what's puzzling you [CLOSED]

[hatejakku]

Who: Finn and Maul
When: after the holiday island stuff?
Where: Nakagawa, somewhere between Finn's place and the Swordmaster guild
What: Finn's gonna learn how to properly use a lightsaber
Warnings/Notes: other than probably being edgy af, n/a

No matter how useful it had been against Ramaa, Finn still didn't like Calamity Knight. No one could really blame him for disliking it, everyone probably knew why, but it had been useful. So even though he planned to never use it again, he didn't discard the asterisk from his slate either.

The threat wasn't over. They were all still on Vaikuntha, more people steadily arriving, and Ramaa had escaped. Even if she couldn't summon Bahamut again, something was going to happen that would likely be worse than before. They had to be ready for anything.

If he did have to use Calamity Knight again, he wanted to be able to use the lightsaber with it. It didn't need a ranged weapon, but a sword could cut down on the few openings he had while using the job. But he didn't like to train with the Calamity Knight active, though. Didn't like the way it made him feel, and he didn't want to start rumors if people saw him.

But the locals were used to him practicing forms while in his Summoner garb. So that's how he was, near the river dressed in sheer white robes, Skywalker's saber blurring through the air with a sharp hum. He was all right with it but not as good as he could be no matter what the weapon masters taught him about sword work, almost the same as what the Order had taught. He knew a lightsaber was different, but-... He missed Baiken. She would have known. Corrin, at least, was a massive help in his random bouts of training.

But now he was alone, just like he wanted to be.

Comments

[last_son_of_dathomir]

Maul lowers his arm and falls back onto the ground. "Death is not always the end, Finn." He says finally. "I know that better than most. Remember that, as a warning against complacency." Especially where Darth Sidious was concerned.

"Good." He says when Finn says the Jedi as Maul knew them were never coming back. "Their loss was mourned, but I know better now. The flame of the Jedi deserved to go out; it burned too long and became too weak and sputtering. All too easy to be snuffed out when the time came."

Finally, he sits up, resting his arms on his lap. "If only the Jedi could have learned so simple a lesson in the time it took you two, the Galaxy would indeed be a different place. A better place, perhaps; that never knew the Empire or its ghost, this First Order. If you know-if you truly know-what must be done, then you must never hesitate to act. Others may not understand, but you must not let that deter you. Do what must be done, no matter the cost. But you are well on your way, Finn. A powerful warrior, you will become. The First Order should be very afraid." He says with a smirk.

Finally, he picks up the discarded Darksaber, and offers it to Finn. "And thank you, my young friend, for the workout. It has been so long since I have been able to openly practice with my lightsaber. Once I recovered it from the Dream Width, I knew there was only one person capable of keeping up with me. What do you think of my Darksaber? Here, you may try it for yourself if you wish."

[hatejakku]

Death is not always the end. Finn doesn't respond to that, not even acknowledging he'd heard. His hooded eyes stared down at the ground, wishing it were true but... knowing it was.

As far as doing what must be done, no matter what others thought or the cost, he looked back to Maul. Again, he said nothing. The other was right, and Finn kind of hated it. He had to do whatever was necessary to save everyone. Even if he had to... do things he didn't want to do.

The offer to try Maul's weapon successfully distracted him. Finn picked it out his hand, testing the weight and balance. Maybe he was new to lightsabers, sure, but he'd held weapons in his hands for as long as he could remember.

Though, he smirks. "Thanks for having such confidence in me," he replied. Though he meant it, he didn't really see that kind of progress in himself. Maul seemed to be a master swordsman. Either way, he stood and ignited the saber. "I think it's incredible. I've never heard of black kyber crystals, much less a lightsaber like this." He tests it with a couple of swings, finding it faster than Skywalker's saber.

[last_son_of_dathomir]

Maul can see the conflict playing out in Finn's face, and the turmoil pleases him. This one might do nicely, yes...

