Am I More Than You Bargained For? (Siobhan)

[Mirien Valdier]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

And so the test began. As the small rocks started to pelt the defensive barrier, Mirien felt each one impact. Annoying, she thought to herself. But she kept her control tight, not stretching her powers beyond her little bubble. Grasping to that area, she could sense one particular spot near her right shoulder growing weaker, and shifted to compensate. Just as it seemed like the next stone that hit it would break through, enough of her strength made up the difference bouncing the stone away from her.

The whole thing, was far more of a drain than Miri had imagined. As time went by with Siobhan constantly testing her barrier, it was growing weaker as a whole. It was only a matter of time before Siobhan could successfully break through. Such was the reality of new skills. You had to be pushed to the breaking point, to really learn what you were capable of. Not only that but the more you used said skill, the better you became. This barrier, a new skill to her while difficult now, wouldn't always be.

Though, her frustration at being what Mirien perceived as weak radiated through the force. The brunette didn't like to admit weakness or fault to anyone. She was a proud woman after all. A few moments more and the first stone tore through her barrier, hitting her squarely in the back, with a sharp yelp coming from her. Her concentration broken, the rest of the bubble dissipated soon after.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Mirien Valdier"]


Siobhan stopped her assault when the rock struck Mirien in the back and she heard the sharp yelp coming from the woman, with the bubble dissipating. She crossed over to Mirien and stood beside her.


"You alright? We can take a quick break," she said softly, one of her hands rubbing over her bond sister's back in the place where she had been struck. "Getting hit isn't weakness, Mirien. That's life. What you do after is what matters. You know how many times I've been maimed. What bruises you get in training might mean one less limb lost in actual combat. Any Force Shield, especially once that's more than basic, is taxing at the start and contrary to popular belief there's none that's impregnable. Focus on the Force around you and let your defences cover you, but keep relaxed. The key is not to strain yourself all the time, only when the shield is pressed do you need to hold it up."

 

[Mirien Valdier]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Mirien took in a deep breath, looking a bit strained as Siobhan gently rubbed at her back. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm sure I'll feel that tomorrow." She said with a bit of a chuckle, trying to laugh it off. But that quickly stopped. "A break would be good." Miri knew too well when she was getting worn, and a break was needed. After all she wasn't the spring chicken she used to be.

She stepped over and found herself a place to sit down, to rest for a moment. "It may not be weakness Sio, but it sure as hell bothers me. Reminds me I'm not invincible, and that I can be hurt. Which I guess... in some respects isn't such a bad thing. It just worries me. Frustrates me. I'm supposed to be this strong, powerful woman. Just don't always feel I live up to what I have in my mind." High expectations, and knowing that showing a single sign of weakness in the Inquisition was something that could get her killed, was a habit that was rather difficult to shed.

"And you are right. I'm just learning this skill for the first time. Well, the first time to my knowledge. It's not going to be easy, or perfect from the start. At least we know I can build a Force Shield around myself. So, we've gotten somewhere." Granted, it wasn't as far along as she would have liked. It, however, was progress, and that she could live with.

"So, hold it when pressed and try and relax. I think I can manage that.... Maybe." Doubt was creeping in on her. Though, her small success did let her push a little of the doubts away, ignoring a few of them for the time being. "Just need a minute and I'll be fine. Just a small break, let my mind rest."

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Mirien Valdier"]


"I'd ask for you to take your shirt off so I could kiss it all better...but I'm afraid we wouldn't get back to actual training then," Siobhan joked lamely. She clearly did not get the girls becaude of her amazing wit. "Miri, you're one of the strongest women I know. If you were weak, you wouldn't have survived the Inquisition. Lai would've killed you. Or one of the many snakes who wanted your job. And you've spooked around in my head long enough to know that I'm not just saying that to make you feel better."


Aww, the advantages of a Force Bond brought about my mutual memory surfing. Well, beyond the fact that it somehow made the shippyness level of every thread shoot through the roof. "So you know I believe in you. You should as well, dear. Besides, I'll let you electrocute droids a bit later after Force Shield schooling. That should be fun," at that she passed a glass of water over to Mirien.

 

[Mirien Valdier]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Mirien chuckled, "That you are right on. Take my shirt off, and we'd never get anything done." A grin spread across her lips, "But I suppose it's a good thing, that we both have some self-control." The conversation soon shifted back to a more serious nature, and Miri frowned, slightly. "That's a fair point." It wasn't like the weak actually survived for long in any part of the Inquisition. "And it's not like he didn't try to kill me, he just didn't succeed. Repeatedly." The brunette nodded, Siobhan was right. Sharing their memories like they did, had given her a unique perspective that would have otherwise been impossible. "Which is saying something..."

Force bonded till the end of time, forever sharing memories. Yup, totally shippy, useful and shippy! "I know... There were a few other fun thoughts as well. Maybe we can try out that one thing..." Alas this writer can't go into the details of that for the sake of the kiddies! "Thanks Sio, for that." At least one person believed in her, which meant the universe to her. "Oh really, now? Electrocute droids, now that's a skill I can truly get behind." She said as she happily accepted the glass of water, taking a large gulp from it.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Mirien Valdier"]


Now our two ladies would only have to hypothetically learn transfer essence together...and the shippyness would reach epic levels to a point where it might cause an explosion!


Siobhan grinned cheesily. "Sure we can! I would not mind you wearing your Inquisitor robes for me sometime, sweetie. Say what you want, you guys did have good fashion sense. After you got rid of those stuffy Palpatine era outfits." Unfortunately, the thoughts coursing through Sio's minds were for some reason considered harmful to the kiddies. This writer thinks that the kids should be in bed by now! It's late, at least where this one is living. What sort of parents let their kiddies surf the internet this late in the night anyway?


