Private Let us take a step forward, shall we?

[Xobos Yakieer]

Location: Ilum
Equipment: Illyria Knight Armor, Outer Robes, Knight Saberstaff, Miralukan Eye Mask
Time of day: Midday
Tags: | Cali Ziiva | Leven Jeyd | Aymeric Rouche |

It had been so, so long since the last time she had come to this place.

For as many bad memories as there were for the apprentice, now Knight of Illyria and Magnate of the lands of Garde Noire, there were some fond ones of her training under Adron Malvern . Their trip to Ilum, alongside Ettiene Kharne , was indeed one of the good ones, despite how it had almost started. Adron was still just as cold and pointed back then as he was now, perfectly happy to allow both of his apprentice’s, including a brand new Xobos, to freeze in the cold before they even took a step into the crystal caves. Obviously, she had been able to survive, though the fractured crystal she walked off the planet with was much different than what she expected either of her apprentices to leave with. The force did have some…interesting ways of working, however.

Such as how she never expected to come back to this cold, frozen wasteland, much less with two apprentices by her side now. The heart would welcome them back very soon. Her in a different capacity than she was once in, and her apprentices in a new form to christen the first true steps of their training together. Failure was always going to be an option, though in the back of her mind, Xobos had high hopes for them. Both of them, that they could eventually be able to take the power they desired to forge their own lives. Unlike Adron, this was her goal for Leven and Aym. Loyalty to her, yes…but the power to seize what they wanted in life.

Her boots clanged against the metal staircase leading down into the cargo hold, looking from Leven to Aym. She was surprised the later had been so easy to convince to come along. Perhaps the ability to create his own saber was something that truly did speak to him. Whatever the reason, she was happy to see their bond growing slightly more. This first real step into his training would be large for establishing a foothold to continue to mold him into the hunter he could truly become.

The Knight’s gaze did fall back to Leven eventually, giving the jester the slightest of nods. The pain and strife of their recent bout still fresh in her mind. They would mend, as master and apprentice always did, and Leven would eventually understand why she had left her on that moon. Xobos only hoped that the ability to use her changing did reaffirm to Leven her trust in the girl.

Still, there was one more person in the cargo hold, being the pink one bouncing around the back. She had told herself there was no more leaving the Zeltron behind, and this was only another step in that direction. Giving her partner a little smile and nod, Xobos moved to sit in between her two apprentices, motioning for them to join her on the floor of the cargo hold. “Come, sit. There is something I wish to teach both of you before we land, which should not be too much longer.”

Sitting between them both, Xobos crossed her arms across her chest within the confines of the robe, taking a long, deep breath before starting. Clear the mind, prepare the body. “Where we go is colder than anywhere you have ever been. It’s temperatures can freeze a body from the inside out. For you to survive, and complete your quest into the heart to retrieve your saber crystals, then you must learn the same skill that my master had me learn when I came to this planet. Tapas.” Her gaze moved from one apprentice to the other, awaiting any sort of questions or statements that might come. Perhaps they thought she would be overstating the importance of the skill, but by the time they felt the cold of Ilum, they would believe her.

“Tapas is the force skill of tapping your connection to breath warmth throughout your body. Reach out to the force around you. Collide with it. Mix with it, then bring into your being. Feel yourself begin to warm from the inside out, the kind of heat no cold can quell. The kind of heat one can only feel through the force.” This was even more instruction than she had received. She was a different master than Adron. While she did keep the possibility of them failing open, she truly did want them to succeed. Not to say he didn’t, but to say her training focused more on putting them in the best position, rather than immediately into the fire.

Fire would come. The time for it, right when it needed to be. Now was not that time, and Xobos would know when it would be.

 

[Cali Ziiva]

Location: Cargo Bay

Cuteness, her Miraluka had invited a cutey along for one of her excursions. The Zeltron was beside herself on how to respond. There was no need to skulk about playing hide and seek with the pretty one. Though, she probably should "behave" so Xobos didn't regret inviting her huggable Pink along for the ride. Then again it probably wouldn't matter. Seeing how the Zeltron would sneak around and "get into trouble" anyway, the Magnate would want to keep Cali close and in sight just in case.

That over-protectiveness could totally be used in a Zeltron's favor. Fortunately, Cali didn't intend to do so for anything insidious or malevolent or cruel or manipulative or dastardly or... Oh, you get the point.

