Private Toughen Up

[Gwyneira Vizsla]

[Solo.]
​

A hiss sounded from the young girl as she awoke to pain. In the darkness of her quarters, she felt the stings of her wounds from her fight with fellow acolyte Meshak Bile. She had won, yes, but at a heavy cost. She had needed much medical assistance and had to call in an order for a new set of armor. Her scratches and bruises were treated, yes, but they still hurt. She could not help but wonder if the Sith purposefully left wounds aching so the acolyte would learn not to gain them in the first place.

She moaned as she sat up, her blanket falling off. She blindly called her closest lightsaber to her aid and activated it, shedding the room in a crimson, low glow.

The desk and shelves were a cluttered mess of books, holodisks, holopads, trash, and dishes. Misini, the training droid, was left deactivated in the corner. With a sigh, Gwyneira Craft stood up and stumbled over to the lights. As the lights turned on, her lightsaber switched off. She sighed, looking down at her small frame, covered in white pajamas. She had taken quite the beating from that fight. The fact that she focused way more on academics and the Force clearly showed. In this Sith Academy, she was still a weakling physically. She barely knew Shi-Cho, after all.

She looked at her deactivated weapon again. Her irisless eyes narrowed as she realized just how important it was to train. She needed a plan to get stronger, to toughen up, as she moved forward. Then hopefully, incidents like this would not happen again.

 

[Gwyneira Vizsla]

The next morning, she went through her classes in the lecture halls and completed her homework fast, as usual. She usually took the extra time afterwards to board herself up in her room and read extra books. Instead, she entered the academy's shipping docks and walked into her ship.

The bland ship desperately needed to be improved upon and painted. It was dull, grey, and had several glaring weaknesses. Still, the engineer understood that she needed to improve herself before she improved it. Besides, the massive space of the back room was more than enough for what she had in mind.

She dropped to her knees, hissing as her body cried in pain from her tussle. She ignored it and dropped on her hands, starting push ups.

As it turned out, she could use her ship as a grounds to work out. She could use the many pipes to do chin ups and practice acrobatics. Plus, many of the heavier items in here could make for good body building. It was not quite a gym, but it would work out, She was unlike species like the zabrak, after all, built with extraordinary strength. She needed to make sure her body was healthy enough to stand up against the types.

- If only she was not already tired by her seventh push up...

 

[Gwyneira Vizsla]

Eventually, she entered her dorm again. She was sweating profusely, exhausted. She took a cold shower, then immediately continued on her new routine. After getting dressed, she dried her long hair as Misini switched on.

"Oh, yes, Master Craft! How may I assist you?"

As she bent over, drying her hair with a towel, Gwyn spoke. "I need a brief overview of the lightsaber styles. One through six."

"Again?" The droid sounded exasperated. "Alright..."

As the droid went through them, Gwyneira thought carefully upon them.

Form One was a form she already was somewhat trained on. She learned all the stances, cuts, body zones, and necessities for it, which would carry on to all the other styles. Unfortunately, this style in itself was not satisfactory for her. It just did not feel like. From her experiences using it in Ilum and the Proving Grounds, this was not the style for her.

Neither was Form Two. It was an elegant style, based on fencing and skill. Yet, it was weak against blaster bolts. Whatever style she chose, Gwyneira knew that she needed a versatile style for all occasions. She needed a lightsaber style that allowed her to adapt, and this was not it.

Form Three was too defensive. The Sith always preached on aggression and power. Soresu was a lightsaber style based on pure defense, with no form of allowing the Dark Side to be channeled. While the defenses were grand, she felt that it did not mold into her training and princibles.

Form Four was definitely off the list. As much as Gwyn desired to become more physically fit, this was a lightsaber style that was way too out of her league. It would take time to build her body, even longer to learn this style. Maybe later, but not today.

Form Five was her first real option. It allowed for a mix of offense and defense and approved and encouraged aggression. Apparently, even those filthy Jedi made good use of this style! With two separate variants to it, this was a little more versatile. Yet, it still lacked the balance she truly desired in a fighting style. It was a solid fit, but maybe there was better out there...

... like Form Six perhaps? Niman was the combination of all lightsaber styles meshed into one. It had no strengths, but no weaknesses either. It was easy to learn, perhaps too easy based on what she had read from high ranking lightsaber users. Niman had moves that integrated the Force, so why not any second hands Gwyn had at her disposable. This lightsaber style was ordinary in plain sight, but could be made random of done well enough. She could envision it now...

Yes, she decided. She would start out with Form Six, Niman.

 

[Gwyneira Vizsla]

Several weeks had passed. Gwyneira was finally growing into the build she wanted. She was becoming more muscular, although still skinny and small. She was more trim and lean, however, and it was becoming more apparent. In the lecture hall, she was regularly bombarded by students who knew her as the acolyte who defeated Meshak Bile in combat, and they saw she was getting stronger. Despite the attention she so desired making her warm inside, Gwyneira preferred to be alone, training. She still meditated daily, connected to the Force. Her grades were still faring phenomenally, as she completed homework before moving on with her day. During her three hour exercise routine, she listened to further lectures and lessons via holo recordings. Meanwhile, her Niman was shaping up rather nicely. She was on top of things it seemed, and coming closer to her dreams of becoming a powerful, feared, respected, loyal Sith Lord.

