Lynchpin---Castle and Surrounding Grounds.

[lynchpin_castle]

The servants are unseen and unknown. Residents are welcome to take over the Servant’s rooms or not, but it is not recommended. Likewise, it is unclear where the Master resides. Usually s/he will call a meeting of their champions and meet them within the reception all or Banquet room.

Meals are typically taken together as a group, and if requested--training times for the champions as a group may be arranged. Both of the mundane variety, and also recreations of challenge-zones, such as the Labyrinth and the Mirror Gallery. The castle and its immediate surroundings have been set to mimic Earth with its single moon and 24 hour cycle of time, along with a standard Julian calendar for convenience.

Comments

[neveraknight]

"I suppose you make a good point." She said, rolling her ankles a bit. She could admit that she might actually enjoy dressing down a bit, if she was sure they wouldn't be in a battle with out knowing it, or something.

As he came closer, standing beside her, and explaining, she chuckled to his bow. A bright smile at that. Bowing as well, but more like she would to a royal, she explained. "We have the same in some of our cultures. A bow for respect. Though we use it more for the Jedi Masters, or perhaps a Queen or Duchess or something like that." She stood once more, having faced him to do so. "It is interesting how there are things we have that are similar even though we are from vastly different places."

[light_of_willpower]

"Maybe that's part of it also, why we were asked and chosen." Straightening back up, and the smile is still there. "I mean, they want us to work together at the very least, so it'd make sense for us to get along right?"

[neveraknight]

She was smiling more. More than she had when she first got here. That was something she was trying to do though. Relax. She left the Order. That can't be helped now. She left Master Skywalker and that... that can't be helped. This was for her now. To fix a bit. To mend more. Maybe trust in someone again. She didn't WANT to make friends again. Not after Barriss, but...

This wasn't so bad. "You make a good point, Trunks Briefs. So let's hope you can keep up with me in training sometime, hmm?" It was a tease and nothing more. She didn't think she was the most skilled, but she had confidence in her abilities.

[light_of_willpower]

His eyes-widened, then he smirked. "Oh really? I sense a challenge, there Ahsoka Tano." Rolling his head to the side slightly, that smirk stayed in place. "Unless you're too tired from all that food you ate."

He'd eaten more than she had, after all.

[neveraknight]

"Look who's talking!" She said with a part laugh, grinning. "You're the one that went for two very large plates." Still a tease. She wasn't making fun of him for it though. "Though, I suppose I could go for a small spar for the night." Get some frustrations out maybe. "It depends on your fighting style. I see your sword, but what else do you know?" Because a lightsaber and that sword wouldn't be a fair match, right?

[light_of_willpower]

"Hand-to-hand mostly." Trunks replied, unbuckling the sword and moving to place it against a wall. Then pulling off his jacket, and stretching his arms out. "Fighting is in my blood--you can't have thought I wouldn't take that bait."

Maybe teasing a bit himself, and as he stretched she could see for herself how true his statement was.

[neveraknight]

"I'm pretty good with hand to hand." She said, moving as well, to unhook one lightsaber, and one shorter one. The blades shouldn't even be with her. She wasn't a Jedi anymore, but she had them and she was glad for that.

Placing them to the side carefully, she mentally made an idea of where they were, in case she needed to call them to her for anything. "I figured you had it in your blood. You look like a fighter. Also... a non-combatant wouldn't carry a sword around."

She did notice it too though, with his jacket off now and all. She rolled her arms and stretched a moment as she walked to the center of the mat.

[light_of_willpower]

He watched as she placed the strange tubes at her waist and hips away. Some kind of blaster maybe? But Trunks didn't think it likely. "You carry yourself like a warrior yourself." Taking her seriously, as he moved to the center too.

Enough away from her that they could move. "Besides, I'm used to beings that don't look dangerous, but can tear you apart easily. I know better than to underestimate them." She looked slim and light, but it was in how she moved and held herself. Not to mention what he'd learned about her already. Also that she was an alien, so who knew what was in her species' capability. Definitely not going to think she was some pretty girl who didn't know what she was doing.


Again, with the bowing--this one the lightest yet--as it was barely more than an incline of his head and shoulders. "Which means come at me, Ahsoka Tano, with all you've got." Trunks was absolutely in his element.

