Minds like Clay (Open)

[Sitara Qin]

“Po-po.” She enunciated every syllable. She didn’t know why, but the name suited him. As much as she hated to admit it, chubby was well, cute. Like she wanted to squeeze the hell out of the fat creature. it was weird, but non-human round things did that to a girl. She shivered.

“Um, nice to meet you, Popo.” She nodded, after the creature bowed. Yup, that was a little weird, but whatever. Customs, right? “I’m Tara.” She said. As for everyone else in the room, she didn’t really know the names of the other people. Except for Darth Ferus and Darth Raven, only blondie really bothered introducing herself. What was her name again? Melly? Melori?

He told her that she could go first, and she nodded. However, she did have a small problem with restraint in the past…and Popo was just so large. He was like five inches shorter than her and probably weighed like five-hundred pounds. Yet, the thing bounced.

She gritted her teeth and readied herself. Her hand extended and her palm faced him. She focused the energy onto his centre of gravity…which had to be somewhere around his stomach? The push was decent, enough to knock him back a few feet. At worse, he’d tip over and fall. It was definitely not hard enough to send him flying into the wall, plus, he’d probably just bounce off anyways.

She put her hand down to her side. “Okay, you’re turn.”

| [member="Melori Raaf"] | [member="Master Popo"] | [member="Kitty"] | [member="Darth Raven"] | [member="Darth Valdra"] | [member="Darth Ferus"] |

 

[Master Popo]

As the Shard had thoroughly braced himself he was only pushed back a few feet. Staying in his stance until the push was over he looked at her still smiling and said.
"Very good! Now it's my turn however! "
He would wait for her to brace herself before trying this power.
Admittedly this was his first time using force push but if anyone could do this Popo was the one.
He took a stance as if bracing himself for an equal and opposite reaction. Then he cocked his arm back and force palmed the air in front of him.
This was again admittedly good for a beginner.
As it wasn't quite controlled enough to keep her on her feet but was strong enough to not push her to the wall. Popo was already a master at hand to hand combat and that gave him form.
The girl though admittedly pretty gave him drive to do better.
And the Fae in the back k gave him anger.
3 key things to unlocking true power.
It was a matter of luck this time however as had one of these things not been there he probably would have failed. But here he stood.
"It hopes it didn't hurt you too badly, it is sorry."
[member="Sitara Qin"] [member="Darth Raven"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

After enough time watching as the students used their force push against each other Darth Raven held her hand up to stop them. She'd been testing and sensing with her mind how far their powers reached with each heavier push. They were satisfactory, to say the least. Some she could sense were proceeding better than others. This next portion of the test, the one she was building them up to, would further decide who was stronger.

"And now for the real test." she began. "To use Force Strength you have to focus inwards. You must let the force, and the darkside itself, into your body. Deep breaths in before holding it all together. Letting it build on your muscles. Your insides. Creating an almost false growth in your body. This will make you more durable to attacks, especially force based ones. Now you must do the same as before. One student pushes while the other takes the hit. Only this time you must brace yourself. Use the force strength and build you inner power. Exert it like a shield on a ship." She turned, walking back to her pet devourer Sebastian, kneeling to pet under his chin, before saying to the students "Proceed."

[member="Master Popo"] [member="Sitara Qin"] [member="Kitty"] [member="Melori Raaf"]

 

[Kitty]

Wait Kitty was confused. Were they suppose them physically or with the force. It kinda sounded like she wanted it to happen thought the force due to the previous test, but last Kitty checked physical strength had nothing to do with your strength in the force and what did she mean exert it like a shield. Maybe Kitty would have known if she knew anything about ships.

Kitty decided to just brace herself. Hopefully her partner knew what she was doing and would go first. Then maybe Kitty would know what to do after her partner did it.

[member="Darth Raven"] [member="Melori Raaf"]

 

[Master Popo]

Popo himself was slightly happy with this trial. This was something like movement to him he controlled his body with the force. Exuding it and letting it permeate his shell was something that came natural to a Shard. He looked at [member="Sitara Qin"] opening himself to the force and letting it bolster and cover him like an energy shield.

[member="Darth Raven"] [member="Kitty"]

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori was satisfied the lesson was progressing and that the interference appeared to have stopped. As she listened to the Sith Knight she applied the words to what she’d learned theoretically. It sounded a lot like Force Rage.

Her understanding was that she was to tap into her innermost fears, pain and hate, and convert them into an intense rage. This she would channel the anger to increase her own speed, strength, and ferocity. However, she knew the body could not handle such rage for long periods of time. And of course, the Jedi were unable to use it without risking falling to the Dark-side.

