Rainbow Dash's First Trial: Clone Wars Year 1

by Hikarikurai24587

The Jedi Order

Chapter Three: The Jedi Order

Silence. Breathing. The whir of strange machinery. A pounding headache that caused Rainbow Dash to groan. She lifted a hand to grab her head when a monotone voice spoke. “Please do not try to move, you are still recovering. Please wait while I get the Jedi Masters.”

“The what?” Rainbow Dash opened her eyes only for the bright lights to be too harsh and she shut them tightly. She heard a hiss and footsteps approach her. She dropped her hand as she turned her head to the side opening her eyes slightly. The strangers that entered the room were humanoid like her, though a few were noticeably different.

“Awake you are.” Rainbow couldn’t figure out where the voice was coming from until she looked down seeing a bring that was short and green with floppy ears. “How do you feel?”

“Confused.” she admitted closing her eyes again. “And my head hurts, would one of you mind dimming the lights? Thank you.”

One of the robed humanoids made a very unhappy noise. When she opened her eyes next the lights were at a more comfortable level. She looked at the group again, observing them with magenta eyes.

“How did I get out of there?” she asked looking at them. “And where am I? This better not be a trick. I don’t like those.”

“We are the ones asking questions here.” one of the robed figures spoke, his tone trying to keep out hostilities but still came off as rude. “Why were you on Moraband?”

“Moraband? Look buddy, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Rainbow replied observing the one who spoke. From the voice she could guess that it was male. Dark skin and bald. The robes he was wearing seemed to be made for more movement based activities. ‘I should ask Rarity… if I see her again.’ Rainbow Dash thought as she rolled her neck continuing. “And if it’s the place I ended up, I don’t know why I was there. One moment I’m talking with… someone who knows a friend of mine and next thing I know I’m waking up in a desert. Still going to have to find out how they teleported me out that far.”

“Moraband is a world that is heavily corrupted by the dark side of the Force….” the man began a lecture but Rainbow Dash got distracted by something brushing against her leg. Looking down she saw what appeared to be a rainbow colored tail twitching. She sat up quickly, grabbing it, wondering how she didn’t notice it before. She was watching it twitch when a younger voice spoke up. “Master Windu, I don’t think she’s listening.”

Rainbow Dash looked towards them again before letting go of the appendage with a shrug. Moving to where her legs swung over the edge of the bed Rainbow spoke. “Look, I don’t know any of you guys. What makes you think I am going to start trusting you right off the bat?”

“And we don’t know your name, so I think it goes both ways.” it was a young man with brown hair, his robes were darker in color. Rainbow cocked an eyebrow in amusement before saying. “Then let me go first. My name is Rainbow Dash,”

A few of the robed individuals gave her a strange look causing her to ask. “What? It’s not weird where I’m from. Trust me, there are a lot weirder names: Glitter Dust, Humming Dawn, Seaspray… I can go on.”

“Anakin Skywalker.” the young man said with a shrug of his shoulders. “Where are you from?”

“Equestria.” answered Rainbow a little more easy towards him, he seemed to be around her age and not as haughty. “And again, where am I? Where was Moraband? I know I’m not… on my world anymore. I flew around for miles and there was no sign of life where I was. Didn’t even stay up to see if the stars were any different. It never seemed like a good idea to stay up there.”

“Tell me, Miss Dash, how did you end up in the Ancient Dark Council chambers?” another man, one with a beard questioned. Rainbow Dash looked away saying. “I heard someone call me, by name. Nothing else did and I was curious. My mind went blank the closer I got. Look I’m alright. Besides the wounds on me, I feel fine.”

“We are not taking your word on it.” the bald man spoke earning a groan from Rainbow Dash. “We will be keeping an eye on you and you will be healed by a few of the masters. Just to be sure nothing remains in your mind.”

“You mean, I’m on bed rest?” Rainbow Dash laid back letting her head dangle on the other side as she groaned. “I hate bed rest.”

“The more you cooperate the less time it will take for you to heal.” the man spoke before the group moved out of the room. Anakin was the only one who stayed behind.

