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"Tell me, if you would: Who taught you the ways of the Force?" the stranger asked Baron.

Sighing, Baron stared at his feet as he answered. "My father," he began. "But it is my own failure that I did not pay attention to most of the lessons. I didn't want to learn. I resisted him every step of the way. Mainly because I held hatred toward him." Baron stretched as he gathered his courage to answer the inevitable question. "And I suppose you'll want to know why.

"I hated my powers. I hated my abilities. I didn't want it, and I didn't ask for it. I just wanted to live a normal life. And when my father found out that I was Attuned, he took me on. Forcibly. And so, I resisted him every step of the way. Which means, because of my own failures, I'm not as strong as I ought to be. And the Miraluka is right; I am a fool.

"But now I actually want to learn." Baron looked at the Miraluka. "Bottling emotion is a mistake, I realize that now." Baron would call Thanatos by his name, but he never really gave Baron his name, and so out of respect will only call him "Miraluka".

Turning to the stranger, Baron replied "The Force can do a number of things. Manipulating minds I already knew. But my father never mentioned reading them. That is why I was surprised you knew my name. I will try to keep my mind and thoughts guarded. Thank you."

Naku listened to Baron, hearing his story. "Well then, you have come farther then most Jedi would at your point in life, accepting the responsibilities of your choices and actions before hand. You are ready to learn. It is not a Jedi way to hide emotions, only to not allow them to cloud your judgement. However, to say that a Jedi doesn't feel emotions is wrong. We are after all, sentient, and we do share the same amount of feeling and emotions as anyone else. How we control ourselves, and how we act are what separates Jedi and Sith. The force is as much part of us as we are part of it. It lives and guides us as we grow and learn. We are all connected by it, in some small way." Naku said to Baron. "Remember that what we do with our power is what defines who we are, to ourselves and to those that see you." Naku said, teaching him the fundamental learning of the Force in itself.

Once Thanatos said his remarks, he only smiled to him before speaking. "Are you sure that I made a stupid choice? Can you say for sure that I wasn't testing both myself, and you as well? For in truth, had I disconnected you from the force, you, who rely heavily upon the it would be weaker then you are now, blinded, and deafen to both the force, and maybe even your surroundings. So I wouldn't be going too far in saying that by me severing your connection, you wouldn't have posed any harm to anyone, but yourself. So who is more pathetic and stupid now, Thanatos." He spoke his name deliberately. Even now, Naku was testing Thanatos. If it wasn't apparent before, it was now, Naku was different from before.

Baron listened intently to the Jedi, taking in every word. He, Baron, should know this stuff already, but it is good to have a refresher, especially when he was ready to be trained. He looked the Jedi in the eyes as he spoke, taking in every word. He nodded as he thought on his lessons this day.

Then Thanatos and the Jedi began--Baron could think of no other word for it--bickering among each other. The Jedi was calm and collected. Thanatos seemed amused almost. Neither have taken him as his apprentice, but Baron knew he would be rude if he simply walked off without being dismissed, so he listened. Maybe there was a lesson in here. Now he was eager to learn. He knew that one way to learn is to learn off other people's lessons. If there were a lesson here, Baron did not catch it. Yet, Baron stayed still and silent, ever patient.

Thanatos was ecstatic, he was wanting to experiment on a willing test subject for quite some time. Unfortunately him being secluded on the planet left him little choice on 'volunteers'. But now Naku just gave him one on a silver platter. Thanatos began chuckling. He said to Naku before he left, " Why thank you for the present Master (mockingly) Naku. And I agree you know OF the dark side..." Hinting to Naku that what he knows is more than likely what is generally known, while Thanatos is still within the many depths of Dark side secrets.

Then remembering something, Thanatos turned towards Baron(fool). "While I may choice is set, you still can make one. Not even Naku can bind you into being my disciple if you yourself choose otherwise. Plus when I attend to a student, it is with total concentration and planning. I will not bother with half-a** logic and reason. I warn you, with your current mentality, you may not survive. But the rewards... they will be great." Letting that hang in the air for a moment then speaking once more. "While Naku may call me an 'Outcast' as if I am part of a faction, know that I am barely of their mindset. I will not be teaching you the light side, for I have no patience for it. Not when I can just reciprocate it through dark power. Your mind may very well go insane if you do not have the mental fortitude. Whats worse, under my tutelage while others may aid you, they can never guide you. That is what it takes to be my student. Understand?"

Naku didn't say anything. He just simply... disappeared. Naku was happy to finally give Thanatos something he could learn from. For whether or not he will like it, Baron would be as much a challenge to Thanatos as Thanatos would be Barons. Naku knew he gave Baron to one of the toughest people in the guild, but he had faith in Baron. And while Thanatos would be his master, he himself would still be the teacher. "Let us see what happens now."

He felt his face heal, but the pain linger. It was a reminder of who he was before. Of who he didn't want to be any longer. And he welcomed it because it was a reminder of the change that was ahead. A change that would be even more painful than this.

As his master shimmered into the two Drexl, he kept his face neutral and calm, raising an eyebrow in surprise. One of the Drexl slithered away, and one stayed behind, keeping an eye on him. He remained silent as he glanced at the beast, curious how his master obtained their loyalty.

Taking a deep breath through his nose, Baron -- or Fool as he must now call himself -- left the training grounds for his quarters. He gathered his pack and put in his survival gear, including enough rations for a day and a half. He never really ate much, but knew from experience that things didn't go exactly as planned. He hesitated, though, before he put in that extra half-day in. His master explicitly stated a full day. Not two. Not a day and a half. One day. And so Fool did not pack that extra ration, leaving it in his quarters. He double-checked his pack and headed toward his Master's lab.