Chapter Three: The first lesson

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LEGOBRICK13: Yeah, that was just one of those ideas that popped into my head while I was writing that scene and it just seemed to be a really good idea. Now I have a few ideas about how expand off of that, which I think will help enrich the story just a bit more.

RANGER1863: Who knows how good of a Jedi Izuku will be? Either way, I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far! I'll try to keep making it enjoyable!

The footsteps of the Temple's youngest class of learners echoed through the hallway that was much larger than all of them combined, the small group huddled close together as they tried to find their way around the confusingly built Temple. Perhaps to a fully fledged Jedi, one who could feel their way around with the Force, the layout made more sense, but none present could make heads or tails of where they were meant to go for their lesson with the dueling instructor, Cin Drallig.

Izuku's green hair stood out even though he was in the middle of his four new friends. A smile was on his face, a genuine one that showed just how pleased with his new position in life he was. While he did miss his mother, Izuku couldn't deny that this was everything he had wanted to do in life being handed to him on a silver platter.

Ahsoka was on his right, talking with him about all she had learned already from Master Drallig. "Yeah, he teaches every Youngling the fundamentals," Vesuvus agreed, listening intently to their conversation. The two fully formed horns on his head sat diagonally across from each other as he walked, his grin almost as crooked. "You'll have to do some catching up but I'm sure you'll manage."

"I don't know," Alzarad said. "Using a lightsaber isn't the same thing using a stick or even a vibroblade."

"It's not like the training sabers can take off his limbs!" Marra added, coming to his defense. "He'll do fine!"

Ahsoka gave Alzarad a particularly nasty side eye. "Besides, nothing can be as bad as your first time with a lightsaber," she remarked, a smirk on her face as they continued to traverse the Temple. Izuku hoped that, after who knows how long they'd lived here and went to the very room they were heading for, they knew their way around better than they appeared to.

"Shut up, just because you're good at it doesn't mean everyone else is bad!" Alzarad protested, sounding like a spoiled brat. Izuku figured that he was likely from a rich family, as he had that kind of snobbish attitude about him even though he was a Jedi recruit.

"I know everyone's not bad at it," Ahsoka replied, her sass already clear. "It's just you. Vesuvus and Marra handle a lightsaber just fine." Vesuvus nodded, doing his best to not get involved with the brewing argument that was forming before their very eyes. Izuku also did his best to remain silent, and it was a good thing he did, because the verbal fight continued even as they entered the training room.

It was a vast room, that could not be denied. It was circular, with a single window spanning across the entire room, displaying the Coruscant skyline. Every fifty feet there was a mat much like the ones used by wrestlers. In between the four mats was a man. His hair was long and greying, and his demeanor was that of a drill sergeant, at least judging by his expression.

Ahsoka and Alzarad ceased their fighting immediately as the teacher, Master Cin Drallig, approached them. "Yes, I heard there was a new arrival. Brought here by Master Plo?" he supposed, walking around them. "Personally, I believe you are too old, exposed to the emotions that lead to the Dark Side, though whether or not you will succumb to those feelings remains to be seen."

Izuku frowned, doing his best not to feel any negative emotions. He knew that this was some sort of test, and if he failed he would be thought less of by his new teacher. The Jedi were meant to be a calm peacekeeper, and this was his time to prove he could fill that role. His face was as cold as Endeavor's when he saw All Might take down a villain, behind it Izuku was doing his best to control his emotions.

Master Drallig let out a low, "Hmph." He then proceeded to walk back to his original position, leaving him in front of the small group of students, who all stared at him as he took in a deep breath. "Well, I suppose I should explain the basics for our new member."

A panel in the floor next to Master Drallig slid out and a hovering platform rose up from the panel. The platform expanded to the size of a table and Master Drallig flicked his wrist, bringing many strange hilts over to the table that landed onto the table in a neat row.

"Lightsabers are intrinsic to a Jedi's existence. When you get your own, it will be at your side no matter what. A Jedi's lightsaber never leaves their side no matter what, yet it is only to be used as a last resort when any hopes of negotiation are gone."

Izuku had questions, though he thought it best not to ask them for fear of sounding like an idiot in front of his new friends. "Now, seeing as we have a newcomer, now would be a good time to reiterate the basics of lightsaber combat."

The lightsabers floated over to each of them, and as one they grabbed them from the air. "Now, ignite your sabers." Though he had to look to his classmates to see how to do it, Izuku turned his practice weapon on, its blue glow illuminating his smiling face.

Plo was a great Jedi, not by his own opinion but that of his peers, but he had once known a Jedi far greater than him. His name was Yoichi, and he was from Earth, just like little Izuku. Entering the training chamber, he saw said Earthling learning the basics of lightsaber combat. Izuku reminded him a lot of Yoichi, and not just because they came from the same island on Earth.

Yoichi had been supposedly Quirkless for a long time, during the time when he had known him as a Jedi in training in the twilight years of the High Republic. Izuku himself had admitted he was Quirkless, and both were also determined to prove that not having a superpower wouldn't stop them from helping others.

In Yoichi's case, it was because his older brother was ruling over the planet from the shadows, his criminal empire seeping into every aspect of the everyday life for the people of Earth. Izuku knew nothing of such a life, he was in an era of peace ushered in by the hero All Might, a man whose strength was supposedly unrivalled by even the strongest of species.

If the rumors were to be believed, a single one of his punches was capable of changing the weather and drastically altering whatever the attack came into contact with. Such a power was unheard of, even for Jedi, yet Plo had seen a recording of the man in action playing on one of the many screens of the city of Coruscant, and he could see why such a rumor was spread. Whether it was true or not remained to be seen, though Plo hoped no one would bring reason to use such a power.

