Private A lesson in balance

[Reggie Faayare]

On the outskirts of the forest, Reggie was practicing his technique in Soresu while also honing his force sense ability. Soresu and the force were two of Reggie's greatest assets, his ability to come up with different strategies on the fly being the only thing that might equal both. His other forms weren’t as refined and utilized his strengths as much as Soresu, and he usually never gets the upper hand in fights when it comes to raw strength. That didn’t mean the Padawan didn’t build up his strength though. He was much more muscular than how he was his first few years as a Jedi, and had learned so much more since then.

With his eyes covered by a piece of cloth and his lightsaber in hand, Reggie was defending himself from three different training droids circling around and shooting at him. Nearby was a datapad that had a few different tabs up. One of the tabs contained the members in the Beergrufta clan, some of them crossed off. It was supposed to remind Reggie that he should check in with some of the clan members and make sure they're alright. As clan Prefect, Reggie wanted to make sure everyone was comfortable and would have any assistance if needed.

Another tab had different planets within SJO space, the chances of them being invaded by the Sith, and how they should best defend them. It contained different strategies in how to use the terrain of those planets effectively and how many defensive units they may need. There were also notes on the different forces and key fighters Reggie had met and fought on the battlefield, and how they could possibly gain an advantage over them. The Padawan had already fought against the Sith in two different situations, and those were only considered skirmishes. He was obviously shaken from those battles and was doing his best to prepare for the possibility of more.

Reggie was deflecting every shot that came at him, using the momentum of his movement to deflect close calls, which Soresu was good at doing. The droids would speed up and slow down, move farther away from him and close the distance between him, and moving up and down while shooting. All this to keep the Padawan alert and make it so he couldn’t completely predict where the next shot would come from. He was able to keep this up for awhile, but took a shot in the shoulder and a bit later in the leg. “Stop program.” The droids stopped moving and just floated in the air. He removed the cloth from his eyes, which revealed dark circles under his eyes. He hasn’t been getting much sleep. He was working himself too much, but he didn’t see that.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Your stance is getting lax."

He had watched this from afar, wishing to spectate but not to interrupt his Padawan's training. The Jedi Master had since healed up from his battle wounds, and while the gaping hole in his back was gone, a mark remained that would remind him always of what he had sacrificed to do what needed to be done. Thus he had returned to business, and to teaching full time. As well as getting back on the field. Once Reggie had terminated the program though, the Jedi Master stepped from the shadows. He walked over and motioned for Reggie to stand at attention. It was there that he noticed the dark circles around his eyes. It was clear then what was going on.

"You're not sleeping" He pointed out bluntly. "Is there an issue, Padawan? Something keeping you awake? A Jedi needs to be awake and alert, and well-rested if they are to perform to the best of their abilities. An exhausted body doesn't function the way it's supposed to. Take it from me."

It was funny coming from the worst workaholic in the Order, but even Josh knew when to take time to spend with his son and enjoy himself. Giving his mind and body a rest, so that he might return to the field better.

[member="Reggie Faayare"]

 

[Reggie Faayare]

The appearance of Master Dragonsflame surprised Reggie. It wasn't difficult for the Jedi Master to move without most people noticing, especially a Padawan like himself. Still, Reggie thought that he should have felt something considering how much he's been honing his force awareness. That just shows the difference between their abilities. Reggie stood at attention when Josh motioned to him.

The Padawan was a bit embarrassed when his Master pointed out the problem in his stance. He was even more embarrassed when his lack of sleep was noticed by his Master. "Well, yes. I've had a few sleepless nights lately." Knowing that his answer wouldn't be enough, Reggie explained. "The recent encounters I've had with the Sith have been rattling me a bit. I faced some opponents that were stronger than me and I couldn't protect everyone that they threatened. To combat that, I've been spending more time training and coming up with plans that could help us protect those that trust us as their guardians. It's been cutting into my sleep but I thought it would be worth losing a bit of sleep." Darth Voyance and Darth Carnifex were two Sith that made him fearful of what the Sith could do, but that wasn't what truly bothered him. Fear was natural after all. It was the fact that he couldn't protect others from that threat was what bothered him.

Reggie knew that he couldn't face every threat by himself, which is why he usually works with others to face opponents. Its how he preferred to do things, but the Padawan also realizes that he has to pull his own weight to face those threats.

