The Way of the Ysalamiri

[Funami Teriyaki]

Most would see a carefree ramble, accompanied by a somewhat infantile tune. The simple melody raced on the whipping winds that rolled over the inhospitable desert world until it succumbed to the howls of hungry beasts that stalked the place in search of prey. Seemingly innocent, the tune obtained a sinister edge once one realized it originated from a little, out of place brat who had survived Korriban so far despite overwhelming odds. Truly, small in stature and spoiled to the core, wearing bright clothes and appearing nothing like Sith, the child should have perished long ago. Many beasts and tomb raiders had tried challenging the little Sith along the way and that many had died, adding their bones to the greatest graveyard in the galaxy. They were nothing more than insignificant ants getting in her way – snuffing them out was no different than swatting annoying insects. But despite the carefree appearance, there was a destination to her journey.

On her belt dangled the curved hilt of a lightsaber. She was to start her training today. Within a nameless tomb, she’d learn to handle the signature weapon of Force users. A fitting place to train, she pondered. Surrounded by bad spirits and evil energies. It also saved the teacher the trouble should she die. Just another heap of bones for the tomb. Sith things.

With her trademark parasol in hand, Funami skipped through the deadly plains of Korriban without a worry in her pink-haired head. For most, the ancestral world of Sith was a battle for survival. For many, the final resting place. For her, an adventure. Dozens of whitened bones wordlessly accused her of murder as she continued humming innocently, playfully kicking up the sand as she went. The path trodden by her black shoes was one rarely traveled. Not just by her socked legs, but others – robbers, artifact hunters, other aspiring Sith who hoped to find their ticket to greatness.

The Valley welcomed the girl in its own way. Never suffering from activity and life, the place appeared forsaken at a glance, yet the occasional footprint in the sand and the hushed whisper of ancient spirits here and there betrayed the deceptive mask of desertion. Casting a long shadow over the ground, the little Sithling strolled through the place until she finally reached one of the monumental crumbling graves that proudly housed some rotting Sith corpse. She let her violet eyes glaze over it and determined it to be the right place. The gaping entrance suggested the place had been raided a dozen times already. Her steps edged closer, clicking up the massive stone blocks leading to the entryway. Unable to read ancient Sith, she had zero clue what the inscriptions etched into the surrounding walls said.

Without a hint of hesitation, she slipped through the arc anyway and escaped the sun’s broiling gaze.

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

Darkness tugged him down from all directions. As he opened his mouth to scream his lungs were filled with an icy liquid that burned him from within. He could not remember where he was or how he got there, but the halfbreed was trapped and spiraling down towards certain doom. His body grew weak as exhaustion and pain settled upon his broken form. The darkness began to clear away but he was still drowning. The growing light revealed ruined and scarred arms, lopped off at or above the elbow. His surroundings were strangely fractured and altered. The liquid flowed every which way and the darkness seemed to shift upwards as he was pulled deeper and deeper into... light? Faces he could not recognize stared at him from all directions. Eventually they faded just as everything else did and he was alone. The liquid, light and darkness were gone. Instead he was back in a familiar cell, smiling faces all around him...

Korriban
The Sith Academy, Valley of the Dark Lords
______________________________________________

Vaulkhar awoke with a start, his form drenched in a cold sweat. He took a moment to center himself before slowly rising into a seated position. His gaze settled on two cybernetic arms, both taken in service to the Sith. Seconds turned to minutes as he allowed all other thoughts to fade from his mind. Humanity slowly slipped from his grasp with each passing day. His chance to find something else for himself outside of the dark side seemed impossible with each bloody battle he fought. With a shake of his head he stood, moved into his private bathroom, and readied himself for the day's affairs.

Unsurprisingly, Vaulkhar hated Korriban. During his time as a Knight in service to the One Sith, he spent a year on the planet as an acting overseer. It was not a great year for the various acolytes on the planet. He quickly earned a reputation as a deadly instructor and a heartless Sith. Truth be told, Vaulkhar wanted off the planet as quickly as possible. He viewed the various acolytes that called the planet home as fodder, meant to die at the hands of those stronger than themselves. That was the way of things for the Sith. He hated it with every ounce of his being, but he was a hypocrite at the end of the day. And soon enough, that'll be one less thing to care about.

