-READER BIO-
Your name is (y/n) (l/n), a force-sensitive human youngling and soon to be Padawan (after this chapter) who arrived in the temple when you were thirteen. You will use a (y/c) colored lightsaber of your choice, with a hilt design of your choice as well. Your robes are beige with a brown overcoat.
I am really looking forward to writing this, and will be aiming for about 200-300 chapters by completion, with a word count goal of ~5,000 words each. So, this project will take multiple years to complete, but I will try to update at least once a week, if not more. This will be a bit of a slow burn at first in order to set up a deep connection, so please hang in there, I promise it will be worth it. Please enjoy this story, and please don't forget to favorite and comment any suggestions! It means a lot to me. Starting this chapter off with almost 9k words! This will also be published on Wattpad and maybe AO3, under the same account handler SWAhsoka. Without further ado, I give you...SPARK
Chapter 1: Younglings
"He is just too old. Force-sensitive or not—the youngling is far past the age of acceptance. The other younglings have spent years learning the Jedi code and the rules of combat. That is not something that can be overcome overnight."
The door to the Jedi Council chamber was slightly ajar. You stood around the corner to the chamber, waiting nervously to see if you would be permitted to stay. Master Kenobi, who discovered you in the small remote farming village in the Outer Rim, had failed to properly shut the door in his rush to join the conversation.
Your life had completely changed in the last 48 hours. Since you can remember, you had been a farmer. Every day, if you could complete your daily quota of crop collection, you would get half a ration. It was a life you were grateful for, considering you were an orphan. You hardly even remembered your parents...just distant voices in your wasn't a good life, but it was a stable one. That is, until the Separatists came.
First, they took control of the government from the capital. Then, their droids took over control of your village. From there, the quotas were higher, and the food more scarce. And then, the villagers revolted. You remember the burning, the destruction, the death. The droids had mercilessly destroyed everything and everyone you knew. You miraculously survived by managing to stop a house from caving in on you. That is when you discovered the force.
Struggling to keep the building around you from collapsing, you held your hands up, hoping that whatever this magic was, it would be strong enough to save you. But you felt your strength failing, your hands shaking...and then, you heard a noise at the door. A droid, certainly. Now, it was your turn to meet the same fate as your fellow villagers.
But the blaster shot you were expecting did not ring out. Instead, you seemed to get stronger. The bricks around you rose higher and higher, before falling to the sides around you. Turning around, you saw a bearded man, dressed in beige and brown robes, holding out his hand.
"Hello there," he called out to you.
Your mind snapped back to the present. A man of a species you had never seen before walked by you and gave you a funny look. You glanced down at your patchy clothes, worn down from years of wear and tear, and suddenly felt very embarrassed. You weren't like the people here, wearing fancy robes and walking through the tall temple halls. The Jedi speaking to the council was right...you don't belong here.
"And yet strong in the Force, he is," another voice countered calmly and with a feeling of certainty. "Survived much, he has. Adapted, he has."
"The Force is not all that matters," the first Jedi argued back. "What of discipline? What of stability? The dark side is evident in the boy."
Your stomach twisted. The dark side? Did they think he was some kind of evil Separatist?
Another voice entered the conversation, thoughtful but steady. You recognized it as Master Kenobi's.
"I felt it when I arrived in his village," he said. "There is fear, yes, but also strength. When the separatists attacked, he didn't use his power to retaliate. He held it back. That speaks of self-control."
There was a pause.
Then, the second Jedi: "A chance, he deserves."
The first Jedi sounded shocked. "But Master Yoda—"
"Alone in this conversation we are not, Master Windu. Young (l/n), I sense," Master Yoda deduced.
Your heart sank. How did he know you were listening in? Surely, this would ruin any chance they thought you deserved.
"(y/n), enter please," Master Kenobi called out to you.
You walked hesitantly into the chamber. A ring of Jedi surrounded you, most looking older than Master Kenobi, and all much wiser than yourself.
"Welcome you are, young (l/n)," said the voice he recognized now as Master Yoda, a small, old, and very green Jedi master. "Train to be a Jedi, you may."
Your heart skipped a beat. Me? A Jedi? This had to be a mistake. You still couldn't wrap your head around the fact that maybe you were meant to do something more than just farming.
"The path to become a Jedi is a challenging one," Master Windu, a stern looking master, joined in. "It will be filled with many trials, with no guarantees that you will succeed. Do you accept this risk?"
You gulped. Master Kenobi gave you a small smile and a nod.
"Yes, I do."
Your first day of classes in the Temple were worse than you ever could have imagined.
Everything about the temple was completely foreign to you. The building was massive, and you had gotten lost several times on your way from your new personal chamber. Even though you had washed up and been given a new set of robes, you still felt like you weren't clean enough to walk in a place like this. It felt like some high-end museum.
During your first class, the younglings looked at you like you were some monster that crawled up from the lower levels of Coruscant. You tried to shut out all of their commentary, but you couldn't help but listen to the insults they hurled, just loud enough for you to hear.
"I heard he came from a junk world," one of them muttered.
"I bet he doesn't even know how to hold a lightsaber," said another.
One boy stood out from the others. Their ringleader, a boy named Tarek, was a few inches taller than you, with slick black hair and a continual smug look on his face. He always spoke with a tone of superiority, like he knew that he would be the greatest Jedi master someday.
"Bold of the masters to be letting a garbage boy come here," Tarek sneered as you passed. He grabbed the collar of your robes, and pulled you close. "Better be careful," he muttered through gritted teeth. "Wouldn't want your smell to rub off on the rest of us."
You shook yourself free and kept walking without a word.
It was no better at your first lightsaber drills. The awe you felt from your first time holding a lightsaber was quickly replaced by your embarrassment at how you wielded it. You were clumsy, slow, and still adjusting to how to move a heavy object so fluidly. You dropped it several times, but at least you didn't drop it on your foot like one of the other younglings. The Jedi knight training their combat quickly rushed him to the medical bay. Luckily, it seemed like he only had a few burns since the safety trainers were on the lightsabers they were using.
"Hey, garbage boy!" Tarek called to you. "You're supposed to kill the droids—not fight like them," he laughed.
Others joined in. Some chuckled nervously, not brave enough to join in, but also not wanting to make Tarek mad at them. You bristled at his comment. You were about to snap back about how the droids had destroyed your village.
Then, you heard her voice.
"Tarek. Leave him alone."
A short Togruta with vivid blue eyes stepped in front of you. She was about your age, maybe younger by a couple months, but held herself with a fierce confidence. Her arms were crossed, and her blue eyes were narrowed in clear contempt of your bully.
Tarek blinked, taken aback. "I was just saying—"
"You were being a bully. Again."
His mouth shut, his irritation clear across his face. She turned to you. You didn't know what to say. You realized your mouth was open and that you probably looked dumb, so you quickly closed it.
"You okay?" she asked.
You nodded, transfixed. Her eyes were incredible. Oceans of deep, clear blue, but filled with a determination and spirit like nothing you had ever seen before.
She gave a short nod in return. "Good. Don't let him get to you." Then she walked off like nothing happened.
"Stupid slave girl," he muttered under his breath. You looked at the girl, unsure if she heard. For a second, it looked like maybe she would say something back. But instead, she just walked out of the room.
That afternoon, you found yourself wandering through the Temple gardens, trying to reflect on everything that happened in the last couple days. This place was so different. You had gone from some nobody farmer to maybe becoming a...Jedi. You were scared to even let yourself believe that, though. You knew deep down that you weren't like these other younglings. Maybe you never will be. You looked up and saw the Togruta from class, sitting on a stone bench with her datapad in her lap, her feet dangling just above the grass.
You hesitated, then walked up to her.
"Thanks," you said.
She looked up, her expression blank. "For what?"
"At lightsaber training. You didn't have to say anything."
She shrugged. "He was out of line."
"Mind if I sit?" you motioned to the bench across from her. She gestured to the bench to signal yes. You nodded and sat down. Even though Coruscant was a city of a world, in the garden, it reminded you a bit like home. The wind gently ruffled the leaves. A bird chirped somewhere in the distance.
"You know, they're right" you said quietly, not totally sure why you were projecting your feelings out loud. "I don't belong here."
"That's not true," she said immediately, looking up from her datapad. "Master Yoda is a great, wise Jedi Master. If Master Yoda let you in, it means you're meant to be here. It's not like he takes just anyone."
You gave a bitter smile. "Even if I almost blew up a Jedi Master's fighter?"
She blinked, looking surprised. "Did you?"
"Well, Master Kenobi was having an issue taking off from my home world. I'm good with working on droids so I thought maybe I could help. Turns out, I was wrong," you muttered.
She let out a laugh. Not in the cruel way the other younglings laughed at you, but in a warm, amused way.
She looked down at her datapad again, then back at you.
"I'm Ahsoka. Ahsoka Tano. What's your name?"
"(y/n). (y/n) (l/n)."
"Well, (y/n) (l/n), you really don't seem so bad for an offworlder. But, maybe take my advice. I don't really trust people," she said. "And neither should you. Most of the kids here act nice to your face in front of the Masters, but they'll trip you during drills and punch you in the back if they think no one's watching. I learned that the hard way."
"So why help me?" you asked.
She shrugged again. "You looked like you needed it."
There was something unspoken between us. You could tell instantly that she wasn't like the other younglings. It was more than just a game to her. And somehow, you could sense that she felt that about you too. Yet, you could also sense her unease, her hesitancy to trust you.
But, you realized, at least you didn't feel so alone anymore.
You tossed and turned in your sleep that night. Images flashed through your dreams, some familiar, some not. You saw the fire, your burning village, the droids marching through. You saw the leader, a large droid, wielding four lightsabers...
Then, screaming. You were a baby. A glow of red reflected off the face of people who looked familiar, but you just couldn't place it. Tears streamed down their faces.
Then, quiet. Nature at its finest. Large marble buildings and lush greenery...
And then, *BANG!* You jolted up and hit your head on the shelf above your bed. You looked around frantically. It was just a dream. Rubbing your forehead, you took a deep breath, and fell back asleep.
The next weeks passed by fast. There was so much information to learn, about the Jedi, about combat, about the force, about the Republic...it was all so overwhelming. Luckily, all the studying you had to do made it easy to drown out the bullying from Tarek and his cronies. Ahsoka started sitting next to you in class, although the two of you didn't talk much. She seemed to be practicing her belief of not trusting anyone, including you. You weren't friends but, at least, she didn't treat you like the others did.
"Droids are your enemy on the battlefield. The Separatists use them to attack, to control, and to destroy. To defeat your enemy, first you must know your enemy," lectured Master Shaak Ti, an older Togruta master. "As your annual assessment this year, you will reassemble a B2 battle droid, and then, on our last day of lessons, you will duel it without the use of your lightsabers."
Many younglings looked exasperated, including Tarek.
"Excuse me Master," he spoke up. "But how are we supposed to defeat a battle droid without a weapon? It'll kill us!"
"Patience, young Tarek," Master Ti responded. "The droids have been reprogrammed so they will not use lethal weapons against you. It is but another training exercise. You all will have to channel the force to aid you in your victory. Proper teamwork, communication, and attention to deal will be crucial. Now," she said, glancing around the room, "you will be assigned in pairs."
Tarek snorted loudly enough to be heard. You already knew who he was hoping not to be paired with.
She started naming off the younglings, finishing with "Ahsoka and...(y/n)."
You let out a sigh of relief. Good thing you didn't get paired with Tarek. Ahsoka's face expressed no emotion.
The two of you hauled back the hulking parts of machinery to Ahsoka's quarters. You gazed around, noticing how Ahsoka's quarters were mostly devoid of anything, except for a mirror with a small line of light blue paint on it. You decided it would be best to ask about that another time. In one corner, she had a workbench, with what looked like starship components.
"If I'm being honest, (y/n), I have no clue where to even begin with this. Maybe we should go look up the model in the library," Ahsoka said nervously.
"No need," you replied. "If there is one thing here that makes sense to me, it's the droids."
She flashed you a grin. "Take it away, then, Master Jedi," she joked.
The two of you began assembling the droid, piece by piece. You helped instruct her through the leg assembly while you worked on the central computer.
"How do you know your way around one of these, anyways?" she asked you suspiciously.
"Sometimes, they got sold for parts for my village. We'd repurpose them to help us out with lifting our hay bales. Plus, I like the droids. They don't whisper behind your back or judge you for who you are. They're honest. Predictable. Fixable. Honestly, more than I could say for most people," you said with a smirk.
Ahsoka knew exactly who you were referring to. "Well then genius, how do we get this honest, predictable battle droid booted up?"
"Well, these old models have modular power cores. We just need to reroute the primary relay through the secondary subprocessor, bypass the corrupted start-up script, and reboot it from the auxiliary port."
She blinked slowly. "That was either brilliant or completely made up."
You grinned. "I guess we'll find out."
Together, you worked in tandem. She handed you tools without needing to be asked, catching onto your rhythm faster than you expected. You watched her as she wrenched a bolt on, and while you were distracted, dropped a power jammer, which let out sparks as it hit the ground.
"Careful, Sparky. Don't want to fry your eyebrows off," she quipped.
"Bold of you to assume I won't fry yours off," you retaliated.
She laughed, the sound of it unexpectedly warm and soft. "Good luck with that," she said, gesturing to the white markings on her skin, just above her eyes. You took a moment to notice their complexity for the first time, the diamonds on her forehead, the patterns running from her lekku to her cheeks...Then, you realized, you were staring. She was looking at you with a confused curiosity. You quickly looked back down to the droid.
As you reached for the relay wires inside the droid's chest cavity, your fingers accidentally touched a raw contact. There was a loud pop, and a shower of bright orange sparks burst out from the access panel, lighting up your entire workstation. You yelped and fell backwards off your stool.
As you sat up holding the spot where your head had thumped against the ground, Ahsoka burst into laughter. "Smooth move Sparky."
You blinked at her. "Wait...is that why you keep calling me that?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Just sealed the deal."
You snorted. "Fine, but what do I get to call you, then?"
She tilted her head, pretending to be deep in thought. "Ahsoka is fine."
You grinned. "If you're gonna be snippy with me, maybe I'll call you...Snips."
Her eyes narrowed. "Don't push it."
But you could see a small smile growing on the corners of her mouth.
You spent the next hour working hard. The droid had degraded over time and was filled with short-circuits and faulty connections. You taught Ahsoka how to rebind memory loops and reroute energy pulses using repurposed capacitors. She surprised you with how quickly she picked it up.
"You're a fast learner," you admitted. "It took me years to figure out how to do this."
"Don't act surprised," she said. "I'm not just good with lightsabers. And, besides—I have a good teacher."
You could feel your cheeks go red. You laughed. Being here with Ahsoka helped you forget your village, the bullying from Tarek, the constant thoughts that maybe you didn't belong. Being here with Ahsoka made you feel like maybe this could be home.
Then, finally, the two of you sealed the last panel and powered up the system. The droid's photoreceptors glowed blue. It sat up slowly, humming to life.
"System reboot complete. Awaiting directive," it said in a metallic voice.
You looked over at Ahsoka, who was beaming.
"That's how it's done, Snips," you said proudly.
And then all of the sudden, with a mechanical screech, the droid's blue lights turned red. It twisted toward Ahsoka and extended its right arm, unsheathing a rapidly spinning drill.
A drill? On a battle droid?
"What the—" Ahsoka ducked just in time as the drill sliced through the space where her shoulder had been less than a second earlier.
"Combat override initiated. Eliminating threat," the droid beeped, turning and facing you now.
You staggered back. "That's not part of its programming!"
The droid lunged at you, knocking you to the ground. Ahsoka, using the force, ripped a light pole off the wall. If there wasn't a droid about to kill you, you would have been impressed at how much strength she had through the force. She bashed the pole of the droids head, making a small dent. The droid swung around, wildly striking its drill in her direction. Ahsoka flipped over a bench, rolling into a defensive stance, eyes wide.
"Sparky, do something!"
"I'm trying!" You scrambled toward the workstation, looking for something to use to attack the rogue droid.
While you searched, the droid pounced. Ahsoka threw a stool to block it, but it crushed it in one sweep of its drill arm. She barely dodged its arm again, breathing hard.
Then, out of the corner of your eye, you spotted the small power jammer on the floor. Maybe, if you could stick it in the back panel, you could short-circuit the droid. You reached out your hand, trying to draw it towards you with the force. It didn't budge. There will be time to practice later, you thought, running over to grab it off the floor. Leaping into action, you jumped on the droid's back and tried to pull off its back panel. The droid twisted toward you, trying to attack you with the drill. Your fingers burned as you tried to pry off the panel.
Come on, come on, come on—
Finally, the panel gave way and fell open. You jammed the power jammer in, and a huge crack of electricity knocked you to the ground. The droid sputtered, lights flickering. It raised its drill over you—froze—and then collapsed to the ground with a loud thud. Then, it was silent, outside of the ringing in your ears.
Ahsoka stood up across the room from you, hands on her knees, gasping for air.
"Well," she said after a long pause. "That was fun." A big smile crossed her face.
Later, Master Ti examined the remains of the droid.
"It appears to have been tampered with," she said grimly. "The drill arm was installed recently. The attack protocol was overwritten. The Separatists must have found a way to infiltrate this droid. I suppose the Council shall have to investigate."
Ahsoka and you exchanged a look, and then left together. We didn't say our suspicions out loud, but you could sense that the two of you were thinking the same thing. It wasn't the Separatists.
It was Tarek.
That evening, after cleaning up Ahsoka's quarters and debriefing the incident to the council, you sat on the temple steps to the garden, staring at the burn on your palm. Ahsoka sat beside you.
"Are you sure you don't want me to take you to the medical bay, (y/n)? That looks bad."
You laughed and looked into her clear blue eyes. For the first time, she held your gaze. You noticed a scratch under her right eye.
"As long as you aren't going for that," you said, pointing to the scratch, "then I'll be fine."
She scowled, knowing you were right. And then, more silence. You could feel the mood shift to something more serious.
"You saved my life," she said.
"You saved mine, first," you responded, with a chuckle.
You looked into her eyes and saw something flicker in those deep blue eyes. She quickly looked back out to the garden. We sat in silence for a while.
Then she nudged you playfully. "Sparky suits you, you know."
You smirked. "And Snips suits you."
She rolled her eyes, but her response was soft.
"Don't make me regret trusting you."
You turned to her, serious. "Never. I promise."
She gave you the most authentic smile you had ever seen. For the first time since arriving at the Jedi Temple, you had something worth being here for. You weren't just classmates. You were friends.
There was something different about the Jedi Temple gardens at night. When the Temple halls fell quiet and the stars shimmered in the skies above, the garden felt like a secret pocket of the galaxy—untouched by war or politics or the pressure of becoming a Jedi. Just you, the stars, and...her.
That's where you and Ahsoka would end up almost every night over the next few months.
The droid incident had changed things between you. Before, you could tell she was afraid to get close to anyone. But something unspoken had clicked into place that day, and now the two of you got along like best friends. You trusted each other. And trust meant everything.
You started sitting together in every class. You sparred during lightsaber drills, which she almost always won. You teased each other more often. You still called each other Snips and Sparky, but now it felt more like a ritual than a joke. Slowly but surely, the bond of your friendship grew stronger and stronger.
And at night, when the lights were dimmed and most Jedi retired to their quarters, you met in the gardens. Hidden between the tall flowers and bushes, you talked about anything and everything.
"So, you've spent basically your whole life here on Coruscant?" you asked, shocked.
"Yep, this is what home is to me. Out here in the garden is about as green as it gets," she said, laughing, although you could detect a hint of sadness in her voice.
"You ever wonder what your life would be like if you weren't Force-sensitive?" you asked, lying down with your back on the grass. The stars twinkled faintly in the sky above. Ahsoka was stretched out beside you, her arms folded behind her head.
"You mean like a normal person?" she replied.
"Yeah. You know, like a pilot. Or—"
"A farmer?" she asked, with a twinkle in her eye.
You laughed. "You wouldn't last a day as a farmer. You'd get bored before the first sundown."
"And you wouldn't last a day as a pilot, that's for sure. You'd argue with every person who boarded your ship," she retorted.
"I'd be right, though."
"Still annoying."
We both laughed.
Then, in a softer voice, she said, "I don't know who I'd be without the Jedi. I was brought here so young. I barely remember my home."
She paused, her fingers curling around a knot of grass.
"Sometimes I wonder if that's a bad thing."
You turned your head toward her. "You miss it?"
She shrugged. "I miss something. I don't know what."
"I know you feel, Snips. I hardly remember my actual home or my parents either."
She gave you an acknowledging look, and you could see the emotions in her stormy blue eyes. You didn't know what else to say, so you just lay there beside her, the silence between you, for once, comfortable.
Unfortunately, not every moment could be as peaceful as the nights in the garden. Since the droid incident, most of the younglings in the class had been nicer to you. Except for Tarek. He was getting worse. He grew more aggressive with his bullying, and demanded a silent loyalty from all the students in the class. You could sense his fear that he was losing control of the group of his peers. And he wasn't taking it well.
"Gotcha!" Ahsoka shouted, poking you in the chest with the training saber. You let your guard down while you were distracted. "I think that makes it...let's see...31 to nothing? That all you got, Sparky?" Ahsoka boasted with a wink.
You raised your training saber, and rushed at her swinging. She easily and nimbly ducked between your legs, and poked you square in the back.
"Make that 32," she said with a wicked smile, blowing imaginary smoke off her fingers pointed in the shape of a blaster.
"Whatever," you groaned. "I'm taking a water break."
You turned to get some water, and noticed Tarek glaring at you from his sparring match across the room. Ahsoka bounded over to you, and pulled you close by your arm.
"Wanna know a secret?" she whispered.
"Always."
"When we were little, Tarek had the biggest crush on me. For the longest time. It was super obvious. Then, one day, he asked me out. We're Jedi...of course I can't date him. Since then, he's been super grouchy all the time." Ahsoka said.
You couldn't help but feel a little crestfallen upon hearing she wouldn't date. What are you thinking, (y/n)? Of course she can't date. And neither can you. The Jedi way is more important. You shook your head to try to clear the though from your head.
"So—he thinks I'm stealing you, then?" you questioned.
Ahsoka snorted. "You can't steal something that was never his."
You blinked. Wait, did she mean..."I'll...take that as a compliment."
She rolled her eyes. "Don't get used to it."
That evening, the garden felt even quieter than normal. There was no breeze this evening, so the trees stood stationary in the dark. You could hear the buzz of an insect somewhere in a bush nearby. Ahsoka sat cross-legged on your favorite bench, a small datapad glowing in her lap.
"What are you reading?" you asked.
"It's a writing by Master Plo about how to choose peace during battle," she said without looking up. "He talks about peace as an action, not just a feeling. That it's something you have to work toward. I like that."
She looked up at you. "I've always looked up to him. Master Plo discovered me on Shili. He's the one that brought me to the temple."
You sat down beside her. "You think he'll pick you as his Padawan?"
She hesitated. "I hope so," she admitted. "He's kind and patient, and one of the couple people I feel like I can trust here," she said with a wink to you. "And he never looks at me like I'm just another youngling, I've always meant something to him."
She stared off for a moment, then asked: "What about you? Anyone you hope will choose you?"
You shrugged. "I've heard a lot of cool things about Master Skywalker. Of course, I also would love to learn from Master Kenobi, he saved my life after all. But—" you paused, "I'm still not even sure I'll even get chosen. Master Windu gives me the worst stares every time he sees me go by."
She frowned. "That doesn't matter. You'll prove them wrong. You always do."
You looked at her. She said it so firmly, like it was a fact. Her eyes projected the same confidence you heard in her voice.
That night, you fell asleep with her voice echoing in your head.
You always do.
The next few weeks passed in a blur of lessons, training drills, meditation, and evenings in the garden with Ahsoka.
Meanwhile, Tarek's treatment of you got continually worse. He began testing physical boundaries. Bumping into you while practicing battle forms and hard elbows to the ribs during sparring when the instructor Jedi weren't looking. All the while, slipping in cruel insults.
"Hope you're not planning to be a field Jedi, garbage boy. The Separatists would smell your stench from a star system away."
You did your best to ignore him most of the time.
But Ahsoka...she noticed everything.
The two of you were walking by your quarters after Republic law class. You opened the door to grab a snack, only to find mess hall trash strewn everywhere.
"I swear, next time I see him, I'll deck him," she muttered.
You chuckled. "Youngling Tano, violence isn't the Jedi way."
She narrowed her eyes. "Neither is being a jerk."
That night, you and Ahsoka lay in the garden again, side by side, staring out at the stars of the galaxy. This time, you didn't talk much. Just being together was enough.
Eventually, Ahsoka whispered, "You know we won't be younglings forever."
"I know."
"One day, we'll become Padawans. We'll spend less and less time at the temple, and everything will be different. We'll have real responsibilities. I've looked forward to it my whole life. But—" she hesitated, "I'm scared about what will happen to our friendship if we don't get chosen at the same time."
You didn't answer right away.
Then you said, "No matter what happens, we 'll find each other again. Okay?"
She turned her head slightly. Your eyes met her brilliant blue eyes in the dim light. You felt butterflies in your chest.
"Okay," she said.
You felt her reach out and slip her hand into yours.
For a moment, you didn't move. And neither did she. Then, "I should get some rest. Apparently tomorrow will be a big day."
Her hand left your grasp, and she quickly walked back into the temple.
As you walked to class, you couldn't help but notice the door ajar to the Jedi Council chamber. You knew you shouldn't be listening, again, but you heard your name, and decided against your better judgement to stay. You could see Master Yoda through the crack in the door.
"(l/n) is not ready," Master Windu said in a sharp voice. "He has only recently come to us. We do not yet know how he will respond to this trial. The other younglings have spent years preparing. He only has a few months of experience."
You felt your chest tighten. You inched a little closer to hear better.
"Strong in the Force, the boy is," Master Yoda said. "Faced fear already, he has. Grown, he has."
"Ilum is a sacred place," Windu countered. "If he fails...it is not only himself he endangers, but every youngling in the class."
A silence stretched on for what seemed like forever.
Then the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi spoke. "I've watched him during his training. He's not perfect, but neither are any of us. Some of the other younglings make it difficult for him to fit in. That makes him work harder than most of them. I have confidence in his ability to join the trip to Ilum."
At least one of them recognizes what I have to go through, you thought to yourself.
Yoda hummed thoughtfully.
"Capable, he has shown. A test, Ilum will be. Let him go, we will." Master Yoda's gaze turned directly to you. You quickly ducked out of the way and scurried to class.
An hour later, you and your fellow younglings boarded the transport bound for Ilum. Master Yoda had explained, before they left, that they were to find their Kyber crystals, used to power your future Jedi weapon, a lightsaber.
The trip was quiet and long. You and Ahsoka sat near the back, both twiddling your thumbs anxiously. Tarek sat across from you, his arms folded and with cold, glaring eyes occasionally glancing at the two of you.
Ahsoka nudged you. "Think you'll find your crystal?" she whispered.
"I don't know," you admitted. "But I think...maybe it'll find me."
She smiled at that, but her anxiety was evident in her eyes. Eventually, the lights dimmed so the younglings could rest overnight. Ahsoka dozed off, her head resting on your shoulder. You didn't dare move a muscle—you didn't want to disturb her when she was sleeping so perfectly, and besides, you didn't feel like you could sleep anyway. Your heart was beating fast with anxiety about finding your crystal.
Upon arriving on Ilum, Master Yoda led the group towards a cave. Despite his size, there was something powerful about his presence. The other younglings fell into a quiet reverence as they followed him. The cold wind billowed around you. You pulled your robes tighter together.
After entering the cave, you found a large central area, with a path leading down into darkness.
"Enter, you will," Yoda said. "Alone, each of you. But within, together you will walk. Let the Force guide you. Let fear not hold you."
Tarek, overconfident as always, rushed towards where the tunnel sloped down. But, he came to an abrupt stop, scared to venture into the dark. Ahsoka snorted and walked past him. You followed, with him close on your heels. The air inside the crystal cave was thick and cold. Shards of ice sparkled on the walls, catching the glow from the entrance. The deeper you walked, the quieter and darker it came. Your breath echoed off the wall.
Then, all of a sudden, there was a loud tremor, and a roaring slide of rocks and ice tumbled down between Tarek and the rest of the younglings, sealing the path back to the entrance. You could hear distant screams from the other side. Your side was oddly quiet. You could sense Ahsoka and Tarek there with you.
"Back! Back!" Master Yoda's voice echoed faintly from outside.
You turned slowly to see the outline of Tarek dusting snow off his sleeves. You could sense an innocent expression plastered on his face.
"You okay?" Ahsoka asked me.
"Yeah," you responded. "You?"
She gave your arm a squeeze.
Then you both turned to Tarek, who had watched the collapse with an uncharacteristic level of calm.
"What did you do?" Ahsoka demanded.
"Nothing," he said, shrugging. "Maybe garbage boy here just has bad luck."
"Well, we need to find a way to get back to Master Yoda and the other younglings," you said, ignoring Tarek's insult.
"You two have fun with that. I'll be finding my crystal now," Tarek said, shoving his way past you.
"I guess we have no choice but to follow him," Ahsoka whispered.
The frost-covered passageways were lit by the faintest glow of the rocks from kyber crystals deep within. Tarek trudged on in front, while you followed him, feeling the pull of the force. You could hear him muttering in front of you.
"Can't believe he was allowed here. Should've been left in a landfill."
"Ignore him," Ahsoka murmured.
"Easy for you to say," you whispered back. "He's not talking about you."
She smirked. "If he tries, I'll make him stop."
You kept walking. All of a sudden, you reached a fork in the path. Each stretched on to two, faintly-lit paths. You felt the force pulling you left.
"I need to go that way," Ahsoka said, nervously, pointing to the right. You pointed left. To your annoyance, Tarek also pointed left.
"Well, you boys go that way. If anything goes wrong, just give me a shout," Ahsoka said, smugly.
"We'll be fine, Snips," you responded. Tarek glared at you.
You and Tarek continued down the path, trading shoves. Finally, the two of you reached a cave. It was a lot brighter than the tunnel, and the rocks had been shined to mirrors. You looked over one to see your reflection. At the end of the cave, you saw the mirrors dropping out of sight. You got close to the ledge, peered down, and saw a cliff that dropped into pitch black. That's a long way down, you thought as you staggered backwards.
Right into Tarek's chest.
"Finally," he said, his voice deep.
"What?" you asked. "Find your crystal?"
"No, (y/n), finally alone with you."
"What are you talking about, Tarek?" you responded uneasily.
"You fool! You have no idea." His eyes looked hungry. He stood as tall and imposing as he could.
"No idea about what? Tarek, what is going on?" you responded, looking around for something you could use to defend yourself. There was nothing.
"Ever since you came to the temple, you ruined everything for me. I am supposed to be the best in our class. But you have taken everything from me. I see how Yoda talks about you. He thinks you're special. Well, he used to talk about me that way. Before you showed up." He glared at you menacingly. "You have taken over my status as top youngling in the class in the eyes of most of the Masters. You will pay for this! I tried to kill you with the droid, but luckily for you, you survived. You won't be so lucky this time."
"Tarek, as much as you flatter me, I'm not the top youngling in our class. Ahsoka is. She beats me in everything I do. No one is more destined to be a Jedi than her," you responded.
"Wrong! That slave girl is nothing. Not since she didn't see my love for her. She doesn't matter now, (y/n). Only you. You know..." he looked directly into your eyes. You felt fear start to pulse through your veins. "It has been my destiny ever since I was a child to be the most powerful Jedi. That's why I was brought to the temple when I was hardly even a month old. I could already levitate my crib. But the Jedi—they're blind. They serve blindly a failed political state. I knew that in order to reach my potential, I would have to become more than a Jedi. To become the most powerful, I would have to become Jedi and Sith."
Sith? No clue what that is.
"Tarek, before you do anything you'll regret, just listen to me—" you started.
"NO! YOU will listen to ME, (y/n)! The next Padawan chosen will be Anakin Skywalker's apprentice. The Chosen One. I will not let it be you. My Master visits me in my dreams every night. He has taught me more power than most Jedi will ever know. He has trained me for this moment," he smiled cruelly. "No one will hear your cries, (y/n). No one will know it wasn't just a terrible accident. And maybe then, Ahsoka and the Masters will see me for what I really am. The most powerful force-wielder in the universe."
"In your dreams, Tarek." You entered a fighting stance.
The tension vibrated through the air. You could feel the force. Then, out of nowhere, lightning shot out of Tarek's hands. You fell to the ground, burning in pain.
"Bow to the power of the Sith, garbage-boy!" Tarek jeered. The pain seared through your body like the hottest flames from the brightest Sun. Then, he moved his hands, and the lightning started shooting everywhere.
Fighting through the pain, you struggled to your feet, a mix of intense pain and shock racing through your mind. How does a thirteen year old boy have so much power?!
Clearly, it was overwhelming him too. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed the power jammer that fell out of your pocket. No way this will work.
You reached out with the force, it trembling and slightly moving towards you. Tarek managed to direct the lightning back onto you, and you again collapsed in immense pain. You heard screams as your consciousness started to fade in and out. You thought they were your own, but then you realized, they were Tarek's. You looked up, and the lightning was deflecting off the mirror rocks throughout the cave, and right back to him. You took a deep breath, closed your eyes, and reached out. The power jammer whipped to your hand as you ran up to him and plunged it against his palm.
A huge explosion threw you both backwards. You towards the cave entrance, and Tarek towards the edge of the ledge. The ground began to crumble from the electricity pulsing through the chamber. The room was lit with the eerie blue of electricity. You both scrambled to your feet, but he was faster. Using the force, he lifted you into the air. You could feel an invisible hand squeezing your neck, choking the air out of you. You grasped your neck, trying to get it off, but were completely helpless.
"Goodnight, garbage boy," Tarek laughed menacingly.
Then, out of nowhere, a quick blur rushed past you, and you fell to the ground, coughing and sputtering. You looked up to see Ahsoka had taken Tarek down to the ground. The three of you got up, stared at each other, and then Tarek moved. He pulled back his arms, about to use the force again. You closed your eyes, winced, expecting him to electrocute you again, and then—CRACK. Your eyes slammed open to see the ground give way under Tarek and Ahsoka. He let out a scream as he fell down, down, and out of sight, cut off by a distant thud.
You rushed over to see Ahsoka gripping onto the edge of the cliff for dear life, only holding on by her fingertips, her legs dangling over the abyss.
"(y/n)! The crystal!" She gestured to a crystal, sticking partially out of the rock face, about 20 feet below her.
"Ahsoka, no! Leave it! Give me your hand!" you yelled. You could tell she was slipping. The walls were beginning to crumble around you.
"But—"
"Ahsoka, trust me!" you yelled.
She glanced at the crystal, and then her eyes met yours. She grabbed your hand, and you pulled her up, tumbling back on to solid ground. The cave trembled around you.
"We have to get out of here!" you yelled, only to find your breath sucked out of you from your burns as you tried to stand.
Ahsoka, without a word, slung your arm around her shoulder, and helped drag you out. The force of the collapsing cave pushed you both back out into the entrance tunnel, as the rocks at the cave entrance collapsed, burying it. Then, all was calm. You and Ahsoka both panted breathlessly, unsure what to say. Then:
"He tried to kill you," she finally said.
You nodded slowly. "And you stopped him."
She shook her head. "I didn't mean for him to fall."
"You saved me."
Her eyes met yours. There was no pride there. Just pain. She crawled over to you, put her head on your chest, and started weeping. You put your arms around her and held her there. You don't know how long the two of you stayed like that. Then, out of the corner of your eye, you a glimmer of green light. A kyber crystal was sitting at the foot of the collapsed rock.
"Ahsoka," you nudged her back awake. She looked around wildly, scared, until her eyes met yours, and she seemed to calm down. Then, she spotted the crystal too. She stood up, closed her eyes, and reached out with the force. The crystal quivered, then lifted, and floated into her hand. It hummed in her palm, pulsing with warmth. She looked at you.
"I think it's mine," she said, guiltily.
You nodded. "It chose you."
"But what about you?"
You began to answer, only to feel a blunt object knock against the back of your head. You let out a cry of pain, and looked up to see Ahsoka laughing. Her beautiful smile nearly distracted you from the sharp pain in your head. Then, you saw what she saw. A (y/c) colored kyber crystal, which had fallen right into your lap.
"And I'm guessing that one is yours," she said, giggling. You looked into her eyes. Her smile, despite the events, was like a ray of sunshine in the dark cave.
"Ahsoka—" you began.
"Kyber crystals, you have found, younglings," said the wise voice of Master Yoda. You and Ahsoka spun around, surprised, to see the old Master with a smile on his face, all the well looking solemn.
"Master Yoda, we—" Ahsoka began explaining, before he cut her off.
"No need to explain, young Ahsoka. Very powerful, the dark side is. Even for younglings. Turned, young Tarek was, without our knowledge. Grave danger, the council has put you in. Stronger, though, you have become. Darkness, you have faced, and light, you have chosen. Strong Padawans, you shall be. Come, home we must go."
Yoda started limping down the tunnel back towards the entrance.
Ahsoka whispered to you. "What were you gonna say?"
"Oh, nothing. Just, thank you for saving my life."
Ahsoka gave you a sad smile. "Now we're even."
You turned and continued to walk behind her and Master Yoda. You glanced down at your burned hands. For a second, you thought you saw a small flash of lightning. You shook your head. You were tired and traumatized, so just seeing things. No big deal.
Back on the transport, the reality of everything hit you. Tarek was gone.
You could still hear the echo of his scream in your ears. Even though he had tried to kill you, even though his jealousy had driven him to do something unforgivable, the image of him slipping into the darkness haunted you. Ahsoka hadn't said a word since Yoda had taken them out of the cave. She sat on the seat next to you, her knees pulled to her chest with arms wrapped tightly around them, the green kyber crystal still clutched in her hand.
Master Yoda stood beside you, his silent, steady gaze seemingly reading your minds.
"Challenging, the crystal caves are. More than ice and rock, they test what lies within."
Ahsoka finally lifted her head. In a low voice, she rasped: "He tried to kill (y/n). I stopped him. And he died."
Yoda nodded solemnly. "Intent, important it is. Did not strike to kill, you did. Acted to protect, you did. Died of his own mistakes, he did. His death, on your conscience, it is not." He walked back out of the room in the transport we were sitting in.
She closed her eyes. You reached over and gently touched her arm.
"You saved my life, Snips."
"Told you not to call me that," she responded, blandly, with none of her usual charisma. You could hear how exhausted she was.
You placed an arm around her. She leaned into you. And for the first time in a long day, you closed your eyes and allowed yourself to rest.
That night, back on Coruscant, you and Ahsoka were summoned to speak about the incident before the Jedi Council.
"Younglings Tano and (l/n)," Obi-Wan began, "you acted with bravery, clarity, and honor. The Council recognizes your strength and your resilience during this unexpected challenge."
Master Plo Koon nodded. "The crystals called to you. The two of you found yours by listening to the force inside you. This reflects great qualities of a Jedi."
Yoda turned to the two of you. His expression softened.
"Showed courage, you did. Compassion. Strong is your will. Steady, your heart."
