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Saga - OT Freaking Out: From The Journal Of Ronen Syndulla-Jarrus/ Create an OC Challenge

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by Raissa Baiard, May 10, 2018.

  1. Raissa Baiard

    Raissa Baiard FFoF Artist Extraordinaire star 4 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Nov 22, 1999
    Title: Freaking Out: From The Journal Of Ronen Syndulla-Jarrus
    Author: Raissa Baiard
    Timeframe: Saga, approx 24 ABY
    Genre: Humor, character study, angst
    Canonicity: AU, in the Marzra-verse continuity
    Characters: Ronen Syndulla-Jarrus (OC). Mentions of Kanan Jarrus, Hera Syndulla, Ezra Bridger, Ben Solo, and various OCs
    Synopsis: An excerpt from the journal of Ronen Syndulla-Jarrus, the teenage son of Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla.

    ————-

    Author’s note: Ronen is a character I created for “And They Lived Happily Ever After” and I had the idea that he was very much a hybrid of his parents’ two species, having both lekku and hair. It occurred to me while chatting with @Findswoman about the Create an OC Challenge that teenage Ronen might be very self-conscious of his mixed heritage, in an angsty, teenage OMG, I’M SUCH A FREAK kind of way. And then Ronen took over and wouldn’t stop talking to me, so here he is, in all his angsty teenage glory. Kanan and Hera, you’ve got your hands full with this one—sorry about that!

    Thanks to @Findswoman for beta reading! @};-
    ————

    So...this is my journal. It’s an assignment, obviously. Mistress Eupraxia says it’s supposed to help us become “aware of ourselves and our feelings,” whatever that means. What is it with adults and feelings anyway? My teachers at NLUPS (that’s Northern Lothal Unified Prep School—Noemi says it sounds like a nerf slurping on a salt block :p) want me to “get in touch with my feelings”. My Jedi instructors tell me to “search my feelings”. Can I be less aware of my feelings, please?

    I feel fine, thanks for asking.

    So, yeah, about me… okay. My name is Ronen Syndulla-Jarrus. My mom is a general. My dad’s a Jedi Master. No pressure there, right? Me… I’m just kind of the family freak. Because Mom’s a Twi’lek and Dad’s a Human, and I lost the genetic crapshoot between the two species.

    My older brother, Jacen, looks Human except that he has green hair and these pale green spots on his face. Girls think he looks exotic. My sister, Ayelet, looks just like Mom, except her lekku are a little shorter, so guys think she’s gorgeous. I’m the youngest and I have this mop of brown hair that won’t do anything and these weird short, striped lekku that don’t do much except twitch a little when I’m annoyed or angry. I’d pull my hair back like Dad and Jacen do, but it doesn’t work so well with the lekku in the way. I’ve thought about shaving it off, but my head has kind of a weird shape…. Anyway, all of this means that no girl will give me the time of day.

    Well, except Noemi, and she doesn’t count, because she’s like my best friend and also my… niece? Cousin? Something? I don’t know; relationships are a little weird in my family. I guess technically Uncle Ezra isn’t related to me and so neither is Noemi, but we might as well be. We’re only year apart, but we’re in a lot of the same classes—only she’s good at everything, and I’m pretty much just the class freak.

    If I was going to get stuck with having both lekku and hair, why couldn’t my hair look like Ben Solo’s? Why do all the girls like him, anyway? It’s got to be the hair, right? The brooding? (I’m brooding! I’m angsty! Why doesn’t anyone like me?) Seriously, I’d vote him Most Likely to Join the Dark Side, except Dad and Master Blayne don’t allow that kind of stuff… When I told Noemi that, she just gave me the Look. I think she’s got a thing for him, too. (Really, Noemi? I thought you were smarter than that.)

    Mistress Eupraxia told us to pick a word that we think best describes us. I don’t know… maybe “half-and-half”? Since I’m half Twi’lek and half human? And I spend half my time at NLUPS and half at the Jedi Academy, because Dad and Master Blayne think the Jedi shouldn’t isolate themselves? Or does that count as three words? Whatever...it’s better than “freak”, which is what I really feel like most of the time. Noemi says to stop calling myself that, but how else am I supposed to describe myself when I look the way I do? When I don’t fit in anywhere? When I’m the weird Jedi kid in NLUPS, and not just that but the kid whose parents get talked about in history class? I guess that part’s true of Noemi and Caleb, too, but they handle it better than I do. I think it’s easy for Noemi, because she’s smart and beautiful (wait, can I say that about a girl I’m practically related to? See, I told you I was weird.)

