Lightning struck nearby, startling the sleeping Togruta. Ahsoka wrapped a blanket around herself and left her room to get water. It was still dark outside and with the storm it was even darker than it was for the hour. She glanced at the clock on the table which read 0300. She grabbed a glass and started to fill it up.
Anakin was having a hard time getting to sleep. He had come back from the Room of a Thousand Fountains not too long ago. He had left his room when Master Plo had left Ahsoka alone, in case she could sense him nearby. He didn't want to make her panic. He decided that he would return back to their shared quarters once she was asleep, but he couldn't sit well knowing his Padawan hated him. Anakin sat up from his bed and rubbed a hand across his tired eyes. He need to go somewhere, or just get up and move. He sighed as he passed through the sliding door and walked into the common area. He noticed that the fridge was opened a little, but didn't see anyone near.
" Ugh, must have not closed all the way again." he assumed because the Jedi never bothered to fix appliances. They found it pointless if the occupant were always on missions. Anakin frustrating slammed the door shut, only then did he see the scared Togruta standing in the corner.
" Ah-Ahsoka- I didn't know you were..." Anakin quickly said. He mentally kicked himself.
" M-Master." Ahsoka squirmed in place eyeing the way back to her quarters.
Anakin contemplated if he should let her go back or not. He wanted to talk to her, but he didn't know if he could without making her fear him.
" Ahsoka...can we talk?" he awkwardly asked. It was as if he were talking to a stranger.
" Sure." she replied in a small voice.
He looked around. The rain was pattering on the window as the wind blew. It didn't feel like a safe environment.
" Why don't we talk in the training rooms." he suggested. He had no clue if Ahsoka would remember why that place held so much meaning. He hoped it would jog the good memories between them. He grabbed his and hers lightsaber which were both on the table.
" Oh okay." she replied hastily.
Ahsoka hadn't been around her Master alone since she was rescued. After everything her mother had showed her, she felt that it was the only possibility. She kept her distance as they exited their chambers and entered the training rooms.
Anakin was determined to get to the bottom of why his Padawan was acting so different around him. He opened the double doors to went over to their usual spot. He waiting patiently for Ahsoka as she skeptically stood next to him.
" I was thinking, that we could train for a bit and talk afterwards?" he knew that it could either go two ways. One Ahsoka would think he wanted to hurt her, or two she would agree and hopefully remember.
" Yes Master." she said it as if he was forcing her to do so. She caught her saber from Anakin and reluctantly ignited it. The green glow shining on her orange skin.
" Ready Snips?" Anakin asked. He saw that Ahsoka slightly flinched at the name, for good or for bad he wasn't sure.
He let her have the first move. She ran at him and took a swing which he easily stepped out of the way. Ahsoka landed behind him with her sabers in a reverse grip. She did the same move again which ended in the same result.
" Try again Ahsoka, this time don't be so obvious. Mix it up a bit." Ahsoka narrowed her eyes. His words were familiar. She had a faint memory of the same conversation back when she first arrived back at the temple as his Padawan.
" Alright Ahsoka, show me what you got." Anakin stood in a ready position.
" You're asking for it Skyguy." she playfully responded, running at him with her saber in front. All he did was step aside. He held out his lightsaber close to her neck signaling defeat.
" What was that Snips?" he turned around to face her.
Ahsoka felt her lekku darken. " Whatever, lets go again."
" Hold on. Before you do anything. You really need to not pull such easy moves. Complicate them. Make it your own. Remember, there are many forms anyone can learn them, but it's up to you to chose how to carry it out. Now, try again."
Ahsoka shook her head. She replayed the advice back in her head. This time she was able to cause him to stumble and lose balance giving her the chance to kick his legs, but he was ready and jumped up in the air. Ahsoka now lost her balance and fell to the ground. Anakin immediately deactivated his saber and held his hand out to her.
Ahsoka jumped above him, ready to strike, but she had miscalculated the distance and over shot. Gravity brought her down to the ground hard.
" Ow!" she yelped as her ankle hit the floor wrong with all of her weight on it.
" Ahsoka!" she heard Anakin yell. He rushed over and helped her sit up. " Are you okay?" he asked, his voice drenched with concern.
" Yeah, just landed on my ankle wrong." she muttered, trying to get back up. She just ended up stumbling. Anakin steadied her with his arms.
" Yeah, you're done for the day." Anakin stated.
" What? No, I just need a few seconds." she protested, but Anakin had already clipped both their lightsabers to his belt.
" No, you're going to see a medic, then we're going back to our quarter so you can rest." he said in an authoritative tone, which meant she couldn't change his mind.
Ahsoka took his hand and got up.
" You feeling tired yet?" he asked.
" Are you kidding? You brought me to train at three in the morning, why would I be tired?" she clipped back, however, her voice was full of sarcasm.
Anakin smiled. His Snips was beginning to be herself again around him. He didn't realize that she was ready and didn't see her charging at him. He was caught of guard when she pulled off a triple- double. He didn't turn around quick enough, before feeling himself hit the ground. He stared at the green saber tip pointed at his neck.
She was so close. They had been going on for awhile, neither one of them giving up.
" Come on Skyguy, I know you're tired." Ahsoka smirked, her herself not feeling too bad.
Anakin was panting, but refused to admit it. " Tired, nah. I'm just getting warmed up."
" Sure Master." she smiled running at him again and again. They both went on for another good intense ten minutes. Ahsoka saw her chance when he had failed to notice that she was about to jump. Her agility was definitely an advantage. She knocked her Master to the ground and held her saber to his throat.
" Ha! Beat you!" she celebrated.
" What, no-I was- I let you!" Anakin rambled on and on about how he let her win, but deep down she knew he, the Chosen One, was embarrassed to have lost to his Padawan. The two walked back to their quarters together.
" So Master, same time tomorrow?"
" Of course Snips, I need to redeem myself don't I?"
" So you admit you lost to me!" Ahsoka exclaimed.
Anakin put his hands in the air. " Now I didn't say that..." he paused, placing an arm around her shoulders. " You did good today Snips, I'm proud of you."
Ahsoka felt the sense of pride spread though her. " You did okay too Skyguy." he shoved her into the wall, which only turned into a shoving game.
" You won Snips. Good job." Anakin got up from the ground.
" Thanks Master." she responded. It was as if once she said those words something inside her snapped. She remembered her mother's hand in front of her face; the visions that she forced her to watch. They were all of Anakin. She never wanted to believe them, but somehow she did. They all felt so real, it was as if they were apart of her past. Something that she had lived. Now she saw that they were nothing but mere illusions plaguing her mind.
" Ahsoka?" Anakin shook her shoulder after seeing that she was going through some kind of trance. " Ahsoka, are you okay?"
Ahsoka, for the first time in a long while was able tell her Master the truth.
" I'm great Skyguy."