Darts and the Force (reven)

[kozeph]

It had been nine days since Takumi encounter with the Jedy master Tyrdo, a day that shook much of the dark jedi emotions, he realized several things as well as he lost sight of others, that day in the beaches of Woostri.

After that Takumi was a bit withdrawn from Reven for the first couple of days, but eventually he began talking a little more to the boy, if asked about the events of his past or what happened in Woostri, the Dark jedi would change the subject. Three days after Takumi duel with the Jedi master Tyrdo, the pair found themselves in Umgul. Takumi found work as a bouncer and managed to "Convince" the owner of the bar to take Reven in as a waiter or cleaning boy or even helping the bartender. The pay was good and the job was easy, with the money Taku earned he bought a new set of robes and boots, becouse he had lost them in Woostri and had to use cheap replacements.

Overall Takumi had a cleaner look this days, he had shaved and left only a small stuble in his chin, and his hair stoped being so greasy. The dark Jedi even stopped smelling as bad as he did a couple of weeks ago.

Right now it was closing time at the bar, the last costumers had just left and Takumi was left with Reven and the bartender. Takumi sat in a chair and looked bored, life had been pretty easy this couple of days. Takumi had avoided killing any costumers so far and even if he lost half of his money while gambling, he restrained himself from gutting the scoundrel who cheated to win against Taku, or so Takumi said when asked.

Right now the dark Jedi was bored, he had manage to finish the datapad with information about the lightsaber forms, meditation tips and general information, most younglings knew. He had given it to Reven so he could study in his free time.

Takumi got up and walked to the bartender, he had an idea to make his morning more fun, he would finally teach the boy how to wield the force.

"Say Takumi, i'm going home early I want to be with my wife, I'll leave it to you to close the bar"

Takumi said while weaving his hand in front of the man, who stared for a second at the dark Jedi. One of the only few areas of the force Taku had skilled in was in manipulating the mind of others through the force, he normally used it to scare people into submision but he was equally skilled in the Jedi mind tricks.

"Say Takumi, i'm going home early I want to be with my wife, I'll leave it to you to close the bar"

he repeated a second later and walked out the bar, Takumi had a devilish smile in his lips, as he looked at Reven.

[Reven]

After seeing Taku's fight with the Jedi master called Tyrdo, Taku seemed withdrawn and didn't talk to Reven for the first couple of days. Of course he watched Taku practice his lightsaber forms, but he still didn't talk to him, even after asking a question about a way to solve Form V's weakness in mobility. Eventually, Reven started asking Taku about his past in order to learn more about his master, however Taku quickly changed the subject whenever he asked. When Taku cleaned himself up and bought new clothes, Reven couldn't believe the sudden change since he was getting used to Taku's unkempt appearance and strange smells.

When they found themselves on Umgul, Taku found a job as a bouncer while Reven worked as a waiter at the same establimshment thanks to Taku's "persuasion". At the end of the day, all of the customers left giving Reven some time to read the datapad Taku gave him. As he was reading about the forms outside of the seven forms of lightsaber combat, there was one that caught his attention. Sokan, a form that used the environment to gain a tactical advantage while using swift movements to take down an opponent while leaving openings in one's defense.

It seems that this form is basically a meshed together version Soresu and Ataru. After all, there aren't any openings in one's defense and uses swift strikes. When I first read about these two forms, I didn't think that it was possible since Ataru used wide swings, but now that I think about it, saber swarm, an Ataru technique is basically numerous short strikes, so it could be possible to mainly use short strikes in order to keep your blade close enough for form III's defenses. Maybe I should ask Taku about this thought Reven who was in such a deep thought that he didn't notice Taku using a Jedi mind trick to make the owner leave.

"Taku, is it possible to blend together forms three and four without compromising form's three's defenses?" asked Reven before he noticed that the owner wasn't there.

"Did the owner leave already?"

[kozeph]

"Did the owner leave already?"

Reven asked.

"Yeah he said he wanted to see his wife and that we should close up shop" takumi kept his laugher inside, but clearly looked amused.

"Taku, is it possible to blend together forms three and four without compromising form's three's defenses?"

"Yes it's called Niman" Takumi laughed hard "But I get what you mean... If you want to pull that off you need to master each form to the highest degree, I fight while blending three forms who I've mastered, I use Djem so as the core body with elements of Shien and add the flexibility of Ataru into my moves, and I'm learning Juyo as I go to eventually add it." yes Takumi fevoured aggressive and flashy forms over the more conservative Soresu or Niman, since the aggressive forms complimented Takumi size and raw strenght as well as speed.