[member="Josh Dragonsflame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Understandable, but a very unwise way to go about it" The Jedi Master pointed out as Reggie brought up that he had been lacking in sleep due to the threat of Sith he had encountered recently. "A body isn't something that you can just train and train infinitely and then walk out onto the field and operate at full capacity. I understand the need to train. I'm probably one of the worst culprits of over-training around here. But I have Ra to make sure I don't, and when I do not, it is my personal responsibility to make sure I am ready for a mission" He pointed out. "Just as it is my job to ensure you don't, and your personal responsibility to ensure readiness when a mission comes along if I am not around. Yes, a trained body and force capability will do better against the Sith next time... But what if that next time is tomorrow, Reggie? Or what if an emergency comes about today?" He inquired. "Your mind and body will be slow, sluggish. It won't respond the way that you want it to, you'll miss things. You'll have less stamina, less strength to throw around. Your sight and your senses will be impaired. And your stance will be as sluggish as it just was now."

He let out a sigh. "To sum it all up... You are in no state to go on mission right now. I would not sign off on letting you go anywhere, even if the Rest were on fire right this instant. Because I would be sending you to your death, and the death of whoever you try to rescue too, most likely."

He didn't like lecturing Reggie, and he doubted Reggie was his biggest fan right now hearing it. But this was his job.

"You need to learn to rest, and take care of your body and mind. So that when you do fight the Sith... Or even just go on a routine mission all of a sudden tomorrow, you will be fighting at full capacity. Do you not do anything on your spare time to relax?"

Reggie Faayare

 

[Reggie Faayare]

In this moment, Reggie felt like a kid being lectured to by his parents, or parent since Josh was only one person. The feeling of embarrassment and irritation flooded him. "But I can't just-" Reggie stopped himself from lashing out, something that a child or someone governed by his emotions would do. He stopped himself and breathed to calm down. The fact that he had to control his emotions, something that he usually didn't have to do consciously, only proved Master Dragonsflame's point. Besides, he shouldn't be upset with the Jedi Master, but be upset with himself. "You're right Master. Im sorry."

It took Reggie a few seconds to think when asked if he did anything to relax on his free time. "Usually I take some time to read when relaxing. Usually about history or information on a variety of different subjects." The Padawan liked to gain knowledge and improve on what he did know, so a lot of his routine revolved around learning more. "Other than that, I usually go to social events when we have them at the Silver Rest." Reggie shrugged and gave a grin, not able to think of much more.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

He quirked a brow when Reggie was about to lash out, but didn't show anything beyond that little bit of body language as Reggie had composed himself quickly. He could see plainly where he needed to improve before he took the Trials, at least. The fact Reggie seemed aware of this was a good thing, though. Acceptance of your flaws was the first step on the path to overcoming them. Josh listened as Reggie listed off some things he did. It was a start, but he was sure he could find something that didn't involve stressing one's brain, or... By the Force gods, forced social activity. That was an even bigger strain.

Then it hit him.

"I have an idea. I was just thinking it would be nice to teach my son how to fish" Josh would remark, smilingly lightly. "Why don't you come along? It's a bit time consuming, but it's an easy environment to relax in. The peace and quiet without stress in the minutes before a fish bites has always been a source of comfort for me. And while sure, the fish battle itself is straining, you get plenty of time to rest and relax in between. Plus the fish is tasty too."

Reggie Faayare

 

[Reggie Faayare]

Fishing? He never expected the Jedi Master to suggest fishing to him, The Padawan didn't even know that Josh enjoyed such a thing. Reggie was always interested in trying new things, a trait that has been with him even before he left Tatooine, making this opportunity to fish appealing. He had never had the chance to do so before after all. Reggie would also be in good company, so he'd accept the offer of course. "Peace, quiet, and tasty fish? That offer is too good not to accept." despite his tired state, Reggie smiled and showed some excitement for the opportunity.

Josh Dragovalor

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Josh smiled lightly when Reggie would accept his offer. He wasn't sure what his response would be, honestly. While Reggie seemed like a good-natured kid and he doubted fishing was too good for him, his desire to train as hard as he did was something he feared might keep him from wanting to "waste" time doing so. But Josh had stressed that it would be good for his body. So he was glad to see him accept.

"Sounds good. I'll meet you at the beachside lake near the Rest in an hour" Josh remarked then. Hopefully that would be enough time. "If you have another engagement, though, let me know. We'll find a time that works for you if need be."

