Private Absolution

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra blinked hard, some heat hitting her cheeks. "What? No. Jedi aren't suppose to have connections," she chastised, as if it was all the reason to back why she didn't care. "I was thinking about you. And- and your commitment. Like. Can you really be my master if you're off marrying someone else?" She challenged.

She knew well and true how bad of an idea it was to involve Asaraa Vaashe in any of her bitter comments. If last time was any indication, her new master seemed to flair up with emotion at the small slight there. This was great for derailing embarrassing topics, but horrible for her morning vibes.

She really didn't want anymore friction. Her nerves just couldn't take anymore.

Still, she wanted Caedyn off her back, and so she said with clipped tones. "If you have family, you don't really have time for me. I'm a lot of work you know. My future is very important."

She snuffed at him, shoving back his stimcafe.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Caedyn smirked, tilting his head back somewhat in silent rebuttal.

"When I was talking of family, I was suggesting your place here with the Silver Jedi...-But those are views so ancient, I'm surprised you're even aware of the history regarding Jedi and the doctrine against personnel commitments, relationships and the like...-Then again, you are a teenager after-all. I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised..." his voice faded a little as the subject seemed to lead his thoughts elsewhere, far more concerning.

"Wait..." he frowned a little, now wondering if this wasn't entirely about himself and more something along the lines of her own relationships or thoughts of such that had brought this up. The conversation seeming to have suddenly become an awkward affair that he hadn't planned nor prepared to discuss.

"Look...Don't worry about it. Just know that relationships are off limits until you're thirty" he remarked, exaggerating for both of their sake's and then seeming all to happy to drop the discussion.

Kyra Perl

 

[Kyra Perl]

More heat touched Kyra's cheeks, the girl taking back his cup altogether and knocking back the rest of the cafe. "Fine by me," she declared, smacking the cup down.

Kyr held a reservations across the field regarding relationships. What she did to him, she did to others, a wall up across the board. She didn't need a lover. She was better than that-- where she came from. She was furiously determined to not be just another Zeltron. Her mixed heritage really did a doozy on her there.

She didn't linger on it, abruptly standing up to declare the meal over.

"Ok, chop chop, it's stabby time. Come on old man." She grabbed his and her tray, taking it out from under him.

Too much talking, not enough moving.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

And with that potentially disastrous subject well and truly averted, it seemed that Kyra Perl had found her feet again; Unfortunately she had also found and taken his tray as well as finished his drink in her rush to get them out of the Cafeteria, leaving Caedyn to sit there for a moment and simply huff to himself in bemusement.

"Suppose I can't have everything..." he muttered under his breath to himself, reluctantly standing to his feet. Again she seemed to have forgotten her bag, yet as she had taken his tray for him, Caedyn resigned himself to believing she'd done it out of courtesy as opposed to her own benefit and getting her way. As such, he picked up the backpack and slung it over one shoulder, turning to eventually follow her out into the corridor, and on their way back to the training wing.

"Would you prefer a structured lesson, or a free-flowing sparring session?" he asked, giving her the choice. Kyra seemed to be more motivated when she felt things were within her own means of control.

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra came to hop-skip-jump at his side, wiping her hands off along her pants as she caught up to him in the hall. "Uuuuuuuuuh, free-flowing!" She exclaimed, her energy levels seeming perfectly recovered after a second coffee and a plate of food. It was barely reaching 7am, only an hour of training had been applied, yet they seemed to have achieved nothing but him holding her stuff and a full stomach.

Welcome, to life with Kyra.

She hop-skipped circles around his ambling pace, buzzing with excitement. "You mentiooooon aerial?" She chirped, a hopeful look tossed up his way. Something told her she was gonna like this one. The rigid structure of the others had been a first time to teaching Kyra to move with control and intention. But this? Oh.

She viewed this all as gloves off.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Caedyn grinned as they walked, or rather Kyra Perl basically danced around him on their way to their next training session. "Yes..." Caedyn replied, "Ataru's an aggressive form that capitalizes on fast movements in order to keep your opponent on the defensive. Somersaults and flips are often used within the form in order to strike at all angles, your foe having to keep up or suffer the consequences", it wasn't exactly one of Caedyn's favorites, yet it probably would suit Kyra well, providing she recognized the downsides to aerial combat.

"Truth be told, I'm a rather defensive combatant myself" he admitted, "Something you may have noticed already" he added with a slight chuckle, thinking back to their last sparring match. "It pays to watch your opponent closely. Read their body language in order to anticipate their moves, see their intentions before they've committed to them".

It didn't take them long before they'd reach the dojo-like training room. It was a wide open room with seating surrounding a sparring mat, laid out for the obvious purpose of saber competitions and training alike.

 

[Kyra Perl]

"That's boooooooooooring. And cheating!" She declared, spilling out into the training room. She hit the mats before he could even flick on the lights, her sweater yanked off in eager anticipation.

"What if you get two people that fight like that? You'll be there foreeeeever, nothing will happen!" She snorted, amused by the thought. "I guess the first person to not die of old age, wins..." She pulled her hair back, musing as she waiting for him to join her.

