Sorry about the long delay. Christmas happened, and I'm a slow writer.

This is a slower and shorter chapter, but important stuff happens. Next chapter will have lots of action and will finish off the "saving the Hutt" arc. Then we'll start on season 1.

I used SaberForge's online lightsaber configurator to design what I think Torian's lightsaber would look like. I couldn't figure out how to make images viewable to the public, and this site won't let me post a link to it, so I just took a screenshot and made it this story's cover image. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Thanks for the kind reviews :3

P.S What did you guys think of The Rise Of Skywalker? I really liked it.

Chapter 3: Reflections

"Tori?"

Ahsoka poked her head through an open doorway, scanning the room it led to for her fellow padawan. She huffed in frustration when she didn't find him, grumbling as she walked down the hall to the next room. Having searched through two floors already, her good mood was beginning to sour as she tried to find where Tori had fallen asleep after being tended to by the medics. The human had been battered and exhausted when Ahsoka and her master found him and Master Kenobi, with multiple blaster burns on his legs and arms.

Ahsoka hadn't been the least bit surprised when she saw Tori's injuries. From what little she knew about him from the temple, he'd never been particularly skilled with a lightsaber, and had passed his initiate trials only by the skin of his teeth. She had honestly expected his injuries to be much worse than a few blaster burns.

What did surprise her was Master Kenobi's account of he and his padawan's side of the battle. From the way he described it, the battle had been far more vicious than she realized, and after seeing all of the... bodies, Ahsoka was inclined to believe him. Seeing the devastation wrought by the opposing armies had shaken her, and she hadn't been able to prevent her eyes from watering the first time she saw a fallen clone trooper.

The trooper still had his helmet on-thank the Force-but Ahsoka hadn't been able to pull her eyes away from the smoking holes in his torso, nor could she ignore the pool of congealed blood he lay in. The stench of seared flesh, of a fresh corpse that was still warm and had yet to rot, was overpowering, but it was nothing compared to the aura of death that had permeated the Force. The fear and anger and pain of the fallen soldiers still hung like a pall over the battlefield, the emotions so visceral and strong that it felt as though the battle had never ended. Flesh burning, bones shattering, bodies being torn apart in every way imaginable... it felt as though the Force itself had suffered all of this and more.

Ahsoka had stood there staring at what had once been a living, breathing person for what felt like an eternity, struggling to withstand the crushing darkness around her, before her master wrapped a strong arm around her and pulled her away. He had gently guided her through the battlefield, mumbling encouragement and steering her clear of the more mangled corpses. The warmth and strength he radiated through the Force was like a beacon, one that she latched onto as a shield against the Dark. They stopped briefly when they found Obi-Wan and Tori, but once they left the crumbling building Master Skywalker once again put an arm around her trembling form, and tried to prevent her eyes from seeing the worst of the bloodshed.

Once they had passed the squads of troopers collecting the bodies of their fallen brothers, the terrible aura had weakened and Anakin had loosened his grip on her, enough so that she was able to turn around and see that Tori was also being guided through the carnage by his master. She'd felt a pang of sympathy when she realized that it was probably even worse for Tori, since he had seen many of those troopers die. If the aura she felt was this terrible after the battle had ended, she didn't want to imagine how much worse it must have been when the fighting still raged.

According to Master Kenobi, Torian had handled himself well, despite a rough start. Ahsoka got the impression that he was leaving out a few details, particularly about the 'rough start', but after seeing first-hand what Tori had been through she had been forced to admit that he had exceeded her expectations. She still wouldn't trust him with her life, but she had gained a new level of respect for her fellow padawan.

That didn't mean Ahsoka wasn't annoyed at being the person sent to find him, though.

She finally found him on the fourth floor, snoring softly on a couch. She stomped over to him, thoroughly irritated and not having any inclination to wake him gently. She stood next to him for a minute, frowning and trying to think of an entertaining way to wake him, one that he'd earned for making himself so hard to find. The frown turned into a wicked and impish grin when she remembered the water canteen on her belt.