As of now, she was listening to a recording of a Sith Lord speaking on Force Augmentation. In her ship, the Solo II, she was doing chin ups while the recording rolled on.

"Force Augmentation is vital to the success of any Force User, especially the Sith. I know none of you weaklings could stand a chance, in your pampered academy. Perhaps, however, one or two of you are actually trying to succeed."

"Quite it with the demotivational tactics, ding dong." Gwyn rolled her eyes, "Just get to-" she grunted as she placed her chin on the cold metal bar, "-the lesson."

"Force Augmentation is the ability to channel the Force into one's body, allowing them to complete physical feats beyond the average rate of any species. One can jump higher, last longer, survive. As a Sith, the raw grit of Augmentation will be crucial. It is a tough life, you pets. I will grace your pitiful minds with the knowledge how to use it."

Gwyn let go of the bar and dropped down. Taking a cloth and wiping her head, she stepped closer to the hologram and paid closer attention.

"Alright, you slime. You need to close your eyes and focus on the Force. Focus. Feel the Force flowing through you, connect."

Gwyn followed the instructions, closing her eyes and extending her being.

"You will feel its power flowing through you. Good thing, you have no power yourselves. Harness this power, let it become energy inside you. And, move. Use the Force to commit to deeds you never could have before."

Gwyn opened her eyes, ready to jump. She eyed the bar she was just doing chin ups on and lept with augmented ability. She landed on the bar, and for a moment felt triumph. Then, she had zero balance and fell down again. "Umph!"

"Congratulations, acolytes. You know a basic Force skill. Maybe you'll learn something more potent next time. Until then, use what little power you have learned and squabble like the worms you are. May the strongest of you come on top..."

As the recording shut up, Gwyn rubbed herself where she fell. Grunting, and feeling phantom pains from her fight several weeks back, she glared at the holorecording. "I hate that guy."

 

[Gwyneira Vizsla]

Slash!

The practice lightsabers clashed withing the Dorm as Gwyn continued her training. The droid continued to critique her.

"Remember your footing, acolyte."

Gwyn switched her feet around between continuing the slashes. Gwyn kept up to Misini's swift slashes, a testament to her improving physic and passive use of Force Augmentation. However, the droid still managed in its expert ways by using Niman in a more aggressive fashion. Primarily using pushing swings, it overwhelmed her until she was backed against the wall. As she panted, head rested on the all, the droid spoke. "Your defense is weaker than your offensive."

Gwyn rolled her eyes, even as the practice saber was so near to her throat. "It's hard to train in here."

"Then I suggest an alternative location."

The Solo II immediately entered her mind. "I have a place."

~~~
​

"Ta da!" Gwyn showed the droid to the massive room of her ship.

"Spacious." The droid responded.

Gwyn smirked, pulling her lightsaber from her belt and approaching the droid, turned away from her. "Now-"

As she activated her lightsaber, so did the droid. In the instance, their blades were locked within the quiet of the freighter's bay.

"You will need to do better than that, acolyte." Misini remarked with a hint of sarcasm.

Gwyn then recalled one of the moves the droid showed her. In this open space, she had the option of using this move. She forced her lightsaber blade down, slashing the opponent's weapon away. Extending her free hand, she applied a Force Push that sent the droid flying back into a pile of tools across the room. As the loud crashing sounded, Gwyn lowered her blade with a gasp. Did she wreck the droid?

Then, Misini emerged from the wreckage. Pulling smaller tools from its frame, the droid recuperated. "Well done, Acolyte."

Gwyn smiled in triumph.

 

[Gwyneira Vizsla]

As Gwyneira meditated in her dorm, she felt the Force flow around her, collecting. It was so strong, so incredible.

There is no peace, only passion.

Meditation was no pure art for the Sith. Instead, it allowed further connection through the Force via sufferings. Gwyneira remembered what started all this, being rag dolled by an acolyte whose jealousy was sickening. She had defeated him, but barely. He had avoided her to this day, but she felt her feelings of anger grow as she thought on the rival that tormented her in the Proving Grounds.

However, she also knew that was was weaker then, frail. Now, she had just showered after working out again. Her frame was more muscular and built, despite still being lithe. She was gaining muscle weight and improving massively physically. She might actually stand a chance against the more experienced acolytes around here! She knew Niman now, more than Shi-Cho, and continued to train in it. Niman was her primary lightsaber form now.

Yet she never neglected her studies. Students knew she was a Grade A master in the lecture halls. She even caught several acolytes cheating off of her papers to get better grades themselves. Gwyneira used the time in her exercise regiments to listen to extra recordings by masters of the Dark Side, to improve further. Her life revolved totally around the sphere of learning, improving, and training. She was stepping out of the realm of a newborn Force user, and truly becoming an acolyte.

If only... if only...

... A Sith Knight happened to notice her desperate attempts at learning...

 

[Gwyneira Vizsla]

[Done.]​