will calm down.
   
   
2. Invading rabbits. There are ton of rabbits ravaging the carrot patches. They're easily frightened, but some are more tenacious than others. Beware of the white rabbit with red eyes.
   
   
3. Save the crops! Several batches are already starting to spoil! The only thing that can save them is dumping as much positive emotions into them. Joy of good food, hope for a bountiful meal, love of eating—whatever will work. Just be careful. Too much and those things might grow and explode…

• Prompt E: Aiada, the Arehtei of appreciation and jealousy, has sent a personal request for those who are interested. There is a small island just beneath Empatheias that she has been cultivating over the many centuries. She wishes to contribute to the Harvest Festival with some seeds and spores. However, the recent atmosphere has also reached down there, and now it's all a mess! Giant mushrooms replaced the trees and there's slime and mold everywhere. The cure? Aside from getting a lot of heavy duty cleaners and pushing it off, appreciation will go a long way to help.

1. Goop brigade. Grab that bucket and shovel and clear the goop out! Just be careful not to have too much get on you—jealousy might take over.
   
   
2. Appreciation balls. To help hasten the effort, Aiada has given several tubs filled with light, green orbs. Once channeled with enough appreciation, they can be used as mini-grenades to help explode and wash the area with more positive energy. Those caught in the blast won't be harmed. If anything, they'll just be very thankful.
   
   
3. Watch the ledges. Careful, it's a fairly small island and the goop and slime has made things slick. If you fall… That's not a good way to go, let's just say that.

• Prompt F: Various parties are interested in the emotion shards scattered all over Thera. But this time around, the focus is on the medical laboratory as the equipment and potential research there is also of interest. For three days those who volunteer are sent back to try and gather as much as possible—but of course this won't be easy.

1. Skeletal Scientists. The remains of the scientists who once worked in these rooms are still lurking, ready to protect their work. Fortunately they're relatively weak nerds, so not too difficult to dispatch. Just be careful.
   
   
2. Flying equipment. The various medical equipment has also taken life, scalpels and needles flying everywhere and stethoscopes ready to strangle.
   
   
3. Questionable liquid. Most of the easy shards have already been taken, leaving the more difficult to retrieve ones left. In particular they're found in strange, dark pink liquid. It's mostly harmless—except that upon contact intense waves of grief and suffering will course through. The longer the exposure, the worse it is. So hopefully a bucket full of it doesn't fall on you…

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include feathers and/or confetti.

For your threads, put the Character Name and the Canon in the subject line to help readily identify them. You're also welcome to use more than one prompt for respondents to choose from. If you have any questions or want to brush up on the game information, refer to the Game Information entry. Otherwise, tag around and have fun!

Comments

[sithkabobed]

[Ezra's reaction is expected and met with a continued neutral gaze. It's the same one he'd given countless Padawans (his own and otherwise) in the past--the kind of look that didn't betray any disappointment or approval, merely observation.]

[Probably one of the most irritating of them all.]

I was just enjoying my morning walk and about to do some meditation.

[Qui-Gon smiles, the corners of his mouth barely upturning with the gesture.]

Perhaps you'd like to join me?

[It's a question delivered in a tone that, while gentle and avoiding admonishment, spells out "you don't have a choice".]

[lothrat]

[Qui-Gon might not be his master, technically, but a master he still is. His opinion still carries a lot of weight - if not just because of his title, but because he's Qui-Gon. Something about him has struck a chord with Ezra from almost the moment they met.

Which means that gentle non-admonishment makes Ezra want to wince. Crap... The curling grass droops completely now.]

Of course... Master Jinn...

[No, no he doesn't, but he doesn't need to have it spelled out that there's no other right answer here. Reluctantly, he falls into step with him, leaving both the wilted grass and the cracked ground behind. Mostly. The grass is still wilting along with his steps.]

Where are we going?

[sithkabobed]

[Thankfully, Qui-Gon is merciful and he doesn't dare hamper Ezra's dignity further by mentioning the way the grass continues to wilt away in his path, but it's a note to keep in mind for later. If he's feeling guilty, then that means he understands the potential gravity of his actions.]

[That means they can have a good talk.]

