[Open] Just a start

[Carud Aaray]

He was still fairly new to the Jedi temple on Tython, he had learned a few things about the ways of the force and combat. Going through the basics was not easy, just learning to wield a light saber had many difficulties but he knew he had to train harder to progress. He had practiced the way's of the form Ataru, the style requires you to use a strong defense against your opponent and let them defeat themselves. He stood comfortably in a training room on the lower levels of the temple with his training saber clipped on his small brown belt.

The room was covered with bright green wall's and a huge circular floor; the wall's were carved with different design's that he did not understand. Hopefully someone would come and challenge him to a friendly spar, he wanted to put his skills to the test.

''This actually could be quite fun'' he giggled to himself, before turning around hearing the automatic door fly open.

 

[Cassanova]

Juno walked into the room, and smiled at the familiar face. She nodded to him, and unclipped her lightsaber, "I was wondering who was in here today. I'll go easy, I promise."

Juno gave a sweet smile and stepped into the circle, holding her light saber in the ready position, unignited.
"You may make the first move, Kaji," she offered with a polite bow.

 

[Carud Aaray]

He smiled as he had seen the girl he meet earlier '' Hey please go easy on me'' he said while giggling. He reached for his saber gripping it tightly in his right hand. He bowed respectfully to her before gripping the hilt of his blade in both hands holding it into a ataru position ''I hope your ready'' In a blink of his eye his green blade ignited glowing through out the room.

He walked forward with the tip of his saber pointed towards his opponent, as she was his superior he had to be smart. He then took off running until he was at her side he swung his training saber to the side of her body, if he missed he would strike towards her other side hoping to knock her off balance.

 

[Cassanova]

Juno knew that going easy would not actually force Kaji to learn, but instead forge false confidence. She knew the way to help him was to give him a hiding, but teach him, and let him counter her manoevres. It would be a bumpy ride for the new Initiate, but Juno knew form experience that he would emerge a better swordsman for the experience.

Juno didn't move her footing, not even to adjust her balance. She ignited her saber and ducked, then pushed upwards with her blade, forcing Kaji's to bounce uselessly aside, moving her right foot quickly, she spun and connected behind Kaji's knee. As she completed her spin, she brought her saber down towards his neck.

 

[Carud Aaray]

Her movement's were fast she came quick but with patience, he knew that she would be better but he would try he best. He was thrown off balance as he felt her blade strike the back of his neck, he slid across the floor rolling on his side coming up to one knee. He thought maybe he could try to trick her.He stood back up not backing down he kept his blade held in front of him now on defense.

He leapt in the air using a mild force jump as he came back to the ground he landing on his knee's sliding across the floor as he came to her feet with a simple low thrust with his blade towards her leg.

 

[Cassanova]

Juno merely lifted her leg, and then planted it on his wrist, pinning him down. She leaned over him, then offered her hand to help him up, "Whatever you do, never put yourself in a position where you are inflexible. Crouching is ok, but on your knees is a sure fire way to end up diced or shot."

Once Kaji was on his feet, Juno prepared a standard defense position, directly in front of her, at a 45 degree angle.

 

[Carud Aaray]

He smiled gratefully as she gave him advice to never go down to a defense were he is inflexible after putting her leg on his wrist with ease.''Thank you'' he said getting up walking backwards a few inches lifting his saber back in front of him bending both his elbow's. She was his superior but he had to move carefully.

He dashed at her with great speed as his tentacles flew backwards lifting up from its normal hanging position on his shoulder's, he swung his saber downwards towards her head then using his knee to rise up onto her gut with great force, if he would fail he would attempt to give her a small force push to the stomach hoping to knock her backwards.

 

[Cassanova]

Juno went with the impact, raising her saber up in her left hand, deflecting the attack, and used her other to absorb the hit from his knee, nonetheless, Juno was forced to take a step backwards. "Excellent. While a saber is the most effect weapon we carry, it is also the most obvious. Parry my next attack, if you would."

She stepped forward, sweeping her saber down towards his right shoulder, Kaji's saber, meeting it and glancing off. Juno pushed off from the saber, lifted a foot, and raised her left elbow. The pirouette ended with the hard end of her elbow resting against the side of his head.

