*** 35ABY: Ajan Kloss ***

Tucked away, deep within the forests of Ajan Kloss was a small but important facility, it was the current (and perhaps last) base for the Resistance fighters. A team that seemed to be hanging on by a thread after losing so many on Crait. But despite all the setbacks they were a group as dedicated if not more so than Leia had ever seen in her life (and that was saying a lot). 

She knew it was up to her now to keep the dying embers of hope alive, a terrible burden to bear, but one she was not unfamiliar with. Thankfully with Luke’s final act of heroism there were quiet murmurs happening throughout the galaxy, talk of the return of the Jedi, a hope that the Resistance and the entire galaxy needed. 

But now that Luke was gone that burden fell onto the shoulders of another, a bright and talented scavenger girl who had no idea who she really was. A bloodline that could ruin her if she let it, an entirely different burden in and ofitself, one that Leia could relate quite intimately to. 

Leia Organa approached the young woman who was just coming out of her meditation, the frustration clearly etched on her face as she had once again been unsuccessful in reaching out to the spirits of the Jedi of old. 

No matter how many different ways Leia tried to show Rey how to let go of her emotions and her fear, balance still eluded the young Jedi. Leia knew this was the reason she couldn’t communicate with the great beyond. She was not truly listening to the Force.

But Leia could easily see that Rey was also being way too hard on herself, expecting nothing less than perfection. It was an easy pitfall to fall into for those chosen by the Force to carry its unrelenting burden and now that Leia was suddenly granted the rank of Jedi Master (a title she had never expected) it was up to her now to help her Padawan through it. 

And she kept finding herself asking ‘what would Luke do?’

“Ugh!” Rey’s frustrated groan interrupted Leia’s musings as the Apprentice rose to her feet. “I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, I’ve done everything the texts suggested and it’s just not working. I can’t reach them, I’m just not strong enough.” 

Leia tilted her head in sympathy; she remembered not always having the patience for Jedi training all too well. 

“Perhaps it’s not something you are doing wrong.” Leia suggested. “The Jedi will reach back when you’re ready.” 

This was clearly not the right thing to say because if possible Rey looked even more dejected than before. Leia reached out and placed a hand on her student’s shoulder. 

“Rey, you have been training non stop since Crait,” she said. “Perhaps the Force is telling you to slow down, to rest.” 

“But Master, we don’t have that kind of luxury.” Rey reminded her. 

And the girl wasn’t wrong, time was definitely something not on their side. Leia just had to hope that the Force still was. But, still she needed to do something to help Rey get out of her head.

She smiled to herself as a memory came to mind, an unusual Jedi training technique that Luke had taught her. Yes, this might just be the thing to help Rey. 

“Rey, instead of the obstacle course,” Leia took a step towards her Apprentice. “I’d like you to try something a little different today.” 

She had to stifle the affectionate chuckle as Rey immediately stood at attention, eager anticipation dancing in her bright eyes. 

“There is an old Jedi training method, one handed down from Yoda himself.” Leia continued, walking around her Padawan with her head held high, trying to give off an aura of serenity. 

“THE Master Yoda?!” Rey’s voice nearly squeaked in excitement. 

“Yes Rey,” Leia smiled. “According to Luke it is an ancient training ritual for all Jedi Padawans.” 

The girl was nearly bouncing at this point, always yearning for anything that can connect her to the Jedi Order. Leia took a step back and gestured to a massive tree behind them. 

“You must climb.” 

Rey looked up at the tree in awe and then back at Leia. “And then what?”

“You will discover that once you’ve reached the top.” Leia said, purposely cryptic. 

The young Jedi nodded, clearly pretending to understand the assignment and marched up to the tree. The trunk was far too wide for the tiny girl to get her arms or legs around it so she wouldn’t be able to shimmy up as she does when she’s scavenging and the nearest branches were at least twenty feet in the air. The tree was obviously not meant to be climbed, at least not by a human. 

Leia waited for Rey to come to that conclusion herself, but instead Rey looked up at the tree and then back at Leia who offered her an encouraging smile.

“I can do this,” Rey said, her voice betraying the confidence she was trying to maintain. “I won’t let you down.” 

“Just, climb the tree Rey.” Leia coached. “Feel the Force, use your instincts.”

Rey looked up at the nearest branch and Leia could sense what was coming before it happened. The young Jedi crouched while summoning all the power she could around her. The Force gave her a propulsion to her jump and she lept high into the air, reaching for the nearest branch. Leia watched her student with a careful eye, realizing just before Rey did that while making an impressive jump it was nowhere high enough. Rey’s fingers grazed the bottom of the tree branch before falling back down towards the ground. 

Luckily, Leia was able to slow her momentum with the Force. 

Rey picked herself off the ground, ignoring a series of concerned whistles and trills from BB8. She picked leaves out of her hair and let out a frustrated huff as she stared back up at the tree. 

“And all Jedi do this?” She asked, over her shoulder. 

“That is my understanding.” Leia replied. “Many generations before you, and hopefully many generations after you will see the benefit of this exercise.” 

*** 86BBY: Coruscant ***

Grandmaster Yoda waited in one of the many gardens inside the Jedi Temple. Surrounding him was a very delicate ecosystem, one that normally could only be found on tropical climate planets. The plant life was lush and varied, the Living Force sang a very unique and beautiful song in this garden. He had chosen this particular location for a specific purpose and he awaited his new apprentice with centuries old practiced patience. 

Dooku had proven once again to be extremely gifted, having just very handedly won the Padawan lightsaber tournament earlier that day. The boy was extremely strong in the Force and things tended to come easily to him, especially anything that relied on the Unifying Force. Because of his inherent ability to be the best at pretty much everything that was thrown at him, Yoda had noticed that Dooku was beginning to flirt with arrogance. And his sudden interest in prophecies and wanting to control the future didn’t seem to help matters. 

