Ask Takodana Cub Steps

[R'ashtaro]

The Preserved Ruins of the Jedi temple on Takodana
Early morning.
​

Life. R'ashtaro felt it all around. Beaming. Pulsating. Lifeforms. Chaotic and unpredictable and beautiful. Some alive for years and bound to live for many more; some barely awakened to their natural, instinctive behavior, snuffed out in an instant or soon to be. Light spilling over into darkness spilling over into light. All part of an ever-extending field. Cyclical, like breathing.

He breathed. Ears twitched and spun, slowly regaining awareness of the many acute, individual sounds that coexisted in the jungle. The whining buzz of mosquitos flitting around his face. The dull echo of stone against stone where ancient temple masonry crumbled under the weight of an animal in passing. Tiny tremors of soil-dwelling larvae underneath the spot where his paws rested in the underbrush. Every breath returned individuality to the lifeforms around him. Whilst still a part of a whole, the whole no longer blotted out individual signatures. He scratched his ears and shook his head to rid himself of the mosquitos that squatted in his fur. A careful reminder that, beyond the grand scale of galactic issues, of the light fighting the encroaching darkness, most things were locked in their daily routines of survival.

The Fiani rose to his feet. Brushed off his brown tunic and trousers. Noticed the aches in his joints. How long had he been meditating? It was barely dawn when he arrived. Now it was light out, the heat of the day slowly starting to build. Long enough to warrant some stretching. He went through his routine, limbering up the sinews and muscles of his hips and back and thighs. Once the tightness had left his limbs, he straightened, tightening the red sash around his waist. Felt tentatively around the area where his third tail was growing out, currently less than half the length of his other two. Would that he could make it grow faster; it was messing up his balance. Plus, it garnered quite a few curious stares from non-Fiani order members. Once it was fully grown-out, though, its fluffy lusciousness would be more becoming.

The prospect of this morning's appointment filled R'ashtaro with delight. Master Hydarin had asked him if he would be willing to assist with some one-on-one tutoring whilst he was convalescing at the temple after his time in the Outer Rim. He was happy to assist, and even more so when he learned that one of the Initiates he was to tutor was another Fiani. R'ashtaro had asked Master Hydarin to instruct the girl to meet him in the ruins rather than escorting her to the ruins himself. The trip, though by no means a dangerous one, would provide an opportunity for the Initiate to attune to her surroundings - and provide an opportunity for R'ashtaro to gauge her state of mind upon arrival.

The red-coated Fiani bared his fanged teeth in a smile. This should be fun, he thought. It had been years since he last trained a youngling. He moved to the top of the steps leading up to the old temple ruin to wait for the Initiate's arrival.

@Remileah

 

[T'vani]

Location: Takodana, Ruins — 09:51

As R'ashtaro ascended the stairs, the strained sounds of grunting and heaving breath would fill his ears. They were dangerously similar to the sounds of someone struggling or fighting, and as R'ashtaro crested the stairs, he would discover the source.

T'vani had already arrived, dutifully training herself in her own way. The girl held a stick, swinging it in various directions as if practising with a vibrosword or lightsaber. Her motions were sloppy and unpracticed, but any seasoned Jedi could readily discern that she was attempting to emulate Form VI, Niman. She would grunt as she threw a parry towards her invisible foe, then gasp for breath and huff again as she switched to another guard. It was quite an intense battle to watch against this imaginary enemy.

Then, the girl slipped. She swung diagonally from the bottom left to the top right, and as she reached the backswing, the stick came loose and cracked her on the head. T'vani yelped in pain and dropped the branch, falling to her knees as she clutched the back of her skull.

"Ow, ow, ow," she whimpered, rocking back and forth as her hands pressed firmly into her head. A few moments later, she removed her hands to examine her palms. It was easy to tell there was no blood, considering her snowy hair would have stained easily if there was. "I don't get it," T'vani mumbled, lowering her hands to rest on her lap as she hung her head dejectedly. The girl sighed and pushed herself to her feet, shambling over to the stick to pick it back up.

It was apparent she had been "training" for a while. Her pristine white tail was stained with flecks of dirt and leaves, sweat precipitated on her brow and rolled down her cheek, and her hair had become gradually matte. T'vani was dressed in a tunic and leggings better suited for physical training than traditional Jedi robes. However, her clothing still had that distinctive Fianese touch, indicating they weren't something she had obtained here at the temple.

"All right, try again," T'vani grumbled as she scooped the stick back up. With the branch once again in hand, she adopted the Niman stance. Her posture and footing were off, but it was apparent she had at least an inkling of an idea about what she was supposed to be doing and how she was supposed to be standing.