Holding the canteen above his head, she took off the lid and twisted her hand.

The resulting yelp of surprise and flailing of limbs was quite satisfying for Ahsoka, especially when he tumbled off the couch. Lying on his back with his legs still on the furniture, Torian spluttered as he tried to figure out why he was wet and looking at the ceiling through bleary eyes. He heard laughter, and his eyes narrowed when he finally saw a familiar Togruta standing over him, doubled over and laughing so hard she actually snorted a few times. He folded his arms and glared at Ahsoka as he waited for her laughter to subside.

It took a while. Every time she seemed to be all laughed out, his pouty glare and sopping wet hair would send her into another fit of giggling. Eventually she calmed down, but her smile was so broad that it revealed her fangs.

Torian found that it was suddenly very difficult to be upset with Ahsoka, but he stubbornly kept his glare in place. "Why am I wet?"

She started giggling again, and almost dropped the empty canteen as she waved it mockingly. "Bec-because you made me climb three f-flights of stairs to find you!"

Torian huffed and pulled his legs off the couch, wincing when the leather rubbed against the bacta-patches on his thighs. Sitting up, he used the blanket he'd found to dry his hair and continued to glare at the still laughing Togruta.

Or at least, he tried to glare at her. Her amusement was filling every corner of his mind and to his chagrin it felt... nice, and more than a little surprising. While her laughter wasn't necessarily friendly, it also wasn't hostile or demeaning like he would sometimes get from some of the less kind younglings at the temple. It was also a far cry from how she'd felt about him when they had first arrived on Christophsis.

"You could've just, you know, poked me or something." Torian finished drying his padawan braid and stood up, stretching his sore limbs. He faltered when he finally noticed the bandage on her face. "What happened to your nose?"

Ahsoka's eyes widened as she went from amused to embarrassed in the blink of an eye. The blue stripes on her lekku darkened as she stammered, "l uh, um... I got hit by shrapnel! From a, um... from the explosion! When we blew up the shield!"

Torian's eyes narrowed at the obvious lie. He knew she had a tendecy to jump without looking where she'd land, and whatever happened was clearly embarrassing enough to lie about... he smirked as the puzzle pieces fell into place, and the opportunity for a little payback was too good to ignore. "You ran into something, didn't you?"

"...No!"

"Then why is your nose crooked?"

"What?!" Ahsoka shrieked as her hands flew to her face, running her fingers along the bridge of her nose. "Kix said it was fine!"

A snicker brought Ahsoka's attention back to Tori's grinning face. "Don't worry, it is."

Torian's grin died a quick death when Ahsoka's eyes became venomous slits, as she slowly and calmly lowered her hands. They settled on her hips as she smiled again, although this time the expression gave him a strong sense of impending doom. His doom.

"Ahsoka?" She continued to smile at him, and Tori realized that she was standing between him and his only escape route. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

The way Ahsoka ran her eyes over his body reminded him of a predator eyeing its next meal. "Do you know how I got this headdress?" Her voice was sickly sweet as she pointed to the array of teeth and beads that decorated her montrals.

Torian swallowed and tried to remember what he knew of Togrutan culture. "Uh... a special hunt, right?"

Ahsoka nodded, still smiling. "It's a traditional hunt, where we kill an akul in a very specific way. Do you know what that way is?"

Torian gulped and shook his head nervously. Was it normal for a fourteen year old girl to be this terrifying?

The Togruta's smile turned toothy and positively evil as she very deliberately displayed the full length of her fangs. They were long, blindingly white, and razor sharp. "We sever its jugular vein with our teeth, preferably while it's sleeping. Think about that the next time I have to wake you up because our masters need us." She then turned on her heel and sauntered out of the room, somehow managing to make even the sway of her padawan beads seem threatening.

