Chapter Title: The Pairing is Right
Series Title: Unlikely Brothers
Ages in this chapter: During the flashback, Tanner (8). Post-flashback, Tanner (11) and Dashen (17)
Chapter Summary: A dream flashes Tanner back to a year before the Jedi purge into a fond memory of his Master Ayden.
"Good Tannerlin, good. Now turn, plant your hip loosely and swing the lightsaber across your body, not up and down. We're not chopping logs, Padawan."
For some reason the idea of chopping logs with a lightsaber was funny. The boy laughed and lost his focus just long enough so that the taller boy opposite him got the upper hand and scored the point.
Master Ayden Yen appeared perplexed. Not so much at the lost point, but at the silly smile on his apprentice's face. Ayden excused the other Padawan and addressed his own.
"Tannerlin? That was...different. Why are you laughing? You lost the point."
Tanner shook the humor from his face and bowed obediently to his teacher. "I am sorry, Master. I didn't mean to laugh, but I suddenly had an image in my mind of Master Yoda chopping logs with a lightsaber. It is not funny. I will do better next time. Focus. I need to focus."
Ayden paused to run a hand through his shoulder length dark brown hair, before scratching curiously at his newly grown beard stubble. He hadn't yet decided if he wanted to keep the facial hair or not. For now, he was just 'trying it out.' The boy had told him earlier today that his face looked scratchy. So, between that and the now image in his own head of a troll and lumber culling...he wasn't certain they were accomplishing much today.
"That is an interesting image, Padawan. But you must remain focused no matter what my words are or the words of others. Some will use words to distract you. Apparently, it works rather well on you, so it's something we will focus on. Did you wish to try again?"
"Yes, Master, but you excused the other apprentice. Should I ask him to come back?"
"No need. I will be your opponent." Ayden stood before the boy. He wasn't an exceedingly tall man, but Tannerlin was small for eight. "I would ask only that you do not aim for my knees, either on purpose or accidentally. The left one has been giving me fits lately."
Tanner giggled.
"Tannerlin?"
"Master, I would not aim for your knees on purpose. Has anyone ever done that?"
"My first apprentice did. I have many scars to prove it. And no, you may not see them. Now, prepare to defend yourself, young one." Ayden held his saber hilt up in mock battle, the green blade hummed to life.
Tanner did the same. The blue color shining bright.
Hands wrapped around the hilt, Tanner took the oddest of moments to ask his master about his hands. The scars on them. They covered both hands, making the skin appear older than than the rest of him.
"Master, why do your hands look like that?" He said just as Ayden began his first move.
"Why, what? What? Tannerlin, are you attempting to divert my focus with words?"
The boy hadn't event thought of that even though they'd just discussed it, he was just the curious sort and never afraid to ask the questions.
"No, Master. Did I...I was just wondering. You never told me what happened to your hands. They look strange."
Saber down, the green blade vanished and the man signaled his apprentice to do the same. Clearly, they were getting nothing accomplished today from a training standpoint. This boy of his, so many questions, always wanting to know and learn and soak up information. He was like a small human shaped sponge.
"Okay, I think it's best that we end our saber training for the morning. Your classes don't start for the day for another 2 hours, so come with me, Padawan."
Tanner couldn't tell if his master was upset or angry with him. Or just frustrated. He felt badly for causing problems and forcing an end to the session. But he followed his teacher dutifully and in silence until they reached the Temple Gardens.
Far back and to the right, an area of many flowers of different colors. Ayden instructed the boy to sit on the bench beside him.
"Master, are you upset with me? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause difficulty this morning. I will do extra meditation this evening after class."
Ayden shook his head, looking out at the many beautiful flowers before him. "No, Padawan. I am not upset with you. We just seem to be a little off this last week. Off balance, I suppose. It happens and it will correct itself, but perhaps I need to help begin the process. I know our pairing is right, but that's not to say that it can't use a little push once in a while."
Relieved that his master was not angry with him, Tannerlin looked down at Ayden's hands again. The Jedi noticed.
