Private Kindling of a Flame

[Henna Ashina]

Inosuke Ashina ​

There was something slightly embarrassing about walking into a room meant for padawans. Henna, stubborn to a fault, had only been able to admit she needed more training after a near-death experience. She knew somewhere, deep within, there was nothing shameful about it- this pursuit of knowledge was no different than her many others. Yet, as her gaze met the younglings in the training center, she could only offer a sheepish grin before her eyes darted away once more.

Moving deeper, she found Inoskue. A line of other (much younger) students trained in front of him, all in deprivation helmets, duelling one another. Henna offered a nod on approach as she joined the group. The knight, though apathetic as ever, was accommodating enough. He didn't ask questions, nor cast looks of judgement- he only passed his knowledge to another student. The younglings were dismissed far before she was, though determination shooed away the discouragement that came with being the only one left.

Finally, a nod of approval from her teacher sent a bright beam across the Hapan's face. She moved to put away the training blade, then sat down against the wall. Withdrawing the canister from the satchel beside her, she downed the icy water inside, before offering it to the knight. Every muscle in her body hurt, but the sense of satisfaction was worth it. She studied the knight in front of her for a moment, before finally breaking the silence.

"I owe you my thanks once more. I'm afraid, ah, I've never been the best with a saber," A quiet chuckle burst from her chest. "Though I guess you probably figured that out. Still, thank you for your patience, and your knowledge."

After a moment more, she continued.

"What drove you to teach?"

 

[Inosuke Ashina]

No signs of exertion emanated from Inosuke's demeanor. No heavy breathing, no sweat, not even a diminish in posture. A routine that seemed a significant workout for Master Sarratt extended little hindrance upon Knight Ashina. An outward-facing palm and a small shake of his head declined her offer. Absconding from the room's center, he'd remain standing in her vicinity against the wall.

"I owe you my thanks once more. I'm afraid, ah, I've never been the best with a saber," A quiet chuckle burst from her chest. "Though I guess you probably figured that out. Still, thank you for your patience, and your knowledge."

Inosuke's expression wavered into a small, closed-mouth grin. An audible exhale fled his nose, eyes falling shut as he turned his head down toward the floor. "Yes, I may have noticed." Certainly above the capabilities of his usual students, though still possessing an inordinate gap between Knight and Master. The difference would have been far less exasperated had he accepted the title of Master years ago. Or perhaps even more so, depending on one's perspective.

"What drove you to teach?"

He blinked, face fading back to the trademark deadpan. Eyes drifted while the mind considered the question. Initial instinct was to ignore it, but he'd already given her enough of that. "Duty, perhaps? Truthfully I'm not certain."

 

[Henna Ashina]

So he can smile, she thought to herself. His next words made her arch a brow, though they were unsurprising. Duty seemed to poke its head out at every corner- she had become all too familiar with it over the years. She half-wondered if he struggled with the concept as well, given his solemn demeanor.

"To duty." She said, moving the canister upward before drinking once more. The words were as sour as bantha milk left in the sun.

"At least there's joy to be found in teaching." She remarked, half thinking aloud. "To teach is to touch a life, even if our students don't realize the impact until far later."

 

[Inosuke Ashina]

Catching a hint of the sourness, his brow furrowed at the impromptu toast. "I will admit you appear far more sentimental about it than I," he offered once she'd finished her second thought. He leaned onto the wall in a leisurely fashion but remained standing in contrast to her rest.

"I do not seek any joy or gratification," he confessed. "My only aim is to equip students to become capable. Ours is a dangerous vocation. The more they learn, the fewer urns fill our mausoleums." Oddly grim, and perhaps bordering callous, but he was nothing if not forthright.

"With that being said, I believe you would benefit from regular lessons. I doubt every temple harbors the same dangers we encountered previously, but a repeat incident may manifest while you are alone." Inosuke wasn't guaranteed to be there the next time she required assistance.

