(Duel) Padawan, Padawan, What Strength do you Have?

[Carona Totsari]

OOC: Closed to @[member="Drake Blackwood"]

Carona sighed, after a morning of precious meditating she would at least try to become stronger in her dueling skills... Recently promoted to the Padawan status, Carona's new master had easily shown her her weakest points the hard way. It was all due to her growth disorder, but she was extremely weak physically. She was small, had fragile bones, and only had enough strength to lift her duel-phase lightsaber efficiently. Even if it gave her some broken bones, she was going to change that! As much of a crybaby and an emotional weakling as she was, Carona was suddenly determined to change. She wanted to impress the Council... and her Master.

She walked into the training hall. The last time she had been here it was to meet and duel her new master... She didn't do that well. This time, she would push herself to do better... All she needed though now was an opponent. So as the mute walked down the crowded hallway, she suddenly bumped straight into another person!

Aw great! She scolded herself as she fell over due to the impact, I didn't need this! Now I'll have to explain everything about me being mute when they demand an apology too!! Everybody Carona knew treated her like dirt, she was sure that whoever she had collided with would be no different...

 

[Drake Blackwood]

Drake had been practicing. At least, until someone bumped into him. He turned, his blade raised defensively. He shut it off, realizing he'd taken the Togruta in front of him as a threat. He put the hilt back on his belt. "Hey, are you a Padawan here as well? I'm Drake, by the way." Drake could definitely sense the Force in her, although he had no idea who she was. It didn't quite matter. His hand reached out to shake hers, and he smiled. She was rather small, and looked a bit young. Momentarily, Drake wondered what she'd be doing her. Probably training, but she didn't look quite strong enough that dueling would be her strongest suit. Drake shrugged mentally, he had no idea.

@[member="Carona Totsari"]

 

[Carona Totsari]

Carona was absolutely shocked at the boy's kind reaction. She blinked as he shook her hand, a smile on his face. Carona's face currently looked as blank as a baby's. She smiled weakly, once again feeling all too well shocked at this.

When he had asked whether she was another Padawan, she had shook her head 'yes'. Her smile grew much warmer then.

She took a step back, giving the boy a proper bow. That alone would have to do for an immediate apology. The next thing, she knew it would probably be her turn to 'speak'. To show Drake that she was mute, the girl pointed at her mouth then shook her head. Then she also pointed at her throat.

... Hopefully that would get the message of her being mute across without any issues.




@[member="Drake Blackwood"]

 

[Drake Blackwood]

Drake bowed to Carona in response. He still wasn't used to the ways Jedi bowed to each other in greeting. "Ahh, can't speak? How do you usually communicate then? I'd imagine you have a knack for telepathy..." Telepathy had been something Drake had been wanting to try for some time now. If this girl knew some, he'd certainly insist she teach him. He shrugged the thought off, moving in a position he often found himself in recently. Arms folded, feet spread to shoulder length. The Padawan started to think about how he came into this predicament.

He cursed to himself in his head, his brows furrowed. While training, he'd been immersed in the Force. Almost more than he ever had been, and yet, he hadn't sensed her. He'd have to address that later, for the best way for him to learn to strengthen his connection with the Force was experience. He let the thought slide for now, locking it away for later.

@[member="Carona Totsari"]

 

[Carona Totsari]

Carona's lekku darkened when he asked whether she knew telepathy or not. Because she didn't. As strong as her connection with the Force was, she really hadn't learned much outside the basics. Having just became a Padawan several days ago, what was there that she could have improved on already? But that was why she was here... To become stronger.

She sadly shook her head 'no' and drew out her data pad. She rapidly tapped away on it. Then she handed the message to Drake - Unfortunately it had several typos...

"Sorry, Ive JUST becam e a padawan. Sosorry no. And my name s Carona"​

​

@[member="Drake Blackwood"]

 

[Drake Blackwood]

"That's perfectly alright...Nice to meet you, Carona..." Drake nodded, and smiled at her. He wondered why she was there, more importantly why she bumped into him. Not that he really cared. He shrugged to himself, maybe she'd be up for some sparring. Drake raised his un-lighted lightsaber. The motion he made with it was somewhat asking her if she had any. He figured he'd try to communicate without talking. It might make her feel a bit more comfortable, not to mention, she wouldn't have to type on the datapad all the time.

@[member="Carona Totsari"]

 

[Carona Totsari]

Carona smiled nervously when the boy still acted nice to her. Did he think she was still a little girl? It was a common misconception.

However, at the sight of his lightsaber she remembered why she was here. She blinked and (like an infant) pointed at it. She nodded yes at the obvious indicator - knowing her body language well enough she could crack his rather easily.

She then drew her overgrown robes aside to reveal her black shirt and pants; on her loose belt were twin lightsaber shortos.


@[member="Drake Blackwood"]

 

[Drake Blackwood]

Drake studied her. She had two shotos. Not surprising, given her size. Small blades usually suited small duelists, and the same went for large blades. Thought, it was not unheard of to wield a regular sized blade and a smaller one for parrying. Drake had never seen it in action, but he'd heard it could be very effective. Drake nodded to her response, and stepped back. He waited for her to take out her lightsabers before he ignited his, just to make sure she got the message. Drake was having some trouble picking a style lately, hopefully this would help him identify what was best for him. Drake smiled, and twisted the hilt in his fingers.

