I'd go easy on you, I know you're not on my level. [ There is mischief in his grin. ] Yet.
Okay, so fighting with a lightsaber is a lot different than practicing with a sword. There's a button on the hilt that you press to ignite it. Go ahead and get a feel for it, first. It's certainly lighter, but that means you can manipulate it easier.
[ He demonstrates by turning his own on before spinning it with a flick of his wrist a few times. ]
Don't touch the blade. It won't be lethal in the Horizon, but it won't feel great.
[Mat repeats it as much for his own sake as to show Anakin he's paying attention. A button, alright. He inspects the metallic cylinder, turning it over gently in his hands just to get a sense of it. Yes, there's the button. And he can see how to hold it properly.
Alright. It's just a magic sword, unlike anything he's ever seen before. This is perfectly fine.
It doesn't feel very heavy, nor does the weight increase when he presses down on the ignition button, the column of light snapping into appearance with a soft whir of sound.]
Yep, just like that. Swinging a lightsaber is about intention, so you have to commit to it. Think of the blade as an extension of your arm instead of something you're just holding.
[ Anakin steps a little bit closer and slowly knocks his blade against Mat's. There's a burst of light and a deep buzz of energy as they clash. ]
Practice hitting your lightsaber against mine a few times. Promise I'll stay still.
I could do that...but I think it'd be much more fun to cut all sorts of different things. What can it cut through? I bet it could fell a tree like an axe...
[Mat is not, at his heart, inclined to martial pursuits. He's never had much interest in swordplay or pretending to be a soldier. Yes, he's sure Anakin's light blade is a fantastic weapon.
But he's also sure it slices through all manner of things like a hot knife through butter, and likely makes very worthwhile noises while doing so. That's far more interesting to him.
But he does like the little sparks and the buzzing sound, so he does knock the blade against Anakin's again. He wonders what it's like when the blade meets stone...]
[ He says it lightheartedly, at least? Honestly, Mat is no different than any initiate was, wanting to see what the raw power of a lightsaber was capable of under their own hand. It's refreshing dealing with someone who hasn't been given the same speeches about it. ]
Okay, here's the deal. You finish this obstacle course and you can have all the answers to that question. If you beat me, you can keep it.
[That's a simple fact. Anakin has had all manner of training. Mat spent his life fucking around the woods. He's mostly just aiming to finish the damn course without embarrassing himself.]
But I give you credit for trying to motivate me. Well then, suppose we ought get to it.
Ehh! [ He shrugs a shoulder and offers Mat a wink. ] You'd be surprised what the right motivation will do.
[ With a wave of his hand, parts of the obstacle course start to move in tandem. Oh..did he not say that some of it was going to be particularly challenging? Oops~ ]
What you'll give me is a few moments to study this monstrosity.
[Moving bits! Why are there moving bits? Mat's never done an actual obstacle course in his life. Shimmying under things and vaulting over them is all well and good, but when they're moving?
He needs to get a sense of it, how the bits move, their speed. That's just smart.]
This based on anything you did, when you were training? Or did you make it up?
No, no...I'm just not fool enough to go tilting off into all that without watching it first.
[It's all just...timing, right? Knowing the time of things, and their speed. Surely there's a rhythm to it.
Mat is watching it, intently. He's surprisingly focused, though his fingers tap against one another and his mouth is moving silently as he counts beats. It's clear he's gearing himself up for it and intends to give it a serious go.
What's also clear is that he's going to have to utilize something other than his go-to magics. Theoretically - and practically, at least within the context of lessons - Mat can do more than simply freeze things. It's only that he's most proficient at that.]
[ A part of him knows it's too much, but maybe Mat works better with adrenaline? Sometimes high risk yields a high reward or something. He's getting the rhythm down, Anakin can see his lips moving but no noise and the drumming of his fingers is definitely in tune. Interesting way to go about it, he likes it. ]
[Mat rolls his eyes. If he weren't counting beats, he'd have offered a sarcastic 'oh thank you' to Anakin. But he can't lose his rhythm, not when he's just about got it. It's all just patterns, really. Find the pattern and stay in step with it.
Easy as falling off a log.
He knows damn well he's going to get knocked onto his arse.
Ah well. First time and all, no one ought be expecting much from him.
Knowing he can't put it off any longer, Mat crouches and takes a deep breath and then he's off, jumping the wide gap at the start easily and flinging himself into the course. It's not like he can die here...it'll be fine.]