"Remember, everything has a weakness," she offered politely as she assumed an offensive position.

Juno stepped with her right, twisted, planted her left, twisted, then planted her right, whilst spinning her saber in her hand, always keeping it between her and Kaji. As she planted her right foot the second time, she leaned forward, putting a great deal of her weight behind her saber, bringing it down with strength not usually associated with a girl, let alone one of her size.

 

[Carud Aaray]

He nodded respectfully as she spoke of parrying his next attack, he held his saber tightly at the ready.Her attacks were swift as her first attacked swiped off his blade as he stepped a little forward from the impact of the two blades.''Everything has a weakness'' she spoke as her elbow connected to his head knocking him to the floor.

He stood but up a little dazed but kept his focus on her, as no words escaped his mouth. She pressed down using the weight of her body to aid her attack, just as it came down he hit a quick sidestep twisting his body out of her blade ranger until he could see the side of her head aiming the back of his circular hilt at her temple and thrusting forward with little force.

 

[Cassanova]

Juno let her momentum carry her past the Nautolan, his saber hilt hitting nothing but air. Her momentum was low and fast, so she dove into a somersault, creating a gap between them. She spoke softly, "Well done. However you would have been better off using your left elbow and thrusting into my chest. A dazed opponent can still swing a saber madly, one who is having difficulty breathing is less likely to continue."

She lowered her saber to the ground, then held it aside from her body with her right hand. Breaking into a slow job, she charged at Kaji, but instead of slashing at him, she planted her feet squarely in front of him, and drew her saber up towards his left hip. Knowing Kaji would be successfully in parrying this, Juno reached out with her left hand grabbing the top of Kaji's hand, then forced it downwards as she brought her knee upwards.

The connection crushed his hand, and forced him to release his grip on his saber. Juno then dipped into the force, pushing Kaji back hard, hoping to get him all the way to the wall.

 

[Carud Aaray]

His listened to her carefully as he needed all the advice he could get after all he did not have a master yet and learning something would help him throughout his journey. She rushed at him with her saber swinging upwards as what looked like his hip, he parried it back bringing his saber up to slide across her's. Seconds later she would grab his hand and bring her knee up to his hand as he let out a shout of pain dropping his saber.''A Jedi never loses his saber'' he remembered someone telling him.

He looked up as she sent a huge force push directed at him, the blast forced him backwards crashing into the wall behind him with a huge thud. He dropped to his stomach hitting his head off the pavement ground. Kaji wanted to give up he wanted to accept his defeat, but something told him he had to keep going. Half his life he lived as a slave not fighting for anything or anyone but this time he was fighting for something, he was fighting to become a great Jedi and battle people like the Ricuptor's.

He stood up slowly on wobbly knee staring at her, he reached out his hand using the force to grab hold up his saber forcing it into his right hand ''Come at me'' he spoke towards her while lifting his worn out arm's into a huge guard defensive stance, his saber held at the ready.

 

[Cassanova]

She shook her head and disengaged her saber. "Part of swordplay is not only knowing how to fight, but when to fight. Right now, your confidence is battered, and you are hurt. That makes you more dangerous," she clipped her saber to her hip and moved towards him.

"Here, let me show you some balance transfer techniques," she motioned for him to come into the center of the ring. With the grace of a seasoned dancer, Juno took to her toes, then demonstrate how you could turn quickly, then onto her heels, showing how she turned slower, but with more power. "Strength only counts for so much with a light saber, as the blade itself is weightless. Often a fast wrist motion.." she demonstrated as if throwing a set of die, "... Will do more than enough to wounds trike your opponent."

Juno paused, and moved to the side of the room, pulling a bottle of water from a small cooling unit, and tossed it to Kaji, "Drink this, it'll help you relax, and ease the headache... Relax for a few minutes, then we'll continue."

She pat him on the shoulder, and smiled, "Got any questions yet, my friend?"

