Echo: Hi, readers! Welcome back to The Journey!
Resist: Indeed. Can't wait to get your reactions to this chapter.
Arthur: We getting Padawan status?
Echo: Well, now that you ask…..*changes script*
Resist: Should have kept your mouth shut Arthur. *laughing hard at what Echo puts in the script*
Arthur: What did she put?
Resist: Wouldn't you like to know. Anyway, now that the script has changed *looks at Echo* Would you like to do the announcer voice for this chapter?
Echo: I don't know….I wanna see Arthur embarrass himself further…*keeps scribbling on paper and mumbling*
Arthur: *nervously laughs* Well here it goes…*coughs* After failing to bring in the well known criminal Spar, our two Younglings faced the Jedi Council to give their reports and were met with a split decision. They now await to be called back into the Council room to hear of their fate…..
Resist: Not bad my OC
Echo: *smirks and keeps writing, drawing horns on a picture of Arthur* Enjoy the chapter everyone!
Oni fixed her robes and smoothed them down. The Council had come to a compromise after a good thirty minutes of debate. The Jedi Masters were two split minds on the decision. One side thought that both of the Younglings had shown valor and readiness of becoming Padawans; however, the other side saw their mission as a failure and further proof that they needed to stay in their clan for a while longer. Since the start of the Clone Wars, the Jedi Council members had disagreed on many topics, but none such as this one.
Kao had her mind set and would not change it no matter what argument the others brought up. She led her side of the debate for a majority of the thirty minutes. It was something she was well practiced in the arts of, as she had often fought with Green during their first few months on deployment together. In general the first year of the war shaped her into a different Jedi, especially in the eyes of her former mentor. Oni had previously been one to seek out a more civilized and peaceful course of action and debate, whereas now she was willing to go to lengths to achieve victory in battle and keep her men safe. Fighting alongside Mandalorian clones for almost three years now had brought out her darker and more warrior-like side, something the Council was worried would be passed down to Arthur.
Yoda remained relatively quiet through the whole discussion, keeping whatever opinion he had to himself. His former apprentice had no idea whose side he was on, and did not dare prod him to reveal it. The wise Grand Master was always right in her eyes, and his decision would reign above all others in this case, even if it was against hers. There were things she kept from her Master that she couldn't tell if he could see through. As more of a grandfather to her than anything, Oni found it practically impossible to lie to him. Her guilty eyes could not meet his own in fear of revealing every secret she kept locked up.
"Come back, the Younglings shall," the small Jedi said once the room was quiet. The Temple guards crisply turned to fulfill the order.
Arthur and Meela stood side by side still looking out the window at the Coruscant traffic when the guards came and lightly grabbed their shoulders. Arthur and Meela spun around to see the guards, "The Council is ready for the two of you" one said.
Arthur nodded his head in response and followed the guards inside the Council Chambers, Meela to his right side. The guards stopped at the doors, while Meela and Arthur made their way to the center of the room. Neither spoke, but they both bowed in respect and waited for the Council to start speaking on what they decided.
"After a rather heated debate," Windu said, looking around at the other members, "We have finally arrived to a conclusion." Some members did not look too happy about it, Rancisis and Kit Fisto being of them. Others, like Kao and Koon seemed neutral and withdrawn. "We gathered all the information and results of your mission to conclude whether or not you are ready for apprenticeship." With a glance, Mace handed off the news to Yoda.
"To become Padawans, you are."
Kao looked aways, not wanting to show any emotion that would surely erupt from seeing Arthur's reaction to this. Arthur was shocked among other feelings, but he took a glance at his former master, but couldn't get a good read on her, he wondered what stance she took on the matter. They waited an awful long time to hear such news, "I humbly accept the offer" Arthur simply said, bowing to show his respect to the Council.
When Meela remained silent and dipped her head as well, Windu nodded. "Very well, pack up your things and the guards will escort you to your new quarters. You'll be selected by Masters soon, I'm sure." The former Master of the Order waved them off on their way, signalling that all discussion, debate, and conversing was over.
Arthur and Meela made their exits and went back to their clan quarters where they packed their things. Arthur, not having much things to pack, finished quickly and then went over to Meela and hugged her, resting his head in the crook of her neck. The Togruta embraced him back. "We did it," she whispered, "I never thought I would be able to say that."
"I never thought I'd get to be a Padawan again. This time it feels like I earned it though" he whispered back, before planting a kiss on her neck. He didn't want to let her go just yet, and so he pulled her in closer, if that was even possible. "Be careful," Meela said with a smile, "Our former clanmates could walk in on us at any moment."
She pulled away from him slightly just so she could look him in the eyes. "Remember, we're stationed on Coruscant now. There's eyes and ears all around that can and will expose us, especially now that we'll have Masters keeping a close eye on us."
Arthur shook his head, "I don't care as long as I'm with you." he said, wrapping her back in his arms and planted a kiss on her forehead. Meela nuzzled his chest and smiled, "We'll have to figure out the days when we can see each other. Hopefully our Masters will be more open to letting us have days off?"
"We'll it's not like we are going to be galaxies apart that often. Besides we're on Coruscant, not like we are in the thick of the war on the front lines" Arthur said, before placing a long and slow kiss on her lips.
"And I hope it stays that way," Meela said, smiling up at him. "Well, I think it's time to go to our new quarters. We're gonna be in different sections, so that's another thing." Arthur frowned, but it turned into a smirk, "You know what they say about long distance relationships" he said before putting his sack of things on his back.
"What? That they never last?" the Togruta asked flirtatiously, "Like you said, we're both still on Coruscant. Your Master-to-be is stuck on Coruscant and mine might be, too." Arthur looked her in the eyes, and was mesmerized and decided to act on his gut feeling. He locked his lips with hers and didn't care if someone caught them. He didn't pull back either, instead put his arms around her, fearing that this might be the last kiss they shared before their paths split.
A knock on the door broke the momentum of the kiss. The guards were getting impatient and might go in to get them. "Until later," Meela said, pecking Arthur on the lips one more time before grabbing her pack. Arthur smiled and already having his pack on his back, made for the door. The two were then escorted to their new living quarters respectively.
(Arthur's Quarters)
Arthur walked into his quarters and the doors immediately shut behind him. He marveled at how big it was compared to just the small bunk space he had in the clan living space. He unpacked his pack and in seconds, he had his picture of his parents on a stand by his bed and his extra clothes hung in the closet. He then sat on the bed and played with the dog tags and ring on his necklace. He figured he would be told what to do next soon, so he sat and waited for his next set of orders.
(Temple Library)
"I hope you did not take offense to my opinion," Fisto said quietly in conversation with Kao, one of his oldest friends. They walked side by side, reviewing the result of the Council debriefing. Oni shook her head, "Of course not, I agreed with you mostly."
Kit sighed deeply, "The boy is not yet ready to become a Padawan. He's….impatient, Oni." His friend gave no response to his words. "He's only been disciplined as a Youngling for under a year, hardly comparable to how long Meela has spent preparing to become a Padawan." Kao glanced at the busts of the Lost Twenty, her gaze lingering on that of Count Dooku.
"Are you going to take him under your wing once more?"
"Mace has spoken his mind against it, as did Allie and Kolar," was her reply. Fisto was not satisfied with her answer and turned to her with a raised brow. "And their opinions suddenly outweigh yours?" he asked humorously. Oni gave a small smirk. "Of course not. But I take what my fellows peers have to say into consideration. I was tasked to teach the boy patience and resistance to his connection with the Dark Side, yet I have failed. What would make the Council believe I am worthy of a third shot?"
