11:00 (11:00 PM)

Mmmmmmmm

The soft hums of the Crucible; the Paladin-class corvette that had been used to ferry younglings for millennia, was now making the yearly voyage across the expansive stars to reach its destined destination: Ilum.

The crucible was outfitted with a central work area in the middle that had been used to help younglings craft and build their lightsabers. Manning the helm for centuries now was the architect droid known as Professor Huyang. His silver plating with yellow eyes was currently occupied setting up 10 stations for 10 different younglings who showed great promise. Few notable ones were Jao, Barriss, and Anakin with the first one still sleeping and the other 2 fully awakened and were chatting amongst themselves in the bedrooms alongside Kyungi.

"So, Barriss. What color do you think you're going to get!" Anakin asked.

Rubbing her chin, she'd think for a bit before replying, "Mmmm… honestly who knows. It really depends on what the cave deems us to be in correspondence with."

Anakin looked confused, "Correspondence?" he asked curiously.

Kyungi made a few noises of explanation to the 14 year old boy and Barriss nodded, "Exactly. It is what the forces feel our ideals mostly inline with."

"Oooohhh! That makes sense, yea." He replied.

Kyungi asked a question and Anakin nodded, "Yea, I am with Kyungi. I am thinking I may get blue! Like my master!"

"And you, Kyungi?" investigating the Wookie Padawan, "What color did you get Kyungi?"

Kyungi roared before sparking a beautiful green bladed lightsaber. Her hilt was made of wood from the trees of Kashyyyk combined with a stunning finish of titanium. Anakin awed in wonder as Barriss quietly admired the beautiful blade. Kyungi was a promising padawan who got chosen by a respective Wookie Jedi knight herself and since of her promise, she was to accompany the new years younglings. Luckily for her, these younglings she had a bond with already.

Before switching off the blade, Kyungi asked another question in Shyriiwook and it sparked particular interest in Barriss as she sighed, "Jao is probably still sleeping over there." pointing back as there indeed was, a sleeping Jao Ren Paul.

Anakin, who had grown significantly taller than Barriss now as his shaggy brown hair waved a bit when he leaned over to look. He smug smiled, "Why… Why am I not surprised he's still sleeping. I mean, we're teenagers now."

Indeed Anakin was right. Barriss, Jao and Anakin were all teenagers now, albeit Anakin being 1 year older than them. Jao was starting to lose his boyish charm to him. He was getting taller, his black hair was getting so long that he had to tie it in a ponytail. Him and Barriss were practically at the same height albeit Jao being slightly taller (5'5 and 5'4 respectively.) Which was currently the same height of Anakin.

Her eyes lingered on him as they rested. 13 years now. 13 years since they entered the Jedi order. 13 years of a friendship that ran deeper than anything. Before Yaddle's death, Yaddle had spoken a keen interest in the two younglings ever since they were respectively taken from their families. They surely had a unique bond but how unique, the Jedi Council was keen to find out.

A small smirk appeared before a voice echoed out, "Barriss!"

Jumping in her seat, she'd quickly ask, "Oh huh! What?"

Kyungi roared and chuckled and Anakin chuckled as well, "Yea, I think Barriss was daydreaming about Jao. Again."

Face growing pink which darken her green skin, "Hey! I was merely thinking about how long me and Jao have been friends!"

Anakin blew a raspberry, "PFFFTTT! Sure…. Barriss… Sure…"

Punching Anakin, he would laugh before saying, "I'm t-teasing ahahah… I'm teasing…" before recollecting himself, "But you're not wrong. You and Jao have been through a lot, huh?"

Barriss nodded her head as Kyungi seemingly asked a question. Barriss actually grew somewhat dumbfounded at the revelation.

"Y-You're right, Kyungi… Me and Jao are practically already chosen once we complete our trials. We-..." her voice going somewhat soft, "We won't be together for much longer…"

Sensing the sadness from her aura, Kyungi gave Barriss a squeeze on the shoulder before saying something in Shyriiwook. Anakin nodded along and added, "Yea, they might let you guys keep in contact. Also you might have missions together so, like, it won't be all bad."

Starting to feel uncomfortable, she'd shift in place, "Yea… but we're Jedi. We're not meant to have attachments like that… it could lead to the dark side."

Kyungi contested with a combination of grunts and roars before Anakin agreed, "Yea! As long as it doesn't turn romantic!" a cheesy grin appeared as Barriss went bright red, "RO-ROMANTIC!? WITH JAO?! NO WAY THAT'S HAPPENING!" she protested.

