Pet | Kylo Ren x Reader | Precious Pet Series | Book 1

Improve Your Thresholds

Training: Cycle One

Your arms were limp noodles after all the forward overhead strikes and the side strikes and the uppercut strikes you had made with the heavy practice sword. You didn't know what the sword was made of, but it weighed about double what it had any right to. Your thighs were shaky from the different squats Ren had you do. Your abs still burned from holding your upper body at a 45-degree angle while your legs were spread wide on the floor.

You hated Kylo Ren.

He had kept pace with you despite his injuries, though. Everything he had asked of you, he did as well. You were both sweating by the time the physical side of training was over. It had taken everything you had to stretch your overworked muscles.

"The physical is barely half of what you'll use," he said as he went for something to drink.

You were laying on the cool floor of his private training room. The outer room--his sleeping quarters--were just beyond the doorway. The clear durasteel windows continued in the training room. He had turned the lights on to full brightness. It was like a spotlight was on you to highlight all your shortcomings as a new Force user.

Ren put a fresh glass of water next to your head. You grunted in thanks and rolled over. You didn't trust your body to behave itself if you actually tried to sit up and reach for the glass. You gulped down the cool water and then put your forehead on your folded arms.

If this was how every day was going to be for the next week, you were going die. Or lose all your limbs. Or you face would melt off. Or all three.

"The Knights will test you as you continue on this path," Ren said as he sat down. He massaged the red scar on his face like it felt tight. The gel that had been on it healed the lightsaber wound quicker than you'd ever seen. The regular skin around it seemed to pull at the scar, though, and you thought it must be uncomfortable.

He went on: "You've already proven you have insight. It's probably your strongest gift."

You knew of the Trials. You had thought they were for Jedi only. Apparently, the dark side used them as well. It was a fair test of a padawan, though they could be dangerous.

"Spirit shouldn't be much of a stretch, either," Ren commented.

"So, that leaves skill, courage, and flesh," you summed up.

The Trial of the Flesh scared you the most. It involved pain. You weren't keen on physical pain at all. But who was? Emotional pain wasn't new to you since losing your whole family. You didn't like to think of them much. Losing Lor San Tekka was a fresh pain, but one you were used to.

What could the Flesh take from you? An arm? A leg? You could be a fully functional human without them, of course. You could adjust to the loss of a limb.

But there had been padawans who had died during their Flesh Trial. You didn't think any Knight of Ren would give two shits if you didn't pass yours. They'd probably make sport of you, see how much they could take from you until you gave up and died.

You looked up to see Ren studying you. You were being read, paged through like an old book. You didn't mind that he knew you were scared. You'd yell it in the middle of the crowded mess hall however many decks below.

Ren offered you no comfort, no soothing words. He didn't coddle you.

You just stared at him, and he back at you.

Training: Cycle Two

"Feel the Force," he instructed. "Reach out for it."

"It's not a thing. It's everywhere. I can't touch everywhere." You had your hands balled on your knees. You were sick of sitting on the hard training-room floor. His instruction didn't make any sense.