@Casmer

 

[R'ashtaro]

As R'ashtaro neared the top of the stairs, he became aware of sounds of struggle. The sounds were unmistakable. Huffs and grunts, the swoooosh of something solid meeting resistance as it cut through the air. Such sounds always took him back to his own early days at the temple on Yavin, dutifully swinging around a wooden staff until his back hurt, his paws bled, and his instructor told him to let it rest for the day. Those were the sounds of a Jedi in the making - regardless of whether said Jedi was yet convinced of it or not. An all-together promising start to the day, he thought.

Cresting the stairs, said Jedi looked to be in a state of indecision about her own conviction of whether or not she was making it as a Jedi. She had adopted a ready stance, of the Niman variety - not his own preferred style, but a useful and versatile one if done correctly. He took no note of the flaws in her stance - such were to be expected and would be hammered out through endless hours of lightsaber practice on the temple grounds. But he noticed the mixture of resolve and frustration in his fellow Fiani's body language. He recognized it, too. There had been many a day where he had contemplated his own apparent lack of talent or skill or resolve or dedication or any combination of them all. In the end, none of them proved as vital as perseverance in determining his place in the Galaxy.

R'ashtaro felt the need to reassure her, to tell her not to worry, that it was still early days for her, and that there would be many further mornings for her to wake up and try at it again, until she no longer tried at being a Jedi but simply was one. But he knew that the best reassurance a Jedi could receive was the one that came from within. And he thought he spied such perseverance in the young Fiani's eyes.

The Fiani Knight made no attempt to hide his approach. Once he established eye contact with the young Initiate, he made a dismissive gesture with his hand and said: "Don't let me interrupt you." He ambled over and plumped down on the base of a broken, thicketed column, positioning himself gingerly so as not to put too much weight on his growing third tail. From there, he observed the other Fiani. "Perhaps, a cadence or two to finish this morning's warm-up?"

@Remileah

 

[T'vani]

T'vani jabbed the branch several times in standard Niman ripostes following an imaginary counter. As she practised, she failed to notice R'ashtaro ascending the stairs to approach her position. The girl continued her dutiful swings and make-believe parries, feigning fighting off an entire incursion of opponents. She swung again in the same instance R'ashtaro spoke, her body pivoting to see the man squat on the broken pillar. Her eyes went wide.

"Master!" she exclaimed with a yelp as the stick clattered to the ground. T'vani dropped into a customary bow towards the knight. "I apologise for not telling you when I arrived!" the initiate babbled, her ears folding back against her head in an apologetic display. "It looked like you were meditating, and I didn't want to disturb you! I wasn't sure if I should say anything or wait, so I thought I would come up here and..."

What? Swing a stick like a buffoon? That hardly sounded like a convincing argument to make. T'vani remained inclined into her bow, her arms stiff at her side as her tail drooped low.

"I only meant to be up here for a little while and come back down to wait for you," she continued. It seemed fruitless to try and defend her actions, much less her reasoning. "I'm very sorry to make you walk up here to find me. It was careless, inconsiderate, and irresponsible. Please forgive me," she implored. The young girl was still adjusting to life in the Order and how to act around and address her superiors appropriately. R'ashtaro telling her not to let him interrupt her seemed entirely over her head.

"My name is T'vani. It's nice to meet you," T'vani introduced herself.

@Casmer

 

[R'ashtaro]

R'ashtaro waved dismissively as the young Fiani bowed. He inclined his head, looking at the Initiate from under his bushy eyebrow fur. "No, no, there's no need for bows or apologies," he said, grinning. "Save those for your instructors. You've done nothing wrong. Quite the opposite, in fact."

He made his way over to her. Her entire posture had changed the moment she became aware of his presence. Flattened ears and a drooping tail exposed her uncertainty in the situation. R'ashtaro did his best to project the opposite, ears perky and flitting about in curiosity, tails swooshing behind him. Despite not being one of her usual instructors, he felt a responsibility to be respectful and tactful. Whilst it was true that confidence came from within, the Knight also recognized the immense impact adults - especially adults in power - could have on young minds. He himself was still visited by one or two strict mentors in his dreams sometimes, rarely as part of any recuperative sleep. The last thing he wanted was to become one such pestilence in the young Initiate's subconscious.

He bent over and picked up the stick she had let fall. Tried its weight and grip in his right hand. His gaze shifted over to meet the Initiate's eyes. "Not a bad choice," he said, the words drifting off his tongue in Fianan. With his off-hand tucked behind his back, he maneuvered the 'blade' held in his dominant hand through a swift series of parries and slashes, expertly driving it where it needed to go, using the momentum gained by a downward slash of the weighty stick to sidestep an invisible foe, bringing his hand, knuckles pointing inward, back across the front of his body in a low deflection that drew on the slash's trajectory to parry the invisible riposte of his invisible opponent. He followed up with a succession of stabs and cuts, minutely engineered by a sword arm that seemed to move on its own.

