Keeping Your Song Loud And Refined [Dragon School - Training]

[Josh Dragovalor]

[member="Auron Song"]

Progress was going well for his Padawans, but Josh felt that there was still more that he could do. With things moving around on the Jedi front, Josh had taken the Final Dragon, his ship, as a permanent training area for his Padawans instead of a specific Temple unless requested by the Padawan themselves. It was here that this particular Padwan would be called onto for a practice session. Josh was an adept in combat, and still felt he had more to teach in that sector... Though he would be covering more than that as he went, of course. But practice made perfect.

Auron was progressing but could be a bit headstrong at times. He'd been ordered to meet on the ship for another training session, and Josh hoped that amongst all this, he could teach him patience and knowing when to act.

 

[Aiwaz Khath]

Auron had never grown accustom to being on ships. He once seldom ventured from his adopted homeworld of Voss, but as migrations of the Silver Jedi began, he found himself travelling in space more and more. He was fine with such a fate, but how he yet yearned for the peace and quiet of his home once more. No matter. He would endure the sterile, metal silence of space travel and residency for as long as was required of him, so that he may eventually flourish as a Jedi. Thus it was that he found himself on the vessel of his master once more. It seemed a monolithic beast to Auron, this third sister, as it hummed its mechanical song of operation to him. As he entered the main entranceway of the corvette, he caught sight of his master and gave a warm smile. For all his rawness and seriousness, Josh had started to become a friend to Auron, more than simply a teacher, and he felt that this affected his training for the better. Thus, he was a welcome sight amidst a forest of metal and glass.
"Greetings, master. It's good to see you."

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

As Auron would enter the room, the Jedi Master was waiting.

"Welcome, Padawan Song" He would speak softly but firmly. With complete calm in his voice. "Today, we will be going over the Force and lightsaber combat, as a unit. We will be doing so through a practical exercise. This, to me, is the best way to learn once you have the basics down. Combining the lightsaber and the Force... Your left hand and your right, in a way... You need to have it all work as one, to truly succeed as a Jedi.

So today you will be sparring with me. Before we begin, give me a review on your progress thus far. I need to know your opinion on your amount of experience with a training lightsaber and other melee weapons... And how much you know of the Force. Name every Force ability that you know, before we begin. This will help me tailor this session to what will best improve your progress."

[member="Auron Song"]

 

[Aiwaz Khath]

Auron nodded, for what his master spoke was truth, and he had grown imbalanced from focusing more on Force abilities over lightsaber techniques. He was fit, nimble and accurate with other physical activities such as Teras Kasi, but he had never truly understood the way of the lightsaber.
"My experience with a lightsaber is less to be desired," he admitted. "I have a basic understanding of Shii-Cho, but that's it. My focus has so far been on abilities such as beast control, healing and meditation, as well as Teras Kasi."

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"It'll do. This session, I'm going to teach you the Makashi form" Josh would respond as he would hold out a hand, and a training saber would fly to it. He would then toss it to Auron, before activating his own lightsaber. Soon enough, he would get into stance, a stance that Auron was likely unfamiliar with, but one he would need to learn overall.

"I want you to start by mimicking my stance. This is the Makashi stance, and one that you are going to want to remember. And I am going to hold this stance until you get it right" He would command. And he meant it, they would continue to do this until he got it right... Even if it took all day.

[member="Auron Song"]

 

[Aiwaz Khath]

Auron examined how his master held himself. The stance seemed deceptively simple, with undertones of complexity. Igniting the training saber, Auron slowly rose the weapon upward, mimicking his feet in a similar fashion to his teacher's. His eyes watched carefully at how he brought up his spine and he followed accordingly, stretching himself into the position required of him. He felt strong, enforced, rooted for his practice.

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Good, good. He seemed to have some experience with mimicking forms at least. It was a good start. "Good posture" He would affirm as he would begin to very slowly begin with new motions, swinging motions. "Mimic" He commanded calmly as he would go for a mock swing into the air. His motions were very slow, very deliberate, he wanted Auron to watch the motions and mimic them, and get them right. Or at least similarly enough to where he could incorporate it into his own fighting style later.

He would continue to do the motion again and again until Auron got it right...

[member="Auron Song"]

 

[Aiwaz Khath]

Josh began to move carefully and precisely, and Auron watched as he performed each motion and procedure of the Makashi form's fundamental components. He followed accordingly; the low sweeps and careful swings, syncing with the motions of his master, and the more he practiced the greater he felt attuned to the natural flow of the form's style. The more he began to understand its foundation.

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

A good hour went on, of swinging and getting the form right. Quicker and quicker his motions would get, the more that Auron would grasp the form. Even if there came times where he was doing the form imperfectly, Josh would no longer comment on it in time. The general motions, he seemed to understand. Which was good. The general motions were what you needed to understand to know the form, even if you didn't do the form right by the book. Every Jedi had their own style. Every Jedi had their own comfort. Josh had to adjust how he did Makashi when he used his primary lightsaber, after all. He was sure Auron would adjust how he used Makashi to suit him as well.

"Good, now that you've gotten used to the form, now it's time to use it" Josh would remark as he would turn his lightsaber down to low power, about the same as a training saber. It would only bruise now, at most. "Come at me when you're ready."

[member="Auron Song"]

 

[Aiwaz Khath]

As Josh assumed a ready stance, Auron watched him carefully, using his understanding of Teras Kasi to inform his awareness of footwork and posture, as he prepared himself for an assault. Continuing his motions in the way he had practiced up until now, he leapt forward with dictated precision towards his teacher, a swing downward from his top-right corner towards the centre. Following it through, he continued in a flurry of shorter lunges and sweeps, allowing his feet to move around carefully as he began.

[member="Josh DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

It was on then. He watched his movements with a watchful, precise eye as he would move and strike. Josh did not move his lightsaber, didn't even move an inch besides light adjustments in his footwork, until the last moment. Josh would be more difficult to predict if he struck late. The lack of movements would allow him to telegraph his own, and his lightsaber would come up to block his, and then block the upcoming flurry as he would focus on precision and accuracy.

Of course, for the time being, he was just testing his blows.

He wanted to see just what he had on the offensive, before he made him go on the defensive...

[member="Auron Song"]