ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴏsᴇɴ ᴏɴᴇ
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I knew something was wrong when a disturbance in the Force woke me up.

Morning had come, and the sun filtered through my eyelids as if was determined to melt my corneas. I opened my eyes to check if my roommate had felt the same as I had, but she was still peacefully asleep, drooling on her pillow.

I groaned as the feeling grew stronger, sending a sharp pain through my head. I hadn’t experienced anything like it since I accidentally left my lightsaber on and my own conscience warned me that my clothes were burning.

Sighing, I got out of bed and grabbed my weapon, making sure it wasn’t setting anything on fire. The pain subsided slightly but still lingered.

A beeping noise quickly caught my attention, and I grabbed the communicator I kept under my pillow for emergencies. When I turned it on, the calm voice of Master Ti came through the device:

"Helene, are you ready?"

I frowned, letting out a yawn. "Ready for what, Master?"

"Training starts in six minutes. I hope you had a good breakfast because Windu will be supervising the combat..." She paused while I processed what she had just said, my eyes widening. "You just woke up, didn’t you?"

Shit. I checked the time and confirmed my fear: we were late, as always.

I groaned again, resigned.

"Sorry, Master. I’ll be there on time."

Shaak Ti let out another sigh.

"Tell your friend that Master Vos is looking for her so mad. Hurry up before he runs to find you both in your pajamas."

"Yes, Master."

I turned off the communicator and tossed it onto the bed with a huff. Training under Mace Windu’s watchful eye was the last thing I wanted to do at this hour, especially without breakfast.

I approached the other bed and watched my roommate sleep so comfortably that I almost felt bad for waking her up in the only way that worked.

Almost.

With a quick wave of my hand, I used the Force to levitate the mattress into the air, and when I made sure it was at an acceptable height, I moved my hand to fold the mattress, sending the twi’lek tumbling onto the floor with a thud. A scream echoed through the room.

"Calm down, you sound like a Draagax," I teased, watching as she jumped to her feet, glaring at me.

Aayla Secura shot me a look of pure hatred, the tips of her lekku twitching in irritation. She was wearing a thin, almost transparent black nightgown, and that’s when I remembered we had less than five minutes to get to the training hall.

"You look like a Wampa with that hair," she spat.

"I don’t care," I shot back, ignoring her comment as I opened the closet. "We need to get to the combat hall now. Mace Windu is supervising today."

Aayla groaned, opening her own closet.

"He’ll probably criticize us for how we breathe," she complained. "He’s only been a Master for a month, and he already acts like he owns the Temple."

"Did you know that if you hold your lightsaber close to his head, it reflects off his bald scalp?" I said, amused, as I put on my pants. "I almost burned his ear. Master Ti punished me with no blue milk for two weeks."

Aayla burst into laughter from the other side of the room. We had both arrived at the Temple at the same time, at the age of three. We had been equally mischievous and troublesome growing up, earning the same punishments, which only brought us closer until we became great friends. We were also chosen as padawans around the same time.

When we were ready (me still putting on my shirt as I rushed out the door) we ran through the Temple corridors to reach the combat area, several minutes late. The same disturbance in the Force struck me again during our sprint, but I had no time to stop and figure out what it was.

Aayla and I stumbled into the hall, panting. The first gaze I met was Master Ti’s, her serene eyes holding a clear reprimand. Then I looked at Aayla’s master, Master Vos, who stood with his arms crossed, tapping his foot impatiently.

At his knee height, I saw the small head of Master Yoda peeking from behind his leg, while Kit Fisto grinned at us in amusement. Other students and their masters were present, but I could only focus on Windu’s piercing gaze, watching us with seriousness.

"You’re late, padawans," he snapped, clearly irritated.

Aayla wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Forgive us, Master Windu. It won’t happen again."

"That’s what they said yesterday and last week as well, Masters," Kit pointed out with a mischievous tone. I growled, shooting him a deadly glare. Our friend, of course, only widened his grin.

