Notes: Ok, wanted Varus, Aka Starkiller, to meet some people and make some lasting impressions while learning a few first lessons he will need very soon.

I knew I wanted him to meet Rahm Kota, but naturally under different circumstances as from the canon. Also wanted to give Kota some interesting character feel as a grandfather-ish war veteran, that in some ways is just as hard headed as Varus. Also his Padawan, Falon, may or may not have character development in the future, but that is yet to be seen. He is canon, but not from the game, I think he came from a book or something. I came across Falon in the wookiepedia.

(Note: form grip ball is basically a squeeze ball that analyzes the points pushed on for a combination of pattern and strength. More information to be explained.)

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not even the clothes on my back.

Chapter 4 - First Impressions Part 1/2

Previously:

Starkiller, apprentice to the deceased Darth Nihilius, was called to meet with Darth Sidius to resolve their feud in less than peaceful means. Starkiller, expecting a duel or fight, was tricked into being captured by the Jedi, who were then ordered by Sidius to wipe his mind and turn him into a Jedi puppet.

The new Jedi, Varus Wynn, AKA Starkiller, is assigned to Skywalker to be his Padawan alongside Ahsoka. He gets to know them a bit and comes to learn he was accepted as a Jedi before having a concussion. While this is a lie, he takes it for what it is, and decides to try to make the best of things.

I wake up earlier than Tree-Hugger asked of me and I throw on my Jedi robes. They are very uncomfortable and baggy, not to mention heavy and drag the floor. I should put on my old clothes... but then I would get more looks. I don't need to deal with people looking at me.

I race out the door and enter the garden Tree-Hugger wanted. I wish I could say I was early to be getting on with my training or to obtain some great miraculous knowledge or whatever voodoo these people do, but I know the real reason. I am very troubled.

Last night was not well. I wouldn't exactly say I had pleasant dreams. I didn't even have nightmares. Nightmares I think I could handle, but what I saw was a complete lack of everything. This just reminded me further of my amnesia and well, it was upsetting. Not that I would tell anyone.

Do people with amnesia never dream?

"Hello, kid."

My thoughts are interrupted by a man's sudden intrusion. He is scarred, old, and grizzly. His brown eyes fit oddly enough with his long tough features, right down to the grey mustache and hair with a receding hairline tied up in a bun. Beside him was another person, a boy, probably no older than 10. The boy also had brown eyes and brownish-gold hair, but his eyes were inquisitive whereas the man's eyes were hardened from experience.

His bun, grey head, and large nose make him look like a ferocious bunny.

"Are you talking to me?" I ask heatedly. I am not fond of being called a kid. I am probably just as tall as him!

"Unless there is someone else who fits the bill..." He responds.

I grit my teeth to contain my first thoughts, and try wording myself better. "What do you want, old man?" Much better than what I was thinking. It doesn't include a combination of 'rat', 'bastard', and 'bunny'; so I am probably making progress.

His eyes flash in recognition of the insult, which is a whole lot more than I have gotten so far from most Jedi when I talk. He tenses his jaw and responds, "I am going to train you until your master and fellow apprentice returns."

Tree-Hugger did say something about extra training. He E-Mailed me a name... Some old general acquaintance of his who also serves under Baldy. "I take it your - uh - Rahm Kota?" I ask. He nods his confirmation and motions toward where he wants me to follow. That or he is signalling for a left-turn.

I don't budge. I look to the kid and ask, "And you would be?"

The boy jumps slightly in surprise at being given the focus of attention, but quickly shifts into a ball of energy and gusto. "I am Falon Grey! Padawan to General Rahm Ko-"

"Ah." I interrupt. Padawan. Isn't that what Tree-Hugger's girl is, and now me? Sounds like an apprenticeship. I'll probably find out later when I read the stuff Tree-Hugger assigned to me.

"What exactly are you going to train me in?"

Bunny crosses his arms and glares at me. I probably am having an attitude, but excuse me for not putting up with his crap. I return the glare. Grey looks between us nervously. Me, the teen defiant upstart, and him, the old tough-as-nails bastard.

After a moment Bunny's face snaps into a grin and he surprises me with a laugh. He grabs my shoulders, hauls me up, and pats me roughly. "You have the guts of a soldier. Not many can return my gaze so easily."

I just blink dumbly at him. His laughing catches both me and kiddo off guard, and frankly, it is scaring me. One moment he is a ferocious bunny with a stick up his butt, now he is like a... grandpa.

