NOTES: So I'm thinking Fayra needs to start growing stronger, afterall she is with a Mandalorian. The question is, will she be willing to fight for herself. let's find out.

Chapter 35 - Be Ready

Things stayed quiet for a while. Mando and Fayra went back to a comfortable routine. He was allowing her to do more on the ship. She supposed he now deemed her worthy enough after stopping that droid. However, Blue was still not allowed to touch the ship. She told him it was unfair. Mando did tolerate him a little more so Fayra saw it as a small battle won.

It had been a week, Fayra's wound felt much better. Her normal range of motion returned. After thinking through the events she was surprised the stunt she pulled didn't exhaust her to the point of unconsciousness. She was happy about that, it was nice to be able to use her powers without sleeping after. She was also happy that Mando didn't make good on his threat from breaking her promise.

Fayra was jerked awake when Mando came hurtling through her door.

"Wake up." He demanded, pounding on the wall next to her head.

"What?!" She shouted, frantically wiping her hair from her face. "What's wrong?!"

Mando he had already made his exit. She groggily followed. Were they being attacked? She wondered. Did he need help with something?

She found him in the cargo bay. As Fayra descended the ladder she had to blink many times so her eyes would adjust to the bright lights. The only time Mando had them on was when he trained. She peeked in on him every now and again, it was fascinating to watch him. But she was never brave enough to actually be down here when he practiced.

She stumbled. Mando leaned against the wall, his arms crossed in front of his chest. He took in her appearance as she made her way toward him. She was still half asleep. Her hair was a mess and her dress disheveled.

"What is it? What's wrong?" She repeated.

"Lesson one, be ready." He said. "This isn't ready." He looked her up and down as she scrunched her face in confusion.

"Lesson? Ready?" For what? What is this?"

"Ready to train."

"Train?" She began looking around. "Train what?" She rubbed her eyes, trying to refocus him.

"You said you wanted to learn how to fight, your lessons begin today."

"What!?" Her eyes went wide, "I never… oh, wait." She waved her hands frantically. "I was just trying to distract you from finding Blue."

He tilted his helmet to the side.

"I would have said anything. I wasn't serious. I'm going back to bed."

"The offer you made, that was a lie too, then."

Fayra whirled on him. "No! If it would have kept Blue alive I would have. It's the only thing I have to offer! The only thing that's mine!" How dare he, she thought, throwing that back in her face. The humiliation she felt was enough.

She turned to climb back up the ladder. Mando grabbed her from behind, pulling her against him and pinning her arms behind her back. A sharp pain pulled at her shoulders. She yelped.

"If you knew how to defend yourself, you wouldn't have had to." A knife glared in the light as it came into Fayra's view then to her neck.

"Now, you're dead." He said as the sharp tip stung her skin.

"Let go!" She shouted.

"Make me."

Fayra tried. She pushed and pulled. She tried kicking, but he didn't budge. Her arms began throbbing, not really from his grip but from her moving around. The lights began flickering.

"Is that all you're gonna do, blink the lights?"

The light bulbs in his training lights began bursting one by one.

"Fayra." He let her go. She brought her arms up, crossing them in front of her and gripped her throbbing shoulders. "Calm down and control it."

"I'm not doing it."

"You are, subconsciously."

She closed her eyes. She was angry, he mocked her and was forcing her to fight him. But he wasn't going to hurt her. She took a few breaths, after a moment the lights stopped.

He grabbed her again, putting her back in the same position.

"Manny!" She screamed. "Let go!"

"Make me. This time physically, not with your lights."

She struggled against him.

"I can't!" She said grunting and groaning. Her body went limp, leaning her head back against his shoulder.

"I give up, just kill me." She teased, then suddenly found herself hoping he knew she was joking.

Mando growled. "Look around, Fayra. What do you see?"

She was facing a blank wall that seriously needed a paint job. "Nothing."

"No, not nothing. Look again."

"A wall. I see a wall."

"Yes, now use it."

"Use it?"

He offered no explanation.

She thought for a moment, then lifted her legs and kicked off the wall sending both of the backward.

"Good." He said.

"Good? That didn't do anything. You still got me. "

"Not this time." He said pushing her back to their previous spot. "Do it again, this time force me to carry your weight. Don't put your feet down."

"Manny." She begged.

He didn't respond, only waited.

Fayra kicked the wall again, knocking them back once more. She didn't put her feet down, instead giving him all her weight to support.

Mando tumbled back letting Fayra fall to the floor.

She spun around and looked up at him. "You let go on purpose."

"It's a start." He extended his hand to her. She swiped it away and stood on her own.

"Again."

Fayra groaned.

Mando had Fayra repeat the same move over and over. Each time she landed on her backside. After some time Fayra wasn't sure how much more she could take.

"Again., was all he'd say.

"When will we be done?" She asked, on what she believed was the 50th time.

"When you stop complaining." He replied. She peered over her shoulder and glared at him. From that moment she didn't utter another sound. Mando made her do it 3 more times.

"Alright" He announced. "That's enough for today."

