Avengers: Infinite Wars

by free man writer

The Clone Wars are in full swing with the galaxy divided. The Jedi lead the clone army against the infinite droid army of the Separatists. Yet a wild card enters the fray. The Avengers. From there, newer, more sinister and deadlier threats emerge and The Galaxy, no, the universe, shall never be the same again. Co-written by Jebest4781 and BulletStormX. Now in Season 4.

121. Tales of the Jedi: Masters

To the Reader That Guy You Know the One, congrats, you win, you gave the best suggestion for the Avengers arc after this one.

The new name for the Avengers arc after this one is Tales to Astonish. Well done.

Anywho, quick tidbit. I released artwork for Chirrut Imwe and I always love seeing the art for this on the tropes page for this story cuz it just looks so cool. Marcus and RussianNoble6 always keep it up to date and I love seeing but shockingly, Chirrut and Baze don't have a character profile which is crazy since they've been featured a bunch of times now and they're both gonna get artwork, plus, they're now Guardians of the Galaxy. Are they there or did I miss them?

Shwatevs, just my ramblings and selfish desires to see that sort of thing on the Tropes page. It's just so awesome!

Anyways, let's keep going. Lots to touch on but we'll talk at the end.

Rate Read and Review and as Always Have Nice Day.

Avengers Infinite Wars Chapter 121: Tales of The Jedi: Masters

His eyes were closed, his head tilted down, deep in meditation in the Force.

He didn't need to see to know that he was surrounded by his fellow masters, waiting for the rest to arrive. Grandmaster Yoda felt their presence through the Force, focusing solely on letting the energy that binds all the universe flow through him.

As the last council seat was filled, Yoda's eyes cracked open, taking a moment to gaze upon each council member.

Yoda hummed aloud, tapping the bottom of his stick on the ground. "Much to learn, we still have, hmmm? Much of Tython remains to explore and reconnect. What have you learned, my friends?"

"A lot, yet we've barely scratched the surface." Kit Fisto remarked with a sigh. "So much knowledge to sift through."

"I've caught Jocasta asleep at her desk with piles of unopened Holocrons, scrolls, tomes and datapads." Luminara revealed, shaking her head in mirth. "I heard her muttering something about lightsaber styles that I've never even heard of."

"Perhaps our fabled Librarian requires much-needed respite." Ki-Adi-Mundi wryly said.

"I would suggest the same for all of us." T'ra Saa idly said. "Yet that is not a luxury we can so easily utilize."

"Indeed," Luminara mused aloud. "Our rediscovery of our ancient homeworld seems to have only elevated our need for action. Let alone what we acquired from Ossus."

"Histories of our past showing a unique progression and regression of our Order." Plo Koon noted.

"A number of Dark side artifacts were also found but vary regarding safety towards others. Mostly armor pieces and holocrons." Oppo Rancisis mused in a troubled tone. "The fact that there are even Dark Side artifacts-"

"Shouldn't come as a surprise given what we are uncovering about the planet." T'ra interjected. "Before, Tython was a place where our predecessors studied both sides of the Force. One cannot forget both were accepted until its knowledge was lost to all."

"Ashla and Bogan." Plo Koon mused. "Both the ancient names used to describe both aspects of the Force as well as the names given to the two moons orbiting the planet."

"Both literal and metaphorical representations, they are." Says Yoda, recalling factors of said moons.

From the old texts, Ashla and Bogan were the interpretations and names given to the perceived two sides of the Force. Ashla was heavily concentrated in the light while Bogan was of the dark. Both greatly served as trials and training grounds for one to maintain their placement with their respective Orders, let alone in the Force.

Many ancient Je'Daii and Jedi experienced the truth of them when visiting both moons. They were overwhelmed with such concentrations of each side of the Force, prompting them to leave given how unprepared they were. Thus more precautions would be taken in the future.

"Back to the artifacts, I believe there to be more… far more than I dare to believe." Says Oppo with a frown. "Either the rest are more well-hidden and spread out, or something else was done with them."

"Indeed. There should be more, given how significant Tython is to them just like towards us." Says Kit Fisto.

Obi-wan pondered a little. "Perhaps some smugglers found the planet before us. The idea could be plausible given the thousands upon thousands of years of us having lost Tython's whereabouts. It has occurred from various reports with Korriban over the years."

"Or maybe the many wars that have plagued the galaxy could have had a hand in us losing Tython." Saesee Tinn pointed out. "We lost much during the Republic Dark Age."

"Or records of its location were tampered with." Mace stated with a grim look. "Remember what we learned of Kamino with the Archives having been tampered with."

There was a shift in the council, all now wearing matching and disturbed frowns.

"We could go to debate on such factors for hours, but that's not important as we'd perhaps waste more time than needed." T'ra Saa spoke up calmly. "What is more important is what we do have."

The Grandmaster was quick to agree with his fellow long-lived Jedi.

"Our work, continues it does." Yoda sternly said. "Uphold our duty we must. To the Republic, the galaxy, the people, our Order. The Force. United we must stand. Divided, our downfall shall be certain. Remember this, we must."

-Scene Cut-

Obi-Wan Kenobi stood alone, a far-off, reminiscent and somewhat pained look in his eyes.

Why would he have such a gaze, you may ask?

Before him was a tree.

Not just any tree.

This was a special place for Obi-Wan because it was where he meditated with his Master Qui-Gon Jinn.

The Great Tree, as it was called, was a special one that was a Force-Sensitive Uneti tree. Many Masters had taken their Padawans here during their early stages of training, their first lesson being how the Force unified, bound and flowed through every living being in the galaxy.

For Qui-Gon, however, it was more unique. His old master was born on Coruscant and spoke of how he would always come here and just stare at it or lay upon the trunk, soaking in the Force that ebbed and flowed around and through it.

His master told him of how Dooku would take here as often as he could, always training, guiding and nurturing him to become the Jedi that he was before taking on Obi-Wan as his apprentice. Having been born on Coruscant, a planet of steel, metal and stone, the Great Tree was unlike anything he had ever seen up to that point in his life.

It became a sort of comfort for the old Master, a place that always served as a basis to remind him of where he was and never to forget the journey of his life. How each memory, event, and experience all served a grander purpose of shaping him into the Jedi he was.

Now, Obi-Wan stood here again, without his master, the old pang of longing and sorrow of him no longer being here.

"Obi-Wan?"

The Jedi Master's head perked up slightly, turning to see Peter Parker approaching him.

"Peter." Kenobi greeted pleasantly. "How are you, my young "Padawan"?"

The webhead snorted at that. "Ya know, I'm not your official Padawan."

"Ah yes, but in another reality, you are indeed my apprentice." Obi-Wan fondly said, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "One might call that destiny."

Peter shook his head in amusement, instead focusing on the tree. "Here again?"

Obi-Wan simply hummed, walking over to the tree trunk with Peter following after him.

"Even after all these years, I always find the most clarity whenever I come here." Kenobi softly said. "Master Qui-Gon and I used to meditate here often whenever we were on Coruscant. He always told me how much he loved this tree as in a world of metal and steel, this was one of the purest forms of nature. One of the purest forms of the Force that can be found in any place in the galaxy."

Peter was silent, watching as Obi-Wan placed a hand on the trunk and closed his eyes for a few moments.

"Now, however," The Jedi Master opened his eyes, a clearly troubled look in them. "Now I am not so certain anymore. Of… most everything."

"Like~?" Peter said.

Obi-Wan snorted, shaking his head. "Where to begin?"

The young Avenger crossed his arms and shrugged. "First thing that pops into your mind?"

Kenobi rubbed his beard in thought, too much on his mind frankly so, in a roundabout way, latched onto the first thing that "passed by" in his mind.

"When I say everything, I guess the Jedi Order would perhaps be the first thing that comes to mind." He mused aloud. "I am not entirely opposed to the knowledge that we have discovered on Tython and Ossus nor the lessons and teachings that may come with it. But like Windu, I cannot deny that I hold trepidation to what changes may come about with all this knowledge and old practices."

"Like what?"

Obi-Wan shook his head, looking slightly unsure as to what to say, letting out a slightly frustrated breath as he collected his thoughts.

"Peter," He finally said, unusually grim. "These changes that will come about are coinciding with the changes that have already been progressing within the Order."

The New York Native's expression showed clear confusion as to what he was talking about.

"The War." Obi-Wan emphasized. "The War had already kickstarted the eventual change the Order would have undergone, whether we were aware of it or not. And I fear it would not have been a very good one. For a thousand years up to that point, the Jedi had been unopposed, unchanging, stagnant, for a millennia. Then the Clone Wars began and like that, we were thrust into the battlefield, given command over men, something that has not happened in a thousand years, and the fate of the galaxy was once again placed on our shoulders. Or at least… that's what we believed it to be."

There was a beat of silence between the two.

"And now?"

"Now I am unsure." Obi-Wan freely admitted. "I do not know how to regard all that knowledge we found on Tython."

"I mean," Peter rubbed the back of his head, squinting one eye. "I think that it's a good thing we found Tython. It's helping you guys reconnect with your roots, helping with your understanding of the Force, right? If you don't learn from the past, you're doomed to repeat it."

"And what if we do learn but catastrophe and conflict still happens?" Obi-Wan gave him an expectant gaze. "I do not know if Vision told you of what he once told the council but he spoke of how the power that the Jedi possess power. And in that power, comes challenge-"

"And challenge breeds catastrophe, yeah, he ran that by us, yeah." Peter cut him off.

"Yes," Obi-Wan now held a pointed expression. "So you see the conundrum we face, no?"

"I mean… kinda." Peter admitted. "You and the Order were raised on your one set of lessons practically your whole lives. I don't wanna come across as mean or anything by Master Kenobi, you guys sound like you're scared of change."

An exasperated sigh escapes Kenobi's lips. "You're probably right."

"And, not for nothin', even if you guys learn from the past and you guys manage to mitigate any conflicts that may come to pass, that's virtually impossible." Peter stated. "Ya can't always prevent disaster or war or conflict or… losing people you love and care for."

Obi-Wan saw a moment of sorrow cross his young student's features.

"You just have to do what you can with what you have and make the best out of the situation." Peter finished with a strained smile. "Cap and Sam talked about their time taking out HYDRA from SHIELD and they told me about how the price of freedom was high but it was a price they knew they were willing to pay. And you can't save everyone but dammit, we gotta try our hardest to do so, impossible as that is."

Obi-Wan nodded at that, having heard this story before. It was quite the tale and given the recordings from many vantage points, including from Wilson's own goggles, just two men with some backup from this Maria Hill he had yet to meet and former Director Fury was quite the accomplishment.

"Hey, if anything, you at least could have a chat with Bendu to give you some further insight." Peter offered. "Ya know when he's not all into the mystic Wumbo jumbo."

"I'll take that into consideration, but not now." Kenobi then paused, giving Peter a strange look. "Wumbo? Is it not Mumbo?"

Peter had a mischievous smirk now. "Well ya see, you got your M turned downward when it should be upward from Wumbo. Ya know, Wumbo this, Wumbo that, he, she, me Wumbo. Wumbo, Wumboing, Wumbology, The Study of Wumbo?"

"Peter." Obi-Wan cut him off, a dry expression now. "I take it that this is an Earth reference and you're having fun at my expense."

"Anakin told me to mess with you as often as I can to get back at you for all these years." Parker shamelessly stated, getting a laugh out of the Jedi Master.

"Did he now? Well then, I guess I'll have to get back at him when I next see him."

Peter chuckled happily, his pseudo-master joining in, the man patting the teen on the shoulder.

"Thank you, my friend." Obi-Wan warmly said. "I still have much on my mind but speaking with you has given me some clarity or perhaps, an idea on what it is I need to do. The start of it, at the very least."

"What are you gonna do first?" Peter asked with his mentor humming to himself.

"Perhaps take a walk, go to Tython or… who knows, just see where my feet take me." The Jedi remarked, looking up at the sky for a moment, turning away and beginning to walk.

The Spider-themed Avenger stood beneath the tree for a few moments, glancing at it when a thought came to his mind.

"Hey, Master Kenobi." Peter called out to him, the man turning back to his student.

"Yes, Peter?"

"I… uh… hmmm," The young teen scratched the side of his head. "I dunno about this one but uh," Spider-man squirmed a bit, one eye closing as he contemplated on whether or not he should ask this. "What would… what would your Master Qui-Gon have told you to do?"

Hearing this made the Jedi blink a few times, surprised by the question. Pondering for several moments, Kenobi gave a response.

"Master Qui-Gon always told me to be mindful of what I believe and to follow the Will of The Force as much as I have to follow my… my heart."

Peter made a few hand gestures as if emphasizing what Obi-Wan had just said. "Then… what does the Force tell you to do? What's your heart saying?"

"I would like to know that myself." Kenobi earnestly said. "It's a bit of a mess right now."

"Well then," Peter seemed sheepish as he said this. "First thing that comes to mind."

"With matters of the heart," Obi-Wan wagged his finger at the teen. "That will take a bit more time."