Dooku struggled to live in the moment, and struggled to realize that he was no more special than any other living thing. And that was why Yoda had asked the lad to meet him in this particular garden, one teeming with life. 

The boy finally appeared down the winding path that led up to the waterfall Yoda was currently meditating beneath. At sixteen standard years old he was already tall, well to be fair most everyone was taller than Yoda, but Dooku even towered over his agemates. While this sort of physical stature might cause insecurities for some, it seemed to only reinforce Dooku’s feelings of superiority over his peers.

Dooku, it appeared, had already showered and changed his tunics after the tournament. He approached his Master, dressed in tunics a bit finer than most other Jedi, definitely finer than Yoda’s own threadbare robes (whom the Quartermaster kept begging Yoda to turn in for new ones). It was yet another thing Dooku took pride in over his agemates, not inherently wrong of course to take care of one’s appearance, but Dooku had only started caring after discovering his family title on Serenno, which Yoda had to admit raised some red flags.

Dooku had learned that his bloodline was nobility and the boy had taken it to mean he was inherently better than many of his peers, this was a problem that Yoda needed to address sooner rather than later. 

Yoda smiled up at his Apprentice as Dooku bowed in return, while perhaps rough around the edges, Dooku never failed when it came to standing on ceremony. Yoda remained in his meditative position and allowed Dooku to figure out if he were going to stand or sit, knowing full well how much the boy hated getting dirty. 

“You summoned me, Master?” Dooku finally asked, clearly unable to take the silence any longer. “I had made plans to meet Sifo Dyas and Master Kostana for a celebratory dinner.” 

Yoda hummed in acknowledgement. “Did well at the tournament you did, my Padawan.” 

He could sense the pride swelling in the Force around Dooku. “Thank you, Master. To be honest, I had expected more of a challenge this year, but so few Padawans bother learning a defensive form it really makes it almost too easy to overwhelm them.” 

“Hmmmm,” 

“I was thinking…” Dooku was clearly trying to make his voice sound nonchalant, but he still had much to learn in the ways of negotiation. “Perhaps next year it would be better if I was moved up to the Senior Padawan level, this way the competition is more fair for the others.”

“Perhaps,” Yoda said, noncommittally. “Or perhaps where you are now the Force deems necessary, to help guide others to reach your level.” 

Dooku scoffed. “But Master if I’m to be held back just so others can improve doesn’t that impede my own path as a Jedi?”

“Many paths there are for us to take as Jedi,” Yoda explained. “Stronger together we are, connected we all are in the Force. As one Jedi should always be.” 

The young Padawan folded his arms across his chest and bit back an argument. 

Yoda closed his eyes and sighed. The aging Jedi Master then rose to his feet and with the aid of his gimmar stick moved towards his young Apprentice. He placed both hands on the gnarled knot at the top of his cane and peered up at the young man with so much potential. 

“Come, training I have for you.” 

Dooku raised a curious eyebrow. “But Master, I have just won the tournament, I thought I could take the night off.” 

Yoda was already leading the way down one of the winding hiking trails in the garden. “Time for rest there will be, for now, a lesson it is time for.” 

“But Master,” Dooku stammered, but followed. “Everyone else has the night off! Why should I be punished just for my accomplishments?” 

Yoda stopped and allowed Dooku to catch up, he looked up at his Apprentice with half lidded eyes that still somehow held a mischievous glint in them. 

“Impede your own Jedi path I do not wish to do.” Yoda said, calmly. 

Dooku was an intelligent young man, he knew immediately that Yoda was using his own words against him as a means for teaching him a lesson. The Padawan inwardly sighed and then stubbornly nodded. 

“Very well, Master.” He said, his lips tight with frustration. “What must I do?”

Yoda smiled again and pointed to a large bioluminescent Shorea Tree from Felucia, the tallest one in the garden. The branches were delicate and easy to break the closer they were to the ground and the trunk was protected by large thorns. It was a grand tree, almost as old as Yoda himself, but it was nearly impossible to climb. 

“Climb you must,” 

Dooku looked at him, dumbfounded. “You can’t be serious.” 

 “Admit I do that advance this training technique is,” Yoda responded. “But ready for it, you are.” 

Pride swelled within the Force, surrounding his Apprentice once again and Dooku attempted to hide the satisfied smile. He then bowed to Yoda and moved towards the Shorea Tree with purpose, taking his time to analyze the best way up. 

“To the top you must go, only then shall you see.” Yoda said with a slight giggle. 

*** 68BBY: Coruscant ***

“What will I find when I reach the top?” 

Dooku sighed with an annoyed shake of his head. “Nothing of importance, my young Padawan. I can assure you of that.” 

Twelve year old Qui-Gon Jinn looked up at the towering figure of his new Master and then down at his tiny green Grandmaster in confusion. 

“To reach the top, great discipline does it take.” Yoda said in his usual cryptic manner.

“Trust me, Qui-Gon, you do not need to climb trees to learn that.” Dooku replied. “This is nothing more than an exercise in frivolity, it is highly unnecessary.” 

“But, I like climbing trees,” his Apprentice said in an innocent tone of voice, one that didn’t fool Dooku for a moment.

Dooku watched with a careful eye as his impressionable young Apprentice and his meddling old Master exchanged smiles. The two of them were far too similar for Dooku’s liking, his only hope was to instill some discipline in the boy before the two of them would have a chance to join forces against him.

