"Master, I can't do anything right!"

                        I turned to her slowly. Her eyebrows knit together until I could barely see her tearing eyes. I felt myself inwardly twinge, reminding myself to turn my voice down to a softer tone instead of yelling at her like I had previously done. 

"I understand that you are distressed, Snips. It took me a while to get a hang of it too."

                 Keeping eye contact with her, I went to slash my wooden stick towards her torso. Surprisingly enough, Ahsoka seemed to reach more of her potential when she didn't overthink her actions. She was a natural--if I could just access her instincts, she should be fine. Distracted, she blocked me with little effort. I managed to avoid a small smile. 'She has improved.' Continuing to talk, I went to attack her the pattern she had been previously complaining about not being able to perform. 

                "But you have to keep trying, or you'll never be good as me." She developed a small smirk, twirling her wooden baton until I actually had to take several steps back. I return back to a defensive stance, only to meet almost face to face with her baton. 

"I doubt that will be a issue, Skyguy." The musty, smelling wood filled my nose. "I don't need to try." 

              We continued to stare into each other's eyes, analyzing one another until I could sense us both breaking out in laughter. I playfully rubbed her lekku like an older brother, pulling on slightly until she let out a heartier laugh. My tired voice came out in a chuckle for the first time in weeks. 

"Don't get cocky, Snips.  You wouldn't want me taking you back and getting a different padawan, do you?"

            Her voice is filled with cheerful sarcasm. "I don't think so. Then you'd be the same, grumpy Jedi Knight when I first met you. Trust me--I've done more good than worse. When's the last time I let you down?" 

          I pretend to think, cocking my head slightly. "That's a good question...maybe the protocol files that got deleted on 'accident', or the creepy worm things almost getting on a hospital base--" Her voice fills with fake rage.

"I did not cause that! Maybe the files, but those were--"

        The conversation ends as soon as it began. I am met no longer with my padawan's smile, but the eyes of a stern man with even a sterner tone.

Windu.

         "Master Skywalker." The noise in the room besides his obvious judgement end in less than a few mere seconds. "I see that you were...preoccupied. Perhaps so preoccupied to be at least an hour late to the meeting with the Council?" My eyes widen, and I feel Ahsoka swallow in discomfort. I open my mouth to speak, but the look in his muddy eyes says for me to stay quiet.

Sometimes I just don't like this guy.

    "I'm expecting you will end...whatever this is, and get in there now. We have no time for distractions." My blood boils at the this--how dare him call Snips a distraction! My right fist clenches, hidden behind my back. The tenseness goes down a little as I feel her fingers brush to my wrist.

"I'm sorry, Master Windu. I'll be there now."

       He nods harshly, curtly walking out of the training room without another sound. Ahsoka lets out another sigh. "I'm really sorry, Master...I didn't mean to be a distraction--" I whip her around until she's facing me, pointing my finger at her. My words are low and quiet, as if I'm afraid Windu or someone else will come here and ruin this moment.

"Don't let anyone call you a distraction, Snips, because you're not. You're my padawan. You're a Jedi."