He watches with amused interest as Finn tries the borrowed lightsaber. "It is called the Darksaber." He explains. "The weapon of the first Mandalorian Jedi, Tarre Viszla, constructed over a thousand years ago. You can see the influence of his people in how he designed the blade. The Mandalorians were still warriors then, you know. Not the shadow of a people they became during the twilight days of the Republic when they embraced pacifism and neutrality, and exiled their warriors from Mandalore. After Viszla's death, the Darksaber was kept as a relic of the Order, passing from one Jedi to the next as a mark of prestige, and honour. The blade came into my possession late in the Clone Wars, when the previous owner fell in battle. With his dying breath, the Darksaber passed to me, and I endeavoured to keep it safe through the Dark Times." A heavy sigh. "Though after my death I shudder to think what must have become of it. Destroyed by the Empire, most likely. Such a waste...but, at least here I need not be concerned about such a fate. Perhaps when the time is right, I too shall pass the Darksaber on...to someone worthy of it." He's staring rather intently at Finn as he says this.

[hatejakku]

Finn's not such a fool that he doesn't catch the meaning there. Skywalker's saber hangs heavy at his belt as he looks at this new blade, though. "I'm not worthy of the one I have," he answers pretty matter of factly.

Then he sheathes the saber and hands it back to Maul hilt first. "But if you see fit to pass it on to me someday, I'd be honored. I should get better at the art to give it justice, though."

[last_son_of_dathomir]

Maul takes the hilt back, and then rises to his feet. "Then you must train. And fortunately for you, lightsaber combat was always my specialty." He holds up the hilt of the Darksaber to emphasize his point. "Lightsabers are unique weapons, my young friend. To treat them as you would any physical blade, even in training, will prevent you from making the fullest use of their potential." Which he could see in the way Finn used the blade during their fight, as though it was a normal sword. Was that of his own volition or had he sought teaching from some other swordmaster?

Hanging the hilt from his belt, he places his hands behind his back. "Tell me, what do you know of the seven forms of lightsaber combat?"

[hatejakku]

Finn's brow furrowed at the explanation about bladed weapons. Maul did make a good point, as he and everyone else who had trained him with swords quickly realized just how different the lightsaber was. So he listened intently until the question was asked and he shook his head. "I never heard of them before."

[last_son_of_dathomir]

Maul nods. The expected answer. "Fifty years on since the destruction of the Order, I am not surprised to hear that. There must be precious few people left in the Galaxy who know of the seven forms. I studied all of them, in my youth-" To familiarize himself with how his Jedi opponents would fight. "-But pursued true mastery only of the seventh form. Still, I can impart what I know, and if we work together, perhaps we can...reinvent them."

Maul begins to circle around Finn as he continues his explanation. "For now, you must be as a Padawan, and as such, it is with the first Form, Shii-Cho, we shall concern ourselves for the time being. Called the Way of the Sarlacc, or the Determination Form, it was the first developed lightsaber style, when the weapons were still new. As such, I think you shall find it easy to come to, as the earliest masters borrowed heavily from existing styles of swordplay. As it came into being before the schism between the early Jedi and those who would the Sith, it was not created with the idea of combat against other lightsabers in mind. So when the schism did occur and the Jedi found themselves fighting those who had formerly been among their number, the limitations of Shii-Cho became apparent, and spurred the creation of Form II...but we shall leave that aside for now. Still, Shii-Cho remained useful throughout the centuries as a training tool for new initiates. It encourages deliberate tactics, and continuous, step-by-step advancement, while cutting off your opponent's angles. Against multiple opponents, you will find its wide, sweeping motions most useful indeed."

Maul stops in front of Finn and once again unhooks the Darksaber from his belt. "Shall we begin your true training, my young friend?"

[hatejakku]

You must be as a Padawan. All the rest nearly goes through one ear and right out the other, almost shocked to be related to the term. It's not like he has ever had an affinity for the Force, but he could be as a Padawan if Maul thought he could.

So, chest filled with pride, he listened to the instruction sharply. This Shii-Cho sounded like the perfect place for him to begin, having worked with other melee weapons for most of his life already. That, and there was only one other lightsaber wielder on the planet.

He unhooked Skywalker's- his own saber from his belt and activated the blue blade. "I'm ready." And immensely grateful.