This next morning, Ree was much more prepared. She had put on an alarm, waking her up an hour and a half before training. She kissed the still sleeping Tylan goodbye and walked back to her quarters but this time she was in no rush and also remembered to bring a pair of shoes. Though her outfit looked a bit funny, sleep wear and boots.
When she got back to her place she took the clothes that she picked out yesterday and headed to the communal bathrooms. This early no one else was up so she had the bathroom all to herself. Ree washed her hair, brushed her teeth and put up her hair in a ponytail. The outfit she had picked out was identical to the one she wore yesterday. There wasn't much variety in her new closet. She looked at the wall clock, 20 minutes left. Good, she thought and headed back to her quarters to drop off her sleep wear and then it was off to training.
When she got to the training area, Keelor realised her Master wasn't there yet. Perfect, now I'll be able to impress him, she figured and started warming up. Doing some jumping jacks and sit ups to warm up but in the middle of the warm up, the door moved open, revealing Kylo Ren.
At first, Kylo had just stood there, surprised that she was here before him and there was still ten minutes left until 6 but soon enough he moved into the room. Ree stood up from her sit up position while trying to hide the smug face of confidence.
"Just thought I could use the time to warm up, sir," the apprentice expressed while stretching out her arms.
"Good, then let's get started." Ren moved to the wall with sticks. In one fast motion he took down one of the long sticks and threw it at her. Surprising both herself and Kylo, she caught it perfectly with one hand.
"Sticks? Really?" Ree asked, kind of disappointed that they would use sticks.
"Yes. You have no experience fighting so you have to start somewhere," he argued while grabbing a stick for himself and walking towards her.
"Then let's start with something cool, like blasters or knives!" Yesterday she had impressed herself by hitting a bull's eye and kicking the head off a dummy, and now she was going to be fighting with a stick. Kylo had moved up closer to her and without any warning, he punched the end of the stick into Ree's stomach. She lost her air and bent over to catch her breath. He took that opportunity and used the stick to sweep her feet off the floor and she landed right on her back.
"What was that?!" She exclaimed, he hadn't given her a chance to defend herself.
"We'll move onto cooler stuff when you can do that. Now get up and fight!" Kylo didn't like using the word cooler, it sounded childish to him. Ree brushed off some dust and rose from the floor, using the stick to push herself up from the floor.
"Don't hold back," She spat grabbing the stick with both her hands while changing into a fighting position.
The two were at it, they both tried to overpower the other and Kylo was clearly holding back. If he didn't she wouldn't have had a chance. Many times, Ree fell to the floor but the Master of the Knights of Ren always remained standing.
---
It was getting close to midday and Ree could nearly hear her stomach yelling at her to eat something. She was getting fatigue and sloppy. Out of nowhere, Kylo managed to knock the stick out of her hand and she had to fight without a weapon. She ducked from his swings and jumped over his attempt to sweep her feet. He brought up his foot and kicked her in the stomach making her once again fall and land on her back.
Kylo towered above the defeated while she was trying to reach for her stick on the ground that was out of just out of reach. Growing impatient at her puny attempts of reaching the stick, he raised his stick high in the air and then swung it down at her. Ree only had milliseconds to react but luckily she did. She focused on the stick and with the help of the Force, the stick flew into her hand and she could parry his stick just before it was about to smack her unconscious.
At first they were both frozen in position, Ren swinging his stick down upon her and Keelor parrying it. Slowly she realised that she had used the Force on purpose. He removed his weapon and helped her up.
"Did you see that?!" The woman nearly jumped up and down in excitement.
"Yes. Training's finished for today. I'll see you here tomorrow morning," Kylo's robotic voice remained without joy or praise as he walked out of the training area. A sigh escaped the novice. He's really treating me like a little child, she thought. What did she need to do to get his acknowledgement? Her train of thought was interrupted by a loud growl coming from her stomach, to please the beast she decided to go to the cafeteria and grab a bite.
---
As Ree entered the noisy cafeteria, it went dead quiet. Everyone looked at her. "It's her!" A stormtrooper yelled and ran out of the cafeteria. She recognised that it was the stormtrooper that she had Force-choked yesterday.