[ True to his word, Anakin gives him a pretty generous head start before he leaps into it. Honestly, Mat is doing better than he'd first anticipated, but he's happy about that. Maybe his training style is a little unorthodox for someone like Mat, but he wants to push him to show him just how powerful he can be. Especially when it comes to testing the limits of his magic.
He starts to catch up, bobbing and weaving through the obstacles but stays a few paces behind him until he can get through the worst of it. Just in case he falls. ]
[Mat does manage alright. For a time. As he'd thought, it's rhythm and patterns and keeping time. He's good at jumping and clambering over things. And he's fast.
Then there's the...spinning thing. He understands what he's supposed to do. Dodge through it while it spins. But, as the colloquial phrase goes, fuck to that. He has a better idea, born of late night boredom and poking around for things to do with Hennessy. And Anakin had given utterly no rules or guidelines, simply 'get through it'.
Utilizing only the abilities he has in the regular world, Mat tries something. He emits his inky black mist, while moving, letting the laws of wind and air push it forward around the spinning mechanism.
[ It's just as Mat thinks, it's all rhythm and patterns. It boils down to patience in some traps and pushing yourself in others. All of the obstacles work together in the end. There's a reason he hadn't given any ground rules to get through it, he wants to see what Mat comes up with.
When it happens, he's not disappointed. Anakin has to stop himself short of it staring in amazement at what he sees. The whole obstacle is shouded with black mist and not only stops but becomes coated in a thin layer of ice. He lets out a laugh of amazement, grabbing onto his friend's arm. ]
...Mist is full of water. Water freezes. All I can do reliably is make mist and freeze shit. I'm not getting my ass knocked out by that mad thing so I made my mist and froze it.
[Mat doesn't think it's that impressive. Creative, certainly, but it's just taking two things and putting them together. Literally the only two things he's confident with doing.
But still. There's that little sense of pride and satisfaction that comes sometimes in the moment. He hadthought cleverly. He's surprised Anakin. And more importantly he'd impressed Anakin, who's far more skilled and experienced at these things than him. That's something.
That's really something.]
Anyhow, no point in finishing now, as I'm just going to keep doing that, thereby defeating the whole point. But I do think I've earned myself a magic Horizon sword.
'All you can do'? Listen to you not even considering your potential. This is just a start, Mat. As all things are.
[ With a wave of his hand, he makes the obstacle disappear before looking back at Mat. He huffs a laugh, shaking his head. ]
Yeah, I'll say you have. This just means I have to give you some more challenge. It'll take me a few days to think of more. In the meantime, here. [ He unclips the saber from his belt and holds it out to Mat. It's definitely well-deserved and he can teach him lightsaber form later. ]
[Mat's just going to take the win and not argue. Yes, yes, it may just be the start but at the moment it is all that he can reliably do. But he's gaining control, that's what's important.
And he's won the fancy magic light sword. It doesn't matter that he doesn't know how to use a blade, it's the joy of winning. Particularly when he hadn't had high hopes - neither he nor Anakin had thought he stood much chance.]
Thank you, good sir! And now...if I may exert some control over your domain, I think we both deserve a break. And I know just how we ought to relax.
[As the space has been cleared with the vanishing of the obstacle course, Mat replaces it with a picturesque tiled pool of steaming violet colored water and a tray of refreshing drinks at its edge.]
[ Practice with the blade will come later if only to fulfill his own selfish desire for more sparring partners. Swordfighting is all well and good, but nothing gets the blood going quite like the electric feeling of lightsabers clashing. The fact that no one can be grievously injured in the Horizon because of them is also a plus.
He allows the change to his domain because he trusts Mat, watching with interest as everything melts away to form an ornate pool. Anakin raises an eyebrow, bending over to drag his fingers through the water. ]
[Mat just offers a grin. He'll never tire of the limitless potential of the Horizon, and all the ways he can make things unique.]
Now come on, let's have ourselves a nice soak. Magic always makes me feel drained and sore. Even here.
[Wasting no further time, he strips down and settles himself in the warm, pleasantly scented water. It's the perfect temperature, just enough to soothe agitated muscles without being uncomfortable.
He turns another grin to Anakin, eyes bright. In Mat's opinion, the other fellow is terrible at simply taking it easy and enjoying life. He's far too tense far too often. It's a damned shame, really. Poor man probably has tension aches on the regular. But Mat can do something about all of that.]
And just as you are my tutor in the ways of mystic powers, I am your guide to relaxing and enjoying life. So you're joining me. You can tell me more about the sort of things you can do with your own magic.
