“Come on Ben, I know you can do better.” Luke said patiently early one morning as he watched Ben work on telekinesis. “I’ve seen you lift heavier than these rocks in your sleep.”
@ask-luke-skywalker-rp
"Im trying, uncle Luke! Are you sure you weren't the one asleep?" Ben whines
“Do or do not Ben, there is no try.” Luke said wisely. “Come on, you can do it.”
Ben immediately drops the rocks and stares at his uncle. "That doesnt even make any sense! Did you drink something weird again?! You cant do anything without trying first!"
Luke smirked. “Yeah that one took me a while to figure out too. But it was one of the best lessons Master Yoda gave me.” He admitted.
"Are you sure that was an actual lesson?! He sounds crazy!" Ben argues, already tired and upset and the day has barely begun. Starting his training later on in life has done no good for his attitude
Luke sighed, then sat down across from Ben, and closed his eyes. Almost immediately the stones started to float, along with the large boulder at the edge of the clearing, Artoo, and Luke himself. Then after a moment everything was set back down gently. “It’s thanks to that lesson that I’m able to do that.” He explained opening his eyes. “I’ll give you some time to figure out what that phrase means. If you can’t, I’ll explain it to you.”
His face falls more seeing what his uncle can do. He feels like he'll never be that strong. "What if I never get the hang of it the way you want...? Dad doesn't even believe in the force and he's been around you and mom for years"
“It takes practice Ben.” He said reassuringly. “I struggled to lift my X-Wing at first and now I can lift even heavier than that.”
“Tell you what, use another hour to practice some more, then I’ll take you to Naboo for a treat. Deal?” He offered with a smirk.
Ben sighs and nods, "fine..." There's anxiety bubbling into resentment inside him. He's never been good with the emotional aspects of the force, just like the grandfather he idolizes
“Ben, I can feel your anxiety from here.” Luke said kindly. “Breathe. In through the nose, out the mouth. That’ll help you focus.”
Ben closes his eyes and breathes how he's told. "Sorry, uncle... it feels like its been getting worse lately..."
“I know. But you have nothing to be anxious about here.” Luke said reassuringly. “You’re already parsecs ahead of the other students. In fact, I think you’re almost ready for the next step in your training.”
"I feel like I'm behind..." he mumbles, furrowing his brows. "I mean, all those stories you've told me of the old jedi sounds like by my age every padawan was being knighted..."
“Obi-Wan was in his 20’s when he got knighted.” Luke pointed out patiently. “Yoda was in his sixties, but since his species age more slowly than most others I don’t think that’s a good example.” He admitted with a chuckle. “And I was 23 when I finished my training. You’re seventeen Ben, you got time.”
He then sensed someone approaching and smiled. “Isn’t that right Ahsoka?” He asked with a smile.
"Sure is. You're using your family as your benchmark, but kid your family is like no other. Skyguy was the youngest and least mature jedi knight in the order ans never got the rank of Master. I was never knighted, just made an honorary general when the war got worse after I had already left the order," Ahsoka explains as she sits down with the boys.
"How can you speak so casually about grandfather and use such an immature nickname?" Ben asks in shock.
"Oh, calm down, he liked that nickname. I never did tell ya who trained me, did I?"
"I assumed Master Plo Koon did, since you two seemed to have such a close relationship," Ben furrows his brows.
"Nope. Anakin trained me. And lemme tell ya, he wouldn't have stood for any of your self image issues, you would have learned confidence the same way I did, with a whole battalion of clones shooting stun rifles at you for days on end. We were child soldiers, Ben, we didn't have time to learn at our own pace. You do. Take your time, don't rush," she smiles reassuringly at him. "When you finally get your first real lightsaber you'll be a lriper padawan capable of being taken on by a master... had I finished my training I would have loved to take up the honor, but its not my place. I made my choices and the force took me in a different direction"
Luke nodded. “Ben, if you ask Artoo nicely he’ll show you recordings of his adventures with Father and Ahsoka during the Clone Wars.” Luke said with a teasing smirk.
“And Ahsoka, I’ve told you many times that if you want to join the Order that I’m building, you are free to do so.” Luke offered. “I see you as a Jedi Master anyway. So if you want to take a padawan from my students you’re free to do so.”
Ben's eyes light up, "do I have to finish my training first?"
"Have you watched some of those old training recordings? Are you sure you want me teaching any of these kids? Because I'd get Rex involved, and they will end up needing medical aid more than once under my care, especially with the way I used to train with Rex and the others in the 501st," Ahsoka chuckles. "Maybe think a little longer on that before a kid ends up in a week long coma from training against blaster fire while being surrounded"
“Yes Ben, you have to finish your lessons and chores today before Artoo will show them.” Luke said chuckling at his nephew’s eagerness.
“Can’t be worse than learning the lightsaber forms in a gladiator pit from a stormtrooper that was taught by Vader himself.” Luke pointed out to Ahsoka with an amused smirk.
Ben scrambles to his feet and goes back to his training.
Ahsoka chuckles, "you know sometimes it sounds like you forget that very little of your father actually changed when he turned to the dark side. You're right, I didn't learn like you did, I learned directly from your father as he was falling. I learned the forms directly from Anakin, just before his worst, in the middle of the war, with the entire 501st at his disposal to surround me ans fire their blasters until I collapse on the floor unconscious to train my body to recover faster and faster and withstand more and more. That training and the resistance of just a few of the clones I called my brothers are the only reason I survived order 66," Ahsoka reminds him somberly. "You're father's training methods didn't change much"
“I heard he wasn’t afraid to cut limbs off the inquisitors.” Luke commented as he watched Ben run the course. “Ahsoka, may I speak with you about something?” He asked softly, so Ben wouldn’t overhear.
"Of course, Luke, anything," Ahsoka looks over to him. "Except your parents love life"
Luke gagged at the thought. “No, not that.” He said struggling to keep his composure.
“It’s about Ben.” He said covering his mouth, making it look like he’s stroking his beard as he watches Ben train. “I fear something is pulling him to the Dark Side. It only started recently and already he’s more anxious, and his anxiety quickly becomes anger.”
Ahsoka frowns, looking over at Ben again. "Then perhaps I should be the one teaching him... the Daughter gave me her life, and I worked with your father, who better to ground him to the light than the light itself and remind him that his grandfather wouldn't want him to follow in his footsteps?"
Luke nodded. “Normally I’d agree with you, but we’re at the point in training where it’s counter productive to change teachers.” He admitted. “But, Artoo says that Master Kenobi also had a hand in your training, maybe we could co-teach?” He suggested. “We could also call Father’s spirit to keep an eye on him at night. That’s when the influence is at its strongest I fear.”
Ahsoka smirks, taking a deep breath before, "Force, it sure is a shame the Skywalker line doesn't know real fun anymore!"
Anakin appears next to her, "you take that back!" His blue ethereal form shimmers in the light as Ben faceplants in the background
