The Hermit's Dojo - Mechis III

[Kenneth Trekina]

Kenneth didn't say anything when the man bumped into him. He looked at him with little emotion. Over the years his ability to feel certain things had diminished. The man was strong in the Force, that Kenneth could sense. And so, he followed him in. As the two journeyed through the main hall Kenneth gazed at the statues lining the corridor. They reminded him of the temple he inhabited in his old life.

 

When Aryian headed into the cafeteria Kenneth followed. He was indeed hungry and it was nice to have something to eat other than the meager rations he had kept on him for the trip. His ability to gain joy from the simple things such as food and company had lessened over time, but the smell of freshly prepared animal, one that he didn't even need to slaughter himself, tempted him. He grabbed a plate and sat down across from the Grey Master.

 

In between bites of food, something they were both focused on, he finally spoke. "My name is Kenneth. Is this the place I have been looking for?" The young man didn't need to expand. If it was indeed then Aryian would know what he had been referring to.

[Ary the Grey]

Aryian stopped, glancing up for a moment as he chewed slowly, thinking to himself. After a moment, he swallowed, and replied.

 

"I would think that's a question you'd have to answer for yourself. I'm not even sure why you came. Do you know?"

 

The question was twofold, both simple and yet deeply philosophical and metaphysical. Of course, chances were that Kenneth would only think about the former instead of the latter, but such was to be expected. Aryian stabbed another chunk of nerf meat with his fork and put it in his mouth, savoring the flavor.

[Ariana La'vohn]

A few days passed after Aryian came to visit Ariana, but for some reason he never left. Later Ariana figured out that there was a medical mix up. She inquired why one of the droids was injecting Aryian with a large syringe, but it wasn't immediately obvious and it didn't register her inquiry. Later Ariana figured out that there was a line error in one of the medical droid's code that indicated its patient as Aryian instead of the man in bed #00010. Ariana was in bed #00001 and for some reason the droid's didn't register the error. The incident was over relatively quickly and although Ariana knew, it was a little hard to tell Aryian while he was out cold.

 

The next few days passed in silence. The droids noticed Aryian's comatose body on the floor and put him on a bed adjacent to Ariana so he wasn't forced to lay down on the tile. Ariana had enough food supplements to last for her meal times and didn't really have much else but to look up at the ceiling and drift into sleep.

 

Today was the day though. The day she would get her cast off and she'd be able to walk around. The droid approached her with a small incision tool and began cutting away the hard shell with quick precise strokes. Then with its manipulators it began to carefully remove the bandages underneath. Ariana was so excited that she could barely contain herself. She didn't even notice that Aryian had gotten out of bed and walked away. She was in her own little world and she was happy. That was all that mattered.

 

The mental trauma from the past few days was melting away with every movement and when she could finally feel the cold air on her skin and itchy sensations ran all the way up and down the area that was previously bandaged, she laughed. She smiled brightly and moved her leg back and forth slowly to test it. It felt stiff and a little sensitive, but when Ariana shuffled herself off of the bed, she could feel the stability of her limb and started to hop up and down.

 

"This is so amazing!" Ariana exclaimed.

 

She ran around the infirmary against the medical droid's wishes and then walked out of the infirmary and down the hall. She was still dressed in a hospital gown though, and although the droids provided her with fresh undergarments, the gown still didn't leave too much to the imagination.

[Ary the Grey]

"MIIIIISSSS!!!"

 

The droid's panicked cry echoed through the hallway as it scuffled after her, not nearly able to match her speed but still concerned for her well-being. The nameless unit, nicknamed 'Nursebot' despite its masculine programming, was responsible for her well-being in her recovery period, and this would not look good on its next service evaluation.

[Kenneth Trekina]

Kenneth knew why he had came, although he didn't know if it was a realistic expectation. "Balance," he replied. "I come seeking balance in the Force. In myself."

