...Defeat...

Xun Huo : *He nods and takes a seat next to her* What do you hope to gain from this tournament?
Kiana Te Rano : *I hope to gain a Master... is what she thinks but there was more to it really* Experience...I like watching other people too because I can pick up things from them and learn how to do it myself too.
Xun Huo : *He smiles* Good. Experience can be a great teacher, and a harsh one at that.
Kiana Te Rano : I don't like getting beat...but I've learned something new each time it happened. Learned how to better myself. I'm sure that this competition will help me a lot...
Xun Huo : *He nods* A lesson then for you: Do not feel that you have been beaten. For as you say, within each defeat is something to be learned. Do not look upon the loss, instead think of it as yet another lesson and nothing more. Through this you may advance faster in your training.

...Over-confidence...

Cassus Jor'kul: *He smiles, taking a likeing to this Master*Ya know...I was the best in my class on Dantooine*A small giggle shows that hes lieing, he was actually third best, but he liked to brag*
Xun Huo : *RaE* Really? I thought Breg Ni'Dious was?
Cassus Jor'kul: ....*He grumbles* Breg was a show off and a cruel boy. He used to force others to duel them, knowing he could beat them easily.
Xun Huo : *His expression stays cool, as does his demeanor... like every other Jedi Master actually* If I recall correctly he was reprimanded accordling for his actions.
Cassus Jor'kul: He shoulda been forced in the ring with me...I would've showed him.
Xun Huo : *Lifts his head some* Do not allow your skill with the saber let you become complacent or overconfident. You say this now, but had you met him in fair combat, would you have one?
Cassus Jor'kul: I have learned much from the last time I faced him...I would have prevailed over him.
Xun Huo : Ah, but you speak of the past, upon your years as a padawan. Not the present. So I ask again, would you have beaten him then?
Cassus Jor'kul: Back then? No. but I would faired better then the rest.
Xun Huo : *He nods, and starts to walk to the bench where his robe lays* Perhaps yes, perhaps no. That is but one of many possible fates. But, it was not. It does no good to dwell on what might have been, it is wise to keep your mind here within the present, in focus.
Cassus Jor'kul: Yes Master. I understand. It is not like a jedi to harbor such jealousy. I am sorry.*he would follow him, like a boy to his hero. He puts the training saber away and picks up his normal saber, clipping it to his belt*
Xun Huo : I would not say that it is jealousy, mearly a shadowing, an illusion brought on by what you have learned since. Many experience such feelings, myself included. It is up to us then to control such feelings and to learn from them. *Gathering up his robe he slides it on*
Cassus Jor'kul: *He nods again*Next time, I shall control it better.

...Under-estimation...

Xun Huo : *He takes a seat on a near by bench.* Tell me Kiana, what did you learn from the tournament today?
Kiana Te Rano : Heh...to keep my guard up even when I think someone is down. *rubs her side a bit. Xun probably saw her get nailed in the side when she thought she had beaten Zhane but he had brought his blade up right into her side when she wasn't paying attention*
Xun Huo : A wise lesson indeed. Never underestimate your opponent, nor take any part of the situation for granted.
Kiana Te Rano : I also learned...well perhaps not so much learned but showed them that just because your opponent might seem weaker...or smaller...that it doesn't mean they can't win.
Xun Huo : *He smiles* Good.

...Dual Saber style...

Xun Huo : It will require more than practice young Padawan. It will require devotion, concentration and an yielding focus. To truly master the dual saber styles you must become one with the force, let it become a part of your every move.

......Attack over defense...

Xun Huo : *As she drops and swings for his knees, he brings the blade around to his right, dropping it down and meeting her saber. As he archs into her saber he pushies into it, sending it away and with his foot he reaches forward quickly to snag hers and pull her feet out from under her to knock her on her but.*
Kiana Te Rano : *being crouched as she is, she can't much get away, and his foot catches hers sending her onto her butt* oww...*keeps her blade up in a guard position just incase he will swing at her while she's down like that. she tilts her head looking up at him*
Xun Huo : *His lightsaber deactivates as he lowers his arm to his side* Well done Kiana. *He holds out his free hand in offer to help her up*
Kiana Te Rano : *she disengages the saber blade then reaches out taking his hand rising back to her feet* Thank you, Master...should have seen that coming though.
Xun Huo : When one is focused on attack, they neglect their defense. As you saw, I was able to penetrate your defense when I pointed my saber at you. Yes, I have more strength thus making this easier, but one can still learn to defend... and to defeat a stronger opponent.

...The Force and our connection to it...

