[IC] The Force is Strong

[AHeartlessNobody]

☾ ΟÐξΤΤξ ΚξΝΟβΙ ☽

It had been four long years that ten year old Odette had become apprenticed to Master Luke. It had been a very long and trying few years, where she had to learn many traits of the Force and how to handle herself in certain situations. Of course, the way to handle herself was always the same. With a calm and careful approach. One where she thought on and calculated what each outcome would mean for her those around her. But, as trying as it was, it was all worth it and had helped her grow as a person. She was kind and compassionate just as any Jedi should be, though still had a bit of spunk in her all the same that the average ten year old might have. Not that she had anyone to use some of that spunk on. There was the occasional moment where she would say something smart to her master, but that was rare and most of the time it when she did it was in a light and joking manner. Other than that, well, who else did she have to smart off at when the only two people hidden away on this planet was herself and Master Luke?

But, she knew this was about to change. For Master Luke had told her of someone coming to them that very day. Someone to join them and stay with Luke just as she was. He would train along side her and learn the ways of the Force. She was rather curious to see what this new padawan was like. Would he be someone she could be friends with? Or would he be someone she wouldn't get along with? She was anxious and excited all in one just to have someone so close to her age, give or take a few years, coming to stay with them.

The young girl happily followed behind her master as they headed toward the meeting point on the planet where the ship as to land, her long blonde hair, which was pulled back into a poneytail, and clothes blowing in the light winds as they climbed over rocks and over tree stumps, the adolescent girl speaking the old man as she went along, "So, this boy...he's your...nephew?"

There was a chuckle, "Yes, Odette. My sister's son."

"And he's coming to train with us?"

"That is correct."

"But isn't it a little...late for someone at such an age to start training to become a Jedi?" She inquired, looking over at him as she pulled herself over a rather large fallen tree trunk, "I thought one was supposed to start training at an early age to become a Jedi?"

"That is true by tradition. But," He used his saber to cut back some low branches to make a path for the two of them, "If we were going by tradition, you would have not been trained either. Even I would not have been trained. You see, in the past years, long ago, Jedi were trained starting at the age of four. You came to me when you were six and I was trained at a much older age than you are even now. If one is strong enough in the Force, age will not stop the person from being trained and becoming great in the ways of the Jedi."

"And this boy is very strong with the Force, Master?" She asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

He nodded in response, "Yes. My family tends to be very strong in the Force. And young Ben is no exception. This is why my sister and his father wish for me to train him." He stopped in his walking as they came to a large clearing and nodded to himself once again, "Ah, here we are. This is where they should land. Now, we wait." Luke sat upon a rock while young Odette sat in the tall grass of the clearing, sitting cross legged and taking in the nature around her. It was quiet and peaceful. A perfect place to mediate for a bit.

Which is what she did. She closed her eyes, taking deep and slow breaths as she sat there, tuning in with the best of her ability to the Force, reaching out and feeling everything around her. She did this for a short while, in her own little world, until the sound of a rather loud ship came to her ears, breaking the peace of the surrounding land as, what looked like a rather old ship, landed. Luke stood up and so did she, standing beside the old man with curiosity in her gaze as she waited for the people to come out.​

[jakkuscavenger]

Fourteen year old Ben sat by himself in the back of the ship as he watched out the window, his breathing deep and slow. He knew his uncle was set to train him, but he wasn't sure what all was in store. "Here goes nothing..." He muttered as the ship started to descend, seeing his uncle standing nearby with a young blonde girl. Ben raised an eyebrow curiously as he stood and made his way to the front of the ship, the door falling open with a loud thump as it hit the ground. The boy's brown eyes locked on the two as he slowly walked off the ship, wary of the blonde before him. "Hello, uncle." He spoke softly as he walked over to Luke, his dark hair blowing in the wind. He turned his gaze to Odette and gave her a soft nod, his lightsaber swinging slightly from his belt. "Ben Solo. Nice to meet you." He extended a hand to the girl, glancing over at his uncle as he did so. "Will she be training with us?" He asked softly, taken a bit by surprise. This was the one thing Luke had failed to mention to him before his arrival.

[AHeartlessNobody]

☾ ΟÐξΤΤξ ΚξΝΟβΙ ☽

Odette continued to watch in curiosity as the ship landed. Soon the ramp to the ship was down and the expected boy began walking out. At his look her way, she felt a little uncomfortable from some unknown reason, turning her gaze from him. The boy hadn't even said a word to her, so why did she feel that way? Perhaps it was the curious and wary look in his expression that made her so sheepish. She looked up to her master and standing on her tip toes went to ask him something quietly as the lad began walking down the ramp, "Is his family not going to come out to greet you, Master?"

