CHAPTER 2
The Force Explained(AKA Arrancar of a different sort)
"Ya got that right! Where the hell have you three been? One minute I'm chasing snowy there down to try and ask him to get off my case in exchange for info, the next I end up in a desert and find this guy, and then you three decide, "Hey, let's ruin paradise for hollows who actually WANT to be left the fuck alone! Oh and Luke! Han wanted to know if you got the holo-thingamajiggie." Olivia's voice said, coming from the coms as a holo image of Olivia appeared on the dashboard.
"Arrancar!" three simultaneous voices shouted.
"Cool your jets! I ain't the one in charge of this war even if I damn well should be. Besides, I certainly don't feel like becoming extinct." Olivia said in response. "Anyway's, Luke, sending you the coordinates! sorry for last week!"
"What did she mean by that?" Ichigo asked.
"Oh, she sent me the wrong coordinates last week. Wasn't a big deal." Luke shrugged as they soon came out of hyperspace above Yavin 4.
They entered the atmosphere and soared above the forests of the moon's surface, the planet Yavin itself was a gas giant so in the Imperial days the Rebel base had been housed in the ancient temple on Yavin 4.
The temple now was the site of the temple of the New Jedi Order, of which Luke was Grand Master, a title once held by Master Yoda himself on the Jedi council Luke would come to find out.
As they landed in the hangar bay of the temple, Luke walked out into the hangar bay alongside R2-D2.
On a large stone plaque embedded on the wall before one entered the temple itself, the trio saw scrawled in glowing yellow letters:
"Um… what does that strange language say?" Rukia asked, none of them having ever studied galactic basic before.
"The Jedi Code: The guiding principles that form the core of the Jedi Order."
"There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force."
"Cryptic. What's the Force?" Toshiro muttered, causing a few young padawans nearby who were eating to spit out their food, and one of them to do a spit take.
Luke smiled at Toshiro slightly as he explained. "The Force is why I was able to do all those things back there, it's how a Jedi gets his or her power. It's an energy field that is created by life itself and exists throughout the galaxy in literally everything. Here at the temple we teach children who have potential to become a Jedi Knight through force sensitivity to hone their abilities and use them to protect those who cannot protect themselves throughout the worlds."
"Just what I need." Toshiro muttered. "Another Shunsui."
Rukia laughed "At least Luke isn't always drunk…" She turned to Luke "Right?"
Ichigo scowled, his mind focused on another matter. "Your blade. how does it keep it's form… is there a way for us to stand against a weapon like that with our own?" he then pulled Zangetsu off of his back, and the "Oversized carving knife" was revealed to take it's physical form of an old man with strangely smokey tattered clothing. "We aren't normal weapons, as I'm sure you've realized. I do not show myself to many. you should be honored. However, those blades of yours… my wielder brings a very valid point to light. One which I do not believe he realizes the gravity of." Zangetsu said as they walked into the temple's inner sanctum.
Luke blinked at the large sword turning into an old man, but shrugged it off as he led them into the temple's inner sanctum and held up his lightsaber hilt. "These are called lightsabers, every Jedi is given a trial to build their own custom one when they are made Padawan...or apprentice. The blade is projected from within due to what is called a kyber crystal. These crystals are extremely rare nowadays, which gives the padawans an extra challenge to go through in finding one."
"However," Luke stopped in the hallway and looked out the window at the forest where several younglings were sitting cross legged and being instructed to focus and lift objects with the force.
"We do have some extra ones we could try to infuse into your blades."
Zangetsu seemed to stare out at the younglings with an unreadable expression before saying cryptically, "It is not my decision alone."
~Wait… is the bastard actually-~
"I agree." a woman's voice said behind the group, Sode No Shirayuki also having materialized.
"I do not wish to freeze over the temple, therefore I will voice my zanpakuto's feelings on the matter." Toshiro said. "We are in agreement as well. I was almost killed because I couldn't defend myself. But I do have another pressing issue. If I am attacked using the force again… I...I ..."
He bowed his head in the traditional Japanese style and said, "I wish to learn to defend myself against this "Force" you speak so highly of."
Rukia looked at Captain Hitsugaya for a moment and then she too bowed and said, "I will not allow the captain to undergo these trials alone."
"Tch." Ichigo got out before he was kicked in the gut by Rukia. "Alright alright, Jeez! I'm already faster than anything living in the universe! What the hell do I need to learn how to- OWWW!" he said as she kicked him in the nuts.
"Show some respect! Hitsugaya Taicho is asking to be taught by a man who could very well surpass your own abilities if he were to be in our world!" Rukia shouted, which only led to more shouting.
"Heh… it's kinda cute when it's not me!" a girl was heard saying as she leaned on the doorpost watching the two engage in a shouting match. "So Luke… dinner, or are you busy with loudy mc shoutpants and his lovely mockingbird of a whore?"
