Outside the gardens(Zatania's training II)

[SashaKovalev]

The moon was high in the sky before he finally dragged himself out of bed. He had returned only a few days ago from a rather rough trip to Tatooine and had needed a few days to recover. His body ached, still, as he stood and stretched. He pulled robes on over his clothing and moved to splash some water on his face. It was cool and refreshing, much as the evening air would be.

He picked up his lightsaber and the other that had been sitting there on his desk for some time now. He’d originally constructed it for Zatania, but then had left town for a quick trip. Now that he was back, he wanted her to have it.

And he wanted to hear how she was progressing in her training.

He pulled the hood over his head, rather liking the feeling it gave of some sort of darkness surrounding him. As he left his room, he stared for a moment at the door across the hall from his. It had been Feliciana’s room. Now it was empty and belonged to no one.

With this reminder, he turned and began to walk down the hall, his movement slightly off from his normal fluid way of moving. Though he pushed it back, he was still in pain from the injuries he had sustained. But this was no matter, life went on, and it was time that he moved on as well.

Through the force, he called out to Zatania, beckoning her to join him to walk once again in the gardens. Most did not walk the gardens at night, for Shenraun did not always appreciate visitors. But the dragon had befriended Sasha back when he had been but an apprentice, and since then, he had been given almost free reign.

He waited for her at the gates, and while he waited, he did something he did on rare occasion. He pulled a cigarette from the pockets of his robes and lit it, inhaling deeply before releasing the smoke in a relieved sort of sigh.

[Zatania Duvall]

Zatania had been sitting in her room, reading history books of the years that she had missed since she had first experienced death. Even through the vessel she invaded, she had not known of what had gone on, since most of her memory was blank. Her original past was much more clear, even if it wasn't fully clear, than the past that was inbetween then and now. Sure the girl had learn some history during Zatania's stay in her body, but it was very little since she had been very young when the old man forced her into dark training, in order for Zatania to awaken. Whatever he did, he didn't complete the cycle, since Zatania didn't consider herself fully awakened.

As she turned the page, she heard Sasha's call through the force. Without even thinking about it, she answered him with a thought, wondering if he heard it or not. She wasn't sure, but something told her that he did.

"I'll be right there." She thought, almost as though speaking directly to him.

She placed her book down, stretching her limbs out as she stood up. Her mind felt groggy from having read all day, but some training would help her ease that numb feeling, maybe even the walk to the gardens would relax her brain before then.

Zatania grabbed the book off of her bed and placed it on the table next to it, knowing she'd probably want to just crash into bed without bothering to pick it up later on. After doing so, she walked to the door and out of it, heading down the hallway towards the palace gardens. This time she made sure to wear everything entirely black, even her pants, so she wouldn't have to worry about grass stains this time. Okay, maybe she was still a bit of a clean freak, but you live inside of someone's body and see every disgusting thing they do that you can't do anything about.

Finally she arrived to the gates and smiled to her master. Deep inside she had a silent hope that he was feeling better since his last trip.

[SashaKovalev]

He returned her smile from beneath his hood and took a last drag from his cigarette before he crushed it out. He blew the smoke downwind from Zatania, so as not to bother her, and then opened the gate before them.

As they began walking, he let the hood fall forward ever so slightly, his features hidden behind it. Though she could not see his expressions, it was clear from his voice, at least, that he was less troubled that the last time they had spoken.

"I hope you werent sleeping..." He stated.

"It just seemed like a nice night to walk in gardens." He added, a slight smile coming to his face.

[Zatania Duvall]

I was reading, actually. I really needed a break, I've been at it for most of the day.

She chuckled and looked down at the crushed cigarette.

I didn't know you smoked.

She didn't show any real discontent or content in her voice when she said this, so where ever she stood on smoking was most likely nuetral. She merely just looked up as though she hadn't said it and smiled.

A walk sounds very good though. I need one after all that egg heading all day long.

[SashaKovalev]

I didnt know you smoked

He chuckled softly at this. Few probably did. It wasnt often that he chose to, but occasionally, he craved it.

He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his robes as he walked. There, he could feel the hilt of the saber he had constructed for Zatania.