[He speaks while he strides along, his steps taking on a steady gait free of any rush. It's a leisure walk, minus any trepidation Ezra may feel.]

I never liked the provided meditation rooms in the Temple. The Room of a Thousand Fountains was far preferable.

[There's a reason behind his exposition, Ezra. Promise.]

So I've found that the local woodland has made for a decent substitute. There's a spot by a brook that's particularly relaxing.

[lothrat]

[Kanan doesn't really like to talk about the past all that much, and knowing how painful it has to be, Ezra's never really pressed for details on his master's time in the Temple. He's got his own stories he doesn't like talking about. He can respect Kanan's privacy there.

But Qui-Gon's mention of the Temple opens up an opportunity to be curious without necessarily intruding on Kanan's past.]

There was a room with a thousand fountains? Literally?

[Around him, the grass stops wilting as he's temporarily distracted from his guilt.]

What did the Temple need it for?

[sithkabobed]

[Okay, that earns a chuckle from Qui-Gon.]

Despite the name, no, not literally.

It was a large garden area at the base of the Temple used as a retreat for Jedi of all ages and ranks. Some sought it when they wanted to enjoy some time to themselves, sometimes the Council would meet there to discuss issues outside of their quarters, and others would walk its paths to quiet trouble minds and hopefully approach their problems with renewed clarity.

[The smile on his face takes on a hint of sadness and the wind around Qui-Gon picks up just enough to ruffle his cloak.]

It was truly beautiful.

[lothrat]

Oh, so it wasn't actually a room.

[That's easier for him to picture, actually, than trying to wrap his mind around the idea of a Jedi Temple so huge that just one of its rooms was big enough to hold a thousand different fountains.]

It sounds like it was nice. I wish I could have seen it.

[In contrast to Qui-Gon's mood, Ezra's is a little more wistful. It's not a strong enough emotion to affect his surroundings, though, leaving him open to notice when there is a change - a wind that touches Qui-Gon, but not him. A glance at the master is all it takes to see that hint of sadness.

Doesn't mean he knows what to do about it, though.

Maybe offer a distraction?]

...you know, that wasn't what it looked like, back there. I wasn't using the Force.

[sithkabobed]

[No worries, Ezra. It's not on you to comfort the old Jedi.]

[That being said, Qui-Gon's sadness swiftly melts away into a semi-austere gaze directed at the boy walking alongside him. It doesn't quite breach into the realm of scolding, but there's a serious air about the way Qui-Gon speaks, how his tone shifts into an artful blend of quiet and commanding.]

You may not have been using the Force, Ezra, but that doesn't mean your actions were any less dangerous.

[He hates the idea of stifling experimentation with powers, but Qui-Gon knows all-too-well the lure of the Dark Side, and how even the most seasoned of Jedi can get ensnared without realizing it.]

[He was almost one of them.]

Anger is a powerful emotion, but it's driven by fear and negativity. That path only leads to ruin.

Whatever strength you think you'd gain is low-hanging and bitter fruit.

[lothrat]

[Ezra grimaces, even knowing he brought this lecture on himself by offering it as a distraction in the first place. Qui-Gon's good at controlling his voice and phrasing things in the least accusing way, but Ezra's own mind can fill in the blanks.

"That was reckless and dangerous."

"You know better than that."

"What would Kanan say if he knew?"

Ezra's shoulders hunch, a little defensive.]

But Master Jinn, if our emotions have power here, why not learn how to use it? We're going to feel things anyway. We can't just shut that off. Isn't it better if we can control the effects?

[sithkabobed]

[Those are all very good questions--ones that Qui-Gon himself has asked time and time again. It was only when he personally experienced the destruction of anger that he fully realized the danger of emotions running rampant in the hands of someone who has access to the massive power of the Force and the darkness folded within.]

Your thoughts are heart are in the right place, and your questions are valid.

[Here comes the 'but...']

But there is danger in utilizing one's emotions as a tool. They aren't meant to be controlled in that way.

[He makes sure to keep his tone gentle and free of any accusation. Qui-Gon wants Ezra to feel like he can talk to him and bring up these challenges without the need to hop on the defensive. That would only serve to alienate the young Padawan.]

