AN: Here's Chapter 3!
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or anything affiliated with it.
Now, enjoy the chapter!
When Rafe stepped out of the elevator, all he could do was look up. Above him was the sky, which was bright blue and filled with several ships that were flying around, and the sun, which was so bright. He's never seen so much light in his life. Down in the Underworld, the sky was always a myth. But it was right above him now.
In front of him was a metropolis, filled with nothing but skyscrapers. He's never seen such an amazing sight before. I can definitely get by up here. I won't have to worry about survival ever again.
He realized that he had to become a Jedi and fight in the Clone Wars. He would become a soldier, fighting day in and day out, just to make the galaxy peaceful. But my life won't be peaceful. …It never will be. And that pissed him off more than anything. He had to suffer just so others could survive. What did anybody ever do for him?
"Are you done sightseeing?" Arakan asked, breaking Rafe out of his thoughts.
Rafe gave him a stern look.
"You can't sightsee every time you see something new. It'll get you killed on the battlefield."
"You think I don't know that?" Rafe snapped. "Distractions are a weakness that can be easily exploited. That's why I look out for myself and trust no one."
Arakan kept his eyes on Rafe. "I see…"
"So where the hell is your temple?"
"Shut up and just follow me," Arakan said, turning around before walking through the metropolitan city.
Despite what he said about distractions, Rafe couldn't help but look around in awe. Every building was the height of a skyscraper, and everything seemed to be really fancy. At least, it was to him. Everything he was looking at might as well have been ordinary to anyone fortunate enough to live up on the surface.
"It's amazing, isn't it?" Yuki asked.
Rafe couldn't help but be a little surprised every time he heard her speak, which seemed to be rare. He looked up at the sky again, narrowing his eyes from the bright rays of the sun. "Yeah… It's not bad," he said softly.
Yuki giggled, covering her mouth, obviously trying to hide it but failing miserably. "You seem to have a soft side, Rafe."
"Shut up. Don't talk to me like we're friends. You don't know a damn thing about me." Rafe glanced at her. She looked sad, hurt by what he just said. "You're the one who's soft. What the hell do the Jedi even train you for? You're in a war, right?"
"We're keepers of the peace, not soldiers," Yuki explained. "We fight to keep the peace."
"If there was actually peace, there would be no need for fighting." Rafe glared at the ground, visualizing the Underworld. "The galaxy will never be peaceful."
"There have been several wars for over a millennium, sure, but there's been peace for just as long."
"And what disrupts that peace?" Rafe demanded.
"War?" Yuki asked.
"Greed," he continued. "Greed and power are why wars break out. Somebody wants something, whether it's money, land, supplies, women… Someone's greed is the reason war exists."
"I've heard that if there was an enemy strong enough to push the entire galaxy back into a corner, then everyone would unite to defeat them."
"That's pretty optimistic, but also pretty stupid." All Rafe could do was scoff at the idea.
"Why do you say that?" Yuki asked curiously.
"Because it would take the end of the world to unite the entire galaxy. And we would only want to unite because we all know that it would ensure our survival." Rafe visualized the Underworld again. Even though he was finally out of that hellhole, he still felt trapped down there. "That's all anybody cares about."
"I don't believe that."
Rafe looked at Yuki, surprised that she actually spoke up to him. "Then what do you believe in?"
"The Force."
Rafe gave her a quizzical look. "What the hell is that?"
"It's an energy field created by all living things," she explained. "It's what gives a Jedi their power. We draw on the force to amplify our abilities."
"You mean you manipulate it, allowing you to read people's minds, move objects telekinetically, or to amplify your physical capabilities," Rafe corrected. He may not know what the Force was, but from the way Yuki explained it, and what he saw her and Arakan do down in the Underworld, they manipulated the force around them; controlling it.
Yuki looked shocked by what Rafe just explained. "Is that really true, Master?" she asked, looking up at the cloaked Jedi in front of her.
"Tell Rafe what you think, not what I think," he responded. "It's okay to ask for advice, but don't rely on others to make decisions for you."
Rafe glared at Arakan. He gave Yuki advice, but just scolded him. How does he expect us to win a war if we can't even work together? He saw Arakan lower his head. That's right. Feel guilty, you bastard.
