Bungle in the Jungle!

[Sejah Haversh]

Sejah had never seen so many plants int eh wild before as those in the jungled area of Arcan IV. It was said that his planet had once been a thriving jungle of lush plants, and that his species was more adept in the surroundings of plants than those of sand, stone, and pavement he had grown up with, but he wasn't sure.

The Nehantish-born mongoose was actually rather afraid of so many plants. Not that he was scared that they would do something to him, but it just seemed unnatural to him to see so amny, it was unnerving. Still, he let a paw trace along the trunk of a tree as he passed, his sandaled footpaws muffled in the soft grass beneath him as he walked. His brown tail swished lightly, and his pink eyes scanned everything, still amazed at so much vegetation.

Squatting down before a small cluster of orchids, he smelled them with a deep breath, his pinkish nose twitching at the onslaught of pollen afterwards as he fought off a sneeze. Standign back up, he chuckled to himself; evidently the small, non-sentient version of his species lived in places like these. Some day he would have to find one, and compare how much they truly were alike. Ponderign that, the brown mongoose continued on his way, but paused as an unfamilair smell drifted along the breeze, and he paused, one gloved paw reaching for the lightsaber on his belt. He had always felt safe in the Jedi Complex, but out in the jungle, he didn't know what he might come across.

[Ryla Relvinian]

I carefully walked out from behind a tree, hands up in defense. "Hey, don't worry there. It's just me."

[Sejah Haversh]

Sejah wheeled about, nearly tripping over an exposed root and his pink eyes widened slightly when he saw Ryla standing before him. She looked mostly human, but was blue, with black hair. From the feeling he got, she seemed peaceful enough, but, he wasn't sure.

Straightening his posture, he tried to relax and cleared his throat lightly before speaking, "Sorry, I'm just a bit on edge, it seems." Straightening his posture, Sejah worked hard to keep lookign at her face. IT was difficult, for even thoguh she wasn't his species, she was quite becoming. His tail flickign slightly behind himsself, he looked around at the jungle, and then abck to Ryla. "This is the first tiem I've been in a real jungle, my home is a very arid place, and I grew up in the city. So many plants here, it's amazing, isn't it?" He asked, then realized he hadn't introduced himself.

"Oh sorry, here I am taking and I haven't introduced myself. My name is Sejah Haversh, and you are?"

[Ryla Relvinian]

I was instantly taken by the man before me... His gentle demeanor and honest voice shone through his nervousness, and made me think for a moment. "Good to meet you, Sejah. I'm Ryla Relvinian, a Knight... Are you Master Marcus' padawan? I think I may have seen you around the training rooms before."

[Sejah Haversh]

A small smile opened Sejah's lips, exposing the tips of his fangs as his eyes lit up. "Yeah, I am a padawan to Master Q'Dunn, Miss Relvinian," he replied, relaxing a bit, "But we haven't acutlally been in the training rooms much yet. And I'm sorry I didn't kn wo who you were, but, I've only been here for a short time."

Adjusting his stance to let more hos his weight rest on his right leg, he looked her over again and seepishly asked, "I, um, I've never seen a blue human before. Is, is that a normal color for people?" He felt foolish askign that, but only a month before, he had nefver seen more than three alien species in real life that he had actually talked to.

[Ryla Relvinian]

I smiled at him then, and extended my hand in a gesture of greeting. "You can call me Ryla. Actually, I'm only partially human... long story. My mother was a Twi'lek, and odd skin colors are quite common for that race. "

We shook hands and I moved to examine a leaf that had fallen on my shoulder. "Beautiful, aren't they? Some people get all excited about flowers, but I think that all of the jungle here is beautiful. I also grew up on a dry planet... A worthless hunk of rock with nothing more than fungus grew on the walls of the caves... Being in a jungle like this is strange to me, but I think that it is a good strangeness."

[Sejah Haversh]

"A good strangeness," Sejah echoed, "that's an interesting way of putting it. But, I guess you're right. I'm from Nehantish, that's why all the fur and tail, all my race look like this. Well, except the girls, of course, standard deviation, you know..." he sort of trailed off, realizing he was sounding silly.

