Private Cut From The Same Shade

[Iris Arani]

There was mild surprise for Iris when she learned of it. Master Valery Noble had another padawan. Should she feel jealous? .. No, she didn't feel jealous. Curious? Curious, yeah. That was certain. What were they like? Had Iris met them before? How much had they already learned and.. Well. Could they help Iris move along faster on her path to becoming Jedi? It's why Iris was here, standing in the Ossus Temple training yard. Her saber rested on her hip as she stared out at the garden just close by.

There'd be a lot of questions, but she was excited anyway. Hopefully Briana Sal-Soren could be a friend as well as a fellow student.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

“Am I up for a training session with your other padawan?” Valery hadn’t needed to say much to get Briana’s attention. She was starting to know what made the girl tick, and what exactly caught her interest. In all of her competitive glory back on Naboo, she’d been the kind of kid that begged her parents to be in any sport she could possibly sign up for. Of course a chance to stretch her muscles and show off wasn't going to be passed up. “I was born ready, Val.” she’d scoffed, heading off in the appointed direction.

Briana was adorned in her Jedi robes; an unusual look for her, but she’d thought it was about time, her hair tied back in a long and elegant black ribbon.

A small cheeky smirk pulled at one side of her face as she came up on the training grounds, taking in a deep breath of the rich green dampness of the early morning on Ossus. The scent of flowers carried along the breeze, along with the trills, twitters, and chirps of the animal life. It reminded her of life back on Naboo, but was distinct enough to keep her rooted in the present.

Quickly approaching the wide open clearing, Briana took note of a single silhouette of whom she could only assume to be Iris Arani , based on the brief description Valery had given her of the girl.

“Hey there!” Briana hoped to draw her attention, beaming with the kind of confidence that only a Sal-Soren was capable of, both hands planted on her hips. “I hope I didn’t disturb you,” she said with true sincerity, not sure if she had interrupted a moment of quiet meditation. “I’m Briana Sal-Soren...I’m assuming you must be Iris? I’m told you and I share a master...Nice to meet you.” Best to get pleasantries out of the way first. After all, it was the polite thing to do.

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

The garden turned out to be more of a distraction than Iris originally planned for. There was a beauty there, one she'd seen countless times of course, but never like she did now. Her training to separate the colors and what was actually real had opened her eyes to a lot. Right now? She could see the natural color of the flowers as they blended with the various shades around them. It'd pulled her attention, consumed it.

Her canvas was a lot cleaner than her spray paint. After.. Well, numerous encounters and people reminding her that she was essentially tagging and that was illegal, she'd opted to start using other mediums to paint or draw. She sat on the ground as the cloth covered slab floated in front of her. She hadn't intended it, but she didn't have an easel and well, what better time to also practice?

Blue paint was still covering her arms, cheeks, robe, hair. She had little care for her personal appearance or keeping clean as she painted. The only objective that mattered was getting what she saw on paper (or brick walls as was the usual case). So much so she didn't notice Briana Sal-Soren arrive, or even hear her fellow padawan address her. There was a noticeable silence filled only with the sound of a brush against dried paint before the girl blinked some seconds later.

She leaned back, her bright and oddly colored eyes falling on the Corellian as if she just heard everything that was said.

"Oh. Hello." A soft smile formed on her lips before she turned her attention back to the canvas. She'd only gotten the blues on it so far, but the rest would have to wait. Reaching out a hand she plucked the canvas from where it floated before setting it on the ground. Right, no getting distracted. Iris would stand then, turning to more properly face Briana.

"I'm glad you could make it."

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

"Yeah, thanks for the invite." A brow rose and a half-cocked smile pulled at her lips, head tilting just slightly. "You um, have a little something..." using a finger Briana wiped at her own face, trying to indicate that Iris was... well...

She was covered. A little wipe wasn't going to help. A full shower was in order.

"I was under the impression that we were going to practice our saber forms," she mentioned, the confusion she was feeling evident in her tone and posture, but she kept the smile upon her face trying to not let her irritation get the better of her. "I fear my form with an art brush is sorely lacking." Had Valery tricked her? Was this some weird lesson? That idea made her frown, feeling both embarrassed and annoyed, but unlike those earlier teenage years, Briana didn't fall to pieces or stamp her foot because something wasn't going how she thought it should.

'You know, you could at least be nice.' she could hear Brandyn's voice hissing in her head, her own retort insisting that she was nice.

Even when he wasn't with her, he was like an irritating little celestial on her shoulder.

"Uhm, sorry, I didn't mean to sound rude." Briana apologized, idly kicking away a small pebble that'd somehow managed to roll under her boot. "You painted this?" She asked, nodding her head and taking notice of the girls talent, staring at the budding blue flowers on the canvas. "It's very beautiful."

Iris Arani ​

 

[Iris Arani]

"A little something..?" Iris tilted her head curiously as she watched Briana Sal-Soren wipe at her own face. Why was she doing that again? The younger padawan was never bothered by the paint that covered her, probably why she always ended up covered in paint anyway. She drifted for a moment, off in her own head as she pondered what Briana was trying to get at. Then realized the other girl was still talking.

She blinked, then shook her head.

"I don't think you're being rude. Though, I'm still figuring out how to talk to people, so I might not know anyway." A sheepish smiled formed before she turned her gaze towards the painting.

".. Oh. We're supposed to be working on our forms, right?"

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Out of everything Briana could have taken from her interaction with Iris thus far, the one thing she zeroed in on was one line, ‘I don’t think you’re being rude’.

Did her ears deceive her? Or had she finally broken the universe, as Brandyn and Blaire predicted?

Two options present themselves at that moment. Let her head balloon, or humble herself? Briana knew what the right thing to do was, and it caused her cheeks to inflame. “Well, I’m sorry anyways.”

Ocean colored eyes blinked, watching as the other girl turned back to her painting before mentioning training.

“Uhm,” a look of puzzlement crossed her face, hand finding itself planted against her hip. Miss social-butterfly who loved to talk and absolutely hated being ignored, was feeling a little exasperated. "Yeah. That’s what I said a little bit ago, remember? But I didn't think it was still on, seeing that you're covered in paint. Don’t you want to go and take a shower?”

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

Briana Sal-Soren had said it before? .. Ah, probably when she got lost in her thoughts again. Iris lowered her head, frowning. She needed to focus. This was her fellow padawan! She should at least try to make a good impression. Though, a shower? The newfound determination turned to a curios confusion as the younger girl tilted her head and glanced up towards the other.

"When we spar I'll get sweaty, then I'll shower." Yep, that's the logic her mind followed. Iris turned then, taking up the painting to move it more out of the way. Then unclipped Domxite from her hip. She turned to face Briana again, smiling faintly.

"We can start now, if you'd like. I'm really curious what Master Valery has taught you."

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

"Can't argue with that," she grinned, "Alright, let's get started."

Unclipping the lightsaber from her belt, Briana ignited the blue training saber before nodding to Iris, grasping the hilt of her blade with two hands tightly.

Although she'd begun practicing different saber techniques with Valery, Briana's strength currently fell in the simple style of Shii-Cho, thus taking up its stance. Positioning her left leg out in front of her, she slid her right foot back, knee bending slightly - the right leg being her predominate leg and where she received most of her balance and maneuver from.

The dull blue glow of the blade was brought in front of her, staring ahead through the plasma at her opponent, just a few feet away. Tucking her elbow in slightly, she got into a comfortable and defensive stance. She didn't know what to expect from Iris and wanted to study the other Padawan's technique throughout the duel. While useful to know your opponent, it was a 'duel' opportunity for Briana. If the two of them were going to be partners, then she needed to see how Iris ticked.

"Well then?" A glint shone in Briana's ocean blues, followed with a dare. "Come at me."

Iris Arani ​

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris's own blade sprang to life. It flashed a multitude of colors before settling on pink, which only made the younger Padawan smile. Domxite was just as eager as she was to see what Briana Sal-Soren had learned. Her own stance mirrored her fellow's. Shii-Cho, defensive. Waiting for the other to strike. Iris had always been the more passive fighter. Though as the seconds ticked by she couldn't help but blink.

Was she supposed to strike first?

"Come at me."

Briana answered the question that flashed through Iris's mind. The Keshian nodded once. She took a single step forward, then practically leapt at the other woman. No hesitation. That's what she'd learned from not just their Master. Her blade arced out, cutting in the ideal form of perfectly horizontal and vertical strikes again and again. Every strike faster than the next as she let herself dive further and further into the Force's embrace.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Briana could feel the Force growing stronger with each strike Iris threw at her and matched the Padawan's fervor with quick and decisive parries, using the time to study her opponents moves. She was fast, agile, and stronger than she appeared. Briana focused her own mind on the Force, allowing it to flow through her like water and help her try and anticipate Iris's moves.

With each blow she moved her own training blade in the same repetitive motions, from her shoulder horizontally and across her body, to right and left. Quickly she slid her feet backwards to give her more movement and put some distance between them before swinging her lightsaber in a downwards angle to bash the other Padawan's to the ground.

Briana then struck out low and fast at the girls abdomen, slightly harder than she had intended, but with the purpose of trying to push her attacker into a backward retreat and regain the upper hand.

Iris Arani ​

 

[Iris Arani]

Dodge, parry, block. The flow of the spar was pretty evenly matched between the Padawans. It brought a smile to Iris's face. She was learning. She wasn't falling behind like she worried. Forward and back, an ebb and flow much like the ocean. The calm smile ever remained on the younger Padawan's face as she felt the blades clash again and again. Until a particularly stronger blow brought Iris's blade down.

She blinked. But rather than retreat she moved forward. Iris dropped Domxite, instead hopping up and over Briana Sal-Soren to get around the blade. As she did, for just the briefest moment, Iris brought a hand around. Arlo Renard taught her to try more unorthodox things, so.. She threw a downwards punch. There was no force behind it in the slightest. Even if it made contact it'd be little more than an affectionate tap.

Iris would land on the other side, reaching out to let Domxite fly back to her hand and reignite. The same calm, warm smile on her lips.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

The blink of an eye was all the time it took for Iris to avoid her swipe and leap overhead, Briana was caught off guard by the move, but not enough to stave off reflexes that had been ingrained in her.

Keeping her dominant foot planted, Briana pivoted outwards on the heel of her left foot, not letting herself lose her position or the ground she’d covered. She’d successfully moved out of the way of a full downward punch, but still felt the feathery light graze of Iris’s ‘fist’ sliding down her cheek. No doubt, if there had been any real power behind it, she might have left a mark.

“C’mon, you’ll have to do better than that.” Briana goaded with a cheeky grin, feeling sweat begin to bead on her skin, but her breathing steady and controlled, measured. A slender brow raised, noting Iris’ calm demeanor throughout the exchange. It made Briana curious as to what exactly drove her? Competition? A chance to test ones skill? Perhaps afterwards she could try to unravel the mysteries of Iris the Padawan, but right now Briana’s head needed to get back in the game.

Swinging her right foot back, left foot forward and knee slightly bent, Briana clutched the blade in her hands and brought the lightsaber up into a high guard, a change in style from before.

She was not as proficient in Djem So, not as elegant, but wasn’t part of the point to practice and get better?

Not forgetting how quickly Iris could move, Briana concentrated the Force to a single area and sprinted forward, closing the distance between them in seconds and leaving plumes of dust in her wake. Lunging high into the air, right foot leading the charge, she brought the blue saber striking down hard in a straight stroke from collar to sternum.

| Iris Arani | ​

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris tilted her head. Do better? She took the taunt as feedback, just nodding her head. Repositioning her feet, tightening her grip. Letting herself go further into the embrace of colors. She had no desire to be the aggressor this time, simply watching and waiting for Briana Sal-Soren to move. And move the other woman did. Iris didn't recognize the change of stance, nor what the incoming strike meant.

She simply did as she always did. The Force guided her movements, her blade coming up to catch the falling avalanche. And immediately she was overpowered. Iris blinked in surprise as she crumbled under the force of the blow, her knees buckling in the process. She yelped. Domxite pressed against her chest, burning the cloth slightly but thankfully no where truly damaging by the gem's control alone.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

The training blade disengaged and dropped from her hands, clattering to the ground.