"Stop thinking like that," Yuki said. "That's not how a Jedi is supposed to think. Anger, hate, and fear lead you down the path to the dark side."
"The dark side?" Rafe's never heard anything more ridiculous.
"The force is divided into two parts, the light and dark. The Jedi draw their strength from the light, using it to protect others. Those who use the dark side rely on their anger and hate for power. They only care about themselves."
"The only thing anyone really cares about is themselves," Rafe said firmly. "And the fact that you think the Jedi don't have anger, hate, or fear—emotions—then you're full of bantha crap."
Yuki looked at Arakan uncertainly. "That's not what I was taught…"
"That's enough chitchat," Arakan said, stopping their conversation. "We're here."
Towering before them was a massive structure that soared over a kilometer above the surrounding rooftops. Located in a strategically isolated area of Coruscant, the Temple rested on a large city block. Surrounding the tallest tower's finned peak were four shorter towers located on the ordinal-oriented sides of the complex.
Rafe looked up at the Temple, his mouth hanging agape in pure shock. He's never seen anything so big. He was surprised by the skyscrapers, but this Temple was different. It was completely isolated from any other building. And it was going to be his new home. He'd never imagined he would be living in such luxury. "Tell me I'm dreaming," was all he could say.
Out of nowhere, a fist made contact with his cheek, sending him flying back several feet, landing on his side with a low groan. He looked up to see Arakan standing in front of him.
"Did that feel real?" the grim-faced Jedi asked.
Rafe got to his feet, glaring at Arakan. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" he asked fiercely, his clenched fist shaking at his side as he struggled to contain his increasing anger.
"I was teaching you a lesson," Arakan said simply.
"How the hell was that a lesson?!"
"What if I was an enemy trying to infiltrate the Temple? What would you have done then?"
Rafe rolled his eyes in annoyance at Arakan's hypothetical scenario. "I wouldn't even be walking behind you if I knew you were an enemy. I would've ambushed you, if that's the answer you want to hear."
"So you would just immediately assume I were an enemy and attack me?" Arakan asked, arching an eyebrow. "What if I was an ally?"
"Damn it! Stop asking so many questions!" Rafe yelled, taking a step closer to Arakan.
"Boy, I'm trying to teach you something here." Arakan's voice was frantic, much to Rafe's surprise. "The moment you walk in that Temple, everyone's going to question who you are, and why you're there. It's my responsibility to make sure you're prepared to become a Jedi."
"I thought you said I was already prepared; that I had what it takes to be a Jedi?"
"On the battlefield, yes, but being a Jedi is more than just being able to fight and think your way out of dangerous situations," Arakan explained. "Being a Jedi is a way of life. We protect peace and justice throughout the galaxy, and we have to know how to do that without swinging our lightsabers at everything we deem as a threat."
"You want the galaxy to be peaceful?" Rafe ridiculed. "Maybe start by protecting the helpless and the poor, and eradicating every shitty thing in the galaxy, such as slavery and trafficking."
Arakan just stared down at Rafe, his grim, green eyes remaining completely still, as if they were devoid of all emotion, and their only purpose was for sight.
"...We can't protect everyone…" he eventually said, his voice as numb as his eyes.
"You could try," Rafe tried to reason. "But I guess people like that aren't as important as your shitty war and your shitty politics."
"If you want to be a Jedi, learn to keep your mouth shut."
"I never said I wanted to be a Jedi."
Arakan kept his eyes on Rafe for a few more seconds, then turned around and walked up the stairs to the Temple, sighing.
"What's his deal?" Rafe asked. He looked at Yuki, who was staring at him with a look he was all too familiar with. Sympathy. "Don't even say it."
"Say what?" she asked, sounding completely clueless.
Rafe shook his head, getting tired of how ridiculous she and Arakan were being. He looked up at Arakan, who just got to the top of the stairs. He looked out to the metropolitan city behind him. Can I really survive out there?
"Please don't think about it," Yuki said sternly.
"I'm not gonna run off on you guys," Rafe reassured her. "Even if I did, you guys would just chase after me until I came with you."
Yuki looked away from him, seeming to agree with him.
Rafe walked up the stairs, meeting up with Arakan, who was waiting at the Temple entrance.
"Still thinking about escaping?" Arakan asked.
