the way of the sword

She thought Daji was rather slow today, and continued to pass the weapons around her.
Confident, she set about jumping over her.
Her instinct was to take a defensive stance.
Right away, she crossed her blades over her chest.
The counter-attack was as violent as it was sudden, as the lights in the training room flickered.
The reactive tatami couldn't cope with the energy Daji was unleashing, and shattered into splinters.
Bothan narrowly parried the counter-attack, but was violently pushed back against the bay window.
She fell back to the ground, gasping for breath.
Daji pointed her golden lightsaber at her sister's throat.


- Checkmate.

Trying to catch his breath, Bothan retorted.

- Training! Do you know what training is? You could have killed me!
- Not with training blades, their circuit breakers...
- ... react in a tenth of a second, but you would have eviscerated me in the same time!
- We have an excellent medical bay, and they work miracles.
- Daji!
- Listen Bothan, this isn't a playground. Do you still want to play with swords? Good for you. But I think you misunderstand the way of the sword. What do you want to do with it?
- I want to protect those who can't defend themselves.
- Then get a shield and take lessons with Deena.

Bothan repressed an exclamation.

- A sword is a curse - it's not there to protect, it's there to kill. It's not a blessing, it's a curse. There's no noble intention behind a sword. And don't throw me that Jedi mantra of the intention of the sword that Risea loves to blatter. Once you've imprinted that in your thick skull, maybe we can get down to some serious training. What did you think you were going to do, caper? Jedi style? Ooouh, I've got the high ground? Bullshit, I could have killed you with your overconfidence.
- It was training!
- You might as well prepare yourself for the harsh reality that you won't get a second chance on the front line. Here's your training. You're living another day, and you'll be able to hang up your sword and find a stick more suited to you.
- You're such an asshole.
- A victorious, living asshole. You're dead now.

She pressed the tip of her blade to her throat. The circuit breaker immediately deactivated the blade after a tenth of a second, leaving Bothan with only a burn.

- Don't even think you're scaring me Daji. We'll resume training tomorrow and I'll make you eat your boots.

She stood up and hobbled to the airlock.
Daji looked out the bay window in silence.
Her right hand trembled, and she massaged it. She'd underestimated her sister's defense and her wrist was paying the price.

- ... Not bad, she's really improving.

She smirked.

---

Love the twins, yeah.

Daji & Bothan © Amiral Aesir

Watercolors, inks and pencils, the 23th March 2025.