Windu rolled his eyes, visibly annoyed.

"Enough. I want to see what you’ve learned these past weeks," he said, looking at our masters. "Have they mastered Form IV, Ataru?"

"For some time now," Shaak Ti answered calmly.

"Then let’s begin," Windu nodded. "Padawan Fisto, Padawan Secura," he looked at them both sternly, "I hope you didn’t make me come here for nothing."

I frowned and leaned toward Aayla, whispering, "Who the hell invited him?"

She gave me a nervous glance before shrugging and stepping onto the mat, drawing her saber.

I sat cross-legged on the floor, resting my hands on my knees, ready to watch them begin their duel. Standing face to face, they ignited their weapons, and the hum of the energy blades filled the air.

The fight began as soon as Yoda struck his cane on the ground. Aayla lunged at Kit with feline agility, executing quick and fluid acrobatics, flipping and twisting in the air while attacking with precision. Each strike was fast, always searching for a weakness in Kit’s defense. But Kit was a wall. His movements were powerful, his strikes resonated with force, and his blocks were impenetrable, stopping Aayla’s attacks with ease.

Their lightsabers clashed, creating sparks with each impact as they glided across the mat, performing acrobatics. Aayla seized every opportunity to leap and spin mid-air, striking from unexpected angles, while Kit maintained a strong stance, deflecting and countering.

Suddenly, as I watched the fight, the same disturbance in the Force hit me, stronger this time.

A sharp pain shot through my head, and I winced. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to shake off the sensation. I couldn’t identify what it was, but something was wrong.

A touch on my shoulder startled me, snapping me back to reality. I quickly opened my eyes and turned to find Master Ti kneeling beside me.

"Helene, is something wrong?" she asked gently.

I had always silently admired how in tune my master was with the Force, able to sense even the subtlest emotions in those around her. It was as if nothing escaped her perception.

I glanced around to see if anyone was listening. Master Yoda and Master Vos were talking amongst themselves while watching their padawans fight, and Master Windu hadn’t taken his eyes off them, seemingly scrutinizing every move.

I swallowed and nodded.

"I… I’ve been feeling something strange since this morning," I admitted in a low voice. "It’s like a disturbance in the Force, but I can’t identify what it is."

Shaak Ti furrowed her brow slightly, her gaze becoming thoughtful.

"I haven't noticed anything," she replied, still watching me carefully. "You haven't left your lightsaber on somewhere again, have you?"

I shook my head hurriedly. "No, I swear."

"Did you play another prank on a youngling, leaving them meditating for hours, and then forget about it?"

I shook my head again, frustrated.

"No, of course not!" I exclaimed in a whisper. "Besides, I only did that once, and it was him who forgot how to return to reality!"

Shaak Ti looked at me seriously but with a hint of curiosity in her eyes, and that only made my unease grow. If Shaak Ti hadn't sensed anything, then what was I feeling? Why was the Force sending me these signals?

"We'll figure it out later," my master assured me before standing up and walking away. I stayed in the same position, still feeling that nagging discomfort inside me.

The duel unfolded evenly until finally, Aayla's lightsaber flew through the air, and the twi'lek fell to the ground for the second time that morning with a loud thud. I stood up as Kit approached to help her and waited for Master Windu to signal me to step in.

"You were very evenly matched, padawans," Shaak Ti began, before smiling slightly at them. "It was a good fight; you both did well."

Yoda nodded.

"Fisto the winner is," he said, looking at his apprentice, "but better acrobatics Secura performed."

Aayla smirked at Kit, playfully hitting his shoulder as she walked past him. The Nautolan simply shook his head tentacles and nodded to his master. Without a word, Mace Windu, who had been silently observing until now, stepped forward. His dark eyes fixed on me with a coldness that made my stomach knot.

"Padawan Shield, your turn," he ordered, his deep voice echoing through the room.

