Front and Center-- Southstar's Training

[Gouyen Chee]

Gouyen went out into the training grounds and sat down on a boulder. Her first lesson with Southstar would be something she had taught her brother in the Order, Sasha Kovalev -- the skill of centering oneself in the Force. Oddly enough, she needed a refresher course in the skill, as she had not used it during the battle in the last training mission. The feeling of betrayal from that mission was still fresh within her, so she focused on it as she centered herself, calling the darkside to her. Then she waited.

[Southstar]

Southstar approached a meditating Gouyen quietly. He knew no matter how quiet he was, she knew he was there. He stood straight and waited patiently.

[Gouyen Chee]

"Greetings, Southstar," she said, her eyes fluttering open. She had sensed him coming and allowed him to wait as she slipped out of her trance.

She rose from her seat on the boulder and stretched. "Today I am going to teach you a fundamental technique that is vital for using the dark side without going mad. It's called centering. Now sit down on the ground," and she slid down against the boulder to sit cross-legged against it. "Now, feel the Force coming up through the earth -- it doesn't matter right now if it's light or dark -- although dark is prefered," she added with a wicked smile. "Once you're in touch with the Force, I want you to look for your center -- it's the still, small part of you that actually connects you to the greater Force. Most people visualize it as a small circle of light in the midst of darkness." She paused in her discussion, giving him time to follow her instructions.

"Now that you've found it, I want you to become one with it. Then you will have a stable platform with which you can control the dark side without being swept away by it."

[Southstar]

As Gouyen spoke, Southstar reached inside to find the part of him that connected him to the greater Force. It took only a few seconds until he found it and let it fill him. He felt the Force now and waited for Gouyen's next instructions.

[Gouyen Chee]

She cocked an eyebrow, amazed at the speed with which he had connected with his center. But she shouldn't be so surprised -- he had been quick to pick up on the notion of using the Force to panic a group of farnaks half to death.

She rose and measured off twenty paces from the boulder they had been leaning against. "Come over here and face the boulder," she instructed him. "I want you to draw the dark side in to your center, then lash out with it and destroy the boulder."


OOC: Since the holidays are coming, I may not be able to get back to you until Monday. Just a heads-up to let you know. :)

[Southstar]

Southstar removed himself from the boulder and walked the twenty paces to where his master was standing.
He closed his eyes and reached his hand out towards the boulder. He searched for his center and found it. Now he searched for the boulder, it took him a few seconds to find it, but he found it.
He connected his center to the boulder and unleashed his hatful feelings upon it. He felt the boulder crumble into stones and dust. Now it was time to look at it and he did. There was a pile of stones and a particular one that was too big, in Southstar's opinion.
The fact that there was a chunck of rock that was not destroyed was a symbol to him of his inadequate skills.

[Gouyen Chee]

She watched as he lashed out with his anger, controlling it from his center. The concept of the center was central to the Assazi's use of the Force. It gave them a sense of balance and stability, a point from which the dark side could be controlled without the user being consumed. You became a conduit for the Force, directing and regulating its flow without necessarily becoming a part of it. The concept was almost Jedi-ish, but it was the one Gouyen had been trained in, and the one that she in turn was training Southstar in.

She watched as the rock disintegrated into a pile of gravel and dust, with a couple of larger rocks rolling down the pile to the bottom.

"Well done," she said, "but not perfect." She lashed out with the dark side and pulverized the remaining rocks into dust.

"Don't feel too badly about your efforts -- you did extremely well. But there is always room for improvement," she added. "It took a long time to gain that degree of skill, and I am far from being a master. You must have a certain amount of patience if you wish to succeed in your training."

She then squared off into a fighting stance. "Now that you are centered and have the Force flowing through you, I would like you to spar with me, 'empty hand' style, and use that Force you feel within you."

[Southstar]

Southstar positioned himself into his own fighting stance. He had learned to fight before, this was nothing extremely new to him. Like Gouyen had said before, there was always room for improvement.
Southstar had decided for himself that he would start the spar, unless Gouyen beat him to it.
He moved as quickly as he could and brought forth three consecutive jabs, as expected Gouyen blocked them with seemingly no effort at all. He threw in a few more jabs before tossing in a roundhouse kick.

