Chapter 12

The training

First of all, Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you'll enjoy the most beautiful day of the year, together with your family and friends. Because personally, I think that's what it is all about…having fun with the people you love.
Anyway, here's the next chapter…an early Christmas present. As usual I want to thank my friend, cdaye8184, for helping me and of course all of you for reading, reviewing etc.
Have fun reading!

Moonwolflove

Ahsoka was happy with Dawns enthusiasm. It seemed like she realized that she had a gift that should be cherished. A gift that she could help others with.

Ahsoka herself strongly believed that it had been the Will of the Force that had brought them together. They were destined to be best friends and she was destined to help Dawn in taking her first steps in the Jedi training...that would be a hard thing but they would get through together.

And when she thought about it, all her other problems suddenly seemed much less relevant. They were driven back to the background of her mind. Very far away, as if they would never come to the surface again...as if that was no longer needed. But unfortunately, she could never completely eliminate them from her mind.

There was the missing...as far as her problems were driven back...she still missed her world. She missed her friends and she missed Anakin. For Force sake she even missed C-3PO...and that meant a lot.

But no...for now she couldn't change anything about the whole situation. The only thing she could do now was to be there for her friend.

"Okay, there is one little problem...we don't have practice material. And if you want to train, then we really need something alike," she said, settling her head on the matter.

"How did they practice in the Jedi Temple?" Dawn asked slightly curious to hear what Ahsoka had to say.

"With a remote," Esther replied, instead of Ahsoka. "That thing shoots lasers, which you then should reflect with a training lightsaber."

"But we don't have those things here," Dawn stated; more a fact than a question.

"No, we don't," Esther confirmed.

"Okay, so much for the training," Ahsoka thought. But that thought didn't seem to match with what Aidan had in his head.

"Oh, but I have the perfect solution for that. Dawn, come with me," he said as he beckoned her.

Ahsoka was curious. She looked at Esther. "I still have some chores to do. So I won't go with them, but you can if you like. Perhaps you can keep an eye on Aidan and his plans...for me."

"Sure," Ahsoka smiled. She followed the twins, but stopped at the door to the garden. She remained standing in the doorway, unsure whether it was a good idea to go outside or not. Esther appeared behind her and gave her an encouraging push forward.

"Go, the garden is surrounded by hedges. Nobody will see you," she said with a smile.

Ahsoka threw a smile back...those words had put her at ease. It was one thing to be stuck here (and honestly...that was far from the worst thing in the world), but being locked up, somewhere in a laboratory, that would be a real nightmare.

She took her first steps in the garden and it felt like she was reborn. The sun shone-for the first time since what felt like ever-on her skin again, without glass between her face and the beams.

It felt as if she had lived in the darkness for years, and that she only knew now what freedom meant. She was grateful for the hospitality of the Walkers...but being trapped in a house...all day long...that wasn't anything for her. She loved the outside world, she loved the sun, she even loved the rain and the air that made her feel alive. When she thought about it...she had never spent much of her live inside of a building...missions were usually outside.

She shook her head absent mindlessly and walked towards Dawn, who stood in the middle of the garden, at the request of Aidan. The latter just walked away and Dawns forehead showed small wrinkles. Ahsoka had to admit that she was rather curious about the mysterious plan of the handsome twin brother.

Aidan reappeared with a bag over his shoulder and a thick branch in his hand.

"Care to tell me what your plan is?" Dawn asked, while becoming impatient.

Aidan smiled one of his magnificent smiles and then conjured a baseball out of the bag, that had hung around his shoulder.

Dawns eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What are you planning to do with that?"

Aidan was silent and pushed the branch in her hands. Dawn raised an eyebrow and sent him that 'I don't trust it' look. Then she nodded to the branch in her hand.

"And super genius...now what?" Dawn asked saucily.

"Mom told us about the remote's, right? Well, since we don't have one of those handy devices, I'll play the small and annoying laser thing. Only we'll replace the lacers..." He held the baseball up. "...by baseballs."

Dawn swallowed visibly. Apparently she wasn't that confident about the whole idea.

"I think it's a good idea," Ahsoka said. "Try it, Dawn. Hold the branch right before you and let the Force guide you." She tried to remember how Yoda had explained it to her and the other younglings for the first time...so many years ago. So long ago that the memory was fading...but was it because of that reason? Or was it because the Jedi temple and her past were escaping her?

She shook her head and tried to focus her attention on Dawn.

"Okay, is this because you're still angry about that time I've eaten your piece of the pie?"

