Public Tensions and Trust

[Braze]

TAGS: Diogo Talon

Braze knelt on the polished floor of the newly refurbished training hall, dressed in black hakamas, a cropped top, and wraps binding his shins and forearms. As he leaned into a stretch, his muscles resisted before yielding.

He moved on to simple drills and blade work, methodically running through his basics. His expression was serious, his focus sharp, as if preparing himself for something far greater than the routine motions suggested. Each strike, block, and stance carried intent, and repetition of dedicated discipline.

 

[Diogo Talon]

With the holiday season behind him, it was time for Diogo to find solace in routine. Structure was too important for his daily life. It kept him grounded; he needed direction, a path to keep him on the straight and narrow. Just had to shake off the rust—and a few recently-gained pounds of holiday feast-induced body fat.

Diogo slipped quietly into the training hall. From the jump, he recognized Braze. The white hair, the graceful moves, the confident way he carried himself—that was his friend alright. They'd only hung out once, but the half-Echani boy had made enough of an impression. Shit, Diogo hadn't even consumed a drop of alcohol since the Niv Hani Fire Festival. He chalked that up to Braze's influence.

Like their first meeting, Diogo was interrupting. And like their first meeting, he stood there, arms crossed, watching with equal parts fascination and admiration.

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Diogo Talon

Braze finished his set, pausing briefly as his somber jade-green gaze flicked toward the emerald-haired boy across the room. It was as if he had sensed Diogo's stare, his awareness cutting through the surrounding area with out having to look his way.

"Hello," he greeted lightly, his voice carrying an inviting warmth. A curious look played across his face, a subtle touch of intrigue laced with a friendliness as he settled his attention fully on Diogo.

Reaching for a small cloth, Braze dabbed at the faint sheen of sweat on his face and neck, his movements unhurried. Once satisfied, he dried his hands before folding the cloth neatly in his palm.

"I hope I'm not taking up too much space," he said, as though the thought genuinely concerned him. "You're welcome to join me," he added. Braze had sequestered himself to the front right most corner of the training room and seemed to be rather aware of how much space he was taking up.

​

 

[Diogo Talon]

Diogo grinned when Braze finally greeted him. "Sup, man."

"Sure, I'll join," Diogo replied, as he cracked his knuckles and stretched out his neck. Stepping across the polished floor, he approached Braze's little corner. He hated the newly renovated space, necessary as it was. Training halls were supposed to be scuffed and smelling of half-recycled sweat, not this sleek, sterile crap. "What are we doin'?"

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Diogo Talon

"What is it you feel needs the most work?" Braze asked.

"I'm working on my weaknesses through drills, sets, and velocities," he added after a pause, his tone gaining a reflective edge. "If you have nothing specific in mind, I would suggest focusing on your weakest traits. Push them to the forefront. On the battlefield, you don't want to be found lacking."

Though his words were spoken lightly, there was an unmistakable seriousness behind them. The faint marks that adorned his pale skin silently testified to his dedication. Scars trailed across his form, each a chapter in his story. His face bore small, aged marks, including a diminutive cross-shaped scar on his chin, its visibility heightened in the bright lighting of the training room. His abdomen and belly were etched with branching, lightning-like scars, mimicking the roots of a tree. The most striking of these was a single, jagged line stretching from his chest down to his abdomen, the remnants of a particularly grievous wound.

His hands told their own tale, countless fine lines peeking out from beneath his hand wraps. Discolored patches hinted at burns from battles past, their severity muted by time. All these imperfections became starkly evident in the room's unrelenting brightness, which seemed to lay him bare in more ways than one.

Moving slowly Braze strode to a rack and retrieved a weighted gi jacket. The sleeveless overpiece closed crosswise as he donned it, concealing his cropped top and obscuring some of the harsher scars that marred his torso. Despite the evidence of his trials, his skin—where unmarked—was meticulously cared for, almost unnaturally so. It was as if the attention to detail in his grooming sought to reclaim some sense of control over a body that had been through so much.

​

 

[Diogo Talon]

His eyes scanned Braze.

