Private Another Day, Another Master

[Rikuan]

✦ RIKUAN ✦
“Ride the wind, dodge the rules.”

​

LOCATION: Tython - Jedi Temple
OUTFIT: Tribal Jedi Robes
WEAPONS: Lightsaber
TAGS: Jonyna Si

It was golden hour on Tython. A sunset that Rikuan had grown used to in the years since he joined the Jedi but it still never felt like home. It didn't share the same warmth or sense of nurture of the sun back on Lykora.

Perched atop a tree in the courtyard, his reddish-brown fur gently bristled in the wind. Crouching, the simian Padawan had his elbow placed on his thigh with his cheek leaning into his hand. His tail coiled and swung in anticipation. This was boring. Waiting.

Why was he waiting? Well, he'd been dropped by yet another Master. Not that it bothered him - Rikuan had trouble following rules, difficulty focusing and keeping his attention, he was restless and impulsive, and to top it all off? He had a knack for troublemaking. A poor student, a poor Jedi actually. Rikuan understood, if he was his own teacher he'd have given up on himself too.

He was often told that with his talents he'd have definitely made Knight by now. But his lack of discipline and inability to take matters seriously was what held him back.

Rikuan's new Master though, was allegedly to be the Cathar Jonyna Si. She was a Cathar and a member of the Council, and from what he'd heard, she was pretty powerful and had seen some things in her time. Rikuan smirked to himself, canines bared. If they were sending a Council member to babysit him. It must be dire. If it were even true of course, he wasn't paying attention when he was informed of who his new Master would be.

Still crouched in the tree, Rikuan shifted slightly and looked down toward the path leading into the courtyard. He had something waiting for her. Just a small thing. A harmless little prank. Something to test the waters, or, in this case, drop them.

He flicked his tail, lips curling wider. A bucket, perfectly balanced on the edge of the entry arch, just waiting for the right gust of wind… or the right unsuspecting Master. Rikuan grinned, leaning back against the branch with all the serenity of a monk.

This was going to be fun.
​

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Rikuan

Jonyna had read the reports. Padawans usually didn't reach her desk, but this one...

This one seemed to almost take that prospect as a challenge.

This one seemed to check every mark that Jonyna did back in her own heyday as a rebel. Had it been the days of the Imperial age, she would've rewarded him with missions and objectives. Those days were behind her though, to an extent.

To an extent...

What the monkey boy didn't plan for what Jonyna's own trickster ways. Jonyna had tracked him through the temple grounds all day. The boy waited for her with a bucket, ready to dunk her when she came around the corner.

Then she didn't.

He waited...and waited...

And all of a sudden, a tap on the shoulder from behind.

"Who we splashing?" She asked, as if unaware of the prank's intended target.

Making the wind silent was a simple task, and she was just as much of a climber as he was, with over a decade more experience.

 

[Rikuan]

✦ RIKUAN ✦
"Ride the wind, dodge the rules."​

LOCATION: Tython - Jedi Temple
OUTFIT: Tribal Jedi Robes
WEAPONS: Lightsaber
TAGS: Jonyna Si

The Makurian kept an eye out for his would-be Master, waiting patiently despite it being against his better nature. This is taking too long! He thought to himself, puffing air through his nostrils.

Then he felt a tap on his shoulder, followed by:

"Who we splashing?"

Rikuan jumped, making a simian-like noise as he spun around to face whoever was behind him. Losing his balance, he fell backward and knocked the bucket off of the tree. Rikuan managed to catch himself, wrapping his tail around the tree branch. He hung upside down, hand clutched over his heart and shoulders rising and falling in quick repetition.

His amber eyes stared at the Cathar on the tree branch above him with bewilderment. Then... a grin formed on his face, followed by a hearty cackle.

"Holy-- you got me good!" followed by another chuckle.

He climbed back up to the branch he'd fell from, crouching in front of Jonyna. Not so subtly, his gaze moved up and down, inspecting the Cathar. The Makurian hooked his thumb and index finger to his chin, gently tugging at his chin fur.