Kit rested a hand on Oni's shoulder, stopping her. "It was not your fault, Oni," he said in a soothing voice, "Dooku is solely responsible for what happened to Kulani, not you." Kao scoffed, "Your former apprentice sure makes it sound like it. I can't even converse with her without seeing the hate in her eyes."
"She has never healed since 'Lani's death, and I fear she never will." Fisto removed his hand, "A failure of my own to not have corrected the hate in her. Yet, I believe the Council would give me another pupil, even though I have already lost one and seen a faulted one to Knighthood."
Oni took his words seriously and nodded. "I am not so sure myself that I am capable of mentoring the boy. Two Knights more powerful than I have tried and failed as well." Kit shook his head, "Then try harder. Arthur needs a Master that understands his pain and knows him better than anyone. That's you, my old friend."
"Thank you for the encouragement, Kit," Oni said, smiling. "Have you yet chosen your next pupil?"
"There's not too many to choose from now with the war going on," Fisto replied as they continued walking, "I don't know if I should still wait. Yet, it has been almost two years since Aloke was promoted to Knighthood."
"Maybe you should teach Meela," Kao laughed, "You seem to teach Padawans of the same species." Fisto had trained Bant Eerin and Nahdar Vebb, both Mon Calamari, before taking on Aloke Tano, a Togruta, and aiding Kao in the teaching of Tano's sister, Kulani. If he were to take on Meela, it would complete the species pair.
"Very funny," Kit said dryly, "Next I'll be teaching two Wookiees and I'll never hear the end of it from you." Kao chuckled, "Gungi still doesn't have a Master, if I can recall." The woman earned a sharp glare of annoyance from the Nautolan. They continued their walk, speaking of things as if the war wasn't happening and going back to the good old days.
(With Arthur)
Arthur walked the hall to the Clone barracks. He was searching for one clone in particular and had asked several where he might be. He then found the clone he was looking for sitting by himself in the mess hall. Not wanting to go in blind, Arthur decided to grab some food and then make his way over to the clone. He didn't say anything at first, just sat down across from the man and shoved some food in his mouth and waited for the clone to speak, and if he didn't before he finished chewing his food, then he would start the conversation.
Arthur finished chewing his food and nothing was said yet so he bit the blaster bolt, He left the necklace with now Smoke's ID tags on it tucked in his shirt, but grabbed it through his shirt for a second or two before speaking, "How's it going old man?" he asked, before grabbing some more food off his plate.
"I'm only 25," Green said, grumbling as he picked at his food, if that's what one could call it. He pointed his fork, flinging slop, at clones sitting at the far end of the table. "They're 26 and dying faster than I am."
"Riiiiiight" said Arthur, shoving some more food in his mouth. He hadn't really eaten since Smoke's death, not really thinking he could hold down his food, but he needed to eat something to keep up appearances. Green gave him a hard glare. "Seriously, I was born without that osik growth serum and had to have it injected monthly in small doses. I'm gonna live a normal life while my brothers only have maybe two decades before they start getting sick and frail from the serum and being fekking clones."
The marshal sounded made about the truth, as if he wished he were dying just as fast as they were. "They're made to be replaced after ten or so years, while I get to sit by happily and watch each generation come and go," Green put the fork on his tray and continued to narrow his eyes at Arthur, "until I become an old man."
"Well you already are one to me" replied Arthur, in a cheery tone. He looked at the clones at the table down a ways and since clones all shared the same face, he was starting to struggle with keeping the pictures of Smoke's lifeless body out of his mind. He could feel his stomach trying to reject the food he was eating, but he took another bite anyway.
"As you might be able to tell," the commander said in a fake chipper voice, "I'm not in a really good mood at the moment. So say what you came here to tell me. And it better be something good, because I'm about to snap and break someone's neck. At any moment. Literally."
Arthur gulped and choked on his bite of food, "I came by to say that I am becoming a Padawan again, but I don't know the master" he said monotoned to Green, "I should be happy, but I'm not. I also am not in a good mood" he finished, taking a drink.
Green raised a brow, "Well, congratulations then, Arthur." He began picking at his food again, "And your former Master? How is she?" His question was dry and lacked enthusiasm. If one might dare to say, it was laced with anger.
"Don't know, I made her upset with me the last mission, and I am angry with her too" he said, "I am trying to mend myself before I really go and talk to her. I don't feel like myself at all, but maybe it's the food" he said, adding the last bit to lighten the mood some.
"Try eating it every day," Green said. "It doesn't take a Jedi to realize that you're not telling me something. I can see it in your eyes, Arthur. Now let me ask you again." The marshal made a fist with his free hand and stared the Jedi down. "How. Is. She?"
"I don't really know, damn it" Arthur said angrily, "And I don't give a fek" he said, anger was now hard to miss, "From what I saw she seems distraught I guess the word might be," he said. Before continuing he took out his necklace and placed it in front of Green, "Like I said, I'm trying to mend myself first" he said, waiting for his reaction to Smoke's ID tags on his necklace.
Green's stern gaze intensified to a boiling point. "Yet you think her the selfish one?" he asked, gritting his teeth. His green eyes blazed with a fire similar to Kao's, whose flames seemed to have burned out more recently. "And you come here to tell me about your good fortune while wearing the tags of my brother who died for you? As if you fought alongside him as long as I have? Oni has made so many sacrifices for you, you know that?"
The clone leaned in closer, the aura in the room growing darker by the moment. "Kao pushed aside her own husband, me, for you. She put a wedge in between us to focus training you. You! She spoke up for you how many times to save your shebs from the Council's wrath? Oni even got kidnapped by Dooku to save you from his influence."
The fork had long been dropped from Green's other hand, which was now a fist as well. He kept his voice down as to not attract attention from the other clones. "You are a selfish kid that is only interested in his own destiny and doesn't even stop to think about the consequences or how much his actions are going to hurt the people around him."
"I didn't come down here to get a lecture from you. I didn't come down here to rub in your face that I was promoted to Padawan. I don't even want it. I don't deserve it!" said Arthur raising his voice, "I send clones to their deaths, while I go undercover and for what? I didn't even get the guy, yet clones laid down their lives for me" he said pointing to his necklace, "I don't want this promotion"
"You're right about one thing," Green said, smirking, "You don't deserve it." His frown returned. "Remember when Oni ignored me after our fight? Remember that?"
Arthur looked down, not wanting to look the man in the eyes anymore or argue with him, "I know I don't deserve it, I don't need you to tell me that. I tell myself that everyday when I look at those ID tags on the necklace. I would give this up to bring him back" Arthur said, and meant every word.
"Do. You. Remember?" Green asked again, this time with a dark tone that was threatening. Arthur only nodded, not wanting look at him still. "That jerk-a-saurus comment of hers wasn't the only thing she said," Green mumbled, "She pretty much told me to fek off because I was messing with her Padawan. Do you know how angry she had to have been with me to say that? Or how much she actually cares about you to tell her husband to fek off?"
"Then I'll request some other master then. Then I won't come between you two. Besides, I don't want to face her battalion after…." Arthur's voice trailed off, not even able to bring himself to mention what happened on Bespin.
Green sighed, looking down. "It's not in your power," he said more calmly, "It's the Council's decision. And I'm sure Oni will take you back regardless." The clone blinked a few times before looking Arthur in the eye, "I guess I'm jealous because you have a better chance at mending things with her than I do. A lot has happened over the past nine months between the two of us that I don't think will go away."
