http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k175/Sesharon/JediPurgeActOne.jpg)
Act One
There is no emotion, there is peace.
Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
Through passion, I gain strength.
There is no passion, there is serenity.
Through strength, I gain power.
There is no chaos, there is harmony.
Through power, I gain victory.
There is no death, there is the Force.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall set me free...
---
Night had fallen.
The cavernous halls of the Jedi Temple were silent, but for the faint echo of lightsaber combat.
In a secluded corner of the temple - a training room flanked by sepulcrhal columns and statues of the ancients - a small group of Jedi practised technique with their hissing energy weapons.
Araphas leaned against an enormous pillar, observing the others while they sparred. His crimson skinned face was blank, emotionless - though his eyes sparkled with the reflected light of the sabers as they whirled and sparked in the hands of the duelists.
His thoughts wandered, sifting through the horrific memories of the past few months. Images streaked like lightning across his mind. Arboreal landscapes, treacherous jungles, soldiers glistening in their white armor, wave after unified wave of unrelenting Separatist droids. Laserfire. Smoke and flames. Delphi...
The Jedi shook his head violently, dispelling the past. Focus on the now, he reminded himself, let the Force heal those wounds.
He didn't believe it of course. Some scars ran too deep, even for the Force. The Clone Wars would leave it's hideous mark on Araphas forever. At night, all he could see was Delphi's broken body in his arms. Whenever he closed his eyes, he could see the flickering tongues of flame, rendering her beauty to ashes.
Why did you have to die?
His companions were deeply engaged in their little contest. The Living Force danced through their limbs, sharpening their accuracy, heightening their senses, infusing their muscles with strength and alacrity. Araphas watched them reverently, forgetting his troubles for the moment. He smiled.
"Alright then," he said, springing from the pillar. With an exertion of the Force, his lightsaber flew from his belt to settle comfortably between his fingers. His mind crawled inside the hilt, probing for the mechanism which activated the blade. The yellow beam ignited with a snap-hiss which echoed throughout the vaulted chamber. It hummed gently in his hand. He grinned wolfishly.
"Let me show you a thing or two..."
Sib Diya sat up against a one of the monolithic pillars in a dark corner of the room, watching his older peers duel. He was very uninterested in 'the older folk', as he called them, and only enjoyed the fact that they hadn't noticed him, because the initiates were supposed to be off to bed at this hour.
He was getting bored though, just sitting and staring at the tall, strong figures; men, women, of all kinds of species. He wanted to duel as well, but he knew if he tryed, they'd be stingy like most adults and just chew him out and tell him to get in bed. He looked down on the sleeping form of his friend, Renda Darkmarj, a Zabrak. She lay sidewise on the floor, resting her head on one of his legs; he slowly lifted her head, then slipping out from his position, he gently set it back down. He got up and looked around, then seeing a perfect spot he slinked to the general visinity, without any notice.
He pulled out a long, and obscure datapad, that had many apertures sticking from it, and utility items that went with it. He couldn't see, or do much in that light, so he decided that getting closer would be better, and he did so. With amazing stealth he crept into a secluded, yet well lit area, where he could see better, and if the 'older folk' were too busy, or not paying attention, as most of them were, then he could easily get away with his vantage point. So he did, for the moment, and taking one of the utilities, and pressing on some of the apertures, he began studying the figures. He started with a lady who was doing nothing, he looked her up and down, raised both eyebrows, let out a light, barely audible whistle, and started pressing into the datapads screen, looking from the figure to the datapad as he went.
Soon, he was halfway done, and it already looked like a masterpiece. He looked it up and down with a smile, then looked at the lady, then smiled, and continued...his drawing. Only hoping no one would notice him, at least not until he had drawn one of the duels in action.
Tul Abidijah glanced sideways at the young Iridorian as he sat drawing, his eager attention flipping rapidly from the duelists to his datapad. She smiled slightly, noticing the inconspicuous place he had chosen to work from. It was just as well, most people would have probably sent him off to bed had they noticed. Force knows that happened to me often enough...
She turned her attention back to the duelists, watching as they danced around each other in rhythmic motion. As their blades clashed again, Araphas grinned, straightened up from the pillar on which he had been leaning, and activated his lightsaber. His voice rang strong even from the other side of the room.
