The Blind Leading the Blind (CLOSED)

[Juzt]

Kalan had observed Master Oki very carefully. He saw how is saber was always moving, only stopping briefly to deflect Kalan's awkward attacks. Essentially, Master Oki had created a circle around himself that Kalan's training saber could not pass beyond. Kalan immediately understood that Soresu was about control, waiting and listening. It was about being clear, calm and keeping perfect control of the space around yourself. Thinking ahead of the enemy, understanding them and yourself. Kalan bought his saber forward, which was met, almost before Kalan himself knew he was going to aim it, by Rune's saber. Kalan was staggered backwards by Rune's push. And he sensed Rune raise his hand ordering Kalan to halt which he did.

“Enough, I think I have used it enough for you to get the general idea. You’re tired, aren’t you?”

Kalan's breath was a little heavier, and his muscles had started to feel tired, but he had barely noticed in the excitement of sparring. Kalan simply nodded in agreement, finding it hard to speak.

“It’s important to keep momentum going as well as just blocking. If you keep swinging your blade, it builds the momentum allowing you to simply flick your opponent’s attack away, like deflecting a blaster bolt, unlike simply blocking. Keep your moves energy-efficient, so you don’t wear yourself out.”

Kalan listened to Rune's voice, and all the time he did, he moved the training saber round and round himself, mimicking as best he could Master Oki's technique. Keeping the saber moving in fluid swings. Kalan got the feeling, that Master Oki, felt that Kalan's blindness was a hindrance, from how carefully Master Oki explained the form to him. It was not really, Kalan could see through the force, where Master Oki was and could see the way his lightsaber moved. Kalan just could not see features, he knew Master Oki was a Mon Calamari but could not distinguish facial features. It also made it impossible for Kalan to read. However, he could 'see' clearly what Master Oki was doing.

“When you’re ready, and I’ll attack. Take your time, and catch your breath.”

“Attack?!” Kalan was shocked and surprised for a moment, then he took a deep breath. This was all an exercise after all what had he loose? He took a moment to calm down, and practised the motion with the training saber a few more times, he then turned to Master Oki dropping into a Soresu stance.

“I apologise Master. I am ready for you now.” Kalan felt anything but ready, but Kalan also knew if he waited till he felt ready they could both die of old age....

[Ghostie]

Rune watched Kalan’s expression change from tired to shocked real quick. He had to give the boy credit, most younglings would’ve probably found a way to weasel out of sparring with a Jedi Master by now. But Rune had a distinct feeling that Kalan was anything but the normal youngling. After all, most of his peers probably hadn’t endured the same hardships he had. And Rune wasn’t just thinking of the boy’s blindness.

“I apologise Master. I am ready for you now.”

“If you say so.”

Rune replied with a smirk. Raising his lightsaber again and igniting it, the Mon Calamari didn’t bother to begin with the Shii-Cho stance. Instead, he just attacked with a simple Shii-Cho slice to the boy’s side. Kalan blocked the attack just like Rune had expected, so they kept going. Rune only implemented Shii-Cho attacks. He wasn’t sure if Djem So was too advanced for the boy or not. But if Kalan did in fact become his apprentice, Djem So would be one of the first things he learned.

They continued like this for a few minutes or so, Kalan being able to keep up an acceptable defense. But Rune broke through eventually, and hit the boy in the shoulder with the tip of his saber. But the Jedi Master was still thoroughly impressed. Kalan had quite a bit of potential.

“I think that’s enough for now.”

Rune disengaged and shut down his lightsaber. There wasn’t much to Soresu than defense. And you really had to know the principles behind the form to understand it thoroughly.

“You did well. How about you meet me back here tomorrow after lunch, so I can teach you some more? Also, I suggest you study about Soresu on your own. You need to understand the principles behind it as well. Patience, control, being calm. They’re all essential. Perhaps we can study together... at a later time.”

[Juzt]

Kalan was breathing heavily. Every sinew, every part of his mind was focused on Master Oki’s saber and his own clashing, like they were moving on their own. He felt Master Oki testing and probing his defence at every point. All thought and emotion were banished from Kalan even his nervousness, fear and trepidation disappeared as he concentrated with all his effort on stopping Master Oki’s probing attacks. Eventually the inevitable happened and Kalan felt a blow to his shoulder that staggered him. His shoulder ached and he knew there would be bruise later.

“I think that’s enough for now.”

Kalan deactivated the training saber and dropped it, sending it clattering to the ground. He dropped into a sitting position next to it, exhausted and drained the sweat coming off him in rivulets. He ached all over and was frankly relieved that the session was over.