Torian stood there gaping in horror as she left, already dreading the nightmares he would be having about waking up with her teeth latched on to his throat. She couldn't be serious... could she?

"Don't make me go back in there, Tori!"

He had never moved so quickly in his life.

(-O-)

"Any idea why Master Yoda is here?" Anakin asked, whilst using the late afternoon sun to see as he worked on R2-D2. The dust and grime of the battlefield were hell on the astromech's wheel joints, and it was a constant struggle to keep his friend in good shape. "And why he would come in person?"

"He didn't say." Obi-Wan stroked his beard and glanced into the sky. The faint pinprick of a Republic shuttle was steadily growing larger as it descended the atmosphere, the much larger silhouette of an Acclamator transport ship not far behind it. "It's important, whatever it is. Now, where are our padawans? Ahsoka should have found Torian by now."

Satisfied that Artoo was as clean as he could get him, at least until they made it back to the Resolute, Anakin set down his wire brush and gave his former master a curious look. "Speaking of Tori, what's his deal? Something about him seems... off."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"He always looks like he feels sick. That and his emotions feel strange, like they're... cluttered, I guess."

Obi-Wan blinked in surprise. He had noticed the same thing, but hadn't expected Anakin to see it as well this soon. A reminder that younger man could be very perceptive, at least when he chose to be.

"He's just a bit nervous and doesn't want to disappoint anyone. It will pass."

Anakin eyed him skeptically. "It felt like a lot more than 'nerves', Obi-Wan. You and I both know that being distracted on a battlefield gets people killed."

The Jedi Master grimaced, knowing that Anakin made a good point. He didn't believe that Torian would ever be a danger to his own troops, but how to make Anakin believe that without revealing a secret that wasn't his to tell?

"He just needs to know that other people believe in him, and he'll be fine."

"...If you say so."

Silence fell as Anakin went back to inspecting Artoo, and Obi-Wan sighed as he absentmindedly watched the commotion around him. Admiral Yularen had returned with a fleet of Star Destroyers about an hour after Loathsom surrendered, and after another hour of fighting he was able to break through the blockade and establish contact with the surface. The clones were now bustling about, packing up supplies and preparing to leave as soon as the large transports arrived. Obi-Wan could sense that most of them were eager to leave this planet, and he couldn't help but agree. He wasn't going to miss Christophsis.

Obi-Wan finally spotted the padawans as they weaved their way through the crowd of clone troopers. They managed to avoid running into any clones, though Tori had a few close calls. By the time they arrived, Obi-Wan had noticed that his padawan's hair was damp and he was giving Ahsoka a wide berth, frequently glancing at her with a strange mixture of horror and curiosity. By contrast, Ahsoka was smirking the entire time, the look of someone who had gotten revenge and enjoyed every moment of it.

"What took you guys so long?" Anakin asked as they walked up.

Ahsoka's smirk soured as she glared at Torian. "We would've been here sooner, but I had to search through four floors to find Mister Grouch."

"The lower floors were too noisy! I couldn't sleep!" Torian argued, shrinking back from the intensity of Ahsoka's glare. He could sense that she wasn't actually angry at him, at least not very much, but the not-so-subtle threat she'd made earlier still had him a bit rattled. He would admit that he was morbidly curious about the tradition, namely whether or not she was lying through her pointy teeth, but he wasn't about to ask her about it any time soon. Not when she smirked at him like that, again, and showed just the tiniest bit of white between her lips. "But I'll wear earmuffs next time!"

Obi-Wan raised his brow and glanced at Anakin, who simply shrugged. They both could already tell that their padawans were going to have a rather chaotic relationship.

Clearing his throat to get their attention, Obi-Wan asked, "I trust you rested well, then?"

"Well enough." Torian picked at one of the bacta-patches on his thigh, trying to ignore the growing pressure in his head. He was having an easier time releasing everyone's emotions than he did yesterday, though that really wasn't much of an improvement and it could just be because he wasn't fighting for his life. It still wasn't working at all with Ahsoka, and the headache that appeared shortly after she'd woken him up was steadily getting worse.

