I Choose You ( discontinued )

Chapter 12: Scarred

The Jedi Temple had several different sparring rooms for Knights, Padawans, and Masters. The ones for the Masters were rarely ever used since most of them spent their time meditating and whatnot. The Knights were often out at war, so their sparring rooms were occasionally empty. Padawans would try to sneak in at times and pretend to use the rooms as if they were Knights. They were caught often, but on instances in which they weren't they would stay for hours. The Padawan rooms were by far the most used since the young Jedi were still in training and needed them the most. Senior Padawans used the rooms closer to those of the Knights whereas the younger, less experienced (and non-apprenticed) students used the ones farthest from them. Ahsoka often thought this was a matter of simple organization. Now she realized, as Barriss's blue lightsaber crashed down onto her green ones, it was so the Knights could challenge the Padawans if they felt like it. Barriss was no Knight, but either way, Ahsoka was losing. 

Sweat poured down the two girl's foreheads  as the heat of the room and lightsabers burned at their skin. Ahsoka stumbled back, her muscles shaking from physical exertion. Barriss, seeing this as an opportunity, spun her weapon around and brought it down on Ahsoka's again. Her strength overpowered Ahsoka, who staggered back again which allowed Barriss to reach out and knock her back with the Force. Breathing heavily, Ahsoka looked back at her friend who had an irritated look on her face and her hand on her hip. Weakly, Ahsoka mustered all her strength and turned around. Acting upon impulse, she flung her smaller lightsaber at Barriss, completely catching her by surprise, and rolled along the ground till she reached her, grabbed her second lightsaber, and held it to Barriss's throat, a confident smirk on her face.

"I yield," Barriss said flatly. 

Ahsoka let out a long-needed sigh and turned off her blades. Barriss did the same. "That wasn't a bad match Barriss."

Barriss turned to leave the room so the other Padawans that were waiting could practice. "Not really Ahsoka."

Out of breath, Ahsoka rushed to keep up with Barriss's long strides "Why would you say that?"

"Had this been a true battle you never would have thrown your lightsaber at your enemy." They rounded the corner and began to walk down the cool hallway.

"Yeah," Ahsoka said thoughtfully. "But it worked this time. I knew what you'd do."

"Training sessions are about preparing us for the real world and the real battles that we must face." Barriss glanced behind her at Ahsoka. "Not just to win by whatever means."

Ahsoka felt slightly irritated. "I saw an opportunity and I took it. What's the big deal?"

"Should you have?" Barriss asked.

"What do you mean?" 

"You learned nothing in this session, even if you won. This won't help you in the future."

Her words stung more than Ahsoka wanted them too. What Barriss was saying was true, but Ahsoka hated it more than she should. "Master Skywalker would say it doesn't matter how win as long as you do."

"Our Masters have very different training styles," Barriss said, straightening her pose as she walked. "Master Luminara teaches me that the forms require patience."

"I have patience!" Ahsoka said stubbornly. 

"You were so eager to win that you forgot the forms," Barriss replied.

"Forms don't help in a real battle," Ahsoka said defensively. "At least they don't help me."

Barriss paused in the hallway. "Let me see your lightsabers." Ahsoka handed them to her and Barriss began to through different forms. "You often use a variant of form five, but if you'd used form six against me, it would have been more effective."