Private Scrap and Tussle

[Ayra Lowe]

// Padawan Lowe //
// Objective // Teach //
// Focus // Kito //

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A slap on her cheeks mentally prepared Ayra for what was about to come. After all this time, her taunts towards the roommate she had finally worked. She had finally managed to convince Kito to do something outside of fighting with her. Well, technically, it was still fighting, she supposed. But this fight was different, this was more of a lesson or a display in Ayra's mind.

Once the K'paur had made the slip up of being interested in her people's martial arts, the Echani caught a wicked spark in her eyes. A chance to finally prove that she was actually capable of something outside of being rescued.

Bandages wrapped tightly as the girl dressed herself for combat, readying herself mentally as both teacher and opponent against the much bigger girl. In anyone else's eyes the fight would already be concluded, the K'paur standing over a foot taller than Ayra herself, but there was far more to a fight than sheer size.

Far more to her people's martial arts than sheer desire to win.

The Echani martial arts were a communion, a way for two to share unspoken words and emotions that they could not put into speech. The Echani girl hadn't been the most practiced in her people's arts, a weakness she had picked up from her mother and failure to be engrossed in her people. But unlike her mother, she had done her best to learn what she could in the confines of the missions she had gone out on.

Datapads on her people's art and even old paper textbooks lined her cabinet walls back in the room she shared, worn out from study and stained by the oils of her hands. Kito would not find a teacher lacking in either dedication or knowledge, even if Ayra found the motions difficult to put into practice.

She wore a sports bra and some tight shorts, the importance of motion and body language in the Echani arts making the more revealing clothes practical in the understanding of what would be said during the spar. It also didn't hurt that she would be able to show off to Kito during this exercise, though the Echani attempted to keep her mind focused on the lessons she was about to share.

A small datapad was given a final regard by Ayra's pale blue eyes as she looked over the basics she would impart to the K'paur, staining the images in her mind before finally closing the locker and departing the room.

She had shown up earlier than she told Kito to, for the dual purpose of warming up as well as ensuring that she actually knew the moves that she was going to show off to her roommate. Her hands tugged back trusses of silver hair as she tied it up into a bun, preferring hair pulling to be one of the lessons she avoided today. As her breath fell under control, the Echani would catch a more intense shine in her eyes.

And so the exercise would begin, motions meant to raise the beating of her heart and the pumping of her blood. There would be no distractions in this lesson, the conversations the two had left in the past for the evening.

It would be time to show what made Ayra's people so special.

 

[Kito]

//: Ayra Lowe //:
//: Attire //:

The training plan confused Kito at first. She hadn't expected Ayra to actually go through with wanting to spar and the like. As much as they were both Jedi, it was obvious that the two were very different. Kito often worked out, studied her forms, and kept her weapons sharp — while Ayra… From Kito's knowledge, none of that.

Maybe the girl was about to surprise her. Standing up from her side of the room, she realized early that Ayra had left before her. Again, another curiosity, but Kito didn't mind it too much. She was still adjusting to the time change after being on Atrisia for as long as she had. Parts of her were still sore, but that's what came with the trip.

Kito grabbed her small workout knapsack and slung it over her shoulders. She wore her typical training outfit, one she was often seen wearing around the temple. The tunic was kept tightly bound around her waist with a cloth belt, and she let it hang as she walked. The weather was nice around the temple, and there was no need to fully cover up until she entered the training room.

The sound of her slip-on shoes echoed down the long, quiet hallway towards the training room. Kito yawned slightly as she entered and tossed her bag into one of the locker cubbies. Her shoes followed as she adjusted the tape she had applied before leaving. Black tape began to be used around her wrists, binding them tightly to prevent any strain from the more acrobatic moves from affecting her.

She was still a swordswoman at the end of the day; losing any effectiveness could cost the Shaper her life. As she moved to where Ayra had been stretching, Kito waved as she called out to the girl, announcing her presence.

Kito played with the necklace she wore as her hand moved first into the sleeves, then the other. Jumping once to help move the jacket and warm up her legs, she tightened the tunic, only leaving the smallest 'v' at the top of her neck where her skin was visible.

Tying up her hair, she did little ankle rolls to warm up, and she looked towards the Echani.

"You seem to be wide awake," Kito chuckled and continued stretching a bit, already feeling loose and ready for whatever Ayra was going to throw at her.

"Excited?" Kito smiled; combat and training were in her blood and something she could lose herself in. She was somewhat excited herself; it was nice having someone willing to train with you.

Maybe they could be friends after this.

"So what's first?"

