#poor byph isn't mentioned at all

[nny11writes]

Fictober 19- Order

Me desperately looking for the original prompt: It was here just a second ago, hang on, fffffff, what? Also Me: Oh hey look, that paragraph I never expanded on, I bet I can turn it into a SHORT fictober piece. Honestly, why do you people let me do this????????????? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It had been nearly a month since she’d taken Petro on as a Padawan, and Ahsoka was once again wondering if this was the best idea. They’d been granted temporary leave from the front lines for Petro to get signed up for his classes, and for the two of them to spend time actually working together. It was a new requirement as the war had begun to slow down, one meant to help normalize daily life for the Jedi still alive to appreciate the gesture. Ahsoka had taken several different classes about teaching, and had relied heavily on her fellow Knights and the Masters she knew, to help prepare herself before taking Petro on. By the time his trials had rolled around Ahsoka had been feeling at least confident on that side of things. She had pamphlets and emergency comms coded into her wrist unit, she had quizzed herself relentlessly and even practiced with a few Shinies who were willing to play along. Ahsoka had felt prepared. 

She was not prepared. 

It was a completely different responsibility to focus on this one person. To day in and day out work with him and try to not dictate everything at him. To let go of frustration when realizing that he had not put in the practice. To praise him for mastery without it sounding belittling. They worked well together despite the hiccups and a few arguments they’d already had. 

And they did seem to be having the standard arguments for a new training pair. If there was one thing younglings were taught at the temple it was to speak your mind. And Ahsoka had never had a problem with speaking her mind back.

So far it had mostly been morning grumpiness, hanger, and in one case of too much idleness. But Ahsoka partially chalked that up to Petro joining new classes and primarily being away from her. Not that she spent all day lounging around the apartment. Ahsoka found herself acting as something of a liaison to the Council, the GAR, and various Senators all while being consulted for strategy and being tapped to teach some of the younger initiates classes. If anything, Ahsoka was busier now that she was at the Temple then she ever was out in the field, so she at least aimed to get structure back. Another distinct benefit of the GAR was daily structure. Her and Petro had a morning meditation, light work out, and on occasion sparring. He left for classes while she was pulled in twelve directions, sometimes they had lunch together, they would spend the late afternoon working together on paperwork. Evening was spent with sparring, meditation, an hour to relax, and bed. Petro was sometimes excused from evening sparring or meditation if he needed more time for his class work or if he just needed a break.

Ahsoka found that she needed both meditation sessions every day just to work out her frustrations and concerns.And it was strange, because she’d always liked meditation but found it difficult to maintain for more than about twenty minutes. She’d used the time to just reconnect in the force, to check on herself, Anakin, her men. Mostly observing and floating. Now Ahsoka was more active in her meditations, and was finding herself sometimes meditating through her hour off. Ahsoka had help, plenty of advice from Jedi who had been Master’s longer than she had been alive. But the meditation helped more than she’d expected. It was really a time for her to reflect on the day, to see how her actions had moved her life forward, and now to see if she was doing right by Petro.

Who was, to his credit, not complaining about the schedule she’d set at all. He was improving in leaps and bounds in his lightsaber forms now that he had someone working with him daily. His schoolwork never needed assistance, but having time carved out daily for it had helped him stay on top of it. The only thing was getting him used to being away from his creche mates. It wasn’t that Ahsoka was trying to end those friendships, but it was just the natural order of things. It was part of learning about attachments and part of advancing as a Jedi. But that didn’t make it easier.

That had been one of their fights. Ahsoka didn’t know what was too much contact or not enough. Half of her clan had died in the field, and Ahsoka hadn’t spoken to a single one of her creche mates since she’d become a Padawan. Her experience had been forcibly learning how to let her friends go because she didn’t have a choice. Eventually the two of them figured out the problem, no one knew what the expectations were. So Ahsoka tried to compromise.

If they were going to actually focus and not cause a fuss, Ahsoka was fine with the younglings crowding into their quarters to do homework. Although the four seats they had simply weren’t enough for all of them. Ahsoka had gotten used to stepping over Ganodi as she lay on the floor, Zatt who always seemed to claim a spot on the mats or Petro’s bed, and twisting past Gungi who’d nearly doubled in height and weight. It was when she was trying to do her work and the whole gang was playing games that she had to either retreat to her room or be the Master and ask them to leave.

So Ahsoka had also gotten used to writing on her bed, with an ever expanding fan of pads and data sticks around her.

It was actually nice now that she was allowing it. The laughter and happiness from the group obvious. Ahsoka had been the last member of Clawmouse after doing a stint as a Clan Leader to all four of her clan mates. She had been assigned to sleep in a new set of dorms with other small clans but she’d been pretty much left alone or ignored. Too many silent afternoons wishing she could be with her friends. 

To be fair, Ahsoka was also feeling a bit lonely again herself. She’d made friends with as many Padawans as she’d been able to during her historically short time as one, but even they were unknowns. Her men were half a galaxy away with no reason to stop at Coruscant. Even if they had, she wasn’t allowed out with her men. Her Master was on missions, and everyone she normally would just spend time with were...just gone. 

She was homesick for the 501st. It was easy for her to pick that up even as she tried to concentrate on the living Force around her instead of her petty concerns. To let her worries and negative emotions go. Maybe she could put some of this paperwork off so she could try to meditate on it? Done and done, Ahsoka took a breath in and sunk into the living force around her.

It was the massive smashing sound that pulled Ahsoka out of her meditation fully, and into the main room. Gungi half lay on the floor dazed with Zatt and Petro literally clinging to each other with laughter, Katooni was staring at Ahsoka in worry and Ganodi was doubled over gasping for air. Ahsoka looked over to the somewhat oversized chair she’d chosen for herself, the idea having been that she was still growing and it would fit someday. Her former chair. Splinters of wood and upholstery were scattered around Gungi’s rump, and as he slowly stood up a few pieces clung to his fur prompting further laughter.

Ahsoka supposed she should have seen that coming, is this how Obi-Wan felt when she and Anakin destoryed things? This resigned amusement? “You are all helping me find something better, Gungi will carry it won’t you big guy?”

Gungi’s weak chuff of agreement only set his friends off worse.