World Tree MUSH

    So after the ordeal with the orcs on the roads and the reward was split up properly, Mau returned to the humble lodgings of The Cat's Meow. Though for some reason the feline yuusha is somewhat sullen in her return, plopping down into a seat in the common area at one of the tables.
    She slowly sips at a beer, mostly staring into the mug and frowning to herself after her visit to the cemetery and running into an old friend.
    

    The reward is enough for someone to stick around for a little while, and once she's arrived somewhere, Lian Kamoya does so love exploring a new place and its new people. They're always so vibrant, full of life, unique in their own way. And it's a chance to do odd jobs around the city, maybe help with another adventuring bounty or two... pad out her coinpurse a bit before moving on again.

    And then some nights, she's just content to sit somewhere and enjoy the ambiance. Watch the people live their lives, laugh and chatter. Feel the vibrant Force of the people, thrumming with warmth. It's the latter that she'd planned on for tonight, but her plans shift just a little when she lays eyes on the cat-eared girl at the table. Instead, she veers over a bit and pulls out the chair across from Mau, setting aside her staff and bag, then folding her cloak to lay atop both. "I'd offer a 'good evening', but you look as if something's soured it for you a bit."

    And thus Mau is joined by a humble seer and meddling busybody.
    It's fine. This is fine, as the feline adventurer shifts to sit up a bit better, tail flicking behind her as she plops an elbow on the table to prop her chin up.
    "Oh hey. You're that seer. Lian, right?" She says at first.
    "Though most 'humble seers' I'm used to don't carry beam weapons and feel like they could keep up with *me* in a sword fight." She points out, before shrugging.
    "I'm fine." She says at first. "It's just an old wound from the last time I was in Dorn." She's not lying, she's just recovering from her old injury in her own way as she slowly sips from her tankard.
    "Order something. Drink's are on me."

    The Jedi inclines her head, a warm smile lighting up her face. "That's me, yes." The remark on her skill puts a hint of amusement in that smile, and she settles back a little bit. "Well. It's a bit of a simplification in terms, of course. I find my talents are... not unheard-of, out in the greater Tree, but not common among various worlds. But I must thank you for your praise on my bladework." When offered to order what she wants, the woman waves to the nearest waitress, and orders 'something not too strong', but otherwise leaves it to the bar's discretion. "Some wounds take a very long time to heal," she adds, crossing one leg and getting comfortable. "If you've any desire to talk about it, I would be glad to listen..."

    There's a pause, and then a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "...honored elder."

    With a nod, the serving girl steps away to retrieve Lian's drink. It's not long before a glass of wine is set before the jedi and Mau eyes her a little more scrutinizingly.
    'Honored elder' she says.
    Crystal blue eyes fall closed for a beat. When they open once again they are so much more tired and weary. Fathomlessly exhausted eyes stare back at Lian.
    "Heh." Mau chuckles at first, sipping at her beer.
    "I know how long it can take for ancient wounds to heal, yeah." She considers, drumming fingers on her cheek for a beat.
    "This one's a little more 'fresh' by comparison. She was just a painful reminder that I can't do everything on my own, I guess."

    Oh, there's a look Lian knows all too well - but she's not certain she's ever seen a weariness that bone-deep. "I see. Well, I suppose I'm not one to comment too deeply on that. I still... well, prefer to walk my own path, you could say. But there are times where even I must accept help." She reaches up to accept her drink. "And even one of my old teachers used to tell us that age didn't make one infallible. 'Four of your lifetimes, have I lived. And make mistakes, I still do.'" She follows that with a slow pull from her drink, before eyeing it speculatively. Not bad.

    It's more than bone deep, it's an exhaustion that has absolutely utterly bored its way into the Hero's very soul. But still they persist and endure, with duty left to do ahead of them.
    "That wine's local. It's made from vines that grow on the bark and roots off Dorn's great tree." Mau points out conversationally as she slowly works on her beer. "--just don't take your eyes off it around me. I'm kind of distracted tonight." She says giving no further explanation.
    "Well I guess there's no hiding it. Old as I am, I still make mistakes too. I'm kind of a bad screwup." She says with a snort. "But still. It was about eight years ago, here in this very city. Had a lich problem. My friends and I kind of bumbled our way into a cult meeting while looking for a missing child." She says waving her mug. "I didn't move fast enough. The girl was killed in the aftermath." She explains. "It's a really sore spot for me."