"I doubt it. She and like half the council blame me for Smo… his passing" he said, making eye contact with the necklace. "I guess there was a huge debate about giving me and Meela our Padawanship after this mission" he said, not able to look away from the necklace.
"I should have been there," Green said with regret, "I almost died on Hoth in the same way Smoke did, so I couldn't." He glanced at the dog tags and pulled out his own from underneath his shirt. "You Jedi always celebrate the dead and accept it willingly. The rest of us have to live with the fact that it's always worse for the people they leave behind." He toyed around with his tags and looked at his own reflection in them. His heart ached at the thought of leaving Oni behind to grieve and mourn.
"Does it look like I accepted this willingly?" asked Arthur looking at the clone commander. "I guess not," Green said smugly, "Yet, what kind of Jedi are you if you dwell on the dead?" He looked up at Arthur, "Oni has told me all about the Order. To them, anger, hate, and emotional attachments lead to the Dark Side." The marshal looked away. "I suppose Oni was wise enough to listen to her own words and cut her bond with me."
"I don't think she is" replied Arthur, though that was all he was going to say about it, cause it was obvious Oni hasn't told him about a certain piece of news, "Also, if you don't remember, I almost died like Smo… he did too" Arthur pointed out, by pointing to his chest, where there was a permanent reminder about what he did.
"I remembered to thank you, didn't I?" Green asked with whatever smile he could force. "Though I'm sure you regret it to some extent." He looked at the silver ring he wore on his left hand. None of the other clones unaware of his engagement questioned it, as many clones wore them to honor fallen brothers. But his symbolized a promise and oath. Normally his glove covered it, as he always took it into battle with him.
"I don't remember. It was a traumatizing experience. The only thing I can remember is being teased about being the 'Holely Jedi' a lot" he said, also forcing a smile to some extent, it was hard not to show somewhat of an actual smile when remembering the teasing that went on after he got out of the medical bay after taking the shot for Green.
Green couldn't help but chuckle at that, "Sorry, I kinda started that whole thing." He gave a deep sigh after that. "You know, she looks at you like she looks at Zuri." Arthur raised a brow at this, "Zuri?" he asked, not sure if he should know the name or not.
Now it was the marshal's turn to look confused. "You don't know who she is? Oni didn't tell you?" Arthur did a slight chuckle at this, "Apparently there is a lot she hasn't told me, or doesn't want to. It frustrates me sometimes" he admitted. Green rolled his eyes, "You and me both."
"Anyways," the commander said, shaking his head, "Zuri is Oni's nine-year-old daughter." He paused for a short moment, the mention of her name jabbing him in the heart every time. "When she was seventeen, the elders of her village married her off to this warrior from another tribe to unite them, but the Jedi Council intervened. They were too late and she had….." Green stopped, closing his eyes and looking pained. "I think Oni should be the one to tell you this. It's not my place. But what I was going to say is that she looks at you with the care and love that she looks at her own daughter with. I've only seen it a few times, as Oni can only see her every now and then due to the war, but I can recognize it anywhere."
"I feel like an arse now" replied Arthur, "Though I may never know what you were going to say cause Oni doesn't tell me anything. I only learned about her Mandalorian heritage on the last mission and it was from Meela and not Oni herself. I called her out on it sort of, about why she never told me and all I wanted was the truth and no more secrets or lies and that didn't go over well."
"She doesn't want to corrupt your mind with temptations that she fell for," Green's brow raised, "Though, for some reason, you keep finding out about them. For that, I envy you. I used to be able to read her like a book, but now….things have changed and I don't want to talk your ear off if you're not willing to hear it."
"I want to hear it from Oni herself" replied Arthur, "No offense. I just want to learn more about her, but not from other people. She always shuts down when a conversation gets to this point" he admitted to him.
"Tell me about it," Green said with an unamused look, "But I was gonna tell you my side of the nine-months before she did. Kinda give you some sort of case before Oni ruins whatever respect you may have for me."
Arthur nodded, "Go for it old man" replied Arthur, taking a bite of food before Green started. "I hate you a little more now," Green said with a fake smile.
Breathing in and out, Green started. "After you were demoted, Oni went silent. The boys and I were getting really worried about her, cause she never spoke about anything except battle. Mind you we were already on Hoth, so that coupled with the stress of battle was wearing down on me. Eventually I brought it up to her and we fought about it. She really did not want to talk about you or anything related to the Council meeting that demoted you. We started drifting apart altogether and hardly spent anytime alone. It was as if we had gone back to when we first knew each other. The Separatists brought everything they had on us and the tension between us grew when we started disagreeing on war tactics..."
"Two months into our deployment, the Separatists pulled back into a stalemate. We had about a week to ourselves in which the men, well, pretty much just Lucas and Patch, forced Oni and I to talk things out. We did and mending things. But that quickly dissolved when Dooku sent one of his assassins onto the battlefield the week after."
Green made eye contact with Arthur, "It was Kulani Tano." Arthur's eyes went wide, "You mean the Padawan she had before me? That is a sore subject, I tried to get her to talk about her"
"Yeah, well imagine seeing your Padawan coming back from the dead?" the marshal asked rhetorically. "That's what set Oni and I off again. She didn't want to amount a front against Kulani because she wanted to bring her back to the Order, not realizing that her former Padawan was gone and was just another one of Dooku's puppets. Again, we fought about it and I took a force out anyways, as per our orders from GAR Intelligence. We almost cornered Tano, but Oni ordered us back to base and threatened court martial if we didn't comply. The next five months went on without seeing Tano on the battlefield. Oni and I went back and forth, things being brought up that I couldn't tell you without getting really personal."
"That kind of personal." Arthur just shook his head, "That could have been really really bad if I was there" he said, while giving a small whistle. "Very bad," the clone agreed. "We were just going downhill. But when heard word that Spar was joining the fight, we ignored our quarrel. Here's my backstory with Spar. Commander John and I were the only surviving Alpha-class ARCs of our batch. We were placed in the same training unit as Spar and his batchers. Our training was disrupted when Spar left Kamino and sabotaged his own brothers along the way. I promised them that I would see Spar in a cell. He reminds me of every bad thing that happened to me in my childhood, including what the Kaminoans did to me and John to make us the brutes we are."
"So, when Spar arrived, Oni knew how much it meant to me to capture him. She dropped the whole Kulani thing and we started acting like normal again. Eating together, spending time together. Being husband and wife under disguise of Jedi and clone. We planned how to take out Spar together. Opportunity to do so presented itself and we took it, though Spar outmaneuvered us in an ambush. He almost….he was about to stab Oni, but I jumped in the way and took the blow, him flying off like the coward he is. Ever since I went into the operation room, Oni hasn't reconnected our bond or treated me like anything more than a clone."
"I am sorry" replied Arthur, "I'll keep it in mind when I hopefully talk to her," he offered Green. He then made to grab his necklace to put it back around his neck. "Please do that," he said, looking back to his cold food.
"I will," he answered, getting up from the table, "Off to go be a Padawan again, though I don't want it if this is what it costs" he said, pointing to the now tucked necklace under his shirt. He wasn't sure if Green meant what he said when he didn't deserve the promotion in his eyes, "Maybe he was right, I mean I did get one of his best soldiers, and my best friend, killed" he thought.
"I appreciate it, Arthur," Green said. He felt somewhat bad about being harsh on him, but wasn't anywhere near about to apologize. His opinion of him stuck as did his depressive state over the cut bond. He was a pale shadow of the man he used to be before everything went downhill for him, Oni, and Arthur.