"Right now you need to focus on Shii-Cho and another form... once your older and more experienced you can try and mix it with another form" he said a little more seriously "Most Jedi tend to focus on two forms and sometimes three and no more"

Takumi smiled "Anyway I think is about time I teach you a little more about the force, dont ya think?" he said in his natural booming and cheerful voice.

[Reven]

"Oh..." said Reven who wasn't too thrilled that the form he was talking about was Niman. The reason being was that the datapad that Taku gave him mentioned that the form was for those who didn't really focus that much of their time on combat and that it was the least physical demanding of all of the forms. This told Reven that he really wasn't going to get that much stronger or faster if he were to train in a form that was completely balance. After hearing that it was possible if he were to master both forms to the extreme, Reven sighed in relief.

When Taku mentioned that it was about time to learn more about the Force, an eager smile appeared on the boy's face before he asked "What am I going to learn today, Taku? Am I going to learn how to make myself faster and stronger with the Force, lift things up with my mind, or some how use one of those famous Jedi mind tricks I've heard so much about?"

[kozeph]

Takumi saw Reven disappoinment when he mention Niman, Taku had to smile a little bit.
"Don't understimate Niman boy, It may not be the most demanding of the forms, but it's one of the smartest forms, I met a couple of user of Niman that are rather good, even if it's a form of people who would rather talk than fight... Niman has the perfect balance between offence and defence" Takumi said while noding and walking behind the counter.

He reached down for a glass and grabbed one of the expensive bottles the bar keeper had, and served a little into his cup, while giving a wink to the boy. After putting the bottle in it's place he drank his glass while Reven spoke.

"What am I going to learn today, Taku? Am I going to learn how to make myself faster and stronger with the Force, lift things up with my mind, or some how use one of those famous Jedi mind tricks I've heard so much about?"

"I'm going to teach you about telekinetics today... Lift and move things with the help of the force, you dont move things with your mind" Takumi laughed "Something like this" the dark Jedi extended his hand towards glass laying in nearby table, Taku closed his eyes and focused on the cup lifting it through the force and slowly but steadily in Reven direction, after the boy cought the slow moving glass, Taku let go of the glass and opened his eyes.

"hehe dont worry you'll soon be at my level and surpass me, I'm rather weak when it comes to the physical part of the force.

[Reven]

"But sn't being a jack of all trades a bad thing? I mean, being a smart fighter can only get you so far, especially when dealing with an offensive form like form V or form IV. The only possible way I can see someone being able to use that form's true potential is by implementing the speed or power gained from one of the more aggressive forms that heavily relies on one being at their top physical peak" said Reven after Taku told Reven not to under estimate the form. Reven of course could remember the first time reading about the form in the datapad since it was very recent and thought that it would be good for him to learn since it could be used for meditation, a skill that he really didn't know how to do and it was meant for smart swordsmen. That was until he learned that it was the least physical demanding of all VII forms.

When Taku moved the glass towards the young boy with the Force, Reven couldn't help but stare at awe as it floated towards him. When he caught it, Taku mentioned to Reven that he would eventually surpass him at the physical part of the Force. Do I really have that much potential to the point where I can surpass Taku? thought Reven as he thought back on all the training Taku gave him so far. Sure he has learned a lot from the dark Jedi, but the only thing that he noticed an increase in was his awareness due to the lightsaber training.

"Say Taku..., what makes you think that I have more potential than you? I mean I can understand a former slave somehow being force sensitive, but I find it a little too convenient. Especially since it sounds like the beginning of a story where the main character comes from nothing and has something so special that it separates him from other people" asked Reven.

[kozeph]

"But sn't being a jack of all trades a bad thing? I mean, being a smart fighter can only get you so far, especially when dealing with an offensive form like form V or form IV. The only possible way I can see someone being able to use that form's true potential is by implementing the speed or power gained from one of the more aggressive forms that heavily relies on one being at their top physical peak" Takumi nodded a little in agreement.

"Sure playing smart will only carry you so far, and sure Niman is not meant for prolonge duels against force users or intense combat. But consider it a nice back up for other forms, someone who relies in aggresion can use Niman as a back up should things not go his way... Niman has it uses, some times" Takumi laughed.