Letting his thumb hook into the folds of his sash belt, the mongoose relaxed and his smile wound down from being full to only peaceful. Not many had chosen to talk to him at the Complex, and it helped take his mind off the vast expanse of vegtation around him. "So, um, you're a knight, huh? If you don't mind me asking, how long did it take you to go from padawan to knight?"

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Nehantish, I've never heard of that planet..." I responded, turning the leaf over in my palm. "Yes, I was a padawan to Leia Solo, back when she was Jedi Knight Leia Solo... I suppose it took me about 4 or 5 months to attain knight status. What about you? How long have you been with us here?"

[Sejah Haversh]

"It's a pretty far away planet, we aren't known for much, yet, either," Sejah explained. On the whole, Nehantish was a rather unimportant planet to those not from it, but, as with most all in the universe, it was everything to those it was home to, and it was home to Sejah still.

The air in the forested area was cool and moist, more refreshing than the air conditioned quarters he shared with Corin, and it tasted better than that in teh rest of the Complex halls. Remembering the question Ryla had asked, he replied, "I've been here a little over a month, but, Master Q'Dunn just took me on three days ago. I hope I will be able to become a knight like yourself someday, if not even a master. But that is a lot of hoping, and... nevermind. I've still not been here all that long, is my point, though my time has been quite interesting."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Ah yes, patience." I responded with a hint of mirth in my tone. "They say it is a Jedi trait... However, it doesn't stop us from wanting to progress quickly. I almost wish I had spent more time as a Padawan. You can get away with more, you know." I winked at him and then let the leaf drift down to the ground, where it settled softly on the grassy floor.

[Sejah Haversh]

Sejah was confused at the wink, not understanding what she was getting at. Scratching the back of his neck where an itch had developed between two vertebre, he smiled nervously and asked, "What do you mean by that, Miss, er, Ryla?

[Ryla Relvinian]

"I mean..." I thought to myself, sitting down on the soft grass, leaning back against a large tree. "I mean that there are so many more responsibilities when you are a Knight. Oh, of course they are all worth it, but I sometimes wish that there was... I don't know... a class for teaching Padawans, just for newly-knighted Jedi..."

[Sejah Haversh]

The smile returned to Sejah's face as he began to understand. Comign down into a cross-legged seat, the mrown mongoose nodded and said, "I think I know what you mean. I was a fencer by trade back home, and I taught as well. But, when I was fourteen, my Master told me to lead class for the first time. I ahd been First Apprentice for a year, but, nothing had prepared me to teach others. It was a bit shaky at first," He paused to pluck a blade og grass and rubbed it beneath a finger and his thumbpad, "But it all worked out in the end, and I went on to keep teachign for the next eleven years, though I never could open my own school."

Smelling the clorophyl in the blade of grass under his pinkish nose, Sejah sighed and leaned back, propping hismelf up on one arm. "Hopefully I'll make as good of a Jedi as I did a fencing teacher. If I get that good, I'll be happy enough."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"I was trained in martial arts at a young age as well... but left before I ever had to teach anything." I settled myself a bit more comfortably against the tree trunk and then continued. "I enjoy the teaching process, but sometimes feel like I am somehow... I don't know... depriving my padawans of something crucial."

[Sejah Haversh]

"I couldn't treach my students how to feel their opponent's next move, or how to move faster than what should eb possible. That's what got me noticed, and got me here. Some Jedi said I was tapping the Force,a nd said I shoudl come here. So far, I've learned a lot, but, I miss home." He admitted, letting the blade flal form his paw and spinning the wind as it headed abck to the ground.

"I know there are different parts of the Force some excel in, like fighting, or healing, or telepathy or somehting. What is your specialty, if you don't mind me asking? And how do you know what you should try and excel in?"

[Ryla Relvinian]

"I don't quite know yet. I've always been good at fighting, fairly good at telepathy, and not so good at healing at all. I find it amazing that the Force has so many aspects that each different Jedi can have naturally. I have a padawan that has a natural gift for a very advanced Force skil.... she has a bond with animals, and can sense their emotions and even some thoughts. The Force deals talents in balance, and she is lacking in the fighting area." I looked up at him, realizing that I had started to ramble off a bit. "What about you?"

