Private Meeting the Little Noble

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber
Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Training Room
Tags: Vera Noble

Master Sal-Soren had taken on two new Padawans.

And not just any new Padawans. She had taken on the eldest two Nobles. Aris was one that Lily had little knowledge on, he was a newer addition to the family from what others had said and he seemed a lot quieter. There were already plenty of tales of the mischief surrounding Vera Noble. It seemed that there was a much love as there were tales of her being a gremlin basically. It made Lily chuckle, she was never a wild child herself but she knew if she had a sibling that was she would have definitely gotten caught up in the trouble. Having younger Padawans training with her, there were some that would be striving to seem older, smarter and in need to be leading the way.

Lily just wanted them to like her and possibly see her as an older sibling. She loved the idea of a brother or sister when she was younger. She always felt she was meant to be part of a big family but her mother never wanted another husband, another man's children. Looking back at how she originally took the news, she could have sympathised more, to love a single person so deeply, so powerfully to never want anything else. It was a connection she hoped to reach but it still sucked that she couldn't have siblings like she wanted.

Instead, she was seeking it from meeting Vera. It was impossible to tell whether this meeting would go well or not but she hoped and desperately wanted to show off how fun and chill she could be. Perhaps a little too eager to do that but she was keen to show off her skills. Lily had booked a training room to meet and hoped to organise something so that they have a great first meeting to solidify their bonds as fellow Padawans of Briana.

 

[Vera Noble]

Coruscant Temple

​

Tag: Lily Decoria Aris Noble

"I think it's good that Briana has an older Padawan, too. She'll be able to help us train," Vera said while she walked towards the training room with Aris. They had both gotten dressed early in the morning, equipped their lightsabers, and readied themselves for an important day of training. It was one of few things that Vera could take extremely seriously, so as they walked, she seemed perhaps a bit quiet.

Aris would likely understand, though.

"If we're going to be Padawans together, we should keep working on fighting together. I..." she paused and glanced at her brother for a moment. "I want to be able to protect you. I might not be as good with a lightsaber, but Dad has been teaching me runes, and my visions will only get better."

"We're a team, yeah?" She smiled, and stopped at the door of the training room. Eager to already get started, Vera pushed it open and walked inside to greet her fellow Padawan.

 

[Aris Noble]

"She's Echani."

That was one of the things that stood out as Aris read up on their fellow Padawan. Another warrior race. Did that mean they'd have someone else to learn a lot on their abilities? Different fighting styles? That was the part he was most excited about, despite how calm he looked. The Echani were great fighters with their own martial arts. Would they be able to learn those skills? He did pause though, blinked as he listened to Vera.

Ah, that's what she'd been worried about. His smile formed as he nodded once.

"We're always a team. I've never thought otherwise you know." Then, he followed her in to meet their fellow.

Vera Noble | Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber
Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Training Room
Tags: Vera Noble | Aris Noble

As the younger two Padawans entered, Lily smiled warmly and nodded her head to both of them. It wasn't a surprise that they were there together, new things always feel less daunting when you do them with someone else. They likely both felt stronger together, braver together. It was sweet to see the siblings wanting to train together, she had heard from other friends plenty of times of siblings having toxic rivalries and not really working well together.

"Hey there, I'm Lily. Sure Master Briana warned you that I would be training you both." She couldn't help her grin, she was excited to get to know them better and see what skills they had. Seeing the similarities to their parents and where they differed since Lily had some experience with both the elder Nobles. "I'm sure you're excited to delve right into the Jedi training and getting to get the full Jedi Padawan experience. Will warn, there's a lot of studying, I'm constantly studying holocrons and reading books."

Lily smirked, letting out a tired sigh, she worked her skills hard, aiming to develop her combat skills as much as possible. Especially since she was exploring the dangers of Vaapad as a combat form but also working on learning and mastering the other forms as much as she could. "What are you both most interested in learning?" Lily asked, curious to see what skills they wanted to grow while training. She was also seeing where she could help them today, perhaps offering some unorthodox training with Echani combat stuff, giving them edges over Jedi and Sith who are only experienced in the traditional ways of fighting as a Force User.

 

[Vera Noble]

Coruscant Temple

​

Tag: Lily Decoria Aris Noble

"I know," she told Aris with a little smile. "I just... nevermind." She didn't want to admit that the reassurances helped her feel better. It was silly, because like he said, they would always remain a team. Now as Jedi Padawans under the same Master, but as siblings too. Family would always be able to count on each other.