"Say Taku..., what makes you think that I have more potential than you? I mean I can understand a former slave somehow being force sensitive, but I find it a little too convenient. Especially since it sounds like the beginning of a story where the main character comes from nothing and has something so special that it separates him from other people"

"Wait you were a slave once?" Takumi asked somewhat concerned. After Reven anwser Takumi told him why he thought Reven had much more potential than him.

"Three reason why I think you will surpass me. First you are stronger than me in the force, in a couple of years we might be at the same level, and you'll eventually surpass me, for I am below the average Jedi in terms of raw strength in the force, that's why I've focused myself mostly with lightsaber combat and not using force powers, you saw what Tyrdo pulled off in that beach? I could never pull such a large force push... well that was more like a wave than a force push hehe Takumi laughed softly with a hint of a bitter taste in his mind. That encounter was a bit to much for Taku's heart.

"Secondly... your training with a former Jedi, I wont restric your desires, dreams and hopes like most younglings are restricted... you will experience love, sadness, happiness you will see both the dark side and the light side in equal terms if you keep travelling with me, you might see the faults in each side and become better for it" Takumi said kindly while he rested his forearms in a table.

"Thirdly I have faith you'll accomplish great things Reven" Taku said with determination "If their good things or bad things I cannot say... Thats up to you partner" Takumi said happily.

[Reven]

"Taku, are you alright? I told you that I was a former slave when we first met on Nar Shaddaa, remember? I still remember feeling awkward after you told me that you left the Jedi Order because of a slave" said Reven looking quite concerned. He knew that consuming large quantities of alcohol could cause brain damage and it couldn't help but make him wonder if all the alcoholic beverages Taku has been drinking through out his life has finally taken a toll on his mind.

"Well I'm pretty sure that I won't be able to do something like take down the Sith Empire single handily, but I promise that I won't let you down. Just as long as you promise to make sure that I won't become something like a serial killer or a large threat to the galaxy" said Reven with a determined look in his eyes.

"So, how exactly do I use the Force to lift things up with my mind?" asked Reven having no idea where to start. After all, there are very few people that can use telekinesis without being trained and so far, Reven has been relying on Force skills that have naturally developed as he grew up.

[kozeph]

"Ah? yeah I'm fine..." said Takumi brushing the subject away, why did he forgot that? the dark Jedi wasn't sure, so he moved the subject to the back of his head, along with the many things he had to think

"Well I'm pretty sure that I won't be able to do something like take down the Sith Empire single handily, but I promise that I won't let you down. Just as long as you promise to make sure that I won't become something like a serial killer or a large threat to the galaxy"

Takumi looked at the determination in his student eyes and replayed in kind "If I think what your doing is right I wont stop you... but I might if see that things get out of hand" said grimly as he filled his glass with a different drink.

"So, how exactly do I use the Force to lift things up with my mind?" Reven changed the subject, which was what Taku was about to do regardless.

"Put that glass in the table first" said Takumi as he approached the boy and sat in a nearby chair. "Now close your eyes and feel the force, just like you do when you practice with your lightsaber... focus Takumi began probing Reven mind, watching slowly as the boy focused. "Now... feel the force around that cup, stretch your mind and slowly began moving it." Takumi watched in silence as he took the first sip of his drink

[Reven]

"Alright, I'll try" said Reven feeling a bit unsure about how he was going to do at this task while putting the glass on the table. He would then step a few feet back and took a deep breath while closing his eyes in order to help calm himself. Once the young hapan felt calm, he could feel the Force increasing his awareness giving him somewhat of an overall idea of what was going on in the room. He would then start to focus his senses on the cup trying to feel the cup's circular shape and round bottom.

In order to get a better feel, Reven extended his right hand and imagined how heavy the cup would feel to him if he were to actually lift it up with his hands. Unknowingly to him however, imagining the weight of an object he's trying to lift with the force will in fact limit his overall ability in telekinesis if he becomes stronger in it. He would then bring his right hand up as he picture the cup rising up in the air, but in reality, the cup was shaking heavily. Thinking that the cup was finally in the air, Reven opened his eyes only to discover that the cup remained where he placed it.

"Damn, I thought I had it" said Reven as he turned toward towards Taku.

"Is there anything else I should know before I make another attempt?" asked Reven.

ooc:I personally think you should teach Reven how to mediate since it gives the user a better connection to the Force.

