Round 2, Fight!

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

True to her word in the Secrets Board, Aayla was out on the grounds bright and early, going through her usual Ataru exercises. This time, however, instead of a lightsaber, she was using a wooden practice sword. The weight and balance were different than what she was used to, but concessions had to be made. Even if she had been able to procure a spare lightsaber, to her knowledge Charles had never used one before and they were extremely dangerous to wield without years of training and the heightened awareness of a Force-trained individual.

She frowned and attempted a backflip once more, not thrilled with how the heavier weapon was disrupting her usual balance.

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[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

Despite his efforts, he couldn't get his glaive mailed to him in time for the duel. And he couldn't procure a sword anywhere. He could transfigure one, he supposed. He did transfigure a glaive out of a broom, but he'll see what Aayla does.

Nevertheless, he came down to the lake in fighting clothes, water, the broom, and a couple of knives.

"Hello there."

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

Aayla landed and swept her blade up in a salute, smiling. It was somehow less impressive when the blade wasn't humming and glowing, she decided. "Glad you could make it."

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

"Glad to be here." He set his stuff down and laid the broom away from the rest. He made one attempt to transfigure the broom.

Indeed, the broom turned into a glaive. Ofdensen picked it up and exammined it, pondering if the blade was sufficient enough to fight with.

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

She raised an eyebrow. "Was that your first try at that one? I'm impressed. It took me two hours to get this done." Hers vaguely resembled a katana, though with a nearly nonexistent crossbar. In short, it was as close to a lightsaber as she could manage.

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

"No. I've been trying for a bit. It's the second time my blade has been metal." He tested it for balance. "All the previous times my blade was wooden."

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

"It's still an accomplishment. Would you like a few minutes to warm up?"

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

"Please." Ofdensen tested out the glaive on a nearby tree, practicing until he got the hang of it again.

"All right, then, whenever you're ready."

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

Aayla nodded and held her sword in the traditional Ataru opening stance, blade held vertically on her right side, and waited.

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

Well, damned if the mun knows any proper stances, so Ofdensen stood, glaive held behind him, eyes shut. Quickly he opened them and made a 360, swiping at Aayla.

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

Aayla watched the glaive sweeping towards her and tucked into a side roll. As she came out of it, she swept the blade to parry the glaive and aimed a sweeping kick at his legs. She trusted that the momentum would bring her back to a standing position even if it didn't connect.

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

It did connect, and Ofdensen did stumble, but he managed to catch himself by jabbing the glaive in the ground. He then pulled it out and swung toward Aayla, hoping to trip her up.

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

She took advantage of the moment that he took to reorient himself to launch at him, hoping to close the distance and negate the damage the glaive could do. It looked to be similar in function to a Morgukai's (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Morgukai) cortosis staff, which were deadly at a range but nearly useless up close. Unfortunately, the moment didn't last long enough and she found it once again swinging towards her. She brought her sword up just in time to absorb most of its force, but found herself knocked off balance.

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

Ofdensen turned it slightly, so the flat part of the blade would make contact, and struck the sword again. He didn't know what she'd do, but the less he actually cut her, the better.

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

It was taking too much force to block the blade at this distance. Parrying would work slightly better, but she needed to find adequate footing for that, first. She dropped to one knee and swept her blade in the same direction the glaive's blade was heading in order to increase its momentum and give her time to launch out of the semi-crouch and flip into her optimum range.

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

The momentum made Ofdensen stumble and fall to the ground, but he kept the glaive pointed in her direction as he rolled up to a kneeling position.

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

She narrowed her eyes in response to being thwarted, but made no other outward sign of annoyance. Instead, she flipped backwards, hoping to make him be the one to be on the offensive this time.

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

Ofdensen lunged forward, glaive to his side, hoping to knock that sword out of her hand. He brings the glaive up...

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

Aayla calculated, launched herself towards the glaive, and at the last possible second threw herself into a foward flip. She aimed carefully for the approaching weapon, with the plan of using the moving weapon to aid her in launching over Ofdensen (as using the Force would be fighting dirty in this circumstance). Unfortunately, the while she might have been able to accomplish it with the use of the Force, she instead missed, overbalanced, and went rolling.

