"Go away everyone. I have better things to do now."
Maren's "Master" apparently had better things to do than teach the next generation, so eveyone left. The lesson after Maren exploded the training equipment was not really entertaining. The Master let the other students clean everything up and the rest of was just uninteresting meditation and such. So as Maren had now free time to spare he wanted to do something productive. The red girl, Zrie she was called, could maybe help him. He should maybe start to learn the names of those who he will meet regulary. The names of the other two were still a mystery to him as they spoke some really weird languages. How do people understand each other here? Maybe he should ask his real Master later.
Back to topic, Maren was bored and he wanted to do something so he asked the girl: "Hey, you red gir... Zrie what is here to do?"
"Weell," the little girl pursed her lips, "we could go to the libary or one of the meditation chambers or one of the other lectures of the Masters or the training ground or..."
"Aaaand the training ground it is. I need some exercise after all of that." Maren strechted himself. All this sitting around makes a boy dull.
So the two of them went to the training grounds together. As it seemed they were quite popular as there were a lot of Jedi in the vicinity. They were at a massive hall again with a multitude passages leading to different trials. There were outside and inside training grounds, different challenges, different weapons everything a boy could ever want. Maren was in paradise, but for now he wanted just to do something old reliable. Good and simple pinching someone in the face.
"I will go to the hand to hand combat training. Maybe you do something else in the meantime."
"Oh," the girl exclaimed defeated, "ok."
'Not this again.'
"Zrie," the girl perked up when he said her name, "not everything is a slight against you. I just said it, because I do not think you are the type of person who likes to punch people in the face, are you?"
"No," she answered, now a visibly happier, "not really."
"See, but I really do. But when I am done we could do something together."
Maren blinked. Again being in her presence gave hima weird feeling. But he can not hide from it, he would do what he could do best: Conquer it. First things first though he wanted to fight something.
The girl, now content, went with buoyant steps to one of the other training places. Maren still could not belive how enormous this place was. There were areas as far he could see. Just impressive. The young Jedi looked around and strolled as he could see to a person of authority. He was in no hurry. A lot of people stood around the multiple screens that showed all kinds of fighting. Maren got exited. His search quickly ended, even in this grand hall, when he found an orange Jedi, with white tendrils on his head and markings on his face, sitting in the middle of the foyer, together with some others, looking at a similar blue rectangle Maren already had seen.
"If you just want to watch you don't have to come to me just OH MY WHAT ARE YOU?" the Jedi behind the dek shouted horrified.
"Greetings, fellow Jedi. I like to participate in a some light roughhousing." Maren gave his fellow Jedi the most inviting smile he could give. It made the situation not better, because a long time came nothing then came a defensive "private or open?"
"I do not care" came the answer.
"Well you seem to be alone, go figure, so open would be most suitible for you."
"Then I will choose that." He ignored the snide remark... for now.
The Jedi stared at him with an unpleased look, but did not give a another snide remark as Maren would have suspected and just said: "Arena three. Take this number, you will be called."
"I thank thee", Maren answered with a slight nod and going to the arch where the number three was written on. This one was at the upper floor of the room.
He went through the arch and into a tunnel. Possibly five people could walk side by side in it. Multiple other Jedi went in and out of it. As he reached the the end of the tunnel he was greeted by the familiar huffing and grunting sound of battle. The arena was located outside. The sun was high in the sky and in the distant he could hear the rumbling of the planet. It was built in the sense that the fighting pit was at the bottom and the slightly elevated seats went up diagonally sourrounding it, so you could have a good look at the middle. The layout of the was a square made out of smaller stone squares which Maren assumed could hold at least five fighters. Compared to his homeworld these squares made no circle. For the grandstand: The seats were also madeout of massive stone. It came across as if they were formed out of one stone slap. They reminded him of home. Just a flat surface to sit on. So nostalgic. Some Jedi sat on them and watched the match, it was not worth his time so he rather kept thinking to himself. After finishing swimming in nostalgia a mechanical voice rang out from speakers above the seats: "Number Axb202 and Axb203 can now enter the arena."
'Showtime.'