[kozeph]

Takumi watched in silence how Reven attemped to levitate the empty glass, it was a vain attemp but a attemp no less. Reven had some trouble properly focusing his mind in the task had hand. Takumi took a deep sigh and put his alcoholic drink away. Taku got off from his chair and walked up to Reven, remembering he had never properly thought the boy how to focus his mind, apart from the meditative form that came from the use of the lightsaber.

"Seems you have some trouble focusing" Taku scratched the back of his head "Looks like I'll have to teach you to meditate boy, repeat after me"

Takumi proceded to sit in the floor in a half lotus position, he silently looked at the boy. "Now close your eyes... take deep breaths and exhale, and slowly calm your mind and steady your body and see how the force flows through you... become one with it" Those where Takumi last words before he was already focusing in his meditation, he of course had and easier time relaxing than the young Hapan.

It had been years since Taku had last meditate, he began thinking in the events of his life... his failures, his regrets, how he had killed his master and two other Jedi, he began thinking of Hime the girl he had taken under his wing as a student and that had betrayed me and the dark jedi killed some time later, Takumi was in the epicenter of his darkness, watching the events of his life unfold and how they rot into nothingness, the only thing that did not rot away was the image of Reven, who was standing in a room full of light... so very far from Takumi.

[Reven]

The young hapan nodded his head once Taku told him to repeat what he did in order to teach him how to meditate. Once Taku sat in the half lotus position, Reven sat on the ground the same exact way. Following the dark Jedi's instructions, Reven closed his eyes and started to take deep breaths in order to help calm his mind. Reven would then start to relax his his muscles starting from his feet and then systematically upwards until it reached his head. Despite the fact that Taku didn't tell him to do this, Reven figured that the mind would feel more at ease it wasn't distracted by the body.

After Reven calmed himself, he suddenly felt as if a cool stream of water was flowing continuously through out his body while the Force started to flow into him. The cool feeling of water was possibly the greatest sensation he had ever felt as it was most likely greater than that of actual water. As Reven's mind started to become more in peace, he felt a great darkness near by which Reven could tell right away that it was Taku due to the fact that it was the same dark power he unleashed when he fought Tyrdo.

Reven would then open his eyes and started to reach out towards the glass with the Force. With a wave of his hand he knocked the glass down instead of rising it up into the air like he wanted to the first time he attempted telekinesis.

"Was that what you expected me to do?" asked Reven hoping that it was what Taku wanted. He honestly wasn't sure if he could actually lift the cup into the air, but he felt that actually knocking the cup down was a bit of an improvement compared to what he did before.

[kozeph]

(sorry for the wait was a little bussy)

Taku emerged from his meditation just in time to see the glass being knock off the table, luckily Taku body darted off like lightning and his cought the glass a couple seconds before it could touch the floor.

"Was that what you expected me to do?" the boy asked, while Takumi got up and left the glass back in the table

"Let's try something smaller" Takumi said as he began looking for something to help Reven get a better grip of his telekinetik powers, the dark jedi went behind the counter and around the room... then he saw it. It was a circular board used for target practice with darts. Takumi smiled at Reven

"Well first try to lift this dart" said the bear of a man that was the dark jedi, while he held a dart in his open palm

[Reven]

Reven watched as Taku quickly caught the glass after he knocked it over with a speed that Reven hoped would someday gain with enough training. When Taku told Reven that he was going to try something smaller, a hint of disappointment could be seen in his face as he felt that he didn't live up to the dark Jedi's expectations. Taku would then start looking around the room and eventually found a dart board. After taking one of the darts, he would then hold it in his palm and tell the young hapan to lift the dart up.

Reven would start to concentrate on the dart as he reached out with it through the Force while extending his right hand Once the invisible hand of the Force reached it, Reven would lift his hand and the dart lifted up a good 6 inches into the air. However like most newly used muscles of the human body, Reven's telekinesis was only strong enough to lift it up in the air for a good 30 seconds before falling onto Taku's hand.

"Is it just me or is this telekinesis stuff harder than the other things you've been teaching me?" asked Reven who was currently somewhat ignorant to the fact that he was using aspects of the Force that were developed naturally. This basically meant that telekinesis to him was very similar to a baby trying to use one of their muscles to move a limb for the first time.

[kozeph]

Takumi watched a the little dart floated a couple of inches away from his hand and eventually see it softly dropped back into his big open hand.

"Is it just me or is this telekinesis stuff harder than the other things you've been teaching me?" The young hapan asked, with a little frustration.

