The Meditation Circle

[Senji Selah]

[Theme]​

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[SIZE=9pt]The Ossus Academy was verdant as always, the tall kingwood trees and their respective canopies of heart shaped and healthy green leaves scattered the surrounding areas, blessing it with a breathtaking sensation of tranquility. One of these canopies, by the garden behind the temple blocked out the sharp sunlight from Ossus' twin suns, allowing Senji Selah to halt in his tracks for just a moment by the kingwood tree in order to take use of its shade. Currently Senji, a 1.85 meters tall Human male with a well-built and muscular frame was reading a long ancient scroll regarding the force, reading over the chapter about how you effectively formed it to grasp around objects, an ability many referred to as telekinesis. However, as he had walked down the narrow garden path a glimpse of sunlight had interrupted him in finishing the last paragraph of the text and now he had lost track of his reading, something that had made him slow his pace and stop here in the shade to figure out the exact word he had stopped reading at.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Not a terribly hard task for one who used most of their time in the library. Senji took a moment to adjust his long black robes with its silver like trimmings once he had figured out where he had left off with his reading. It was a warm day and even more so in these garments, but quite frankly, he had grown used to wearing them; They were both comfortable and practical. Together with his long robes, he was wearing a pair of loose black trousers that allowed for effortless movement. The rest of his neatly put together attire was composed of a pair of black form fitting gloves and two thick knee tall leather boots that kept the theme by being a dark leather brown. One of the most notable things to his appearance however was probably the durasteel mask that was covering the front of his face, going all the way from the top of his chin to the top of his forehead. It was almost silver like in its appearance, decorated with symbols and curves where the cheekbones and nose would have been. Its otherwise face shaped surface was only broken by two holes for the eyes and nostrils each, and a few slits by the mouth to allow for easy breathing. It gave off an almost cold and perhaps even menacing look.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=9pt]His lip tugged to the left involuntarily in a slight smile, unseen behind the cover of the mask; he had re-read the last passage in the scroll, finishing todays chapter. “One feels. Be water.” He had repeated, the sentence provoking a knowing smile from him. Slowly he started to neatly roll the scroll back together and had put it back into protective casing that he had been carrying with him. Just a second afterwards he had started to carefully wander down the garden path once more with the case under his arm, the dirt and gravel crunching underneath his boots as he walked. It was no wonder the garden was often used for meditation, it was peaceful and on days such as this one the lovely weather only made it that much more perfect. [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]It was time for some exercising and Senji knew just the place where he could do this at his own pace. Usually all the sparring grounds and meditation fields were occupied. And if not, then the there was almost always a lot of people around that could make it stressing, so after one fustrating day years back, Senji had found this little nice spot for himself. It was an old round sparring circle by a tiny creek at the very end of the garden, covered in lush plants, hiding it from the rest of the garden. Senji heard the water from the creek, clucking in an excited manner water as if it had been patiently waiting for him for hours, he could hear it even before he had reached the place. But today the unlikely thing had happened. It was occupied. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Senji had felt the ripples in the force flow through his being before the sparring circle came into view, it was something Senji had practiced as of lately. To sense force sensitives. A tall bush filled with lush berries blocked his view to the sparring ring; footsteps heard grinding the sand in it as fast steps were taken in rapid paces. He frowned and involuntarily, almost by instinct, adjusted the hilt of his curved lightsaber that was clipped to his thick leather belt. “Hello?” Senji’s voice sounded from behind his mask in a questioning manner, his voice calm and solemn. “Who’s there?” He asked as he rounded the corner, spotting the man.[/SIZE]

[ [member="Varus Shatterstar"] ]​

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

Varus had been meditating for over an hour when the presence of another began to near. He was disturbed from his trance like state long before Senji had reached him, but he remained seated in the middle of the sparring circle, legs crossed and each elbow on either knee. It was a comfortable position for him, though rare in all honesty. It was uncommon for Varus to actually choose to practice his calm and patience by way of meditation when he could be training himself in one of the lightsaber forms or pushing himself to his absolute physical limits with workouts that ran more than two hours a session two times or more a day.

It was due to almost complete exhaustion that he was there, though he wouldn't have admitted it to himself, let alone Kian or anyone else for that matter. He was a growing young man, strong and full of willpower and resolve, but he was also hard headed and saw in narrow ways sometimes. This caused him to doubt what he could feel sometimes and instead take more stake in what he could see and what he could do. That's why he'd pushed himself past hi limit again, because he could only feel such physical limitations that he chose not to see.

He was hurt, but not too badly. Certainly not enough to keep him down for long, but he realized that pulled muscles and sore joints could lead to breaks and tears if he wasn't as careful as he should be. It was a simple fact of mortal limitation that he'd always had a problem with, wanting to be the apex of strength and physical prowess, and yet, like every living being and creature, there was a limit to how long or how far he could go. There were boundaries that could not be crossed, even for men with such incredible determination as he seemed to have.

