Private Assignments.

[Mago Leomax]

Mago's heart pounded in his chest. He hardly felt his feet on the floor as he walked away from the Jedi Council room.

Another Master. His fourth. The war was over, so the streak of dead masters should stop, right? She wouldn't end up like them because she was stuck with him? Because she was stuck with him. He was assigned to her, not chosen by her. He could hardly use his lightsaber when Padawans his age were already mastering the basics. His connection to the Force was good but he hardly had any experience with the wider galaxy, all his knowledge obtained through the lectures and youngling trainings he still attended and the Jedi Library. He had a good reputation with both the youngling trainers and the librarians, he visited so much. With his training at a standstill the past few years he had made it a goal of his to read every text in the library. Made good headway too, as he had read the entire A-D collection available to padawans, and kept up with any new additions.

But now a master, to really get his training moving.

Did she even like him? Did she think he was weird because of his blindfold and how he saw? She probably thought that he was a burden or a lost cause with his past. He wondered, as he walked next to her, what she did wrong to get assigned him of all the padawans.

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

Long story short, Iris wanted to train someone. But rather than pick up her other Padawan's again, she was assigned a new one. A clean slate, for her, and for Micah tol Powl and Zoar . She wasn't in top shape to be able to train them, not like she used to. And the new Padawan she was assigned needed just as much of a clean slate as she did. Just from the file alone she glanced through that was apparent. Three dead masters before he just stayed at the temple. Confined, really.

That much loss, of people who were supposed to protect him, it wasn't a mindset that was allowed in the war. Protecting him from himself, as it were. And, unfortunately, neglecting him in favor of trying to save as many as possible from the Maw. It wasn't an excuse, but it was the reality. She frowned, ever so faintly. Just how would the colors look around him?

She'd find out soon enough. Ignoring the fact she only came up to his shoulders she clicked off the datapad. Offered a smile.

"Miraluka, right?"

Mago Leomax

 

[Mago Leomax]

"Miraluka, right?"

Mago nodded. "Yeah, a Miraluka. I know it's kind of weird that I don't need to face in any direction to see, I just see everything." He recalled her species and their eyes. "But I don't see color. Just... everything. You can see lots of colors, can't you? More than normal?"

 

[Iris Arani]

"Keshain can see more than a human could, yes. But for me it's more.. unique. I see the Force as colors, some of which don't even have a name. From what I hear, it's almost like how your people can see, just more.. Colorful, I guess."

There were fewer things harder to compare and understand than the Force. No two people truly saw the Force the same way, and Iris was already far in her own corner. It'd consumed a long portion of her life just to be able to function as anyone else would.

"To change the topic, though, we will be stopping by the training room. I've got a little bit of an obsticle course for you to run through, just so I can get a better idea of where I can help. Sound good?"

Mago Leomax

 

[Mago Leomax]

The Force as colors? He hardly knew what colors looked like to humans, but the Force? That'd be so neat to experience. He and other Miraluka saw an Aura around Force Users, depicting what side they were mostly into. But it wasn't what one would describe as "colorful". Well, he thought so, anyway. He didn't have anything to base it off of. But for one like her to see so much, and for him to see nothing at all...

"Obstacle course?" By the Force, he hadn't had a good physical exercise in a while. Walking all over the Temple helped your legs, but sitting and reading all the time was not nice on your upper body. But that was the point, right? To get back into training, to get better. Gotta start somewhere. He just hoped she wouldn't see how far he had to go and request someone else. He nodded to her. "Sounds good."

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

"Shouldn't be too hard, I think."

Not that she was particularly convinced of that herself. It wasn't a course she'd run on her own as a Padawan, but then again Valery Noble had always been more about training in the field. For good reason, given the time. But for now? Iris turned to the training room, stopping just before the chamber she'd already had prepared. It was devoid of anything, though the walls and floor were made to move on their own under her guidance.

In part to keep it changing, in part to keep Padawan's guessing on what might change.

Iris pulled out a datapad, tapping a couple buttons. The room shifted and changed, creating a pretty simple jumping course. Nothing moved, nothing would change, but each jump was progressively more and more difficult to make. Just to get a sense of where his limits were on that.

"Just make it to the top, alright?"

Mago Leomax

 

[Mago Leomax]

They arrived at the training room and at a few directions from his new master the obstacle course was formed. Larger and larger gaps between platforms, spiraling upwards through the room... Taking a step forward, he remembered something. He turned and bowed. "Yes, Master."

He loosened up his hands by shaking them as he walked inside. He didn't have that strong of a body yet, but he had a strong connection to the Force. He'd need to rely on that to get as far as he could. He climbed up to the first platform and readied himself, seeing the whole obstacle course. Some of the later jumps were daunting, some platforms seeming farther apart than some planets and their moons. But he took a deep breath and started off running.

He made the first and second jumps. The third required him to jump onto a rectangle jutting out from the wall, and then make a long jump down to the platform. He leaped for the rectangle and slammed his chest into it. His hands grabbed the far edge, but it dug into his skin. His legs flailed and kicked for purchase on the open air. His hands were slipping, the pain keeping Mago from tightening his grip! He realized something, a flash of insight. And he fell to the ground before he could use it. It wasn't a far fall, but Mago was rubbing an elbow and his hands and breathing heavily. "Let me try again, I think I can do it this time."

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris watched in silence, only making a note in the datapad she had when he finally fell. Limits, notations on what to work on. She was halfway through her quick scribbling when she blinked and glanced back towards Mago. She smiled after a moment before tapping the screen. Once more the room reconfigured itself. A similar test, but not the same exact run through. Whatever insight he got, she'd be doing a disservice if she didn't keep the room changing.