Eyes wide, she flew to Iris’ side and knelt beside her, panic and worry radiating off Briana in waves. “Are you okay?” her voice was raised, frantically looking her over to make sure no permanent damage had been done.

Valery would throttle her.

A red flush of shame rose in her face.

She’d done it again, become so caught up in the competitiveness of it all that she grew careless. “You were supposed to karking move! Not just stand there!” Classic Briana tactic, blaming the other person, laying the sentence in such a way that she could get out of taking responsibility for her own mistakes later on.

Normally, she would have just stuck with her own version of events, so that if anyone asked (specifically Valery, in this case) she could say it was the other person's fault, but the twisting feeling in her gut gnawed unceasingly.

Her face turned a deeper shade of red. “I’m-I’m sorry, I shouldn't have gone so hard like that.” she stuttered, getting herself back up to her feet and extending a hand to help Iris up, asking with more sincerity, “Are...you alright?”

Iris Arani ​

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris let out a breath as the pressure stopped. Domxite disengaged, leaving the younger Padawan splayed out on the ground. Well, more like she laid back to do just that, staring up at the sky above. So the Force was wrong? As Briana Sal-Soren panicked, Iris just pondered in silence just what had happened. Her body moved on instinct, as it should, but it ended poorly.

What should she have done differently?

Bri's hand being offered pulled Iris out of her own head. She blinked before reaching up to take the hand and stand once again. "I'm okay." Then tilted her head. "Are you okay?" Iris seemed calm as ever, now worried by how flustered and upset Briana seemed to be.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

"Am I alright?" The confusion and disbelief was evident in her tone, giving Iris one of those, 'are you crazy' kind of looks. "Yeah, I'm fine." While Briana felt like she could go for more training, she was too rattled about what had transpired to continue on.

"Are you... always like this?"

Iris Arani ​

 

[Iris Arani]

"Are you... always like this?"

Iris's gaze fell to the floor. The smile remained, as it always did, but a touch of sadness had crept into it. Even training with her fellow Padawan it was that noticeable? Maybe she shouldn't be too surprised, but.. It being brought up was too on the nose for the otherwise cheery Padawan to ignore or look past. "I'm sorry if it's annoying. I'm trying to work on it, just.. It's easy to get distracted."

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Geeze, what is wrong with you, Briana?

"Hey, it's..." Briana went silent, pursing her lips and trying to think of something to say that wouldn't make matters worse. Last thing she wanted to do was make this girl cry.

"It's okay, we all have things we have to work on. I could have been more kind just now, and I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. It's just... we are going to be partners, right? We're both Valery's Padawans, so that stands to reason that we will be working together frequently. If I intend to trust you with my life on a regular basis... I need to know that you're going to be present - in battle and out of it. I need to know that I can depend on you... just like you'll need to know the same of me. Understand?"

Iris Arani ​

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris blinked. Slowly. She didn't say much in response to Briana Sal-Soren , instead lifting her gaze to watch the other Padawan. ".. Okay." They needed to work together. That much the younger Padawan could agree with. For each other, for Valery Noble . She smiled after a moment, turning her gaze towards where her painting was still resting in the son. "Do you like to paint?" Yes, she was changing the subject.

But for more reason than readily apparent.

"It's all I do, usually. The Force is.. Color. To me at least. Life. Emotion. Death. I see all in shades that I can't turn off. It makes talking hard. Painting is easier."

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Her head tilted slightly, looking in the same direction as Iris.

“It’s not something I’ve ever tried. Honestly, I’d prefer being covered in engine oil than paint.” She sat up, rolling her shoulders back and lifting her chin, trying to show that she was paying attention. Iris sounded sincere, Briana wanted to understand.

“So, painting is how you communicate?” she asked softly, offering a small Corellian smirk. “That explains a lot... but I think that’s cool, Iris. It’s really great that you’ve learned to communicate in a way that translates what makes sense to you, but,” While it was meant genuinely, Briana felt a tad disappointed in the admission. Talking was hard for Iris, she saw the world in a completely different way, and she was distractible. How was the social butterfly going to adjust? A compromise? “if you don’t learn other ways of having discussions, it might be hard for other people to understand you. Maybe there is a middle ground? Something that could work for both of us?”

Iris Arani ​