As quick as the sequence had begun, it was over. R'ashtaro flipped the stick one hundred and eighty degrees in the air, catching it by its 'point'. "Here," he said, handing it back to T'vani by the 'hilt'. "Never apologise for bettering yourself," he said, still in Fianan. "You were early and decided to show me the respect of leaving me uninterrupted in my meditation. Then, you occupied yourself with your studies until I was ready to begin. I've known many Jedi - young and old - that would have used their time less wisely."

"I'm pleased to meet you, T'vani," said R'ashtaro, leaving the honourific 'T' unpronounced. Likewise, he omitted the 'R' he had inherited from his own father when he said: "My name is R'ashtaro. Master R'ashtaro, of course, if we're to keep up formalities. Though, I won't be dishing out chastisement should you forget." R'ashtaro smiled and gestured widely at their surroundings. "After all," he said, "we're not here this morning for hierarchical pedantries, no? What are we here for?" He posed the final question matter-of-factly, as if the answer lay right there in front of them. He was curious to see what her answer would be.
@Remileah

 

[T'vani]

As R'ashtaro quietly reassured the girl, she slowly rose from her bow to stand straight again. She nodded at his words, her ears slowly perking back to a point. T'vani watched him approach and pick up the stick she had been using for practice, observing him as he weighed it and complimented her selection. The kind words earned a faint smile from the Fiani.

T'vani's burgundy eyes gravitated towards the branch as R'ashtaro began utilising it how she had only moments ago. Her mouth fell agape as she watched him slash, thrust, and parry with a proficiency she could only dream of achieving. The girl watched with rapt attention at his display, mesmerised by the practised and fluid movements and form. She snapped back to reality as R'ashtaro offered her the stick again.

"Bolja," T'vani replied smoothly in their shared tongue. If R'ashtaro, a fellow Fiani and visibly seasoned Jedi, told her not to do something, she would listen. "Ra sadi ri yatksu tras, Koto. Ra yatksu ot ay tzrak hra ra a' uznem ri," she continued. It was true. A part of the reason she decided to ascend the stairs to begin practising alone was that R'ashtaro, intentionally or not, was going through his routines. His compliment assuaged her worry more than anything else so far.

"Tak un zed a' brit," T'vani responded. His simple sentiment of addressing her by her given name caused her tail to sway cheerfully behind her. "Ra skaa a' nrisit," she continued, holding the stick in her hands. The girl adopted the Niman stance again, notably different from the standard Niman posture. It was as if she was attempting to mix Niman and Makashi.

"Ra uklan srd tak bylv. Ra avesha tak nya dom tak Niman bolja, sudta Ra avesha kar nya Makashi uklan, s' Ra vayu a' vidan tak un tiltil ah. Tras ii izas nyru?" she asked, glancing at her instructor.

@Casmer

 

[R'ashtaro]

The red-coated Fiani nodded. "Very good," he said, still in Fianan. He turned and walked back towards the base of the broken column, speaking over his shoulder as he did: "Files and manuals will tell you that the best advice is to stay within a Form, learning its weaknesses and harnessing its strengths. There are enough expert practitioners of any one of the Forms out there to give merit to such advice. I myself am primarily a Form IV-practitioner. Ataru - the way of the hawk-bat." While he spoke, he reached into his tunic and produced two lightsaber hilts. "I say primarily because actual combat," he continued, placing each lightsaber on the base of the column as he spoke, "will give out its own advice. A wise Jedi will listen to such advice and take it into account as they progress with honing their skills with the lightsaber."

Once the lightsabers were in place, R'ashtaro turned back towards T'vani. His eyes traced an outline of her person as he analyzed her stance. His tails swayed pensively. He walked a little closer, scratching his furred chin with the point of a claw. "There is nothing inherently wrong with combining the two," he said, proceeding to show T'vani how to better space and position her feet to accommodate for the incorporation of a Makashi-style focus on precision and conservation of movement. "However," he added, offering the young Fiani a sly smile, "it may be a tad ambitious for a Jedi whose journey within the Force has only just begun. My advice? Practice each Form separately, with fervour, with discipline. They will become an extension of your limbs. Then, whenever you have the time, play around with them both, combining and contouring them where it feels right. Don't force it. Feel it. That will become an extension of your heart."

