By My Side

Chapter 13 - Back on Coruscant

She slides over to a nearby table, hoping to avoid attention. Normally, she's happy with it, but not right now.

A few minutes later, Ahsoka senses someone approaching from nearby, settling down at the table next to her. Most everyone here still hasn't been taken as padawans yet, and this one is no exception. She can feel his annoyance in the Force and bites back a snarky comment about his pathetic lack of shielding. Jedi don't usually probe at one another's minds because it's rude. She's not trying to feel it, but she still... senses it.

"How clumsy," he remarks snidely. "You were injured on your first mission?"

Her anger flares, even though she knew it was coming. "Your shielding is terrible," she snaps back. "Are you trying to get attention?"

"That's pathetic," he continues. "Your masters will probably get rid of you as soon as they can."

"They obviously think you're pathetic, too," Ahsoka snaps furiously. "Otherwise, you would've been taken already." She's angry, and hurt, and furious that she's hurt, and that this boy is able to poke at all her weaknesses and fears with such ease.

He jerks a little, eyes narrowing angrily. "I'd rather be taken later and be more skilled than go out to the battlefield and die!" She clearly hit a nerve there, though, and can't help a surge of vicious satisfaction.

"Are your skills that bad?" Ahsoka snips. "I could win the war before you're ready, then."

"You'll probably die first," he replies disgustedly.

"Thanks for the optimism," she sasses back. "You'd probably get your head shot off first time after stepping off a gunship."

"Like you did much better," he scoffs, "You'll probably wind up dead on your next one... if you get a next one."

Ahsoka scoffs. "What? Are you jealous no one wants you?"

"I've got no reason to be. Your masters will get rid of such a useless padawan eventually."

White, hot rage surges through her, demanding vengeance. His words sting, and she wants to hurt him back, and that desire finally overcomes any willpower she might have had. And – okay, maybe tackling him right out of his chair and punching him in the face was not the best choice, but Ahsoka is too furious to care.

He retaliates in kind, throwing her off and punching her back.

Ahsoka doesn't know how long it is before a sharp, angry "that's enough" rings out from behind her. They hastily disentangle themselves, and though Ahsoka is still fuming, she has enough self-control to know not to let it out in front of a Jedi Master, especially her own master. "What's happening here?" Master Kenobi's voice is icy cold, and she knows he's angry. That's fine; she is too.

"She attacked me," the boy blurts out.

"You started it!" she accuses.

"It doesn't matter who did what first," Master Kenobi snaps. "It doesn't give you an excuse to resort to violence, padawan. Now, apologize."

What?! "I'm not the one who should apologize!" she protests, suddenly hit by how true the boy's words were. She is in danger of them getting rid of her, and her master is so upset right now, but so is she. How can he expect her to not stand up for herself to these people?! "I wasn't bothering him! He came up to me, and –"

"I'm not interested in hearing excuses," he retaliates coolly, "It doesn't give you the right to resort to violence."

"What was I supposed to do?!" Ahsoka yells back. She knows there are people watching her, but she's too angry and hurt to care. It doesn't make sense. "Let him keep preaching about how useless I am?"