"You can't catch my blade again though! You couldn't do that with real sabers, if you do it still counts as a hit!" She pulled her training saber from her hilt, her real one left right besides it. Its purple length ignited into the air. For a moment she looked as if she might curiously try to touch it again.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

"Actually, I could" He corrected her on the subject of tutaminis, "Though it would take far greater effort and likely leave me open" he admitted. Kyra Perl liked to test him, and while it wasn't an advisable feat to attempt, Caedyn wanted her to understand that the Force held no limits.

"And I prefer defensive forms because the whole point of being a Jedi is to protect others. If I can avoid having to injure or fight someone, then I'd gladly take up that chance. On the other hand, if someone wants to fight with me, I'll fend them off for as long as it takes before they either give up or give me an opening to overcome them" he explained further, smiling to his Padawan as he entered into the room once having triggered the lighting.

Caedyn needed no preparation. He wore no robe atop his tunic and thus followed Kyra onto the training mat, stopping on his side and awaiting her to reach the opposite end and turn to face him once again. Before he reached for his lightsaber however, he threw his Padawan an expectant look, as though she had forgotten something.

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra blinked in confusion, freezing in place as her unspoken 'what' rang through the air. Was she missing something here? Had she insulted him again. She looked down at her shoes on her feet, but dismissed that just as quickly. This wasn't that kinda mat! She looked back up at him, eyes wide, a moment passing between the two.

...

"Oh!" She straighten abruptly, giving him a hasty bow. She peeked up at him, looking for approval before straightening ... and lunging!

She came down on him from overhead, the same move as their first time, grinning wickedly as she tried to 'bop' him from above with a double-handed strike above her head. Surprise!

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Caedyn grinned as his Padawan caught on, "Thank you" he spoke up and bowed to her in return. She was learning and that's all that he needed to see. As for insulting him or making him angry? Not in the least.

Kyra Perl sprang into action shortly there-after, Caedyn not having even detached his lightsaber from his belt. Reaching out with his left hand, he caught her with a telekinetic grasp, keeping her sustained in mid-air while he took his lightsaber into his right hand.

"Something to keep in mind with Ataru when you do eventually study it. Every time to commit to an aerial attack, remember that your trajectory is going to be easily predictable. While you may be able to manage the height of your jump, and the direction, your descent is not something you'll be able to change should your opponent be ready and waiting".

Caedyn had also considered criticizing her decision to attack an unarmed sparring opponent, however he didn't wish to have to contend with her arguments as opposed to enjoying a good healthy bout between them. Releasing her to drop back to her feet, he triggered the activation of his lightsaber, the cyan blade erupting from the emitter with an aggressive snap-hiss before he moved to fall into a readied stance.

"Try again".

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra flailed in mid air, her limbs whirling through the air to no avail. Her burning excitement dropped to disappointed indignation. "Umf!" She caught herself as she was dropped, her posture deflated as she stood before his now readied position. "No fair, that's cheating!" She protested, not hearing his vital points about trajectory and predictability.

Moments like these were precisely why Kyra had fallen so behind. Her attention tunneled so hard, and often not on the right things.

She lunged again, same as before, a force assisted push sending her high up and arching to come down on his head. The same over-head, double handed strike of before was used again, Kyra frowning fiercely down on him from above.

Fight her this time!

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Taking up his hilt into both hands, Caedyn stepped off to the side whilst raising his Lightsaber to block the strike, his blade at an angle so that hers might be carried in it's momentum, to fall behind him whilst he would pivot upon his right heel and spin in a one-eighty degree turn, sweeping the lightsaber around shoulder height with Kyra Perl .

Were she not fast enough to evade the blow, it would connect with her arm. Thankfully however, were that to be the case, the damage would be minimal as Caedyn's lightsaber remained at an extremely low frequency, that of his training setting for which he did not change unless leaving the Silver Rest and subsequent grounds of the Order.

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra yelped as a sting encompassed her arm. Without the expected resistance of his body, Kyra's momentum sent her sprawling forward. A few stumbling steps caught her before she could face plant, her free hand wrapping protectively around her burn. She scoffed, turning on him in a huff.

"Stop running away! We're suppose to be sparring," she protested, a slight whine hitting her voice. She gave him a testing slash at his back leg, trying to force an actual block out of him that involved more than a side step.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Caedyn swiftly jumped her sweeping glance, his landing graceful and without much sound in his step. "Parrying your blade is just as effective as a direct block, Padawan. In fact I used your momentum against you" he pointed out. His left hand coming free from his lightsaber, reverting to a single hold and rolling his wrist, flicking the blade around in a full rotation, as if testing the weight and movement of his weapon.

"You will never enjoy the tactics of your opponent out in the field, so why should I make it easy for you in our sparring matches" he spoke with a slight chuckle escaping him. He took the brief lull in their back and fourth to bounce lightly upon his feet a couple times, as if to loosen himself up and lighten his step.