"I can show you ionise droid and Force Lightning. Lightning's become terribly cliched by now because somehow every single Sith has it, much like mechu-deru is all the rage, but it's very handy." Obviously Mirien would know that Siobhan could show her these powers, but she was still offering. "Say when you're ready and we'll start again."

 

[Mirien Valdier]

"Mmm, well I suppose that can be arranged. The leather was beautiful, and as well as showed off all the right parts." She grinned in return.
"Both would be great, so many uses for Ionise droid, as well as Force Lightning." Unfortunately Siobhan had a good point. Far too many lame Sith used Lightning, even little young apprentices, thinking it was the coolest thing ever. Never mind that it was a skill for the Masters.

Finally Mirien rose from her chair, "I guess, it's time to try again, and stop delaying." Moving back to the center of the room, she took a deep breath and reaching out to the tangled strands of power, pulling them in, and drawing her strength from it as she once more brought up the same defensive protection that she'd tried to form and keep up from before. Once more the air shimmered around her ever so slightly, indicating that there was a barrier there again. This time, Mirien tried to relax into it, trying just to focus for when it was needed most

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Mirien Valdier"]


To be fair, Siobhan could not complain too much since she used lightning as well. However, firstly she had been a master when she learned it and secondly it had been the hard way because she had harnessed the power after the Bando Gora Primarch had given her a good frying. Admittedly it was her apprentice Tempest's main power, but most of her skill set revolved around it.



Anyhow, back to training. "I'll make it happen for you, darlin'," Siobhan said with evident and great fondness. There was an almost loving look written upon her features but then she was all in business again. Yes, business, Sio. Focus on that. Not on your sappy threeway marriage fantasies. Siobhan has two wives! I wasn't...of course you were. You've been reading too much Bliss In Her Embrace!


It was a well-kept secret that Siobhan...had a weakness for corny lesbian romance novels. As in, the sappiest novels devoted to Sapphic love that you could imagine. With awful poetry and terrible prose, full of phrases about 'magnificient golden tresses', 'titian manes', 'ample bosoms' and 'oceans of love'. She was also so geeky to mark romance lines she actually wanted to lose. Yes, you heard that right, dear reader, Siobhan was a geeky romantic sap, in addition to already being a girly femme. This writer blames [member="Tegaea Alcori"] for femming her up.


In any case, back to the actual plot. Siobhan would give Mirien some time to prepare herself, then, as the air shimmered around her lover ever so slightly, she would begin the bombardment again. She had given Mirien some pointers, now it was on her. Through their Force Bond Mirien might also have Sio's memories to draw on, to an extent at least. And so the bombardment would begin, with small rocks being tossed at Mirien from all sides at amazing side and velocity. Not enough to seriously hurt her because Siobhan did not want to do that, but more than enough that she would be battered as small rocks would start to pelt the defensive barrier, keeping up a merciless offensive. As with anything when it came to using the Force, the key of the exercise lay in maintaining the right focus and exerting just the right amount of energy. At some point every wall was broken, what was important was what you did after that.

 

[Mirien Valdier]

Mirien smiled, the thought she enjoyed far too much. Siobhan had always been most enjoyable with crochet and Miri always looked forward to those little adventures. The idea of leather, especially that red leather got her excited. Perhaps they'd be able to have a book club session after training.

Siobhan's secret of cheesy romance novels, wasn't so secret anymore. Mirien had found some of those books, and knew the secret. There were even a few little notes in the brunette's secret code in the novels, in the margins now. Sio was bound to find them sooner or later!

Then once again it was time to return to business as they returned back to the exercise that Siobhan had been teaching her. Siobhan started the assault, pummeling her with small stones. The first few hit the invisible barrier, bouncing off harmlessly off to the side. Soon enough the former Inquisitor started to feel the strain of holding the barrier up against the bombardment.

Weaker spots were becoming apparent to her as things progressed. Extending her reach in the force, Mirien tried to get a sense from when and where the rocks were coming from, trying to predict where they would hit and when to strengthen the shield in those places before they hit the shield. More and more sweat was beading upon Mirien's skin as they continued. But she managed to keep the barrier up for much longer than her previous attempts. Finally a single stone got through the shield, narrowly missing her shoulder as the brunette tried to adjust and compensate for her mistake.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Mirien Valdier"]


"Keep focus. Don't just maintain a static defence. Throw the rocks off and deflect them back. Your wall can be a battering ram as well as a shield," Siobhan spoke encouragingly. Of course, she knew that maintaining focus and concentration whilst being bombarded was not the easiest thing to do. However, it worked both ways. If faced with a powerful attack, the easiest way to at least gain a temporary reprieve was to launch a counter that would distract the attacker. Even if said attack was easily caught it should at least buy oneself some time. Of course, tossing plenty of small rocks did not require that much concentration, but the principle was still the same. Moreover, telekinesis was wired in such a way that even its defensive applications lent themselves easily to offence.


So even whilst she spoke these words Siobhan kept up a merciless volley, intensifying the speed and the number of projectiles she was tossing Mirien's way. Her intent was not to seriously hurt the woman and so if the brunette called for a timeout she would heed that, but she had to test her limits. In order to spice things up a bit she threw in a telekinetic blast that would sweep through the room towards Mirien. To be more precise, rather than trying to hit her whole body it would be directed towards her legs, much like a fast-swung telekinetic hammer.



By Sio's standards, the push was strong but not her most powerful, though that was intentional. If it hit with the intended force, Mirien should not suffer from broken bones. Nor would she probably be tossed into the wall behind her. However, unless appropriately blocked it would probably knock her off her feet and toss her on her pretty arse. No worries, if it hurt Siobhan would kiss it all better. She liked Mirien's butt after all. Hence why she kept grabbing it.