Private To See Through Colors

[Iris Arani]

Little by little Iris had started to see it. The deeper she fell into the embrace of the Force, the less of herself she was. Normally she wouldn't be bothered. She had no reason to be. She was doing what any good Jedi should, trust in the Force. But to do so blindly was far more dangerous. To let herself go in a fight had her striking lethal blows when she normally wouldn't. She needed control. To stay aware. To be precise. It was what had her in the courtyard outside the Ossus temple, going through drill after drill of Makashi maneuvers.

The style was drastically different from how she'd been fighting thus far. The small, elegant moves and control needed beyond what she could hope to get down as she was. But she needed to. It wasn't the style itself she was after, but the mindset. To be aware of everything. To see the Force, to hear it's call, but to use it as advice rather than giving herself over to it. She couldn't be that kind of weapon, couldn't let herself hurt people as much as she had.

The frustration was obvious in her strikes. As easy as the beginning steps were for her to copy, she was in her own head. Mistrusting of herself, of her connection. The colors around her. She'd hurt people. So many people. Sithspawn or not, she had always chosen to try for peace first. What changed? Almost on cue a stinging pain ripped through her hand. Phantom limb, as she was told. Her saber fell from her grasp as she gripped the gloved hand, clutching the scar to her chest. It didn't hurt too badly, but even now she could still feel it bleeding. See her finger disappear, even though it wasn't there to begin with. The Padawan let out a frustrated sigh as she plopped down to sit.

The pain ceased. When it did, she reached out to call over the datacron she'd been using to restart the lesson.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ossus​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Tag: Iris Arani ​

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Valery had been watching the tail end of her Padawan's training routine from a distance, taking note of how she handled the different techniques but more importantly, the way she fell into the Form. Something wasn't right, as shown by the girl's own frustration, resulting in her gripping her hand where her pinky had once been.​

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This felt like a good moment to join her, so Valery made her way over and decided to speak to announce herself.​

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"Are you alright, Iris?" she asked while she looked her Padawan over, worried the pain still lingered.​

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The woman's eyes then turned to the holocron, which she quickly recognized as the instructional tool to help Jedi learn the fundamentals of several Forms. She smiled briefly and looked back at Iris.​

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"Maybe I can help you with your training? If you tell me what you struggle with, I might be able to guide you through."​

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[Iris Arani]

Iris tensed. Her gaze shifted towards Valery Noble , watching her master in silence. She nodded at least to the first question, but the second.. The Padawan truly wasn't sure how to answer it. She felt like she needed to do this on her own, to control herself and make up the mistakes she'd made so far. Yet at the same time, she wanted nothing more than to have help. Her face visibly twisted with that dilemma.

Ultimately she just nodded again.

".. I loose control when I fight. The Force takes over, keeps me safe, but I.. .. I think it'd be better if I learned how to fight and stay in control."

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ossus​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Tag: Iris Arani ​

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Valery offered a nod in understanding before she moved past Iris, her hands coming up to tighten her ponytail in preparation for this lesson. She stepped into the ring and turned around to face her Padawan, her expression serious.​

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"A Jedi's control in combat depends on several things. First, your emotional control and physical control over the weapon and style you fight in — they are somewhat separate but they do influence each other. Secondly, your control over the information you gather through the Force and how you use it." Valery began.​

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"I believe you've made great steps with the latter, especially since our trip to New Cov. But perhaps getting comfortable with a Form will help you be in control of yourself more. Then the Force will still guide and help you, but it's not a crutch — the Force should never be a crutch." she stressed.​

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"I noticed you were practicing Makashi. Can you tell me what aspect of that Form is most important to get right, especially when you're first learning it?"​

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[Iris Arani]

The Force should never be a crutch.

Iris bit her lip, hard. In her whole time as a Jedi, that's what the Force had been. A crutch to keep her calm. To help her fight. Her lip stung after a moment, but she calmed herself with a breath. Right. Focus on learning. Seeing with her own eyes.

"I noticed you were practicing Makashi. Can you tell me what aspect of that Form is most important to get right, especially when you're first learning it?"

"Precision and control." That's what mattered to the Padawan at least. She clicked off the datacron and pushed herself to her feet, turning her gaze towards her master. Watching in silence. She wasn't going to let herself go to the Force anymore.

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ossus​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Tag: Iris Arani ​

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A nod was offered at the girl's answer, "That's right. Control and Precision are extremely vital to Makashi but many misunderstand where it comes from. They are quick to pick up their lightsaber and try to master the bladework of the Form, but they never refine the absolute foundation of Makashi that everything relies on — its footwork."​

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Valery loosened up her shoulders a bit and beckoned Iris over to step closer. The woman then ignited her lightsaber, angled her body's right side towards her Padawan, and extended the blade, the tip just barely not reaching Iris' body. "Makashi's footwork offers the balance needed to strike precisely, but it's also what allows you to control the fight. At this distance, I am no threat to you but you're no threat to me either." Valery said.​

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The woman then took a step forward with the leading foot, and the rear foot followed with an elegant slide so her stance's balance was retained. She tapped the side of her Padawan's shoulder with the blade, which was on low-power, and then stepped back in retreat with the same style of footwork.​