He bade his pseudo-student farewell, leaving the area and directed himself to an isolated meditation chamber.

There was one round ottoman in the center and the Master walked over, seating himself atop the cushiony surface and crossed his legs. From his robes, he pulled out a Holocron that he applied the Force into and it activated a moment later.

He gently had it levitate away from him and placed it upon the ground as the message within began playing, appearing as though it was continuing from a place that wasn't the beginning.

"-all that dogma and all about love and how "dangerous" it can be." The Grizzled and elderly voice of the ancient Jedi Jolee Bindo filled the room.

The man was as cranky and cantankerous as he had seen many times before, though this time, he held a softer edge to his voice.

"I mean, I know how it can be scary but love is what can give someone purpose and meaning." Bindo emphatically said. "Love comes with the territory of being alive. But if you want love, then ya gotta fight for it. The Jedi and their damnable nonsense about connections and all that hoo-ha just tells me that they're more disconnected than ever. If you wanna help and protect the people of this galaxy, then ya gotta know how to relate and empathize with them. The people of this galaxy won't be able to connect with "protectors" that act like mindless droids, spewing all this Force this, Force that garbage. They wouldn't understand. You gotta help them understand, not Force them, pun intended, by the way."

Obi-Wan snorted at that. In the short amount of time he had taken to study up on the Holocrons left behind by Master Bindo, the man certainly had a lack of caring on how he exposited his knowledge. He spoke of it in a way that made sense to him and honestly, it was easier to digest and understand than the enigmatic ways of older Jedi Masters.

"But when it comes to love, that's a tricky thing that you can only talk and forewarn about but that's something that everyone experiences differently. It's how you react and behave after you get love and after you lose love that can define you, not just as a Jedi but also as a living being." Jolee's recording grunted, rubbing his brow. "I know I lost myself. I had someone I loved during the war with Exar Kun. My wife, Nayama,"

Obi-Wan blinked at that. He didn't get to that part about the man having a wife. It seemed so alien to him, a time when Jedi in the order were married, to either in the Order or outside of it.

"Ah, she was the light in all the rabble around me. I married her in secret and basically thumbed my nose at what the Jedi Council told me. But that's what they don't teach you, how to deal with the fallout of what comes after." Jolee's recording sagged with sorrow and regret evident on his face. "She joined Kun's Sith and well, you should know the death and destruction that came after it." Then came an expression of genuine anger and rage. "And after all that, what did the Council do? "Oh you learned your lesson, see, that's why love is a no-no and blah, blah, blah, here, you're a Jedi Knight now, you've earned it." I earned a knighthood by losing the woman I loved? And what lesson did I learn? That love can be painful? That it hurts? That the Jedi are a bunch of nerf-herding idiots? Who teaches people like that? Hey, sorry you lost your wife, here's a medal, it'll make ya feel better."

Even Obi-Wan found himself agreeing with that, completely bewildered by such a decision.

The rant seemed to come to an end as the holo-Jedi calmed down.

"Ah, but I'm just ramblin'." Jolee sagged, running his hand over his face. "You might be thinking that this is a great lesson in opposing love and attachments. It isn't. Believe me, as much pain as it can cause you, having love, people you care for, who you can fight for, can give you more power than any fleet or army or political crap like that. The Jedi need to remember that it's with connections, attachments, relationships, parents, family, friends, all of it, is why we're better than the Sith. I still have my problems with the Order, hell, likely always will. But the Sith are the ones who go about destroying connections, destroying that which binds the galaxy and binds people together. Our strength comes from protecting it and in learning how to be better and not tarnish the legacy of those who have passed on. I know it's not easy and it's not meant to be easy. We need these challenges in our lives, we need these relationships, these attachments because that is what will make us strong, despite the risks. To train ourselves to master our emotions, not ignore them, that's how we'll be able to come out on top at the end of the day."

The recording of the ancient Jedi took a seat, a hand running over his bald head.

"Great, now I really am a crotchety old man." Jolee said in self-deprecating mirth. "Vao won't let me hear the end of it. Meh… Don't make my mistakes. Yeah, some would advise against it but love is worth it. Just remind yourself the Jedi you have to be that comes after. It's hard, and it always will be, but if you can master it, face it, not blink, and not lose yourself, then you will come out stronger on the other end. But you don't have to do it alone. Having your own strength, yeah, that's important. But having those around you to help you through it, help you stand back up, it's just as powerful."

At that phrase, Obi-Wan recalled some incredibly wise words from an Earth show that Peter had all but dragged him into watching along with others who were now watching it and it had become the new craze after Lord of the Rings.

Many Jedi have jumped on the bandwagon with this show, latching onto one character in particular who exuded patience, wisdom and a sagely aura that even Master Yoda could agree with. He had some lessons that certain Jedi frowned at but the wisdom he held…

"While it is always best to believe in oneself, a little help from others can be a great blessing."

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't realize the Holocron recording had ended until he heard the device snap shut. Blinking slightly at the abrupt silence in the room, Obi-Wan's gaze lingered upon the Holocron, lazily holding out his index and middle finger. The Holocron shifted slightly on the ground before slowly levitating up and returning back to his hand.

The Holocron was idly rotated around in his hand, Kenobi gazing at it with a far-off gaze. He held a solemn face of deep contemplation, replaying the words from this Holocrons recording, mixed together with everything else he had been learning since Tython's rediscovery.

And over and over again, he kept asking himself; have the Jedi truly lost their way?

How much did they stray from the Force?

Is it too late to change?

Should they change?

What would come about if they go down this path?

After being alone for a while, Kenobi let out what felt like his hundredth exasperated sigh for the day, clutching the Holocron tightly with the decision he was going to make. He made his way out of the room, placing the Jedi artifact back into his robe and went for the nearest hangar in the vicinity of the temple.

After procuring a speeder, he went to the Mandalore embassy on Coruscant.

Upon seeing the particular guards stationed, he knew the person he sought was presently here for the time being.

He was recognized right away by the men stationed at the entrance.

"Master Kenobi." Says one of the guards, nodding at the Jedi with respect.

"Gentlemen." Obi-wan greeted politely. "I was wondering if I could speak with her."

The guard nods before making a radio communication with the person inside. After some moments, the first guard responds back to the Jedi Master. "You may go in."

Getting past the guards, he entered the embassy and went to a peculiar area where the person of interest was no doubt located.

Within the embassy's garden area, the Duchess of Mandalore was taking a tea break from the many hours of work for the day when she was notified of a particular guest's presence. And she was certainly surprised to see the Jedi Master in question.

"Obi-Wan?" She said in pleasant surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Should a man have a reason to wish to see a friend?" Obi-Wan remarked in his usual quippy tone yet there was a subdued undercurrent behind it.

One Satine was quick to pick up on. She frowned in concern over the Jedi's demeanor, setting aside her cup and standing to walk over to her.

"Obi-Wan," She said his name in a far softer tone this time. "Is something troubling you?"

"Should I not be asking you that?" Kenobi weakly countered. "I understand that you've seldom had a chance to rest with all the meetings that have been taking place."

The Duchess of Mandalore gave him a strained smile in return, shaking her head at his blatantly poor attempts at deflection. She gently took his hand and pulled him over to where she was sitting, having him sit with her.

Keeping his hand in hers, she laced both her hands over his and gave him a patient smile.

"Now then, what's wrong?"

Obi-Wan didn't respond at first; instead, he gazed down at his hand entrapped between Satines. Months ago, he would have tried to pull away as politely and respectfully as he could.

Now, however…

"I…" He closed his mouth, his free hand clenching tightly. "I am at a crossroads in my life right now. Something that I believe many Jedi in the Order are experiencing as well."

Satine made a small hum of thought. "I had heard rumors of, I do not wish to presume but… upheavals?"

"Revelations, perhaps." Kenobi murmured. "A treasure trove of lost knowledge that our Order has long forgotten over the past thousand years."

"Lost knowledge?" Satine repeated, a thoughtful frown marring her features. "Do Jedi not enjoy taking in knowledge from all forms and perspectives? Especially such knowledge that comes from the past of your Order?"

"Hmmm," Was Obi-Wan's response. "Normally you would be right. Normally."

Kryze tilted her head, a look of befuddlement now on her face. "Normally? I take it this is not normal, yes?"

"Far from it." Obi-Wan admitted. "What we found was the ancient Jedi homeworld. The birthplace of our Order."

Satine's eyes widened considerably. She only had surface-level knowledge of the Jedi Order, but it stretched back for thousands upon thousands of years. To find their homeworld was no small find.

During their youth, when he and his master were assigned to safeguard her during the Mandalorian Civil War, other than developing feelings for each other, they had also exchanged much of the history of their respective people.

"Why… I… that must have been quite the discovery." Satine managed out, getting a weak chuckle out of her beloved.

"Like you would not believe, Satine." He said, his tone holding a sense of awe. "So much knowledge, practices, all for us to comb through and utilize."

Satine smiled despite her initial concerns. Yet all the same…

"Then what is it that is on your mind, my love." She softly said, holding up a finger. "And I shall not take any excuses Obi-Wan, I know you too well for such things."

Obi-Wan let out a tired laugh, giving her a mirthful smile. "You know me too well now, Satine."

Her smile only widened, her eyebrow-raising in an expectant manner as a silent 'well? Keep going'.

The Jedi Master turned away, eyes back on his hand in hers.

"There's more that I learned about our history that puts what I and the entire Order know into question." Kenobi further elaborated. "We have our history in our archives and library but what Tython has been revealed… it's as if so many missing pieces are clicking into place and some of us are questioning whether or not we should allow such a thing."

Satine frowned at that. "Is the knowledge that can better and improve your Order something to be avoided?"

"That's just it, so many of us are finding ourselves torn." Obi-Wan freely admitted. "We need to know our past, we must understand our history. But what it shows us is making many question if our Order is on the right path anymore. The war had already started these issues but now, Tython all but accelerated it."

The Duchess was slightly unsure as to what to say to her beloved, thinking it over for a moment before she had a small realization.

"Are you… frightened, perhaps?" She quietly asked.

Obi-Wan didn't reply, only furrowing his brows in deep contemplation.

"Frightened…" He repeated to himself. "I am not sure. Perhaps I am. Perhaps I am not."

"Or perhaps, you are afraid of the lack of control that the Order will have with these changes." Satine stated with gentle firmness.

The Jedi Master ran his free hand over his beard. "One can say it so. Another would say I'm being stubborn." He gives her a teasing glance. "Sounds like someone I know."

The Duchess took this in stride, giving him a disparaging smirk. "Yes, yes. I know the similarities." She then released a small sigh. "Obi-Wan," Satine held up a hand to his cheek, tilting his face in her direction. "I understand, you know I do. You know what I tried to do, what I tried to change."

"You went against what was already there, Satine."

"Yes, but I am still able to instill change. To react in a way that at least, I can help steer my people in a better direction." She rebuked. "Obi-Wan, sometimes, there are things that are always out of your control. Your master told you that when the two of you kept me safe."

Obi-Wan winced at that, now vividly recalling that memory and lesson.

"But what you can do is react in a way that can assess, pivot and allow the current of events to flow and the part you can play in at the very least, guiding it in a better direction." Satine declared. "Mandalore Spar recognizes this and it's why we must unite the Mandalorian clans and show them the path forward that honors the past, changes what is needed but still keeps the core of our people intact. Just as you should do for your Order."

"And what is the core of the Jedi?" Obi-Wan couldn't help but ask, startled slightly at the look he received from the elder Kryze.

"You are protectors of the innocent, the Republic, the galaxy, and adherents to the Force. To life." Satine firmly stated. her query. "Justice, peace, and loyalty also come to mind. But it's not really the core principles you're desiring."

"Maybe," Obi-Wan mumbled. "Maybe I am unsure of these changes. In the Jedi Order," He placed his hand over his chest. "And with me."

It was then that Satine's expression shifted, now into outright worry.

The shift in his demeanor was rather sharp and threw her off. In the many years she had known Obi-Wan, had seen how he always presented himself, seeing him like this… so vulnerable and uncertain…

"What… Obi-Wan," Satine softly asked, placing a hand on his back. "Is everything alright?"

Once more, silence was the first response for several seconds when the Jedi Master looked at her again.

"We… never really talked much about what happened back then, did we?" His tone was hard to discern.

"And what exactly are you referring to?"

Obi-Wan snorted. "Come now, Satine, I know you better than that."

She gave him a weak smile. "I thought you already made it clear."

"And yet, that hasn't stopped you, has it?"

Now Satine was shameless, shaking her head. "Never will. My love for you shall never die. Even after all these years, my heart is forever yours, infuriating as you can be sometimes."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes good-naturedly at that, hearing her giggle at his reaction. Though he appeared nonplussed, through the Force, Obi-Wan could feel the honesty in her words. When she declared her love for him, it was as true now as it was then, if not more so. He could even feel it, clear as day, unlike any time in the past.

Was this the result of his time on Tython? Of furthering his knowledge and connection to the Force?