"What were you reading?" He asked, turning to her just a bit, his features now visible. The tone of his voice carried his interest in her, and all that she had been up to.

[Zatania Duvall]

"A dirty magazine."

She laughed and shook her head, then looked towards him.

"A book on historical events that have happened during the past few centuries that I was in 'limbo'."

She shrugged, continuing from there. "I felt that I should know about the world as it is now, and not how it was when I was still me."

[SashaKovalev]

Her sense of humor took him off gaurd at times - mostly because he was so serious around her, and she seemed to refuse to take life100% seriously. Which, in all truth, was probably the better way to approach life. Not that he was always serious - he was perfectly capable of being relaxed and joking around - but the people he did this with were few. They were the people he trusted completely - Gouyen and Robi being among those few.

He had smiled slightly, then asked a rather serious quesiton in return.

"And which would you prefer if you had the choice, the galaxy as it was, or the galaxy as it is now?" He had glanced away as he asked this, feeling, perhaps the familiar presence of Shenraun, and turning toward the presence for a moment.

[Zatania Duvall]

"I have a choice?" She joked, smiling faintly before seriously answering the question. "I'd rather have it the way it used to be, so that I would't feel like I've been in a cave for all this time... which is close to it, but still. I have a lot of reading to do to understand where this galaxy is in history."

[SashaKovalev]

He smiled faintly.

"Perhaps reading it from your unique perspective will give you an advantage in the future." He replied as they continued through the gardens, making their way, as they had last time, toward the path that led to the lake.

"Is there anything you've read that particularly interested you?" He asked, a handcoming from his robes to idly pull a leaf from a branch as they walked by. His other hand came to tear the leaf carefully into equal pieces as they walked.

[Zatania Duvall]

"Well, all of it it interesting, but nothing really stood out to me."

She shrugged. "I'm sure I'll come across something that's interesting. I haven't got too far into my research yet. I think I've only read two or three chapters so far."

She took the rubber band from around her wrist and put her hair back out of her face into a messy ponytail. "Anything that should interest me? I'll skip ahead to anything you think I'd need to know."

[SashaKovalev]

He shook his head. History had not been one of his favorite subjects in school, and he'd been forced to quit before graduating to take care of his then very ill mother. He had done much studying on his own, but had busied himself not with history, but with the teachings of the sith, of anything to do with the force and how to use it. This, he continued to study.

"What would interest me, would not necessarily interest you." He replied, knowing that he and Zatania were very different - the exception being their mutual interest in the power of the dark side.

"Have you been practicing the skills that we went over last time we walked the gardens?" He asked. It was not asked sternly, as a teacher might, but rather out of idle curiousity.

The five pieces he had torn the leaf into rested comfortably in the palm of one hand. He let them scatter, before selecting another leaf from a tree as they passed by, then entering the little path that would take them to the edge of the lake.

[Zatania Duvall]

"Yes, I have. But I had to stop once I broke something in my room."

She chuckled as she continued. "But I think I've got the hang of them now."

[SashaKovalev]

He nodded.

"Good. " He replied as he tore apart this second leaf. He kept one piece from this one, as he had from the last.

As the lake seemed to rise from no where as they came to the end of the path, he led the way, once again over to the rock they had sat on before.

"What of your awareness in the force?" He asked her.

"Are you comfortable yet with sensing the presence of others?" He asked, his violet eyes looking not to her, but to the two pieces of the leaves.

[Zatania Duvall]

"Once in a while, I feel as though I can sense others, but that has only happened after our last training session. I think maybe the training might have sparked a memory about it, but I'm not quite sure how I did it."

She looked out to the lake then back to him. "It's only happened a few times."

[SashaKovalev]

Once in a while, I feel as though I can sense others, but that has only happened after our last training session. I think maybe the training might have sparked a memory about it, but I'm not quite sure how I did it. It's only happened a few times.

He nodded.

“Then tonight, we will work on that skill.” He replied.

He held in his palm the two pieces of the leaves.

“Tonight, as we walked here, I plucked these leaves from a living tree. I shredded the leaves as I walked, into five pieces, and then let them fall to the ground.”

He smiled slightly as he handed her the two remaining pieces of the two leaves.