“You did well. How about you meet me back here tomorrow after lunch, so I can teach you some more? Also, I suggest you study about Soresu on your own. You need to understand the principles behind it as well. Patience, control, being calm. They’re all essential. Perhaps we can study together... at a later time.”

“Y-Yes….master.” Responded Kalan breathlessly. “I shall call upon…you tomorrow.” Kalan watched master Oki take his leave, and then left after him returning to his room, he climbed underneath his bed and slept where he was most comfortable, in a tight ball in a confined space.

Next day….

When Kalan awoke he felt every part of his body ache. He tramped stiffly and awkwardly back to the empty training room. It seemed to empty and the lights were off so it was dark inside, Kalan shuffled to a corner of the room, and sat on the floor his feet pulled in close to his chest with his back against the wall. Anyone not trained in the force would not have seen him in the dark corner.

He ran through all he had learned about Soresu in his head. He had pestered his teachers about it, and ended up with data pads filled on its history, and manuals on its use. Unfortunately not being able to read, he had had to ask them to read the information to him. He now however thought he grasped its fundamentals. He really hoped that it would pay off He waited for Master Oki in the dark….

[Ghostie]

Rune left Kalan in the training room by himself, and the Jedi Master continued with his rather boring day. Lunch by himself in the main cafeteria, more meditation in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, and observing some younglings in a sparring class. But none of them quite had what Kalan did. The Mon Calamari’s thoughts never left the Miralukan.

There was just something about that boy. He had opened up to Rune, telling him something he had probably told no one else. Kalan was obviously already trustworthy. And the fact that he felt guilty for something that wasn’t his fault, Rune saw this as an expression of the good that was stored inside of him. But also as something that was holding him back. They would work on it.

Rune had been dragging his feet about taking a new padawan. The Council wanted him to, but after his last one fell, he didn’t want to risk leading another good Jedi awry. Rune had set his standards high. Kalan had done well to meet them without knowing it.

The Next Day

Rune had made his decision. Getting up from the table in the cafeteria, he made sure to grab the cylinder that was next to his tray on the table. Iago’s saber. The same saber that the boy had made when he was a teenager. The same saber he had wielded across the galaxy in the darkside. The same saber that had given him the scar across the face.

He was planning to give the saber to Kalan, as an offer to take him as a padawan. Hopefully this saber would have a better history with the Miralukan. Somehow, Rune felt the saber deserved that much. It was a symbol of the Jedi, something special.

Rune walked into the dark training room he and Kalan had used the day before. He flipped on the lights that were near the door to find Kalan already in the room. Something was wrong… again.

“How are you Kalan? Did you sleep well?”

[Juzt]

“How are you Kalan? Did you sleep well?” Kalan gave a start and leapt up in shock, he had been half asleep. “Huh ? Oh wha…..Oh hullo Master” He recovered quickly an gave a rare smile. “I am sorry I must have dozed off. Yes I did sleep quite well, after our sparring I was tired and ached all over and went straight to sleeping my clan’s rooms.” He upended his bag revealing a large collection of holodisks and data pads. “However I made up for my sleeping time, by collecting these this morning, I also pestered all my teachers for everything they knew about Soresu.”

“Well not all of these are useful to me, as many of them are just words that are written down and I can’t read. But some of these are recordings of Masters of the past who knew Soresu, they have been helpful. I have not listened to them all yet, but I think I am getting it.”
Kalan continued on at great length about what he had learned miming Soresu movements with his hands, as he talked not stop and enthusiastically, especially about the history of Soresu which he seemed really interested in. Clearly Kalan rarely talked to other people, this was clear from the way Kalan talked at Rune. Eventually Kalan stopped talking and came to embarrassing halt, when he realised he had been talking non-stop for some time. “Eh well…that is what I learned.” He scratched his head nervously “Sorry Master for going off like that.” He blushed a little embarrassed.

[Ghostie]

Rune watched as the boy gave start and jumped up. Kalan then proceeded to dump the contens of his bag all over the floor. Nothing spilled out besides holodisks and datapads, which formed a good sized pile on the ground.

“Well not all of these are useful to me, as many of them are just words that are written down and I can’t read…”

Rune was startled. He guessed he had always taken reading for granted. Almost every being in the galaxy could read, and needed to be able to read for day to day life. Now how was Kalan suppose to study from books and holodisk? Rune wouldn’t always be there to read to him, and only some datapads where able read to the person using them. They would have to find some way to get over this. They could do it, they just needed to find a way.