She made her way back to her room. She needed a shower after all that. She had no interest in fighting. She'd rather use her power, she thought. Perhaps he'll forget all about it tomorrow.

The next day Fayra was jarred awake again.

"Wake up." Mando announced.

Fayra groaned. "No, no." and she rolled over, covering her head. "Go away!" She heard Mando's footsteps fade. She said a silent thank you, he had actually listen to her. That was odd.

She groaned again when she heard him stop next to her cot.

"Manny I don't-!" Suddenly she was lifted in the air and hoisted over his shoulder.

"Manny!" she shrieked. "What are you doing?! Put me down."

Mando took her to the shower. She pushed against him and kicked, predicting what was about to happen.

"Manny! Don't you-"

"Lesson one, be ready."

"- dare!"

She screamed as he dropped her into the cold running water. She immediately jumped out. Now soaking wet and freezing.

"I hate you." She said.

"Get dressed, meet me below."

Fayra slowly walked back to her room. After dressing she sat back down on her cot wondering what he would do if she didn't go below. She decided it probably wasn't a good idea. Mando turned from his weapons cabinet and faced her.

"Good." He said.

She shivered. Still reeling from the ice cold water.

"Punch." he commanded.

"What? I can't do that." She declared. "I punch you, I'll break my hand on your armor."

He laughed, much like the same way he did when she was in his room.

It was annoying, "Did I say something funny?"

"You actually think you're going to hit me?"

Her face heated with anger at the insult. He threw her in cold water, now he's laughing at her... again.

She ran toward him, ready to strike. However, she didn't just throw a punch, Fayra jumped at him too. Mando blocked her punch, caught her twisting her around and slamming her to the floor. Before her head smashed into the ground he caught it in his hand. She opened her eyes. Mando crouched over her with her hands pinned to his side, he held a knife to her throat.

"You're dead." He declared, dragging Fayra back to her feet

She looked into his visor.

He sighed and pulled her to her feet. "That was -"

Before he could finish Fayra tried striking him again, thinking it would surprise him so soon after her first.

Again Mando blocked her punch, leaning back. He caught her arm and spun her around while grabbing the other, then locked them behind her back. Fayra found herself in the same hold she was in the day before.

She squirmed and kicked, but this time she was too far from the wall to push off it.

"Stop squirming. You're wasting energy." He demanded. "Hook your foot around my ankle."

Fayra refused. Perhaps if she did the opposite, she thought, he would get frustrated and leave her alone. Instead, she stomped on his foot. He grunted stepping back. She took the opportunity and pushed, slamming him against the wall.

For a moment Mando lost his grip on her arm. Whether he did it on purpose or not, she didn't care. Fayra jerked it from him, then slammed her elbow in his side. Or tried to, he blocked her. So she went to the other side and tried again, he blocked that too.

Fayra ran to the weapons cabinet and grabbed blindly at the tools on his table. She spun something around and barely connected with his chest. Mando knocked it back toward Fayra, but caught her wrist before it connected with her skin.

He advanced on her quickly. His movements became too fast for her to comprehend. To Fayra it was like a blur, she realized he had been toying with her earlier. pHe pushed her backward, hooking her ankle, pulling it out from under her.

Before Fayra could respond to any of his movements he had her pinned against the wall.

"Fayra, dropped the knife." He demanded.

She pushed against him.

"Fayra!" He shouted. "It has a poisoned tip, drop it."

Fayra's eyes widened in fear. She released it. It clattered to the ground. Mando stepped on it, stopping as it whirled across the floor. The room was silent except for their heavy breathing.

"Blindly grabbing a weapon is dangerous."

She smiled and shrugged, hoping it would annoy him. He released her. She burst off the wall punching with her right. He blocked. Then punched with her left. He blocked again.

"Fayra."

She tried again. This time he caught her hands, kicked her feet from underneath her, slamming her to the ground. He pressed a bit of his weight on top of her, rendering her immobile.

"Slow down." He commanded, his helmet just inches from her. "I can't teach you if you don't listen."

"I don't want to. I don't need to." She spat. "I'll use my abilities. "

Sighing, he shifted leaning back, bringing Fayra to a seated position.

"You might not want to, but you do need to." He said. "Think about the Niktos who took you, or the raider in the woods who took Winta. Toro. Even the man in the marketplace ready to cut off your hand. How about the Client? The doctor?"

Her eyes searched his helmet, when she found nothing she looked to the floor. "Yes, but you were there." She teased.

"I won't always be. If I'd been a moment later, in any of those situations..." He let his words trail off. Her eyes fell to the floor. Knowing he was right, she just didn't want to admit it to him.

"I'll make a deal with you…" He paused. "You allow me to train you, I'll take you to Valerious."

Her eyes literally lit up, her skin glowed lightly. She smiled from ear to ear. "Really? You mean it? The one with the waterfall, the big one?"

He nodded. But she squinted, eyeing him suspiciously. "When?" She asked, "before or after?"

"How about during." He stated.

Her smile returned.

"You also have to do what I tell you, no fighting me."

She snickered.

"You know what I mean."