Private Mean Green Fighting Machine

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

Today was Drystan's day devoted fully to training.

He laid beneath a tree in the courtyard, leaned against its trunk as he began to daydream. The hours before his well-earned break had been filled with intense training—his effort and stamina pushed to the very brink. Now, he enjoyed a well-earned nap in the tranquility of the temple courtyard, Jedi of varying ranks passing him by along the pathways around the tree, going about their day as the Shadow rested.

He remembered his master's teachings—one moment in particular when Drystan had trained all day and night, pushing himself to exhaustion to the detriment of his progress. His master had reminded him that rest was just as important as the training that came before and after. It was a lesson he had forgotten in the days after becoming a Knight and a Shadow, but as he slowly reintegrated with the Order and its members, he began to return to healthier habits—even if he still lapsed from time to time.

But for now, he was more than relaxed. He'd let recovery come naturally, letting his body decide when it was ready to move again—rather than pushing it past what was good for it.

Shan

 

[Shan]

Objective: Catch Up!
Shan raised an eyebrow at the sight of one of his fellow Jedi napping under one of the trees in the courtyard. He had done that plenty of times in the past as a Padawan himself. It had always came when he had pushed himself too hard in his training. He had always pushed himself harder when it came to Force based training. His healing. His connection to the Force but one thing he had never properly tried at was his lightsaber training. Sure, he was somewhat decent when it comes to Soresu, but the passivity could only last for so long. maybe he was somewhat decent in Djem So...Hm...

"You alright there? You know, I'm sure laying in your own bed is a lot more comfortable than laying under a tree."

Jokes. It was something Shan felt like he was somewhat alright with. A chuckle to himself as he crouched down to look at Drystan Creed , tilting his head at the Jedi Shadow. Shan was sure he had seen the other Knight around a few times but they hadn't had a proper conversation together. Maybe it was time for that to change.

 

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

Drystan sensed Shan's approach but made no adjustment in his current state, opting to keep his eyes closed as the other Knight came to stand before him. His only reaction was the movement of his lips as he responded to Shan's greeting.

"It's a beautiful day. Being inside wouldn't feel as nice as being out here." And indeed it was—a clear day, with more than pleasant weather, one that should be taken advantage of.

Drystan opened one eye, sparing Shan a quick glance before shifting his head to get a better look and opening both eyes fully. "I've seen you around," he said. "Though I don't think we've been properly introduced. Drystan Creed, Jedi Shadow."

A pause.

"I'm sure you didn't come all this way just to comment on my sleeping habits. What can I do for you?"

Shan

 

[Shan]

Tag: Drystan Creed
Objective: Get to learning!
"Shan Pavond. Jedi Consular. Pleasure to meet you."

He gave a short nod at that. Titles weren't something he used to take pride in, but they were meant to be a symbol of who you were. He was a Doctor, and a Jedi. So it was important he kept some form of pride in that as he then turned his attention back over towards Drystan, raising an eyebrow as he realised the man was a Jedi Shadow. They were quite skilled in combat, if he was to go off the few shadows he knew of.

"Originally I did come here just to comment on your sleeping habits. Some Jedi would think it leaves a bad example for the Padawans but I suppose they'd be wrong. But now..."

Shan rubbed his chin in thought, glancing up towards the tree for a moment. Was it worth asking for help? Of course it was. Learning was vital, no matter what.

"What lightsaber forms are you familiar with? I was looking at getting some more experience with some."

 

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

"I think being outdoors in a place like this is better suited for a Padawan than the stuffy, confined halls of the Temple."

Drystan gave a nod as Shan introduced himself, though a subtle glint flickered in his eye at the request. With a fluid motion, he kicked up from his spot in the grass, now standing across from the other Knight.

"I have expertise in all the forms," he said plainly. "Though not to the point I'd claim mastery."

There was no boast in his tone. Given his aptitude for combat—and his unique ability to replicate physical movement—Drystan had accelerated through techniques that took others decades to master. But he was still learning, refining. Mastery was a title he didn't hand to himself lightly.

"How's your own blade work?" he asked, his gaze narrowing slightly. "I assume it's gone dull if you're asking me instead of refining it yourself."

The question wasn't a slight—it was a read. He was happy to teach Shan whatever he knew, but he needed to know what he was working with. At the Knight level, every Jedi's path diverged. Their styles, strengths, weaknesses—training couldn't be standardized anymore. It had to be tailored.

That was something Drystan had come to understand firsthand. He had spent much of his life neglecting traditional training, relying on his gifts to carry him. It took time—and more than a few hard lessons—to realize the truth: he didn't need less training.

Shan

 

[Shan]

Tag: Drystan Creed
Objective: Get to learning!
It made sense to be outdoors sometimes. Though Shan wasn't sure if it was a purely great idea to always be out there. Then again, he had been a different student compared to most Jedi. He did raise an eyebrow at the mentioning of Drystan having expertise in all of the different forms. That could be quite useful for Shan...

"Not dull. Stagnant. I've reached a limit to the progress I can make by myself. There's only so much I can do with Soresu. I need to work on broadening my horizons. A one-trick Tauntaun isn't great on the field. I've started to realise that myself. Djem So is something I can potentially fall back to, but I still think widening my skill set is better."

Shan had realised how sharp his blade was back on Woostri when he had killed for the first time. But that wasn't the important thing. What was important was that it broke a limit Shan had on himself. He had worked on Soresu because he hadn't wanted to kill. He wanted to be defensive. But now? He wasn't held back by that desire anymore. Of course, Shan didn't want to go on a killing spree, but now he was more willing to go on the offensive. He just needed more offensive skills.

 

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

"A limit, you say?"

Drystan raised an eyebrow. "Thinking of expanding into the other forms? Historically, most Jedi specialized in one style and stuck with it throughout their careers. Certain eras even encouraged exclusive use of Niman, for example."

He paused for a moment, studying Shan.

"I find it hard to believe there's nothing left for you to learn with the third form. I'd wager I could help you push past that plateau—if Soresu is still your preferred discipline."

He had already decided he'd teach Shan if the other Knight was serious, but Drystan wanted to understand more about what was holding him back. And he didn't look down on Shan's lack of experience with the other forms—far from it. Many Jedi chose to refine their skills in negotiation or deepen their connection to the Force, only keeping their bladework sharp enough to meet the needs of their path.

Shan

 

[Shan]

Tag: Drystan Creed
Objective: Get to learning!
"A limit with just focusing on Soresu, yes."
It was true that certain eras might have been able to focus on just Niman, but the current era was nowhere near as simple back then in Shan's eyes. There were a lot more dangers with a lot more advanced technology. Having more skills under his belt would be better than trying to rely on just one small trick. He folded his arms along his front carefully, raising an eyebrow at Drystan's statement.

"People died on Woostri because I relied on Soresu. I relied on defending them against an opponent that could only be defeated by offense. I need an alternative to fall upon when defending isn't enough."

Of course, there were still some Force tricks he could use to his advantage when he decided to go on the offense...but most of his Force powers were also reliant on being defensive. Shields, Telekinesis, even Geokinesis was mostly for defensive purposes. He needed to learn more on how to go on the offensive.