"No prob" Arthur said and started to make his way to the Council Chambers, "Well that could have gone better" he thought, but he did need to talk to the man. Since being sent back to being a Youngling, he hadn't really seen any of the clones he used to hang out with in the Tenth Star Corps, now there would be a big void in that spot if he was taken back by Master Kao.
Arthur, are you free to talk? came Oni's voice through the Force. Arthur stopped for a second before realizing Master Kao was trying to speak to him through the force. He found a bench nearby and sat down, What is it? He asked, showing no emotion, sure he talked to Green, but that didn't change the fact that Kao and half the Council blamed him for his best friend's death.
I told you I would tell you everything, didn't I? she asked kindly. Oni tried to ignore the anger flowing from her former student, but couldn't help but feel the sting of it. Her Jedi calm told her to remain open minded and accepting of Arthur's emotions, that he is still not yet capable of controlling them.
You did Master Arthur sent to her. He pushed his anger aside and then he felt happy that his former master was actually talking to him.
Alright then, would you meet me in the library? I've been doing some research regarding certain concerns of the Council and would gladly take a break from it.
I won't delay then, Arthur returned to her. He stood up from his bench and started to quickly walk towards the direction of the Temple Library.
(Jedi Temple Library)
Upon entering the library, Arthur saw lots of Jedi doing research for many reasons, he assumed. He saw Younglings, Padawans and some Knights and occasional Masters. He walked around looking for Oni and spotted her at a table. He walked up behind her and off to the right some, he was going to announce his presence but figured she already knew he was close by, so he waited for her to acknowledge him.
"How are you?" Kao asked, finishing up her work at a rushed pace. Being stationed on Coruscant, she took up the responsibility of aiding the local police and clone guard in intel. While the war raged on, Coruscant still had to deal with local crime and gangs, which have gained a lot of courage since eyes have been turned elsewhere.
Arthur didn't answer at first, he just shook his head, and paused searching for words to describe how he was feeling inside, "Torn and tired, but I can't sleep cause I dream about…." he couldn't say Smoke's name or anything related to him yet, and it irritated him, "certain recent events" he decided to go with.
Oni nodded in understanding. "I too have fallen victim to the nightmares that follow," she said, logging off the computer, "But dreams pass in time. Scars don't heal fully, but they eventually become memories instead of wounds." The Jedi Master stood up and faced Arthur. "Let's go outside where we can talk without being heard."
Arthur nodded and followed his master out of the temple, where they sat on a bench stationed nearby the temple, "What is it you'd like to talk about?" he asked her. He didn't really want to talk about Smoke, cause it made the weight of his ID tags even more of a burden to carry.
"You have questions about me, I'm sure," Oni said, hinting towards his previous anger towards her for keeping things from him. "Ask me and I'll answer….well, not for everything." Arthur sat their in silence for a while, before taking a deep breath, "Who is Zuri?" he asked her hesitantly. He wanted to know the truth about his former master, but didn't want to make her mad.
"So you've gone to see Green then," Oni said with a smile. "Zuri is my daughter. She lives on Talravin with my family and tribe. I had her when I was seventeen and almost got kicked out of the Order because of it. I was handed off to a new Master, Yoda, and called back to the Temple as soon as Zuri was old enough." Turning to Arthur, she said, "I go to see her about once a year now with the war." The Master cleared her throat and looked away. "It's usually on her birthday, though I wish her brother was still alive to celebrate it with her."
"Green thinks that you look at me the same way you look at her," he stated, "I don't know if that's true cause I never saw the way you look at Zuri, but it made me feel like crap inside. I...I...blam...ed... then the coun….council mee...meeting… forget it" he stumbled and hesitated, not sure if he should finish what he was going to say to her.
Oni placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "I know, young one," she said, "I could feel your anger through the Force. And, I understand." Looking away for a moment, Kao gathered her words. "Green speaks the truth. You remind me a lot of Zuri. She's stubborn and persistent, yet compassionate and brave."
Arthur took a deep breath, feeling it actually needed to say what he was stuttering and hesitating about before to lift some of the weight he was carrying, "I blamed you for Smoke's death and then at the Council Meeting, I felt that you and Master Windu, especially, blamed me for his death, and maybe you're right. This weighs on me a lot" he said, taking his necklace off and giving it to his former master to inspect.
Taking the ID tags, Oni barely glanced at them before looking Arthur in the eyes. "And why do you blame me for his death?" she asked calmly. She implied that she was going to listen to what he was saying and given an opportunity to get everything off his chest. "I can tell there are many things you are angry at me for and that need to get out so we can mend things."
"I...I don't know. I felt you didn't need to send him and his crew. I felt that Obi-Wan's clones and the master himself was enough, but the way I tried explaining this to Meela, it came off that I was fine if Obi-Wan's clones died instead of Smoke, but I am not. I'm not that kind of person. It's hard to explain" he sighed, giving up trying to explain where he was coming from.
"Smoke volunteered to go," Oni said, her eyes glued to the ground for a moment. She removed her hand from Arthur's shoulder and stepped back some. "When he heard about the mission, he asked me to assign him to watch your back."
He locked eyes with her, "You should have said no!" he shouted, then realized what he did. His facial expression turned to an apologetic one, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry" he said, not saying the words fast enough.
"Maybe I should have," Oni spoke in almost a whisper, looking at Arthur the whole time. "But to do so would have robbed a brother of an honorable fight and death. As a Mandalorian, I understood why he wanted to go. You are his vod, and he yours."
Kao handed the tags back to Arthur. "We all have someone we care for more than anyone else and would do anything to keep them safe."
"Everyone I seem to care for like that ends up dead or on some other planet, far far away" he said, referring to his parents, Smoke, and Mia. The only people he really had left were Meela, and Master Kao.
"Not everyone," Oni said with a smile, "But under that sentiment I also suffer your pain. It seems as though the ones I care for end up injured or oppressed. My homeworld fell to a warring states period and hasn't recovered since. Green…."
"Green is your one person you'd do anything for right? He needs you more now than ever. You were the first thing he asked me about" said Arthur. Attempting to reconnect the two somehow. Oni's eyes flashed wide, "He did?" She suddenly felt guilty and angry at the same time.
"Yeah, he wants to spend time with you. He yelled at me when I mentioned about my anger towards you for Smoke''s death" Arthur said, "He misses spending time with you" he finished, leaving out the part about how Green felt that Arthur himself was also a wedge that kept he and Oni apart.
"And I miss him," Kao said sullenly, "But you know why I can't be near him. It's too dangerous." Looking down at the ground in front of her, Oni shook her head. "He probably thinks I hate him, but it's far from the truth. I wish I could tell him that. I've cut off our Force bond as well."
"I know, Green told me" Arthur responded moving closer to her, wanting to comfort her but not sure how, "I know my problems don't measure up to yours, but do you think Meela and I's relationship will end up like Mia's? I don't want it too, but with us becoming Padawans, we could be galaxies apart now. I...I… looo" Arthur tried to say the word but couldn't his mind was racing with possibilities of how he and Meela would grow apart and all the number of ways their relationship could end.
"You both will be here at the Temple," Oni said with a smile, "I have a couple of Masters in mind that rarely leave Coruscant that are in need of students." Arthur couldn't stop himself, he moved closer and hugged his former master, "Thank you, she means a lot to me"
Oni was surprised at first. She rarely received a hug from anyone, let alone her former Padawan. But a smile crept on her face and she embraced Arthur. "I'll make sure you two are not far from each other," she promised.