"And another thi-WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME!?" Rukia shouted, turning to find Olivia standing there smirking NOT wearing the traditional white hakama for once. Her hollow hole was still visible at her midsection, which was left to be rather revealing as the shirt only covered the bare minimum of her top, leaving nothing to the imagination. She smirked. "Oh I'm sorry, did I strike a nerve? Good. for those of you who want to live, Dinner is ready in the mess hall. for those of you who actually like starving yourselves… good luck with that." and she turned to leave, walking away as sexily as she could.
Toshiro sighed. "Well at least we know she made it here in one-wait, Luke? how long did you say she's been here again?"
Luke shrugged, "About a couple weeks, why? Do you know her?" A flood of younglings and padawans alike stampeded down the hall past them towards the awaiting food in the mess hall.
Toshiro blinked. "A few weeks… but… she was chasing me just yesterday when those hollows attacked us. How-"
Olivia used Sonido to appear next to them and walked backwards in front of Toshiro. "Temporal displacement. We left at the same time, but it took me a few seconds to get here, while it took you a few weeks! Space time continuum. I don't know and I don't care. take your pick. it happened. Btw, Luke, Han and Leia sent you this." She handed Luke a holocron. "Figured you could use it sooner rather than later."
The Soul Reapers ate in silence, each of them thinking along the same lines:
~"Why hasn't anybody asked us why we're wearing Hakamas… and carrying katanas/a huge glorified carving knife… and what's with that kid that looks like an alien?"~
Finally Ichigo couldn't take it anymore and whispered to Luke. "Is it just normal for several species to be seen here, or am I being poisoned right now into hallucinating?"
Luke sighed, "It's a big galaxy you've found yourselves in. The idea that humans would be the only ones you'd find is kind of far fetched when you consider how many planets there are. Besides, force sensitivity doesn't care what species the person is who is born with it."
The Jedi led them into an empty circular training room. He turned to them and smiled. "Okay, before we infuse the crystals into your blades we need to teach you how to properly wield them so you don't cut off your foot by accident. They aren't like normal swords." He held up his black gloved hand, "When you lose a limb to one, the remaining stump is burned and charred due to the blade, making reattachment impossible." He walked around their side and ignited his green lightsaber.
"The blade itself is weightless, so if I'm correct the kyber crystal will give your swords a sort of powerful new form to use where the blade will mimic the properties of a lightsaber. Therefore you will have to learn how to anticipate the change of weight in your hands."
"A weightless blade? No wonder you didn't have trouble with acrobatics when you fought with that man on that other planet!" Rukia said.
Ichigo's eyes widened. Maybe if he were to use these kyber crystals, he could achieve an even greater power than he already had to protect the ones he loved.
The spirit of an elderly man in a robe appeared next to Luke, "Which is why he has called for the aid of myself and Master Yoda to assist in training you three." A small pointy eared goblin-like green spirit appeared on the other side of Luke. The grand master of the New Jedi Order smiled and gestured to the elderly human man, "This is Obi-Wan Kenobi, he was the first mentor I had in the ways of the force." He then pointed to the short green man, "This is Master Yoda, a previous grand master of the old Jedi Order. They taught me everything about the Force and being a Jedi that I used to form the New Jedi Order and teach a new generation. I ask that you show them respect, as we will be trading off each day who will be your instructor."
The white haired Captain bowed and said, "Thank you. I do have a question, though. I wish to know how we exist here if you are truly dead."
Rukia scratched her head. "I was wondering the same thing… I mean we are technically souls, well except Ichigo, he's only half dead, but if we are, then how are we standing here right now and not the same as you two?"
"Our ability to retain our consciousness and manifest as a spirit of the force after our physical bodies passing, was largely regarded as a myth in the Old Jedi Order. It was largely believed that when a user of the force passed, they became at peace and one with the force itself. However, we learned that through training and wisdom...a Jedi could live on after death and guide his loved ones through the force. This is an ability that cannot be achieved by those who dwell in the dark side of the Force, such as the Sith. So that is why we are able to appear here, and help you now." Obi-Wan said.
"Sith? Is that what the man with the black cloak was?" Toshiro asked, eyes wide. "If that is the case… we should probably get rid of these black hakamas… we wouldn't want to give your students the wrong idea."
Yoda nodded, "The opposite of the Jedi, the Sith are...due to their obsession with gaining power and materials in the physical realm, they cannot achieve this state we have and upon death a Sith does not become one with the Force...cease to be they do."
Luke used the force to hover some jedi robes out to the trio, "Here...change in the other room."
Olivia showed them all to the other room and then sauntered over to Luke. "Soooo… are you doing anything later?" She asked with a sultry voice.
Luke raised an eyebrow, "Not really, why? Did you have something in mind?" He smiled.
Olivia smirked. "Hey, you're the Grandmaster of the Jedi order! What's stopping us from having a friendly sparring match?"
Luke smirked back, "And here I thought you wanted to go out to dinner at a nice restaurant."
"Do you even remember what I eat? I don't think restaurants serve human souls. Good thing I can sustain myself through the force since you taught me. Thanks for that by the way."
Luke sighed, "I just thought you surely must have to eat something other than that, that's all. Oh and it's no trouble, really!"