Private The Siren

[Tara Willows]

Tara listened as her master explained the forms and how to differentiate between them. She would then pick up a lightspear making Tara smile. She enjoyed the way that looked. It made her sort of want her own. But she'd never trade in her own staff. Perhaps she could have both someday? She'd ask Tara if she understood Juyo to which the girl merely shook her head.

"I know of Makashi and of Soresu, the basics. I heard them talked about fairly often. I've...never heard of Juyo though."



Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Alina paused. Watching her, knowing her abilities, perhaps it would be better for Tara Willows to learn Soresu. If she didn't have the strength, Juyo certainly wouldn't be a good fit. None the less, teaching her Juyo wasn't about actually using the form. It was the belief behind it that the master wanted to impart on the student. "Juyo is aptly called the Sith Style by some. It embodies passion and using it as your strength. Rapid strikes and heavy blows, all to overwhelm your opponent through the sheer randomness of the style. Jedi use the Force to predict strikes, and Juyo's ability to be unpredictable certainly helps."

The spear twirled in Alina's grasp before she took a simple stance. Holding the spear in two hands, body bent. She looked more like a monk than a warrior. "But that's the key. We fight Jedi on the battlefield. To be unpredictable is how you'll win. Unsettle the Jedi by any means you can, strike them when they're vulnerable, being unorthodox. That is the only way to beat a Jedi as you are now. And likely Sith. Use whatever you want, skills, weaponry, what have you. And try to land a blow on me."

 

[Tara Willows]

So Juyo was the SIth style. She didn't know it had a name. Passion was its key. Tara could get behind that. And with her weapon, heavy strikes would be an easy tool. She could get some real momentum swinging this staff around. But it wasn't the power that this style was based off of. Alina explained that it was best to be unpredictable. That was how they won. It made sense. Even if it wasn't part of the style. To be better and smarter than one's opponent was key. Strength wasn't always the best strategy.

"No I get it," she would say to her master. "Confuse and disrupt."

Alina would then take a stance and prepare herself. She told the white haired woman to come at her. Tara smirked. Of course she would want that. Tara had to have known this was coming. But she really didn't want to. She didn't want to spar with her master, or lose to her master. Which she knew she would. She could already feel the embarrassment of losing.

But what choice did she have? Tara flipped her saber around in a stylish flourish and then took a stance of her own. She then rushed her, swinging her blade out in a decent sized arc. Her attack was fast, but not so fast as Alina couldn't block it. Or deflect it. Tar would follow up by bringing the other end around and doing the same, continuing to strike and weave her blades through Alina's open spots. Occasionally she'd jump over her saber as she turned to get her legs out of the way. She was rather good at this after all.

 

[Alina Tremiru]

There were little actual open spots in Alina's guard. Wherever Tara Willows went to strike, Alina already had her pike swung around to catch it. The songsteel haft made it easy to defend, too. One of the weaknesses of a weapon like either of theirs was it being cut. So far, Tara hadn't done anything to make Alina have to really work to defend herself.

"Unexpected! Think! Use your surroundings, your power. You don't have to fight the way people expect you to."

 

[Tara Willows]

Tara was not doing so hot. Her opponent was faster and more skilled than she. But Tara had a trick of her own still. She would change her stance to having one foot in front of the other and her hip facing Alina. As she connected the two weapons she would suddenly collapse her blade and trap Alina's between the two glowing beams. She then scooted forward with a quick rush to try and lob off her mentor's hand. Or, at least break the staff if she could. Either way it would make a loud tearing sound as laser sword met resistance.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Oh? Alina's eyes widened in surprise as the saber was promptly closed around her own blade. The songsteel certainly wouldn't break, but her hand? Alina dropped her weapon before it could be cut off, hopping back and away from Tara Willows without her weapon. She laughed warmly, smiling at her apprentice.

"Just like that, good."

 

[Tara Willows]

Her plan had worked. She successfully collapsed the two blades around Alina's polearm. It wouldn't break like she hoped it would, but her slash towards the opposite end of the blade was enough to scare the woman to release the weapon. Her opponent jumped backwards and out of range as Tara's blade unfolded back into the open position.

With a smirk she watched her master as she complimented her. She'd shown her that she could be spontaneous. Was the fight over now? Tara would assume it was. She deactivated her blades and put the two collapsed hilts back onto her belt. She then bent over and picked up the lightspear. She gave it a good few spins to test it out before then offering it back to her master. Yep. She would need one of these for herself.

"Thank you. I wasn't sure if that would work or not."

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"It's a good trick, but don't rely on it too much. Your saber can be cut apart as it is. All that area would be too easily cut apart." Alina took back her blade, giving Tara Willows a simple nod. At least in this, she could hold her own. Though, there was still doubt in the Knights mind that the acolyte could survive open warfare. It was a different realm.

"Where possible, I want you only to fight using your ability to drain others. It's a powerful skill that needs to be cultivated. Being outclassed breeds power. Adaptability. Understood?"

 

[Tara Willows]

"I understand" she would reply as she looked to her saber. She didn't realize it had such a weakness.

Her master would then tell her to only fight with her Force Drain ability. Tara seemed confused. "You don't think I should keep something like that a secret? I don't want others thinking I'm a threat to them. And besides, I can only do it when I make full contact. I've only ever done it.....uh....well without touching the one time. And then my life was in danger. I know it's something I can achieve if I work on it. But I don't exactly have fodder to go around killing. Do you think....no nevermind. I was going to say perhaps finding a slave ring or something. But that would just complicate things."

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Alina's expression hardened slightly. "Slaves are a waste of your time. It breeds descent. Hostility. We are those with power, but if we abuse it too much or go too far, we will be overwhelmed by their numbers alone. If you find yourself in a slave ring, better to free them. The thankful serve much more faithfully." That, at least, was the Sith way to spell it out. Alina herself just hated the idea of slavery for a number of reasons that didn't involve the manipulation of how she was seen.

"Slavery is illegal in the Empire as it is." And that was that. She turned on a heel, back to Tara Willows to hide the annoyance filling her features. "Your life will always be in danger. Learn how to use that as a weapon, or you'll perish."

 

[Tara Willows]

Tara was surprised to hear that Alina felt so strongly on the subject of slavery. She could sense there was some hostility in her memory. Something triggered her, that much was certain. Alina suggested that Tara free any slaves she could for it would be better to have their allegiance than their obedience. Tara scoffed at the idea. Fear was a much stronger motivator in her mind.

"Yes ma-........I understand."

It was still hard for her not to say master, or teacher, or something. How was one supposed to respond other than, yes sir / no sir? It was all very frustrating being an apprentice.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

A heavy sigh escaped Alina as she paused at the exit. Tara Willows really couldn't just use her name, then? "Master will do fine, I suppose. Now go mingle. The academy has much it can offer you. Don't hesitate to steal and take knowledge where you can. That's what makes a proper Sith. One who refuses to be held back." That was something better to end on than her earlier annoyance. Alina left then, calmly. The lesson and greeting was done. Now was time to work.

 

[Tara Willows]

With that, Tara was dismissed. Alina told her to go and mingle, learn what she could. Did she not understand Tara was not some sort of social butterfly? She didn't know anyone. She didn't want to know anyone. The Sith were not the sort of people Tara wanted to befriend. It made it that much harder when they betrayed you. That's what Tara was really afraid of. Betrayal. With a bow to her master, she would turn and leave the room with much doubt in her mind....

END THREAD​