"Master Si, right?" it was rhetorical "I hear you're meant to take over babysitting duties?" he asked nonchalantly, casually scratching the outside of his nostril while glancing at literally anything else.

He wondered how long she'd last before she'd give up on him too. It wasn't purposeful, he didn't try to drive his Masters away, and it wouldn't be the same with Jonyna. It was just his nature that made him a poor student, someone like him and Jedi training didn't mix well at all.

​

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Rikuan

"That's the idea at least." She chuckled, her own tail wrapping lightly around the branch on instinct. "Though, I'll admit, I'm much more than a babysitter."

Without a thought, she fall backwards from the branch, backflipping and landing below with flawless execution. "Come on, I don't like wasting time. To the training room, master's orders. I wanna see what you're capable of."

It was something she had done time and time again with her previous padawans. First lesson wasn't a lesson, it was a test. Learn what they already know.

 

[Rikuan]

✦ RIKUAN ✦
"Ride the wind, dodge the rules."​

LOCATION: Tython - Jedi Temple
OUTFIT: Tribal Jedi Robes
WEAPONS: Lightsaber
TAGS: Jonyna Si

She confirmed it. Jonyna was indeed going to be his replacement and an exhale escaped him. Welp, looks like the cycle was about to begin again. Rikuan's amber eyes tracked the Cathar as she dropped from the branch, transitioning into a backflip and landing in good form.

Honestly, that was pretty impressive. Even for Jedi standards. If he didn't know any better, he'd suspsect she was part Makurian... assuming the two species were even reproductively compatible.

He literally waved the thought away before peeking over the branch to glance at Jonyna. A grin crept on the Padawan's simian face, and his eyes lit up upon hearing the words 'training' and 'room'. Rising to his full height, Rikuan stepped forward and allowed himself to drop, converting his momentum into a forward somersault.

Landing directly in front of her, he flashed her a smile baring his fangs "Now you're speaking my language, Master." he said, tail twitching back and forth.

Rikuan's tail gave one last twitch before curling upward behind him, mirroring the eager flick of his grin. He followed Jonyna, gait light and springy. As they moved through the Temple halls, the quiet hum of distant sabers and muted instruction filled the air, but he barely registered it. His mind was already in the training room, already flipping off the walls and making a spectacle.
​

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Rikuan

Jonyna strut towards the training room was almost purposely formal. Idly walking through the hall behind the boy, watching with a keen eye. She could tell pretty quickly what the other master's problem was with him. He was a much like she had been, at his age. Excitable, mischievous, but most importantly, feeling entirely inadequate.

It was all a show. A performance to distract not just those around him, but himself.

It was all too familiar.

As they entered the training dojo, Jonyna didn't waste a moment to draw her saber, and take a Form I stance. She muttered something under her breath, the ruby blade shifting slightly as she stood, waiting for her new padawan to follow her lead.

 

[Rikuan]

✦ RIKUAN ✦
"Ride the wind, dodge the rules."​

LOCATION: Tython - Jedi Temple
OUTFIT: Tribal Jedi Robes
WEAPONS: Lightsaber
TAGS: Jonyna Si

Rikuan's tail froze mid-sway as Jonyna's saber ignited. That was fast. No speech? No rules? No dramatic Jedi proverb? Just snap-hiss and a glowing lightsaber illuminating his fur.

His ears twitched. Wait. Form I? That's like... lightsaber kindergarten. Why's she… oh. Oh no. Is this a test? he thought.

He straightened a little, then immediately slouched, then stood straight again, then scratched behind his ear like it might help reset his brain.

Okay. Don't overthink it. Ugh. Too late. You're overthinking it.

He unclipped his saber with a click and spun it once in his hand just to give his fingers something to do. His thumb hovered over the ignition switch for longer than it should've before he flicked it. A golden blade shot to life with a crack and hum. The yellow glow reflected in his eyes as he stepped forward. Wide stance. Blade up. Two hands. Textbook Form I.