 

"I grew up with the Jedi, I don't remember much before that." Kenneth's face turned to a scowl remembering the life he used to lead. "But they left me behind, disappeared from the temple without so much as a see you later. When I returned from a mission that those bastards had sent me on, they were gone. I vowed to have my revenge."

 

Kenneth sighed, "But the years I spent alone, tapping into the Dark Side without any guidance left me hollow. I feel like a shell. I feel like I have no purpose. So I decided to do something differently. I began to try and deny my flesh pleasures, with great difficulty I might add.

 

One thing I do remember from my youth is the importance of accepting instruction when instruction is needed. There were whispers of a former Jedi Master and Sith Lord who had found balance in the middle ground of the Force. I did what I had to to find out more, and I believe I have found him."

 

Kenneth stared across the table at Aryian. He senses no other masters of the Force in the complex and assumed the man sitting across from him was the one he had learned of.

[Ary the Grey]

Aryian snickered.

 

It was kind of a cruel thing, given the situation, but he was snickering at the comment at himself, not Kenneth's situation. Also, the balance in the Force part. But that didn't bias him...he was above that.

 

"The truth is, there is no real 'balance' side to the Force. There is the Light. There is the Dark. That's it . Or is that what you truly believe? Either way, if you have come for training in the Force, or any training associated with it, I am that 'Grey Master' that you have heard of, and I can provide you with such training. But the most important understanding when it comes to the Force...is understanding of yourself. And that, I cannot provide. I can help, I can guide. But that's something you need to discover for yourself."

 

The Grey Master continued to nibble, almost done with his plate. He ate fast, but it was more a conditioning of his combat training than anything else. If Kenneth was not finished, he would be polite and wait.

[Ariana La'vohn]

Ariana's anesthesia'd body had long been revitalized and she was able to feel every sensation as she ran down the hallway in nothing but a gown and her underclothes. To anyone or anything around her, she drew quite a few different impressions. A lithe, pale, wisp of a seventeen year old girl was running through the halls with little to nothing hiding her from the world around. A medical droid or two continued pursuit down the halls, but as Ariana's leg felt better and better, she ran faster and faster. She didn't fault the consequences, but was overjoyed at the freedom she had.

 

Her 'eyes' were piercing the sapphire sky and guiding her through the gemstone halls of magical colors. Nothing was clouding her mind; everything was open. She was breathing heavily by the time she reached the end of the hall, but poked her head into the mess hall regardless. She saw Aryian there with someone else. She cocked her head to the side and realized almost immediately that the mere adjustment of her head was not an accurate enough maneuver to see someone clearer without her implants. She decided instead to walk into the mess hall proper and proceed to the food that was easily smelled from the other end of the building.

 

When she had sufficiently piled a balanced spread various foods on a tray, she made her way toward Aryian's table. She waved at him and had a big smile on her face.

[Ary the Grey]

((Well. I was going to wait for Kenneth, but oh well. He can jump back in when he can.))

 

Aryian stopped chewing again, and dropped the biscuit he was holding. Now, he was currently no longer a married man, but this just wasn't fair. Damn kids and their youth, wandering about in their skivvies like nobody cared. Two words crossed his mind as the Master continued to stare absentmindedly. Jail. Bait.

 

"Um. Ariana. Good to see you up. Bit...ahh...drafty in here, is it?"

 

"MIIISSS!!"

 

The exclamation came from the protocol nurse droid as it scuffled around the corner into the eatery, a fresh plush warm robe draped over one of its arms.

 

"In many cultures it is considered indecent to prance about without proper attire! And you have just left the medbay...you could catch cold, miss! Please do be careful, I'm sure Master Aryian would be very concerned if you were to wind up back in the medbay so soon after being released! Oh, Master Aryian, excuse me for interrupting you during your meal. It's just that Mistress Ariana was-"

 

"Nursebot."

 

"Yes, master Aryian?"