[lothrat]

[It's a change for Ezra, dealing with someone so patient. Hera and Kanan try, but even they have their limits. Not used to it yet, Ezra sometimes finds himself still waiting for the other shoe to fall. In some ways it makes him want to keep pushing, to test Qui-Gon's patience, because surely there's an end to it somewhere, and he wants to know where the line is. Except, at the same time, he's found he wants Qui-Gon's approval, too, which means he doesn't want to press.

It's an odd and sometimes frustrating experience, and it might be fueling some of Ezra's expression when he gives Qui-Gon a skeptical look.]

But Jedi are supposed to control their emotions.

[sithkabobed]

[It helps that Qui-Gon can sympathize with Ezra. He's not exactly the most orthodox of Jedi, and he's used to the exasperation that can come along with every single suspicious look and immediate shutdown of an idea just because it doesn't fit in perfectly with the Jedi Code.]

[So even though Ezra's look is skeptical, and his frustration is evident, all Qui-Gon can do is smile.]

'Control' is a word often thrown around, but there are certain nuances to it that should be explored outside of not allowing oneself to feel.

Emotions aren't an enemy to be suppressed, nor are they meant to fuel one's power. There is danger in both interpretations.

Rather, emotions are meant to be felt, acknowledged, and assessed. Why do you feel the way you do? What can be done to improve it and yourself? How can you let go of negativity and allow for a more positive spin? Allow yourself to feel anger and not combat it, but also learn to let it ebb away.

Using your anger as a tool only amplifies it and opens you up to the Dark Side. It will destroy you from within, and you won't even realize it until it's too late.

[lothrat]

[The fact that Qui-Gon doesn't try to encourage him to get rid of his emotions completely helps his cause a lot more than he knows. Maybe because of Ezra's lack of a traditional Jedi childhood and upbringing, or maybe because it's just his nature, but Ezra's emotions are very much a part of him. He's had a hard time letting them go in the past.

So where he might balk at another Jedi's admonishments, Qui-Gon's reasoning at least gets Ezra to listen and consider, even if he's not sure if he agrees with it. (He's honestly not sure what he thinks about emotions and controlling them yet. But he knows he can't just tell himself they're gone.)]

If you're always letting it go, though, how can you understand it? A master I met back home told me, if I wanted to defeat my enemy, I had to know him. Couldn't the same thing be said here?

[sithkabobed]

[Qui-Gon shakes his head in response. It's not a reprimand for the young Jedi, thankfully, but it's a sure sign that this is going to be a lengthy lesson. One that Qui-Gon is more than happy to provide, thankfully. Anything to keep Ezra on the right path.]

You're still treating your emotions as the enemy.

Your master was most likely taught that passion is wrong, that it is a jumping point to the Dark Side. While I don't mean to undermine his teachings [except for the part where he does], I would like to share my own view on the matter. Perhaps it will help.

Let us take anger as an example. It isn't wrong to feel angry, nor is it a shameful emotion to undergo. We are Jedi, yes, but we are also human.

To purge anger entirely isn't only improbable... it removes part of our very being.

Which leads us to another option where we choose to understand our emotion, in this case, anger, instead. To understand why you're angry and what your anger is trying to tell you is essential to growing as a person and responding to a situation with clarity.

However, seeking to understand your anger with the intent to conquer it will only lead to ruin. Every attempt will only build your frustration, which, as I'm sure you can imagine, only makes the problem worse.

Think of it as having an argument with a friend. If you listen with only the intent to refute their points, your argument will only grow worse and strain your friendship eventually to the point where it breaks. If you listen with the intent to learn their perspective, not only do you gain mutual respect for one another, you also become a stronger and wiser pair for it. Then the two of you part ways until your paths happen to cross again.

Do you understand so far? I will explain differently if you want.

[lothrat]

[A lengthy lesson indeed. Qui-Gon's explanation is just different enough from Kanan's lessons in the past to lead Ezra to question, even if the basic concepts still feel the same. However, the whisper of remembered words from Maul are a different matter entirely. His expression turns slightly mulish.]

I didn't mean that literally. I meant-

[He breaks that off. No, there's a better way to say this.]