I took a deep breath, fighting the nerves that were beginning to swirl inside me. I had a streak of thirteen consecutive duels without a single loss, and I wanted to maintain it to uphold my reputation as the best padawan of this generation. At fourteen, I already surpassed many eighteen-year-old Jedi.

I smiled confidently at Master Ti and positioned myself in front of Kit. I ignited my lightsaber at the same time as he did, and the hum of the blades filled the air once more.

The duel began with a burst of energy. Kit lunged at me with a powerful strike, which I deflected with a quick spin, using my agility to dodge and counterattack. I leaped to the side, performing a flip to avoid his next blow, and launched a series of quick thrusts in his direction. Kit blocked them effortlessly, moving his saber almost at the speed of light.

I performed an acrobatic move, spinning in the air to land behind him and strike from his flank, but Kit was quick, turning on himself to block my attack and counter with a horizontal slash that I barely managed to stop. The intensity of the duel increased with every move. Leaps, spins, and flips filled the arena as our lightsabers clashed with force, creating bright flashes with each impact. It was an even match, each of us pushing the other to the limit.

But then, the disturbance in the Force hit me again, stronger than ever.

I felt a jolt in my senses, a sensation that clouded my concentration; brilliant yet unfamiliar blue eyes with a childlike gleam entered my field of vision just as Kit launched another attack. I faltered in my defense, my mind caught between the battle and the image of that intense gaze trying to pull me out of reality.

Kit's lightsaber grazed my shoulder, and the pain was instant. A cry escaped my lips as I stumbled back, my skin burned by the blade's contact.

I fell to the ground, gasping from the pain, and when I looked up, I saw Mace Windu's gaze. His eyes were cold, filled with disapproval, and that expression pierced me like a blaster shot.

Anger and frustration boiled within me. I couldn't let it end like this. I clenched my teeth and jumped to my feet, ignoring the pain in my shoulder. I gripped my lightsaber firmly again and charged at Kit. I performed a series of flips, spinning and leaping with more agility than before, making my attacks faster and more precise. The Force wasn't on my side at this moment, trying to distract me, but I didn't need it.

Kit tried to keep up, but the intensity of my counterattack caught him off guard. One final acrobatic leap allowed me to evade his defense and deflect his saber, leaving him vulnerable. With a quick spin, I disarmed him, pointing my purple lightsaber at his chest.

Kit raised his hands in surrender, and the duel ended. I had won again.

"Fourteen," I whispered to myself, satisfied.

The sound of applause echoed through the room, and I saw Aayla smiling at me, clapping enthusiastically. But my gaze shifted to Mace Windu, searching for some sign of approval. Though his expression remained stern, I noticed a slight nod, and that was enough to make me smile victoriously.

" The winner of the duel Padawan Shield is," Master Yoda said, smiling at me. "Well done, guys"

Shaak Ti approached me with a look of concern on her face. Her eyes lingered on my shoulder, where Kit's lightsaber had left a noticeable burn.

"Are you alright, Helene?" she asked as she examined the wound with a critical gaze.

I nodded, trying to downplay the stinging sensation I felt. The stupid vision from the Force bothered me more than the wound.

"It just stings a little, I'll be fine," I said, forcing myself to maintain my composure, even though the burning in my skin suggested otherwise.

Kit also approached, his face showing a hint of guilt. "You should get that treated before the pain gets worse."

Without realizing it, my eyes sought Mace Windu's approval. Even though I had managed to win the duel, I still felt the need to make sure my next move was allowed, this man could even judge me for breathing too loudly. He, who had been silently observing, nodded solemnly, giving me permission to leave.

With a sigh of relief, I headed toward the door, placing a hand on my sore shoulder. Before leaving, I heard Kit's voice. "We'll come find you after training!”

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

"Stupid droid, it got bacta all over my shirt," I muttered, wiping away the remnants of gel around the patch on my shoulder.

It had been about ten minutes since I left the training hall, and I was sure everyone had noticed my hesitation during the duel. I spent my short time in the nursing  thinking about those eyes that had invaded my mind for a moment, they were blue: not as big and striking as mine, but just as intense.