R'ashtaro closed the distance to the lightsabers laid out on the base of the column. He motioned for T'vani to follow him, observing how she reacted to his words. "Most importantly: don't be discouraged. You have a long journey ahead of you. Every instructor, every individual Jedi will tell you that certain things are better than others. And yet, they all got to where they are by listening to some pieces of advice and declining others. We Jedi are nothing if not opinionated, no?"

At the base, R'ashtaro turned to face T'vani. "That is all beyond the scope of today's training, though. We have to lay a foundation before we can build a house, no? I'm interested to know how much of that foundation has been laid already. What have your instructors taught you so far? Let me hear."

@Remileah

 

[T'vani]

T'vani nodded as she absorbed the information R'ashtaro was giving her. Her ears waggled as he informed her of his preferred style, mulling over the prospect that the natural flow of a battle would better determine what technique to use than always defaulting to the same one. In her mind, it made sense. The chances that any two fights would be the same were slim, if not non-existent.

As her mentor corrected her stance and posture, T'vani followed his guidance. She intently listened to R'ashtaro's words while trying to simultaneously remember the feeling and position of her legs and feet. The girl knew from the outset that attempting to mix two forms was likely an effort in futility, at least with her current skill level. Her master's advice on focusing on one style was something she would take to heart, and once she was familiar with all of them, she could begin trying to hybridise them.

«Ra ay nei, Koto,» T'vani acknowledged his encouragement. She had been under the tutelage of several Jedi Knights now, but by far, R'ashtaro was becoming her favourite, and not just because he was Fiani, either. «Ra zalku ot 's ii bylv, sudta Ra zalku Ra surin a' tak delo,» she said. Her time in the order so far had built her confidence and reassured her that she could do it. As R'ashtaro gestured for her to approach, T'vani broke her stance and obeyed.

«Ra chast nrisit ii skae tieriz lod lya'shad,» she responded to the man's inquiry. «Srd tak atija dom Koto Krim, Ra chast ii nya nar'ri vas ot s' nema tzpor ot vnost. Ra chast yneip dze lod kam brit vas Koto Agialia, skaln zuyol tak sarra s' ica tak hra dom Takodana a' ii halurehika vidan,» she finished. There wasn't much more to tell than that, no matter how much she wished there was. Seemingly disappointed by the lack of information to share, T'vani sighed.

«Tak brit vas Koto Krim nei nya'mayu brit, rilor. Ot ii ihdekorra. Tak kam delo zuyol tak sarra tak sudta loini brit Ra chast ledomez ka siny'ahzelo.»

@Casmer

 

[R'ashtaro]

"Aahhhhh," said R'ashtaro, leaning on the vowel. A grin flashed on his face, exposing his fangs. "I see. You have been busy laying a foundation of your own since you got here. That is good. A Jedi must temper both the body and the mind to grow. Exercise and practice, whether intentional or accidental, is the anvil upon which you hammer out the slag of pre-Order life." The red-coated Fiani accentuated the words 'hammer out' with an almost comedic pounding of his furred paws against each other. "Not all of it," he continued, pausing to allow T'vani the time to process his words. "We don't need you to forget who you were for you to become who you are. Just the bits that hold you back from believing in yourself, no?"

R'ashtaro glanced at T'vani. When he looked at her, he saw a lot of his younger self. Respectful, yet eager; Tactful, yet impulsive; Skillful, yet unconfident. Unlike T'vani, R'ashtaro had joined the Order when he was a cub no longer. There were certain parts of him that even a decade as a Jedi hadn't been able to change. The Fiani liked to think that those were the parts that made him the Jedi he was, but he knew that was only a half-truth. Some had edges sharp enough that he cut himself upon them on the regular, trying to reconcile them with his Order life. He had already resigned himself to the fact that they might continue to cut him for the rest of it.

Looking at T'vani, he saw the potential for her to soften the edges inside of herself before they crystalized. Whatever the first few days or weeks of her time as an Initiate had thrown at her, she seemed to have taken it in stride. R'ashtaro decided he would do his best to turn the day's practice into something that could assist the young Initiate further.

"Here," he said, gesturing towards the two lightsaber hilt on the base of the column. They were both simple hilts, likely made up primarily of durasteel components. One hilt was a bit shorter than the other; R'ashtaro hadn't known what to expect of the size of the Initiate he was going to instruct today. "It sounds like the Masters Mako and Agialia introduced you to the core of a Jedi as well as the vessel that carries that core, respectively. Let's try to combine them both today, no? Take your pick!"