Arthur pulled away, "Master, is it wrong to think about taking our relationship to the next level? I mean, I want to show her I'm serious about 'us'. I know we are young and have time to dwell on this later, but I want to show her now that I'm committed to this" he admitted, slightly whispering in case anyone walked by as he talked.
"You mean the "l" word?" Kao asked, laced with humor to lighten the mood. Arthur shook his head, "I mean beyond that," he mumbled, he wasn't sure if he should bring this up, let alone with his Master, he felt embarrassed about it. Oni knew he was getting embarrassed and smiled. "Asking her to go steady?"
Arthur let out a grumble, "I think so?" he said in an asking type tone, "I'm not good with trying to say what I mean when it comes to this type of stuff" he said rubbing the back of his head, a sign that his Master easily picked up on. It was what he usually did when he was getting embarrassed and nervous about a certain situation.
"No offense," Oni started, "But why didn't you ask Green about this when you spoke with him? I'm in the same boat with you about not knowing what the fek I'm doing in a relationship." The woman chuckled, "Seriously, Green did everything first. Apparently clones are well versed in the ways of love."
"Well he didn't seem in the mood to talk about this" said Arthur, who took a deep breath before continuing, "I know she is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with, and the one I want to have a family with, but I don't know if I should bring this up to her because we are still young and…" Arthur trailed off, losing his train of thought.
"Young," Oni said dryly with a straight face. "How old are you again?" Arthur stuttered his answer, E-E-Eighteen" he finally got out. "Young," Oni restated, "And….oh yeah….young." She gave a half smile, "Just wait a little bit. I know you two have been together for awhile, but let things settle with becoming Padawans, figure something out, and then go from there. I think you'll both have a harder time going steady as Padawans then as Knights. Trust me, the only reason I am able to get away with being married to Green is because I am a Master with no eyes watching my every move." She paused. "I'm not sure Meela's Master will be as open with a relationship as I am."
"I know I wasn't your Padawan long Master, but why did you keep a lot of secrets from me? I think I at least was your student long enough to learn some things about you, and not be kept in the dark. I know you were trying to keep me safe, but I don't want that. I want to be treated equally, and as a friend. Not like I am a liability and a student to keep at arm's length when a conversation or situation becomes personal," he admitted, getting everything off his chest. He hoped his former Master would see it his way and not explode on him like last time.
"I understand you completely, Arthur," Oni said with a smooth voice, trying to console him. "I have, in the past, been angry for being kept in the dark as well. But, if you wish to have an open-minded friendship, then so be it." She turned to him, "Anything in particular you would like to know?"
"Not really Master. It was just the times when it looked like you would open up to me, you would shut yourself back down and hide your feelings,away. It frustrated me so much that I had Master Secura teach me how to hide and lock away my feelings so that they weren't as easy for you to read when we would meet in the hallway" he admitted.
Oni smirked somewhat, "Well, obviously Secura isn't the right Master for you, then." She chuckled and looked aside. "People always label me as the goodie-two-shoes, by-the-book with no exceptions Jedi and nothing more than a loyal peacelover and pacifist."
"I put on that persona because it's what makes the Council and the rest of the Order look good. If word leaked out of who I really was, the Senate and the Republic as a whole would question my place on the Council and the wisdom of the Jedi. So, in order to keep this act up, I must keep secrets and not let my past or true self influence those around me."
"I understand Master" came Arthur's reply, not sure of what else to say, "I am sorry for how I exploded during the Spar mission when we talked" he apologized to her.
"There's no need to apologize, young one," said Kao, "Yet, I appreciate it. As you know, I'm not the most positive person at the moment and can't holster my emotions as well, if at all." Arthur stood up from the bench and bowed to his former teacher, "This was what I needed, thank you Master, but I must find Meela and report to the Council for their decision" he said as formal as he could.
"May the Force be with you, Arthur," Oni said, surprising him when she reached out to embrace him. Arthur returned the embrace back, "And also with you Master Kao" he replied back to her. Oni pulled away from him and nodded in respect. Giving one last smile, she parted from her former Padawan.
Arthur made his way back inside and started to look for Meela. He made his way through the Temple before he reached her quarters and stood outside them. He knocked and waited for a reply from her. After a minute, Meela appeared at the door, looking rather exhausted. "Hey," she greeted, managing a smile, "Didn't know you were coming."
Arthur stayed outside the door, not wanting to walk in and be rude, "Figured we should go the Council together. You ok?" he asked, noticing how tiring she looked. Her eyes widened and all tiredness disappeared. "That's today?!" Meela looked around. "I didn't think we'd get Masters so soon."
"We are the popular ones I guess. Whether that is good or bad, I don't know yet" he said, flashing a smile.
"Give me five minutes," Meela said, shutting the door quickly. Arthur couldn't help but look her up and down before she left. He couldn't help but be mesmerised by her beautiful looks. He found a nearby bench and sat down and waited for her to reappear.
Moments later, the Togruta appeared in a fresh tunic, her lightsaber at her side. "I'm ready, let's go," she said, enthusiasm clear in her voice. She had a good premonition of who was going to teach Arthur, but she had no idea who her Master was going to be. Arthur gave her a smile before taking a spot by her side and the two then proceeded through the halls on their way to the Council Chambers.
The walk went quicker than usual, both Younglings wanting to get this out of the way so they could start their paths as Padawans. They stood outside the Council doors. "You nervous?" asked Arthur. Meela didn't say anything, just nodding frantically. "I've imagined this moment for the past oh….forever." She tapped her foot and tried to calm herself down through breathing exercises.
Arthur lightly grabbed her chin and made her look up at him and gave her a kiss, "You'll be fine. It is I who should be nervous. Master Windu and others didn't look really pleased I was even selected to go on those missions with you in the first place" he said
"Yet, you're still becoming a Padawan," Meela said, "You at least know your Master, I don't." Arthur, remembering his earlier conversation with Master Kao, spoke back to her, "You'll be fine" he told her, before starting to step towards the doors and enter.
The Council had been waiting for the Padawans to arrive. Only a few were missing from the group, including Yoda, Master Kao, and Kenobi. Meela held back a frown at this, wondering where the crucial Council members had gone. Arthur also looked a little worried, not seeing Master Kao. However, he and Meela bowed and stepped into the center of the room so the Council could start.
"We are here to inform the two of you which master you will be serving as a Padawan," replied Master Windu, who now needed to lead the meeting with Master Kao and Yoda not present.
Meela lowered her head, waiting for the news. Who would it be? Many of the Jedi Masters she knew either died during the war, had a Padawan of their own, or were otherwise occupied with more pressing concerns.
"Arthur, please step forward" ordered Master Windu. Arthur put his head down and stepped forward, "Though some were against this, you have risen back to the ranking of Padawan and Master Kao has again offered to be your teacher" he said to the boy.
"Thank you Master Windu and other Council members" he said, bowing and backing down again. "Meela" spoke Windu, wanting her to do the same as Arthur. The Togruta stepped forward cautiously, trying to mask her nerves. She looked up and straight out in military fashion, showing respect.
"You have shown incredible growth during your time as a Youngling, and it only seems right to give you this reward of being made a Padawan. Master Fisto has agreed to take you in under his wing" he spoke to her.
The Nautolan stood from his chair and stepped towards Meela, resting a hand on her shoulder. The now Padawan bowed to her Master humbly, receiving the gesture back.
Arthur looked a little lost, he glanced around the room again looking for his master, but didn't see her and wondered where she had gone off to. He had just talked to her moments ago and now she missed the Jedi Council meeting she was suppose to conduct herself.
