Fatal Facade

I

*

Darkness shrouded your vision.

A thick blindfold wrapped around your head, forcing you to use the Force and sense your opponents. Your lightsabers were gripped tight in your hands, steady, waiting to swing at the many Marksman-H combat remotes that surrounded you. The first remote to shoot was behind you, to which you quickly pivoted and deflected the shot with your right saber.

After that one shot, more and more of the combat remotes started shooting, gradually making the defense more and more difficult.

"Don't start rushing because you're nervous. Keep your senses balanced," Master Fisto spoke to you as you focused harder on deflecting the small shots the combat remotes took at you. To reach out using the Force in this exercise was difficult. It's not like the spherical droids were living beings.

"Sorry, master," you spoke, relaxing your body as the fire ceased. You took a few deep breaths before readying your stance again.

The combat remotes circled all around you as you patiently waited for one to start the shooting. The first shot came from your left side this time as you were able to deflect the shot. More shots were being fired and you spun your lightsabers around. You moved swiftly in deflecting the fires as the speed picked up.

"Good," you hear Master Fisto speak from the side of the training arena.

You stayed at a steady pace, deflecting each fire as they got faster and more consistent. No matter how many times you have practiced this drill, it was still impossible to complete. Whether it was your training or your own skills, you weren't sure. So it was no surprise you started to get worked up again.

You began to spin your lightsabers faster than the pace you were being shot at, which left openings for the remaining combat remotes to hit you. The first open shot hit the top of your left shoulder. After that one hit, all of the remotes stopped firing and retreated into small circular doors in the floor. You ripped the blindfold off your face and sheathed your lightsabers in anger.

"I can't do it, Master. I always go too fast," you threw the blindfold onto the metal flooring beneath you and walked away from the center of the arena.

"If you keep doubting yourself then you're right. You can't do it. You do just fine fighting droids on the front lines. It's no different, (y/n)," Master Fisto explained.

"But it just is. It's one thing slaying droids on a battlefield and fighting for the Republic. It's another thing trying to defend myself from these stupid metal orbs!" You threw your hands up. After dropping your arms, you crossed them and stood before your master.

"Clear your mind. You're only sixty rotations away from the trials. Don't fail now, young one," Fisto gave you a curt nod and walked away from you. You sighed and looked down at your boots.

Your master was right. You couldn't fail now.

Walking back into the center of the arena, you picked up the blindfold and smoothed the creases. Tying it firmly around your eyes, you cut any and all light from shining through.

Picking your lightsabers up off their clip, the combat remotes emerged from their doors on the floor of the arena. The small metal droids flew all around you, trying to distort your focus. You took a deep breath and cleared your mind of everything except for the combat remotes surrounding you.

You sensed the first shot coming straight to the front of you, igniting your blades and deflecting the shot right back at the orb and blowing it into pieces. The other remotes followed suit, shooting at you and being blown up by the deflected shots.

Few remotes flew close to your body, in range of a simple swing to slice the metal spheres in half. That alone allowed you to begin developing a new strategy to help defeat the droids. Your left lightsaber stayed by your side, deflecting shots that the remotes fired at you. Your right saber was used to slice through the droids like butter. At some points, you threw your lightsaber at the combat droids that were high above your head, drawing the hilt back into your hand with the Force once the droid was demolished.

The pace began to pick up, but you focused your mind solely on the combat remotes and deflecting their shots. They eventually reached the pace you were hardly able to keep up with last time, small fires coming from almost every direction. You struggled to keep the red fires from hitting you, but one slipped past your lightsaber and hit you square in your back.

"Ugh!" You groaned, falling to your knees and sheathing your lightsabers. The combat remotes retreated back to their metal doorways in the floor after the one shot hit you.

"Close! You almost finished them, (l/n)."

You ripped the blindfold off once again and revealed Ahsoka standing on one of the arena balconies.

"Ahsoka!" You smile, standing up and clipping your lightsabers to your belt. The blindfold dropped to the ground beside you.

"You did much better than I would do," she remarked as you started to clean up scraps from the remotes you either blew to pieces or split in half.

"I don't know about that. I think it would be pretty close," you smiled at her as you gathered the bigger pieces of metal.

"Says the one who can fight with two sabers better than anyone! It takes skill to do that, let alone blow all these droids into pieces," Ahsoka gawked. You shook your head at her and let out a small chuckle. A cleaning droid eventually made its way to the arena, cleaning the leftover debris you left behind. You stood up straight, looking back up to the balcony Ahsoka was standing on. She was still there, now watching the droid clean the metal scraps.

"You don't have to stay, Tano," you laughed. Ahsoka was like a younger sister to you, the one you wanted but was never able to have. She was four years younger and looked up to you like you were really her older sister.

"Well, that's true, but my master wanted to get some training in here as well. He said I should watch and take notes to better my techniques," Ahsoka explained. "Since you are one of the only other Jedi I know that dual wields."

"Did he now?" You questioned, thinking about her master and one of your lifelong best friends. Ahsoka nodded her head and you let out a small laugh. "Well, I'll be on my way. Good luck training and remember to clear your mind." You spoke as you opened the door to leave the arena.

"Leaving already?"

Turning away from Ahsoka, you stood only a few inches away from none other than Ahsoka's master, Anakin Skywalker. You looked up at him, as he was quite a bit taller than you were. He looked back down at you with a small smirk forming on the corner of his mouth.

"Anakin," you smiled at him, crossing your arms and relaxing your stance.

"(L/n). Still struggling with this drill, huh?" He asked. You sighed, shaking your head and looking down at your boots. You stepped backward into the arena, looking back at the balcony Ahsoka was standing on. Although, she had come down and into the arena with you and her master.

"Yeah, I am," you quietly let out a small laugh as Anakin walked alongside you.

"(Y/n), I can assure you, it's not that difficult. You just need to clear your mind and focus on your opponents around you and deflecting each shot," Anakin reminded you. An exaggerated sigh left your lungs while you rolled your eyes.

"I know, Anakin. You told me that the last million times I failed this ridiculous exercise," you retorted. "I do that every single time and yet, your advice has failed me every one of those times." You and Ani stopped walking as Ahsoka met you in the middle of the arena.

"Don't worry, I was once as bad as you, (l/n)," Anakin started. "When I was 10."

"Shut up, Anakin. You're a year older, and the 'Chosen One,'" you defended yourself, quoting the two words you've heard repeatedly about your childhood friend. Anakin shook his head and stood in the center of this dreadful arena.

"Okay, Master. Let's see what you got," Ahsoka spoke.

"You staying around, (l/n)?" Anakin asked. You thought for a moment, unsure if you really wanted to watch Anakin best you once again. But eventually, you discreetly smiled and nodded, agreeing to stay and watch.