@Remileah

 

[T'vani]

Since arriving at the temple, T'vani passed from one mentor to the next. She wasn't sure if what she had done so far could be considered "laying a foundation." Her training was unstructured, sporadic, and came from several different people, all of whom had various teaching methods. Foundations were stable and supported things built on top of them, but given the inconsistencies in her training, T'vani thought of her foundation as unstable. Whether or not the experiences she had so far would support anything remained to be seen.

As R'ashtaro continued elaborating on the systematic process of becoming a Jedi, she felt more at ease. T'vani had seen her fair share of blacksmiths back on Fiana, and she knew that imperfections in a weapon, regardless of the method used to forge them, were part of the natural process. She had tried to learn the blacksmithing art at one point, and although her weapon might start bent or have an unintended curve, she could heat the metal and hammer those imperfections out. It wasn't necessary to forget that the flaws were once there, either. It was also better to remember their presence and the processes that caused them to mitigate them in the future.

Keeping R'ashtaro's words in her mind, T'vani approached the stump as the Fiani directed. She stopped before it and looked between the two lightsabers, her brow furrowing as she mulled over her decision. Her ears bobbed and weaved as she contemplated her choice, and after a moment of pondering, the girl reached out and took up the shorter hilt in her hand.

«Eta ah,» she stated, holding the hilt to the sky to examine it closer. Her hand turned to observe it from various angles. There was nothing that stood out to her about the handle. It was visually bland and ordinary, possessing a grip bound in a thin leather strap and a faux golden switch to activate it. The longer T'vani appraised the object, the more ideas she could develop to make it an authentic, uniquely Fianese weapon.

However, she wasn't here to modify a training weapon for the general public. T'vani's hands lowered to her sides, the hilt still in her grasp.

«Koto Krim brit nei lya zhiv'a iyi'ro hra ra, ja. Ra irhifie zalku lod tak kyber h'ezrina pil en prashim ra Ra pil chast ah,» she confirmed. «En irhifie nrisu ra kar a' kaz ucirro lya'shad, s' Koto Agailia nrisu ra tak kam ga'ra s' istor yazruneri a' ii Kotor'i. Avesha ri torom, rilor, tak nodeara prashim, nei huro.»

@Casmer

 

[R'ashtaro]

While T'vani decided on which lightsaber hilt to choose, R'ashtaro strode into the center of the plateau. There was no urgency in his movements, however. He took his time, just like he expected T'vani to take her time choosing a hilt. He was no lightsaber instructor, and this wasn't a classroom. It was personal mentoring, which - in his opinion - imbued the context with a bit of laxness. The girl would deal with enough hard deadlines and expectations once her training began in earnest.

R'ashtaro grinned as he observed T'vani's inspection of the hilt she chose. Here was a young Jedi with a budding passion for lightsabers. Most Initiates would scarcely glance twice at a training saber, viewing it more as a practical tool than anything else; only later, when they forged their own personal weapon, would they come to understand just how tethered one could feel to a small, kyber-fueled cylinder.

T'vani, however, seemed - if only for a few auspicious moments - engrossed in the weapon she held aloft. R'ashtaro couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. He didn't know the young Jedi, but he knew that she was from Fiana. Although he had never been to the de facto homeworld of their species himself, he knew how isolated an upbringing there could be from the affairs of the Galaxy. If that was true for T'vani, she would only recently have taken her first few steps into a reality that had grown - and would likely continue to grow - exponentially. R'ashtaro was glad to see that she did so with a sense of curiosity more so than a sense of fear.

The Fiani listened patiently as T'vani elaborated further on her experiences with the Jedi Krim and Agialia. R'ashtaro had not had the pleasure of making their acquaintance yet, but from the girl's description it sounded like she had been fortunate to be mentored by them.

"Conditioning and strengthening the body is important," the Fiani said, walking from side to side as he did, hands clasped behind his back. "Takodana provides ample opportunity to do so. Just these ruins, no? Long flights of stairs, crumbling balconies from which to jump, overgrown walls to scale. Everywhere is a challenge on the body, if you put it to the right test."

R'ashtaro bared his fangs. "But there will be time for that. Not now. I should hate to be the Jedi who dragged you out into the jungle early in the morning just to have you do pushups and planks in the sweltering heat." He laughed, gekkering a series of warm, throaty stutters characteristic of his Reiko heritage. "That will not do, no? So, I am happy that Master Krim has already introduced you to the Force. You have many decades of learning about it ahead of you. As have I, still now, after years of study. It never stops. That is the beauty of it, no?"

The red-coated Fiani found a cross-legged seat on the ground and motion for T'vani to sit opposite of him. If she did, he would adjust his position ever so slightly, gingerly moving his growing tail out of harm's way. He would unhook his lightsaber and place the

bronzium-and-durite hilt on the ground in front. "Tell me," he would say, "what exactly did Master Krim tell you about a lightsaber's kyber crystal? I think that might be a good place to begin."

