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last online Dec 28, 2015 2:36:26 GMT -5
Padawan
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Jul 14, 2011 23:34:46 GMT -5
Post by ninjabot on Jul 14, 2011 23:34:46 GMT -5
She has to eat too? Xell did aswell, but he didn't eat his food while it was still alive. What other living animals did she eat? Did she have a taste for human flesh? Maybe that was why she wouldn't give in to his animal magnetism?
That was it! Sherasti wanted to EAT XELL!!
The Padawan stumbled backwards and stepped out of the room so that he could watch her from a far off distance. As she stood up from her position Xell stepped back further. He was now out of the room, eyes widened in anticipation.
"Your mission went well despite me. You did well my Padawan, but your master did not. She owes you her life. And won't forget that fact."
If Xell wasn't so frightened he would have likely accepted her vow to pay him back as some sort of sexual proposition... and part of him still did. But he kept seeing images of Sherasti chewing on his entrails that hindered any attraction.
Well, atleast he'd learned the best way to deal with his emotions around her.
Though he stayed at a distance, as Sherasti continued talking, Xell began wondering what was so bad about his trial of skill. It was supposed to be dangerous, right? And he lived.
"What do you mean, master?" asked Xell
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last online Apr 19, 2013 18:45:53 GMT -5
Master
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Jul 15, 2011 0:13:52 GMT -5
Post by Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy on Jul 15, 2011 0:13:52 GMT -5
Sherasti looked askance at Xell, her head cocked at a slight angle as she read her Padawan's emotions. She delved a little deeper and isolated what was bothering him.
It was extremely hard not to laugh with such ferocity that it would tear open her stitches. It was totally absurd. Had he really just gone from learning she was a carnivore to assuming she'd eat him?
"Xell, I'm not going to eat you." An amused expression appeared on the Togruta's face. "Really, I promise I won't. You're too big. Maybe if you were still a Youngling..." She teased, an impish grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. That was proof she was back. Her quiet sense of humor had returned.
But she switched to a serious tone again. She didn't want him having those images in his head when he looked at her. She probably should have told him about her diet when they first met, given him advance warning. But hindsight was 20/20. Still, after coming so far it seemed so very petty a thing for him to be bothered by.
"You have a generous and kind heart Xell, but sometimes you have to respect diversity, even when it is uncomfortable for you. I promise you they feel no pain. Everything you or I eat was once alive somehow. Togrutas are carnivores. I can't change that, but you know me. Could I ever kill a sentient being? You know the answer Xell. Please don't hold my diet against me."
Sherasti leaned back in the bed again, taking the tension off her side. She hoped her Padawan would come back into the room. Certainly she was in no shape to leave it.
The Togruta Jedi hoped discussing the Trials more would coax him back into talking with her.
"The Trial of Skill means facing an opponent with a lightsaber. You didn't face that challenge here today. But you faced a different kind of challenge, a test of your courage. And you passed. I'm sure you would have made Orren very proud. And I know you made me proud."
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last online Dec 28, 2015 2:36:26 GMT -5
Padawan
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Jul 15, 2011 21:46:59 GMT -5
Post by ninjabot on Jul 15, 2011 21:46:59 GMT -5
"Xell, I'm not going to eat you." An amused expression appeared on the Togruta's face. "Really, I promise I won't. You're too big. Maybe if you were still a Youngling..." She teased, an impish grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. That was proof she was back. Her quiet sense of humor had returned.
Xell wasn't laughing. His eyes only widened even greater if that was at all possible. He shrank behind the edge of the door, only his head now facing from around the corner. Timmy shiverred as well, his own head popping out of the boy's collar.
M-m-mew....
"It's okay little fella... I gotcha."
"You have a generous and kind heart Xell, but sometimes you have to respect diversity, even when it is uncomfortable for you. I promise you they feel no pain. Everything you or I eat was once alive somehow. Togrutas are carnivores. I can't change that, but you know me. Could I ever kill a sentient being? You know the answer Xell. Please don't hold my diet against me."
Xell scoffed at the double standards.