So she concentrated on her emotions. On the lesson with Darth Huntress when she’d tasted the delicious feeling of fear and how powerful it was when channeling the Force. So she called on that emotion again and a wry smile crossed her lips. Her eyes once more morphed to a deep yellow and her irises were ringed crimson.

She held her breath and wondered if her partner was using the same technique to protect herself. She hoped so as otherwise, she could do some real damage. So Melori felt the power and the rage building inside of her until she could contain it no longer and used a Force Push against Kitty that left her feeling physically weak once she’d done it. But the high was worth the lull…oh, boy was it worth it!

[member="Master Popo"] | [member="Kitty"] | [member="Darth Raven"] | [member="Sitara Qin"]

 

[Sitara Qin]

It was like a gust of wind had rammed her over a few feet. She stumbled back, falling on her butt. She blinked. “Good work.” Well, if he wanted to play like this maybe she should fight a little harder on the next exercise. The next exercise involved him having to shield himself from Sitara’s force push. She grinned, it was time to put more effort into the light push.

She watched as he braced himself. She rolled up her strength in an attempt to push him. Normally, this would’ve sent him flying into the wall, but since she assumed he had done the exercise correctly, he would still be standing on his own two feet.

She took a deep breath and pushed.

| [member="Melori Raaf"] | [member="Master Popo"] | [member="Kitty"] | [member="Darth Raven"] |

 

[Master Popo]

Perhaps the exercise was not quite as easy as Popo thought. While he had done it correctly Popo had no sense of strength. He felt nothing such as a surge ,his body was not equipped with sensory touch systems. So he had no idea what it would feel like to empower himself with more strength. In fact the only thing that kept him from flying back was the fact that his natural body with the small bolster he gave him just enough defense to stand against the force she shot against him without being launched 40 feet back.
[member="Sitara Qin"] [member="Darth Raven"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

It was at this moment that Ferus reminded the group he was there. [member="Kitty"] was not prepared to learn Force Rage, and through his negligence he had missed the beginning of the lesson. Without warning now, the red man would burst through to be in front of the cat girl, and two hands would go up to form a barrier between her, himself, and [member="Melori Raaf"] 's push.

His voice would call out to [member="Darth Raven"], an apologetic tone clear.

"This acolyte is not on that level yet. I understand pushing them to the brink, but I cannot have my own apprentice harmed by this power before I myself teach it to her." Or at least his version. His blue eyes however would remain on Melori, and he would offer a shrug as a form of apology. He did not want to hamper another's training, but he also didn't want to waste a student.

 

[Darth Vaildra]

Darth Valdra was just listening until he heard something that disturbed him. Force Rage? he decided to sit up at the mention of it and watched Fetus excuse his apprentice which he agreed with. "[member="Darth Raven"], is this your first training session? An acolyte cannot learn Force Rage, they just don't have the training and control, I seriously doubt you do. Though this is your feuneral, but I rather not be in the wake of this going wrong." Darth Valdra stood up and left the room, once he was out of the class he bursts into laughter as he left the area. What was next, would she teach them to fly?

 

[Zion Mirtis]

As she tried watching her students practice more Raven found herself interrupted yet again by [member="Darth Valdra"] and [member="Darth Ferus"] . She rolled her eyes at both of them, rubbing her temple. This was what happens when too many teachers are in the same room together; especially when two of them weren't even teaching as she was.

First addressing Valdra she said "It may be my first lesson, but I'm not a fool. This isn't Force Rage. They cannot muster enough energy at their level even if they tried. This is merely a simulation. The Sith need to be strong, so I'm making them so as I know how." Before he had the chance to say more she raised a hand to silence him while finishing with "Any problems and I will face them myself. Until then I suggest you not continue to test y patience. Or do I have to show these students how I defeated you before you converted, lord Valdra?"

After whatever response she gave she waved it off before looking to Ferus, glancing at [member="Kitty"] when he mentioned her not being ready. She sighed and said "She is your student first over mine. If you truly think she's not ready then I suggest pulling her from the class now."

After waiting a moment for them to do what was needed Darth Raven held a hand up again to stop them before saying "Very good, class. And now we'll move into the next area I wish to cover. Saber defense. And from there we will finish. But those of you interested in more 'uncouth' lessons, feel free to stay later."

With a quick snap of her fingers a droid appeared, carrying a tray with training sabers for each of the students. It would approach each of them before letting them take on and then moving on to the next. Raven would await while looking back to Ferus and Kitty, seeing if they were still around. It was a shame the child was not as ready as the others, especially when Raven could sense such potential in her.