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"Fighting in this Form is about controlling distance by back-and-forth movements. Forward to advance and attack, backward to retreat and create a distance that prevents retaliation. It's almost like a heated dance between two duelists — a waltz where you want to be in control of the distance. This is why many believe it's called the Contention Form too; it's a heated back-and-forth argument of two duelists."​

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"So by getting this footwork right, you have control over yourself because of its balance, and control over the fight through the distance you create or sacrifice. From there, you have the tools needed to be precise and efficient; calculated." Valery said. "I once began my training in this Form by learning the simple Alderaanian Waltz. I'd like you to try this footwork with me — I step in retreat as you advance and you do when I advance towards you."​

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"Feel the flow, read the rhythm, and allow the Force only to give you direction. Don't rely on it. When you can do this, you can take control and lead the dance, thereby leading and controlling the fight."​

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Spoiler: Footwork gif!

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[Iris Arani]

The footwork? Iris glanced to her feet, blinking. The stance was important, sure, but to the degree Valery Noble was saying? It hadn't even crossed her mind as such. She blinked again as she felt the pressure of the low powered saber pressed to her shoulder. She turned her gaze back to her master, watching the older woman. Then nodded. She lifted Domxite up, turning the blade on as she followed in Valery's footsteps. Literally, in some cases.

Dance. Control it. Iris frowned in focus, moving back and forth in the slight dance as she'd been instructed. But rather than let the Force guide her, she was determined to stay in full control. Much to her own detriment, as it was revealed pretty quickly. The colors around them were ignored in favor of hard facts, making her movements clunky.

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ossus​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Tag: Iris Arani ​

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Valery observed closely as the girl began to move in harmony with her own steps, but something wasn't quite right. She was trying to stay in control but the movements were not as elegant as they needed to be, and all of it was reactionary. ​

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"Don't turn away from the Force's guidance entirely," Valery said softly, as to not disturb the rhythm. ​

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She then continued the dance, but began to move away from just following straight lines — her movements took the brunette around her Padawan, slowly so she could follow, but with the hopes of forcing Iris into the rhythm of the Contention Form. ​

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"Stay in control, but use the Force to predict, and to understand."​

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[Iris Arani]

Don't turn away.

Easier said then done. Iris seemed more frustrated now, turning with Valery Noble but still not finding her own rhythm. Even the color of her blade shifted, Domxite's own frustration coming out as a tinge of orange. She kept her form, kept the forward and back idea of Makashi even as Valery changed where the line was. The hard facts of the form were easy enough for the Padawan to understand.

Just, she seemed to be having an issue with trusting the Force.

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ossus​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Tag: Iris Arani ​

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Frustration began to grow in the Padawan. Even without the levels of empathy Valery had, it was obvious by the way the girl's lightsaber shifted in color. Despite it, she kept going, doing her best to keep her form intact. She didn't seem to struggle too much with the fundamental parts of Makashi's movements, but she wasn't finding her rhythm.​

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"You must trust the Force like you've trusted your friend," Valery said, referring to Domxite as the dance continued.​

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"It's an ally who can help you, but they do not control you unless you allow them to. Trust their guidance because you know they mean well, but allow your decisions and actions to still be your own."​

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[Iris Arani]

That was the line crossed for Iris. Frustration boiled over as the Padawan stopped the training all together, stamping her foot. Tightening her grip on Domxite. "Domxite would never make me kill!" She shouted. A rare outburst of emotion from the young girl. Her gaze stayed on the ground, refusing to look Valery Noble 's way. She'd killed because she didn't have a choice, yes.

But when she let the Force take over, it always pushed her towards lethal.

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ossus​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Tag: Iris Arani ​

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The dance between them stopped, and Valery looked at her Padawan with an expression that concealed her thoughts and emotions well. She had never seen such an outburst from the young girl, and some Masters would have possibly reprimanded her for it. But Valery believed this was necessary. She got something off her chest that had been eating away at her.​

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"You always have a choice, Iris," Valery said after she let the silence linger for a few seconds.​

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"Our allies, the Force, they can guide us but making the right decision always remains our responsibility. Don't blindly follow the Force, don't blindly follow Domxite, and never blindly follow me either," she stressed but with a calm tone.​

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"You have to remain in control of your own actions."​

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[Iris Arani]

"You have to remain in control of your own actions."

Iris bit her lip. Why did it have to be so difficult. It was so much easier to let the Force take control. It was a shield, something to hide behind. The realization settled in slowly, but as it did she visibly relaxed. She was using it as a crutch. Just as the others said. Just as Kai said she shouldn't. She was quiet for a few minutes, taking the time to relax. Breath. Then nodded. Her blade reignited the same pink.

"Okay."

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Ossus​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Tag: Iris Arani ​

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"Okay."​

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A single word, but one that meant quite a lot as the pink blade ignited again. Whether it was her words that helped the girl, or a realization she came to herself, it hardly mattered. She seemed to understand, and it would hopefully allow her to fight in tune with the Force, whilst being in control of herself.​

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"Good, let's keep going."​

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Valery then lunged forward, her leading foot covering a lot of ground with a single step while her rear foot remained still. She extended her arm and thrust her blade towards the girl's stomach, hoping to show her a different kind of technique. After the attack, she withdrew back to regain the distance.​

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