"Just like everything else you need to work hard, dont expect to lift a starfighter any time soon, right now your biggest issue is to overcome the limit your subconcious has placed on your brain, let the force flow through you, my master once said to me... there is no try, there is only doing and not doing... feel the force around you and let it guid your will" Takumi said in a sage like manner, with the hint of sadness and regret, that came from him killing his master in blind anger.

"Now do not think of the weight of the dart, put aside your common sense when you try to lift it" takumi was trying to make Reven a little more confident.

"See like this" Takumi extended his free hand in the direction of another dart, his hand reached out and the dart began to shake it's self loose before slowly reaching Takumi hand.

[Reven]

"Alright, I'll try, I mean do it" said Reven after Taku told him not to try and gave another demonstration of telekinesis. Reven would then his arm towards the dart and started to focus on it. Just think of the dart as being almost as weightless as the air itself and it'll be fine thought Reven as he reached out towards the dart with the force. As he did, he used a mental image of himself trying the grab nothing but air in order to help improve telekinesis. The dart would then start rise several feet into the air and started to float towards him while it started shaking in the air.

Reven would then have the palm of his hand face the ceiling and once the dart was above his empty palm, it would fall right into it.

"Well I know that it wasn't as clean as you're telekinesis, but I think that's a major improvement" said Reven as he placed the dart on a near by table.

[kozeph]

Takumi watched rather proudly as the dart was lifted from his big hand once more and weakly but steadely made it's way too Reven hand. It was a weak demostration of telekinetis, but compared with the trouble Taku had learning how to levitate and move things with the help of the force in his youth, what Reven was going through seem like nothing.

"Well I know that it wasn't as clean as you're telekinesis, but I think that's a major improvement" said the young Hapan with a little pride and confidence coming from his voice, Taku could only clap to show his pride.

"What you just did is commonly called Force pull, with practice you can use this well to attract things to you, now your going to do the opposite... I want you to levitate the dart once more and try to land it in my palm"

Takumi made an example by wrapping his weak tendrils of the force around the second dart and lifting it then throwing it at the game board, a lot of focer users that could probably do it better than Taku, but still the dark Jedi minute force push was enough to force the dart into the board.

(sorry for the short post my head hurts XD)

[Reven]

"That shouldn't be too much of a problem" said Reven with a confident smirk on his face. When he first pulled the dart toward him, it was as if the Force was acting like some kind of invisible hand that, so it really didn't make much a of difference to him. Reven would then point his free hand at the dart and reached out towards it with the Force. He would then move his hand upwards causing the dart to move up simultaneously with his free hand. He would then slowly move his hand towards the direction of Taku causing the dart to move towards him shaking like it did when he brought it towards him.

When the dart reached Taku's palm, Reven would release the grip Reven had over it with the Force allowing it to drop it Taku's hand.

"Is there anything else you want me to do?" asked the young hapan.

[kozeph]

Takumi watched carefuly how Reven manipulated the dart and how it slowly made its way back to the former Jedi hand. The boy learns fast Taku mused in his head as he played with the dart in his hand. Takumi gestured the boy to try and pull the dart once more "Right, now get the dart again" he said extending his hand once more.

Once Reven had the dart back in his hand, Takumi folded his arms and rested his backside against a table, he was enjoying the moment.
"Is there anything else you want me to do?" Taku heard the hapan ask.

"Yeah, I want you to levitate the dart again and then use the force to hurl it at the board, use all the strenght you can master, try it as many times as you can, if you fail then bring back the dart to you using the force... I dont touch the dart with your hands, only use the force" this should be good practice for the boy, as well as being a fun way to learn. He didn't expect Reven to get the dart be stuck at the board in one try but at least like this the Hapan boy would get the basic grasp of the telekinetic aspect of the force.

[Reven]

This should be interesting to try thought Reven as he extended his right hand towards a dart and reached out to it with the force. The young hapan would raise his hand up causing the dart to rise up into the air. The best way to do this is by releasing the grip the Force has over the dart while moving like someone throwing a dart with their actual hand thought Reven as he started to move his arm back and forth in a horizontal direction while the now shaking dart followed his arm's movements to gain momentum. When he released his grip he had on the dart with the Force, the dart flew towards the dart board and landed in one of the board's outer layers.

"Damn.. I wanted to hit a bull's eye" said Reven feeling a bit disappointed in himself while being unaware of the fact that Taku didn't expect Reven to get it on the first try. After all, there aren't many Jedi that can actually use Force comprehension subconsciously which gave Reven an edge over most people when it came down to learning new things.