The creature let out a cry of surprise and threw a small arm in front of his face, "Away put your weapon, I mean you no harm!" A pair of intelligent muddy brown eyes peeped out at us. "

Luke put his blaster reluctantly down.

"Jeeze little buddy," I responded when I'd gotten my breath back, "You almost scared us to death!"

"I am wondering." He said in the same gravelly voice, "Why are you here?"

Luke looked the little creature up and down with a bemused expression on his face, "We're looking for someone."

"Looking mmm?" he cocked his head on one side, "Found someone you have I would say hmm?"

I grinned, unable to stop myself. I'd laugh if this was the master Yoda we were after. Turns out the universe has a sense of humor.

"Right…" I can tell Luke's trying to hold back a smile.

We watched the little creature start to shuffle towards us, "Help you I can, yess!"

Skywalker shook his head, "I don't think so, we're looking for a great warrior."

"Ahh!" The green troll chuckled, "great warrior, wars not make one great!"

I shrugged, "I suppose it's true." The little visitor spotted Luke's ration bar, hobbled over and took a bite out of it.

"Put that down." Luke exclaimed, "HEY! That's my dinner!"

The green stranger quickly spat it out, "How you get so big eating food of this kind?"

"It has nutritional value." I supplied, rumpling my nose. "Doesn't mean it has to taste good."

But he wasn't paying attention. Our little guest had started rummaging in Luke's things, throwing them left and right.

Luke snatched an object out of his claws, "Hey you could have broken this!" He glanced at me, "Starling help me out here!"

I just laughed.

The creature continued to toss items aside, "Oh no, you're making a mess."

Yes, it would be hilarious if this was master Yoda. I watched as the green troll fought over a small lamp with Artoo.

He thwacked the little blue droid with his cane, "Mine! Mine!"

Luke sighed irritably, "Artoo let him have it." The creature wacked him some more, "Artoo!"

The little astromech tootled and let go of the lamp. The creature chuckled as he sauntered away with his spoils.

Luke's hands were on his hips, "Would you move on little fella, we've got a lot of work to do!"

"No, no no!" it exclaimed, "Stay and help you I will, find your friend."

I laughed, "Luke, the little guy wants company!"

"Not you too!" he rolled his eyes, "Look, we don't need your help, and we're not looking for a friend, we're looking for a Jedi master!"

Skywalker clearly thought the argument was won, but the creature's eyes lit with realization, "Oh! Jedi master! Yoda, you seek Yoda!"

Luke's demeanor changed. He squatted down so he was at eye level with the little troll. "You know him?"

He nodded slowly, "Mhh, take you to him I will." He cackled again, "But now we must eat! Come, good food! Come!"

Luke glanced at me: eyebrows raised. I shrugged.

"Artoo," ordered Luke, "Stay and watch over the camp.

…

The creature's hovel was small and cramped. Luke and I were forced to double over to avoid hitting our heads. It was obvious that our new found friend was not used to having company of our size around.

"Food have I made for hungry warriors!" he gurgled cheerfully, "Eat! Eat!"

Luke and I each took a small bowl of the stuff that was cooking in a small pot. I watched Skywalker take a taste; he rumpled his nose and returned some to the pot.

"Why wish you to become Jedi hm?" he asked.

I shrugged, "Well, I'm force sensitive, and my master taught me all I know about the ways of the force. I'd like to take it one step further and obtain my knighthood."

"Hm," he jabs his cane at Luke, "and you boy?"

"Mostly because of my father," countered Luke.

A reminiscent light appeared in the creature's eyes, "Ahh! Father, powerful Jedi was he, powerful Jedi!"

I shook my head, so this was Yoda. I knew it!

I could tell Luke was losing what little patience he had, "Oh come on! How could you know my father? You don't even know who I am!" He set the bowl down harder than he intended to, "I don't even know what we're doing here, we're wasting our time!"

"Luke!" I scolded, laying a hand on his knee. "I'm sorry; my friend here hasn't learned how to be patient yet." Luke scowled at me.

"I cannot teach them," Yoda sighed, shaking his head, "Patience neither of them have."

We heard an unseen voice, Luke's old master, "They will learn patience!"

"Much anger do I sense," he answered, "much anger in them both."

"Was I any different when you taught me?"

Yoda shook his head again, "They are not ready."

"Ben?" Luke sounded determined, "I am ready! I can be a Jedi. Ben, tell him I'm read-" he tried to sit up too soon and bashed his head on the ceiling. I watched him rub ruefully at the back of his head.

"Ready are you?" He looked at us, "What know you of ready? Hmm? For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own council will I keep on who must be trained." Yoda jabbed his cane at us, "Reckless you both are. A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. These two, a long time have I watched. Greedy for excitement, adventure they are, always looking to the future, the horizons. Never is their mind on where they are." He waved his cane at us again, "What they were doing." He meandered in another direction, "Adventure Heh! Excitement heh! The Jedi do not crave the things you crave."

"But we can change master—"

Yoda stopped me with an upraised claw, "Call me not master girl! Your master I am not!

I slumped down, defeated, "I've tried so hard for this! Please, give us a chance."

"We've learned so much!" Luke agreed.

"Will they finish what they begin?" Yoda looked off in the direction of Kenobi's voice.

"We won't fail you." Luke said, "I'm not afraid."

Yoda nodded solemnly, "You will be, you will be."

…

That night we ended up staying in Yoda's hut on the floor. It was cramped in there, but we would have to walk a whole half mile in the pouring rain to get to or camp. As a result, Luke had ended up huddled uncomfortably together.

