008. THIRD TIME'S THE CHARM

∘₊✧───────────────────────────✧₊∘

SHE KNEW THAT ACE HADN'T TOLD HER EVERYTHING ABOUT UMBARA. She knew that he was lying to her about something. Despite what her instincts told her, she didn't press for more information. However, the whispers that followed her everywhere she went still bothered her.

Arimiya shrunk further within herself as she passed yet another pair of padawans whispering to one another. If they hadn't been staring at her, perhaps she would have assumed that their topic of discussion was someone else. She knew better than that to lie to herself though.

"The nightmares are back, aren't they?"

Arimiya turned her attention back to Zeraphina. She shook her head. Just because she wouldn't lie to herself didn't mean she wouldn't lie to others. Zeraphina didn't believe her though. She'd gotten less than a week's worth of sleep free from nightmares, so it was safe to assume that the dark circles under her eyes had returned. She'd been fine up until the moment that the troops returned from Umbara. Now, those burning red eyes taunted her with visions of not one failed master, but two. R'avida and Krell stood side-by-side, arms crossed and disapproving expressions identical to one another, as if their deaths had been her fault. She knew there wasn't anything she could have done in either situation, but the fact that she had survived when they had died... Skid had said it was called survivor's guilt.

"Have you spoken with any of the Jedi Masters about them?" Zeraphina tilted her head. "I've heard that Master Lym is quite gifted when it comes to meditation and visions."

"They're not visions." Arimiya shook her head. "Just bad dreams."

"How can you be so sure?" Jacen asked as he took a seat beside Zeraphina, setting a stack of holobooks down on the table surface.

"You're such a nerd."

"And you're deflecting."

"Shut up, Plutarch."

Jacen rolled his eyes. "You need to stop pushing aside the people trying to help you. The council is growing worried."

Arimiya raised an eyebrow accompanied by a skeptical look. "The council is looking into my case?"

Jacen nodded his head. "At least that's what Master Kyd says. You do have to admit that you've put them in a difficult position. Not many padawans go through two masters, much less get considered for a third."

"Jacen!" Zeraphina hissed and elbowed him in the side.

He winced and rubbed his ribs. "What? I'm just giving her the facts. She should know about the decisions concerning her. It doesn't help that she's been acting out."

"Pellian deserved it," Arimiya protested and crossed her arms.

"It was a training session," Jacen retorted and then added with a hint of annoyance in his tone, "The two of you flirt incessantly during these sessions, it really wasn't that different than any other day."

"He crossed a line."

"It still doesn't help your case."

"Maybe I don't want a case..."

Jacen and Zeraphina glanced at one another. She could see the concern evident on her face. "You don't mean that."

"I think I do," Arimiya contradicted Zeraphina's statement.

"You're talking of leaving the order," Jacen raised an eyebrow, "After all that talk of achieving the rank of knight and master before us?"

Arimiya shrugged and looked toward the ground. "Maybe I'm not meant to be a Jedi."

"That's a decision you should make sooner rather than later. The council is meeting again today to reconsider your case."

"Are you encouraging her?" Zeraphina asked, appalled at the very idea.

"I'm simply letting her know that she doesn't have all the time in the world to decide."

Arimiya mimicked him with her hand, making sure that the bored expression on her face was visible. "Plutarch, you're thirteen, but sound like you're thirty. Put down the books and step outside every once in a while."

Jacen frowned. "Maybe you should pick one up."

She could tell that she'd hurt him as he stood and took his books with him. The part of her focused on their rivalry was smug. However, she was too stressed to focus on that. She audibly groaned and pulled at her hair. Zeraphina remained seated, concern even more apparent on her face.

"Please at least give yourself a few days to consider..." she pleaded. A small smile crept onto her face though as she joked lightheartedly, "I may even consider joining you. Jacen, Caleb, and Matias are too much to handle on my own. Especially when you won't be there to keep them in line."

Arimiya chuckled quietly and nodded her head. "That's true, but we both know that you like training under Master Plo too much to leave the order."

"Guilty."

The two girls laughed. But as Master Nu shot them a look, they quieted to giggling into their hands.

"Arimiya Delaway."

Their heads quickly turned to the sound of the voice that had called her name. Arimiya raised an eyebrow and stood from her seat to approach the Jedi Master. "Master Kyd, is something wrong?"

"The council wishes to see you."

"Jacen wasn't kidding," she muttered under her breath before speaking up, "I'll be right there."

They walked in step beside one another. A sense of familiarity overcame her, and she immediately felt a longing in her chest for it to be her own master walking down those halls with her.

"I'm sorry," Master Kyd broke the silence.

"What?" she snapped out of her daze.