[neveraknight]

That was the thing. She was alien, yes, and had the force, and was fast, but she was not on his level of fast or strong. At least, she will find that out at some point in time. The force was strong, yes, but the user was still mortal. Still had to train their body and care for it.

At a normal basic level, she was a damn good warrior though. Even as a Youngling she had advanced faster than most students. When Anakin had started throwing more responsibility on her ,she had even heard him told Obi-wan that he sometimes forgets she's so young because of her skills.

She could keep up in battle with Sith Lords. But she also took her knocks. Like any one warrior did. This might not be any different, to her. In her head, she was already placing him on a level of a Sith or Jedi fighter, and intended to take it seriously, even for a spar.

"I'm not sure I could tear anyone apart. Warrior, yes, but the Jedi are also Peacekeepers. We... they try not to fight senselessly. But... I wont hold back." She said, giving a bow as well, which felt natural as she did it in training, then took a stance, moving a bit, slender and profiled, hands up, before stepping forward to try for a blow, already assuming it would be blocked, to the point that she was aiming a second blow, and mentally prepping a third. Again, she assumed most of them would be blocked, like they are with Jedi training.

[light_of_willpower]

The Force would be her advantage, along with her experience with the wider galaxy. AND her training as a peacekeeper--something he had never gotten to be. He'll find that out eventually, and they can learn from each other. He was mortal too, and had to train as well to increase and surpass his limits.

Her first strike was blocked, Trunks pivoting to dodge the second and let it glance off his fore-arm. That third strike wouldn't come though as he strike back, off-leg moving in a knee-strike that was pulled only enough that it would toss her some if it connected. It wasn't like the Jedi though, where they let themselves flow with the Force.

His was practice, a life-time born of fighting, with the speed and power that came with it, and the ability to read and react on a second. She had finesse and planning, whereas he was instinct. No clear style, simply what was effective.

[neveraknight]

She expected the blocks and was trying, for her part, to think a few steps ahead, but also, through the force, trying to read his moves as well. She knows hand to hand isn't her best. Give her her sabers and she would take on who ever the heck the Sith Lord turns out to be. She's battled Anakin AND Obi-wan once and held them off pretty well. Though she had been in a near death experience trace at that point, but... still.

Here she was fast, moving swiftly, trying to dodge a kick or a hit. Feeling it graze off her side or her thigh or her arm, giving back swiftly when she could. She felt blows land, but only in the same way, where they were deflected off their target and if she didn't move fast enough she'd miss blocking a blow herself.

When one blow caught her unaware from him, it knocked her back, which she rolled with, dropping to a hand to push herself away and flip back over to her feet, graceful, fast and steady. She slide back into a stance and hands up, palms flat, an let out a huff. "You're... fast."

[light_of_willpower]

"Have to be, where I'm from." She definitely had more grace than him, clearly formal training. "Still think I should worry about keeping up with you though, Ahsoka?" That smirk is back, but blue-eyes were playful even with the hint of cockiness in the taunt.

Then he was moving back towards her, sliding low as they engaged again. Blocks or deflections, and clear enough he was controlling it or they would hurt. Given what he had told her, Ahsoka could see he was self-taught, with little formal training. Also that while he was masking his ki, she could easily sense him in the Force. A dim candle, that was dim of his own making, but burned steady and strong and controlled.

[neveraknight]

Grace yes, and a lot of formal training. That was just hand to hand. If he saw her with her blades, he might actually BE impressed. Or so she would like to think. It was like she was dancing when she fought with swords. She knows hand to hand is nearly the same, but her arms feel shorter when she does so.

"Don't get cocky now, kid." She teased, grinning more at his comment, but she did admit. "You might actually impress me a bit though." She said and as they clashed again, she tried faster fot work, dodging more if she could, and going for shorter attacks on the inside. After a bit, she felt herself winding up more. She could feel his movements. His control too. She had the feeling if he went full out, she'd be knocked down, a hell of a lot more.

"You are... very controlled, aren't you?" She said, and had to nearly drop backwards to the floor to miss a kick, rolling back to her feet a moment after, letting out a huff of breath. He's a damn tank, that was for sure.

