Wake Up!

[Green Ranger]

Teon Argon yawned, scratching his bald head as he wandered down the halls of the Ossus Temple. It was the bare early hours of the morning, and he wasn't used to the Ossus timezone. Still, he haad a job to do, and there was no point wasting time with such novelties as sleep.

He opened the door to his new padawan's chambers. Without any real warning or hesitation, he let out a yawn, using the Force to amplify it to the point of shaking the walls. He probably woke up a few other students as well, but...well, frankly he didn't care.

'Get up, kid. Looks like we've got some work to do.'

 

[Niner]

Jax Rossilon, the newly indoctrinated padawan was sound asleep in his bed. His thoughts drifted in his sleep and his face was like a mask of emotionless ivory. As the yawn thundered out, followed by the voice telling him to get up, Jax's eyes fluttered open. He groaned and turned over onto his side, grabbing the pillow and jamming it down over his upturned ear.

"It's too early! Come back in an hour!" Came the muffled voice of the fourteen year old boy from underneath his pillow. He closed his eyes, maybe by some stroke of fortune he could wind up being able to go back to sleep.....but he doubted it.

 

[Green Ranger]

'Damn kids...' Teon muttered, frowning. He wasn't in the best mood to begin with, but he especially haed these first few days with older students. Cracking some obedience and discipline into their skulls...he didn't have time or patience for that. And Teon Argon was not one to be easy on his pupils.

'I don't ask twice, kid. You'd better remember that. There's a lot more students more deserving of my time than you - I have little patience for lazy spoilt brats. Now get up or I'll make you get up.'

 

[Niner]

Jax took the pillow from his head and rolled onto his back, looking up at the bald man standing there.
"So you believe me to be a spoiled brat do you?"
Jax's facial expressions didn't change, he still had a blank look on his face, but his eyes grew the tiniest bit more narrow in either anger or arrogance, "Well I'm not."
He swung his legs out of the bed, sitting on the side. "Nor am I lazy" He said, standing up. He reached over to the bedside table and turned off the screen on the datapad there. He had fallen asleep while writing poetry and didn't wish for this bald and condescending man to see his work.
"Now, what is it you would have me do this morning?"

 

[Green Ranger]

'There we go, kid, that wasn't so hard now, was it?' Teon said with a grin.

'It's pretty simple, really,' the Jedi Knight explained, 'If you don't want me to think you lazy or spoiled, then don't act in a way that makes me think you are. You're a Jedi now, start acting like one. Now get dressed and meet me outside - you may want to dress lightly, by the way.'

With that, he turned on his heel and walked out, waiting for his Padawan to get dressed. Today would be...interesting, to say the least.

 

[Niner]

Jax turned to the backpack sitting next to the bed and pulled out his clothes. THere wasn't much to choose from. He settled for a simple pair of linen pants and a loose fitting long sleeve white shirt. He belted it and walked out the door. After exiting his room he walked down the short stone hallway before exiting the temple into the outdoor courtyard. He looked up at the sky, thinking of the poetry that could be written about it. He then focused his gaze back to the ground and looked around for his master.

 

[Green Ranger]

Teon was standing in the courtyard, near the infamous tree where the late Edo Tesu's body was found, hung and stabbed through. There was always a distinct chill in the air around the tree...

Still, the Jedi Knight's attention was not focused on the tree, but rather a rather sizeable boulder beneath it. It looked large enough to be uncomfortably heavy, but small enough to move. He frowned.

'This shouldn't be here. Boy, you're younger than me, and you've got a better back than I do. I want you to move this outside for me, then we'll get to training. Hop to it!'

 

[Niner]

Jax approached his master, as he drew near to the tree his master stood near he felt a chill run through his body. He looked at the boulder and then at Teon. He was about to open his mouth to complain about the menial task but then remembered what the bald man had previously said about proving himself not to be a spoiled brat.
Jax's mouth scrunched over to one side a bit but he still advanced towards the boulder and reached his arms around to grab the sides and tried to pull it. It budged an inch or so before Jax's grip slipped and he stumbled back, falling flat on his ass.