 

[Carona Totsari]

Carona 'chuckled' when he lifted his lightsaber already. She blinked than pointed to the other side of the hallway where the open door to a training room was. She blinked, a tiny bit of herself coming out of her very thick for a moment. Isn't he the impatient one? She remarked to herself as she walked towards the room, expecting him to follow.

It was like any other random training room. Several mats, benches, a water machine. She passed the weapons rack by, already trusting her twin shortos well enough. She stepped onto the very last mat and looked back to see what Drake was up to.

@[member="Drake Blackwood"]

 

[Drake Blackwood]

Drake shrugged, and moved to follow her. Drake looked around as they entered the training room. As he stepped onto the mat, he changed his view from the room to her. Drake took in a breath in, and let it out. He continued doing this until she put herself in a ready position, and would continue to do so throughout the fight. The easiest way from him to reach a connection with the Force. So far, move of his Force training had been martial, with a bit of telekinesis practice on his own. He'd have to talk to Vex about trying some more things...Drake brushed the thought aside, and turned his attention to Carona. He arched a quesitoning eyebrow at her.

@[member="Carona Totsari"]

 

[Carona Totsari]

OOC: Sorry for the late reply...

Carona quickly threw her Jedi robes off. The black outfit she wore wasn't exactly the best color against her bright, orange skin, but Carona really didn't care at all about how she looked. The girl took out both her shortos and entered a defensive Jar'Kai stance. She blinked, looking up at Drake. She wondered how long it would take for him to make the first move.

Of course, Carona was unlike most Padawans who were dying to get into action. Carona was fine staying away from as much battle, gore, and tragedy as she possibly could... Her own back story seemed tragic enough to her. Outside that, Carona had zero confidence in herself. She didn't know how to come up at Drake with a good attack, she just waited for any blows from him, preparing for the best defense she could come up with. She blinked at him again, waiting for his first move... if he could tell that was what she wanted.




@[member="Drake Blackwood"]

 

[Drake Blackwood]

A dark blue lightsaber came to life. Drake held it in both his hands, his left shoulder turned to Carona, his feet spread apart, parallel to each other. Very similar to the basic stance of Ataru. Drake's eyes quickly scanned her, and he was already allowing the Force to flow through him, and help strengthen him. Drake rushed forward.

His first strike was towards her right arm, and with a twist, he launched a second strike at her left arm. Drake stepped back, raising his blade defensively to block any attacks she might send his way. Drake decided the best way to combat her Jar'Kai was to be fast and strong, as practitioners of Jar'Kai generally didn't have the strength to block a two handed attack with just one. Then, he'd pull back, and wait form what ever attacks she'd throw his way.

@[member="Carona Totsari"]

 

[Carona Totsari]

Carona promised herself never to do this again...

The strikes her fellow Padawan gave her sent her flying off the training mat all together and now she was lying on the floor! She growled, getting up almost immediately and racing towards him. She kept her Jar'Kai form and threw a combo of multiple attacks, with both blades, straight towards his lightsaber. By chance, the oppression of her attack would knock his lightsaber out of his hand - although she didn't see how this would even work with her pathetic current physical strength. But it was worth a shot...



@[member="Drake Blackwood"] OOC: Sorry about taking a while to reply :}

 

[Drake Blackwood]

@[member="Carona Totsari"]

Drake took the time from Carona falling back off the mat to try a new stance. He switched to a Soresu one, expecting her to come back at him, just in case. He raised his lightsaber above his head, pointed at his. His arm flayed parallel to blade, and his legs spread wide, right behind left. As it so happened, Drake's intuition was right. Although he wasn't prepared for the intensity of her attack. Not to mention, he'd been trying to study so many forms, he hadn't had his mind set on one, and it was all jumbled up in his head. Different ideas formed in his head, and it distracted him. It was too much for a single Padawan to handle. He was able to parry Carona's first two strikes, but he felt he had to back off before something bad happened. Drake had never fought a Jar'Kai user before, and wasn't used to the style. Drake jumped back, his left foot stopping at the edge of the training mat. He looked to Carona, wondering if she'd attack again.

 

[Carona Totsari]

Carona did something unlikely, she smirked. A brief flash of confidence flashed across her face when she saw that she had actually been able to force him back several feet. However, that flash quickly faded as she blinked, wondering if Drake was okay. Her lightsaber fell to the side at her oh so innocent looking glance. She then blinked again, pulling her blades to a defensive stance, preparing for him to attack her back. Carona's major weakness in combat was defense, which was surprising considering her personality. The thing was, Carona was so small and frail that she was unable to hold her ground for even several seconds. She would try to take her togruta traits to advantage, dodging whenever she could, during practices with other younglings; but she knew that if she was pinned to a corner or something, she would be out of options. She had to become stronger and learn to stand her ground. She thought that, well, this would be a good opportunity to practice that.

@[member="Drake Blackwood"]