NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 2737744" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 304: Family TimeThe blue-tinted image of Andrea Tavos hovered slightly above where the holocron sat on the bed. It was the first time since...since...since going back to the Capital and breaking Shadow out that it had been activated. While it felt strangely comforting to see and interact with this image of his mother, Jyren still was feeling as if, somehow, he’d messed up everything. But after a while, Jyren had learned that he was just the kind of person that never seemed to be happy with his surroundings, so maybe this was just normal. Besides, there were more important things to deal with right now.    And there was a problem.    “I am sorry, Jyren,” the soft voice of the projection said, “But I cannot allow you access to that information.”    There was always a problem.    Jyren sighed, but did notice that Shadow’s expression had not changed since the holocron had been activated. He had to remember that, while not the first time she had seen it, she hadn’t really seen the amount of interaction that was possible. She was watching the image with her usual neutral caution that was applied to pretty much every situation that she was still figuring out. Currently, though the link, Jyren wasn’t sure if she was extremely positive about this whole thing...and being refused the counteragent to the Sith Poison was not exactly helping.    “Mother, we need the counteragent!” Jyren nearly yelled at the image...but he did keep his voice down. She had already given him a stern talking to about yelling while ‘the child’ was sleeping. The amazing perception of this ‘recording’ was currently being horribly outweighed by the fact that it was a mother. Still controlling his voice, Jyren went on, “There are Darkwings, Mother. I can’t fight them. We need the information on how it was stopped the last time.”    The ‘I’ was definitely not lost on Shadow...but at least he was smart enough to say ‘we’ afterwards. The holo shimmered slightly, something that seemed to happen at random intervals or when it was dramatically appropriate...Jyren was still working out just which it was. But a moment later, the image of his mother shook her head, and there was that unavoidable detail of how the hair actually moved exactly how it should have before she repeated, “I am sorry, but the information you want is not something that can just be handed out.”    “But I’m your son!” Jyren did yell this time before motioning to Shadow, “And she’s the Empress!”    There was a subtle shift of the eyes as the image looked to Shadow. For a short moment, the two shared the exact same look between one another, and then Jyren’s mother looked back to him, “It is not that simple, Jyren. There is a reason this knowledge is so greatly protected, and she knows exactly why. She knows why I cannot give it to either of you.”    This time, Jyren looked to Shadow. When their eyes met, Shadow said calmly, “If you know the counteragent, then you know how to make the poison. You should know by now how easy it is to lose a secret like that...no matter how hard you try not to.”    She didn’t say anymore. She didn’t need to. It made so much sense that he wanted to kick something. But, currently, nothing presented a good target. Tobias would scream, Shadow would probably kill him, the holocron might break, and anything else meant Loki complaining at him and probably a long yelling at from Shadow. So, instead, Jyren folded his arms and grumbled at the bed, “So we’re supposed to just let this all go straight to the Empire and kill everyone?”    Now it was Shadow’s turn to sigh, but it was the holocron that spoke, her voice returning to the usual motherliness that still sent shiver’s down Jyren’s spine, “Just because it is the easiest does not meant it is the only way.”    “Then why keep it locked up and hidden away?!” Jyren growled, not getting angrier than he really should have been.    The calm voice of his mother did not help his mood, “Destroying knowledge doesn’t make it go away, Jyren. Now is the not the time for it, but someday it may be needed, and so it is kept. Even if I had the power to access it myself, I would not give it to you. Anger fuels it, Jyren. Foolish anger is not something that befits a Jedi...nor my son.”    Silence.    “Thank you for that,” Shadow broke the silence quietly before nodding and reaching down. Her fingers searched the small cube before finding the small switch to deactivate the device. Before the holo faded, the image of Jyren’s mother bowed her head...and there looked to be a smile on her face, too.    But then it was gone, and they were left, again, with the only noise being Tobias’ soft breathing/half-purring on the pillow behind them. Jyren sat brooding for a few minutes before finally breaking the silence and shooting Shadow an accusing glance, “You did that on purpose.”    “No,” her answer was as quick and simple as usual, “It was your idea to use the holocron. We should have known that it was too easy before even asking. But we tried, and now we know we’ll have to find another way.”    A pause. It was just enough time for Jyren’s anger to subside a little more, “You could have waited to turn it off after at least getting a suggestion.”    Shadow shook her head sternly, “One day you’re going to have to stop relying on everything else. Might as well start today.”    Jyren sighed and allowed himself a slow nod. After a moment, he asked very quietly, “She was right about me...wasn’t she?”    That was a dangerous question. Shadow took a deep breath before placing an arm on his shoulder, “You have to learn how to control you emotions.”    Slowly, Jyren shifted over and rested his head on her shoulder. Under his breath, he whispered, “I know...I...I try...”    “Its not enough to just try,” her response was slow, but calculated. This was not a time to get back to the problems they’d gotten through more than once already, “It takes time, but you are learning.”    They sat there in silence for a long time without moving. But, eventually, Shadow nudged him to move and stood up to stretch, “Keep an eye on Toby.”    “Why?” Jyren asked, nearly getting up but instead deciding to sit back and eye Tobias, who was now on his back and idly pawing at nothing every few moments.    Without any expression, Shadow started for the door and said over her shoulder, “I’m going to go think about things and try to find a way out of this.”    She didn’t say that pinning him with Toby would stop his thinking. Right now, that was the last thing he needed. She knew by now that his thinking usually meant he’d tear himself apart...so it was best to occupy him until he was ready to stop trying to find a way to beat himself down. And besides, she needed some time to take all of this in and really figure things out.</blockquote>

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