    Anyway— this is me in a yubnut shell, Ronen Syndulla-Jarrus. Half human, half Twi’lek. Prep school student. Jedi padawan. Freak.
     
    Last edited: May 10, 2018
  2. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Ronen [:D] [:D] Yeah Noemi should definitely know better :p :rolleyes:
    Ayelet does indeed sound gorgeous and Jacen exotic. And of course Ronen is at that age when EVERYTHING is awkward ANYWAY [face_thinking] :( It's like, when you're that age and at that stage, you just wanna rush through and be well-adjusted and self-assured in your own skin and mind already. @};-
    =D=
     
  3. brodiew

    brodiew Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 2005
    Nicely done, Raissa!
    and
    I think you give Ronen suitably angsty voice for an awkward teen, but I also gather he is a rather discerning thinker. His observations about his siblings, 'cousins', and a certain Solo son are all on target.

    Hmmm... [face_thinking] A best friend, who is beautiful, and I am not technically related to. Sounds the like the beginning of a beautiful 'ship.
     
    Last edited: May 10, 2018
  4. Raissa Baiard

    Raissa Baiard FFoF Artist Extraordinaire star 4 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Nov 22, 1999
    Thanks! I’m so glad you like Ronen. I loved making a whole family of younglings for Kanan and Hera, but he’s the one who stood out for me :D it’s hard to be that age, and having exceptional parents and older siblings makes things even tougher for him, as does the feeling that he’s neither here nor there in a lot of ways. The good thing is that he’s got a loving space!family to support him, even those who aren’t technically related, and at least one really good friend by his side.
    Thank you! Ronen is pretty perceptive, he’s Force-sensitive after all, and he’s smarter than he gives himself credit for. But it’s hard for him to see his positive qualities at this point in time. Maybe there’s someone who can help him...

    Hmmm...indeed... ;)
     
  5. Raissa Baiard

    Raissa Baiard FFoF Artist Extraordinaire star 4 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Nov 22, 1999
    My contrary moose muse decided to spend the last few days with its new characters, on several fronts, so you get BONUS CONTENT: Noemi’s journal entry, plus my art of her and Ronen. :D

    Noemi

    Mistress Eupraxia assigned us to write a journal for three months—and I have no idea what I’m supposed to say in this thing. I’m so not the type of girl who keeps a diary. Dear diary—today I wore my fuchsia sequin glitterskirt to school and the cute boy who sits behind me in lab looked at me! Tee hee hee.. Ugh, no thanks! I will write the daily weather forecast for the Northern Plains before I will lower myself to writing that kind of poodoo. It was another beautiful sunny day with sixty percent humidity and light variable winds from the southwest….

    All right, since I have to, I guess I should tell you something about myself. My name is Noemi Jade Bridger, and before you ask, yes that Bridger. My dad is Ezra Bridger, the most famous person to come from Lothal in like...ever. I mean, I get why he’s the homeworld hero—he basically went from being a street kid to a commander in the Rebellion and then came back to help found the new Jedi Academy here—but to me, he’s just Dad, you know?

    Mistress Eupraxia told us to pick one word that best describes us (which is pretty limiting, really. Shouldn’t we be more than just one thing?) and I guess I’d have to say “invisible”, because all anyone sees when they look at me is the Hero of Lothal’s daughter. I feel like I have to be perfect at everything and still no one sees me. I wish someone would notice me for something besides my last name. (I wish Ben Solo would notice me for anything...oh good skies, did I just write that? No one’s reading this, right?)

    Anyway, there are really only two beings who understand me...and one of them is a Loth-cat, Spots. (Yes, I know it’s a lame name, but I didn’t give it to her, it’s what she calls herself. She’s very proud of her spots). Ever since I can remember, Loth-cats have liked me—I get that from Dad—but Spots and I just connect. Most people think she’s my pet, but she’s a lot more than that. It’s almost like...like she’s Force-sensitive or something, the way we can understand each other. But I don’t tell many people that or they’d think I’m crazy.

