In These Moments Trailing Dawn

[Asinine Soup]

Ashanna couldn't have expected for her opponent to attempt grappling maneuvers as they fought with the blades, but it was all part of the learning process, to be said. As Curo leaps in the air to attempt such a feat, he would have a melee artist's defenses and Force-enhanced agility to deal with. While the grapple was somewhat successful in unprecedently throwing her to the rock - "Nng!" - the knee would be met quicker with a bare foot that presses against the Togruta's chest. Had she a brawler mentality?
No matter how strong he was, he couldn't beat the sturdiness of the rock she rested against. That with her legs clearly the strongest part of her body, as long as Curo attempted to continue to lean forward and pin her, he would find himself subject to more and more leverage in the face of Ashanna rolling off her spine to send her opponent's weight ejecting right on over her in a counter-defensive grapple maneuver she'd clearly had to use in the past.
While her strengths and weaknesses were sometimes muddled, it was clear that the girl's strengths in defenses much made up for the lack of pure offense - in a lot of ways, she was the epitome of what a traditional Jedi sought to be. That combined with her skill without a lightsaber being present coupled with her ability to augment her physical abilities with the Force rendered her able to keep up with a warrior as skilled as Curo.

Even if she couldn't all-out defeat him as she could plenty others.
Were the vault to work, her Jedi assailant would likely be sent overhead and off the surface of the rock itself.

 

[Viabuck]

'... Is that a foot?'

This was a question he had never intended having to ask himself midcombat and yet it was here and now that the question had arisen, almost as in slow motion, a bare human foot had been planted into his chest and was now creating something of an uncomfortable situation for him. With his momentum quickly shifting, Curo began to quickly realize that he did in fact stad to lose the battle for the rock and to no surprise, seemed utterly unwilling to do so. With the foot so firmly planted in his chest, there was little that he could do to overpower her leg and thus opted to make use of his own.

Rather than allow himself to be thrown off of said rock, the Torgrutan Knight did what came to mind and immediately made a move to attempt to grab onto the human's own leg by coiling his upper thighs around her calf, an act which while preventing him from being thrown from the platform did lead to the rather unceremonious thud of his skull meeting the back of the rock as he was was pushed off of her saber wielding arm.

Laying there for the briefest of moments, Curo would quickly regain his bearings, taking his saber and suddenly pointing it in the girl's direction... Making quite possibly the most awkward threat conceivable. With both of his legs wrapped around one of the female's own, awkwardly positioned atop of a rock in a glorified wrestling lock of sorts, young Kaal was pointing his lightsaber toward the girl's upper body, angling it as best as he could if only to defend should she try to strike.

"Do you yield?" he asked, acting as if he didn't realize that they had ended in an equally compromising position.

 

[Asinine Soup]

Ashanna's blade had extended forward in the exact same fashion as the rather confusing roll atop the rock and landing in a position that allows her blade to be thrusted forth toward her opponent!...Only to clash and hiss, sparking its breath of flame and energy in its white-yellow light.
It seemed she did indeed try to strike.
"Do you yield?" he asks incredulously, catching Ashanna by surprise...then forcing a grin across her face. She giggles light-heartedly before depressing her blade. It hisses into its holster, the only light remaining in the area that of her opponent's green-glowing lightsaber blades.
"I do," she concedes, though she mentally tallied the fight as a draw. Although her breathing hadn't been elated, her heartbeat was racing and gentle beads of sweat slid from her brow beneath her hair. It was clear she'd gotten just as much of a work-out with applying the Force and her energy in such a way. She cared little about the outcome of the fight, though it seemed the Togruta did - he likely had something to prove. She didn't mind, if it would make a new friend happy.

"You're very skilled. Maybe you can untangle your legs from around mine?" she inquires, then, watching the green blade continue to hold itself out toward her, semi-offensively, though still defensive in its own right.

 

[Viabuck]

Staring intently toward Ashanna as they held their blades toward one another, a smile formed across his face as she did in fact agree to yield to him, his body falling back and his arms laying outstretched at his sides, clearly out of breath as his own lightsaber retracted. Inside of his chest, his heart was beating a mile a minute and he had exerted himself to his furthest possible limits. Wiping some sweat from his own brow, he would glance up from his rest when the release of his legs was requested and following a brief double take and a realization that he hadn't released his clutch, he would indeed untangle from the other Knight.