"Well that's reassuring. We get to choose which of our baser urges are okay to follow now, huh? Tell you what: I'll trade you. The thimiar for your clothes. Since we're not holding our appetites against eachother."
Xell knew he wasn't being fair, but still hoped he was making his point. They had a greater purpose as Jedi, it was true. But sometimes he couldn't help but wonder if that purpose was so important... so grandiose that life was made needlessly difficult for the sake of putting on airs. The Order didn't fall when Orren enjoyed the occasional drink. Xell's action films did not make him overly violent (though his focus could be called into question). And the last Jedi to have a child likely didn't blow up the universe at it's birth. He could hear Orren laughing in his head.
I'm... sorry. I don't hold anything against you master. It's just I'm sure you know how some sentients can find little furry creatures as cute. He is a cute little bugger. And how can someone like me turn his back on something looking to me to save it's life? Look at him. He's a nervous wreck.
Xell pat the animal within his collar before pulling him from his inner shirt and laying him on the dresser behind him and stepping back in the room... by a foot. He closed the door behind him, allowing the thimiar to scurry off wherever.
As Sherasti began speaking about Xell's prowess in the mission he shook his feeling of sadness and smiled. So he performed admirably. That was good. He reminded himself that that was the important discussion here, not whether he could guilt Sherasti into sexual favors.
"Well, courage had nothing to do with what I did. You were in danger, so I acted. It's that simple. Any way, if I have to fight someone with a lightsaber, would'nt that be the same as our usual training sessions? Or do I actually have to win? I've faced a Dark Jedi in the past but... well, you know how that turned out."
Jet black hair... blue eyes... procelain skin...
Xell shook her image from his mind. The events that took place that night were still clear as day.
"...not to sound like I'm a Jedi master but... are Mandalorians truly a test of my skill? Granted I took a few scrapes here or there but I think that the trial I fought through this time wouldn't be good enough to prepare me for a lightsaber wielding opponent that wants my head. We have to train harder. Now."
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last online Apr 19, 2013 18:45:53 GMT -5
Master
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Jul 15, 2011 22:04:36 GMT -5
Post by Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy on Jul 15, 2011 22:04:36 GMT -5
Sherasti watched the thimiar scuttle off. And sighed. There was no way in her condition she could catch it again. And thimiars were notorious for working their way into impossible places. She hoped it wouldn't gnaw through some sort of important ship's system.
She focused on what Xell had to say, and was pleased he'd overcome his ridiculous notion of being eaten.
"True courage is just what you described. I was in danger, and you acted to save me. You rose to the occasion without thinking of yourself. You were selfless and decisive, and very brave. That is courage. You traveled into the akul's den to save me without fearing the jaws of the beast and-" Sherasti paused and chuckled. "Forgive me Xell, I'm sounding very Togruti right now." She commented wryly on her use of 'Togruta-isms.'
The Togruta Jedi brushed her hand absentmindedly over one of her lekku as she found her line of thought again.
"For your Trial of Skill, you need to prove you can hold your own against a foe with a lightsaber. It is possible to prevail without once striking your opponent. But you are right, we'll need to train for it. Well, you'll need to train for it. It may be some time before I heal enough to instruct you again. When we reach Coruscant I will find someone to instruct you in my place while I heal. Your training cannot wait for me."
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last online Dec 28, 2015 2:36:26 GMT -5
Padawan
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Jul 15, 2011 22:39:25 GMT -5
Post by ninjabot on Jul 15, 2011 22:39:25 GMT -5
"True courage is just what you described. I was in danger, and you acted to save me. You rose to the occasion without thinking of yourself. You were selfless and decisive, and very brave. That is courage. You traveled into the akul's den to save me without fearing the jaws of the beast and-" Sherasti paused and chuckled. "Forgive me Xell, I'm sounding very Togruti right now."
Xell stepped a bit further. "No, no, it's okay. It's fine. It's... you." Sherasti continued to speak of the specifics of the Jedi Trial of Skill.