"Good, 'cause Master Yoda is on his way, which means we're about to get sent on a mission to save the galaxy. Again." Anakin rolled his eyes. "Don't know why they have to always send us."

"Don't be such a downer, Master. I'm sure it'll be exciting!" Just the prospect of another mission was enough to get the Togrutra's blood pumping. She bounced on the balls of her feet, forgetting that she was supposed to be glaring at Tori. "Where do you think we're going?"

Anakin pointed up into the sky just as the shuttle flew overhead and prepared to land. "We're about to find out." He stood up and started walking over to the shuttle, and the others dutifully followed.

|-O-|

The tiny green being known as Yoda was already waiting at the bottom of the shuttle's ramp when the four Jedi arrived. It was easy to underestimate the Jedi Grand Master, what with his elderly, wrinkled appearance and small size, but his status as Grand Master of the Jedi Order wasn't some meaningless title given out to anyone who'd been on the council long enough. He was indeed very old-ancient, by the standards of most beings-but age had not dulled his immense strength with the Force, rivaled only by Anakin Skywalker, and the experience gained from age had granted him wisdom beyond any other. Every Jedi that had ever walked through the great halls of the Jedi Temple over the last 700 years had been trained by Master Yoda in some capacity, including Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and Torian.

As the four Jedi approached, Yoda observed them, reflecting on their wholly unique positions in both the Jedi Order and the galaxy as a whole.

Anakin was a mess of contradictions. Immensely powerful, yet crippled by his own turbulent emotions. Powerful with the Light, yet unable-or unwilling-to abide by some of the most basic tenants of the Jedi Code. Believed to be the Chosen One, prophesied to bring about the final end of the Sith, yet plagued by his own dark demons. The Hero With No Fear, yet he was terrified of taking on an apprentice. Overwhelmingly confident in his own abilities, yet so often reliant on his former master to rescue and protect him.

Obi-Wan was a paragon of the Light, the first Jedi to slay a Sith in a thousand years and, most importantly, mentor and close friend to one of the most powerful force-sensitives in galactic history. He was the youngest Jedi to be promoted to the High Council in centuries, not because of his power-he was actually the weakest council member, in terms of raw Force strength-but because of his wisdom and unwavering devotion to the Jedi Code. A cunning warrior and shrewd negotiator, he was the stalwart shield against the Dark that kept his oft-unbalanced former padawan focused and on the right path. A shield that now was being asked to protect two more padawans, young and more frightened than they would ever admit.

Ahsoka shared many of her new master's traits. She was too proud and headstrong, craving excitement and adventure. She was extraordinarily strong with the Force, undoubtedly the most gifted youngling in her crèche and the Order as a whole, but her youth and naïveté meant she had yet to learn the restraint necessary to make that power truly impactful, much like her master. Yoda hoped it was something they would learn together in time.

Torian... Torian was something of an enigma, even to Yoda. Yoda had spent more time with the young human than anyone else ever had, but he still felt that he had much to learn about the boy, primarily because he spoke so little about himself. Just after Tori had left the temple for Christophsis, Yoda had come to the startling realization that he only really knew three things about him: that he had a strenuous and rarely seen ability which he despised, that he was a voracious reader, and that he was far more powerful than anyone realized. Power that was greatly hampered by his own pessimism and self-doubt.

When the four Jedi came to a halt in front of him, Yoda put his right fist into his left palm and bowed his head. "Greetings, young ones. Glad to see you well, I am." Mostly well. The padawans were a little worse for wear, and now that they were closer Yoda thought that Ahsoka's nose looked a tad different.

"Likewise, Master Yoda." Obi-Wan and the others returned the gesture of greeting. "Am I correct in assuming you have a task for us?"