An energetic wave welcomed Xobos into the cargo hold when the Miralukan descended to join them. About time to get the party started, but there were a few things needed before they could crack up the tunes. At least that's what Xobos had told Cali ahead of time. Also a good idea so there weren't any impromptu questions breaking the 'mood.'

See, like when Xobos sought to clear her mind with a cleansing, deep breath. A question would totally have messed with the cutey.

The Pink One sat atop a nearby crate with a big smile as she listened to Xobos' educational session with her apprentices. See, now this looked instructive. This wasn't at all like how Adron had done it. Toss a poor cutey out into the cold without any protection with the objective of obtain a crystal, and a secondary objective of 'oh, and survive.' Like survival was an afterthought. Dark Siders, right? If you could figure out how to make it, then you weren't worth the time. Like that made any sense.

It was difficult, but the Zeltron remained silent as she observed Jester and Aym. It was important they learned Tapas. Distractions wouldn't help. Though if either looked like they could use some encouragement she'd happily jump in. Cali was the unofficial Cheerleader of Team Xobos.

Actually, she was probably the Cheerleader for Planet Illyria too. Way too many super serious people living there. Definitely in need of a good Zeltron.

Tag: Xobos Yakieer | Leven Jeyd | Aymeric Rouche

 

[Leven Jeyd]

Location: Ilum.
Wearing: XxX.
Weapons: Armed to the teeth.
(Plasma Bow, Swords, Throwing Knives, Ice Picks, who knows?)
Tagging:
Xobos Yakieer ~ Cali Ziiva ~ Aymeric Rouche

​

There was only one thing about the mysterious changeling that all could say, with certainty, was a fact.

Leven Jeyd's silence was a dangerous one.

A Queen of the perpetual Masquerade, the young Sith always had a face to show, a word to say, a look to give. Perhaps it was all a lie, most of it probably was, but at the end of the day one is what one made of themselves and what others saw. It was when the mask came off, when there were no smiles and no jokes and no glimmer in her sharp eyes, that the true face of the changeling could be seen. Cold and calculating. Eyes that belonged to a predator, a true monster.

And where her lies were impossible to discern because of their symphonical complexity, her truth was impossible to read because of its sheer emptiness. How could something that looked so happy feel so little?

Even the shadows seemed to stay away from Leven as she lurked in the corner of the ship, eyes following the very breath of the one she called Master as though they would fall off if she so much as let the Magnate out of her sights. There was silence, and there was coldness. There was a choice being weighed. She had left her, and she had tried to replace her.

No one could really understand how Leven's ego worked but herself. It was not the test that had irked the changeling. It was the mere fact that Xobos had been willing to risk her leaving and not returning. The logic behind such resentment did nothing but get darker the more one pondered on it. Leven did not understand love and allegiance, Leven only understood possession. She did not let go of the things she deemed important. It was not a matter of choice.

She had returned because she would not let Xobos go. Leven did not see loyalty in this, did not see care, or respect, or devotion - even if there was. To the Jester it was but a simple transaction, for it was only in simple terms that she could try to understand what other beings felt. The creature, before being left off to make it or die on some moon, had decided that there would be a pact between Its glorious self and the Miraluka. A pact of belonging. That pact could only be ended by her, just as it had been started by her.

Now it would seem as though Leven was deciding if that pact still stood. If everything they had gone through still held some kind of meaning to It, or if it had too become worthless in her eyes.

Xobos called them forward, and Leven remained in her place. Watching, thinking. A hand was buried deep within the many layers of the clothing she had picked, who knew whatever it was that her malevolent hand was toying with? The events of Taloraan had already been buried in her mind a long time ago - but perhaps not deep enough that they could not be picked up again...

Then she stood, and walked. Still not a sound produced from her as though her very feet were refusing to break the silent seething. It was not until she neared the group that her crystal eyes departed from Xobos to look at Cali, and with that one act the spell was broken. The corners of her lips curved, the threatening, fun, even excited glint returned to her eyes, the dark heavinness that surrounded her disipated as if it had never been there in the first place. The Jester then sat down, and listened.

The pact still stood.​

 

[Xobos Yakieer]

Location: Ilum
Equipment: Illyria Knight Armor, Outer Robes, Knight Saberstaff, Miralukan Eye Mask
Time of day: Midday
Tags: | Cali Ziiva | Leven Jeyd | Aymeric Rouche |

“I understand meditation is not something either of you enjoy doing, nor do you particularly see a reason for it.”

