Chapter 5 - Say what...AGAIN??!!

Ash walked out the Council Chamber with her new master, Cin Drallig. He was considered to be one of the best lightsaber duelists in the Temple. He was the Battlemaster. Ash really looked up to him, and she was very glad to be his new apprentice.
“So, what’s our first assignment master?” she asked.
“Your first assignment is to get some rest. I’ve heard that it’s been a very busy day for you,” Cin said.
Ash was disappointed. She wasn’t tired at all. In fact, she felt more alive than she ever had before. She didn’t want to rest. But there was only one answer she could say.
“Yes master,” she replied.
“But don’t forget to meet me back her in an hour to meet with the masters again!” he reminded her.
“Got cha covered master!” Ash replied.
When she got out of eyeshot of her master, she skipped the rest of the way to her room, along with doing cart-wheels and flips. She sensed people starring at her as she went by.
When she got to her room, she went inside, locked the door, and screamed. She sensed others alarm outside her room, but she didn’t care.
She relaxed and calm down. This was one of the best days of her life. Then she thought of something. The Council had said that Echo had gotten picked too. Ash left her room and headed to Echo’s to surprise her. When she got their, Echo wasn’t there, but the door was unlocked. She went inside and maneuvered her way around the piles of junk and into her closet to hide. She waited, and waited. Finally Echo came skipping into the room, a huge grin on her face. She must have just gotten the news. Echo ran into her room and jumped on her bed.
“I HAVE A MASTER!! I'M A PADAWAN!! OH YES!! OH YES!!" Echo screamed.
Ash pocked her head out a little more. About time to surprise her, she thought
Then, Echo got off her bed, pulled out her lightsaber and ignited it, aimed at her closet. Ash jumped out of the closet.
“SURPRISE!” she yelled.
Ash pointed to her bed. “That was odd,” she said to Echo.
“Oh, you did the same thing!” Echo said to her.
“What?” Ash said acting shocked. “Okay, maybe! So?” She started laughing, and so did Echo.
“Congratulations,” they both said in unison.
“Thank you,” they again said in unison.
“So, who is your new master?” Ash asked.
“Master Rahm Kota,” Echo replied.
Ash thought for a second. “I don’t believe I have ever heard of Rahm Kota.”
“Well, Master Windu found him when he was 18, and he only needed a few lessons and quickly became a Jedi Knight. The council thought I would be a perfect fit. He is supposed to be very good. I'll tell you more about him after tonight. Now, we have done your favorite things now we will do mine." Echo said as she ran out the door.
Ash followed. She had no idea where they were going. Echo was so spontaneous. They snuck outside and Echo took Ash to where she kept her swoop.. Ash thought about how she should be working on not getting in trouble so much since she just became a padawan. But she didn’t care. She was celebrating. If the council found them, oh well. Echo let Ash try the swoop out. It was hard at first, but she eventually got better, but not a good as Echo. She was a pro. Ash looked down at her chrono. They were supposed to meet the council in 10 minutes, and she still needed to shower.
“Uh, Echo. We have to meet our master in 10 minutes and I still need to shower,” she said.
Echo turned the swoop around sharply and headed back towards the temple. The quickly got out of the swoop and snuck back inside.
“See ya in 5! Meet you up near the Council Chambers!’ Echo said as she headed towards her room, do barrel rolls all the way.
Ash just laughed. They were so much alike it wasn’t funny. Okay, so maybe it was, but never mind, She thought to herself.
She made it to her room quickly and cleaned up. She put on a fresh tunic and clipped her third lightsaber to her belt, one with a brilliant blue blade.
She started to walk out the door, but then realized that she needed to make a good impression on the masters, since her last 2 or 3 meetings she hadn’t been in her best attire. She picked out a belly-shirt with long sleeves and baggy pants. Then she grabbed her high boots and looked in the mirror. Casual but professional. She ran to the Council Chambers, but not inside, where Echo told her to meet her. She reached their just before Echo. Echo had on a white jumpsuit and a brown cloak. Her hair was also in braids. At the moment, they didn’t look like twins.
“You look cute, but why are you all fancied up?” Ash asked her.
“I need to make a good impression,” Echo replied.
“You need to loosen up,” Ash thought. But at the same time she was thinking how much they were alike, even if they were wearing completely different outfits.
They started walking into the Council Chamber. Echo didn’t reply. She was too busy looking around. There were a couple more Master and Padawan pairs in the Chamber talking to each other. Ash looked around her for Master.
Echo was about to run into somebody, but Ash didn’t tell her. It would be funnier.
She finally ran into the person, and Ash couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Oops. Sorry. My name is Echo Chi,” Echo said introducing herself to the person she ran into. Ash watched as she waited for her master to show up.
“Oh, why hello. I’m Rahm Kota. I’m your new master,” Rahm said.
“Oh, hello…I…uh,” Echo stumbled over her words.
“No need to have any special greetings. I'm your master, and just because you're young doesn't mean I'm going to get soft on you. We take the hardcore missions, the one's most people are too afraid to do. Unless, you don' think you can handle it." Rahm said.