~Lesson 1~

Kiana Te Rano : *blinks as the door open, then steps through and walks into the meditation room where Xun is. she moves in front of him then drops to the floor crossing her legs looking across at him, but doesn't say anything yet*
Xun Huo : *He stays quiet for sometime.* Join me in Meditation Kiana...
Kiana Te Rano : What are you meditating on?
Xun Huo : *Quiet again* To truly know the force, one must become one with it, they must let it flow through them. Through meditation as you know, we achieve this. At the same time, we become one with all things, sensing them as many others can not. *The three silver orbs move into a larger circle, traveling around both him and Kiana now*
Kiana Te Rano : *she had been meditating lately, but all her thoughts kept drifting to her friend Allayne* Yes Master...*she glances over at the hovering orbs, arching a brow slightly at them as they circle around*
Xun Huo : You wonder of the orbs...
Kiana Te Rano : I've never seen them before...
Xun Huo : On my planet they are used as meditation, to focus upon. The noise they make symbolizes balance. Each orb possess a slightly different sound. Individually, they are off, but together, they form a whole, creating harmony. In essence, it is a metaphor of the force. All things in harmony, coming together as a whole...
Kiana Te Rano : I like them, they sound nice...*seems a bit distracted though as she watches the orbs float around* I'm worried about Allayne...he didn't used to be like this, I want to help him but I don't know how...
Kiana Te Rano : Allayne is one of my friends...I've known him for a long time. He got back from a mission a while ago, his Master was...was killed. And he got hurt really bad, bad enough that he can't talk anymore. He used to be happy all the time, but all he does is sulk in his room and meditate and it's worrying me...I don't mean for it to, I just don't want him to *she hesitates for a moment* fall...
Xun Huo : *He sits quiet for a while concidering her words.* To not speak does not imply weakness. Many Jedi have been wounded in battle. Losing a limb, becoming incompasitated. He choses to look inward upon himself, at his weakness and loss... perhaps even as a failure. He must learn to accept things as they are and to move on. He must look beyond himself to the world around him and those who rely upon his strengths.
Kiana Te Rano : I know he's not weak Master...*shakes her head and smiles a little* He's never been weak. But it's just that he's become so withdrawn.
Xun Huo : He choses to hide, dwelling upon what he feels makes him weak. To look upon ones failures is to invite the darkside.
Kiana Te Rano : I don't want to see him turn...how can I help him?
Xun Huo : *Conciders for a while* You are still yound my Padawan. You can only do so much to assist him. Remind of his place here, of the force and his path. *He pauses for a bit* He must know that he is still young, that his training is incomplete. Help he must seek.
Kiana Te Rano : He needs a new Master...I hope one decides to help him.
Xun Huo : The force will decide his destiny, worry not. Send it from your mind, it will only distract you from your training.
Kiana Te Rano : Yes Master. Master, have they figured out who has been causing those tremors in the Force?
Xun Huo : *He shakes his head slowly* Many things can cause such a disturbance. It is not always clear what. At the moment they have not. It shall be taken care of. Worry not Kiana.
Kiana Te Rano : I'm doing my best not to, I just keep getting a bad feeling. I can't really explain it though.
Xun Huo : *RaE* One should be careful with there feelings. I sense this unrest you, but I do not think it is of the force, but of a personal nature. Be wary of such feelings, they can betray you.
Kiana Te Rano : Betray me...? *looks across at Xun tilting her head slightly*
Xun Huo : *He nods once, the orbs slow in there spiraling and change direction* Yes. One can use them against you, use them to manipulate you. Yes, they can guide you at times, but they can also be a weakness. Many Jedi have fallen to the ways of the Sith from this.
Kiana Te Rano : *frowns* I wouldn't fall to the Dark Side...
Xun Huo : *His expression stays still, her statement not phasing him* So sure are you? One never truly knows what the future can hold, and those who do, those rare few prophets are plagued with knowing till the time their light is extinguished. We can only hope that such a fate does not befall you.
Kiana Te Rano : Telling the future isn't really one of my stong abilities...but I hope that I wont. Have you ever come close?
Xun Huo : *He lets out a sigh* At times I have. The future is vast, and varied. To believe in all one sees can be misleading. I find it safer to stay within the moment. I chose to let the force guide my motions, my path. *like he has a choice, he is blind...*