Eventually he wandered out of his room and into the halls of the Academy. An acolyte hastily moved up to the Sith Lord and opened his mouth to speak. Vaulkhar raised a hand, motioned for silence, and took his designated orders from the boy before waving him off. For a moment, the young man appeared genuinely annoyed. However, he thought better, saluted, and departed quickly.

The Sith lord scanned his orders with a perked brow.

"Curious..." he muttered softly before making his way out into the courtyard and beyond.

Several minutes of walking through the cold winds he soon arrived at the designated tomb chosen for the days training. He shielded his eyes from the sand as the wind whipped it up and around him. To escape the nasty terrain, Vaulkhar strode inside and gave himself a few seconds to let his eyes adjust. The tomb was mostly empty, aside from the small form of Funami already within. He moved over to the small girl before clearing his throat.

[member="Funami Teriyaki"]

 

[Funami Teriyaki]

With a practiced and efficient motion, Funami folded the now useless parasol and hung it to her belt with a click. The child’s violet eyes peered into the darkness in hopes of uncovering a shape reminiscent of a human form. All she saw was dust, cracked slabs of stone, desecrated bones. No sign of any living thing, prompting her to pace a few steps forth, only to discover more evidence of death. Her nose wrinkled as she unwillingly took in the putrid stench of decay. It almost emptied her stomach and definitely produced a cough. Never fond of Korriban, she started regretting her decision of feigning activity and actually training on the planet.

The sound that came from behind her back made the child spin around with lightning speed. The twin pigtails in her hair viciously whipped about at the sudden motion. Funami, eyes full of suspicion and surprise, mouth agape, stood face to face with a tall, dark-haired figure. Once again she mentally cursed her lack of this sensing ability that continued to evade her. Where others faced no difficulty feeling danger via the Force, Funami relied solely on her almighty psychokinetic prowess.

Calming her surprised expression and closing her mouth shut, the small child watched for any indication of hostility at first. It wouldn’t be the first time someone had tried to sneak up on her and not the last either. Perhaps, suddenly occurred to her, the man was the instructor promised to educate her in lightsaber combat. In which case she’d retain her wits and caution, yet drop the expectation of immediate danger that coursed through her system. The thudding sound of her heartbeat continued to race for a moment longer.

Dropping a curtsy and bowing her head, Funami gave the innocent smile of a child and quirked an eyebrow. “My lord!” The small-statured Sithling squeaked, now standing straight and looking right at the imposing figure. “Phew! You gave me a startle.”

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar's eyes closed in a very slow blink as he took a moment to collect himself. He mentally considered the varying possibilities on why he stood where he did that day. It was always possible someone had thought playing a prank on the Dark Lord's bastard would be a funny way to spend their last day alive. It was also entirely possible he had failed his father in one way or another and was tasked with the child to make amends. No particular option revealed itself as any more likely than the other, so there he stood. Seconds ticked by as he remained locked in thought, his dull gray-blue eyes trained on the child before him. A sigh escaped him as he reached out with a gloved hand to pat her head.

"I suppose I will begin the typical introductions associated with events of this sort," Vaulkhar turned and moved towards a nearby rock. He lowered himself into a seated position before continuing. "I am Vaulkhar Zambrano, son of the Dark Lord himself. I am a Sith Lord, blah, blah, blah..." his right hand rose and mimicked speech as he trailed off into silence for a moment. "Just call me Vaulkhar, I guess." There was a rather apparent wall of apathy the Sith Lord had built around himself. While most within their order leaned towards confidence bordering arrogance and outward displays of strength, Vaulkhar appeared not to care for such. He wore a modified version of the generic acolyte uniform, denoting his place as a master and his time served within the Sith Empire. His lightsaber dangled at his hip and it was noticeably plain as well. Everything about him spoke of a strange man seeking the least amount of attention as possible.

"What's your name, kid?"

