Slicewires vs Stone! [Ikki]

[Kei Amadis]

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Academy grounds, at Zacka’s central plaza. | Zacka Lodia​

Stone pillars surrounded a central circle, and benches were interspaced around the gardens. Zacka the groundskeeper was going about his usual duties, ever since Kei and Elara had rescued him he’d worked tirelessly maintaining their academy and temple grounds on Voss. They'd even nicknamed one such location after him, for just how much time he spent there attending the many flowers.

Kei was simply sat on a bench checking over his training saber and enjoying a moments rest. There were several exotic weapons Kei had never faced, he’d heard rumors of a special gun, or lightsaber, or other equipment to give someone the edge. What he’d never done is tried to teach or defend against them, structuring a lesson on slicewires was difficult, but he enjoyed a challenge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6GnqkcetgM​

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Zacka gave him a tip of his hat, leaning on his cane and making small talk while Kei awaited the arrival of his student. Interspaced between the supposedly stone pillars were training dummies, almost framed by the arches around them. The arches were not just made of stone, that was their appearance, they were reinforced with lightsaber and generally resistant material for training purposes, but this small idyllic setting with its busy layout doubled as a great place to teach precision.

Looking up with a grin, he nodded firmly to Ikki Ike when she approached, in his more familiar grey armor now, dotted with patches of camouflage and other utility, it was light and flexible but provided some shielding for his limbs from an unlucky training hit. "Greetings, are you ready to begin?"

[member="Ikki Ike"]​

Image Credit​

 

[Ikki Ike]

[member="Kei Amadis"]

Ikki stood there, the petite and skinny woman barely reaching a height barely bigger then the padawans while her tanned lightly brown skin looked over the gardens and her gloves were on. The cybernetic fingers inside and hidden as she stood in the lightweight clothing and looked forward. Brown eyes looking over at the master as she breathed in and out looking up at him. Her tight top made for working out and sweating over the krayt hide one she normally wore and thigh high boots with tiny straps leading to her shorts. "Yes thank you for this master."

 

[Kei Amadis]

Solid grin greeting her, “thank you for wanting to better yourself Padawan.” A goal most people didn’t spend the time on. Standing up from his bench, Kei rolled his neck and shoulders around to loosen up. While Zacka gave Ikki a tip of his wide brimmed hat “miss,” picking up his tools and getting to work out of their way, the musty smell of an all too familiar cybernetic pipe lighting up and going with him.

Walking forward to the central circle, “please,” he indicated toward a dummy, “show me your technique.” The only way he was going to visibly see what she could do, and how the weapon functioned, was to watch her first and assist.

Watching her technique closely, the dummies were quite tight to their stone arches, making targeting them difficult at a swing, because Kei wanted to see if she could single out an opponent in a crowd so not to endanger others. If not he hoped to show her a technique or help her adapt her style to be precise, but work with what she had already either way.

A light breeze was blowing to from their left to right, but reports said it would pick up speed. Kei also didn’t know if the weather might affect the wire in the extremes, another reason he’d picked for them to train outdoors on today of all days.

[member="Ikki Ike"]​

 

[Ikki Ike]

[member="Kei Amadis"]

Ikki was looking at him and bowed her head as she spoke. Her voice coming out softly almost like a whisper. "Yes master." While she moved to look at the stone and dummies with her feet planting. She moved her hands from her sides and focused the energies to guide them while it looked like she was sticking her hand out and failing to project the force into a push or pull. The small look there when she felt it connect and resist for a moment. She brought her hands down to her sides while moving the fingers almost like a dance to go and guide it with her eyes narrowing. Then she moved her hands as the gleam came. In the light the wires glistened sunlight before slicing into the dummies with it exploding into pieces within the stones as shavings of it were on the ground and coating the wires. She moved her hands like a maestro conducting to cut at the dummies and try to make it visible for the master.

 

[Kei Amadis]

“Perfect.” Kei nodded firmly, she'd nailed the target precisely. A dance that found her timing and form. She'd asked him here to run through slicewire defense, it was a challenge, both for and against the weapon. His mind ran through the scenarios of how he'd defend against it, everything had a weakness, or a way to respond. It was light, perhaps influenced by the environment, and he wondered how reactive it was, the speed it could alter direction against a counter-puncher, or someone who waited for you to act first.