 

[Carud Aaray]

He nodded his head un igniting his green blade putting his saber away to his hip and moving into the center of his room, he watched as she showed him how to move his body in a season like motion while turning on her heels, he was impressed. He caught the bottle of water in his right hand finally breathing normally as his heavy breathing came at ease.

''Yes I understand'' he said before taking a sip of the water. He rested his back against the well as she asked if he had questions. '' Im just worried that if that was a real battle I would be already be dead, how do I move like the wind?'' he asked her twisting the cap back onto the bottle.

 

[Cassanova]

Juno smiled, "If you are referring to the speed at which a Jedi can move, that is force speed. It does a number of things for a Jedi. It both speeds up your reflexes, and muscle responses, but also increases the rate at which your brain operates, making it appear that time is moving more slowly."

She pointed to his knee, "When I tripped you and had my saber to your neck, that would have been the end. However, this is the purpose of training. Now, why do you think you were unable, at any stage, to get your saber near me?"

 

[Carud Aaray]

''Yes that is what I meant, the force does help me a lot most of the time we fought I felt the force guiding me on what to do next...but I cant always count on that I have to count on myself.''

He looked at her as she had asked him why he could not get his saber near her he cleared his throat '' You are faster then me your movements are swift as thunder and elderly as the moon making me not capable of striking you'' he said with his head lowered.

 

[Cassanova]

She smiled, "Very poetic, but incorrect. You didn't strike me because you don't believe you can. Now this time..." she stepped to the other side of the circle, "...we will not stop sparring until one of us has been properly dispatched. Remember, I am no faster than you are. And you are no stronger than I am. The force is your ally, and that is all you need."

She bowed, and ignited her saber, this time igniting the blade in her left hand, where she had used her right as a lead hand for the fight so far. She stood side-on to the Nautolan, her profile thin and well protected behind her saber. In this position she bent her knees slightly, and shifted her weight forwards, and waited.

 

[Carud Aaray]

He was prepared her explanations were clear neither was the superior over the other, its believing in yourself. He held his saber in one hand bringing it up towards his face vertically igniting his green blade.'' I must believe that I can do it if I must prevail'' he spoke towards himself. He stood with his back straight this time more determined then ever.

He dashed towards his enemy letting his blade flow behind him with his arm. Using something she had taught him he eased his mind. When he got close to her he lifted to his toes twisting his body coming back down onto his heels while spinning his saber towards the side of her neck, he knew this had to work he felt it he felt the power in his strike as he moved slower but through her eyes faster.

 

[Cassanova]

Smiling Juno, dipped into the force, tapping into the very same power. With astonishing speed, she planted h legs widely, ducked underneath his saber blow, then placed down her right hand, then kicked both legs out aiming for the side of Kaji. Connection or not, she was safe from a vastly improved attack strategy.

Her left boot clipped Kaji in the side, sending her off in an awkward direction. Landing like a cat, with a leg stretched out, her saber hovering above it, she then waited for Kaji to make his next move.

 

[Carud Aaray]

He felt as if he was using the same force as her trying to trace the movements. He spun around avoiding her kick moving lightly on the tip's of his feet, he was glad she had helped him earlier as he believed in himself even more. She had kicked off his side sending her backwards awkwardly, a second later as she kicked off his side he managed to dash forward bumping his shoulder into her's moving her backwards.

He jumped backwards a little then went for a low leg sweep with his right leg then spinning around on his toes once again coming back to his heel with his saber directed for the middle of her chest with a plunge.

 

[Cassanova]

Juno dismissively side-stepped the manoevre, then blitzed to inside the cradle of Kaji's arms. In one, contortionist movement, Juno hooked her left arm around his neck, then launched herself up over his head, hooking her left knee over his shoulder, whilst digging her right knee into his back. Resting at his neck was her saber.

She quickly disengaged and holstered her saber and then released her leg-lock on Kaji's body, allowing her to fall gracefully to a handstand, then quickly returning to an upright position. She offered the Nautolan a friendly smile, "Much better. Much faster. And you totally had those spins down perfectly, but be mindful of your size," she tapped him on the shoulder. "You are broader than I am which makes your next move a little more predictable."

"You nearly had me early on there, though. You should be proud."