//------------------------------//
// Chapter 8: The Test 
// Story: Fallen Knight 
// by DanishDash 
//------------------------------//

Years before.

Revan stood still, he felt his heart sink, his breathing had become still. Even though he knew this day would come, it felt strange to pack up ones things and leave the only home he had known for so long. Younglings stayed together in clans of ten until they became Padawans. When they got a master they got their own room, however, this was not his room.

No, it was the room of his new master, the one who had chosen HIM to be her Padawan. He was surprised, his new master's room was not as simple as he had thought, he would rather call it cozy. Wooden shelves here and there with all sorts of small figures, momentous or stuff he had no idea what was.

Two couches with a table in the middle and a door leading into a small bed room. He had counted on being formally introduced, but his master simply hummed a small tune as she poured herself some tea. She was a Zabrak, a near human alien with small horns on her head and two hearts. Her black hair had been cut short and braided very neatly.

As Revan stood there, she paid him no mind as she continued to tend to her tea and hum. Was this a test? She had let him in, so she knew he was here, so was she ignoring him? No that could not be true. Should he say something? But, he was the student, so surely she would speak to him in time..

He did not know his master before she chose him, he had never even heard about her. Master Luxida, as far as he had been able to learn she was a pretty low key Jedi, taking things with ease, taking on diplomatic missions for the most part, selecting far off worlds where she could work with the locals. There was nothing wrong with this of course, he was just surprised she had chosen him.

His new master kept humming, taking a sip of her tea, then leaned back and picked up a book from the table. Now this was getting weird, what was he supposed to do? After maybe five minutes he cleared his throat. "Uhm, excuse me, master?"

Luxida looked up at him, smirking slightly. "My my, seems like you can talk after all."

Revan tilted his head. "Of course master, I just figured I should wait until you addressed me.." He said with a hint of embarrassment. 

"Well, first lesson Revan, never be afraid to speak to me." She said with a amusement. "Now , come sit down."  Revan did as she asked and Luxida poured some tea in a cup for him. "I suppose you are wondering why I choose you."

"Yes master." He nodded and gratefully accepted the cup.

She smiled. "Because you're interesting, Revan, that's why."

"Master?" 

Luxida giggled as she saw his confused expression, even though she was in her early 40th's now, she still had that youthful air about her. "I know you love history, to study, and yet you are one of the best lightsaber duelist in your clan. You have the mind of a scholar, yet the skills of a warrior.  I chose you, because you, are not boring."

This confused Revan even more, what did she mean with not boring? Was he simply a matter of entertainment? No, that would be stupid, she could have easily just talked to him if that was the case, now she was stuck with him and he with her.

His inner thoughts and struggle must have been as clear as her books because she started to laugh. "I'm sorry, i'm sorry." She said and hid her laugh behind her sleeve. "It's just, your face." Luxida took a few deep breaths to calm down. "When I say you're interesting it is because I believe I can learn from you as much as you can learn from me."

Revan chuckled. "I doubt that, master."

Then her expression became serious. "Revan.. Don't make the mistake to think your masters are always right, no matter how high a rank we get, we will always make mistakes. My first lesson to you was never to be afraid to talk to me, well, the second lesson is, never be afraid of telling me when you think i'm wrong."

"Uhm.." Revan had certainly not expected that, but he simply nodded. "Yes master.."

Luxida smiled. "Good, then let us learn from one another, are you ready padawan Revan?"