Qui-Gon was powerful, so much so that Dooku took him on earlier than most other Padawan learners. The boy had exceptional skills already with a lightsaber, something Dooku knew he would be able to perfect in their time together. But more than that Qui-Gon had an independent streak that seemed to set him apart from the other younglings, a curious mind and above average intelligence. 

He had all the markings of a great Jedi. He would be Dooku’s legacy, more so than Rael ever could be. 

But what the boy lacked was discipline. He was a chaotic whirlwind in the Force who seemed to always only act on instinct. His overtly strong connection to the Living Force oftentimes made his actions unpredictable, which would potentially prove difficult to navigate while on missions together. 

He had made the mistake of voicing his concerns to Yoda and now his former Master was attempting to “help” by forcing his Padawan to perform tricks for him. This methodology of teaching was not something Dooku abided by, it was a distraction from what was truly important. 

“Well, while you were attempting to climb trees with your Grand-Master...” Dooku said, placing a protective hand on his Padawan’s shoulder. “Jocasta, Madame Nu sent me to fetch you, because apparently in your rush you left quite the mess behind in the archives.” 

“Oh,”

“And you abandoned the assignment I had given you.” Dooku continued.

Qui-Gon lowered his head, his chestnut hair falling into his eyes. “I’m sorry Master, but I could sense something wrong in the Force and I followed the disturbance here.”

Yoda and Dooku exchanged glances over the boy’s head. 

“And what did you find, my Apprentice?” Dooku asked.  

“I…I um…”

Dooku could sense Yoda attempting to maintain his laughter; his old Master really needed to stop encouraging his Padawan’s impulses. The boy needed to be taught structure, not rewarded for skirting his duties by doing whatever he deemed to be the will of the Force. 

“Qui-Gon, what do you have behind your back?” Dooku asked, his tone firm. 

The boy hesitated and then revealed a small rodent tucked between his cupped hands. “I could sense that this little Tooke was in trouble. He had fallen into one of the fountains, he was drowning.” 

“And so you skirted your assignment to save…a rat?” Dooku hoped he didn’t sound as angry as he was. 

“It’s actually a Tooke, Master.” 

Yoda giggled in response.

The apologetic look on the boy’s face complete with his huge saucer eyes would’ve made a lesser man cave, but Dooku needed his Apprentice to understand. 

“I expect you to go back to the archives and finish your assignment.” Dooku tried to keep the anger out of his voice. “As Jedi it is important not to get too distracted, do you understand, Qui-Gon?” 

“Yes, Master.” 

Dooku turned to leave, he felt bad about reprimanding Qui-Gon when the boy had shown compassion, but his recklessness would get them all killed one day if he weren’t careful. As he put distance between himself and his Apprentice he overheard Yoda’s advice. 

“Truth, your Master speaks.” Dooku was almost surprised to hear Yoda agree with him. “But questioning what is right, what is the will of the Force, an important lesson that is as well.”

‘Damn it, Yoda.’

“If climbing the tree you sense is the will of the Force, then climb the tree you must.” Yoda continued. “If listen to your Master and return to your assignment is the right path, choose that you must.”

Dooku turned back to see what path his Padawan would choose. He was not surprised to see a huge grin spread across Qui-Gon’s face as he strided up to the tall Uneti tree to begin his climb. Yoda watched with pure elation on his face.

‘Traitor’

*** 44BBY: Coruscant ***

It was the middle of the night when Qui-Gon Jinn sensed something was amiss. The Living Force was tugging at him, urging him back to consciousness. The Jedi Knight sat up in bed, his eyes adjusting to the dim lighting that came from the slats in his window blinds. The city lights of Coruscant meant that it never was completely dark in his room, though that was partly by choice as Qui-Gon could easily order black out curtains from the Quartermaster, but he hadn’t been in Temple long enough to warrant such a necessity in years. 

Not since Dooku’s departure. 

He glanced at the chrono sitting on the nightstand and groaned, while he was normally an early riser, typically he rose with the sun. It was far too early to be awake yet. He reached up to adjust his hair, sleep had completely destroyed the braid he had secured it in and then he rose to his feet. 

He could still feel a strange tugging from the Force as he made his way into the communal living space, but that was quickly ignored when he stubbed his toe on the edge of a box. 

Oh, that’s right, he had recently moved into a shared Master/Padawan apartment with his new Apprentice. He would have to make sure to unpack his belongings at some point, unless he could get his new studious Padawan to do it. 

He glanced over at the Padawan’s room, the door closed and everything on the other side was quiet. To someone less attuned to the Living Force there wouldn’t seem to be anything amiss, but Qui-Gon quickly realized things were TOO quiet on the other side of the door. His Padawan was not there. 

Surprising feelings of panic rose up inside Qui-Gon as all sorts of worst case scenarios flashed through his mind. Had the boy been kidnapped, was he hurt or ill and Qui-Gon didn’t notice - what kind of a Master was he? He had told Yoda this was a bad idea, that he wasn’t ready to take care of a Padawan. 

But Yoda had insisted, and despite Qui-Gon’s reputation for going against the Council’s wishes he always struggled to argue with his Grand-Master. More often than not, Yoda was right. 

And suddenly it hit him and he knew exactly where his thirteen year old Apprentice was. 

Qui-Gon sighed, grabbed his cloak and headed for Temple’s forest garden.  

– - - –

“Obi-Wan! It’s three in the morning!” Qui-Gon called up to the tall evergreen Veshok tree. “What in the blazes are you doing up there?”

“I didn’t mean to wake you, Master.” The voice that responded was a very loud whisper. “I will be home soon, I promise.” 

The Jedi Master allowed himself to feel the irritation of standing in the middle of one of the chilliest ecosystems in the middle of the night before he released the feelings into the Force. 

“Have you been at this all night?” He called up to his wayward Apprentice. 

