Private Mind Your Head

[Rann Thress]

New Cov, The Jedi Temple,


After Anubys, Valery Noble was kind enough to offer her Temple on New Cov to Rann for recovery and to study, train, and get back out into the galaxy a stronger person. And so, Rann spent his time exploring the temple, reading up in the archives, and here.

The Temple’s training dojo. What happened on Anubys, his not being able to influence objects on the planet with the Force, scared Rann just a little bit, enough to where it made him want to train harder incorporating telekinetics into his fighting style. His usual preferred form, Ataru, didn’t lend itself too well to that method. Instead relying on more acrobatics and saber combat as a whole. So while in the Archives he began studying Makashi a little bit more, hoping the elegance of the form would allow for more fluid incorporations of the Force.

So here he was, a training lightsaber in his hand and a training droid standing opposite him with various boxes and items littered the arena while he practiced his new form, matching elegant flourishes and movements with small flicks of his wrist, summoning items from behind the droid to crash down upon it allowing him to score a quick hit.

While it showed promise, he lamented the droids incapability of providing a…living element. But, for now, it was the best he could hope for.

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

He'd been passing by chance.

Aris glanced through his notebook, idly flipping through the pages before he heard a crash. A quick peek into the room revealed what it was. Someone training of course, but the quick movements to throw things from across the room in conjunction with the swordplay had Aris linger. He couldn't do that himself, he knew. But to see it in action was still very interesting.

"Is that easy?"

Rann Thress

 

[Rann Thress]

The sudden question startled Rann as he flourished his blade, following up with a telekinetic throw. The loss of focus caused allowed the droid to counter the clumsily thrown object and follow up with an attack of its own that Rann parried, before commanding “Stop.”

The droid immediately halted and returned to an awaiting position while Rann turned towards the voice, extinguishing the blade of the training lightsaber. Immediately he saw the resemblance between him and his mother, and he blinked, collecting his thoughts and trying to wipe away his blank expression.

“What?” He asked, still processing what the boy had said. “Is it easy? Is what easy?” He looked around to see what the boy had meant.

Rann figured the only thing the boy had meant was fighting with a lightsaber and throwing objects at the same time, and looked at the boxes and random items strewn about the floor. He thought for a minute, pondering a response before finally deciding upon one.

“It’s different. It takes a lot of focus. Kind of like playing dejarik.” He reignited his lightsaber and showed off the opening moves of the form Makashi, “Used to use Ataru to fight like this.” He said, switching over to the form and performing the opening maneuvers again, and using his acrobatics to amplify the movements. Finally, he demonstrated how he incorporated the force into his offensive, swiping wide and taking his hand off his saber to pull a box to strike an imaginary target.

“But…” he started, returning to a ready position, “it’s exhausting. Ataru by itself already sucks for your stamina. Including the forethought for any force attack, never mind the mental toll…it adds up. If you don’t end the fight quick enough…well. It’ll still end. Just probably not in your favor.”

He exhaled again and switched back to Makashi. Placing a single hand on his hilt and keeping his other one at the ready. Firmly, he said a command, “Begin,” and the training droid readied itself for combat and began approaching.

“Maybe you didn’t want a lesson,” he said with a chuckle, as the droid began its attack, and Rann began his own, using quick deft strikes to keep the droid at bay while he demonstrated using the force with Makashi, using his free hand To summon forth objects to strike the droid when an opening presented itself a couple times before commanding “Stop,” once more and turning back to the young man.

He shrugged and smiled, “Makashi makes it easier. I have to think about my actions more. How this movement leads into the next,” he waved his blade and free hand around as if pointing to two different things in front of him. “But it’s not as tiring, and the movements feel more natural.”

He extinguished his blade again, and hung it from his belt.

“I’m just out of practice with the form…without even considering the Force.”

He stepped forward off the dojo towards the boy and extended a hand. “So very very long winded way to answer your question…Yes and no? Hah, I’m Rann.”

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

"Manipulating the Force with one hand while using your lightsaber with the other."