"Let me show you a thing or two..."
"Oh, come on Araphas," she said jokingly. "You've 'shown' those two often enough. Care to show me?" Her lightsaber ignited, the blue blade shimmering an unmistakable invitation.
The Jedi Knight, Jorran Corral was practicing his Lightsaber skills on a simple training Droid. These training Droids wasn't the greatest way of practice, but it would do. Jorran concentrated on the way the Droid moved and as it shot, Jorran blocked the shot. The Droid dodged the shot and returned to shoot again. Jorran threw his green Lightsaber at the Droid, which destroyed it. Jorran smiled and walked towards the pillar that Araphas had been leaning on a while ago.
Araphas swivelled in mid-step, locks of tendril-hair shifting around his shoulders. He regarded Tul with a raised eyebrow, then nodded slowly, accepting her challenge.
The two bowed respectfully before shifting into battle stance.
Araphas studied his opponent's posture. Weight on the front foot, lightsaber held out, hands tight on the hilt. Agressive Neutral. She was a practitioner of Shien.
He shifted his own stance to better counter hers, widening his feet and holding his saber low and closer to his waist.
"Very well, Master Abidijah," he quipped, "let's give the apprentices something to remember about tonight."
The Jedi swept foward, whipping his lightsaber into a wide sweep. Outwardly, it looked like a foolish move, leaving him wide open to counterattack. But Araphas was in complete control of his movements. He was one with the Force, in harmony with the momentum, the lightsaber as much a part of him as the arm that held it. Even as he struck out, his penetrating mind focused on Tul, gauging her thoughts, trying to predict her reaction.
Araphas' blade connected with Tul's, jarring hideously against it. Sparks flew from the conflicting beams of energy, locking together. Araphas grinned at his opponent, predatory teeth glinting.
He pressed the assault. This one was stronger then she looked.
He liked her already.
As Jorran watched several Padawans and Knights spar with each other, he knew how much he had bored himself to death. Nobody had asked to spar with him, but who would? Most Knights were fighting with inexperienced Padawans.
As newly knighted, Alex Skyrider wandered through the halls of the Jedi Temple, he was thinking about his Kel Dor Master, Nedaj Rrok, and the Clone Wars. Count Dooku was dead, and now, General Grievous was all that it remained. He noticed several Jedi training, including Jedi Knight Araphas versus Jedi Knight Tul Abidijah. He smiled, and then looked out to Jedi Knight Jorran Corral. He appeared to be bored, seeing their duel. He took out his datapad, and started writing.
Year 3 of the Clone Wars, Day 55.
Count Dooku has been defeated! He was killed by Master Kenobi and Knight Skywalker in a duel, in which Skywalker beheaded him with his Lightsaber. With this loss, the CIS has probably already lost, but one must not celebrate before it happens. General Grievous is still on loose, and the Count taught him everything he knew. The Council has sent Master Kenobi to deal with him on to Utapau, where the General has been reported to be sighted. We have not had reports of the situation yet, but i believe...
A Jedi Youngling quickly burst in the room, ready to deliver a bombshell new...
"Jedi friends," He said, probably gathering their attention, "Master Kenobi was successful, General Grievous has been defeated!"
Alex's smile quickly turned into a grin, the CIS had lost! He then continued writing...
Fantastic news, a Youngling burst into the room and shouted that Master Kenobi was succesful in defeating General Grievous, the CIS has lost, and the Republic stands tall! We have won the Clone Wars! The Jedi Order has suffered numerous losses in this war, but it won't take much time to rebuild our numbers, until then, goodbye, and May The Force Be With You.
He stopped writing, and then turned to the attentions of his comrades.
Sib sat watching Tul and Araphas's duel, then he saw one of his fellow initiates burst in to give the news of Grievous's death. He stared at him for awhile, which was a bad idea, because he turned in his direction and saw him. The youngling opened his mouth and raised his hand to wave hello. Sib's eyes grew wider, and he shook his head to indicate; 'dont do it'. "Hey Si...oomph..." he was cut short because Sib had flicked his nose with the force. Sib lowered his upraised hand, the boy stopped, thought, and realised his error, then regaining his posture, he stared at the floor and mumbled something, and left the room, rubbing his nose as he went.