"Do you still wish for me to walk away from the Order?" He couldn't help but ask, despite the tone appearing to be rhetorical.

Satine shook her head, gently rubbing his face now. "I know where you belong, my dear. But now, I learned that perhaps, that doesn't mean we still can't be something more?"

"And what makes you believe that?" He inquired, a genuine question of interest.

The Duchess bit her lip, looking around before leaning forward conspiratorially.

"What of Padme and Anakin?" Satine whispered. "They are married, no?"

Obi-Wan's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets, his head snapping in her direction.

"I-You-What?! You… you know?!" He said in stunned surprise.

Satine coughed into her hand, slightly embarrassed and ashamed now but glad to know that what her friend told her about Obi-Wan knowing was now confirmed to be true.

"Yes, well, Padme recently revealed her relationship with Skywalker to me when we last met together. It was simply the two of us spending time together after another one of those meetings with all the senators and representatives and we had some tea and such and it just sort of… ended up coming out."

"...Well… that is quite the security risk."

"Though it is one which I can help alleviate for her. I at least know how to keep such a secret under lock and key, if necessary." Satine remarked. "Plus, she has told me that he has informed his own Padawan of this. And that the Avengers were apparently privy to this marriage for far longer."

Obi-Wan now had a grumpy frown at that reminder, one that caused a surprised laugh from the Mandalorian Politician.

"Oh my word, I never would have thought to have lived long enough to see such an expression like that, my dear." She teased, giggling incessantly, much to his chagrin.

"Yes, well, I am still trying to make sense of it all and come to terms with it." Obi-Wan said, freeing his other hand at last and resting his head in both hands for a moment. "When Anakin told me… I always had a sneaking suspicion but even still, perhaps I willingly ignored it. But when he told me, I just…"

He couldn't finish his thought as he had found himself at a mental wall of sorts.

"Just?" Satine patiently said.

"I still don't know what to do with that." He said after a few moments.

Satine hummed, leaning her head on his shoulder now.

"I wager he placed a lot of trust in telling you this part of himself of great importance."

"He said he is willing to leave the Order." Kenobi added, the Duchess only releasing another hum, gently stroking his back.

"Did he? I wonder who could've given such a radical idea?"

Obi-Wan had a fairly good idea as to who she was referring to.

"Who says you need to be in the Jedi Order to do good, my love?" She suddenly asked, making him look at her. "Though the Jedi have their flaws and such, most assumed that they are the pillars of justice and peace and while they are, I believe that the galaxy solely relying on you is an unfair burden at times. But at the same time, you don't need to be part of the Jedi to be those who do good. Just look at those like Cham Syndulla, Bail Organa, Mon Mothma and Padme. They are not Jedi yet they still do good to the best of their ability. And then there's the Avengers."

Obi-Wan said nothing, allowing her to go on.

"One can leave one part of their life, but still act in it. One can never be fully cemented once departing. After all, you were in the Order for so long, those teachings and experiences will never leave you as they've already shaped and molded you into being who you are now." Satine now stood to stand in front of him, making him crane his neck up at her. "But I know you belong in the Jedi Order. You need to be there, my love. You need to be there, help take in what you are learning, relearning and be the stalwart rock that reminds them what they have to be and what they must do."

She took his hands and got him to stand up, giving him a loving smile, one he had seen so many times before.

"And you don't have to do it alone." She whispered, placing a chaste kiss upon his lips.

Rather than pull away, the Jedi Master's body moved on its own, pulling her closer for a deeper kiss, one she gladly reciprocated. They had remained in this kiss for a long while until they pulled apart, lightly panting for air.

Whilst there was a moment of shame within the Jedi for so easily "succumbing" to his emotions, the love radiating from Satine that was directed at him superseded any regrets or remorse. He placed his forehead on hers and gave her a heartfelt smile.

"Thank you, Satine."

"Always, Obi-Wan."

-Scene Cut-

"HA!"

A female Kel-Dor flicked her hand forward, slapping it on a stone pillar. The air around her hand rippled, cracks forming on the pillar before it shattered a moment later. The Jedi took a step back, releasing a small sigh while flicking her hand several times.

"Well done, Sha," A male, baritone praised from behind. "Once more."

The Kel-Dor straightened up and nodded. "Yes, uncle."

Plo Koon folded his arms, silently observing his niece Sha Koon as she readied her Form I stance as new pillars rose from the ground with floating training spheres coming down from the ceiling. There was a pause, a brief instance of silence when Sha moved, blaster bolts being fired at her a moment later.

From the stone pillars, small turrets appeared, adding to the fire as the Kel-Dor Jedi lept about, all while performing wide arches and swings, blocking and deflecting all the bolts headed her way, taking out several pillars and spheres in the process.

Plo Koon watched on in silence, taking note of her form and movements, finding it to be swift, tight, and controlled all while having the freedom to adjust and pivot when needed.

Though he was absorbed in watching his young niece train, it didn't prevent him from sensing the familiar sense of the individual who strolled up to stand beside him.

"How's she coming along?" Asked the familiar voice, the Kel-Dor Master hummed aloud.

"Doing well. I believe she'll do well when she takes her Trials." Plo remarked with certainty.

"Hmmm, hmmm, Looks like it." The voice praised.

"You are not that far behind yourself, little 'Soka." Plo stated. "I wouldn't be surprised if your trials as a Jedi Knight come sooner than later."

The Togrutan Padawan blinked at hearing this, glancing up at the Jedi Master who found her and brought her into the Jedi Order.

"What?" Ahsoka blurted out, eyes wide in disbelief. "Me? A Jedi Knight? Already?"

Plo nodded his head. "Indeed, young one. Your growth and evolution have been an astounding thing to watch. It wouldn't be a hazard to surmise that you are likely among the most skilled Padawans in the Order."

Ahsoka was now blushing bashfully, idly kicking her feet slightly her hands behind her back.

"W-Well, I don't know about that." She tried to sound calm yet hearing such praise made her smile brightly, looking down at the floor. "A-And besides, that feels a bit unfair. I'm not the only Padawan ready to become a Knight."

The Kel-Dor already knew to whom she was referring to, beating her to the punch.

"Yes, I am well aware of the growth of others within the Order. Barriss Offee is another who has been undergoing a considerable degree herself." Plo mused. "Luminara practically glows when speaking of her Padawan's advancement as a Jedi. I do believe that the Jedi Order's next knights and masters hold far more promise than once perceived."

Ahsoka's bashful smile turned into one of pure love at the thought of her Mirialan lover.

"Yeah, she's amazing." She lovingly said. "You know she's been taken into Kamar-Taj?"

"I've heard." Plo nodded. "More knowledge and abilities that can become part of our Order. Aid us in better understanding the Force and our duty to it and the galaxy. Luminara must be proud of her personal growth."

"Ahsoka?"

The Togruta glanced forward, seeing Sha Koon having stopped her training and jogged over to her.

"Ahsoka!" The younger Kel-Dor happily greeted. "I didn't see you there. Apologies, I was so absorbed in my training-"

"No apologies are needed, Sha." Ahsoka cut her off with a smile. "I didn't want to distract you from your training." The Togruta then crossed her arms, tapping her chin with her index in thought. "Was that Shatterpoint, by any chance?"

The niece of Plo Koon nodded vigorously.

"A variant of it." Sha clarified, looking over to the right and holding up her hand. From a table tucked in the corner of the room, a Holocron levitated from it and flew into her hand.

She held it up for Ahsoka to see and though her breathing apparatus and goggles obscured her facial features, the excitement was easy to sense.

"This is a Holocron from the days of Grandmaster Satele Shan!" She eagerly said. "This is a Holocron from Jedi Master Gnost-Dural. His knowledge is incredible. The way he describes the different utilizations of Shatterpoint is astounding! I never even thought of using it with pulses or wide-range, pinpoint blasts. It's incredible!"

Ahsoka giggled at her excitement. "Don't have too much fun with it."

There was a rumbling chuckle beside her.

"Yes, I believe you've done more than enough for today, Sha." Plo spoke up, placing a hand on his niece's shoulder. "I don't want your arms nearly broken like last time."

At the reminder of that memory, Sha calmed down but remained in high spirits. "I won't uncle, I promise."

"Good." Plo gestures her to another door. "Now go wash up and get yourself some rest. That's enough for today."

"Are you sure, Uncle?"

Plo nodded. "You've been at this since morning. A Jedi might be strong but any and all across the galaxy understands the power of a proper rest."

"Yes, Uncle." She bowed her head, with the elder Kel-Dor patting her on the back.

"Go on now." He instructed.

His niece did as she was told, leaving the Jedi Master and Padawan to themselves. Plo Koon then placed his hand on Ahsoka's shoulder, turning to exit the room himself.

"Come, Ahsoka." He softly said. "It has been some time since you and I were able to converse to ourselves. I would like to see how things have been progressing with your training."

Ahsoka brightened slightly at hearing that, falling in step next to the Council Member.

"We don't spend much time like we used to." Ahsoka admitted with a wistful tone.

"Which is unfortunate, but it is best to take advantage of the time we do have." Plo stated. "Much is shifting and changing in the Order. Some might find that overwhelming."

Ahsoka couldn't help herself, letting out a small snort.

"Well, you wouldn't be wrong there, Master Plo." Tano commented, letting out an over-dramatic sigh. "I mean, I know things have "calmed down" for the moment but everything we've been doing since Tython has been… I wouldn't know if I should call it chaotic but it is a lot. All that knowledge, all that history, all those ancient practices. All twenty-five to thirty-five thousand years of it. I think we're gonna need more Jedi and even outside help to sift through it all."

"You won't be wrong on that one. May take some lifetimes."

The young Togruta couldn't help but snort at a stray thought that crossed her mind. "Maybe we can ask Thor to do it for us. He's gonna live a long life since he told us his father is five thousand years old. Thor can definitely pull it off."

There was a small rumbling chuckle from the Kel-Dor Master. "Perhaps. But despite the wisdom he has conveyed, I fear Thor to be not the scholarly sort."

Pondering a little, Ahsoka figured that to be true. He did like to solve a lot of his problems with Mjolnir.

Her thoughts were cut off by the sound of excited chattering, her eyes trailing over to a group of Younglings being guided by a Male Rodian Jedi Master.

"Come now, young ones, settle down." The Rodian gently chided. "You can have your conversations and questions after the lesson. Master Plo."

"Master Zel." Plo said in turn.

The Rodian nodded at the Kel-Dor, giving one to Ahsoka before he continued guiding his class of Younglings down the hall.

"Glad to see something like that after everything that's happened." Ahsoka found herself saying.

"It is needed," Plo commented. "We must remember not to fall into despair or sorrow. If we allow ourselves to be exposed to such thoughts, they will take root and bring far more harm than we have already endured."

"Haven't we endured enough, though?"

"One must never stop. To endure is a constant that one must strive through." The Kel-Dor stated. "It is how we Jedi become stronger. To confront our adversity, be it physical, mental, metaphorical, spiritual and so on. It is as your good friend Mr. Parker has instilled, both in you and Barriss. And with Grandmaster Yoda. A responsibility to do so."

Ahsoka couldn't help but hold a more pained smile at the thought of her other lover. After hearing the tale as to how Peter learned the meaning behind those words, it was one where he learned at a painful price.

And the tragedy of this was that it is sometimes only through pain and loss that such lessons could truly be instilled, despite wishing anything but that.

"But in that," Plo went on, bringing Ahsoka back out of her thoughts. "To relieve such issues, one can look towards another for assistance. For your case, it would be towards not just Skywalker but other Masters as well. And eventually, a master towards their apprentice. A master brings on foresight with their years of experience in teaching their padawan in preparing them for the future. Yet at the same time, the Padawan will indirectly teach their Master perspectives and views on themselves that they never would have seen. It is the reflection and contrast needed to become more whole. To become better Jedi, for themselves, their Padawans and the galaxy."

"Heh," Ahsoka abruptly laughed cheerfully, slightly confusing Plo. "I always knew you were wise, Master Plo, but it feels like you've gotten even smarter from last time."

The Kel-Dor released an amused huff, placing an arm around her shoulder. "Perhaps I have just read some motivational texts and memorized it so I could trick you into believing that."

"Then it's working." Tano teased.

The pair fell into a comfortable silence, walking through the halls, passing by several other Jedi, one being another Master and Padawan. Seeing this, a stray thought came through Plo's mind.

"Tell me, Ahsoka, how are things progressing with Skywalker?" Plo inquired. "With everything that has occurred, I hope the two of you have been able to at least train consistently together."

"We have," Ahsoka assured. "Master Skywalker has been making sure he's training me as often as possible. We were actually researching a variant of Form V from 5000 years ago that we wanted to show you."

Plo Koon hummed in intrigue. "I look forward to receiving such a lesson."

"Yeah, it's been great." Ahsoka happily said. "Master Skywalker and I, I don't know how to explain it but we've… I don't know, it's like we don't even need to explain ourselves sometimes to each other. We just know what we're gonna do before it even happens now. I know Jedi have some form of instinctual precognition with the Force but this… this feels different. Like… more advanced."