Fisto returned to his seat and looked to Windu to continue with the meeting. He was glad that he had taken Master Kao's advice to train the young Togruta, who reminded him dearly of his former Padawan and charge. His station on Coruscant as the Chancellor's advisor gave him the proper time to train Meela without the distractions of war. However, he wished that Oni had been there to greet her reinstated Padawan. He too wondered why the three members were missing.
Windu cleared his throat before beginning again, "Arthur, Master Kao wanted me to apologize for her since she couldn't make it and for you to meet her in the library once this meeting is over, which it is now. All are dismissed" he said, standing up from his chair.
Arthur and Meela both bowed, as did all the masters. Meela stayed with Fisto, while Arthur made his way to the library. Once he entered the room, he scanned to look for her, but didn't see her so he plopped down on an empty table and read from his datapad.
Kao finally appeared, with Kenobi by her side as they conversed. She spotted her Padawan and turned to Obi-Wan. "Until we speak of this again," the man said, taking his leave politely. The Jedi Councilmen honored one another and parted. Taking a few deep breaths, Oni strode quietly and calmly towards Arthur.
"Ahem."
Arthur recognized the voice and practically had a heart attack. He quickly pushed his chair out and went to stand at attention for his master, but practically fell over the chair he was once sitting in, "Master" he breathed, bowing in respect.
"I didn't mean to startle you," Kao said somewhat apologetically. "I hope Master Windu passed on my regards?" She gave Arthur a warm smile, "Master Yoda wanted to speak with Obi-Wan and I about the future of the Order considering what the war has made us to do."
"He did," Arthur replied, "What did you talk about?" he asked politely to her, wanting to know what kept her away from his promotion back to Padawan. He assumed it was very important if Yoda was involved, but understood if she couldn't tell him.
"There has been a lot of controversy in the Republic regarding the use of clone troopers," Oni said, a sad look coming across her face, "And the Jedi's ability to lead them without biased intentions. The Senate might look into a repeal of our authority and give more powers to the Chancellor." The Jedi Master looked confused about the whole matter, "We're concerned for the Jedi's future under the heel of Palpatine, Arthur."
Arthur looked puzzled, he never got into politics, but had a feeling he would learn about it soon enough since he was now stationed here rather than out on the front lines, "Politics lately have seemed to favor the Senate and give the Chancellor more power and authority from what I could comprehend of it" he said. He saw the raised eyebrow from Oni and continued, "What? There isn't much to do after your demoted to Youngling, so I read a lot" he defended.
"I'm impressed," Kao smiled, "And I agree with you. The Council as a whole has been discussing the Chancellor's standing with the Senate for some time. He should have been put up for re-election long ago, but the powers he received from the war continue to delay that. It's...concerning to say the least."
Arthur was surprised he managed to impress his master already, "Things do look dark for the Order, but there is always hope I guess" he said to her. He shut his datapad off and awaited for his master's set of instructions he was sure to receive.
"Indeed," Oni fixed her robes that she wore loosely now as she had long ago ditched her Jedi Armor in favor of her old custom clone trooper armor, which she always found more comfortable. "Though I do have one piece of news. Master Yoda has insisted I take a vacation for a few months." She paused. "I was wondering if you would go with me. I know Meela is here with you on Coruscant, but I can't bring anyone else with me and some company would do me well."
Arthur thought, but only for a few seconds, "I would gladly accompany you on this vacation of yours my Master," he bowed, "May I go see Meela before we leave?" he asked politely, "I would like to inform her that I will be gone for a few months on leave with you" he said respectfully to her.
"You can now, but you need not worry about it for some time," Oni said with a smile, "We'll be leaving in a couple weeks. I trust you have other plans as well that you will need to put on hold until our return?" She alluded to his agreement with Pac and her knowledge of it. Being somewhat loyal to her Mandalorian heritage, Kao approved of her Padawan's interest in the culture. It would give them something to bond over and could apply to his teaching. The life of a Mando was disciplined, at least in her clan's version of it, which Pac knew well enough to pass down to Arthur.
"Yes Master, I do" he simply said, no use in denying his other plans with Pac. She obviously already knew about them.
"We'll be going to my home planet," Oni said with a smile. "You'll love it there. Lot's of fighting and warrior culture." She sent a sarcastic smirk towards her pupil. Arthur simply chuckled before replying, "Sounds fun" he said, "I shall go and inform Pac and Meela about the trip" he said, bowing to her.
"I'll be informing others as well," Kao said, a saddened look coming upon her face as she dipped her head towards Arthur. She hadn't spoken to Green in a while, but he needed to know of her absence considering he would be released from the hospital long before she would come back from her vacation. The Jedi Master was anxious about finally facing her husband and hoped she had the strength to do so.
Arthur also dipped his head in respect before leaving to inform Pac and Meela about the trip. Since he had time and had a lesson with Pac shortly, he decided to go their first. Arthur made his way out of the temple and quickly made his way to Pac's new place of residence on Coruscant and hoped he wasn't late.
Small Time Skip
Arthur ran trying to make it to his lesson with Pac on time. He finally reached her door and was about to knock when the door opened. "As a Mandalorian, you'll learn stealth," the woman said teasingly. She stepped back to allow him into her apartment, of which was currently being provided for and monitored by the Jedi Council.
Arthur entered and waited for his teacher to begin. Jhia had only taught him the basics so far because Arthur still had to learn about the Mandalorian culture, and Arthur was afraid that since he was a Jedi, that learning and embracing the Mandalorian culture could cause conflict.
"Let's go over what you know so far about the Mandalorian culture," Jhia gestured for Arthur to sit down, "Tell me."
"I don't do well on tests" he said as he sat down, trying to run through and remember everything she had taught him so far. "This isn't a test," Jhia said, pausing, "Yet." Arthur let a deep sigh escape his mouth and calmed down, "Ok well…. Mandalorian Clans are the backbone to their culture. However even more of a backbone, is the honor and loyalty of each individual in the clan itself" Arthur stated, trying his best to remember what they have gone over.
"Good," the Mando praised, "That's very good. Now, another big part of becoming a Mandalorian is commitment. If it came down to it, and you had to either strike down a fellow Jedi or shoot a Clan member, who would you execute? Your Master has to constantly live with that decision and pestering thought in the back of her mind." She observed Arthur's reaction. "If her Clan went to war against the Republic, she would have to either fight her family and be banished from Clan Shan, or kill the family she has made here."
Arthur was in deep thought, and it didn't take a Jedi Master to see or feel this. If Pac could, she probably would be able to see the smoke coming out of his ears. He pondered this question thinking deeply on what he would do, "Depends on who the Jedi is and who the Clan member is" he said, "I mean, a Mandalorian wouldn't be executed unless there was good reason to right?" he asked, still weighing his options.
"Like leaving the Clan and/or being a Jedi?" Pac suggested seriously, "It's a double-edged sword, Arthur. Your Master could help you comprehend this further, but...you can't be both a Jedi and a Mandalorian without serious conflicts, including the scenario I just placed before you. The fact that you had to think about it is evident enough."
Arthur immediately frowned, "So I failed if this was a test?" he asked seriously. He didn't want to disappoint her. He had disappointed Kao enough when he first became her Padawan and he didn't want to fail Pac also. He was lucky to get another chance with Kao, but he doubted another chance would come along to train with Pac.
"It wasn't a test," Jhia said with a slight chuckle. "I just wanted to see your reaction. There's no one clear answer or really a right answer for that matter. The decision is up to you and you alone." Pac huffed, "Wow, listen to me sounding like a Jedi."