    The only one I can talk to about stuff like that is Ronen… he gets it. He’s a Jedi, too, and his parents are just about as famous as Dad. He’s my best friend—has been since we were little. We’re both the youngest in our families, so we always got stuck together. I don’t mind, though, he’s funny and smart, even if he is really hard on himself. He’s kind of hung up on the fact that he has hair and lekku, when most half-Twi’leks only have one or the other. I’ve tried to tell him that A) he doesn’t look bad, I mean, have you seen some of the strange species out there? and B) so what if the girls at NLUPS don’t pay attention to him, most of them aren’t worth it anyway. But he doesn’t listen to me. :(

    Oh hey, I managed to get more than 500 words written! Go me! I guess this means I’m done...at least until tomorrow. Sigh...stupid journal...

    Ronen Syndulla-Jarrus
    [​IMG]
    Noemi Bridger
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: May 14, 2018
  6. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    I adore Noemie's voice, @Raissa Baiard -- and you're thinking, oh that helps a lot!! [face_laugh] =D= =D=
    Girl is crushing on the wrong guy :rolleyes: :eek: :p She needs to realize that Ronen is not just a best pal but soul mate material especially if Ben Solo has me-itis big time and can't and won't get that the worlds do NOT revolve around him like a solar system's primary star [face_laugh]

    Sweet that Noemi thinks of her Dad as "just" Dad because of course that's how down to earth and relatable he is. [face_love] Does she know she's blessed LOL [face_dancing]

    Spots is a cute name for a loth-cat [face_shhh]

    [face_mischief]
     
    Last edited: May 14, 2018
  7. brodiew

    brodiew Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 2005
    Oh, I like Noemi. She's got spirit! And, an invisibility issue. And, a 'cousin' ;) who doesn't listen to her?[face_whistling] If only they could 'hear' each other. I also liked the gradual change in Noemi's tone over the 500 words. From I'm no journal girl! to 'does anyone see me, not my Dad?' to relatively sulky 'Ronen doesn't listen to me.'
    I'm glad you chose Spots rather than Spot. It's works better in the text (Noemi's voice).

    Edit! Oh, Snap! I almost forgot the artwork. Well done, Raissa! Ronen does not look as bad as he thinks he does and Noemi is definitely showing some sass. What really stuck out were their eyes. I think you nailed the Bridger eyes and and Ronen seems to have father's eyes which are also spot on for the show's animation.
     
    Last edited: May 14, 2018
  8. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Aw, what fun! :D From the award-winning author of Teenage Rebellion comes a new generation of Teen Jedi Angst—and as we have seen, that's something no one can write the way you can! And even better, as an added bonus—a Jedi teen twofer, with drawings! What a talent! [face_dancing]

    Both Ronen and Noemi are absolutely adorable. Even their angstiness is adorable (and yes, I know that's easy for me to say as an adult and all :p ). Poor Ronen; I can see where his self-consciousness about his mixed phenotype would really do a number on him at this already awkward age (though Brodie's right that he doesn't look so bad at all—he’s definitely got those nice Jarrus/Dume eyes going for him. :D ). His mixed heritage isn’t the only area where he’s “half and half,” either, given that he’s at both NLUPS (I just love that very mundane school name in the middle of the GFFA, and yes, Noemi’s right about the way the acronym sounds :p ) and the Jedi Academy and probably feels a bit out of place at both. Add to that the pressure of having famous parents, plus the challenges of having to regularly be around people like that BEN SOLO... I have to say it’s interesting that Ben figures in both characters’ entries so far; he clearly looms large to both of them, in different ways. (I still, however, would love to see a sort of brood-off or angst-a-thon between Ronen and Ben at some later point! :D Ronen’s self-awareness about his own brooding nature is rather adorable in its way, too. :p )

    Noemi’s got a different brand of “half and half” going for her. She’s sort of caught between the poles of “I’m not one of those diary type girls” and “when will Cute Guy notice me?”—I remember her mother being in a similar place in some of the early Marzra stories. ;) Like Ronen, Noemi faces the challenge of growing up in the shadow of her parents’ name recognition, and that will no doubt be an important point (one of many) over which they can bond and support each other as their stories go on. But unlike Ronen, Noemi’s also got another very valuable and unique source of support in Spots, thanks to the beastwarden talent she inherited from her dad (which nevertheless is itself a slight source of awkwardness too, as she hints). Nor does Spots seem to be an ordinary Loth-cat, either; if Noemi’s got a talent with animals, Spots seems to have the reciprocal “personwarden” talent for connecting with people.