Maren found after a quick search the entrance to the arena and put his few belongings in a locker in the changing room and entered the arena. Now only wearing his shirt, trousers and boots, he found himself at the ground level. Maren looked up to the grandstand. A few Jedi, mostly young ones but also some older ones, but more than before were watching him.
'Ooooh. Quite the audience. What is the occation?"
"Rules are clear. Make the opponent surrender, knock him out or win more rounds. Beginn to your own discretion", the speakers announced loudly.
'Well easy enough. Sounds doable.' Maren started to stretch his limbs, enjoying the cracking his joints made.
Meanwhile Maren's opponent already entered from the other side. It was a human male and in Maren's estimation older than him. Despite this he was not worried he'll win.
"So you are the guy everyone was talking about. The one who almost killed the Youngling?"
"Uh huh." Maren only listened with one ear, continuing to stretch his limbs.
"We don't want some like that here in the temple and I will personally make sure you understand."
Maren could hear the venom in his words, but by the force he did not care.
"Great story. Can we fight now?"
"Yes!" the Jedi screamed.
And with that the fight began.
Both of them started to dash at each other, only thing was, was that the Jedi was much faster than him, what normally should not be possible. His opponent was only a bit older and comparing their physicalities Maren was sure he had the advantage. Despite that the Jedi was already in striking distance and opened with a straight right towards Maren's head. Luckily the boy had an extremly high reaction speed or he would be certainly be hit by it. Instead he raised his arm into a cross guard to meet the punch. As it connected Maren felt a dull pain in his arms. A normal hit like that should not hurt him so much. What a good pain it was. It made him feel alive. In addition the punch pushed him a good meter away. It would have been even farther if he had not dug his heels into the ground ripping of a bit of the leather of his shoe. From the crowd he heard a few "Yes, give it to him."
'Must be using the force. Now that is just unfair', he analysed the situation.
Mare could barely finish his thought when his foe immediately pursued and followed it up with a kick to the head. Maren now pumped up dug under the kick and sweeped the Jedi's leg away from under him. Then he followed it up with unnatural speed by fist spinning and then kicking him in the gut. The Jedi could barely keep his breath as he flew a good three meters away. Impressively he could catch himself and with a backflip. It appeared that this kick did not have the effect he hoped for, but it felt quite nice regardless. The people here are not as weak as he expected. Gooood.
"You need a moment?"
The Jedi spit out: "Not bad. Let's see if you can keep this up."
"Yeah show this monstrosity that he does not belong here."
The voice came from the grandstand.
"Yeah he is right", another one agreed. More and more voices chimed in, metaphorically demanding for his head.
'Do I smell weird or what is up?'
Just as he finished his thoughts the Jedi again charged at Maren with his enhanced speed. Maren right now could not hope to get another hit in as now the Jedi acknowledge his strenght and was prepared. Maren instantly put his guard up as the foot of his adversary crashed against his arm. The numb pain from before creeped up his arm.Then another hit connected, then another and another. Maren had no choice but to stay defensive, but the numb pain slowly increased in his arms until he could not raise his arms fast enough to block a kick to his chest. Maren flew multiple meters and landed on his back. If it were not for his heightend constitution he definetly have some broken rips.
"Winner of round one..."
"Need a minute", the Jedi said mockingly.
'Actually I do. Now Maren think of a plan. He is faster than you so no contest of speed here, but that kick did hurt him so strenght is adequate. But how to hit him and this has to be done in one or he will just ware me down. Hmm maybe like this.'
Without showing any kind of weakness Maren got up and dusted himself off.
"Well it was sufficient. One question though is it just you or do all Jedi do not know how to throw a punch? Some dissapoinment for your Master you must be." Maren gave him the most evil grin he could muster and one thing he could apparently always rely on is riling them up. Now looking back, this happened a lot. Must be his gift. Nevertheless his opponent now fumed with anger. That everyone here takes everything so close to their hearts. Quite the weakness one could say.
