First Reply Is the Brush Mightier than the Sword

[Phillip Slate]

Tags: It Could Be You!
Location: Shiraya's Sanctuary - Training Terrace

Practice. Practice made perfect. No matter what Phillip thought, no matter what he wanted, the most important thing for him was to practice his skills. As much as he'd want to stay in his dorm room painting, but the Galaxy wouldn't let him just enjoy that. He had to work on his combat skills even if he wasn't much of a fighter. But he had to make himself into one as he stood in the Training Terrace, focusing on his breathing as he held one hand behind his back and kept the training saber he was practising with held ahead of himself.

Phillip would never be a member of The Vanguard in the future. It wasn't what he wanted for himself, nor did he think his fighting skills would ever be on the level of those he believed were ready for The Vanguard. Phillip would never be on the same level as someone like Lorn or Aiden. They were made for fighting. Not necessarily in a bad way of course. They were the kind who could head into a fight, get chewed up and spat right back out like normal. If it had been Phillip? He'd be chewed to pieces. That's what he wanted to change himself. He had to become more resilient.

For now, he tried to clear his mind of those worries. The Padawan focused on his lightsaber sequences, trying out his hand at Form 2. Makashi. Phillip didn't think he'd be able to work on anything of the more physically intensive forms such as Djem So, Shien or Soresu. Makashi was the one that appealed to him the most as he stepped back and forth, going over the drills in his mind as he swept the training saber through the air. He just had to visualise it as if he was painting. Turning his focus to each movement as if he was painting a picture. A picture formed in the style of swings and thrusts against an imaginary foe.

He was trying to follow the 25 chambers put in place, as well as he could. Working on finding a style that fit him. In the past, he'd have waited until the last minute to have made a choice, doing only the mandatory training sessions but he had been putting more and more time into extra circular training for lack of a better term. He had a reason to push himself now. Of course, he perhaps could have asked a Knight or Master to help him with his training. To use the advanced features of the Terrace, but Phillip didn't want to be that much of a bother for them. He knew there was a lot of work going on for those higher up and he didn't want to take their time away from that. He could practice by himself. Just go over the sequences until they were almost like second nature for him.

 

[Saphira Ohm]

Naboo
Tags: Phillip Slate

Epo-1 Interceptor
​

Saphira did not have a lightsaber of her own yet. How could she? She hadn't been there for longer than a few weeks now. As such, she had little to no experience with combat of a dueling style. Still, she found herself curious to learn, at least so she may be prepared for the trials expected of all padawan learners. It was strange though, being in a place that taught differently compared to her coven on Dathomir. Her clan mother had told her to be prepared for the unfamiliar, and she had certainly been correct.

As the young witch made her way into the training Terrace, she found it already occupied by another student. Everyone was new to her, so they weren't someone she recognized. She watched for a moment, trying to better understand how one might wield such an unruly weapon. A blade that cut on all sides was surely difficult to master.

"Good morning," Saphira greeted with a wave as she made her way over to pick up a training saber.

She ignited the practice blade and examined it, waving it about as though to test the feel. It was so strange. Not like any sword she knew from Dathomir.

"Is there a way to make the blade heavier?" the young woman asked of Phillip, "It seems a bit light."

 

[Phillip Slate]

Tags: Saphira Ohm
Location: Shiraya's Sanctuary - Training Terrace

"All the weight is condensed in the handle. Heavier handle means heavier in the hand, I suppose. Might be some crystals that can give the blade some weight...but I haven't came across one of those."

Phillip carried on with a few more of the sequences, even at the new arrival. He wasn't purposefully trying to ignore her. He was just doing his best to keep his focus on his training, going through a few more slashes and thrusts before he switched off the training saber, flipping the saber in his hand on his way over to put it back on the rack.

"If you're looking for something heavy though, it's best to start off with a bo staff. It's part of the twenty five chambers. Master Lorn is great at helping to teach with those."

He stepped over towards the rack of training sabers alongside the bo staff, lifting a single staff up for a moment before turning to face Saphira, the bo staff in his left hand and the training saber in his right as he gave her a little grin.

"Want to work on it? Can either use the bo staff or training saber. Whichever you feel comfortable with."

There was something he could have sworn he was forgetting to do...but what was it? He couldn't exactly rack his brain...Think Phillip...Think...Oh! That's it!

"Oh. I'm Phillip by the way. Sorry for...not introducing myself."

 

[Saphira Ohm]

Naboo
Tags: Phillip Slate

Epo-1 Interceptor
​

"Ah, bo staff!"

Saphira seemed a bit excited to recognize a familiar piece of combat equipment. They had those on Dathomir. She wasn't super proficient with them, but it was a weapon she knew had far more weight in it than the training saber did.

