Two

Chapter 15

Nima wore the dark blue cloak as she trained. Maul always wore his Sith robes so she figured she could learn to fight while wearing the cloak. She finished her lap around the lake, it had taken a lot longer than she had expected it to. But now she could learn how to use a blaster and practice with it before returning to practising her blocks with the strange stick.

“This cloak is a little distracting,” Nima said as she watched it as she twirled. “But I want to get used to it.”
“You like it then?”
“Of course I do!” she exclaimed with a smile on her face. “I’ve never had a cloak before.” He had the hint of a smile on his face again.
“It was a good gift then.”
Nima nodded. “All of your gifts have been brilliant.”

Maul seemed content with the answer and started teaching her different ways of striking her opponent, making sure to point out which ones would not work with a lightsaber. Nima quickly decided that she preferred this to shooting with the blaster, if only because she was better with the stick.

Eventually, they returned to practising with the blaster after eating lunch since it was far less tiring. It was frustrating. She was far worse at it.

“You have only started using the blaster today,” said Maul. “You will not be good at it.”
“But it’s just so different,” she sighed. “And I know if I practice I’ll get better, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating.”
“You’ll have to learn to not get too irritated with it and yourself,” he said. “My anger and frustration fuels me, but they impede you.”
“So how do I deal with it?”

Maul stared at her and then motioned for her to follow him. She did so and found herself in a spot she hadn't expected her to be standing it.

It was where Maul meditated.

Somehow it felt like she was intruding. This seemed to be a spot that much meant to him.

He sat down in front of her, cross-legged and gestured for her to do the same. Nima sat, crossing her legs and waiting patiently for instructions.
“My meditation allows me to focus my anger and frustration, to let it enhance my strength, agility, and my connection to the Force,” he explained. “You are not Force-Sensitive. And you do not lean towards the light or dark from what I can tell.”
“Is that a good thing?” she asked.
“I can't tell yet,” he replied. It seemed to be an honest answer.
“Alright, so what do I do?”

“Close your eyes and focus on your anger. Acknowledge it, acknowledge why it is that you are angry.” Hesitantly, Nima closed her eyes, not sure if it would work for her when she couldn't use the Force.

But she was angry, and frustrated. Mostly with herself. She had been rather average at everything but with the strange staff, she had seemed to learn quickly. Why couldn't she learn as quickly with a blaster? Surely that was supposed to be easier.

“Is this anger temporary?” he asked.
Slowly, Nima nodded. “Yes.” She would improve if she trained, she knew that. So, with time she could be just as good as with the weird staff. “I can get better.”
“You can,” he said and Nima smiled.

She could get better.