There was a comical shifting of tree branches followed by a small voice. “Um…no?”

Qui-Gon turned to acknowledge the presence of Yoda who apparently had also been awoken by this small disturbance in the Force. The two exchanged exhausted glances before each of them turned their attention back on Qui-Gon’s young Apprentice. 

“Obi-Wan, come down from there!” Qui-Gon called again. “You’re going to hurt yourself. You already finished this exercise earlier, what is it you’re trying to prove?” 

Yoda reached out and placed a clawed hand on Qui-Gon’s arm, urging him to be gentle.

“But I…I didn’t make it to the top, Master.” Obi-Wan’s young voice called down from surprisingly high up. “I just wanted to prove I could do better, that I can be a Jedi.” 

Qui-Gon sighed in exasperation and looked down at Yoda. “This is YOUR fault, you know.” 

“Yeah, on me a little this is.” Yoda admitted, looking up at the tree. 

*** 29BBY: Coruscant ***

“Wait, why do you want me to climb a tree?” Twelve year old Anakin Skywalker asked, not hiding the disappointment in his voice. “When you said we were going to be doing an ‘ ancient Jedi tradition ’ today, I thought you meant getting my lightsaber. Not climbing some dumb old tree.”

Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi did his best to not show his frustration, his Apprentice always seemed to know just how to get under his skin. He reached up and scratched his chin, still not used to the itchy beard he had only recently decided to grow. 

“Care to explain to me how exactly a tree can be ‘ dumb’ , my very young Padawan?” He quipped back and Anakin rolled his eyes. 

“Ugh, you know what I mean.” 

Obi-Wan chuckled and tucked his hands into the oversized sleeves of his robe. He could sense Yoda approaching, he wondered when the old Master would show up, Yoda was never one to miss a tree climbing lesson. 

“I understand this may not be as exciting as the Gathering, but this too is an important rite of passage.” Obi-Wan explained. 

“No,” 

“What?” Obi-Wan was taken aback by Anakin’s refusal. 

“I already know how to climb trees, Master.” Anakin exclaimed. “Why can’t I learn something new? Something useful?”

The boy’s explanation did nothing to abate his Master’s shock, Obi-Wan sometimes couldn’t believe Anakin’s brashness, the way he seemed to always react negatively to simple commands always left the young Master dreading the boy’s teenage years. Obi-Wan sputtered and looked down at Yoda for guidance, but the old Jedi Master just looked amused at the situation. 

“I assure you, Padawan, this IS useful.” Obi-Wan said, in lieu of anything else to say. 

“How is learning something I’m already good at useful?” Anakin challenged. “Wouldn’t learning something NEW be better?”

“Hmmm, a good point he has, Master Kenobi.” Yoda giggled and Obi-Wan looked at his Great Grand-Master in shock. “Already knows how to climb trees he does. Another lesson perhaps he needs.”  

Obi-Wan looked between the determined yet honest face of his young Apprentice and the giddy face of one of the Jedi Masters he most revered and he realized the situation was getting away from him. 

He’d need to approach it from a different angle. 

“Tell you what, Anakin.” He said as he knelt down to be eye level with his Padawan. “I’ll make you a deal, if you climb to the very top of this tree I will arrange our trip to Illum.” 

“You promise?”

“You have my word, my young Apprentice.” 

Obi-Wan remained in a kneeled position as he watched his young Apprentice approach the imposing Endorian Tree. He looked over at Yoda who was watching the young Padawan carefully. 

“Resorting to bribing your Padawan, early in your relationship for that it is.” Yoda exclaimed with a smirk. 

Obi-Wan cringed as he heard the snapping of a tree branch, followed by a series of Huttese curse words. 

“Well, I’m open to other suggestions.” 

*** 22BBY: Felucia ***

“No. No no no.” Anakin Skywalker exclaimed as he came around to the back of the campsite. “Snips, get down from there!”

The young Togruta looked down at him from her perch part way up the Shorea Tree, straddling the lowest branch.

“Why, what’s wrong, Skyguy?”

Anakin stifled his annoyance at her little pet name for him, it really annoyed him that she could already sense how much he hated her calling him that and used it to her devious advantage - the little heathen.

“Come down from there, Ahsoka.” Anakin said, throwing an annoyed look towards Obi-Wan who was standing at the foot of the tree. “Before you break your neck.” 

“You’re just being overprotective, again.” Ahsoka argued, shifting on the branch to swing around until she was hanging upside down, her lekku dangling. “See, I’m fine.”

“You are, you know.” Obi-Wan said, folding his arms across his chest. “Being overprotective.” 

“Oh I’m sorry, am I the only one worried about the fourteen year old climbing up a giant tree in the middle of a warzone?” Anakin huffed. 

“I just turned fifteen!” Ahsoka countered. 

Obi-Wan gestured towards the Padawan. “See, she’s fifteen. And we aren’t in the middle of a warzone, Anakin, we’re in the middle of a cease-fire, awaiting our next orders. I figured now was a great time for a training session.” 

Anakin placed his hands on his hips, his mechanical fingers brushing the top of his saber hilt. He knew what his former Master was doing, Ahsoka had struggled to listen to orders during the previous battle, she was impulsive and this would help ground her in the moment. 

 “Yeah, well she’s MY Padawan, if I want her to climb trees I’ll be the one to have her climb trees.” Anakin glared at his former Master. 

“Okay, you’re right.” Obi-Wan held up his hands in a placating gesture. “I didn't mean to overstep, my friend. Your Master is right, come on down, Ahsoka.” 

The young Togruta swung back up to a sitting position on the branch and began to shimmy down the tree. 

Anakin sighed. “Great, now I sound like the bad guy. Climb the tree, Snips.” 