~Lesson 2~

Kiana Te Rano : *she arches a brow following after him looking at the shuttle* Where are we going, Master?
Xun Huo : Up. *He enters the open door of the transport. It was a decent size, one large open bay and cockpit with seats for two. Taking a seat, he begins to power the engines*
Kiana Te Rano : *that wasn't a very detailed answer...but oh well. she walks into the ship following after him and moves into the seat beside her Master strapping herself in. They hadn't packed anything, so they couldn't be going to far could they? or maybe there were finally going to Xun's home world...or better yet maybe it was a mission! she hoped it was, she had been looking forward to that*
Xun Huo : *RaE, he sense the excitement grow in her* You wonder were we are going. You shall see. *The platform cleared, the shuttle lifts off and heads out of the hanger. Xuns hands glide of the controls, each motion deliberate and exact, as if preprogrammed...*
Kiana Te Rano : Can I fly the ship later? *looks over at Xun*
Xun Huo : *He smirks* This is not a flying lesson young one. *The shuttle heads up, angling into a steep climb. Increasing power, they pick up more speed, and eventually, they break the atmosphere. Changing his course they leave the standard lanes of travel and head for an area devoid of any traffic. Bringing the shuttle to a stop, he places it in a stable orbit. Rising from his seat he moves into the open bay area in the back. Going over to a console, he pushes a few buttons, and from the floor a two round padded seats rise for meditation. He gestures to one of them* Sit Kiana...
Kiana Te Rano : *Ahh, she would have liked to fly the ship, but oh well. she smiles looking out the view port then sits up as they come to a stop. Turning towards the seats, she undoes harness and moves towards one. They were in space...to meditate? seems a bit disapointed, but is very much trying not to show it. she climbs up onto the seat crossing her legs then looks across at Xun*
Xun Huo : *He goes to the pedestool opposite her, and sits, as he does, he waves his hand and a switch on the wall drops, turning off the artificial gravity. Using the force he stabalizes himself so as not to float away from the seat.*
Kiana Te Rano : *she blinks and reaches out grabbing hold of the sides of the seat. Oh good...this is going to make things a bit more complicated She reached out to the Force much like Xun was doing, trying to make sure she wasn't going to go anywhere either. Slowly lets go of the chair, her face drawn in concentration. this was new...*
Xun Huo : *He smiles. Rasing his hand he points two fingers at her and lowers her down* This a lesson that is taught on my homeworld. *Reaching out with his other hand, he waves his fingers and a door opens. From a rather different looking helmet floats towards Kiana. Once there he lowers it to her lap.*
Kiana Te Rano : *she reaches out taking the helmet once it's in her lap arching a brow as she looks down at it then back across at Xun* How to meditate and not float away and bump into anything?
Xun Huo : *He chuckles* That is a rather common response actually, but no. Please put the helmet on. *As she does, it would conform slightly to her head, all sound, sight and smell being blocked off. The only air was that which was filtered in silently.*
Kiana Te Rano : *she pulls the helmet on over her head, sending her into a total state of darkness. She's not very fond of that...but she reaches out with the force to help her. She had practiced before in the Arena when she was supposed to be in bed. she had taken a remote and left the room dark save for her lightsaber...but this was different*
Xun Huo : *And like a spector, he would reach out to her through the force, guiding her. His voice would echoe some* In the world we live in, there is sound, light and smells. All of this distracts us, pulls our attention away. The force is always with us, always around us. It penetrates, fills us and guides us. On a planet, we are bound by gravity, limiting our reach and abilites. Here, in space, we are free. No light, sound, nothing constraining that which we are. Here we acan become one with the force in newer ways.
Kiana Te Rano : *she tilts her head listening to her Master* Yes Master...*it was a strange feeling though, as Xun explained it, it really was how she felt. it was as though she could feel the force even more with the helmet on. though perhaps it was due to the fact she was reaching out for it more than usual to keep herself oriented*
Xun Huo : ... let the force flow through you, let it guide you. Reach out with it. Yourself, me, the shuttle. Beyond that... the traveling lanes, the many beings. Let the force guide you, fill you with the world it will create. The planet below, the openness of space, all is connected through the force...
Kiana Te Rano : *She's surprised to find that it's far easier for her to meditate like this...she should have tried this a long time ago. she tilts her head every so slightly as she stops trying to concentrate so hard and just let things come to her, melting into the Force*
Xun Huo : ... let force be your world, let it show you everything as it truly is. No masks, no illusion, only truth. Through the force we see all. Past, present, future. Good and evil. All is apart of it. Let the force be your eyes, your ears. Let go of your concious self, let go of all you know and believe and see...
Kiana Te Rano : *she had been holding onto the seat with one hand, though she finally releases it, wanting to focus entierly on the Force, trusting it and that her Master will help her. her eyes still open within the helmet, but what's strange is that she seems to get flickers of something, it looked like the ship, the inside where she was...but it didn't last long before it vanished again. that was strange* Master...is it possible to see only using the Force?
Xun Huo : *He watches as her hand lets go.* Good, trust the force, let it guide you, let go of the physical need to hold on and trust in what you know is there but can see. Trust the force. Let it be your guide. See with eyes not your own. Reach out with the force, take in what you sense... and you will indeed see.
