Lesson Three: Lightsabers

As Braylen walked into his shop, the familiar scent of oil and metal greeted him. It had been three long months since his last job, and the first place he decided to check on was his workshop. To his surprise, there was Anakin, sitting at the workbench, focused on something small and mechanical.

"Ani, I see you decided to make use of my shop while I was away," Braylen said with a smirk, walking closer.

Anakin turned around, a huge grin spreading across his face. "Braylen, you're back! Guess what!"

Braylen chuckled. "What?"

"I managed to connect with the Force through meditation!" Anakin said excitedly.

"That's great, Ani. I knew you could do it," Braylen said, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. He glanced down at the workbench and noticed something. "What's that you've got there?"

"Oh, this?" Anakin gestured to the small droid on the bench. "It's actually the final piece of your welcome home gift. Since you're here, I can go ahead and show you."

Anakin quickly put the last piece into place on the droid, flipping a switch. The droid's lights flickered on, and it began to whir to life. A few beeps and boops followed as it turned its domed head toward Braylen.

"I found this old beat-up astromech droid in here when I was cleaning up the place," Anakin explained. "Just give me a second and I'll introduce you. BB9, this is Braylen. Braylen, this is BB9."

The droid rolled forward, chirping cheerfully.

Braylen crouched down and nodded at the droid. "It's nice to meet you, BB9."

Standing back up, Braylen looked at Anakin with genuine admiration. "Ani, you repaired this droid all by yourself?"

Anakin nodded proudly. "Yes!"

"That's impressive, Ani. You've got a real talent." Braylen smiled, ruffling the boy's hair. "What do you say we head over to see your mom together? Then after dinner, I'll tell you all about what I'll be teaching you next."

Anakin's eyes lit up with excitement. "Absolutely!"

"Mom, I'm home!" Anakin called out as he burst through the door.

"Ani?" Shimi's voice echoed from the other room, followed by the sound of her hurried footsteps. "What are you doing home so early? Normally, I have to come and get you."

Before Anakin could answer, Braylen stepped through the doorway, a warm smile on his face. "Surprise."

Shimi's eyes widened as she saw Braylen. "Braylen, you're back!" She quickly moved toward him, a mix of relief and happiness in her expression. "Come in, come in. Dinner's almost ready."

The three of them settled in for dinner, the smells of a hearty meal filling the cozy space. As they ate, Anakin eagerly launched into stories about what he had been up to while Braylen was away.

"And I've been keeping up with my meditations, just like you taught me!" Anakin said excitedly between bites. "I finally managed to connect with the Force on my own."

Braylen nodded, proud. "I heard about that. That's impressive, Ani. I knew you'd get there. It takes patience and discipline, but you're making real progress."

Anakin beamed, his eyes shining with excitement. "Yeah, sometimes it's frustrating, but when I do it right, it feels... peaceful. Like I can sense everything around me."

Shimi smiled warmly as she listened, her eyes moving between Braylen and Anakin. "He's been very dedicated," she added. "Every day, no matter what else is going on, he makes time for his meditations."

Braylen smiled, feeling the warmth of being home. "That's good to hear. You're doing great, Ani. Keep it up, and soon enough, you'll be ready for the next steps."

Anakin's face lit up with anticipation. "I can't wait to find out what that is!"

Braylen leaned back in his chair, a smile playing on his lips as he looked at Anakin. "Well, I guess now is as good a time as any to tell you that starting tomorrow, we'll be learning how to use lightsabers."

Anakin's eyes went wide with excitement, his fork clattering onto his plate. "Really?! Lightsabers?"

Braylen nodded, suppressing a grin at Anakin's enthusiasm. "That's right. You've made great progress with your meditations, so now it's time to take the next step in your training. Meet me at my shop tomorrow, and I'll have something set up to help us train."

Anakin practically bounced in his seat, unable to contain his excitement. "I can't believe it! I'm finally going to learn how to use a lightsaber!"

Shimi chuckled softly, though there was a hint of concern in her eyes. "Just... be careful, both of you."

Braylen nodded reassuringly. "Don't worry, Shimi. We'll take things slow, and I'll make sure Ani learns to handle it safely."

Anakin could barely sit still, the thought of tomorrow's training running through his mind. "I can't wait!"

On one side of the room, a series of wobble balls hovered in the air, lifted by repulsors. Braylen explained that these would be used during sparring matches, where they would use the Force to pluck the balls out of the air and launch them at each other. It was a drill meant to teach focus and help them learn how to avoid distractions in the middle of combat.

On the opposite side of the room, Braylen had set up several Marksman-H training remotes. Their job was simple: shoot non-lethal blaster bolts at the trainees, forcing them to deflect the shots with their lightsabers, sharpening their reflexes and precision.

And in the center of the room was a multi-purpose sparring ring, large enough to accommodate lightsaber duels and other close-combat training exercises.

Anakin's eyes lit up with excitement as he took in the setup. "Wow... this is amazing! You really did all this?"

Braylen grinned and nodded. "I told you I'd have something special set up. Today, we start with the basics. You've made great progress with your meditations, but now it's time to train your body and mind to work together."

Anakin stepped into the sparring ring, his excitement barely contained. "So... when do we start?"

Braylen handed him a training lightsaber, its weight and balance perfect for a beginner. "Right now. Get ready, Ani. Today is the first step on a long journey."