"Silent revenge," he grinned as he raised his arm.

At that moment, Dawn projected her thoughts that clear that any Force-sensitive would have been able to hear them.

"Oh, this is gonna hurt!"

Ahsoka couldn't suppress a laugh and Dawn must have know that she had read her thoughts, because she gave her a sour look.

Aidan still smirked, not exaggerated, but in a way that gave you the chills. The ball shot away and Ahsoka saw how Dawn did her best...but didn't manage to evade the blow to her head. She stumbled back and Ahsoka rushed towards her, worried that the blow might have damaged her head...or something like that.

Aidan certainly had strength in his arms...enough to give you a concussion. Ahsoka grabbed Dawn's arm and helped her up. The baseball had hit her on her forehead and a huge, blue bump became visible. Dawn put a hand over it and then threw an angry glare at Aidan.

"Was that really necessary?" She asked sternly.

"Pain is the best teacher," he said with a grin. "You'll learn soon enough how to fend things off."

"If you're not careful, you'll have to learn to fend off," Dawn snapped back.

"Yeah, like you would succeed in something like that," he said, while tossing another baseball up and down.

Ahsoka was so impressed by the expression on Dawns face that she was curious about her thoughts. She concentrated on her mind, and she clearly heard the sound of them. Dawn wanted to reply, but she could only think of nasty things to say...so she had decided not to say anything. Ahsoka stifled a laugh and just as she wanted to continue listening, Aidan said something.

"Well? Want to give it another try?"

Oww, that had to be commented. Dawns thoughts told Ahsoka that she wasn't often angry with her brother, but for now she really wanted to wipe that smirk of his face. And that was exactly what she would do.

Dawn cast a glance towards her, which meant a lot and then she went back to her place, with the branch ready for defense.

"Come...on," she said slowly.

Aidan's eyes narrowed. He most likely saw that as a challenge. One corner of his mouth curled up again in a common smile and Ahsoka rolled her eyes.

Aidan threw the ball up and down and then cast it away with great speed. Ahsoka predicted another bump on Dawns head, but strangely...that didn't happen.

Dawn had fend the ball off and it had flown somewhere over the hedge.

Aidan had been slightly surprised, but said: "Jedi or not, you can't do that a second time."

Now it was Dawns turn to be arrogant. She leaned on the branch and said: "Want to bet?"

"Sure, what are we betting for?"

"The remote control...for a whole week." Ahsoka shook her head at that bet. She could have expected that.

"Okay, challenge accepted," Aidan said, who already had conjured another baseball.

That ball flew through the air and Ahsoka's eyes were too slow to see the entire action. The only thing she saw was how the thing suddenly turned and hit Aidan right on his forehead.

He fell backwards and Dawn circled him.

"I think you've lost our bet."

"Yes, and I think I have a concussion."

"Then you know how I feel."

He rolled his beautiful eyes in exaggeration, before both girls helped him up. "I must admit...those last two attempts were very good," he said.

Dawn smiled a genuine smile. "I think I'll go get something to drink. Training is tiring." And she had only been doing that for ten minutes.

Ahsoka watched how her friend walked into the house and then suddenly remembered something.

"You knew that challenging her would work, huh?" She asked Aidan, who smiled.

"Of course, I know my sister. If she fails in something then you have to make her angry about it...and then suddenly, she succeeds in it. So...a bit of challenge won't hurt her."

"Smart of you," Ahsoka then said. "But now you have to watch her TV series for the whole week."

"Oh, I'll survive that. Her training is the most important thing now..." He frowned, like he had to think twice of that. "Yeah, it absolutely is."

Ahsoka smiled and said: "You're a good guy, Aidan."

"If you're the one who's saying it, then I have to believe you." He smirked and his face lit up.

"Why? Because I'm such a trustworthy person?" She laughed.

"Yes…and because I wouldn't want to hear those words from anyone else."

Ahsoka thought she had understood him wrong, but then she saw those little twinkles in his eyes and she just knew that she had heard it right. She was silent, didn't know how to respond.

"Well then...see you later, Soka," He said with a smile, after which he walked towards the house.

Ahsoka remained alone in the garden along with her thoughts.

So…how did you like it? Aidan always comes with a plan…and perhaps that's for the better, because nobody knows Dawn better than he does.
And what about him and Ahsoka…curious case, isn't it?
Well then, that was it for today. The next chapter will be up soon, but as I still have to write it, it can take a bit longer.
Merry Christmas!