[ He doesn't play so much with the aspect that he can change literally anything to his color of choice in the Horizon, typically choosing to stick with how they come. Save for the blade of the lightsaber he'd created earlier in their training session. The blue hadn't felt right and while he knows that deep down the red is correct, he's not willing to accept that he's that lost to the Dark Side.
Following suit, Anakin sheds his own clothes and slips into the water. He lets out a pleased sigh as the warm water seeps into his muscles. Rolling his neck to release some of the tension, he settles near Mat. He laughs at the near-demand, expression amused as he regards his friend. ]
I'm capable of relaxing! We're even doing it right now, look at us go. What do you want to know?
[ While Anakin asks the question, he raises his hand slightly above the water to use the Force to float their drinks within arms reach, winking at Mat. ]
This? Anakin, this is the bare minimum when it comes to relaxing. And you, my friend...you are full of tensions. You need to release more steam more often. Trust me, it's bad for your health not to.
[And Mat has seen it before. All that tension kept inside, letting it simmer and build...it's not good. Mires the mind and all that. But this is a step in the right direction!]
Give me the chance, I'll make a proper hedonist out of you! But...ah, I don't know. Seems like you can do all different sorts of stuff with it. Is that hard? Making it do different things?
[His only context is the channeling he does himself, which he has found is very difficult to do different things with.]
[ Anakin scoffs, taking a sip of his drink. He's fully capable of relaxing, sitting in a nice warm pool with drinks is proof, right? ] Is that right? And how do you suggest I start doing that? I'm open to options, here.
[ He's pretty unsure that he could ever get to the level Mat is suggesting, but his friend seems to know more about it than he does, so he can follow the lead. ]
Honestly? Sometimes it feels like there's nothing you can't do with it. It makes me a better pilot, it makes me a stronger fighter. I could raze the mountain if I focused hard enough, and I can kill without laying a hand on someone if I needed to. All it takes is practice and a certain amount of talent.
[Mat shakes his head and takes a drink. Light! It's just like channeling, just like the Aes Sedai. Or what they were, before the White Tower did everything possible to try and regulate and rein in all that magical ability. Even Anakin, in his litany, admits how dangerous it is.]
I sometimes wonder if anyone ought have that much power. It doesn't seem right. Even the best of folks...feels like that much power, it'd be too easy to use it wrong. Back home there's so many rules Aes Sedai have to live by, so many oaths they have to take. And it only does so much good...
[A sigh. He hasn't seen anything like that here, no binding oaths to keep the mages in line. Or maybe it's just not something that's common knowledge. He's never asked.
But there are far more interesting and pleasant things to discuss.]
And I am right about you and all your tensions. And holding all that power doesn't help, just adds to your sense of stress and responsibility. To be quite honest with you, my dear friend, you need to fuck. Badly. A good casual fuck'll set you right.
[ The Jedi always preached about the Light Side of the Force, how it is a beacon of good and hope, and to fall to the Dark is from a weak mind or heart. Yet Anakin had always leaned a little closer to it than everyone was comfortable with. To him, his emotions and attachments made him strong, and gave him something worth fighting for. Anakin hums at his question, contemplating.
He's always wanted more and he knew he shouldn't. If it could stop people from dying, what was truly the harm in it? ]
Perhaps they're not as knowledgeable about it as they seem. To truly understand that kind of power, it makes sense that you would want to know it yourself.
[ Well, congratulations, Mat, the distraction is a success. Anakin sputters out an incredulous laugh, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. ]
Oh, is that all? I hate to bear the bad news, but I've never done casual before. [ He's never been casual about anything in his entire life. ]
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Okay, so fighting with a lightsaber is a lot different than practicing with a sword. There's a button on the hilt that you press to ignite it. Go ahead and get a feel for it, first. It's certainly lighter, but that means you can manipulate it easier.
[ He demonstrates by turning his own on before spinning it with a flick of his wrist a few times. ]
Don't touch the blade. It won't be lethal in the Horizon, but it won't feel great.
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[Mat repeats it as much for his own sake as to show Anakin he's paying attention. A button, alright. He inspects the metallic cylinder, turning it over gently in his hands just to get a sense of it. Yes, there's the button. And he can see how to hold it properly.
Alright. It's just a magic sword, unlike anything he's ever seen before. This is perfectly fine.
It doesn't feel very heavy, nor does the weight increase when he presses down on the ignition button, the column of light snapping into appearance with a soft whir of sound.]
Huh...
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[ Anakin steps a little bit closer and slowly knocks his blade against Mat's. There's a burst of light and a deep buzz of energy as they clash. ]
Practice hitting your lightsaber against mine a few times. Promise I'll stay still.