For all of five seconds. Then the fidgeting started. First his grip slipped to one hand. Then his knees bounced. Then his tail curled into a spiral like it was trying to contain all the extra energy his limbs couldn't burn.

"Okay, real talk." he blurted, adjusting his grip again, holding the saber reverse now. "I can do Form I, I've done Form I, I'm literally doing it right now, see." he posed, sort of pointing at himself, then dropped it again. "But I kinda… don't?"

He motioned vaguely to his posture, which was now some hybrid of Shii-Cho and acrobatic tree branch balancing.

"It's not a rebellion thing, it just… doesn't stick. My brain moves faster than the form does. Plus, its boring. And Ataru feels better for me"

He scratched the back of his neck with the hilt.

"Besides, this grip flows better when I'm spinning. I can spin if you want. Not, like, for no reason, I mean... purposeful spinning. Combat spinning. It's a thing."

He paused and looked at her. He hated this, the watching, the studying. The judging. Not because he was afraid of what others thought of him, he didn't really care about that - people were entitled to whatever they felt. It was the feeling of being expected to perform a certain way, like being placed into a box. Who cared if his methods weren't traditional, what mattered was the result.

"Right. Sorry. Are we bowing first or... are you already judging me? You look like you're judging me."

He grinned suddenly, wide and bright and almost distracting.

"I mean it's fair. I'd judge me too." he chuckled genuinley and completely unbothered.
​

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Rikuan

As Rikuan spoke, Jonyna just stood there. Waiting. Watching. Patiently letting him speak.

He was so much like how she had been. Unable to shut up, but eager to learn. Eager to win.

Without a word, she stepped forward, and swung in a diagonal slash, her blade trailing with a bit of flame behind it as she did. Jonyna wasn't going to let this one fall to the wayside. Wasn't going to let him give up on himself. Her moves were predictable, textbook even, but she did it with purpose. He was right.

This was a test.

 

[Rikuan]

✦ RIKUAN ✦
"Ride the wind, dodge the rules."​

LOCATION: Tython - Jedi Temple
OUTFIT: Tribal Jedi Robes
WEAPONS: Lightsaber
TAGS: Jonyna Si

His amber eyes searched for any type or response from the Cathar, but there was nothing. Stone cold silence, icy stare. Then, in an instant, she stepped toward him and swung her lightsaber diagonally. A trail of fire somehow followed the lightsaber!

Pupils flared and insticts took control. He ducked low, pivoted hard on his back foot, and rolled into a lateral spring, tail helping him corkscrew under the slash. The heat kissed the tips of his ears as he passed beneath it. He landed in a crouch to her left, yellow lightsaber flaring to meet hers in a low guard.

"Watch the fur, Master!" he exclaimed.

Exhaling sharp, he pushed off, flipping back once to gain some space. He stopped thinking. His body took over. He slipped into motion, loose and unpredictable. Rikuan darted back in, his saber spinning in a blur as he feinted left, then dropped into a slide, sweeping for her legs with a low pass of his blade. Not to injure, just to throw her off-balance.

"Could've at least warned me instead of staring creepily, too!"

Now having had a chance to gather his bearings. This was unlike any time he'd met with a new Master. He loved it! No lectures, no boring philosophical talk, no thinking. Just action. Movement. Instinct. He was in his element.

He was Makurian.
​

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Rikuan

Not a word. Not a word escaped her mouth, as she watched him move. Agile, but purposeful, just like herself. He went for a low sweep, only for Jonyna to leap not with her own strength, but a burst of flame erupting from her feet, throwing her into a backflip.

In that same moment, her tail pulled her ion pistol from her coat, flicking outward from her coat and firing it at her padawan. Test his reaction speed. Keep him on his toes.

She had done this now several times. She knew exactly what training she would start with. Memories thought back to Ko Vuto 's first experience.

She really hoped this one could dodge.

