The Kenobi Saga Book One:The Clone Wars

23. Aerobic Capacity Testing

AN: Sorry this was late, but the second half of this chapter was trying to kill me

AN2: The chapter title tried to kill me too. Let me know if u can guess where I got it from :)

"Anakin!" Lore-Val called, leaving Solitaire to run after the Jedi.

"Hi Lore-Val," he said, smiling softly down at her.

"Have you heard from Ahsoka?" she asked.

Anakin darkened, shaking his head, "I haven't."

"If she isn't asking for help that means she's okay, right?"

"I hope so."

Lore-Val smiled at him, "Well if you hear from her, tell her I said hello."

"Of course," he paused, "What are you doing in the temple?"

"Master Yoda heard Solitaire and Cody have been training me, so he invited me to a fitness test with the younglings."

Anakin thought she was going to say more but Mace Windu came over, stopping her.

"Skywalker. Miss Kryze."

Anakin's blood began to boil. Lore-Val had a proper title of 'Lady Kryze' and Mace was perfectly aware of that.

If Lore-Val noticed the deliberate slight she didn't show it. She smiled at the Jedi master and bowed politely, "Good morning Master Windu."

"You're supposed to be in the creche gymnasium," he said gruffly.

Lore-Val blinked up at the man. Taken aback by his tone.

Solitaire came to her rescue, a hand coming to rest on her shoulder, "Yes sir. We were told General Kenobi wanted to be present for the testing and were sent to find him."

Windu did not lighten up at the explanation. Instead he looked Lore-Val over, clearly not happy with a civilian wandering in the temple. Her bright teal workout clothes were breaking up the calming neutral colors of the temple, her force presence uncontrolled and distracting when compared to the Jedi's shielded coolness.

"Go back to the creche. Skywalker, see if you can find Kenobi."

Lore-Val nodded obediently, "Yes sir. Thank you for your help Anakin," she shook her head, correcting her informality, "Um, Master Skywalker." Embarrassment colored her cheeks as she and Solitaire turned back the way they had come.

Anakin frowned at Windu who was already walking off towards whatever he had been doing before he stopped to address Lore-Val. He clenched his fists and went to find Obi-Wan.

.   .   .

Lore-Val smiled at Obi-Wan when he walked into the creche. She waved to him from her place in line before turning back to the little Rodian boy beside her. Obi-Wan walked over to where Solitaire was leaning against the wall. "I hear you had a run in with Master Windu."

Solitaire nodded, "Yes sir. He wasn't happy to see us outside the creche."

Obi-Wan sighed, "Mace can be rough around the edges. But this... situation really does not make him happy. I don't know why I'm surprised he took that frustration out on Lore-Val."

"She was a little rattled, but I don't think she's too upset about it."

"Good," Obi-Wan paused, "I wanted to be here in case any of the younglings were less than kind. I didn't think I'd need to worry about that from the masters."

Solitaire was saved from having to respond to that by the children beginning their fitness testing. Yoda gave them their go and they started running from one end of the room, tapping the wall and running back by the time a loud beep was heard from the speaker system. Lore-Val was fast, but the Jedi younglings had better stamina, calling on the force to keep a steady speed and strong endurance.

After she counted nearly 40 back and forths Lore-Val missed her second wall tap, meaning she was done with the test. She walked off to the side of the room to sit and drink some water. Yoda smiled at the girl, coming over to stand next to her.

"Impressive, your speed is."

"Thank you," she took another big sip of water, "Thank you for inviting me."

Yoda nodded slowly,  "Good for the younglings to meet others outside the creche it is. Teach compassion it does," he paused, watching the twelve younglings who were still running, "Nervous you are."

Lore-Val didn't answer him, looking down at her sneakers. She took a sip of her water, avoiding the Jedi's stare.

"I just don't want to offend anyone by being here," she said finally when Yoda didn't look away.

"More to it, there is not?"

Lore-Val frowned, wondering what he could be referring to. Before she could ask what he meant, Solitaire and Obi-Wan came to join them. Lore-Val smiled up at them, taking Solitaire's offered hand to help pull her to her feet.

"Cody will be impressed when he hears about how well you did," Solitaire told her.

A blush crept up her cheeks, "Thank you."

Obi-Wan held back a chuckle, as well as his own praise, not wanting to embarrass her more.

Lore-Val started pointing out the younglings to Solitaire, matching names to each of them.

"Troubled she is," Yoda said, solemnly, looking up at Obi-Wan.

"You don't say," Obi-Wan drawled dryly, not bothering to hold back the bitterness in his tone. Yes Yoda had much experience with children, but not with a Mandalorian child who had never been taught to control her emotions the way younglings in the creche were.

Yoda ignored the comment, and would have continued his (unwanted) parenting advice if Lore-Val hadn't stepped closer. Her face reddened under the Jedi's gaze, "I'm sorry to interrupt, is there a refresher nearby?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan happily took the opportunity to pull away from the other Jedi Master, "Come, I'll show you where it is. And then we had better go home so you can clean up before dinner at Padme's."

Lore-Val nodded, embarrassed that she needed someone to take her to the refresher like she was a child. At least now, she hoped, no one would stop her from walking around the temple since she had a Jedi escort.

AN2: Incase you can't tell there is no love lost between Mace Windu and I. I do like Yoda for the most part, so IDK why I did him dirty like that, but it felt on brand so I stand by my choices. Next chapter is the period chapter I'd posted and taken down but I'm reposting it this week. Chapter 25 will be revealed next week :)