The Padawan and the Rebel

The Youngling: The Force

She twisted those mind's fingers, and the objects around her rose into the air, steady.

Yoda's voice stopped, and opening her eyes, Adhara saw all of the Younglings staring at her with wide-eyed shock. Adhara flushed, letting the objects fall to the floor around her. She inclined her head to the Jedi.

"My apologies, Master Yoda."

But the Master just smiled. "Strong in the Force, you are. Hone that power, you shall." And he turned away.

Adhara smiled, ignoring the sharp looks Ahsoka was shooting her, instead letting herself fall back into the Force.

It truly was like coming home.

***

"How did you do that?" Ahsoka asked later in the dormitory as she sat at the end of Adhara's bed, shafts of moonlight painting the room silver as the soft snores of their fellow younglings filled the air.

Adhara shrugged. "It just comes naturally to me." She hesitated, then spoke under her breath. The first fragment of her bloody past she had ever told Ahsoka in their three years of friendship. "Both of my parents were very strong in the Force. They trusted in it completely, and taught me and my siblings to do the same."

Ahsoka's face softened. "They sound amazing."

Tears jumped to Adhara's eyes, but she blinked them away, grinding her teeth together. "They were. My older brother Aitor was especially talented. My two younger siblings were too young to face his competitive spirit, so I took it head on. I used to hate it, but...he made me stronger in the Force. He made me better."

Ahsoka's gaze never strayed from Adhara's face, enraptured, absorbing every word Adhara spoke. "I wish I could have met them."

"You would have loved them." Adhara smiled despite the emotion roiling inside of her. "You and Aitor would have butted heads, though. You're both too competitive."

Ahsoka feigned shock. "Me? Competitive?"

"Shocking, I know."

Ahsoka's grin was feral as she leaned forward, the light of the moon catching her face and painting it silver. "Teach me how to do it."

Adhara furrowed her brow. "Do what?"

"Lift those objects."

"Ahsoka, you know Master Yoda will teach us all eventually. Have patience."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes, leaning back. "Come on, Addie. Please?"

"Did you know patience is a virtue?"

"Adhara," Ahsoka moaned, throwing her head against the foot of Adhara's bed. Adhara snorted. "I'll never ask you for anything ever again."

Adhara cocked a brow at her. "Promise?"

She crossed her heart, gaze pinning Adhara in place. "On my life."

Adhara sighed, swinging her legs out of her bed. the cold air assaulted. "Well come on then."

Ahsoka beamed, vaulting off of Adhara's bed. Like silent wraiths, they crept through the Jedi Temple, finding a deserted room that they settled down into.

"What first?" Ahsoka asked, almost vibrating with excitement.

Adhara cocked a brow at her. "Meditate, Ash. Become one with the Force. You can do nothing without it."

It was one of her father's first lessons - that they were nothing, no one, without the Force.

Ashoka sighed, settling into a meditative position. Adhara dove into the Force, feeling it all around her, letting it ease her soul.

But across from her, Ahsoka shifted her weight, clearly antsy.

Adhara glared at her. "You will not learn how to do it if you can't sit still and give into the Force."

"I don't like not moving," Ahsoka grumbled.

Adhara rolled her eyes. "You are moving through the world with the Force, Ahsoka. But you must open your mind to it."

Ahsoka looked utterly defeated and it pulled at Adhara's heart strings. "Maybe I don't have the patience," Ahsoka muttered, her shoulders slumping.

"Hey." Ahsoka looked up at the tone in Adhara's voice, and Adhara smiled. "You can do this. I have faith in you. Just let it in, Ash. Open your mind."

Ahsoka exhaled slowly, then inhaled, letting herself fall into a meditative trance. Adhara did the same, her eyelids fluttering shut.

It took until dawn for Ahsoka to be able to lift a pen a centimetre off the ground, and Adhara's eyes were sore from sleeplessness, her limbs heavy. But the smile that sparked across Ahsoka's face made it worth it, worth the sleepless night and the bleeding dawn, just to see her smile like that.

Adhara smiled back.