Day 001: A Beginning

[ladyofthesands.livejournal.com]

She was early, a whole hour early, but she used her time wisely to stretch and prepare herself in this Jed-Eye-like space.  There were no discs to fight, so she did the long meditative routine that was her own.  It was dance and form, smooth, perfect movement that wasted no energy.  It was something to be lost within with its clean lines and sweeping gestures.  She was centered, aware, and felt the Force clearly.  She understood, now, that one did not take the Force like one would take a weapon.  It was used like a sense--like the stretching of the mind to read thoughts and to sense danger.

Now, she felt as if she were playing a children's game with it, letting it lead her through her routine, letting it guide her movements.  Surrendering control.  Arha continued on even after she picked out Obi-Wan's tread.  Her final turn brought her before him, where she slid into the root position, sitting with her legs crossed.

And then flashed him a smile of greeting.

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[ladyofthesands.livejournal.com]

"Perhaps not the twentieth time," Arha said with a soft sigh. She studied the way he held himself, the way he moved, the way the Force felt when he used it. And yet, as she tried it once more, it slipped away from her. Again. Again. Again. Like sand through her fingers.

He did so easily, like hefting it in a bare hand, and yet it remained out of her reach like a sugared cactus fruit reserved for someone else. Arha refused to be disappointed and redoubled her efforts. Like new muscles never used before, she would work on this until it was nothing but muscle memory. Again, again, again. Failure, failure, failure.

And again.

The feel of it was better each time she tried, more familiar, but it did not come to fruition. Again! She bore down upon herself once more, keeping each facet of her body and mind aligned, and then she reached yet again. This time, the shape of it was defined and almost perfectly solid. She could feel it.

And she failed, again, to even nudge it.

[jedimacguyver.livejournal.com]

"Easy now, don't hurt yourself," came the soft teasing, "It will come, eventually."

Obi-Wan settled down to wait. Ah, this could almost be peaceful, a nice quite day to recenter and reflect, and listen to the soft pings of the Force as Arha tried her best to make the inert move to her will. Many had trouble with this, but not, he thought, for the same reasons she did. Arha had something of the Force in her and that was the fault of Luke, and Obi-Wan himself. It wasn't enough to do much, not yet, but maybe it would grow, with practice.

[ladyofthesands.livejournal.com]

Arha said nothing, though she opened an eye to peer at him for a long moment. She closed it, her expression one of deep determination, and kept working. It was no small thing, this. It required skill, patience, and the will to not move until what was done for this day was done. Again she tried, again she failed. Always the Force slipped away from her as if telling her to do it again, to strengthen her senses, to use and build and keep grasping.

It was as if she were a child again, just starting out with prana bindu. The pinkie toe would not bend without the other toes. And so she had practiced for months. Months and months as a child. If it took as long to move the ball, she would do it, for she was committed to this.

Again, again.

And again.

And again.

Time itself would pass, but she gave no indication of stopping on any account. Flexing and building and working, this was what she did. She would not break unless Obi-Wan said she must, nor would she give away any indication of weakness. Nothing came, but the image of the ball became sharper, more focused. Each time she tried, something else sharpened.

And that pleased her.