[member="Funami Teriyaki"]​

 

[Funami Teriyaki]

Violet eyes trailed the big, strong hand as it approached, edging closer and closer to her head before landing straight on her fluffy pride in a harmless pat. “Tee-hee-hee~!” The girl gave a happy laugh and narrowed her eyes. Putting so much effort into her appearance usually paid off and it pleased her greatly even mighty Sith lords weren’t immune to her act of childish innocence. Feeling a smug grin pull at the corners of her lips, the Atrisian silently watched her instructor’s introduction. Little feet shuffled after him and without the slightest hesitation, Funami slumped on the rock next to him, playfully kicking her legs in the air.

So she was about to be trained by the Emperor’s son. The little devious mind of hers instantly started working on exploiting it to the fullest, evidenced by her brow furrowing. Descendant of the Sith Emperor, Vaulkhar had to know much about the Force and how to use it. And he also probably knew everyone important in the Empire. Eager to secure her position in the organization, Funami had decided to do what she did best.

“I’m Funami! Funami Teriyaki,” she revealed, cocking her head as she looked at him. “A-and I’m the best psychokinetic in the galaxy! I-I can move mountains!”

Funami waved a hand in a grandiose gesture and several small rocks opposite of them took into the air, suspended by her will. Lowering her hand, the pebbles joined their ancient friends on the broken floor again.

She pulled her best puppy-dog eyes on Vaulkhar as she pouted. “But I am no good with a lightsaber!” Funami admitted and lowered her gaze, staring at the tip of her shoes in embarrassment. “Everyone around me is so strong! And big! Like, really big! It’s unfair!”

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

"Mountains, huh?"

Nothing in Vaulkhar's outward demeanor changed at her deceleration or the actions she took shortly after. His haze did however shift and turn to watch the small spectacle. Once more his attention returned to her as she spoke. As she spoke, he reached down and gripped his own lightsaber. The hilt appeared heavy and it was decorated with what appeared to be hundreds of small notches all over the weapon. What they represented was unknown, though the small scratch marks were meticulous in shape and size. Each one was uniform, no noticeable difference.

Vaulkhar stood up and motioned for the girl to do the same.

Memories momentarily bubbled to the surface of his mind, a small smile managed to break his stoic expression. It had been years since he first was trained with a lightsaber by his first formal instructor. He remembered the circumstances as if they were yesterday...

______________________________________________________________________________________​

​

A small training room had been set aside for the various Acolytes within the Sith Temple of Coruscant. As per usual, Vaulkhar dominated the less experienced within the room. He had spent years training beneath Darth Vornskr on Panatha, beside hundreds of other soldiers underneath the banner of the Zambrano Monarchy. This day was special however. Various Lords and Knights were making their rounds to find suitable apprentices. He outperformed each and every Acolyte in the hopes of impressing somebody, but thus far no one had chosen the bastard son of Kaine Zambrano.
They sought others, even though Vaulkhar contained the potential to become a great warrior, he was passed up over and over again. Feelings of rage swelled up inside him and it wasn't until he finally lost it and broke another Acolyte was he selected.

A well dressed and well mannered Knight strode forward and selected him. The duo departed the chamber.

______________________________________________________________________________________​

​

Vaulkhar gently rolled his lightsaber between two cybernetic hands as he came back to. It was definitely a strange sight to the child. The man notorious for an empty gaze and stone-like demeanor appeared happy. The joy rolled away just as quickly as it appeared. He cleared his throat and motioned towards her lightsaber.

"All weaknesses are self made, child. Any perceived weakness can be turned into a strength, a tool to be used against your foes."

The halfbreed was notably small in comparison to his species and the hulking giant that was his father. Vaulkhar wore that size and shape with pride. Every movement he made was measured to a degree the young girl had likely not witnessed before. Funami would be reminded of a stalking predator. At any moment Vaulkhar appeared both ready to pounce and kill whatever stood before him. It was strangely beautiful.

[member="Funami Teriyaki"]​

 

[Funami Teriyaki]

Little feet touched the floor with a soft thud as she hopped off the stone and grunted. Standing still, her gaze silently followed the instructor. Just how was he going to train her? Unlike most trainees, she did not have even the barest basics of lightsaber combat. Nervously rubbing her head, the little Sith continued to gawp at Vaulkhar without having a clue what to do. First to break the ensuing silence, Vaulkhar spoke and Funami stifled a laugh.

