A Beacon of Light (Avaloria Dython's training)

[Ares]

Veren smiled, then looked pointedly at her lightsaber. "Normally, I would request that you use a curved training saber, but seeing as the point here is to be able to switch styles with the same saber, yours will do just fine." He laughed good-naturedly, then got down to business.

"All right, now, we'll start with the opening salute and moves. Makashi is a style of grace and elegance, while still retaining functionality. You should excel at this style. Now, the main difficulty here will be avoiding your face while coming somewhat close to it- I'd advise just keeping your saber a bit of a distance away, because it would be a shame to harm yours... All right. Moving on! Now, this is how you salute." The Equine Jedi Knight stood with his legs mostly together, and ignited his lightsaber while flicking it to the right. Veren brought it up to hold in front of his face for three seconds, then spun the blade counter-clockwise in a flourish, bringing it down to his right. The faun-like Jedi shifted his legs so that his right hoof was in front of the left, but he avoided going into a wide stance. Veren said, "Alright, that was the salute and opening stance. Try that, and we'll see if Makashi is good for you.

 

[Avaloria]

She watched his movement as close as she could. She thought he moved rather gracefully for such a sentient being in his shape, she smiled warmly at this display.

First she attempted the stance by bringing her feet together. Once they where close together she brought her right hand down to her side, and "Pretended" to flick the saber's blade outwardly. She after all didn't want to risk her "cute" face on her first attempt. She then mimicked his movements by bringing her hilt at the position where he blade would only be a few inches from her nose, but still not igniting the blade. She learned by experience so mimicking the movement first was the most important aspect for her. She now then spun around in 360 degree's, and once she fully spun around she returned her hilt to her side, with the blade's emitter pointed toward the ground. Her right foot placed gently in front of her left, her right leg stiff but in an elegant manner.

She then loosened up and now attempted the entire procedures with the blade activating at key points. First she brought her feet together once more, this time in better positioning then the first attempt. Next with her hilt already drawn, she brings it to her right side and points the emitter toward the ground igniting the blue blade of her mother's saber. Then the most difficult of the task, she brought the blade toward her face. There it almost appeared as if she wasn't going to stop in time, and as much as she would not have preferred the blade was a little closer then intended. It hovered before her nose just an inch away, her blue eyes shined like well polished sapphires. After three seconds she then extended her arm at an angel, pointing the blade toward the ground and spun around. Her lekku's danced within the air as she finished the full spin, stopping to place her right foot in front of her left. Her Blade stopped where it had originally pointed when she first lowered it to the ground. Adding her own flare to this elegant dance, she pressed more weight upon her right foot and bent at her waist slightly to bow to her Master in respect. Her back straightened up afterwords and for a brief second she looked older then she was.

All she could do was look at her Master for Approval..

 

[Ares]

The satyr-like alien nodded and smiled. He said, "Very, very good. You seem to be learning this very quickly. Now, let's move on to the more exciting parts, shall we? Alright, now watch this- try to mimic it after I do it."

The Jedi Knight brought the blade around to point at the ground at an angle that pointed downward, but was in front of his leg. Veren waited for several seconds, then brought it up as if he were parrying an invisible blow to his left. He moved foward, spinning the saber and his body until he stood only about three feet away from his Padawan, then spun back like a yo-yo, again agiley(sp?) swirling around in his straight path from in front of his padawan in a straight line back to his starting position. The Jedi Knight smiled, and spoke again. "Now, I don't expect you to get that on your first try, but this is one of the simpler moves- Makashi is less acrobatic or physically straining on the body, but it is by far more complex."

 

[Avaloria]

She understand the technique mentally but the movement he had just made seemed a bit complicated at the moment. With her mind exerted and her stamina still needing improvement while using ashla, she attempted to mimic his movements. With her hilt of her lightsaber still grasped within her right hand she activates the blade once more. The blue glow of the saber's hilt brightened her flesh to that of a lively , more vibrant radiance.

She pointed her hilt just slightly before herself, guiding the tip of the lightsaber toward the ground just before her right leg. Quickly she pretended to parry a blow that was unseen by an unseen foe. The blade as it cut through the air was sharp and not as fluid as her masters, it was a swing that showed her exhaustion but yet also her determination to continue forward no matter how exerted she has become. With the blade before her she made a strong step forward as if to thrust and then curved her body into a spin. The spin was elegant as it was something she herself did allot using the Ataru Form, however when she halted her spin and left the blade extended before her toward her Master (Not at him) the inexperience in this new form showed. She snapped the blade backward and spun back to her original position, almost tripping over her own foot as her feet had been one movement ahead of her mind. She was moving quicker then the move was able to. Breathing hard, her chest moving up and down slowly, she lowers the extended blade to her side, pointing the blade to the ground.

"... What did I do wrong," she asked as if she was speaking to herself. The tone of her voice sounded aggrivated...

 

[Ares]

Veren watched intent. She moved well, and for the most part executed the moves. Not necessarily with grace, because Ataru was more sharp and punctuated with jumping involved. Avaloria was also moving ever so slightly too fast, but she was very good already.

He smiled at her in reassurance, and said, "So far, all that you did 'wrong' was to not be fluid enough. But that takes a lot of practice, and so far you've mastered it much better than I had when I first tried! Keep at it..."

He then looked off the balcony on the far side of the courtyard, where the faun-like Jedi Knight saw the ruddy orange sun sinking over the horizon... It was already a deep purple in the sky, and the sun was barely visible. Luminescent insects hummed in the cool evening air. He turned to his apprentice. "Before you turn in for the night, if you wish, I can teach you one Force-related thing tonight. It regards these insects, actually.."

 

[Avaloria]

"Bugs..?"

She unignited her lightsaber and clipped it to her belt and then pondered the reason why he would want to teach her a force related ability with bugs. She looked to the same orange and purple cascaded glow of the sky in the far distance, with the silohet of the cities massive buildings. She wasnt to fond of insects, especially since Ryloth's creatures had always been the less attractive in the universe. Her optomistic personality shined through though and she gave her master a comforted smile.

"Sure, I'm more then eager to do one more lesson before we call it a day."

 

[Ares]

Veren smiled. He knew his Padawan would be confused- he hadn't phrased it very well. The Jedi Knight spoke, "I know you might be skeptical- but this ability isn't exclusively related to insects. It's just the other form of plant manipulation. I want to see if you can influence these phosporent flies the same way you did the plants. But these are smaller, and therefore easier."

 

[Avaloria]

She understood immediately, and she had an idea of what to do though it may be complicated. She figured with her third practice of this she may be able to pull it off. She spoke softly to her master, her voice showing a level of excitement, "I think I know exactly what I'm going to treat you to."

She smiled warmly to Jedi Knight Veren, Her eyes flashed with a vibrant glow that came from the soft warm glow of the setting sun in the far back drop. She began to immediately picture the star maps of the Ossus Library, a particular star map that depicted the space over Ossus. She closed her eyes to increase the details of this image and recollection of it.The small glow of each of the flies began to slowly move into position, brushing themselves among each other and around the two Jedi. They danced to a mythic beat that only could be heard within her head, a melody perhaps she herself was creating at this moment using the force to manipulate the frequency.

The small insects, began to come from the wood works from around the garden, coming from the small blades of grass, from the tree branches and from the other various flora, these insects gathered. Slowly, they began to form the celestial body of stars and various space clouds that could be seen from the surface of Ossus during a clear night. As if manipulated by the force, particular flies took on different glows, matching the glows to this particular image she had burned into her skull, an image she thought was majestic. As she concentrated and focused and as the last of these insects joined the orchestra of colors and patterns, a few of them gather close together to create a shooting star effect within its tapestry.

Finally night came, and the glow of the depiction , the young padawan was creating could finally be seen as vivid as if one was to be on the surface of Ossus at this time. Though the image itself was still comprised of many bodies, and its very likeness was not exact to the star map, its hovering glow and its moving vessels served its purpose. She did seem to excel more in the partition of the force then other aspects of being a Jedi. She opened her eyes , her smile faded as she became awe strucked by the brilliant colors and the near perfect formation of the small flies to what she had imagined. She for once had nothing to say, but she did understand she had an affinity to learning force concepts and strongly needed work with her combat. Perhaps it was the beauty of the force that allowed her to learn so quickly and that the physical aspects of being a Jedi seem to be coming a bit slower for her. She was fine with that, some excelled in Saber Combat, she seem to be excelling in another form.

A soft smile appeared on her face as a few younger padawan come up beside her master , the colors and light grabbing their attention.

 

[Ares]

Veren's eyes grew distant... He saw Ossus's sky in the firefly's dance... They were being directed by his Padawan to make the night sky above Ossus's Jedi Temple, and it was being done very well. Granted, there were some small mistakes, but it was an incredible job overall. Avaloria was very studious, apparently, and had memorized something so trivial as the star configuration above the Temple on Ossus.