[Gouyen Chee]

She felt his intentions through the Force just milliseconds before he attacked, but it was enough time for her to easily block his blows. Then he threw in a roundhouse kick, which she effortlessly dodged, then she launched an attack of her own. Right hand reverse punch, a couple of quick jabs and a side kick to top it off. Southstar blocked all three of the punches but was taken by surprise by the kick, which sent him stumbling backwards.

"I want you to reach out with the Force and feel when I'm going to attack you. Then you can anticipate and react accordingly."

She waited briefl for him to recover, then launched another attack, "spinning bottom fist," a powerful, whirling strike to the temple. He had to act fast or risk being knocked unconscious.

[Southstar]

Southstar couldn't believe he hadn't anticipated the kick to his chest.
"I have to start moving faster! I need to think faster!" He scolded himself in his mind.
Now in the brief time he had Southstar reached for his center the best he could, and found it, glowing inside him. He felt Gouyen's attack coming and soon saw it. It was coming to the left of him. He arched his back until he was underneath Gouyen's Swinging arm. He grabbed Gouyen's wrist with is left and planted his foot infront of her's. He spun clockwise, using her swing to drive her forward.
Usually on a normal fighter, this would send them a couple feet away. However, Southstar knew he was sparring with a Sith Warrior he had no idea how this might turn out

[Gouyen Chee]

His throw sent her somersaulting over to deftly land on her feet. "Well done, Southstar," she said after she had turned and assumed the ready stance. "You anticipated my attack that time." She moved in and grabbed his arm, swinging herself to his side in preparation for the "four-cornered throw."

"But you must also anticipate this," and she threw him, flipping him over onto his back.

OOC: Hope you don't mind my taekwondo/aikido flashbacks.

[Southstar]

On his back, Southstar scolded himself for not seeing that coming. He used the force to throw himself back onto his feet and he turned to face Gouyen.
Instead of waiting for Gouyen to attack he charged forward and threw his fist ahead of him, his master blocked it and held on to his fist. Southstar used that point and some of his momentum to swing clockwise and he intended to kick her with his heal.

[Gouyen Chee]

But Gouyen was faster. Grabbing his hand, she took her other hand and pressed against the inside of his elbow joint, folding his arm against her hand and forcing him down. Once on the ground, she pinned him with a joint lock to the arm.

"Now what are you going to do?" she asked. "Are you down and out, or do you still have some fight left in you?"

[Southstar]

Southstar thought to himself, "How am I going to get out of this? I don't want to be seen as weak in the eyes of my master." He didn't answer her question and struggled to manuver out of the joint lock. Then he knew what to do.
He found his center glowing inside of him. Reaching in he used a small force push to create a bubble of space between Gouyen and himself. The strain on his arm hurt, but it was bearable. He just needed to hold out and keep pushing.

[Gouyen Chee]

She felt his Force push and smiled. He was using what she had taught him, which pleased her no end. She kept on the pressure while the bubble grew. And like a balloon overfilled with air, the pressure in the bubble forced her to let go or risk pulling his arm off. As an opponent in a real fight wouldn't be so kind, she hung on until the pain was unbearable, then let go. Southstar fell back, panting from his exertion.

"That was very well done," she said, offering him a hand up. "Now I want to see how well you can use the dark side in a real-life situation. This evening, I'm planning on going into Coronet with my two newest apprentices, Dreth Kindo and Tunaris Sori, and I'd like you to come with me. So meet me in the parking garage at six -- we'll have dinner in the city."


EDIT:

Later that afternoon, Southstar recieved a Force summons from his master: Come to my room immediately. (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25296)

Slight change of plans -- I'm having you and the other two come to help me move. It's a creative way of using Force telekinesis. Afterward, we'll all go into Coronet for a little fun and "on-the-job" training.

[Southstar]

OOC: As much as i'd like to help you move, this christmas my internet access may dissappear. I am goin gon a trip to England and I doubt I will be able to find a computer where I am staying. If I can get to a computer I will let you know. Otherwise I will not be returning until Dec. 30th. Merry Christmas.

[Mori Blades]

(This is Gouyen, BTW)
No problem with that. I'll just have your character on leave of abscence for the holidays, which is what's going on in RL.

Happy Holidays :D