 

"Leave the robe, return to your duties. She'll be fine."

 

The droid nodded as best it could, holding out the robe for her to take.

[Kenneth Trekina]

"Guidance will do just fine. Only the wise accept instruction."

 

Kenneth continued to eat his meal, which was near it's end, as the young woman entered their company. He couldn't help but look her up and down. She seemed about his age, maybe a bit younger, and nearly naked. A band covered her eyes. Flesh pleasures had become a problem for him, often taking whatever he wanted whether it was welcome or not, and he knew it was something he had to work on.

 

He looked at her again, and then back to Aryian.

 

"Who's your friend?"

[Ariana La'vohn]

Ariana's face turned a little scarlet at the mention of her escapades, but her excitement didn't cease. In her culture, it was quite normal for someone to forget to wear clothes. It isn't that they were barbaric, but in a society filled with people who couldn't see the cloth that people wore, fashion was almost nonexistent. People dressed when the situation demanded it and when social mores dictated that they needed it, but on days where they had no need for clothes, it wasn't alien for a Miraluka to walk around in their undergarments.

 

Ariana's shame in the moment was brought merely from her experience with implants. When she could finally see her own naked body it was nice, but she couldn't see the whole fuss about it. When she saw the way men looked at her however, that changed her whole perspective. Clothes were suddenly more than a necessity and she needed to wear something to avoid being the target of predatory stares.

 

Ariana set her tray delicately on the table in front of her and accepted the robe from the droid's outstretched arm. She draped the warm silky white robe over her shoulders and felt more than a little embarrassed for what she did. "Thank you." She said quietly to the Nursebot before it scuttled away.

 

She avoided looking at anything in particular for a few seconds while she bound her long white hair with a leather strap that she had wrapped around her neck. Then, when she was sure she couldn't avoid admittance any more, she looked across at Aryian and his guest and bowed her head a little to admit her apology before properly joining them for a meal.

 

"My... Apologies." She said quietly, looking at her food.

 

"Who's your friend?" The mysterious man said. At least, Ariana assumed he was a man from the tone of his voice and the outline of his figure through the force. She couldn't really tell the specifics of his appearance and his clothes were a blur.

 

She picked up the utensils and was poised to eat, but she glanced in the man's direction with a small smile. "My name is Ariana La'vohn. What's yours?"

[Ary the Grey]

Aryian smiled as she stammered an embarrassed apology.

 

"Hey, forget about it. Happens to all of us sooner or later. This is Kenneth."

 

A moment of silence passed, either the other two were trying to think of something to say, or they were waiting on Aryian again, which seemed to be the norm as of late.

 

"Sooo...Ariana. It's good to see you healthy and on your feet. What do you plan to do now?"

[Kenneth Trekina]

Kenneth continued to eat, savagely ripping a piece off meat off of a bone he held in his hand. The pleasures of having taste buds, and having servants kill and prepare prey for him. He enjoyed it but did not take it for granted. Those at the top needed those at the bottom, and vice versa. At the mention of his name he held up a hand in agreement, a sort of wave, "Yes, I am Kenneth," he answered after swallowing a bit of food.

 

After the master's question he inquired, noting that there were others in the Force here, "Do you train many here Master Aryian?"

 

He looked again back at the girl. Kenneth could sense, in the faintest way, that she was able to see him through her bandages. "What happened to your eyes?"

[Ary the Grey]

"Well, not really. There are those who have come to learn a little, and as always, I keep my doors open as a sanctuary. I haven't exactly been doing this for a super long time. But, I'm not opposed to training someone who has no prior formal training. Of course, I do not run a 'Grey Order' here, there is no organization, and I do not have ranks the way the Jedi and Sith do. If you wish to prove yourself, you must go to them for your trials, or at the least get the sign off from one of their Masters to allow me to give you trials. I am on neutral relations with both Orders at this time...but that could change. Nothing is permanent in this galaxy."

