I have a very strange Master (Star Wars/SI) EPI-EPII

Latest Update:COMPLETE

Link: https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/i-have-a-very-strange-master-star-wars-si-epi-epii.16459/

Word count:140k

Chapters:46

Chapter 1:

The temperature within the temple's grounds was on the best day lukewarm, and on the worst day stifling hot. Coruscant was the prime city not just of the world, but of the Galaxy at large. It was the capital-world of the Republic, the seat of the Senate, and the planet where the Jedi Order had its temple.

The atmosphere was also, for the most part, controlled by electronic regulators to ensure a constant mildness to the heat. Maybe that was what annoyed Ahsoka the most, if she actually had to be annoyed of something.

It felt like being beneath the air conditioner constantly and at all times, and while it was truly a minor thing, it was either that giving her discomfort, or something else.

It couldn't be nervousness, no, clearly, that was out of the question. Even as she walked towards the grounds where her Master waited, she decided to herself that it wasn't hesitation, or nervousness, that clouded her thoughts.

She had been so eager to finally start training as a Padawan -she was the youngest one to date, wasn't she? Maybe she should check. Such a record deserved recognition, did it not?

However, even if it did, she couldn't help but feel something was wrong.

"Clouded, your thoughts are," Master Yoda remarked from her side, the small green male of a species that didn't even have a name walked with a sure gait, even with his diminutive size. He always looked calm and at peace, but that was either due to the wisdom of his age, or the incredible number of things he had seen that kept him calm even in front of the inexplicable. "Ask of me, something you wish?"

Ahsoka wasn't known for hesitation. She had been reprimanded more than once because she was impulsive, hot-headed, rash, prone to action rather than thought and verbally outspoken more often than not. She knew what was right -or at least thought so- and thus had no qualms in saying it aloud. Yet the stifling air of the grounds were chaffing her throat, as whatever wrongness she felt seemed to seep through her vocal chords, keeping her from speaking outright.

"I-Nothing, Master Yoda," Ahsoka said.

Master Yoda raised a singular eyebrow towards her, and hummed with his 'I know you are hiding something, you silly Padawan, and trying to hide something from me is futile at best, and stupid at worst' hum, before inclining his head slightly to the side and half-closing his eyes, stopping his walk.

Ahsoka stopped soon after, her legs somehow more than glad to stop from heading to the grounds, as if whatever wrongness was there could be stopped from happening if she just didn't go.

"Fear you have," Master Yoda said in the end. "Nothing to fear there is. Why then, fear do you?"

"I-I don't know," Ahsoka acquiesced. "I just..." she brought a hand to the center of her chest, and clenched it like a fist. "I just feel it."

"Many a padawan," Master Yoda said. "Fear they do, when first their master meet. Nervousness, hesitation, fear of betraying expectations, many such a thing they have. Your master, his name you do not know. Fear not, however, for of you, he knows all."

Ahsoka blinked. Wait, what did Master Yoda just say? That was just...kind of creepy. And not in the good way. On one side, if he -or she- did know about her strengths and -admittedly very little- lacking, then she didn't need to worry on making a poor figure. On the other hand...that was just creepy. Why didn't he even pop up once to say 'hi' or something similar? Just...no, it was all types of creepy. But maybe Master Yoda meant it as a 'he looked through the datapads of potential Padawans', and that made way more sense than what her mind was thinking.

Yet the wrongness didn't abide.

Master Yoda's right ear twitched slightly. "Fear you still have," Yoda said and dreadfully sighed. "Worry, truly you shouldn't."

"It's just...I don't know anything about him," Ahsoka said.

"There is no ignorance," Master Yoda said with a knowing nod. "There is knowledge."

"And when there's no knowledge?" Ahsoka asked, arms crossed in front of her chest.

"A Jedi master, he is, what a Jedi master is, you should know," Master Yoda acquiesced. "Knowledge, that is."

That...that did calm Ahsoka down. Wrong gut feeling or not, being a Padawan wasn't a one way road. She had to agree to it after meeting with her Master, and she had to go through a twenty-four hour meditation following it. At any moment, she could be free from it. She wasn't forced to be the Jedi Master's Padawan any more than the Jedi Master was forced to have her as a Padawan. Somehow, the notion had slipped her mind until then.

She could refuse.

But refusing without at least trying wasn't the way of the Jedi. She wasn't going to back down out of an uneasy sense of nervousness.

Surer than before, Ahsoka nodded to herself first, and then bowed to Master Yoda.

"I understand, Master Yoda. I'm sorry."

"Worry not, you should, Padawan," Master Yoda said with a hum as he began to walk once more, Ahsoka following him. "Much to learn you still have. Much teaching, your Master will do gladly."

The walk through the temple's grounds finished in front of a small building with a basic door that slid open with a soft hiss, to reveal a perfectly ordained sand garden. Standing atop a single rock at the center of the garden was a man in his mid twenties, with dark hair, a slightly round face and a small goatee on his chin. He seemed deeply in meditation, and the feeling of wrongness that Ahsoka felt intensified at his sight.

The man quietly slid off the rock and stepped on the sand, before walking towards them, leaving the garden untouched with his steps. Ahsoka had goosebumps on her skin. She was used to the Jedi's serenity and peaceful walk, but this felt like the sky inches away from giving way to a powerful thunderstorm. There was this sort of tension in the air that seemed ready to rip and shatter within a single instant.