Sib looked around, no one seemed to have noticed him, though some seemed confused at how the boy's head jerked back so suddenly, when he was about to say something. Sib grinned, "heheh, good," he mumbled. After that he decided to get to a better position to draw Tul and Araphas's duel.
Scampering to an area between two pillars, which was less concealed, he studied their positions, which was at a stand still at the moment because of the arrival of the news. He found this a good opportunity to draw them, considering they wouldn't be still for long. But his happy moment was soon interupted; he felt something, no, someone staring at him, he looked up. He saw Tul, she was still staring at Araphas, him doing likewise, he saw another jedi, putting his datapad away, but he wasn't paying attention to him, he knew none of the others noticed him, due to the fact they were all dueling. Then he heard breathing next to him; looking up to his left, over his shoulder a bit, he saw someone leaning on one of the pillars next to him, it was a man, obviously a knight, he seemed bored, except the fact that he was glancing at Sib. "...didn't see that coming," he said to himself as he turned, in his crouching position, and looked up at the man with a sheepish, fake-innocence grin.
The youngling left the room and Jorran thought to himself, well things are certainly on the up. He then walked over to fellow newly appointed Jedi Knight, Alex Skyrider.
"Say Alex, fancy a bit of sparring?" He asked kindly.
Jack limped through the training room. Observing the padawans and jedi knights as they trained. He was enjoying his new role as a trainer and when things had calmed down he could make a request to the Jedi Council that he could take up this job for pernant. Jack knew the war was almost over, he was also guessing the next missions the council give to the Jedi will to be doing something to restore this planet to it's former glory. It either be clearing up some reminant CIS forces or to help solve diplomatic debates between planet's effected by the Clone Wars. It is going to be a long couple of years Jack thought to himself.
The youngling left the room and Jorran thought to himself, well things are certainly on the up. He then walked over to fellow newly appointed Jedi Knight, Alex Skyrider.
"Say Alex, fancy a bit of sparring?" He asked kindly.
"Sure Jorran," Alex said, igniting his Lightsaber as his white blade, surrounded by the lime-green glow, "Just don't think i'll take you on kindly."
"Sure Jorran," Alex said, igniting his Lightsaber as his white blade, surrounded by the lime-green glow, "Just don't think i'll take you on kindly."
Jorran smiled as he ignited his Lightsaber. His Lightsaber like Alex's was white, with a green glow surrounding the blade.
"Well, I've been a Knight longer than you've been," Jorran warned, "So, you're going to be suprised by my skills."
He brought his Lightsaber towards Alex, wondering if he would counter.
Alex grinned, crouched to one knee backwards, and brought his Lightsaber up, the tip of the blade facing his left, as he blocked the blow, pushed Jorran's Lightsaber back, then twirling his own.
"Yes, but," Alex said, rushing at him and swinging diagonally from up by the right, "I'm a Jedi Guardian."
Alex grinned, crouched to one knee backwards, and brought his Lightsaber up, the tip of the blade facing his left, as he blocked the blow, pushed Jorran's Lightsaber back, then twirling his own.
"Yes, but," Alex said, rushing at him and swinging diagonally from up by the right, "I'm a Jedi Guardian."
Jorran grinned back and rolled backwards, avoiding yet another attack. Jorran twirled his own Lightsaber, taunting his opponent.
"Yes, but," Jorran began, rushing back towards him, "I'm a Jedi Consular. Brute strength isn't always useful, you know."
Sib's grin faded, and he let out a quiet sigh as the man he thought had seen him went to someone else and started dueling. He looked back to Araphas and Tul, who had moved, and were now farther away, and dueling, thus constantly moving, making it harder for him to catch the two in their previous positions.
