sparky // a padawan story

chapter 5. enough.

Training with my clan has been harder since I became Obi-Wan's padawan. Some are jealous, some are angry I was chosen before them (especially by the Obi-Wan Kenobi himself), and some were downright scared of me. The younglings happened to take interest to me, though. In a good way.

I sit with some younglings around me as they listen to the stories of me and Obi-Wan that they begged me to tell them. Two sit in my lap while the others sat close by, faces painted with intrigue. Today, I tell them the story of how I almost defeated Master Kenobi in a practice duel.

"Master Kenobi is a very good swordsman," I tell the kids. "He's very difficult to defeat. So when I had him on the ground after disarming him, I became very excited. So excited that I lost focus, and long story short, I ended up in the same exact position he was in."

The kids laugh loudly.

"Tell us another one!" a young boy pleads.

"Let me think of one— oh, hello Master!" I greet as Obi-Wan suddenly walks in the room.

"You're about to be late for class, my Padawan."

"Is it already— oh!" I exclaim as I realize that I lost track of time. The children move off my lap as I jolt up. "I'll tell you more stories later, perhaps?"

"Oh, I have a good one to tell them," Obi-Wan says with a grin as he sits down with the children. "About the time you thought you had me beat during training?"

"I just told them that!"

"Well then, I'll tell them what really happened. You see, I let her think she had won..."

"Not true!" I shout as I run out of the room. I hear the younglings roar with laughter as I begin to sprint across the temple to get to my Saber Arts class.

"You're just in time, Padawan Arlo," Master Drallig lightly reprimands me.

"Sorry, Master. I was with the younglings."

"It's all right. I must check on something, now, so everyone please take a seat and read over your techniques before we begin practice," Master Drallig instructs as he leaves the room.

I grab one of the technique books and sit with my back against the wall, reading over my preferred form of combat—Ataru. I've been working on it with Obi-Wan for the past few weeks.

"Still boasting to those younglings, Padawan Arlo?" A boy in my class, named Cadan, walks up to me and grabs my book, throwing it off to the side.

I look up at him, trying to stay calm as Obi-Wan would tell me to. Though I feel close to losing my temper. "I'm not boasting. They just like my stories."

"It's sad that the only person that will listen to you is a child."

"So that means you'll listen to me, then?" I retort calmly as I grab my book with the Force and open it back up.

"Quit acting all high and mighty. You're just like the rest of us, no better."

"Really? Because if I recall correctly, you have said on multiple occasions that I don't fit in like the rest of you."

Cadan begins to grow frustrated. "Then prove you're better." He steps back and ignites his blue saber.
I cock an eyebrow at him. "I don't want to fight you, Cadan."

"Then you're weak, and you're too afraid to show us how incredible you are."

"Master Kenobi says that there is strength in restraint. And I have better things to spend my energy on, than wasting it on a meaningless fight."