A Master at Last! (Otter, Closed)

Mon’vuuem had been walking back to her quarters when she’d felt the flush of irritation coming from an adjacent hallway. Someone was highly unhappy and their frustration and anger were leaking into the Force without control. The Kaminoan’s interest was piqued, she had to admit, and she felt something should be done. Whoever it was that the feelings belonged to, they were obviously in need of a friend, or at the least, a sounding board. With long strides that easily covered the distance in no time, Mon’vuuem rounded the corner of the hall and spotted a small bundle of red fur hurrying down the hallway in her direction. The older Jedi recognized it as being a Kushiban and judging from the size of the little one, it was a youngling as well. The vibrant red of the little Jedi’s fur was an instant sign that this was the one Mon’vuuem was looking for.

Kushiban were known for changing color to match their mood and the brilliant hue of crimson this little one was giving off was a sure sign of her anger at something. As was, much to Mon’vuuem’s tempered amusement, the youngling’s complete lack of situational awareness. The Jedi master held perfectly still and watched as the youngling headed right for her leg without so much as slowing. It wasn’t long till Mon’vuuem felt the youngling bounce off her leg and heard the beginnings of an indignant speech which died swiftly on the Kushiban’s lips. Mon’vuuem noted the subtle change of color in the youngling’s fur and smiled politely down at her.

“You seem to be in a hurry, little one,” The Jedi Master said in dulcet calm tones, “and in a state of such unrest. What is the matter?”

Asani looked up at the tall woman, her round eyes looking up at her apologetically. "I am sorry Master. I did not mean to run into you." The little Kushiban did her best to center herself, her pink fur slowly turning to cream, and then white. How could she have run into a master like that. Why hadn't she been watching where she was going.


"I'm... the other younglings were teasing me again." She couldn't help it, her fur turned a rose-like pink once more. Why did everything keep happening to her today. "I know I am not supposed to get angry, but I sometimes cant help it when they tease me like that."

Mon’vuuem’s heart went out to the youngling at her feet. She knew all too well how unthinking children could be when they encountered something they didn’t understand. Her own crèche years had been fairly quiet but only because of the rapid maturation rate of her species and she could imagine that the Kushiban had borne the brunt of many jokes due to her size. The older Jedi felt an instant kinship toward the youngling. There they were, to beings so far outside the norm of what one would expect of a Jedi: one that had to look up at almost everyone and one that had to look down. She smiled kindly at the young student.

“The intoxication of anger, like that of alcohol, shows us to others, but hides us from ourselves,” Mon’vuuem stated simply, “You are angry at them but have you asked yourself why? Your anger will not change their opinions but it CAN change you…”

It had been a good sign to Mon’vuuem that the youngling had at least tried to calm her emotions. The child showed promise and a thought occurred to the Master that she had not entertained before. It had been only a few years since her old padawan had graduated to knighthood and while she hadn’t planned on taking on a new one, it seemed the Force had other ideas. Something had put her in this place at this time to find herself face to face with this particular youngling and Mon’vuuem didn’t believe in coincidence. Who else, of all the masters, would understand this youngling’s frustrations more than one who too was a misfit among the Jedi due to their size? Mon’vuuem had been chosen by her own master for just such a reason. Perhaps the Force had steered her here to help more than she had originally planned.

“What is your name, youngling?”

Asani hung her head. She knew they were just words that the kids said. "I know I shouldn't get angry... but it still hurts." No longer angry, or embarrassed, her fur turned a pale blue, revealing the deeper emotion behind the anger. Her large ears drooped.

She raised her head once more as the woman asked her name. "A...Asani, master." Once more she tried to center herself, taking a deep breath. Her blue fur once more returned to white.

“Asani,” Mon’vuuem repeated to cement the name, “My name is Mon’vuuem.” The seven foot Jedi made no move to bend or kneel to get closer to Asani’s level, seeing such things as being insulting to someone of the youngling’s stature. Asani was a sentient and intelligent being and as such should be treated like one. Mon’vuuem figured not many people probably did so and even those who meant well might come across as demeaning by not standing straight when addressing the youngster.