Beyond all that Kei was focused on her form, the technique was great, the hands, her subtle use of force energies, but what if she was knocked or off balance. Here was this small girl that anyone might underestimate with one of the most lethal looking weapons he'd ever come across, she reminded him of Nato. Petite, agile, and unlike Nato she was also graceful. He had to be sure she had the balance and focus to control the lethality of the weapon in her hands.

“Again, over here. Find your balance in distraction, keep that technique, and your precision.”

Leading her to an earth surface, rather than stone, he stood behind her, a few feet away

“Ready?” Kei grinned strongly, and nodded toward the next dummy. The wind still blew a steady breeze, slightly harder but still not a gale.

Amadis closed his eyes. Underneath her feet the ground would begin to resonate, sped up looking to combust or crack, energy was expelled outward to shake the terrain. It was a technique he rarely used, one he'd learned from Raien Keth and practiced with his former Master Kiskala Grayson to become what it was.

[member="Ikki Ike"]​

 

[Ikki Ike]

[member="Kei Amadis"]

Ikki looked at Kei and bowed as she moved towards the new target moving her fingers and retracting the wires with a small whirring sound and gleam in the sunlight. She was prepared to do it against when smething came to her, the feeling and sounds of the ground rumbling and cracking before she had most of her attention on some of the things. Ikki tried standing there and moving her tiny bony knees and body to balance and rock as she moved to the side and worked to target the dummy while she worked with her other hand to slice up bursting rock. The gleam of wires as they were getting covered in dust slicing into the target with a weave almost sweeping and holding in front of her for a brief moment with focus.

 

[Kei Amadis]

Wind whistled through the trees, increasing the vibration beneath Ikki until the technique was passed, earth eventually shot up beside her, dust blowing harmlessly off in their building breeze. “Perfect.” Kei said in no uncertain terms, looking at her with his usual strong grin. Standing in front of her directly the Master nodded firmly. “Going to test you now, are you ready?”

When she affirmed she was and not before, there was a surprise. Concentration took the front of the wire, and tried to pull the length of it forward from Ikki’s grasp in the force, not so much fine concentration more a general extension of energy and yank of any of the slicewire forward, stepping back as he did this so not to be hit by flailing strands! Kei didn't do finesse! When he had tested her grip, and made sure she was aware such things might be done, or her aim attempted to be manipulated, the Epicanthix nodded, letting her prepare herself again.

Stepping up to face her once more, “Deny me space, aim in front of me, control your opponent, but do not strike.“ Again testing her control, or her finesse, expanded out from thinking just about her own technique, but now her opponents as well. Ikki had a weapon that didn’t even need to strike to stop an opponent, all sabers could do this, but a slicewire could fill the surrounding area and perhaps linger for a second while it uncurled, essentially holding ground and putting him where she wanted. Kei took a step to her side, and began to swing toward her left side, approaching steadily at first to see how she was on the defense.

[member="Ikki Ike"]​

 

[Ikki Ike]

[member="Kei Amadis"]

Ikki was looking at him as he stood close t her and the small maid looked up as he was wanting her not to attack but keep him away... and then he was pulling at the carbon tips of her gloves for the wire as she flashed. Thoughts going to ways to keep him back and she pulled with her fingers and energy at the force to keep the tips on her gloves. "I wouldn't do that." She had scars from where it had sliced her and this wasn't something you just threw around. THe ne princess she had fought had lost an ear and sliced into her cheek from the wire... The two cybernetic fingers under the glove keeping the spools and glove on her hand. THe princess had bitten them off and cost her but the maid wasn't feeling much of the force as her connection faltered trying to repel him back and set up some of the wire between his legs and wrap around to trip him up.

 

[Kei Amadis]

Kei’s grin reaffirmed he’d had no intention of catching the wire, only force pulling it from her grip to test her control, “not a problem Ikki, thank you for your concern.” He nodded with some respect as they began, she was thoughtful, she also had a firm grip on the wire. Anyone could have a shot force pulling to alter a saber hilt for example or any solid weapon, but here there was more wire to pull or manipulate, so having that strong grip and precise focus would serve her well.