 

[Rikuan]

✦ RIKUAN ✦
"Ride the wind, dodge the rules."​

LOCATION: Tython - Jedi Temple
OUTFIT: Tribal Jedi Robes
WEAPONS: Lightsaber
TAGS: Jonyna Si

She still wasn't talking. That was okay. Different strokes for different folks, maybe Master Jonyna fought better when she didn't speak. Rukian on the other hand? Had this compulsive urge to talk whenever he was sparring.

Master Jonyna managed to evade his low sweep, nearly singing his fur once again with her flame enhanced leap. He wasn't surprised she managed to avoid his attack - she was a Jedi Master after all, a Council member at that.

Rikuan's amber gaze caught the Jedi Master pull out an ion pistol with her tail. That was ingenious, why hadn't he ever thought to use his tail in combat? Maybe he should start practicing Jar'Kai then build a third lightsaber that he'd wield with his tail! Create a whole new triple-wield lightsaber style. It'd be revolutionary!

A bright flash snapped him out of it of his trail of thought. There was an ion bolt screaming toward his chest. The Makurian sprung backward, a blur of motion, springing off his toes and tucking midair. The bolt passed just beneath him. He landed in a skidding crouch, one palm steadying himself as his yellow blade hummed protectively in front of him.

"Are ion pistols even allowed in sparring?!"

Well, if she was going to play dirty, so would he. Rikuan's eyes flicked across the room and locked onto one of the training remotes docked in the corner. Without thinking, or maybe thinking way too fast, he darted to the side, scooped it up mid-sprint, and hurled it overhead toward Jonyna like a pitcher gone rogue.

"Think fast!" the Makurian called out.

Whether she looked or not didn't matter. The second it left his hand, he was already moving. Rikuan's feet launched him forward into a low, bounding leap, saber drawn back in his left hand as his tail snapped for balance. Mid-air, he twisted and slashed downward in a tight, reverse-grip arc, aiming for the edge of her dominant shoulder.

​

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAGS: Rikuan ​

Quick on his feet. Resourceful. Jonyna noted more and more that her new padawan was much like she was when she was younger. She thanked Sylvar herself that he wouldn't have to have the same childhood.

Hopefully not, at least. At least he had the opportunity to see the temple in it's glory.

A remote flew at her, and without a thought Jonyna deflected it with telekinesis, before raising her saber to block. He knew to keep the aggression up. Clearly, for all his trouble, he was paying attention in training.

She could teach him.

Of course, she knew better than to let him think himself superior.

The moment they locked up, she brought her sword down and fired a bolt of Electric Judgement from it. Not enough to hurt the boy, but enough to give him a jolt.

 

[Rikuan]

✦ RIKUAN ✦
"Ride the wind, dodge the rules."​

LOCATION: Tython - Jedi Temple
OUTFIT: Tribal Jedi Robes
WEAPONS: Lightsaber
TAGS: Jonyna Si

Master Jonyna was good. Scary good. Of course she was, she's a Jedi Master - an experienced one at that. One who'd seen action and performed amazing feats, there was a reason.

The Cathar had masterfully managed to block his downward strike, momentarily locking blades. As Jonyna lowered her lightsaber, Rikuan raised his - ready to strike again. He was completely taken aback by Jonyna's next attack.

A yellow beam of light threatened to blind him, and it wasn't his lightsaber. The Jedi Master had shot a small bolt of yellow lightening at the Padawan. While it wasn't lethal or even enough to harm, it was enough of a shock to launch the Makurian off of his feet. A high pitched, almost comedic, shrill escaped from his lips as he was sent a few metres back.

Rikuan hit the floor hard before sliding back slightly. Smoke rose from his fur and his entire nervous system felt sore. Like he'd just pulled an all nighter training.

"Ow." was all he could muster before shakily rising to his feet "Did I just lose?"

Master Jonyna impressed him more and more by the minute. Rikuan considered himself a proficient duelist, capable of holding his own with Jedi Masters even but Jonyna? She was on a whole 'nother level. He bet she didn't even need to pull out all the tools in her kit to drop him as soundly as she just did.

"Wow, if you're really going to be my Master - I can't wait to see you in action for real!" he exclaimed in excitement, eyes shining bright.

​

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAGS: Rikuan​

"You're not bad yourself, kid." She chuckled, helping the boy up. "So you're just like me them, eh? Ataru specialist, focusing on heavy acrobatics."

Without a word, she telekinetically pulled a training saber off the wall. sheathing her sword and grabbing it mid-air. "Alright, stand up. First lesson I'm gonna teach you. Tail fighting."

She ignited the training saber, unfurling her tail and grasping it in her coiling appendage. "First rule of using your tail. Keep it hidden. Most people don't expect it."

 

[Rikuan]

✦ RIKUAN ✦
"Ride the wind, dodge the rules."​

LOCATION: Tython - Jedi Temple
OUTFIT: Tribal Jedi Robes
WEAPONS: Lightsaber
TAGS: Jonyna Si

Rikuan beamed at the compliment, rubbing the back of his head in an 'aw schucks' manner. Master Si highlighted how he was 'just like her' due to their Lightsaber Form preference and combat style.

Rikuan shrugged "Yeah, I guess. Helps burn off the ol' high energy that's constantly cycling through my body." he then crossed his arms, using one hand to stroke his chin tuft "The acrobatics though? It's literally ingrained in my DNA." Rikuan added, waving his hand up and down his body to highlight his Makurian-ness.

He watched as Jonyna simultaneously sheathed her sword and retrieved a training saber with the Force. She was about to teach him tail combat? Rikuan smiled again, broadly and pumped his fist in the air.

"Yes!" he exclaimed.

Quickly, he ran over to one of the other training sabers before grabbing it and hurrying back to Jonyna. After igniting it, his tail coiled around the hilt, pulling it out of his hand.

"You mean hide my tail?" he tried to hide it, but failed "I don't know if that's possible, Master."

Then a beat passed before his eyes widened in realization.

"Oh! OH! You mean, like, fake 'em out?"

His tail disappeared behind his back… kind of. It was still twitching excitedly like it was dying to be part of the fight again.

"That's actually genius. Nobody ever looks at the tail. They're too busy watching the arms or the saber, or--" he mimed blocking a strike dramatically, tail looping up behind his head like it had a mind of its own. "--BAM, surprise third party."

"Okay okay wait, do I swing it like a whip? Or stab? Or like...??"

His tail jerked the hilt a little too hard and the training saber clattered to the ground and he quickly bent down to scoop it up again. Smiling at her sheepishly.

​

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAGS: Rikuan​

Sweet Sylvar, he was just like her. Gitty and excitable.

"Your moves should reflect your motions. Learn some Form V, it'll do you some good." She noted, taking a Form V stance. "Your focus should be of aggression. Keeping your opponent guessing. On the backfoot. Your tail is too vulnerable to use as a primary attack, but..."

Jonyna spun in place, drawing her sword and then whipping her saber in her tail around to follow up. "Most people don't expect the follow up. A slice, a stab, anything can be deadly when your opponent isn't expecting it."

 

[Rikuan]

✦ RIKUAN ✦
"Ride the wind, dodge the rules."​

LOCATION: Tython - Jedi Temple
OUTFIT: Tribal Jedi Robes
WEAPONS: Lightsaber
TAGS: Jonyna Si

Rikuan's usual grin faded, just a little. Not because he was bored or offended, but because for once, he wasn't trying to fill the space with noise. His amber eyes tracked every motion: the pivot of her stance, the subtle shift in weight, the way her tail stayed coiled until the last second before snapping the saber into a follow-up slash. It was smooth. Intentional. Nothing wasted.

She made it look easy. His tail twitched faintly behind him. Master Jonyna wasn't flashy at all, just clean.

He rolled his shoulders, stepped back into a loose stance, and mirrored her Form V posture as best he could. It felt… different. Heavy, grounded. Not the usual light-footed bounce he was used to with Ataru. He didn't like it. But he had to admit, there was something about it... The way it demanded space. The way it allowed you to decide the tempo.