Your passions give you strength. I did things I couldn't do before when I bothered to use them, not just listen. If all you're doing is listening, that's not really understanding, is it? Anger... I know a Jedi's not supposed to act in anger, but can't he cooperate with it?

[In some ways, he wishes it was Kanan he was asking this, Kanan he was confronting with his questions. After working with Maul, it felt so much like his master had been holding him back. Why? Why would he do that?]

[sithkabobed]

[Qui-Gon nods along with Ezra's words, letting him speak without interruption and digesting all he had to say. He's a bright boy who's asking necessary questions, but something about the implications seems just off track enough to be worrisome. Still, Qui-Gon reserves judgment and focuses on understanding where Ezra's coming from instead.]

You mean well, Ezra, and I can see why you would want to, but a Jedi cannot cooperate with anger in the way you're suggesting. Not without coming dangerously close to the Dark Side.

[Brief flashes of Qui-Gon's own brush with darkness come to mind, how only the voice of a love lost could snap him out of his crazed crusade against anyone who got in his way, knowingly or not. How he nearly turned an entire planet inside out on his quest to enact revenge on those who'd ripped Tahl away from his arms, and his heart into shreds.]

[When he speaks again, there's an underlying sadness in his words... the sadness that comes from personal experience and haunted memories. He seems to be looking through Ezra, even though he's undoubtedly addressing him]

That's how Jedi are seduced and eventually fall into its depths. You're granted a taste of the raw power available at your fingertips, you use it to complete the task you've set, and then you are promised more.

The possibilities are endless: you can save whomever you want, you can accomplish whatever you deem necessary, and soon you start to believe you are invincible. Nobody can stand in your way because you will not let them. You have the resources to stop them, and you won't settle for incapacitation.

You'll want nothing more than complete dominance. Utter destruction. You'll want them to suffer not because you believe it's justice, but because somewhere deep down inside you'll enjoy watching them break.

[It takes a few moments before he can meet Ezra's eyes, although Qui-Gon does eventually manage it.]

Using anger as a tool is the first step down that path. I've seen it far too many times before, and I don't want to see it happen again.

[lothrat]

[That's how Jedi are seduced...

And Ezra can't deny it. Can't deny the way his heart stirs in response to Qui-Gon's words, to the idea of power to save everyone he cares about, to protect them from the Inquisitors, from the Sith. To make it so he never loses anyone he cares for again, the way he lost his parents to the Empire. That grief, still raw in some ways, wells up, and with it a stirring of anger at what Qui-Gon seems to be saying. He shakes his head in denial, stopping in his tracks. He barely notices the grass around him beginning to turn brittle and dry.]

So, what? I'm supposed to just let people die instead of using the power I have?

[He crosses his arms, scowling out a challenge, and never mind that Qui-Gon's a full foot taller than him.]

I'm supposed to sit back and give up when I know that what I can do can help? That sounds more like what a Sith would do than a Jedi. How could I live with myself after that?

[sithkabobed]

[Qui-Gon gracefully turns around to face Ezra when he stops in his tracks, arms folded neatly in the sleeves of his cloak. The teenager's frustration is met with a placid countenance tempered by years of dealing with defiant outbursts.]

[Sometimes he feels that this is retribution for all of the different ways he would challenge his master so many years ago.]

The Sith would do anything to get what they want, which is precisely the problem. The anger--not passion--that they use to bend the Force to their will is stemmed from fear. A fear that they could lose what they hold close, whether it be power or people. That anger eventually turns into hatred.

There's an old Jedi proverb that covers the idea:

[He recounts it exactly as Yoda had taught him decades ago, but will forever ring true.]

'Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering'.

You may save your friends by using your emotions as a tool, but every time you do so, you destroy not only a piece of yourself, but a piece of them, as well. As you descend further into the Dark Side, you'll drag them down with you and expose them to every ugly facet in both yourself and the abilities you've acquired. It is a temporary solution that leaves behind a wake of destruction you and those you care for will never escape.

Could you live with yourself knowing that you've rescued them, only to hurt them deeper than death ever could?

[Qui-Gon steps forward to minimize the distance between himself and Ezra, compassion filling his eyes despite his imposing frame.]