Ahsoka shrugged and shifted her weight to climb back up to the branch. Obi-Wan shook his head. 

“No, Anakin you were right, it wasn’t my place.” Obi-Wan replied. “Ahsoka, please, come on down.” 

“Snips just climb the damn tree!” Anakin exclaimed. 

“Anakin, she doesn’t have to.” 

“Yes, she does!”

“Um…can you guys please make up your mind?” Ahsoka called down. “My arms are getting tired.” 

“Climb!” 

Their voices rang out in unison and Ahsoka shrugged and continued the exercise. 

*** 3ABY: Dagobah ***

“That was fast,”

Yoda kept his eyes trained on the figure currently struggling to pull himself up to one of the many Gnarltrees that grew in the swamps on Degobah. Yoda knew he didn’t need to look over towards the source of the voice, he could sense the presence of Obi-Wan Kenobi all around him in the Cosmic Force, his old friend and student had yet to manifest himself in a physical form. 

“Expedited his training must be,” Yoda replied, simply. 

“I’d say that you’re losing your infinite patience in your old age, my friend, to be sending a Padawan up the trees so early in their training…” The ghost of Obi-Wan teased. “But, I do understand what it’s like training a Skywalker, so I cannot fault you.” 

“Too focused on the horizon he still is,” Yoda replied, watching his new student with the trained eyes of a seasoned Jedi Master. “Not paying attention to where he is or to the Force around him.” 

“That’s to be expected, given the future that rests upon his shoulders.” Obi-Wan said, solemnly. “It is a great burden that he has come to realize, Master.” 

“Then carry another burden up the trees, he will.” Yoda giggled and used the Force to empty Luke’s survival backpack. “Focused on the moment he will be when another’s life hangs in the balance.” 

Yoda could feel his own amusement echoed within the Force, as Obi-Wan figured out what Yoda had planned next.

“If you break a hip, Master remember this is YOUR training technique.” Obi-Wan chuckled as his presence blended into the surrounding Force presence of the planet. 

Yoda let out a huff in response, but before he could say anything else Luke’s voice called down to him. 

“Master Yoda, I think I got it!” The boy’s voice was excited, but it was followed by the sound of a tree branch snapping.

A worried beep from R2D2 caused the old Jedi Master to glance over at the familiar droid for a moment. 

“I think I…” Luke’s surprised screams pierced the air and Yoda turned his attention back towards his pupil just as Luke fell to the ground with a frustrated huff. 

“No, no, concentrate you must.” Yoda said, taking a few steps towards Luke. 

The young Jedi was now sitting up with a groan and rubbing his head. “I was concentrating, and for a moment I could see a path through the trees.” 

Yoda smiled, unable to hide his amusement. “And then?”

“And then, I…” Luke suddenly looked shy, so unlike his father before him. “Well, I didn’t want you to miss it.”

“Miss it?” The small Jedi Master giggled and pointed to the tree. “Missed the branch you did!” 

He continued to chortle as Luke avoided the Master’s eyes in embarrassment. 

“Your mind, ahead of your body it was.” Yoda stated and Luke sighed. 

The younger man stood up and nodded. “Alright, I’ll go again.” 

“This time, go with you, I will.” Yoda exclaimed, turning his back to Luke and heading towards the droid and the now empty backpack on the ground. 

Luke, not fully paying attention, was stretching to prepare himself for the perilous climb into the trees. 

“Really?! Great!” Luke exclaimed, not able to hide his excitement. “It’ll be easier if I can follow you!” 

“No, not follow.” Yoda stated, reaching the backpack and glancing back towards his student. “Carry me, you will.” 

“Carry you?” Luke asked, baffled. “I can barely look after myself up there.” 

Yoda climbed into the open backpack and looked up at Luke. “Hmmmm. Then concentrate, you must, or fall, we will. Worse for me than you, I think, hmmm?” 

Yoda laughed harder and R2 warbled in concern.

“Come, come.” Yoda held up his arms as if he were a youngling asking to be picked up. “Up we go!” 

Luke stared at him in concerned astonishment. “You can’t be serious…” 

*** 5ABY: Ajan Kloss ***

“You can’t be serious.” 

Luke looked back from the giant tree and then back at his sister who stood with her feet firmly planted on the ground and her arms folded across her chest. 

“This is a joke, right? Some kind of Jedi hazing ritual.” Leia continued. 

Luke tried not to look disappointed, he had been waiting for the right moment to introduce Leia to this particular Jedi training technique. He had wanted to see the look on his sister’s face when she learned that this training objective was a clever ruse created by Yoda in order to focus the student - to get them out of their heads and to gain some perspective. 

But leave it to Leia to figure it all out before she even went up a tree. 

“I…no, it’s not a HAZING ritual.” Luke sputtered. “It’s a very important Jedi training technique.” 

His sister, always the wisest among them, just lifted a disbelieving eyebrow. 

“...Okay, it’s a hazing ritual.” 

*** 86BBY: Coruscant ***

“What happened to YOU?” Sifo Dyas’ voice was on the verge of cracking in an obvious attempt not to laugh. “Did you get into a fight with a Gundark?”

Dooku rolled his eyes. “No, I climbed to the top of the tallest Shorea Tree in the bioluminescent garden.” 

“Why?”

“If you MUST know, my Master had me complete a complex training exercise.” Dooku puffed out his chest as he spoke, he wouldn’t allow his tattered tabards and the fact that he was covered in glowing tree sap to take away his dignity. 

“By climbing trees?” Sifo Dyas asked, still unsure. 

“There was more to it than that!” Dooku huffed. 

“Okay…like what?”

“I…it…um…” Dooku struggled to explain what he had experienced in the tree. 

