The training of Katarn Cabaoth (2nd attempt)

[Keinushi]

Katarn reactivated her blade, this time sizing her master up before she attacked. She needed to learn, not fight, but learn, and she needed practice. She removed her dominate hand from the blade, leaving only her left hand to support it, if this was the hand that would hold her blade forever, she better get used to it.

This time when she charged there was more purpose to it than before. When she reached 3 meters, she fell to the ground, using her momentum to slide across the snow. If all went to plan, she would knock his legs out while delivering a killing blow, or at least a wounding one.

 

[D.C.]

Koran jumped into the air, aided by the Force, and avoided her completely. He landed behind her in the snow and immediately turned around.

"Smart move," Koran said. "But if you would have used the Force to make yourself faster, you might have succeeded. Remember the void where you truly awakened to the Force and feel the warmth you felt in the void on your skin. Allow it to make you faster and stronger and use it as a weapon. Take a moment to look at your surroundings as you let the Force hold off any enemy attacks and think of a strategy so you can defeat me. That is Niman, my young apprentice. Be creative as you fight your duels."

He ran over to her to unleash a flurry with his lightsaber. "Let the Force guide your hands to block my flurry with your saber, and meanwhile you must think of a strategy!" He called out right before he would strike.

 

[Keinushi]

Katarn quickly had trouble blocking all the attacks with only her left hand and began to be pushed back. She drew on the void as her master had said and felt her limbs gain a strength that wasn't there before, suddenly she was taking less steps. She felt the force speed up her brain or slow down time, she couldn't tell which, but suddenly she could see every attack thrown at her and easily blocked them all without needing to move back at all. And then she got an idea. While still blocking she reached deep down under the snow and grabbed a large amount of it and pushed it to the side, the results happened instantly, a chain reaction was set off pulling the snow down into the air pocket she had created right underneath Koran.

 

[D.C.]

Koran laughed as he managed to jump up just in time. He landed in the snow again and looked up to his apprentice. He deactivated his saber just to be able to clap his hands without burning himself, and then activated it again, grabbing the hilt with both hands.

"That's it, Katarn!" He said. "You're getting the hang of it!"

He looked to her and his hands were on the hilt of his weapon. It didn't look like he was using the Force against her right now, but in fact he reached out in the Force and gripped a large rock behind her. Then he used the Force to pull it towards him and at the same time he jumped into the air. If Katarn would not notice the rock she would get hit in the back and in case she did notice it and dodged Koran already jumped out of the way. It was just a test, to see how she would react to such actions.

 

[Keinushi]

Katarn used the force to augment her legs so when she leapt she landed on the rock. Taking adavantage of the fact that her master was already lifting it for her, she used her own powers to direct it at him.

 

[D.C.]

Koran, while in mid-air, threw his free left hand forward and used the Force to grip the rock. He would use his power to hold the object in its place, stopping it in its momentum. Both the Kiffar and the rock now floated in mid-air and this probably would have looked weird to most people. Koran gave Katarn a quick nod of approval before he released the rock and let himself drop to the ground. The rock resumed its flight with Katarn on it and flew right over Koran's head, almost hitting him, but the Kiffar could tilt his head just in time. He landed on both feet and immediately rolled out of the way in case Katarn would throw the rock at him. He quickly got back onto his feet and took a more defensive pose.

"Bravo!" He called out and he deactivated his training saber again. He clipped the hilt to his belt and would clap his hands once again. "Now we're getting somewhere, Katarn! Deactivate your saber and take your whip now. Take a moment to catch your breath and to prepare yourself for the next stage of our combat training. You might have questions too, ask and I will answer."

 

[Keinushi]

Katarn nodded, deactivating her blade and returning it to her belt, this time on the left side. With a flick she disengaged the whip from her leg. It lay on the snow, its metal making grooves where it lay. She activated and the heat of the whip melted the snow, making the grooves even deeper.