Aris could not use the Force, at least not in the way Rann was. He knew that limitation, and it wasn't a problem for him. But he still wanted to know more. If he didn't have the ability, knowing how others felt and used it would help him one day teach these skills. It's what he waned to be, after all. A battlemaster capable of teaching every stance and form with a Lightsaber.

And more, if he had the chance. So now he took out a holopad and casually started to write in it. Notes, information, anything he could glean from what Rann was telling him. Then he blinked. Right, names.

"I'm Padawan Aris. .. Uh, it's good to meet you?" That's what people said normally, right?

Rann Thress

 

[Rann Thress]

Rann withdrew his hand and smiled, “Likewise, Aris.” He replied, then stepped to the side and gestured towards the ring behind him, “Do you want to give it a try?” He asked.

He was hardly a battle master himself, but having someone to bounce off of, no matter how old, had to be better than a simple droid.
“It’s something good to prepare against, as well. Last thing you want is to fight someone like me, expect a straight up fight only to get smashed by something behind you.”

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

"That's not something I can do." He couldn't use the Force that way. But, he did seem to light up idea of preparing against it. That was something he could do. Probably should, all things considered. Seszil would act as his shield if he needed it, but the less he needed to rely on another the better it would be for the both of them. He nodded eagerly as he snapped shut his book and smiled.

"Let's do that, though. I'd like to be able to defend myself better."

Rann Thress

 

[Rann Thress]

A smile broke across Rann’s face and he walked back onto the training ring. He looked at the droid, still waiting patiently with its vacant expression, and said “That’s enough. Thank you.”

The droid bowed its head and snap turned, walking over to a nearby pod and entering with the door hissing shut behind it.

“A lot nicer droids then the ones I’m used too,” he remarked, mostly to himself, thinking of his old CIS days and the legions upon legions of chatty battle droids. He shrugged with a smile, cherishing the memory before his expression hardened and he turned back to face young Aris.

He withdrew the saber from his belt and activated it, performing the traditional Makashi salute to his sparring partner before entering his stance, readied for combat.

“I dunno if you happen to have a training saber, if not there’s one around to pick up I’m sure. Or just…try not to kill me.” He said with a dry chuckle, awaiting Aris’ ready.

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

"You fight a lot with droids?"

Aris took out his normal saber, but when he ignited it there was no normal hum of a lightsaber. Entropite was his nonlethal setting, after all. He gave a brief smile as he lifted his blade in a simple stance. Shi-Cho, by all accounts. It was the form he knew the best after all. It wasn't the only one he was working on, but for this it would be best to keep to something simple.

"I'm ready."

Rann Thress

 

[Rann Thress]

"Not these days," Rann replied, lifting his blade forward. His own lightsaber utilized a curved hilt, allowing for increased range and blade alignment when he held it at the ready, but this training blade did not have that feature. The straight hilt did not lend itself well to Makashi, but Rann proceeded anyway.

His initial strategy was simple. Keep young Aris at range, and strike when it was most opportune with telekinetic strikes. No use getting into a close scrap if Rann could direct the flow of combat, and so he simply sidestepped, moving around Aris, trying to keep Aris' attention focused squarely on him, as he moved to place Aris between Rann and a pile of boxes behind him.

"I think that was long before you were born," he said with a smile, recalling the CIS. "Those droids were made for war, not training." Rann said, using his hand to emphasize his words while continuing to manuever for position,

If Aris was focused too much on Rann and what he was saying, perhaps he may not notice Rann's subtle finger flick, while he spoke with his free hand, summoning a box from behind Aris to...as gently as a box could, bonk Aris on the head if it hit.

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris couldn't feel the Force. He couldn't influence it, couldn't manipulate it. The most he could ever do was enhance his own body to be strong, fast. It was how he kept up. His face had turned to pure focus as he struck out against Rann with heavy, sweeping strikes very much belonging to Shii-Cho. But seeing Makashi in action put it in perspective just what the duelist form was made to do.

Rann was simply better.

Worse, there was a dull buzz in the back of his head. Danger. He knew what the feeling was, what it meant. It helped him at times to at least avoid getting smacked in a fight, but it was constant now. He didn't need to know he was in danger while he was very aware of it. It made it difficult to tell where the danger was coming from. Like now, as he felt the bop of a box on the side of his head.