 

[Henna Ashina]

She smirked at his observation, resting the urge to chuckle. She considered herself many a thing, but sentimental had never been a chosen descriptor. She simply stated what was undeniable, that there was beauty to be found in the passing of knowledge. Finally, she put the lid on the canister, and shoved it back into the satchel from which it came from. She rose slowly, coming eye level with the knight. She offered a slow look as she stretched, slightly wincing at the ache setting in.

"If you wanted a reason to spend more time with me, Knight Ashina," She remarked with a cheeky grin. "You could have just asked- I wouldn't have been opposed."

She threw a wink as she knelt down to gather the bag she had left on the floor. Despite her jokes and flirting, she knew he was right. She had always leaned away from the blade, but it was better late than never to round out her skill set. Rising once more, she glanced to the spot where they had just trained.

"I suppose that would not be a terrible idea, though. Without a knight in shining armor to save me, I can't go on expeditions, or I may be the next in an urn."

She allowed time to digest the words before she changed the subject, this time looking directly at him.

"How do you do it? Ignore the human urges for excitement and pleasure so nonchalantly in the name of service?"

 

[Inosuke Ashina]

Her courting seemingly splattered against his deadpan like an egg against a particularly hard wall. That was, until a handful of fast blinks at inconsistent intervals indicated a chip in the shield. "Uh," clearly one of his more intelligent articulations to date. To be on the receiving end certainly wasn't a first, but it had been long enough that the possibility hadn't occurred to him until it was too late.

A forceful breath cleared his throat with a single beat. "I won't expect a Master to attend class with younglings. I have a more advanced program in the evenings on the usual days if it suits you." Back to the point. The serving end of these exchanges was and would remain a never.

"How do you do it? Ignore the human urges for excitement and pleasure so nonchalantly in the name of service?"

"I don't." Inosuke was nearly an adult when he came to this way of life. Trying to weed those feelings was a lost cause. "I have priorities. Those are low on the list, not absent."

 

[Henna Ashina]

Henna was unwholly unphased by the lack of reciprocation- she had expected as much. Yet, they were clearly going to be spending a lot of time together- it was only a matter of time. Henna offered a sly smirk at the thought, but said nothing. It faded as he moved onto answer her question. It wasn't the answer she desired, though knowing she was not alone in such a thing brought a small sense of comfort. She offered a curt nod, pondering.

"I guess I just need to realign my priorities, then." Her voice was small, her gaze dropped. After a moment, she cleared her throat and continued. "Yes, a different class would be favorable. Not that I mind the toddlers, but not so much the feelings of inadequacy." She half-joked.

She took a step forward, moving away from the wall.

"See you next time." Turning back, she offered a small smile. "And thank you, again."


The next time Henna returned to the training center, she held her head a little higher. There was no sheepishly dropping her gaze when challenged by strange glances, but rather, meeting them head on. The gym was emptier than it had been in the day time, though her early arrival may have had something to do with that. As she moved through the sparsely populated room, she spotted the knight. She offered a smile coupled with a small wave by way of greeting. Moving to the spot she had picked days before, she dropped her satchel, and moved to pull her hair back in a bun. She then turn to face Inosuke once more.

"Where do we start? Or shall we wait for the others?"

 

[Inosuke Ashina]

Inosuke was in the middle of correcting a student's stance and posture. Adjusting arms and shoulders with a firm grip, and correcting knees with light kicks on the back of the leg. "You must be more direct," he admonished while demonstrating proper strikes with a training saber. All in all, the method seemed much firmer, hands-on, and stern than the gentle instruction he'd given to younglings.

He turned upon Henna's accosting, giving the other student a gesture that indicated that he and his partner should recommence their exercise. "Today is free training," he informed. "Had I known to expect you today I may have planned something more informative." Every few days he left students to hone what they've learned with on another in order allow them to practice more than one technique per day.

Looking around the room, he slowly became aware of the evening's low turnout. Everyone was conveniently, or rather inconveniently, already partnered. Giving her a look over he instructed: "Grab a training saber. I suppose I am the only one available for sparring, so we will cover basics."