Her preparations completed she looked at her master, waiting for further instruction.

 

[D.C.]

"I assume you have no questions then," Koran said. "Now, the whip is - like I said - new to me too. I will have to get used to defending against a whip and there is a chance you will kick my ass. I shall try to give you tips every now and then. Before we get started, though, I have a question. Have you gotten the chance to use the whip in combat, yet? Are you familiar with how to wield the weapon?"

It would probably be better to do some simple practicing techniques before immediately starting to spar. As far as Koran new, the whip was a real one. One that could really do severe damage. He wasn't afraid though, in fact, he was eager to learn how to defend against a whip, even though he was the master. Still, a little warm up would be a good thing to start with something completely new.

 

[Keinushi]

OOC: remember a light whip doesn't slice like a lightsaber, its able to grab them and whip them around, i think. but it still cuts somehow, I'll try to convey its dual nature in my post

IC: Katarn snapped it, grabbing hold of a nearby tree branch, with a yank the whip pulled through the branch, severing it and allowing the branch to fall.

"Not much," Katarn smiled. Of course she had practiced, she had done so as soon as she had gotten it. The training center was now down a couple droids.

 

[D.C.]

(( OOC: Cool. Well, let me know if I do something wrong here, you're the whip expert! Now on to an epic sparring match! =D ))

Koran gave her a nod of approval.

"Great," he said and he ignited his training saber again. He took the Ataru opening stance and said right before they would start: "Remember to think of strategy's and try to let the Force fight for you when you're figuring out what you can do to hold me off. I will make use of the Force a lot to try and avoid your whip, but don't hold back. It's still about learning, but I also want to see what you can do with your weapon. You may have the honor of dealing the first blow again."

 

[Keinushi]

OOC: I dealt the first blow last time?

Katarn nodded and instantly went into battle mode. Cracking the whip in an exploratory way, trying to see what it's max distance was. Once she had calculated its max distance she began to swing it around over her head. She could tell it was slower than using a lightsaber, hopefully its flexible nature would give her the edge in battle.

Suddenly she lashed out, with an opening move to the legs while still keeping the whip swing in a way that if the first attack was avoided, she could quickly come in for a second attack.

 

[D.C.]

((OOC: Yes you did =P And by the way, what's the blade color of you whip? Just curious))

Koran jumped up when Katarn swung her whip towards his legs and avoided the first attack. Then came her second attack and he had to move quickly, aided by the Force, to bring up his saber and block the slash. Already he had an impression of how hard it could be to fight against an opponent with a whip. After the block he dashed backwards and looked to his apprentice. He figured he had to come close to her to win the duel or maybe there was something he could do about the lightwhip's blade.

As he looked past the glowing yellow blade of his training saber he watched her movements and prepared for defense. What if he would use his saber only for defense and use the Force for offence? He could unleash a Force Blast as he caught the whip's blade and maybe she would lose grip on her whip's hilt. If he managed to do that, he might be able to win. Once he would have pulled it off, he would teach her how to defend against Force attacks.

With his saber in both hands, in a defensive pose, he awaited her next attack. He would try his new strategy and he would see if it would be effective at all.

 

[Keinushi]

Katarn was not surprised to see her first attacks avoided, but she knew she'd never win at that rate. So she stepped foreward so that she was 3 ft closer to him when she attacked this time so when the blades connected from the block, the whip would swing around the blade and connect with Koran. All that was left to do was send an easily blockable attack at him. She aimed mid arm, coming in from her right, his left.

OOC: idk, maybe orange. I hate red, its so overused.

 

[D.C.]

((OOC: Orange is awesome ))

Koran saw her whip coming in from left and he passed his saber from his right hand to his left. He raised the blade and blocked her whip, immediately extending his right arm to send the Force Blast her way.

Just when he unleashed the blast one of the solid strands of her whip slashed into his side. He gritted his teeth, but he ignored the pain. He pulled his lightsaber back, so to pull the whip out of her hands at the same time he unleashed his Force Blast. While pulling the whip and blasting Katarn to the opposite direction, he hoped to disarm her.

