Private Before the plunge

[Aiden Porte]

Coruscant
Jedi Temple
Training Rooms
Theme

Today was a normal day as to be expected. Aiden woke up, showered, and all of that important stuff. His schedule hadn't let up since he got here. He gave himself a few weeks to get acclimated to the Temple life and by that standard he had succeeded fairly well. With all the circumstantial things that had happened over the course of the last few weeks. He made a change in his training. Looking to balance more things, and put some extra attention into the lightsaber arts, at least for now. It wasn't something that was going to last. There was so much to learn, and it would take a good while to fully integrate everything he had studied and had been taught. Aiden had been in the training rooms for most of the week, but this day was going to be different the Jedi Padawan was going to find out.

Aiden entered the room and did a few stretches to get ready. He heard the sound of instructive individuals as well as the sound of lightsaber clashing with one another at the far end of the Training room. He knelt down towards the edge that bordered the training grid. The first step was focus, and then the rest would follow perfectly as it should. The Padawan's eyes closed and he reached out with the force, searching yet focusing his energies. Clearing his mind of all doubt and his mind was locked on one thing. It was necessary....

However, as his sense seemed to be attuned for the time being, there was a presence that he hadn't felt before. Something of light and strength and it wielded a commanding presence. Aiden was shocked that he didn't pick up on it when he first began his mediation a few minutes ago. Aiden took a deep breath and opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the source.

It was Valery Noble

Aiden rose to his feet and then couldn't stop staring for what seemed to be a whole minute. He had heard about her from his Father and purely through her reputation. Force forbid something were to ever happen to her, she would be mourned by all Jedi, even her enemies. That is the presence that he felt she commanded. Those followed her because they believed in her. He had to force himself to look away as he fiddled with his hands for a moment before he found himself slowly edging his way closer to the area she was in. She was training a group of Padawans, it would be unwise to interrupt. So he just watched for the time being, as she instructed those in front of her. Each Jedi paid clear and close attention as she spoke and they followed her instructions to near perfection.

The Jedi Padawan took a deep breath as he leaned back against the wall and just watched the training continue. He couldn't describe his happiness at this moment, he was incredibly glad he came here today. And despite his own reasons, his happiness was to see that she was okay. He wasn't much of the gossiper or anything of that sort. But word did travel, Master Noble lost her husband. He couldn't even begin to imagine the pain and loss she felt. That was part of the reason why he was so nervous or scared at the thought of falling in love. There was his family, his friends and such that he cared about and loved. But eventually there would be his great love, the girl he would fall in love with. Should the force grant such a thing. Yet that was something he dared not even think about. He couldn't imagine losing his family, yet what would happen if he lost the one he was in love with.

Valery did it and Aiden's parents did. Still, it was something that he pushed far to the edge of his mind.

She looked good, he was glad she was okay. At least she looked okay. That was the most important thing.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | NJO Temple
Tag | Aiden Porte

"Alright, that was it for today," Valery told the group of students after they finished up the spars she always used to conclude her lessons — it was a chance for them to apply what they had just learned during the lesson. Today, they had been instructed in Shii-Cho, the first lightsaber form many only studied to grasp the basics of lightsaber combat. Tomorrow, they would continue with it, until she felt confident that they grasped the basics enough to attempt more complex techniques.

It was something Valery had always been strict about during her days as a Lightsaber Instructor and Battlemaster in the Old Republic, but those views never faded.

With a bow of her head, she dismissed the class, and slowly but surely, the group disappeared from the training area. Most were excited to keep going, as lightsaber classes were among the more fun ones. So it made for a rather loud exit that got Valery to smirk a little — it reminded her a lot of her younger days when she was very excited and committed to becoming the best of the best with the lightsaber.

That commitment would hopefully help them one day.

When they had finally all cleared the room, Valery turned around and brought her hands up to fix her ponytail, then she adjusted her belt and reached for her own lightsaber. She wasn't aware of the one Padawan who remained behind and watched her, so she just drew in a small breath and began to move through some patterns of her own, all of which were slow but flowed into each other perfectly. It was a way to warm up, and prepare herself for an intense training session of her own.

She was one with the Force, and she allowed it to guide her.

​

 

[Aiden Porte]

While some were to think this was slightly weird, Aiden didn't think it was in the least. Aiden watched her movements and he found himself stretching slightly as he was fixing to approach her. And yet he couldn't help but think, that he had never seen such discipline before. Granted he was only eighteen years old and he hadn't seen everything in the world yet. His father was incredibly good as a combatant, but this was something else entirely.

Aiden took a few steps forward as he came within earshot of her. It seemed almost criminal to interrupt her, he would've been content to just watch her training session but that would have definitely been pushing things to far. From what he knew, the lightsaber was a part of you. The weapon was your life just as the force was. They were one, blade, wielder and the force. They worked together in tandem and the more focus and work was put towards that, the greater and more expert one was with the blade. Not knowing this through experience, but by his father's words and by studies.

"Forgive my intrusion, Master Noble." Aiden voiced with a good conviction that he was quite surprised with himself. The Jedi Padawan showed a respectful bow towards her.

"With your permission Master, may I join you?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | NJO Temple
Tag | Aiden Porte

When Aiden began to make his approach, Valery finally picked up on his presence despite her focus on the training drills and the fluent movements they required. She didn't respond yet, however, and waited patiently for him to ask his question or make a move. Eventually, he did, and Valery slowly but surely transitioned away from the complex patterns to turn her focus to the younger Jedi instead.

