HELLO MY SWEET PATIENT LOVELIES! I have returned to walk once more among you. *bows deeply* This one humbly asks your forgiveness in my absence. I have been busy graduating and finding a job of which I am happy to report I have TWO! So I'm often tired and busy and simply don't have time to do much ( and writer's block has been a psycho-serial stalker *ducks behind bed and fires pistol at dark shadowed corner "DIE, SCUMBAG, DIEEEEEEEEEEE! FREEEEDOM!")* Anywho, I know this isn't History, however, it pains me to admit that it was the first victim of above psycho. It died a tragic and horribly bloody mess. Meaning, I am no longer angsty enough to write it (because seriously, there is a lot of angst in three hundred years!) I am going to try and type up a final chapter and wrap it up but it may be a little while longer since this massive plot bunny for another smaller work is taking over *hint: it involves a certain Indian Princess soundtrack and a time traveling priestess. Cyber brownies and a special little summary to whoever guesses right ;)* If wishes were cups of coffee I would never run out of ideas for History but since they aren't and I have, I know bequeath to you a mission. Take my place. Keep this idea going through your own imagination and write it out. Like I've said before, 300 years is a long time, so we as fans have lots of wiggle room to play with.
Now for a brief intro, I've had this little ditty in the back of my head and began writing it oh, around graduation last year? Which explains why it's taken me so dang long to get it out. Couldn't quite get the characters to cooperate *glares at Dogma and Fives, the latter of which waves at me jauntily. Rex was to busy trying to keep Anakin from doing something stupid 'again' and couldn't make it to the sounding board table and that's why he only has a small part 'He's still my favorite clone!'* So yeah, enjoy and don't forget to review me!
Ja' ne!
Lesson Number One
Ahsoka Tano, Togruta Jedi and Padawan of the Chosen One a.k.a Anakin Skywalker, breathed deeply as she continued her katas in the Coruscant Trooper Barracks assigned to the 501st Legion. Around her, different clone troopers chatted happily with each other as they kept their bodies in top shape using a routine Ahsoka had seen a thousand times by this point and yet she was always amazed at how relaxed the clone brothers were on Coruscant as compared to when they were heading towards their next deployment. Deployments always seemed to bring a tension to her boys despite the peaceful moments beforehand.
Ahsoka flipped forward before launching herself into a mid-air somersault, the green of her lightsaber and yellow of her shoto creating deadly arcs of plasmic light around her.
"HEE-YAH!" she landed with a final battle cry as her lightsaber snapped into a kill position, her form as always lethally perfect.
Jesse surreptitiously adjusted his helmet to be more focused on the training padawan from its position on a shelf. Every clone in the 501st traded off when they would record their precious Commander's workout routine when their captain couldn't watch himself. Later, Rex would find the recording on his private datapad, and no one would ever bring it up.
"HEE-YAH!" several high pitched voices echoed through the cavernous room. Clones whipped around from their places in the room, most falling into defensive positions. Ahsoka whirled around at the same time Jesse moved his recording helmet to take in the somewhat baffling scene in front of him.
Ahsoka blinked in surprise and confusion at the group of about twenty younglings gathered around her practice mat, all in various degrees of success at copying her last move. She quirked an eye marking in question at Fives who stood behind the group, grinning like the lovable loon she personally believed him to be. A few of the other clones gathered around behind her, some leaning over to get a better look at the eclectic little audience she seemed to have gained.
"Uh...Hi ya?" Ahsoka scanned the children as they straightened themselves out more or less; one child, a small Togruta female with ruby skin and white circle markings all the way around her eyes, slipped and fell over from her awkward position causing several of her clan mates to erupt into giggles. A serene smile spread across her lips at the lighthearted display, so rare a sight in this time of war that Ahsoka selfishly took a long second to indulge in the scene before she addressed the reason for the invasion.