She started walking past all tables to get a tray of food. Every time she passed a table the people sitting there would immediately look down at their food, too scared to make eye contact. "Here you go, miss," said the cafeteria lady who also didn't dare to make eye contact. Ree grabbed the tray that was filled with the same goo as yesterday. She sat down at one of the tables and everyone who already sat there quickly moved to the other side of the table.
In mere minutes, Ree had finished her tray, not out of hunger but rather to get out of there as soon as possible. When she was finished she dumped the tray in the trash and hurried out of there, as she left she could hear conversation resuming. While hurrying back to her quarters she tried fighting back hot tears. She was angry and sad, angry at everyone else and sad because of how confused she was feeling. She didn't know how to react, she needed to sit down. She slid down against the wall of the hall, not caring if anyone would see her. Tears were streaming down and sobs escaped her mouth.
"What are you doing?" Ree's sobs had distracted her from hearing the footsteps and now it was too late. Ree stood up from the floor quickly wiping away her tears while trying to stand at attention.
"Nothing, sir," she answered while trying to swallow her snivels.
"That didn't look like nothing," Ren argued back. She looked down at her feet, too ashamed to make eye contact with the mask. "What happened?"
"Uhm.." Ree started, unsure if she really was going to share this with Kylo. But alas, she continued, "I went to the cafeteria and they all treated like some sort of freak! Which I'm not! They were in the wrong, calling me names and I just stood up for myself!" Ree defended, she could feel hot tears falling down her cheeks but she didn't wipe them away. The tears weren't of sadness but of frustration.
"You're right," he ensured making the teary-eyed woman look up from her boots.
"I am?" Ree asked, surprised that he was so understanding.
"Yes, they need to respect you. To get respect they need to fear you. They didn't treat you as a freak but as their superior." Kylo filled her with confidence. Ree's shoulder went from rounded to straighten.
"I guess you're right." She thought that what Ren had said sounded believable. She had never thought about respect and how to get it. No one ever challenged Kylo or his authority so he probably knew a thing or two about it, she figured. A silence appeared, both waiting for the other one to say something.
"I'll see you at-" They both started but when they realised that the other one was saying they both stopped. The blonde naturally giggled at the occurrence and she swore she heard one quiet and dark chuckle coming from under the mask.
"You go ahead." Ree gestured and Kylo seized the given oppurtunity.
"I'll see you at practice, miss Keelor." She nodded in response. They started walking in opposite diection but Kylo was stopped by Ree's voice.
"Sir?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you." She smiled and then scattered away but he was frozen in place. No one had ever thanked him for anything. Fortunate for him, his mask covered his face, otherwise, any passerby would have seen the almighty Kylo Ren blushing.
---
That night, Ree was unusually late back to Tylan. She hoped he hadn't been waiting up for him. It wasn't that much further but she stopped dead in her tracks as someone behind her declared their presence.
"Miss Keelor?" The mysterious voice asked. At first, she didn't turn around, not sure if she could trust the unknown and potential enemy.
"Who's asking?" Ree asked with a suspicious tone.
"Your superior, General Hux." As soon as the voice had sternly told who it was she mentally slapped herself. The former Head technician thought she recognised the voice, many times she had to suffer through his mandatory long and dreadful speeches. She knew he had a short temper and didn't like when people didn't show him complete respect and obedience. Ree turned around and for the second time that day, stood at attention.
"Sorry, sir. I didn't realise that it was you." Ree apologised quickly hoping that the conversation was nearing an end so she could get back to Tylan.
"What are you doing up so late and so far away from your quarters?" Hux asked suspiciously. He was still leery of her after seeing her fight that well, supposedly without any previous training. The current situation didn't ease his suspicions.
"Well, I don't sleep there," Ree answered sheepishly while scratching the back of her neck.
"No?" Hux raised his eyebrow, "then where do you sleep?"
"Uhm... In my old room." He looked disgusted and confused at her reason. The General couldn't imagine why someone would willingly share sleeping quarters with three other people.
"Oh...Okay" Hux was at a loss for words, he was now both suspicious of her and weirded out by her. "Well then, good night, miss Keelor." He pushed past her and Ree once again mentally slapped herself. Good work, Ree, if he didn't like you before then he certainly doesn't like you now, she thought. She tried shaking the thought off before walking the last bit to the room.