@Remileah

 

[T'vani]

T'vani cast her burgundy eyes towards her surroundings as R'ashtaro elaborated on the practical applications of the ruins around them. Her gaze darted between the pillars, the stairs, and the balconies, all scattered in ways that could easily allow someone to run an impromptu agility course. She had never considered the implications of using the environment around her as a training course. T'vani assumed people came to places like this because they were remote and peaceful, not because they could use the environment for self-improvement.

As R'ashtaro redirected the conversation to training, T'vani looked at him. His question gave her pause. Mako had explained the kyber crystals and what they did, but he never covered the individual lightsaber pieces.

«Ra bylv i'hemap,» T'vani began. «Ra zalku lod tak emitter s' tak lêinre. Ra zalki ot 's irhifie dus ii activator?» she said, some uncertainty in her words. «Ra zalki eta kaz dus ii liko, s' dom jurn, moiya tak grip,» T'vani continued, but her knowledge fell off there. She admired how intricate they were and how Jedi could customise them to reflect, but she had yet to have the time to learn about them in great detail. T'vani frowned, her ears folding back against her head again.

«Tras cije Ra zalku garaa vonya.»

@Casmer

 

[R'ashtaro]

R'ashtaro nodded along to T'vani's explanation of the different parts that made up a lightsaber. It was clear that she had the basic understanding of how a Jedi's weapon of choice worked. It was impressive, given how recently she had joined the Order. R'ashtaro knew several fully-fledged Jedi who were only slightly more familiar with the technicalities of the weapon. Not all Jedi were techies at heart, preferring to seek advice and counsel from Jedi who were if they had severe mechanical issues with their weapon.

The Reiko Fiani noticed the expression of the young Initiate's ears. "I hope you don't feel ashamed of things you haven't learned yet," he said, offering T'vani a reassuring smile. "You have a fine understanding of the basics. That is all that is needed, for now. The lightsaber is an intricate weapon. As your skills with it grow, you will pick up on more of its intricacies. It seems to me that you have a keen eye for such details, no?"

R'ashtaro leaned forward and picked up his lightsaber hilt. He presented it to T'vani, almost ceremoniously. Even during something as low-stakes and informal as a morning of mentoring a youngling, he would show his weapon the respect it deserved. "Your lightsaber," he said, making eye-contact with T'vani to ensure that she was paying attention, "is not simply a gadget made up of individual components. It has a crystal at its core, that's true. And that crystal is yours once you've constructed it, no? But the thing that turns a lightsaber into something special for a Jedi - something other than what a blaster is to a soldier or what a starfighter is to a fighter pilot - is the transference that takes places between the weapon and its wielder. It is communication, eh? Confidentiality. Between you, the Force in the kyber, and the hilt that serves as a conduit."

The Fiani Knight kept his gaze on T'vani for a moment. Perhaps he was lathering on information too thickly. Learning to become a Jedi came with a steep learning curve, and she was only young. Much of what he said she would likely forget, or her memories of the knowledge he tried to impart on her would be flawed. That was all to be expected. In fact, R'ashtaro found it was to be encouraged. Accepting failure was a courageous act. Only in rare cases did a Jedi make it to Knighthood without it. R'ashtaro hoped that his reassurances had taught T'vani that it was okay not quite be there yet. If not, then he intended to remind her.

R'ashtaro closed his eyes. "My crystal and I - we know each other. We sense each other, no? I have constructed the hilt around it in such a way that we can communicate with each other effortlessly. The crystal knows my intent, and while I wield the lightsaber it is as much a part of me as the echoes in the Force that led me to my crystal in the first place." His eyes slid open again. He stared directly at T'vani and gestured towards the training saber in her hand. "Now, that crystal might not be yours, but it will still call out if you go looking for it. Why don't you give that a go?"

@Remileah

 

[T'vani]

___T'vani's ears flicked when R'ashtaro called out her shame for not knowing more. She always had been the kind of girl who wore her heart on her sleeve, and being with another Fiani capable of reading those nuanced displays of emotion didn't improve things.

___«Sadis,» she replied. Her eyes focused on the lightsaber before they flitted up to meet R'ashtaro's gaze. Lightsabers were more than simple tools and weapons the Jedi utilised. They were extensions of the people that wielded them. The Jedi's connection with their lightsabers transcended the simplistic boundaries of inanimate objects entirely at the whim of those holding them. They were conduits, and maybe, in a way, they were alive with a heart that thrummed with the Force.