".. This is very difficult."

Rann Thress

 

[Rann Thress]

Rann chuckled and disengaged, backing away with a flourish of his blade. "Good," he said with a smile and a nod, "That means my practice is paying off." He pointed his blade at Aris and continued, "You just have to keep practicing too," he said, re-entering his ready stance.

"Your form is good, but I think you lose yourself too much in your offensive," he observed as he took a step forward, "Someone with your size....I think agility matters more than strength." He said, pursing his lips observing the boy, and put a finger to his chin, remembering something Aris had said.

"You said...'that's not something I could do.' Right?" He asked, preparing to re-enter combat, "What exactly do you mean? Combining the Force and Saber combat all together or...." He wondered, what could Aris mean?

Rann danced to the side again, going back to the well. If it worked once, he'd try it again as he tried to maneuver himself around, placing Aris between him and another box. As he did so, he lowered his blade from pointing to an at rest position by his side as he summoned the force to pull the box towards Aris again.

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

"Agility is important, but I will be much, much taller as I grow." By all accounts he should be able to clear the eight foot mark. Though having agility would be good to help make sure even with his size he'd be fast. He frowned in thought, brow furrowed, before he blinked and looked up to lift his blade and be ready for the next clash. Or the next box, as it turned out. Without the danger of Rann's blade though, he was able to dip out of the way of the incoming box.

"I don't feel the Force, not like others do anyway. I can't manipulate it to do things more than affecting my own body."

Rann Thress

 

[Rann Thress]

"Much taller?" Rann asked, bewildered. "How much taller are you expecting to grow?" He was impressed. If the kid grew up and filled out, Rann wouldn't want to tussle with him that's for sure.

Aris ducked the box easily, and Rann was pleasantly surprised. He was happy Aris wasn't so easily tripped up by it if he wasn't pressured, but now Rann was going to pressure him.

"I heard the Force was more like a door. Sometimes it's closed, sometimes it's just nudged open, and sometimes it's opened wide." He readied his blade up again and lunged forward, hoping to score a quick hit on Aris with the tip of the blade., and then withdrawing again.
Attack me. he thought to himself, keeping his distance, quickly slashing and striking as he continued his maneuvering.

"The senses are there," he said, breaking away again. "You just have to focus them. Maybe you'll never pull a star destroyer out of the sky, but you'll be able to protect yourself from any attack."

With a deep breath, Rann readied himself once more, and his face hardened. Aris was right there, an incredible duelist begging to be freed. Rann was determined to break through to him. Never was he more determined to actually be struck in a fight.

"I'm going to come at you, now. No more quick jabs and slashes. Neither of us will improve if we take it easy," he said, and readied his blade with both hands, dashing forward with the Force to close the gap, launching an assault on Aris' defenses.

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

"I should end up around eight feet or taller, depending. It's normal for my species."

Well, more like his family but many of the Epianthix hovered above at least seven feet. His expression stayed the same though, calm, focused. There was no door for him, nothing to be opened or unlocked. There was a wall around him, muting the Force completely- no. Not completely. His eyes narrowed for a moment as he further tightened his grip on his blade.

He could still hear through a wall.

Aris readied himself as he leveled his blade, then stepped forward to meet Rann's strikes with his own. They were still wide and easily outmaneuvered by a Makashi user, but Shii-Cho was what Aris knew best. With his unnatural speed and might, though, it could be enough to keep up. That wasn't what he was focused on, though. The thrum of the Force behind that wall, trying to whisper danger but muffled so fully by all the danger that came with it, he wanted heat it.

Rann Thress

 

[Rann Thress]

Aris' defensive maneuvering impressed Rann, and despite himself he smiled as he pressed his attack. Try as he might, Aris was not giving up position to Rann as he had done before. Going back to the well wasn't going to work anymore, Aris had wisened up to his tricks, and Rann was still too unfamiliar with Makashi to overwhelm Aris' defenses, his use of Shii-cho was too refined. A master of anything would be a novice of anything, any day.

But this wasn't only a demonstration of saber techniques.

