AN: I do not own Star Wars; I am writing a fanfic using their characters. Lucasfilm and Disney own Star Wars.
A shadowy figure ran behind a pillar as two Jedi walked by.
"The war with the separatists has become larger than we have anticipated." a dark-skinned, 6'3 bald man said. "The planet of Felucia has fallen into their grasp."
"Send reinforcements we must." A green-skinned, 2'2 humanoid alien responded.
The figure climbed behind a pillar as it watched the two talk, jumping behind a different pillar he jumped into a vent, the two turned around when the vent slammed shut.
"Hmm." The humanoid held his chin in his hand.
The figure ran through the vents, jumping over security sensors, and spinning through circular holes in the walls, he landed on the ground and found himself inside a darkened room with hundreds of shelves storing hundreds of palm-sized, evenly proportioned polyhedrons with clear outer shells. Climbing on a shelf he jumped from shelf to shelf before stopping at another vent. Opening it he slowly climbed through and stopped at a laser-triggered alarm. The laser circled the vent as he got closer causing him to climb upwards into another ventilation shaft. Peeking his head out, the laser slid back into its orb. Swinging his body back and forth he jumped across the shaft and into another room.
The two companions found a Lupin mammalian that stood a meter and a third tall and covered in brown-colored fur crawling on a shelf stopping at two of the polyhedrons. One had holographic flame in the middle, and the other had holographic lightning. The humanoid alien held out his hand as the figure grabbed for one of them, causing him to be pulled toward them.
As his body turned toward them, they saw his pronounced muzzled dark-brown face, long pointed teeth and ears, sharp jagged claws, and large, amber-colored glowing eyes, and he was holding the polyhedron with a lightning orb in the middle. "Hi, Master Yoda, Master Windu." He spoke with a low growl. "Did I hit the laser again?"
"Felt your presence we did," Yoda responded.
"Aké, how many times have we told you not to come in the Holocron room?" Windu asked, grabbing the Holocron.
"Once a month." His ears bent downward. "But... I made it to the restricted section." He smiled, proud of his accomplishment.
"That's what we're afraid of." Windu placed the Holocron on the shelf as Aké was gently placed on the floor. "Strong in the force you are." Yoda gently poked him with his cane. "The reason you do not graduate your rambunctious behavior will be."
"Does that mean I can't do the final test tomorrow?"
"You will take the test, but we'll dock points for this stunt."
"Yes, Master." He lowered his head.
"Go to bed."
"Yes, Master." He walked out of the room and sluggishly made his way toward his room. A door behind him slid open. "Did you get it?"
Aké turned around and found a mauve-skinned, violet-eyed, 3'11 Twi'lek ten-year-old girl.
"No, sorry Yosvi."
"I thought you were the best in our class." A deep crimson-skinned, red-eyed, 4'1, bald Zeltron ten-year-old boy mocked.
"Don't be rude, Zhal," Yosvi responded.
"Go back to your planet, slave girl." Yosvi looked toward the ground in sadness.
"Look who's talking." Aké clapped back.
Zhal growled and walked back into his room.
"I'm sorry he said that to you."
"You're no better." She turned around and walked into her room.
He lowered his head but saw someone in the corner of his eye, looking up at the end of the hall he found Windu looking at him. He turned around and walked into his room, climbing into bed he closed his eyes.
Aké heard the slight noise of marching coming his way causing him to open his eyes and found himself lying in a crib made from twigs and grass with two Shistavanen looking down at him. He tried to speak but only a slight croaky growl came out, the marching became louder as it came closer towards him. He looked out the window and found Shistavanen running through the village as blaster beams and rockets shot behind them.
A slight sparkle came from the entrance of the hut before a super battle droid emerged and stopped in front of the three Shistavanen, its outer shell smelled of strong metal.
Aké started breathing heavily and his heart raced out of his chest as the droid slowly turned around and looked at him with blood splattered across its armor, Aké closed his eyes hoping to wake up but quickly opened them when he heard the droid raising his blaster arm, its blaster turned clockwise and locked into place.