When I woke up, I found myself burrowed against him. He's asleep. I risk a look at him, and I catch my breath. He looks so young, so peaceful so…vulnerable, yes, he looks almost vulnerable. Open, easy to hurt, but still totally relaxed, like he wasn't afraid.

I heard him mumble something in his sleep, "But Uncle Owen, I didn't hide the wrench."

He sounded confused, scared, childlike. "Luke?"

"I didn't!" he moaned, "It was just there!"

I shook him gently, "Luke, you're having a bad dream."

"I don't know!" he shakes his head, "I don't know! I didn't take it I swear!"

"Luke!" I shook him harder. His eyes snapped open.

"Huh? Wa?" he blinked sluggishly at me. "Sorry, bad dream."

"Did he hurt you?" I ask, "Your uncle?"

"No!" he exclaimed, "He was angry…and scared. I didn't know why at the time. He didn't hurt me though."

"Ahh!" it was Yoda, "Awake you are I see! Mhh, much work do we have today, much work."

He hobbled out of the small shelter, beckoning for us to follow.

…

"Aww! Skywalker you stink!" I tried to plug my nose as I ran.

Luke responds in an annoyed voice, "Not much I can do about that! Does it look like there's a shower, or someplace to wash around here? I mean you don't exactly smell like roses either!"

I tried to glare at him, but it's no use. I can see all those lovely muscles rippling in his arms and chest as he runs. I slow down to get an appreciative look at his backside.

"Enjoying the scenery?" asked Luke in an amused voice.

I blush furiously and speed up so I'm beside him, "No, I'm not, I'm trying to stay upwind from you, stinky boy."

He rolls his eyes, "Well, you're going the wrong way. What exactly where you doing back there?"

"That's none of your, WOA!" My foot snagged on a root and I started to go down. Luke attempted to catch me, but my momentum pulled us both down. I'm lying on my back. I blinked slowly, trying to get rid of the fuzzy feeling in my head. Then I realized that Luke was on top of me looking just as stunned as I probably did. "Luke, are you?"

He has a curious expression on his face. "I-" he shakes himself, "Sorry, are you okay?"

He starts to get off me. "I'm fine." I grab his arm and start to lean up towards him, "Just fine."

"Up you must get!" It's clear that Yoda has been watching us, "More training do you have!"

It's been a good three weeks since I had a good, decent wash. That's how long we've been here so far. Yoda's been training us hard, from making us run, to standing on our heads lifting rocks, to having me start on my first lightsaber. The casing's almost finished, but I still have yet to figure out how to put the crystals inside it correctly.

"More must you run today!"

…

Three days later, I had finished my lightsaber's outer shell, and was ready for my crystals. I sat cross-legged in front of Yoda, who held out a small bag.

My eyes are closed, "Yess, let the Force flow through you!"

I relax into the ever-present ebb and flow that is the Force. Breathe in, breathe out. I sense the stone within the bag, the crystal that must go with my lightsaber. Drawing from the Force, I feel it lift into the air as the case leaves my hands. It floats above me as I feel the parts fall into their proper place, the crystal last of all. I feel the weight of my new weapon press into my hands, my eyes open.

"Mmmh!" Yoda nods, "Ignite it you must, to see if complete it is."

I flip the switch, it flickers violet for a moment and then fizzles out, "Uhg!"

"Again, again!" urges Yoda, "Give up you must not, young one. Expected to get it on the first time I did not."

I sighed, "I'm trying master, but I can't get it right."

"Try you must not!" He poked my arm, "Do."

"Master, what more can I do?" I cried, "If I try and I fail, then I just have to try again!"

"Defeating yourself you our, young Ivy," he said, "Let failure enter into your thoughts you must not!"

I slammed the lightsaber down, "I fail okay! I'm not perfect I can't do this!"

He nodded, "Then failed you already have. Say not that you can't. The force flows within us all, let it guide you you should. Trying to control it you are, let go you must. Again."

I sighed frustrated, but I relaxed and sank once again into the Force. I can feel its gentle tug, and I follow. I feel it fill me, my entire being, a power like I've never known, that can be used for either good or evil if I should let it. I don't have any sensation anymore, I'm floating, and yet I can sense life all around me. Luke, still running in the distance, Yoda, old and wise in front of me, and far off I think I can perceive like a candle burning Aya. Something seems wrong; I think I can faintly detect Han and Leia nearby. But suddenly I hear Yoda's voice call me back.

"Sensed something did you?" He asked. The lightsaber is back in my hands; vaguely I remember it leaving them.

"Did I do it this time?"

The tiny master gestures with a claw, "Ignite it again you must."

This time with a snap-hiss, the blade appears a solid and true purple. "I did it! I actually did it!"

"Mmh, give up you did not!" he said. "Well you have done!"

I was shocked, he almost never gave us praise, "It was nothing master, you pushed me."

"But allowed me to push you you did." He sighed, "Suspect I do that with Skywalker the same it will not be."

…

And so for so many weeks I lost count, we ran. At first our muscles ached, and by the time we got back to camp we would be exhausted, but as time went on, both of us grew stronger. Both physically and within the Force.

And so it was that we came in contact with the cave of the Dark Side.

Good day, I seem to have finished this early, maybe I should make a habit of this, anyway, after having two weeks for the last chapter, I have decided to post this early as well. I didn't expect to be done this quickly, but I was in a writing mood, and I had so many ideas that I didn't even realize I had already written this much without being close to a stopping point. But this is one of my favorite chapters to write thus far. Also Thank goodness for spell check, because otherwise I'd be screwed, I can't spell worth crap.