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

Ofdensen threw the glaive forward, much like a javelin. It stuck in the ground a few feet in Aayla's path. If timed right, she'd run right into it, but he'd get it back before she could react. He dashed toward them.

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

Aayla saw the glaive, attempted to control her roll out of the way, and mostly succeeded. However, she struck it with a flailing lek hard enough to make her grunt in pain and stay on the ground dazed for a few seconds. She shook her head and used her sword to help her rise to her feet.

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

Meanwhile, Ofdensen grapped the glaive and pointed it toward her-not close enough to actually nick her, but close enough that it was possible- and stood waiting, panting a bit.

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

Aayla paused and surveyed the situation and her options. Her lek was hurting abominably and causing her vision to blur a bit at the edges. She'd had much worse and continued fighting, but she'd also been using the Force then. And again, she didn't want an unfair advantage in this situation.

So instead she sighed nodded, and grinned. "You win. This time, anyway."

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

Ofdensen jabbed the glaive in the ground and sat down. "Not by much, though." He ran a hand through his hair. "You all right?"

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

Aayla gingerly felt the purpling bruise on her lek. "I've had much worse. Bombs, Force lightning, blaster fire, that sort of thing. I'll live. You did well," she admitted. "Much better than your average Morgukai."

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

He winced at seeing the bruise. "Looks painful though." He leaned back against the grass. "I'm sorry, who?"

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

She shrugged. "It will heal. The Morgukai were a group of Nikto mercenaries and assassins. They're another non-human species. They developed something of a grudge for me after I was forced to kill a number of them to rescue Master Tholme and my cousin, the Secura prime heir." She smiled, a little sadly. "I was knighted after that mission. In any case, they were all destroyed at the battle of Saleucami."

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

"I can see why they would have a grudge." A bit of silence. "But I certainly hope it was worth it." He toed the glaive. "It's actually been a while since I've fought with it; I've always preferred hand to hand."

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

"Tholme, Quin, and Nat survived. It was worth it."

She grinned. "I would never have guessed. You can now brag that you defeated a Jedi Master in combat. It's not something that a lot of people can say." At least, that's what the case used to be. She didn't say it, though. Better to keep this a happy event. "Perhaps you can use it as an excuse to demand a raise from your employers."

((Reposted because while Arya and Aayla are similar names, they are not the same people.))

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

Ofdensen smiled. "I think they would have been more impressed had I fought Darth Vader. He's "more metal", as they would say." He lied back against the grass.

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

It still hurt to think that Anakin Skywalker had become something as horrible as she had heard, but she understood that it was meant as a joke. "Well, from what I've heard, he was mostly cybernetic when he died." She grinned to show that no, she wasn't being as literal as she sounded.

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

Closing his eyes from the sun, he smirked. "Good point," he said with a chuckle.

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

She settled herself down on the ground as well, closed her eyes, and opened herself to the Force. She took a second to enjoy the feeling after shutting herself off completely during the fight--it was like being able to breathe easily after being in very thin atmosphere--and then used it to soothe and promote healing in her bruised lek. To an observer, it would seem like the vivid purple had suddenly changed into the more yellow-green of a week-old bruise as opposed to a fresh one. "Much better," she said, opening her eyes again.

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

That sun was threatening to put Ofdensen to sleep. He moved his fingers and toes a little bit, to keep himself awake. One of his hands lightly brushing Aayla's lek, so light he wasn't even aware he did it.

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

Considering that each lek was laden with sensitive nerve endings, she definitely noticed. She hissed in surprise, the touched lek curling up reflexively. "Sorry," she said, laughing a little. "Tickled."

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

"Hm?" He opened one eye and saw where his hand was. "Oh, sorry, did I touch your lekku?"

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

"A little. Nothing to be concerned about."

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

"Yes. Although I seem to remember seeing a certain child liking her lekku stroked."

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

Aayla winced. "Yes, well... I won't say it can't feel nice."

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

"Yes." A moment of just letting the sun shine over them. "Not that I was complaining, mind you."

[blue-ataru.livejournal.com]

"Ah." One of her lekku curled and uncurled, and she stared out at nothing in particular. "I wasn't complaining either."

[charlesofdensen.livejournal.com]

"Mmm-hmm." Okay, seriously? He was falling asleep. At this point, he was pretty content. He should make another marketing scheme.