In the next morning at 0800

Jedova was surprised to find seemingly grumpy his apprentice at the table of the common room, reading something from her datapad – at least probably she was reading instead of just glaring at it. Arya looked up to him when she saw him enter the room, revealing the dark circles under her eyes. Her expression softened a little, but not enough to change completely.
"Good morning, Padawan," Jedova greeted.
"Good morning, Master," Arya replied. There was no annoyance in her voice so Jedova wondered if she looked grumpy just because of her dark circles.
"How are you?" he asked.
"My body's rhythm is completely messed up, but otherwise there's nothing I could complain about." Arya made a smile which made her look even creepier than when she seemed to be glaring.
Jedova reminded himself that he had seen much worse during his life and forced himself to not shudder or look away. He just nodded instead. "Have you meditated yet?"
"Not in the morning; I figured I could wait until you'd get up so that we could meditate together. I've spent some hours catching up on things since I couldn't sleep for most of the night," Arya told. "I look terrible, don't I?"
"Now that you ask, those dark circles under your eyes do make you look a scary," Jedova admitted.
Arya nodded without taking any offense from the honest words. "I thought so."

They walked to the middle of the common room together in a friendly silence and knelt to the floor, opening themselves up to the Force. They were still getting used to each other's presence, but Jedova knew well that what had happened last night had made their bond stronger and most likely also more durable. He knew that there was one thing he had to leave to do alone and, because of that, leave Arya behind to the Temple, but he had to be sure that it would not cause fatal damage to their bond at this early point.

As he meditated on it, he came to the decision to stay for two days, then leave. He hoped that Arya would understand and not make the departure difficult.

With that, he ended his meditation and stood up, leaving Arya to continue. It seemed that the girl needed to take more time this time. Although, the Jedi Master did not blame her; after what had happened in less than a week, it was just appropriate that she took time with meditation. In the meantime, Jedova could drink tea.

Just when the tea was ready, Arya got up from the floor.
"Do you want tea, Padawan?" Jedova asked. "I should have another cup here, given that Degu hasn't decided to smuggle it out. He became quite fond of it, or so it seemed to me!" He laughed.
"Well, I've never really drank tea, but I guess I can get used to it." Arya grinned. Jedova could not understand how such an innocent grin could look so malicious to him just because of the dark circles. Ignoring those thoughts, he made his way to the cupboard, finding the cup he had kept just in case he would either have a Padawan who liked to drink tea – or forced themselves to drink it – or should his own cup fall and break. He poured the tea to the two cups, brought them to the table and pushed the other one to Arya.
"Thanks, Master," the girl thanked. She did not rush with drinking her tea, enjoying it instead – or at least it looked like she enjoyed it.
"Well? Do you think I can turn you into a tea-drinker?" the Jedi Master asked with a grin.
"I think you just did. This is much better than the tea in the dining hall," Arya remarked. Jedova burst into laughter. "That is why I have my own stash! The Sencha tea beats whatever excuse of a tea they serve here for everyone, which is essentially both why every Jedi who drinks tea gets their own stashes of a tea of their choice and don't drink in the dining hall, which results in that no one drinks it and thus no one cares about the tea there. It's linked together."
"Like a circle," Arya said.
"A circle, yes, one which could be broken if we were forbidden of having our own tea stashes and forced to complain to make a change," Jedova said. "Given that people would neither give up drinking tea nor keep their own stashes in secret."
"Or go to drink tea outside of the Temple," Arya added.
"Indeed," Jedova said. Then he chuckled. "Oh Padawan, just imagine if the High Council suddenly decided to ban the personal tea stashes and started to keep a careful eye on the people drinking tea. Quarters being inspected irregularly, the Jedi with enough skills on seeing the future hiding those stashes, and questions about drinking tea when giving the report after a mission."

Arya's amused snort caused her to inhale some of the tea and she started to cough.
"That would be crazy. But not really good for privacy although it's respected here," she noted after she had stopped coughing. "They couldn't just say they respect privacy and then inspect everyone's quarters just in case someone has gotten their own secret tea stash."
"It would be hypocritical," Jedova remarked. "They'd have to give up respect for privacy at the risk of scaring non-Jedi, which would not be good for our duty."
"Then let's be happy that there is no problem about tea here!" Arya giggled.
"Yes," Jedova sighed. "The world would be even more twisted than it already is if the Jedi High Council had something against the Jedi having drinking whatever tea they happen to buy for themselves."
"Twisted?" Arya repeated.
"You can't even imagine what kinds of things one can see in the galaxy." Jedova shook his head. "There are those things I wish I wouldn't have seen. A lot of them..."