Yoda nodded, resting his hands atop his wooden cane. "Correct, you are. Of great importance, this mission is." He looked over each Jedi, his eyes lingering on Skywalker to gauge his reaction. "Kidnapped, Jabba the Hutt's son has been. Requested our help, he has."

Torian flinched and Yoda made a small noise of disapproval at the sudden bursts of emotion from Anakin and Ahsoka. Anakin rapidly transitioned from surprise to intense displeasure and irritation, while Ahsoka felt horrified and sympathetic.

"Why would we help Jabba-or any Hutt-with anything?" Anakin folded his arms and scowled.

"Anakin, you know we've been trying to make a treaty with the Hutts since the war began." Obi-Wan brought a hand to his beard, working through the potential consequences of rescuing or failing to rescue the Hutt. "I don't like working with the Hutt cartels either, but rescuing Jabba's son could give us the bargaining power we need to gain access to their Outer Rim shipping routes. It could be crucial to the war effort."

Anakin grit his teeth, frustrated both at Obi-Wan's sound reasoning and the critically scrutinizing look Yoda was giving him. He understood why the Council would agree to help Jabba, but still-he was a Hutt. Everyone in the galaxy knew that the word 'Hutt' was synonymous with criminal, gangster, and slaver. Anakin knew that last one from experience, something that Yoda and Obi-Wan seemed to be forgetting. If he'd had his way, the Hutt clans would have been wiped out years ago, but crusading through the Outer Rim slaughtering every Hutt he could find wasn't exactly Jedi-like.

Anakin's irritation was beginning to boil over, when he glanced at the two padawans and immediately felt ashamed. They were staring at him with wide eyes, confused and maybe even a bit frightened by his reaction. Tori looked like he was fighting a headache, and Ahsoka's lekku were twitching spasmodically as she tried to understand why her master was so upset by the notion of helping someone.

Quickly stomping down on the anger that was now directed at himself, Anakin took a deep breath and cleared his mind of emotion. Tried to, at least. "Alright, I guess we're saving a Hutt. Do we know who took him, and where?"

Master Yoda didn't respond right away, instead scrutinizing Skywalker with squinted eyes and the Force. Finally he hummed and said, "Know who took him, we do not. Tracked Jabba's bounty hunters to the planet Teth, our scouts have. Go there you will, Skywalker." He then pointed at Obi-Wan with his cane. "To Tatooine, Obi-Wan and his apprentice will go. Speak with Jabba, they will."

"What about me? I'm going to Teth too... right?" Ahsoka's eyes flicked between Yoda and Anakin, hopeful and nervous at the same time. Her master had already made it clear to her that he would be keeping her as an apprentice, but she was still worried he might change his mind.

"Up to Skywalker, that decision is."

All eyes turned to Anakin, Ahsoka's big blue irises pleading with him to say yes. She really shouldn't have been worried; Anakin had already made his decision.

"She stays with me."

With those words Ahsoka's force signature went supernova, Obi-Wan's flared with relief and pride, and Torian nearly fell over. Caught off-guard, the happy emotions of the other Jedi combined with his own surprise resulted in him wearing a giddy, dopey smile with the sudden urge to hug Skywalker. An urge that both he and Ahsoka barely resisted.

After a few seconds of this, Torian managed to wipe the stupid smile off his face, though his fingers still twitched with a desire to hug that wasn't his own. Ahsoka's emotions were once again overwhelming his mind with their intensity, and it was all he could do to stay standing while his head pulsed with pain. He was vaguely aware that the other Jedi were talking, but he was too focused on his frantic efforts to let go of the emotions to really register what they were saying.

Ahsoka bounced on the balls of her feet, desperately wanting to rush forward and give her new master the biggest hug her tiny frame would allow. Being a physically affectionate person while having to adhere to the Jedi Code was hard. Upon seeing Master Yoda's mildly scolding look, she tried to school her emotions, but she was just too excited. She had dreamt of the day she became a padawan for years, and now that it was official she was happier than she'd ever been. So much so that the sudden and faint throbbing in her head was easily ignored.