With that, he headed off to meet with his son. If the time wasn't changed, then an hour later Reggie would find Josh and a six year old child at the beach near the Rest. The blonde haired child that Josh was showing how to hold the fishing rod notably had a Padawan braid of his own.

 

[Reggie Faayare]

Reggie gave no objection to the time given to meet back up, having nothing else he needed to do at the time. Well, nothing that wouldn't be pushing himself even more than he already has. Now that would show that he didn't take anything from this talk they just had and he didn't want to disrespect his master's words. It would also be fun and give them time to spend time together, something they didn't do too much with everything going on. Now that begged the question: did Reggie know more about his master than just his skill and morals? This was the time to find out more about the man.

When they both left, Reggie used the time to clean up a bit. The training he had been doing made him sweat out his clothes, so he took a quick shower and got dressed into clean clothes. There wasn't too much time before he was supposed to meet up with his Master, so he made his way to the lake. If he had time, the Padawan would have picked up a fishing rod of his own so he wouldn't have to worry about Josh bring an extra one or not. Hopefully he had an extra at hand.

Reggie saw the two as he arrived at the lake, seeing the father-son bond as Josh was showing his son how to hold the fishing rod. It reminded him of his own father when they had time to enjoy activities together, though the activities available on Tatooine were as varied as they were here. One thing that Reggie noticed was the Padawan braid that Josh's son had. Now that was something he would ask about if the chance presented himself. "Hello Master Dragonsflame" He bowed in respect and turned his attention to the young one "Hello young one. It's been awhile since I've seen you. How are you doing?" Reggie wondered if the young Dragonsflame remembered him.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Josh had ensured he had brought an extra. Seeing as he had sprung the whole thing on Reggie so suddenly, it would have been impolite and cruel of him to expect him to come equipped with his own rod, unless he chose to bring one himself. So when Reggie arrived, he wasn't surprised that he came empty-handed. Josh nodded his head in greeting when Reggie spoke up, and he would reach over to grab the spare rod that he had prepared, handing it to Reggie once he had approached.

"Reggie" He spoke up with a small smile. "You look a bit better. Hopefully this activity can pick up from there" He commented. Jason meanwhile, seemed a bit nervous as the stranger spoke to him, and he moved to hide behind his father for a moment. While Reggie had seen Jason before when he was younger, the child wouldn't have remembered, considering his age at the time. Josh chuckled lightly as he placed a hand on Jason's shoulder. "Jason, this is my Padawan, Reggie" He spoke softly, comforting the child as he would slowly urge him to step forward. The blonde headed child would do so at a sluggish pace, before he would clumsily repeat Reggie's bow from earlier.

"I suppose you two haven't been properly introduced. This is my son, Jason. He's been studying our craft as well" Josh introduced as he would then return to ensuring Jason knew how to hold the rod. Once he was satisfied with what he could do for the time being, Josh would motion to the bucket of bait.

"Have you fished before?" He inquired toward Reggie with a curious eye.

Reggie Faayare

 

[Reggie Faayare]

So Jason didn't remember him. That was understandable though, considering how young he was when Reggie had first seen him. Reggie could help but smile as the young Dragonsflame bowed. Considering who his father is, Jason would most likely learn the ways of the jedi quickly, or at least that's what Reggie thought. Reggie knew from experience how good of a teacher his master was, and he was sure that Josh was even a better father than he was a teacher. "It's nice to officially meet you Jason." Reggie smiled at Jason, hoping it would help the young one feel less nervous around him.

As Josh continued to show Jason how to hold the fishing rod, Reggie looked towards the waters. As always, it was a beautiful site to see for the Padawan. Despite his time exploring the galaxy, there were many environments that haven't lost their effect on him just yet. "I haven't fished before. I never really had the opportunity to do so until I came to Kashyyyk, and it never crossed my mind to learn how over the years." Looking back, Reggie never really took the time to find out what recreational activities could be done on Kashyyyk, or any other planet he's visited outside of Tatooine.

Josh Dragovalor

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Josh wasn't too surprised that Jason didn't remember Reggie. At the age Jason had been at, who remembered all that much? Josh couldn't remember anything from when he was three or four either. Granted, it all just melded together, really. It was mainly just training, seeing as he had been two or in the early 3's when he'd lost his family and had been with the Jedi since. But either way, Josh was sure the child would warm up to Reggie's presence before long. He just needed time.