“Anger is natural, Asani,” Mon’vuuem continued, “we all feel it sometimes. It’s what we do with it that matters. The point isn’t to never feel angry…it’s to learn to let that anger go. Let it flow through you and out again. The pain, you will find, will leave with it.”

Mon’vuuem watched as the blue fur that marked Asani’s sorrow was brought back under control, its hue returning to a cottony white. “Very good,” she said encouragingly, “I sense a great deal of promise in you, Asani. The Force is strong with you but you must learn calm. Perhaps…” Mon’vuuem paused and listened with the Force once more to make sure she was making the right decision. The answer hadn’t changed as she stared down into those large eyes looking up at her so earnestly and Mon’vuuem knew she had made the right choice.

“I want to ask you something, Asani. Would you be my padawan? Will you let me train you and show you how to become comfortable enough with yourself to learn how to deal with the views of others? Think carefully on this as a commitment to a Master is not an easy path. I am bound soon for Subterrel and a potentially dangerous mission…but if you choose to join me, I will protect and teach you and I can see you becoming a great Jedi Knight. What do you think?”

Asani continued to watch her as she spoke. This woman wasn't like most others. It wasn't just the way she was treating the small Kushiban, she could feel something pulling her to the master. She just couldn't explain it.

Surprise filled her face at the Master's next words. Her, a Padawan? She didn't know whether to believe it true or not. Many a master had turned her down for her size, or her temper. She had given up hope of finding a master, and was prepared to go into the corps. But now....

Suddenly her fur turned green with happiness and she couldn't help but try to hop into the arms of the woman, without realizing it. Some things she just couldn't help doing after spending half her life as a pet.

Mon’vuuem’s shock at the sudden leap into her arms was anything but concealed. Her eyes opened wide and her jaw dropped a bit but her expression quickly settled into one of amusement and contentment. “I will take that as a ‘yes’”, she said cheerfully. “Now, I was just heading back to my rooms. I will make the call there to have your things brought up to the sleeping quarters next to my own unless you have a different preference.” The Jedi Master turned and strode languidly down the hallway, her even slow strides carrying her just as far as any of the more hurried Jedi that moved down the hall. She made no attempts to set Asani down, knowing the youngling would have trouble keeping up with her, and instead lifted the Kushiban up and placed her gently onto one slender shoulder. The pair received quite a few strange looks as they moved down the hallway. It was an odd sight for most: the statuesque Jedi Master with a tiny green puff sitting on her shoulder.

Mon’vuuem headed for her rooms and entered the specially outfitted quarters. All the furniture here, what little there was, was stark white and made specifically to fit the Kamioan’s form. The chairs were high backed, high off the ground and had gently sloping seats which allowed Mon’vuuem to sit more comfortably. A few small decorative items dotted the room and a long sleep-couch lined one wall, covered in an elegant blue blanket which shifted color ever so slightly in the lights overhead. Mon’vuuem set Asani down on the sleep-couch and turned to a high table to activate the intercom system. She reached out to the crèche master and requested for Asani’s things to be brought over and then reached out to the records keepers to let them know of the change in Mon’vuuem’s status. She now had a padawan.

Asani looked from the woman's shoulder in wonder. She rarely ever was this high up, and she enjoyed not having to look up at everything and anyone. She turned to her new Master as she spoke. "Um... actually... if it wasn't too much trouble.... could I stay with you? I just feel more comfortable being near someone." Her green fur tinted pink with embarrassment once more. Another habit from being a pet, she craved closeness.

The little puffball eyed the room as they walked in. Everything was so big. It was obviously because of the size of the Kamino woman. It was odd, such a large woman picking such a small apprentice. The elder Jedi set her down upon the bed and immediatly the small Kushiban began to explore it with interest. Everything seemed exciting to the green ball of fluff. She spent several moments just poking and prodding the pillow, before resting ontop of it and watching her new master.