"Careful, anger leds to hatred. This is not the Jedi way", Maren said very deadpan in a very cheeky way. This was the only thing he cared to remember from his dull meditation today. The Jedi code. Pretty nifty. He did not agree with everything, but it is a good start to build your own philosophy around it. Oh by the way, Maren accomplished his task. The Jedi snapped and sprinted towards him. Maren's plan was not very sophisticated but effective. The gist of it was to make him sloppy, careless and that was exactly what happened. The second the Jedi reached him he assaulted him with a barrage of feet and fists. Maren just braced himself and waited patiently for an opening. He ducked and weaved but with the enhanced speed of the Jedi it was not always successful. The menagerie cheered for him, but Maren just faded put all distractions. He was used to harsh punishments. Then it finally came: The opening. The moment his adversary reached back for a long swinger, Maren dived into him cutting the strike short. Then he grabbed one of the Jedi's arm with one hand and with the other he grabbed the neck. Then Maren only needed a little bit of strenght to push the head under the arm. This made the loose his balance and fall on his back. Maren lightningfast snatched one hand, yanked the arm so the Jedi now lied on his stomach, put a knee on his shoulder and twisted the hand in an uncomftorble angle.
"Aaaaargh", the Jedi screamed struggling fruitless to somehow find a way out of the grab. Maren loved this sound. The sound defiant defeat, but defeat nonetheless...and his superiority.
"Careful, we do not want broken arms here, do we not? Give up... NOW."
The Jedi struggled a lot less after the last. He got the message. After some last pathetic attempts his body slumped down.
"I...give...up", he said pressing the air full of venom through his teeth.
"Excellent choice my friend."
Maren let go of him and rose up. The crowd was now completely silent. Nobody cheered anymore and only gave him pinishing looks.
"ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!" Maren shouted above to the people. They stayed quite except for some unpleased grumbling.
'Well apparently not.'
"Winner... number AxB202", came from the mechanical announcement. Even it seemed no to thrilled about the result. As if he cared. They ALL know and that was ALL that matters.
Now after all was said and done, Maren left the arena from where he came from. After he collected his stuff and showered he went to the exit and he ran in the arms of four other Jedi. All of which he never met before. A blue one with tendrils, a pink one that looked like his Master without the bindings over her eyes, some reptilian and a fuzzy... something. Maren would take a while before he would know the names of these species
"What are you still doing here, abomination", the leader of the group, the tendril one, spit out.
"Who are you?" Maren asked truthfully, not even recognising the insult. Right now he was too high on his victory.
The eyes of the leader started twitching.
"We met yesterday."
Maren thought for a bit snd came to a conclusion: "Oh you are the person I held on knifepoint, were you no..."
He could not bring out the last word, because Maren got punched so fast in the gut so fast he could not even react. A factor was that he was still winded from his earlier fight, but regardless his new adversary was MUCH faster than the previous one. It took all of Maren's will to keep his breath and not to completely keel over.
"I do not know why the Masters let you stay, but belive me, I will show them what you really are. I promise you that and the name is Squall."
Maren met the murderous look of he received him with his own.
"Hmm, do not be dissapointed if you can not keep it. You would not be the first", Maren exhaled sharply.
'Yes Maren show no weakness. This is beneath you. Stand up and conquer this trial.'
"For the good of the Jedi Order and its inhabitans I WILL keep it. I am watching you. Let's go."
He and the other ones went back to the foyer. The pink one gave a concerned look back to Maren.
"Than", the leader hissed.
"S-Sorry", the pink one, named probably Than, mumured and followed them like a beast its master.
Maren straighten himself up and cracked his neck.
'Maybe this place is not that boring after all.'
Maren went back into the foyer his new red companion was already there.
"Hey, I saw on the monitor how you beat Calvin. He's already a Padawan. You beat a Padawan. You were the second to do that", she gabbled exited.
"Yes I am quite impres... Wait a minute the Second. Who was it?"
"Oh Squall, the Twilek. You must have met him. He said he wanted to congratulate you and I saw him leaving from where you came. He beat him a year ago or so. He did it with a single punch."
She had a one of her delicate littel fingers on her chin as she reminisced. Maren had to once again subdue urge to bite it of. More importantly though this Squall guy appeared to be a worthy adversary. He should observe him more throughly.
"Now you promised that we spend the rest of the day together. So let's go."
With that she took his hand with a big toothy smile on her face and dragged him to whatever fun activities she concuted in that red beguiling head of hers.