 

[Henna Ashina]

"I'll be sure to notify you ahead of time, in the future." It wasn't an apology, though slightly apologetic in tone. "Though, we can still make the best of it. I'm sure your basics are probably not basics to me."

Navigating between the dueling pairs, she moved to the rack set off on the side. Though the sabers were all identical, silver hilted with cyan blades, her had hovered above them for a few moments. Finally, with a grimace, she retrieved one from the shelf and returned to the floor. Looking the knight head on ads she found herself at the edge of a mat, she nodded firmly.

"Ready when you are."

 

[Inosuke Ashina]

Silently, he gave her another look over and surveilled her demeanor with his near-trademark blank-faced regard. "Go on," he implored whist on his side of the sparring mat. "Turn it on, assume a stance."

Though instructing her to prepare, he remained standing with no obvious intent to begin. He wouldn't say it outright, but what little he'd seen of her previously left some to be desired in this field. She was clearly a Master on other merits. If she wanted to learn, he was going to hold her to the same standard as he did everyone else training in this room.

 

[Henna Ashina]

Where Inosuke's face was blank, Henna's showed surprise. Her brows then moved from an arch to narrowing instead, sussing him out. It almost felt like a joke- telling a student to go on without instruction didn't feel like proper training. As the moments ticks by it became evidently clear he was as serious as he looked.

With a slight huff, she slid into formation as told. Just as she had so many done so many times, she moved one foot back, one forward with her leg straight. Her blade came to life in he hand as she raised it up to eye level, angling it properly. Another hand went up to wave. Though the form was widely defensive she was sure she could make it work.

Her approach was slow as her blade moved in quick, tight circles. She allowed the force to guide her as she probed for a strike, but none came. Finally, nearing the still figure, she chose to risk it with a quick jab.

 

[Inosuke Ashina]

Knight Ashina sniffed out the hesitation like a vornskr on blood. When the jab finally came, he'd already been allotted enough time to anticipate it. A closed fist around an unignited training saber raised quickly, batting the strike away with a backhanded motion. The low-intensity blade sizzled on contact, though Inosuke seemed to have no outward reaction to the sensation.

Eyes narrowed whilst he shook his head. He stepped in, grabbed the saber still in her hand along with her free wrist and adjusted where her hands rested around the hilt. "Loosen up," he instructed. "Elbows too," he added while grabbing a forearm to readjust the elbow. A finger pointed forward, slipped beneath an elbow and slowly raised it until the position was satisfactory.

"Remain steady, but not rigid. Rigidity restrains your options," he remarked as he moved around the side of her. A firm grip adjusted shoulders. Several taps with his feet spread legs, and subsequent light-kicks ensured knees were bent properly. Circling around the opposite side he gave her a once-over with a scrutinous fish-eye. Dwelling on it for a moment, he nodded in approval.

"Your mind must not succumb to rigidity, either. I felt you hesitate the moment your mind thought of a possibility. The Force guides us in many ways, but never forget that you are the pilot, and the Force is merely your co-pilot. Do not hesitate on its behalf."

Plasma screeched free of his emitter as he retook his place in front of her. "Try again."

 

[Henna Ashina]

A sharp inhale registered without permission as his touch directed her. Her shoulders relaxed a moment later, allowing him to guide her form. It felt much too open by the time he deemed it satisfactory, which caused Henna to furrow her brow. She took a moment to swing the saber whilst still across the map, getting a feel for the difference.

"Rigidity restrains my options." She murmured to herself, looking down the blade.

Heeding his advice on hesitation, she surged forth. The urge to contemplate every inch of him was strong, but she fought it nonetheless. She would not think, would not hesitate, only do, as she had been directed. Her feet carried her forward quickly, until she met him once more. In a wide arc, far different than what she was used to, she swept downward toward his legs.

 

[Inosuke Ashina]

Eye contact didn't break as Knight Ashina quickly stepped back and put his legs beyond the reach of the saber, and then stepped forward. "Better," he praised flatly. "Still needs improvement, but that is why you're here," he mused, tempering praise with criticism and an apathetic tone.