She couldn't forget that.

Once inside the room, Vera smiled and bowed her head at Lily, "We're both eager to learn and train! Studying is no problem, especially not for Aris." She grinned a little teasingly now. Aris always had his nose in his books, while Vera preferred a more practical or experimental way of learning. Still, she'd more than happily read if the subject interested her.

"Maybe some lightsaber training? We've done a lot of theory, so some action would be fun!"

 

[Aris Noble]

"I do study a lot, yes."

There was only so much practical application he could do with his inability to use the Force after all. While he'd like to do more on the actual training side of things. Not that he was going to let that keep him down or anything. Though, letting them determine what they might want to learn? He glanced to Vera before smiling ever so faintly. There was no hesitation in nodding in agreement.

"Seszil and Vera makes great dueling partners, but variety is important. The more experience we can get, the better we'll be able to handle the unforeseen."

Vera Noble | Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber
Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Training Room
Tags: Vera Noble | Aris Noble

Hearing the siblings, they wanted to jump into some Lightsaber training. Lily gave a smirk and nodded her head, she shouldn't have been surprised that the children were keen on combat training. Valery Noble was known as one of the best fighters in the Order. If not the best fighter. Lily grabbed her Lightsaber and turned to stun setting. "I can show you some of the things that I have learnt about the first form, some tricks to help give you advantages over others. I can also offer some moves from the Echani forms as well. They can pair really well with the Jedi forms and gives you more of an edge over other Force Users."

"We can start with some basics that I first learned and you can then practice them on me." Lily suggested, she wasn't much of a teacher in general but she knew how to offer combat training. Activating her Lightsaber, the cyan blade shone and she held the cross guard Lightsaber. "So, the first form is Shii-Cho. This is a great defensive form, focused on disarming an opponent over using aggressive attacks or using acrobatics to disorientate an enemy." Explaining the basic understanding of the form, it was common for Masters focused on the Form 1 to big up how important the Form is in relation to the Jedi Code. Lily felt less sure about that but it was the first one created and important to learn it first.

Holding her Lightsaber firmly, Lily repeated the movements several times, slowly. "If you want, I can demonstrate so Echani martial arts that I have incorporated into the Form to fight even better." Lily looked over to them, to see if her fellow Padawans wanted that. "For now, lets see how you handle what I just showed you."

 

[Vera Noble]

Coruscant Temple

​

Tag: Lily Decoria Aris Noble

So it was decided, and with no surprise, the son and daughter of the two most capable Jedi warriors would go for some action. Both because they'd learn the most from it, and Lily would actually be an interesting sparring partner. As an echani, Vera knew that Lily would have her own unique takes and skills — something the two younger Nobles could maybe pick up from. Even if they didn't, knowing how Echani fought would be a good lesson.

Lily then began to explain, and Vera smiled a little, "Our Mom was a Battlemaser, so we learned some basics already. I'd really like to see you using the Echani martial arts." She looked at Aris to see how he felt. Shii-Cho's Ideal Form, which were the basics taught to younglings, they already knew.

There was more to the Form than that, of course, but why not focus on what made Lily unique?

"I don't mean to sound arrogant with that. I just... it'd be fun to really learn what makes you you when you fight."

 

[Aris Noble]

"Yeah. We did learn a lot from the beginning. Not just with mom, but also at the temple. The basics have been drilled into us from the moment we were given a training saber."

Aris nodded in agreement. And, well, he looked incredibly enthusiastic about learning what Echani martial arts were. He was nothing if not a fighting style enthusiast.

"If you can show us, I mean."

Vera Noble | Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber
Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Training Room
Tags: Vera Noble | Aris Noble

Lily nodded her head, they were comfortable enough with the basics that she didn’t need to instruct them on that. “Fair. I didn’t want to assume you knew too much just because Master Valery is your mother.” She knew that sometimes people can hold great expectations because of one’s parents and falling to meet those expectations can be devastating and draw too much attention.

It was how Lily felt often in the Echani courts.

Smiling warmly to them both, “Echani fight with emotions on display. Expressing ways about ourselves, talking through combat. It is rare to see two Echani fighting with hate or aggression, more common to see them courting with sparring.” Lily explained, she held no secrets when it came to Echani martial arts, while many could understand and appreciate the combat, most would never be matching her in this particular combat form.

There were traits only an Echani held to master combat style.

