Dio Blackmoon's Training

[Nichos Marr]

Nichos enters the training grounds, followed close behind by his newest apprentice Dio. He stops and turns around to face Dio.

"To begin, I'll need to ask you a few questions."

1. Can you tell me about your past, why you decided to join the Jedi, and the goals of you future?

2. Describe what the Force is to you.

3. Do you have any Force Experience?

4. What area of the Jedi Experience do you wish to center on? (ex. history, fighting, meditation, philosophy)

[Dio Blackmoon]

*Dio thinks over the questions for a moment, then begins to answer...*

"To answer your first question... my past was fairly quiet, for a while. I was born on a small farming planet, Invictus, in a tiny village. I lived quietly for a while, until civil war broke out on the planet. I had to live with a family friend for a few years; it was he who deduced that I was Force-sensitive. He gave me a small bit of instruction. He then sent me here. I want to learn how to better attune myself to the Force and use it to be a better person in general and improve my life."

*Dio paused again and then answered the second question.*

"The Force, as I see it, is a thing that sort of holds everything together. I guess that people can tap into the energy and use it to improve themselves and their abilities."

"I don't have any formal training or anything. I can feel a little of the Force around, but I don't have any abilities or tricks up my sleeve."

"I think I'd like to center on fighting, mainly. Perhaps with a bit of philosophy thrown in."

[Nichos Marr]

"Remember a Jedi rarely uses the Force for personal gain. A Jedi uses the Force to help others. Sith use the Force more often for personal gain."

Nichos nods upon hearing Dio choosing fighting and a little of philosophy.

"I shall teach you fighting using the Force, and you will learn a little philosophy if you wish."

Nichos sat down on the floor and crossed his legs. He beckoned for Dio to sit down also.

"Before we go on. I have two more questions:"

1. What do you know of the Sith and the Dark Side?

2. How feel you?

[Dio Blackmoon]

"Well, I understand that the Force is generally used to help others. I didn't mean to sound selfish; I just wasn't sure how to word it..."

"I really don't know anything about the Sith or the Dark Side, except that they are the opposite of all the Jedi stand for."

"I feel... peaceful? Yes, that's it. I feel relaxed."

[Nichos Marr]

"It is okay Dio. I can tell you have nothing but good intentions."

Nichos' face turned solemn.

"Dark Side users (Sith and Dark Jedi) choose the easy path. They have no patience, and rely on anger. Their main goal is to eradicate us...and power. Jedi do not ask for power. Jedi seek knowledge."

His voice became low.

"Beware the powers of the Dark Side. They can easily seduce you. Sith and Dark Jedi are very strong individuals. Approach with extreme caution."

Nichos thought about Dio's second answer. He could feel that the Padawan was calm and ready.

"Dio...please follow me."

Nichos stood up and walked over to a door opening it. The door led to a beautiful garden. Nichos waited for Dio.

[Dio Blackmoon]

*Dio breathed a deep breath. He pondered what Nichos had said about the Dark Side. He took a silent vow never to even be tempted to follow that so-called easy path. No matter how strong the urge might be. He rose and followed Nichos into the garden. Wow, it was a great sight to behold..."

[Nichos Marr]

Nichos led Dio through the garden.

"Look all around you. Can you see all the life? Dio, I want you to close your eyes. I want you to try and feel all the life around you. Can you feel it?"

[Dio Blackmoon]

*Dio did as Nichos said. He closed his eyes and tried to focus. It was not an easy task, but with a bit of patience and relaxation, Dio could feel what seemed like a blanket of energy that bathed the garden in a lively, vital atmosphere.*

"Master... I felt like there was a blanket of just... energy that was over me. Is that what the Force feels like in a place that has such rich life like this?"

[Nichos Marr]

"What you are feeling Dio, is the Force. In the words of Master Yoghurt: The Force is in everything. It surrounds us, and binds us together. It's in that rock, that tree, even that bird."

Nichos grinned.

"This place is full of life, and it is full of the light side."

He walked over and picked up a rock.

"Dio, I want you to tell me what you see...What you really see."

[Dio Blackmoon]

*Dio pondered for a minute. What did the rock itself feel like? At first, it felt as though it were just THERE. No energy at all, just a blip in the radar screen of the Force... But, wait, that's not it! With quite a bit of focus and concentration, Dio could actually feel a small amount of energy emanating from the rock. Was he mistaken? No, no, Master Nichos said that the Force was in all things...*

"Master, I feel a bit of the Force in the rock. It's not nearly as strong as something such as that tree there, but it's there, as far as I can tell."