[light_of_willpower]

That kick met the floor, and the only reason he pulled back and didn't follow it up was because of that huff. A moment to assess, studying her in turn. "That's right...you sense things, with that Force don't you?" Trunks had been paying attention, after all--it wasn't like he had people he could compare notes with before.

Blue-eyes narrowed a bit, thinking, before he dropped out of the combat stance. "It's a spar, so I'm definitely not trying to hurt you. But...yes. I'm hiding my ki." A head-tilt, and there's that hint of smirk. "Most fighters who read ki or have some kind of device to assess a power level, will try to do so. So masking it is a good survival skill."

[neveraknight]

Look, she was only 'standard' organic. She was well fit and trained, but even the most awesome Jedi Masters got winded sometimes. It didn't mean she couldn't keep up. And maybe she shouldn't use the Force so much as she moved, but she knew no other way. It was an extension of her life really.

When he dropped out of combat stance, she drew back a bit as well, not in combat stance, but at the ready, in case it picked up suddenly. "I didn't think you would try to hurt me, but yes, I can sense some things. You have... a power that reads through the Force, but it's different. Natural but not." She said and lifted her head a he said most people read ki through a device. "I'm not sure if there is a device to read the Force, but I do understand hiding it. I've... learned to hide my presence a bit as well." Not like Barriss, who could hide herself so well, but she did a good job of it. On top of all that, her montrals were very good at picking up senses as well.

[light_of_willpower]

Trunks was impressed though, at least enough that he thought he could work well with Ahsoka. They were similar in ways that complimented each other, but had different strengths. "I can...sense you, but if I didn't know about your Force I'd think either you were masking it, or just untrained."

Confirming for her, and chalking up the difference to the fact that the two were different concepts. Some overlap, but enough differences to matter. "Should I stop masking it?" Trunks was amused, more than anything--a genuine grin on his face.

[neveraknight]

She rolled her neck, her hand coming behind a lekku to rub at her neck a moment. So far it's been a good spar. Enough to learn a bit of how he worked, though she had the feeling she hadn't seen him at his best. He's more than likely holding back, which is fine, but it felt good to have an idea of it all.

"If I concentrated and tried hard enough, I could shut down my presence all together, but I was never the best at that. Good, but not the best." She said, then lifted her head a bit as he said he could stop masking. She was curious. "If it would make you more comfortable. I have the feeling you're going to surprise me, if you do."

[light_of_willpower]

Trunks shrugged. "I'm comfortable now, honestly--I've had to learn how to do it as easily as I breathe." The masking, along with some other things she had no idea about. Watching her, the smile was easy and sympathetic as she rubbed her neck. Maybe her..hair? skin? whatever it was? Maybe it got itchy like the back of his did, when he sparred.

Another step back, keeping his hands out where she could see them, and obvious. A deep breath in, and out, and Trunks let the 'veil' drop so to speak. That feeling of presence intensified--this was a strong presence, burning bright like a spotlight filling a dark room to brighten it to day.

[neveraknight]

"That's a concept I understand too." She nodded as he said that, about learning to do it as easily as breathing. She settled, more relaxed a moment as he stepped back, hands to his sides. She would admit, she was curious. His hits and kicks were strong, and had she been a mote slower she'd have taken a damn good hit or three. She decided that if there were battles to come, he had the upper hand at being an unstoppable force. Then again she had THE Force, and she would do her best to be unstoppable as well.

As he unmasked, she watched... then a brow raised, then it raised a bit higher. Eyes wider, she watched him a moment. "I've felt Master Jedi and Sith alike with a presence as strong as yours." She admitted. Perhaps not as strong as Master Yoda, in a way, but still outstanding. It was a bit intimidating.

[light_of_willpower]

Ahsoka would be unstoppable in other ways, that she and Trunks would both come to find out. His role usually lay in being the shield for other people, and he was good at it. That she had been fast, and skilled, made him glad they would be working together. The hints of spirit she'd shown just cemented that feeling--as he suspected she could be as stubborn as he could, if not more so.