___«Ra zalku,» T'vani murmured. There wasn't much room to speak as R'ashtaro shared his information. The girl remained silent and listened attentively, her ears flitting, bobbing, and weaving as she hung on every word he spoke. She intended to remember every detail he shared with her. If she wanted to be a good—no, an exceptional—Jedi, she needed to commit everything to heart and mind until it was second nature.

___T'vani nodded as R'ashtaro instructed her to try reaching out to the kyber in the training sabre. The small Fiani closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She focused on the hilt in her hands and the kyber crystal dwelling within it. Almost instantly, she could sense it. It wasn't her kyber crystal, the one that had dyed itself magenta while she was learning from Mako, but it was willing to heed her call and offer itself for her to utilise. It was a connection of respect and trust. T'vani could sense that abusing that privilege would cause their synchronicity to falter.

___«Ra tyk ot,» she said. «Ot 's ay a' rasve ra a' tzpor ot, s' eta zij'a. Ktar tiltil Ra diti ot, ot ay diti ra,» the girl continued, her eyes opening to meet R'ashtaro's gaze again.

@Casmer

 

[R'ashtaro]

R'ashtaro smiled broadly at T'vani. So broadly, in fact, that his eyes got lost behind the bushy fur of his eyebrows. "Very good, T'vani," he said. "A Jedi should always try to come to an agreement with the weapon they use. Though it might never match the connection between you and the crystal you've bonded with, this crystal will show you the respect that you show it and work with you. With you - never for you. That is the way of the Sith. They break and bend their crystals to their will. A grave offense, no?"

R'ashtaro shook his head. His hands writhed against each other. His ears flattened. The Sith's breaking of their kyber crystal was only the smallest of the atrocities they perpetrated on the Galaxy. The thought of it threatened to put a fire in him. He reminded himself that what was in front of him was not the Sith, but a young Initiate, whose mind and heart had not yet been soured by the actions of darksiders. And he had a responsibility to help guide her gradually closer to being able to face what he and many of his colleagues had faced.

"Respect and compassion," he said, picking up his lightsaber from the ground. "Towards all things, no? We will face our foes and our fears with respect and compassion." He smiled and winked at T'vani, ears perky once again. "Enough talking from this grizzled Reiko, no? I did not bring you out here just for chatter."

In what would seem like an instant, R'ashtaro channeled the Force through himself and into the ground below. Using the ground as leverage, he launched himself backwards into the air, somersaulting with powerful elegance. He landed on his hind-paws some meters away from T'vani. He ignited his lightsaber, bathing himself in teal from its glow. He made sure to visibly turn the lightsaber to its low-power setting, which gave the blade a more matte sheen. "Please, join me in a quick sparring practice."

"Do not worry," he said, grinning. "This is not a test of ability or skill with the various forms and techniques. We shall build upon what you just did. We shall feel the fight, no?" He waited patiently for T'vani to join him.

@Remileah

 

[T'vani]

___"The Sith break their crystals? Why would they do something like that?" T'vani asked with a frown, subconsciously returning to Basic. The song she had heard emanating from her kyber crystal—the melody of the Force—was so eloquent and beautiful. Why would anybody want to distort it or ruin it? Why would they bend the Force against its will until it broke?

___It wouldn't do to dwell on it. T'vani nodded as R'ashtaro emphasised the particularly heinous nature of the crime, then stressed the importance of treating all things with respect and compassion. She would strive to do as her Master instructed her, entering into all battles and treating all things that were part of the Force with the kindness they deserved. It was one of many facets of being a Jedi, but one she felt was essential to her. The Fiani people were already highly respectful towards life, and that philosophy would play an integral role in her life as a Jedi.

___When R'ashtaro stood, T'vani gazed up at him. A gasp escaped her as he launched himself backwards with the assistance of the Force, sending her dirtied tail in a fit of elated swishing. The young girl scrambled to her feet as the man asked her to join, darting up to stand a short distance from him. Sparring practice? That was something she had not done yet.

___"Okay," she let slip in Basic again, taking the hilt of the training sabre in both hands as she attempted to adopt the Niman stance. It was the only one she knew right now, and she couldn't think of another way to stand. T'vani nodded to indicate she was ready, maintaining her flawed Niman posture to the best of her abilities as she awaited further instruction.

@Casmer

 

[R'ashtaro]

R'ashtaro observed as T'vani moved to face him. She adopted a ready stance similar to the one she had been using when he surprised her. Niman, with a serving of imprecision.

The red-coated Fiani smiled and offered the young Initiate some encouragement by respectfully inclining his head towards her. He exposed his fangs in a sly grin. Sure, she was untrained, but she didn't lack conviction. She hadn't hesitated, wasn't frozen by her fears and uncertainty about the situation. Ample learning conditions.