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[Mat is not, at his heart, inclined to martial pursuits. He's never had much interest in swordplay or pretending to be a soldier. Yes, he's sure Anakin's light blade is a fantastic weapon.
But he's also sure it slices through all manner of things like a hot knife through butter, and likely makes very worthwhile noises while doing so. That's far more interesting to him.
But he does like the little sparks and the buzzing sound, so he does knock the blade against Anakin's again. He wonders what it's like when the blade meets stone...]
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[ He says it lightheartedly, at least? Honestly, Mat is no different than any initiate was, wanting to see what the raw power of a lightsaber was capable of under their own hand. It's refreshing dealing with someone who hasn't been given the same speeches about it. ]
Okay, here's the deal. You finish this obstacle course and you can have all the answers to that question. If you beat me, you can keep it.
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[That's a simple fact. Anakin has had all manner of training. Mat spent his life fucking around the woods. He's mostly just aiming to finish the damn course without embarrassing himself.]
But I give you credit for trying to motivate me. Well then, suppose we ought get to it.
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[ With a wave of his hand, parts of the obstacle course start to move in tandem. Oh..did he not say that some of it was going to be particularly challenging? Oops~ ]
I'll even give you a headstart.
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[Moving bits! Why are there moving bits? Mat's never done an actual obstacle course in his life. Shimmying under things and vaulting over them is all well and good, but when they're moving?
He needs to get a sense of it, how the bits move, their speed. That's just smart.]
This based on anything you did, when you were training? Or did you make it up?
[Either way, the advantage is Anakin's.]
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[ He says probably, but it's not as if he'll let Mat fail, either. ]
A little training, a little real-life experience. Is it too much?
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[It's all just...timing, right? Knowing the time of things, and their speed. Surely there's a rhythm to it.
Mat is watching it, intently. He's surprisingly focused, though his fingers tap against one another and his mouth is moving silently as he counts beats. It's clear he's gearing himself up for it and intends to give it a serious go.
What's also clear is that he's going to have to utilize something other than his go-to magics. Theoretically - and practically, at least within the context of lessons - Mat can do more than simply freeze things. It's only that he's most proficient at that.]
This timed, or we racing?
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[ A part of him knows it's too much, but maybe Mat works better with adrenaline? Sometimes high risk yields a high reward or something. He's getting the rhythm down, Anakin can see his lips moving but no noise and the drumming of his fingers is definitely in tune. Interesting way to go about it, he likes it. ]
I'll give you a generous head start.
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Easy as falling off a log.
He knows damn well he's going to get knocked onto his arse.
Ah well. First time and all, no one ought be expecting much from him.
Knowing he can't put it off any longer, Mat crouches and takes a deep breath and then he's off, jumping the wide gap at the start easily and flinging himself into the course. It's not like he can die here...it'll be fine.]
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He starts to catch up, bobbing and weaving through the obstacles but stays a few paces behind him until he can get through the worst of it. Just in case he falls. ]
You still good?
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Then there's the...spinning thing. He understands what he's supposed to do. Dodge through it while it spins. But, as the colloquial phrase goes, fuck to that. He has a better idea, born of late night boredom and poking around for things to do with Hennessy. And Anakin had given utterly no rules or guidelines, simply 'get through it'.
Utilizing only the abilities he has in the regular world, Mat tries something. He emits his inky black mist, while moving, letting the laws of wind and air push it forward around the spinning mechanism.
And then he freezes it solid.]
I think I'm doing just fine!
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When it happens, he's not disappointed. Anakin has to stop himself short of it staring in amazement at what he sees. The whole obstacle is shouded with black mist and not only stops but becomes coated in a thin layer of ice. He lets out a laugh of amazement, grabbing onto his friend's arm. ]
What did you do?! This is amazing!
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[Mat doesn't think it's that impressive. Creative, certainly, but it's just taking two things and putting them together. Literally the only two things he's confident with doing.
But still. There's that little sense of pride and satisfaction that comes sometimes in the moment. He hadthought cleverly. He's surprised Anakin. And more importantly he'd impressed Anakin, who's far more skilled and experienced at these things than him. That's something.
That's really something.]
Anyhow, no point in finishing now, as I'm just going to keep doing that, thereby defeating the whole point. But I do think I've earned myself a magic Horizon sword.