[Nichos Marr]

Nichos smiled. That was exactly the answer he was expecting.

"You are absolutely correct Dio."

Nichos pointed to two flat rocks.

"Take a seat on one. I want you to meditate and feel the Force around you. Once you can feel it easily, we will proceed with your training. Remember to clear your mind and concentrate."

Nichos walked over and took a seat on one of them, waiting for his padawan to follow. He closed his eyes and began to meditate.

[Dio Blackmoon]

*Dio moved and took a seat on one of the rocks, facing his Master. He took several deep breaths to relax and concentrate even more deeply. He found that he was able to concentrate even more than he had before since he was already quite relaxed and focused from the previous exercises in the lush, colorful garden. He closed his eyes and began to take deep breaths, allowing a bit of time to adjust to the new exercise.*

[Dio Blackmoon]

*As he began to slip into the meditative state, Dio felt extremely relaxed, but felt even more aware. He felt more in tune with himself than he ever had in his life. It was a breathtaking experience. He could sense everything around him; it was as though his senses had been heightened greatly. Such a new, wondrous feeling...*

[Nichos Marr]

Nichos could feel his padawan had already gotten used to feeling out the Force. "Rather quickly," Nichos thought. He opened one eyelid and then the other. Nichos got up and slowly tapped Dio on his shoulder. The Padawan instantly stirred from his trance.

"Very well done Dio. I can feel you sensing out the Force. Tell me, how did it feel when you sensed all these thing around you?"

[Dio Blackmoon]

"To be honest, it felt sort of overwhelming. There was so much energy flowing around me and I just felt kind of bombarded by it. After a while I felt more under control, but there was just so much pure ENERGY there..."

[Nichos Marr]

"Through our training you will learn how to control that energy and use it to do things normal and ordinary people cannot. Follow me again."

Nichos brought Dio to a tall tree. He pointed to a few stones, small and large in size laying peacefully under the tree.

"Now you shall learn how to use the Force to levitate things and call them to you."

Nichos slowly raised a rock off the ground and called it to him. Once it was close enough, he caught it in mid-air.

"Now you try. Visualize the rock floating off the ground. Feel it out with the Force and call it to you."

[Dio Blackmoon]

*Dio paused for a moment before the great tree. He looked at the pile of stones and closed his eyes. He could feel the somewhat distant Force presence of the rocks in his mind, and he began to visualize a medium-sized stone before him in his mind. Dio closed his eyes tighter and reached his arm towards the pile of rocks... he visualized the rock in his mind slowly drifting off the grass, away from the pile. He imagined it moving up until it was about at the height of his chest... he felt the rock's presence more strongly now as he visualized it coming to him. At last, he envisioned the stone in his hand, and he at last felt the slightly cold, damp surface of the stone... He opened his eyes... yes, it really was in his hand...*

[Nichos Marr]

Nichos grinned.

"Excellent! Excellent work Dio!"

He then pointed to a large boulder.

"I want you to raise that now. Remember to do the same thing and that this is no different then the medium sized rock. Size matters not Dio."

[Dio Blackmoon]

*Relieved that he was able to lift the fairly small rock, he set it on the ground lightly and looked at the large rock that Master Nichos had pointed out. Size matters not, he had said. That made sense... somewhat. Dio walked close to the rock, and closed his eyes, trying to feel the boulder with the Force. It definitely was a stronger blip in the Force than the medium rock. It seemed so big... was it possible. Of course it was possible. Of all the things he had done today, Dio felt that if he could lift even the small rock or just sense everything around him, he could lift the huge rock. He tightly shut his eyes and reached his hand toward the rock. He imagined it lifting very slowly from the ground, until it was about three feet above the grass upon which it had been resting. He envisioned it moving a little to the left... but it was heavy; it was definitely taking something of a toll on Dio's energy. He moved it a little more to the left and lowered it as gently as possible. He opened his eyes, and despite his panting breaths, he grinned. There the boulder was, just where he envisioned it moving to. Between tired breaths, Dio whispered...* "I did it..."

[Nichos Marr]

"Soon you will learn to lift it easily. You are a quick learner."

Nichos motioned for Dio to follow him once again. He walked alongside his padawan silently for a few moments. Suddenly, Nichos spoke.

"Dio, do you know what a lightsaber is...and if so, do you have one?"