"Go ahead, Mago."

Mago Leomax

 

[Mago Leomax]

He was expecting the same course, ready to retry the same jump and improve. And then everything changed when Iris attacked with her datapad. The room altered and he had to look it over again. He shook his hands loose again, and got moving. The first jump caught Mago's foot, but he still landed it. When he jumped he leaned forward instead of leading with his feet, meaning with every leap he ended up on his face.

This time the third jump had a small square pole with little footroom jutting out towards the next platform. He ran, hoping to reach the end before leaping. His foot slipped and he slammed into the pole with the inside of his thigh and his groin. Mago groaned but grabbed onto the pole, dangling in pain, squeezing his legs together. But he kept hold of the pole, shifting his grip whenever he started to slip. After a minute or so he worked his way back to the platform edge. It took about another minute before he was able to haul himself up.

His arms were burning after that. But he stood up and faced the jump again, ready to try again.

 

[Iris Arani]

"Don't just react. Act. Trust your feelings, your instincts. There's no reason to be nervous." Or something like that. Pain tended to block out most other emotions in the colors Iris could see, so it was a bit difficult for her to figure out Mago's headspace.

"You've got this. Go again."

Mago Leomax

 

[Mago Leomax]

A single pull-up had been tough for him. He really needed to work out! He took another deep breath and stilled himself the best he knew how, hands moving from his center and out to his sides as he exhaled. Act. Trust his instincts. And only one giant reason to be nervous.

He walked to the edge and balanced on the pole with his arms out to each side. Slowly he made it to the end and focused on where he needed to go. It had been a long time since he had done this, so he kept his balance, slowly crouched, wiggled a little, and steadied. He let out another long breath, breathed in, tightened, and used the Force to push against the poll and to empower his legs. He Jumped, launching himself the few extra feet he needed to clear the gap. He didn't land very gracefully, rolling and ending up on his back, but he did it! He let out a cheerful 'Woo!' and a short laugh. It was exhilarating to use the Force like that and to overcome that obstacle.

Not wasting too much time, he got back to his feet. His next obstacle was a tall wall, maybe double his height. He could see past it, a gap before the next platform. He'd need to reach the top before jumping over. Another Force Jump should do the trick. He balanced himself with some more breathes, squatted, and jumped. He didn't put enough oomph into it, and fell back onto his rear. He rubbed his butt in pain but stood up again. He'd need to focus more, draw more on the Force to make the jump. He forgot about the pain, took a deep breath, and strained his ability with the force. He leaped again and was just able to catch the edge. Muscles still burning he worked and worked to pull himself up. He was sweating and gritting his teeth. He swung one leg up, pulled, pulled, shook, then swung the other leg over and rolled onto the top. There was barely enough room to lay down, but enough. He laid there for another minute or so, breathing heavily as his upper body got a workout it was not prepared for.

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris hopped up beside him. It was an easy jump for her, but the training she went through under Valery Noble had made sure it was. Anything less meant another lap. Ah, thinking about it had her shiver just a little. It was tough. Worth it, but certainly tough.

"You're quite in tune with the Force. The colors flow through you almost effortlessly. You just need to work on building up some muscle mass. As a Jedi, there will come a time you won't be able to avoid conflict, so better you're prepared. We'll set you up with a good workout routine, I think."

Mago Leomax

 

[Mago Leomax]

He held a thumbs up and a smile. "Sounds... sounds good. But I'm not giving up yet. Just taking a rest." He carefully stood back up. There was something she said that boosted his confidence. That the colors, what she saw The Force as, flowed through him effortlessly. That was great news. He focused on The Force like he did before, letting it strengthen and support him as he readied his leap. He tensed his body and went for it.

His foot caught the edge again, causing him to tumble and slide off the edge. "Nonono!" He clung to the other side of the platform as his feet dangled. He grit his teeth and struggled a bit more before he focused on the Force once more, pushing off of nothing with his legs with enough power to push him up and back onto the platform. "By the Force... I need to get better at THAT too."

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris let out a bemused chuckle as she nodded and hopped off to let him continue. Not giving up, that was always a good sign. She watched calmly from the sidelines, till he slipped anyway. Then she got moving. Hopped up to be ready to help if he needed it.

He didn't, which was a relief.

"Don't push yourself too much. You've not been the most active. We'll get you where you need to be, don't worry."

Mago Leomax

 

[Mago Leomax]

OOC: Oh my goodness I thought it was your turn this whole time, lmao

He was panting. Master Arani was right, he really hadn't been the most active. He was getting better at using the Force, but his muscles hadn't developed much. He'd need to work on that too. Maybe those holobooks that had a recording version, he could reserve those to listen to when doing exercises.

The tired padawan held a thumbs up for his master to see. Another minute of rest and he was standing up again. He let out a smooth, slow breath, shook his hands, inhaled and moved.

Another platform, and another! He returned to panting as he stood at this new one. He had to go downwards now. About a ten foot drop before the opening, a wall infront of him. He'd have to slide down between the platform he stood on and the wall and catch the opening. There were small ridges in the walls, metal bands that were thick enough he could put his feet. He could wiggle his way down, surely.

Standing at the edge he fell forward to catch himself on the opposing wall, then put a shakey leg outwards, getting a good foothold. Then his other foot-

He slipped and slammed his head against the wall. He tried to grab something but failed and he was past it, hitting the ground. "By the force... Ow... I made it... how many platforms? I'll make more next time Master, I promise. I won't let you down." He was obviously exhausted, hands stretched out to his sides.

Iris Arani