The white-haired boy's alabaster skin would've been perfect, if not for the scars that criss-crossed his face, abdomen, and arms. In the harsh training hall lights Diogo could make out their peculiar shapes—jagged lines and fractal patterns, each colored differently based on their origins or recovery stage. Previously, their encounter on Takodana left much to the imagination; less exposed skin and the dancing shadows of that night's firelight obscured what was laid bare now.

Braze seemed ethereal then. Diogo remembered their conversation about judging others and laughed.

"What is it you feel needs the most work?" Braze asked.

Diogo paused to think, but let Braze continue before he replied.

"I'm working on my weaknesses through drills, sets, and velocities," he added after a pause, his tone gaining a reflective edge. "If you have nothing specific in mind, I would suggest focusing on your weakest traits. Push them to the forefront. On the battlefield, you don't want to be found lacking."

"I see. And what are your weaknesses?" Diogo waited for the answer.

"If I have weaknesses," Diogo playfully smirked. "You think I would tell you them for free? Let's spar and you tell me what my weaknesses are. If you can keep up, that is." Diogo's lightsaber hilt was in his hand with a quick, subtle movement. "What do you say?"

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Diogo Talon

Braze listened and smiled, inclining his head with a faint smirk as he began to move. His somber jade-green gaze shifted over Diogo, trailing from head to toe and back again in a slow, languid sweep. There was nothing hurried in his movements—only intent as he studied him with lingering intensity.

"Of weaknesses, I have many, yet they are the knots within the tree,
Twisted and imperfect, but adding strength to its core.

For even the frailest branches may bear blossoms,
And the shadowed valleys hide the richest soil.

As a bent tree learns the wind, so too does a still pond reflect all that lies above,
Whilst its depths are known only to those who dive.

A broken blade shall humble its master,
Yet the whetstone teaches its edge to bite.

I'll accept your challenge,
For I will see what your darkness hides.

Actions speak volumes where words cannot convey. To speak with your body—that is the Echani's way. But understanding flows both ways. What I learn from you will speak as loudly as what you see in me."

Braze practically purred as he tightened his sash around his jacket and stepped back into a back stance, raising an open palm in readiness for the spar.

​

 

[Diogo Talon]

Diogo watched as his friend's green eyes scrutinized him with a slow, gradual sweep. Was Braze givin' him bedroom eyes? He couldn't tell. Then the white-haired boy spoke with a measured cadence...

"Uh, is that an Echani poem or are you serenading me?" Diogo asked, raising an eyebrow. "Odd, but pretty."

It was odd in the sense he didn't realize the Echani were wordsmiths. A culture that put so much stock in communication through physical combat didn't seem like the type to appreciate the power of the written word. In any event, it was a pleasant poem and hopefully it promised a nice, tonal precursor to their spar.

Diogo glanced at the scuffed hilt in his own hand, then at Braze's open palm. "We doin' lightsabers or hand-to-hand?"

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Diogo Talon

"Technically it's neither. " Braze chirped simply in reply. "If I were serenading you I would be signing or playing you some form of music... "

At the question a wry grin spread across his face. " You can use your saber if you like. " He said sounding playful with a devious edge to his tone, perhaps suggesting that he didn't need a blade to best Diogo in a spar.

 

[Diogo Talon]

"I wasn't being literal," Diogo replied cheerfully. "But I'll let you have this one."

Diogo clipped his lightsaber back on his belt. Fine, fists would do—it would make the spar a bit more personal, which was fine by Diogo as he was itchin' to knock some sense into Braze. Talk shit (about Eloise), get hit. And to be honest, Braze's wry grin kinda annoyed him.

"Alright, Echani boy," Diogo taunted. "Come on, then."

The unspoken weight of the ensuing fight settled in Diogo's muscles. He took up a defensive stance. Patience first, analyze Braze's movements and test for weaknesses, then he'd kick it into high gear and pummel his ass.

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Diogo Talon

It didn't stop there. There was a sly, almost mischievous quality to Braze's energy, a playful confidence that rippled through his aura. Sparring wasn't just a discipline to him—it was a passion, a calling. The mat was his sanctuary, a place where he could let go and lose himself in the art of combat. Yet, this obsession had its costs. It was one of those sharp, dividing lines that separated him from his peers, making him a social pariah. Where other Padawans bonded over shared experiences and youthful camaraderie, Braze had sequestered himself in his craft with a devotion that bordered on the fanatical. a trait that Jasper Kai'el had been made keenly aware of when he first met his prospective padawan.