“I do not want you to move, but to stay where you are for this. You will use the lesson from last time of using your skills in the force to move objects, but you will add another piece to it. Within these leaves, you will be able to sense the life that is slowly draining from them as they die. Use the force to reach out and connect to the life left in the leaves, and then to the pieces that have since scattered in the wind. Bring the pieces back, and on this rock, re-assemble the leaves.”

It would take much concentration, for once she felt the life of one leaf, she would have to discern from thousands of others out there, to narrow in specifically on the one leaf for which she searched. And then once again for the other leaf. But if she could discern among leaves, with so little life force, she would then easily be able to discern among other living beings.

[Zatania Duvall]

Zatania knew from the very first moment that he mentioned the leaves that she had her work cut out for her. There were thousands of leaves within the gardens, both fallen or still attached to the tree it grew on. She'd have to look for a life force that gave out the exact same signature as the peices she held in her hands.

She held the leaves and began to concentrate on them, trying to feel their life force first, since thats where this lesson would begin.

[SashaKovalev]

As she held the leaves in her hand, he used the force to push his signature towards her. It was a gentle nudge, enough to help her to understand and feel the presence of another. It was not difficult for him to do this, but it did require effort.

“It should come to you as clearly as my signature comes to you.” He suggested.

“It will take more effort to find it, but if you search deep enough, you will.” With this, he took one of the pieces of the leaves back from her, allowing her instead to focus on one, and only one. This, perhaps, would help.

[Zatania Duvall]

Zatania nodded as she felt the slight nudge of his presence. When he took one of the leaf pieces, she got right back to concentrating on just that on piece. Finally, but faintly, she felt it's life force. She could feel it slowly fading, since it was dying. Almost as soon as she had felt it, she could feel something very familiar elsewhere, the exact same feeling she got from this piece of dying life.

She still didn't quite know where it was, only that it was nearby. But maybe she could try grabbing onto that life force itself, as she had done with the rock, and know where it was then. The wind made it very difficult for her to do this, since everytime she tried to grab on, it would toss the leaf away. Slowly her aggitation was raising, until finally she was able to lift the leaf piece.

[SashaKovalev]

He watched her in silence. He could feel her concentrating, and eventualy, he could feel her agitation slowly beginning to rise. He had no doubt that eventually, she would succeed, and in her case, a bit of anger wouldnt hurt, this he knew.

He reached out, as she did, seeking to find the other pieces. He found them easily, spread out and much further away than where he had originally left them. This was a difficult thing to ask of her, but she preferred to be challenged - pushed beyond her limits, and so he would not baby her.

But he did stand and move some distance away from her, making it perhaps a bit easier for her to focus only on the leaf - by having his presence a bit further away so as not to confuse her as she tried, for the first time, to complete this task.

[Zatania Duvall]

When she felt something moving, the life force that she had been holding, it startled her and almost made her think that she had picked up a small animal instead of the leaf. But then she realized that her master was probably making it harder for her. Good, she was beginning to think she'd have it too easy. You dont learn things when you're being treated like a kid, and she was definately no kid. She was older than any of the trees within the garden.

Finally, she managed to find one other leaf and pulled that into the air, searching for the other. She sighed, trying to keep any type of anger or resentment in mind to help her concentrate.

[SashaKovalev]

Shortly after her sigh, the roots from the trees around her snaked up from the ground to wrap themselves around her ankles in a tight and perhaps even threatening grip.

And then, in front of her, a small area of fire sprung up from seemingly out of nowhere. Sasha thanked Malice for having taught him this.

As Zantania looked to him, a brief expression of surprise on her face, Sasha put on a mock expresison of surprise himself.

"Did I forget to mention the time limit?" He asked, clearly knowing that he had never told her this.

"Pity. How negligent of me..." He added, and then he gave a small shrug.

"Each minute that passes will add another piece to the fire until it forms a ring around you." He added as one of the flames blew in a small breeze that affected nothing around it but the flame itself. It licked dangerously close to her, as if it had a mind of its own, a lust to consume all around it, burning to to ashes.

"When you have completed the task, you will be given this...." He said, holding the lightsaber for her to see.