The path we've chosen is arduous, Ezra. We lose friends who are our family, we face challenges that seem insurmountable, we endure emotional and physical pain many people could only fathom.

But we do not simply 'give up' when faced with these trying times. The adherence to principles for the greater good in the face of temptation to take the easy path is precisely what makes us Jedi.

It is also where we find our strength. We're just as capable as any Sith to save those we care for--and we certainly don't just 'let people die'--but we do so with the understanding and acceptance that we may fail, and that failure isn't an end. It is an experience all must encounter again and again.

We mourn, we learn, and we continue on, vowing to do better than before.

[lothrat]

[Where all the rest of Qui-Gon's admonishment sinks in to simmer in conflict underneath Ezra's skin, it's the words about hurting his friends that finally makes Ezra flinch. That's the last thing he wants to do, ever. It's hard to swallow back his anger, but in the face of that he closes his eyes, dragging in a shaky breath before forcing himself to let it back out. And again. Catches himself clenching his hands and releases them, then drops them to his sides. It only helps a little, but a little is better than nothing.

Finally, he feels like he can look the Jedi Master in the eyes. The challenge is still there, but underneath it...

He wishes he didn't feel like he was pleading.]

It can't be wrong to want to save someone with everything you've got.

[He just can't bring himself to believe that.]

I don't want to hurt anyone. I just want to help.

[sithkabobed]

[Qui-Gon still meets Ezra's words with gentle understanding, even going as far as to place a hand on his upper arm, just below his shoulder. This way, Ezra can pull away in case the touch is unwelcome and Qui-Gon can still show solidarity through gestures along with his words.]

You have a good heart, Padawan. And it is in the right place.

[It's just a dangerous line to walk when one has access to so much power. A shame, really.]

[Then again...]

I know your master isn't here, and I don't wish to impose... but I can teach you safer ways to help, if you would allow me.

[Qui-Gon won't allow Ezra to fall into the dark, but perhaps he can guide him along the path of the gray.]

[lothrat]

[Ezra goes still, if not quite rigid, at that moment of contact from Qui-Gon. Street-born instincts fight with the awe he has for a living Jedi Master, insisting that letting anyone get that close is a bad, bad idea. It takes him a moment to decide if he's willing to allow that gesture of solidarity or not.

Except in that moment's time, he forgets all about it, caught up by what Qui-Gon is proposing. Let him... teach me? The thought of having another teacher besides Kanan is... His mind balks before the thought even finishes, just as hard as when Kanan had suggested passing Ezra's apprenticeship to Master Luminara. He doesn't want another master. He wants the one he has. Even if Kanan's not here, who says he won't show up, or Ezra won't find his way back? That could happen any day. There is absolutely no reason for Ezra to seek a master in anyone else.

But is that really what Qui-Gon's proposing here? There's more than one kind of teacher. He knows that. Warily, he looks up at the man, searching every inch of his face. He can't deny the appeal of knowledge from a Master, but...]

You want to teach me?

[He still hasn't decided if he's going to pull away.]

Like a teacher? Or a master?

[Pick your words carefully, Qui-Gon. He might respect you as much as he can for having only known you a few days, but he has absolutely no qualms about turning heel and walking away if he doesn't like what Qui-Gon says next. If he has to, he'll find his own way to make sure he can keep his friends safe.]

[sithkabobed]

Only a teacher.

[Qui-Gon's response is level and resolute, yet still kind. He wants Ezra to know that he doesn't, and won't ever, mean him any harm. At the same time, the boy is free to make his own judgments and choices. Qui-Gon won't impose on that, either.]

The bond you have with your master is one that neither I nor anyone else should ever try to supersede. It would be disrespectful--at the very least--to do so.

[He dips his head in a humble gesture, hand still light on Ezra's arm. He'd noticed the way the boy stiffened at the initial touch, and keeps it as gentle as he can while still maintaining contact.]

It would be as if you were training in the Temple. Every Initiate and Padawan would have multiple teachers for different areas of study, but only one Jedi Master they apprentice under and truly bond with once they've reached thirteen years old. Even when undergoing missions with their respective masters, apprentices would still have sessions with these teachers in order to bolster what they've learned.