“Are you here to make sure I don’t escape?” Rainbow didn’t even look up to meet his eye, but ended up sitting up because her wings were getting uncomfortable. Anakin leaned against the wall saying. “Mostly, but I think you know better than to run. If you didn’t you would have taken off by now. I’ve got a few more questions for you.”

“Ask away, not like there is anything else to do.” grumbled Rainbow as she moved one of her wings forward and began to brush her fingers against the feathers.

“How long were you there for?” the first question, Rainbow Dash glanced at him as she responded. “I guess about seven days. Couldn’t tell after I got my arms injured on the third day. I had to rest.”

“And your relationship to that huge beast creature called Cassandra?” Rainbow’s wings twitched at the question as she swallowed. “We couldn’t find her after the battle.”

“I… she’s a spirit I am bound to. I’m helping her move on from a horrible moment in her past.” Rainbow Dash wasn’t sure how to fully explain it. “Wait, I had a rock on me. Do you know where it is?”

“With the rest of your belongings, being examined. What’s so important about that rock?” Anakin tilted his head to the side. Rainbow Dash sighed as she explained. “I learned a binding spell, if I’m injured or killed the binding spell lets the spirit remain inside an object. I think I was so afraid of losing Cassandra that I bound her to the sharp stone she chose out for me to use as a weapon.”

“Spell? Like sorcery?” Rainbow Dash huffed saying. “I don’t know how to explain it, a being from my world said it was the one thing that any creature with a Core could do in order to ensure that they aren’t harmed by creatures or spirits wishing to harm them. In my case, I just wanted to protect a friend. Can we move on to a different set of questions. Please? Like, am I hungry? That’s a good one, I’m starving.”

“How did you banish the Sith Spirits?” Anakin’s question caused Rainbow Dash’s fingers to twitch.

“I was just angry, they were hurting my friend. So I just focused on helping her. That’s the first thing you should know about me. I’m loyal to my friends.” Rainbow admitted her fingers smoothing out the feathers. “Though that’s doing me a lot of good. I can’t even find out the friend I know is missing. I thought she was on that Moraband… Korriban… place but she wasn’t. And judging by the way all of you were looking at me before. She isn’t here either.”

“There are so many species here, I don’t think she would have been noticed.” Anakin told her, moving next to the bed. Rainbow Dash frowned, pulling her hand away and a pink strand following her fingers. Both paused watching as the end of the strand floated upwards vanishing into the ceiling.

“What is it?” Rainbow Dash and Anakin stared at her. “Well I don’t know what that is! This has never happened before!”

Anakin reached out his hand and plucked the strand with a finger watching it vibrate as butterflies flew from it. Rainbow Dash reached out and placed a finger against the strand seeing if that would cause a different reaction. A voice echoed around the room as more of the pink butterflies flew around. “My friends.”

“Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash breathed as the strand faded away tears welling up in her eyes. “She’s alright. She’s alive.”

Anakin stood there silently as Rainbow Dash wept in relief. He rubbed the back of his head saying. “Look, I think it’s going to be a lot harder to find your friend. The way the strand was pointing indicated that she’s off world. It’s going to take time and resources that you don’t have available to you right now. Not to mention that you are currently stuck on bed rest. I have an idea to help you, but you’ve got to do what you’re told right now.”

Rainbow dash gave him a sideways glance before saying. “Fine, but you have to bring me something to read at least. I don’t like sitting around all day and reading is a way I pass the time.”

“I make no promises, especially with the stuff that we keep on hand. I’ll find something that wouldn’t get me in trouble showing you and something that you might enjoy.” Anakin told her before moving away. “First thing’s first, I do believe you said you were hungry.”

“Definitely hungry.” Rainbow’s stomach rang out in agreement. “Wait… what’s a Jedi?”

Anakin turned around to stare at her for a moment saying. “I’ll explain it later.”

Once the door slid shut Rainbow Dash laid back down in the bed, hoping to have a better room after this. She was missing the hospital beds back in Equestria. At least they were a bit more comfortable.

A few hours past and Rainbow was beginning to think that her shelter on Moraband was more exciting than this place. Time seemed to fly by when she was healing there. She sat up and grumbled. “I’m bored! How long does it take for him to find a book!”