“I can handle it. I may be young but I am ready. I may not have major experience but I've got what it takes." Echo said.
“I too, kid." Master Kota said. “Now, about me...
Master Kota started to talk about his former missions and his life before the Jedi. Ash quickly found it boring. She walked over and started talking to the other Padawans until her master came in. When he came in, she quickly made her way over to him.
“Greetings again, Master Drallig,”
“Please, call me Master Cin at least,” he said.
“Okay…Master Cin,” Ash replied, smiling.
“Ash, it’s appears that you’ve been here awhile, so I suggest you go back to your room and get some rest. There’s a big day ahead of you tomorrow,” Cin said.
“Of course master,” Ash replied. She wasn’t very tired, but she would obey her master.
She said goodbye to some of her new friends and to Echo then left the Chamber. Master Cin stayed behind for awhile.
When she got to her room, she locked the door and quickly got into something more comfortable.
She sat down on her bed, and surprisingly she all of a sudden felt very tired. As soon as she laid down, she fell asleep.
The next morning, she awoke with a knock on her door. Ash quickly got up and answered the door. It was quite early in the morning. She opened her door and her new master stood there.
“Good morning, Ash,” he said. “It’s time for your first one-on-one lesson with your master. So get cleaned up, and meet me in the training chambers.”
With that he left.
Ash quickly pulled herself together and got freshened up. She grabbed a sac and put all her lightsabers in it, but clipping one to her belt, hoping that her new master would take off the restraining lock on them, and then ran out the door.
When she reached the chambers, she found her master in the middle of the room, lightsaber ignited.
“Welcome to your first lesson,” he said, and lunged at her, lightsaber held high.
What in the outer-rim is going on? Ash thought to herself. Why is my new master attacking me?
Ash instinctively flipped over-top of her attacker and landed behind them. By the time she reached the floor, her lightsaber was already ignited and she was in her battle-ready stance.
Cin turned around, disengaged his lightsaber and clipped it to her belt.
“Good, you’ve pasted your first test.”
Ash was confused.
“What TEST?” Ash asked, confused.
“You acted on instinct. You trusted in the Force. You didn’t fumble around to find your lightsaber, or fumble around with the activation switch. You acted in one swift stroke. You trusted in the Living Force. To be a good Jedi, you must not think about your actions, but trust in the Force and it will guide you through.”
The Living Force. Ash had heard of that before, but she didn’t understand much about it. But apparently she was doing something right.
“Thank you, master,” she replied, not knowing exactly what to say.
Master Cin, sensing her confusing said, “That was a compliment, Ash.”
“Oh…thank you again!” Ash said, feeling more relaxed.
“Now, act on your instincts and attack me,” Cin said.
Ash was confused, but just as her master just said, she didn’t think, she just attacked. She let herself go to the Force.
She ran up and charged her master. He still didn’t have his lightsaber activated, but Ash didn’t hesitate. Her lightsaber was still set to the training setting. She swung. Missed. Swung again. Missed. Master Cin was dodging every swing. No matter how fast she swung, she always missed. He was incredibly fast.
Ash stopped to catch her breath. She was breathing really heavy. She didn’t realize how hard she was swinging.
She caught her breath and ran up and swung one more time. Cin dodged the attack and spun behind her. Her grabbed her weapon arm and twisted it backwards.
Ash yelped. She immediately stopped. She knew if she struggled it would hurt more. Cin twisted harder and her lightsaber fell out of her hand to the ground.
“Your weakness,” Master Cin said,” it that you are too proud. Too sure of yourself. You cannot let your overconfidence become your weakness.” He let go of her arm.
“I understand, master,” Ash replied. She picked up her lightsaber and clipped it to her belt, then rubbed her arm. She looked at it. Her skin, normally blue, had turned a dark purple from the pressure her new master had put on it.
“It’s just a bruise,” Cin said. “No need to be worried about it.”
“Yes master,” Ash replied. So this is what it’s like to be a padawan, she thought to herself.
Ash looked up at him. "No need to worry?!" she almost yelled at him. "You’re my master! Your not suppose to be giving me bruises like that! You’re supposed to be teaching me!"
As soon as she said those words, she regretted it.
Master Cin just looked at her.
"I’m your master and you will listen to my teachings. Each Jedi has their own way of teaching their students. I think that experience counts for everything. If you learn from the things I show you, you'll learn to not let that happen to you in real life, when it really matters."
Ash was silent. She understood his point. It was like her and her training lightsabers. It reminded her not to let a real lightsaber come in contact with her body.
"I understand master," Ash replied.
Cin almost looked shock.
"Oh," he replied. "Wow, usually my students don't understand that. But since you understand it, I won't use that method as much on you."
"Thank you!" Ash said.
"Your first lesson is complete for today. Go rest up. I want to see you back here after mid-day meal. And remember, if you are in real trouble in a real battle, I will be there to back you up. I won't just stand there and watch. I've got your back." Master Cin said.
"Got cha master," Ash replied and headed off. She was glad she had gotten Master Drallig as her master. They both believed in the same time of exercises. Experience is what really mattered, and Ash hoped to be getting some soon. She began to think that she and her master had begun to form a connection.

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment