Apprentice Meets Master

[Kerstas]

"Understood, Master." Her tone was subdued, and her green fingernails brushed against the spot on her neck that the Sith had grabbed. It hurt, and would most likely be a faint purple colour for a while.

On the inside, fear and outrage battled with rationale and logic. It was just a small slip of the tongue! I apologized, made it clear it was an assessment of my skills, not hers! argued the emotion. You spoke out of term, and you forgot your caution. Such a mistake would have otherwise gotten you killed -- or worse. Be thankful you still have your life and your wits. Even so, she was displeased.

At least there were these bothersome miners to vent on. On her hip hung the training lightsaber all Sith Acolytes carried until they received their own. It was set at the highest intensity, which would allow her to at least cut through weak, mortal flesh. It was this lightsaber that she now unclipped as she walked to some of the miners already in the shaft who had yet to notice the three.

She waited until she was completely in the mine before she began her attack. Lightsaber lit, Kerstas did not waste time on respectful flourishes or acknowledgements, as Makashi would have her do. Rather, the Chagrian employed a more aggressive version of Shii-Cho, venting her emotions in one seamless slash after another. However, she did not go too far in, merely taking care of the people surrounding her Master's thrall so as to prevent anyone from interfering.

When she was done, her body count was at about four or five. Kerstas felt no pleasure, rage, or passion. If anything, she was calmer. Shutting off her lightsaber, the Chagrian cast another look at the corpses before making her way back to her Master. She wanted to ask how long before the man was finished.

[member="Sawa Ike"]

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Kerstas"]

Demter was watching the apprentice go into the mine and she could feel the emotions coming off of her in waves as she flew up and was watching the master. Sawa had gone around picking up any strays who were outside the mine that was going to collapse. The one sin the small shack that she was able to catch and follow. The small child that had been brought to the mine for the day. She looked sick as the Darth took her inside with the others and pushed them into the corpses created by the apprentice. The look from the darth at the bodies as she turned to see the man finish setting the charges and timer.

"Wonderful work my pet, now sadly you are far to old to eat." Demeter saw it quickly and cringed a little before clapping for a moment. The man was in the mine with his neck at an awkward angle as the repulsor sled with their rocks on it was outside by her apprentice. Sawa walked to her and started pushing it. Slowly Demeter could hear her speaking as they were walking away and the mine echoed a boom. The sounds of explosives collapsing it along with the faint sound of screams and Sawa turned to the girl. "Do you feel better now my apprentice? I only hurt you because I care for you, I want to see you become powerful."

Demeter saw the energy vampire pulling the girl with her gently and stroking her while she still had that look on her eyes of a predatory cat toying with a mouse. Her body radiated the same feeling before she was speaking. "You are young, very young and brash. You have not learned the dangers of speaking your mind but I am kind. I will teach you to be a powerful sith and to cover your tracks. I can be generous to those who serve me well, I can give you the wealth of my experience in this galaxy." Then Demeter saw in as her body became rigid. "But you must be willing to do as I say and pay your pound of flesh my apprentice."

 

[Kerstas]

[member="Sawa Ike"]

Kerstas did not bother asking her question -- her Master's actions spoke louder than words, anyhow. Instead, she took up her place to the left of the woman, keeping pace as the crate of crystal was pushed away from the mine. No sooner was it out of sight, though, than the air became filled with a boom, a rumbling noise, and a faint tremor in the Force as the people died. The girl's head tilted to the side as she listened, her face contemplative for a moment. Then, with apparent disinterest, she turned forward again.

"Yes, Master. I will freely admit my emotions are...difficult to control when they become pent up." A sudden line came to the Chagrian, one which she had no clue as to its origins, but one which she felt would best be used in response to her Master's comment. " 'Through pain, I learn. Through lessons, I grow. Through growth, I become stronger.' Strange that the Code does not touch on that, Master."

The girl reached forward almost absently, her goal in the present to grab one of the crystals and study it. Before she could, though, the older woman grabbed a hold of her and began to stroke one of her lethorns. Kerstas still hated it when the vampire (and, indeed, anyone) invaded her personal space, but this time she kept her mouth shut. The Chagrian sensed the potential for danger, like a fat, ripe fruit on a tree, tempting all who saw it. But she would be smart -- she would abstain from plucking the fruit, and she would continue on her way

Though her nostrils flared, the Acolyte stayed only mildly annoyed at the intrusion of privacy, and replied in a low voice, "Mortal flesh is weak. The rewards repay the costs tenfold, Master."

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Kerstas"]

"Blood is weak... flesh is cheap... and mortals are inconsistent consistently. There is only one thing that is for sure in this galaxy. Power and you will one day have enough to challenge me... but oh there are so many forms of power one can get. You could be fast, you could be strong, you could be clever though from what I have seen with some of the sith clever is what they think they are when really they just seem to be fools." Demeter was watching it now as they continued with the rocks leading the way back to the ship. "We will take this back to the ship and you my sweet apprentice shall work hard to get stronger. Once we get you to cool that temper and know when to unleash it. Not on something like this that irritates you. We'll just make you into a cold hearted sith who doesn't react... it helps screw with the jedi when they are trying to read your emotions."

 

[Kerstas]

[member="Sawa Ike"]

The words of her master caught Kerstas's attention, and she forgot momentarily about the invasion. The words, the truth of what the vampire was saying -- and truth was so rare in a world of lies -- entranced her, enamored her, and gave her a clear goal.

It was quite obvious, to be honest. And smart. Kerstas was very interested in becoming a cold Sith, and not just to mess with the Jedi (though, that was one activity which the Chagrian girl knew she would very much enjoy). No, she would be cold to also mess with her fellow Sith. To use the truth in such a manner that the beings would doubt it, and believe in lies. To be opaque by being forthcoming, and untrustworthy by being truthful. It was a delicious thought, and it almost made the girl smile.