 

He realized it was kind of a long-winded response to a short question, and subsequently shut up to allow Ariana time to respond in kind.

[Kenneth Trekina]

At this point in his life Kenneth felt no need to prove himself to anybody. He had no loyalties except himself and was here purely to further his own cause. Whatever cause that may be still needed determining, but it would be his own. Allegiances would only tie him down. He knew what he needed to learn and that was a basic understanding of the abilities Force practitioners use. If this man had experience with both sides that was all the better.

 

He nodded in agreement, waiting for the woman to speak.

[Ariana La'vohn]

Ariana was a little taken aback by all the attention. She didn't know whether or not it was because she approached them almost half naked or if she was genuinely that interesting to people who hadn't the slightest idea who she was. Aryian chimed in with the first question though and considering he was the host, she would oblige his curiosity first.

 

"Well, master Aryian, considering that I have no real place to go outside of this planet, I have no way to leave this planet, and I have no reason to leave this planet, I figured I would stick around for a little while. That is, if it is okay with you." Ariana said with a simple yet witty smile.

 

The other man who sat across from Aryian was a little more blunt with his question. Even though Ariana's blindfold looked like another piece of facial ornamentation and nothing like a bandage, he assumed that something 'happened' to her eyes. She shifted her head toward him in a mock bout of clumsiness. She imitated a blind person and then put her hands in front of her eyes.

 

With fake solemnity in her voice she cried with her hands shooting into the air. "I'M BLIND?! Oh woe is me... My eyes, they are gone. They were eaten out of my head by maggots as I crashed into the planet's surface." She flourished with clumsy, but coordinated movements and curled her back, pretending to cry.

 

Then, when she felt her joke had run its course, she sat up and looked straight at the man, without flinching. "There is nothing wrong with my eyes. I am a Miraluka. We see with the force and have no optical nerves. If you want, I can show you my eye sockets. I am told they are not very pleasant looking."

 

Ariana smiled mischievously. She gave herself a moment to laugh inwardly at her own jokes, then began to eat her food.

[Ary the Grey]

Aryian snorted when she mentioned maggots, almost obviously giving the joke away. He was very familiar with Miraluka, even though they weren't obvious as Miraluka, even to trained Force sensitives. His former wife was a half-Miraluka, and his son shared that heritage. Neither of them had the trademark of the species, an absence of eyes, but both had a strong connection to the Force. Still, it felt good to hear one of their own poke fun about their differences. He spoke up to Kenneth as she finished.

 

"I wouldn't take her up on that. She can see as well, if not better than you or I. I can show you later, if you like. It's an interesting experience. Now, Ariana, you are welcome to catch a supply shuttle from here, or if you want, you can borrow my ship for transportation. But, if you'd like to stay, you know you're welcome to as well."

 

He finished up, tidying his plate before speaking again.

 

"Well, since you both will be learning, why not start now? We can begin in the main meditation chamber down the hall in say...an hour? Should give Kenneth time to look around, and Ariana time to get some training clothes."

 

He picked up his tray and left the cafeteria, walking down to the meditation room.

[Ariana La'vohn]

"Sounds Gr-mph.." Said Ariana as she tried to speak through the food in her mouth. She quickly finished chewing the chicken in her mouth and amended her poor manners. "Sounds Great! The training bit, not the leaving bit."

 

Ariana blushed a little when he mentioned clothes, but she smiled as well. She didn't have too much of an issue showing her body again, when no one was around, but it was socially uncouth to run around half naked like she did. Not to mention it wasn't very proper for a potential Jedi to be behaving in such a way. What her master on Tython would have said! The scandal!

 

Ariana tittered to herself and hefted a large fork full of chicken in to her waiting and salivating mouth.