Opening his eyes, Varus stirred lightly, though he didn't raise his head. He simply opened his eyes, which were still staring down into his lap as he heard another young man's voice from behind him. The same young man he'd sensed in the area a few minutes ago as he'd been exercising the limits outward that his mind could reach through the force. He was growing strong still, just sitting there silently allowing his mind to expand, but it wasn't the form of training he craved. It wasn't the form of training that put soreness in his muscles and a tired smile on his face each time he finished punishing his body for hours and hours.

"No need to worry.", Varus finally whispered in response, allowing the force to carry his words so that it would sound as if Varus was standing right next to the young man who'd stumbled upon him meditating. "I am certain that you do not know me, but that's just fine. You'll know me soon enough.", he said, finally raising his head and glancing over his shoulder at [member="Senji Selah"]

 

[Senji Selah]

[SIZE=9pt]As Senji had rounded the tall lush bush his eyes had caught the outline Varus' shape, his gaze wandering over the man in silence, as he was seen seated in the middle of the sparring circle, meditating. He had never encountered another person using this one for their training, it was dirtier than most others were and it was secluded from the rest of the Temple. Nevertheless, it had its benefits, benefits that this man had probably figured out as well, inspiring him to seek out this place. After all, that was the way of the unifying force: things changed and making sure nothing could remain hidden forever, such as the knowledge about this place. Not that the sparring circle had been exceptionally well concealed however, but it had been Senji’s little place nonetheless, a place where he could sit in silence and let his frustrations out, find peace. Senji adjusted his composure a bit, as he finished looking the man over from behind his durasteel mask, his hands going to fold upon his back in a well-adjusted manner, polite. He was not mad, or angered at this discovery, merely surprised. Again, he had never seen another person using this one. It had startled him a bit.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Senji didn’t seem to take too much note as Varus’ voice was heard enhanced through the force, his ears registering it to his right side. He had quickly gazed towards the place where he could hear the voice from, mainly by instinct, but had quickly dismissed the illusion as the works of Varus. His glances were unseen from everyone, but himself, the mask obscuring his facial features. He stood still in calm silence as Varus talked, his brows furrowing underneath his mask as the man, Varus, was finished with talking. How he should interpret his words Senji wasn’t immediately aware of, meeting his glance instead as Varus had decided to turn his head to face Senji, his mask greeting Varus with absolute control, no emotion other than its possibly cold stare.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]The water from the small nearby creek continued to play its excited music as it endlessly skipped over rock, dirt and gravel as if it was merely there to not let silence fall between the two. After a few seconds of weighing his possible answers to such an open statement like Varus’, Senji decided to finally talk; his voice bass toned and formal. “Are you finished with your meditation session or will you continue? This is a favored spot of mine.” He said, merely as if stating it, saying nothing for the next second as if allowing Varus to talk, yet before Varus could answer he began anew, a thought appearing in his mind: “Not that I mind your presence, of course. Actually a partner for sparring or sequence practicing would be splendid.”[/SIZE]

[member="Varus Shatterstar"]​

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

Varus huffed a small laugh, causing his upper body to lurch a bit, as he heard Senji speak. He wasn't laughing at the man, simply at how poor his social skills to be by introduction alone. It was rude to speak in such a way, at least in Varus' opinion, but many Jedi he'd met so far seemed to be lacking in social prowess from what he could tell. It wasn't something he was necessarily expecting when he'd arrived at the Ossus Temple and began training to become a Jedi, but it certainly hadn't been anything that had surprised him, either.

"No. I wasn't done.", Varus said with a strong, confidence to his voice that he laced with his words each time he spoke. He felt it necessary to sound and feel strong to others if he was going to appear such a man. He was a Jedi, and he was in incredible physical condition from his rigorous training regiment, and so he realized that he would appear cocky or even arrogant to some if he carried himself in such a way. He simply wanted to make a statement with his work ethic and a point with the way he handled others. It was training of a political sort in the hopes of becoming a leader of Jedi one day, if he proved strong and resourceful enough. He knew, though, that if this were ever to come to pass, he would need to practice patience and his handling of his peers most of all.

He needed to be careful, for he knew that leaders were only leaders because the garnered respect from those that served along with them. To become a leader meant that you deserved their respect and their trust while knowing the stakes and being prepared to lead them through whatever chaos might rear it's head. Being a leader was everything, and if performed correctly, nothing at all. To lead by example was a powerful thing, and the more who saw you the better, but the less who knew your name would keep your identity concealed if you proved cunning enough, and credit and praise were the last things that he was after.

That is why he had to become strong, and that was why, as exhausted as he was that very moment, he sat in the middle of a training circle meditating and growing closer to the force.

"I'm always game for a challenge, however...", Varus mentioned as he continued to stare at [member="Senji Selah"] over his shoulder.


OOC: Sorry for the wait. I wrote this in about five minutes. Don't have any idea where it came from. It just poured out of me, so I hope it's a good read, haha.