Twirling her Lightsaber, she demonstrated the same Shii-Cho style but there were adjustments. Movements that were incorporating her native combat form. There was a joy emanating from her as she had the thrill of demonstrating her training and the harmony of Eshan and Jedi. A harmony that sang from her as she moved.

“How about you two try that?”

 

[Vera Noble]

Coruscant Temple

​

Tag: Lily Decoria Aris Noble

Vera nodded along with her brother, then eagerly watched Lily with a little smile. She was going to demonstrate the Echani stuff now, and she couldn't wait! The Epicanthix, the Keshians, the Echani — they all had their own elements, and it was important to learn them. Not just because it was practically useful, but it also taught them about the various cultures in the Galaxy.

Though... Vera was more interested in the different ways she could smack someone with this.

"Well, I never feel hate or anger to Aris, so..." she flashed him a little grin, and raised her blade. "Come on, let's try it!" Vera started with just a few simple sweeping strikes aimed at her brother, once he was ready. Sparring the air wasn't fun, and she figured that if it was about showing emotions, it'd be easier to do that with her brother.

So, after a few simple strikes, she began to throw her joy and excitement into it. The strikes became wilder and a little stronger, and she hoped it showed her eagerness for all of this.

 

[Aris Noble]

Emotions on display?

Aris tilted his head. Epicanthix fighting was far more reserved in that regard, choosing to instead keep a calm disposition so their foes wouldn't know their intentions. Then strike with overwhelming force to take them down with a counter. Very different. Which only had Aris's eyes sparkling to learn something completely different from what he was used to.

He glanced towards Vera as she raised her blade though. And smirked before bringing his own blade around towards her. The basics of the form were easy for him at this point as he went through the motions, defending and striking the different zones, but to let his emotions show as he struck wasn't something he was particularly good at.

Vera Noble | Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber
Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Training Room
Tags: Vera Noble | Aris Noble

"Well, that's fortunate. However, this is just in general, when using these skills outside of this sparring session." Lily commented, "but think of this as a chance to learn a new language. For Echani, we spar far more than we talk any languages." She wanted to make sure that they understood this wasn't just stating the emotions but a language of expressing, understanding and replying. In her own mind, Lily spoke Echani as a first language and Basic was a second language. Even though Echani was just a sparring, fighting form, it was more expressive than others who were combat languages.

Watching both of them, it was easy to see where Aris was precise and had sharp techniques in fighting, he was falling back more into the Epicanthix techniques of fighting. Lily found the fighting very interesting, to remove the emotions, it felt silent, disconnected, Lily wasn't sure how comfortable she would feel fighting like that for any length of time. Vera seemed the opposite, embracing the chance to express her emotions but through that, she was losing the precision in the techniques.

Turning her Lightsaber off, clipping it to her belt, Lily observed the two more. Her eyes taking in every movement, every micro-expression given with the movement of muscles. "Aris, might be easier to see this as a chance to communicate. Learning to be able to read a person means that you will be able to predict their movements. The more you learn how a person moves and emotes when fighting, the better you have the chance to read and anticipate what they will do next. Battle Master Echani are able to predict fights minutes into the future without any Force abilities due to their abilities to read an opponent."

"Vera, you are doing good with expressing the joy you are feeling. However, don't let it impact the precisions of your strikes. We fight with the grace of dancers."

 

[Vera Noble]

Coruscant Temple

​

Tag: Lily Decoria Aris Noble

"That seems silly and exaggerated," Vera said rather flatly about the Echani Battle Master comment. "The future changes way too much to read that far ahead with certainty. From one moment to another, I could just change my plan." She was a Jedi Seer, so she knew all about trying to adjust the future. Combat especially was hard to read, so it was probably just an exaggerated legend, or the Echani were fools for believing themselves to be so good.

Believing you'd know what someone was going to do for minutes long was one quick way to get yourself surprised and killed.

Vera then continued going through the zones, but began to smirk a little as their blades collided. She had sparred many times before with Aris, and while this was a little different, she had a fun idea now. "Can we both spar you together?" Vera asked with a quick glance in Lily's direction.

"That way, we can see you do it and use it as an example!"

 

[Aris Noble]

"I don't see why an Echani would want someone to be able to read their fighting. Epicanthix fight in a way that their intentions can't be known. Who would want to be predictable?"

There was no predicting how an Epicanthix could fight, not without a lot of trouble in it at least.

"Sparring together might be good, yeah. I'm still not seeing the point of this."