"That shouldn't come as a surprise." Plo remarked.

With all these taken into consideration, one may as well make new forms in combining several old and new.

The Kel-Dor master would contemplate further on such matters and bring it up with the Council at a later date. But for now, he wanted to address a different topic.

"A bond such as yours with Skywalker is rather unique, little 'Soka."

"What do you mean?"

"Bonds between a master and an apprentice strengthen over time. That is common knowledge. Doesn't just apply to the order, but everywhere in all walks of life. And depending on how strong one's bond is, they wouldn't need to exchange words to know things are. Even beyond one's between a master and an apprentice."

Pondering a little, Ahsoka thinks of one example. "Like how it is with you and Sha?"

Plo nods. "When I was tasked with bringing my niece to the temple, we didn't have to speak to each other to convey what things were to be. Even though she wasn't my padawan, the bond was still there."

Ahsoka was silent for a second. "Family."

"Mmmm, yes, it shouldn't come as a surprise." Plo confirmed. "After all, my own Uncle was a Jedi as well."

The Padawan's head turned to him in surprise. "Really? You had an Uncle in the Order?"

"My family has a long lineage of members joining the Jedi Order if they don't join the one sect of my fellow Kel-Dorians, the Baran Do Sages."

"Wow." Ahsoka murmured. "How far back does it go?"

"I… am not so sure of myself, frankly," Plo admitted. "I've lost track after a good dozen generations."

Several more pairs of Jedi Masters with their Padawans passed by the two, all holding Holocrons, datapads, and scrolls, of all things. Undoubtedly from Ossus and Tython given that scrolls were a rarity even in a place as old as the Coruscant Temple. The Togruta saw from one of the opened scrolls of ancient combat artwork when Jedi still utilized Force Sabers over the lightsaber.

"Master," Ahsoka slowly said. "What do you make of everything we've learned from Tython? You were one of the Jedi who discovered the planet and I don't doubt the changes that are coming now to the Order."

"I believe it is far more necessary than some would realize." The Kel-Dor Jedi immediately said, surprising the younger Jedi at the ease with which he appeared to answer her.

"Really?" She couldn't help but ask. "I heard that some of the Council isn't too keen on it."

"It shouldn't come as a surprise." Koon admitted, glancing at her. "Old habits are hard to break, are they not? Despite all that history is telling us of our 25,000 years of being here, for the last thousand years, the Jedi Order as we know it has been the one that has upheld peace and justice for a millennia. Or at least we believed it to be. Now, everything we thought we once knew is being challenged and there will naturally be detractors."

"But you're not opposed to it." Ahsoka stated, to be certain of his belief.

"No, I am not." The Kel-Dor firmly confirmed, crossing his arms with his brows visibly furrowing. "I have been thinking about all this for a while now, ever since we encountered the being called the Bendu,"

Ahsoka's mind immediately went to that strange but wise being. He was much like Yoda with his mannerisms yet different at the same time.

"He spoke of the stagnation the Jedi have been experiencing for the past few decades and after considerable study, research, and meditation, I find myself agreeing with him far more than I had realized." Plo murmured. "I had thought that perhaps it was an oversight, perhaps it was not as bad as I had initially believed."

Ahsoka's lips turned downwards. "Initially…"

Plo was measured with his next set of words. "I have thought very carefully about what the Bendu said. He spoke of how wisdom and knowledge, while important, pale in comparison to the power of imagination, curiosity and creativity. That all this is needed in tandem with the necessity of progress. And when looking back on the ways our Order used to be, so much lost or forbidden knowledge and practices, it made me realize that the Jedi have indeed allowed themselves to become stagnant and unmoving."

The Kel-Dor sighed in a kind of self-admonishing resignation. "We have become too complacent, too comfortable, deafened, almost to the glories of the past. We were so certain that we can and always will prevail, that justice and the belief in good would be enough but I now see that it was a doomed eventuality. This war with the Sith, had we been more aware, and not allowed ourselves to get comfortable, perhaps this would have been able to be avoided, resolving it in a peaceful manner. Now Jedi from all ages are exposed to a horror few have endured and worse off, even fewer could have anticipated or prepared for. We are not the Jedi of old where battle was common, wars were fought every few decades or so and the Sith was as prominent a threat as they once were. I may praise how far you've come along in your training Ahsoka, but I mourn the ways in which you have. Through war and death, seeing so much turmoil and conflict."

Ahsoka wanted to find a counter argument but there was a part of her that held back. She wanted to say how, despite the war, Ahsoka truly believed in doing good no matter the circumstance and it is through the war that she had gained lasting companionship with so many people.

"At the same time, perhaps this war was indeed inevitable and a much-needed wake-up call to the Jedi." Plo said, causing Ahsoka to make a slightly off-put face. "Much as the Jedi tries to do good, the choices of others remain in their own hands. As much as the Force has a Will of its own, all beings possess their own free will, free to choose what they wish to do in their lives. Some would opt to live simple lives, getting by as they see fit. Others desire a greater purpose, a higher calling. Then there are those who opt for a path of destruction, one that would bring about death and harm to many."

Ahsoka found herself looking down, a deep frown now on her face.

"Then what do we do, Master Plo?"

"We must continue forward." Koon plainly answered, having her look back up at him. "Everything that is happening right now must not be avoided. We have to allow the process to take its course and adapt and react to the best of our abilities. We shall take all this knowledge, all these perspectives and we must make the right choices for when the far more drastic challenges occur. And above all else, take in the new and hold fast to what is the core of a Jedi."

"And what is our Core?" Ahsoka couldn't help but ask.

"That, Ahsoka, is for you to find out for yourself." Plo said. "I've come to learn that each Jedi has their own path, their own definition of what makes them a Jedi at their core. But what I can say is hold true to what you have learned. Protect the people of the galaxy, fight, not because you want to but because it is always, always in the service and defense of those who cannot fight for themselves. And to never believe you must stand alone. You are never alone. You have the Order, your Master, myself, the 501st legion and Peter and Barriss."

While Ahsoka had a smile forming at everything Plo just said to her, there was a momentary pause at the mention of her two lovers. She didn't know if she was looking into it too much but… that tone Master Plo spoke with, specifically towards the end of his sentence…

'Does he know?'

Before she could question him…

"Just know this, little 'Soka." Plo placed both his hands on her shoulder, looking her square in the eyes despite the goggles he wore. "Many years ago, I found a young Togruta that came up to a Jedi cloaked in darkness and rather than flee, she came up to him and held out her hand when he offered his own. On that day, I saw the potential of not only a special Jedi but of what the future could bring for our Order and our galaxy."

There was a glisten in Ahsoka's eyes, deeply touched by his words. Through the Force Bond she had long shared with the Kel-Dor who first found her those many years ago, she felt the sincerity and pride in his heart as he spoke.

With a choked, tearful laugh, Ahsoka moved forward and hugged Plo, the Master reciprocating the gesture.

-Scene Cut-

In another location of the Jedi Temple, a number of people were training in their craft.

Many had Masters and Knights instructing younglings and Padawans on the new, or rather retro, combat styles of their Order.

In one such room were six women. Or rather, five with an infant girl watching them on a comfy cushion. Her attention was rather sporadic in switching between her toys and the women before her in the distance.

"Easy, easy, no need to go that far with the follow-through." The infant perked up at the sound of her mother's voice, glancing over to a head of red hair assisting a young teen girl with horns and black hair.

"Steady your hand, Maris," A sage Togruta with red skin advised calmly. "You have come this far already. You do not need to rush your efforts."

"Sorry Master," The Zabrak murmured.

"You need not apologize." Her master softly assured. "Just take your time in the movements and allow the Force to guide your hand."

"You need not doubt your capabilities," The Mirialan Jedi Master spoke up. "Barriss had similar issues at the start and she has come far herself."

"My Master is right, Maris." Barriss Offee kindly said. "I had made many mistakes when I was trying to utilize a new form. Yours is far more unique than many Jedi in the Order."

Maris Brood gave all the women an appreciative smile before looking back to the sole Avenger in the room.

"So, how do I do it again?"

Black Widow moved to stand by the side of the Padawan, taking hold of her arm and making her hold her limb out straight in a downward angle.

"Working with tonfa variants of your lightsabers is clearly gonna prove some difficulty." Natasha spoke all the while, getting Maris into a proper posture. "I'm mostly used to full-on wooden or metal with the occasional blade. Plasma blades, however…"

"Of course, Natasha." The Zabrak quickly agreed.

"Still we can work out with the basics you've got the hang of and go on from there." Widow stated. "Right now, it's all about consistency. Mastering a punch a thousand times over until it's second nature."

"Remember, you must allow your instincts and the Force to work in tandem, my Padawan." Jedi Master Shaak Ti said, her voice as calm and serene as ever. "When your body feels a limitation, trust in the Force to complete your movements."

Maris silently nodded as Natasha finished having her take the posture that she needed and stepped back. She pressed on her wrist pad with a dozen modified drones appeared. The Zabrak clenched her tonfa-sabers tightly, rolling her shoulders and held her breath for a brief moment.

After another second, the first shot from one of the drones came and Brood dashed forward. She angled her body down and then exploded up into an upward swing, incapacitating one drone. The Padawan kept moving, twirling one of her sabers to deflect several blaster bolts sent her way.

She used the Force to push one away then pulled one in and sliced it in two.

Maris' body was still for a moment, jumping into a backflip with several blaster bolts flying beneath her. She finished her arching flip, slamming both her feet into two drones before turning and throwing her lightsaber at the remaining drones behind her and taking them out.

The Zabraks hand was outstretched, the Force recalling her saber back into her hand.

Shaak Ti smiled widely, walking forward and Maris turned to her master with anticipation.

"Well done, My Padawan." She praised, causing a bright smile to appear on the teen.

"Doing alright there." Came the Widow's comment. "Now you're ready for the next phase. Just remember what Shaky has been telling you, let things flow naturally."

The Togruta Master rolled her eyes in amusement at the Avenger's nickname of her whereas Maris giggled slightly. "Of course, Natasha."

"It would seem things are settled here." Luminara spoke up. "If you would excuse us both."

"See ya Lumi."

"Master Unduli."

"By Barriss."

As Shaak Ti and Natasha helped out on Maris' training, Barriss and Luminara took a break, exiting the room and walking down one of the many hallways of the Temple.

"Your form has improved, my Padawan." Luminara stated approvingly. "I was concerned that being chosen to learn the Mystic Arts would result in some of your training to be neglected. It gladdens me to know that I was mistaken."

"Thank you, Master. But if I may, what should we do now?" Asks Barriss. "The War may be on hold, for all intents and purposes but it does not mean that it has officially been decreed to be over."

Unduli quirked a teasing brow in her protege's direction. "Antsy, aren't you?"

"Just a lot of free time now after Ultron's defeat with relative peace talks occurring." The younger Mirialan admitted. "All that's left to possibly end the war is settling the issues with these insurgent systems given said talks happening."

"Yes. It is quite the unique predicament." Luminara mused. "But lest you forget, we cannot allow ourselves to become comfortable. The start of the Clone Wars was our first jolt to the system and Ultron compounded on it and made it worse. We must not become complacent and have any further threats and dangers surprise us. There is still the matter of our troopers and the chips in their heads that we must attend to."

Barriss winced at that reminder, shooting her master a remorseful gaze.

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner-"

Luminara let out a soft shush, patting her Padawan's arm. "You need not dwell on that matter, my dear. What does matter is you did tell me and that's what matters now."

"Of course, Master."

"Though I wonder if you're up to going to the library… again."

In a surprising response, Barriss gave off an unusual groan. "I've spent enough time there already."

The elder Mirialan wasn't able to help herself and laughed lightly.

"Really?" Luminara gives her Padawan a teasing grin. "I would've thought you'd enjoy going there."

"I did, at first. But I honestly need time away from there." A comedic look of horror graced Barriss' features. "So many hours of research and study back then… I don't want to end up living there."

"Yet it was through the combined efforts of you and the others did you all discovered the lost archives of Ossus and later Tython." She reminded, a proud undercurrent in her tone. "The Jedi Order is essentially entering into a renaissance if one could call it that. And it was all thanks to your efforts with Ahsoka, Anakin and the rest that were with you when Tython was found."

"Master~" Barriss was now blushing bashfully, embarrassed by such praise.

Luminara released a loud laugh, one rare for a Jedi Master such as herself yet she found it came naturally.

A lot of new experiences and actions having been coming naturally to one of the newest members of the Jedi Council.

"For now, we must think of the present and the future." Luminara went on. "Perhaps preparation for your Trials is in order."

This made Barriss halt her steps in surprise. "M-My Trials?"

Unduli smiled slightly. "Why yes. I believe you're ready to undertake them."

This ended up having Barriss become slightly bewildered and babbling in surprise. "B-But… But… huh?"

"My, my, it seems Peter and Ahsoka really have influenced you." Luminara humored.

"Master~~!" She whined, throwing her arms up to her face, covering her now blushing cheeks.