"If I was, then why am I standing here now?" Rafe inquired.
"Rafe," Yuki said softly, but there was a small hint of caution in her voice, and Rafe knew she was trying to stop him from starting another argument with Arakan.
Arakan seemed to be thinking the same thing and entered the Jedi Temple.
Rafe struggled not to look around the halls of the Jedi Temple, forcing himself to look straight ahead, his expression neutral. He eventually glanced around him, but wasn't that impressed. All there was to look at were gold statues, brightly polished pillars, and the outside view of Coruscant.
I know that there are a lot of Jedi, but do they really need this big of a Temple? Rafe darted his eyes from left to right, watching as several Jedi walked by, or into different rooms, ignoring the cautious stares they gave him.
"Master Arakan! Yuki! It's nice to see both of you!"
Rafe perked his head up. Walking towards them was a tall human male (around Arakan's height) with brown hair and blue eyes, wearing dark brown robes, pants, and leather boots. Standing beside him was a female Togruta with white facial markings, wearing white trousers, a high-necked tunic, and arm wraps, strewn with a diamond-cutout motif.
The dark-robed Jedi, the one who just called out to them, looked at Rafe curiously. "Who's he?"
"Can't talk right now," Arakan said briskly, walking right past the two Jedi.
The dark-robed Jedi smiled at Yuki. "I see he hasn't changed."
"He hasn't."
"Yuki, how have you been?" the Togruta asked eagerly.
"Oh, I've been fine," Yuki said shyly. "How about you?"
"Lots of adventure as usual, but that's to be expected when you're Anakin Skywalker's apprentice." The Togruta glanced curiously at Rafe, then introduced herself. "Hey! I'm Ahsoka Tano." She gestured to the dark-robed Jedi beside her. "And this is my Master, Anakin Skywalker."
"Didn't ask," Rafe said, walking past the two Jedi.
"Hey!" Anakin called after him, his deep voice echoing throughout the massive hallway.
Rafe stopped, but didn't look at him. He just wanted to see what he would say next.
"You should be a little more respectful," Anakin advised, his voice much more calm, but Rafe could still note the anger he was restricting.
"Whatever."
"What's your deal?" Ahsoka asked, arms crossed.
Rafe slowly turned his head to look at her, but Yuki interjected before he could say anything.
"I'm sorry about Rafe. He didn't mean to insult you guys. Please forgive him."
Anakin looked at Rafe, sighing. "All right, kid. Sorry about all that. It was nice meeting you."
Whatever was what Rafe wanted to say, but he stopped himself. He couldn't think of anything respectful to say, so he just nodded, then walked through the long halls, catching up to Arakan.
"What held you two up?" Arakan asked. "Already got lost, boy?"
Rafe didn't hesitate to open his mouth. "Shut up. Two annoying Jedi held us up."
"You mean Anakin and Ahsoka," Arakan corrected, annoying Rafe even more.
"Let's just get this over with," Rafe sighed.
"I have to speak with the Council alone." Arakan looked at Yuki. "I need you to watch over him. Don't let him out of your sight. Understand?"
"I understand," Yuki replied obediently.
"You know I can hear everything you're saying, right?" Rafe pointed out to them.
"That's the point, boy," Arakan said irritably. "That way you won't try to run off."
"Tch…" Rafe looked at the necklace he was wearing. Maybe I can find some information about it… That's the whole reason I decided to keep it in the first place.
"Don't get into trouble," Arakan said, giving Rafe a stern look, then entered the Council chambers.
Rafe glared at the Council Chamber doors. He figured Arakan still noticed his presence, and he desperately wanted to march in there and give him and the Council a piece of his mind.
"Um…" Yuki said awkwardly, breaking the tense silence.
"Hey!"
Rafe turned around. Running behind him was Ahsoka, and she looked angry, not that he cared. "What do you want?" he asked, not bothering to hide his annoyance.
"What are you doing here?" Ahsoka asked, sounding like she was interrogating him.
"I'm getting dragged into this shitty life."
Ahsoka crossed her arms. "Excuse me?"
"Ahsoka, please don't bother Rafe," Yuki softly pleaded.
"Don't butt in, softy," Rafe told her. "I can take care of myself."