"I won't let you down, Master!" Glancing around at the clone troopers milling about, she then said, "I'll go tell Rex and get the troops organized!" She sprinted away, ready to tell Rex and anyone else who would listen that she was officially Anakin Skywalker's padawan.

Anakin chuckled as she ran off, though it was more nervous than amused. Watching the Togruta sprint way, he began to realize the huge responsibility he'd placed on his own shoulders. He was now responsible for her training and well-being, and he would have a tremendous influence on her Jedi path. It was a daunting task, especially given that they were fighting a war and he'd already become far more attached to her than was considered appropriate. The thought of losing her, whether to knighthood or death or-Force forbid-the Dark Side, was unbearable.

Anakin looked over his shoulder when a hand was placed on it, and saw Obi-Wan wearing a reassuring and proud smile.

"Don't worry, Anakin. Just teach her everything I taught you, and she'll turn out fine."

Anakin smiled back in gratitude, but the smile quickly turned into a glare with no real heat behind it. "You know, something tells me you set this whole thing up." He then gently pulled away and followed after his padawan, albeit at a much more sedate pace.

Once Anakin was out of earshot, Obi-Wan turned to Yoda and asked, "Do you think we made the right decision, Master?"

Yoda hummed and said, "Ready he is, to train an apprentice. To let go of his pupil, a much greater challenge it will be." He then focused his attention on Tori, who wore a pained expression and was groaning softly. "Breathe, young one. Let go of their emotions, you must."

Torian only barely managed to bite back the irritated response that was his initial reaction. Taking a deep breath through his nose, he opened his weary eyes and said, "I'm trying Master, it's just...hard. And it hurts."

Yoda shook his head and tapped the ground forcefully with his cane. "Do, or do not. There is no try. Have faith in yourself you must, or never will you succeed."

Grimacing at Master Yoda's favorite saying, having heard it so many times that it was practically etched onto his brain, Torian's shoulders slumped and he sighed, saying, "I just wish I didn't have this problem."

Torian was caught off guard by the sudden flash of irritation he felt from the tiny green Jedi. It was gone almost as soon as it appeared, and anyone else probably wouldn't have noticed it, but Tori wasn't like other Jedi. No emotion could escape his notice or be hidden from him.

"Grateful you should be. Given you a great gift, the Force has, yes." Yoda lifted his cane and gently tapped Tori on the chest. "Learn to control it, you will. A great tool, it will become. Certain of this, I am."

"You should listen to Master Yoda, Tori." Obi-Wan tried to convey as much reassurance as he could, still sensing that Torian didn't really believe what Yoda was saying. "Don't doubt yourself, and don't forget that you are already improving. You did well today, Padawan."

Torian stared at the ground, uncomfortable at the praise and wishing he could believe that he deserved it. One semi-successful day as a padawan didn't make up for six years of failure.

Wanting very much for the conversation to be over, Torian sighed through his nose and looked back up at his master. "So we're going to Tatooine?"

The look on Obi-Wan's face told Tori that the conversation was very much not over, but it was at least postponed. "Yes, and we should leave as soon as possible." Obi-Wan looked around for a clone with distinctive yellow armor, and when he found him he pointed and said, "Tori, go inform Cody of the situation and have him call for a gunship to take us to The Negotiator. "

"Yes, Master." Torian turned away and started towards Commander Cody, who was barking orders at the clones around him.

Obi-Wan stroked his beard and frowned as he watched his discouraged padawan weave through the crowd of clone troopers.

"Troubled you are, Obi-Wan." Yoda's tone made it a statement rather than a question.

Grimacing, Obi-Wan kept his eyes on Torian's back as he replied, "I knew from when I observed him at the temple that he had a tendency to doubt himself but... I didn't realize that it was so severe."