 

[Keinushi]

The force blast hit Katarn and force her to lose her footing, suddenly there was a pull on her whip. She did not relinquish it though, but instead used it to aim herself as she launched herself at Koranwith the force. With any luck, she would pass over him while her whip wrapped around him.

 

[D.C.]

Koran was somewhat surprised when she suddenly leaped towards him instead of falling to her back. The whip was getting dangerously close and he saw only one solution for now. He removed his thumb from the little red emitter button of his saber and the yellow blade disappeared with a hiss. Now he was free from her 'chain' he was free to dodge. He dashed backwards and then jumped to the right, avoiding her. He quickly established himself again and ignited his saber, taking a defensive pose and watching her. She was good, and if it wasn't for Koran's skill in dueling, he would probably have gotten his ass kicked.

"Try to be a tad bit faster!" he said and his heart was beating in his chest. "But it was a very good move. I'm sure it'll be effective against most opponents." But it then it was time to attack again.

Koran suddenly dashed forward in the blink of an eye. When he was right in front of her he let the Force carry him into the air and he leaped over Katarn, slashing down to her right shoulder in mid-air, meaning to injure her dominant arm. When he landed behind her back he took a defensive pose again to be able to counter any possible attacks from her immediately. Or at least, as far as countering was possible against one wielding a whip.

 

[Keinushi]

Katarn had not expected the sudden Traka and started to fall to the ground. Once again she turned it into a roll getting back on her feet quickly and turning to face Koran. He complimented her, she smiled, then he came for her right shoulder. She turned so the blade would pass by her face and leaped backwards. Now he was in a defensive pose and she was ten feet away again, she began to spin her whip over her head again, gaining momentum until it was a solid blur above her head. When she felt she could spin it no faster she attacked aiming for his midriff.

 

[D.C.]

Koran saw the blow coming after she spun her whip around her head. He gritted his teeth and decided to do something risky. First of all, he threw his lightsaber towards her to distract her. A saberthrow guided by the Force. Then he would make a backflip over the whip and he barely avoided it. His jump was not perfect, but it was good enough. By this time he called his saber back to his right hand while reaching out his left hand. He unleashed another Force Blast, but this one much and much more powerful than the ones before.

"Get back up, soldier!" his voice would echo. "Grab your saber, it is time for you to learn how to use both a lightsaber and a whip at the same time. That is what you want, isn't it?"

He slashed with his training saber into a heap of snow and a hiss could be heard.

"Are you familiar with Jar'Kai?" He asked. "If not, we'll work on that first. Otherwise we can start dueling right away."

((OOC: Just a little bit more dueling, then we'll move on to something else. I just wanted to finish up on her combat training part here, if that's ok with you? ^^ ))

 

[Keinushi]

OOC: no prob

IC:

Nuka drew the blade from her belt, holding it in her left hand whil she held the whip in her right. An opening move was in order, something easily blacked just to get things rolling, so she let the whip lie behind her, flicking it now and then. Suddenly she cracked it foreward so that it came close to Koran's cheek, but she instantly pulled it back behind her again. Her attacks needed speed, so speed she would use. Short attacks that did damage without the wind up of her previous attacks. All the while she kept her blade at the ready in case of an attack.

 

[D.C.]

Koran took a step back and tilted his head backwards. He avoided her slash just in time, otherwise he would have another scar added to his already large collection. He raised his saber in the Ataru opening stance again.

"Good, use the whip for attacks and the saber for defense. Defending with a whip is not effective, for as far as I know. So defend yourself!"

Suddenly Koran dashed forward in a burst of speed, unleashing another of his famous, deadly fast flurries. His intention was to let her block with her saber in her left hand and at the same time try to think of a strategy to strike back with her whip. Niman required thinking all the time, improvising a lot and come up with unexpected moves.