Mon’vuuem had to admit that watching the excitement of a new padawan acclimating to their surroundings was always enjoyable. Asani’s energy flowed through the Force, a powerful wave of interest, curiosity and happiness, that emanated from the youngling without reservations. The openness of the girl’s emotions was something the older Jedi wasn’t quite used to. Her own feelings were always held in close check with few exceptions but she would once again have to learn to deal gently with a padawan that would need close attention and affection. Mon’vuuem’s first padawan had been that way. The young girl had been a Selonian and, like Asani, had been small in stature though the Kushiban was by far the smallest padawan Mon’vuuem had ever had.

Tappas, the first apprentice, had been attached right from the start, something Mon’vuuem had been unsure how to deal with. Kaminoan people were not overtly emotional to start with, whereas Selonians were tribal and very close, and it had taken many years of careful learning on the part of both master and student for Mon’vuuem to learn the careful balance of showing affection. Asani would need the same sort of care and affection. Mon’vuuem could tell right away that her new padawan would need reassurance and a steady hand to help her build confidence and a sense of self. She was unaware of the youngling’s past but she could tell something had happened to leave this one craving affection.

“I would be happy to have you stay here,” Mon’vuuem conceded. They would need to find a way to make the room more accessible for the much smaller padawan but Mon’vuuem was not one to shy from a challenge. She was, however, concerned over ensuring young Asani did not become too attached. A Padawan and Master were expected to have a bond with one another and it was not uncommon in the least for a pair to form a parental relationship but such things were discouraged to an extent. It would not do for a padawan to get themselves killed trying to save their master and too much love could be corrupted to anger. A balance must be maintained, though Mon’vuuem had to admit to herself that her distance was partly because she feared what would happen if she let someone get TOO close to her. Her emotions were carefully guarded things and she was ever hesitant to let someone get too far into her heart.

As Mon’vuuem looked down into those over eager eyes and the earnest face of her young padawan, she had to wonder whether she’d have a choice with this one. It would be hard not to become too attached to one so earnest with their own feelings and so obviously in need of kindness. The older Jedi moved to the bed and settled down, turning her head to look over at where Asani had made herself comfortable. “We can arrange to have some furniture brought in that will make things more comfortable for you. I do not expect you to conform to something made for someone my own size.” Mon’vuuem folded her hands into her lap and smiled at her young student. The bells attached to her headdress fluttered and tinkled softly as she moved. “Now then, tell me about yourself. What do you remember of your youth? When were you brought to the Temple?”

Asani looked away as the woman asked about her past, her vibrant green fur turning blue once more. "A... a man took me away from my home.... I was too terrified to even speak around him... he kept me as a pet for I don't know how long..." The small furry thing curled up on the pillow. "He treated me kindly, most of the time... but I was an animal to him..."

"Then he was arrested... and a Jedi set me free, brought me back here." Her ears were drooping by now. "I've been here ever since. Most masters dismissed me for my size, or my occasional temper..., and the other younglings teased me about it..."

Mon’vuuem could feel the sorrow roll off the young girl in waves as Asani spoke of her past. The youngling had suffered much in her short life and it was as sad as always to Mon’vuuem that so often people saw only what they wanted to instead of what really was. Many would dismiss her as being weak because of her frail physical appearance just as many would see Asani as little more than someone’s pet but those people would be gravely mistaken on both parts. Mon’vuuem was fortunate at least to have never encountered the same sort of prejudice as her padawan though. She easily suppressed the short flare of irritation she had at the narrow mindset of those who would capture a sentient being and treat them like a pet. The vibrant young girl before her had deserved a better life than that though it explained some of Asani’s need for closeness.

There was a moment of awkward pause and Mon’vuuem tried to figure out how best to comfort the youngling. The blue of Asani’s fur showed as clearly as the waves that rippled through the Force. Finally Mon’vuuem extended one long fingered hand and brushed it lightly over the silken pelt of her apprentice. Soothing waves of Force energy drifted from the master to Asani as Mon’vuuem tried her best to ease the sorrow of past years. “The past is behind you now, Asani. Let the pain of these memories slip away into the Force. No one will ask you to simply forget them but even memories like these can be useful to us.” She reached down and tilted the youngling’s face up to look her in the eyes, compassion written across every inch of her frame. “You have an opportunity to learn much from your past. Few have been through what you have and great wisdom can come from this. We, more than most, can take away the well learned lesson to see beyond the surface of things…and of people.