"Not just doubt, it is. Fear also, yes." Yoda leaned heavily on his cane, watching as Torian deliberately avoided Ahsoka while she ran around talking to every clone who would listen. "Sense much fear in them, I do."

[-]

Torian tightened his grip on his master's robes as the the gunship lurched beneath him. The gunship had entered The Negotiator's main hanger bay, and the force of the Destroyer's artificial gravity caused the gunship to drop downward in the brief moment before its thrusters could compensate. Normally it wasn't so bad, but the padawan was also suffering under the mortifying embarrassment of being too short to reach the overhead handrails. He would've fallen over if not for his master's grip on his shoulder, and his face turned crimson as he felt Cody's amusement next to him.

His only consolation was seeing Ahsoka discover that she couldn't reach the handrail of her and Anakin's gunship either, just before they'd taken off.

The gunship finally landed, and as the doors opened and the clone troopers piled out Torian took a deep breath through his nose, finally able to do so without gagging. Being in a confined space with a bunch of soldiers who hadn't had the chance to shower in weeks was a quick way to die of asphyxiation, he'd discovered. Asphyxiation and, for someone who hated being in close proximity to other people, claustrophobia.

"Come along, Tori. We have a few minutes to clean up and eat before our starfighters are ready."

Obi-Wan began walking at a brisk pace towards a turbolift at the rear of the hanger, and Torian hastily followed, giving his master a confused look.

"Starfighters?" He asked. "Why are we taking starfighters, Master?"

Obi-Wan shook his head as they entered the turbolift, pressing a button that was labeled Deck 3. The doors closed and the turbolift lurched as it began to move upwards. "Showing up on someone's doorstep in a heavily armed warship is rarely a good way to open negotiations, especially when beings as proud as the Hutts are involved. We'll be taking starfighters."

The turbolift smoothly came to a stop, and the doors opened to reveal a busy hallway. Clones, both armored and unarmored, hustled through the corridors like an army of Corellian fire ants. Obi-Wan stepped out of the turbolift and turned right, resuming his brisk pace as the clones parted around him and Tori, recognizing the urgency of their movements. Torian tried to memorize the path they were taking, but became hopelessly lost after just a few more turns; the labyrinthine maze, combined with the rapid ebb and flow of emotion from the clones racing by, was enough to make his head spin. He received more than a few stares as they walked, the clones wondering who the kid with a lightsaber following General Kenobi was, and why he looked like he'd been through the wringer.

"Preferably, I would have used this time to introduce you to the crew and show you around the ship. Unfortunately, that will have to wait." Obi-Wan stopped in front of a small door with his name and rank written on it in Aurebesh. After entering a passcode on the keypad next to the door, the door slid to the side to reveal a small, cramped room. There were two bunks, each with a single pillow and flimsi-thin sheets, made up in an impeccably military manner. In the corner was a small desk, with a large collection of neatly stacked datachips sitting next to a computer terminal. "These will be our quarters."

Torian followed his master into the room, glancing around with wide eyes. While most beings might've hated such a cramped and bare bedroom, this was standard lodging for a Jedi, and a huge step up for a padawan who had grown up in the communal sleeping arrangements of the crèche.

"Those are for you." Obi-Wan gestured to a neatly folded pile of clothing on Torian's bunk, complete with boots, a set of leather gauntlets, and a utility belt, then began removing the various pieces of plasteel armor he wore over his own robes.

Torian slowly walked over to his new bunk, taking in what was his essentially his new home away from the temple. Suddenly feeling overwhelmed, he gingerly ran his fingers over the soft, tan colored fabric of his new tunic. He had thought himself reconciled with the fact that he was now a padawan, and that there was no going back, but he was beginning to realize that he wasn't. A tiny voice in the back of his mind still refused to believe that this was real, and anything more than a dream, but now that he shared a room with his master, could sleep in his own bed, and could wear something besides the ubiquitous brown robes of a youngling...