Turning perceived weaknesses into strengths? He had no idea how well she understood and utilized the concept.

Opening a palm, she summoned the signature weapon of Sith into her hand. Confusion raised her eyebrows. “Um, how do I hold it? Here, by the emitter? Or by the curve at the bottom?” She asked, pursing her lips, and looked down at her fancy curved lightsaber again. Its weight stirred nervously in her hands. Constructed via the Force and attached to her belt immediately after, the lightsaber had not been ignited yet. There was never any need for her to do so. Now, as her soft fingers fiddled with the strange, almost alien device, she realized just how completely silly she looked. At least there was only one man to witness her shame. So embarrassing, to construct a personal weapon without any knowledge on how to use it!

Oopsie!

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar watched the young acolyte struggle with the weapon. He could not recall ever feeling the same confusion as Funami, though his earlier years were different. Raised by two warriors, a weapon wound up in his hand before he could walk. It was the way of things in the galaxy. War threatened to bubble forth and claim the galaxy each and every day. Fortunately for the duo in the tomb, it appeared they wound up on the winning side.

"A lightsaber is a powerful weapon. You will slaughter and decimate thousands, if not more in your lifetime. It is imperative you know how to wield one," Vaulkhar reached down and gently fixed her grip. His saber sported a similar curved design to her own, which he took advantage of to show off his own grip. "Ultimately, wield it in a way that is comfortable to you. I would recommend matching my grip to the best of your ability, as this is traditionally correct."

His lightsaber burned to life, basking the surrounding area in a spiteful, orange glow.

"Makashi is my preferred style for offense, so we'll start there."

Vaulkhar waited patiently for the child to grow comfortable with her weapon.

[member="Funami Teriyaki"]​

 

[Funami Teriyaki]

Thousands? Perhaps with telekinesis. But with a lightsaber? Only if she had no other choice. Why risk engaging in deadly lightsaber duel where even the slightest touch spelled death when she could crush people from afar without ever risking her neck? It was definitely worthy to learn how to handle the signature weapon of Sith and Jedi, but not something Funami actually planned to put into praxis. Scrutinizing Vaulkhar’s grip on his lightsaber, the small child did her best to replicate it and was very glad when his strong hands went ahead and fixed the imperfections for her. Little fingers curled tightly around the hilt and she felt the curvature press against her palm.

Touching the ignition stud ignited a beam of crimson brilliance, casting away the surrounding shadows and bathing the tomb in a mixture of red and orange. She gave it a swing, holding as far away from her body as her arm could reach. Papa had taught Funami a little bit of fencing. Not much, but enough to get her used to the feeling of a sword in her hand. This was vastly different from that sensation. The lack of weight took some getting used to. It felt impersonal, similar to gripping people with the Force. Disappointment pulled down the corners of her mouth. Another aimless swing and she looked at the instructor.

“True Sith have outgrown lightsabers!” Funami revealed with the slightest hint of a smile and puffed her chest, looking mighty important. “Ahaha~, sorry, sorry, joking!”

The child waved it up and down and laughed as the lightsaber whizzed and hummed every motion. Assuming a stance known to her from the fencing lessons by placing one foot slightly in front of the other, Funami followed by mighty stabbing motions as she kept thrusting her hand forward as if wielding a pike and not a lightsaber.

“Okay, what’s next? Does it have an opening stance?” The small Sithling asked and let her weapon hand fall limp, unaware she nearly cut her leg off.

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

"You are right, to some extent," Vaulkhar gently swung the blade from left to right as if he were running through some generic warm up. He allowed silence to hang between the duo as he continued for a few minutes. He eventually finished the slow going exercises and looked back to Funami. "The lightsaber is not much different from a blaster, a force infused weapon, or even something constructed from Mandalorian Iron or Phrik. What matters is you're comfortable with what you're using and you know how top get around whatever defenses you'll encounter."

Vaulkhar straightened and raised his lightsaber point up. His feet were a few inches apart at this point. He slowly lowered the blade so it pointed towards he ground, off to his right side.