 

[Ayra Lowe]

// Padawan Lowe //
// Objective // Teach //
// Focus // Kito //

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The exercise continued in earnest as the Echani focused inwards, going through the motions and stances of her people as she allowed her blood to race. The rushing of her blood pressed sweat across her brow as she allowed the tempo of her heart to increase, ensuring she would be ready for the challenge ahead.

A foot stamped down into the mats below as she allowed a long breath to calm herself, bringing the attention inwards so that she could match the passion of her craft with a soothing calmness. She would keep a calm head tonight, not allowing the all to common ignorance of the K'paur to irritate her.

That discipline disappeared as a small yelp escaped the Echani's lips, a familiar voice pulling her out of her concentration as she jumped somewhat.

"A little warning next time?" The words were exasperated, violently pulled from her introspection as she had been. "And maybe I am, most of the time I use my martial arts it's as a student, not a teacher." The smile on Ayra's face beamed as she felt a pride uncommon to her. "So I'll allow myself a little excitement I suppose."

The K'paur wore a gi to the session, not uncommon amongst martial arts, but the Echani style valued openness and vulnerability. Visibility of the flesh was important to their people, though if it made Kito more comfortable there was little harm in the difference.

As the pair finished their stretches, the Echani stood tall in front of her companion. An admittedly humorous sight, she tried her best to present herself as the mentor of the girls.

"First, we will start with the basics. My people's martial art is all about communication after all, and that begins with the stance you take upon greetings your opposite." A finger raised to drag attention to the wording. "That is also important to note, those across from you are not your enemies nor your opponents. To fight is to communicate, whether it be as enemies, friends, or lovers. It also gives you insight to the character of your opposite."

The first stance the Echani demonstrated would show her point, a foot dragged back as she lowered herself and closed fists raised. Her figure was slimmed as she stood perpendicular to Kito. Her face remained neutral so that the K'paur's eyes were forced upon her stance, allowing time for the girl to take in the entirety.

"This pose would be considered hostile and secretive. My hands are closed into a fist with the intention to hurt, something that is retained only for disputes." She jostled her hands for a moment to display their clenched nature. "As well my body is hidden away from you, secreting the way my breath falls and the motion of my movements. This is how an enemy would approach you, seeking not to communicate but to hurt."

The second stance was one of openness, palms raised above her head as the fingers unfurled. The foot behind dragged to stand parallel to the other, allowing the whole of her body to aim towards the K'paur. This would allow the subtlety of her bodily motions to be seen, unhidden from the K'paur's fiery gaze.

"You can see now the difference between an open position and a closed position. From here you are able to see everything I am going to do, a dialogue of sorts." The reason for Ayra's lack of dress would be apparent in the rhythm of her stomach, the melodic rising and lowering showing a comfort with Kito. "Allow your eyes to remain against mine, trust the senses of your body to gather the other information. Trust in your opposite and their intentions, that with these open palms I seek to talk to you instead of assault you. Watch from your peripherals as my motions are made clear to you, slow and deliberate in every unspoken syllable."

The Echani would draw closer to the K'paur, slowly approaching the woman as she moved deeper into instruction.

"Slowness represents apprehension in our dialogue, and quickness the opposite. It represents impatience and strength of opinion, as does the confidence such motions are followed with."

Ayra paused as she neared the K'paur, standing a few paces in front of her as she relaxed from the position.

"Distance at the beginning of the dialogue is important as well, of course, the pace we are now would suggest friendship or acquaintanceship with one another. As far as I was in the beginning would show an apprehension or unfamiliarity. And if we were closer..." The words paused for a moment hoping to not make Kito uncomfortable, allowing the importance of the lesson to take priority. "An intimate distance is saved for lovers, or those with enough audacity to suggest such a possibility."

She took a neutral stance once again as she allowed a breath to reset the discussion.

"There are many intricacies to the beginning of a dialogue with your opposite, but those three are possibly the most crucial to understanding and not overstepping." She looked back up to the K'paur, hoping the words would stick with her. Even with her years of practice, Ayra found herself miscommunicating even such basic steps of her people. "Enemies, friends, and lovers. Please try to not confuse the three, there are many examples in Echani holodramas that thrive on such misunderstandings."

An arm fell to her front to stretch the limb, pulling it across her chest as she looked over to Kito.

"That should do for stances." She smiled proudly, satisfied in the job she did. "Now are you curious about strikes or grapples next? We should discuss those before beginning our spar."

 

[Kito]

//: Ayra Lowe //:

Kito listened and watched. Ayra had obviously done her homework; everything she was stating was something Kito had been taught when she was first introduced to the Echani arts. Of course, Kito didn't reveal that she already knew some of the basics, mostly because she wanted Ayra to feel in control of the session. So instead, Kito remained the dutiful student and watched.