The Council member placed her arm around her Padawan, giving her a small side hug, Barriss lowering her face to shoot her an annoyed look that melted away a second later.

They shared a small laugh.

"In all honesty, I do believe you're ready." Luminara earnestly said.

The Padawan frowned thoughtfully with a hint of uncertainty. "How so?"

Looking onward ever so slightly, Luminara lists them off. "In a sad way, this war has made many undergo the Trials at an ever-rapid pace, be it consciously or subconsciously. Conflict and struggles are always a necessity of growth but war is an entirely different matter. It made many -like yourself- push themselves and learn new skills to become better members of the Order, whether it is practical, physical, mental, and so forth. That can be considered the easiest to perhaps succeed on." A frown mares Luminara's face with what came next. "Ultron's presence truly tested… so many throughout the galaxy with the other Trials. The Courage to face such a monstrous horror."

Barriss' hands tighten ever so briefly on the memories flashing through her mind. She takes deep breaths and does her best to calm herself so she won't unsettle her emotions with what dark moments washed over her.

Her master noticed this but understood the concern as she went onward. "The other Trials you've undergone have worked out from what I've read and heard. Your teamwork has been remarkable. The fear… and anger… You've spoken of them in the sessions with Sam Wilson, opening yourself up so you can work through that pain. It soon helped your focus and instinct, especially since you stated it was affecting your desire to heal others. And before all that, you persevered in protecting Aubrie against Ultron at the Citadel with everything you had; even as she was on the road to recovery. Even when Peter was… thrashed by Ultron, you did all you could to heal him. Those and more helped resolve your Spirit." Luminara ponders slightly on what came last. "Though I might believe Insight is perhaps lacking. I wouldn't know about the illusional aspect, but the puzzles and riddles were resolved in your earlier travels… and your time in the archives."

Barriss silently absorbed all this, quite stunned by her master's belief in her.

"How… um… what would my trials be like, Master?" Was the first question that came out.

"I wouldn't fully know how things may go when you fully take your test of ascension." Luminara honestly said. "Each trial in becoming a knight is unique to each Jedi. What I had to go through would be drastically different from yours or similar with some nuances here and there."

"I see. I thank you, at least, for the forewarning."

Luminara smiled at her, making her student turn to face her. "Barriss, I'm not trying to scare you. I know this might be sudden and abrupt but it is not something I tell you so lightly if I didn't believe in you. You have advanced and progressed so rapidly, there are times when I can't believe it. Yet at the same time, the joy I find myself experiencing in seeing how far you have come is indescribable. I am proud of you, my Padawan. So proud that I can never properly convey it through words. Only through our bond in the Force."

The younger Mirialan was at a momentary loss for words. To hear such praise and adulation from her Master was one of the best types of feelings Barriss experienced but this one in particular felt far more special than usual.

It came with the addition of her believing that she was ready to become a Jedi Knight.

Such a prospect was something every Padawan always aspired to achieve and to hear it now…

So then why was she feeling guilty?

It was sudden and seemingly out of nowhere yet the root of it came from an earlier part of their conversation.

When she had learned of the inhibitor chips within the clones, Barriss wished to inform her Master as soon as possible. After doing so, a weight was lifted off her shoulders… that now weighed within her heart.

Telling her of the chips was one issue…

But telling her of her relationship with Ahsoka and Peter?

Now that… that might be a far graver conversation than one might think.

And this sudden internal conflict was quickly sensed by her Master, the elder Mirialans expression shifting into concern.

"Barriss?" Lumi softly said. "What's wrong?"

Offee was silent, still absorbed in her thoughts. She thought of Ahsoka and Anakin, how their relationship was an open book, having next to no secrets between the two to the point that the latter witnessed the former start her relationship with Peter… before joining them.

But apparently, he still doesn't know that her intimate relationship also extended to her. Only May Parker is the one who is fully aware of the extent of their relationship.

And Tony Stark, of all people. Maybe the other Avengers are aware but that remains to be seen.

But that's beside the point.

Right now… right now, she wished to be fully open and honest with her master.

Had this been a year ago, such an idea would have been downright impossible, if not improbable. Barriss and Luminara were almost a matching pair with how they were, both in form, grace, demeanor and even Lightsaber style.

But this wasn't last year. A lot has happened in 365 days with some change and here they are, in the midst of what was essentially a Jedi Reformation.

And she wished to take the next step forward, in her life and in her relationship with her Master.

"I don't exactly know if I'd be fully ready with my Trials."

Lumi gave her a sympathetic smile. "No one ever is, my Padawan. A good way of knowing is admitting as such."

"Especially with what other factors may affect them."

Unduli blinked at that. "Oh? How so?"

"How my teamwork is far different than the norm."

This merely confused Luminara. "Teamwork in times of conflict will always be unusual when-"

"That's not where I'm getting at, Master." Barriss interjected with a shake of her head. "This is different from what is the usual sort of matter."

Luminara frowned but remained silent, patiently waiting for her student to elaborate.

"What do you make of Peter and Ahsoka?" Her Padawan asked, openly throwing her master off.

"I… what now?" Luminara was bewildered. "What do they have to-"

"Please master," Offee interrupted. "I just… wish to know your own thoughts on this."

Hearing the unusual request, the Master did her best to answer.

"Well, I do believe they are like you in many ways. Exceptional young ones who are only just starting to tap into their greater potential. And undoubtedly it have been a great boon to the Order, the galaxy, the Avengers and to yourself. I am grateful that you have come to have them as your close friends and companions." Were her honest words about the two individuals in question. "I understand that they have been by your side for many of the trials and tribulations you have been undergoing whenever I cannot be there to do my duty as a Master. And for that, I am grateful for them."

Barriss smiled shakily, glad to hear such high praise for her beloved two.

"They really have been," She quietly said. "More than some would realize."

"Now is there a reason why you brought this on?"

The Mirialan Padawan bit her lip nervously, her hands fidgeting together slightly as she internally talked herself up into coming forward to her Master.

"What if… what if we were more than just friends?" Her voice was barely audible but the proximity she had to Luminara coupled with the empty hallway didn't impede her master being able to hear her clearly.

Luminara's brows furrowed. "I do not follow."

This earned a look from Barriss, being a mix of frustration and anxiety.

"What if we were more than just friends." She said once more, stressing the question this time. "Far more than… what's acceptable in the Order."

It took the Master a moment but Barriss' words and importantly, her unspoken implication began to set in. Eyes slowly widen as Luminara's mind finally registers. As a result…

Reboot… Reboot… Luminara-exe… Reboot… Reboot…

To Barriss at least, her Master's expression reminded her of what she assumed her face to be when she saw Ahsoka and Peter kiss for the first time. It was such a strange face and so foreign to see on one as calm and graceful as her master.

Times really have changed, haven't they?

"Barriss…" Luminara croaked out, and a look of what seemed like actual fear flashed across her face. "Barriss… have you-"

"Yes." Her Padawan all but confirmed, resolute in tone, yet terrified through the eyes. "I have fallen in love with Ahsoka and Peter and have committed myself to them." There was a tremble now in her voice and her eyes glistened slightly. "I'm sorry that I had formed attachments with Ahsoka and Peter, but… but I can't help it. We opened up to each other. We grew so close."

The Padawan did withhold the tidbit where things went further with Simby's presence. She honestly didn't know how to explain that.

Of course, they didn't go to… what do the Earthers say? Fourth Base? A Homerun? They just haven't crossed the final threshold though even that was likely to change soon. So many odd phrases that are sometimes hard to work with. Honestly going into such a stage of their relationship, she felt, should be saved for a special occasion. They had almost done the deed a few times already but she knew it wasn't long until their relationship would enter the next stage.

Such an idea made her nervous and giddy at the same time. Yet her thoughts ran wild in recollecting how she felt. Their kisses taste like joy. Her heart and perhaps her spirit sang as such. She yearned for their touch and vice versa. All that and more coursed through her mind.

"I love them and they love me." A tear fell from her eye upon saying these words and the impact was clear to see on her Master. "Every time I'm with them, my love for them only grows and strengthens. They are why I have become who I am today. Whenever I am held by them, I feel safe, powerful, just… something I can never describe. I honestly do not know how things may be without being with them. And I feel honestly scared if something were to happen to either or both of them."

She saw the expression her mentor held and gently took hold of one of her hands. "And it extends to you as well, Master. You… you're all I will ever have as a mother in my life and losing you now terrifies me. So if, by some horrible chance, I were to lose you… I would at least wish to be able to have had a completely open and honest relationship with you. If anyone should know all of the truth, it's you, Master Luminara."

Silence permeated between the two, an ambient, unidentifiable noise in the background.

They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity but it was only a few seconds.

"I… I see." Luminara says after moments of silence. "I thank you for telling me this. It must've taken… a lot of courage in… telling me this."

"Master?"

"I… need to be on my own right now… and process… everything." Luminara turned away, pausing before looking back at her student. "I'm not mad, Barriss, I promise. I just… I believe I need to be alone. Please."

Her Padawan silently nodded and seeing the look in her eyes sent a painful feeling in the older Mirialans heart.

Forcing herself to part from her Padawan, Luminara turned to walk away.

Seeing her master leave, Barriss can only feel worry in her heart about what may happen now.

She was a member of the Jedi Council, even if partially given she currently has a Padawan. But she was still influential and one mention of Barriss' relationship with Peter and Ahsoka can result in not only her expulsion from the Order but Ahsoka as well.

Sure the Jedi were undergoing reformation and all but there were still far more sticklers for the old ways in comparison to the new yet somehow old-school view of the Jedi Order.

Did she make the right decision?

Did telling her master really-

"Barriss?" Came a familiar voice from behind, cutting off her thoughts.

The Padawan turned to see Peter standing there. She didn't even realize he was in the temple and she would have questioned what he was doing her but all that didn't matter. The boy's expression immediately shifted upon seeing the state she was in. "Are you alright?"

Barriss gazed at him for a while, her heart torn between what she just told her master and seeing one of the two most important people in her life. She sniffled, tears now freely streaming down her face, making her boyfriend panic. "Can… Can we go back to my chambers? I… I…"

Seeing her discomfort, Peter knew she needed a cuddle session, stat! "Say no more."

Disregarding the fact that they were in the temple, the Avenger scooped up Barriss into a bridal carry, the Padawan snuggling against her lover instantly as he dashed away to her room.

All the while, now walking alone in the temple, Luminara's mind was a whirlwind with Barriss' confession.

It… it was…

Luminara felt her heart clench, unable to fully process what her Padawan just told her. Taking a moment to look back, the Jedi Master always presumed Barriss to hold a special friendship with Ahsoka and Peter given how often the trio were together.

She had seen how being with them seemed to amplify all the best traits of her prized pupil and in being with them, they were able to find the lost world of Tython. It wasn't because of her teachings or guidance, it was because of her close and now obvious intimate bond with Peter and Ahsoka.

"Love can save you, not condemn you."

The words of Jolee Bindo echoed through her mind, making her pause in her steps.

Listening in on many Holocron recordings of Jedi thousands of years ago made things rather conflicting in terms of attachments.

For her entire life, Luminara Unduli abided by the Jedi code, becoming what many in the Order perceived as the model Jedi Master. Barriss emulated so many characteristics and traits with her, so taking her on as her Padawan felt as natural as it came.

The two were one of the leading figures in the Order of what a dynamic between a Master and an Apprentice should and Luminara couldn't be prouder of her student's progress. Though she always kept her emotions calm and under control, seeing how far her student had come only made her heart soar.

And despite the onset of the war, despite the turmoil she had seen her Padawan go through, Barriss had come out the other side stronger and more resilient than ever.

In seeing that, Luminara couldn't deny that she had been undergoing changes herself. Even though the Mirialan Jedi Master maintained her usual calm composure, there had been incremental ticks and shifts in how she behaved, especially around Barriss and-

*BUMP*

She had been so absorbed in her thoughts that she failed to realize she had walked headfirst into someone. She was rattled for a moment, feeling strong hands on her shoulders kept her steady.

"Whoa there!" Said a familiar voice and she looked up to see…

"Rhodey?" She muttered in surprise.

"Lumi," The Avenger greeted in turn, giving her a look. "You alright there?"

The woman stared at the Avenger in silence, making him feel a bit awkward, especially with the way her eyes bore into his.

"Uh… Lumi? Luminara?"

"Hmmm? What?" She broke herself out of her stupor. "Oh. Oh," She stepped back, bowing slightly. "Apologies, Colonel, I-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Rhodey interjected, now thoroughly bewildered. "Colonel? You haven't called me that since we met."

"I have?"

War Machine now frowned, his brows furrowing and he stepped forward.

"Ok, what's going on, Lumi?" He asked, concern evident in his tone. "You've never acted like this, ever. Did something happen?"

Luminara stared at the man, unable to speak for a moment and this only served to compound the worry he now had for her.

"What… are you doing here?" She asked without thinking, completely throwing the Avenger off course, mentally that is.