He jumped as the sound of blaster fire sliced through his ears and the two Shistavanen dropped with holes in their chests and smoke rising into the air. Aké chirped in sadness before a loud squeaking cry rang through the village. The village started shaking as tree limbs fell on battle droids, the huts collapsed, and the battle droid in the entrance of the hut started deforming as its body was crushed.
Aké woke up breathing heavily, he covered his face with his arm as sparks flew out of the door panel. His door opened and Windu walked in to find his wall-mounted mirror shattered on the floor, the dresser and nightstand lay on the floor with everything on top scattered across the floor, and water sprayed out from the bathroom. "The same nightmare?" Windu sat down next to him.
"Yeah… I do not understand, why am I seeing it?"
"I can't answer that but get ready."
"Okay."
"Good." He placed his hand on Akés shoulder before leaving his room and waking up eleven other younglings.
Carefully getting out of bed he made sure not to step on any broken glass. He grabbed a brown leather jacket off the ground and slid it over his head before walking out of his room. The other younglings walked out of their room and stood at the entrances. "Today is your final exam." Windu walked down the hall before stopping at the end of it. "You will be evaluated on dexterity, force abilities, and combat."
Windu looked down at Aké. "Six of you will move on to the next step, the others will go back to step one."
The younglings looked around at each other in fear of being kicked off. "Now... let's begin." The younglings followed the master Jedi to a gymnasium causing the lights to turn on. "Good morning, Younglings," Yoda spoke walking toward them.
"Good morning, Master Yoda." The twelve said in unison.
"Master Windu." Yoda greeted.
"Master Yoda."
Yoda tapped his cane against the floor causing different-sized platforms to emerge from the walls. "Shall we begin? Hmm."
Throughout the morning the younglings were called and each time Aké would say. "Good luck." Then they would run and jump from platform to platform, some would make it to the top and press a red button, and some would fall, the last three who needed to do the test were Zhal, Yosvi, and Aké. "Zhal, you're up," Windu said.
"Good luck," Aké said.
"Keep it to yourself, fur ball." He stood on the starting line. "Begin." Zhal ran toward the course.
Aké looked at Yosvi and slid closer to her. "Sorry for speaking the way I did." He apologized.
"It's fine, Aké."
"No, not really, I know the rumors of your species, but... I should have known better."
"Good, go in the waiting room. Yosvi, your next." Windu interrupted their conversation.
"Thanks for the apology." She placed her hand on his arm. "I hope both of us can become Padawan learners." She stood up and walked away.
"Good luck," Aké told her as she walked to the starting line.
"Thanks." She turned around and smiled at Aké.
"Begin." Yosvi ran up the course, swinging on a horizontal pole, she slipped and fell back on the platform. She got back up and swung to a platform. Jumping on the wall she kicked off but slipped and fell holding onto the edges. Aké walked forward and watched as she dangled in the air. "Come on, Yosvi." he told himself.
She struggled but got on the platform. Looking down she found Aké holding his hands together and his eyes closed, she breathed in deeply calming herself down, the rest of the way up she did not make any more mistakes and pressed the red button before landing in front of the two masters. "Good." Windu wrote down a score. "Go sit in the waiting room."
"Aké, you're next," Windu called. Aké walked toward the line.
"Good luck," Yosvi said walking backwards toward the door. "Watch it!" Zhal pushed her out of the way as they bumped into each other.
"Zhal!" Windu yelled walking toward him. "You can leave, Yosvi."
"Thank you." She turned around and left quickly.
"The next time you do anything to anybody I will send you to solitary meditation, do you got that!" he said sternly.
"Yes, Master Windu." He said silently.
"Good, get out of here." Windu walked back toward the line. "Aké, you're the last one." He flipped to the next page of the data pad.
Yoda tapped his cane against the floor causing the platforms to slide into the wall before sliding back out. Aké looked at them in confusion.
"Too easy for you dexterity test is. Hmm..." Yoda said.
Aké looked at the moving platforms. "Begin."
He ran up the course, swinging from a horizontal pole to another platform, he lost his balance when the platform started moving into the wall. Regaining his footing he kicked off the wall and reached for a platform that was six feet in the air. "Come on." He said in annoyance when it started moving into the wall.