The sound of a drawer opening made Torian look over his shoulder. His master reached into the drawer underneath his bed, pulling out one of his spare black bodysuits and a tan overtunic. Hanging them over his shoulder and pointing to a door at the back of their room, he said, "You can use the refresher in here, Tori. I'll use the communal showers." He walked towards the door, but before stepping back into the corridor he looked back and smiled. "Try to be quick, we don't want to keep the mighty Jabba waiting."

The door shut behind him with a soft hiss of air, and Torian stared at it for a few moments before looking down at the collection of fabric and leather on his bed. Sighing through his nose, he silently gathered it all into his arms and walked into the refresher, unable to shake the feeling that he was about to cross the point of no return.

After showering and drying off, Torian was almost finished dressing when the full reality of his situation finally struck him. As he was pulling on one of the gauntlets, he happened to catch his reflection in the mirror and realized with a start that the person looking back at him was barely recognizable.

Oh, the face and eyes were the same, but everything else was different. The baggy and cumbersome secondhand youngling's tunic had been replaced with a clean, brand new and almost form-fitting padawan's tunic. Sleeves which before had been comically long on his skinny arms now ended precisely at the point where his forearm became his wrist, and were covered at the ends by leather gauntlets that made his hands seem larger and stronger. A tabard hung over the tunic, hanging down to his mid thigh and tied at the waist with a utility belt that had more pouches than he could count. Trousers that had once been a struggle to keep secured to his waistline now fit snugly, hugging his legs without being restrictive. The boots were comfortable, if stiff, and didn't make him feel like he was walking on rough duracrete everywhere he went. The padawan braid, which he hadn't actually seen in a mirror until now, hung down proudly behind his right ear, not quite reaching his shoulder.

It was like looking at a completely different person. If not for the violet eyes, Torian honestly wouldn't have recognized himself. Even with the shocked look on his face, the Tori in the mirror looked stronger and braver than Tori the youngling had ever been. The Tori in the mirror was no longer a child, but a young man, a young Jedi.

Part of him wanted to rip it all off, believing that he wasn't and could never be the person he saw in the mirror, but the other part... the other part demanded that he do everything he could to become the person in the mirror, as if it were challenging him to prove the pessimistic and self-deprecating part of himself wrong, as well as anyone else who had ever doubted him. He looked like a padawan, now he ought to prove he was worthy of the title.

He almost looked like a padawan. There was one piece still missing, a cylindrical weapon made of durasteel and crafted by his own hands. Picking up his lightsaber from the counter top, Torian thought back to the first time he had held it in his palm, and the brief feelings of power and confidence it had given him. It felt like such a long time ago when he had traveled to Ilum with his crèche-mates for the Gathering, finding the kyber crystal that sang to him and claimed him. Such a long time ago since Master Krell had gently guided him in constructing his lightsaber, praising him when he got it right on his first try. Such a long time ago since he had activated it for the first time, and stared in wonder as it's blue glow filled the room.

Acting on a whim, he lifted the hilt up horizontally in front of him, careful to not point it at anything in the room, and thumbed the igniter. The blade sprang to life, and the change in its personality was immediately noticeable. The deep hum that had before been erratic, shifting in frequency as if unable to find its harmonic resonance, was now a steady, growling purr. The metal encasing his crystal was warm, and the blade seemed fuller and brighter, as though the crystal had sensed its master's shift in attitude and approved. Indeed, when he reached out with the Force, Torian realized that his crystal was easier to connect with than before, its presence more willingly accepting of his embrace.

This was the ultimate indication to Torian that he was where he was meant to be. He was meant to walk this path, regardless of how afraid of it he was. He wasn't naive enough to think he would overcome his insecurities easily, but as he stared into his reflection's violet eyes, shadowed by the blue light of his saber, Torian decided he was ready.

Not ready to accept his gift, which still felt more like a curse, but ready to be a padawan. Nervous and afraid, but ready.

Next chapter will have a lot more action and Jedi awesomness. Pinkie promise.