Ko Vuto wasn't wrong when he'd said Braze's social skills had atrophied. Friendship required effort and time, and Braze had willingly poured both into refining his technique instead of cultivating his kindness towards others.

The hesitation in his opponent—the emrald haired Padawan named Diogo, who had boldly issued the challenge—did not go unnoticed. Braze's jade-green eyes studied every nuance of Diogo's stance, dissecting it with the precision of a hawk watching prey. There was some weight of the confrontation to be had that was only now dawning on him.

"Do you plan on standing there all day?" Braze's voice cut through the tension like a whip, laced with a biting playfulness. "Don't tell me you're afraid to break a nail~"

The tease carried an edge, but it wasn't without purpose. Diogo had challenged him, after all, and Braze had already taken his stance. He understood the intricate mental chess of combat, the subtle gamesmanship behind the first move. Was Diogo trying to bait him? Steal the metaphorical bacon? Braze's thoughts raced along tangential lines, each one forming a different hypothesis, each one a potential insight into his opponent's hesitation.

A Jedi shouldn't be baited into unnecessary violence; Braze knew this well. Yet, something about Diogo's reluctance gnawed at him, an itch he couldn't quite scratch. It wasn't fear of the fight—at least not entirely. There was something else simmering beneath the surface, something Diogo wasn't sharing.

True to form, Braze was already reading into his opponent, his mind spinning through possibilities like a gambler weighing odds. But this wasn't a game of chance—it was one of skill, patience, and intuition. And Braze, as always, intended to play it to win.

​

 

[Diogo Talon]

"Do you plan on standing there all day?" Braze's voice cut through the tension like a whip, laced with a biting playfulness. "Don't tell me you're afraid to break a nail~"

"Nah, just waitin' for you to sack up and come at me," Diogo snarled. His usual playful tone was replaced with contempt. "Or do you just save that kinda thing for talkin' shit behind people's backs?"

Diogo stepped forward and swung a hard uppercut at Braze's abdomen.

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Diogo Talon

​

Braze's sharp gaze stayed locked on Diogo, every shift of muscle and twist of movement under his skin serving as a silent warning. He noted the tightening of Diogo's shoulders, the subtle shift of weight to his back foot—tells that broadcasted the incoming attack even before it began.

As Diogo lunged forward with a hard uppercut aimed at his abdomen, Braze was already in motion. He sidestepped, slipping just to the outside of the strike and forwards towards Diogo. His hand shot out, cupping under Diogo's arm as it arced upward. There was no wasted effort—only deliberate action—as he used the momentum of the punch against him witha hand to the back of Diogo's elbow. Guiding the arm upward and back, he pressed to force it into a sharp, uncomfortable angle that would bend toward Diogo's head.

At the same time, Braze's back leg slid forward in to a kick's chamber before launching a calculated strike, aimed at pressing firmly against the back of Diogo's knee. The intent was clear: to destabilize and unbalance, turning Diogo's own aggression into his downfall.

Braze's movements were efficient, and devoid of the bravado.

There was a recognition in the change of voice but Braze gave no witty retort or quip rather allowing his actions to do the talking now.

 

[Diogo Talon]

Braze's movements and counter attack were hardly surprising. Diogo let Braze angle his arm; struggling against it was futile and a waste of energy. He'd be playing right into it. Better to let it happen. That was a hard-learned lesson the oceans of Niamos had taught him. Wrestling against those ruthless rip currents meant you were more likely to drown. That principle applied here.

Diogo's instincts picked up on the leg chamber, so he surged the Force into his own legs as a protective measure when Braze's kick connected with the back of his knee. Despite limiting the damage, Diogo's knee still bent from the strike. But Braze had put himself in a vulnerable, off-balance position with his leg kick, so Diogo tried to use his own momentum to shoulder throw Braze.

Diogo huffed after that shook out. "I'll take the silence as an admission of guilt, then."