"Don't be so rude to Yuki," Ahsoka said, looking down at Rafe. "You're lucky she's kind enough to stick her neck out for someone like you."
Rafe felt all of the blood rush into his wide, blazing eyes as he glared at Ahsoka with murderous intent. "Listen, head tails, I did what I had to to survive. Everyone in that hellhole did. So don't start labeling people beneath you just because you're a Jedi."
Ahsoka opened her mouth, most likely to retaliate, but instead gasped when the floor beneath them rumbled. "W-What was that?"
"Rafe…?" Yuki said cautiously, taking a step away from him.
Rafe looked at the red floor beneath him, only to see that it was indeed rumbling. He looked at his hand, just realizing that it was shaking at his side. He unclenched it, and the floor stopped rumbling right after, surprising him. "Did I do that?"
Ahsoka looked at Rafe skeptically, seeming to have gotten over her shock. "Who are you?"
"You just said it yourself," Rafe said coolly. "A rat from the Underworld."
Ahsoka's eyes went wide. "You mean the Underworld of Coruscant, where all of the lower levels are?"
Rafe nodded. "What is it to you?"
"N-Nothing," Ahsoka stuttered. "I just… don't understand why you're here? Are you a Sith?"
"What the hell's a Sith?"
"Their Force users who draw on the power of the dark side of the force," Ahsoka explained.
"You mean their emotions, something you Jedi ignore," Rafe corrected. He knew he was being a hypocrite for having shut off his emotions for as long as he could remember, but he was still aware that he had them.
"We don't ignore our emotions, we control them."
"Tch… Okay," Rafe scoffed. "Then explain why you got so angry with me."
Ahsoka looked confused. "I wasn't angry with you. I just wanted to know what you were doing here."
Rafe looked back at the Council Chamber doors. What are they even talking about in there?
"Rafe, don't worry," Yuki reassured him. "Master Arakan knows what he's doing."
"Really?" Rafe said doubtfully. "Then why does it seem like nobody here knows about me? I take it Arakan acted alone, right?"
Yuki looked a bit surprised, but Ahsoka looked impressed.
"You sure pay attention to what goes on around you," the Togruta told Rafe. "Maybe you'll make a good Jedi after all."
It was Rafe's turn to be surprised. "If you knew what I was here for, why interrogate me?"
Ahsoka shrugged her shoulders. "I just wanted to see if my suspicions were true."
This Togruta…
"So are you just waiting on Master Arakan?" Ahsoka asked.
Instead of answering Ahsoka, Rafe looked around the hallway, trying to see if there was a place where he could find more information about his crystal.
"Yes, we are," Yuki answered for him.
"What's that?" "Ahsoka asked, looking at the necklace around Rafe's neck.
Rafe looked down at the crystal that was tucked into his white button-up shirt. Should I tell her? Shaking his suspicions away, he took out his crystal, knowing that everyone would find out about it later.
Ahsoka leaned forward to get a closer look at the crystal. "Is that a Kyber Crystal?"
Rafe nodded. "That's what Arakan told me."
"Then how did you get it? Did someone give it to you, or did you just find it down in the Underworld?"
"I stole it," Rafe said bluntly.
"Do you know if there's anything special about it?"
Rafe shook his head.
Ahsoka grabbed the crystal and held it in the palm of her hand, then let out a frightened gasp after a few seconds, backing away from Rafe with frightened eyes.
"Ahsoka, are you okay?" Yuki asked concernedly.
Ahsoka took a couple of shaky breaths, then looked at Rafe cautiously. "W-Who exactly are you?"
"You already asked me that," Rafe pointed out.
"You're a Sith, aren't you?!" Ahsoka activated her lightsaber, pointing the green blade at Rafe, although she struggled to stay on her feet, and she stumbled back a few steps.
"Ahsoka, don't be rash!" Yuki warned the Togruta, rushing over and grabbing her wrist. "Master Arakan will handle everything."
As the two girls began to argue, Rafe slowly walked away from them, then bolted down the hall.
"Hey! Rafe!"
He looked behind him to see Yuki and Ahsoka running after him. Here we go again.
Rafe sprinted through the halls of the Jedi Temple, running past all of the confused and skeptical Jedi. He was surprised that none of them bothered to run after him.
He didn't know where he was going, but he didn't care. As long as he kept running and didn't get caught by Yuki or Ahsoka, he knew he would eventually find something that could tell him about his crystal.
He eventually made his way down the spiral tower and found himself in some sort of control room. There was a massive, circular table in the center, which he rolled over when Yuki and Ahsoka caught up to him and bolted through yet another hallway. How many damn hallways are there?
As Rafe ran through the hallway, he saw another hallway that looked like it lead somewhere on the level below him. Running to the edge, he jumped, kicking himself off of the silver pillar, and rolled onto the floor below. He looked up to see Yuki and Ahsoka looking down at him, both seeming to be surprised by his agility. They jumped off of the edge, making an effortless landing. He scowled at them, then ran to the doors ahead.
When they opened, he was met with a two-story cruciform chamber centered around a large rotunda. Four wings branched out from the rotunda and held an infinite amount of books.
"Holy shit," was all Rafe could say as he stared up at the infinite number of bright blue, electronic books that were stacked to the ceiling.
You can't sightsee every time you see something new, Arakan's voice rang through Rafe's head. It'll get you killed on the battlefield.
Shut up, you old bastard, Rafe internally barked, scrunching his eyebrows in annoyance. He shook both his thoughts and the distraction of the library away, focusing on the task at hand. Now… where the hell am I going to find information about my crystal in this big-ass library?
He widened his eyes when he heard footsteps approaching. Dank Farrik! Pulling the hood of his cloak over his head, he slipped between the massive bookshelves, pretending to look at books.
"Yuki, Ahsoka. What are you two doing here?" an old lady asked from the sound of her voice.
Those two better not rat me out, or I swear—
"We're just looking for some information about a Holocron," Yuki said.
Rafe crept to the end of the bookshelf, glancing behind him to see an old lady with white hair, blue eyes, and a light skin complexion. She was thin and frail, so he wasn't concerned about her.
"What kind of Holocron?" the old lady asked curiously.
Yuki looked off to the side with an uncertain expression.
Ahsoka stepped forward, answering the old lady's question. "Something about a Kyber Crystal."
"Of course. Right this way," the old lady said, leading Yuki and Ahsoka further down the library.
Rafe followed them, staying out of their line of sight by remaining hidden behind the bookshelves. He couldn't believe how many books were held in the temple. Just how many damn books do the Jedi need?
He wondered if the rest of the galaxy would be better off if they had this much knowledge at their disposal, or if all of the Jedi's knowledge was equally spread across the galaxy.
"Here you are," the old lady said, snapping Rafe out of his thoughts. He nearly ran into a bookshelf and clenched his teeth, biting back a curse.
"Thank you, Master Jocasta," Yuki said, bowing respectfully.
The old lady returned the gesture, then walked away.
"It's okay, Rafe. You can come out now."
Rafe widened his eyes, surprised that Yuki was aware of where he was without even looking behind her. She's well attuned with her senses. I have to be careful around her. Reluctantly, he stepped out of his hiding spot and met up with Yuki and Ahsoka.
"You're not gonna run away again?" Ahsoka asked, sounding curious.
"You're not gonna rat me out?" Rafe asked, mocking her tone.
Ahsoka rolled her eyes, but she didn't seem to be annoyed. "Let's just find what we're looking for."
They searched through several books about Kyber Crystals, but none could explain anything about the powers of Rafe's particular crystal.
Well, it was worth a shot. He glanced to the end of the bookshelves, narrowing his eyes at the faint blue light at the end of the hall. He walked towards the end of the hall, stopping in front of a dilating security door. Where does this lead to? He saw a blue lock on the door's right, but there wasn't a keypad or a keyhole. How the hell do you get in here, then?
"You don't."
Rafe jumped back, instinctively flicking out his knife.
"Do you really want to kill me?" Arakan asked. "I'm the only reason you're not behind bars right now."
"Shut up. You just caught me off guard."
Arakan's eyes narrowed, making him look disappointed. "I assumed that you would always have your guard up, but I guess you're not as capable as I thought."
Rafe let out a dark growl, tightening his grip on his knife until his knuckles whitened. Before he could even think of doing anything, Arakan grabbed his wrist and twisted it, his grip tightening on the knife to fight the pain. His wrist snapped when Arakan twisted it in one forceful jerk.