[Sejah Haversh]

Leanign back forward, Sejah rested his jaw on a paw and thought before replying, "I think it will probably be fighting, though I wish it could be somethign else. But, I can't do telepathy, it really hurts me to do so, so, I don't think I'd be much of healer in any case. I don't know, I think I'm just good at fighting because that's what I grew up doing, and then did as a living. I don't know what I'm really supposed to be."

What he also didn't know was that although he did have a connection to the Force, it ws not as strong as others. In fact, it was rather weak compared to many at the Jedi Complex.

[Ryla Relvinian]

"That's ok, I can do some telepathy, but I really don't like doing it, especially someone else being in my mind. It just isn't comfortable for me, so I can kind of understand that... I mean, if it hurts, don't do it, right?" I thought for a second and then got an idea.

"Perhaps it has to do with your species. I know that different races have, in general, variances in their midichlorian count. Perhaps that is the reason?"

[Sejah Haversh]

"Maybe," Sejah nodded, though he didn't want to think that his species was inferior to others, even thogugh he was evidently one of the first to be known to have a midicholian saturation, "But I guess I'll find out what I'm good at later on. Right now I guess I jsut do what my Master tells me. Is that how it goes as a Padawan, just sort of do what your master says?"

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Well... your master would say so..." I smiled at him, hoping he was a bit more at ease, now that we knew more about each other. I could tell that he seemed uneasy to discuss his connection with the Force, so I let it slide. "Basically, yes. Follow his lead, but also get involved with practice sessions outside of training. Get to know people around the temple, because they may be backing you up in a fight sometime, or have to heal you. The Jedi, we thrive on community, and most of us care more about you as a person than your status as Master, Knight, or Padawan."

[Sejah Haversh]

"I allready know a few others, Oriadin, Loki, Corin and a few others. I suppose I ought to try and meet some more, though. Especially when you say they might have to heal me!" He laughed, his smile breaking his mough wide open, revealign his jaws and fangs again.

"And I could probably use a bit more trianing on how to use the Force in combat, too. Bu, that I can get later."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Well, since you have a good grounding in combat already, I don't think that part should be very hard for you. It's much harder to teach both using a wepon and the Force at the same time. Still, there are some very good swordsmen around here, I don't think you'll have a hard time getting training in that regard. What about healing abilities, have you tried any of that yet?"

[Sejah Haversh]

Sejah shook his head. "No, I haven't. I wouldn't know where to begin," was his reply as he pulled a few more blades of grass from their earthen home with his gloved paw.

"I mean, I mainly took care of my own injuries growing up, but, I never had somehting too severe, nothing beyond broken bones or anything, and those just take time. Like I said, I wouldn't know where to begin."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Well, the lifestyle of a Jedi can come with a hefty price. There haven't been many major battles lately, but you never know. It's always good to be prepared, at any case." I laughed then, and looked up at the sky, the sun just starting to head back down towards the horizon. "What am I saying... I can't even heal a paper cut..."

[Sejah Haversh]

Sejah couldn't help but laugh at Ryla's joke and he knew that he was in the same boat as far as healing powers went. Shaking his furry head, the brown Nehantite replied, "Well, I guess it would be a good idea to keep our friends and comerades from getting hurt rather than trying to heal them, huh? I guess that's where these come in," he pulled his lightsaber form his belt.

It was an older one, and poorly made, but it worked alright for him for the time being. Bits of rust had been visibly sanded off on hte casing, and it wasn't without its fair share of small dents and dings. but Sejah was not used to finer things, so it suited him just fine.

[Ryla Relvinian]

I laughed with him, and then moved over to sit beside him. "Ah, yes. The lightsaber... a Jedi's weapon."

I removed mine from my belt as well and showed it to him. It was slightly thinner and longer than most lightsabers, almost a hand-and-a-half legnth for the hilt, and had no visible buttons or switches, only two rows of tiny screws that held the cover plate on, which I pointed to. "See, I made mine with all internal buttons... less to bump when I'm using it. Of course, that means that every time I want to spar with someone on a lower setting I have to take it apart... But then again, any excuse is a good excuse to tinker, right?"