​

"That small gesture is known as a Makashi salute. You'll rarely use it. Now," he allowed the saber to remain at his side, pointed towards the ground. His feet spread to shoulder width apart as he allowed her a few seconds to catch up. "This is the traditional stance you'll often find yourself returning to. Makashi is a style for blade to blade combat. While it has weaknesses that can be exploited, in a straight forward duel between you and another combatant wielding a bladed weapon, you should find yourself at an advantage."

Another smile forced its way onto his face as he considered her words. As far as he could see, the young girl naturally leaned towards the force. As far as he was concerned it had become a crutch to her. She would learn to overcome it or die.

Not really his place to say.

[member="Funami Teriyaki"]​

 

[Funami Teriyaki]

Funami shifted into the same position, glancing down at her feet and painstakingly replicating Vaulkhar’s pose. When he demonstrated Makashi salute, she did the same. Tried to. Almost vaporized her nose as she brought the humming blade of superheated plasma up. Wide-eyed, the tiny Atrisian stared into the searing column of energy as its red drowned her shocked expression. The lack of weight was turning into a massive problem. She needed to feel the counterweight for proper spatial orientation, otherwise it was a game of chance.

Feeling a pang of regret for not installing a power switch into her lightsaber, the acolyte carefully lowered the blade and watched as its tip nonchalantly sunk into the slab of stone beneath their feet. She had felt little to no resistance upon contact, causing several beads of sweat to appear on her brow and sending shivers down her spine. Even her fencing experience turned worthless as her muscle memory refused to properly translate into lightsaber combat.

Adjusting her feet once more in accordance with the Sith lord’s stance, Funami roughly memorized the posture and extended a hand. Next followed several slow jabs and cut, each motion deliberately slow and careful. Even the slightest flick of her wrist in the wrong direction threatened to cleave her head off. She looked at Vaulkhar, eyebrows raised, and with a hiss, the red blade vanished.

“This is impossible,” the girl vented her frustration, “I don’t get it! How can you swing it like that without ever endangering yourself?”

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar watched in silence, not making a move to aid in anyway. Her form most definitely required work, but he realized almost immediately the problem came from her lack of experience with a lightsaber itself. There was some experience with martial weapons but Funami quickly realized there wasn't much of a connection between a lightsaber and other weaponry.

"This sort of thing takes time, child. I've spent over twenty years of my life practicing to be as proficient as I am. Some people take to it faster than others, but there is no reason to be frustrated."

The Sith Lord moved forward and kneeled down beside her once more. His hands moved to gently grasp the saber and one of her hands.

"Just hold it, familiarize yourself with the saber. Treat it as an extension of your body and nothing else. Rarely will you accidentally slap yourself, it is much the same with the lightsaber."

[member="Funami Teriyaki"]​

 

[Funami Teriyaki]

Twenty years! Was the average Sith life expectancy even that long? Funami did not want to waste her youth on countless hours of practicing lightsaber combat! Already busy with school and various hobbies, becoming Sith included, the little child had precious little time to spare. A frown settled over her expression as she mentally toyed with her timetables and tried to find a small window to fit Makashi lessons into. Maybe if she dropped her piano practice every Zhellday? The frown curling her eyebrows only deepened and she found herself at a loss.

The Sithling snapped out of it as Vaulkhar approached and dropped into a crouch. The strong, unfeeling hand prosthetics readjusted her hold on the lightsaber as gently as they could, for which she appreciated the Sith lord with a kind smile.

“O-okay,” Funami mumbled. “I’ll try.”

Always thinking telekinesis an extension of her body, the Atrisian attempted to persuade herself into believing her lightsaber the same. But psychokinesis had always come naturally to her; moving objects with her mind was as ordinary as breathing.

Snap-hiss! The red of her weapon sprung to life once more, filling the tomb with its menacing scarlet overtone. Still keeping the lightsaber’s searing blade far away from her tiny form, a small hand waved it about, growing slightly more comfortable. Next came the salute; Funami spread her feet apart, slowly brought the blade up in front of her face, and finally proceeded to swing it down in an elegant arc.

“Am I doing it right?”

