Chapter Text
“Master Junda, do you have a moment?”
“Master Tapal-” Cere said in a somewhat surprised tone. “How may I help you?”
Jaro clasped his hands behind his back and began walking forwards with Cere following along side him. “Nothing too important; simply an...observation of mine. Trilla, is it? I’ve noticed she has altered her technique which has in turn improved her effectiveness in training significantly. My padawan is...still struggling.”
“I’m not sure how I can help, Jaro; all I can say is that Trilla is driven by her determination to pass her trials and ascend to a Jedi Knight.”
“I see. I keep pushing Cal, but I can tell he’s holding back.”
“Perhaps he’s anxious? War does that,” Cere joked.
“Hmph.” Jaro rubbed his chin. “I suppose. But time is limited; he cannot stay a padawan forever. He must learn that in order for this war to be won, he must let go of his fear.”
They rounded the corner, and Cere almost ran right into a white-haired Jedi Master and his padawan. “Master Malicos-”
“Master Junda, Master Tapal. My apologies; I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
“It’s quite all right, Master Malicos. Cere and I were just discussing our padawans’ progress.”
Taron smiled and put a hand on his padawan’s shoulder. “Ah. My padawan here has done excellent work during her training. She’s advancing rapidly. I couldn’t be more proud.”
“My padawan seems to be stuck in his fear. He does very well during his mobility challenges, but he is hesitant to go against another.”
“Unfortunate. Perhaps pushing him is the only option?” Taron suggested.
“I’m sure Trilla would be willing to train with him.”
“I must go now,” Taron interjected. “Lovely to see you both, and good luck with your padawan, Master Tapal.”
“May the Force be with you,” Cere and Jaro said simultaneously.
“And with you,” he said with a smile before walking around them.
Jaro turned to Cere and looked down at her as he clasped his hands behind us back again. “Meet me in the southeast dojo in five.”
Cere nodded and they parted ways, and she headed back to Trilla’s room. She knocked on the door and waited several seconds before going inside. “Empty. Of course,” she said with a chuckle before turning around and going to the nearby dojo where she found Trilla sparring with an older padawan.
Trilla took a split second to look over at Cere before returning her attention to the Jedi. She rolled out of the way of the Jedi’s stick and Force pushed him away from her, and he landed in a kneeling stance as he slid backwards.
“Master Junda,” he greeted with a smile as he stood up.
“Ja’amar,” Cere said with a smile. “If you’ll excuse us, I need to talk to Trilla.”
“No problem, Master Junda. Good fight, Trilla.”
“Good luck with your trials next week!” Cere shouted as he exited the dojo. “You just can’t stay away, can you?” Cere teased. Trilla stared at her blankly, and Cere chuckled. “Come; I need to talk to you about something.”
Trilla frowned. “Have I done something, Master?”
Cere placed one hand on Trilla upper arm and held Trilla’s face with the other. “Of course not, Trilla. You remember Master Tapal, right?”
“Not really,” Trilla answered monotonously.
“No matter. We were thinking that his padawan needed a little push for combat training, and I figured you would be willing to help.”
“I guess. Do I know them?”
“No, but your familiarity isn’t important; I just need you to give him a little push. Just don’t go too hard on him.”
----------
The door whooshed open, and Cal whipped his head around. “Who’s that, Master?”
“That, would be your challenger.”
Cal looked up at Jaro. “My what?” he questioned frantically. “You mean I have to fight her?!”
“Cal, this is Master Junda and her apprentice. I am Master Jaro Tapal, and this is my padawan, Cal.” Jaro cleared his throat when Cal didn’t greet either of them.
“H- Hi,” he said nervously.
Trilla blinked at him. “She doesn’t talk much,” Cere explained to both of them. “Master Tapal and I wanted to give you an opportunity to spar with another padawan.”
“She’s a padawan?” Cal blurted.
“Cal-” Jaro said sternly. “Manners.”
“I- I didn’t- I didn’t mean it in a bad way,” Cal stuttered as he looked up at Jaro. “Just...Isn’t she a little tall to be a padawan?”
=+=
Trilla furrowed her brows. Aren’t you a little old to be afraid of battle? She saw Cere look at her out of the corner of her eye, wordlessly telling her she knew what she was thinking. That, and to behave.