    It’s such a delight to meet these two—I can’t wait to see how their stories will continue! Woot for the next Teen Jedi Generation! [face_dancing]
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2018
  9. Raissa Baiard

    Raissa Baiard FFoF Artist Extraordinaire star 4 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Nov 22, 1999
    Aw, thanks, I'm glad you like her! Since this AU is generally happier than the Canon-verse, Ben Solo is not quite as bad as his counterpart, but he's still quite Emo and has some Issues (yes, with a capital I :p)... not that Ronen isn't angsty, too, but less so, and they are best friends--and who knows? Friendship's always a good base to start from. And of course Ezra's just "Dad" to her; she's never known him as anything else. With his family being the most important thing to him, I'm sure he's a great dad, too, and has always been there for his kids. Noemi may not realize right now how lucky she is to have him (and indeed, her entire family), but she will!
    Thanks! I like what you said about Noemi and Ronen hearing each other. Not only does Ronen need to take Noem's advice to heart, he needs to hear the genuine caring and friendship behind it, and Noemi needs to realize there is someone who sees her--and thinks she's smart and beautiful! She's at that age where she's trying really hard to be mature but still has some insecurities about who she is and what she wants.
    Spots was the name I came up with for one of the Bridgers' Loth-cats in my Sims game when I couldn't think of anything else :p It was originally meant as a name that a very young Noemi gave her cat, but I think it could be the kind of name a cat would come up with as well.
    Again, thank you! [face_love] Ezra and Kanan do have pretty gorgeous eyes, so I take that as a very great compliment! Noemi does have sass--but what else would you expect from Mara Jade and Ezra Bridger's daughter? :D
    [face_blush][face_blush][face_blush] thank you so much! I don't know why these angsty teens appeal to me so much, but they just seem to take on a life of their own!

    I'm sure that they would both protest that they are absolutely too mature to be adorable, but thank you, I'm already quite fond of them! Ronen is much harder on himself than he should be and probably thinks worse of himself and his looks than anyone does in reality. NLUPS was partly inspired by the school names in the Servant of the Empire books (AppSci, VSIS) and partly by the dichotomy of these teens having this very normal (comparatively speaking) upbringing as opposed to their parents. Noemi and Ronen certainly feel the difference between what they're doing and what their parents were up to at their age--small wonder they feel a little insignificant. And BEN SOLO! I'm not sure the Galaxy could stand the weight of so much angst in one place at one time, but I bet he and Ronen could put up a good contest.

    Oh, she definitely is still in that phase of trying to find the balance in herself, between being the Strong Jedi Girl and the Secretly Mushy Girl, a lot like Mara was in the beginning of her relationship with Ezra. She and Ronen both understand that part of each other, as they both mention in their journals, and in that respect they really do see one another. I still love your concept of the "personwarden" and, yes, Spots has that talent for connecting, at least with someone who has the beastwarden talent. I think it is slightly awkward for Noemi among her classmates at NLUPS, because what kind of weird person talks to cats and maybe even among the Jedi, because what kind of weird Jedi thinks Loth-cats can use the Force (Okay, besides another beastwarden who seems to be like catnip to Loth-cats ;) :ezra:)
     
  10. Kahara

    Kahara FFoF Hostess Extraordinaire star 4 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Mar 3, 2001
    This is shaping up to be fantastic, I can tell. :D I've already gotten to like these new next-generation characters just from their diary entries and Ronen's one-shot. They're both just so preoccupied with teen things, but their ponderings also show that they're basically kind and look out for each other. Spots is wonderful and I can't wait to see more of her -- always a sucker for the loth-cats, that's me. ;) (And the portraits you made for Ronen and Noemi are adorable! [face_love])
     
    Last edited: Jun 1, 2018