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar released her hands after they were properly adjusted and he sat back, allowing her to get a feel for the weapon. He watched in silence as the weapon surged forth, once more bathing the room in its blood-like glow. His attention flickered between the saber, her grip, her footwork, and her shoulders as she began an attempt at the salute once more. The faintest of smiles formed at the corners of his lips as the young Sith attempted and succeeded the salute with an elegant flourish. His hand moved to gently squeeze her shoulder before a nod followed suit. He straightened and moved to his original position. Vaulkhar's own lightsaber jumped to his hand as he exerted his will over the weapon.

"Very good, Funami. The salute is the first of many steps, but you have taken that first step in an astonishing manner."

Vermilion light surged from his own lightsaber hilt, clashing with the crimson hue of the young Sith's saber. He mimicked her salute before gently nodding his head.

"Makashi is an elegant form. It puts emphasis on your skill and understanding of battle. Unlike other forms that rely on strength, speed, or the force, Makashi will allow you to face any foe as long as your saber is in hand," Vaulkhar sent a series of short, precise blows past the girl's head and body rather suddenly. He surged forth in a blur as the various blows danced about her form. Nothing struck her, though she would certainly feel the heat from the glowing weapon. Each and every blow whizzed by too fast for the untrained eye to see, further accenting the halfbreed's skill.

"We will begin with a series of simple thrusts and parries. It will allow you to grow more comfortable with the weapon. Then we will move on to blaster deflection."

[member="Funami Teriyaki"]​

 

[Funami Teriyaki]

Astonishing.

The word alone bolstered Funami’s confidence and produced a wide grin. Solely for the sake of giving it a few more tries, the girl went ahead with additional salutes and her blade sang loudly when it cut through the air. Her initial surprise over the lack of weight was gone, evident by the Sithling’s increase in speed and the flicking of her wrist up and down. Albeit still sluggish to any experienced practitioner of Makashi, Funami’s salute turned solid enough to give the impression she knew how to use the form effectively.

Therein laid the reason she had picked the second form of lightsaber combat. To make others believe her a great duelist even if she had little actual skill to back it up. That meant she’d practice the salute to perfection and perform it with such grace and elegance none would dare to doubt her skill with a lightsaber.

Narrowing her eyes ever so slightly, the Sithling readied to scrutinize Vaulkhar’s next technique. She had believed herself prepared, yet the upcoming onslaught had caught her by surprise. A gasp pushed past her lips as his every motion became a blur of orange light, flying all around her body with such precision she had sustained no injury. Once over, the small acolyte blinked and released another gasp, then the corners of her lips curled in a childish smile.

Hoping to copy the Sith lord’s light show, little Funami started viciously stabbing the tip of her blade forth. Without skill and practice, she stood zero chance at replicating Vaulkhar’s speed and precision, and so her efforts turned into crazed slashes and swings, unbefitting a Makashi practitioner.

All it did was bestow fatigue upon her untrained body.

“Phew! Okay, I'll take it slow!”

She let her hurting weapon arm down and drew a breath, chest rising and falling.

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

Wild slashes and thrusts assailed the air as excitement gripped Funami's small form. Vaulkhar watched her form with interest, committing as many of her mistakes to memory as possible. Beginners often had a wide assortment of issues they'd need to overcome in order to get better. It was very much the same for the pink haired Acolyte. The attacks were unmeasured and without rhythm, each blow awkwardly chaining into the next. Her footwork was atrocious and she lacked balance. All in all, Vaulkhar had a fair amount of work cut out for him. He took a deep breath as she finally slowed.

"We have a lot to go over. For now, I think we should start with a basic thrust. It will be your most used strike. It can begin a chain of blows or follow up a successful parry. Watch my footwork, hips, shoulders, and the saber."

Vaulkhar stepped back a few feet before falling into a readied stance. He slowly went through the motions of a straight thrust with the saber. He repeated it several times for her to commit the motions to memory. Eventually he stopped and looked back to Funami.

"Any questions?"

[member="Funami Teriyaki"]​

 

[Funami Teriyaki]

Funami completely agreed, nodding. They most definitely did have a lot to cover if their desire was to make her Makashi even remotely effective. The small pink-haired head of hers still toyed with the idea of using her fencing knowledge for lightsaber combat. The grip held little resemblance to that of a real sword. And the worst of all was the lack of weight. It defied nature, making the art of lightsaber forms inaccessible to most.

