The Library

[Akirapryde]

Lysire smiled, "tricks of the mind is my gift. I used to play games on my brothers...." she trailed off and fell silent for a moment. "Before the war came to my world."

"I will never forget that night. The soldiers came in the middle of the night and dragged my family from our beds." As she spoke a tear welled up in her eye, "they forced my father, my mother and my two brothers to their knees while a man pulled me by the hair. He forced me down so I could see them and they could see me. He told me that I was gifted and meant to do great things with my future. But tonight would be a night that would reshape me. A night that I would never forget."

Lysire looked down in sadness, "I was the same age as you were when you lost your parents. Before that night everything was so simple. We hadn't chores and played J the fields. That night soldiers put pistols to my father's and mother's head. The man told me I had ten seconds to choose who lives and who will die." Her tears started to roll down her face as Lysire's trusting nature came forward.

"There was so much yelling. The man was counting down and my family was crying and begging for their lives. I tried to think, to speak, to do anything. But nothing came out. I just set there on my knees as the man held my hair. I could see my parents looking at me. Then there was silence. He had reached zero. The blast rang out and both my mother and father were dead."

"The man then told his men holding my two brothers to get ready. Once more he told me to decide. The count started again. Few moments later we were rescued by Master Sharidon. One of Master Chunn's team. She drove off the bad men and rescued us."

Lysire's eyes were red with grief and her face was covered with tears, "but I had already decided and my older brother was dead next to my parents. If I had waited he would still be alive but I was so scared of losing both of them. Since then, I don't do tricks of the mind any more. This is why I spend so much time here in the library. See, I am the girl who killed most of her family."

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

Unna placed a comforting hand onto Lysire's shoulder. She fought back her own tears. "I watched my parents die as well. My father had been shot and my mother put me and Auro into a ship with him. We took off and I saw my mother fight alongside Auro's parents. Then there was an explosion and I saw them get swallowed by the fireball. Then my father succumbed to his injuries in flight and I couldn't save him. I didn't have a choice and neither did you. You did not choose to choose and who knows what they would have done next, had you not been rescued. It's also natural to protect the young and you were forced to make that decision."

Unna pauses for a moment to fight her tears, before continuing. "If it weren't for that instinct, I wouldn't be alive today. After my father died, I was inconsolable. The ship was about to crash and I couldn't bring myself to care, but then Auro began to cry. He was just a baby and I had to take control for his sake."

Unna placed her other hand on Lysire's other shoulder and looked her on the eye. "You did not kill anyone. What happened to your family was not your choice and you are not 'the girl who killed most of her family.' I also think it would be a shame to waste that passion for using your mind to channel The Force. Think of the hero who saved you. Maybe some day you can become a hero to somebody who needs one just as you and your brother once did, but to do that you will need to not let your talent go to waste."

[Akirapryde]

Lustre whipped her eyes, "Master Sharidon died later during that very battle. A transportation she was on exploded. I never had a chance to thank her for rescuing us."

She gave a nod as she placed her hand on Unna's hand. "I want to be a hero like my adoptive mother. She could inspire people to do remarkable things. But I don't think I have that courage. I can see it you. In your eye, I see my mother's."

She patted Unna's hand as she shook her head, "no I am no hero. Look at Padawan Graff. Now he is a real hero. Has the right name, strong family and everything."

She looked down, "I just don't think I am cut out to be a hero."

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

"You're right, Lysire," said Unna, sternly, yet encouragingly. "You can't be cut out to be a hero with a mindset like that, but you can be. The first thing you have to do is believe in yourself. The man who told you that you were gifted and meant to do great things was right, except the great thing you are meant to do is to stop a tragedy, like the one that happened to you, from happening to somebody else."

Unna stood tall and confidently as she spoke. "You can thank Master Sharidon by the way you live. Books and learning are great. I know, because I love them too, but I also know that they can also provide an escape from a life that is meant to be lived, if that is all you focus on. I learned that from the people who took me in after my parents died. Now, Master Sharidon saved you. I think it would be a great tribute to her if you followed in her footsteps and became a hero, just like she was to you."

[Akirapryde]

Lysire nodded, not she still wasn't sure of herself. Something had been taken from her. This much was clear to Unna. Lysire's eyes Unna could see that scared little girl. Forced to endure a nightmarish situation for no other reason than because she was gifted by the force. "You really think so" Lysire said. "I want to make everyone proud of me, but what if I freeze when someone needs me the most. Just like that night."

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

Unna looked into Lysire's eyes and smiled confidently, "Yes, Lysire! I absolutely believe so. Perhaps one day, a child will sit in this library and read a book with stories of how you were the hero. Now that would make everyone proud of you."

"As for freezing," Unna continued. "We will just have to be as prepared as possible for whatever may come in the future. My focus in The Force is farseeing. My mother instilled in me the importance of history, but I am equally fascinated by what has not yet come to pass. I do know that the future is fluid and the decisions we make today will shape the path we find ourselves on later. If you don't try, it won't be able to happen. If you do try though, there are so many more possibilities."

[Akirapryde]

Lysire nodded, "My mother has taught me that the real heroes are the everyday heroes that you don't read about" she said with a smile.

As Unna spoke of farseeing, Lysire sparked up. "That is what my mother's specialty is! I know what you mean by the future being fluid. It is a lesson that we are taught on a regular basis."

She looked around just to make sure that they were alone, "My mother could see things that have yet to come also. But she could see the passage of time like corridors. These corridors were effected by our actions. She tried to teach me, but it just wasn't possible for me to see the future like that."

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

"I would like to learn more about the corridors sometime," smiled Unna, who also sparked up, partially due to information on farseeing, but also because she saw that her new friend was peeking up as well. . "Is there anyone around to teach me? As for your talent with mind tricks, I do hope you will consider nurturing it. You may have the opportunity to use it to do good sometime."

[Akirapryde]

Lysire looked away for a moment, almost as if she was conflicted. "I, um...." she said softly....She fell silent for a moment. Lysire closed her eyes and reached out through the force. "Sas'in" she said and then kissed the air a few times. "Sas'in....come here baby" she said softly as she opened her eyes and looked at Unna.

A few seconds later, a small fury creature leaped up on to the table where the two girls are sitting. "This is Sas'in" she said patting the little fury creature. "She was my best friend when I was a little girl." The little creature walked across the table and rubbed up against Unna's arm and purred. Its fur was soft to the touch and its purring sound was soothing to Unna's ears. Lysire smiled as she watched Sas'in rub up against Unna's arm.

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

"She is so soft!" Unna exclaimed, as she returned the affection of the furry creature.

"You are so sweet, Sas'in," Unna cooed to the furry creature. "Nice to meet you, sweet Sas'in!"

Still petting Sas'in, Unna looked to Lyaire and said "what a wonderful best friend to grow up with!"