Reggie admitted he hadn't fished before, and he nodded his head. "Suppose this becomes a fishing lesson as well, then. I figured as much, so don't worry too much about it" He brought up with a gentle smile. "I didn't think about it too much until Jason came into my life. I needed to be better for him. Calmer. And to do that, I needed to learn to take care of myself so I could take care of him. And to do that... I found that sometimes, even the biggest workaholics need to find something else to do with their time. Something that won't, well... You get the idea, I would hope. Something that will take their mind off it for awhile."

Being a Jedi was physically, mentally and emotionally taxing. So it was important he reminded Reggie that this was supposed to be a reprieve from that taxation. "Fish is good too. Does it count as wasting time if you're putting food on your table?"

He would motion toward the spare rods in the barrel again. "Grab one and I'll try and teach you how to hold it next."

Reggie Faayare

 

[Reggie Faayare]

Glad that there was an extra fishing rod and that him not knowing how to fish didn't bother Josh, Reggie gave a sigh of relief. He didn't want to impede on Josh's time after all. The padawan turned his attention back to Josh when the jedi master spoke again. Going off of what he said before about being a culprit of over-training, Reggie had an idea of how Josh used to be. Training a lot and working hard, with only a few instances of overexerting themselves. However, the conversation they were having now made him think that it was more of a problem for him than originally thought, something that he realized was a bigger problem later in his life. Reggie had always saw Josh as this great man and Jedi who always seemed to know what to do in every situation. Now he was realizing the Jedi master had to grow and learn like every other person. Reggie would take his master's words and make sure to learn from them.

Reggie gave a nod at the practical reasons for fishing. "Fish is a good source of food, so you have a point there." The padawan was surprised once Josh motioned towards the spare rods because he missed them when he made his first assessment of the area. How did he miss the barrel with fishing rods in it? Pushing that aside, Reggie went and picked up a rod, and placed himself next to Josh. "Alright, i'm ready. Thank you for providing the necessary equipment for me." He smiled to show his appreciation.

Josh Dragovalor

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Hey, it's cool. It would have been wrong of me to expect a potential first timer to bring his own" he pointed out with a small laugh. As Reggie picked up a rod and walked over, Josh would place both hands on the rod, looking to Jason to indicate to him to take notes before returning his focus to the rod. "Alright, so you want to hold it as so..." he started with first, adjusting how the rod was being tilted, then moving Reggie's hands. Once he did so, he would pick up his own rod and hold it up in the right position and hand positions, going with a visual example to help out Reggie in case that was better.

"Once you've got a grasp on it, you want to put on the bait and hook" he brought up as he would begin doing so with his own rod. He did so slowly, giving both Reggie and Jason time to try and copy his movements. If either had trouble, which Jason did a few times (unsurprisingly given he was a child) then Josh would stop and try to give more detailed pointers. "Then you'll want to place on the bait" Josh added as he would pull out some bait from the case nearby, and show them how to place it into the hook. Jason didn't know how to do so with enough force, so Josh did have to stop and show him how again with a more hands-on approach. After that, he looked to Reggie.

"How's that going on your end?"

Reggie Faayare

 

[Reggie Faayare]

Reggie made sure to pay close attention to how Josh adjusted the fishing rod, and appreciated the visual example that Josh gave as well. With a mental image stored away in his memory, it would be easier for the padawan to make adjustments later if he needed to do so.

Paying close attention, Reggie emulated Josh's movements as precisely as possible and listened to the detailed pointers he gave as well. Now he watched as Josh removed some bait from a case and placed it into the hook. Alright, seemed simple enough. As Josh helped his son, Reggie tried to put some bait on his hook. It took him awhile to place the bait into the hook at first, but he eventually understood how to do so properly. He turned his head to examine Josh's fishing rod and then looked back to his own. When asked how things were going, Reggie nodded in response. "Everything is well on my end I think."

Josh Dragovalor

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Josh kept an eye on both kids (Both the bigger kid and the smaller kid) as they tried to match his movements with the fishing rod. Once they had things well in order and had their bait placed, it was time for the main event. The agonizingly slow main event, that is. It would likely be some time before they saw action, if they saw action at all. But that was the nature of fishing, no?