Dogma stepped forward, his expression hard as duracrete while his folded arms brought into relief the hard compactness of his form. Clones are naturally made the same, however, some exuded a harsher personality than others. Dogma just so happened to be one of those clones and naturally caused the innocent younglings to shrink back in fear, with a couple of them clinging to each other as they trembled. Ahsoka and the more lighthearted clones of the 501st chuckled at the slightest hint of pink dusting Dogma's olive skin.
"Commander, permission to escort the civilians from the barracks." the clipped snap in Dogma's tone told Ahsoka all she needed to know about his emotional state (completely embarrassed but too proud to admit) even without her connection to the force, as his normal cadence held a bit more frost than normal.
"Denied. I'm sure there is a good explanation why Captain Fives escorted these lovely younglings to the barrack gym..." it was a statement and all the clones knew it was one demanding an answer, in the way only Ahsoka could demand (ask without asking with a challenging undertone, that she knew would get her boys singing like drunk wookies). Just as she had trained them, Fives sang instantly.
"The little ones were wandering around looking for you, Commander. I couldn't just leave them lost and alone with all these big scary clones stomping around! It would be inhumane!" Of course, being Fives, he had to add in that absolutely adorable ewok-eyed pout, that eight times out of ten, got him out of trouble with Ahsoka. For her part, Ahsoka sighed, pointedly ignoring the triumphant smirk gracing the olive features of the comedic ARC trooper as she turned her attention back to the younglings arrayed in a half moon before her. Some of them were still cowering slightly under Dogma's gaze, so she placed a graceful umber skin hand on the dark gray bodysuit and successfully diverted his attention to her.
"It's okay, Dogma. I'll handle things from here." Ahsoka gazed at the group as she addressed her earlier question to them. "What's going on, Little Ones?"
"We wanna be like you, Padawan Ahsoka!" the little Togruta female from before exclaimed proudly, swinging her training saber in a few sloppy forms and leaping up into a semi full split, only to collapse on her butt when she landed awkwardly, a wide eyed look of shock that was absolutely adorable. This incited another round of giggles from her fellow clan members as well as from Ahsoka and most of the clones (Dogma remained stoic but even he couldn't hide the brief flash of amusement from his Force presence).
"But I'm still learning myself." Ahsoka didn't really know why the younglings wanted her specifically to teach them when the instructors at the Temple were far more adept in the ways of fighting and the Force. The clones witnessing, however, knew exactly why the little ones wanted their commander to teach them – she was amazing, graceful, kind hearted, and everything a youngling could aspire to be. Who wouldn't want to learn to be like Ahsoka Tano?
At the prospect that Ahsoka would refuse to show them how to fight, the younglings immediately began to clamour for her acceptance, begging with pitiful voices and wide innocent eyes that screamed hurt at possible rejection. Even the clones were finding it hard to say no and they weren't the ones being asked!
Holding her hands in surrender, Ahsoka rushed to give reassurance, not wanting to be subjected to those devastating looks wielded as masterfully as Master Yoda (or any of the Masters) wielded his lightsaber.
"Okay, okay! I guess I can show you a few moves." Though what exactly she would show them, she had no idea. She wasn't a teacher, she was a student herself, Master Anakin's student and he was as unconventional a teacher as they come. Barriss would have been a better role-model and teacher, Ahsoka was sure, but for whatever inexplicable reason this Clan decided they wanted to learn something from Ahsoka Tano. Instantly brightening, the little Togruta female (whom Ahsoka finally recalled was named Ashla and had a sneaking suspicion was the ringleader) turned to her clan members with the biggest smile that showed pearly baby fangs.
"Padawan Ahsoka is going to teach us how to kick butt!" she punched forward and leapt into a graceful kick, her excited yell echoed with the other younglings as they began to run through whatever fighting moves their imagination could conjure even if all of it was atrociously bad form.
"YAY!"
Their excitement was contagious and the clones laughed at the happy sounds the children made, so rarely heard in war time. Ahsoka too, felt her soul lift from the sound, laughing alongside them even as she lifted her hands for silence.