She greeted him with a polite smile, and dipped her head respectfully in return, "Did you miss the class, or do you just want to get some extra training in?" she asked in response to his question. "Either way, feel free to join me, Padawan...?" she tilted her head slightly, hoping he'd introduce himself.

Valery was familiar with a lot of Jedi, but she couldn't recall meeting him before.

"Is there anything specific you'd like to learn or practice?"

​

 

[Aiden Porte]

Coruscant
Jedi Temple
Training Rooms
Valery Noble

Aiden couldn't help but smile as she offered him to join her. "It's an honor to meet you, Master Noble." He bowed politely and before he rose up, he just couldn't help but express his apologies. "I'm terribly sorry for the loss of you and yours." Aiden spoke while raising up and making eye to eye contact with her. "My name is Aiden Porte, It's nice to finally meet you in person." Aiden stepped forward several places and extended his hand towards the Jedi Master.

"I had hoped to improve my saber skills. While I feel confident in using the force, my skills with the lightsaber have suffered slightly." While Aiden knew that he was getting better with the lightsaber. He knew it would take more time to actively master the blade, many years would be needed. And to be quite honest...

He had nothing but time.

"Is there anything specific you'd like to learn or practice?"

"Anything and everything Master Noble." Aiden said with the smallest of smiles and a simple nod of his head. He had hoped to have as steadfast discipline as Valery was showing.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | NJO Temple
Tag | Aiden Porte

"I'm terribly sorry for the loss of you and yours."

Valery blinked and looked at him with some surprise in her eyes, as she clearly didn't expect it to be brought up. But it quickly faded and she just offered a polite smile, "Thank you, and it's nice to meet you as well, Padawan Porte." Valery extended a hand and took his with a firm grip to shake it. Sometimes it still felt weird to greet people like this, but she had finally gotten used to it a little.

"But let's just begin with something simple to warm up. Draw your lightsaber and make sure it's set to low power, or grab a training lightsaber." She stepped back into the center of the training room and drew up her own weapon again. Only after he made his way back, Valery decided to test his Shii-Cho basics and stepped forward to aim a telegraphed strike vertically down towards the top of his head.

Not hard enough to hurt if it were to somehow still connect, but with enough drive to force him to do something.

"Are there any Forms or styles you've learned already? Or any you would like to study?" she asked while she continued to test his defenses, now with a telegraphed horizontal sweep aimed at his left side.

​

 

[Aiden Porte]

Coruscant
Jedi Temple
Training Rooms
Valery Noble

Aiden nodded his head, already thrilled that she had included him with her training session. He would do his best to not make a fool of himself now. However as he looked back to his sparring with Dredi, those weren't so bad. So he was sure that he would do just fine. Don't be nervous, focus and concentrate.

Aiden reached for his lightsaber and blade ensure it was turned down to the appropriate level as he was instructed to do. Aiden gripped the blade with both hands, taking a deep breath as he he moved towards Valery to get into position.

"Shii-cho, Master Noble. That's the only form I have been learning and practicing with. I just want to make sure my lightsaber are up to the task before I venture further with more advanced levels." Aiden said with a small smile. The vertical strike came overhead and Aiden raised his blade up horizontal to stop the attack with as good form as he could. He was by no means an expert duelist. He had sparred with others, but still much to learn.

He knew eventually he would want to learn Soresu, that was the form his father used. Aiden had always felt that he had perfected that form. But his father always said there was more to learn.

Aiden responded once more bringing down the blade in a vertical position, at his left side to block the attack incoming from Master Noble.

"Eventually Soresu, but I've still got a long way to go. Patience is key from what I hear." Which is what he had been taught from almost everyone he knew. And then he remembered Tiberias told him one time that it was okay to be careless, but then don't be to careful either.

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Coruscant | NJO Temple
Tag | Aiden Porte

"That's a very good mindset to have," Valery said with a pleasantly surprised smile, especially because he backed up what he said with the correct defensive counters to her attacks against the various zones of the body. Traditionally, the basics of Shii-Cho were always used to instruct young Jedi about the principles of lightsaber combat, but many students these days skipped a lot of steps and jumped straight into more difficult forms.

For some, it worked but she still believed a good foundation was the best approach.

"Soresu hmm?" She asked as their little warm-up clash began. Now, she allowed him to strike in return as well, as long as he stuck to Shii-Cho and its basics. It gave her the opportunity to study his form, and learn a little more about him at the same time. "It does rely heavily on patience, as it's a very passive, defensive form. You outlast opponents through a superior defense they can't break through," Valery explained.

"It's why its practitioners are taught to be the Eye of the Storm - the calm center surrounded by chaos."

​

 

[Aiden Porte]

Coruscant
Jedi Temple
Training Rooms
Valery Noble

"Eventually, Master Noble." Aiden said with a small smile as he struck back against her. His movements solid and stable as possible. Sticking to what was normal for him at this point. Granted he knew that as he progressed he would need to move out of his comfort zone as he had spoke to Kat about when he had spoke to her about training.

His moves were somewhat slow at first, as he slightly began to pick up the pace. Definetly here to improve and just not stick to what was easy for him. Striking at different portions of the body, making sure he wasn't swaying away from the art of Shi-Cho. He would not leave that form until he had mastered it entirely.

"That is eventually what I would like to be Master Noble. I would want to grow to be that center. I want to bear that burden and be that eye in battle, and just not there. But eventually in life as well." He was of course speaking about his friends as well. Aiden perhaps felt he would thrust a great deal of responsibility on himself as he would come to his friends aid no matter what. If they were in trouble, he would be that center for them. He would be the one to bear that burden if it helped aid them in their journey and path.