"I haven't taken the time out of my day to speak with you. I'm sorry for your loss," Master Kyd said as he looked down at her. There was a sorrow hidden in his eyes. "I grew up alongside R'avida, knew her well. Being by her side was always exhilarating, almost addicting. I can't even imagine the inner turmoil you are experiencing."

Her eyes lowered to the ground to hide the fact that they had begun to well up with tears. "How does anyone live with a pain like this...?" She lifted her eyes up to meet his and the tears rolled down the sides of her face.

It looked as if words had been caught in his throat as he noticed the tears. His head swiveled back and forth. Seeing that they were alone, he bent down onto his knees so that they were equal in height. He brushed aside her tears and wrapped his arms around her in an embrace. He whispered in her ear as if speaking to a small child, "The order instructs us not to grow attached for fear that it leads to the darkside, but I think if attachments were understood and encouraged as healthy then there would be greater strength in the lightside of the force. R'avida believed this too... They're never really gone, those that we lose, they stay with us here."

He took her own hand and placed it over her heart. She was too shocked to speak. The Jedi was Jacen Plutarch's master, but nothing like the stiff boy. He wasn't quite as emotionally driven as R'avida, but it was surprising to know that he was a member of the council with the views that he had just shared with her.

He stood and gave her a short wink before the doors to the council room opened. She felt as if a lump formed in her throat at the intimidating size of the chamber. Not to mention the important figures that were seated inside. She took a deep breath and followed Master Kyd into the room. She stopped in the center, but he continued forward and took a seat where she recalled Master Piell once sat.

It wasn't often that she held her tongue, but when in a room full of so many imposing figures she did so against her better nature.

"Anxious, you are." Master Yoda lifted a hand to briefly gesture in her direction.

"It's been a long week," she admitted.

"We assume you know that we've been looking into your current situation," Master Windu took over. She nodded her head. "It's not very often that a padawan is trained under this many masters."

"So, I've been told." She internally chastised herself after making such a retort.

"Much of her master's untamed spirit, she has."

"Indeed."

She silently swallowed at Master Windu's indecipherable outward demeanor.

"Which is why we've decided that it best to assign her a master to train under."

Arimiya raised an eyebrow and lifted a finger to gain their attention. "Did I make a mistake thinking that a master had to choose their padawan?"

"The extenuating circumstances have advised us that it may not be a wise decision in your case."

Even though each of the masters were seated, to her it felt as if they were looming over top of her. Looking at her as if she was some pet project to perfect. The corners of her mouth slowly started to turn downward. She was slowly coming to the realization that if she were to mention leaving the order, they may not even consider the thought nor allow it. If that was the case, she may just need to give them reason to kick her out.

Master Kyd broke the following silence, "If I didn't have a padawan that still required training, I would immediately step up and take her on as my own."

"We're well aware of this, Master Kyd." Windu remained unamused at the disruption. "Fortunately, the decision has already been made."

"And to whom are you entrusting with training her?" Master Kenobi raised an eyebrow. From the looks of it, he hadn't been informed much of this decision since his return from Umbara. He'd only returned the other day as there were some final negotiations required to ensure the planet was under Republic control.

The entire room was silent. Master Kyd had lifted a hand to his face to hide the smug grin that had formed. It took almost no time at all for Master Kenobi to understand the implication of the silence. He quickly shook his head. "I hope I'm misunderstanding-"

"Padawan Delaway has been placed under your care until a more suitable match can be made," Master Windu interrupted.

"Ready to take on young Tano as your apprentice, not long ago you were."

"That was merely an excuse for Anakin-"

"Already been decided, it has."

Arimiya turned her attention toward Kenobi. Her eyes narrowed and his did as well. R'avida and Kenobi hadn't been on the friendliest of terms, avoiding one another when they could. However, the one moment that they had been forced to work together had been a disaster. Of course, she remembered the whole thing as she'd been there. It had been toward the start of the war, but that didn't sway her opinion on the Jedi Master. She'd found his personality stifling and far too level-headed for her liking. She didn't see her rebellious spirit aligning well with his orderly nature, perhaps a reason that the council paired them together.

"Which brings us to our second topic of discussion," Windu changed the direction of conversation, "We've been forced to adjust our strategy. Although we'd discussed that Kenobi, Skywalker and his padawan would be performing reconnaissance, we've discovered more information that leads us to believe that we'll need to expand our efforts. Four teams will be formed that will scout the planet from all directions."

"I assume you will be elaborating further." Kenobi lifted his eyes from hers to direct his attention to Windu.

"Accompanying you will be Master Plo, Cors, Kelrune, Billaba, and Kyd with their respective padawans, including Delaway."

"This looks much more serious than we originally anticipated," Kenobi noted with concern, "Are you sure we should not take the time to reevaluate our strategy."

"With the information given," Windu shook his head, "I'm afraid time is not something on our side."

Arimiya looked around the room and finally broke the beat of silence that had followed. "So... where are we going?"