 

[Senji Selah]

[SIZE=9pt]Senji was not a man that considered himself to have any problems with being social. However, he could be taken as reserved in some ways, due to his way of keeping to himself, but that was the life of a librarian, Senji supposed. Yet his voice was usually filled with confidence when he was not on unsteady course, his back straight and chest raised while he kept his indifferent voice, polite yet... At times almost cold, matter of factly even. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Senji had never been one to feel like there was need for measuring how ultramasculine each individual around him was. He had never been one to compete and usually preferred the polite approach, taking care of others while knowing how to defend those in need of protection. He grinned quietly at himself behind his mask as Varus who sat on the ground talked once again. Was that a challenge of some sort? Senji did not intend to forcefully acquire the meditation ring from this man if that was a fear of his, something Senji assumed judging from the way Varus acted; Senji could easily find another place to do his second daily exercise. They were Jedi after all, were they not? Or perhaps this man simply just required respect in order to have others in his presence? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Senji couldn't get the thought out of his mind, Varus here did seem interesting though; his way of acting was not inherently Jedi. Senji was almost certain that this man had not been raised from childhood at any of the academies that sprinkled the galaxy. Nevertheless, Senji knew that such a thing could be a gift, a double bladed weapon if you will: you could both learn from it, but also suffer great disabilities when you compared yourself to your peers. Senji nonchalantly stepped further into the circle as the man talked once again, Senji's hands still folded on his back as his gaze scanned their surroundings briefly before turning the durasteel face down towards the man, its praying eyes continued to be hollow, emotionless.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]A friendly chuckle was heard from Senji, slightly muffled from behind the mask as Senji stood steadfast by the edge of the ring “Well that is pleasing to hear. I go by Unsung, it’s a pleasure meeting you. And a challenge it is then.” The voice behind the mask said with its same formal, bass toned voice, a hint of a teasing tune heard in it. “So in what discipline do you feel yourself confident enough in to challenge me?” He asked, curious almost as he slowly started to take in the feel of their surroundings, attempting to let his senses get to know every scratch in the meditation ring, every layer of sand in it. A deep breath was heard from him, filling his lungs with the fresh air, the excited sound from the water near them continued to be heard, calming Senji's mind and perhaps Varus' too.[/SIZE]


[member="Varus Shatterstar"]

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

Varus pushed against his knees and rocked forwards, his legs doing all the work as he stood straight up from his place as his legs bore the weight his legs straightened up. He then unfolded his legs and turned, squaring his shoulders at Senji for a moment before slowly walking over to the man, stopping a couple of feet in front of him. He sized him up in a split second with a quick glance up and down as he said, "I believe you misunderstand."

"I'm not the one making the challenge, I was merely suggesting that if it is a challenge you seek, you need not look any further.", he said as he reached out his hand to shake Senji's. Each time he greeted another Jedi, he'd always greeted them with the common, man to man gesture, though it wasn't nearly as common among Jedi who preferred bowing and nodding their heads. It was, in Varus' opinion, the truest and most direct form of respect when greeting someone, though a nod of the head was encouraged in such an act as well. A motion he'd chosen to adopt in his own process.

"Varus Shatterstar. It's a pleasure to meet you, Unsung.", he said, waiting for the man to shake his hand as he allowed a soft smile to creep across his face.

"And considering I'm not the one making the challenge I feel it might be a bit odd for me to choose the realm in which the challenge is met. That is, if you're interested in sparring or training of some sort. Perhaps you had a challenge of wit in mind, or a test of resolve or willpower? Perhaps nothing at all had crossed your mind but a friendly encounter?"

[member="Senji Selah"]

 

[Senji Selah]

[SIZE=9pt]”I could argue that such a remark is an indirect challenge, but lets not dwell on that.” Senji said, continuing to speak in his solemn, formal and kind manner, adjusting his arm and reaching out his black leather glove to firmly grabbVarus’ hand, giving it a single shake. He could not return the smile due to the limitations of his mask and instead gave a small nod as a greeting.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]His right foot slided backwards, his body following as he took a small step backwards, his hands going to fold upon his back once more as he listened to Varus talk, replying after having glanced towards the sparing ring, looking it over for a second or two, the mask emotionless as it replied. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“It’s been a long time since I’ve had a proper sparring match actually and I for once feel the need to use that side the force today. Or perhaps a sequence practice? You decide, you’re after all the one having veto on the ring right now, yes?”[/SIZE]

[member="Varus Shatterstar"]​

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

Varus took a few moments to consider the man's words before he replied, his jaw rolling as he watched the cold, emotionless mask hiding the man's face. "I'm always game to spar, but what do you refer to when you say 'sequence training', my friend?", he asked as he realized the multiple applications that could have had.

This man was an odd coin, as far as Varus could tell, but from his experience it was the odd ones you had to watch out for. Those most separated from the norm were often times the most formidable, whether or not they were at all approachable.

[member="Senji Selah"]