"What?" He said in turn. "Oi, Lumi, come on, now's not the time for that. I'll tell you after you tell me just what in the hell is bugging you so much cause you look like you're five seconds away from having a panic attack." Rhodey held up a finger, sensing she was about to speak. "No buts or excuses. Now talk."

The Jedi Council member stood there in silence for a few moments until she gestured her hand to a nearby room.

"In private, please." She quietly said.

Rhodey simply nodded, waiting for her to enter first and followed after her. The door behind them closed after Luminara sent a wave of the Force to the panel at the side and she sat down on a seat in the room. There was a seat directly in front of the Mirialan which Rhodey soon occupied and he gave the woman an expectant look.

"Now, for the sake of drama, we're not leaving this room until you talk." He firmly said. "So start talking."

Luminara inclined her head down, intertwining her hands and resting them on her lap.

Nothing was said between the two for a few seconds until the Jedi Master broke the silence.

"Rhodey," She looked up at him, seeing the man lean forward. "What would you do when someone you care for told you something you… didn't quite know how to process?"

Rhodey narrowed his eyes, propping his elbow on his knee.

"What did she tell you?" He cut through her vague question making her blink.

"She?" Luminara felt a bit childish in how she spoke. The master had a good idea to whom James was referring. And with his next words…

"Barriss." Rhodey said. "It's gotta be her, right? She's your Padawan so I guess it might have something to do with what's bothering you. Honestly don't know anyone else who could perhaps have you this unsettled."

Unduli shakily nodded, her hands now fidgeting slightly.

"I was told something… by Barriss," She slowly said. "Something I never would have thought to have happened. Or maybe… maybe I knew. Somewhere in my heart I knew but opted not to confront it, discuss it or just-"

"Ok, Lumi, let's slow down a sec," Rhodey interjected calmly. "And let's start from the beginning."

Taking a deep breath, Luminara composed herself and proceeded to give a quick retelling of what she and Barriss spoke of and more importantly, what she revealed.

Rhodey released a somewhat dramatic sigh, cheeks puffed out.

"Well now… I figured Peter was shacking up with one of them but both?" He chortled. "No wonder Tony's been singin' the kid's praises."

Luminara frowned at this. "James Rhodes, I hope you realize that this is rather serious."

The Avenger threw his hands up in an apologetic, placating manner. "You're right, you're right, sorry. Alright, so I guess you're not exactly thrilled that Barriss is breaking the whole no attachment rule, hmmm?"

"It's not that it's… it's more complicated now."

Rhodey hummed, rubbing his chin in thought. "Yeah~ not that big of a surprise, I bet. After everything you guys have been learning about on Tython… the whole no attachment rule and stuff and how your predecessors used to view it."

He saw that her head was down again she had her hands laced together, held up, almost looking like she was praying.

"It's really bothering you a lot." He remarked with a small wince.

"It is." She replied earnestly. "I'm torn, Rhodey. Torn between what I once knew and what I have learned myself."

James opted to remain silent, crossing his arms as he sensed she had more to say.

"The Order forbade attachment for a reason." She stressed out. "Attachments are things that can be exploited, be it intentionally or unintentionally. If a Jedi were to lose someone they have formed an attachment with, they run the risk of being subjected to the temptations of the Dark Side. Hate, fear, loss, anger. Those all come with attachments that can turn a Jedi into the Sith. To go against the very tenants they swore to uphold."

"Is that all there is to attachments?" Rhodey quietly asked, a bit of an intense tone that Luminara detected. "Does it really revolve around hate, fear and all that?"

Luminara paused in her musings, seeing the look in his eyes and she uncharacteristically squirmed.

"I… I don't… maybe…" Lumi sighed, hanging her head. "I'm sorry, Rhodey, I didn't mean-"

He waved his hand at her. "Don't worry about it. You're not in the right state of mind."

"I'm not." She rebuked. "Or I am, I," The Mirialan once again made an uncharacteristic sound, grunting slightly. "I am fully aware of my faculties, Rhodey. I am just not fully certain of how to process what my Padawan has told me without…"

War Machine squinted an eye at that, inclining forward slightly.

"Without…?" He encourages her.

Unduli bit her lip and slowly locked eyes with Rhodey, her gaze piercing his own.

"Without behaving hypocritically." She murmured.

Those words set in and Rhodey had a humorous expression now.

"I… ah," Was his response.

"I did promise you to go enjoy some time alone together." She muttered.

Despite her mood, Rhodey's lip twitched upwards, coughing into his hand to keep his expression hidden.

"And do you regret that?"

"No." Luminara found herself easily saying. "And that's what worries me."

Rhodey could only offer up a half-hearted shrug.

"Things like this happen to everyone. There are no exceptions to this kind of situation."

"The Jedi are meant to be that exception, Rhodey." Unduli rigidly countered.

"Are they?" He challenged her in turn, making her fall silent. "One says it so long they tend to believe it to be true, even though it's not."

She didn't respond, making Rhodey take a breath before standing up. He walked right over to her and gently took hold of one of her hands. There was a small sense of satisfaction as he felt her shudder and goosebumps began to form at his touch.

"Look, Lumi, I know that this is all still new to you," The Mirialan now looked up into his eyes. "But rather than looking at all the negatives, focus on what the positives are."

"And what would that be?"

"Her trust in you." He gently emphasized. "I know it may sound tacky and all but Barriss wants to put all her trust in you. You once told me that Barriss is the closest thing you'll ever have to a daughter. So in turn, I wouldn't say this was an unfounded guess if she views you as her mother figure. After all, it must've taken a lot of courage on her part to tell you whatever specifics she said earlier."

Taking a chance, Rhodey raised her hand and placed his lips on it, and he couldn't deny enjoying the sight of her looking at him in surprise and her almost schoolgirl-like reaction to such a gesture.

"Just take comfort in this. Barriss would rather be open with you with everything than hide secrets that would eventually burn you both. It might sting or hurt but she wants you to trust her and she in turn wants to trust you. Meditate on that if you want or we can continue talking."

Rhodey released her hand and began to walk away, leaving the Jedi to her own musings, all while sensing her gaze on him.

-Scene Cut-

Mace Windu.

He was the right-hand-man to the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order and one of the most powerful Jedi of this era.

He has been serving both the Order and the Republic for decades now and his service as a leading general in the war has become legendary.

The man held a reputation of being perhaps one of the best duelists in the Order. His talent in creating an evolved lightsaber-style of Form VII only added credence to this distinction.

He was also a bit of a stickler for the rules and was a strict follower of the Jedi Code.

Which was why he found himself in constant troubled thoughts now after Tython's rediscovery.

Everything he once knew or thought he knew about the Order he so valued and championed was being flipped on its head. And he was still trying to come to an understanding or something of meaning or purpose to make sense of it all.

So he opted for distractions, of all things.

Taking up duties, tasks and other responsibilities to keep his mind preoccupied.

Or at least he tried to.

Frankly, he didn't even know what led him to take up his current endeavor. Was it a pull from the Force? His own blind choosing? Fate? Who's to say?

Regardless, despite how annoying some might view this task, to Windu, every single duty in the Order served a purpose.

The nursery within the Jedi Temple of Coruscant was crucial. There it housed the infants who would become the future of the Jedi Order.

Present in the vicinity was Mace Windu and Anakin Skywalker, of all people, as they were taking care of one of the infants. The supposed Chosen One had been roped into tending to the infants as the caretaker used the excuse of his rescue of other Force-Sensitive children in the past to get him dragged into this.

"WHAAA!"

"Shhh~ it's alright, little one. Let the Force calm your spirit." Anakin stresses out, hopping the infant in his arms. "I swear Grogu and Mara are more settled than these ones."

Looking at the datapad in his hand, Mace ignored Skywalker's comment as he was more focused on reading its contents.

Glancing over to the Council member, Anakin took note of his conflicted expression. "Are you troubled with something?"

"Nothing a little meditation won't take care of, Skywalker." He assures him. "You should focus more on your present task."

"I am focusing." Grumbles Anakin. "Focusing on not losing my mind."

Windu snorted. "Everyone has a turn in assisting the nursery. We all take our turn in dealing with the headache that comes with it."

He didn't need to look at the Jedi Knight, sensing the deadpan directed at him.

"I would have thought you would have at least somewhat accustomed yourself to dealing with infants."

"I just said Mara and Grogu are better than these wailers." Anakin retorted. "Besides, Mara's a sweetheart and Grogu barely makes a peep. These guys just cry and squirm all day."

"They're babies."

"Gee really? I must've missed that memo."

"Master Skywalker." Said a robotic voice from behind the Jedi.

He turned to see the medical droid assigned to care for these infants, holding its arms out for the baby in his hands.

"I shall take her off your hands." The Droid happily said. "It is time for an immuno booster injection."

Anakin gives an awkward smile as he hands over the child to the medical droid, the caretaker giving the infant a cocktail of shots to boost their immune system before placing her in an empty bed.

"She is growing fast. This child will soon begin training as the others have traveled the path of the Jedi for the rest of their life. And eventually, they'll be chosen as a padawan like before them." Says the Council member.

The Knight hums a little, gazing at the large plethora of infants situated in their various beds. This part of the nursery is always full, given the vast amount brought in from across the galaxy. A fraction comes from orphanages while the majority come from homes… from their parents.

"Ya know… after everything we've learned about our Order, its history and recent events, don't you think it's cruel to take a child from their family? Even if they become a Jedi?"

"A Jedi's path must be singular and focused." Mace resolutely answered. "There is no room for emotional attachments. The edict of the Jedi Order isn't arbitrary. It exists as such for a reason."

A frown mares Skywalker's face. "Do you really believe that? Even now after everything we've been learning about?"

"There's still much we have to learn." Windu countered. "There is a reason our Order became this way and has upheld these practices for a thousand years, if not more."

"Some call it dogmatic." Was Anakin's rebuke.

"Skywalker, you must rid yourself of such distracting thoughts. There is a crucial reason why potential Jedi are taken as infants. If we were to begin training during adolescence, the student would possess too many conflicting feelings- and that could lead to the Dark Side. Our purpose is to serve as the guardians of peace throughout the Republic. But we are fewer in number today with these recent conflicts. So we must strive to keep our traditions alive. We only do what is necessary for the good of the galaxy- what is right in the Force."

"And me?" Skywalker tensely asked. "What about me? I was taken in. And you all could tell I had formed a connection with my mother."

Mace said nothing yet internally, there was a stray, foreign thought that he had long believed to be buried. Windu once thought he had made peace with these thoughts, these ideas in his head but thanks to all that's been happening, these old thoughts and feelings were starting to rise back up.

"I may have had my reservations against your induction into the Order, Anakin. In fact, there are many issues I believe you bring, more to yourself at times than the Order." The Jedi Master spoke candidly. "But at the same time, I cannot deny the good you have done since joining us."

Anakin found himself blinking, slightly stunned by this sudden admittance from what he believed was his biggest critic in the Jedi Order.

"I… uh… thanks, Master Windu." Was the response he could muster.

Seeing their tasks here were done for the time being, the two Jedi made their leave. Yet the one conversation from earlier kept going on.

"You sure such teachings have to be done this way? This early on?"

Mace shook his head. "Wisdom can begin with questioning as long as we let the Force guide us to the correct answers."

As they left the nursery chattering, they didn't notice someone else entering. It wasn't through the one entrance but from an air duct.

It was an albino Zeltron female garbed in black. Taking a quick scan of the area, she spotted a particular crib holding an infant and nodded.

The bounty hunter quickly withdrew a taser and activated it, going up to the caretaker in the room and disabling the medical droid. With it down for the count, the bounty hunter looked about before finding her target.

Moving quickly, the Zeltron stood before a baby Sullustan and gently lifted him up.

"Hey there little guy," Her voice was soft, sweet almost and it appeared to keep the infant calm. "Let's get you outta here."

She gently tucked the baby into a specially made harness, keeping him close to the chest.

Making her way out of the nursery, the bounty hunter looked back with a frown on her face. "So many children…"

She got to the exit of the room and the door opened up to reveal the two Jedi who were just here now coming back, appearing to be in conversation with each other.

And of course, said conversation came to an abrupt halt when they noticed her. In an instant, the Zeltron electrocuted Windu, the man dropping something yellow from the sleeve of his robes and in response, Anakin Force-Pushed her away.

She landed on her back but recovered quickly, hand over the head of the child in her care.

Mace recognized her immediately. "Vianna D'Pow!"

"Who now?" Anakin asked, spotting the baby Sullustan in her clutches. "OI!"

"I've had run-ins with her in the past." Mace quickly summarizes, activating his lightsaber as he focuses more on Vianna. "I realize Force-sensitive children bring quite the credit on the black market, but this is low, even for you."

Skywalker too activates his lightsaber. "Unhand the child, now."

When this is all over, they'll need to put more security here. Neither of them wanted another youngling incident to occur like what happened with Cad Bane.

Vianna withdrew her blaster and held it up to the infant's head. "Don't make me do something you'll regret, Mace."