He got even closer, coming into the open, and out of what little hiding the pillars gave him. He soon found no one was paying a bit of attention to him, because most were too busy dueling to notice. But he didn't take any chances and decided to keep in his stealthy crouching position. He got right near the duel of Araphas and Tul, and started drawing, to the best of his ability at drawing the moving duo. But then when he had completed the drawing after much time, he noticed the one mistake he made at coming into the open. When the two he had been drawing came out of their duel, which didn't look to be too far away, then he would be caught, and he wasn't quite done drawing them yet, not quite yet indeed, and he didn't like leaving drawings unfinished. He sat there, his mind rushing; 'What to do? What to do!? Oh, great, they're gonna finish, I'll be noticed, sent to bed, chewed out first though, then I'll be made to do extra chores and training tomorrow!! Great, why didn't I see this coming!?' shouted to himself in his mind, still etching away, trying to finish as fast as he could before the two finished, whenever they would.
Tul dodged sideways away from another of Araphas' attacks, then leaped suddenly into the air as she almost collided with the Iridorian kid, still sketching on his datapad. Sailing over his head, she landed next to him, wondering briefly how he had managed to sneak closer without her noticing.
"Force, you're hard to keep track of," she said with a good-natured smile.
Araphas watched, feigning shock that Tul had nearly tripped over the initiate. Inwardly however, he was laughing in good-natured triumph. He had noticed the young Iridorian the moment he ducked into the room, and had planned the entire incident. Sokan was a lightsaber technique that focused on using the environment to one's advantage. Every blow, every movement was executed with perfect precision, aiming to control the opponents movements.
It had turned out exactly as Araphas planned, and looked like a complete accident. An'ya Kuro would be proud, he mused.
"Are you alright, Master Abidijah?" he ventured, lightsaber lowered casually.
"Oh, I'm fine," she said. "And stop calling me Master. I'm just an ordinary Knight, as you should well know after witnessing that spectacle." She laughed. "I can't believe the Clone Wars are finally over," she remarked with a smile.
"Oh, I'm fine," she said. "And stop calling me Master. I'm just an ordinary Knight, as you should well know after witnessing that spectacle."
"It was just a gesture. An acknowledgement of respect between fellows." he assured her, his free hand raised palm-up in deference. "If you don't like it, I can just call you Tul."
"And the Clone Wars are not over...not yet," he added, his tone becoming somber. For him, they would never really be over. He had lost the only person he had ever truly cared for.
"It was just a gesture. An acknowledgement of respect between fellows." he assured her, his free hand raised palm-up in deference.
"No one regards me as a 'fellow," he mumbled to himself, saddly. He looked up at the two jedi, chatting away, quickly forgetting him, he almost felt sad he didn't get noticed for too long, he may have had little interest in the 'older folk', but it didn't mean he never wished to talk to them, he found that, that was the only thing interesting about them, they talked about things he knew nothing about, or talked to eachother as peers, rather than adressing eachother formaly, as he constantly had to do. He gave a sigh as he heard them carry on, he didn't make a move, assuming he would be dealt with when they were done.
He wished he could have a chance to duel, but he knew it was too late for that, especially now that he was caught. He decided to at least fill the time in by drawing, so he drew from his vantage point, the two hovering over him, carrying out their conversation. He drew it just as he saw it, looking upwards, he could see the bottum of their jaws, the less attractive, inside of their noses, and the illusion of them being shorter, due to the fact that he was right next to them, and looking up.
"He is right Tul," Alex said, parrying the blow and entering in a saber clash, then backflipping, "As much as i would like it, Viceroy Nute Gunray still lives."
"Oh and, Jorran," He said, turning his attention back to his duel, "The Force is what really embodies us here."
"Of course you can call me Tul," she said. Araphas' light-hearted tone changed, and a sad expression began to take over his features. She looked away from him and back towards the boy as he muttered something and began to draw again.
"Viceroy Nute Gunray still lives," Alex mentioned as he continued his duel.
"Nut Gunray?" Tul said. "Nute Gunray and the other Separatist leaders will simply run at the first sign they might be losing. You know they don't have the courage to fight the wars they start. And it shouldn't be too hard to find them and put an end to this nonsense."
Still, something felt... off. She knew she should have been joyous at the news, and yet she felt vaguely worried instead. Brushing away the thought, she turned to the young Iridonian and sat down beside him, deigniting her lightsaber with a bow to Araphas.
"And what makes you think that?" she asked him.
"Indeed, although, who knows, maybe the Force will deal with them itself," He said, waiting for Jorran to make the next move, then turning to the youngling.
