Chapter 6: The Calm (26 BBY)

Cindo did as Master Yoda told him. He tried to contact the women every day since their conversation occurred but to no avail. Ten days have passed since then. He tried meditating, talking to himself through thoughts and even loudly talking to himself. Nothing worked. Ahsoka was currently sitting beside him on his bed as he tried to communicate with the women once again through meditation.

He let out a sigh and Ahsoka looked at him worriedly. "Nothing?"

"Nope," he answered simply looking down disappointedly.

"If they're teaching you things why aren't they helping you when you need them?" Ahsoka asked with a confused expression.

Cindo looked at her and shrugged. "I don't know and it's not like I asked for their help, they just started appearing out of nowhere and started teaching me things." That statement was true, but he didn't mention that they saved him from turning to the dark side. It was an event that only he and the Council knew happened and it would hopefully stay that way.

"There's nothing else? They just appeared one day and that's it? Because if that's the case it could just be your imagination," Ahsoka said reassuringly.

Cindo turned towards her and gave her a small smile. He could always count on his friends to at least try to get him into a better mood and find easy solutions to everything. If only it was that simple. His smile slowly faded away. "They're not part of my imagination, Master Yoda said so." He started staring at the ground again. Ahsoka couldn't really question that statement since it was issued by a person who was wiser than any other in the order. So, she just sat there and thought.

After a short pause she put a hand on his shoulder. "I have classes in five minutes, but I can stay, and we can keep talking if you'd like," she offered.

"No, thanks. Go to class and enjoy your time. Don't worry about me, I'll find a way to contact them," he said reassuringly. She patted him on the back and left the quarters.

"Quite a friend you've got there," a female voice said. He looked up and saw the Togruta leaning on the wall by the doorway, with her hood up.

Cindo stood up. "Where were you? I've been trying to contact you for days," he said with an annoyed tone and his arms crossed over his chest.

"You'll learn soon enough," she calmly responded.

Cindo had enough. He was never given a definitive answer to anything he asked. He wanted answers. He walked over to the Togruta. "Why are you doing this? What's the point? Answer me!" he demanded, pointing a finger at her.

A smirk formed under her hood. "Where would the fun in that be?" He squeezed his hands into fists and he swung at her. She didn't even move. He tried punching her again this time observing his hand. It went right through her as if she wasn't there.

Cindo hung his head and sighed. She opened her mouth to say something but Cindo stopped her by saying, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. If anything, I should be grateful for the things you've done for me and the things you taught me."

The woman's face dropped into a sad one. She walked up to Cindo, kneeled down to his level and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know these things must be hard for you to comprehend since you're still so young and nobody in your age should be learning these things as fast as you are. You feel overwhelmed by everything and that's normal. But you've been doing incredibly well so far so don't stop. We believe in you and now it's your time to start believing in yourself. You have a great future ahead of you so don't waste it. Your final test will begin soon and if you succeed your training can properly begin," she said, this time with emotion in her voice.

Cindo couldn't believe what he heard. After trying to ask them things countless times he finally got an answer, it may not have been one that he wanted to receive, but it was less cryptic. They believed in him. He didn't know who she was but she knew that the other woman was the Barsen'thor of the Old Republic's Jedi order, one of the greatest Jedi of all time. He looked up at her with his newfound confidence and determination and said. "I'll be waiting." She nodded and slowly vanished into the air.

A few days later…-

"Wake up, youngling," a familiar and friendly voice said, nudging his shoulder. Cindo hesitantly opened his eyes and realized that he had fallen asleep while studying Rancor behavior and hunting patterns. He closed the holo-book and looked and saw that Obi-Wan was the one that woke him up. He yawned and stretched his arms.

"I presume that studying isn't your forte," he said, his arm still on his shoulder.

"Just certain subjects," Cindo told him while rubbing his face with his hands.

"We all have weaknesses," he explained simply.

"How can I help you, Master?" Cindo asked as he stood up and turned to face him.

"Master Luminara sent me to remind you that you will be attending the gathering in two days," he told him calmly. Cindo flinched slightly. He completely forgot. The Gathering was a sacred ceremony in which Jedi got their lightsaber crystals and later forged the lightsabers themselves. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and he simply forgot about it.

Obi-Wan eyed him with amusement. "You forgot, didn't you?"

Cindo nodded shamefully and Obi-Wan shook his head with amusement. Cindo went to put the book into place and Obi-Wan felt something odd. Behind Cindo's façade he could sense a fear and an enormous amount of stress.

His expression dulled a bit. "I know what you're going through. Master Yoda told me."

Cindo stopped what he was doing, hung his head and closed his eyes. He wasn't willing to go through this again. Although he got a confidence boost from the ghost, he couldn't help but to stress over if he was ready or worthy of their final test. He was scared of failing.

"I can't do much about the ghosts but I can try to ease your mind. Do you want to hear a secret?" said Obi-Wan teasingly.

"What secret?" Cindo asked, this time full of intrigue.

"Well, I may have overheard a conversation between Master Yoda and Master Windu when I was entering Yoda's quarters. And if I heard correctly they mentioned a certain someone getting given a chance to go through the Padawan trials, if they successfully complete the gathering of course." Cindo's eyes lit up. He, a Padawan? Well of course he was old enough to be one, but he just never expected it to happen so soon after he would get his lightsabers.

"Really?" Cindo asked just to be sure.

"Really," Obi-Wan simply answered with a smile.

I know it's been way too long of a wait for a short chapter like this one. But I've been quite busy with school and I needed some way to set up the Gathering.

And I'll say right now that you shouldn't expect very frequent updates until around the 20th June, because of school. I'll try to get out a chapter every 1-2 weeks but I can't promise more unless I feel really motivated and write something good in a day or two. But after the 20th (and if my motivation to write this doesn't dwindle) I'll try to post at least a chapter per week.