"You asked about my hands. I burned them, years ago. It was the final mission with my first apprentice. She was about to take the trials, and passed of course. But we got a bit lost during the mission, ended up in lands that were not all that friendly. They tried to burn us to death. Not the best way to end a master-apprenticeship pairing of course. My hands were tied to a pole as they tried to roast us. Yes, a story for another time, but in the process of escaping, my apprentice got free first and she saved me, but the pole had been burning hot for several minutes by then. I had bacta treatment and bandages, but they hurt for a very long time. Didn't miss her trials though and was very proud when she passed them, but my hands paid the price of being a Jedi. The burns healed as best they could with treatment, but the scars remain. It's why my hands look older than the rest of me. Just like you wanted to know."
Tanner's eyes went big and surprised at the story. Then he reached over the traced a finger over one of the scarred areas on his teacher's hand.
"It's rough. Feels weird. Does it still hurt you?"
"Most of the time no. Every now and then, depending on weather and use, I get aches. Nothing to extreme. Are you satisfied now?"
"I am, Master." Tanner nodded enthusiastically. "I like hearing your stories and knowing about you. Can you tell me more? I want to know everything."
Ayden laughed. "Well, I cannot tell you everything. You are much too young for some stories and well, we have many years ahead of us. I wouldn't want to spill all the beans just yet."
"You are right, Master. You can spread out your stories for a long time. We'll be together until I take my trials, right?"
"We will."
"When will that be, Master? And what are the trials like? Will they hurt? Are they scary?"
A hand settled on the young shoulder. "Patience, Tannerlin. Let's focus on one thing at a time. I told you about my hands, how about you tell me about your very first impression of Master Yoda."
Another giggle. The boy was hopeless right now, but it made Ayden smile. That balance that had been a bit off, was beginning to correct itself. And it continued to do so as the boy rattled off his feelings about the tiny green ancient Jedi.
Eventually, the master sent him off to class, a quick hug to make sure the boy knew absolutely that the difficulty in practice earlier hadn't made him upset.
"Learn well in class, Padawan. I will see you later today."
"Bye, Master. Thank you for the story."
"Oh, and keep that Yoda stuff between us, young man!"
"I will" Tannerlin giggled his way down the corridor before disappearing around the corner.
Ayden sighed contently, knowing without a doubt that this pairing was right.
—-
"Tanner, wake up." Dashen shook his brother to wake him from whatever weird dream he was having this evening. Not a nightmare, not this time. Something better. Something that had the kid giggling in his sleep. Giggling? We're Jedi supposed to giggle?
The boy rolled over in his bed and squinted up at Dashen.
Dashen smiled. "Good dream?"
"The best. The best ever," the boy beamed. "Master Ayden was there and we shared stories about trolls and lightsabers and wood chopping."
"Sure, well...that's different."
"The memory was real, Dash. Just like he was there training me again. One of my favorite days ever I think."
"That's great, Mouse. I'm happy you remember the good."
Tanner scooted off the bed. "You want me tell you all about it?"
Not all that keen on the watching-paint-dry type Jedi stories, nevertheless, if it made the kid happy to share those memories, I'd be right there to listen.
"Absolutely. Get dressed. You have school in a couple of hours and I have to work today. We can walk you to school and you can tell me all about it."
"Walk?" Tanner responded. You hate walking me to school. You always tell me that it's thirty-five minutes of your life that you'll never get back."
Dashen stifled a laugh. That did sound like him. But every so often..."But if it's thirty-five minutes walking and talking with my little brother, then it'll be worth it. Come on, get dressed and then breakfast. Can't wait to hear about trolls, lightsabers and wood chopping. Maybe this Jedi stuff isn't as boring as I've given it credit for."
"It was never boring, Dash."
"If you say so, Mouse."
They walked to school. Story shared. Brothers happy. Dashen sent Tanner on his way toward the school entrance, when the boy turned back.
"You know what, Dash?"
"What's that, Mouse?"