"Woah, alright! Calm down. That is lesson number two." she waited a beat as the children turned their rapt attention on her, the clones not far behind. Where was Ahsoka going to go with this, considering who her Master was and "kicking butt" as it were was always lesson number one with him. "The first and most important lesson is to be gentle, while at the same time, we are being tough." Ahsoka waved her right wand in a smooth calm motion when she said gentle but brought her fist into a smack against her opposite palm in the next breath it took to say tough. She was trying to look and sound like a teacher, as she remembered her own teachers appearing when she was in a youngling Clan, however, noises of confusion soon told her that particular approach wasn't working.
"How can you be tough and gentle?" a young human girl asked quietly, a finger being bit softly while her force aura spoke of nervous shyness.
"Yeah! I wanna be tough! HA! HIYAH!" Ashla stirred up the younglings again as they began to shout enthusiastically and punch the air. Fives cooed and Kix standing at his side, swore there were sparkles falling from his brother's eyes, causing the poor medic to inch away from the obviously mentally unhinged clone. Not fast enough though as Fives whipped around with his hands clasped in the universal begging sign.
"Can I keep the mini commander? Please Kix, can I?!"
"NO!" The clones around Kix and Fives chuckled at the medic's discomfort and quick refusal.
"But-!"
"No, Fives!"
"Just-"
"Don't make me sedate you." That shut up the begging ARC trooper. When Kix threatened sedation, he meant business. Maybe Fives could hide her away somewhere? Kix shot the insane trooper a warning glare, his hand inching towards the med pack always on his person. While Kix was keeping Fives kleptomaniac ways at bay, Ahsoka was bringing the children's attention back to herself.
"I know it sounds a little funny, but the world is full of opposites and so are you." she made a sweeping gesture to indicating all the differences in the younglings and then another to the clones arrayed around them, "The clones as well, are different and opposites. No clone is exactly alike despite sharing the same face. In the Force, their experiences have shaped them all differently. In the way they move and react, they are different from each other in subtle ways. To be a good Jedi, you must bring all these senses, all these differences, into balance." Ahsoka felt a flush of embarrassment at the continued and even deeper looks of confusion from the younglings and the feelings of love and bright flaring happiness from the clones at her words of their individual uniqueness. Oh yes, Ahsoka knew her boys like the back of her hand and knew how deeply it wounded them when everyone assumed that there was absolutely no soul behind the blank helmeted gaze. There was more soul in the clones than than anyone Ahsoka knew, save for maybe Master Anakin and Obi-Wan. If she could, Ahsoka would have taken all the clones to a remote planet and loved them like they deserved, allow them to live life as they wanted and not as tools as they were treated. However, her thoughts on her boys were not what was needed at this time and the younglings needed her to find a much simpler way of explaining what she was trying to get at with balance. Hmm, maybe that would work...?
"Let's see if this helps," she knelt before the children, Dogma standing behind her and watching with veiled curiosity. None of the clones expected what happened next, but all agreed that they would try to make it happen again in the future.
Ahsoka began to sing.
Earth, Sky?
She pointed down to the ground and then up to the ceiling, the children following her movements with rapt attention.
Day, Night!
Her right hand lifted for day, her left for night.
Sound and Silence
Raising her voice as she leaned forward toward Ashla, the closest youngling, before bringing a finger to her lips and whispered.
Dark and Light
In a swift movement, she covered Ashla's blue eyes with her hands and then removed them, miming the opposites she named. Then she stood as Ashla giggled and the children began to smile, backing away to give herself some room while Dogma moved to join his brothers in watching from the sidelines.
One, alone is not enough
You need both together
She gestured once more to the children, some of the closer friends holding hands in happiness, and again to the clones around them, a proud smile on her face as the soldiers drew themselves straighter in earned pride.