"You're quite talented yourself.. That was quite the workout and I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.." he offered, pushing himself up to sit upright now, a hand reaching back and undoing two straps along two of his head tails to fall up in front of his shoulders once again, opting not to keep them restrained now that the risk of being severed via a lightsaber was off of the table once again.

"You have a strong command of the force. I'm rather impressed.. And you also managed to keep up with both blades.."

He seemed full of compliments now that the match was over and he had gotten the exercise and outlet for his energy that he so desired.

 

[Asinine Soup]

Ashanna was ultimately glad to have her legs back to themselves. If she hadn't been trained in how to utilize her body as an extension of the Force, and vice verse - and if she hadn't been trained in hand-to-hand combat as she had been - Curo would've certainly toppled her under normal, baseline means. It was her own natural talent and training that enhanced her skill in such a way, and she attempted to make up for every physical disadvantage given by improving her mind, body, and spirit - and her mastery of the Force, too.

"You're quite talented yourself.. That was quite the workout and I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.." he'd said. She grins genuinely at the prospect, remaining quiet as they both shift; Ashanna herself curls her own legs inward so she could sit flexibly and meditatively atop the stone pillar.
"You have a strong command of the force. I'm rather impressed.. And you also managed to keep up with both blades.."

Such open flattery. Was this his true impression? He didn't have a problem using witticism to speak his mind, that much was sure, but seeing as she'd never encountered someone like this Togruta before, she couldn't help but to take its sincerity at its face value.
"You honor me," she starts, "but your command of your weapons are...beyond anything I've ever seen, let alone fought against. It took everything I had just to keep you at bay...let alone counter you. I admittedly use the Force to assist me with tracking your movements. It's just too fast to handle under normal circumstances..." she admits, chuckling mildly as her eyes lift again to find those of Curo's.
"I hate to take the topic off of the fight, but...what are you? I've never seen anyone like you before, Curo," she admits, the girl very much looking like she wanted to curiously feel his head-tails curiously as she leans forward slightly, getting a closer look at the very interesting Togruta.

***​

"That was the coolest fight ever!" a padawan off in the doorway squeals, the rest attempting to shut him up and keep him quiet. They weren't quite sure if the two jedi would shoo them off or not, and didn't want to risk the chance quite yet!

 

[Viabuck]

Settling in to sit across from Ashanna, Curo would momentarily make eye contact with the girl, a light smile forming across his face as she spoke. While he had received kind words regarding his abilities in the past, normally they didn't come from opponents whom had actually tested his abilities first hand. Hearing them from what could be considered a worth adversary was something which brought a certain sense of satisfaction that might have otherwise escaped him.

"You're too kind.. I appreciate hearing that from someone who holds such skill.." he offered in response before pausing and looking at her when the question emerged as to -what- he was, something which admittedly made him smile now more so out of amusement than the exchange of praise between the two of them. It wasn't the first time he had been asked such things and it wasn't anything that he was unused to. So many people were curious about his origins, particularly those who lived somewhat 'sheltered' existences.

"I am a Togruta..." he answered, noticing her intent gaze and sighing briefly. Reaching a hand out rather unceremoniously, he would take hold of her hands and bring them up to lightly touch his two head tails that rested in front of him. "I feel it's best to simply get curiosity out of the way.. If you ever want to learn anything about anything it's best to simply do it.." he added, withdrawing his own hands before motioning up to his horn like structures atop his head.

"My Lekku... Which you're touching and my Montrals... which are ontop of my head provide me superb spatial awareness.. I can sense things much more vividly than most people.. Even without tapping into the force.. The montrals do most of the work but the head tails help.." he went on further educating the girl.

".. And you are no normal human are you?.. You're much too... " he paused for a moment, thinking over the wording for a moment. "Interesting.." he concluded.