“Bear this in mind, remember it well when you encounter those you may not understand or have every cause to look down on. In those moments, you above all will know that there is more to most stories than we ever know.” The Jedi smiled fondly and gestured to her own lanky form. “Most people would not see me as a capable warrior and as you grow, you will find that many will underestimate you as well. This is of great advantage to us both.” Mon’vuuem winked knowingly, “You will come to find that those who underestimate you are easily duped and often make mistakes in your presence. This comes in handy. Also, bear this in mind and make it something you carry with you: Those who are worthy would never insult you because of your size…and no one unworthy can insult you.”

Asani looked up at her master with wide, sorrow-filled eyes as her hand reached out and stroked her silky fur. The small Kushiban instinctively rubbed into the hand, closing her eyes. Even without the soothing power of the force behind it, the petting was comforting and relaxing. Slowly, but surely, her fur went back to it's normal creamy white.

Her eyes stared into the older woman's. A small, but visible smile touched her lips, and she once more hopped into her Master's arms. "I can't picture people teasing you. You are perfect just the way you are." She nuzzled into her arms softly.

Mon’vuuem couldn’t help the smile that crept over her lips. “Perfect?” she said sounding infinitely amused, “I’m far from perfect, my padawan. I too have been on the receiving end of other people’s short sightedness. But it matters not.” The Jedi chuckled softly and continued to stroke the Kushiban’s fur. She found the sensation oddly relaxing and if the look on her apprentice’s face were any indication, the youngling was enjoying it too. Asani seemed to need a lot of physical contact to feel content and calm, something Mon’vuuem would have to address at some point. The girl would have to eventually learn to look within herself and Force to seek that same level of comfort. Only then could she achieve the peace she would need in her life. That would come in time though. For now, the youngling was only a padawan for less than a full hour. There was plenty of time for her to learn the self control she would need.

“Now then,” Mon’vuuem said gently, “Let us see where you are in your training so that I might better know where to start with your lessons. What classes are you most proficient in? Please, demonstrate them for me.” The Jedi waved a long arm to encompass the room, giving Asani free reign to use whatever was here to display her talent. Small liquid looking statues lined a thin shelf across the room, several small decorative balls were sitting in a bowl on the table and there was ample space for Asani to do some saber katas if we wanted.

Asani looked around the room as her master gestured to everything in it. "Um... I don't think I am particularly good at anything... no better then anyone else..." A soft sigh escaped her little lips as she continued to rub into the hand stroking her. "I'm sorry. I know I am not anything special..." Her ears drooped as she spoke, but she kept herself calm, her fur remaining white.

Mon’vuuem frowned ever so slightly at her padawan’s statement. The first thing she would need to teach then would be lessons in self confidence. The girl would need to see her own worth or risk falling to darkness when its temptations came calling. Only one who knew their true worth and was confident in their place in the light would be able to resist. Mon’vuuem tapped Asani on the nose affectionately and shook her head at the young girl. “I think I know what our first lesson will be,” she said cheerfully and with that, the Jedi Master swept to her feet, taking young Asani with her. She moved across the room to a doorway hidden against the opposite wall. A tap of the panel beside it opened the door to reveal a fresher. A long glass walled shower was along the back wall and a vanity lined the wall to the left. Hanging above the counter was the only mirror Mon’vuuem owned. She had no need for any others as she had no hair and no ego to speak of and so needed only to assure her clothes were on straight each day.

The mirror was a work of art, one of the few Mon’vuuem had allowed herself on one of her many trips. Its border was a thin and shining silver metal that had been worked into fluid shapes which wound around the edges and intertwined like living tendrils. The whole piece had an organic feeling to it like much of Mon’vuuem’s things. She set Asani down on the counter and gently turned her so the young girl was looking in the mirror. “Tell me what you see, Padawan.”

Asani lightly hopped from her arms. As Mon’vuuem turned her, Asani saw her reflection for the first time ever. She moved up to the mirror, resting her paw on it. "Is... is that me?" She examined her face closely. "Is that really me?" She looked back at her Master.