Then the man opened his eyes, and a small smile settled on his lips.

"Hello there."

The tension broke. The voice was kind-of raucous, with a pronounced 'r' that seemed off in regards to the rest of his pronunciation. His arms rested in the sleeves of his long robes, and now that he was closer, he even looked kind of pudgy.

And he was tall. Well, not tall-tall, but he was taller than her. Master Yoda didn't count for a comparison.

The Jedi Master bowed to Master Yoda, and then turned towards Ahsoka.

She faltered for a bit, before quickly bowing down and standing back up straight. "P-Padawan Tano! Well, yeah. That's my name. It's a pleas-no, I'm honored to meet you, Master."

"Padawan Tano," he replied with a chuckle. "I take it your nervousness is now eased?"

Ahsoka's eyes widened briefly, before narrowing. "Hey! How do you know that?"

Master Yoda sighed. "Alone, I shall leave you. What you wish, decide. Later, to me you shall tell."

The diminutive alien walked away, leaving Ahsoka alone with her hopefully future-Master.

The silence soon became awkward.

"Uh..." Ahsoka broke the silence glancing around, "So...what's with the name secrecy?"

The man shrugged, and as he did, Ahsoka couldn't help but remember all those lessons about how shrugging was not an appropriate answer to give in any contest for a would-be Jedi.

She was starting to like this guy.

"Well," he remarked, "I didn't want a ruckus with the other Jedi Master."

That got her curious, and she raised an eyebrow. "Why? I know I'm young for a Padawan, but I'm not the youngest, am I?"

"There were talks of having you apprenticed to Skywalker, Kenobi's apprentice," the man replied. "Had my name been public, I would have faced with no doubts Kenobi's insistence on dropping the issue."

Ahsoka couldn't help but grin. "Woah, I didn't know Jedi Master would fight over who gets which padawan."

"It doesn't normally happen," the man replied, "And in fact, it is not much of a fight, and more of an incessant nagging. We value who could teach the student better, not who could earn the most shine out of the best student. Frankly speaking, it is more a mark of merit to take the worst Padawan and turn him into the best knight, than to take the best Padawan and let him become what he is naturally going to become."

Ahsoka frowned at that. "Wait. So what am I? The worst Padawan!?"

The man chuckled, and shook his head. "You are 'A' Padawan. Neither the best, nor the worst. The reason Master Kenobi wished for you to be apprenticed under his own apprentice is because his apprentice suffers from the same problems that you do."

Ahsoka was starting to dislike this guy. She clicked her tongue against her teeth, and crossed her arms tightly in front of her chest.

"Everyone has faults," he continued. "You shouldn't worry about it. I spoke with Master Yoda, and he decided I could teach you better than Skywalker could. Thus, here we are." As he spoke, he gestured around to the sand garden. "Of course," he continued, "Should you rather prefer 'Skywalker' to me, you have but to say so. I won't stop you," he sighed, and shook his head.

"No, no," Ahsoka said hurriedly, hands flailing around in a 'no way' motion. "It's fine, you're fine! Oh damn I'm embarrassing myself ain't I? Drats-ahem, I'm the new Padawan Learner, I'm Ahsoka Tano," she said, making a proper bow. "I will be in your care, Master."

"Very well," the man replied with a chuckle. "Then I shall teach you and guide you along the path, Padawan Tano. I am Master Night Shade."

"Night...Shade?" Ahsoka hazarded with at twitch in her right eyebrow. Was the man serious? That...that was...was that even a name?

"You may call me Master Shade," he added.

"M-Master, pardon me for asking, b-but..."

"My mother was very fond of the nightshade," he acquiesced with a sigh. "You may laugh if you wish, Padawan. I will not stop you."

Ahsoka's shoulders twitched as she brought a hand up to her mouth, trying to hide her grin spreading.

"N-No, M-Master S-Shade, that's-that's not...ah...well...ahah...if you say I can..."

She laughed, before shaking her head and clearing her thoughts.

Her Master nodded to her outburst, and then chuckled. "I see you already have a lightsaber," he said. "That is good. Have you traveled to Ilum?"

"No, Master," Ahsoka said. "I built it with Master Yoda here in the temple. With the war going on, it would be dangerous to head over to Ilum."

He nodded. "Then, head over to the Rotunda Chapel to meditate and attune with the force, Padawan. I shall wait for you in front of the Council's Chambers to report." He sighed once more. "Take your time attuning with the force, Padawan. Whether I have to wait minutes or hours matters not to me, as long as you do what I ask properly."

With that said, he began to walk out of the sand garden, and she followed him with a snicker still in her throat.

Loving a plant or not, who would ever call their son 'night' just to go with the surname 'shade'? Seriously, that was beyond laughable. It was outright hilarious.

If Master Yoda had told her that before, she'd have broken up in laughing fits and giggles from the very beginning, rather than being nervous about it.

Yes, in the end, she knew this was going to be great.

She was going to prove she was the very best, and nothing would stop her from doing that. 'Small faults' or not, she was going to become the youngest knight, and then youngest master, in the history of the temple.

Link: https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/i-have-a-very-strange-master-star-wars-si-epi-epii.16459/