 

[Asinine Soup]

".. And you are no normal human are you?.. You're much too... " he paused for a moment, then, leaving Ashanna to wonder what he could possibly be thinking. She hoped it was nothing as she was expecting - something like 'different', or 'stupid' - perhaps her own insecurities rearing their ugly head up, nonetheless, she remains prepared for it. Until...
"Interesting.." was the last word to leave his mouth.
Interesting he'd say that. Interesting enough to cause her thoughtful inspecting of the Lekku and Montrals to cease. They were spectacular, but his words given were quite a bit more impressive upon her.
Her eyes shift from the lekku and toward Curo's eyes. A Force sensitive as he after a spar with the girl would certainly be able to feel the glimpse much more than others. With her focus upon him, she inadvertently opens her senses to receive any and everything that could be perceived from said focus; she was piquing into Curo's very mind and soul, at perhaps it was even evident.
"...hm. You're interesting to me, too...Curo," she admits, her stare awkwardly lasting longer than what one would deem acceptable. "And you're perceptive. Very perceptive." She grins, her stare finally breaking as her chin lifts and she takes note of the sky, then, the pressurized feeling of being observed likely lifting like the shroud that it was.

"I'm of a humanoid race titled Ysanna. We're descendant of extremely Force Sensitive beings whose ancestry was one of safekeeping Jedi secrets and knowledge. Of course...that was a long time ago," she pauses, elbows finding their way leisurely atop her knees as they remain folded, "but even as someone as 'interesting' as me can tell that the only potential I really have is...within that of the Force."
She grins, closing her eyes as the cold, stiff breeze of the mountains rejuvenates her spirit. "Your discipline and skill has...left me awe-struck. But even more amazing is your persona. I like you." she indicates firmly, not one to hold back her mind.

"We've just met, but maybe we can be friends?" she finally states, not allowing the space between her intentions to become too awkward. Her smile, however, was vibrant - her aura warm as ever.

 

[Viabuck]

Sitting there with a partial smile still formed across his face, Curo would listen intently, seemingly none too perturbed by the extended eye contact, his own bright blue eyes peering right back at the woman as he was informed of her heritage, something which he found to be rather interesting. With his very essence being sought out through the force, what one might pull from the Togruta was a somewhat 'cool' aura of sorts, particularly focused and his thoughts would prove to reinforce that, his mind focusing upon taking note of her features which he found to be pleasing to the eye though the thoughts went no further than that. Everything that she had shared with him he did in fact seem to contain a very real interest toward, the prospect of what she was coming across as intriguing to him.

"I must say.." he finally answered, his thoughts refocusing in that moment as the fact that was liked was vocalized. "I'm quite fond of you as well. I think we would indeed make excellent friends. It would be an honor" he added, a rather pleasant smile forming across his own face, actually showing genuine happiness in the moment, seemingly quite pleased by the notion that someone whom he was interested him had deemed him worthy of being called their friend.. Even if it was done so with minimal interactions beforehand.

"Your people sound quite interesting and I'm eager to learn more about you.."

He could be bi robotic at times, social formalities never being his strong suit but he was sincere if nothing else. Their battle had piqued his interested and now he had a very real desire to find out more about an individual that could take his natural savagery and match it through the use of the force.

"Though before our friendshp begins, you should know that if we ever share a meal, my diet consists rather strictly of meat. My species is carnivorous and much of anything plant based doesn't sit well with my stomach.." Another random factoid about his people.. Though he thought that one as inquisitive as Ashanna might actually appreciate it.

 

[Asinine Soup]

Ashanna couldn't help but to bring herself to grin; she hadn't any within this life of hers that she could call a friend. Perhaps it was her childlike, care-free nature about her, but she was quick to form impressions and stick to them. Curo had the makings of a fine warrior, and a wise friend!...Plus his skin was so colorful and nice. He was a mystery, and she loved solving mysteries.
"An honor indeed!" she retorts, rocking lightly in her poise and listening to his thoughts - thoughts that seemed rehearsed, but only because they were conjured to quickly within the Togruta's mind that they were expressed the best way they could. At least a smile came with them, and one soft on the eyes at that. It made her smile all the more.
"Your people sound quite interesting and I'm eager to learn more about you..." he states, Ashanna nodding at the sentiment and responding in short with a quick, terse tone.
"You took the words right out my mouth, Curo. One day, Ill solve you, but in the meantime, you can depend on me to have your back. That's what friends are for, for sure."