The faun-like Jedi remembered Ossus, because of this... The wide, open, plains, the forests, the hidden cave where he had made his lightsaber... The areas where the Padawans had trained.... The younglings practicing... And the Rodian Jedi Master Tweeg, now deceased, who had supervised the library on Ossus. A good Jedi, and a sweet old man... Memories that Veren hadn't thought of since the Alsakan Crisis flooded back, and the Jedi Knight felt as if he was going to sob.

"That was... beautiful..." he said to his Twi'lek Padawan. Veren spoke again, "Beautiful. Perfect... It reminds me of Ossus so much. A beautiful planet...

He paused for several minutes, just thinking as he gazed out across Coruscant's horizon, the city-planet's sky a beautiful midnight blue, light cloud cover masking some of the stars in the sky. Not as beautiful as Ossus.

"You should rest, now, to prepare for tomorrow's training. You've done very, very well today- beyond my considerable expectations, in fact. I'll come by in the morning to make sure you're ready for training tomorrow."

The Jedi Knight looked down at the two younglings who had come by to watch. And I saw you two, too. You both did excellently with Master Ploontab. Now, hurry along to bed- you know how unpleasant it is when you don't get enough sleep, and tomorrow is you class in Jedi Lore." The two children made faces at being informed of the boring class tomorrow. They knew, as all seemed to, that Coruscant's Archivists were famously boring, and they all seemed to have that same droning voice... No matter.

The faun-like Jedi smiled at his apprentice, and walked to the edge of the balcony to look out over Coruscan't night... Pretty, in its own way. But it honestly couldn't compare to Ossus.

 

[Avaloria]

She watched her Master Approach the edge of the balcony. His features and figure appeared to glow from the lights of the never-sleeping city. She smiled warmly, but was exhausted mentally anyways. She said softly to her Master in a very gentle tone.

"Good-Night Master, I'll do better with my saber form tomorrow. I'll leave you to your thoughts tonight.."

She turned around and slowly headed toward the temple itself. Her stride even and her movement an easy pace. She kept thinking about her mistake during the saber training, a mistake she was sure not to make again. She did chuckle at her own pride, she knew she couldn't always excel at everything, and saber combat was one of those things that came harder to her. Climbing the stairs into the temple, her figure fades out of sight as she proceeded into the massive building to head to her chambers for the night.

 

[Ares]

Veren nodded, and stared out at Coruscant's urban night, glowing and darkening at the same time. The satyr-like Jedi Knight listened to his Padawan walking away after she had spoke, and he sensed her exit the open courtyard and walk through the temple to the Padawan wing. The Jedi Knight drank in the light of four moons and many glowing stars. He saw the band of the galaxy in the sky, a truly beautiful sight...

---------------

Veren Lorollo tugged on his earthy brown Jedi Tunic, and slowly wrapped the leather hand coverings around his hands and lower forearms, pulling a small piece of armor over the right one, and making sure his pieces of shoulder armor were in place, and he stood up. The Equine Jedi Knight picked his silver lightsaber hilt off his bare night table, and clipped it onto his belt.

The faun-like Jedi walked through partially-covered hallways, open on one side, occasionally both. The Jedi Knight clopped along, his hooves clicking on the pristing marble floors. Veren walked and walked until he reached the Padawan's wing. He ascended one of the staircases, along with several other Knights and Masters who were going to make sure their Padawans were ready.

Veren walked around the smaller hallway, to where he sensed his Padawan on the other side of the door. He knocked gently on the door, and said, "Avaloria? Are you ready for today's training, or do you require a little more time?"

 

[Avaloria]

She always woke early, earlier then most her age, to meditate on her feelings and the typically reflect on the previous days events. She was already dressed, this time wearing long brown worker pants, with some roughed up marks along her knees. On her top, she wore the same color brown Short sleeve shirt, but it's length was cut just above her belly button. Her Lekku Wrappings, also matched that enriched brown, hugging the Lekku's tightly but not to tight. She now had a pair of black riding boots on her feet, worn with usage but still maintained enough to keep a semi-shine to its surface.

She broke out of her meditation as a soft knock came tapping at the door. She heard her Master's words from the other side, sneaking into her chambers. At first she didn't respond, she rose slowly to her feet and brushed off what little dust had gathered on her pants. A Soft warm glow of the sun, came brushing into her room from a small window to the rear of the chambers. She approached the door finally, and opened it saying with a very optimistic manner, "Good-Morning Master , I'm more then Eager to begin!"