Winter, Summer
Moon and Sun
Ahsoka leapt up, twisting and twirling as she used the force to call her lightsaber to her hand. With a snapping hiss, the emerald blade sprang to life as she landed and held it defensively before her. Then she looked at the younglings with a kind smirk at their exclamations of awe.
Lesson Number One
Ashla and the others lined up before Ahsoka, igniting their training sabers as they waited for her to continue.
Like a Rock, huh huh
You must be hard, huh huh
Ahsoka punched the air with her fist then thrust her saber forward, fighting an invisible enemy.
Like an oak, mmmah
You must stand firm, huh huh
This time she bent into one of the basic defensive positions of her chosen lightsaber technique, Shien, whipping it until it was horizontal in front of her chest. All the lines in her body were firm and solid, showing the strength she carried within.
Cut quick (whoosh), like my blade
Think fast, huh huh
Unafraid
Ahsoka was a twisting whirlwind of motion as her blade hummed as it sliced through the air. She leapt up and split kicked when her eyes snapped left to right , as if she had seen two opponents approach. Then she stood confident before her "pupils", her saber coming to rest at her side even as she clenched a fist before her chest to show her predator strength. Fives came up beside her, two bo staffs held in his hands. She accepted one after clipping her saber to her belt and allowed him to be her assistant in demonstrating the moves she taught the younglings.
By this point the children were swept up into the swing of the song, the spell it cast intoxicating in its power. They began to repeat her words, copying the moves she showed them as their clear, young voices added a sweet element to the atmosphere.
Like a Rock, huh huh
I must be hard, huh huh
Like an oak, mmmah
I must stand firm, huh huh
Cut quick (whoosh), like my blade
Think fast, huh huh
Unafraid
Ahsoka moved among the younglings, correcting mistakes and offering gentle encouragement. Dogma and the other clones also walked between the groups, silently watching or fixing a stance themselves. The younglings didn't know how to react at first but eventually accepted the soldiers presence. It was amusing for the men to watch younglings duck the wild yet controlled swings of their clan members and then glare heatedly at the offenders; to watch Ahsoka be so gentle in her directions and corrections when the 501st was so used to her being reckless and brash led by her heart. It took a good while but eventually the clan of younglings were in sync with each other and Ahsoka.
Ashla stood in front of Ahsoka, face scrunched cutely in a fierce expression as she took a stance she had been shown with her dominant hand holding her training saber at an angle in front of her and her free hand held in a loos fist at her side ready to punch.
"Alright, Padawan Ahsoka, I'm ready."
Ahsoka chuckled as she poked the young Togruta just hard enough to send her sprawling to the ground.
"Almost, but you are still out of balance. You are only half way there." she folded herself into a meditative pose, the younglings following her example in a wide circle around her.
Like a cloud
You are soft
She stood and moved in undulating katas, her body bending and flowing like grass in the wind. Her voice was much softer than the steady tone of before and the children once more copied. Jesse couldn't help but be thankful that he was recording this, Rex would be happy to have it even if he would wish to have seen it in person. Ahsoka was beautiful, having grown into a strong, independent woman from the child she had been when she first came to the 501st.
Like bamboo
You'll bend in the wind
Creeping slow
You're at peace because you know
Fives crouched in front of a Nimodian youngling that hadn't seemed to get over her fear of the clones, evidenced by the way she cowered back from him, hiding her eyes behind her hands. Ahsoka bent over Fives' shoulder, a small red hand reaching towards the quivering youngling. Slowly, hesitantly, the Nimodian allowed Ahsoka to take her hand and bring it to Fives' face where he proceeded to raspberry the palm. The Nimodian calmed and giggled at the tickling sensations his lips brought. Ahsoka smiled and stepped back, returning to the rest of the class.