"I would be most honored to join you in training," the young witch stated. "Saphira Ohm. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Phillip."

Just Phillip, huh? That was okay. Reasonably not everyone would have a last name to give.

"I am curious what the twenty five chambers entail," she noted as she twirled the bo staff to get a feel for them. "Is it some sort of training regiment?"

 

[Phillip Slate]

Tags: Saphira Ohm
Location: Shiraya's Sanctuary - Training Terrace

"Oh. We're using last names as well. Slate for me then."

He shrugged his shoulders as Phillip slipped the training saber back into its spot in the rack before turning his attention over towards Saphira, tilting his head at the question for a moment.

"It's a training method we use. I'm not that experienced with nor am I that far along in my own studies. Whilst plenty of the other Knights and Masters are willing to hold classes and teach us some things...I don't have a dedicated Master. There's only so much progress I can make by myself."

It wasn't something that Phillip resented. He was content with taking things at his own pace. He had turned down the idea of having a master in the past for one of his...friends. Yes. That's the word. Friend. He didn't want to leave her and that potential Master would have involved him having to leave more often than not.

 

[Saphira Ohm]

Naboo
Tags: Phillip Slate

Epo-1 Interceptor
​

Ah, he did have a last name. How strange that he did not give it. Perhaps that was just something people didn't always share here.

"It's a training method we use. I'm not that experienced with nor am I that far along in my own studies. Whilst plenty of the other Knights and Masters are willing to hold classes and teach us some things...I don't have a dedicated Master. There's only so much progress I can make by myself."

"I see," Saphira nodded. "I would offer to teach you a few things, but I do not believe a traditional sword is very much like a lightsaber. It feels very different. Perhaps that is for the better. I have much that I need to learn myself."

She was a student here as well after all, and a very ignorant one at that when it came to the ways of the Jedi Order. That meant she needed to prioritize learning things for herself as well. A gentle smile came to the young woman's face as she considered how they might go about practicing these chambers.

"Well, as I similarly do not have a dedicated Master yet, perhaps we can work through these chambers together," she suggested. "What do you believe would be most efficient to begin with?"

 

[Phillip Slate]

Tags: Saphira Ohm
Location: Shiraya's Sanctuary - Training Terrace

"I've been doing my own practice with swords. It's nothing....amazing at the end of the day. It's not going to be my main choice of weapon. It's always good to train with other weapons. It helps you to be ready for any kind of situation."

Of course, the sword training he did wasn't refined in anyway. It was mostly just him swinging it around, treating it as if it was saber sequences once again. Yet he shook his head, turning his attention over towards Saphira once more as she mentioned going through the pillars and he gave a short shrug of his shoulders.

"It depends really. We'd probably have to start off with some of the first chambers for you. Meditation exercises aren't something I can do well with...We aren't at the training course...Martial Arts Exercises could work...Same with Bo Staff Training...The other exercises aren't something I can necessarily help with..."

 

[Saphira Ohm]

Naboo
Tags: Phillip Slate

Epo-1 Interceptor
​

"Right. We can do bo staff training."

Saphira tried to remember the important stances for using a staff. Feat spread apart, staff held half way from center mass on both side, held in front of you for maximum defense.

"How much have you used a bo staff?" she asked. "I think I may have one or two lessons from my coven, but I'm not very experienced."

 

[Phillip Slate]

Tags: Saphira Ohm
Location: Shiraya's Sanctuary - Training Terrace

"Mostly for training. I've had to take turns attacking and defending against other Padawans before. I'm not that experienced myself. Combat has never been something that comes...naturally to me. It's against my nature."

He adjusted his staff for a moment, making sure to get into a good posture. Phillip had plenty of practice of using the staff from those lessons, being beaten black and blue but even then Phillip had never stopped. He had to fight through that pain. But...who knows? Maybe Saphira wouldn't be as harsh with her strikes.

"We can go at your pace. I don't want to go trying to pull anything fancy."

Phillip did have his own little tricks he pulled with a bo staff. Shifting his grip mid strike, using every part of it he could. Adjusting the reach of his strikes. All of it was his ways of trying to make up for his lack of strength.

 

[Saphira Ohm]

Naboo
Tags: Phillip Slate

Epo-1 Interceptor
​

"Right. Then this should be fairly simple then."

Once Phillip assumed a fighting stance, Saphira made the first move. She paced for a moment, as if considering the right course of action, then made a simple offensive strike. It was nothing special. Technically, if only by the mechanics of her movements, it was a good swing. Even so, it was very telegraphed and easily blocked. Her form was rigid, like she understood combat but was not proficient in it enough to be remarkable herself.