Mace narrowed his eyes, lowering his lightsaber slightly. "I don't need the Force to know that you're not about to kill your own prize."

The albino Zeltron shifted her aim over to the Jedi and fired several shots. Mace quickly moved to block them. Anakin dashed forward, hand outstretched to reach for the child only for Vianna to instinctively slap his hand away.

She fired off more blaster bolts that the two Jedi deflected but one of the bolts had the unfortunate trajectory of hitting the window to the nursery.

In an instant, the two Force-Sensitives felt a reverberation in the Force as all the babies in the nursery woke up.

"WAAAHHHHHHHH!"

There was a chorus of wails all coming from the nursery's inhabitants. The deactivated medical droid began to float in the air as did the shattered glass and even some of the infants.

"Oh, for the love of-!" Anakin gave a frustrated groan, momentarily glaring at the bounty hunter. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to get them to go back to sleep?"

Vianna didn't verbally respond, instead opting to fire at the Jedi again.

Mace became a momentary blur, utilizing Force Speed to get around the bolts and get behind her. Once there, he elbowed her back and she flew forward yet her reflexes kicked in, wrapping her arms around the child strapped to her and pivoting her body to land on her side.

She quickly checked on the child, sighing in relief to see it was unharmed until the hum of a lightsaber was heard. The Zeltron slowly looked up to see Mace and Anakin standing over her, both their lightsabers pointed at her face.

"Is this any way to treat a lady?" She asked in a false, innocent tone.

"You may be a lady but only the classy ones deserve the treatment you're talking about." Anakin dryly retorted.

"Your fellow Zeltron charms won't work on us, Vianna." Windu sternly said.

Hearing that only made the Bounty Hunter gain a derisive, almost snarling sneer.

"Ah, that's right- a Jedi shall not know love." She says mockingly, even with the lightsabers close to her face. "An order of monks whose most precious weapon is their energy sword." She snorts, holding a mocking glare. "A psychiatrist would have a field day with the lot of you."

It was rather conflicting for Anakin to agree with her, given he knows Sam had actually brought that up a few times. A lot of Jedi frankly needed to hash out their problems in a different way other than the usual crap the Order tells them to do.

Mace, however, wasn't in the mood to indulge in her taunts. "Enough. Who are you working for? The Hutts? Black Sun?"

The Zeltron narrowed her eyes, her gaze conveying pure judgment and resentment and tsked dismissively. Letting out a haughty laugh a moment later, her answer was not what either man was expecting.

"You've got it all wrong as usual, Mace. I'm not selling your "force babies" on the black market. I'm working for the kid's parents." She says, much to the surprise of the two Jedi. "They just want their baby back."

"I'm sorry, what?" Skywalker balks in confusion.

Mace lowered his lightsaber and deactivated it in disbelief. The Jedi Master was clearly thrown off by this revelation, giving the woman a hard, scrutinizing gaze.

"That's not possible." Says Mace, trying to remain composed. "It would be too dangerous to return the child- training has already begun. Besides… it's a great honor for one's offspring to be chosen by the Jedi order. It-"

"What gives you the right to choose?!" Vianna angrily interrupted, her glare heated and rage-filled. "To force these kids to endure a stifled life of archaic traditions? There's more to life than "honor" and your damn Order. And I'm not even surprised they want their child back after the war you hypocrites have been involved in." Her hand reaches over to snag her blaster from the floor. "What could you fools possibly understand as the love shared between a child and its parents." She whips it forward and aims at the Jedi. "That's something you wouldn't know anything about."

When she sought to pull the trigger, the Zeltron realized she didn't have the blaster on hand. Instead, she ended up snagging a datapad that had fallen on the ground during the scuffle. Her eyes focus on its surface, the screen having turned on when she picked it up before widening slightly as she brings it closer to have a better look.

"What… what is this?" She whispered.

"What? What are you looking at?" Anakin spoke up, now curious by her sudden change in demeanor. "Wait, isn't that your datapad, Windu?"

Vianna slowly looked up at the Jedi Master, her hardened expression softening as she saw the face he now had, knowing what she had read.

"This… this is," She glanced back down at the datapad again to be sure she wasn't misreading what was on the screen. "You…Hmm… maybe you understand after all."

Mace tentatively took the datapad out of her hands and looked at it, before turning it off, much to the mild annoyance of Anakin who wasn't able to read the text in time.

"...Maybe." Windu murmured.

There was a tense air that followed after that last word until Mace surprised the two and held out a hand to Vianna.

"Come," He spoke softly, a tone Anakin could scarcely remember hearing if at all. "We'll assist you in this mission."

Skywalker's head whipped around in Mace's direction, eyes wide and in complete shock at what he just heard. Vianna shared in the younger Jedi's reaction, looking at Windu's hand, believing it to be a hallucination until she tentatively took hold of it and was helped up to her feet.

It didn't take long for a still silently stunned Zeltron with an equally shocked Jedi Knight to leave the Temple, the woman guiding the pair to her ship situated not far from the building. They had left the planet shortly, entering into Hyperspace, coordinate locked in for the home of the parents of the infant in their care.

They had arrived at the planet at nightfall, following the directions of the Zeltron until arriving at a modest home.

Vianna was about to walk forward when she paused, looking back at Mace, as if silently asking for permission if she was really allowed to do this. In response, Windu merely raised a brow, managing to convey the silent message of "You have a job to do. Finish it".

Lightly chuckling in disbelief, Vianna got to the front door and knocked. The door slid open and the parents of the Sullustan child stepped out.

They let out sounds of joy as Vianna handed their child over to them.

"I didn't do it alone." The Bounty Hunter told the pair and the parents soon realized two Jedi were standing not too far from them.

Anakin gave them a pleasant smile, giving them a two-finger salute whilst Mace simply nodded silently.

The mother of the child had her lips quiver, shooting them both grateful gazes, turning back to her son who was already reaching up for her face.

Seeing she wasn't needed, Vianna stepped back, rejoining the two Jedi and the trio watched in silence as the parents spent their time together with their child.

"Didn't think you had that in you." Vianna spoke up after a period of silence.

"You and me both." Anakin admitted, still trying to convince himself that this wasn't a dream or some Force Vision.

Mace said nothing, instead observing the reunited family with an unreadable expression when he moved to walk toward the family.

Vianna grimaced slightly, already guessing what was going to happen. Anakin frowned as well, unable to deny his shared sentiment with the Bounty Hunter.

They knew that this would be momentary and all but they still-

"Your son can stay with you a bit longer." Windu quietly said. "The Jedi Temple is still undergoing renovations and security upgrades. It is better if he were to stay here."

The parents of the child were surprised, to say the least, but none more so than Anakin and Vianna. The two had their jaws drop in complete and utter shock, now convinced that what they just heard and saw had to be some kind of illusion.

The parents on the other hand, while shocked, were quick to recover, soon profusely thanking the Jedi Master.

To compound on the bombshell statement…

"Your son has a promising future in the Jedi Order." Windu spoke in a gentle tone. "And he will need the aid of not just the Jedi… but his family as well to keep him on the path to even greater heights in the Order."

Now the Sullustan parents found themselves equally as shocked as Anakin and Vianna.

"We… We can see him again?" The mother whispered, almost believing this to be some sort of jest.

Windu's gaze was directed at the infant who had fallen asleep despite the commotion around him. He placed a delicate hand atop the baby's head, feeling the Force emanating from this child.

"Yes." Mace answered after a moment.

The mother let out a tearful laugh whilst the father sniffled, taking Windu's other hand and shaking it profusely.

"Thank you, Master Jedi, thank you." The Sullustan tearfully said.

The Jedi Master merely nodded once more, turning to leave the family, and seeing the still shocked faces of his two companions.

He quirked a brow, specifically at the Zeltron. "Don't you have another job to do? Another bounty to collect?"

Vianna stared at him for a prolonged amount of time before finally finding her voice.

"Who are you and what have you done to Mace Windu?"

"I second that inquiry."

"Also, you came here on my ship so I'm your ride home."

Windu said nothing, instead walking past the pair who kept their eyes on him, turning back to the family who saw their gazes and waved at them both before they went back into their home.

"Well now… that happened," Anakin commented.

"Yeah," D'Pow muttered. "Can you believe it?"

Skywalker guffawed. "Hell no. Come on, let's leave before something else happens that blows our minds."

"Right behind ya, Sky Guy."

Anakin's brow twitched rapidly. "Always, always with that nickname, it's like a virus."

The odd trio were soon back on their way to Coruscant, flying through Hyperspace in relative silence.

Anakin took a glance at Mace, the Master seemingly meditating in silence, eyes closed and breathing steadily.

His eyes moved over to the pilot of the ship, seeing that it was an autopilot and saw that she was reclining back, relaxed in her chair.

"So… I take it you and Master Windu have a history." Anakin began conversationally.

"We've had our run-ins." Was her vague response.

"Clearly," He murmured, taking a quick look to see if the topic of conversation was willing to join in.

"I think we ran into each other about two dozen times." Vianna blandly said, expression changing into a mocking tone. "Maybe it's fate or that Force nonsense you monks are always blathering on about."

Anakin gave her a flat stare in response, the Zeltron grinning coyly back.

"We don't blather." He retorted. "Educate. Lecture at worst."

"I was unaware that a lecture in the Force was a bad thing." Windu spoke up, making the two turn to him.

"It can be when you have Master Obi-Wan doing it." Skywalker wryly said.

Windu only hummed while Anakin turned back to Vianna. "So what made you wanna be a bounty hunter?"

Vianna raised a brow at the man. "Why the interest, Jedi?"

"First of all, I have a name and second, I'm just curious." Skywalker shot back.

"Why would you be curious?" D'Pow sounded defensive when she asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Anakin shot back. "It's not every day a Jedi meets a bounty hunter who takes on a job to reunite a youngling with their parents. And I remember what Master Windu said when he first saw you. Before we knew your reasoning, he said kidnapping kids was low for someone like you. So despite your obviously bad encounters with him, it's clear you must have some kind of standard."

Vianna's cheeks puffed out with a small pout forming as she looked away from the Jedi Knight.

"Yeah? What about it? I do shady stuff but I ain't a scumbag."

"I never assumed you to be." Mace stated, eyes still closed.

"You sure as shit didn't act like it." Vianna bitterly retorted though there was a teasing hint in her tone.

"Then what about a career change?" Anakin offered up, causing the Zeltron to look at the Jedi.

"What now?"

"A career change." He said once more. "Now, I dunno 'bout you but if you haven't noticed, the galaxy is going through a lot of crazy shit."

Windu now opened his eyes and sent a withering stare at the Knight. "You really need to stop watching all those Earth shows and movies. They're influencing your language in a less than ideal manner."

"I'd say they're enhancing it." Anakin cheekily said. "Besides, the Avengers were already influencing me, their entertainment just sped up the process. But I'll be sure to tell Cap that you share his sentiment in naughty words, Master."

Windu could only arch a brow at the younger Jedi's words who turned his attention back to the bounty hunter.

"So whaddya think?" Anakin said. "Up for a different path in life?"

"I don't know about you but I've tried all sorts of "alternative" paths in my life." Vianna, rather than being angry or bitter, sounded defeated and worn out. "I never wanted to be a bounty hunter but it's the one profession I ended up excelling at after leaving Zeltros. And I've tried a thousand times to find a better path and," She sucked in her breath, her head loosely hanging to the side with a defeated and pained smile. "Look where that's got me."

Mace Windu turned his gaze onto her, an indiscernible expression for her to read yet his eyes… his eyes told a different story.

"Then why not change?"

"Change?" She rhetorically parroted. "And do what? Join the Grand Army of the Republic or those Seppie psychos?"

"Well, maybe not them but have ya heard about the Ravagers?"

Vianna frowned. "Those weirdos? Why in Zeltros' name would I go and join them?"

"From what I've seen and heard, they sound like a bunch of outcasts and neglected people being led by a bunch of assholes. Their words, not mine."

"And who are these "assholes" you speak of?" Vianna couldn't help but ask in bemusement.

"They call themselves the Guardians of the Galaxy" And the Zeltron guffawed from that name.

"Yeah," Anakin chuckled, shaking his head in mirth. "I know, and some people criticize us Jedi, these guys outright market themselves this way."

"And why would I join up with these supposed assholes or even work under them?" The bounty hunter questioned.

Anakin merely shrugged. "A chance to make something better out of your life?"

The look he got would have normally made most people shrink but he remained resolute with the woman scoffing.

"Fine," She irritably said, holding up her index finger for emphasis. "But if I found out those guys were nothing more than a bunch of mud-scuffers, I'm footing you the bill."

"Bill? What bill?" Anakin incredulously said.

"Fuel and maintenance plus a walking and talking fee."

"What?"

"Deal." Mace interjected before a retort could be made by the younger Jedi.

"Alright then." Vianna smugly said.

"Oi, I made no part in agreeing to this." Anakin grumped.

"As a member of the Council, your complaint has been noted and filed away to be addressed at a later time and date." Windu calmly said, getting D'Pow to laugh at Skywalker's expense, the Jedi's eye twitching rapidly all while the bald Master held a sneaky smirk to himself.

