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