"For your Trial of Skill, you need to prove you can hold your own against a foe with a lightsaber. It is possible to prevail without once striking your opponent. But you are right, we'll need to train for it. Well, you'll need to train for it. It may be some time before I heal enough to instruct you again. When we reach Coruscant I will find someone to instruct you in my place while I heal. Your training cannot wait for me."
Xell frowned. "But... you can just instruct me! We'll get a droid and you can just program it to mirror your movements, right?" Xell had just fought through hell to retrieve his master. He didn't want her to leave him so soon, but if he absolutely had to, then there was nothing he could say. He hated seeming so clingy, but it was just another one of his failings he would need to mind if he wanted to become a full fledged knight. Xell cleared his throat and stood up straight.
"Well... was there anything particular about my fighting that stood out? Something that would give me an idea as to which lightsaber forms I should stick with, and which to adopt? What about my access to the living force? Any particular excersises or abilities that I should incorporate?"
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last online Apr 19, 2013 18:45:53 GMT -5
Master
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Jul 15, 2011 22:56:59 GMT -5
Post by Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy on Jul 15, 2011 22:56:59 GMT -5
"Xell, come here." Sherasti beckoned her apprentice closer and placed her red hand on his own as she sat up a little straighter. Then she trained her violet eyes on him and made a promise. "You are my Padawan. I will not leave you."
She didn't know if Xell had read it in his book, but one of the most defining traits for Togruta was loyalty. And she was loyal to her Padawan, he was her responsibility. She was his guide. And she would never abandon that trust.
She sank back to a more comfortable position and rested her head on the pillow before continuing. "I will still be your master, but while I heal you need someone to help you with a lightsaber. But I promise we will still meditate and practice use of the Force every day."
Sherasti reached to her side and grabbed a glass of water, sipping it slowly. With her throat less dry, she was prepared to discuss lightsaber styles a little more.
"You must master Shii-Cho of course. But depending on what path you choose, you may find yourself learning more. You've already learned some Soresu, you could continue to develop that. Or you could learn another style as well. Once I am healed I will help you however I can. But I can tell you this right now: to be a swordsman, you have to first look into yourself and find what your weakness is. Then you must find a way to compensate for it. Sometimes the weakness is physical, like my arm. But other times it can be a part of the mind in need of change. Only you can truly find it. Practice and meditate every day and you will find your way forward. I have faith in you Padawan."
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last online Dec 28, 2015 2:36:26 GMT -5
Padawan
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Jul 16, 2011 1:31:45 GMT -5
Post by ninjabot on Jul 16, 2011 1:31:45 GMT -5
Xell felt at ease thanks to his master's vow. He wondered if Orren would have made the same promise. He put the thought away as Sherasti began speaking again. She promised to help guide him through his mastery of the Force everyday. That was good, though he was still apprehensive of going to yet another master.
"You must master Shii-Cho of course. But depending on what path you choose, you may find yourself learning more. You've already learned some Soresu, you could continue to develop that. Or you could learn another style as well. Once I am healed I will help you however I can. But I can tell you this right now: to be a swordsman, you have to first look into yourself and find what your weakness is. Then you must find a way to compensate for it. Sometimes the weakness is physical, like my arm. But other times it can be a part of the mind in need of change. Only you can truly find it. Practice and meditate every day and you will find your way forward. I have faith in you Padawan."
My weakness...?
What could that mean? He could have been reading too much into it, but Xell could have sworn that there was more to it. An underlying meaning. Not just his weakness in his stance, or his swordarm, or his strategy, but something more personal. He needed to hone his battle instincts aswell as his his ability to work through the force rather than with the force. He needed to learn to turn himself over to it completely.
It was strange. Xell's telekinisis got him out of plenty of sticky situations in the past few days. It had served him well. But even he knew that he was using it in a way unbecoming of an aspiring Jedi knight. Tossing the force around in currents of force with little thought behind them seemed in some way wasteful and aggressive. He would have to change.
"Thank you for your faith master. I think I'd like to be versatile in my swordsmanship. I don't have to be the strongest Soresu or Shii-cho practictioner... but I want to be good... passable atleast, at everything. I don't want there to be any situation where I'm incapable of defending those around me no matter what's thrown at me. I want the stamina and resilience to outlast aggressive foes... agility to outmaneuver stronger ones, and strength to make my strikes count."