“You… you can’t read? I didn’t know that. I’ll make sure then to help you study next time. But that leads into a question I have for you.”

Rune was sure about this. Kalan would make a great padawan, and an even better Jedi. But he didn’t want him to fall to the darkside just as Iago had. Rune would have to be tough on the boy, and improve his teaching.

The Mon Calamari slipped the second lightsaber from his sash and approached Kalan. Rune made sure to step over the pile of datapads and holodisks as he did so. This was somewhat awkward for Rune. He wasn’t quite sure what to say. Perhaps being blunt was the best way to go.

“Kalan, I’ve been looking for a new padawan for a few weeks now. None of the other younglings have quite caught my eye like you have. Granted, we didn’t start very well but I think that has changed. What I'm trying to ask is will you become my padawan?”

Rune ultimately wanted to leave the decision up to Kalan. He couldn’t force him to be taught anyways, he wouldn’t learn anything that way. Rune waited patiently for Kalan to answer.

[Juzt]

“Kalan, I’ve been looking for a new padawan for a few weeks now. None of the other younglings have quite caught my eye like you have. Granted, we didn’t start very well but I think that has changed. What I'm trying to ask is will you become my padawan?”

The whole situation felt surreal bizarre even. Master Oki seemed to be moving in slow motion to Kalan, who simply stood with his mouth agape. *Could this really be happening? No it has to be a dream…but it feels real enough.*

Kalan almost in a trance reached out and touched the lightsaber in Rune’s hand, it looked oversized in his hand and felt cold. However, it proved to Kalan’s satisfaction that this was not a dream. “Of…. Of….course I would love to be your Padawan master.”

He looked away for a moment “I feel a little undeserving, but I will do everything in my power to make sure you don’t regret picking me.”

He could not believe it his greatest dream was coming true, maybe he did not deserve it, maybe his guilt could not be expunged but if he was a padawan he could, use his live to help others rather than doing the damage he had done before. He bowed stiffly before Master Oki.

[Ghostie]

Kalan reached out and brushed the saber hilt Rune held. The boy seemed shocked at first. Natural of course, he’d get over it in time. Then the boy started to go on about how he felt undeserving and would make sure Rune did not regret his decision. Rune thought that if he thought he would later regret his decision, he wouldn’t have taken him as a padawan in the first place.

The Mon Calamari laid a cool hand on Kalan’s shoulder in attempt to comfort the boy. No there would be no regrets. Not on Rune’s part at least.

“Kalan, there will be no regrets. I’ve been thinking this over for awhile. I don’t think I’ve made a decision I will regret. You have the potential to be a great Jedi, and I’m going to make sure you get there. And I wouldn’t have chosen you if you did not deserve it. Also…”

Rune crouched down next to Kalan and put Iago’s Saber into his hands. It felt weird, giving up the only thing he had left to remember his past padawan by. There was so much destruction wrought by this very lightsaber. Hopefully Kalan would do some good with it.

“I want you to have this. Your own lightsaber. Of course you’ll make your own in time, but this can replace your training saber for now.”

Rune got up and started for the door, they had a long day ahead of them. Too much to do, too little time. Best they get started right away.

“Now come on Kalan, we’ve got a lot to do.”

[Juzt]

Kalan felt Rune’s hand touch him, and he felt calmer and relaxed.

"Kalan, there will be no regrets. I’ve been thinking this over for awhile. I don’t think I’ve made a decision I will regret. You have the potential to be a great Jedi, and I’m going to make sure you get there. And I wouldn’t have chosen you if you did not deserve it. Also…”

He felt the lightsaber being placed in his hand. It somehow seemed even larger. Kalan rolled over the hilt in his hands, it was a longer thicker bulkier hilt than he had seen many Jedi Knights use. The saber felt odd by more than just it’s size, it felt cold and shuddered when he held it, as if the saber had done something. It just felt odd, but Kalan grasped it as if it were a life line.

“I want you to have this. Your own lightsaber. Of course you’ll make your own in time, but this can replace your training saber for now.”

He smiled up at Rune, just feeling oddly happy and safer now he had the saber in his hand. He felt Rune stand up and leave the training room.

"Now come on Kalan, we’ve got a lot to do.”

Kalan stared at the saber one more time, and affixed it to his belt. It was too big and weighed his clothes down slightly, but Kalan did not care… he was Padawan what he always wanted. He could begin the process of living a meaningful existence. Kalan shouted after his master “Of course Master Oki I am coming.” He then ran after his Master. He was running out of darkness and into the light.

Kalan and his Master’s adventures were about to begin......