The Force Is Strong With This One

Training

Aaaah, sorry!! School again. :/ But I have a long chapter this time! For those elite few who have stuck with me, thanks!!

**************************************************************************

Rey awoke on her own accord, and was a bit surprised. She thought Jedi training would consist of a strict schedule. She felt around blindly for Ben's lightsaber, and found it hidden underneath the sheet. Again, when she touched it, a dark spell nearly transfixed her before she snatched her hand away. Luke was a little ways off, meditating. She watched him curiously, his chest slowly expanding and contracting. Rey immediately thought she would never be able to concentrate for that long.

"Don't keep that negative mindset, Rey. It won't help you." She didn't jump back in surprise, but instead continued to gaze at him.

"But to focus for that long..." Luke opened his eyes.

"Yes, patience was one thing I had trouble with myself. As did another one of my students...Are you ready to begin your training?" It was such a simple question, yet behind it was a question of commitment and dedication. Rey nodded. "Good. Now I want you to lie down on the grass, and do nothing."

"Sorry?"

"Lie down on the grass, and do nothing," he repeated.

"Nothing?"

"Absolutely nothing. I'll give you an hour."

"May I breathe and blink?" Luke pondered a minute, then nodded.

"But only those two things. I'll check in with Chewie and R2 for you." True to his word, he set off down the stone steps, while Rey obediently laid down and kept still. For two minutes. She started to whistle, then stopped. After, she started to tap her fingers, then stopped. She was resisting the urge to jump up and run around. Rey was actually about to get up when Luke came back up. He was smiling.

"How did you do?"

"Not very well..." she confessed. "It was too hard to focus my mind. I kept wanting to do something, anything." Rey told the truth, feeling a bit embarrassed about her inability at what seemed like such a simple task.

"That was what I wanted to see. How long did you think you did this?"

"Maybe forty-five minutes?" He chuckled a little bit.

"It was ten." She looked down shamefully.

"Don't be discouraged. I was merely testing your strengths and weaknesses. It appears we may need to set you up for a meditation session. However, your energy levels are high, so the speed tests won't be necessary. Perhaps later, we can test your endurance and stamina." His gaze sharpened on her. "Is there something you'd like to tell me, Rey? You're a bit quiet." She thought about last night. She knew that Ben had once been Luke's apprentice. Rey didn't want to remind her new master of his past horrors, so she shook her head. "Alright, let's being with a bit of meditation then." Luke proceeded into talking about the depths of the minds, how to delve into focus and keep it. Rey tried very hard to pay attention. Then, they both sat down, cross-legged, and started. Rey was still fidgeting at first, twitching her fingers, moving her toes inside her boots, then after a while relaxed. There was one moment where she hit a state of full peace, full focus, but it was only a flash. It was harder not to move after that. But Rey still tried, letting the good feeling wash over her, soothe her, make her forget about every hardship she's ever had in her life. Then, all at once, her eyes opened and refocused, with her master watching her carefully. 

"Your energy was stable, but only for a moment. Did you feel it, Rey?" She nodded numbly; the feeling was still present inside of her. "Now then," he clapped his hands together. "Ready to test your endurance?" She groaned, and Luke chuckled. The next two hours were spent running up and down all of the stone steps. Five times. Luke stopped her, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder. Her face was red with exertion, and she was breathing heavily, but something about her radiated spirit shined through. "Take a rest now, Rey. We'll eat in a bit." She nodded, still unable to speak. Her knees buckled and she immediately folded her legs in the standard lotus position.