"How do you know?" he asked, voice quieter then usual "When to follow up? When to push? You don't just swing and hope for the best, right?"

For once, there was no sarcasm or joke. The Makurian was actually interested. Rikuan had this laser-sharp intensity that surfaced whenever something actually got under his skin. When something made sense to his body before his brain could catch up. He adjusted his footing again, slower this time, tail coiling in a loose mock imitation of hers.

"Show me again, Master."

Jonyna Si

​

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAGS: Rikuan​

Jonyna took a step back, returning to her original stance. Practically rewinding herself. Calculating. That's how she felt. Once upon a time, she would've been exactly where he was. Once upon a time, she had been.

"Knowing when is a matter of reading your opponent. Learn to. Ataru is about keeping your opponent guessing. Use that just as you would with that stance. Each form is meant to teach you a different discipline. Form V? It's lesson is simple. Aggression and learning how your opponent moves. You've learned Form One, yes? Shii'cho?"

Once again, she followed through. A horizontal slash with her sword, then a spin into a tail slice.

 

[Rikuan]

✦ RIKUAN ✦
"Ride the wind, dodge the rules."​

LOCATION: Tython - Jedi Temple
OUTFIT: Tribal Jedi Robes
WEAPONS: Lightsaber
TAGS: Jonyna Si

Rikuan didn't speak right away. Instead, he watched. He tracked the way Jonyna stepped back into position. And when she moved, horizontal slash, into the tail follow-up. It was like poetry in muscle memory.

He nodded once, more to himself than to her, and stepped into stance. No flourish this time. No reverse grip. Just a basic Form V posture - wide, grounded, firm. His usual fidgeting stilled as he gripped the lightsaber in both hands, then started to mimic her horizontal slash.

It was… okay. Kinda. A little stiff. Not terrible. He hesitated before attempting the spin, not because he was afraid of messing up, but because he wanted to get it right. His tail coiled awkwardly around the borrowed training saber. It felt unnatural. Too tight. Too slow. Still, he turned into the motion, tried the follow-up, and nearly lost balance when the lightsaber tugged at his center of gravity.

He exhaled hard. "Well, that sucked." Rikuan shook his head, more annoyed than embarrassed, and reset his stance.

"I never really learned Form One," he admitted, eyes flicking toward her but not lingering. "I mean, I learned it. Technically. First week stuff. But I never stuck it. Just felt like it got in the way."

He twirled the hilt in his hand, not to show off, but to feel the weight again. Slower this time.

"Ataru made more sense. Keep moving, stay alive. That was easier than trying to memorize angles and numbers and... all that. But now I'm wondering if I skipped something important. Like I was trying to run before I could… walk in a straight line."

Hooking a thumb and finger to his chin, his expression turned contemplative. And something in that admission, in saying it out loud, clicked. He exhaled and stepped back into the Form V stance. Grounded. Wide. His weight shifted just a little more forward this time, his posture adjusting from mimicry to memory.

He tried the horizontal slash again, slow and focused. Then followed it with the spin. This time, when his tail came around with the training saber, it was clumsy. A little wide. His footing almost slipped, but it worked. The motion connected. The saber didn't drop. The timing, while rough, made sense.

​

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAGS: Rikuan​

"Form I is about learning your stances. A master of it can hold off even the most powerful duelist if they haven't learned the basics. Doesn't matter how hard you swing your saber if your technique is sloppy." Jonyna spoke clearly, as she ignited her own once more. "Form V is more about learning the blade itself. Stronger strikes, overwhelming your opponent."

Suddenly, she shifted her stance, to one unfamiliar to anything the padawan had seen in their books. "Combine the two..."

Her feet ignited, sending her into a backflip, before she came down with a powerful swing as her blade itself ignited and fired off like a rocket to aid the swing.

"And you get the best of both worlds." She said as she landed, looking back to the padawan. "Find what fits for you. You like to move, do so with purpose."