"That'll wound my pride, I'm sure, but I'll get over it." Rann replied, laughing. He couldn't help but be excited to see Aris full grown, certain the young man would become an absolute powerhouse with a lightsaber. But just as quickly as the thought popped into his mind, it dissipated as his mind returned to the fight at hand.

With a quick dodge, avoiding one of Aris' strikes, Aron had jumped horizontally in the air, flipping backwards and, with his free hand, grabbing three boxes from behind him as if his arm had grown by twenty feet. As he spun, he moved his arm forward towards Aris, sending the trio of boxes forward as if sending out attack dogs.
As he landed, Rann readied his blade again, eager to see how Aris reacted.

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

"I'd rather not wound you at all, if I could help it."

He didn't like hurting people, after all. Even with all this training in a lightsaber, it wasn't so he could bring harm. Aris steeled himself as Rann leapt back, fully intending on springing forward to continue to try and overwhelm as best he could. Distance wasn't his ally, it was a threat. But even before he did he could feel it again, the thrumming in the back of his mind.

It was louder, but also everywhere. No, not everywhere. He tensed before spinning, battering away the first box, even the second. The third, though, he didn't catch. It bopped him on the side of the head, which had him freeze. Then let out a heavy sigh as he lowered his arms.

"That's really difficult to tell, when there's more than one. Why'd you have to make it more this time?"

Rann Thress

 

[Rann Thress]

“Anyone you fight isn’t always going to just toss stuff one at a time.” Rann replied, feeling a twinge of guilt as he lowered his blade. “Focus on the moment.” He said again, deactivating his blade. And placing it on his belt.

Standing straight, he slowly raised both his hands, collecting his thoughts and the force around him as he summoned all the boxes to come to him, raising them above him.

“You’re fast. You’re strong.” He said, his eyes focused on Aris.

“You can do it. You know you can, I know you can. Don’t let any of these hit you. And make me regret… even… TRYING!” He said with a yell of effort as he threw both hands forward, unleashing a wave of force imbued boxes towards the young man.

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

"I know that, but lifting weights far above what you can doesn't help build muscle, right?" Knowing his limits to work on extending them was core to everything he did. He was young, at a time where what he built up would only be that much more worth it. Focus on the moment, though. He could at least do that much, and this all would eventually translate well in a real fight.

But it didn't stop the panic in his expression as he did catch the wave that was coming towards him. Adrenaline filled his mind as he weaved through the first couple that got too close, battering aside a couple more before flinging himself across the room. He couldn't feel them all. He couldn't react in time to knock them aside. But what if- He sprinted instead towards Rann. Even if a couple boxes clipped him, he could still strike Rann down.

Rann Thress

 

[Rann Thress]

"I'm a 'deep end' kinda guy!" Rann answered with a chuckle as the boxes raced towards Aris. As Rann expected, Aris dodged or deflected most of the boxes, but a few were on track to hit as he zoomed across the room.
"You keep on moving I'm right there with ya little buddy." Rann taunted as Aris kept on the move. His speed was impressive, and it only made Rann more eager to see the young man develop further.

However, Aris had figured out a weakness to exploit with the full force push Rann had launched. The Laws of Physics still applied to the Force, you couldn't always just stop something. It had to be slowed. Chasing someone was easy. Turning around.... And Aris had noticed. Quickly changing direction, Aron sprinted towards Rann, passing around and through the waves of boxes to advance on Rann unopposed.

"Ha!" Rann almost cheered, dropping his arms and trying to pull his lightsaber from his belt too slow to ignite it in time to block the blow if he stood standing. Instead, Rann collapsed backwards, using the Force to catch himself as Aris' fatal strike approached, still too slow. All he could manage before Aris was on him was to angle the emitter towards Aris' abdomen.

By all rights...Aris had beaten him. And Rann could not be happier.

"Deep end." He said, out of breath, "It works. Good job."

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris let out his own breath as he felt the emitter close. It wasn't a win, not to the young Padawan. If the boxes had been actually dangerous, if Rath had ignited his saber, he wouldn't have won in the slightest. And yet, he'd still figured something out. The dull thrumming behind the wall meant something to him. He could still hear the Force, even if it was excessively muted.

It made him smile.

"Thanks."

Rann Thress