- the calm before the storm.

vision of hope

The crew was gathered outside the Ghost in a clearing they had found earlier that day. Next to the Ghost, Jysell's ship was landed. Jysell and Hera were inside the Ghost while the others were grouped in the clearing. Ezra stood in the middle of the spaced-out circle, his lightsaber drawn and old clone trooper helmet over his head. He was deflecting shots coming in different directions from Sabine, Zeb, and Jace.

Elara had opted to sit out on this because, as she said, I don't want to shoot him accidentally. It compromises my morals. Jace piped in at that moment to say that Elara also didn't own a blaster.

Echo, who had also decided to sit this training exercise out, had said that she didn't want to get shot by Ezra's inability to block. When Ezra had gone to argue, she reminded him pointedly of the time when Ezra had fallen off the Ghost because he couldn't see to block what was being thrown at him. Before anything else could be said that would have led to an argument, Kanan had ushered the crew outside.

"You got the blocking down for the most part," Kanan said as Ezra deflected another blaster shot from Zeb. "But you shouldn't randomly deflect the energy any which way. You've yet to hit the target I gave you."

"Yet," Ezra repeated. "Key word is yet."

Kanan sighed, shaking his head. Lexie grinned, patting his shoulder, consolating him because of the young boy's attitude. Kanan raised his arms, signaling for Sabine, Zeb, and Jace to hold their fire. "You're distracted, impatient. What's your rush?"

Ezra sighed, opening the front of his helmet to look at Kanan. "I don't want to miss Senator Travyis' transmission."

"You don't even know if he'll transmit today," Kanan said.

"He's been on more frequencies lately, and I just have a feeling!" Ezra argued. "Today's the day."

"Well," Kanan started sarcastically, "I have a feeling you're going to get stunned if you don't stay in the moment." Ezra went to say something, but Kanan cut him off, pointing at the ground. "This moment."

Ezra rolled his eyes. Kanan nodded to Sabine, Zeb, and Jace so they could start again and returned to standing next to Lexie.

"You're starting to remind me of my Jedi master," Lexie said to him.

"This is how they all used to teach," he retorted, keeping his eyes trained on Ezra. He shook his head. "Not very many padawans were like him, though."

Lexie scoffed. "You were kids. You had to be annoying and wanting to break rules."

"I followed the rules, thank you." Kanan bit back. He glared at her when she let out a disbelieving laugh. "You're being obnoxious right now." He tore his eyes away from her, and they fell back on Ezra.

Maybe he took what you said to heart for once." Lexie said, tilting her head slightly to one side. Ezra had started to get better at deflecting the shots. Ezra hit the stormtrooper helmet target that Kanan had set up earlier then promptly collapsed. "Ezra!" Lexie rushed forward, Kanan right behind her.

"Is he okay?" Jace asked nervously as he, Sabine, and Zeb came over to the trio of Jedi.

Kanan nodded. He kneeled next to Ezra, looking confused. He took Ezra's helmet off and pushed it to the side. "No one hit him, right?"

"No," Sabine answered, looking confused. She returned her blasters to their holsters.

Ezra started to stir, then awoke with a start. Kanan helped him sit up. "I got stunned, didn't I?" Ezra asked, rubbing the back of his head.

"No," Kanan pointed to the helmet now smoking on the ground. Ezra's eyes found the helmet and his brow furrowed. "You deflected every blast back at the target."