From that lesson onward, this study became the thing which occupied Rey whenever she was off-duty. Her theory studies – reading and transcribing from the ancient texts and other holocrons – continued, but tactical, technical and other matters largely fell by the wayside for now. Poe raised an eyebrow, but Leia had spoken and he made nothing of it.
As her virtual instructor dictated, Rey began with Form I. "Shii-Cho," Drallig said, "in keeping with its prototypical roots, involves utilising the Force in a way that some might deem unsophisticated. Just as the swordplay is raw, so the user fights with an emotionally heated mindset. That requires caution; one must guard against the temptation to attack with lethal intent – unless, of course, your opponent isn't giving you the choice."
Rey was familiar with that temptation. Not from before she joined the Resistance – her scuffles on Jakku were never lethal except for the nastiest of wild animals attacked – but after that point, almost all her fights had been lethal.
Now it was something of a challenge to rein herself in, or at least to always be ready to do so. What's more, now she had to consciously connect to the Force when she carried out that routine.
The mere notion of that was intimidating. The first time, she'd done it only with the intent of fighting and been swept up in the urge to overbear Kylo Ren, to maul him, even kill him. The second time, on Ach-To, had been its own kind of overwhelming, reaching out in an unguarded manner and almost being sucked down into the whirlpool of the darkness.
But the third time, on Crait, she had found balance, centring herself in a purpose and letting that steady her. That sense of ease, the way the rocks she moved had seemed to come loose of their own accord and float as if weightless.. that was what she needed.
So Rey began that process now. Closing her eyes, she allowed everything to fall away, emptying her mind until the buzz of thoughts was replaced by something like a steady hum. Peace, the embrace of the Living Force. And within it, herself. Rey – just Rey – standing strong. For a few moments, Rey held herself still, sinking further into it. Then she settled into the first position.
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The sessions quickly acquired their own routine. She watched Drallig run through the motions, studied the forms of Shii-Cho enough that she could recall them from memory. Each time, she would watch the swordmaster perform the kata. When she'd watched enough, she ran through the motions.
It wasn't too far from her own methods, the staff combat which she'd learned as a child and then applied in the brief time when she had wielded the Skywalker saber. Form I was raw, inelegant even, but dogged and deliberate in a way that appealed to her. Determination had, after all, been one of the traits which had kept her alive on Jakku.
So Rey had committed to study, memorising patterns attacking and parry, body target zones, and running through the "velocities", the attack drills which she was expected to follow. In some ways that was a challenge all its own, cutting back most of her own flourishes and simplifying the moves. Still, with practice she found a way into it, and found there was something to it, a flow and a fluidity which had eluded her fighting in the past.
The nature of her staff meant some modifications in its own right. It was handy for sweeping attacks, but didn't lend quite so readily to the quick changes of angle and jabbing attacks which a classic lightsaber made possible. Granted, she'd already said goodbye to the prospect of impaling an opponent until she found a Kyber crystal and made herself a lightsaber.
Probably shouldn't think that quite so ruefully, she chastised herself. Not a very Jedi thought. Definitely shouldn't say it, especially not in front of Kaydel or Rose. She turned her thoughts back to her practice.
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But it was one thing to master the movements. To open one's mind to the Force, to bring and bring body and spirit into harmony and to make the Form the means of that, was quite another.
Raise to saber position three, sweep from high six to low two. She moved across the floor, feeling the Force dispersing and rebounding in her wake. Her mere presence had a potency to it now.
That curl of turbulence continued as she settled into the next position. Her staff continued the motion of her sweep from high one, Rey redirecting it just so to flow into a twirl, ending in low four.
The Force was like a disturbed ocean's swell in her wake, a tide she rode as the kata followed on, middle two into a block and the Force was there as well, it curled into her hands and she felt the current guiding her forward.
Cross there, and a high two – no, something's off… The tides were shifting around her and there was a spark from inside, an image flashed, and-
Rey's flow came apart, dispersing like moisture in the air of Jakku. There was a clatter as her staff hit the stone, shock-coils shorting out. She staggered, slipping to one knee, the sudden light painful to her unready eyes. There she stayed, bereft, the sudden absence leaving her feeling weak and destabilised.