"Don't think so negative like that Youngling, emotions lead to the Dark Side." He lectured the Youngling.
"Do they?" Araphas replied, with an obvious bitterness in his voice. He deignited his own saber with a sigh, letting his hand fall limply to his side. "Do they, Alex? Because I have learnt otherwise. Emotion is not a flaw, it's what makes us living, feeling creatures. The key to achieving balance in the Force is not to stymie one's emotions, but to control them. You of all people should know that."
He knelt to stare face to face with the young Jedi Initiate, eyebrows furrowed in sympathy.
"Youngling, you are above all, a person. And in that respect, you are equal to all of us. Try to remember that, and I promise you, you will come to be recognised."
He smiled, but it was a smile tinged with sadness.
Alex smiled, "There is no emotion, there is peace, i wasn't talking about everything, but in general. "
Sib kept drawing, then he turned to the lady, obviously named Tul, and tilting her head he said, "hold still," continuing to draw. Then he finished and stared over at Tul to answer her question, "I have no friends, except for Renda, and even she has more friends than me. No elder, besides the Masters respect me, and the 'older'...um...my peers," at this he looked around with a contemptuous look at the jedi who were in the visinity, then continued, "show no interest in a person of my minor skill and age, and show me little respect, not considering me to be a 'fellow'....basically, I'm just seen as a child, a youngling, which I am, yet I'm noticed even less than the other younglings by everyone else," he said becoming sadder and more depressed.
"Don't think so negative like that Youngling, emotions lead to the Dark Side." He lectured the Youngling.
At this Sib just looked at the floor, even MORE depressed, because he was being lectured, just as he thought he'd be, and he was already just reminded how much his life sucked. "I'm one of the most talented initiates, yet I'm seen as a pest..." he mumbled to himself. Then he inhaled through his nose deeply, and his pupils shrank visibly, and he started scanning the floor, he reached out and took a sample of something liquid off the floor with his index finger. Bringing it up to his nose he inhaled deeply, then let out a satisfied sigh. "Ah! Blood," he sighed, then smeering it on the floor, he glanced at Tul and said, "I think it's yours." At this he got into an even worse state of depression, his eyes expanding back to normal, he muttered, "another reason I'm not respected, or dont have any friends." At this he put his head in hands and slipped into a state of major depression, waiting to be lectured by the surrounding jedi, most likely the one who just lectured him, or Tul.
Sib also heard what Araphas had to say, but this didn't brighten his perspective on the immediate, or distant future. He only wished to be noticed now, even if it WERE the 'older folk'.
((Okay, why am I bleeding? I don't mind, I just want to know. Did I scratch myself or something?))
"Indeed, although, who knows, maybe the Force will deal with them itself," He said, waiting for Jorran to make the next move, then turning to the youngling.
"Don't think so negative like that Youngling, emotions lead to the Dark Side." He lectured the Youngling.
"For once Alex, I agree with you," Jorran told Alex, "And Alex is right youngling. The dark side is nothing to fear of. Remember the Jedi Code and you'll be fine," He paused to talk to Alex, "Fancy another spar?"
"Wait a sec Jorran," Alex said. He walked up to the youngling Sib, "Don't think too great of you, arrogance is another trait of the Dark Side. And you might be one of the best damn Jedi ever, if you follow the Code, and serve the galaxy with justice."
Ah! Blood," he sighed, then smeering it on the floor, he glanced at Tul and said, "I think it's yours."
"Huh, i'm guessing it's just a little scratch or so, but perhaps you should go clean yourself before continuing, he Tul?"
((You dont have to be bleeding DL, Sib said, 'I think', he didn't say for certain. If you dont want to be bleeding, then it's fine, someone else could be bleeding, I was just making a point, he has a lack of respect and friends due to his Iridorian nature, which is the love of blood.))
((I was just curious, I don't mind))
Tul turned her head and examined her right forearm. A small cut oozed blood slowly, beginning to scab over again. She winced and pressed on it with two fingers, pushing the edges back together.
"Blast," she said. "It opened again. Someone left a very important part out of the Jedi Code - 'There is no juggling of vibroknives...'"
"There is the constant cutting," Alex joked, "I would go to the refresher and clean myself."
