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One - Field Trip

"Hurry, we'll be late!" I yelled to Mai. She hurried along behind me, our robes swishing as we ran. We were late for lessons with Master Windu, and another late entry would mean we would have to shelve books in the library with Master Jocasta. For a few hours.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" she called. "Chill out, Clarissa!" I sighed again and continued to hurry onwards.

When we reached the classroom, we were relieved to see Master Windu had not arrived yet. However, as soon as we took our seats, Master Yoda entered the chamber, instead of Master Windu.

"Surprised to see me, you are?" he said. We all bowed respectfully as he sat at the front of the class.

"Taking a trip, we are. For your lightsabers, crystals we must find." The class chittered excitedly about the prospect of finally building our lightsabers. A Togruta student next to us was super excited.

"Hey, guys! My names' Ahsoka Tano. Are you excited to make our lightsabers?" I nodded eagerly, bolstered by her enthusiasm.

"Totally!" replied Mai, matching her energy.

Another student, named Barriss, whispered, "I bet our lightsabers are gonna be so cool!" I grinned at the kind Mirialan, and said, "They definitely will be! They're lightsabers, after all!"

"I wonder what color they'll be?" wondered Mai. But before we could chime in with our color predictions, Master Windu entered the camber. We bowed respectfully once again.

"Ah, Master Yoda. I see you've told the younglings about our trip to Ilum?" Master Yoda nodded, and said, "Leaving tomorrow, we are." Master Windu nodded thoughtfully and gave us all a lecture on the importance of finding the right kyber crystal.

*****

When we finally arrived back at our dorms, we were tuckered. Mai and I immediately pulled out a pack and started throwing things into it, as we didn't know how long the trip to Ilum would take.

"You guys are already packing? Wow," said Ahsoka, entering the dorm. Barriss giggled as she came in, saying, "Y'know Ahsoka, you could take a page out of their book. These two are gonna be super prepared. Betcha their colors are gonna be orange, the both of em'."

Mai giggled, and said, "Oh wow, orange would be such a cool color..." I nodded.

"Clarissa, what'd you want your lightsaber to be?" called Ahsoka from the refresher. I thought for a moment, then said, "Maybe green? That would be awesome!"

"I think blue would suit me," commented Barriss. I nodded wholeheartedly as Mai said, "Oh, definitely, for sure!"

"I think green would do for me," said Ahsoka, coming out of the 'fresher. "And Mai, orange would be perfect for you!"

"Thanks, Ahsoka! It would be super cool!" Mai went into the empty 'fresher to change into a softer sleeping robe. Barriss simply took off her coarse Jedi robe, and so did Ahsoka.

A bit about Ahsoka - she always wore a red no-strap crop top with leggings and a blue-and-white belt, and Ahsokas' head tails only reached her shoulders. I suppose those were what passed as a Togrutas' hair.

Barriss kinda looked like Master Luminari - same tattoo on the chin, and same closefitting blue bodysuit. She had a hood that she wore loads of the time. I would not be surprised if she became her padawan.

Mai and I were both humans, although we did not look alike. Mai was from the planet Tatooine, and I was from the planet Lothal. Mai had chocolate skin and thick really dark brown hair, and chocolate-colored eyes.

I, on the other hand, have skin the color of a pale iridescence seashell. My eyes are so blue, people say they are almost white. My dark brown hair is so contrasted to my skin people think that I dye it brown, but I don't. It's also so short, people think I'm a boy.

"Clarissa? You gonna change?" asked Mai, in a clean robe. I nodded and grabbed a soft black skirt and blue crop top from my drawer and slipped into the 'fresher.

When I returned, Mai was already passed out in her bunk, but Ahsoka and Barriss were sitting at the small table and talking. I cautiously sat down next to them.

"Clarissa, hey!" Barriss said enthusiastically. "We were just wondering if you could help us with this H-n-A?" I sighed, and said, "Well, I can help with the history, but I'm not so sure about the arithmetic, but I'll try."

In addition to learning Jedi skills, all younglings in the temple had to learn regular school stuff, like history, and math, and languages. I could speak seven languages fluently, and so could Mai.

"Well, you've actually mistyped this in your essay on the history of Mandalore. It says the dark saber was stolen by the Jedi when what actually happened was-"

We were interrupted by Mai panicking. We all turned, startled, as we watched Mai begin to cry. I quickly ran over and held her in a sitting position.

"Mai? Mai, are you okay?" I said softly as she began to wake up.

"I...I had a vision," she said shakily. "I saw us...us on Ilum, and w-we got so c-cold..." I turned and looked at Ahsoka and Barriss. They both looked very stressed.

"How cold? Can you remember?" questioned Ahsoka. Mai nodded.

"S-so cold, y-your head tails turned b-blue, and Cl-Clarissas' skin turned whit-te." We all exchanged a look of general panic.

"I, uh, I had a vision about Ilum too, Mai," said Barriss. "I saw us all stranded, and we decided to split up, but then the vision ended before we could find each other again..." Barriss trailed off and sighed. "I need to slip into the 'fresher."

After Barriss left, Mai took a shaky breath and said, "She wasn't there, in my vision. B-Barriss, she wasn't there...I didn't see her," Ahsoka and I calmed Mai down and exchanged glances.

"Clarissa, I need you to be vigilante tonight, OK?" said Ahsoka. I nodded. Ahsoka was fifteen. She was only one year older than me, but she seemed so much more mature.

Barriss came back and I helped them with their H-n-A until I felt sleepy. I bid them goodnight and crawled into my bunk.