Chasing Shadows

[Riamah]

Turning her head when the door opened to reveal an odd looking droid, Ailuros tipped an ear to listen to what Daxton said. Not having seen a Force user actually fight, it interested her greatly.

"I would like to watch. Are there any that can fight close quarters, hand to hand? In me watching you, you can then watch how I fight...if you want."

Her paws flexed and her claws came out as she thought about having a spar with a droid and wondered if her claws would harm it.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

Daxton was curious to see how [member="Ailuros"] fought, “Nothing would please me more, do you wish to spar with an organic or a droid? How many opponents do you wish to deal with? Do you need anything from your ship before you start?”

The pair were following the droid through the labyrithine corridors of the ship, if there were any requests made, a detour would have to initiated otherwise they would head straight for the training area.

 

[Riamah]

At hearing Daxton was interested in seeing how she fought, Ailuros almost started preening. Her step and body language indication she was happy and she cheerfully walked next to him and behind the droid. When he asked if she needed anything from her ship, she shook her head.

"No, master. Everything I have already. My sword is also considered close quarters, but I prefer my claws. Do you think it would even scratch a droid or would it react like an organic?"​

Not wanting to hurt an organic, she did want to show how her fighting went though.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

“You have nothing to fear, my dear @Ailuros. Fight to your full potential, we have med teams on standby alert in case of serious accidents. Should there be a need they could always spend some time recovering in one of the bacta tanks. For now follow the droid to the observation room while I prep for the session.”

 

[Riamah]

Daxton told her not to have a fear about hurting somebody in a spar because of the medical services that were offered and she nodded. While Ailuros did not cherish the thought of causing harm, she knew it came with battle. In the few she had been involved with, she personally had been lucky and didn't take any damage. Even mental scars were limited due to her age and acceptance of death and injury as part of life.

Nodding, she would follow the droid to the observation room and looked around to see what there was to see in the room.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

The room [member="Ailuros"] was in was designed to seat at least twenty people easily, although aside from herself, there were only was only one other person present. A sullen looking young human with a scar running from his left eyebrow down to his chin, who wore dark crimson robes and never made eye contact with her. In fact, his attention seemed to laser focused on the dueling area below them where a pair of assassin droids paced back and forth waiting for the arrival of Bane.

As soon as the training grounds door hissed opened, the pair activated their weapons. The one on the left activated a twin red bladed light staff while his companion activated a purple blade. The two immediately launched a series of attacks, which Daxton deflected using a blue and green lightsaber combo.

For a moment the three exchanged parries and thrusts, showing an exhibition of speed, power and agility, although neither side was able to make any progress against the defense.

Without warning Daxton threw both blades at purple saber weilding droid and then decapitated it with a third blade of his own which hissed to life. When the other droid tried to take advantage of the distraction, the Sith Lord ducked under its attack before sending it flying into the wall. Before it could recover, Daxton threw it against the opposite wall before slamming it into the ground with so much force that if ot were human, its spine would have snapped.

As soon as the duel was finished her companion got up without another word, mumbled softly to himself and then left the observation room. If she was paying attention, she would have heard him say, “Showoff.”

 

[Riamah]

A quick glance at the other person in the room watching and Ailuros and saw he apparently didn't even notice she was there. Seeing as he wasn't going attack her, she took one of the other seats to watch the room below.

Her attention was given to the two droids that paced as they waited for Daxton to show up. Almost as soon as the door opened, they made their moves. An exchange of blows were made and he held them off. At first he didn't make any advances until he threw his blades at one of them and cut its head off with a third blade she didn't know he had.

The second droid attempted to take advantage of the situation, but found itself tossed from one side of the room to the other. The sound of it hitting the wall could be heard through the glass they watched through. Whoever the person was that watched the practice muttered that Daxton had showed off and walked out of the room.

Not knowing what might happen next, Auliros just stayed in the observation room to see if there was going to be more practice or if she was summoned to do some of her own.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

After several minutes a droid entered the room and bowed to [member="Ailuros"], “Master Bane wishes to know if you want to spar with someone now or if you would need some time. If you wish to pracetice please follow me.”

Assuming she does follow it, it guides her to the practice area, droids were cleaning the earlier mess, as she was given a selection of possible foes to fight. The gauntlet ran from one on one competion to one vs ten, with skill levels ranging from street thug to battle hardened Force masters. Once the selection was complete the droid would withdraw and she would have to wait for her choice to arrive.

Lookng around the area, she could not see the observation room even if she knew the angle where it was overlooking. Perhaps her madyer was already there waiting to observe her inn action.

 

[Riamah]

Curiously watching the coming, going and movements of people and droids below, she turned when the droid entered the room to see if she wanted her chance to practice below or wait. Climbing out of the chair she was sitting in, Ailuros nodded at it.

"I'd like that chance. Not sure how good I will do since I'm a little out of practice."

Being young and out of practice, Ailuros selected to only fight one person. Somebody or something she felt to be of a similar skill level or a little higher. Not a Force user and hand to hand, no weapons.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

The doors swung open to reveal a middle aged human wearing a simple white robe and white pants, he wore no badges of rank but from the look of him, he was clearly a capable fighter. Bowing to his opponent, he said, “Thank you for honoring me with opportunity to practice my art. I am Bravios Shadowfist, and I am your opponent for today.”