He pulled himself onto the platform with five inches of feet room. He frantically looked around as it reached the wall, he gulped and looked at the two masters. Closing his eyes, he saw another platform sliding out of the wall, crouching down he jumped toward the far side of the wall before landing on it as it exited the wall. He opened his eyes and looked down at the two masters. Before long he was on the top and pressed the red button before jumping down and landing in front of the two masters. "Good job, go sit down in the waiting room." Windu wrote down a score on the scoreboard.
Aké smiled and exited the gymnasium. "That was awesome!" He chuckled as he entered the room.
Yosvi lifted her head. "I'm glad you did good." She sighed.
"What are you talking about?"
"I messed up twice." She lifted two fingers.
"I don't see the issue; I'm starting at negative points."
"Negative points!" She said loudly causing the other younglings to look up at them.
"So, you'll fail, good to know." Zhal laughed.
"You still owe me two hundred credits for sneaking in the restricted section," Aké responded.
Zhal's smile faded. "It doesn't count, you had to bring the Holocron back."
"I held the Holocron, Master Yoda stopped me."
"Se..."
"You held the Holocron!" Yosvi interrupted Zhal. The other younglings gathered around him.
"What was it?" An olive-skinned, black-haired, purple-eyed, 3'9 Mirialan ten-year-old girl with dark green 1-inch Diamond-shaped tattoos scattered across her face asked.
"It was a force ability."
"Cool."
"Not cool, Jeyde..." Zhal mocked. "A lightsaber stance would be cooler than that."
"It was a fire ability."
"What! I didn't even know those existed." A green-skinned, black ponytail, orange-eyed, 4'3 Falleen ten-year-old boy said.
"Really, Xzenn." Zhal laughed.
"Baisan khrev shof yamarsa hōra?" A grayish-violet skinned, bald, black-eyed, 4'5 Yuuzhan Vong ten-year-old boy said.
"Zing Krul..." Zhal went to mock him, Zing turned his head causing Zhal to gulp seeing his large stature. "O-of course there's more Holocrons."
Zing smiled and turned his head toward Aké.
"Everybody back into the gymnasium," Windu said from the entrance of the room. The younglings looked up at him.
"Let's go," Windu said again.
"Yes, master." They quickly left the room one by one."
The platforms slid back into the walls and the floor opened revealing a giant target and a square boulder. The target had multiple inner circles going from bigger to smaller. "Next test, using the force you will push the boulder across the target. Let's begin." Everybody went leaving the Six younglings. "Jeyde."
She smiled and walked up. "Good luck," Aké said.
"Will you stop that!" Zhal said sternly.
Aké looked at him and smiled.
"Xzenn."
"Good luck," Aké said causing Zhal to growl in annoyance.
"Thanks," Xzenn said.
Xzenn pushed the boulder into the center circle, Zing went next and pushed the boulder moving it slightly forward, and Yosvi pushed it into the center. "Zhal."
Zhal looked back at Aké. "Don't say it!" He glared at him.
"Good luck," Aké smirked.
He huffed in annoyance and pushed the boulder in the second below the center. "Aké, you're the last one," Windu said.
Aké stood on the line, raising his hand he closed his eyes. Feeling the boulder in his mind it slowly lifted in the air before being thrown into the center circle. "Good, only if you followed the rules as well as your skills," Windu said. "Go in the waiting room and get everyone."
"Yes, Master Windu." He smirked. Aké followed his master's instructions and got everybody.
"Final test this is." Yoda walked in front of them. "A new beginning for all of you." He slid his cane across the air toward the younglings. "The greatest teacher failure is!" He slammed his cane on the ground causing sparring sticks and mats to rise from the ground. "Shall we begin?"
"Yes, Master Yoda!" They yelled in unison.
"Master Windu." Yoda walked back to him. "We will spar in this order..." Aké smiled imagining himself in a real lightsaber dual. "Jeyde..." He gained his composure when Windu walked in front of him. "You will fight Yosvi. Xzenn and Zhal. Zing Krul and Aké."
Everybody grabbed a sparring stick before facing their opponents.
"Begin," Yoda said.
Aké ran towards Zing Krul before slashing at him. Zing Krul parried his attack and countered with a powerful jab to his chest pushing him off the mat.