Luke chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder, whispering softly back to her, "No. It has already been discussed. His parents stayed behind and he came on his own. We wish to get the boy settled in quickly so that tomorrow his training can begin. They wanted a quick goodbye to allow him to do so and that means him taking the journey here on his own." The old man approached the boy, meeting him half way as the boy said his own greeting. Luke's greeting was more warm, drawing him in a hug, smiling down at him, "It's good to see you, Ben." Luke said with a smile and a nod. He could tell with one look at his nephew that the boy was apprehensive about everything that was in store. He felt sympathy for the boy being away from his family for the first time. But, he understood his sister's worries and why she wanted her son to stay with him and be trained. He was sure that sooner or later the boy would grow use to all this and hopefully come to enjoy training. After all, training at first and leaving everything behind was never easy. It hadn't been easy for him when he had left Tatooine and it hadn't been easy for young Odette to be left here either. Yet, after the initial sadness and worries, he had come to enjoy his Jedi training, and so had Odette the longer she was here.

Ben had looked to the young girl behind Luke, the girl looking to him with nervous blue eyes, though appraoched when she was adressed, shaking his hand, "Hello. It's a pleasure to meet you."

It seemed Odette was just as nervous about all this as Ben. This made him chuckle a little. The girl was so sheltered here, having living here with him for most of her life, she hadn't seen another person besides himself in many years, so seeing another person was probably intimidating and exciting for the girl all in one. At Ben's question, he nodded in response, "This is Odette Kenobi." The girl looked liek a deer in headlights as she looked from her master to the boy, though Luke placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "She has been training here with me for a few years now. I have a feeling she can surely help you get adjusted here and maybe even help you to understand some of the basics of the Force in your time together."

Odette looked up to her master in confusion, as he hadn't mentioned that to her before. She was going to helping with this boy? But, she was still in training herself. Yet, she supposed what he was doing here did make sense. She was close to the boy's age so perhaps he would be more comfortable that way. And it wasn't like she was actually going to be teaching him. More of a peer tutor she supposed.

Luke looked to Ben once more, "We will start with training tomorrow young padawan. Today we will rest and allow you to get accustomed to your surroundings." He looked to Odette and nodded to her, "Lead him to our home. I will go fetch some things for dinner tonight."

"Yes Master." She said shyly and quietly, giving a nod and then looked to Ben, nodding for him to follow her, walking back into the woods, hopping over the fallen trees and ducking under branches, just as she had done on the way to the clearing. Soon they had come upon a clearing smaller than the one Ben's ship had landed in. In this clearing was a small hut of a house and on the side of the house was a small garden where they grew their food. It was a simple and self sustaining life, one that had done she and Master Luke well. And now would be the life Ben would live until further arrangements were made by Luke, "I know it's small and not much." Odette stated quietly, glancing over at Ben from over her shoulder, finally speaking since they had left Luke in that clearing, "But it works at keeping us safe and healthy. Luke spoke off possibly building another place, not too far off from this area. Where we could have more room to have other padawans come. We will have to one day after all, if we are to re-establish the new Jedi Order. But, until then, this is home."

[jakkuscavenger]

"Thank you, uncle." Ben's eyes scanned their surroundings as he nodded and followed along behind Odette, easily clearing the trees and branches without even blinking. "It's very nice." He spoke as he walked around the hut with his hands behind his back, gently nodding his head. "Excuse me for a moment." The boy stepped into the hut as he slid a hand down to his saber and unfastened it from his belt, setting it on the ground in the corner of the room. He pulled out a picture of his parents that he'd stored in his pocket before he left home, gulping slightly as he glanced down at it and walked back outside, part of him angry at Leia and Han for sending him off in the first place. He shook it off and stuffed the picture back in his pocket, his brown eyes locking on the girl once again. "So is there anything that needs to be done before we do anything else?" He asked lightly, his voice a little gruff even for his age.

[AHeartlessNobody]

☾ ΟÐξΤΤξ ΚξΝΟβΙ ☽

Odette was a little suprised when Ben mentioned their home being 'very nice'. She would have expected someone from a war hero and a princess to have been a bit more uptight. But perhaps he was just being courteous. She knew most wouldn't think much of their small living arrangements. Despite what anyone else thought of this simple life, Odette enjoyed it. It was peaceful and gave her plenty of room to mediate and focus on the Force because there were no distractions. Not in a life like they lived anyway. She wouldn't trade this way of life for the world.

She gave him a moment as requested, allowing him to enter the hut and stay there on his own a moment, before she followed inside. When he looked to her and asked if anything needed to be done, she nodded in response, "I have to show you to your room." Walking through the small home, she made her way through the halls and to one of the few rooms in the home, opening up the door, "This will be your room. My room is next door. And Master Luke stays down the hall." She gestured to the back of the home, "That way is the kitchen and dinning area. As well as the meditation room."

She looked back to him and gave him her best smile, an attempt to cheer him up a little bit, sensing his unease,"It's not so bad here. I think you'll come to like it in time once you get used to things. For now, if you have any questions and Master Luke isn't around to answer them, you can ask me. I may not have all the answers, but maybe I can be a little helpful at the very least." She led him back to the front room of the small hut and looked to him once more, "Master look will be out gathering food for another hour or so. If you'd like we could take a walk around the surrounding area. There is a trail I always take. It's very quiet and peaceful, a perfect place for meditation and relaxing. Would you like to come along?"

