CHAPTER 14

PRACTICE

Master Yoda decided to discuss a few things with Masters Shaak Ti and Kit Fisto. He wanted them to tell him what he had figured out to make a confirmation. The two Master's seemed nervous as Yoda paced back and forth in front of them. "Know something about young Stephanie both if you do," he said looking up at them.

The two Jedi looked at each other a minute then Shaak said. "Yes, we do."

Now to get my confirmation. "What is it?"
"The girl told us she was from Earth," Kit replied.

So, from Earth she isYoda thought satisfied. "Hmmm..."

"Master," Shaak Ti said.

Yoda looked at her again.

"Why is this imformation so important?"
Yoda figured it wouldn't hurt to tell them his fears. "In trouble she might be."

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed jumping back as one of Grievous' lightsabers came down at me.

"GIRL!" the General yelled. "You're not suppost to run from me! You're suppost to try and block it!"

"Oops." I said embarrest. "Sorry."

"Now," he said stepping back so I had some room to stand again. "Let's go over this again."

I went into a fighters stance. "Ready."

"Okay. Begin."

I came at him.

Far off on the sidelines Count Dooku was watching us fight. He wasn't very happy about it. Why use two blades? he asked himself. Dooku hates it when people use more than one lightsaber to fight. He thinks it ruins the grace of fighting or something like that.

"So you found her after all," said a voice behind him.

Dooku looked over his shoulder. "What are you doing here, Asajj?" he asked all grumpy.

Bald woman Asajj Ventress came out of the shadows. "I've been looking for you," she said folding her arms. "And that girl!" she nodded her head toward the sparring platform. "How did you find her?"

"Grievous says she came right onto his ship," the old man replied. "The girl also confirms that story by saying she had wanted to see the General."

Ventress was surprised. "See General Grievous?" she asked throwing a disgusted look at the cyborg who was coming down on me again. "Why would she want to? Does she know him?"

Dooku shook his head. "I don't see how she could," he replied. "He's been changed so much since then that not even his own family would recognize him."

"Is she part of his family somehow?" as the clueless Asajj who probably never saw a Kaleesh in her life. (Except Grievous but he's been altered beyond recognition!)

"No," the Count said immediatly. "There is not way she could be."

"Adoption?"

"No way! Cut that out... then again it could be just that... of course I've never seen her there..."

"Hmm," the woman mused turning her attention on the fight. "She's average in the Force, I can feel that much. But she doesn't use it much when she fights. Doesn't she know how?" (She changed the subject which is probably a common traite for her)

Back on the sparring platform thing I was actually getting better. I was able to defend and retaliate more and more of Grievous' attacks. It made me happy somehow. I had met the General and befriended him too! Now he was teaching me to fight! And to make things even better he was being nice to me. (Aside from a few choice insults here and there). He was acting almost like a nice Jedi Master... But I wonder... is he just teaching me to fight better so he can have a challenge when he tries to kill me?

I hope not! I thought as I fought. I woundn't want that! Not from him. But... I couldn't put it past him. I'd better be on my guard.. I saw Grievous swing down at my head. I panicked. Oh my God! He wants to kill me!

Instantly I ducked under his legs.

"WILL YOU STOP DOING THAT?" he yelled at me.

"Well if you didn't try to split me down the middle every chance you got I wouldn't have to!" I shouted at him from behind his back.

Grievous turned to face me. "I wasn't!" he protested.

"Then what were you doing?"

"Seeing if you would try to block it!"

"And if I was unable to?" I wanted to know.

He paused. He thought it over a second then said. "You'd be out of luck."

"Look, Griev," I said folding my arms. "I am not a Magna Guard. I can't block that fast. Could you try to slow down your servos or whatever they are called so we are evenly matched."

"If I did that I would be as slow as an old woman."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you callimg me an old woman?"

"You said it not me."

I was instantly mad. "Well you're a... you're a... spider face!" it was the first thing that came to my mind.

The cyborg cocked his head. "Spider face?" he asked his golden eyes sparkling with amusement. "Is that the best thing you could think of?"

I growled. "Baka," I said under my breath.