[Sejah Haversh]

"Eh, I dunno, maybe for you it is," Sejah said nervously as he looked at his saber and wondered how it actually worked. "I'm not much good at mechanical things, or fixing things, so, I'm glad I got a nice, easy-to-use one with buttons on the outside."

Like Ryla's, his saber was nearly long enough for a two-handed grip, but unlike hers it was fat, and had a small panel of buttons covered with a plastic protection plate. His furred paws had a hard time gripping the smooth metal body, so eh ahd to wear gloves when he wanted to use it, and his fencing gloves had worked well enough so far.

[Sejah Haversh]

*bump-o-matic*

[Ryla Relvinian]

OOC: Sorry bub.. long story. Catch ya on AIM someitme, aiight?

IC: "Well, I like to work on mine, fiddle around with it. I probably spend too much time alone, reading and fixing things. I don't get out that often." I laughed and put my lightsaber back on my belt, leaning over to examine his handiwork.

"You know, I never get tired of seeing the variety in each Jedi's lightsaber. No two are alike... Did you know that some people even name theirs?"

[Sejah Haversh]

"They name them?" Sejah eched in question. "What's the point in that? Even with blades being as important to us as theyn were in my kind's history, I don't remember hardly any with names."

Shaking his head, he looked down at the lightsaber in his paw, "I grew up thinking that a weapon is not a toy, and that it should be respected, not played with. I don't know hwo made mine, but, he at least respected it enough to build it to last."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"I agree with you. I enjoy the seriousness of combat, even though I can often be the sarcastic type, there is still a... a weight in saber combat. I mean... I feel that many others before me have done the same forms, and many others after me will do them... a sense of history I guess. Not all Jedi are warriors, you know, though the ones that make history often are."

[Sejah Haversh]

"History does lend itself to favoring the fighters, I'll agree to that. Especially my history. Hopefully I'll be remembered someday, but, I guess I'll have to do somehting important for that," Sejah shrugged as he smiled.

The smile slowly turned to a mischevious grin as he held his lightsaber carefully in his paw, his thumb creepign closer to the on switch. "But, I know I need some practice with this ting first. You said you were pretty good, care to see how I compare, Miss Relvinian?" As he finished, Sejah flicked the switch and the standard blue blade flashed to life. "I'll warn you, I am still a champion fencer, and have been for ten years." Another smile heightened his cheeks, his pink eyes sparkling merrily.

[Ryla Relvinian]

I smiled at his challenge, knowing that, between the two of us, it was going to be one heck of a fight. "Of course, I'd love to show you a few things!" I replied with a wide grin, standing up and activating my orange blade. I chose a relaxed defensive stance to begin with, holding my blade out in front of me, my legs a medium distance apart for balance. "Ready when you are, sir!"

[Sejah Haversh]

"Only my students call me 'sir'," he smiled as he replied. Looking relaxed and still joking, the mongoose suddenty shot forward with a low to high sweep with his saber to Ryla's left side, hos left paw tucked close to his belt.

It had been a while since he had a real challenge with a blade, Marcus Q'Dunn having been the last one two months before. But, Sejah had also been practicign in private so he would not make the same mistakes he had before. His scimitar techniqes were mostly adaptable to usign a lightsaber, but there were a few tricks he had figured out in lone practice. Hopefully, Ryla would be good enough to let him use some of them. Honestly, he hoped she would be better than himself, so he could perhaps learn from her.

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Who knows, maybe you can teach me a few things..." I replied to him, the sharp tinge of ozone from the lightsabers contrasting the smooth scent of greenery that surrounded us. I hadn't had a true spar with anyone besides my padawans in a very long time, and was greatly looking forward to seeing how good Sejah was.

[Sejah Haversh]

That was enough to start the match. Sejah held his blue saber at his side, waiting for a move from Ryla. When none came, the mongoose stepped in and delivered a fast strike aimed at her left shoulder, though pullign his body down as he came in.

OOC- Ack, I totally forgot this thread was here...