"How many times do I need to tell you to shut up?" the dark-cloaked Jedi asked irritably, covering Rafe's mouth, stifling the scream he desperately wanted to let out. He placed his hand on the lock, and after a few seconds, the doors opened, revealing a dark hallway, illuminated by bright blue objects. He threw Rafe inside, and the doors closed behind them after he walked inside.
Rafe lay on the floor, clutching his broken wrist. He's suffered from fractures and dislocations, but he's never had his bones broken so forcefully before.
"You can scream now," Arakan said.
And Rafe did just that, not caring at all if Arakan got any satisfaction. "You're a fucking psycho! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
Without a word, Arakan walked over to Rafe, stepping on his broken wrist.
Rafe clenched his teeth, trying to hold back a scream, but it came out as a pathetic whimper.
"It seems that the only way I can discipline you is through pain," Arakan said thoughtfully. "You'll be getting much worse if you don't listen to me. Understand?" He put more pressure on Rafe's wrist when he didn't get a response. "Understand?"
Rafe didn't know how pathetic he would sound if he opened his mouth, so he just nodded. He was panting heavily when Arakan stepped off, then attempted to get on his feet by pushing himself off of the ground with his good hand. He impassively stared at Arakan, stifling all emotion. He didn't want to give him another reason to hurt him.
"I see I was right." Arakan turned around, leading Rafe down the hall. They entered what seemed to be the main room, which had several entrances. In the center was a stack of bright blue cubes. "Do you know what these are?"
Rafe shook his head.
"They're Holocrons," Arakan explained. "Only a Force user who draws on the power of the light can open a Holocron. They contain vast amounts of knowledge; knowledge you can't find in all of the scrolls and texts within the Archives. However…" He turned around to face Rafe. "I don't think you're going to find the answers you're looking for within these Holocrons, and I doubt the Jedi will be able to help you."
Then why am I here? The words were on the tip of Rafe's tongue, but he swallowed them back down.
"You're technically not supposed to be in here since only Masters are allowed into the restricted section of the Jedi Archives, but this is where you're going to find your answers."
Quit explaining all of this to me and just show me. Rafe dared not open his mouth, even though the words in his mind desperately wanted to come out. He had to squeeze his broken wrist to prevent himself from saying anything. He was suddenly kicked back into a wall, but the force of the impact was nothing compared to how much pain his wrist was in.
"How pathetic," Arakan said distastefully, looking down at Rafe with a frown. "I thought you'd have more fight in you for someone who grew up in hell." In one fluid motion, he drew his lightsaber, activated it, and swung at Rafe in a downward, diagonal arc.
Widening his eyes, surprised at the sudden attack, Rafe rolled to the side, avoiding the impact, and swept his leg behind him in a clockwise motion, kicking Arakan's ankle.
Arakan lifted his foot off of the ground, casually avoiding Rafe's attack.
Keeping his left hand and foot supported on the floor, Rafe kicked his right leg in the air. Arakan just took a step back, but his eyes twitched when Rafe angled the arc of his foot to his lightsaber hilt.
Arakan spun his lightsaber, now holding it in a high guard position, the green blade facing down directly at Rafe. He swung down, but before the green blade could make contact, Rafe pushed himself off of the floor, using his momentum to dodge Arakan's blade and grapple his neck with his legs, spinning while in midair. They both rolled onto the floor.
Rafe was the first to recover, legs spread apart and slightly bent, knife held out in front of him in a reverse grip.
Arakan slowly got to his feet, but instead of taking a fighting stance, he reached a hand out, telekinetically pulling Rafe to him.
Rafe struggled to breathe as Arakan choked him with his free hand.
"What's wrong?" the Jedi asked. "Having trouble breathing?"
Rafe tightened his grip on his knife, using all of his strength to raise his arm.
Arakan tightened his grip as well. "Come on, boy, fight. Is this really how you want to die? I thought you were strong?"
Rafe glared at Arakan.
"What the hell have you been doing down in the Underworld?" Arakan continued to provoke. "How have you survived for so long on your own?" He raised the blade of his lightsaber to Rafe's eyes.
Suddenly, as if all of his strength returned to him, Rafe swung his knife in a wide, horizontal arc, hitting Arakan's lightsaber out of his hand.