"Now, come-on. Let's get the sessions started. I look forward to seeing what you can do, kid."

"I'm not a kid!" Despite my reservations, my feet move along with them.

"I've been asked to train you in combat. More specifically, to see what your foundation is." He informed me. We stop at a clearing and he throws me a saber. I look it over worriedly.

"That is a training saber, kid. It won't injure anyone, but it will sting a bit before it turns off once it hits us. So don't stick your tongue on it."

"Do I really look that stupid!?" I hiss. I turn it over a few times inspecting it. How is this thing supposed to come on? I touch switches until it flares to life. It extends out just past my face and the light burns my eyes. I gasp and pull it away quickly.

"Before now, no." He chuckles. "I want the two of you two spar a quick round. Go."

"Wait, wha-?" Before I even have time to react Falon is on me. I manage to block his wide swing but the impact knocks the saber out of my grip and it goes flying.

It lands behind me and turns off. They both gape at me and I feel my ears redden. The stunned silence from both of them is... unwelcomed. I pick it back up and turn away in embarrassment. Damn Bunny. Damn saber. I have no skill at this at all, and they act like they expected something more. That just pisses me off.

The Jedi Bunny watches me closely and says, "Falon, please find a form grip ball." The kid bows and leaves with a brisk run.

Out of nowhere he takes a swing at me, and I manage to evade. I feel his fist come within inches of my face before a boot follows it. With my back to a tree I lower my body to the floor on my hands and feet. The boot smashes into the tree with a resounding boom. In the corner of my eye I see a flash of a lightsaber and I spin my body weight while on my hands to jump to the side and land on my feet a couple feet away. My shoulder burns slightly from where he narrowly swiped me.

"Are you trying to kill me?!" I bark, but see my answer. He walks slowly toward me with his saber out. This bunny is not holding back. His glare is one full of experience and for probably the first time since I started I am truly scared. I expected the Jedi to be a pacifist and be meditative and want to hug trees like most of what I have seen and read, but this Kota person is another thing entirely. He isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. He isn't afraid to kill, and he knows how.

The only part of me that keeps from running for my life is my angry pride and the small part of me that knows he isn't actually out to kill me. Oddly enough, his heavy handed approach is one I have to respect. Ten points, Bunny, if I come out of this alive.

Before I have time to contemplate his true intentions behind his sudden personality change further, he is on me again. The lightsaber skims by my head close enough I can feel the heat coming off it, and I continue evading like my life is on the line. Which it technically is. I have nothing to defend myself with. The man sent his Padawan off to get him out of the way, now he is out to get me.

I see the shadows of the higher branches all around me as I peddle back more and more, and I estimate how far I probably am from the trunk.

Rahm Kota swings at me again and I jump back as far and as high as I can, land slightly on the side of the tree trunk with my feet, and push off as soon as I feel contact. I curl my body together to bring my knee into his face, and I land on my hands behind him. With a push off the ground I skid on my feet away from him. If he is going to take a swipe at me without getting payback, it will be after I'm dead and broken half his body!

I brace myself to continue fleeing when he... laughs? Why is he laughing? Someone explain to me what the joke here is...

"You find this funny?" I demand.

"Relax, kid. Nothing good will come from being so hostile." Right, this coming from the man trying to kill me. He smirks cheekily. His aura and stance immediately becomes relaxed and grandfather-ish. Ye... like I'm going to fall for that again. The man is psychotic.

I glance over to see Falon approach with a little hand ball and he passes it to his master. Psycho-Bunny looks it over and tosses it to me. I instinctively catch it. "Grip it. Hard as you can." He orders.

I do as he says and after a second or two the thing beeps. Some numbers appear on a little screen and I toss it back. He looks it over and visibly his features fall in slight confusion. I tighten my fists angrily. Did that ball just say I am weak?! I don't need a constant reminder of things being knocked out of my grip without a program confirming it!

He glances at me briefly before handing it back to his student. Silence kicks in. I glance from one to the other and I feel my paranoia pick up with each passing second. I am really getting tired of his psychotic behavior! First he is an ass, then he is nice, then he tries to kill me, then is nice again, gives me a compliment, and finally is giving me the silent treatment as if this needs a bloody moment of suspense that only makes me want to hit him! Tell me already! Minus 20 Psycho-Bunny.

I miss Tree-Hugger. Hell, I even miss Baldy, his emotions are at least predictable.

