The Training Will All Pay Off One Day (Des Kovak and other jedi) (Courtyard Training)

[OriginsoftheJedi]

Time: Mid-morning
Location: The Courtyard, Jedi Academy, Yavin IV

Mark sat alone in the courtyard of the academy as he'd done on many days before. His mentor, Master Avi Merron, had told him to train a bit on his own today without her guidance. Mark had obeyed, but not without a playful, "Oh, you'll use every opportunity to get rid of me. Won't you?"
And here he sat. He had been alone meditating for most of the morning, and so now he decided he needed a break. He needed to get up and moving around. So, drawing his lightsaber from his belt, he swung it to and fro, practicing various defense positions.
"Perhaps I'll practice this against someone today." He mused.
[member="Des Kovak"]

 

[Des Kovak]

[member="Mark Sage"]

Des was sunken in thought as he jogged around the edges of the courtyard in his daily routine. Master Shmi Labooda was changing who he was, Des felt, and he was uncertain if that was a good or a bad thing. He rather liked where it was going, however, as some of his instincts were self-contradictory. She had tought him to nurture the right ones. The right ones for the Jedi, anyway.

At his hip, a Temple-issued lightsaber jostled with his movements, as if to remind him it was there. The feeling was unfamiliar, but Des had to learn to ignore it. And he had decided he should work some lightsaber velocities into his morning exercises. In his track, he skirted around another Padawan who was doing his own velocities, brushing the man aside lightly.

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

As a man skirted round him, Mark made sure not to hit him as he swung the blade round into a soresu style stance. Then, he deactivated the blade. The man who'd passed him now continued jogging around the courtyard. Mark studied him.
He was older, there was no doubt about that, but he didn't have the experienced movements of a knight or a master did. He seemed like another padawan. Padawans seemed to get older and older the more he met them. A lightsaber swung back and forth at the man's belt. Seeing as how the last contest he'd lost was to a larger opponent, perhaps this man would make for good practice.
A bit sheepishly, Mark called to him.
"Uh, excuse me for interrupting. My name's Mark. What's yours?"
[member="Des Kovak"]

 

[Des Kovak]

[member="Mark Sage"]

Des stopped in his tracks at the call. Lost in his thoughts as he had been, he had barely noticed the other would-be Jedi, and seemed confused for a moment. But then he spotted the Human who called himself Mark. Had he not been practicving velocities just before? Des was unsure, as he hadn't been paying much attention, but the deactivated lightsaber hilt Mark held made it likely. Des reminded himself of what the Jedi kept telling him. You are too withdrawn. Talk to some of the other Padawans. Connect to them.

Somewhat reluctantly, he followed their advice and turned to face the other Jedi. "Des," he called back as he quickstepped the distance between him and the other Padawan. "Des Kovak." Ever quick to get to the point, and not one for social small talk, he fixed this Human, this Mark, with a stare. His dark brown eyes sparked with an unspoken challenge, as they so often did. "What do you want?"