"Alright, watch how I cast" Josh called to the both of them as he looked back first. "Make sure you check behind you before casting. If anything might obstruct your swing, or get caught, then you re-adjust. Never swing unless you are a hundred percent sure that you are going to succeed in the swing unimpeded" he brought up as he then swung the rod back, and then forwards as the line jerked far off and into the water. As the bait went down into the depths, he looked to the two. Jason was about to swing without looking, but Josh stopped his hand with the Force.

"Back" Josh commanded softly, gently but firmly to Jason, who then looked back first as asked before mimicking the motions the best a child could and swinging as well.

Reggie Faayare

 

[Reggie Faayare]

Reggie watched his Master cast the line into the water without fail. He saw Jason about to swing the line without heeding his father's words, the child seeming to be excited to get started. Josh stopped him though and reminded him to look behind him first. Reggie did the same, checking to his sides and behind him. Seeing that there was a chance of messing up his cast if he tried to send it into the water now, the padawan moved to his left a bit to prevent that.

Taking a breath, Reggie brought his rod up and copied the motions of Josh, sending his line into the water. It didn't go as far as his Master's, and he knew that he could improve his form a bit, but it made it in. A small accomplishment, but a accomplishment none-the-less. "Got it!" Along with his excitement came a small smile. Now he waited to see if Josh had anymore instruction, though he assumed they would be playing the waiting game now.

Josh Dragovalor

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Josh didn't mind that Jason had been excited, but he did still need to ensure he was efficient, or he'd never learn how to do it on his own. While he was just happy to be able to have long, lasting memories with his son, he wanted him to have skills he could use when he was older too. Something to pass onto his own children in the future. He was grateful to Reggie for accommodating for Jason, though. It was a good trait to have, too. It meant Josh was teaching him well.

He smiled when both Reggie and Jason were eventually able to cast properly. "Good, good" he praised. "Now comes the waiting game. Patience is a virtue that all Jedi require."

Jason stared up at him, about to complain when Josh looked to him with a gentle smile. "I know it sounds boring, but good things come to those who wait at the right times" he brought up. "And you have company here, so the time will go by fast."

He cleared his throat. "A lesson for both of you. Can you think of how you might pass the time in situations like these?"

Reggie Faayare

 

[Reggie Faayare]

Reggie turned his head to look at Josh when the Jedi Master cleared his throat and asked the question. Reggie took a second to think, coming up with a few ideas on what he'd usually do. Go over what else he'd have to do for the day, what training he'd need to focus on, or what he'd need to do to be efficient for the next day's tasks. Before voicing his thoughts though, the padawan looked at Jason and realized that what Reggie would most likely do wasn't something everyone else would do. He took a few more seconds to think, using the more social and reflective part of himself.

"Talking and getting to know those accompanying you could be a good way to pass the time." Reggie gave a smile, and then turned his head to face the waters. "Another way is to just enjoy the peace and nature around us. Our environment can be a good source of calmness sometimes." Something that Reggie seemed to have forgotten. How long had it been since Reggie just sat back and enjoyed things?

The padawan faced his companions again. "For times like these, I think those are good options."

Josh Dragovalor

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

He could read Reggie like a book in his expressions, his body language and how he looked to Jason as if remembering that it wasn't just himself that he needed to accommodate for. Good, awareness of those around you was a good thing for a Jedi to have. Keeping them in your thoughts ensured that you were acting in everyone's best interests. Reggie made his suggestion, and Josh nodded his head in approval. "That's a good start. And you can always do both. Learning and becoming more aware of those around you, those you work with, and enjoying the calm together while it still exists. Jason?"

The child stared at them, clearly a bit surprised at being put on the spot. But the six year old did his best. "Uhhh... What he said?" came the reply, and Josh laughed. This kid would be the death of him in how cute he was. "Nice try. I know Reggie's answer was good, but I'm sure you can think of something" he encouraged him. It was okay if he couldn't, Reggie's answer was good enough for the both of them. But he wanted to at least give him an opportunity. "Um..." the child trailed off. "Napping?"

A snort. This kid. "Good try, you have the right idea in being relaxed. But if you fall asleep, the fish might take your line" Josh admitted, at least praising the child for giving it an effort, and at least having his eye on the ball. He turned to Reggie.

"So while we wait, tell me about yourself, if you feel comfortable. What's your story?"

Reggie Faayare