“Looking for something fascinating Skywalker is. Hard with restrictions, it is.” Rainbow Dash jumped her wings flapping causing her to remain in the air. She looked down to see a familiar small green alien. He observed her as she landed on the bed trying to calm herself down asking, “How long have you been standing there? Uh, who are you?”

“Yoda, I am.” the alien spoke not answering the first question as he walked into the room. “Your mind races, what you want, but unable to do.”

“I’m that easy to read, huh?” Rainbow Dash’s wings drooped as she drew her knees under her chin. “I can’t just sit here while my friend is still missing. I don’t know what kind of trouble she could be in. I know she’s alive, but I don’t know where! Or if she’s safe! Only that she’s alive! Ugh!”

Rainbow Dash flopped backwards only to jump when she was looking at Yoda in the eyes. She rolled over and her hands gripped the edge of the bed. “How did you do that?”

“Be deceived by one's appearance do not. Full of many surprises even the seemingly harmless can be.” Yoda told her, waving his hand. Rainbow Dash lowered one of her wings and he climbed it up to the bed sitting next to her. “About your conversation, Skywalker spoke. Intriguing and yet unknown to you, your abilities they are. Dangerous combination. Hrrmmm. An eye on you, Skywalker suggested we should keep.”

Rainbow opened her mouth to protest but Yoda continued. “Not as a prisoner, but as someone in need of guidance. Yes, hrrmmm. Guidance.”

“What… what do you think?” Rainbow asked, tilting her head to the side as she looked at him. Yoda raised a hand patting her on the arm saying. “Help you, yes. Your friend we can not help you find. At war we are. Yes, hrrrm.”

“War?” Rainbow Dash tensed, she had never been in a war only read about them. “If there is a war going on I have to find her! She’s too nice! She’ll get hurt! She’s the type of pony to fly into the fray just to save one person regardless of herself! I can appreciate that about her, but I can’t let her die!”

Yoda looked at her calmly. “Patience. Either of you good, if you rush into this war, it will not do. Yrsssss.”

Rainbow’s shoulders drooped, her wings lowering until they touched the ground. She lowered her head into her hands feeling lost.

“I can’t just wait for this war to end.” she explained her voice slightly muffled as Yoda patted her arm. “The only one troubled by this war you are not. Been affected many planets have. Hmm.”

Rainbow Dash’s wings twitched at the thought. She began to think back to Equestria, she and her friends had to help many strangers. Most of the time it was in Ponyville, but when they had to save their homeland they never turned and ran away. ‘Except for that time Discord manipulated me into betraying my element by… being loyal to Cloudsdale instead. Now I’m faced with this war that’s affecting entire planets!’

She looked at Yoda who nodded his head, his ears drooping. “Times we can not help everyone there are. Focus on helping those we can, we must. Yes, hrrmmm.”

Rainbow Dash thought for a moment, she could see how heavy this war weighed on Yoda’s mind. It reminded her of the times she saw Celestia considering something big. She wrapped one of her wings around Yoda, trying to make it look like a reaction as she said “I could, maybe, help out while I’m here. I’ve never been in a war before, but I’ve saved my homeland a few times and you’ll never find a faster flier than me. I could help with getting people out of some tough spots. Plus you guys saved me, so you’re going to be stuck with me for a while.”

“Fast you may be. Still young you are. Into this war you should not rush.” Yoda’s hand shot up grasping onto the wing as he examined it causing her to jump slightly. “Yet, afraid of what you will do if left on your own, I am. Discuss this the Council must.”

Yoda climbed down from the bed and hobbled towards the door. He paused as it opened, glancing back at Rainbow Dash before nodding his greetings to Anakin as he walked in. His arms were full of objects, he looked back as Yoda walked down the halls before he walked in.

“I should have known Master Yoda was going to pay a visit.” he said as Rainbow Dash shrugged her shoulders as she petted her wings. “How did it go?”

“Does he always speak like that?” questioned Rainbow and Anakin nodded his head saying, “Well I haven’t heard him speak in any other way. Here I got you some stuff to pass the time. I figured you don’t know Aurebesh and brought some things to help you learn. Since you’ll be stuck here for a while.”

Rainbow Dash let out another groan realizing that he was right and she couldn’t do anything but read and learn.

Comments

[Armageden]

Well let’s get reading.