 

Thoughts darted through her head about her earlier choices and she decided that it was nice to just let go. The thoughts of suicide she contemplated not too long ago now seemed fairly melodramatic. Her past still haunted her at times, especially in the darkest parts of her life, but she had years to cope with who she was and she could still remember her parents. They were still a part of her and she still held on to who and what they were. Their essences kept her going and the words of her father held her up even in her darkest hours.

 

She was going to be fine. Plus, she now had some place to train in the force, which was going to be fun and exciting.

[Ary the Grey]

Upon reaching the meditation chamber, Aryian sat down on one of the cushioned raised platforms, sitting in a comfortable position and relaxing, his mind stretching out as he had done so many times before, the old familiar feeling seeping into his consciousness as he became closer and closer to the Force. He was careful not to delve too deep into his own thought, lest he become comatose like he'd done before, and ignore his students. But instead, he simply felt the calm waves of the Force as if his mind were a soft beach on a warm sunny day.

 

 

Edit:

 

Bored from waiting on people, Aryian began to 'play' with some of the telekinetic practice objects in the room, slowly building the different pebbles and rocks into a revolving atomic-like structure. Eventually, he ran out of objects to add to the 'art in motion', and simply began rearranging it at random, content in the relaxing motion while practicing his skills.

[Kenneth Trekina]

Kenneth wondered why the young woman felt the need to mock her. In all actuality she most likely simply joking with him, something Kenneth hadn't experienced in a while. It left him with a bit of disdain but that was how he viewed most who weren't himself. He could see how being able to see with the Force would have advantages but might be a bit boring. The prospect of seeing her eyes was one he wanted to take her up on. There was little that disturbed him at this point in his life. The sights he had seen, the mutilations taken place at his own hand had left him this way. Before he could take her up on this she was gone, as was Aryian.

 

The way of life here seemed one of a gradual pace, and so he finished his meal without rushing. When he was done he went looking for Master Aryian. Kenneth was able to feel out through the Force but hadn't honed these skills by any means. After wandering into a few random rooms in the general vicinity of the shadow hermit he found him sitting in a room, twirling objects through the air.

 

Training with the Jedi in his youth he had learned only the very basics of telekinesis. He could weakly move about one object at a time and was impressed and intrigued by the ability to do many with easy.

 

"How is it you do that?"

[Ary the Grey]

"With a great....deal........of practice."

 

Slowly the stones settled down onto the floor, resting.

 

"It's nothing you can't do, with practice and patience. I can tell you've had a bit of training...show me what you know."

 

The Grey Master sat back, eyeing Kenneth with keen interest. The boy showed promise, but he was also troubled with his own chaotic past. It would be interesting to see how he turned out.

[Ariana La'vohn]

Ariana was still eating when the new arrival just got up and walked away. It was kind of rude of him to leave without saying anything, but she kind of got a chaotic vibe from him before she even sat down. He seemed deeply troubled and conflicted. She could tell her joking comments with him had struck a nerve, but he deserved it. His comment about her eyes was still ringing in her ears; and although she knew he said 'happened' and not 'wrong' she still had some sensitivities when it came to people assuming something had 'happened' to her eyes. The bandits that kidnapped her when she was a child, forced her to use occasionally effective implants that hurt when they malfunctioned. She was seen as an abomination of nature and needed to be changed if she was going to 'fit in' with the crew. It was horrible, but now that she was free of them, the memory was the only part that lingered. It was a sore spot, but one that would heal with time.

 

She munched through the last bit of chicken on her plate and then got up. She deposited her plate in a wash bin on the way out and then made her way toward the training room to find some loose, but fitting, training clothes. She walked on her bare feet for a while with the robe clenched tightly around her and then, when she was alone, she put her hands on the ground and tested her arms for any weakness. They struggled a moment under the weight that they weren't used to, but after a moment of stretching, she was able to walk around on her arms. She paused and placed the robe on a hook nearby and then continued down the hall toward the training room on her arms, using her eyes to guide her through the winding halls.