Aké tripped and fell on his back before rubbing the pain on his chest.
"Uuchlaarai, niké." Zing Krul held his hand out.
"It's okay, Krul." He grabbed his hand and was lifted to find everyone staring at him and Zhal snickering.
"Good." Windu spoke. "Final six. Nirdem, Berhi, Chia, Yosvi, Zhal, and Zing Krul, everybody else go in the waiting room."
Aké walked out the door but immediately snuck back in.
"Berhi vs Yosvi, Nirdem vs Zing Krul, and Chia vs Zhal." After everyone was done there were three. "Yosvi, Zing Krul, and Zhal, you are the final three, Yosvi vs Zhal."
Aké tilted his head when he saw Yosvi gasp as Zhal walked away from her smiling. "Begin." Yosvi ran toward Zhal, he sidestepped out of the way before grabbing her right Lek and slamming her on the ground, groaning she held her head causing Windu to stop the fight. "Are you ok?" He kneeled next to her.
She stayed quiet as her lowered lip quivered and tears formed in her eyes.
"Get Jedi Selonna!" Windu looked at two of the temple guards. "Yes sir." The two stood at attention before walking out the door, quickly returning with a kaminoan and a stretcher hovering above the ground.
"Master Windu." She spoke softly. "What do we have here?" She smiled kneeling next to Yosvi.
Yosvi groaned as Selonna gently grabbed her Lek. "Feels like you have a minor concussion." She stood up and turned to face the temple guards. "Bring her to my office so I can examine her more thoroughly." She placed her hand on one of the guard's shoulders.
"Yes sir." He spoke. Placing Yosvi on the stretcher they walked out.
Windu looked down at Zhal. "Go back to your quarters and don't come out until we tell you to."
"I won! I am not going anywhere, until I win against Zing Krul!" His arrogance rolled off his tongue.
Windu looked at Zing Krul who was talking and laughing with Aké. "Zing Krul!"
He ran towards Windu and stopped on the Matt. "Dwi, groth khojildu."
"You're up."
Zing Krul jumped to face Zhal and bowed down before he had a chance to do anything. Zhal attacked him, hitting him on the head the stick broke in half.
Zing Krul rubbed his head before picking up Yosvi's stick and giving it to Zhal; Zhal grabbed the stick and immediately started hitting Zing Krul with it. Zing Krul parried the next attack and smacked Zhal's legs out from under him and pointed his stick at his throat. "Ögökh khurtel!" He growled.
Zhal spat in his face and stood up. "You will not win!" He roared.
Zing Krul threw his stick on the ground. "Khrev khojil."
Zhal growled as he tightened his grip. "Fight me!" He attacked.
Zing Krul grabbed his wrist blocking the attack and let out a high-pitched shriek sending dread through Zhal. Zing Krul dropped Zhal and ran out the door.
"Take him away." Windu placed his hand on a temple guards shoulder before walking toward the exit.
"Yes sir."
Zing Krul ran to his room, opening his closet, he grabbed a small chest and laid it on the floor. Opening it there was a black object with black mist oozing out of it. Looking around he found a knife in his desk; he did not know where it came from, but he grabbed it. He tried stabbing the object, but the knife shattered into tiny pieces, he reached for the chest, but it flew away from him.
Looking up he found Windu in the door frame holding the chest. "Groth khojildu!"
"Get some rest."
A few weeks passed and Aké was pacing around his room as everybody around him was being called down to the Jedi Council. A faint knock stopped him, excitedly he opened the door. "Yosvi?" he asked in a surprised tone. "What are you doing here?" She stood holding antimicrobial wrap.
"I was wondering if you would help me with my Lek, but... I can get someone else."
"No… No! I can help." he said quickly.
Giving a slight smile she walked inside his room. "Thanks." She sat on the edge of his bed.
Zhal sat in a cell when the door slid open allowing two temple guards to walk in. "The Jedi council is ready for you." Depa Billaba stood in front of the cell.
Standing up the guards placed stun cuffs on him before transporting him to the Jedi council room.
"Zhal for your actions you will be expelled from the Jedi Order and will serve 5 years in force sensitive prison." Mace Windu said. "Everyone in agreement say yes."