    "I see," Lian replies, after the story has finished. She idly swirls her cup a little, regarding it thougtfully. It takes her a few moments to compose her thoughts, and when she speaks again, it's with the tone of reciting an old standby. "'It is the strong swimmer who most often drowns.' Words my Master left me with. An admonition that, the greater we grow in skill, in age, the more likely we are to get careless." Taking another brief drink, she sets her cup down again, folding her hands in her lap. "He also often told me, we cannot change the past, but we can change what we do about it. From what I have seen, though you can't take back the mistake you've made... you're carrying it forward. Learning from it. That, I think, is all anyone can do."

    Mau listens, lips pursing as the 'seer' gives a taste of her wisdom. And for a moment those tired blue eyes fall shut again.
    "Mmh. Wise words." She considers for a moment, those tired eyes opening once again, marginally clearer.
    "I just wish I had learned as much over my last slew of lives as I did, this one." There's a pause.
    "I learned I'm not an imposter to the mother that bore me. That my friends actually rely on me. I learned that I'm as much a legitimate part of this world as much as I am a stranger to it." She says. "My biggest regret is that I didn't learn that sooner. I can take it forward with me, yes, that's the important thing but. This is probably the last life I have in me before the powers that be see fit to discard me. ... But. But as long as I'm alive I won't be forgetting it."

    Drink seemingly forgotten, Lian nods her head faintly, smiling. "That's a lesson I wholeheartedly approve of. Even if you only have one life yet ahead of you, that's still an entire life to enjoy this world. As a wanderer, I find it best to treasure your time in each place, rather than stand aloof from it." Steepling her fingers, she adds, "My greatest skills might be on the battlefield, but my greatest love is life. People. The world is alive and beautiful, and you- and we- are part of it. To walk it is to affect it, and be affected by it."

    "Unfortunately." Mau begins, tracing fingers around the lip of her tankard. "I'm a little too busy to enjoy this life. At least until I handle the duty waiting for me." She says.
    "You've probably heard about the Demon Lord in the time you've been here."
    Slowly Mau slides the tankard back and forth from one hand to the other in an absent fashion. Thankfully she doesn't tip it over the edge of the table this time, though.
    "Killing him has been on my docket for a long time." She trails off. "... I never thought about what I'd do after that though. ... Maybe see the worlds beyond this one, assuming I live through the fight."

    "A few things, yes," Lian replies. She muses on the prospect of being fatebound, honorbound, dutybound to kill someone; as a Jedi, it's something she abhors, but at the same time... a sad necessity. Especially with the truly evil. She's seen the Sith in Talia's era.

    There's a thoughtful look on the elder Jedi's face as she listens. "For a task like that, well... keeping your followup plans simple is probably best. But if I can perhaps make a suggestion - you could see the worlds beyond this one now, if you wanted. Perhaps find allies willing to assist you, new tools or skills to aid your quest. Rather than save that for after, perhaps you should use the after to see the world you've saved. One world alone is enough to spend your entire life exploring."

    It's a sad necessity, but it must be done. And in Mau's case her employers were very adamant she get the job done.
    Too bad she's not getting paid for this.
    "... Maybe I'll do that." She considers, on the subject of seeing other worlds and gathering allies. Seeing the world would be nice. "I've already seen a fair bit of this one... But There's a lot I haven't seen come to think of it..." She pauses.
    "I'll tell you what. After I've dealt with the Demon Lord, when Dorn has its Blossom Festival this year... Swing on by. But don't head to the city. About a day and a half east of here are some cliffs overlooking the ocean... Go there the night before the Blossom Festival begins. You'll miss the first day but seeing the Mirror Night's always worth it. Consider that my thanks for the advice."

    Finally taking up her drink again, Lian Kamoya listens to Mau's ponderings quietly. But at the young old heroine's final advice, her lips draw into a warm smile. "It sounds like exactly the sort of thing I'd love to see. Thank you for telling me." And for the time being, she's content to let it sit at that, quietly enjoying her drink.