He then turned to Jorran, "Now we can," He said, jumping to his front and up, landing behind Jorran.
"There is the constant cutting," Alex joked, "I would go to the refresher and clean myself."
He then turned to Jorran, "Now we can," He said, jumping to his front and up, landing behind Jorran.
"Right, okay then," Jorran told Alex, getting his Lightsaber out once again.
Tul disappeared for a few minutes, then returned with the cut neatly bandaged. Sitting back down beside the Iridonian kid, she looked at him from the corner of her eye.
"Are you bored?" she whispered conspiratorially.
Sib, scanned through his drawings from that night, four in all. One of the lady, or now known to him as Tul; one of a previous duel; one of Araphas and Tul's duel; last was the drawing from the sitting position he was in. He lowered it with a light smile, but a sigh of sadness. Then Tul came back, sitting next to him, which made him a little uncomfortable. But to his shock she didn't lecture him, instead she asked if he was bored.
He kept staring forward, trying to dispell his depression, then without looking at her he said, "yes, I'm bored." At this he put his datapad away, and waited for what Tul had to say, sitting up straight, andstaring forward almost military like, practicing the rules of manners and respect that were so enforced by his initiate teachers.
Tul blinked and shook her head in mild amusement as the kid straightened up.
"Why so formal?" she said, calling a training saber to her hand from a rack on the other side of the room. "Care to spar?"
Araphas, disenchanted by the joviality of those around him, receeded into the background, observing the others as they bantered. Tul and Sib, Jorran and Alex and Jack. Their voices were lighter all of a sudden, less strained. They seemed to move more easily, as though a burden had been lifted from their shoulders.They were relieved now that the Clone Wars were drawing to a close. He did not share in their cheerfulness.
Sometimes he felt so different, so alien when he was around other Jedi.
A Sith, a Jedi...both, neither. In the end, Araphas was simply apart. A sheep disguised as a wolf disguised as a sheep.
He watched the youngling shuffle through his sketches. He watched the others resume their camaraderie. Their robes buffeted as they leapt into friendly combat. He looked down at his own robes. Darker then the others, dreary browns and sables. He remembered a time when he wore brighter, more vibrant colours - milky greys and tans. That was long before he learnt about his true nature. Did the others suspect? Did they know anything about his genealogy? No. They barely knew of the Sith, much less the True Sith. Thank the Force for small mercies.
It was true, the Dark Side was something to be feared...it was easy to denounce it as something to avoid. But none of these Jedi had ever really encountered it for themselves. It has become so much a part of their tradition that many Jedi forget what the Dark Side truly is. Fear, hatred, aggression, lust, envy, pride, greed...these are just pathways to the Dark Side, openings for the darkness to seep through. The Dark Side itself was something deeper, more primal. It had a life of its own. It begged to be used, it demanded attention. It can be so easy, to turn to it in a moment of weakness, if only for an instant. Only it gets easier every time, until you come to rely on it. And then it's already too late to turn back. You are a servant, a slave...a puppet.
For Araphas, the darkness had been there for all his life, lurking insidiously beneath his skin. It was as much a part of him as the Force. Or rather, he was a part of it.
Araphas stared blankly at the deactivated lightsaber in his palm, eyes tracing the intricate, organic patterns of the hilt. His hand opened and closed around the precious weapon. His free hand went automatically to the other one strapped to his utility belt. Delphi's lightsaber. The one he retrieved from her lifeless body.
How could any of them know?
He snapped to attention suddenly, chastising himself for such dark thoughts. It was not like him to mope. He needed to stop mulling things over so much. He needed a distraction in his life.
He glanced over at Sib and Tul, who seemed to be establishing a connection with each other. One that he could easily see evolving into a Master and Apprentice relationship.
And for the first time since he was knighted, Araphas began to consider taking on an apprentice of his own.
"Why so formal?" she said, calling a training saber to her hand from a rack on the other side of the room. "Care to spar?"