Arthur allowed a smirk to show on his face, "Yes Master Pac, you do sound like a Jedi. Is that against Mandalorian Code or anything like that?" Arthur asked with a small chuckle.
"Calling me Master?" Jhia raised a brow, "No, but it's against my code and could get you thrown over the balcony. Capiche?" Arthur's smirk quickly disappeared, "Yes M- err Jhia" he said, "So what's on the list for today for me to learn?" he asked, changing the subject slightly. "We'll go over the basics of the code and start talking about culture. If I just taught you how to fight like a Mando, you wouldn't really be one, now would you?"
Arthur shook his head, "No, I wouldn't be" he said sternly. He wanted to learn and become a Mandalorian, basically because Pac had inspired him to learn other cultures and to embrace them. He didn't want to be as close minded as the Jedi, which he thought was one of their major problems among many in his eyes.
"Okay, then let's get started," Pac said, "The fundamental part of the Mandalorian culture is the clan…" She continued on about the lifestyle of a Mandalorian within a clan, his or her duties and responsibilities towards their clanmates, and why the ideal of family is so important.
Arthur listened intently and hung on to every word, trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible. He waited till she finished explaining and committed as much as he could to memory, "Ok so I think I got it…" he said before reciting what she had just taught him.
"Good, a little washy here and there but good," Jhia said with a positive tone, "We'll get into fighting techniques in another lesson, but for now I would like you to delve into the Mandalorian culture. Your temple library should do the trick."
"I would imagine so, I can read up on Mandalorian culture that way I can understand and commit it to memory. Thanks for agreeing to teach me about Mandalorian culture. I know it is frowned upon for me to learn this culture because it is polar opposite of the Jedi way" he thanked her.
"I'm honored to teach you," Pac said humbly. "Your Master could be a good source of information. After all, she was raised on the same principles I was." Arthur nodded to Pac and made a mental note to ask Master Kao for her assistance, "Is there anything else you'd like to teach me today?" he asked her, "Maybe just the basics of fighting?" he asked with hope.
"I'll start, but the rest of the lesson will have to carry over until next time," Pac said, "Sounds good?" Arthur eagerly nodded his head, excited to learn the famous Mandalorian fighting techniques. "Alright." Jhia stood about a yard away from Arthur, standing at an angle in which the right half of her body pointed towards the Padawan. "Clan Shan uses this as their starting stance, much like how you Jedi have your positions and techniques."
Arthur stood up and tried his best to mimic her stance, he gave her a look that asked if he was doing right, as he continued to try and get his stance correct.
"Good angle," Pac stated, "Now make sure to stand tall and confident. Looks can go a long way to intimidate and manipulate your enemy. They'll judge how to come at you based on your stance. Depending on your opponent, they may take less risky moves if you look the part." Arthur nodded his head and did as he was told, standing tall and confident and putting his fists up, ready for what she wanted him to do.
"Now what are you stronger in defending yourself with," Jhia raised a brow, "Hands or feet?" Arthur thought for a second before responding, "Hands" he answered, "Without a doubt" he added. "Nice, then you want to put your hands down. If they're up, your enemy will most likely think you are going with using your hands. Like I said, the beginning stance is crucial in manipulation."
"Where should I place them then?" he asked, frowning. He now looked lost on where to place them. He usually put his hands up in front of his face and chest area when fighting hand to hand. "At your sides," Jhia answered, "Bend your knees slightly and wait for them to attack first."
Arthur nodded and put his hands at his sides and bent his knees slightly and waited for his next set of instructions, "Good?" he asked her, looking for approval before continuing to the next part.
"Perfect," Pac praised, holding her hands up, "What does my stance tell you about me?" Arthur stared intently and tried to come up with a knowledgeable answer, "That you're daring me to strike first?" he asked halfheartedly. He tried to come up with a sophisticated response but failed to think of one, so he said what came to mind first.
"Close," the Mando said flatly, "I'm going to attack with my hands." Arthur watched her hands intently waiting for a move or demonstration that she was going to attack him and prepared to block if he needed to, since he wasn't sure if she was or not anyway. Suddenly, Pac ran at him and quickly spun, ducking his punch, and kicking him down to the floor.
"Ow, What the..?" he mumbled, as he shook his head, getting his vision back, "That went great" he sarcastically mumbled.
"I caught you off guard because you thought I was using my hands," Jhia smirked and offered a hand to help Arthur get up. Arthur grabbed onto her wrist and she pulled him up, as he rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, I think you got me" he chuckled.
"Hands up, I'm going to use my feet," Jhia said, "Though not every Mando will think that way, just those from Clan Shan." Arthur nodded and got back up, determined to show her that he had potential and wasn't a waste of time, after his terrible first showing.
"Your turn," Pac gestured for Arthur to take his stance, "Try to not get kicked down onto the ground again." Arthur took his stance and shook his head, trying to clear his vision, "Ok" he said, getting into proper posItion. Jhia rushed toward him again, and this time used her foot as her fist attack, that Arthur dodged easily, only cause he knew it was coming. She then switched and used her hands. Arthur was able to block her first strike, and counter, but his attack was also easily blocked by Jhia, who's next attack hit home and Arthur was laying on the ground, looking up at her again, "Well this looks familiar" he quirked.
"Far too familiar," Pac said sarcastically, "C'mon, get up. You look like Beskar after your bar fight with him." Arthur rolled and pushed himself back up, "Well he had it coming, taking my mom's ring. Besides, I liked that fight, mostly cause I won" he added with a smirk, "That and I don't remember half of it cause I got slightly concussed" he said with a small chuckle.
"Slightly?" Jhia asked with a chuckle, "If you weren't a Jedi you would have gotten your butt whooped." Arthur smirked, "Wouldn't have mattered, I'd still would have kicked his arse. Nobody messes with my parents, that's just not….acceptable" he said, searching for the correct word to use.
Pac stared Arthur down with a blank look. "Okay, let me rephrase that: If you weren't a Jedi and he wasn't DRUNK, he would have beat you. I'm training you so that osik doesn't happen. Got it?" Arthur nodded, he felt scared in that moment, probably cause of the blank look he got from his teacher, but either way he lost his coolness on the spot right then and there, and just continued to nod his head speechless.
"That's when your enemy will take advantage of you," Pac pointed to his slumped posture, "Fix it." Arthur just nodded again, and stood up straight and put on a confident look, though being put on his back twice now, wasn't really helping his confidence at all really.
Quickly, Jhia came at Arthur with her fists up, squatting down to kick him from below. Arthur with a little help from the force, was able to block her low attack and he tackled her to the ground and quickly tried to get in a few punches. The Mandalorian was able to ram her knee into Arthur's side and get him to roll off to her side. From there, she back-springed into a standing position above the Jedi Padawan. "Impressive," praised Jhia.
Arthur shook his head, still on the ground, "I still lost and I used the Force, which I think might be considered cheating" he smiled, as he breathed heavily. Pac shrugged, "I'm sure there have been Force sensitive bounty hunters before. Your Master, while not really being a bounty hunter, has used her capabilities to defend her Mando honor. However, I wouldn't knock your opponent unconscious with your black magic, voodoo stuff; that would be cheating and unhonorable."
Arthur made to get up, but he had to drop back down, still tired and exhausted from the training, "I wouldn't ever do that. I would like to have a chance at becoming a Mandalorian and not throw away my honor before even becoming one" he said, gripping his side where Jhia had hit.
"Good," Jhia said, slightly panting from the fight. She hadn't been keeping up with her combat skills as of late. "Alright, I'll teach you more in our next lesson. I might mix in ways you can use your powers honorably, but I bet that's something more suited for Oni to teach you." Offering a hand to Arthur, she pulled him up and patted him on the shoulder. "Nice job, kid. You'll go far."