For a moment, he stared at his cup silently without his eyes focusing on anything. Arya did not find any words; it seemed to be better to let the suddenly solemn Jedi Master ponder. Then Jedova seemed to remember the surroundings and said, "What would you say if we took a small spar after breakfast? Getting used to your new lightsaber would be useful and I'd like to know a bit better your combat skills."
"Sure," Arya replied, "as long as you don't beat me up very hard!"
Jedova smiled and drank the last of his tea. "Don't worry. I'll go easy on you."
"Thanks, Master," Arya emptied the cup with one gulp and carefully put the cup back to the table.
Just how can Padawans do that? Jedova wondered as he recalled how quickly Degu had drunk the Vair Shiro drink on Ec Pandis seven years ago. "Shall we go before our stomachs start to complain?"
Arya smirked at that. "I'm not really hungry, but sure."

About half an hour later at the dojo

"Like I said, I'll go easy on you," Jedova said as he raised his lightsaber to a salute, Arya doing the same. As if at the same call sign, they ignited their lightsabers, Jedova making the first move: he dashed at Arya, who took a jump to his side when he was close enough, attempting to strike at his side or back. Jedova twisted himself to block the low-powered blade. Arya waited for her Master to attack again; especially after the lightsaber match with that Besalisk at the Exhibition Day she knew better than to attack an opponent far bigger and stronger than herself straight. She had to use her cunning again.

Jedova stopped and gave her the small sign to come at him. Arya knew that it was a trap but she decided to spring it and see how much strength Jedova was going to use when the lightsaber blades would meet. She took a few steps, keeping her guard up. She knew she would be fully blocked if she ran at him.
"Well you sure are taking your time," Jedova taunted with a grin.
"I ran straight at my opponent once with my lightsaber in this position once and got blocked. It hurt," Arya told.
"Really? What happened?"
"Let's just say that it was comparable to running at a wall at the same position. Except that it mostly hurt only where the lightsaber happened hit; it left a nice mark on my face." Arya grimaced. Jedova nodded in understanding. Then he took a step forward, waiting for an opening in case Arya was going to choose that moment to attack. They took small, daring steps towards each other with their lightsabers up. Arya noticed that they were circling each other as they came closer and closer.

Then they were at the range. Jedova moved first but Arya reacted quickly. Their mutual silence turned into the crackling of the lightsaber lock. Arya noticed how Jedova tested how much strength her arms could take. It was subtle, almost unnoticeable.

But only almost.

Arya deactivated her lightsaber, ducked under the purple blade and sprung at the Jedi Master. In a fraction of a second, Jedova recalled her using a similar trick against the Besalisk in the Exhibition Day and jumped right where Arya could not swing her reactivated lightsaber to while it was in her left hand.

Jedova knew that by the time she could be back in the range, he had already delivered his own blow to its target – Arya's back, as she went past him – many crucial seconds ago.

It happened in a fleeting second as Arya looked to the direction she was going to: Jedova suddenly disappeared to her right and then she felt the lightsaber burn her back. The one-second disorientation ensured that she fell right on her chest without any possibilities of softening her fall. All the air escaped her lungs at the impact.

All of that had happened in just two or three seconds. As she took air back to her lungs, Jedova deactivated his lightsaber and walked to her.
"One piece of advice: Never use a similar trick on someone who has seen a variation of it used by you," the Jedi Master said.
"Yes, Master," Arya croaked and forced herself get up even though she felt dizzy. Jedova took her arm to keep her steady.
"At least you did not attack or intercept my attacks straight," Jedova noted.
"I've had enough hands-on experience on the results of doing so to look for a better option that get my lightsaber at my face when I can't block the force my blade meets," Arya said.
"A more cunning option, that is," Jedova gave a laugh.
"Strategy and skill are better than brute force. If I was skillful and cunning enough, I could have beaten your strength," Arya noted.
"Not if I would have used my own skills and strategy to overcome yours," Jedova reminded.
"That's a different case," Arya said.

"Oi! Arya!" a male voice called the Padawan. Arya turned to look at the source of the shout and saw Qui-Gon near one of the walls of the chamber.
"If your Master doesn't beat you up too badly, could you have a match with me?" the boy asked. "It seems that you look bad already, so at least from the point of view of appearance any beat-up shouldn't make you look worse!"
"Sure! I actually needed to hear that, y'know!" Arya shouted back and turned to look at Jedova.
"I wouldn't mind watching a match between you and someone who is closer to you in skill and size," the man told. "I mean I guess I am a gundark when compared to you!"
Arya's smile widened and she turned to look back at Qui-Gon, who understood and started to walk to them.
"Great! I hope you aren't going to beat me up right away!" the boy said.
"Don't worry, pal. I'll give you a few minutes." Arya smirked.