Revan smiled back. "I'm ready, master."


~~~~~*SW*~~~~~


"I'm ready, master."

Revan opened his eyes as he heard Rainbow Dash's voice not far behind him. He did not move, he simply sat on the floor, crossed legs as he got back from his meditation.

"Master? Is everything okay?" She asked and moved over and sat down across from him, crossing her legs as she looked at her teacher.

"Yes.." Revan said and rubbed the bridge of his nose as he cleared his mind from the past. "Did you write your letter?"

Rainbow Dash nodded. "I did.." 

He could see there was more on her mind. "You're worried about your friend, Applejack."

She sighed. "I am.. I feel guilty, I don't want her to hate me, we had so much fun.."

Revan nodded. "Yes, but I do not think your friend hates you. I think she was worried, I think she simply wants to continue those days of fun. I cannot fault her for that, but like everything, it changes. It does not mean you have to stop being friends."

Rainbow snorted a little with amusement. "You sound like Twilight, but you're right." She sighed and took a few deep breaths. She noted the large round room had been darkened, which meant this was a lesson that required her to have a strict mental focus. "So, what did you need me for, master?"

"Today." He held up a training saber. "We are gonna do a final exam on your lightsaber form, Shii-Cho. If you have learned your lessons well, then I think you are ready to construct your own."

"Really?!" Rainbow exclaimed, then shut her muzzle. "S-sorry.." She blushed a bit as she knew she must have looked like a filly in a toy store, which was not what Revan wanted to see.

Still, Revan could not help, but smile at his students enthusiasm. "Normally, this would have been done in a ritual called the gathering, but that is out of the question. Instead I will first want to see if you have understood your lessons and show you can be trusted with such a weapon."

Rainbow gave a determined nod. "I am ready master."

Revan reclined his his head. "Then." He placed the lightsaber hilt on the floor before her. "You may, position one." Both of them stood up, Revan moved out to the side, letting Rainbow focus as he vanished into the darkness. Only the training circle around her was visible. "What is Shii-Cho?"  Revan asked from the darkness as he slowly walked around the circle.

His Padawan stood, taking the hilt into her front hooves as she stood up on her hind legs, taking a deep breath to center herself. Her balance was just as good as when she was on all fours now, if not better, strange as that might sound. She took a second deep breath and ignited the lightsaber.

The blue blade extended from it the hilt with a swoosh and started to hum lightly. She moved the hilt down slightly and had the blade extended out, holding the hilt with both hooves, she was in position one. "Form one, Shii-Cho, is the way of determination." She began.

Revan knew it was called the way of the Sarlacc, but that would not work in their world, so he stuck to the second name this form had gotten, the determination form. As the most simplistic form, Shii-Cho was the first form taught to initiates within the Jedi Order. Form one training provided the basic knowledge of the sword fighting principles and blast deflection skill that was required for practice of all the other forms. 

He nodded, not confirming if she got it right or not, she knew it was right. "Begin, attack zone one."

Rainbow moved the blade above her and struck down, stopping midway and recited the text Revan had taught her. "Feel the Force flow through me."

"Zone two."

She made a slash to the left, stopping once again and continued to recite. "Be mindful of my stance, it is the root of my attacks."

"Zone three."

She shifted direction and slashed from the right. "Stay in the present, never loosing focus."

"Zone four."

Rainbow shifted her footwork, taking half a step back, then moved the saber forward, stabbing it once to the invisible enemy. "Never drop my guard, return to my stance."

"Zone five."

She cut towards the floor in a wide sweep. "Even a mighty tree can fall."

"Zone six."

It was the final zone for attack, she shifted the hilt in her hooves and swung the blade up from the floor towards the left. "Visualize the way of determination."

With the last phrase spoken she returned to stand in the start position. Revan nodded satisfied. "Good, remember, it is harder to be defensive, than offensive. Keeping a calm composure while fighting, this, is the way of the Jedi."

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, trusting her body and mind to guide her movements as her master continued to speak. "Begin by defending to zone one, ground yourself through the Force." 

