Private Sticks, Stones, and Sabers

[Ayhan]

Location: The Jedi Temple, Coruscant

A long time ago, in this very galaxy, the Jedi served the people in whatever ways they knew best. Mediators, investigators, peacekeepers. They became known far and wide, and in the minds of many, their iconic weapons became their symbol. The lightsaber.

Glowing, humming blades of energy. Starlight. With hearts of kyber, the blade was just as much a part of a Jedi as their own minds and bodies. An extension of the self. Many millennia later and the tradition remained, and the lightsaber retained its legendary status, wielded by the steadfast Jedi.

Lightsabers weren't the only tools at a Jedi's disposal though. Blasters, survival gear, starships, all manner of things, both technologically advanced or reliably simple. Not to mention their own bodies.

There was no more important tool in Ayhan's arsenal, if you asked him. And like every tool, it required honing. Maintenance. Hence the near endless sounds of the Firronthix's fists and feet striking a stone pillar in the training room. Ayhan had long since been banned from using the sparring droids since he typically left near irreparable dents in them. So, the stone pillar it was. Not nearly as good for training for a real fight, but ensured his fists and legs were toughened, and that his form was good, lests he be left with a broken hand or fractured tibia.

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

It wasn't often Aris met someone who also wasn't allowed to spar bare handed with the training droids. More often than not, he was punching rubble, both to help clean up and to actually work on just how strong he could get. Control was one thing, but he'd need to get stronger if he wanted to help face down the growing threats all across the galaxy.

But to think it was Ayhan. Aris smiled only briefly before he stepped into the training room, glancing over the pillar as he struck it.

"It's not fun to hold back, right?"

Ayhan

 

[Ayhan]

It wasn't so much the sound of footsteps that alerted Ayhan to the new person in the room, or even the way the air in the room seemed to shift, but rather some sort of sixth sense that the Firronthix had developed. A sense that had served to keep him alive for four years. The pounding of his fists against the stone never faltered, even as the presence stopped somewhere behind him. "It's not fun to hold back, right?" the person said. Ayhan grunted in response, not wanting to stop as he neared the end of his routine. Some adaptation of an Echani form he'd picked up long ago, perhaps in the tank.

It was the last punch that Ayhan delivered that echoed with a crack, and the boy winced, not in pain, but from the fact a faint spiderweb of fissures had formed beneath his. Frowning Ayhan looked over at the familiar voice who'd addressed him. "No, its not," he affirmed to Aris, looking him over briefly. "You wouldn't be offering yourself for a sparring match, would you?" Ayhan asked, remembering their time back on Endor, how Aris seemed like he could rival Ayhan in his strength and skill.

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

Rather than answer right away Aris took a position beside him, brought up his own fists. He threw a quick punch right into the pilar, causing it to crack on impact, splinter and shatter. He smiled as he looked back to Ayhan, nodding once now that he at least had shown that he himself wouldn't break. He pulled back his hand, idly dusting off some of the rock that had settled there. No mark, no pain.

"Learning control is important. .. But the Sith are going to attack here, soon. I want to make sure I'm prepared to fight, with all my strength. When you keep it under control for too long it becomes unwieldy, you know?"

Ayhan

 

[Ayhan]

Ayhan's eyes followed Aris, turning as the boy stopped beside him. The Firronthix didn't flinch this time as the younger Jedi struck the stone pillar, this time causing it to splinter and break, chunks of the marble falling to the ground with a clatter. And then Aris smiled, and nodded as he showed Ayhan his perfectly unharmed hand. And Ayhan grinned back.

Aris briefly crossed an arm across his body and stretched his already warmed muscles as he walked a little ways away from Aris, granting them both a little distance before starting their practice. He grunted again in agreement with the boy. "You forget how to use it. Your instinct becomes to hold back." Ayhan cracked his knuckles. "But our enemies won't." And Onderon had taught Ayhan that the Sith were willing to bear brutal, savage tactics.

Sufficiently stretched, Ayhan took up a basic fighting stance, his hands loosely held before his face. "So you don't hold back either."

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

"You do know."

Aris nodded his head once. He didn't think it was bad for his instincts to be on holding back, but they needed to make sure they knew what they could do, if it was needed. He wanted to know what he could do. Not even to keep people safe, if he was being honest, he just wanted to be able to test himself properly. He lowered his stance, lifting his hands to flex his fingers into fists. Neutral, blank.

"I won't."

Ayhan

 

[Ayhan]

The two settled into their fighting stances. Nothing fancy from either of them, as they both seemed to want to feel each other out first. Imposing figures both, they easily dominated the training space as they slowly circled each other, step for step.

Ayhan decided he wanted to be the one to strike first, and so when the next step came, he shot slid forward instead, firing off a jab at Aris' face, then another before dipping his elbow to deliver a hook to the boy's side. Not full strength, or even full speed, not until he'd decided whether or not he needed to conserve his stamina.

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris breathed slow. His eyes never left Ayhan, though they didn't focus anywhere specific. He was watching everything, trying to learn just how Ayhan was going to fight by his stance alone. When the first quick jab came he reacted. He moved, turning his head to the side to let the fist sail past before he stepped back from the follow.