Her words though, and the clear surprise on his face, brought about a blush and his head ducked, eyes looking down slightly. "My Father's people were warriors, naturally adept at using ki, and stronger than humans." Offered as an explanation--not that Trunks hadn't put in his own hard work on it. "Like I said, it's in my blood." Then more quietly, a bit awkwardly too, as he went back to masking it once more. "...thank you for the compliment."

[neveraknight]

She grinned as he looked bashful at her comment. Hands on her his and head held high, she chuckled. "You were born of warriors. I was born of artisans. My people do not handle war or fighting, except for a small few. So I can't say I have that advantage, but I have life long training. Something which I have the feeling you have done as well. Or at least trained in general."

She gave a small bod of her bead to him next, hands together and low at her middle. "Thank you though, for holding back enough to spar with me." She dropped her hands again to her hips, head tilting a bit, smiling at him. "I think we might turn out working very well together. Put my sabers in my hands and I might even have a small chance against you." She teased.

[light_of_willpower]

"Yes...and no." Trunks responded, about the training. "I've been a fighter my whole life, but hadn't had anyone to properly train me, until Gohan when I was 14. That was just a few weeks...before he was killed." It still hurt, remembering--maybe if he'd BEEN there he could've done something. Part of him felt even worse, because he knew he wouldn't have listened---Gohan had been right to knock him out, or he'd have died too. A slight head-shake, bringing himself out of the memories.

Bowing low, to her and formal, a hint of laugh in his voice as he stayed in the position. "Thank you. Besides, sparring is a form of learning. You test someone, and challenge them--you don't hurt or kill them." Decidedly serious, but then his own eyebrow is raising. "Sabers...? Besides, I think you were holding back at times too."

[neveraknight]

She gave him a sad soft smile at that. One that said she does get what he might feel there, about losing someone. She tries not to focus on that for now. they only just met. No reason to drag the poor guy through bad memories. "Well, I'm impressed."

"Sparring is how you learn and grow, yes. And maybe I was holding back a little." She said, and brought both hands up and pushed forward, holding them there. He would feel a push. Nothing like she might have done to an entire army of Clankers, but a push that if he wasn't ready might knock him backwards or even off his feet. If he noticed much, the things on the walls near by, on either side, shook from the push as well.

"Sabers, yes." She also agreed, and while one hand was still up to that force push, the other darted out to the side, her full lightsaber called to her hand, floating swiftly through the air like a dart and into her palm. She swung her other hand over to do the same.

A moment later she had both weapons in her hands, one right side up, and the shorter one reversed. She stepped back with one foot, activated both with a woosh, and stood there, as if to be at the ready, smiling like a demon child, before relaxing, and holding the beams out to the side. "Lightsabers. A weapon of the Jedi."

[light_of_willpower]

The hint of blush remained, when she said she was impressed. Looking down a bit, then she was speaking again and he had a half-second to sense...something. It wasn't like dealing with a ki user--but he recognized whatever it was as the same thing she'd done while touching his hand earlier.

That half-second, arms coming up to brace himself and he was pushed back. Noticing the effects around him too, cataloging--it reminded him of the force expelled with certain ki attacks. Or powered-up transformations.

Eyes-narrowed, staying crouched as he slid an inch or two back, and then they were widening as she... did those two tube-things just fly into her hands and become weapons? That impressed him. "First--I can't do that. Secondly---I want one." For the first time in a long time, Trunks actually was grinning like a child.

[neveraknight]

She didn't intend to shove him very hard, but she was impressed that he only moved back a few inches. She wondered if she had really tried to blast him, if he would or not. Even Sith lords couldn't stand up to a full blast.

Still, she grinned back at him at that comment, and drawing her swords up, she touched the two together, making them hum, displaying what they sounded like. Withdrawing them she turned them off, the lights going away instantly.

"Not everyone can handle them." She said with a wink, and hooked one on her belt at her hip. "They are energy blades, focused through a crystal. These crystals I found myself. It took a while to focus myself into them, but they are mine, and we work well together."

A bit of a show off move, but she held the lightsaber out before her, and let her hand go, both hands whirling around it a moment, before it broke apart into 20 or so pieces, carefully disassembling it, to show a green stone in the center of it all. She let it all hover there a moment, before smiling from behind. Holding it there in the air. "If it was something I could teach you to learn to build, I would." She held it there, allowing him to look if he wanted to.