Her movements were elegant and precise, she did not wait with each movement until he had given the command, instead she let the movements follow the pace of his voice, keeping a perfect speed as she moved from one zone to another. The blue blade moved through the air, it looked beautiful as it moved around Rainbow Dash, it was a show of skill, hard work and balance. She kept following his voice and he never waited for her, instead trusting her to move with his voice.


"Zone two, be mindful of your stance, it too is the root of your defense."

"Zone three, do not see the attacks, feel them."

"Zone four, sense the tide shift within the Force."

"Zone five, survive one hundred blows and you can survive a hundred wars."

"Zone six, perseverance is the way of Shii-Cho."


Rainbow couldn't help but smirk as she finished her last zone and returned to the first stance once again. Revan noticed this and could not help but grin. "You think it is over  young one? Again, from the top, begin at zone one."

This made her frown, did her master think she would forget the steps and zones now? Fat chance! She had this movement down, and-.

Something hit the blue blade and her eyes shot up as she heard the familiar sound of her arch nemesis. The training remotes!! It was the small round droids of doom floated around her, shooting small stun bolts.





Biting her lip she tried to focus on them all, but they kept moving, there was at least four that she could see. Revan chuckled in amusement. "Close your eyes, they can deceive you, act on your instincts and continue your exercises."

She cursed herself for being so careless, of course it would not be that easy to simply repeat a few steps. Her master would never let her go that easily, instead she did as she was told. Taking a deep breath, calming her mind, mentally repeating the texts and moved along. She could feel the bolts shoot at her and hit the blade as she moved it around, each time she deflected, but this time she didn't get cocky and kept her focus.

Twelve steps, six offense, six defense. When she finished she heard her master clap. "Very good padawan, you've learned your lessons well." Revan said satisfied. "You've done well." 

The blue blade vanished into the hilt of the lightsaber and she returned to all four legs. "Thank you master." she said with a grin. "What now?"

"Now? Now we go see Huyang."

Her eyes widened. "You fixed him?!" 

He nodded. "Two days ago, come, it is time for your final test." Rainbow knew very well what was to come and it took her everything not to simply run up the stairs. "First hings first however." He took the training saber from her and took a moment to the let the silence settle. "Sit down, you need the most important part of your new lightsaber, the crystal."

Revan had spend a long time studying the crystals here on Equestria. He had found some may have the potential to be as good as kyber crystals, but he rather not take the chance. Instead he had placed several crystals around the room, and as she sat down they started to glow. A mix of green and blue was around her and she felt her excitement rise.

"In the old days, we would go to a distant planet, we would spend a day looking for our crystals, facing our own trials. Sadly, I cannot give you that experience. The crystals around you are from the lightsabers of my fallen brothers and sisters.." He did his best not to let the pain seep into his voice, if Rainbow noticed it, she was kind enough not to mention it. "You will need to find out which of these are willing to bond with you."

She took a deep breath, focusing on her master's voice. "So now, close your eyes, stretch out with your feelings and let the crystal come to you."

Rainbow Dash did not know how this would work, but she did what he always told her to do when she was in doubt, trust in the Force. Closing her eyes shut she took a few more deep calming breaths, letting go of her thoughts and inner struggles, focusing only on reaching out to every inch of the room.

She did not pull at them, instead she felt them pull on her. She could sense them all, almost to the point they masked the presence of her master. Slowly, she started to feel something, it was one of the crystals, she could, hear it? Yes, even though  she had closed her eyes, it was like she could see it glow and even sing to her. It was not a feeling easily described, but it really felt like it was singing to her, calling to her.

Going by instinct she reached out with her hoof and used the Force to call the crystal to her. Like by command, she felt the crystal move to her and finally she felt it in her hooves. There was a surge of pride swelling up within her, she had done it, she had a crystal that was willing to bond with her. Slowly opening her eyes she stared down at a beautiful green crystal,

"Well done.." Revan smiled as she suddenly noticed he stood right behind her. She had been so focused she hadn't even sensed him walking up behind her. "Seems like you're ready."


