Private Another Day, Another Form (Training Between Draven and Travot)

[Draven Eterena]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Training Room
Tag: Travot Ravenna

Draven was taking a moment to just relax one evening amidst the training room within the temple. Which was currently selected as a training spot for Draven and his selected mentor to partake in a new form for him to learn. Draven had done his morning and afternoon exercises. Which often times were quite physically demanding and required a good chunk of mental fortitude as well to overcome. As he was shaping his body into as top of a form as he could manage. While also learning aspects of the force which didn't come naturally to Draven like shaping the environment and utilizing telekinetic based abilities did, or well the empathetic aspect he dreaded. Though an art form which was quite handy for a lot of what Draven was training into. Such as hand-to-hand combat and lightsaber-based combat. While Draven had been taught many forms. Only a couple currently evaded the youth. One of these practices was a precision-based form. Which Draven felt was a kind of training he was lacking a bit in. Out of his current routine which he decided to rectify. There was only one individual whom Draven recently had been reliant upon specifically for lightsaber training outside of his Master Saki .

Until such time as Master Ravenna arrived Draven was in a knelt position meditating. What was unique about this meditation was the fact Draven wasn't passively just calming his mind. His lightsaber was currently activated and hovering within the air. The switch of his blade in its locked position. As Draven was visually going through various forms within his mind. Willing his blade to mimic the movements in the air slowly. Practicing on fine tuning understanding his blade's position in accordance with its surroundings. While he wasn't in direct possession of his blade. Better emphasizing this practice Draven would sometimes draw his blade closer to where his body rested, and sometimes pushed it out around the walls. Moving around whatever obstacles were within the room. While also sensing the activity outside of the room should someone approach. Indicating to Draven to pull his blade closer to himself once more. To avoid them walking in and being met with a lightsaber face level.

Draven had made his way to Coruscant initially with the intention of taking a short break. However, Draven had found an incentive through Elami Iria to stay around a bit longer. Though he would also be wary not to make the stay last Too long. He still had duties, and he had much to learn from his Master. Though he figured a couple of weeks wouldn't be harmful. Just as long as during that time period he made sure to keep up pushing himself in what training he was capable of completing on his lonesome. So, when inevitably he did return to his Master. She'd not throw him to the wolves and discover Draven had been slacking whilst away. Draven was well aware she wasn't a. 'Welcome back let's take it easy on your first day returned.' She was more so a 'You haven't died yet... Let's see if you survive this then.' Kind of teacher. Not because she actively was striving for Draven to meet his demise. Draven was understanding enough to know she figured if he was pacing under her controlled 'Do or Face Serious Bodily Harm' regiments. Draven would be better equipped for when she wasn't around to cover his butt on a mission. As well as equally better equipped for when he Did have her to cover his butt on missions. Because normally that was a battle intense environment which meant Draven didn't often times have the luxury of her giving instruction... He was more so expected to Know what she needed him to do, when she needed him to do it. Then be capable of executing those needed actions without going 'Squish!'

Draven's meditation finally drew to a close. While he sensed the nearing of the individual who was supposed to meet up with him. Draven drew his lightsaber back over to himself and caught the hilt in his hand. While he used his finger to flick the switch back to the right and down to deactivate the blade. Listening to the 'zip and hum' sound it made as it powered off. Draven opened his eyes and stood up on his feet. Doing some basic stretches as he readied his body for the lessons which he would be receiving today.

​

 

[Travot Ravenna]

Travot quietly moved down the hall, contemplating how times had changed both him and the settings around him. His last time spent on Coruscant had been as part of an invasion force that had liberated the world from some dark masters. He had been but a padawan back then, and how much had changed since then. The world was vastly different now in its political nature - the head of the Galactic Alliance, a beacon of the light. Yet somehow he felt less comfortable on the world, perhaps feeling less sure not about his prowess, but rather the political intrigue that seemed to suffuse the world. That and the sheer amount of people nearby. Yet it would be hard for him to preach the openness of exploration and reaching out to others to his own learners and padawans if he did not do so himself to visit the jedi working alongside the Galactic Alliance rather than his own Silver Jedi Order.

The door whisked open to admit the bulky man, and just in time for Travot to see Draven Eterena practicing some stances, or katas as some cultures referred to them. Travot nodded approvingly. Boring at such routines could be, they could develop good habits and reflexes, which ultimately led to better and more consistent skill as a fighter. He's all warmed up...and yet I am not. The vigors of youth. A warm smile slowly creased his face as he began to stretch in turn.

"Good to see that you are keeping in form..."