“It sounds like Master Yoda was having a go at you.” Sifo Dyas giggled and Dooku felt his cheeks go red. 

– - –

“You made me climb all the way up there for your own amusement? It wasn’t even a real exercise?” Dooku nearly shouted at his Master when he found him meditating in the garden. “Do you have any idea how humiliating that was?”

Yoda annoyingly refused to come out of his meditation. Dooku stood across from his Master, impatiently waiting to be acknowledged for several minutes until finally the teenager sank down to the ground and folded his lanky legs beneath him. He inhaled and exhaled deeply several times, allowing himself to accept how he was feeling and then let it go, when he opened his eyes he saw his Master staring back. 

“An exercise it was, if humiliated you were then perhaps an exercise in humility the tree gave, hmmm?” The green Master stated with a knowing grin. 

*** 68BBY: Coruscant ***

“Qui-Gon Jinn, get down from there at once!” Dooku called up to him. “Before you embarrass us both!” 

The young Padawan sat high above the ground on a large branch, swinging his already long legs haphazardly. He couldn’t understand why his Master was so angry, this was so much fun! - Not like those stuffy reception dinners he had to attend with Dooku at the Senate. 

If it were up to him, he’d never come down again.

“I’m not embarrassed!” He cheerfully called down, swinging himself over the branch, hooking so he was hanging upside down, his knees now the only thing holding him up. 

“Oh for Force sake,” he could sense his Master’s anger clearly now. “Would you prefer to act like a Kowakian Monkey-Lizard or a Jedi Knight? Because I only signed on to train one of those things.” 

The young Padawan sighed in defeat. “A Jedi Knight, sir.” 

“Always a first time for anything there is, perhaps the first Kowakian Monkey-Lizard Jedi we have here, hmmm?” Yoda tapped Dooku in the shin with his gimmar-stick and Qui-Gon giggled. 

“And YOU should not encourage him.” Dooku replied, rolling his eyes at his former Master. “The boy needs discipline, not frivolity. He’ll learn soon enough that the life of a Jedi is difficult, he must be prepared.” 

Qui-Gon felt his heart sink, he didn’t want to be the cause of conflict between his Master and Grand-Master. He decided it would be better not to test Dooku on this any further and instead jumped down from his perch and landed gently on the ground below. 

“That was fun! Perhaps I can finish the exercise later?” He asked, making a face that he knew Dooku had trouble saying ‘no’ to. “After my studies, of course,”

His Master sighed and knelt down so they were eye level. “Padawan, it’s not even a real training exercise…” 

*** 44BBY: Coruscant ***

“What do you mean it wasn’t a real training exercise?!” Obi-Wan called back down. 

“Well, it’s not NOT a real exercise, Padawan.” His Master’s voice exclaimed from the darkness below. “But mainly it's just a way to help you get out of your own head and focus on the moment.” 

“Oh,” Obi-Wan said as he clung desperately to a branch. “I see, how amusing!” 

So, what this meant for Obi-Wan was that not only had he failed the “exercise” earlier when he was unable to make it up to the top of the tree, but now he failed again by not realizing that it wasn’t even the point of the exercise in the first place. 

- ‘Well, your official Jedi training is off to a great start, Kenobi…good job.’ he thought, sarcastically to himself. 

His entire body shivered as another gust of cold wind blew through the tree branches, he suddenly realized just how foolish he had been to try and do this in the middle of the night. The climate, while artificial, maintained a very specific ecosystem and this one just happened to be a dense forest one would find on a snowy planet. The cold not only made it difficult for him to get a decent grip on the branches due to his numb fingers, but there was ice forming on the trees now which made the entire situation much more precarious. 

Had he just been paying attention to his surroundings instead of focusing on making his Master and Yoda proud of him he wouldn’t be in this situation. Stuck at the top of a very tall Veshok tree with no way down in the middle of the night. 

“Obi-Wan, why don’t you just come down? We’ll warm up with a nice hot cup of tea and we’ll talk about it.” His Master’s voice sounded both tired and impatient and the tone made Obi-Wan cringe. 

“I…I really would love nothing more, Master, but I’m afraid I can’t do that at the present moment.” He finally admitted, hating the fact that he felt tears stinging his eyes as if he were still a youngling. 

His Master was oddly silent after that and Obi-Wan could then sense it through the Force the moment Qui-Gon and Yoda realized what had happened. 

“Padawan, Please don’t tell me you’re stuck up there.” His Master said, not hiding his frustration. 

*** 29BBY: Coruscant ***

“No, I’m not stuck!” Anakin Skywalker yelled down to his Master. “It’s just a dumb tree, I’ve climbed higher than this a million times, you ever climb the face of Beggar’s Canyon? Now THAT’S a challenge!!” 

“Anakin, you’re stalling.” Obi-Wan’s voice didn’t quite sound like he was lecturing him, but it didn’t sound happy with him either. 

Anakin hated that tone of voice, he only ever wanted Obi-Wan to be proud of him. 

“Yeah, well, you’re distracting me!” Anakin grumbled. 

“Distract him, you should not, Master Kenobi.” Yoda’s voice teased and to hear Obi-Wan getting lectured made Anakin feel at least a little bit better about the situation. “Otherwise, beat your time by now he would have.” 

“My…time?” Obi-Wan sounded a bit flustered. “Oh, yes, that is true, I suppose I do hold a certain record for this exercise.” 

Anakin growled and pushed himself off a branch towards one above him. He would not allow himself to fall behind, he had to be better than everyone else, better than Obi-Wan, and he would prove it - even in something as dumb as climbing trees. 

“Padawan, it is alright to ask for help.” Obi-Wan’s calm voice both soothed and irritated his nerves. 