Xell knew he was asking alot, but if he was willing to put forth the effort required of him to become as skilled as he was asking, then he surely could not be denied. Even if Sherasti thought it was a road to arduous to traverse, he would train on his own. The enemies they fought recently were all child's play compared to the true threats of the universe, and Xell could not face them without all of his strength. Atleast that is what Orren raised him to believe.
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last online Apr 19, 2013 18:45:53 GMT -5
Master
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Jul 16, 2011 9:44:08 GMT -5
Post by Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy on Jul 16, 2011 9:44:08 GMT -5
"Mastering every form would take a lifetime. If you feel called to it, than face the challenge. But there is an alternative," Sherasti advised. "Form VI, Niman, is 'the way of moderation.' It balances out all the forms of bladework that came before it. It lacks the level of strength a master in each form would have, but it exposes the Jedi to all disciplines. Niman also uses telekinesis, onf of the signature moves is pulling an enemy into the path of your blade. It could be perfect for you."
The Togruta suddenly felt rather tired and realized they'd been talking for a while. She'd just barely begun recovery, it was no surprise she was already exhausted.
"Now I need rest. Meditate and practice Xell, I'll be here for you if you need anything..."
Sherasti closed her eyes as she lowered the bed to a normal level for sleeping. And in a few seconds the slow and steady rise and fall of her breast showed she was resting peacefully.
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last online Dec 28, 2015 2:36:26 GMT -5
Padawan
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Jul 22, 2011 10:55:44 GMT -5
Post by ninjabot on Jul 22, 2011 10:55:44 GMT -5
"Now I need rest. Meditate and practice Xell, I'll be here for you if you need anything..."
Sherasti closed her eyes as she lowered the bed to a normal level for sleeping. And in a few seconds the slow and steady rise and fall of her breast showed she was resting peacefully.
Xell bounced the idea around in his head as to whether or not he should attempt a mastery of Niman. The prospect of versatility made really appealed to him, but it betrayed Master Orren's value of overwhelming strength. It was odd. Even now, while watching over his wounded master, he could not forget his past with the only person who truly meant anything to him.
Until now. Xell left Sherasti to rest after marveling at her heaving bosom for another minute or five. He made his way to the onboard computer and accessed the Jedi enclave database used to research potential bounties and jedi forms they would need to be on the look out for when persuing dangerous jedi. Inorder to read up more on Niman he searched through for a random dark Jedi that happened to use Form VI.
"Form VI. Way of the Rancor. Moderation form...?"
Xell twisted his lips and rose an eyebrow as if he had figured out something that Sherasti was hinting at when mentioning the form. According to the database the style allowed a jedi to fight while focusing on harmony and justice without the emphasis on needless aggression. Or overt emotion.
Xell crossed his arms. She was more experienced, and likely knew better than he, but Xell couldn't help but feel that mentioning Form VI was another way for Sherasti to say "simmer down" in a tongue-in-cheek manner. Focusing on such a demanding combat style would leave him no time to oggle her, and would allow him to stow his emotions inorder to truly advance in the style. It wasn't a bad idea at all... perhaps he was just reading too much into things. He tended to do that often.
Xell read on.
"Blah blah practicality... yadda yadda jack-of-all-trades... whoa! Hold the phone: largely dependant on intuition, improvisation, and creativity! Yes!!"
Xell's little amount of worry disappeared when he realized he had found the lightsaber form that allowed him to put his superhero tendencies into play. He would'nt be stifled by classic sentiments and could feel free to let his youthful imagination run wild mid-fight.
"Hm... I think I've found my form. Wait, what's this?"
Xell opened holo films displaying Niman techniques, stances, and sparring sessions. What surprised him was instances where one or both Jedi wielded not one, but two lightsabers.
"Mind=blown. That. Is. AWESOME!"
Rather than go to make his own breakfast finally Xell simply spent the rest of the morning reading up on the form and it's applications.
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