R'ashtaro began his instructions. "When you're ready, I will swing my blade towards you. Slowly and deliberately. Plenty of time to react, no?" He paused for a moment, making time to gauge T'vani's reaction. If she had no objections, he would continue. "Don't worry, I've switched my lightsaber to its low-power setting. Should I hit you, it might sting - but it won't hurt you."

The Fiani Knight took a step back with his right foot, spacing his feet evenly apart. He drew his lightsaber in closely on the right side of his torso, grasping it with both hands. The teal sheen of his lightsaber cast a green shadow on the right side of his orange facial fur.

He could have explained to T'vani the benefits of meeting her Niman stance with a Form IV-opening sequence. And had the purpose of the sparring match been technique, then he would have. Today, however, that would only complicate things.

Try not to think about how to deflect my blows, or counter them, or turn them against me, no? Instead, allow yourself to just be with your lightsaber. Let yourself follow your inclinations instead of your tactics or stratagems. Move with your lightsaber, not against my lightsaber, no?"

"Say when you're ready," he said, waiting patiently for the young Initiate to declare her readiness. Sensing any possible uncertainty, he winked, adding: "and remember: the blade might sting, but it is not dangerous. A nuisance, like the sting of a tiny insect, no?"

@Remileah

 

[T'vani]

___The prospect of being hit by a training sabre didn't appeal to T'Vani. Her burgundy eyes focused on R'Ashtaro's sword, eyeing it apprehensively. The girl took in a deep breath as the male walked her through the process, explaining what he would do expected of her. He may have truncated his statements, but she still had plenty to process.

___"I understand, Master," T'Vani answered. She silently watched as R'Ashtaro took his stance, ready to strike on her command. At least she had that much control over the situation. The small Fiani gripped her blade tightly, her eyes closing as she probed into it with the Force again. T'Vani reached into the heart of the kyber sheltered inside the training blade, ensuring their connection once more before opening her eyes.

___"I am ready," T'Vani declared with every ounce of confidence she could muster. Her grip on her sabre tightened. "Please, strike."

@Casmer

 

[R'ashtaro]

R'ashtaro gave no confirmation of his own. As soon as T'vani announced her readiness, the Fiani Knight advanced. He cleared most of the room between them with well-balanced footwork, the blade of his lightsaber twirling through a series of flourishes and feints that conjured a blur of teal in front of him. It was all for show, of course, as some aspects of Ataru were, aimed at confusing the opponent. With regards to T'vani, the Fiani intended it to make it difficult for the young Initiate to calculate from where his first strike would come. He aimed at overburdening her mind, so that - maybe - her instincts would kick in.

His first strike came as a horizontal sweeping slice, the trajectory of which he followed by pivoting his body in the direction of the attack. Should T'vani react in time to block it, the Fiani Knight would follow up with a quick lunging stab, followed up by a diagonal slash from above that he stepped to with his feet. It was a relatively simple little sequence, all done in a tempo that, he hoped, would be slow enough for her to follow, yet just slightly too fast for her to think too much about how to react.

At the end of the sequence, R'ashtaro took a couple of steps back, assuming a defensive low guard. "Well?" he said expectantly.

@Remileah

 

[T'vani]

___T'Vani observed R'Ashtaro as he flourished his weapon. Her eyes tried to follow the blade, but the fast and varied movements soon made her lose concentration. The girl fought with herself about how to block the attacks, and then her master's words came back to her.

___Don't think about it. Allow herself to be one with the weapon.

___The young Fiani inhaled, steadying her breathing as she tapped into her connection with her weapon. When the first attack came out, T'Vani acted purely out of raw instinct and the power and inclination of the Force guiding her. The girl dextrously angled her blade to block his first attack against her, a smile creeping across her lips at her success. Overconfidence, however, was a slow and insidious killer. T'Vani yelped with surprise as R'Ashtaro lunged, her response barely in time to sidestep it, the blade buzzing as it tagged her clothing.

___When the second attack finished, and R'Ashtaro went into his third, her connection and instincts failed utterly. T'Vani's eyes went wide as the third attack came at her, striking her across her shoulder. The girl yelped again as the training sabre bit into her arm, causing her to drop her weapon. She fell to a knee and put her arm over her shoulder, where a puffy red welt was quickly starting to form.

___"Ow," T'Vani whimpered, tears filling her eyes. It was the first time a training weapon had ever struck her. "I'm okay," she said quickly, raising a hand. "I'm okay. It doesn't hurt that bad," T'Vani whined as she rose again.

@Casmer