~Be nice, please,~ Cere said to Trilla through the Force.
=+=
Jaro walked away and came back with two training sticks, and as Cere moved to stand next to him, he instructed Trilla and Cal to move to their combat positions. Cal timidly took the stick from his master and shuffled over to his spot. Trilla took her stick and walked to the other side.
She was clearly more trained than him; he could tell just by looking at her. Anyone could. He could tell she was the type of Jedi meant for battle. Cal didn’t know what he was meant for, but he knew it wasn’t for battle.
“Begin!” Jaro shouted.
Cal could feel his hands clamming up as Trilla settled into her stance and began circling him. This definitely wasn’t going to be a fair fight.
In a split second, Trilla let her stick fall to her side and Force dashed at him. Cal shrieked as he dropped his stick and brought his arms over his face, bracing himself for impact.
But there was none.
Cal yelped and jumped in fear when he felt Trilla poke his back. “Dead,” she sneered before lowering her stick. She looked over at Cere with an annoyed expression. “Master, can I fight someone else? He’s not much of a challenge.”
“Give him time, padawan,” Jaro answered for Cere. “Again.” Cal hesitantly picked up his stick as Trilla walked around him and returned to her starting position.
Staring at her was frightening on its own, but the look of sheer determination to defeat him was horrifying. He could tell that if it weren’t for their masters, she would have him on the floor every time.
“Begin!” Jaro shouted.
Trilla didn’t even bother settling into her stance; she just began pacing back and forth, which Cal assumed meant she was waiting on him to make the first move. He adjusted his grip on the stick, and Trilla apparently took that as a sign.
She began running at him, and his eyes widened when she leapt into the air and summersaulted down on him. Cal held his stick up in an attempt to block her attack, and while he did block it, the force from her swing sent him flying.
“Padawan!” Jaro shouted. “Get up!”
Cal groaned and sat up, and his eyes widened again when he saw Trilla slowly stalking towards him. He scrambled to his feet and stumbled over to his stick, but Trilla reached her hand out and summoned the stick with the Force, nearly whacking Cal in the head.
She flourished both sticks before running at him, summersaulting, and launching one of the sticks at him. To his surprise, he caught it, and he was able to roll out of the way just in time for Trilla to slam her stick on the ground.
She stood up, and Cal swallowed hard as he gripped the stick tighter. “Focus, padawan!” Jaro called. “You lack of focus gives your opponent the upper hand!”
=+=
Trilla was getting bored; this padawan clearly wasn’t meant for battle. She scoffed. If you could even call this a padawan...
“Go!”
To her surprise, Cal ran at her, only...he made the mistake of leaving his upper body unguarded. He yelled as he ran at her, and she easily evaded his attack. She jumped up and kicked the stick out of his hand, pushed him back several feet with the Force, and then ran at him and kicked him in the chest.
Cal went flying backwards and let out an agonized squeak when he hit the ground. He laid there on his back for several seconds before Trilla walked over to him. She swapped the stick to her left hand and held out her hand for Cal to grab.
He took her hand and groaned as she pulled him up. Cal looked up at Jaro sheepishly as he and Cere approached. She almost felt bad for him; his master was clearly disappointed in him.
“That’ll be all, padawan,” Jaro said with a hand on Trilla’s shoulder. Jaro stuck his hand out, and Trilla handed him the stick before walking away with Cere.
=+=
Once out of earshot, Jaro huffed. “I’m disappointed in you, padawan.”
“It’s not fair, Master! She was way more-”
“You think your opponents are going to go easy on you? You think it’s a walk on Naboo out there?” Cal pouted, and Jaro sighed and knelt down. “Cal, this is a war we’re talking about; you must understand nothing is going to be fair.”
“I don’t think I can do this, Master...” Cal admitted dejectedly.
“You can, my padawan. You just need to let go of your fear.”
“How can I do that?” Cal questioned, hopelessness in his voice.
“That’s for you to figure out, Cal. I can only go so far guiding you on your path. There are some decisions I cannot make for you, and there are some things in life that you’re going to have to figure out on your own. I will, however, always be here to push you. I won’t let you give up on yourself.”