 

It didn't take long, because the temple wasn't that big. The training room was adjacent to an area filled with warm up clothes of various sizes, so it was easy to figure out where she needed to stop first. Ariana put herself back on her feet and found a set of fitting clothes that she put on almost immediately. Then, when each lace and each string was carefully adjusted, she entered the training room proper and looked upon Ken and Aryian's interaction with patience. She sat down on the far side of the room in a cross legged position and waited silently until they finished.

[Ary the Grey]

As Aryian waited, Ariana tried to silently slip in. The operative word of the previous sentence is 'tried'.

 

"Oh no you don't, now that you're here, we can begin. Ariana, tell me what you know of the Force. I don't think I've ever heard a Miraluka's take on it."

 

Shifting himself around to gaze at her, he waited intently. Neither of them really realized, but Aryian was simply trying to size them up so he could adequately train them at roughly the same pace.

[Ariana La'vohn]

Ariana was a little startled at Aryian's question, but the fact that she was caught had not escaped her. It was foolish to think it possible to sneak up on someone who had been both a Jedi Master and a Sith Master. In fact, if she was capable of such a feat, in her current state, she would think less of the illustrious Grey Master as she had come to calling him in her head. No, the question was what caught her off guard and had her mind not been on other things, she would have done what she could to answer it right away. Something stopped her though.

 

She seemed suddenly timid and reserved, but 'looked' Aryian in the eyes nonetheless. "I... I didn't really have much time with the Mirilukans to be honest. I was taken when I was around eight years old. I was taken before I learned too much of our culture or our customs. I am not entirely ignorant of them, but its been so long since I've even 'seen' another Miralukan." Ariana's tone was meditated and level. She almost considered making a joke, but humor wasn't entirely appropriate right now... Or at least she thought it wasn't very appropriate.

 

"What 'I' know of the force though, independent of my people, is kind of hard to describe." Ariana continued, adjusting her seating for a moment. "The force is what I see, its what I feel. Everything around me is the force and buzzes with tremendous energy. It is the only reason I can see anything here. This place glows with pure beams of sapphire that coalesce into moving pictures." The Miralukan opened her mind and let out everything she could see of the planet from this spot so, if he was looking, the Grey master could see what she saw. "The planet itself is composed of a similar energy, but is much less profound. I see things much the way a bat does at that point. I use the pulses of energy around me to interpret what I see or what is right in front of me. However, force users and large concentrations of the force are so potent that I can see things even better than a normal person."

 

Ariana stopped for a moment and realized that she did digress a little bit from the question. She let her mind settle and looked once more at the Grey Master. "To put it simply, the force is my life and I know it to be the only true thing in the 'verse. Beyond integrity, beyond loyalty, beyond any other feeling in existence, the force is and always will be."

[Ary the Grey]

"Interesting."

 

The single word response would no doubt incite curiosity in the two others in the room, but that was intentional. After a moment, he continued.

 

"Interesting that you never mentioned the 'light' or the 'dark' side of the Force. Some have theorized that as creatures intimately connected to the Force, the Miraluka as a species naturally tend towards the light side, and see through it. I see things differently. You see, I believe that it is exactly as you described...the Force is there, neither light nor dark. It simply is. In fact, it is those who use the Force that determine whether it is the 'light side' or the 'dark side', through intent and emotion. We are the conduits, we are what changes what flows through us. Through us, the Force is magnified and changed dependent on how we use it. Although it can have a will of its own, not always are we compelled to follow."

 

"The Jedi teach that any emotion can lead to corruption and irredeemable descent into the depths of the dark side. The Sith teach that emotions are power and can be used to amplify the Force's effects to make it more powerful than the Jedi ever imagined. They are right in different respects. While I would warn against the negative effects of excessive use of the dark side, I won't deny that it has its usefulness in certain situations. But, before you learn to run, you must learn to crawl. Are you ready?"

 

Several of the rocks Aryian had set on the floor began floating upwards, slowly orbiting the Grey Master.