That was how she started out the miniature lesson. She wanted the pair to understand clearly that she, well, understood their inhibitions and dislikes. Meditation was not for everyone. There was an underlying doubt in her mind that Cali had ever meditated in her life, or when she was forced to as a jedi, her mind truly never got set free. And that was ok, Cali’s mind worked much differently than Xobos’. She needed meditation, as it had been one of the few places she had been able to talk to the voices freely or escape their call altogether. For Leven and Aym, they didn’t like meditation because it forced them to sit still and be quiet.

Whether or not they truly needed it was going to be seen, but to connect for the first time to tapas and allow their bodies to warm, utilizing their connections with the force was going to make things much, much easier. “However, the skill of Tapas requires one to heavily focus on their connection to the force in the beginning. As you continue to master it, it starts to make it’s way to the back of your mind. Think of…learning how to eat certain types of food. In the beginning it takes thought and time to understand how to best approach it. Once you understand it however, you’re able to allow your mind to focus on other things while you eat. Tapas is one of the skills that falls into this category. You both are plenty powerful enough to eventually make it so that your body warms itself in deep colds without even thinking. You will have an inherent advantage in combat, and your mind will be clear to be able to devise ways to defeat your opponent no matter your environment.”

A long start, but one that she needed to utter. Xobos had plenty of confidence in both of her apprentices, and she hoped that they could understand that. She was not Adron, even if she did highly respect him and hold him in a place of reverence for turning her into what she was today. Hopefully both Leven and Aym understood that.

“I want you to close your eyes, find that place in your mind you go to when you need to get away from all that the galaxy throws at you. Find that dark, empty place.” As the apprentices started their attempts at finding such a place, Xobos felt herself sink into that place herself. “Imagine there, in front of you, lies a smoking fire. It’s dull, barely noticeable. Yet the more you focus on the it, the more the fire begins to grow, and the more your mind begins feel warmed. The fire continues to grow, and your body starts to feel its heat from the top to the bottom. Even now, your body is beginning to fight back against the cold that is slipping through the cracks of the ship.”

Xobos stood, silently, and started toward the end of the ship. Giving cali a nod of appreciation, motioning for her to quickly bundle up her coat, she let the ramp of the ship down, releasing a massive blast of cold air into the cabin. Progress that either of the apprentices might’ve made would feel a great pushback now, but this was the point of the entire exercise, after all. Turning to the pink alien once more, there was another soft nod given before Xobos pulled the mask of her cloak up.

She descended down the ramp, turning slightly to call back into the cabin. “Let us find our way to the Heart.”

 

[Cali Ziiva]

Cali smiled over at Leven when the Zeltron felt Jester looking in her direction. Seemed like Xobos and her were having a hard time finding their footing, but the Pink One was confident they'd manage. Preferably before something bad happened. Though it was nice that Xobos wasn't being as hard on them as Adron was. Whether that was good from a Sith perspective a Pink could only guess, but it seemed better from a people perspective.

When Xobos entered Master mode, Cali remain nice and quiet. A slow sway side to side where she sat and rapt attention to what the three were doing.

Meditation? Cali meditated all the time. Toss a cutey a chocolate bar and watch her just zen like you've never seen. She totally felt like she was in touch with the wider galaxy while munching down on some cocoa.

A sudden blink followed Xobos moving with the kind of care that shouted mischief. You know, Jester movements. Who know the Miralukan had learned such tricks from the slippery one? All of which used to creep over toward the ramp controls.

Slowly she bundled up in a plush coat at Xobos' prompting. Cali wasn't sure why she was the only one bundled up, but no point in complaining about it. Hopefully the two students would find their little Force Fires so they didn't feel too cold. At least they had a chance. A little instruction before the hardship. Not exactly a lot of time to practice, but a Zeltron couldn't complain about every Sith training exercise.

Bright eyes narrowed with the sudden rush of cold air blowing into the hanger. Could seriously dry the eyes out!

Cali hopped off her perch and huffed a heated breath before her attention swung to the Apprentices. "Soon you find it, sooner I can get you some comfy coats. But if you really want to show Xobos up, I bet you won't even need 'em."

Tag: Xobos Yakieer | Leven Jeyd | Aymeric Rouche