Anakin bid Master Yaddle farewell as they parted ways. She hadn't stopped trying to help him commune with and immerse himself in the Force again, and he'd been making leaps and bounds of progress, especially with the recent streak of positivity in his life.
He couldn't help the itch at the back of his mind that poked and prodded at him, telling him that (despite everyone's assurances) he still didn't deserve it and it would all be taken from him. However, since he couldn't do anything about that, he tried to listen to Master Xio and Girth's advice, encouraging him to enjoy the feeling while he could. He just hadn't expected it to last this long.
Still, if it helped, he'd welcome it. He'd actually achieved a rather deep trance and felt he could begin to use some of the more advanced abilities he'd learned (like battle meditation) again. There were likely other Force powers he could look into that could help him when he confronted Palpatine, but for now he just wanted to continue to deepen his connection to the Force.
This time, he wouldn't rush it. He wanted to do it right.
And Master Yaddle could only speak good things about his progress. He was acing his Force Techniques class (finally) and… well, the only downside to everything was waiting for the other shoe to drop. The longer it didn't, the more dread he conjured. Even now, he found it difficult to resign himself to the fact that he would simply have to face it when it came. It was a work in progress.
As he walked down the hallway towards the commissary for the final meal of the day, he took out his comm unit and checked for any messages he'd missed. He found one from Siri telling him to be at landing bay two at 1800 hours. Frowning, he checked his chrono. If he headed there now, he'd be a little early, but he may as well. He could eat afterwards, he was sure. Besides, he'd promised Siri that he'd help her go through more data tonight, so maybe she had plans? Perhaps she'd ordered from Dex's or something.
He couldn't believe he'd thought to merely give up one day a week to go through the information. It would take years to sort through everything the worm had managed to get for them if they did it that slowly. They couldn't afford to do it that slowly.
Shrugging, he turned on his heel and began walking back towards the landing bay. It took him almost fifteen minutes to get there, but he counted it as good time for someone who wasn't hurrying. To his surprise, he found a shuttle there being prepped for take-off. Obi-wan and another Jedi were loading the supplies for what looked like a fairly long trip while an amused (very fond) Siri spoke with Ferus, who was grinning up at her.
Then the boy turned and saw Anakin. For a moment, he froze, then squared his shoulders, said something to Siri, who nodded, and walked over to meet Anakin.
"Hey," he said awkwardly.
"Hi," Anakin said back. Then they stood there in an uncomfortable quiet for several seconds before Ferus seemed to mentally talk himself into something. Then he brought his hand up and held it out.
"Look, I… I know I've said thanks, but I want to say it again: Thank you for helping me out before."
"No problem," Anakin returned quickly. "I am pleased that I could help. I… have had problems with that in the past."
What an understatement.
"With helping people?" Ferus clarified, confused.
Anakin felt a sardonic smile come to his lips. "Yes."
The dark-haired boy (with that unusual streak – Anakin hadn't realized it was natural before) looked puzzled for a moment, but then he shrugged. "Then you deserve my thanks all the more."
The time-traveler blinked. How had he come to that conclusion?
"In any case," the boy went on, "I… would like to be friends."
Well, if that wasn't the most blunt, awkward statement ever. Still, it brought a smile to Anakin's lips. The Ferus he remembered had always been so confident – to a point of arrogance, not that the former Sith had any room to judge – aloof and focused. He hadn't realized the other boy just… didn't seem to be good with interactions at this age. Anakin could relate.
Still, Anakin couldn't just accept things as they stood. He had to warn the boy first.
"Being friends with me… is not easy. It's… more dangerous than you realize." He narrowed his eyes a little, trying to get the boy to understand. Then he softened his expression. "But if you can accept that then… I think I'd like that."
With that, he took the other boy's hand and shook it. Ferus looked surprised, then suspicious (now that was the Ferus Anakin remembered), but then he nodded.
"Ferus," Obi-wan's voice drew the two boys' attention. "I'd like you to go over the pre-flight check with Master Torun." The older Jedi who had been helping Obi-wan load the starfighter waved at them cheerfully.