I was so absorbed in fiddling with my bacta patch that I didn’t notice someone else nearby until the Force practically pushed me to do so. I quickly turned my head to find a small figure sitting on a bench a few meters away from me.

My throat went dry as I saw a blond boy, somewhat bruised and dirty, watching me curiously from his seat. But what caught my attention the most were his eyes.

Those darn blue eyes…

I looked around, unsure of what to do, and then turned back to the boy.

"Uh… hello?" I spoke, stunned. And now, who the hell was this?

The boy looked into my eyes, and the intensity in his gaze almost made me stagger back again. The Force wrapped around me like a steel blanket, immobilizing me. And then he spoke:

"Are you an angel?"

"What?"

"An angel," he said, seeming excited as he looked at me. "I’ve heard about them from the deep space pilots. They’re the most beautiful creatures in the world."

"Are you flirting with me, little boy?"

The blond boy blushed deeply at my words and looked away, mumbling things I couldn’t quite make out with my ancient hearing. I managed to take a few steps toward him and crouched down to his level to study him closely. He was wearing a ragged tunic similar to a Jedi’s, fitted to his size, but what really threw me off was the small braid hanging from his hair, brushing his shoulder: a padawan’s braid.

"What’s your name, little boy?" I asked, tilting my head.

He blushed even more before answering.

"Anakin Skywalker."

Another jolt from the Force inside me. I held back an annoyed hiss by biting my tongue and nodded.

"Where are you from, Anakin?"

"Tatooine," he replied quickly. "I just got here with Master Kenobi, and now I’m his padawan." He looked almost proud as he said it. "I’m waiting for him to take me to our first training session."

Tatooine? Kenobi? His new padawan?

My eyes widened as I realized that the person in front of me was none other than the Temple’s latest gossip. The so-called Chosen One that Shaak Ti had mentioned to me a couple of days ago: the one they picked up after Master Qui-Gon Jinn’s death at the hands of a Sith on the Battle of Naboo.

"Wow…" I examined him from head to toe. "I expected you to be… uh… older?"

Anakin puffed out his chest, the blush still on his cheeks. "I am old. I’m nine."

"And I’m fourteen, and I still play matchmaker with droids," I retorted, making my point clear.

He looked somewhat disappointed. I straightened up, feeling his curious eyes on my bacta patch. I was about to turn around and keep walking, but his voice stopped me:

"So, you’re not an angel?"

"No."

"Then why are your eyes so big?"

"Ask genetic."

"And what are those dots on your face?"

"They’re called freckles."

"Can you fly?"

"Do I look like I can?" I grumbled, irritated by all the absurd questions.

The boy opened his mouth to say something else, but another, deeper, male voice interrupted him:

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan Kenobi had approached us with a stern expression on his face, which softened when he saw me. "Oh, hello, padawan. Excuse me, but I need to take him to the training hall now that your companions are done." He turned to Anakin. "Are you ready, Anakin?"

Anakin nodded frantically and jumped up from the bench to stand beside Obi-Wan while I stared at both of them, dumbfounded. Then he looked at me with those eyes that had caused me so much torment in the span of a few hours.

"Will I see you again?" he asked, catching me off guard.

I blinked a few times and looked up at Obi-Wan, who simply smiled slightly at us.

"Uh… well… I…" I stammered, then cleared my throat and stood a little straighter. "Yes. I guess so."

Anakin grinned sideways, and Master Kenobi gave me a nod before placing a hand on his padawan’s shoulder and guiding him in the opposite direction. I watched them walk away, still processing the strangeness of this morning.

Had I just come face to face with the Chosen One? Just like that?

As they walked away, Anakin turned his head several times to look at me one last time. And just as they were about to turn the corner, he mouthed a small "goodbye"  to me before disappearing completely.

If I had known everything this encounter would unleash, I would never have approached him.