 

[Green Ranger]

Teon frowned and shook his head, leaning against the tree. He wondered how long it would take the boy to give up, or if the boy was too stubborn to admit defeat. Either way it would be a judge of his character...which was part of his plan all along, just quietly.

'Nope, kid, that won't do at all. Try again. Remember, persistance is key - keep trying!'

And with that the Jedi Knight promptly lit a cigarette. 'Ah, Jedi healing techniques make these so much more satisfying.'

 

[Niner]

Jax looked at the boulder again, this time he went around to the other side and put his shoulder against it and tried pushing it. It moved a few more inches, but then stopped when it ran into another small rock half embedded in the ground. Jax sighed, "Really?" He said to himself quietly. He walked to the side of the boulder and started pushing it clear of the small hangup. about five minutes and a very sore shoulder later it was clear and could be pushed straight again. He leaned against the boulder to catch his breath before he put his other shoulder up against the boulder and started to push again.......

 

[Green Ranger]

Teon watched as his Padawan fought and struggled with the rock, shaking his head and chuckling quietly to himself.

'I've got to admire your dedication to physical exercise, boy,' he said, taking another drag of his cigarette. 'It seems a bit of a waste of energy, but hey, whatever works for you.'

 

[Niner]

Jax stopped pushing on the boulder. He stood up and dusted off the white shirt. Pulling his shoulders back and standing proud. "Well then, what would you suggest I do to move this boulder?"
He was honestly interested to hear what his master would suggest....he would never show that interest externally....but it was there.

 

[Green Ranger]

Teon smirked.

'Well, boy, if you're asking for my opinion...have you tried telling it to move?'

The Jedi Knight was beaming on the inside. Half the fun of being the mentor was playing the crazy old kook card. And Teon Argon had tricks aplenty to convey that point across.

 

[Niner]

Jax stared at him, "Telling it to move?"
He glanced at the rock and rapped it with his knuckles, "It's a boulder....it's not going to do anything except sit there...no matter what I tell it to do. I could tell it to put on a skirt and start dancing and that still won't happen."
He turned to the boulder and, with a completely straight face and voice said, "Boulder, go move to the other side of the courtyard." He then turned back around, "See? Nothing."

 

[Green Ranger]

Teon sighed and glared at his Padawan. This was going to be a long day...

'Well, of course it's not going to move with that attitude, boy! It's a rock - you've got to command it to move. Focus your will and order that rock to move, damn it.'

 

[Niner]

Ja let loose a small sigh, "You're completely insane" He muttered to himself, none the less, he turned back to face the boulder. He stared at it and focused on watching it move. Sweat started to bead on his forehead from the focus he was giving the task. He was just about to give up again when the rock shifted slightly, moving less then an inch....but moving.

Jax took a step back, "I....it...moved. But....you....I.....HOW?"

 

[Green Ranger]

'All in good time, boy. Now try again...focus your will, think of nothing but the rock moving, and then tell it to move. Shout if you have to. We'll see what happens.'

Teon smiled to himself. It was always fun seeing these first few steps of grasping the Force, watching the young mind unfold that there was more to the universe than what one could see. He remember his first days as an apprentice...so long ago, such istant memories, but they were pleasant ones.

 

[Niner]

Jax stared intently at the boulder. Imagining it moving with all his will. He pulled back one hand and brought it forward in a quick concise movement with the palm open. As he did so he shouted, "MOVE!" The boulder jumped back a few feet.
Jax stared at it in awe, then put a hand to his head. He felt a little lightheaded and dizzy. Probably from the mental exertion he figured.

 

[Green Ranger]

'There we go! That wasn't so hard now, was it?'

Teon smiled, gesturing for his Padawan to sit on the boulder he had just moved.

'Ultimately the spoken word and the gesture are just pointless, boy...but you'll learn that in time. For now, physical or vocal mannerisms help direct and focus your will. Makes the whole mystical Force stuff a little more tangible, I suppose. The point is that I want to teach you that not everything is as it seems, and there's not just one way to solve a puzzle. Any questions?'

 

[Niner]

Jax hopped up onto the boulder and sat on it, staring intently at his master talking. When Teon asked if he had any questions Jax's head perked up immediatley, "Yes." He asked calmly, "How is this even possible?"