Jedova walked away to give them space to spar. A Jedi Master with brownish short hair joined him.
"Master Wang," the man greeted with a calm nod.
"Master Dooku," Jedova responded.
"And here I thought you just finished training one Padawan, yet you have already chosen one as... old as Arya Deinden," Dooku said. "I do not mean that she has not shown great potential; I have not gone without noticing how much she showed it, but even after all of that she was not chosen before you decided to do it."
"There seems to be a few things which make the potential Masters worried, but I am willing to put them aside and help her realize that potential," Jedova noted.

Master Dooku said nothing after that as the two Padawans ignited their lightsabers. Qui-Gon's eyes glimmered in surprise and glee as he saw the gray blade.
"So that's why you suddenly went into hiding for days after you returned from Bimmisaari!" he said.
"Yup!" Arya grinned and took the first move; she sprung at Qui-Gon, stopping at the range of the lightsaber. She decided to prod her friend's defense to see if there was a gap she could use. She did not wish to end the spar too soon – she enjoyed sparring with her friends a lot, after all – but she knew it was fairly good strategy at least until her opponent would act and bring her on the defensive.

She picked her places randomly and without any seeming pattern. When she struck towards Qui-Gon's left shoulder – she knew he was right-handed just like he knew she was left-handed – and got blocked, she could suddenly drop her saber down towards his knee but then twist her wrists to go at his back instead as she moved to right. However, on the other hand, Qui-Gon had been training using both of his hands more and his lopsidedness was thus a far lesser weakness than that of Arya, who found herself half-blocking, half-jumping away from the sudden Makashi jabs Qui-Gon had started to make randomly whenever his Master was watching him spar.

A block as a jab came towards the right knee. Arya was about to raise her lightsaber for a retaliation to that bold attempt to hit her, but suddenly Qui-Gon launched himself to the air, doing a somersault over her head, and landed behind her. Arya took a dash away from him as he was in the air and took a fast look around her surroundings, determining where it would be the best to corner her opponent.

She had to admit to herself that it had been some time since the last time she had sparred with Qui-Gon, and she was furious to see that her usual ability to react to the sudden acrobatic Ataru maneuvers Qui-Gon favored in fighting had decreased.

After being proud of that ability which had developed with the time she spent seeing and confronting Qui-Gon's sudden somersaults and other Ataru tricks, especially ones she did not manage to do – yet – seeing it go down was almost as provoking as if Qui-Gon – or whoever she was sparring with, as a matter of fact – had just mocked her.

No anger, Arya. No anger. It just makes Qui-Gon's job of beating you easier.

Taking a deep breath, Arya went to intercept the approaching Qui-Gon. Their blades locked together, their faces close to them.
"Master wants me to start using Makashi more. I'm not really interested," Qui-Gon gasped so quietly that no one else than the two Padawans could hear him over the crackle of the lightsaber lock.
"Well of course not, because you beanpole have to jump all around like the remote I accidentally sent flying all around the room when we were six," Arya noted with the same quiet volume. Now that she was this close to Qui-Gon, she could not help wondering if the boy had grown a few centimeters more during the time she had been in deep meditation; their height difference seemed to increase bit by bit every day.
"Admit it, it was no accident." Qui-Gon smirked.
"I'd rather face the Hellfire than admit something like that, even if it wasn't an accident," Arya murmured.
"With that attitude you will be an amazing Jedi when you grow up," Qui-Gon teased. "Everyone will be amazed by how you still can be as sassy and hell-bent as you were in your adolescence."

He gave a short push against Arya to shake her balance a bit, backed away two steps, then swung his lightsaber towards her side only to be blocked again.
"Ever wondered where that sass comes from?" Arya inquired.
"Airka," Qui-Gon said immediately. Arya raised her left eyebrow, as if to prompt him to continue. "And me?"
"Bingo." Arya grinned and made her move, first away from Qui-Gon, then back to him while slightly curving to his left side. Qui-Gon raised his lightsaber to "impale" the girl if she would not stop soon enough. Such a thing would not have actually happened, though, because the blade was set on such a low power, and they both knew it.

Arya took a sudden Force-aided jump over the blade, earning astonished gaping from Qui-Gon, turned in the air to have her gray blade meet the green blade right before she landed on her feet. Qui-Gon felt the power of the landing in his shoulders through the lightsaber lock. He noticed that Arya's grip was different now; instead of having her right hand's fingers wrapped around her lightsaber clockwise, they suddenly were counterclockwise just like the fingers of her left hand. Arya moved herself to be in front of him, and as the force that came to test his arms got stronger, he realized that Arya was using her lightsaber as lever to lower his lightsaber.