"Master Ayden used to tell me that me and him, our pairing was right. He would say that it was something that you couldn't force to happen. It would just happen. And when it did, the pairing was right."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah, and you know what?"
"What's that?"
"Our pairing is right. You and me. Okay?"
Dashen was thrown off center by the admittance, but he shouldn't have expected anything less from this boy that had become his brother less than two years ago.
Tanner waved him goodbye. "Bye Dash! I'll see you later."
"Later, kid. Be good."
Disappearing into the building, Tanner left Dash to head out to work. A job running for Colton today. Shouldn't be too difficult. Thinking about the run though, his mind kept going back to Tannerlin. And before he knew it, he found himself talking out loud to himself, hoping in part that a certain dead Jedi Master would maybe hear him from somewhere within that Force thing they worshipped. Their friend Ben did it all the time. So...
"Okay...um, Ayden Yen? I don't know where the hell you are, or if you are, or whatever. This Force thing, it's lost on me, but I'm thinking that maybe you're out there somewhere, watching this kid. Watching your apprentice. Maybe even helping me to figure out how to do right by him. Or maybe not. But whatever, however this works, or maybe I'm just here talking to myself in the middle of the road, which is probably more likely. Insanity is never far removed from my life."
He paused for a moment to make sure that he hadn't yet attracted a crowed. Then continued.
"But, so you know...this kid...he loved you with everything he had. And he tries so hard to stay true to you and his training. The braid. The hair. The discipline. I can only hope that I'm doing okay by him, that you forgive me for well, for being me. It's what I am. It's what I know. He says our pairing is right. Maybe it is. It feels like it. I guess. Just...I am trying. Not perfect and won't ever be, but I do love Tanner like he's family. I do. And if that means our pairing is right, then maybe it is. Maybe he'll see you again one day. All that mumbo jumbo the old hermit Ben Kenobi talks about. He can talk to his dead master, so maybe one day...yeah. But until then."
Another paused. A small crowd had begun to form.
"Okay, I need to stop talking to myself or whoever out loud, people are watching and thinking I've lost it. Move along, everyone. Nothing to see here, just a kid talking to himself. Move along now."
Dashen turned to head home but his eyes caught something on the ground. A plain brown stone that appeared more wood-like than rock. It was smooth and looked so similar to the wood-stone that Tanner had given him during their first month together.
"Huh." Dashen said to himself. So similar. He reached down to retrieve the stone, running a finger over the sleek surface and then palming it in his hand. Warm. The stone turned from cold to warm in a matter of seconds. Just like the one Tanner had given him, but...
"What the...no. Just a coincidence. Yup, that's all it is."
But he didn't toss the stone away, he held it tight, as if it was impossible to let go.
"Yup, just a coincidence. Just an easy to explain coincidence. Forget that Tanner told me they were very rare and almost impossible to find on most planets, and now here's one laying just at my feet after I just finished spilling my guts to a dead man. Nope. Not gonna consider it. I've got work to do today. Gotta get to it. No time to get confused by all that insane Jedi stuff."
Glancing one last time at the stone and then turning his eyes up toward the sky, then behind him, then to the distance, looking for any sane or even an insane explanation. Nothing. He gripped it tight then, feeling the warmth once more before sheathing it protectively into his front pocket.
"Damn Jedi." He murmured as the rock was safety tucked away. "Always driving me crazy with your magic talk and weirdo ways and now this and...gah! I swear. Damn Jedi." He repeated the words over and over as he walked away from the school; a faint shimmer of light floating behind him for the briefest of seconds. Dashen missed it. Probably for the best.
Ayden smiled as his impossible to hold ghost form blinked out in only two seconds, even while directly being aided and pushed by Qui-Gon. It didn't even qualify as a ghost form, mostly just a blinking pale blue glimmer. But it was long enough to appreciate the boy who had become caretaker, friend and big brother to his young apprentice. Any residual fear he had at giving up his own life to save the one of his padawan during the Jedi Purge, were now expired.
Like he and Tannerlin as master and apprentice, this pairing of Tannerlin and Dashen as brothers...was most defiantly right.
END