Sib didn't look at Tul, but he instictivly pulled out his training saber. He stared at it, then feeling a familiar tug in his gut he looked up, the tug wasn't coming from him so much, as it was coming from the outside. He looked around, searching the room, until his crimson Iridorian eyes rested on Araphas, he seemed disstracted, and he eminated a feeling Sib knew well, yet this feeling was stronger, and a bit indifferent. His whole life he had, had this strange feeling that burned in him, now he felt it in someone else, yet different, but he decided to push the thought aside for now, and concentrate on it later. But his mind wondered, he felt no relief from the news of the war being over, though he cared little about the war anyways, he felt that something wasn't over, not just yet, not just yet.
Sib looked over at Tul with sad, distracted eyes and smiled at her, "I'm formal for several reasons; one, is I'm taught to show respect to the 'older'...erm...my peers; two, is I'm taught to show extra respect in the pressence of..." at this he figited, and swollowed hard, "...um...wo-wo-wo...la-ladies," he stuttered, feeling a flush of embarassment, in which he scooted in the other direction of Tul, trying to put some distance between them.
At this he looked away, and sprang up with the energy of youth, and turning back to Tul he offered his hand in helping her up, but he stared at the floor while he did so. "Erm...I'd love to spar," answering her second question, and trying to change the subject.
Tul mentally smacked herself as she realized she was making the kid nervous.
"Okay then," she said, activating the saber and bowing slightly.
Sib activated his own saber, the common blue blade coming out of it's emitter and lens. He stared at it amused, grinning and swinging it with out care, side-to-side, front-to-back, he swung it staring up at her he said, "start when you feel your ready, I know I am." He just kept swinging, staring at his saber, then up to her and back again, and so on and so forth, not in any specific stance or form, just waiting for Tul to make the first move.
Tul smiled inwardly. The kid had confidence, a trait she had always admired. She raised her own saber and swung it towards him, nothing fancy, just to see how he would react.
Alex swung vertically at Jorran's back, but this one blocked by swinging his Lightsaber backwards. Alex then spun around, and swung at around Jorran's chest from his right, but he blocked as well. He focused more on the Force and the Ataru Form, and started swinging with everything he got.
Sib didn't even look up at Tul when she swung, he just side stepped the stroke that came down at him. But he didn't retaliate, he realized that the swing was too simple, he just shook his head at her and tutted, waiting for when she really tried.
Tul grinned. I did that same thing so many times... Twirling the lightsaber, she swung it towards him, angling first towards his chest, then sweeping upwards.
Alex swung vertically at Jorran's back, but this one blocked by swinging his Lightsaber backwards. Alex then spun around, and swung at around Jorran's chest from his right, but he blocked as well. He focused more on the Force and the Ataru Form, and started swinging with everything he got.
Jorran leapt high into the air and landed behind Alex. He struck at him, but Alex was good at defending himself with a Lightsaber. Even Jorran's tricks wouldn't pass his Lightsaber. Jorran rolled backwards and threw his Lightsaber. Once again, Alex managed to block the flying Lightsaber and Jorran used the Force to pull it back towards him. Jorran ran towards Alex, unaware of what trick he would pull off next.
Alex grinned, and sure of his abilities, backflipped. Thinking he had kicked Jorran in the face, he ran, only to be Force Pushed back to the ground. He then jumped, spinning in the air to his normal posture. He grabbed his Lightsaber with his other hand, now focusing in the defense. He changed from Ataru to Makashi, which was his best Form. He twirled around his saber.
Although, he felt cold, like something bad was coming, and real quick.
"I have a bad feeling about this," He muttered.
Jack felt the same coldness as Alex did. "A storm is approching," He found himself saying "The clone wars is now over but I can't help feeling that another one has just began."
Sib bent backwards a bit, bringing his saber up quickly, blocking the angling strike. He then decided to get alittle more serious, and with that he jumped up, flying up above her, he went for a strike at her head while coming down at her.
Tul deactivated her lightsaber and rolled underneath the Iridorian's attack, then, as she rose, reignited the blade and swung it around towards him while he still faced away from her.
Sib sensed her striking at his back, he quickly turned and blocked the strike, but went into a saber lock, he pressed the attack by putting alot of his stregnth into pushing her backwards, though he knew that it wouldn't work, due to the advantage of Tul being older, and thus bigger than him. But he had started the lock, so he decided to see it to the end, no matter what end came to him, from it.