Kiana Te Rano : *she breaths slowly, closing her eyes now though it doesn't matter all that much, it's still pitch black. she reaches out more into the force, opening up more than she has in her life at the moment. it's a new feeling for her...*
Xun Huo : Through the force we see all. Let it be your eyes, your ears, your hands. Through the force we are connected to all things. The ship, the planet, the Jedi below. Together they form a whole, balance.
Kiana Te Rano : I can sense them...and more...*a small smile appears on her lips. She likes this lesson, very much*
Xun Huo : This lesson Kiana is a simple one: to make your connection with the force stronger, to better understad it, and to become one with it.. Through this lesson you will learn to control the force and yourself. You shall gain a new strength within the force as you become on with it.
Kiana Te Rano : *she reaches up taking the helmet in her hands then pulls it off and looks across at Xun* Can I keep this? *looks hopeful*
Xun Huo : *He smiles* Indeed you may.
Kiana Te Rano : *she smiles up at him* Thank you Master. I'll work on that every day.
Xun Huo : I want you to take care of that helmet as well my young Padawan. Like my lightsaber, it was passed down from teacher to pupil over many generations. One day I hope you use it to teach your own Padawan...
Xun Huo : *He lets out a sigh* I warn you though Kiana. Should you chose to meditate with the hemlet, and emerse yourself in the force, you will experinece things as never before. There will be times were you will be overwhelmed, even in danger. For not all who use the force are good. Be wary of the darkside. Deception and deciet are its ways. You may think that you know it, only to fall for its ways. For now, only use that helmet when you meditate with me so I may guide you.
Kiana Te Rano : *she looks back down at the helmet...her having a padawan? that seems so far away, something she couldn't even imagine right now* You can be in danger by reaching out to the Force? But...it's not the force that would try to turn someone to the dark side....the force doesn't even have sides. I thought it was determined upon how it was use. Like the Sith...they are Dark because they use the force to gain things for themselves...
Xun Huo : You speak of a school of belief young Padawan. Many look upon the force differently. Through the force, one can be manipulated, there wthoughts, beliefs, views, all tainted. This is the darkside of the force. Through pain, sufffering, fear, greed and emotion, they lead to the darkside. The path to the darkside is one of ease and seduction. Using this helmet you in essence are one with the force, and untrained you become open to those who would chose to tempt you. In this, the force becomes dark, you become endangered.
Kiana Te Rano : *she hesitates then nods slowly as she starts to understand it* Then when I use it, I will only be with you Master. Does the dark side tempt everyone Master?
Xun Huo : Yes it does. But it is up to us to know our feelings and to not give into temptation, to our want. The path to the darkside is one paved with doubt, fear, regret and want. It will tempt you with anything and everything.
Kiana Te Rano : I wont fall to it, Master...I couldn't ever be dark. Have you ever seen a Dark Jedi? a Sith?
Xun Huo : *RaE* So sure are you that you won't? There are many things in life that can cause us to stray to the darkside. The loss of a master, the despair of a friend and the want to help them. Regret... *He pauses for a while, letting his words sink in so she realizes who he is talking about.* Yes, Kiana I have.
Kiana Te Rano : *arches a brow slightly holding the helmet* Allayne isn't going to turn to the Darkside, Master...I wont let him. He's my friend...he's been my friend for a long time. Since I first got to the temple here.
Xun Huo : *He sighs* I have said those same words myself Kiana. Regrettable, it was an effort in vain. Your friend has already begun to stray. When you fought him tonight in the arena he used moves that are not only dishonorable, but are associated with the Sith. These are ways that are not taught to a Padawan who is true to his path. His own feelings of regret and sorrow are deep. He looks upon the mark on his neck as a failure, thus looking inwards upon himself. To focus only on ones self can lead to the darkside.
Kiana Te Rano : Allayne is not going to become a Sith. *she said, very confident in that. There was no way her best friend would do that. If only she knew that her other best friend was traveling down that very road right now. She certinally had interesting taste in friends...she sighed then looked down* But...he has to find that out for himself...and I need to focus on my training, yes? *she looked back up at her Master, not sure if this was what was right or not. Jedi were supposd to help people...she didn't understand why she couldn't try to help Allayne if he was in so much trouble*
Xun Huo : *He sighs and stays quiet for many momets, the force telling him of her struggle* I know you find this to be conflicting, wanting to help but cannot. Yes, I am preventing you from helping your friend, but you are not ready to deal with the responsibility of one who can be tempted by the dark side. It is one thing to help a person, it is another to help a Jedi, especially one as young as your friend. As I have said before, to worry for him will distract you, you will lose focus. You are at a critical time in your training when you must have a clear mind. *He goes quiet again* It is the charge of the Jedi to assist those in need. But one can not help another when they do not know what they must do. Passion must never rule reason. If you wish to help your friend, tell him to seek the help of a master, the help of the council, they will not turn a blind eye to him.
Kiana Te Rano : *sighs as she nods* Yes Master...I understand...it's just hard, but I understand.