Kyungi and Anakin laughed in delight from Barriss's response. Barriss pouted her lips before sending a force wave at Anakin which he quickly leapt and the push ended up flinging Jao to the ground.

"WHA!" Thump

Anakin and Kyungi practically were in tears at this point as they were laughing.

"Ughh… my friggin head… feels like a bantha stomped on it…" Jao groaned.

Barriss ran over as she said, "Oh my, Oh my, Oh my. I'm SO sorry Jao! Anakin and Kyungi were teasing me an-"

"Okay, okay! I got you, Barriss. I can tell you're sorry…" sending her waves of comfort through the force. Jao and Barriss, ever since the trauma with Jao losing his hand, had delved into an even deeper bond that allowed the two to comfort each other in the force.

Barriss hugged him tightly as Jao moaned and groaned as Anakin whispered to Kyungi, "Is it me or…?" before Kyungi swiftly agreed back and he replied back, "Ok, ok. I thought it was just me."

Standing around in a circular room, 10 younglings stood as Grand Master Yoda was explaining how "The Gathering" would work.

Feeling nervous and uncomfortable, Barriss would shift as the cold combined with her feelings of anxiousness made it worse. Ilum was an icy planet but was a hotspot for Kyber Crystals. Clutching her jacket closer to feel a tad warmer, an arm would snake around and pull her into a side hug. Caught off guard, she'd look to see who was invading her privacy to find out it was Jao.

"It's alright, Barriss. You'll do fine. You've always been strong-willed." reaffirming her.

She instinctively clung closer in the warm embrace as she replied, "I know… I'm- I'm just afraid what'll be in there."

Jao laughed at her as he gave her a noogie.

Barriss pouted and groaned in response.

"Begin, we must. Each take a separate tunnel, you will. Different journeys." Yoda was nearly done as he finished off with, "Shown your fears, it will. Conquer them, you must lest fall to the dark side… you will."

Jao looked at Barriss before giving her a tight squeeze from the embrace before letting go, "See ya on the flipside Bariiii…!" giving her a two finger salute before jogging up to go inside a tunnel. Barriss sighed with a small smile as she knew Jao was terrified as well but was saving face for her sake. She liked that part about him. Always caring for her and his friends.

Taking a deep breath as she composed her rapid emotions running through her head, she'd feel out through the force and felt herself drawn to a particular tunnel. Looking at the unassuming tunnel, she'd walk through.

Making her ways down the icy tunnel, Barriss would feel through the force as it guided her further and further. Her eyes being closed, she'd feel herself bump into something foreign. Opening her eyes, she'd see a human male in red robes with a small black mantle around his neck. His hood was up which obscured his facial features but something felt off about him. She'd nervously step back before the man said, "Welcome, young Offee."

Barriss looked him up and down before saying, "W-Who are you?"

A seemingly kind smile slowly spread across his face, "Wake up, Barriss."

He began walking towards Barriss and she grew frightened by this gesture. She'd step back but realize there was a wall behind as she felt the cold, icy stone.

Fear welling up quickly, she'd close her eyes and scream out only to find out her voice was muted. A cold sweat ran across her and a new sensation was felt: one of warmth and comfort. Opening her eyes, she'd realize she was in her bed at the Jedi Temple. Note that the younglings' sleeping arrangements were categorized into several different sections; ranging across that 10 and younger all shared a common sleeping area whilst the girls and boys were then separated by gender after they turned 11.

Rubbing her eyes, she'd clutch the blanket closer as Kyungi came over with a worried expression. A few roars and barks before Barriss answered, "N-No N-No… I am fine… I just had a really REALLY weird dream about The Gathering…"

Kyungi seemed to shrug it off which sent a weird signal and feeling to Barriss: something felt off now.

She barked something towards Barriss before gesturing to her to follow, "Oh? Jao is in the cafeteria? Okay, I'll come!"

She gets up to follow Kyungi and sees her roundabout a corner and just as she's about to, she hears some people talking and stops just around it and listens.

"HAHAHH! That's too funny, Jao! You're like… so fun to hang out with JR." an unknown voice said.

The roars and barks of Kyungi would be heard as another unknown voice agreed, "Yea… I'm with Kyungi on this one, mate. Why in the force do you hang out with that Barriss Offee. She's such a bore and utterly annoying. She's gonna totally ruin your REPUTATION." the word seemingly echoing for Barriss much more than the other words.

Jao Ren Paul sighed as he seemed contemptuous of her, "I mean… it's like an annoying bug to be honest. Like she has the potential to be good looking, hell even beautiful but GODS she is annoying as Rancor's mating."

The hurt, betrayal and utter sadness had entered her heart within a moment. It was the most palpable and wretched feeling she'd ever felt in her 13 years alive. She felt betrayed by him but most importantly: she felt lied to. She wanted so badly to run, so badly to just leave it all and hide but she knew she couldn't. She had to confront Jao on this new information she'd just learn.

"So I am nothing but an annoying bug HUH!" Barriss walked out and didn't even question how she was already in the cafeteria

Jao and the others which seemed like people like Anakin, Kyungi and several boys she saw Jao spar with. He looked at her with a look of resent, "So you heard that, huh?" getting up from the bench he was at.

It sincerely took all of Barriss's willpower to not cry at this moment but continued, "Yea! Saying that I'd ruin your REPUTATION!" there it was again. That word seemingly echoed louder than the rest.

"Maybe you should kill her, Jao so your REPUTATION isn't ruined." an unknown friend of his said.

A malicious smile grew on Jao's lips. One Barriss had never seen in the 13 years of knowing him. It was evil, horrid and absolutely disturbing to see but wasn't as horrifying as the red saber Jao revealed as the lightsaber sparked alive. He stalked closer to her as he spew words of hatred and vitorily towards her until he said something that made her eyes run.

"I wish you were NOT REAL! I wish you would never WAKE UP. I wish you were dead!"

Her hot tears ran quickly as she quickly found herself stumbling to the ground as she pleaded in between sobs, "P-P-Please Jao… T-This isn't you…"

This didn't deter Jao as his stalking grew closer and closer to her. Barriss screamed out in desperation and agony but her cries were muted. Not a single rational thought entered Barriss's mind before Jao stood over her and lifted her up with the force, choking the life out of her slowly, "PLEASE! I never fucking cared about you. All I did was take pity on you. I have ALWAYS fucking despised you and never once CARED ABOUT YOU."

Then as she felt her life slowly slip, her thoughts rang towards the echoes of certain words.

"NOT REAL, WAKE UP. PLEASE. I ALWAYS CARED ABOUT YOU."

A newfound clarity had been given to her: This was the test. She whispered out, "Y-you're not Jao."

Jao heard this, releasing some of the tension on her throat and asked, "What did you say?"

Speaking louder now as she yelled, "YOU'RE. NOT. JR!"

The scream echoed louder than anything she'd naturally be able to muster as he lost control on her and clutched his ears, effectively dropping the lightsaber.

Coming closer to him, she'd defiantly proclaim, "Jao would NEVER say those things about me. HE'D NEVER! I know you're not Jao! I feel NOTHING from you!"

Picking up the lightsaber with the force, he'd ignite it once again and say, "Your ignorance to the truth will BLIND you." the voice said, now not Jao at all but a vindictive old man but still the skin of Jao.

"Jao… no JR NEVER CARED ABOUT REPUTATION!" stomping closer with each step being more resolute than the last, "If he cared about reputation, he wouldn't hang out with Anakin who every youngling in the order initially outcasted."

Another step

"He'd never hang out with Kyungi and learn Shyriiwook so he could understand her easier,"

Another step

"And most importantly!" another step before she was finally face to face with the imposter, "He'd never hang out with me!"

These words seemed permeate louder than most but there was no echo nor any hum of a lightsaber anymore.

"So strike me down! I will never believe your utter lies!" closing her eyes as she waited for the oncoming death. Although that death never came as she felt a hand: a warm hand that caressed her face gently. It was soothing and calming to her as she leaned into the touch of it before opening her eyes to see Jao Ren standing in front of her with his green eyes looking at her with a friendly smirk.

"I'm glad you finally realized that, Bari." he chuckled.

She smiled at him as hot tears ran down her eyes, "I-I was always so worried you hated me." her voice choking up as her ugly cries began, "It-... It… took me so long to realize it but…" sniffing.

"You've always cared about me. I know that you'll always be with me no matter what." as she closed her eyes and went to hug the boy she cared so much about.

"I think you're looking for this, Bari."

She looks up and notices he's gone but in her hands, shone a beautiful blue kyber crystal. Clutching it to her heart, she'd whisper,

"Thank you for guiding me, JR."

Before walking back the way she came.