Vera Noble | Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber
Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Training Room
Tags: Vera Noble | Aris Noble

Lily noted that she hadn't properly explained how Echani use their prowess in fighting. "You only learn someone well through combat, it takes time and multiple fights." Taking her Lightsaber into hand, she ignited the Lightsaber, "no Echani is predictable or wild. They learn how the body moves. It flows and can only move in certain ways. An opponent strikes in one position, they can only move do a limited number of movements from that strike." Lily explained, it was all about understanding how people move, how people prefer to fight and where they are comfortable. Breathing in deeply, she made sure to keep calm and collected for the fight.

"It is not the emotions that reveal your strikes. It is your body." Lily pointed out to Aris, from a people who are defined by movement and body language, "your style might prevent most from anticipating what you are going to do. But I am not tuning into your mind, it is your body that I am reading. I am just explaining to display strong emotions clearly but you need to be able to understand the big emotions on display to learn to read the smaller emotions, the deeper emotions."

Rolling her shoulders, she stands opposite them both and held her Lightsaber in a ready position. Waiting for them both to attack her, "show me what you have and I will demonstrate what an Echani is like in combat."

 

[Vera Noble]

Coruscant Temple

​

Tag: Lily Decoria Aris Noble

"So it's basically the same as our precognition, then. Just in its own way." Predicting movements because one attack limited the number of options the opponent had? Yeah, she could definitely get behind that. It's what separated a good fighter from an average one. But Jedi senses could look beyond it, to an extent. The future was always in motion, so one could never hope to fully predict an opponent.

Especially if they could thwart expectations. Mom could phase through an attack, so she was never limited in her options just because of some attack angle.

"I'm still not sure about using emotions in combat," Vera said. "Not because of it making me predictable, but... it seems risky? What if we feel angry or sad? You need even more control, right?" She asked before dipping her head lightly. She did want to see Lily's demonstration.

Maybe that'd clear more up.

 

[Aris Noble]

"You're reading the microexpressions." Aris understood that. Unable to use precognition or really much with the Force himself, he read up on how other martial styles might be able to replicate it. It wasn't that useful with those like Jedi who had the ability to act without emotion at all, but the odds he'd fight a Jedi were very slim, outside a spar.

"Okay, sure. We can work with that."

Epicanthix combat was very much meant to keep intention and emotion away from being read. He brought his hands up, tightened his fists before leaping forward right for Lily with a rather explosive speed. Far more than a Padawan should be able to do, especially at his age.

Vera Noble | Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber
Location: Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Training Room
Tags: Vera Noble | Aris Noble

"Maybe." It was hard to compare, the way Echani fought, it wasn't fighting like others saw it. "It is something hard to compare, Echani, we don't see fighting like Epicanthix, Mandalorians, Atrisians and even Jedi see it. They all fight with intentions to harm, to maim, to discourage an opponent going further. Echani, we fight to talk, to highlight ourselves, it is a form of self-expression. An art. A language. The way I fight with my aunt, it means we can understand each other and communicate in ways few could understand."

She wanted to clarify this wasn't just techniques for fighting Sith, or Mandalorians, or any enemy of the Jedi that comes. This also included understanding a culture so vastly opposite the Jedi. A people who fought to communicate, who loved fighting, who developed romance through combat. Fighting didn't have to be about harm, it could just be a way to understand someone.

Lily wanted to understand them.

As Aris came at her fast, Lily blocked the strike. He was fast for his age, but he was also bigger than others for his age, Lily had already assessed he was going to be faster than most would assume. "Controlling emotions is what the Jedi preach, there is logic there, wildly releasing yourself can be dangerous and steps towards the Dark Side. But remember, when two Echani are fighting, or when an Echani is fighting a friend, they are never seeking to harm them. Expressing everything, to its fullest is fine because you are in a safe environment. Suppressing how one feels can turn the emotions more sinister, more harmful, than releasing them and being heard." There was a difference in allowing your enemy to causing you to release your anger, pain, suffering than there was when releasing it around a friend, that was how Lily saw it.

"When fighting an enemy. An Echani isn't showing them emotions, we are analysing, understanding, using the generations of combat training instilled into our very DNA to demonstrate their weaknesses." Lily inhaled deeply and relaxed her body, her hands gripped her Lightsaber in both, she swung at Aris. Aiming for the neck, only for that to be drawing his attention while she snapped her front foot into a hard kick at his knee. It was an aggressive opening but she was expressing her eagerness to hang out, understand them and help them understand her a little better.