 

[Ares]

The faun-like Jedi smiled when his Padawan opened the door and greeted him enthusiastically. When he was a Padawan, everyone had to drag themselves from their beds... Of course, he had never been as energetic as Avaloria. Veren replied, also optomistically, "Great! Now, do you wish to start off today with Force Abilities, or do you want to begin with lightsaber training? If you want to start off with Force, I would advise changing into a swimsuit..."

The Jedi Knight smiled. He had an interesting idea for an ability that was very useful today- both in lightsaber combat, and in the Force spectrum. Today would be interesting, to say the least...

 

[Avaloria]

She smiled and then attempted to calm herself down by speaking in a less irritating manner, "Well.. I must admit saber combat comes a little harder for me. I think Saber Practice should be the option I choose, however, Perhaps I should continue my focus on Force Application for the time being? Ya know, Get to a point where I am more connected to to the force itself, may help me with my saber combat?"

She actually didnt know if what she had said made any sense, but it was early in the morning. She smiled at her Master and waited for him to respond before she either changed into a swim suit or went as she did.

 

[Ares]

Veren laughed impulsively at his Padawan's energy, and, from a certain angle, clarity. Her speech pattern may be somewhat confusing, but buried in her sentences were extraordinary ideas. He responded happily, "I'm glad I chose you as my Padawan. You're very perceptive- enhanced Force Abilities do aid in lightsaber combat. So, it appears that Force training is what we shall focus on for now! Now, go and change into a swimsuit. We'll be going to the Temple Pool for training."

 

[Avaloria]

"Very well, My Master."

She smiles warmly and turns around shutting the door behind herself. Quickly she moved about her room searching for her bathing suit, until she finds it under her bed in one of her luggage bags that had not been unpacked yet.

"Silly me, I've been here a month now and still haven't unpacked.. hmn, Oh well."

She removed a one piece bathing suit, nothing to ornate about it or anything that stands out.Quickly she got undressed, folding her clothing onto her bed as she did so, and then quickly found herself wiggling into her skin-tight swimsuit. She grabbed her Lightsaber as well, In case and proceeded to the door once more. Opening it up she smiled in modesty to her master, as her figure was well curved in area's that needed it.

"I'm ready when you are."

 

[Ares]

Veren smiled. His Padawan was very quick, unlike how he was when a Padawan. Come to think of it, he was rather surprised that he was even chosen... Fancy that.

The satyr-like Jedi Knight said, "Okay, now follow me. You're going to learn a useful ability. Breath Control. With this ability, you can either breathe underwater for a period of time, or block out poisonous gases from your body. Now, the pool is where we shall do this, because I really don't think we want to try this out with actual poison..."

Veren led the way, walking down the stairs, and to a turbolift. He opened the turbolift, and gestured for his Padawan to go first. "Ladies first..."

 

[Avaloria]

She enters the turbo lift and turns around waiting for her Master to enter soon afterward. She felt very comfortable in her current outfit, perhaps it had something to do with her Culture and living on a planet that's hostile and unpredictable. She gave her Master a warm smile and then said while waiting for the lift to either descend or ascend.

"Hmm, Will you be joining me for a swim?"

 

[Ares]

The faun-like Jedi laughed and responded, "Not yet, at least. I'll have to show you some things in the pool, though, but not yet for this ability."

He smiled to himself as the turbolift descended, and finally opened on one of the lower floors. Veren stepped out, waiting for his padawan. In front of them was a small atrium, and on the far side was the door leading to the pool.

 

[Avaloria]

Her smile didn't fade as the lift's door opened, seeing her master step forward out of it she did likewise. Standing their in better light, one could see her define thigh muscles, her slender but toned arms (not to masculine) and how youthful her face was, even being Sixteen. In her right hand she held onto the long hilt of her mother's blade, a memento she didn't even allow the Jedi of the order to take from her. She knew one day she'd have to craft her own but now, she'd honor her mother.

She smiled as she glared down the hallway, watching a few younger Padawan leaping into the pool, doing their own tasks for their Masters. A chuckle escaped her lips. She remembered while she learned how to swim for the first time, how she was picked on. She muttered a few thoughts in her head, but a smile remained as she knew she's become rather adapt at something many on Ryloth never learn to do.

She awaited her Master to lead on, not wanting to appear impatient.