Eventually, Vianna deposited the two Jedi back at the temple and departed soon after to the Outer Rim.

Anakin and Mace stared at her ship until it was out of sight, the former releasing a sigh and swinging his arms back and forth, clapping them together at the end.

"Well now, I guess I can say that this was not the Nursery day I was expecting." He commented cheekily. "We can call it a day."

Mace simply hummed, silently turning to walk away, leaving Anakin to frown at his lack of a response.

Shaking his head, Anakin took several wide steps to catch up to the Jedi Master, now walking alongside him.

"Ya know, I can't really hide my curiosity." The younger Jedi freely admitted. "What you did today was… well, ya know."

"No, I don't know."

Anakin wasn't as amused this time around, shooting him a piercing gaze. "Come on now Master Windu, I don't wanna insult you or play any games like that. You know what I'm talking about."

Mace didn't respond for a few moments, contemplating his next set of words yet the silence lasted far longer than Anakin could bear. The Jedi released a defeated sigh, turning away.

"Forget it." He muttered, getting a subdued surprised look from the Council member.

"Forget it?" Mace parroted.

"Yeah, yeah, I know there's no point in asking you." Anakin said, sounding rather despondent, much to Windu's surprise. "I mean, I know I'm not your favorite Jedi, Master Windu but… forget it, never mind. Pretend I didn't ask."

The Jedi Master was thrown off by this sudden shift in the younger Force-User's demeanor.

"Where did this come from?" Mace couldn't help but ask.

"Nothing, came from nowhere." Anakin brushed off in a reserved tone.

"I'm hard-pressed to believe that." Windu sternly said, his tone making Skywalker glance back at him. "How's about this; you tell me where this little outburst came from and I'll tell you why I did what I did with that youngling and his family."

The young Knight held a skewed look, searching for any hint of falsehood, finding none.

He shifted about slightly, now feeling a bit awkward at being put on the spot like this, one he walked into essentially. Thinking on it now, he should have been a bit more tactful and selective of his choice of words.

Anakin let out a strangled grumble, berating himself for his lack of control, letting out a withering sigh before speaking.

"It just… it always feels like you have it out for me or just," Anakin threw his hands up, staying in place for a moment as he tried formulating his thoughts properly. "I don't know, you just act like everything I do and talk about, there's always this scowl or look of disapproval. Like no matter what I do, I'm always doing it wrong. And it's just so hard for me to see if there was anything that could be done to meet your expectations. It just made me believe that you were just too damn proud to admit anything below your satisfaction."

Windu absorbed all this and felt a measure of guilt well up within, not necessarily denying what Anakin just said. For many years, Mace didn't always treat Anakin in the most polite or respectful manner.

The boy was far too rebellious, too much of a maverick Jedi, a lot like the man who found him. He went against the code, went against the practices of the Jedi. And more often than not, he actually succeeded and even excelled. But that didn't come without failures and when they did happen, it hit him hard, losing his arm to Dooku being the gravest example.

However… now?

He didn't see the same kind of arrogance and pride the supposed Chosen One used to display.

Rather, the man displayed his usual characteristics but was far more measured, far wiser with how he conducted himself. There was an air of detachment from the Jedi yes, almost a blatant disregard but not one out of malice or discontentment. That arrogance that used to dictate many of his choices has been replaced with stoic confidence.

Much like a proper fully fledged Jedi, at least Anakin Skywalker's version of one.

And in that regard…

"If you wish to know why it always seems like I have a grudge against you frankly, I don't. What I want, or rather, what I expect is for you to be more than you already are. You are a talented Jedi, Anakin, there's no denying that. Whether or not you're the Chosen One is still in the air, at least for me, but I can't pretend to ignore the talent and skills you've already accumulated in such a short amount of time." Windu spoke with complete sincerity. "One day Anakin, when you become a Jedi Master, a greater deal of duty and… and responsibility will be placed on your shoulders. It's why I wish for you to succeed but not in the ways that would lead to your downfall. Pride, impatience, arrogance, recklessness, all traits that have led to an early grave for some Jedi and a path to the Dark Side for others. I would know, I've veered far too many times for my liking."

At that, Windu unclipped his lightsaber and ignited it.

"This is my balance." Mace had a look in his eye Anakin had never seen before. "It's what I mastered or rather, still have to contend with every day. The Dark Side is more prevalent in me than in most but I understood that to overcome it, I had to confront it and conquer it. It's a fine line that I have to walk lest I fall." Windu then looked Skywalker square in the eyes. "It's something I see in you. The Dark Side hangs over you, Anakin. Like a shroud. And there are times you've ventured into that abyss but pulled yourself out of it."

Anakin was startled by such an… accurate assessment. His mind momentarily focuses on his second lightsaber on his hip. The one that belonged to Vader. The literal symbol of his alternate path.

"I know the feeling." Mace deactivated his saber and delicately held it in his hands. "It's something I knew I had to conquer before it conquered me."

Anakin held a deep frown, gazing at Windu's lightsaber, looking back up at its owner.

"If you knew all that, why couldn't you step in and help me?"

"Favoritism, for starters. If I make one exception such as a latecomer to the Order, then that would only cause resentment and disagreements in the Order. I do not wish for promising prospects to end up like many who fell in the past with such issues rooted deep within them. Freedon Nadd, Exar Kun, Revan, Ruin, all Jedi who fell to the Dark Side, their pride and ego playing a role."

Anakin's expression fell slightly, knowing their stories all too well now after all the history he'd studied whenever Ahsoka dragged him into one of her sessions with Barriss and Peter.

"But with that said," Mace ran his hand over his bald head. "I can also recognize my own faults, my own pride that should have been quashed and should have reached out to help a young man who needed better guidance and not to be shunned or lectured so consistently."

To say that Anakin was stunned by such admittance by the Jedi Master would be an understatement. To hear the man admit his own missteps and misgivings was… he had already mentioned how this day in Nursery duty was not what he was expecting but now it was completely understated.

There was a bout of silence that befell the pair, neither speaking for a solid few minutes until…

The young Jedi heard the Master clear his throat, looking away, almost appearing to be ashamed and berating himself for what he was about to say.

"What… what was she like?"

Anakin glanced at Mace in confusion.

"What now?"

There was a pause from the Jedi Master, clear hesitancy and uncertainty of his words but he scrunched his face up and clarified.

"Your mother." He didn't need to see the look of stunned surprise from the maverick Jedi. "What was she like?"

Once composing himself after hearing the unusual request, Skywalker's memory of his mother flooded him. He opened and closed his mouth several times, still reeling slightly from the question but since the two were laying out their cards on the table…

"She was… she was kind," Anakin's voice trembled slightly but he held a silent strength to it. "And warm. Loving. And nurturing. Always knew how to make pain go away, physical or emotional. Never discouraging, making sure that… she always made sure that I was loved and instilled in me that she always will love me. How no matter what happens to me, what changes I go through, how many times I mess up, she's always going to be there for me. A gentle hand on my back pushing me forward even when she's not there. Reminding me to never give up on myself or the people I care for. Because that's where I always found my real strength. Not in the Force but in the people around me." Anakin had closed his eyes and he could picture his mother clear as day. "I know I won that pod race the day I won my freedom. But it was my mom's belief in me, Qui-Gon Jinn and Padme too. Knowing they relied on me gave me that added oomph to win the whole thing. To get me where I am today."

Mace could see the bitter smile on Skywalker's face before it shifted into a frown.

"The last time I saw my mother was right before the Clone Wars began. Circumstances had me arrive back to Tatooine, which led me to hunt her down once learning what happened. I came too late and… At that time, I held her as she lay dying. She was so happy to see me, all grown up. It was so hard for me to…"

Anakin was silent, not wanting to diverge further of what happened back then. How he really felt and how he took his revenge on the Tusken Raiders. How bitter he felt after he slew them all as doing so never brought back Shmi Skywalker.

Sadly, Anakin got a bad set of reminders of his failures and misgivings back at Mortis, courtesy of the Son. How the Dark Celestial tainted his memory of his mother for a time in hopes of having him slip and be taken control.

At the very least, he made peace with them and perhaps more once met with his step-brother and reconciled with him.

Musing to himself, once hearing Skywalker talk, the Jedi Council member pulled out a datapad. Bringing up a peculiar file stored on the device, he gave off an exasperated sigh.

"I believe it would be best if you see this."

Curiosity slowly took hold of Anakin as he eyed the datapad. Taking it from Mace, he looked and saw a message kept on it.

Mace-

While we know we are forbidden to make contact with you, we would like to see our son just once. Please.

-Your loving parents

The Jedi knight looked at the screen, rereading the few lines over and over. After some time, he looks away and focuses his attention on the Master, a silent question as to what was the story behind this message.

"I got this from my parents when I was younger than you are." Windu's voice held a far-off tone, the memory clear as day in his mind. "This was the only message I have of them. I prolonged seeing them when I first got it. I was more focused on my training and doing my duties for the Order. Though I consider it one of my greatest regrets."

Anakin was silent, letting Mace continue talking of what could be considered a deep secret the man had kept ever so close to him.

"In a sad way, I envy you. No… Not just you, but many who were brought into the Order who recall their families; even if it's bits and pieces." A sigh escapes Mace's lips as he laments. "For the longest time, I grew to accept it and move on. Yet, every so often, it comes in unexpectedly. How, on occasion, I have the brief wonder and question of what my parents were like. I even had the desire to see them. Sadly it was forever beyond my reach as they perished on Korun."

"...I'm sorry to hear that." Anakin earnestly said, getting a small appreciative nod from the man. "You have my sympathies."

"The Jedi Order is changing now." Mace appeared grumpy when admitting this and Anakin almost laughed. "We can't avoid that. I now realize what I can do is play my part in helping make sure it doesn't become something worse. Take the old, take the new, and take other ideas and see if we can shape it into something better. You could say what I did earlier with that family was my first gamble. Maybe we can become better."

Anakin raised his head, chest puffing out slightly, a more determined visage now appearing. "We have to be better. Not just for ourselves, but for those who look up to us. And we'll do it together, as proper Jedi, not tied down by politics. Doing it for the people, not just one batch in general. I don't know if Peter told you this-"

"Yes, yes, Great Power and Great Responsibility." Mace drawled out and Anakin threw his head back and laughed. "I've heard it already from Master Yoda."

"You don't sound like the biggest fan of it." Skywalker teased.

"It's not that I'm opposed to it, far from it, really." Windu flatly said. "It's just that sort of duty can often lead to other forms of self-sabotage that could make things words. In a manner, we'd have to learn from what Dooku worked towards."

"Yeah, but Dooku's a jackass." Anakin countered.

"You really need to stop watching those Earth films."

"But at the same time," Skywalker ignored that last comment. "He is trying to be… to be better. I mean, he did come to the ceasefire, so that should be considered as… something. Almost threw up in my mouth saying all that."

The two shared a shiver, making a squeamish expression at the idea of praising the former Jedi-turned-Sith Lord.

There was a pause between the two before they laughed together, Anakin more boisterous in comparison to Windu's controlled chuckle.

Seems there was more to the seemingly emotionless Jedi Master than Anakin would've believed for a rather long time. In truth, he was a conflicted man who perhaps knew the love his own parents gave; even if he could never have experienced it.

And in many ways, he now saw that he shared more in common with Windu than he believed.

AN

And so, we have arrived at Tales of the Jedi. And if you can tell by the title, this focused primarily on the Masters of the Order, or at least four of them, the more prominent figures so to speak.

So quick rundown. For those who thought I would have done a chapter-by-chapter character-centric arc, that would have taken too long. This season is fucking gargantuan and having something like what some expected would have taken forever to do. Anakin, Aayla, Ahsoka, Barriss, Obi-Wan, Plo Koon, Luminara, Windu, Yoda, like, if I had given each of the major Jedi in this story a chapter dedicated to themselves, this arc would hit the double-digit mark. So I settled for these concentrated, extended scenes that give perspective focus on specific characters.

Originally, this arc was called the Jedi Reformation arc, sort of a similar layout but with Tales of the Jedi, both in show and in comic, this was a better format and we settled on this name. And Reformation isn't something that can be done in a single arc, it's something that takes time in implementation, formation, adjustment and all that other shit.

And I have been talking to a few of you guys about who I was excited to write about and Windu was one of them. Now that you see what I'm aiming for here *coy smile inserted here, bet you guys weren't expecting this. Mace is a hard character to like but it's cuz of how well-developed of a character Anakin is as a foil to him.

When you actually look deeper into who he is as a man and as a Jedi, there are a lot more layers to the man than most would realize and his attitude towards Anakin was never out of resentment but frustrated expectations.

And this arc is the start of many, many character progressions for not just furthering what we already have but kickstarting others.

So now that you guys know the name of this chapter for Tales of the Jedi, I believe you guys will have a proper idea of what the next one will be.

Until then, ta-ta for now.

Rate Read and Review and as Always Have Nice Day.