Kota, aka Psycho-Bunny, rubs his beard thoughtfully before releasing me of the agonizing silence: "How unusual." Ok, he better give me more than that!

"Well?"

He sighs and sits down. He motions for me to follow, and instructs his Padawan to practice some form. Falon bows and starts practicing a short distance away.

"The ball revealed that your grip is perfectly balanced." He reveals.

...

WHAT!?

"And that's worthy of your frown and silence? That's a good thing!"

"No, it isn't." His eyes do all the frowning for him. "Everyone's grip has two or three fingers that are stronger than the others. Those strong ones become the core of how you hold anything. When you swing and impact or block one, all of the weight that could knock the saber of your grip is relied on by those very fingers. When someone clicks a keyboard, they use mostly the fingers they like the most. Nerve endings, and therefore control, is most focused on a finger dominant fingers in each hand. Your grip, quite simply, has no foundation. Therefore, when you block, you do not have the finger strength to hold the saber against the strike."

I turn away with a 'tsk'.

He continues, "But! That is not a bad thing. It is, but it isn't. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Now that we know your weakness for blocking, we have to do the next best thing."

"What?"

"Don't."

"... huh?"

"You evaded me earlier, didn't you?" He interrupts.

I start to reply, but shut my mouth. I did... Earlier my body simply reacted to his sudden movements and dodged.

My... body... reacted...

"It was instinctual..." I breathe in amazement. I let it sink in a moment before I smile widely.

He nods at my realization and says gently, "All this time, and from what I heard of yesterday, you have been copying the rest of us. You have been blocking as you have seen your follow Padawan block. Your anger has only pushed your further desperately down your determined solution. But, your body knew what to do. You just didn't stop to listen until now."

"I... I was angry when Ahsoka slapped me and repeatedly... beat me." I whisper.

"More like handed you your own backside, from what I hear." He teases.

"Hey! It wasn't that bad!"

"You never even touched her! How many times did you stand and charge in? Seventy?"

"Eighty-three!" Something like that anyway. It is childish, but I ain't about to let him be right, even in the number. "and I did get her." I lie.

"Oh?" He wraps his arms and smirks at me deviously. "When?"

"The last time." I might have gotten one of her hairs on her skin, so it isn't a total lie.

He grins evilly and says, "Then maybe I'll come and watch today's matches then. Since your catching up so fast."

Damn.

"Anyway," He moves on. "Your speed and senses are very high. You might even be tapping into the force instinctively to react so well and fuel your muscles."

"It's that good?" I wonder hopefully.

"Even more so. It looks both instinctual and trained! This might also explain your grip. See, just as you lack the special strong fingers, your also have something other people lack. Weak fingers."

"Since most people have strong fingers they focus on, the others become weak?" I try to follow.

"Exactly. Your grip pattern is very very unusual, but not unheard of. It is grasped, so to speak, by circus performers."

...

"Your mocking me aren't you?"

"Only a bit." He teases. "But more specifically a refined art in twirling around in your hand." To give an example, he spins his saber around in his hand by his fingers. He has visible difficulty some of the time and does it with ease the rest. "Your strength, at least in my opinion, is in evasion and unorthodox attack forms."

"What does that mean?" To be fair, I am not sure what that means.

He thinks a minute and explains, "Every Jedi has a stance that speaks to their strengths and weaknesses, or to their training. Ataru is acrobatic, Soresu is defensive but best used by tactical minds, and Juyo is strong and aggressive, while its variant is fast and chaotic rather than strong."

"Ah... which do you suggest for me?"

"That's just the thing. You may have a stance that speaks to you, but I think you may find that your style is your own. 'Twirling' in this case may mean that you can swing, change your grip in mid swing, and come from an unexpected angle. Defensively it means you can expose a point like a trap and suddenly change to deflect when your opponent goes for it. Still, learning stances can only be a good thing. You may find yourself able to transition between them better than most."

"Unless one is strength based..."

"Your arm strength is different from finger strength." He comments. "But, yes. You may want to wait on any strength based styles or stances until you can hold your grip... Falon!"

The kid flinches in mid step and wobbles to stabilize himself. He stands at attention. "Yes!"

General Rahm Kota looks at me with his cheeky smile and says, "Time for some endurance dueling!"

Something about the way he says that, as well as the word 'endurance' leaves a hollow pit in my stomach. I stand and whisper to the kid, "What's that?"

"Where we duel until he says to drop." He responds with a deep frown.

Damn.