"Youngling Tano," Master Windu said, addressing Ahsoka. "Tomorrow, you will report for your first day as a Padawan learner. Congratulations."
A look of shock passed across Ahsoka's face, quickly replaced by a look of great pride.
"Youngling (l/n)," Master Windu continued, now talking to you. "We believe that while your actions were brave, you are still too new to the Jedi way to become a Padawan. We will need you to spend more time learning as a youngling before assigning you a master."
Your heart sank. Ahsoka looked outraged.
"Master Windu, respectfully, I wouldn't be here without (y/n). He has saved my butt more times than I can count. He deserves to be a Padawan more than I do," she argued.
You looked at her, her eyes sparkling with fierce determination. You felt feelings you didn't know how to express, even to yourself. You felt...a spark.
"Tano, the decision has been made. You will report tomorrow morning at sunrise. Do not be late," Master Windu said, dismissing the two of you with a wave.
Afterward, you and Ahsoka stood beneath the great tree in the temple gardens. Despite your attempts to heap congratulations onto her, she wasn't having it.
"It's just so unfair. You deserve this just as much as I do," she said angrily. She balled her hand into a fist and punched the tree.
"Snips, it's okay. They still don't totally trust me. I don't blame them." You did your best to project confidence, but deep down, you had so many questions. Why won't they just trust me?
Ahsoka looked into your eyes and let out a sigh. She held her crystal up to the moonlight. It glowed vibrantly green in her hand.
"You did well today, Sparky," she said.
"You did better."
Then, out of nowhere: "I don't want to leave you behind."
You smiled. It would hurt you for her to leave, but you know that her dream has to come before any attachment.
"You won't. Not really. I'll still be right here anytime you want to see me."
We stood there a while, quiet in the glow of the setting sun.
Then she reached out and pulled you into a strong hug.
"Promise me we'll see each other again."
You held her a little tighter than you probably should have. "Promise."
Even though we were just kids, you knew this was something different. Your friendship wasn't ordinary. It was more. And one day, you just knew, you would be side by side again.
The next morning, you left your chambers early to go meet Ahsoka in hers before the day started. You had agreed to spend as much time together as you could before she was deployed.
"Young (l/n), a word, may I?" you heard Master Yoda creak as you were rushing through the hallway.
"Of course, Master Yoda," you responded, nervously checking the time.
"A great bond, I sense, between you and Padawan Tano. Careful, you must be. Attachment, you must let go of. Strong, it is, to have friends. But, let go, you must. On your way you are, young Jedi."
And he walked away. You stood there, your jaw gaping. That old Jedi really could read your mind. As you continued towards Ahsoka's chambers, you thought about what he said. Your feelings would never be acceptable, you were both Jedi, and attachment is forbidden. Even though your heart felt different, you knew that you should heed Master Yoda's advice, and at least try to let go of your confused feelings for her when she leaves.
The temple was unusually quiet today. Word had spread quickly: Ahsoka was to be assigned to Anakin Skywalker, the great General, Jedi knight, and current hero of the Clone Wars.
You felt thrilled for her. No one was more ready or more capable of becoming a Padawan than her. But deep down, you felt hurt too. You knew that while she was stepping into her destiny, you would have to wait. That she was moving on...without you.
You found Ahsoka in her quarters, adjusting her new Padawan outfit in front of the mirror. The freshly braided Padawan braid was draped over her shoulder, hanging from her mantrals, the green crystal she'd claimed on Ilum now nestled in the hilt of her newly assembled lightsaber.
She looked like she belonged. She turned when she saw you.
"Hey," she said, a little uncertain, as her cheeks turned red.
You tried to smile. "You look...official."
She looked at you sadly. "You okay?"
You didn't answer right away, just took a seat at the workbench the droid tried to kill us at.
She stared down at her lightsaber, turning it over in her hands. "I asked if I could wait, too. Just a little. Maybe until we both got chosen. They said it wasn't the Jedi way."
"It's okay," you said quickly. "This is your destiny. I know that."
Still, the silence that followed was heavy.
Then, she looked up at you, smiling. "One last walk through the gardens?"
"Remember when you fixed that sparring droid and almost electrocuted yourself?" she said.
You laughed. "You mean the day you gave me the worst nickname in temple history?"
"Worst? You wear it like a badge of honor."
"Well," you said, playfully nudging her shoulder, "you never told me to stop."
She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. You both looked up, like you were searching for something. The stars that were usually there were absent in the blazing sun.
"I'm scared," she said suddenly.
You turned toward her. "You? The great, mighty Ahsoka Tano, scared? Really?"
She nodded. "Not of battle, or Master Skywalker. But of leaving this behind. Us. Our friendship."
You didn't know what to say, so you reached for her hand. She didn't pull away.
"We'll see each other again," you said softly. "Out there, somewhere."
She nodded slowly. "You promised."
"And a promise is a promise."
She looked at you, her blue eyes shining against blue sky. You were gonna miss those eyes. Then she leaned forward and pressed her forehead against yours.
"I'll miss you, (y/n). May the force be with you," she murmured.
"May the force be with you, Padawan Tano," you answered.
She gave you that same smug, playful smile that you loved.
An hour later, you stood at the docking platform and watched as she boarded a ship to take her to her first mission on Christophsis.
She turned back one last time, and her eyes met yours. You gave her a wink. She smiled.
Then the ramp lifted, the engines roared, and she was gone. You stayed on that platform long after the ship vanished from sight. In your hand, you held the (y/c) kyber crystal that had landed on your head. It glowed faintly, as if sensing your emotions. You closed your fingers around it.
She was gone. But your story wasn't over. Not yet.
In fact, it was just beginning.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you so so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed! Please don't forget to favorite the story, comment, and give me a follow if you're able :)