With the introductions done, he engages in a defensive pose and waits for [member="Ailuros"] to make the first move.

 

[Riamah]

When the man entered, Ailuros turned her attention to him. He was older than she was and appeared human. Carrying himself like he knew how to fight, there was no mistaking that he knew what he was doing. He bowed and introduced himself before taking up a defensive stance.

"I am Ailuros."

Returning the bow, the c​at decided not attack with her claws out as this was practice. Moving with animal speed, she made a simple left handed jab at his face. It probably wouldn't even connect, but that wasn't her intention yet.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

He stood there unflinching as she fist closed in on his face, then at last second before contact seemed leaned back and roll beneath her blow. With her now overextended, Bravious launched an open palm strike in the direction of her torso. If it lands [member="Ailuros"] would feel as it she got the wind knocked out of her lungs while the sensation of bloated belly would last for several seconds, enough to keep her off balance and distracted.

 

[Riamah]

He didn't flinch as her punch moved in and that surprised her. However, it was a simple jab and not a full punch that would have over extended her badly. Her weight was still centered, but he was faster than she could move easily to fully avoid his open handed strike.

In her attempt to avoid it, she moved to her left and it connected to her right side. Going with the flow of the connection though, Ailuros went with it and would attempt to sweep him off his feet with her leg.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

The foot sweep struck the Echani fighter on the back of his calf, but instead of resisting which would have swept him off his feet and on his back, he deliberately entangled leg with [member="Ailuros"] by hooking his foot around her ankle at the end pf the sweep dragging the both to the ground in the process.

If she tried to resist, she would end up bearing both their weightsand would likely be unable to counterattack. By dragging with him, he sought to put her in a position outside her comfort zone and into his where short strikes and punches were to his advantage.

 

[Riamah]

Rolling with the foot lock and not fighting it, the cat landed on the ground and pulled her foot out from his and did more or less a somersault out of his reach. Continuing with the momentum she rolled to her feet and faced him again.

Fully expecting him to be on his feet again and facing her, she would give him the he needed if he was still on the ground. If he was back on feet, she would attempt to attack with a couple of jab at his face again and held her tail ready to include in the fight it was needed.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

Every move an Echani Master makes is for a reason, nothing is random, always with purpose. The trip attack was a test of reflex and balance, the fact she escaped it told him how flexible and agile she was. Flipping upright from his prone position, his arms flexed defensively, he used a move called Juggling the Stream, to deflect her blows outward and away from his position before stepping closer into [member="Ailuros"] guard and unexpectedly grabed her cheeks with either hand and squeezed like one would do with a young child.

 

[Riamah]

She was not yet a tactical fighter so did not see that he was assessing her movements or planning his out. He deflected her jabs without even flinching away from her paws. As her last one was pushed away, she stepped in close and pinched her cheeks.

A clear sound of surprise escaped her, but Ailuros smiled. It was an amusing move and one she hadn't expected. In her own past, she had done something similar to another fighter and appreciated the non lethal attack for what it was.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

Normally such a move would infuriate an opponent into making a rash action, the fact [member="Ailuros"] did not rise to bait showed her potential as a student. The Echani master stepped back and gave a polite bow, then turned to the direction of the viewing room, then gave a deeper bow.

“Master Shadowfist, what is your assessment?” Daxton’s voice emerged from hidden speakers.

“She is a bit older than most of my student but shows potential. Quick, nimble and even tempered, excellent qualities in student. I agree she would benefit from training under my care.” The master replied as if the Dark Lord was in the room with them.

“Ailuros, you will begin training with Master Shadowfist in the ways of Echani while you study the ways of the Force under me. By the end of your training, even unarmed and isolated from the Force, you can still be a valuable tool to do the Force’s will.”

 

[Riamah]

Returning the bow to indicate the end of the quick spar, Ailuros hoped she did the right thing. After that, he turned and faced another direction with deeper bow. Her ears twitched trying to find where the voice came from, but couldn't locate where the sound emitted from the walls.

Listening to the question Daxton asked, she turned to look at the man that had just beat her. He said she was older than he normally worked with, but had potential. Stating her qualities, he said she could benefit from further training under him. When he was done Daxton spoke again.

He told her she would begin her martial training with this man and Daxton would train her with her Force. Nodding in the direction he faced, Ailuros accepted the words spoken.

"Thank you...both."

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

Time was a strange thing. When you were doing nothing, it seemed to stretch on forever. But when the job was important it seemed to fly by faster than the speed of light.

It still only seemed like yesterday that [member="Ailuros"] entered that old tomb and began this grand adventure, yet in mere months she had progressed so far in term under Daxton’s guidance. It pleased the Dark Lord that she progressed quickly covering the basics of using the Force especially considering the lateness of her studies, although she had yet to express a particular discipline she wished to focus on. Still his library was open to her to learn a wide array of Force disciplines, from augmented senses to basics of alchemy and sorcery, should it occur to her to develop a more focused progression.

Her physical development trainers also kept him up to date on her training in armed and unarmed combat as well as the physical toning of her body. While she did showed great aptitude with a variety of weapons, she did seem to favor the use of a certain blade which showed to the Dark Lord she was abot ready for the next part of her training, which is why he sat in the darkness of his sanctum waiting for her to arrive. Closing his eyes, he reached out to the Force and touched her mind gently, like a proud father squeezing gently the shoulder of a chld who has done well.