Anakin and Ahsoka entered the garden at the usual time to find Varus passed out on the grass. He was covered in bruises and he was completely out of breathe. He looked like he had run a marathon. Near him was Rahm Kota's Padawan, also on the ground. Rahm himself just leaned against a tree reading from a data pad as though nothing had happened.

"I'm guessing dueling is out of the question, eh Snips?" Anakin asked.

Ahsoka just shrugged and looked the two boys over closely. "Falon is not the best of my peers, but he isn't a pushover. How could Varus have managed to wear him out?"

"Hey, now, Snips. There is more to him than meets the eye. One of these days he might just surprise you."

"Sure." She murmured in clear disbelief.

Ignoring her little attitude, Anakin asked Rahm Kota how the extra training went.

"Quite well." The General turned off his data pad. "The kid has a lot of potential."

"Ha! See!" Anakin snapped at his Padawan. She rolled her eyes.

Rahm ignored them both, "He will need a muscle building regime and stamina training as well, both of which is poor. I have assigned him to work on his forms tonight and work on some exercises. Unlike most, his style is not clear cut. The style that speaks to him most is speed, evasion, and unexpected attacks."

Anakin crinkled his nose at the realization. "Oh... I can't be much help in that." Anakin was a strong warrior in styles that support strength, intelligence, and, to a degree, patience and experience.

"Unfortunately, trainers who specialize in speed and the unorthodox is few and far in between. Master Yoda perhaps, but he is far too busy."

"Kit Fisto? He is fast."

Rahm Kota considered it. "Fisto is very balanced in speed and power, much more than most with his focus on the basics. Perhaps Fisto could provide a solid foundation, but it wouldn't help him specialize in his own nature. Besides, Fisto is far too busy. He spends his entire time on the front lines. What Varus needs is a teacher that specializes in chaos, unorthodox, and unexpected."

"But... aren't those Sith traits?" Ahsoka asked.

"They are." Kota admitted sadly.

Anakin frowned in thought before taking the General arm in thanks. "Thank you, General. You have been most helpful. I will find him a specialized teacher in time. May I rely on you for continued training sessions? A solid foundation may be what he needs right now."

"Certainly." Rahm gripped the man's arm tightly before dropping it. He picked up his Padawan and took the sleeping boy away.

Ahsoka looked up at her master and asked, "Aren't you training him?"

"Yep, and I will. In order to catch up to you, he needs twice the attention right now."

"Well, he does have a far way to go!"

Anakin looked at her smiling face nonplussed. Clearly being around his wife so much lately was giving his little Padawan an inflated ego. Of course he might have been also to blame, a bit, maybe. Varus better not pick up on it! Last thing Anakin wanted was his new Padawan drifting back to his old Sith nature. First came inflated egos, then galactic domination.

"So..." Ahsoka murmured. "What now?" She poked Varus with her finger, but he slept on.

"Hmm. I was going to have you fight him, but with him unconscious..." He grinned evilly. "It's my turn." Ahsoka bowed her head and groaned. She had only beaten him three out of fifty or so times this month, which simply wasn't enough! She was not looking forward to it. "Then when he wakes up we can practice force meditation, attend a meeting I have scheduled, do a job the police are hiring us to help with, and tonight the Senator wanted us to meet her for dinner so she could meet my new Padawan herself."

Ahsoka considerably brightened at the idea of seeing Padme again.

I wake up to the feeling of an obnoxious dipshit poking my face. Correction! Not a dipshit, slut.

"What do you want, Ahsoka?" I grumble. Gah, my body aches in places I didn't even know I HAD. It's like someone inserted metal rods into my limbs and back and waist. At the rate Psycho-Bunny has me going out, I'm going to become a hulk of a man in a matter of weeks.

As much as some women may or may not find hulks attractive, that much muscle is just disgusting. Sorry ladies, it's not happening.

Of course, all of this provided I can manage to get up and continue. Right now all I can think is how comfy the ground is.

"You call her by name and call me Tree-Hugger?" Anakin raises an eyebrow.

"If I didn't name her Ahsoka, it would be... something else entirely." If I say slut she will kill me. "I'm making a special effort to recall her name in self-defense." That is half true. The first time I said the word taught me to tread lightly around her, but once I get stronger with Psycho-Bunny I should be able to call her whatever I want without fear. A point for Psycho-Bunny.

"And you think she is scarier than me?"

I look between the smiling, pleased girl and the frowning man.

"Yes." I say flatly.

He nods understandingly and says, "You're learning." Point for Tree-Hugger.