"You must be more direct," he instructed with an oddly familiar statement. "Do not wind up a strike, lest you telegraph your intention." Fingers twitched as his grip adjusted across the hilt. "Like this." Suddenly his blade was careening down toward her leg without the wide arc that she had demonstrated. So simple, yet inordinately more difficult to see coming.

 

[Henna Ashina]

The sudden contact of the blade with her calf sent a sting upwards. The speed of the strike only added to such, causing a wince of pain to flash across her face. She reached down with her open hand to massage the spot.

"And here I thought I was here because you enjoyed my company." She tossed at him teasingly.

Observing the red welt that was quickly rising, she didn't move to meet his gaze until her arm did. The saber lashed upward and forwards in a strong thrust, the rest of her body moving as the strike came to it's target.

 

[Inosuke Ashina]

"And here I thought I was here because you enjoyed my company."

Inosuke blinked. Clearly, she had the capability to be direct, though misplaced it on her demeanor rather than her blade. He released a hand from the training hilt, figuring she was going to need a moment. Low-intensity plasma drooped to his right.

"You're h-"

Eyes widened as cyan light charged upward. Adrenaline evoked sharp inhale as lungs exanded. His free hand snapped forward like a predator encroaching on unsuspecting quarry. Fingers snapped shut around the training blade, his skin unmolested through the grace of the Force.

Everything was suddenly still, widened eyes staring down toward the icon of ambush.

 

[Henna Ashina]

Her gaze was unyielding as it bore down the length of the blade. Copper met sapphire what could only be described as a challenge. The room around them momentarily faded as they were locked in an unspoken struggle. Frustration, determination, a slight hint of desire- all were poured into the intense stare that could bore a hole in beskar.

Finally, she relented, retracting the saber. The cyan disappeared into the hilt once more as she took a step away. Her eyes fluttered as she suddenly becoming aware of her surroundings once more. Clearing her throat, she redirected her attention to the lesson once more.

"What of defense?" She inquired.

 

[Inosuke Ashina]

Smoke rose off the inner skin of his now empty hand. He shook his hand off to the side until the emissions ceased billowing from his flesh. With a flick of his opposite thumb, the training weapon retracted inward with a muted hiss. One look around, and it became clear that students were slowly filtering their way out. It seemed far from a slog, but some way or another the time simply went.

Blue drifted back to regard Henna with a blank look. "It seems my two hours have expired," he declared whilst moving toward the wall-rack to return the practice hilt. He place his in and began to straighten up the menagerie of hilts and tools only haphazardly returned to their places. A glance over his shoulder, "Next time, perhaps?"

 

[Henna Ashina]

A deep frown took her face. Though the lesson was far from what she would call fun, she had been eager for more nonetheless. Slowly, it faded, as she sauntered over to where he stood, storing her own weapon.

"A productive two hours, at the very least." She commented, assisting him with the work his students had left. "Pleasant, at the most."

The quiet of the gym fell around them for a moment. She stole a glance, assessing his expression, but the stone demeanor gave nothing, as usual. As they finished, she turned slowly to where her satchel was, allowing her arm to graze his spine as she passed. She then paused, turning back to him.

"Sure I can't get extra credit work?" She asked nonchalantly. "I'm free all evening."

 

[Inosuke Ashina]

"Sure I can't get extra credit work?"

Inosuke rotated away from the rack, offering a stolid glare. "Extra credit?" he asked. Those two words played especially hard against his accent. If this was some kind of proposition, her previous directness must have faltered by now. He would give her the benefit of a doubt and explain, "This is not the pen and paper academia you are familiar with."

"There are no grades. Proficiency is observed, not measured." His feet shuffled toward a surface that held his bag. After a brief rummage, he'd return with a chip meant for a datapad. "Since you are so determined, I possess material you may review. Although it is hardly a substitute for practice." The chip would be offered out between thumb and index.