 

[Phillip Slate]

Tags: Saphira Ohm
Location: Shiraya's Sanctuary - Training Terrace

It was a good swing. But Phillip had to deal with worse than this in training. He was easily able to block the staff's strike, flicking the bottom of it up to knock Saphira's strike away, lifting the point up to be level with Saphira's throat before Phillip jabbed the point of his staff forward. However, he didn't actually intend on making contact. Phillip had taken notice of Saphira's...rigidness in her movements and he wanted to see how she reacted to his strike. So that's why he was pulling his punches...Plus, hey. He wasn't the kind of guy to basically throat punch someone with a bo staff.

 

[Saphira Ohm]

Naboo
Tags: Phillip Slate

Epo-1 Interceptor
​

Saphira may have been rigid and technical in her attacks, but her defense was very natural. Instinct took hold, and she knocked Phillip's bo staff up when he moved to strike her throat. Only... her instincts were a bit delayed. She blocked the attack, but it wasn't where it should be if he had truly committed to such a strike. It spoke to a level of restraint in his action.

Maybe that was for the better. After all, they were both testing the waters. Sparring was no good if you seriously injured the other person.

The young witch stepped back and regathered herself. This time, instead of making another strike, she assumed a defensive stance. The act of offensive engagement would be left in his hands. Now it was her turn to react to a blow. It would give her a better idea of exactly where either of them were in terms of talent.

 

[Phillip Slate]

Tags: Saphira Ohm
Location: Shiraya's Sanctuary - Training Terrace

Interesting. Defense seemed to come naturally to Saphira. At least that's how it appeared to Phillip as his staff was knocked away. It was good though. Testing the waters was the best way to make sure no-one got seriously hurt. This was only friendly sparring. There was no need to hurt the other one massively. Sure, there might be one or two...or a handful of bruises that show up...but Phillip wasn't going to give up over that.

It was his turn for offense however, and Phillip planned on at least showing off some more technique than he would normally. He felt an urge to try and prove himself, even if he didn't need to prove how capable he was to her.

And so he went to swing the staff at Saphira, before pulling the bo staff back to reduce his reach, to try and avoid the inevitable block he was expecting. Sure, maybe trickery was a bit underhanded...but Phillip was trying to use his brain. Make someone comfortable with the range you were fighting at, and then flip it on them! With that, he then slid the staff forward in his grip once more to improve his reach before using a backswing to try and get Saphira

 

[Saphira Ohm]

Naboo
Tags: Phillip Slate

Epo-1 Interceptor
​

Saphira tried her best to keep herself reserved for the next attack. Rather than moving to block, she decided to step backwards when Phillip swung first, which seemed to unintentionally work in her favor. The strike seemed to pull back, a feign for a longer backswing. She hadn't even been trying to anticipate such a thing. If anything it was sheer dumb luck. That certainly didn't make her feel good. Whatever the case was, Saphira moved to intercept the second blow, creating the staff equivalent of a saber locke.

It was about then that a question began to brew in her mind.

"So, in the matter of staff-oriented combat," she began inquisitively, "Would you consider the use of other limbs to be in poor taste or dishonorable?"

 

[Phillip Slate]

Tags: Saphira Ohm
Location: Shiraya's Sanctuary - Training Terrace

"Is that your way of asking if you can kick me in the shins?"

Phillip grinned over towards Saphira as he kept his own bo staff pressed against hers, staying in this whole quasi-saberlock. He was having fun if he was being honest. It wasn't something he expected he could feel from a spar. It wasn't the same as painting but it was still an enjoyable experience.

"To answer your question, I think it's fair. Your body is as much of a weapon as any other. It gives you other avenues to attack with. I suppose you can see fighting as...a puzzle. And there's multiple solutions."

Maybe that was why Phillip was enjoying this. It wasn't a pure rough and tough tumble to see who was stronger. They were both trying to think about their actions. Phillip could have tried to throw an elbow, or a knee. He could even try to do some kind of flip with Saphira, but he was waiting to see what she did first.

"Elbow strikes. Knees. Grappling. All of them are viable tools. An opponent who is out for blood won't care what we might think is in poor taste or dishonorable."

 

[Saphira Ohm]

Naboo
Tags: Phillip Slate

Epo-1 Interceptor
​

"Ah, right," Saphira nodded with a sheepish smile, her cheeks becoming a darker lavender. "I believe that's fair."

She was a little embarrassed to have been called out for the potential leg sweep, but it was good that she had clear permission to do so. It could let some of her combat instincts into her routine and made her less rigid. Unfortunately, now Phillip knew exactly what she wanted to do. Maybe there was a better alternative.

So Saphira moved to sweep his legs, a low kick coming that stopped short. A fakeout. Instead, hoping to do the most out of the blue action, the young witch performed an Ataru-like leap, flipping over Phillip's head and landing behind him. She then would attempt to poke him in the back.