And, of course, there was that other matter of defeating her Master. She was not a stupid Apprentice -- she knew that right now, Darth Shojo could end her life with the flick of a wrist. But, she hoped, it would be an event that was close at hand. "I am very much looking forward to it, Master," she said honestly.

Though...the issue of challenging the Sith Lady. If the Chagrian managed to win, would that be a sign of the woman having outlived her usefulness? Would Kerstas be the one to end the Darth's life, so as to prevent the honor from going to the woman's enemies? Or would it simply mean that Kerstas was ready to take the mantle? Were both one and the same? The questions swarmed around her head, and to clear her thoughts the Acolyte reached out to pick up a crystal, this time succeeding.

It was an interesting crystal, and it almost seemed to call to her. Strange, of course, but Kerstas did not question it. Instead, she looked back up at the vampire and the pixie, and held up the stygium crystal for them to see. "My lady, I would like to use this one as the crystal for my lightsaber if that is alright with you." She knew of a technique all Force users could employ, where they used meditation to tune the crystal and fill it with a part of themselves. The girl was interested in seeing what hue the crystal would take on when she did it.

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Kerstas"]

Demeter looked at them as loading the things onto the ship the small As-Aki watched the apprentice who seemed to have a millions ideas going across her mind. More thoughts were coming to the small being though as she was the energy vampire standing there with a smile on her face. "Very well, you have earned it my apprentice." Demeter watched her as Sawa motioned for her apprentice to come and enjoy the sight of the fog clearing and with the ship ready to head out they'd be able to work on her training more. "Now that we have done something that I wanted to do, what is something you'd like to do?"

 

[Kerstas]

[member="Sawa Ike"]

Kerstas slipped the crystal into her pocket, thinking. She had not expected such a question, and looked to the dissipating remnants of her fog. What to do, what to do? That was a problem of hers: Lacking full emotion, the girl also lacked the passion to do something. Oh, sure, when given a goal she was perfectly fine. But coming up with one, when there was no true urgency? How bothersome.

Although, there was something.

"Perhaps, Master, we could practice my Makashi? Of the forms they taught at the Academy, that is the one which I prefer most. If you don't mind." There was never anything wrong with practicing skills, and she wanted to hone them before she confronted any Jedi.

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Kerstas"]

Looking at the apprentice there was a grin on the As-Aki's face and on the face of her master. She could see it as heading back the master was removing from a sheath one of the combat blades that ignited with fire. The sith alchemy within the blade making it powerful before she held it and looked at the apprentice. "Very well, we shall practice your makashi my apprentice. Assume your stance." The energy vampire she could see was moving her hands around with a grin on her face. "Show me what you are made of."

 

[Kerstas]

[member="Sawa Ike"]

"Of course, Master."

It did not occur to Kerstas to protest the immediacy of the request; the two were on a boat, headed by the first mate (the captain, they had left behind) who did not like them; travelling on waters which were not by any means smooth. Not one of these points, these "obstacles" to a lesser being, occurred to her....because it simply made the impromptu training exercise more enjoyable.

Unclipping her own lightsaber from her hip, its hilt curved to allow better movement. Of all the forms, Makashi was the one she was most familiar with; it did not require brute strength or anything like that. Instead, it was the lightsaber form best designed for strategists, people who kept their cool and saw it as an art more than anything else.

With the familiar snap-hiss, the red blade was raised in front of her, parallel with her body, then slashed to the side -- a flourish that served no other purpose than to acknowledge her opponent (who was, in this instant, Darth Shojo and her curious fire-sword).

"Let us begin."

The Chagrian ran at the older woman, blade still at the side. At the last moment, she dropped down to one knee, thrusting upward. Her intent was to catch the Darth in the stomach, and if she blocked it (as Kerstas was hoping), the girl would then roll to the side and jab at the woman's flank.

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Kerstas"]

Demeter was watching it as Sawa moved... or did she, the vampire had her blade and then there was nothing in her hand for a moment as she seemed to be floating upwards with the air rippling and making the As-Aki correct herself in the air landing on a box. "Oi." She said it angrily while seeing Sawa coming down and pulling at her fire blade as it igniting more like a blast in the area in front and below while withdrawing a second blade as it ignited with ice and she could shape both on the boat to try and blast her apprentice in the face with fire and let her if she moved back pierce herself on the ice blade.

 

[Kerstas]

[member="Sawa Ike"]

Kerstas managed to dodge the attacks...barely. Even so, the ice blade had passed by so close that there were still goosebumps from where it had missed her skin by a 1/100th of a centimeter. Not to mention, any hair the girl might have had would have been singed off by the fire attack.

As she stood back, a little stinging sensation attracted her attention to her upper arm. Frowning, she took a second to investigate -- there was a thin line of red, where presumably the ice blade had gotten her. "Shame. I was hoping to draw the first mark," the girl said in a nonchalant tone. With a small sigh, Kerstas wiped away the small trickle of blood.

The Chagrian stepped back a little further, her blade once again in a ready position. This time, however, she did not attack first; rather, she hoped that her Master would go first this time. "What are those blades?"

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Kerstas"]

"They are blades created by a master alchemist to augment shaping skills." Demeter was watching her and Sawa stood there for a moment longer before she was moving. The line of blood getting the small click of her fangs as her smile came, eyes silvery for a moment as golden rimming as she moved. The speed was there and her blade moved quickly into an attack position reeling them back and slashing as she shaped letting fire and ice arc off of them and create arcs that went below the blades to try and toss her apprentice around.