Changing the topic he pulls me to my feet and puts on his 'serious-business' face. It looks remarkably like the face of every Jedi I have seen thus far once they live here for too long. They could be in competition of faces. I think the winner would the Baldy, though.

"I had us scheduled to practice basic meditation, but you slept through it." His tone is neither disappointing nor approving. Not sure how to take that.

"I must have been in some deep meditation then." I smirk.

"Sleeping isn't meditating, Varus."

"Uh huh." I tease. "Certainly helped me clear my mind and center my soul, though. I'm all purified and ready to run into the sunset!" Not sure what my mood is, but it feels good. Guess I needed the exercise to clear my head.

The girl giggles slightly and Anakin looks like he wants to face palm, but doesn't. A point for both of them.

"We don't do that." Anakin mutters.

"We kinda do." The girl whispers. She stops at his sudden glare, but can't wipe away the smile.

"Regardless." He moves on, still glaring at her, "We have a war council meeting in half an hour." Ohhh, interesting. Will I get to push buttons? "Varus, seeing as how this is your first time, and you are still very much a new Padawan: I want you to-"

"Keep my mouth shut." I guess for him. "Stand in the corner. Or are you shoving me outside?"

"No, your presence will be fine. Consider this a good learning experience. Sit quietly to the side and pay attention."

"Fiiiiine." I submit grudgingly. So I won't be pressing buttons and sending troops for taco runs. There are a million ads for food in the horizon, and so many look appetizing. Oh well, I can still sit by and guess how many expressions these generals won't be showing or count the muscles in their eyebrows… on second thought that sounds horrendously boring. How long does this crap last?

Tree-Hugger lead us down a hall, up some stairs, down another hall, into a turn branching out into a dozen more, and followed by an elevator that shifted into six directions instead of just up or down, leading us to an outside ramp that lead around and up and down to some place I stopped keep track of long ago. At some point I lose track in wondering just how large the tacos actually are. The sign was huge.

We finally stop, (with me almost running into them), in front of some doors. The doors are big and decorated with some kind of symbolized imprint of a fancy tri-flame thing. It looks familiar.

"What's that?" I whisper. I tap the symbol just before the door opens.

"Symbol of the Galactic Republic." Ahsoka answers at the same low volume. "Follow my lead."

"Ye."

We enter in and there are a few people I recognize around a holoprojector. It shows a lot of stars within a field of blue. There is also a field of red, yellow, purple, and other colors along the sides, the largest of which is either red or yellow. Especially red.

Baldy is present, Psycho-Bunny is present, Tree-Hugger, and then a couple of people I don't know. Ahsoka stands to the side and I quietly follow while Tree-Hugger stands in position among the others.

They start talking semantics and point at the screen. I try to follow, I truly do, but how am I to be expected to know what they are talking about in reference to stars, when there are a bazillion of them! In the span of a single finger point there are probably ten solar systems.

Ye, so you point at something. Be more specific! They probably are, but I don't have a clue about some Pegasus Line, so it's all quite moot.

In minutes I find my eyes wandering around. There are a bunch of white armor guys. They must be very heavily armed Jedi, which strikes me as odd. I didn't take them for being extremely gung-ho types. If there is a branch of them, that sounds like the one I would lean toward instead of sitting under trees trying to place my soul amongst the grass and going "hummmmmmmmmmmmm".

Then one with orange shoulder plates takes his helmet off, followed by another with blue. Twins? Followed by another. Triplets? Followed by another two, then three, then… is that eight?!

I feel so sorry for their mother.

The white armored hexa-twins join in the conversation and there goes my interest.

The screen changes to an armored guy, but this one isn't a twin. Instead he has a beard and isn't carrying a gun. They talk and talk.

At some point it changes again, this time revealing four people. There is a boy of another species in a wheelchair, and behind him is a girl of the same species. In front is a little girl of the same species as Ahsoka, but she is dancing.

The fourth, and most obvious one instantly drew my astonished attention.

Next moment a hexa-twin dropped his gun, the dancing girl tripped, Tree-Hugger's eyes became huge saucers, several of the hexa-twins were gaping at me, Baldy stiffened like a stone pillar, and Ahsoka had grabbed my head while clamping my mouth. She was also red as the red flashing neon taco sign as she dragged me out the door by my head. I nearly tripped over myself having to walk backwards to follow.

Okay... what did I just say?

Edited by Aeterna Knight: u/4617921/

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