"To cut you free and protect you in the future. Should you survive that long..."

As if on cue, one of the roots began to creep its way further up her ankle to her leg, securing her where she was.

[Zatania Duvall]

And now she knew that there was a way to push too far. She had a second chance at life and he was putting it in mortal danger. She also didn't want to waste this body's beauty, since she had such luck that she didn't get cursed with a homely body. She growled at him, wondering if he'd really allow her to burn to death if she couldn't do this. But, all that did was help her. That anger she found in this caused her to feel the presence of everything around her, in a surprising amount of time. She turned her gaze away from him and worked on gathering them all.

He was still moving them, making this much harder and yet so much easier through anger. Finally, she snatched many out of his grasp and gathered them into the center of the garden. A few were still in need of being gathered.

[SashaKovalev]

As minute by minute ticked away, the flames around Zatania began to complete their circle. The heat of them surrounded her, threatening to devour.

Sasha merely leaned back against a tree and crossed his arms over his chest. In his hand he held the lightsaber he had constructed for her, his violet eyes watching with what seemed to be detachment.

[Zatania Duvall]

Finally she found the last two and summoned the entire small pile of them towards her. This proved to be a difficult task since many of the leaves kept catching the wind and wanting to drift off away from the group. Finally the flames in front of her towered higher, as smoke raised from them due to the disenegration of the small dying life within those leaves.

[SashaKovalev]

It was then that he chose to toss the lightsaber to her, a slight expression of satisfaction crossing over his features only to be replaced as quickly as it had come with the detached expression of before. She had completed the task.

The saber passed through the flames to her hand. For a moment he made them rise, towering above her, and then he allowed them to subside, giving her a chance to cut herself free and make a leap for freedom.

[Zatania Duvall]

She wasn't told how to ignite it, but somehow... she knew. She even used it as a war lord who had used the weapon for a long time would, without so much as a moment of hesitation. With one swipe from her right, going up into the air, she passed the blade over to her left and slid it across the entanglement that had her trapped.

Now that she was free, she sprinted forward, disigniting her saber. When she neared, the flames began to waver, not giving much more time for her to take the leap. Instead of just leaping out of the way, she used the technique that Sasha had taught her the last time they had been here. She pretended that the flames were the waves of water that she needed to calm so that she could start them going into a new set of controlled waves. The fire began to steady at the subsided height that she'd be able to jump over. With that reassurance, she took the leap, and rolled on the ground until she rose on one knee.

[SashaKovalev]

As she rolled to safety, he approached and offered a hand to help her to her feet.

"That wasnt so bad was it?" He asked, a relaxed, almost teasing expression crossing his face. As she got to her feet, they began walking, leaving the flames behind them as water began to wash over the rocks to cool them.

He gestured to the saber that she held.

"I was told some time ago when I received my saber that most often, they are gifted."

He smiled and glanced at the ground, remembering all to well the incident with Mu Satach when she had given his saber to him. He wondered briefly if he would ever see her again...

And then he looked back to Zantania.

"As your brother in the Sith order, I would like for you to keep it. You earned it this evening. May it serve you well as you seek to recover the knowledge you lost."

[Zatania Duvall]

She had been only half listening, but managed to catch "May it serve you well as you seek to recover the knowledge you lost." from her master. She looked up, still dazed that she used the lightsaber in the way that she did.

"Thanks. I think it helped in some way already."

Her eyes drifted down to the weapon in her hands, somehow to knowledge to use it to an extent in her mind. Then she smiled, as a memory passed by her mind.

"I had a lightsaber that had been passed down to me by my father."

During their last session she couldn't remember anything about her family at all. This was just a small step forward, but one step none the less.

[SashaKovalev]

“I think you remember more than you realize.” He stated softly. His violet eyes came to look at her beneath the gardens well lit by the moon. He grinned and stopped walking for a moment.

“You have soot on your face…” He stated as he reached and brushed it from her cheek.

And then he turned to begin walking again.

“The other day, what I asked you to do with the water….is not something I would ask an apprentice just beginning to do. There is more to what you did than basic force skills. You, although you did not realize, were using some sort of knowledge, or familiarity with the elements, the skills of one far more advanced.”