A poor pun.

"...I understand you were looking to gain a little experience with Makashi, the Way of the Ysalamiri?"

 

[Draven Eterena]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Tag: Travot Ravenna

Draven nodded his head as Master Ravenna began to get warmed up himself. Draven had already turned his personal blade to a lower intensity to make it safe for a sparring session. Considering it was needed for what he had been doing earlier. "Yes, I would appreciate it if you could provide me introduction into this form. I am doing my best to learn as many aspects of blade work. That I am capable of acquiring knowledge of."

Draven twirled his hilt around in his hand. This was significantly better than trying to wield a training saber at this point. Not because they weren't nifty when you needed something to practice with. It was just this was crafted personally for himself to wield and he had spent a good while working with it. ​

 

[Travot Ravenna]

Travot nodded in understanding at Draven Eterena .

"Makashi is sometimes called the dueling form," started Travot, "it's said that Makashi masters excel at bringing down users of any form of lightsaber style, but they struggle against fighting against multiple opponents or those that are using ranged weaponry. Every style has its strengths and weaknesses, of course. But let's talk about some real basic fundamentals about the style before we start an actual practice."

Travot made it a point to line himself up directly in front of Draven, with both feet facing directly at the padawan before he shifted his left foot behind the right, making it almost perpendicular to the other foot. His dominant, lightsaber wielding hand hovered in front and just over his right knee.

"Some martial arts call this the "T-stance", and it's not entirely unique to Makashi in that respect. It provides decent better stability than simply facing an opponent directly head on with both feet forward, and by moving my feet just like this, you'll notice that I've actually narrowed the silhouette of my torso. This provides a smaller target area against an opponent directly in front of me, not only meaning that they have less to potentially hit, but I also have less to guard with my saber here. But the real most salient use of this stance in Makashi is the lunge."

With that, Travot lifted up his right leg and let his left leg push forward - the classic fencing lunge - moving very quickly towards the other padawan.

"This allows you to very rapidly extend your reach to an your opponent without having to use a whole lot of energy and without exposing much to attack from another person," said the large man, "different users either extend the arm with the saber point towards the target right away, make that thrust simultaneous with the lunge, or lunge and then extend their arm forward after the lunge is complete. A lot of that is simple personal preference based on rote training and tradition, especially those that simply dabble or familiarize themselves with the form. But the masters will often switch that up, appearing to solely use one type of lunging thrust, and then very quickly changing it mid-duel to throw an opponent off.

Speaking of our hand here, the classic Makashi grip is somewhat unusual in that usually the ring and pinky finger hold it pretty tightly, but the thumb, pointer, and middle finger hold it more loosely. The idea behind it is that retention, especially during a thrust, is maintained by the rear fingers, while keeping a looser grip with the more forward fingers allows a person to better 'roll' the hilt for defensive maneuvers such as parrying...but I'm getting ahead of myself and starting to ramble. Do you have any questions about what we've talked so far? Or do you want to do simple practice with lunging strikes? Start slow, and concentrate on the accuracy of your strike first before working up the speed - some people find it helpful to keep their eye on the target while they do that..."

 

[Draven Eterena]

Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple
Tag: Travot Ravenna

Draven listened to what Master Ravenna was explaining regarding the form. It really didn't surprise the young man how much technical aspects came to the form. Nor the depth of lore associated with it. Considering it was the second oldest recognized form of lightsaber combat. At least on the formal recorded front.

It was interesting to watch the Master's footwork and honestly a bit of a surprise the speed in which his lunge closed the distance between the two individuals. Still Draven managed to remain his composure in order to analyze the method behind the lunge. It was sensible that everyone would have a preference for how they struck their blade out during the lunge, and more so when really skilled practitioners understood how to switch up their style of lunges.

"I think I am following with you." Draven expressed as he worked on trying to execute the T stance. It was not the first time he used the stance. Though it was one of the rarer starting positions he would start an engagement with. Eventually he managed to set up a T stance which almost mirrored the one which had been demonstrated. Minimizing Draven's target zones to the front.

Draven did a small bit of light footwork routines to familiarize himself with the motions of the steps. Before attempting to lunge forward igniting his blade mid flow and moving it out in a thrust towards the middle of the maneuver. Draven did however hede Travot's recommendation not to be too hasty with lunging until he was familiar with the movements. Draven repeated the process a couple of times. Testing different timings for when he extended his blade out in correspondence to when he started the lunging maneuver. Being patient and awaiting any criticism and further instruction as he tried to hone in what style was best suited for himself to expand upon.