“I don’t…” he grunted as he struggled to pull himself up to the next branch. “...need your help, Master.” 

As if the Force had a sense of humor all of its own the branch supporting his weight broke and Anakin found himself plummeting to the ground, he cried out for Obi-Wan, not knowing in the moment what else to do and after what felt like eternity he felt his body catch as it floated in mid air. 

He opened his eyes to see his Master standing beneath him with his arms outstretched towards him, a slight look of strain on his face as he used the Force to catch Anakin and bring him down to the ground, gently.

Anakin’s breathing was erratic and Obi-Wan was by his side in an instant, guiding him through breathing exercises. Once he had proper control of his breathing he looked up at the worried face of his Master

“Are you alright?” Obi-Wan asked, helping Anakin sit up. 

Anakin quickly avoided looking Obi-Wan in the eyes due to his embarrassment and instead looked at Yoda who offered him a gentle smile.

“I’m fine,” he grumbled. “Please don’t tell me that I have to go back up there.” 

“Only if YOU feel like going back up, you must.” Yoda interjected. “Get out of this test only what you give in will you.”

Yoda giggled and Anakin looked at him quizzically before turning his attention back to his Master.  

“What does THAT mean?” He asked Obi-Wan.

He watched as Obi-Wan glanced over at Yoda before kneeling to his eye level. His Master then offered a sly smile and a simple shrug. 

“Well, you see, Anakin, the tree exercise really is…”

  *** 22BBY: Felucia ***

“Sending a Padawan up a tree is not even a real Jedi exercise, it’s just something Yoda made up to get us out of our heads.” She could hear Anakin’s voice carrying along the wind. “Trust me, the last thing Ahsoka needs is to get out of her own head, if anything she needs to be in her head more.” 

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan’s voice, while softer, was no less annoyed. 

Ahsoka ignored the bickering coming from below her and continued to climb the tree. In her short time as Anakin’s Padawan she had come to learn that Anakin and Master Kenobi had a strange relationship, one minute they would be fighting one another tooth and nail and the next they would be defending one another with their lives. 

It was weird, maybe it was a human trait that she didn’t quite understand yet, but somehow she figured it was something unique to the two of them. 

Whether human trait or not, she knew they were a team and a part of her feared she would never really find her place amongst them. Sure, they took care of her, watched out for her, and taught her the ways of the Force, but would she ever really feel like she was a part of their family?

Maybe it was for the best, the two of them oftentimes were…a lot. 

She pushed those feelings down and as she climbed higher their argument grew softer. Ahsoka nimbly made her way to the very top of the tree and found her breath catching at the view that awaited her there. 

The sun was beginning to set and was creating pink and purple hues in the sky, and the landscape all around her was shifting as darkness approached, she marveled as plants and animals alike began to glow in the twilight setting. She had never seen anything so beautiful in her young life. 

Was this how things were supposed to look outside of a battle? Was this what they were fighting for? 

She felt tears coming to her eyes as she took it all in, the song of the Force echoing all around her. Eventually she settled herself on the branch and closed her eyes, allowing herself to connect fully to the Force. It was the first time Ahsoka had ever felt her place within the Force so solidly, it was like a puzzle piece that had taken her far too long to fit. 

This was where she was meant to be, this was her path.

*** 3ABY: Dagobah ***

Luke could feel beads of sweat rolling down his forehead and his back, he tried to control his breathing as Yoda covered his eyes - what was the Jedi Master doing? Luke wondered to himself, they had already almost fallen out of the tree and NOW Luke was supposed to do it blind?

He began to wonder if Yoda had gone crazy in his solitude, or if he had always been like this. 

“You eyes can deceive you, don’t trust them.” 

He perked up as he heard Ben’s voice in his head. He instinctively slowed his breathing and tried to calm himself, then without a second thought he dashed across the branch and flipped into the air and landed safely on an adjoining tree. 

Yoda released his eyes and Luke could sense his happiness through the Force. The young Jedi was bouncing with excitement at his accomplishment. 

“I could see the branches in my head!!” Luke exclaimed, looking back at Yoda. “I could see a path!” 

The tiny green Master affectionately tapped him on his shoulder. “Trust what you see, not what you think you see.” 

“I understand.” Luke replied, softly. 

“Good.” Yoda said, thoughtfully. “Now, the vines we shall climb. The trees we shall jump. More difficult than before, yes.”

Luke didn’t bother to hide his disappointment. “More trees?”

“Many more.” Yoda giggled. “Many, many more.” 

“And what happens after I climb all of these trees?” Luke asked. “How many do I have to climb before I get to use my lightsaber?”

The small Jedi Master on his back sighed, but before he could respond, another presence in the Force made itself known. 

“This is a bit excessive Master, don’t you think?” The voice of Ben Kenobi seemed to come from all around them. “Normally one tree is sufficient for this exercise.” 

Yoda huffed at the disembodied voice. “My own council will I keep on how many trees he is to climb.” 

Luke found himself feeling uncomfortable, he didn’t like being the cause of any conflict. “It’s okay Ben, I don’t mind.” 

“But Master Yoda, perhaps Luke has a point.” Ben’s voice continued. “Can’t we just skip this important lesson, this Jedi rite of passage and get on with the saber lesson?”

“Wait, I didn’t say that.” Luke exclaimed. “I want to learn everything you can teach me, please, Master Yoda, I don’t care how many trees I have to climb!” 

“Oh Luke, be careful, he might just hold you to that.” Ben replied. 

*** 5ABY: Ajan Kloss ***

“So, did Ben tell you?” Luke’s voice grew quiet, his disappointment now evident through his body language.