[member="Master Popo"] [member="Sitara Qin"] [member="Melori Raaf"]

 

[Darth Vaildra]

Darth Valdra stopped at the door, he loved her memory and wanted to see it. He turned back to her to look at her. "Yes, yes I would like to see how you defeated me. What part would you like to show off? Where I ran my sword through your stomach? Or how about where you passed out from blood loss? How about where I captured you? The only thing you did right was wait til I let you escape my sight and you turned a ship around." Valdra's eyes changed, but not the pupils. His eyes became a full glowing red. "Come, oh strong one." His voice deepened as he tapped into Force Rage letting it consume him. "Show me how you captured me or are you going to continue your pretending that you are some powerful Knight who won our fight." He had been walking towards her while talking and now stood in front of her.

Since joining the Sith it had been people referring to him as prisoner or a captured Jedi which he was neither. If he wanted to be a true Sith Lord he would have to take it by force and unlike their last fight he would not patch her up after her defeat.



[member="Darth Raven"]

 

[Kitty]

Kitty was so confused about what the heck was going on. Next thing she knew her master had interrupted and there was a bit of other commotion going on. What stood out the most was the teacher suggesting Kitty be pulled out if she wasn't ready. Sure the others seemed to be having a much easier time at all this but was she really that far behind?

Kitty looked up at her master awaiting his response ignoring that which was going on in the background. If he said no Kitty wouldn't object. She already knew she wasn't as gifted in this sort of stuff as the others were.
[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Valdra. Silence. Unlike you, [member="Darth Raven"] has earned her title, and proven why countless times. You are not Sith, not yet, and you will not belittle someone with more authority than yourself." Ferus, tired of [member="Darth Valdra"] 's rambling, spoke up in turn. This was not his class, and Raven had been Sith for so much longer. No one who just joins the Sith and barks orders will have any respect. Blue eyes focused on him for just a moment, letting him know full well how serious an offence this was before turning his head back to [member="Kitty"] . A small part of him felt dumb for interjecting. Had he been paying attention, he would of known her life was not at risk. As such however, he offered her a single question.

"Up to you, will you stay?"

 

[Kitty]

The young feline's master gave her the option of staying or going. Kitty considered it a bit and answered. "I think I might actually be good at the lightsaber part. I think I'll stay." Kitty said before going to grab a training saber from the droid. She then waited for the adults to settle their differences.

 

[Darth Vaildra]

His body was glowing red from the anger that burned in him and was being combated by his mutation. He wanted to tear her apart, he wanted to make her scream he wanted... what exactly? He was irrational and letting words effect him so deeply; foolishness. He glared at [member="Darth Ferus"], but he knew he was right. His eyes slowly faded, he had not earned it, why did he believe he was something he wasn't, was his body reacting to the dark side so violently that it was making irrational. He turned to leave and stopped at the door for a moment, "You are right Ferus, kark you are right." No apology was given because he did not deserve to be forgiven. He left the building to try to figure things out.

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori stood and a matter of weeks ago would have put her hands on her hips and sulked – or simply stormed out. But patience had been learned – it was part of her master’s training – handed down since the days of the Rule of Two. The three weapons she was learning to use that would enable her to rise in the ranks of the One Sith were patience, secrecy and ingenuity.

But the situation was frustrating. He efforts at Force Rage felt satisfying, even if the Sith Lord protected her fellow Acolyte. But she also realised two very important lessons without even trying. Firstly her effort was weak. She was an Acolyte and the amount of the Force she could access was commensurate to her training. Secondly she felt drained already. This was an Ability to be used as a last resort clearly. But she knew how to access it and…perhaps…with practice she would be able to develop the Ability to a point where she could use it in combat.

In truth she was a little surprised the Lord intervened. When she’d been taught Makashi, her Master watched on but did nothing to help her as the Sith Lord teaching her made various holes in her body and gave her significant scars. She simply assumed that was the way of the Sith teaching. This approach was altogether more caring and reminded her of her time on Corellia. She could not hide the look of disgust at being reminded of those times.

But she nodded an acknowledgement to Darth Ferus as deep down she understood his rationale. And then she called on all of her patience as the prospect of saber defence appealed and uncouth sounded delightfully delicious. But first she had to endure the ramblings of the one who openly admitted he was no master of the Dark-side but clearly coveted the Darth title. For once she felt herself repeating in her head her sister and Master’s words. Words she had taught her in their early lessons. Words handed down from centuries ago. ‘Do you feel the power of the Dark-side? The only real power! The only thing worth living for! Only those with the power to control the Dark-side can ever truly be free.’

Fortunately Kitty brought her out of her thoughts before she could brood for too long or say something she might later regret. She almost smiled at her fellow acolyte when she said she would stay too. Almost…

[member="Kitty"] | [member="Darth Ferus"] | [member="Darth Raven"] | [member="Master Popo"] | [member="Sitara Qin"]