She breathed, trying to slow the rising aggravation and start again. This was the seventh time she'd failed this kata, and it was growing harder and harder to start again each time. I'm getting worse. How?
"Rey," came Leia's voice. Rey wheeled around, and saw her sat in a corner. She'd been too caught up to notice the older woman enter. "I think you've been at this long enough tonight."
"I'm close to getting there," Rey protested.
"You are," the general said kindly. "But I don't believe you're going to get any closer tonight, Rey. You'll just be spending energy, spoiling your mood and building treacherous habits for yourself." Leia got up slowly, masking the tremor that Rey knew was there in her muscles, and beckoned to her.
Leia took Rey's hand, clasping with both of hers. "To unlearn the old motions and take in the new is one thing. But as you've gleaned from the Holocron itself, that's only one component. The deeper part of it is the spiritual one, and for a young woman who's lacked for this kind of training until now, that will be difficult. Of course it will be difficult, Rey."
Rey sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I guess. I forget that, and I haven't got a context for my own progression. You might be the only person left in the Galaxy who really knows how a Jedi is meant to grow."
"Then know that a Jedi is meant to rest, like anyone else." Leia squeezed her hand once before letting go. "Sleep it off, consult the holocron again tomorrow, and then come back fresh to the routines."
Rey bowed her head, and retrieved the staff. "Yes, General."
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When she started up the Holocron the next day, Drallig appeared to have read her mind – and seemed have much the same view as Leia. "If you are consulting me at this point, you've most likely hit a stumbling block. For those lucky few who have not, try not to feel too pleased with yourselves – you will most likely find your own setback in the near future and need to hear these words then.
"In any case, this is one of the truest lessons you will learn in this entire process. You've memorised the movements, but that is only one part of mastering a Form. As we have spoken of, the other side of the matter is spiritual. To speak of the Force flowing through you is not a metaphor. You must attune to it, and learn to think of its ebb and flow as guidance, not interference."
Rey's stylus tapped against her tablet as she took notes.
"Trust the Force, Padawan. For trust is what defines a Jedi against most other Force-users. It is not a power that we wield, but an energy which we welcome into ourselves and are thus empowered by."
That sounded like Luke, Rey thought, and it was enough to make her smile again.
"So now, meditate. Take that trust into your heart, let your frustration and anger lose their hold on you, and let the Force in."
Rey did as she was bade, allowing her emotions to fall away again. The Force spilled into the spaces they left behind, bringing her back to the peaceful awareness of before. "Don't rush it," came Drallig's voice. "Come back to the centre, hold there, and only then, resume."
Rey nodded. Then, stilling the image of a second, she rose and did her stretches, before calling her staff into her hand.
"And now, we begin anew."
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And this time, it worked. Rey was fluid, bending rather than breaking under the pressures of the Force. She let it steer her blade, broadening her awareness and letting the movements come to her. The kata began to feel natural rather than merely simplistic, and with the Force to guide her, she found the rhythm became fluid rather than the choppiness of her early attempts.
She began deflection practice too, happily still feasible with an electrostaff, in the following weeks. Snap Wexley had presented her with a little practice droid – "I thought could refine the old floating ball a little for you, kid" – and Rey would go for hours at a time, learning to anticipate with the Force and counter a shot which hadn't yet been fired.
And now, the first spar since she'd begun this training, a full month ago. "Ready?" Finn called, bringing his practice baton into guard position.
Rey settled into her own posture, muscles tensing. This was their first spar since she'd begun the story of the Forms. She closed her eyes, breathing slowly, letting her mind empty. And there, waiting for her, was that guiding light.
Her eyes snapped open. "Ready."
As they began, trading the first few flurries, she could already feel the improvement. Before, she'd be trying to read her sparring partner, find the best defence or attack. Now, it just came to her. The Force guided the staff, leading her to high three, mid four, high again for two. Then it led her to mid two, low six…
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"Holy!" Finn eventually gasped, after Rey knocked him on his back for the third time. His training baton went skittering across the floor.
Sun djiem, Rey thought, satisfied. Then she turned back to her friend.
Finn smiled ruefully, shaking his head as he got his breath back. "Rey, what's happened in the last couple weeks?"
Rey leaned on her staff, grinning, before she knelt down to help him up. "I found myself a form."