[jakkuscavenger]

A soft smile appeared on Ben's face as he nodded in response to her inquiry, running a hand through his dark hair. "I'd like that very much. I'm right behind you." He watched her intently as he moved to grab his saber once again, clipping it back into place on his belt. "I don't know if I'll be needing this, but better safe than sorry." He explained, stepping back outside and extending a hand for Odette. "Shall we?" He asked lightly, his jaw clenching slightly as a pang of anger hit him, his dark and light battling against one another. Hopefully this Jedi training would defeat his inner darkness, but he could only hope and wait to see what happened.

[AHeartlessNobody]

☾ ΟÐξΤΤξ ΚξΝΟβΙ ☽

After he agreed to join her and held out a hand to help her up, Odette's blue eyed gaze looked up to meet his, before she smiled and took his hand in hers, allowing him to help her up, "Thank you." With that, she made her way out of the hut and down the trail in silence. This was the trail she herself always took to the more peaceful and scenic areas, which were perfect for her meditation. Or in her rare free times, good for a hike to clear the mind. They got to a river that cut through the trail and with much practice she began walking across a fallen tree as though it were a bridge, until she reached the other side.

Now, just up ahead next to the trail, was a small lake with grassy areas all around. Once they had reached there, she let out a soft sigh and sat in the grass, criss crossed once again, closing her eyes. The wind lightly blew over them and air was fresh here, allowing her a peaceful and calming place to meditate. Though after a moment of sitting there like that in silence and taking deep breaths as she delved into the force, she felt something rather strong. A pulsing of...anger? She searched the Force, attempting to find the source, only to find it was coming from Ben. She opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him, though there was no scolding look or shock on her face, her voice coming as though she were merely stating simple facts, "You're still angry. I can feel it. It's almost smothering. So much so that anyone near you that is tuned to the force can feel it and be swallowed by the emotions themselves, blocking out any good feelings."

She took another deep breath and looked out to the lake, "I understand though. It's not easy, being forced to stay in a place you know nothing about and train to be something that many people thought and still think, are just myths. It leaves you sad. Angry. Bitter. To tell you the truth, I wasn't much different for a while in my first little while of being here. There was even times, when I was a little younger, that I would try to run away into the forest, just to get away from all the training. But, after realizing how hard it was out on my own, I was always come back, expecting to be yelled at or reprehended. Yet, Master Luke never did. He was always so calm and very forgiving, talking to me and trying to understand rather than making me feel bad about myself. He always tells me that compassion is the heart of a Jedi and that he tries to model that in everything he does. He's very wise."

Looking back over at him once more, she shrugged, "I suppose, what I'm trying to say is, it's okay to feel that way sometimes, to feel sad and angry. It's what makes you human. But, don't let it rule your life or ruin a new opportunity for you." She made an attempt to give him another smile, "Besides, in my opinion, I'd much rather feel compassion and happiness than anger or sadness any day."

She looked back to the lake, though there was a slightly amused look on her face now, knowing he probably wasn't expecting such a advice from someone younger than himself. Master Luke always said she was a very wise for her age, though she never got the chance to share such wisdom. It was nice, "Okay, my lecture is done. Now, why don't you sit down and give meditating a try. You might feel better after spending time in the Force."

[jakkuscavenger]

Ben sighed softly and sprawled out in the grass next to Odette, letting his eyes slide shut. "I might, but the anger is something more than just being sent here for training... I've felt it for years and it seems to be getting stronger as I get older." He slowly looked up at Odette as he spoke, letting a few blades of grass slide between his fingers. "I can't explain exactly what it is, though." A soft sigh left his mouth as he looked back up at the sky, the breeze blowing through his hair. "But boy, do I wish I could..." He trailed off and went quiet as he studied the clear blue sky above them, disappearing deep into his own thoughts.

[AHeartlessNobody]

At Ben's admitting of feeling such strings of anger for years, Odette opened her eyes once more and looked to him again. The idea that such anger got stronger as the years went on....it was no wonder his parents had sent him here to train with his uncle. This boy was strong in the force and should such anger continue to take control over his emotions, it could very well mean disaster. Even more worrisome was the fact that even he didn't know where such feelings of anger and hatred came from or what it was. There was a longing in his expression as he explained that he wished he could say what it was, which was normal in her opinion. If such feelings of anger came to anyone, it was natural to wish to know why they were feeling that way and where the feelings emerged from.

Her blue eyes watched him carefully as he stared up to the sky, the soft wind gently blowing their hair and robes. Turning her gaze up to the sky, she was in thought for a moment, before speaking to him once more, "It must be difficult...but that's why you're here. Your parents wanted to help you, and we will. Master Luke and I will help you figure out those emotions and push past them." She looked back to him and placed a soft hand on his shoulder, "So, don't worry. We're one with the Force, and the Force is strong. Through the Force we can gain the strength to become who we are meant to be."

She took her hand away and then looked forward again, letting her eyes slip shut, "First lesson, meditating. It's the one way you can really feel the Force and let it guide you. Give a try."