Arthur smiled, "Thanks teach" he said, "Maybe I actually won't end up on the floor next time" he said sarcastically, knowing the floor and himself would probably get even better acquainted.
"Ha-ha," Pac pretended to laugh, "Don't get carried away. That'll be awhile from now." Before she made to turn around, she narrowed her gaze at Arthur and pointed a finger in his direction, "And know that I am immune to Jedi mind tricks, as most of us Mandalorians are."
"I'll remember that. Speaking of Jedi, I have someone I need to go see" he said before giving her a respectful nod and making his way back toward the Jedi Temple to find Meela.
"Your girlfriend?" Pac was not afraid to say out loud and rather loud as she led Arthur out of her apartment. "Bad Jedi, breaking the rules." Arthur gave her a look, "I never liked their rules to begin with anyway" he said, "Too many to keep track of" he spoke to her. Jhia chuckled. "Something your Master shares with you," she said, "She's not the by-the-book Jedi they all make her out to be. Especially with being married to a clone and already having children." Shaking her head quickly, Jhia gestured for Arthur's leave. "I don't want to keep you from your woman, so go. Be here in a week for your next lesson."
Arthur nodded and made his way toward the Jedi Temple. He navigated the halls rather quickly, but not quick enough to get the attention of other Jedi also roaming the temple. He finally made it to Meela's quarters and knocked three times.
Meela appeared after a few moments, tired from her first training exercise with Master Fisto. He may seem like a gentle teacher on the outside, but he was strict. Arthur couldn't get over how she made him feel every time he saw her. "Busy?" he asked her, still panting slightly from his training with Pac.
The Togruta groaned in frustration and rolled her eyes. "Oh, like you wouldn't believe." She folded her arms and leaned against the doorframe. "Kit is just like that one mentor nobody wanted for katas. He's really strict in a calm and subtle way. I know it sounds weird, but it's true. It's like those gym teachers you can read about in the library."
"Well I just got back from my teacher who is strict, but isn't calm or subtle about it. I got put on my back like three times at least today. I lost count on the grand total. Master Kao is tough on me, and so is Pac when I get training from her. But um, I was hoping th-that you weren't busy and I-I could, err we could…" Arthur stumbled, losing his train of thought and now just started to stutter over every word, not able to get any of them out.
"Could what?" Meela did not get the hint, as her mind was so fuzzy with rampant thoughts and stress. She yawned and gestured for Arthur to come in, as standing in the doorway was tiresome. Fixing her new Padawan braid attached to her headpiece, Meela sat down on her bed and started playing with her lekku subconsciously.
Arthur heard the doors slide shut and he stood in Meela's quarters not sure what to do, so he started to scratch the back of his head, a bad habit he had when he was nervous or unsure of what to do. He opened his mouth to talk but no words came out.
Meela was staring off, thinking about random things. She dwelled more so on the topic of being a Padawan and all of its responsibilities and commitments. In her thoughts, she failed to notice Arthur struggling. "When are you going to go see Pac again?" she asked.
Arthur was so taken back by the question that he mumbled and stuttered at first, "Well, um you see….," he started out with, still scratching the back of his head, "A week" he said really quickly finally able to answer her question.
"Huh," Meela mumbled automatically, "It must have gone well then if she wanted to continue training you." The Togruta still didn't know how she felt about Pac or the Mandalorian culture in general. To her, it was all about the battle and bloodshed: unnecessary. Arthur stuttered some more before speaking, "How goes training with Fisto?" he asked, before mentally slapping himself, realizing he was so love struck by her that he had forgotten that they already covered this.
"Good," Meela said, nodding. She seemed to snap out of her trance and looked at Arthur. "Wait, didn't I tell you that already?" Arthur fumbled for words, "Well, I um… The thing is…" was all he was getting out and he started to turn a light shade of red, which didn't help him at all.
Meela raised a brow and stopped playing with her head tails. "What is it?" She had seen him nervous and at a loss for words before...but this was different. "Are you okay Arthur?" Arthur nodded, "Yeah, I just can't speak is all" he said, scratching the back of his head again, "How 'bout you?" he asked quickly.
"Come sit down," the young woman said, still suspicious of his behavior. "I'm sure your tongue will come back to you," she teased, scooting over to make space for Arthur. Arthur made his way over to the bed and sat down next to Meela. He felt a little more comfortable and looked at the girl, no woman, of his dreams. He was content in saying nothing at the moment and just waited to see what Meela had to say.
"I never thought being a Padawan would be this hard," she said. "I'm excited, but with the schedule Fisto described to me...it's going to be tiring." Arthur just smiled at her, "If anyone can handle this, it's you" he said, and he started to slowly lean in closer to her subconsciously.
Meela put her hand over Arthur's and looked into his eyes. "Thanks," she said genuinely and then removed her hand, returning to her inconsistent thoughts. Arthur put a hand on the side of her face and turned her so they were now staring into each other's eyes, Arthur let out a sigh of content, "Did I ever tell you how it's cute when you think really hard?" he said with a smile.
The Togruta smirked a bit, "Oh, shut up." She began to blush, her montrals turning a deeper hue. Arthur just smirked and before she could react, he pulled her closer to him, while he slowly leaned in as well, but allowed her a chance to back away.
Meela just smiled and leaned in as well. After a long hard day for the both of them, this would be a welcomed relief. Arthur was excited and nervous as he brought his lips to hers and placed is other hand on her waist. He loved how he felt when she was next to him and he tried to convey that in his kiss. Meela scooted closer to Arthur and placed a hand in the crook of his neck, pulling him towards her. Arthur didn't put up any struggle and allowed her to pull him closer towards her. He continued to passionately kiss her, but decided to move his attention elsewhere. He kissed her head tails, before going down her jawline.
Meela ran her fingers through Arthur's hair, closing her eyes. "It feels good to be able to unwind without worrying about our clanmates walking in any moment," she managed to say. Arthur just grunted in agreement as he trailed his kisses back up her neck. Guiding him back to her face, Meela pecked him on the lips before pulling away and looking him in the eyes. "Arthur."
Arthur had a look of disappointment when she pulled away, but it quickly vanished, "Yeah" he quietly said, trying to regain his composure. "What's on your mind?" she asked, "You seem pretty stressed today." Arthur just shook his head, "You're on my mind right now" he said, trying to flatter her. Meela smirked back and blushed. Kissing him gently, she got up and stuck her tongue out at him. "Liar."
Walking over to her closet, the Togruta began looking through her few articles of clothing. "Come on," she beckoned Arthur with a finger, "We're going out."
Oni: Alright, you lovebirds, show time is over.
Resist: Arthur and Meela sittin' in a tree….
Arthur: *tapes Resist's mouth* Really?
Echo: *gets out Arthur's acting contract* You were saying?
Resist: *tries to talk but comes out as grumbles and moans, till Green rips off the tape* Ahhh! Anyway, you can put the contract away, we're almost or Order 6….. Nevermind can't say it.
Echo: SHHHHH! We can't let their feeble hearts know what is to come!
Resist: Right. Everyone out! *starts to hurd everyone to the door*
Oni: But my double caramel frappacino is still in there!
Echo: *kicks Oni out the door* It's mine now!
Resist: Add that to the disclaimer. We now own Oni's frap. Don't forget to drop us reviews. They are greatly appreciated.
Echo: *takes sip* Oh, uh, yeah! What he said! Come back for next time, folks :)