Plo returned his focus to the practicing students. Little Ahsoka, who Plo had found in a small village of a tribal group of Togrutas, was a fast learner, and she performed the actions of Form 1 with a grace unmatched by her peers. The Zabrak, Vesuvus, wasn't far behind her in terms of ability, being the perfect middle ground between her and the other two experienced Younglings. Izuku, of course, was still getting a grasp of the movements, but he seemed to be learning as he went along rather well, all things considered.

He swung down, sweat beading on his brow, Master Drallig analyzing his every move. "You're too rigid when you attack. Loosen up, you'll find that being light on your feet is important in the heat of combat," he instructed, Izuku not leaving the stance he was in. He readjusted, the back of his feet coming off the ground. He moved forward, slicing down on the dummy. There was a hissing sound as his training saber collided with the metal of the sturdy target. Izuku then pulled back up, going straight up the sternum of the humanoid object.

Plo let out a low hum, which was amplified by his rebreather. "Master Drallig, perhaps Izuku would do better if he were to spar with another student, one who could show him the ropes on the fly?"

Master Drallig thought for a moment, his features contorting into a frown. "Yes, perhaps that would be best. Thank you, Master Plo." Plo nodded as Master Drallig motioned for Marra to come over and train with Izuku.

"Remember, this is a practice fight, so don't try to harm the other. While these might not cut them off, direct hits would cause damage that would require a visit to the medical wing," Master Drallig explained as the others stopped what they were doing to watch their small fight.

"Begin." At first, neither moved, Izuku too cautious to do anything as Marra thought of the best way to proceed. Marra made the first move, jabbing towards Izuku's stomach, which Izuku blocked a little shakily. Marra twisted her wrist, sliding her lightsaber under Izuku's, forcing him to jump back before he was defeated so quickly.

Izuku took a deep breath, calming himself and then swung for Marra, their blades clashing in a display of sparks of multi colored light. Izuku slid his weapon down hers, spinning around and jabbing his saber under her armpit. Rather surprisingly, he had won, and the room was left in a stunned silence.

Toshinori groaned silently as he walked out onto the large stage, the members of the press swarming around it like a pack of wild animals, with a fitting hunger in their eyes. Shaak Ti accompanied him, their discussion from the day prior being the topic of this meeting. Toshinori, being the number one hero, had connections in the media at large that had been able to allow him to arrange for a meeting quickly, and of course word had spread like wildfire.

There were hundreds, if not thousands gathered in front of the pair, and the only thing separating them was a metal barrier hastily set up before the press had arrived. The ones in the front has been here the entire day, ten hours before the scheduled time for the conference. Shaak Ti didn't seem rattled, which made sense. Jedi were meant to be capable of public speaking, and he would expect a Master like her would be quite good at it, as was he himself.

While Toshinori had acquired the ability to do so quite well, he absolutely loathed such conferences because of how often they were focused upon him. Sure, he had a story about his life that he had forged throughout the years to fall back on for the personal questions, but having to answer the same old questions about his Quirk was annoying. It wasn't like he answered them, he would always manage to change the subject in a subtle way, which perhaps made the media see it as a challenge.

Taking a seat in front of a long table, Toshinori appreciated that the staff in charge of setting up the event had found a chair to accommodate for his immense size. Shaak Ti sat a foot away to his right, her calm demeanor sharply contrasting the ravenous energy of the civilians in front of her. "Seeing as everyone appears to be ready, let's begin," Shaak Ti said serenely, to which a chorus of voices burst to life, each with their own unique question.

"All Might, All Might!" called one such voice, this one belonging to a particularly loud one coming from the second row of reporters. A microphone in one hand and a notebook in the other, a pen floated in the air beside her head. Toshinori called on her, deciding she looked like she was a good place to start with. "Not to complain, every chance to interview you is pure gold, but what is the purpose of this meeting in the first place?" she asked.

"I believe Master Ti is better suited to answer that question than I," Toshinori answered in a very formal manner. This was a meeting for business and business alone, and so he would act in accordance with that. Shaak Ti nodded in thanks, then turning her attention to the specific reporter in the crowd.

"Three days ago I arrived on this planet on a mission ordained by the Supreme Chancellor himself," Shaak Ti began, a soft smile on her face. "I'm sure you are all familiar with the recent invasion of Naboo by the Trade Federation, but what many of you may not know is who pushed them into the unwarranted attack."

An impatient anchorman shouted, "What does that have to do with anything?" Shaak Ti showed how great of a Jedi she was, because she didn't even look annoyed in the slightest at the outburst.

Much like a patient mother, Shaak Ti simply addressed the question with a gentle answer. "Well, it is the belief of the Council that the ones responsible for the Federation's move to attack Naboo were two Sith Lords, ancient enemies of the Jedi. One was killed, though at the cost of one our Order's finest Masters. Upon being notified, and he set in place a plan for the creation of a bill to form an army of the Republic helmed by both the heroes of Earth and the Jedi."

"Such a thing would surely not be passed by the Senate!" cried another media member. Toshinori could appreciate how well they were doing their job today, even if it was proving to be more annoying then impressive.

Toshinori decided now would be a good time to take some of the stress off of Shaak Ti. "Yes, the Senate hasn't passed the bill yet, but there is a strong movement for it to be passed. The Republic doesn't want to be unprepared in the face of potential war."

"All Might, are you saying that you support this bill?" asked the reporter who had started the conversation on the topic in the first place.

Toshinori took a deep breath, knowing that announcing his decision could forever change the future of his life. Saying no would mean the status quo would never change, resulting in an unprepared Republic, but more importantly an unprepared Earth. The last thing Toshinori wanted was the Earth to be unprepared and risking invasion like that of what Naboo faced.

"Yes, I, All Might, am here to announce my support of the creation of a Grand Army of the Republic."