[Ariana La'vohn]

Ariana thought about her own words for a moment and realized he was right. She hadn't ever really though of the force as split before. It had all been one guiding light for her. That too gave her clue enough as to why most Miraluka joined the 'light side'. Her people, or what she could guess from her own experience and minimal knowledge of them, respected and revered the force for the gifts it gave. After all, without the force, her people would not see at all, which was a grim notion. She didn't think a Miraluka would willingly give herself to corruption without a very good reason, so it was understandable that even Sith Miralukans respected the force over anything else. She had just about enough time to realize this chain of thought when a series of large rocks swung into the air, circling the Grey Master's head.

 

She tilted her head to the side and half smiled. "Yes Master. I am ready when you are."

 

She bowed her head a little toward the ground, but remained in a cross legged stance. She embraced each rock in her mind and gazed upon them through the force. They were hard to ignore. Each one glowed brightly like a star and with every rotation they pulsed silently. She welcomed the feeling. The warmth that they exuded was pleasant and she shed her mind of doubts, readying herself for her first training exercise.

[Kenneth Trekina]

Kenneth listened intently, soaking in the conversation, adding what he heard to his knowledge banks. This was exactly what he had hoped for, new perspectives.

 

He wanted to show the Master what he could do, so with a bit of concentration he slowly lifted a rock off the ground. He was able to bring it to eye level, hover it there, and move it around a bit. He was proficient enough in this skill to also be able to speak, but more than one rock would be too much.

 

"I can do this," he stated, spinning the rock a bit. "What I've learned since leaving the Jedi has been more about surviving. I can manipulate, convince, but only to those whose minds are weak or open to suggestion."

[Ary the Grey]

"Good."

 

The word was spoken to acknowledge them both, to let them know that individually he was pleased with them. Through the Force, they would each feel the acknowledgement, though Aryian didn't know if they would understand why, even if they did pick up on the subconscious connection. Slowly, he was merging his mind with theirs in various ways, not completely, but enough so that when he demonstrated, they would be able to understand exactly what he did on a much deeper level. They would even be able to draw on his power a bit, to augment their own if need be. He'd experimented with this method of teaching before, usually to great benefit of his students, but this was the first time he'd done it since leaving the Jedi. Except...with Rose. And that had disastrous results. Of course, the Grey Master knew it was due to the tampering by Furion.

 

"Ariana, look at Kenneth. This is but the first step. To truly ready yourselves for a galaxy that is ridden with dangers and those who wish you harm, you must first learn to touch the Force. Right now, whether you feel it or not, you have access to my thoughts, my experiences. Many at first have difficulty finding the Force to begin with, it is like a muscle that has gone unused, and they don't know where to begin. Try now to lift a stone. Reach out, feel the small tendrils grasp the stone, the multitude of small hands that when combined can do great things."

 

"Kenneth...try to lift another stone. Focus. It is not as hard as you think to split your concentration. Just keep trying, I can feel that you have the talent in you."

 

He waited, watching, observing them both, feeling them and everything in the room though the Force. Everything was connected and anything was possible, and once their eyes were open to that fact the possibilities were limitless.

[Kenneth Trekina]

Kenneth nodded in acknowledgement. He slowed his breathing and allowed the Force to flow through. Calmly and steadily he looked for another stone with his inner eye. He felt out through the Force and picked another one up off the ground. Instantaneously the rock he previously held in balance dropped to the floor. "Crap," he muttered with visible annoyance.

 

But he wasn't ready to give up. The atmosphere in this place, the flow of the Force, added strength to his own. Still holding the second rock he closed his eyes. Seeing only through the veil of the Force he reached out for the first stone. He saw its sillouhette and slowly lifted it off the ground. Allowing his mind to multitask he soon held both rocks in the air. He opened his eyes and began to twirl them around the other.