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[ With a wave of his hand, he makes the obstacle disappear before looking back at Mat. He huffs a laugh, shaking his head. ]
Yeah, I'll say you have. This just means I have to give you some more challenge. It'll take me a few days to think of more. In the meantime, here. [ He unclips the saber from his belt and holds it out to Mat. It's definitely well-deserved and he can teach him lightsaber form later. ]
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And he's won the fancy magic light sword. It doesn't matter that he doesn't know how to use a blade, it's the joy of winning. Particularly when he hadn't had high hopes - neither he nor Anakin had thought he stood much chance.]
Thank you, good sir! And now...if I may exert some control over your domain, I think we both deserve a break. And I know just how we ought to relax.
[As the space has been cleared with the vanishing of the obstacle course, Mat replaces it with a picturesque tiled pool of steaming violet colored water and a tray of refreshing drinks at its edge.]
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He allows the change to his domain because he trusts Mat, watching with interest as everything melts away to form an ornate pool. Anakin raises an eyebrow, bending over to drag his fingers through the water. ]
Well, I've never seen water this color before.
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[Mat just offers a grin. He'll never tire of the limitless potential of the Horizon, and all the ways he can make things unique.]
Now come on, let's have ourselves a nice soak. Magic always makes me feel drained and sore. Even here.
[Wasting no further time, he strips down and settles himself in the warm, pleasantly scented water. It's the perfect temperature, just enough to soothe agitated muscles without being uncomfortable.
He turns another grin to Anakin, eyes bright. In Mat's opinion, the other fellow is terrible at simply taking it easy and enjoying life. He's far too tense far too often. It's a damned shame, really. Poor man probably has tension aches on the regular. But Mat can do something about all of that.]
And just as you are my tutor in the ways of mystic powers, I am your guide to relaxing and enjoying life. So you're joining me. You can tell me more about the sort of things you can do with your own magic.
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...You know what, that's on me. You're right.
[ He doesn't play so much with the aspect that he can change literally anything to his color of choice in the Horizon, typically choosing to stick with how they come. Save for the blade of the lightsaber he'd created earlier in their training session. The blue hadn't felt right and while he knows that deep down the red is correct, he's not willing to accept that he's that lost to the Dark Side.
Following suit, Anakin sheds his own clothes and slips into the water. He lets out a pleased sigh as the warm water seeps into his muscles. Rolling his neck to release some of the tension, he settles near Mat. He laughs at the near-demand, expression amused as he regards his friend. ]
I'm capable of relaxing! We're even doing it right now, look at us go. What do you want to know?
[ While Anakin asks the question, he raises his hand slightly above the water to use the Force to float their drinks within arms reach, winking at Mat. ]
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[And Mat has seen it before. All that tension kept inside, letting it simmer and build...it's not good. Mires the mind and all that. But this is a step in the right direction!]
Give me the chance, I'll make a proper hedonist out of you! But...ah, I don't know. Seems like you can do all different sorts of stuff with it. Is that hard? Making it do different things?
[His only context is the channeling he does himself, which he has found is very difficult to do different things with.]
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[ He's pretty unsure that he could ever get to the level Mat is suggesting, but his friend seems to know more about it than he does, so he can follow the lead. ]
Honestly? Sometimes it feels like there's nothing you can't do with it. It makes me a better pilot, it makes me a stronger fighter. I could raze the mountain if I focused hard enough, and I can kill without laying a hand on someone if I needed to. All it takes is practice and a certain amount of talent.
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[Mat shakes his head and takes a drink. Light! It's just like channeling, just like the Aes Sedai. Or what they were, before the White Tower did everything possible to try and regulate and rein in all that magical ability. Even Anakin, in his litany, admits how dangerous it is.]
I sometimes wonder if anyone ought have that much power. It doesn't seem right. Even the best of folks...feels like that much power, it'd be too easy to use it wrong. Back home there's so many rules Aes Sedai have to live by, so many oaths they have to take. And it only does so much good...
[A sigh. He hasn't seen anything like that here, no binding oaths to keep the mages in line. Or maybe it's just not something that's common knowledge. He's never asked.
But there are far more interesting and pleasant things to discuss.]
And I am right about you and all your tensions. And holding all that power doesn't help, just adds to your sense of stress and responsibility. To be quite honest with you, my dear friend, you need to fuck. Badly. A good casual fuck'll set you right.
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He's always wanted more and he knew he shouldn't. If it could stop people from dying, what was truly the harm in it? ]
Perhaps they're not as knowledgeable about it as they seem. To truly understand that kind of power, it makes sense that you would want to know it yourself.
[ Well, congratulations, Mat, the distraction is a success. Anakin sputters out an incredulous laugh, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. ]
Oh, is that all? I hate to bear the bad news, but I've never done casual before. [ He's never been casual about anything in his entire life. ]
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