𝗙𝗔𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗦 | anakin skywalker

✰ 11: trials and tribulations

The Initiate Trials had never loomed over Akya's head as much as they did when it was actually time.  Masters, Knights, and other Jedi watched as Grand Master Yoda gave her the instructions in each of the three steps.  She knew everyone in the room could feel how nervous she was, how her hands shook even when she let them rest in her lap, reaching out through the Force, feeling it surround and penetrate all living things.  She recited mantras as well as other building blocks of the Jedi Code, keeping herself connected with the Living Force at all times. Test number one, passed. 

The next step was an oral test.  Akya looked back on basically every book she'd read in her life to pass this one.  You didn't know what they were going to ask you, as there was no script, and usually, it pertained to what was going to be your secondary field of study as a Padawan— but Akya hadn't picked one yet, and so, her test was very broad.  But lucky for her, Akya had spent her years' worth of free time reading up on everything under the sun, and had accumulated knowledge that many Jedi Knights didn't even have.  Test number two, passed.

The last and final step was self-discipline.  Here, she would showcase both skills in meditation and attunement with the Force as well as how she would put the two previous Pillars together in lightsaber combat, something necessary to be shown in this time of war.  By this time, Akya had stopped shaking— as using her lightsaber was something she was very confident in.  The catch here was that you were not deflecting shots from training droids nor playing out sequences from a holo-projector; you were fighting with a sparring droid, something Akya had never done before, since sparring droids were restricted for Initiates, and only Padawans were allowed to use them to their gain.  But Akya was allowed to use every skill she had accumulated, and with a pierce through the chest plate, the droid repeated "Success," then shut down.  Test number three, passed.

Akya was overjoyed.  What she had been training for for almost her entire life was finally fulfilled.  Finally, she was one step closer to becoming a fully fledged Jedi.  She could get off Coruscant and do her part in the war.  She could, perhaps, see Anakin again, if her Master permitted it.  She'd be allowed to do so many more things now that she was a Padawan.  Honestly, she could barely believe it.  After all this time.

— ★ ✰ ☆ —

Akya was set to be assigned to a Jedi teacher within the next week.  Usually, upcoming Padawans would participate in the Apprentice Tournament, where Jedi looking for students would scope out a Padawan they felt was the right fit for them as the upcoming Padawans sparred each other with mostly harmless training sabers. The Council felt Akya was too old and too skilled for this tournament, as she had spent more time than any Initiate in the history of the Jedi studying lightsaber combat.  And, at a time like this, they needed her on the battlefields.  So, they decided she'd be sent out within the week.

Akya knew she would no longer be housed in the temple in the comfort of her quarters, so she began packing.  Jedi weren't supposed to have belongings, just a couple sets of robes and their lightsaber, though even those were expendable.  But Akya's trinkets meant a lot to her, and they were indeed irreplaceable.  So, she decided this would be an okay exception to the rule.  She took a small, drawstring canvas bag with her and put only the ones that meant the most to her— the rest would have to be put away, and she had the perfect spot.

Akya had spent much of her eleven years as a Jedi Initiate in the Library, and therefore, she'd had a lot of time to explore it.  A very long time ago, she'd found a space in one of the shelves where the wood was cut out in the shape of an arch, allowing her to be able to pull it out and place things inside the small, hollow space, then place books in front of it.  The morning after her Trials, Akya did this with the rest of her belongings, placing them carefully inside then covering the hole with that cut out of wood. She then made a mental note to herself to come back to this place the next time she returned to the temple.

While folding robes, Akya heard a light knock on her door. Confused as to who it may be, she walked over rather warily, even if she knew there couldn't possibly be a threat inside the Temple. She opened the door and smiled when she found Kei Lo standing there. "Akya!" he said immediately, putting his arms around her waist for a hug. Akya only had time to pat him on the back before he looked back up at her.

"You're a Padawan now?" he said excitedly.

Akya nodded. "Yes," she said.

"When are you leaving?"

"Very soon," she said, stepping aside to reveal her messy attempt at packing. Kei Lo laughed a little.

"I can help," he said.

"Please," she said. Kei jumped onto her bed and began folding her robes very carefully, taking the time to smooth out every fold.

"So," began the young Togruta, still looking down at the clothes in his lap, "who is your Master going to be?"

"I don't know yet," said Akya, placing a pair of trousers into her bag.

"You don't?"

Akya shook her head.

"Well, I hope they're very fun."

"I do too, Kei," said Akya, smiling.

"Can I see your braid?"

Akya laughed a little at his amusement with the littlest things and moved her hair aside to reveal a small braid behind her left ear that had been woven the night after her trials. She had a yellow band at the top and a red band at the bottom, as was standard, and two extras— one yellow, showcasing her vigorous study into lightsaber combat, and green, for study in the Living Force. Akya had cut her hair slightly shorter so that the braid was more easily seen in her dark waves.

"That's so cool," he said. "You're going to be a great Jedi, Akya."

"Thank you, Kei," she said.

He smiled up at her, and they continued packing. Akya was very proud to have someone who looked up to her as much as Kei Lo did.

a.n.

im bored today so here's another chapter. no anakin again, but I primos he's gonna be back soon. I miss him too.

ily don't forget to vote!

molly