“No, he didn’t and I will be having words with him about that later.” Leia said, taking a seated position on a fallen tree trunk. “You have a really terrible Saabac face, not to mention you’re projecting your giddiness all over the jungle. So, it was kind of easy to guess.” 

“Oh,” Luke softly said, sinking down to sit on the log next to her. “I see.” 

She could sense her brother’s disappointment, though the task had been an obvious ploy to Leia, some old game Master Yoda must’ve come up with long ago to burn excessive energy from Jedi younglings, Luke had clearly fallen for it during his training and had gotten something out of it. 

She inwardly sighed, her parents had always tried to teach her patience, hells even their short time together Ben had tried to teach her not to just say whatever came to her mind, to realize her words had consequences. 

“I’m sorry I ruined the joke.” Leia said, sincerely. 

“No, it’s my fault.” Luke sighed. “I thought I could train you the way Yoda had trained me, but I guess it doesn’t work that way. Every Padawan is different.” 

“You know, a long time ago my father told me that there are many ways to lead,” Leia said, bumping his shoulder with hers. “You just have to find yours.” 

Luke looked up at his sister and offered a small smile. 

“I think the same is true about ways to be a Jedi Master.” Leia continued. “You just have to find yours.” 

“Yeah…” Luke nodded and Leia could sense his sincere gratitude through the Force. “Still, I was really looking forward to seeing you attempt to climb that tree.” 

Leia immediately jumped to her feet. “Oh, you don’t think I can make it up there?”

Her brother just made an ‘I don’t know’ gesture. 

“Okay, Skywalker, we’ll see about that.” Leia placed her hands on her hips, defiantly. “Race you to the top?”

“Absolutely.” Luke’s smile was now from ear to ear. “Let’s go, Princess.” 

*** 35ABY: Ajan Kloss ***

Rey groaned as she fell to the ground again, she didn’t know what was wrong with her, she had been climbing things way more precarious than this most of her life. Why couldn’t she do it, what was wrong with her?

Maybe Luke had been right on Ach To, she wasn’t meant to be a Jedi. She was a nobody, a scavenger, she had no business taking up General Organa’s time like this. 

“Rey,” Leia’s voice broke her out of her self deprecating thoughts. “Let’s take a break.” 

“No, I can do this, Master…” Rey dusted herself off as she struggled to her feet. “I know I can, I just need to think.” 

BB8 rolled up to Rey, gently bumping her leg and beeping inquisically at her. The former Scavenger looked down at the faithful droid and offered him a sad smile. 

“Not now, BB8.” Rey replied, stepping away from the droid to inspect the backside of the tree. “I don’t have time for this.” 

Frustrated at herself for not finding a solution Rey growled up at the tree, the back was no more helpful than the front. She came back around only to find Leia sitting on a large rock, clapping as BB8 twirled around in the foliage. Rey smiled at the scene, she couldn’t remember the last time she saw General Organa look so happy. 

“You know, when I was younger…” Leia motioned for Rey to sit beside her. “Yes, I was once young, I know that’s hard to imagine.” 

Rey chuckled. “Absolutely not hard to imagine You don’t look a day over twenty-five..”

“Ha ha, you’re sweet.” Leia bumped shoulders with her. “You’re also a terrible liar, but sweet” 

Rey giggled in response. 

“When I was YOUNGER, I had a droid, her name was Lola,” Leia said, her eyes now far away, lost in a memory. “I often felt alone growing up, but no matter what happened I always had Lola. She was my best friend.” 

Rey smiled at the memory she wasn’t actually privy to, imagining a carefree girl and her droid. 

“I can’t imagine the Princess of Alderaan ever feeling lonely.” Rey exclaimed and Leia’s eyebrows rose as if she were debating what to say next. 

“Different sort of loneliness, I suppose.” Her Master admitted. “But Lola was always there, to go with me on adventures, to watch passing ships and imagine the stories of those flying them, and most importantly to climb trees. No matter what, she would never let me forget to have a little fun in life.” 

Rey bit her bottom lip in contemplation, her eyes finally landing on BB8 who was still spinning in a circle. Rey and Leia both laughed at the droid’s antics until he finally came to a stop. Leia rose to her feet, squeezing Rey’s shoulder as she passed by. 

“You don't have to climb the tree, Rey.” Leia admitted. “But you must find a way to release your anxieties, to get out of those old texts and live in the moment. Only then will you find the connection you seek.” 

“Yes Master.” 

Rey tried hard not to feel bad that she had technically failed the exercise, and though Leia tried to assure her that it didn’t matter, to Rey it did. She glanced down at BB8 who was staring back at her in anticipation, Rey then knelt down to adjust BB8’s antena when an idea struck her. 

She whispered her idea to the small droid who tittered in excitement, the ball droid then released a cable up towards the nearest branch, the suction cup adhering to the bark. Rey cheered happily at the droid and proceeded to climb up the cable. Once she was positioned safely on the branch BB8 used the recall cable function to pull himself up to the branch to meet Rey. 

The young Jedi giggled in delight and helped bring the droid up the tree and perched him beside her. The two friends sat together above the canopy of lush jungle vegetation and watched the sun set in the distance and just enjoyed a moment of peace. 

– - –

When Leia returned to the spot a few hours later she glanced up to find Rey and BB8 sitting high in the tree and she couldn’t help the smile that appeared on her face. It appeared that Master Yoda was on to something and Leia had no doubt that Rey would one day carry on the training exercise in the future. 

As she turned away to give Rey her privacy, she sensed a shift in the Force. She looked back up to see Rey staring back down at her, a slight concern now etched on the young woman’s face. 

“Rey,” Leia called up to her Apprentice. “Please don’t tell me you’re stuck up there.” 

*The End*