 

Kenneth began to realize that the task wasn't really about lifting separate rocks but more so realizing that the rocks were one. It was all one, himself included. His mind didn't need to separate tasks in such a way, it only needed to see the deeper truth that the Force was everywhere and every thing.

 

Whether these realizations were arrived at on his own, or drawn from the Grey Master's own experience, didn't really matter. They were Kenneth's now.

[Ariana La'vohn]

Ariana took a slow shallow breath and allowed her body to limber a little. She made sure her legs were crossed one over the other then nodded her own acceptance of Ariyan's request. Quietly, the young Miraluka shifted her focus to Kenneth who sat in a distant part of the training room. She inhaled and pushed deep into her mind. Like a snowflake in the sky, she fell deeper and deeper. She looked around slowly, but saw nothing in the darkness. Wisps of her past came and went in puffs of smoke, but aside from their casual embrace, she knew not what was going on around her. Then, everything changed. The air was filled with sparkles of bright blue light as she became enveloped in Aryian's influence and she exhaled, taking away the stress of days past with every breath...

 

She let her body go and felt it slide away from her like a distant echo. The force, which had always been by her side, felt like another warm embrace as she dove head first into the path of its binding influence. She was at peace. She felt herself gliding away from the known world for the first time and instead of simply seeing the world through the force, the world was the force. Like a pool of precious gems, the energy that surged through every poor in her body was fragile, but beautiful. She could feel the room around her as more than just a chamber. She could feel the planet around her as more than mundane and the universe cried out to her from the distance. Kenneth and Aryian glowed with such magnificence that they lost all substance. They were no longer solid forms and were replaced by wisps of pure energy. It was mesmerizing. She could see the rocks as tiny stars circling her master with routine precision and when she was ready, she focused her mind on the one nearest her.

 

She attempted to get the star with her mind, but found she did not yet have the reach. When she recoiled however, she found another warm embrace guiding her hands. Aryian was there, with hands on hers, guiding her mind with the proper form. Suddenly, hundreds of spirit hands manifested, looking much like Ariana's own spirit hand, and swarmed toward the star. They bound themselves together around the boulder and slowly but surely their combined strength managed to lift the boulder off of the ground. It wasn't easy. Ariana could tell that she had a great deal of potential in herself to succeed, but she hadn't yet refined her talents. It would take some time before she would learn how to guide the force in this way on her own. Still, she continued to hold the rock aloft and strained herself to provide enough support on her end.

 

Her focus broke...

 

Ariana dropped the rock brusquely and noticed a phantasm out of the corner of her eye. A sapphire ghost of feminine beauty was thriving with a masculine entity of similar nature. The passion she felt from the interaction was what distracted her, because she hadn't felt anything like that before. She had an honest curiosity as to who these two were, but that did little to sway the powerful feelings pouring out from the memory.

 

Ariana refocused herself and found it a little easier this time. She used what she learned to pick up the boulder again and this time wouldn't drop it until Aryian told her to. In the real world however, her forehead was drenched with sweat and she was a little tense from the exertion.

[Ary the Grey]

((Sorry. Been pretty busy since Wednesday. This was shorter than I intended, but it'll do for now.))

 

"Good, excellent. Take a break, we'll pick it back up in a minute. You both have potential far beyond what you realize...and you've just skipped what takes some months or even a year or two to fully grasp. Of course...those others weren't trained by me. The hardest part of learning to use the Force, as I said, is learning to grasp it in the first place."

 

Slowly he removed his connection to them, his influence and strength. They would find that it would be a little more difficult to perform the feats they just did, yet the important part was what he'd already just given them: experience. They now had the know-how, all they needed was guidance and practice.

 

"Now, can either of you tell me the code of either the Sith or the Jedi? It is important to reflect on the principles of the venerable Orders as I guide you to become more than you are. You are free to think as you wish, follow whatever path the Force leads you down, but as your teacher, I will impart as much understanding that I have come across as I can."