Taking a firm step back, holding steady. Going to trip him showed initiative, he encouraged her adapting what he’d asked to deny ground, pushing then into the wire, he brought unity his saber down and across himself in a full sweep, attempting to send her slice wire into the earthy ground, he force pulled the general bulk of it down again to assist. “That’s it Ikki, control the space.” Encouraging her to continue to deny him advance, he was also trying to show her here again that the environment was a concern to look out for with whip or wire weapons in general, so she could adapt her technique when it happened.

[member="Ikki Ike"]​

 

[Ikki Ike]

[member="Kei Amadis"]

Ikki was moving with him as her eyes tracked the master. Working to keep the wires loose enough she wouldn't slash and dismember him with the wire. The cortosis within it able to deflect and resist sabers while she brought her hands up to shift and change the wires as she was moving to wrap around his blade and try to deny him ground moving forward with his own blade. Ikki looked up while she was focusing on the force with more energy focused to try and spin his blade in front of him while the wires gleamed. "Very well."

 

[Kei Amadis]

"Flawless Ikki." Kei praised, and found his saber getting a coiling effect, unlike other Jedi who had faced whips, he didn’t know to disengage the beam! Not until after it had happened and he was stuck. Masters still had to learn the hard way at times. She’d put his concerns to rest in how she manipulated what happened next, he was forced to not only stop but also almost relinquish his saber. Almost forced but not quite, he pushed off to jump over her, leaving his weapon by choice in the end.

Now she had a tangled lightsaber caught up in her weapon, if she just flung the wire the opposite way, she could well end up stinging herself on the training beam, having to deal with his saber sticking out the weapon. More or less this is what Kei had hoped she’d have to face, to prepare her for the inevitable, how did she untangle the wire quickly, to move when her opponent did something completely unexpected. Also how did she deal with feints or unexpected ploys, especially when they were trying to get in close to her.

As he was landing to her side, Kei didn’t push her or hit her back into the wire, not wanting to injure, he instead went for a simple lock to her free arm, pushing the shoulder forward and wrist back in just a touch of pressure. If he got there before she untangled herself that is, if not and assuming she came around anyway, the Epicanthix took a long step back to give her room as the whip came back at him.

[member="Ikki Ike"]​

 

[Ikki Ike]

[member="Kei Amadis"]

Ikki was focused and ready as she was moving, eyes watching Kei and she acted fast. No force enhanced speed as she didn't know how to do that just navigation and the most basic of telekinesis before she was feeling pressure on her arms and did away with untangling the saber from her wires instead pulling her wires taunt as it popped and the slices went through the metal. Standard sabers metal made to handle heat while being lightweight, not durasteel but durulamin was welcome as she was jerking around and her mind flashed. Last time she had been in combat and someone touched her anywhere... the girl had taken her fingers in her mouth as Ikki yelped shouting with a half directed oswaft shout. THey had taught her how to navigate with the force and direct her voice into a concentrated attack of information strong enough to jostle and knock some things down.... or in their case destroy starships with words.

 

[Kei Amadis]

Disorientating shouting knocked the bigger man back a step much like a physical blow. Kei immediately released the light hold of Ikki’s arm, for her sake even more than for his own. “Hold padawan.” Kei said protectively, wanting to put her into a hug of sorts, though he kept distant for her sakes. For now his hands were out protectively calming as well as showing open, non hostile intent, “safe here.”

Impressed by the technique but sensing perhaps some injury or hurt beneath it, “very adept Ikki, what caused that?” Of course he wasn’t speaking about today, but what caused her emotion, the event behind it. As a Jedi he was bound by his sense of morality to help others heal from old wounds if he felt such, he wasn’t sure that was what had caused the force behind her technique, but he wanted to offer aid, “only need tell me if you are ready to.” The Epicanthix was quick and at pains to point out, giving her a reassuring grin.

Using the force and pulling up what was left of the saber’s hilt into his hands, he added some levity, pointing at his saber with a wide grin. Some markings were along the hilt, but most of the wire had been around the beam, “quite the weapon.” Kei chuckled and placed his damaged hilt to the side. Certainly would need to attend to his saber unity for some TLC after today!