He stopped and looked to her.

“You were able tonight to control the fire enough to leap over it. That, too, is not a basic force skill, Zatania.”

[Zatania Duvall]

Zatania looked up at him when he brushed the soot off of her face, slightly startled out of her train of thought.

“The other day, what I asked you to do with the water….is not something I would ask an apprentice just beginning to do. There is more to what you did than basic force skills. You, although you did not realize, were using some sort of knowledge, or familiarity with the elements, the skills of one far more advanced.” He said.“You were able tonight to control the fire enough to leap over it. That, too, is not a basic force skill, Zatania.”

She thought for a moment, wondering if he was right. Or maybe she was just a good listener or fast learner. Either way, maybe she did remember how it was to use those skills... She just had to have someone to help her bring them out.

"Well, still. If I did remember it then it was you that helped me remember it."

She found the clip on the saber and put it in a comfortable place on her belt. "I don't know whether I remembered it or not, since I don't recall a moment I ever used these skills.. If I don't remember those moments, then I can't remember the skills so thats why I still need you to help me learn them."

Zatania rubbed her face again, wondering if she still was covered in soot, thinking for a moment in silence before speaking up again.

"Is that what you're saying? That I don't need you to teach me?" She chuckled.

[SashaKovalev]

He chuckled.

"No, thats not what Im saying at all." He replied shaking his head.

"What I meant is that while you might not remember these things, the force is a presence within you, and the part of you that recognizes the force remembers how to do these things when prompted."

He shrugged.

"But if you refuse to believe this and want to leave it up to being a fast learner, then by all means, believe such a thing." He added with a smile.

[Zatania Duvall]

"I don't believe in anything but myself." She said, smirking because she was obviously kidding. There was nothing more corny than that.

"Seriously though, you could be right. Maybe there is hope for getting those memories back. Instead of looking into myself for them, I should probably keep looking into the force."

[SashaKovalev]

He shook his head.

"I could be right?" He asked, repeating her words.

"I get no respect..." He grumbled, though it was clear that he was not the least bit serious or disturbed by this face.

Now that the lesson was over, for this evening at least, he was able to return to his usual good humor around her.

[Zatania Duvall]

She grinned and laughed. "Yeah, after all you're just a guy after all!"

Zatania nudged his arm with her elbow. "Just kidding. I'm beyond the cooties stage."

[SashaKovalev]

He laughed.

"So it has to do with gender, does it?" He asked, an eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Still angry with me for the grass stains last time, huh?" He teasted.

[Zatania Duvall]

"Maybe, maybe not." She said, shrugging with small smile.

"Still angry with me for the grass stains last time, huh?" He teased.

"Nah, I managed to get them out. the scrubbing managed to help me get these arms into shape anyways."

[SashaKovalev]

"In that case," He began, prepared to duck far out of reach, "Ive got a few pairs of pants that could use some scrubbing..."

He tried to wipe the amused grin from his face, but it was too late.

[Zatania Duvall]

"I don't even want to know what you did to them." She said, a hidden comment within the same. "Which is why I won't touch them."

She jumped up and grabbed onto a tree branch that wasn't too far over her head, then pulled herself up. When she was up on her knees, she turned them out so that she could sit down without fear of falling off.

[SashaKovalev]

He did not seem the least bit phased by her comment and took it in good stride, chuckling.

His cheeks might have flushed faintly, though in the moonlight it would have been difficult to tell.

He watched as she pulled herself up onto the branch, and then with a slight shrug, he took a seat on the ground, leaning back on his elbows to look up at her.

"You must have been a tomboy growing up..." He commented. HIs voice had been teasing, but he realized perhaps a bit too late that she would possibly be upset, for her past was something she did not remember.

He shut his mouth, the expression on his face clearly falling for a moment as he chided himself for his stupid comment.

[Zatania Duvall]

"If I was in the past before my recent past, I don't know. But just before I took over Ceres' body completely, I climbed trees and everything, mainly because part of Ceres wanted to get away."

She shrugged, looking down to him. "It's kind of hard to explain. It was partially her, and partially me."

