A Morning Spar (Jacob Jr)

[Desiree Valara]

With the slightest movement of her blade, Desiree deflected another bolt, sending it away from her so it collided harmlessly against the wall. The blonde Apprentice had spent most of the morning in the Dojo, a blindfold over her eyes, practising against the training drones. It was fairly rare to find her in the training area but recently she had been spending more and more time doing so. She had to be doing something, anything, to keep her mind and body busy and to just shut everything else out.

Practising her new Form, Soresu, seemed to help her with this. She was able to just let her worries go and instead focus solely on her movements and let her mind drift in to the serene and calm state of mind that she needed in order to use the style. Her expression was rather grim and the usual bounce and light heartedness that she usually showed was missing. Desiree prided herself on being able to stay positive no matter what but a surprising letter from home had her all over the place inside.

Stepping back, she blocked another bolt, sending it careering away from her.

[Jacob Murano Jr]

Jacob hadn't been sleeping as of late. Plagued by nightmares of his father being killed, and, the other teens like him hounding him. They kept telling him his dad was a traitor. To which he didn't believe and that his dad might be out there somewhere. Some of them even said his father was dead or that he defected and went into unknown space to be a mercenary. A soldier for hire. These thoughts plagued the young Jedi Apprentice.

Who he was sparring with today was a Jedi he knew while crystal hunting. Desiree was her name if he was correct. He was sleep deprived so his memory was a bit fuzzy at the moment. Still, taking his time to get there the teen half hazardly placed on his dark blue t-shirt and black pants. Stumbling around to put on white socks and then his sneakers, and, his athletic ones that his mom bought him. They worked pretty well with the form he knew. Which was Ataru from Master Farifax.

Running to the dojo, Jacob looked at the room numbers and then found the one he was looking for. Pushing the button he then wondered how late he was. Looking at the door he awaited Desiree's presence at the door. Hopefully she'd answer.

[Desiree Valara]

"Huh?"

The sound of the door buzzing caused Desiree to lose concentration and in a panic, lashed out at the last bolt coming towards her and accidentally hit the droid with it. Sighing and shaking her head, the blonde removed the blindfold and turned and walked towards the door. It didn't seem to be her day today but she tried not to let it get her down too much. She had almost forgotten that she had planned a spar for today and the Apprentice was a little all over the place herself.

Pressing the button on her side of the door, she found herself face to face with Jacob Jr and smiled, remembering their crystal hunt together.

"Hi Jacob, you all right?," she said, before moving to the side so he could enter.

[Jacob Murano Jr]

Jacob walked in and heard Desiree speak to him and shook his head, "Not really. My sister has gone and I've not been sleeping well. If you haven't noticed."

He then pointed to the dark circles under his eyes. They were pretty evident on his young face. The red eyes that showed his lack of sleep lately. With Renee gone, Jacob had to console his mother on the subject. Now he was on a search to see where his sister had gone to. All he knew was that she was out there...somewhere. Where...that was the real question. He didn't know where and he was sure planning on finding out.

"I came here because you had requested a spar. I saw it yesterday on the list." Jacob said with a chuckle, although a nervous one, "So...figured I'd try and get some more practice in. Lord knows Master Farifax got me good. Don't call her old...like...ever."

He then laughed, "But, crystal hunting was good though. Adventurous but, good nonetheless."

[Desiree Valara]

"Don't call any lady old, ever, we don't appreciate it," Desiree replied, shaking her head in disbelief, a wry grin on her face.

It was a shame to hear about Jacob's family issues, they seemed to be making the rounds at the moment, given hers as well. Desiree had never been keen on sparring and certainly didn't believe that it ever solved anything but perhaps it could at least take their minds off of things for a bit. That was why she had started to appear more often within the Dojo's

"I'm not keen on using a saber but I could sure use the practice too, especially after the hunt," she added, smirking at his comment about it.

[Jacob Murano Jr]

Jacob then half smirked then stuck his tongue out, "Yeah, I noticed."

True he had many issues now with his sister gone. His mom had taken a while off for R&R but it didn't seem to be going that well. She'd been crying a lot now missing Renee day after day. Wondering where the frell his sister went to. Eventually Jacob wanted to go find her wherever she was and bring her home. That much was certain. Where to start though was the real question.

"Well, I'm here so we can begin whenever your ready." Jacob said taking his training blade off his belt, "But, yeah that hunt sure was something. Thank goodness I got my color crystal already. Got it right here in my pocket."

He pulled the crystal out and showed it to her. The silver colored crystal gleamed in the bright lights of the dojo. Jacob loved this crystal since it was the opposite color of his dad's lightsaber. Which was gold and was passed down to him from dear ol' dad. Found it in the family estate when he went to Tattooine a few years back. That was when he saw a Sith who'd been messing with his Jawa friend.