"This was what you wanted. A free-flowing match. You fight your way, and I'll fight mine" he smirked. He would have to point out later that Kyra Perl had attacked him with the same strike twice in a row, making it easy to read and anticipate. It seemed to be her signature move, thus far.

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra's expression crumbled further. "This wasn't what I meaaaant!" She complained. What she really wanted was to poke the crap out of him with her saber. What she was getting was much less fun! She couldn't put this to words, her frustration all encompassing as she slashed at the air between them. It would hit nothing, of course, the gesture more dismissive than an actual attack.

With a grumble, she turned on him, facing him head on again. "Fine! Though I don't see how I'm learning anything here, I should get a better Master!" She declared, goading him as she lunged again.

With both her strikes blocked before, and the subtle ache of her arm, Kyra tried to propel herself over him and stab him through the back as she landed behind.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Caedyn would've rolled his eyes at her, had she not moved to attack him again. However this time she performed a feat that was common for an Ataru practitioner, and without realizing it too. Caedyn's eyes followed her as she leaped into the air, his lightsaber being drawn high at his defense and turning as he followed her trajectory, his blade sweeping wide to parry her strike out and away from hitting him.

Instead of following up with a counter-attack however, Caedyn stepped back so that she could be allowed to land and recover while he wished to point out what she'd just achieved. "That was an excellent maneuver. Your form could use work, but that was an attack common from Jedi who practice Ataru. It's precisely the sort of maneuver that I mentioned on our way here" he smiled, nodding to her approvingly.

"As for finding a better Master, best you learn to keep up with this one first" he teased.

Kyra Perl

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra blinked, taken aback by his sudden approval. She tried to recall exactly what she had done differently there, but in truth her mind had gone blank. She had simply acted, moving in the manner that felt right. All her previous attempts had failed, so the adjustment....

She frowned, trying to commit the changes to heart so she could do it again.

"Oh sush," she dismissed, as his teasing hit the air and broke her concentrating. "I can keep up with you perfectly fine. It was you that couldn't find me in hutt space. You're the slow poke," she jabbed, using her misdeeds as ammo against him. She casted him a wary look, then interjected before he could get retribution on her comment.

"...What's another move Ataru people use? Show me."

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

"I know of a few, however they're rather advanced and consist of numerous strikes all within quick succession of one another" Caedyn replied, bobbing his head to either side indifferently.

"You can use a backflip to evade a strike however, and seek to retaliate with a counter-strike while mid-air" he suggested as an alternative, not wishing to overpower her with the example that had sprung to mind. "Otherwise they might incorporate moves such as cartwheels to evade or move around their environment. Somersaults, while relying on the force to guide their instincts and their strikes in fast spinning motions...".

"I'll demonstrate but...-Not against you. I'd normally want you to participate in a lesson before trying to fend off against my practicing the form..." He explained, gesturing for her to step off to the side. Stepping back towards the edge of the mat, Caedyn awaited for Kyra Perl to get clear first, before committing himself to the demonstration, apparently needing the space to perform the Kata.

His movement was fast, and he lunged forward quickly taking three swift steps before launching himself into the air, sweeping his arms around to throw himself into a roll mid-air. His lightsaber still in his right hand, he extended his arm so that she would see it sweeping through the air in three full rotations before Caedyn's left leg extended and his foot touched the ground, quickly followed by his right. His momentum however carried him further still, and as he landed, he used his left hand to cartwheel over in order to slow his pace before concluding with a further backwards flip and landing upon both feet, going no further.

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra fell still, a bit of silence entering the air. "... Whoa," she breathed, life hitting her limbs as she shifted slightly. The on sound in the room was his breathing and the slight thrum of their sabers. She stepped forward, breaking it an eager burst of energy.

"Teach me that," she declared, dropping her hand from her arm as she stepped forward. It truly felt like Caedyn was jumping her well ahead in her training. Jumps and twirls and aggressive attacks-- Yuroic had kept her engaged with promises and small steps, the girl always left moving. But this? This was a whole knew ball game.

And she wanted in.

"I can do jumps, and flips--- we have that whole course and it and I-- I do just fine." Truth. It was one of the only classes Kyra seemed to engage well and excel in.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Caedyn exhaled heavily, taking a moment to steady himself and slow his breathing after the exerted effort he'd put into pulling off the saber kata. "It takes time and practice, Kyra. And it's much easier to achieve once you've gained greater control over your ability to use the Force. With precognitive senses, and heightened instincts for which the Force can help you achieve, these sorts of advanced combinations are much more manageable than they would be for the average person". Caedyn had to admit, this was probably why most Jedi taught the forms in order, given that Ataru was a style of combat that would come much easier with proper control and influence. Heightened jumps, and the awareness of ones environment and those nearby...

"The best way to practice something like this would be outside of saber training. Trying to perfect the movements first, before seeking to add saber strikes to the Kata...-It's a term used for combination strikes and choreographed movements". Caedyn elaborated some for his Padawan's benefit.

Kyra Perl