She nods her own approval before the mood seemed to almost shift. What was this?
"Though before our friendshp begins, you should know that if we ever share a meal, my diet consists rather strictly of meat. My species is carnivorous and much of anything plant based doesn't sit well with my stomach.."

Ashanna could only grin, and then release a soft, effervescent laugh. As the laughter was short-lived, she responds as to not keep the suspense within the air. "It's okay, Curo. Most humanoids are Omnivores, so we can eat both - but I'm glad you told me! I won't offer you our select cuts of grass and flowers~" she teases, laughing once again as the children in the background seemed confused as to what the Jedi were doing now. They were fighting but now they were sitting and laughing?

It seemed the padawan had a lot to learn about what being a Jedi Knight truly meant.

 

[Viabuck]

Continuing to sit with a smile formed over his face, Curo chuckled a bit at the mention that he might be a mystery of sorts. To him, everything in his life seemed simple enough, working around what he considered to be logical and blunt.. Though perhaps, given his 'unique' nature, this wasn't the case in many situations? He didn't truly know, given his own limited experiences with making friends, let alone one as unique as Ashanna.

"Perhaps.. Or perhaps I'm a lot simpler than you're anticipating... Either way I wish you the best of luck.." he responded after a few moments of thought, continuing to observe his new friend as he was reassured that he would in fact not be receiving any kind of strange salads or plant based snacks.. It had actually been a point of some concern for him during basic interactions with his peers in the past and not one that he cared to repeat.

Taking a few moments of silent appreciation for the laughter that he had brought forth, he would give his shoulders a brief roll back, shifting his neck backward diagonally before rolling it around to the opposite shoulder, stretching his arms up over top of his head.

"Now you... You're someone who will actually take some figuring.." he suggested, reclining back on the hilts of his palms. "A person who looks like a human but has a spirit of something else entirely in and of itself.. I dare say I got the better end of this exchange.."

With his rather limited conversational skills being over stretched, he simply took a few moments to enjoy a mutual exchange of silence, pondering what the next step in 'friendship' was. After all, he had never had one before.

 

[Asinine Soup]

Chatting then leisurely relaxing in the rising morning sun was the way to do it. No pressure, just the sound of the world around them finally awakening; birds begin to chirp, the wind carries distant sounds of the gentlest butterfly to the savage fleshraider. It was all nature, and if you listened close enough, one could almost hear the wind and the very Force itself whispering and moving as well.
The silence finally overtook her, though eventually she grins and peers back down from the sky.
"I feel...you don't now the depth of the ocean you want to swim in," she whispers cynically, her smirk snaking to her cheeks. "But it's invited."

And so the pair bask in the sun as morning turns noon, the padawans pattering into the courtyard to play, sending gentle laughter into the air and the presence of such pure joy fantastically present around them.

They had their own road to travel down, but after matching blades, Ashanna couldn't help but to feel their spirits were connected in a way that was utterly beyond her comprehension. Time would only tell a part of the story - but a part of the story, nonetheless.

 

[Viabuck]

Momentarily reaching up and grabbing one of his lekku, the Togruta would push it back behind him once again, leaning back a bit. Exhaling a breath as the girl informed him of his lack of understanding of the depths he was to travel down, he chuckled briefly. While he didn't have a fantastic grab on the use of slang and 'crude' remarks, he couldn't help but laugh quietly for a moment. There was just something that his mind couldn't wrap around and it left him with one simple remark, "Phrasing.." shaking his head and waving off what was inevitably going to be an awkward remark.

For now he would simply enjoy his new friends company, feeling that their meeting went rather smoothly compared to what it easily could have, Curo chose to simply relax and watch the Padawans around the area. It wouldn't be long before he had to disembark and he'd certainly miss the younglings while he was away.... And really he'd miss the calm. With another passive glance being paid to Ashanna, he would smile once again, the notion that something had taken an extremely positive turn in his life not escaping him.

It really did feel as if the something had come together on a deeper level... Perhaps it had, the force did tend to work in mysterious ways.