[Desiree Valara]

"Silver huh? Don't see many of those around," Desiree replied chuckling, "Mine's blonde. I guess the Force really does have a sense of humour."

Nodding her head, Desiree raised her blade and moved in to the Soresu opening position. As much as she hated lightsaber duelling, Desiree enjoyed using the third Form, becoming one with the lightsaber was a breathtaking experience and she admired the philosophy of the style too. The blonde Apprentice was still getting to grips with it but the hours of work she had put in were starting to show. She was as ready as she'd ever be. Her blue gaze focused on Jacob.

"After you."

[Jacob Murano Jr]

OOC: you said Antony That's hilarious

"I guess it does, Desiree." Jacob said with a burst of laughter.

Shaking his head he ignited his blue training blade. Then pulling it towards his face he then went into the Ataru opening stance. Seeing Desiree enter Soresu, the Jedi Apprentice raised an eyebrow. He'd read somewhere in the archives that the form was primarily defensive, but, given Desiree's adherence to fighting it seemed like something she'd be using. Either way Jacob was ready for whatever might come his way in this spar. So, the teen Apprentice then hurled himself into the air coming down hard with his blade over his head swinging down when he was close proximity to Desiree.

He swung towards her head, and, when he did he then slashed across. Pulling his saber up and over again for another swing this time to her shoulder. Finishing his flurry the young teen then made a diagonal slash towards her left arm.

[Desiree Valara]

As Jacob came down upon her, Desiree raised her blade above her and pushed his attack away from her, using as little effort as she could. He was clearly using Ataru which was concerning for the blonde, knowing that it was an immensely aggressive and taxing style. It did suit her though and she felt she could wait him out. His movements were quick but she was able to defend from his opening flurry of strikes. She managed to turn away each of his attacks to keep him away from her.

At the conclusion of his flurry, Desiree took one arm away from her lightsaber and launched a blast of air towards Jacob. She didn't attack with her blade again and simply moved back in to her defensive position again.

[Jacob Murano Jr]

Jacob watched her easily push his attacks away. Seemed to him that she was using Soresu. Though he didn't learn it he knew a bit about it. The Apprentice had heard it was a defensive style and she was easily defending herself. Using minimal effort too. Which was the basis of the form to use minimal energy to defend yourself with. Though Jacob wondered if he should learn another style when he became a Jedi Knight. There were possibilities he had to consider. Just not right now.

As she blasted him with air, Jacob then flew back a few feet before shutting his blade off then rolling backward. The teen rolled onto his feet crouching down with his right hand planted onto the floor looking up at her. Grinning the Jedi Apprentice turned his blade back on the blue training blade hissed to life. She was pretty good.

"That wasn't bad. Nice surprise there, Desiree." Jacob said with a wink.

He then pulled at her feet outstretching his right hand. Once he did he then leaped into the air, Jacob came down hard in the 'Falling Avalanche' technique that N'yssa had showed him. Although he regretted attacking her some time back. Lucky for him she didn't kill him but injured his spine though. A bacta tank and healing from a Jedi sure did the trick though.

[Desiree Valara]

Desiree smiled but didn't reply, focusing more on his attacks then his words. The pull at her feet was surprising but she didn't go over although she almost did. It knocked her out of her rhythm though and by the time she figured out what was happening, he was attacking again from above. The blonde Apprentice brought her blade up to defend herself, again using Soresu to its full effect by letting his saber roll down hers, turning him away with minimum effort. It was a powerful strike though and she knew she'd have to be cautious.

Once his blade was out of harms way, she attempted a counter attack by slashing towards his right wrist with a horizontal slash. It was a simple attack from her but it was more to give him something to think about rather than do damage.

[Jacob Murano Jr]

Jacob managed to knock her outta rhythm which did the trick. As he leaped over and came down hard though she then turned his attack away by letting his blade slide down hers. Which surprised him no doubt. Spinning his blade away from him as she then countered with an attack of her own towards his wrist. Her blade coming horizontally this time as he then barely moved it enough to miss it. Though it almost made contact and he felt the heat coming off it. Which made Jacob's eyes widen.

He stepped back enough and came at her with a flurry of strikes aiming for her torso more then anything. Although he figured it might be without any success. May as well try he figured. So slashing vertically over his head he came down towards her shoulder. Then cut across her mid section. Spinning around he aimed the last power strike at her chest. Which came diagonally towards her.

[Desiree Valara]

He was swift but Desiree held her own, moving her blade as little as possible in order to block his attacks. She kept calm and began to move her blade in to the path of his strikes, turning them away from her when at all possible but offering little in return in the way of attacks. The diagonal strike was the toughest one but she just about managed to push it away from her. She was simply aiming to wear him out, as was normally the case with Soresu. Their was no aggression behind her blade at all.

When his flurry was finished, Desiree fired a Force Push towards Jacob, hoping to knock him out of his rhythm again.