Only to blink as he was caught by the hook to his side. He was like punching the pillar, unnaturally tough, but it didn't stop the wince on his face from the impact. Or the small grin. Ayhan was fast. Far faster than a normal person. He could keep up, was the first thought in Aris's mind. And with that thought he brought his own fist around in a lightning quick jab for Ayhan's chin.

Ayhan

 

[Ayhan]

To say Ayhan was impressed would have been an understatement. Even if he landed a blow to Aris' side, the way the boy avoided his jabs was awe-worthy. A hair's breadth away Ayhan had missed, just from the slight turn, or a swift shuffle back. And the fact that punching the boy had felt like punching a brick wall only impressed Ayhan further. Aris barely flinched, just the brief wince of pain.

The counter came faster than Ayhan had anticipated though, and the Firronthix swayed backwards, almost out of reach before Aris' fist clipped Ayhan's chin. Barely, but still enough to smart and ache a bit as he staggered backwards and rubbed his chin, a faint mark of abrasion on his tanned skin.

This was going to be fun.

Ayhan reset himself, both physically and mentally, bringing his guard back up and focusing in on the fight once more. Lighter on his feet than last time, Ayhan darted forward, but instead of a punch, this time a swift kick towards Aris' abdomen.

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

Both arms came down to create a barrier for his abdomen as Ayhan kicked for it. Stepped to the side to try and let the kick sail more away than hit him straight on. Again he felt hard as stone, unnaturally so compared to what flesh was supposed to feel like, but there was a bruising sensation just from the impact. Good. Fast and strong. Which meant- Aris reached down to take the leg that had him him to just full on swing Ayhan like a club into the ground.

Ayhan

 

[Ayhan]

Ayhan's foot nearly missed Aris as he tried to side step the blow, only managing to clip the boy's side. More than just a graze though, the impact felt solid, though not enough to disrupt Aris' actions. The boy's arm wrapped around Ayhan's leg, pinning it to his side and leaving no room for escape. Not that the Firronthix even had time to try as he felt Aris begin to turn and try and swing him around. A full six feet of pure muscle, it wasn't exactly an easy feat for most beings to move the youth, let alone lift him, but somehow Aris managed and began to pick up speed.

Not willing to simply be thrown around like a rag doll though, Ayhan reached forward as he hopped on one leg, trying to keep some semblance of footing until he managed to grab on to Aris' shirt, the other hand reaching for the back of his head. And then both Ayhan's feet were off the ground as the two span like a badly misshapen top. If Ayhan was going down, he was going to bring Aris down with him.

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris blinked in surprise. The throw went well enough, but his weight was off- No his weight wasn't off. Ayhan. He laughed in surprise as he couldn't stop himself from actually toppling over. Or maybe he didn't want to stop, hard to tell. He rolled into it regardless, trying to make it so even being pulled down Aris would be the one on top, in control. Ready to strike down at the other boy with a quick jab right for his chin.

Ayhan

 

[Ayhan]

If Ayhan wasn't so set on winning, he might've laughed too as he felt his locked spin with Aris begin to wobble. Up, down, up, down, down, down until they were both tumbling on the ground. Even as they rolled over and over each other, Ayhan held on tightly, refusing to break his grip with the other Padawan until they both stopped, with Ayhan on the bottom and Aris on top about to rain a flurry of blows down upon him.

Ayhan didn't have a choice at that point, he let go of Aris. I was a split second decision for the Firronthix, the difference between landing a strike of his own or getting his face pummeled, and in that moment, Ayhan chose to raise his guard, tucking his head between his arms. Could he have grabbed Aris' arm before he punched, stopped the attack before it started, taken the advantage again? Perhaps, but Ayhan didn't want to chance it. So instead, he weathered whatever came next.

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris rained down blows then. Punch after punch as fast and hard as he could to try and break through Ayhan's guard. Hammering blows, one after the other with a faint grin on his face. He didn't have to hold back, not against the other boy, that much was obvious. He could test his limits. He could fight without restraint. It just exciting for the Padawan to enjoy. Though perhaps a bit too thrilling as he really wasn't going to let up.

Ayhan

 

[Ayhan]

Every blow that Aris struck echoed in the training hall with a meaty smack. If it weren't for Ayhan's accelerated healing, he would've thought he'd be left with bruises the next day. He still might, as another one of Aris' fists struck his shoulder.

The blow smarted, hurt fiercely, but it gave Ayhan just enough of an opening. Ayhan would take a couple good knocks probably, but he chanced the maneuver anyways, the guard around his head breaking as one arm pushed aside the hand that had struck his shoulder, and the other shot out, reaching past Aris' face to snake around his neck and bring the boy into a headlock.

Aris Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris blinked as he was pulled into a headlock. His leverage was gone for the heavy strikes, but he still wasn't going to let up. Body shots came next, admittedly not as heavy with the leverage gone, but still hammering as he tried to make Ayhan let go.

Ayhan

 

[Ayhan]

While Aris' leverage was gone as he pounded away at Ayhan's sides, Ayhan had gained some. Able to arch his hips, the headlock driving the top of the Epicanthix's head into the ground. But beyond that, Ayhan had not thought about his next move, and with Aris pounding away, that did not bode well.

So, Ayhan did the only thing he could think of. With his raised hips, the distribution of Aris' weight having changed, Ayhan turned towards his side in the hopes of toppling Aris, and giving Ayhan the ability to disengage, just long enough to even the playing field.

Aris Noble