She switched one leg over to the other side of the tree branch and leanded forward until she was laying down along it, her hair drifting down to settle in the wind.

"You got quiet fast. Don't worry, it doesn't bother me whether I remember my past or not. I've realized that what matters is that I have a second chance, and all I really care about right now is that I destroy her so that she doesn't screw it up for me."

[SashaKovalev]

He looked back to her and nodded.

"I'll do what I can for you to be sure your second chance isnt wasted." He replied. The humor had disappeared from his place only to be replaced with this serious expression that he usually bore.

Around most, he wore this serious expression without falter. Around Zatania, and others, from time to time, he let down his guard enough to reveal hints of who he truly was.

"You're not going to try and destroy her before you're truly ready...are you?" He asked.

[Zatania Duvall]

"No, it'd be foolish. She could just as easily kill me at anytime since the both of us don't know much about fighting yet. I may have the same chances at killing her, but I'd rather not risk it until I'm sure that I'm stronger than she is. Besides, I'm sure the mark on her face has disappeared by now, so it'd be hard to find her until it's time again."

She closed her eyes. "Just like that one night, there will be another time when she has a chance to take back her body. It will reappear again. That won't be for a long time now, and by then I'll be ready. Ten years should be enough time."

[SashaKovalev]

He nodded, glad to hear that she would be wise about it. He had not expected anything less, though he knew she was likely anxious to be done with Ceres once and for all.

As he stared up at her, as they spoke, he noticed something about her that he had not noticed before. Or perhaps he had, but had not let the thoughts enter his mind.

Abruptly he looked away and stood, pacing for a moment on the garden path.

"You should get some sleep...." He stated, not knowing at all what time it was, or if this was even the case.

[Zatania Duvall]

She opened her eyes and looked towards him, wondering why he suddenly changed the subject. But, he was right. She was exhausted still from all of the reading she did all day. Her mind needed to rest, as well as her body.

"Fair enough."

She sat up and grabbed onto the branch, then dangled off of it before setting foot on solid ground.

[SashaKovalev]

As they continued walking, Sasha did not look at her. His rather detached demeanor had returned, though to no fault of Zantania's, at least, not directly.

"Tomorrow night, perhaps, we can continue your training." He stated, his voice nothing but 100% professional.

[Zatania Duvall]

Zatania yawned and nodded, wondering if she'd be dreaming about words scrawled across pages upon pages or flames. Today had been one hell of a day.

"I'm beginning to think you enjoy working during only the night time. But I have no problem with that, I think it works out well with my night owl schedule."

As they came upon the gates, she smiled. "But sure, tomorrow night. Sweet dreams, Sasha."

She waved without really looking at him, since her back was now to him, then turned to go down the hallway back towards her quarters.

[SashaKovalev]

I'm beginning to think you enjoy working during only the night time. But I have no problem with that, I think it works out well with my night owl schedule.

He smiled faintly at this. She did not know much about him if she did not know of his tendencies to spend the nights wandering. It wasn’t because he couldn’t sleep, but rather, he enjoyed the peace and quiet. The same as he enjoyed early mornings.

As they came upon the gates, they both turned to go in separate directions.

Sweet dreams, Sasha.

He stopped in his tracks, turning to watch her as she walked off. She waved, her back to him. When he exhaled, it was a ragged breath. It had been some time since he had heard those words spoken to him, and the last person to speak them had been Feliciana.

His eyes closed for a moment, willing the mixture of emotions back down to a place where he could control them. And rather than heading for his room, instead he headed toward the hangar, hellbent on finding a smaller more agile ship to take out for a while. Something to distract him and allow him some release from the anger, pain, and confusion that he felt.

[Zatania Duvall]

Once returning to her room, she immediatly went to the refresher to rid herself of that smokey just nearly barbequed smell. Besides, a nice hot shower would relax her enough to fall asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

And just as planned, once she was out of the shower, she fell asleep as soon as she laid down.

OOC Want me to start a new training thread?

[SashaKovalev]

ooc: *nods* Yeah, that would be cool. Im in the middle of turning in papers and taking tests before we get out of school for the holidays so Im not feeling all that creative. :) Thanks.

[Zatania Duvall]

OOC Alrighty, posted.