Ain't nothing come easy

[ezra_of_lothal]

Who: Ezra ezra_of_lothal and Anakin facultative
What: Ezra asks Anakin for some help
When: Late in June
Where: The Kenobi+Skywalker+Bridger house

[When Anakin returns to the house, Ezra gives him a quiet welcome back but doesn't immediately try to press for more conversation. He gives it a few days - partly to be more sure that Anakin isn't about to just bolt off again. He still isn't completely sure how good an idea Obi-wan and Anakin being around each right now is, but he's pretty sure Anakin blowing hot and cold isn't great for Obi-wan, either.

The rest, well. Time will tell.

Eventually, he manages to catch Anakin out in the one of the common areas of the house, on a day when Ezra has some spare time.]

Hey. Can I get your opinion on something?

Comments

[facultative]

[Every time Anakin had slipped back in it's always without fanfare, he's absent one moment then the next it's like he never left. This time is no different. What he does was his own business and as long as the only relevant party knew and accepted it, then he could do as he pleased.]

About what?

[He'd been more than happy to more or less ignore Ezra's presence over examining what it meant for him to still be here, but it seemed he wasn't willing to follow their unspoken agreement.]

[ezra_of_lothal]

Modifying lightsaber forms. Ataru, specifically.

[facultative]

[He gives him a long look.]

Why?

[Why him? Why modify a form? Why that form? He's asking all those questions all at once.]

[ezra_of_lothal]

I think I mentioned I mostly learned Ataru from recordings of you?

[He waggles a hand.]

It doesn't...fit quite right. That version doesn't, at least. Soresu's my main form, but Obi-wan suggested I take another stab at a more aggressive form.

[facultative]

You don't modify a form without first understanding it. I recorded those for someone who already knows the basics, not as a guide to learning Form IV.

[Which is why he made some extra recordings before he had given his holocron to Anakin Solo.]

It's also the complete opposite of what you're used to. Did he say why he suggested it?

[ezra_of_lothal]

[He nods.]

Ok, going back to the classical form makes sense. I guess I can...see what I have in materials from the Archives.

[Then he sighs.]

Well, it first came up before that whole...cocoon thing. We were running through what I did know of the forms. He was simply saying that even I wanted to focus on mastery of Soresu, I shouldn't completely neglect more offensive forms. And that he could see why that version of Ataru might not be the best fit for me. My gifts in the Force run towards, um, mental stuff. Sensing. Connections. Not physical power.

And since I'm a Paleblood now, that's even more true.

[facultative]

[He shakes his head.]

Take another step back. Are you picking it up to cover a weakness?

[ezra_of_lothal]

[He frowns, thinking that over a moment.]

My gut reaction is to say no. Then doubt sets in. .[He makes a face.]

I was thinking of it as adding to my toolbox.

[facultative]

I picked it up to try and beat Obi-Wan.

Think it over and when you figure out what you want from this come see me tomorrow in the backyard.

[ezra_of_lothal]

[...but that doesn't seem like a very good reason, to him? Yes, doing well in a bout against your master when the gloves are off is a hell of a rush. He's sort of over that sort of feeling being a main reason to do things, though.

He'll take the general advice to think more about why he's asking.]

Ok. I'll think about it.

See you...then?

[facultative]

[Anakin had given his reason to show that the reason didn't need to be deep. Just something that resonated with them, but he has no rapport with Ezra so it's unsurprising that it falls flat.

There's a stilted nod before he leaves.

Tomorrow Anakin is outside in Obi-Wan's zen garden all day and he can be seen testing his Force control. Artoo's panels are propped open as instruments float and work autonomously while Anakin himself runs through Form V stances blindfolded. He's not satisfied with his level right now, but balance was an impossibility these days.]

[ezra_of_lothal]

[Ezra steps out the door towards the garden area and come to halt, to quietly wait for Anakin to come to a stopping place. But once he does-]

Kanan made me practice fighting blind after he was blinded. I didn't know that was something practiced...regularly.

[facultative]

[The tools float back down to the ground and the open panel closed on the droid as Anakin tugs the blindfold off.]

Sight can be a distraction. [He pats Artoo's dome to send him on his way.] And it was either that or pick up the house.

[ezra_of_lothal]

[He does know about sight being a distraction. Kanan's footwork has gotten much better after he couldn't see, and that meant Ezra's had, too, in the long run.

His brow furrows at the remark about the house.]

To be enough of a challenge?

[Which he can barely fathom, if so. He blew apart a section of the temple from Lothal once, sure, but lift the house?]

[facultative]

I already know I can do it. It's only how well that's in question.

[He'd been slower with Artoo's maintenance than he should be. And being slower was better than damaging things if he couldn't keep the house perfectly level.]

[ezra_of_lothal]

[He's quiet a couple of seconds, trying to figure out how to respond that won't prompt Anakin to try to demonstrate. He likes that house, thanks.

He ventures-]

...exercises in precision with different applications.

[facultative]

Something like that, the Force has always come easily to me so I can't rely on something small to practice.

[And that's enough talking about himself for a long time now. He bends down to pick up his things and tidy up.]

Have you thought about what I asked?

[ezra_of_lothal]

I did.

Sometimes ending a fight quickly is the best defense.

[It takes clarity to see to when the situation calls for that - more than he had when he was 16 and trying to prove himself.]

[facultative]

Better. Now keep that in mind.

Do you know any of the unmodified techniques?

[ezra_of_lothal]

[He offers a tentative smile with a hint of warm at the encouragement and instruction.]

Ataru, specifically? I'm not practiced, but yes.

[facultative]

[He takes a step back to give Ezra room.]

Show me the first set then.

[ezra_of_lothal]

[He nods. Then takes a slow breath and out, to try to smooth out nerves that's bubbling up at getting at least this far in this small endeavour. And he ignites his 'saber (his third, the most traditionally built of his lightsabers in some ways, with parts from the store the Jedi Temple on Corustant had centuries before he'd been born).

Then he begins the first set of Ataru katas, full speed.

It's not...polished. He's rusty and his muscle memory for this form isn't nearly as good as Forms 1 and 3. But he is focused, on completing the set as technically perfectly as he can, and on the Force, rather than Anakin's reactions.]

[facultative]

[Anakin watches in silence, giving no indication of his thoughts. Even when Ezra finishes the set he doesn't speak up straight away.]

Okay. I want you to do that again, but this time follow the beat with me.

[There's a lot of technical details he could point out, but none of that would mean anything until he understood what the form was for. Ataru's aggression left no room for pause and that meant moving from one stance to another smoothly and constantly.]

One, two, three, four...

[ezra_of_lothal]

[It's not so different from how Kanan had taught him (and Sabine) Form 1. Without any hesitation, Ezra falls into step, following along, if not quite perfectly.]

[facultative]

[They run through a whole set.]

Can you feel the difference?

[ezra_of_lothal]

[Ezra breaks into a bright, real smile.]

Yeah. That felt...better.

[He'd that maybe it could work that way - or he wouldn't have tried doing this with Anakin at all.

There's still a part of him that's pleasantly surprised.]