~~~~~*SW*~~~~~


Rainbow Dash could hardly contain herself, with her earning the crystal she knew she had taken a very large step in a short amount of time. Revan had worried about her progress, not that it wasn't good she progressed and she had talent, but he was worried what it could do to her ego. Thankfully Rainbow seemed to be relatively humble about it.

They got up to the next floor, it was not the top floor, but right below it. The room looked like a workshop, all around them was tables, shelves with drawers build into them and other small tools. Rainbow stopped to look around, her heart pounding away in excitement.

"Rainbow Dash, please let me introduce you to lightsaber architect, Huyang." He could not help but smile a little, he was sure he had the same look of anticipation when he first met Huyang and knew he was about to build the weapon of his life.

Heavy footsteps could be heard and soon enough, a tall old looking droid wearing a brown leather apron stepped forward from behind a shelf. "Oh my, so this is the new generation I am supposed to help." His robotic voice said with a hint of amusement.





His yellow photo receptors inspected Rainbow Dash for a minute before turning his focus onto Revan. "She has passed your tests then?"

Revan nodded. "Yes sir, she even got her own crystal."

"Now, that is interesting." Huyang commented and walked closer to Rainbow. "You are the first of your kind to become a Jedi, your kind must be proud."

Honestly, Rainbow had no idea. Her friends seemed happy for her, well, except for Applejack. Other than that, the Jedi were not really wide known enough for anypony to be proud of her, except for maybe her parents.  "I hope so, sir.." Rainbow simply said.

"Well then, place your crystal on the table, and let us begin." Rainbow walked over to the large table and did as he said, placing her crystal on it. "For generations the Jedi have used these weapons for the defense of justice and the innocents, it is an elegant weapon in the right hands, or hooves in this case." Dash was pretty sure if he had the facial features for it, he would probably grin of his own joke. "Before you leave here you will have everything you need to construct your lightsaber. Well then, if you're ready, then let us begin."


~~~~~*SW*~~~~~


The hours passed by one by one, the day turned into evening and soon enough Luna's moon was high in the sky. Revan however did not mind it, he sat in the room, meditating as he waited for his student to finally finish her lightsaber. It didn't matter to him how much time had passed, they would stay here for as long as it took.

A massive hologram of lightsaber parts floated in the center of the round room, giving her an idea how to assemble it. Rainbow sat like her master, guiding the parts through the Force, but it was like she could not get it to assemble as she wanted it to.

Finally she sighed out in frustration and the parts dropped to the table. Revan opened his eyes while Huyang walked over. "Problems young one?" Huyang asked while Revan simply observed. 

"Yeah, I don't know what kind I want.." She grumbled. "It's like I can't decide.."

Huyang huffed through his robotic voice. "This is not some shop where you can simply choose. Do not think about what you want, let the Force guide you, build what you feel in your hooves, what calls to you. Now, start again." Huyang said and walked away.

Rainbow frowned and then turned to face Revan. "Master..?"

"Mm?" Revan looked at her, patience and calm surrounding him.

She let out a sigh. "Were you ever.." She hesitated, but a raised eyebrow from her master quickly got her to continue. "Afraid..?"

Revan tilted his head. "Are you feeling afraid?"

She was quick to reject this. "No, of course not, I'm Rainbow Dash and i'm...." She quickly stopped herself, letting her ears fall down a bit as she looked embarrassed.

"Hm.. Yes, I was afraid, a lot of times.." He admitted. "There is no shame in that Rainbow." He closed his eyes, thinking back on all he had experienced. "Before I was a Padawan, the clone wars had just started, I knew once I got a master I would likely be sent to war. It scared me, not just because we would go to war, but I was scared of failing as a Jedi, failing my master and myself." He opened his eyes again and looked at her. "Rainbow, failing is the ultimate teacher, but the fear of it should never stop you from taking action, only then will you have truly failed."

Rainbow listened intently to his words, mulling them over in her mind and then nodded. "I understand master.. I shall try.."

Revan shook his head. "No, do, or do not. There is no try."

For a second she looked like she wanted to argue that point, but she stopped herself and simply nodded. "Yes master." And with that she turned back to the table and resumed her concentration.


~~~~~*SW*~~~~~


It was early morning, Celestia's sun had barely broken the calm darkness of the night. Revan heard the sound of a lightsaber igniting. It broke him out of his meditation and he slowly opened his eyes with a small proud smile. The green glow lit up the room in it's light, and Revan felt his own pride rise along with Rainbow's. She had done it, she was now truly a Padawan learner and she could now progress to the next step in her training.