He tried to move his lightsaber away from the gray blade, but it only made Arya's attempts easier to be fulfilled. He knew that if he deactivated his lightsaber, he was as good as dead. He tried to fight against the levering, but he was forced to admit that it only wasted his strength. He could only offer resistance as the blade went towards the floor almost as fast as the sweat drops did.

Arya managed to force Qui-Gon's blade to meet the floor. Then she started to carefully move towards him to give the first and final hit. Then she slipped on the sweat that had dripped from them both onto the floor. That was when Qui-Gon took his chance: he swung his blade at the girl's ankle quickly, risking getting hit first as he gave up his defense.

Arya felt the heat of the blade sting her ankle, so she deactivated her lightsaber. Qui-Gon did the same. Neither of them had noticed earlier how much they were panting. The amount of sweat drops running down their faces surprised them too.

They bowed to each other almost dizzily. The exhaustion was now catching up to them.
"Nice to get a really good spar first time in a while. Thanks," Arya sighed.
"Anytime," Qui-Gon said. "You have been improving, haven't you?"
"Whenever there has been a youngling to beat," Arya quipped with a smirk. Qui-Gon sighed, using whatever was left of his strength to bring a small grin to his face. Then he sensed his Master calling him. He turned to look at Master Dooku and walked over to him. Arya walked to Jedova to hear what the Jedi Master thought about what he had just seen.

Master Dooku started to give a small lecture about the Makashi moves Qui-Gon had used and his Padawan listened, but Jedova did not feel like analyzing everything aloud right away.
"That last move of yours, when you used your lightsaber as a lever, was a very risky one," he noted to Arya, who just replied breathlessly, "I know."
"If you ever get into a situation in which you could use it, you need to look for a better, a safer, option."
"I know. It's just that... I've been... well... bored."
"Bored?" Jedova's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"I stumbled upon that move in the Archives a good while ago and decided to try it out. If I can make it work, it could be a good move," Arya explained. She seemed almost defensive about it.
"You know, you could have chosen to practice an actual form of lightsaber combat, like Makashi, Soresu or Niman," the Master noted, doing whatever he could to not sound blaming.
"Back then my Shii-Cho training was still so incomplete that I wasn't allowed anywhere near other forms' classes," Arya told.
"Well, in that case instead of lightsaber training you could have concentrated on many other things," Jedova noted.
"It's too late now." Arya shrugged. "It cannot be changed. We can only do what we can to make up for the past mistakes, right?"
Jedova sighed. "That's true."

He did not notice it before he had already ended, but he started to analyze Arya's actions aloud nevertheless, sharing the tips and knowledge which had been passed on to him during the decades he had been a Jedi. Arya listened intently just like she had when she had been only five years old and he had told stories from his life. Only this time the girl was bigger, far more exhausted and so sweaty that it was almost a miracle that she did not leave sweaty traces in her wake after he dismissed her so that she could get a shower.

As Jedova left the dojo, he met Phayeth. He knew that the High Council was keeping a disturbingly sharp eye on him and Arya.
"What is it, Phayeth?" he asked. He did not want to start an argument with his best friend, but the Council was snooping on him and his relationship to his newest Padawan was slowly starting to irritate him a bit too much.
"I was just wondering if you have already chosen the birthday gift for your apprentice. You know she'll be 13 in less than two months," Phayeth noted as if in passing.
Jedova saw through it. "That is actually why I wanted to find you. I'll leave alone in privacy to get something for her in two days. I don't want to tell her where, but just in case something goes wrong as is the custom, I want you to know that I left on Kiros. I'm going to tell Arya to come looking for you if she doesn't hear anything from me after a week from my departure. That's when you need to worry."
Phayeth was visibly caught off-guard by this revelation. "Oh, well, that's good." He could not help remarking that his friend's destination was Arya's home planet. "Do you know what you're going to get?"
"Not yet, but I trust that the Force will guide me to it," Jedova noted. He started to walk past Phayeth, but then he suddenly stopped, put his hand on his tad shorter friend's shoulder and leaned to whisper to his ear. "Oh, and one more thing: I would appreciate if you councilors did not snoop on what's going on between me and Arya. It's quite insulting, and if I happen to hear that you've been questioning Arya while I'm gone, I won't ignore things anymore. I will take a stand. Because as long as there is no big, havoc-causing issue, it is none on your business. Just so you know."

Then he walked away, ignoring the astonished gaze of his friend. He had given his fair warning and he knew that Phayeth would pass his message on to the rest of the High Council.

/Star Wars (c) Lucasfilm, any characters you cannot find on Wookieepedia, Veledos, Veledosians and their language (c) Me/