[member="Ikki Ike"]​

 

[Ikki Ike]

[member="Kei Amadis"]

Ikki stood there and straightened herself up while she pressed at her gloves and her outfit standing still. "I... I, I was in a fight. We both gave it everything and threw each other off a waterfall. She lost part of her ear and I lost my fingers and was in a bacta tank for a month and a half with recovery afterwards. Since then I haven't really liked being touched." Ikki looked at some of the scars from where her and Felicity had fought and the girl knife had slashed her everywhere with fine white lines against her light brown skin. Her hair was short and she turned her head pulling it back as there was some scar from the girl trying to scalp her and got a chunk. "I got her plenty as well but it was before I understood and really got good at manipulating the wires."

 

[Kei Amadis]

“You've come a long way Ikki.” Kei talked as a friend not a Master now. “Thank you for trusting me, takes guts.” He was sympathetic for her pain, the cuts, the injuries, he’d seen stress like this before many times from field trauma or even sadly occasionally abuse, similar situation but different traumas. Giving her the same solid grin that he reserved for when he was proud of someone, also being bullheaded as he was, he immediately wanted to help further.

“Want to take that experience and give you back what they took.” Kei said looking at her very seriously, still speaking as a friend, still asking albeit it strongly to assist. “Will you let me do that for you Ikki?” Ikki, not padawan, this was completely up to her. Kei hadn’t touched her, but he had his hands out defensively as if shielding her, to put the feeling safety around her. No contact but attempting to create barrier around the student from any other threat. He had a plan for this, a gentle approach to start, direct though and encouraging still.

Was she ready to move on, really let it go?

[member="Ikki Ike"]​

 

[Ikki Ike]

[member="Kei Amadis"]

Ikki was looking at him with a raised eyebrow now and seeing his hands as she wondered how.... How was he going to give her back her fingers? r how was he going to take away the scars from Felicities blade? Many questions without many answers but she wasn't one to turn down help. Just had to be careful while speaking and her soft voice came out. "Alright what do you want to do?" Hopefully his version of helping wouldn't be like the other princess who had simply liked dressing her up in skimpier maid outfits.

 

[Kei Amadis]

“Push the force gently forward Ikki, soft as you can. Picture the force between us, and lightly guide it toward me.” She would find no other interruptions, almost as if Amadis had quietened the sound around them. He hadn’t he’d just extended a very wide force bubble invisible to the naked eye, she was well and truly safe from the outside world. Such a bubble to hold both of them, and some room to move, meant it aws light at best, with little strength to it.

Kei’s approach was simple. Simple didn’t mean easy.

Amadis stood there and would wait as long as she needed. Giving her all the time in the world, he didn’t flinch, letting her push the force if she could, if she couldn’t he’d encourage her with strong but gentle words. Patience, “focus on the air as you push.”

[member="Ikki Ike"]

Spoiler

And on we go!

 

[Ikki Ike]

[member="Kei Amadis"]

Ikki looked at him as she was feeling the force, what energy there was she could feel she directed and guided into her hands to control her intentions. Slowly extending out as her fingers danced a little wiggling with the small gleam of force energy almost just under the surface. Ikki had her slicewire retracted with the hard carbon tips. Allowing all of the force energy she could muster to go out through the bubble. She was sending it out o control where she could direct a single wire over all of them and breathing in the calming effect of being here with the jedi master.

 

[Kei Amadis]

“Keep doing that Ikke. Proud of you.” Kei's grin was affirming, encouraging and strong as you'd see it.

Raising his own hand up to press the force back to her, nobody had touched her body, there was just that force connection meeting hers. And slowly the bubble went away, to leave just her force connection sent his way. She had made the first step.

“The force around us is in contact every day.” He didn’t take this further, this was baby steps, one at a time. “Press the force toward my hand, until you physically feel it.” So she’d be overcoming her own personal demons, step by step, little by little.

[member="Ikki Ike"]

 

[Ikki Ike]

[member="Kei Amadis"]

She could feel the force on her body, focused, caressing and soothing more then a physical touch that would have her jumping out of her skin. She listened to the jedi master allowing her force energies to push outwards to meet the bubble and him until the bubble was gone. It gave her a small moment of clarity and focus feeling the world as minimal as she could around herself. Ikki let the force push outwards to give herself more energy until she was reaching for Kei with the force but needed her hand there to focus. Raised up and just out of range until she was ready for anything starring intently with black pools in her eyes.