Ferus looked between Obi-wan and Anakin a couple of times before nodding.
"I'll see you when I get back," he said to the initiate.
"I'll hold you to that," Anakin replied with a smile. Well, it seemed his initial goal of gaining allies at the Jedi Temple was coming along nicely. Now if only he could keep them… and keep them alive.
"Anakin," Obi-wan said, looking nervous (well, for Obi-wan), "do you mind if we talk for a moment?"
The initiate blinked and nodded, glancing at Siri who stood with her arms folded and a smug expression on her face. She hadn't moved from her spot.
"You see, I have been speaking with Knight Tachi and… well, you know that the Council has recently granted permission for certain knights to take on two padawans, correct?"
Anakin's breath caught in his throat for a moment.
What?!
Wait… was Obi-wan saying…
No, he couldn't be…
Could he?
"Well, I want to extend a formal invitation to train you beside Ferus as my padawan, if you would like."
Anakin just stared at him.
His mind couldn't seem to actually take that in – like the words couldn't compute.
"You don't have to answer right now. I'm sure there will be many masters putting their offers forward but… I've had a connection with you since I first saw you, and you helped Ferus so much I'm sure you'd get along. Honestly, if I hadn't taken Ferus, I would have still liked to ask you. I truly thought you and Siri would… well, even if you still decide to go with her – or with the corps, if you so wish – I wanted you to know that I would be honored to teach you, as young and inexperienced as I am."
It almost felt as if his brain had shut down and was still rebooting. He struggled to voice any thoughts. "I… you… You want me? To be your padawan?"
Obi-wan nodded. "Indeed I do. Very much so. I cannot help but foresee you becoming a great Jedi – no matter who you study under, but being with you on that journey and seeing you to that end feels… right. Well, to me anyway. Ferus approves as well, but in the end, it is up to you and you have to do what is best for yourself."
Tentatively, he reached out and put an arm on Anakin's shoulder. "Think about it. Once Ferus and I return from this training trip – one far better planned out than our previous one, I assure you – we would love to schedule time to get to know you better. If you would be alright with that."
He seemed so… unsure. And yet, Anakin could tell it was more about not crossing boundaries than it was about his decision to ask Anakin to be his padawan.
Again.
He didn't know what to feel about this.
"I… will think about it," he finally said. Then, because the offer had allayed so many of his fears, he added on: "Thank you, Obi-wan."
The older Jedi just grinned at him, patted him on the head, then turned and headed towards the ship.
"Is the check finished?" he asked.
"Yes," Ferus nodded, stoic as ever.
"Then I suppose we should be off." With that, he led the other two into the ship, waving one last time at Anakin and Siri as the former came to stand beside the latter.
Ferus also waved and the other Master simply looked amused.
"Well?" Siri asked.
"Did you put him up to that?" Anakin asked, frowning.
The taller blond shook her head, still looking all too pleased. "No. He actually approached me and asked if I would be offended if he were to ask you."
A churning in his gut that he hadn't even realized was there dissipated and Anakin relaxed a little. "Oh."
She chuckled lowly and backed away as the ship's ramp lifted. Anakin followed her. "I'm guessing you need some time to process this?" she said wryly.
"Am I that obvious?"
She shrugged. "And I have a connection to you."
Right.
He nodded because yes, he did need time to think about it.
"Would you like to speak tonight? Or would you prefer tomorrow when we train in the salles?"
"I will… let you know," he finally said.
She nodded and then turned her attention back to the ship as it lifted off.
"He… he said he and Ferus both want it…" Anakin heard himself say. Maybe he did want to speak more at the moment after all.
Siri snorted. "I think Ferus has a crush on you."
It took Anakin a minute to wrap his head around that. "What?!" he asked.
She shrugged. "You heard me."
"But… I… I mean…" he felt as if the rug had been pulled out from under him and then the world turned upside down. Although, now that he thought about it, considering their 'rivalry' in his past life, that did make some sense. Still… the idea of stoic, focused Ferus having a crush on him…
"I… suppose I should let him down gently then," because Anakin was pretty straight as far as he knew. That and he was also rather determined to avoid romantic relationships this time around, period.
Siri nodded. "The sooner the better."
"Is… is that why he is okay with…" why was he having such a hard time stringing words together? It wouldn't be the first time he felt at a loss and more like his physical age than anything else.
His companion snorted as she turned to walk towards the exit. "Ferus wouldn't let that get in the way of his goals once he figures it out. And he certainly wouldn't let it get in the way of anyone else's education."
Anakin could see that from Ferus, he supposed.
Finally, he shook his head. "I believe I will go and get third meal and then go to bed early."
"Weren't you going to go through the data with me?" she asked, frowning for the first time that conversation.
Ah, yes… he had.
No rest for the wicked, he supposed.
Still, he hesitated. He really wanted to either meditate on Obi-wan's offer or sleep on it. Girth and Master Xio had insisted that he take care of himself as best he could. He had a child's body. Pushing it could cause permanent damage. He'd lived with permanent damage and would prefer to avoid such this time around. He hadn't been the best at consistent meals and sleep since he'd come back, but he'd tried. Was still trying.
Kriff Yoda's saying.
Finally, Siri sighed. "Take a nap. Or meditate. I expect to see you at my door and ready to work at 2100 hours."
If Anakin rushed through his meal, then that could give him a good two hours of sleep or meditation (whichever actually came). Although the idea of skipping out on working when they needed to find that proof…
"I won't even be available until about then anyway. Other matters to attend to," Siri said casually.
Anakin doubted it, but he still appreciated her discretion.
Finally, he nodded firmly, once, and turned to walk away.
"See you tonight," he said over his shoulder.
"See you," she returned.
xXx
Anakin yawned, having set his resolution to get more sleep aside (or tossed it straight into Coruscant traffic) and stayed up to go over Palpatine's information until very early in the morning. He was thankful he'd taken the advice to get a nap in, because they had made a lot of progress. Both he and Siri had found multiple points where information didn't match up. Nothing concrete, of course, but she was right that it had been a good place to start. He'd managed to get a couple more hours of sleep before getting up this morning, but knew he was in for a long day. How was it that this body could have so much energy, but required so much sleep? He didn't remember feeling like this as a teenager, or young adult. Maybe children had so much energy simply because they required so much sleep?
Shaking his head, he reached out to the Force and drew on that to help keep him up and alert. It wasn't healthy to do constantly, but it was better than nothing. Besides, he'd had enough sleepless nights, even as a child, that this wouldn't be anything he couldn't deal with. Didn't mean he was looking forward to long, boring classes about things he already knew. Today was their Force Techniques class, though, and while Anakin used to dread it, he found himself looking forward to it now. It wasn't uncommon to have a time of meditation, and he could use that right now.
He lagged behind the rest of his initiate group as they chattered. Just before they reached the classroom, Coira joined them and they all entered together. Immediately, they noticed something different. There was a woman at the head of the classroom standing next to Master Kleon. She had the presence of a Jedi Master, but she looked… rough. Not necessarily in a bad way. Honestly, she kind of reminded Anakin of his mother – someone who led a hard life but took every pleasure they could out of it anyway. Her brown and gray-streaked hair had been pinned back and she wore gray and green robes similar to Jedi robes. In front of her, on Master Kleon's desk, she had small pots full of a dark dirt.
Anakin heard the other children in his class begin to whisper to each other, wondering what was going on. He frowned as he had no clue himself.
Well, at least there was a chance it would be less boring than usual.
"Alright, class, settle down," Master Kleon said, his three eyes swiveling to all corners of the room to make sure everyone had their attention on him. Once they had settled, he smiled and gestured to the woman next to him.
"This is Jedi Tentia Carom, a member of Agri-corps." More whispering broke out and Master Kleon held up his hands. Anakin noticed that he didn't call the woman 'Master' or 'Knight' and wondered why they didn't have a title such as 'healer' in the Medi-corps. "I know, I know. We've all heard about the changes being made regarding the corps and the age limits. Because of that, the Council has decided that it would be wise to have each of the corps come in and explain what they do and how. Jedi Carom is here today to show us a little about how the Jedi Agri-corps works." He smiled again, then stepped aside, nodding to her.
"Thank you, Master Kleon," she said with a smile. Then she turned and raised her hand. To Anakin's (and the rest of the children's) surprise, the pots lifted into the air and floated, simultaneously over to each desk and set down calmly. Anakin just stared at the pot in front of him for several seconds. The kind of control that must take… and she'd made it seem effortless…
He wasn't the only one impressed.
"The Agri-corps are a Jedi sub-group – although that may change soon," and she looked positively giddy when she said that. Her Force-presence spiked as well. She did not strike him as any type of Jedi he'd ever met at all. "In any case, we are called into drastic situations. When worlds have been over-mined, bombarded, ravaged by solar storms, or even planetary storms, struck by comets and asteroids, and those are just the situations I can think of off the top of my head – they call us in. Initially, we bring food from our hub planet that you use specifically for growing crops, Taanab, but mainly our job, once the planet has been deemed relatively safe, is to bring life back to dying worlds."
She still had one pot in front of her, significantly larger than theirs. Taking a deep breath, she reached her hands into the dirt and closed her eyes. Nothing happened that anyone could see, but Anakin could feel her focusing all of her intent and control on the pot. No one in the class seemed to breathe as they could also, apparently, sense her not insignificant presence. It felt so… unrestrained. Anakin didn't know how she could be so in control and so seemingly free all at once.
It took several minutes, but the Force kept spiking until the dirt moved… and then, a small stalk of green poked itself through the topsoil and began to stretch towards the light. Jedi Carom didn't stop.
As if in time-lapse, the plant continued to grow larger and larger until it looked as if it had been growing for several weeks – in a matter of minutes. Anakin knew his mouth was hanging open and he doubted he was the only one. Some children didn't seem so impressed, but he was. The implications…
If he'd known something like this was even possible…
The image of a very green Tatooine burst through his mind for a moment, so quickly he wasn't quite sure if his own brain had conjured it up, or if the Force had sent him an image of what could have been.
It took her almost fifteen minutes to get the plant to the point where a single flower bud opened. Only then did she stop, step back and smile down at her handiwork. Then she looked up at the class, beaming.
"I have planted a seed in each of the pots in front of you. Normally there would be a process of going through and purifying the soil, soaking the land in the Living Force, making sure there are enough nutrients for the plant to grow as it needs to, etc. However, I have done all of the preparation work for you, so you may try this yourself.
"Now," she cut off some of the excited chatter that had started. "What I just did was something that took me years to accomplish, so if anyone gets so much as a hint of green poking through the surface, I will be very pleasantly surprised. However, if you take this pot with you and do as I will soon show you every day, you may have something by the end of the week."
Anakin looked back at the pot. This was something he'd never even heard of, let alone tried. And yet…
"Now the first thing you need to do is reach out to the Force. Then feel through it to the pot in front of you." She stopped, waiting for everyone to get onto the same page, apparently. Anakin closed his eyes and sensed through the Force for the soil and the seed inside. He certainly did feel Jedi Carom's signature there. He studied it in the Force, channeling his excitement at learning a new technique – an entirely new branch of Force techniques – to maintain his connection.
"Good," he heard her say. "Now the Force is like water running down a hill. You give it direction, and it takes the best path to accomplish that goal. However, you can't just sense a seed and think 'grow' and expect something to happen. You must go inside of the seed, feel all of its parts, and then – very patiently – feed it the nutrients it needs. You cannot force it, or you will kill the seed. You must be slow and patient.
"Farm work, even farm work with the Force, requires a lot of long hours of patient focus and control. It is not easy; however, it is incredibly rewarding."
Anakin had little doubt. He put his hands into the moist soil and searched for the nutrients that the seed would require. The Force told him what was needed for the task and so he cautiously took those elements and nudged them towards the seed.
He sensed Jedi Carom walking around the room, focusing on one child at a time and falling into a light trance to guide them along. Anakin ignored her and the others around him to simply focus on his seed.
Eventually, the Agri-corps member reached his spot and he felt her presence join his.
"You are doing very well," she said, sounding impressed. "You aren't rushing or pushing, merely helping it along and that is exactly what needs to be done. The positive emotion helps."
Anakin could swear the world came to a complete stop and he was wrenched out of his trance in shock. "Wait… you use positive emotion to focus the Force?"
Jedi Carom looked a little startled and confused. "During this particular process? Yes. Other processes don't require it, but positivity goes a long way to help plants – anything living, really – grow."
He stared at her for several seconds before looking back at the pot in front of him. "Oh."
She seemed to be at about as much of a loss of words as he was.
"Would you like me to help you get back into a trance?" she finally asked.
He shook his head. "I can manage, thank you. Others need your help more than I."
She didn't look too sure about that but she did nod and stand. "Very well," she said slowly. "I will come back to check on your progress, though. I can already sense your seed sprouting. Keep it up."
With that, she left to help the next student. Anakin continued to stare at his pot for several seconds before he released his surprise and, well, everything else to the Force and searched for that excitement he'd had earlier. It was difficult, but eventually he caught hold of it and breathed out, using the emotion as a focal point to find the seedling again.
He didn't know how much longer they sat there, trying to make plants grow. Anakin could even feel Master Kleon doing his own exercise with a pot and seed. Anakin approved. He'd always seen Jedi as the heroes of legend – the fighters and warriors that protected the universe. But this… he could imagine a universe with planets filled to the brim with greenery on every habitable planet. No more desert planets or waste planets. The sheer potential for growth… they could feed so many people.
By becoming a Jedi, Anakin may very well have missed his calling. He wished he'd known more about the Agri-corps before…
So caught up in the vision, he hadn't realized that he'd bypassed the soil altogether, feeding the plant nutrients directly from the Force. It needed to be stabilized, so he used the Force to make it stronger.
"Anakin!"
He opened his eyes, blinking at Jedi Carom in front of him, and then at the sprouting seedling in the pot. His jaw dropped… as did hers.
But then she sighed and cleared her throat. "Class, I'd like to draw your attention to something." She said, patting Anakin's hand as if in reassurance. "Anakin, here, has done something that every Agri-corp member has done at some point in their lives. Instead of using the nutrients in the soil to grow the plant, he fed it directly with the Force. I'm sure you all know that the Force is very helpful when one is hungry or tired to keep us operating at peak performance. The problem is, without a direct connection to the Force, any plant grown with it will begin to die the moment their source to the Force is cut off."
Anakin's breath caught in his throat and he looked down at the plant. Just another thing to add onto his life of good intentions with terrible results. It wasn't something that he could truly bring himself to feel badly about, but it was disappointing and… frustrating. He'd literally poured himself into the seed, and it would die because of it.
"However, that is definitely a mistake only senior apprentices and journeymen have the knowledge, training and skill to use. You doing this is extremely impressive, Anakin, and… we can actually fix it. If you will allow me to guide you." She knelt in front of him, kind gray eyes on him and a warm smile. "Will you let me guide you in the Force?"
That brought a bout of anxiety he had not wanted to deal with. The only person he really trusted him to guide him in the Force was Yaddle, Yoda, Siri and maybe Obi-wan. He hadn't… he didn't…
Except wasn't it about time that he learn to trust again?
He wanted to.
He could do this.
He could.
Steeling himself, he took a deep breath, then looked up at the master and nodded. Her smile widened.
"Do you mind if I invite the class?"
Anakin blinked, head tipping in confusion.
"This is a Force-techniques class, and one thing the Jedi in the Agri-corps do on a regular basis is group meditation. I would like to attempt that with the rest of the children here. But only if you're okay with that."
Anakin took another breath and really considered the thought. He had his allies… his friends who he trusted, but there were several other children who he barely knew.
But this wasn't much more of a step beyond that… and he knew them… and they were children. What harm could they do?
Well, quite a lot… but he was honestly more worried about doing more harm to them than the other way around.
Still… he felt that if he backed down now, it would be more cowardly than anything…
So he swallowed, closed his eyes and nodded before opening his eyes and meeting her gaze.
She looked skeptical.
"Are you sure?" she asked carefully.
A year ago, he would have been offended at her handling him with kid gloves. Now, though, he couldn't help but be grateful at her consideration. He looked around at all of the pairs (and sometimes more) of eyes staring at him. Then he looked down at the plant that had already begun to wither. He hadn't cut it off from the Force yet, but he definitely hadn't concentrated on it either.
He nodded again.
"Yes."
Her eyes squinted shut as she grinned at him and then stood.
"Alright, children, begin your trances. Focus on your own seeds for now, and we will approach you in the Force to join us. If you are not comfortable with it, you can let us know. There is no harm or shame in this. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Jedi Tentia," the class said before settling down. Anakin felt the Force around him calm again as the children prepared to meditate. Then the Agri-corps Jedi stood and gestured. A chair from the front of the class came soaring towards her. Anakin blinked. It was such a blatantly frivolous use of the Force, but she didn't even seem to register that.
Interesting.
"Now, Anakin, I assume you know how to start a trance and search out a presence, correct?"
"Yes."
She nodded. "Excellent. Go ahead as you normally would. Then find me and I will guide you into remedying this mishap."
He returned the gesture and settled down, closing his eyes and reaching for the Force, using the warmth of Obi-wan's acceptance to do so. A couple of seconds later, he reached tentatively out for Jedi Tentia. She seemed a little surprised, but not displeased when she reached back. He wasn't entirely sure why, but didn't focus on that as they reached for the plant together.
Then, while part of her focus was on the plant and Anakin, part of her seemed to break off and search out one of the nearer classmates – Hik'te, actually.
Focus on me, please, came the Jedi's soft reprimand. The ability to split my attention in the Force like this is a high-level technique that few can learn, and rarely outside of the Agri-corps.
That would be… useful.
Anakin pushed that thought aside and did as he was asked, focusing on the plant in front of him.
To save the plant, we will need to bring in the nutrients and then slowly withdraw the Force altogether. Like this.
To Anakin's amazement, he felt her sift through the soil, as if sorting it and breaking it down, taking what was needed – and only what was needed – before moving them gently into the plant and then drawing just a minuscule amount of the Force out of said plant.
Hik'te had joined them at this point, as had Maelee and one child Anakin didn't know named Yulla. All of them had the equivalent of a jaw-dropped expression, except in the Force. Anakin hadn't realized he'd been missing so many nutrients…
One thing about the Agri-corps, she said inside their minds – seriously, all of their minds… how?! More children joined and she continued on. We have to study the chemical and biological makeup of the plants in the region we are working on. If anyone is interested in studying the living sciences…
She let the thought hang, enticing. Then she moved on.
Because I know the exact chemical makeup of the plant we're working on, I know what to look for in the soil beyond simply 'beneficial' to said plants, which is the basis for growing seeds. So, one has to have the knowledge of a biologist, and then the control of a Jedi Master to find each one of those substances.
Then she practically paraded the different elements in front of the children, and Anakin began to sense each separate one, although he could not identify a single one.
Each of these are what this plant needs to survive – to thrive. Can you feel the differences?
Anakin nodded and felt each child – as well as Master Kleon, who seemed just as awed, if a little reserved and wary – do the same.
Can you all help me find these elements? She asked. Even if you cannot actually access them, feel through the soil for them. Let me know when you find them.
And then they all reached for Anakin's pot. Almost immediately, he was able to sense the miniature grains that matched what he'd been shown in the Force. He did not have the control to get to all of it. He didn't even have the control to get to most of it, so he simply took whatever he found to Jedi Tentia, who was using her trick to focus on multiple children at once. She would take what they brought to her, separate it into the different clumps of elements she needed, and then she would slowly, gently move the nutrients into the plant.
It was working. Anakin could feel it becoming stronger. She knew exactly how to feed the nutrients into the plant, where it had an excess or deficiency, and how to keep the plant alive with the Force while slowly withdrawing the combined presences and support of the entire class.
Plants, she went on, like most of us, are a part of the living Force. Withdrawing it entirely will kill it as surely as withdrawing all support right now would. But we, like the Force, are often like this plant. We grow up dependent on something – sometimes, even the Force. Then we have to be patient and take it slowly, heal with small steps while thoroughly examining every part of us. In a sapient being, this process I am showing you can be painful and dangerous if done incorrectly. But it can also save a life. The Agri-corps and the Medi-corps aren't all that different, when one comes down to it.
All of them wanted to save the plant, and after a while that process and determination began to blend together. Sometimes, Anakin couldn't tell where he stopped and someone else began… but it wasn't unpleasant. It only fueled his own determination. And when one of the children made a connection or discovery, it seemed to pass easily to the others, like a chain of blocks toppling down. It was… certainly a unique experience. One he'd never really experienced before. Was this because of Jedi Tentia? She was certainly a factor…
And there. She finally sent to them, then took a metaphysical step back, admiring all of their handy work. Anakin turned his attention on the plant. He could still feel it through the Force, but not like he could when his own presence had been keeping it alive. Now it seemed strong, growing on its own, and he had no doubt that it would be fine if they all withdrew.
Let us return to the classroom, shall we? The Agri-corps Jedi sent to them and then gently pulled away, encouraging each of them to do so as well.
Slowly, Anakin disconnected himself from the others. It felt… strange, to say the least. Strange because part of him felt extreme relief at being himself again, but part of him missed the input – the warmth, curiosity and innocence – of the others.
When he opened his eyes. He realized he was holding hands. Looking to the side, he saw Coira on one side and Hik'te on the other. Behind him, Hale had a hand on his back… and they weren't the only ones. Some children had turned to either side so they could reach others' hands in a series of chains around the room.
They all looked down at their hands, surprised.
"Very well done for your first group healing meditation," Jedi Tentia said happily as she rose to her feet, the chair she'd been sitting on rising behind her and following after her.
Anakin stared after her in a bit of a daze.
That had been so… so…
No, he didn't have words for it.
Incredible? Awe-inspiring? Unlike anything the dark side could ever offer in its wildest dreams? All of that and more somehow.
He heard a gasp from Coira and turned to see what had caught her attention. She was staring at his desk and the pot on it. Blinking, Anakin turned to look at it and found a fully-grown plant, full of leaves and flowers and multiple stems.
"That, children, is what comes of learning to completely and utterly immerse yourself in the Force. I know you are taught the basics here, but Jedi Knights and Masters have different goals when it comes to the Force; learning how to attack and defend, understanding the mind-set of the people around you, sensing and preventing ill intent. The Agri-corps Jedi use their ability to feed, grow, and understand the Galaxy around us on a far more fundamental level, and that can require far more dedication than one realizes."
The class stared at her silently for several seconds before she grinned.
"So, with that being said, we would love to have any one of you – or all of you – join us. If this is something that interests you, let Master Kleon know and we'll discuss what will be best for you."
With that, she turned her grin on the Gran who usually taught their class.
"I'll turn it back over to you."
Well, Anakin had been right – it had been enlightening.
xXx
AN: First, I'd like to thank Quathis, Khalthar and Carradee, as usual, for their help with this chapter.
I admit that I based a lot of the Agri-corps here off of Lost Reflection by esama on AO3. Phenomenal story, even if it isn't finished. Her world building is jaw-dropping imo. So yeah, tried to expand on that a bit, but I highly recommend taking a look at the story. :)
I'd also like to thank input from my discord community! You guys are amazing! For anyone who would like to join: discord dot gg/YJhnnkn6hG ( dot = .)
I know this is on the late side of when I usually get it up, but it is what it is. There were reasons. I'm too tired to go into them. lol
Thank you for reading!