Arakan, still keeping Rafe in his chokehold, raised his free hand, telekinetically pulling his lightsaber back to him.
Rafe widened his eyes. Now's my chance! Keeping his knife held in the same reverse grip, he extended his hand out, slicing Arakan's wrist and ripping the sleeve of his robe. When Arakan released his hand from his neck, he kicked himself away from the Jedi, panting heavily.
"Hm…" Arakan mumbled, looking at the cut on his wrist. "You managed to cut my wrist, boy…" He looked at Rafe approvingly. "Not bad."
Rafe was confused. "Wait, you were testing me again?"
Arakan nodded. "Yes."
"Why?" Rafe demanded.
"To see how far you were willing to go to win; to stay alive; to protect your comrades," Arakan explained. "You didn't once whine about your injury or use it as an excuse to not fight. You didn't act cowardly and surrender. You knew I was much stronger than you, but you were still willing to fight me. That's what it means to be a Jedi. We do whatever it takes to protect others, even if it means giving our lives."
Rafe almost lowered his guard, but his instincts reflexively told him to keep his guard up. "Tell me… is becoming a Jedi the best choice for me to survive?" he asked carefully.
"I see you found a reason behind your choice…" Arakan said thoughtfully. "Yes, if you become my apprentice, you will survive much longer."
Rafe noticed that Arakan said my apprentice and not Jedi as a whole. He assumed there was some sort of disconnect between Arakan and the Jedi, but couldn't tell for certain. Would any other Jedi go to such lengths to prove someone's loyalty?
"Save your questions for the Council." Arakan turned on his heel and walked to the chamber's entrance. "I assure you this…" He turned his head slightly, glancing down at Rafe. "I will train you."
Without a word from Rafe, they left the Holocron chamber.
"Master Arakan, where did you come from?" Yuki asked, looking surprised to see him and Rafe.
"I need you to come with me," Arakan told her.
She looked at both Arakan's and Rafe's injuries, her eyes widening in shock. "What… happened to the both of you…?"
"...Lessons we both learned."
Yuki just nodded, but Ahsoka didn't look very convinced.
"Did you guys fight each other?" the Togruta asked. "That's the only way you could've gotten those kinds of injuries."
"It's also proof," Arakan elaborated.
"Of what?"
"Of this boy's capabilities as a Jedi, and that I'll be able to keep him under control."
"I'm not an animal!" Rafe snapped.
Arakan looked at him with narrowed eyes. "I didn't mean that literally, boy. We still don't know anything about that crystal of yours, so I need to show the Council that I can keep you under control in case something does happen."
Rafe matched Arakan's gaze, then looked away, scoffing, knowing that he had a point.
Ahsoka smirked at Rafe. "Well, good luck."
"I'm gonna need it," Rafe muttered.
"Hey, don't worry. You'll make it through this," Yuki assured him.
"No need to get all emotional, softy."
Ahsoka let out a forceful cough, clearly trying to hide her laughter.
"Come on," Arakan ordered, leading Rafe and Yuki out of the Jedi Archives.
Arakan stopped in front of the entrance to the Council Chambers, turning around to face Rafe and Yuki. "The both of you need to do exactly what I say."
Rafe noticed that he was specifically looking at him. He looked at Yuki, who had her full attention on Arakan, then back to said Jedi. "What? Why are you only staring at me?"
"Because Yuki actually listens to me," Arakan said. "I understand that you'll have questions for the Council, but let me do most of the talking. Only speak when they ask you something. And please try to watch your language."
"Can't make any promises."
Arakan sighed, then turned around, entering the Council Chambers.
To be continued
AN: And that's Chapter 3! Rafe is officially out of the Underworld, but things aren't going well for him. I wanted to include the Council scene in this chapter, but decided that it wouldn't really fit with everything else that happened previously. So you can look forward to that next chapter.
And about Arakan's violent nature towards Rafe, it's the only way he knows how to make him listen. I wanted to show that Arakan is not your normal Jedi. I kind of based him off of Qui-Gon Jinn, but a dark version.
And Ahsoka is now introduced! I hope I was able to stay true to her character. I loved her in the Clone Wars and Rebels! If she was OOC, please leave a review and let me know so that I can make adjustments.
See you all in the next chapter!