"Yes." The Jedi council said in unison.
"Anyone who disagrees say yes."
Zhal scanned the room and the council stayed quiet. He spat at the council as the guards took him away.
Aké sat behind her with his legs spread around her body, grabbing her Lek she flinched. "Sorry." He quickly let go of it.
"No, it's not your fault it's very tender today."
"Ok..." He gently picked it up and slowly unwrapped the old wrapping. Yosvi felt a strange sensation through her body as his rough fur touched her unwrapped Lek. She gained her composure when he gently placed the antimicrobial wrap on the top of her Lek and slowly bandaged her up. "There you go." He gave her the wrap, but it fell out of her hand.
"Sorry." She slid off his bed, hitting it, it rolled under his bed. "Clumsy." she muttered, going under his bed.
He leaned over the bed. "Got it." She sat up and froze when their eyes met. "You're not clumsy." He slid his hand across the air causing the wrap to rise from her hand.
He saw someone in the corner of his eye and lost concentration causing the wrap to fall back on her hand, looking up he found Depa Billaba standing in the entrance.
"Master Billaba?" Aké said in confusion.
"The council is ready for you."
Aké smiled at Yosvi and followed her out of his room. They were walking toward the council room when he saw Zhal being escorted back to the prison cells. "Watch your back!" Zhal growled at him.
Aké stopped and glared at him. "Come on, Aké." Depa Billaba said.
He growled showing his canines at Zhal before he continued walking. "When I get out, I'll have contacted the Hutt's." He chuckled.
Aké smiled and asked. "To get your mom back?"
"Aké, how many times have we told you to not say that?" Depa Billaba turned around.
"Sorry." He lowered his head and followed her to the council room.
"Stand in the middle of the room." She sat in her seat.
"Yes Master."
"Difficult you have been." Yoda said.
"Sorry Master."
"You are very reckless." Opo Rancisis said.
"Sorry Master."
"Defensive of Yosvi you are." Yoda said.
Aké stayed quiet as he looked at them. "We're just friends."
A week passed and Yosvi was organizing her quarters when she looked in the mirror. "Miss your mother you do." Echoed in her mind. She looked at her injured Lek in the mirror.
Putting her head down she turned around and walked to her bed where she crawled under her covers before closing her eyes.
"Mom!" A younger Yosvi ran toward a transport ship.
A man grabbed her by the arm and threw her back. Seeing her mom in chains and no one doing anything made her feel betrayed by her species. "Mom!" She screamed.
Yosvi jolted up breathing heavily, sitting on the edge of her bed she put her head in her hands as she sobbed. A knock came from outside her door, she wiped her eyes and unlocked the door. "Master Billaba."
"Is everything ok?" she asked softly as she kneeled in front of her.
Yosvi wrapped her arms around her. "Oh!" Her tone was full of surprise before hugging her back. "Sorry." Yosvi sniffled pushing away from her master.
"I don't mind..." She smiled, placing a hand on her arm. "It's time." She stood up.
Yosvi looked toward the ground and followed her master. The other Younglings were standing in a line waiting for her. "Sorry." she said quietly.
Depa Billaba stood with the other Council members standing in front of the younglings. "The Younglings who will go on to the next step..." Windu said holding onto a data pad. "Jeyde..." He flipped to the next page. "Xzenn… Zing Krul… Chia..." He paused and looked at the group of younglings, flipping to the next page. "Yosvi..."
Aké felt his heart shatter as he looked toward the ground. "Aké." He shot his head up and looked at the council.
"Everybody else get packed you will have a month leave before we start training again. The graduates stay here."
"Yes Master Windu." The Younglings said in unison.
Berhi and Chia hugged each other. "Congratulations." Berhi smiled.
"Thanks." Chia smiled. "I'll miss you."
"Me too." Berhi followed the other younglings.
"What about us?" A Reptilian covered in very tough grey-colored Keratin scales, bald, red eyed, 4'3 Barabel ten-year-old-girl said. The younglings turned their heads toward Chia.
"Get dressed in warm clothes, you're going to need it." Windu said.
"Yes Master Windu!" They said in unison.