It's ok to be afraid
Much in the same way as before, Ahsoka guided the younglings through the gentler katas and this time meditation as little hands swept up into prayerful positions. This softer form of their young commander's Force appealed and tugged at Dogma. He presented a hard front to his brothers and everyone else because that is what he believed was needed in order to make it through this disgusting, pointless war. He followed and enforced the rules so adamantly in order to protect his brothers from decommissioning yet could not bring himself to explain what he did. So he let his brothers hate him, despise him, he didn't care so long as he got as many brothers through as possible.
Yet...watching this children move like water, so much more calm than the thrashing waters of his home planet of Kamino, brought him peace. It was foreign and strange and alien, yet...
It reminded him of Ahsoka and the way she would comfort him and his brothers after a particularly difficult battle even though it was blatantly obvious all she wished to do was cry for the fallen. Watching her with this Clan of younglings, Dogma brought her and them under the same wings as his brother. He would protect them and when Ahsoka suddenly looked up at him, giving him a sweet smile, Dogma allowed a small one of his own to replace his normal scowl.
Like a cloud
I am soft
Like bamboo
I'll bend in the wind
Creeping slow
I'm at peace because I know
It's ok to be afraid
It was a graceful yet lethal game of follow the leader that Ahsoka led the younglings through around the gym. Everyone in sync with another, relying on what they had been taught and their sense of the Force to follow Ahsoka. Fives and Dogma led the troops through a parallel routine involving the martial arts the clones knew. Their larger bodies hedged in the younglings providing a barrier of protection while also managing to not smother or impede the synchronized movements.
One, alone is not enough (One, alone is not enough)
We need both together (We need both together)
Ahsoka used the Force and lined various supply cases in a winding pathway that she then proceeded to lead the younglings into leaping from one to another, landing in perfect stances. Until the shy human youngling leapt to far and slipped off the edge. The crates were not high, but Dogma was suddenly beneath her and catching her in strong arms. The little one blinked up at his hazel eyes in shock before breaking into a quiet giggle when she saw the smile in his eyes, happiness that he had managed to catch her swirling in his Force aura. Dogma wouldn't know it, but he gained a fan in that moment.
Winter, Summer, Moon and Sun (Winter, Summer, Moon and Sun)
Lesson Number One
Sometimes they were all in sync, going through the same movements, other times half took the rock steady stances while the remaining flowed between each other. Ahsoka watched proudly, approval clear in her crystal blue eyes at how swiftly the Clan had picked up her lesson. Maybe teaching her own padawan wouldn't be so bad. However, a padawan for herself was far into the future.
Like a cloud (Like a Rock, huh huh)
You are soft (I must be hard huh huh)
Like bamboo (Like an oak, mmmah)
You'll bend in the wind (I must be stand firm, huh huh)
Creeping slow (Cut quick (whoosh), like my blade)
You can fly
The last things Ahsoka showed the younglings were her favorite airborne gymnastic movements, the pirouettes and flips that her lightsaber form specialized in did indeed give the appearance of flight for precious seconds.
You're at peace because you know (Think fast, huh huh)
You have begun
Ahsoka raised her hands in preparation of ending the lesson, her voice clear and strong and so vastly proud of her impromptu students and boys. This memory she would carry with her forever, she swore to herself with duracrete conviction.
Lesson Number One (Lesson Number One) x3
As one the group leapt up into a twisting flip and landed, lightsabers hissing in the air in the final stance. Lesson number one was over and as the younglings bid their goodbyes to the clones and Padawan Ahsoka as they were escorted back to the Temple by Kix, (the Nimodian hugging Fives around his waist while the little human girl leapt up into Dogma's arms and kissed his cheek. Dogma vehemently denied the blush even when Jesse later showed the holographic evidence to the contrary.) the Clan vowed never to forget that balance was essential to all life.
Rex later watched the holo of Ahsoka teaching and singing in the privacy of his room. The smile bright and caring on his face as he watched the recording of her laugh when the younglings tried to drag their favorite clones away with them. Ahsoka was most definitely a unique being and he was thankful that she was theirs.