As Anakin ignited his training saber, the hum of the blade filled the room, and he looked up at Braylen, eager to begin. "I'm ready."

Braylen smiled, igniting his own lightsaber. "Let's see what you've got."

Braylen stood before Anakin, holding his training saber with a calm, confident posture. "Alright, Ani," he began, "today we're starting with the basics. I'm going to teach you the Shii-Cho stance. It's one of the oldest lightsaber forms—basic, but effective. Many Jedi fall back on it, especially when they need to center themselves in battle."

He shifted his feet into a wide stance, lowering his center of gravity. His blade pointed forward in a neutral guard position. "Shii-Cho is about simplicity and balance. You won't see any fancy flourishes here, just straightforward movements. But don't underestimate it—it's incredibly useful when things get chaotic. In fact, it's known as 'The Way of the Sarlacc' for its ability to handle multiple attackers."

Anakin watched closely, mimicking Braylen's stance, adjusting his posture as he followed his master's guidance. Braylen nodded in approval, moving closer to help fine-tune Anakin's positioning. "Your feet need to be firmly planted. Your body should be relaxed but ready to strike or defend in any direction. The goal is to remain adaptable."

Anakin took a deep breath, refocusing. Braylen gave a small smile. "Good. Remember, this form is about discipline. In time, you'll be able to anticipate your opponent's moves, but for now, focus on mastering this foundation."

He stepped back, gesturing for Anakin to take a few practice swings. "Alright, now give it a try. I want you to feel the flow of the form—smooth, controlled movements. Let the Force guide you."

As Anakin swung the saber, Braylen observed carefully, ready to make adjustments where necessary. "Good, Ani. Keep practicing. Mastery of Shii-Cho will give you the skills to build upon as we explore more advanced techniques."

Braylen smiled at Anakin's curiosity. "Form V: Djem So and Shien, huh? Alright, I can show you. It's a little more advanced than Shii-Cho, but since you're eager, I'll give you a demonstration."

He stepped to the center of the sparring ring, adjusting his grip on his lightsaber. "Form V is all about power and counter-attacks. There are two versions—Shien is for deflecting blaster bolts and turning them back on your enemies, while Djem So is for lightsaber duels, where you take the opponent's strikes and turn them against them."

Braylen's posture shifted as he assumed the stance of Form V. His body was strong, with his lightsaber held at an angle ready to parry or strike back with force. "It's an aggressive form. You don't just defend—you make your enemy regret ever swinging at you."

He raised his blade, and with a quick, fluid motion, brought it down in a powerful overhead strike. The saber hummed through the air, the sheer force behind it palpable. "Djem So is about overwhelming strength. You block an attack, then immediately push back with a counterstrike."

He pivoted, demonstrating a sequence of moves that blended defense with powerful, decisive strikes. Each swing was precise, each movement flowing smoothly into the next. "It's not just brute force, though. You still have to be in control, or you'll overextend."

Braylen then switched stances slightly, showing Shien, holding his saber lower, angled toward the ground. "Now, Shien. This form is for deflecting blaster bolts. It's a bit more reactive—deflect, redirect, and keep moving."

He simulated blocking an incoming shot, flicking his blade in a sharp motion to "deflect" the imaginary blaster bolt back toward its source.

"See how fluid it is?" he said, finishing his demonstration. "Form V is about dominating the fight. If you learn it, you'll be able to handle anything thrown at you. But it's not something you rush into. Master Shii-Cho first—then, we'll get to this."

Anakin watched in awe. "That was amazing! I can't wait to learn it!"

Braylen chuckled. "In time, Ani. You'll get there. But for now, let's stick with the basics."

"Ow, that really stung!" Anakin winced, rubbing his arm where the training remote had zapped him.

Braylen chuckled softly, standing back with his arms crossed. "Yeah, it'll sting for a while, but it's part of learning. Bruises and burns build strength, and soon enough, you'll be dodging and deflecting those blasts like it's second nature."

Anakin adjusted the flight helmet, trying to focus despite the darkness behind the visor. "I still don't see how I'm supposed to block anything if I can't see."

Braylen stepped closer and knelt to Ani's height, his tone growing serious. "Ani, the key is to stop relying on your eyes. The Force is your ally, and when you learn to trust it, you won't need your eyes. The remote may be fast, but the Force is faster. Feel it around you, let it guide your movements."

Anakin hesitated, taking a deep breath. "Okay, I'll try."

Braylen nodded and stepped back, activating the training remote again. The small droid floated around Anakin, and a red bolt of energy fired out. This time, instead of trying to react with just his instincts, Anakin focused on feeling the pulse of the Force.

Another zap struck him, but he was ready this time—he didn't let the pain stop him. A few more shots buzzed past before, finally, with a quick flick of his training saber, Anakin deflected one of the blaster bolts.

"I did it!" Anakin exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement. "I actually did it!"

Braylen grinned beneath his calm exterior. "See? You're getting there. But don't get cocky. You still have a long way to go."

The remote whirred to life again, and Anakin prepared himself, his grip tightening on the hilt of the lightsaber.

"This is just the beginning, Ani," Braylen said, watching the young boy. "Keep your focus, and soon, the Force will be more natural to you than breathing."

Anakin's determination set in, ready for the next volley of training, eager to prove himself.