Seeing as you have multiple Jedi Masters and Knights here, it may be a good idea to obtain as much knowledge as you can from each one of us. It would offer a more complete training experience.

[lothrat]

[Training in the Temple... The idea of that had always been something Ezra could only entertain in idle daydreams, what-ifs he knew full well could never be. The Temple was destroyed, the Jedi all but gone. Kanan was really the only one who could teach him, supplemented by the lessons stored in his holocron.

Except that's not the case here. Ezra blinks, stiffness fading when presented with the idea from that angle. Not a master, not someone trying to take Kanan's place, not even just his only teacher, but one of maybe several. Almost like-]

Like going to school?

[Granted, his school attendance has been a little spotty since he started living on the streets, his priorities aligning more with survival than with formal education - and of course actually going to school was impossible on the Ghost, his lessons coming from either the crew or a computer terminal - but this at least lands things back in familiar territory. It's enough to disarm Ezra's initial reaction.

That, and Qui-Gon's clear respect for the line Ezra's drawn in his sand. The fact that the man is willing to give Ezra room to make his own decisions without judgment goes a long, long way to easing the tension that had settled between his shoulder blades.]

Would the other Jedi want to teach me, though? [That's not self-doubt, just Ezra analyzing the idea with a growing fascination.] They might be busy, or teaching might not be their thing.

[sithkabobed]

In a way, yes.

[Most schools don't have kids learning how to bend the very fabric of reality with their minds while fighting each other with laser swords, but the concept is still roughly the same. The thought's enough to bring a much-needed smile to Qui-Gon's face.]

As for the other Jedi, I'm sure they'll be more than happy to teach you. I can personally vouch for Obi-Wan and, while I'm sure Luke may feel tentative at first, he'd have his own unique perspective that will prove valuable.

[He won't mention Kylo Ren because really, outside of the whole flirting with the Dark Side thing, the guy could use a heck of a lot more training, himself.]

[lothrat]

[He means it. He really does. Ezra doesn't have to be able to read Qui-Gon through the Force to see that the offer is genuine. And he genuinely thinks the others would be open to the idea, too. Even so, caution flickers in Ezra's chest for a moment. Does he really want to agree to this? Master or teacher, that's still a position of authority he'd be letting these people have. People he doesn't really know.

What would Kanan say?

He tries to picture his master, tries to picture him being here for this whole conversation, tries to guess what Kanan would think. It's not as easy as he would have thought. Once, maybe, he knows Kanan would have urged him to agree. Hadn't he told Ezra before that he wasn't sure how good a teacher he would be? That that was why he wanted to let Master Luminara teach him? But that was a year ago - a year that they've both spent learning, getting used to each other. A year for their bond as master and apprentice to grow. Would Kanan be so eager now to let anyone else train him?

Listen to the Force, Ezra. What does it say?

The words come in Kanan's voice, calm and clear as if he's there with him right now. Ezra closes his eyes, just trying to listen and feel. The Force is there, all around him, in the air, in the trees, in the ground. Even the withered grass at his feet still stirs with it, some of its color beginning to come back. He can feel it in himself, and in Qui-Gon, the man's presence a bright, warm beacon, solid and encouraging.

And he thinks, for a moment, he can feel a hand on his shoulder.

When he opens his eyes, he doesn't necessarily feel any more or less sure he got an answer. Is that the Force's way of telling him that this is his decision to make? Or is it just that he's not that good at understanding what it has to say? But either way, it's helped settle him enough that he feels like he can answer the first question he asked himself.

What does he want?

I want... knowledge.

Tentatively, he takes a breath.]

I think... Well, if you guys are willing, I could give it a shot?

[He's not going to say he'll try. No need to invite quotes about do or do not, in case Qui-Gon got the same lectures as Kanan.]

[sithkabobed]

[Despite the months Qui-Gon has already spent in Verens, the way that the environment consistently reacts to their emotions never falls short of fascinating, and in this case, heartening. He has no intention to twist Ezra’s thoughts to mirror his, but to see the boy consider a different path than the one set before him brings a sigh of relief.]

[A gentle wind brushes them both.]

I am happy to hear it.

I could get in touch with both on your behalf if you’d like.