His arms hung loosely at his sides. "Do you want to stop?" he asked.

"No!" I replied.

"Are you sure?" he wanted to know. "You look tired."

"I'm not tired," I imformed him raising my blades again. "Let's just do this!"

"Okay."

He came at me again.

Dooku shook his head. "He's being too easy on her."

"Who?" Asajj asked. "Grievous?"

The Count nodded.

"Well that's his business," she told him. "If he wants to go easy on her let him."

Dooku shook his head. "She'll never learn that way," he said all knowing. "If he makes a habit of pausing that much while they are fighting she'll come to expect that when she fights someone else."

Asajj wasn't sure. She pulled something out of her cloak. "Have you seen this?" she asked shaking it in front of his face.

Dooku eyed it warily. "What is it?" he asked taking it out of her hand.

"Something that might make you change your philosophy on that girl."

Dooku eyed the object. It was a compact holoprojector. Curious about the contents he turned it on. A small detailed image showed me laying a number on the battle droid army on Sydrun greeted him. As he watched he said flatly. "She's using Ataro."

"Ataro?"

"The same fighting style as Master Yoda's."

"Oh."

He glanced over at me. He watched me for a moment then said. "Now she's using Djem Su." (Anakin's agressive fighting style)

"Form Five?"

"Yes," he said. "How is she able to change so quickly?" he pointed as I did a real graceful move. "Now she's using Makashi! That's my style!"

"Interesting."

"I wonder if Grievous is teaching her that."

"Do you want me to test her?" Asajj asked. She sounded like she wanted to do it badly.

"When Grievous is done."

I fought until I was a panting, sweating, out of breath mess. "Okay no more!" I said to Grievous as I stopped to catch my breath. "If I fight anymore I'm going to faint."

Grievous looked like he wanted to fight some more but didn't push it. I guess he noticed how low in stamina I am (I may be thin as a rail but I don't ever work out. I am so out of shape!). "Okay," he agreed, nodding. "We'll do some more later."

"A lot later," I said sitting down on the floor. I deactivated my lightsabers and clipped them onto my belt. "I just want to breathe for awhile."

"Okay."

"Thank you," I said leaning my head back and staring at the ceiling. "I'm hungry"

I hadn't realized it till then. I was indeed hungry. My stomach growled like a rabid dog. "Do you have any food?" I asked him.

A huge sweatdrop appeared on his forehead. "Uh..."

"What?" I asked raising an eyedrow.

"I... I have no reason to eat..." he stammered.

My eyebrow went higher. "Don't tell me," I said trying to remain calm. "you don't have any food."

He nodded.

5... 4... 3... 2... 1. POW!

I lost it. "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!" I shouted. "WHAT AM I GOING TO DO NOW? I NEED FOOD! IF I DON'T EAT I'M GOING TO BE SICK!" I glanced at my backpack. "Maybe I have something in there." I headed over to it.

Just as I reached down to pick it up it flew away from me as if it were being pulled by an invisable string. "Hey!" I shouted.

The thing seemed to jump up and down tauntingly for a moment. I jumped at it again and it bounced away.

"Stupid back pack!" I growled chasing it. "Get back here!"

The thing still avoided me.

I chased it for a few minutes then dived at it. I landed on top of it before it got away again. "HAHA!" I laughed. "I gotcha!"

"That's not the only thing you got." said a voice above me.

"Huh?" I looked up. I saw Count Dooku and Asajj Ventress looking down at me.

"Hello," I said standing up and holding my backpack in my arms so it wouldn't get away again. "What do you mean this isn't the only thing I got?"
Asajj walked toward me. "You get a chance," she said pulling out her red lightsabers and activating them. "To fight me!'

A/N

That was longer than I thought. The chapter I mean. Anyway the thing with the Jedi fighting styles is this; I have no idea how any of them go because Star Wars lightsaber fights always take up a small amount of time. When I fight I just use random moves and kinda shift between styles. It's very complicated. I should create a new style. I'll call it.. Randomy. Heh. Well that's all I have to say. If you liked the chapter let me know I appreciate the reviews. Oh and sorry for an spelling or grammer errors.