What was it that prevented non-Force users from wielding lightsabers with efficiency anyway? Witnessing Vaulkhar demonstrate such deadliness with minimal effort left her speechless, staring at him as if the secret to his mastery had been etched into his forehead and only needed to be read. Even when performing slowly enough for Funami to watch and learn, the man had displayed enough skill and elegance to leave her nothing short of amazed. As he finished, the little girl’s head bobbed.

“Um, I do have one. Kinda unrelated, but why cannot Force-blind people use lightsabers?” Funami asked and looked down at her legs, still using sight to position herself properly instead of relying on muscle memory. After getting the closest to Vaulkhar’s stance she could manage, the Sithling raised a hand, flicked a wrist, and lifted the weightless red blade, slightly spreading her feet apart as she did. A swift, deadly thrust forth, and she quickly retracted her hand back to allow for another lunge. And again, striking the same imaginary opponent and piercing the same imaginary torso.

The thrusting motion brought back memories of fencing, finally presenting a chance to bring her experience from that field into tackling Makashi. Still too slow to be dangerous to trained lightsaber users, the girl kept repeating the motion, focused mostly on thrusting the blade straight forth.

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar clasped his hands together behind his back as Funami entered her ready stance. Already she showed some promise at following direction, which boded well for future lessons. As she began striking at the imaginary foe he began to slowly circle her. While his eyes remained trained on her every movement he silently considered the question. Many young Sith and Jedi alike seemed to misunderstand the application of lightsabers. It wasn't surprising his latest apprentice had made the mistake. He stepped closer as mid strike she overextended and gripped both her forearm and bicep.

"Try to keep a slight bend in your arm whenever you strike. It both protects your body from injury while simultaneously preparing you for your next strike," his grip on her weakened and he stepped back once more. Vaulkhar allowed Funami several more strikes before laying his hands on her shoulders to correct them as well. "It is important when you strike, you utilize your shoulders as well. By leaning into it just a tinge the momentum increases both the speed and power."

He retained his hold to ensure she would become accustomed to the movements before releasing her. The Sith Lord strode over to his earlier seat and relaxed on it once more. A backpack was lowered from his shoulder and unpacked beside him. What looked like a simple black cloth was laid out on the rock before two wrapped objects were placed atop it. Two canisters were also placed down beside each item.

"To answer your earlier question, anyone can use a lightsaber. Tradition dictate both Sith and Jedi alike use them, though many modern Sith prefer other weaponry as well," Vaulkhar began unwrapping what looked like a sandwich. "If you're feeling hungry I had a servant droid prepare lunch for us before I arrived."

[member="Funami Teriyaki"]​

 

[Funami Teriyaki]

Bobbing her head in acknowledgment of his instructions, Funami fell into deep focus and did her best to memorize the advice and actually put it into her fighting style. Bending an arm ever so slightly before proceeding with a few more jabs, allowing Vaulkhar to correct her again and fix her shoulders. Now her pose and jabs appeared a bit more sluggish again, as she had to put up conscious effort to hold her body properly. Again and again, she flexed her muscles in ways she had rarely done before, slowly getting accustomed to Makashi’s graceful motions and seeing more similarities with fencing every jab.

Although not very physically demanding, repeating the same motion over and over again while assuming a proper stance had taken its toll on the young practitioner and she felt her muscles burn a little. As such, when Vaulkhar called for a break, her gaze hungrily eyed the sandwich. Food had the magical power to make Funami drop everything and she did, extinguishing her weapon and clipping it to the belt.

“Yes, pleeeease~,” the Sithling squealed excitedly and rushed toward the Makashi master, hands stretched out. “Yaaay!”

Not even reaching the man, her grabby hands telekinetically summoned the sandwich from Vaulkhar’s grasp, causing it to fly straight into the child’s small hand. She showed no hesitation in taking a bite, chewing vigorously as her eyes continued to observe Vaulkhar with childlike mischief.

[member="Vaulkhar"]​