Ayra had a unique way of teaching. One in which Kito had never participated before. Her master, along with her Elders, believed in hands-on, doing till you got it right. Kito tended to be the same way; it was why, when she often trained with others, the fights were active. She wouldn't demand that the Echani change, but it was just interesting.

Moving through each stance type, Kito would mildly mimic them. To better understand how Ayra was explaining it. She paused, as Ayra seemed to cover the topic of lovers. Kito wasn't stupid, but she felt herself tense up slightly upon the topic. It seemed Ayra already knew it was going to be touchy and instead kept her distance, which the Shaper appreciated.

She then continued, mentioning strikes and grapples. Kito, already growing anxious, shook her head.

"I think we should go right into it," she responded quickly. "I'm better if I can just try and mirror or try it out myself as I learn," she added. Despite not wanting to shift away from Ayra's teaching method, she needed to move — her mind was working too hard.

There was only so much she could absorb with her handful of brain cells.

She stepped further onto the mat and was suddenly reminded of their height differences. Mentally, she told herself she'd go a bit lighter on the girl. Giving a slight bow of respect to her teacher, the Shaper opened her stance, mirroring how Ayra had shown her the friendly one.

They weren't enemies, and like she had stated, Echani combat was more than a martial art — it was a culture and a way of communicating something deeper than what words could.

"Better to show me first, and then I'll defend in my own way, and we can move on from there." Kito grinned, lowering herself into a deep stance, it was easy from her own shaping style; it was almost like Echani fire dancing.

She was ready.

 

[Ayra Lowe]

// Padawan Lowe //
// Objective // Teach //
// Focus // Kito //

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"Oh!"

The Echani's body loosed for a minute, taken somewhat aback by Kito wishing to shortcut the lessons. Part of her chewed on the impatience, having spent the last few weeks piecing together a lesson plan. It had been rather extensive and she hoped the K'paur would listen and slowly go through the motions over a couple days.

She wondered if the fire-shaping lead to the hotheadedness. A finger brushed a stroke against her cheek as she thought, chewing her lip as the thoughts gathered.

Technically, going through the stances was something they taught their young before sparring. It was important, teaching the basics of the way that they communicated. But Kito was a grown woman so Ayra supposed that some lessons could be ignored.

"Alright, give me a sec."

Jogging over to her bag in the corner of the room, Ayra popped into a squat and pulled some pages out from the bag. She spent a moment crouched down as she thumbed through the lesson plans, haphazardly putting some back in the bag as she picked and chose papers.

Stances, grips, strikes, clinches, grappling, motions, and a million other senses that she had planned to go through one at a time were shoved back into the bag with a touch of frustration, a pout hopefully unseen on her face as she put them away.

Her pale blue eyes studied a page, crude drawing of a girl with silver hair drawn upon it in a victorious stance upon a brunette.

It could have been anyone.

With a final sigh the last of the pages were shoved back into the bag and zipped up before she returned to the training mat and retook a stance. With a breath, she once against loosened the muscles that had tensed up from the irritation. In front of her stood a much bigger and stronger opposite, Kito also definitely more skilled.

In fact there weren't many reasons to assume the Echani would do well at all in this spar, none but the pride she held in her people.

"Ok, a spar. Don't feel too bad when you're on your ass okay?" A sardonic smile was offered as her feet tapped into the mat before taking a stance.

Opposite the K'paur's stance was a wider one, inviting the opponent in to strike. It appeared as an invitation to attack, but the subtle motions of her features told a different story. The back foot braced to prepare for the difference in statures and prevent herself from becoming overwhelmed.

The look on her face tightened into an intense gaze, unfocused slightly in only the way to allow herself to use the peripherals of her vision. As stated to Kito all motions were important to notice, and concentrating on anything too singularly was to interrupt the words of your opponent or deafen yourself.

Her breath was rhythmic, no feelings of nervousness broke her concentration of her breath. Hands raised in front of her in a tight motion, fingers stretched long as she didn't form a fist. The point of this was to understand, not to harm.

The Echani's posture was high, not the traditional appearance when expecting an opponent to attack. Yet she couldn't give up much stature without allowing Kito to bear down the difference in weight upon her, so she held her stance. Her muscles stayed loose to show a lack of fear, not because of their difference, but because of trust between them.

With all this, the Echani watched how the girl would approach. Not only the attack, but the temperament. The tensity of her muscles, and the look in her face.

All that's left was to wait.