Braze​

 

[Braze]

Diogo Talon

Braze's hands moved to mime a neck break as Diogo went to his knees. Turns out he was fairly well-balanced.


Nevertheless, he took the brunt of the shoulder throw and went with it, smoothly redirecting his momentum. As he moved, Braze tracked his wrist, circling toward the forefinger-and-thumb opening of Diogo's grip in an effort to disrupt control. Braze rolled and popped up into a crescent step back, settling into a cat stance to check Diogos advance, his posture cautious.


"If you're upset about something, you're going to have to use your words and communicate what that is. As of now, I'm not sure I follow what you mean," Braze stated simply.

He swept a foot forward into a guarded stance, switching his cat stance with a measured step. A slow, focused breath anchored him as he channeled soft to solid through his limbs, the shift a seamless interplay of Teräs Käsi, Matukai technique, and Echani martial artistry. It was a dangerous blend—one that had been tempered through relentless practice. However, the touch of playfulness in Braze's energy had now hardened into something far more guarded, more deliberate.


If Diogo wanted a showdown, Braze would oblige without hesitation. It had been a few years since he'd been broken of his habit of throwing himself into rough, bare-knuckle scraps with older, more experienced Padawans. But old habits died hard, and some lessons, no matter how long suppressed, never truly left the bones.


Braze found himself struggling to communicate through the language of combative form. Diogo's movements were presently unrefined i. The manner that Echani communicated in, lacking the fluency of a seasoned fighter. It was much akin to sparring with a young Echani—one who spoke the language of battle in a crude, neophyte manner, their intent muddled, their execution clumsy. And that, in its own way, made deciphering him all the more disconnected.

 

[Diogo Talon]

Diogo had to admit his accusation was pretty vague, but he kept that concession to himself—he wasn't about to give Braze an inch.

"Don't be dull," he admonished, clearly irritated. "Eloise, man. I want you to keep her name out of your mouth unless it's to apologize."

Obviously, the situation had changed between the Niv Hani festival and now, though Diogo was loathe to explain the details in the middle of a spar. Right now, his fists would do the rest of the talking.

Diogo aggressively pounced, sending jabs and kicks in equal measure. Braze's fluid movements were refined, an expertise honed through years of dedicated practice. It was impressive and annoying. Diogo was the perfect opposite, moving as a feral animal would—wildly unpredictable, yet determined.

Braze​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Diogo Talon

A flicker of recognition sparked in his eyes. Oh. Her.

What had he said about her? Had it been anything bad? Nothing came to mind. Amusement curled at the edges of his expression as he leaned in slightly, sensing the proverbial advantage. Still, he remained careful—not to let arrogance take the reins.

"Why's that? Don't tell me she batted those mascara-clumped lashes and spun some sorry story to get you dancing to her tune." His smirk deepened. "I can only imagine the kind of lies she spoon-fed you." —she always did have a knack for rewriting reality to suit her needs Braze thought.

His tone carried a note of teasing skepticism, but the derision was unmistakable.

"If she's upset, she can come shut me up herself. Though perhaps she may be too busy drowning in her own delusions to handle her own problems." He exhaled a scoff, shaking his head. "Didn't think someone like her needed a 'knight in shining armor'."

He nearly scoffed at the idea. Truth be told, he hardly ever thought about her—she wasn't someone worth the space in his mind. Most of the time, she simply didn't exist in his world. But the thought of the arrogant girl getting Diogo to do her bidding was some what fitting he supposed.

But Diogo… Diogo seemed bothered. Something had set him off.

Braze couldn't help but wonder if she'd been stirring up trouble again. Wouldn't be the first time. She had a habit of twisting things, spewing nonsense, getting details wrong. Then again, he supposed it was hard to keep facts straight when you drank.

"She can applogize first. " Braze was standing his ground as he bobbed weaved and re directed Diogo's attacks with frightening ease. He was calm cool collected and un perturbed though odlly amused and curious about what may have been said. He still remembered how she acted on that desert planet and the abusive nature she had towards him. He'd tried to let it go but if she was still causing issues, and wanting his attention so badly, he might have to pay her a visit himself.