Office hours [all day]

[sith_happened]

Anakin was in his office as usual today, glaring angrily at the Christmas themed ads as they popped up on his computer screen.

"Can't I get through Thanksgiving first?" he complained aloud.

The door was open.

Comments

[trigons_child]

"I felt guilty about rushing off particularly after our conversation last week," Raven said as she took a seat. "But there was little time and it was a group of many of us, so I thought we were well-prepared." No, not really.

[sith_happened]

"I did notice that my class seemed a bit sparse on Thursday," Anakin replied.

[trigons_child]

Raven nodded. "Ben and Tahiri were there, as I told you, and Jono, Tara, Kennedy, Sookie, Bobby, Dinah, Cassidy, Warren, Emma, Ender, Gabrielle, and Jack Priest. Emma had received word that Karla had been kidnapped, but as it turned out she pretended to return to Fandom but became involved in a situation involving her friend Jaenelle instead."

[sith_happened]

Anakin sighed. "Is everyone all right?"

First things first.

[trigons_child]

"Karla is a kitten now," Raven said, "but I do not think that is related."

No, she wasn't dodging the question, why do you ask?

[sith_happened]

"Not exactly what I meant," Anakin replied, "and I suspect you know that. Karla wasn't kidnapped--so where was she?"

[trigons_child]

"Jaenelle had been poisoned by something that made her crave stimulation," Raven said, trying hard not to think about how the safframate had made her feel when she'd healed Jaenelle. "She was taken hunting to release these feelings, and Karla followed to make certain she would be all right. But they ended up in a village being attacked by creatures called the Jhinka. They were very similar to the creatures my father summoned against us in Azarath and seemed devoid of reason. They only sought violence."

[sith_happened]

Anakin had a bad feeling about this. "How many Jhinka?" Anakin asked, hoping he'd pronounced that correctly.

[trigons_child]

Raven shook her head. "I could not count them all," she said quietly. "Thousands. They had slaughtered most of the village by the time we arrived there."

[sith_happened]

"No Fandom casualties?" Anakin replied, sounding a little surprised.

[trigons_child]

"No, but it was very close," Raven admitted. "I healed as many as I could, as did Karla and Jaenelle. But one villager who died, it affected Jaenelle greatly. She...." She shuddered at the memory of all those deaths, and how they'd torn through her shields like they were made of paper. "She called upon her powers and destroyed all the Jhinka at once."

[sith_happened]

Anakin had a sudden memory of a video game preview Stormtrooper battalion disappearing in a puff of molecules and blood. "All of them?"

[trigons_child]

Raven nodded shakily. "All of them," she whispered. "I felt her grief and rage, and then the Jhinka all died. They just...burst. I felt each one." She swallowed, trying to keep her tattered shields up. "I know Karla, Ben, Sookie, and Emma were all affected. They seem physically well now, but I worry they may have been scarred by the experience. I have not had a chance to speak to any of them yet."

[sith_happened]

Anakin pursed his lips. "Ben begged out of practice today," he said. "I think I know why now."

He focused back on Raven. "How are you?"

[trigons_child]

"Better," Raven said after just a fraction of a second's hesitation. "I have been meditating since our return. When Jaenelle did what she did, I felt my father with me."

[sith_happened]

"Well that's not good," Anakin said, showing a flair for understatement. "Is he gone now?"

[trigons_child]

"I have not heard him since," Raven said honestly. She'd been listening closely, too. "The death of all the Jhinka broke through all my shields. I felt it in my soul. And then I heard him say 'I am you, Raven. You are evil as I.'" She kept her voice flat and emotionless, not wanting to risk breaking down. "I felt him twisting my soul. And if Jono had not been there with me, I am not certain I would have been able to fend him off."

[sith_happened]

Anakin reached up to rub the bridge of his nose. "What I wouldn't give to have a chat with Jaenelle," he muttered. "She made quite a mess of my students. Okay. We'll work on your shield strengths--not that I hope you'll ever be in a similar situation again."

[trigons_child]

"I do not ever wish to be," Raven said, understatement of the year. "I had thought with my father trapped in his own dimension I would be mostly free of his influence. But he is still very much a part of me." She wrapped her arms around herself. "I fear I am a danger to my friends now. I know I have struggled before, but this...this was so much stronger."

[sith_happened]

"So was the trauma," Anakin said gently. "Don't be too hard on yourself. Your shields are kind of...bruised. Want me to give them a boost for a bit?"

[trigons_child]

"If you do not mind," Raven said, nodding slightly. "It has been a struggle to reassert them." As had purging herself of all the emotions she'd absorbed in Kaeleer. She could still feel them resonating inside her.

[sith_happened]

Anakin reached into the Force to supplement her shielding. "Better?" he asked.

[trigons_child]

Raven let out a soft sigh of relief. "Yes, thank you," she said. She definitely felt a little less raw now.

[sith_happened]

"Good," Anakin said. "It'll last a few weeks. Let me know if you need it redone then."

[trigons_child]

"I hope I will be able to do so on my own by then, but thank you," Raven said. "I just have felt weak since our return, but in time my strength should return." She hoped.