Chapter 36: Meeting the Sitter
The sun rose over the kingdom of Canterlot. The morning birds sang lovely and angelic songs to signal the start of the day. In the town, the people were up and about. As they began preparations for the grand festival that was to happen in a few days.
In the castle, the servants were already up as they had to get everything ready for the royal family. The rays of the morning star entered through a window as they peeked into a room. They then traveled to where the person was sleeping as it shined in their face. The person groaned as he yawned. The boy sat up as he stretched his limbs. Safe to say, with how comfy the beds were in the castle, it made the Jedi Knight feel as he had taken some stress off his body.
"Man, haven't slept like that since I was a baby," stated Storm as he tossed the blankets off of him.
The boy noticed a nearby chair as on it was a note.
Figured you might want to change your appearance, instead of the usual Jedi robes we wear daily. From, Twilight.
The boy looked at the pile on the chair as he grabbed the top one of the stack. He held it as it unfurled and was revealed to be a piece of clothing as were the others, but they were filled with colors.
"What are these?"
"They're clothes, sir," spoke a voice.
"Who's there?!" shouted Storm as he quickly got into a battle stance as he jumped from the bed and turned on his lightsaber.
"Please, I'm not here to harm you," said the voice as it belonged to a person who stepped from the shadows near the curtains.
The person turned out to be a girl in a maid outfit. Her features were that she had light gray skin with her eyes being pale, light grayish violet. Her hair consisted of light magentaish gray with heliotropeish white streaks.
"Please, put your weapon away, sir," asked the girl as she had a bit of an accent in her voice.
"Answer me this: Who are you? And why are you in my room?" asked Storm.
"My name is Fleur de Lis. I'm the head maid in this castle," stated the girl. "And as for how long, I arrived a few minutes before you woke up. By the way, you snore."
"Thanks, I think," said Storm as Fleur giggled. "What's so funny?"
"You're cute when you're dumbfounded," stated the maid. "Now, if you'll follow me, breakfast should be ready."
Fleur then stepped through the door as Storm followed the maid girl. They arrived in the dining hall as the chefs prepared the table. Storm made it to the table as he was expecting Twilight's family or the princess herself, but he was the only one. He was mumbling to himself when the doors were heard as the boy looked behind him. Upon seeing, the Jedi Knight was flabbergasted by what he saw.
The person entering was none other than Twilight, but instead of her Jedi attire, she was wearing a different attire. For the princess, the lower part of her attire was a dark violet skirt on which could be made out what looked to be the same symbol as the crest she showed the guards when they arrived yesterday. Her top half was covered in a light blue, buttoned-up shirt with a magenta bow around the neck.
"Hey, Storm."
"Hey, Sparky. Uhm, what... are you wearing?" asked the boy.
"Didn't you read my note?"
"Uhm, yeah, I was a bit confused on what items you left me."
"Here in Equis, there's a thing called fashion. As I said, we're a bit different compared to other worlds in the galaxy. Here we tend to wear expressive clothing. You know, let people know about you without saying anything but what you wear as your attire."
"Not fully grasping the concept," said the boy.
"Trust me, if you try those clothes I left you, you'll understand. But first, let's eat," said the princess.
The servants then approached the table as they brought their meals that were covered. The lids were then taken off as in front of the pair was a stack of fluffy, tasting, mouth-watering flapjacks.
"My favorite," said Twilight as she began to put some whipped cream on her stack. The princess then stuck her fork into the cakes as she began to eat something she hadn't tasted in so long.
Storm, however, had a different reaction. He saw the food in front of him as he didn't know what to make of it. He picked up the utensils as he began to poke at the thing as he thought it might come alive. He stabbed it as it shook a bit as he backed up a bit. He began to poke it again as Twilight couldn't help but get a chuckle at seeing her partner act.
"What's the matter, Storm? Is there something wrong with your food?"
"Well, um, I've never seen this kind of thing before. It smells good, whatever this is, but why is it so... soft?"
"It's pancakes. And it's fluffy. Don't worry, it won't come alive. Just take a bit."
Storm looked at the girl as he was still trying to get a grasp on the meal in front of him. He used his utensils as he managed to get some a piece on his fork as he now held it in front of his face. The boy looked back at the princess as she encouraged her friend to eat it.
"You better hope that I don't die, Sparky," said Storm.
He took a deep breath as he put the thing in his mouth as he closed it and munched. The moment that tasty treat hit his tongue, all of Storm's taste buds went into overdrive. The boy almost dropped his utensils as the food tasted that good. He then grabbed another piece as he munched happily on it.
"Try it with this," smiled Twilight as she used the Force to have a bottle of syrup land in front of Storm.
The boy looked at it as he read the contents. He popped open the cap as he then poured the liquid over his pancakes as the flowing liquid drenched the fluffy cake. It was swimming in a sugar bath as it added more to the delicious smell. The Jedi Knight took another piece as it was covered in syrup as it made the meal taste ten times better. Both Twilight and Fleur couldn't help but let out a small giggle at seeing the teen act like a kid.
Once the pair finished their meal, the servants took away their plates.
"So, what do you think?" asked Twilight.
"That was one of the best meals I've had in a long time," answered Storm.
"Glad you enjoyed it."
Once the pair exited the dining hall, Twilight had led Storm out of the castle gates as she was bringing them to stables. The boy was now welcome to another strange sight as inside were some creatures. He couldn't fully describe them but given their design, they appeared to be hoofed mammals.
The stable boy saw the princess as he helped to get things ready.
"Hey there girl," said Twilight as she reached her hand out to which the horse trotted to her. It smelled the princess' scent as it gave a cheerful neigh. "Storm, come here."
"You sure it's safe?" asked the boy.
"Trust me," said Twilight as the girl grabbed her partner's hand and brought it close to the horse's face.
The Jedi Knight was hesitant as his hand was close to the creature as he was afraid of what it might do. The horse smelled the scent of the boy as it brought its nose to the boy's hand. The gentle nuzzle got Storm to be a bit calmer as he chuckled and began to stroke the horse's nose.
"See, it's so not bad, right?"
"Yeah."
"Good, before we do the next activity that I have planned. I'm going to need you to do something.
"What's that?" asked Storm as he removed his hand from the horse's nose.
"First, why don't you change your attire? As I said, clothes express a person," stated the princess.
Storm was now back in his guest room as Twilight had Fleur de Lis go with the boy to make sure he did what she asked. The Jedi Knight was still not on board with his partner's request as it felt a bit uncomfortable wearing anything other than his usual Jedi clothes. He saw the stack of clothes as he was now trying to figure out what he should wear or even how to put it on.
"If you allow me your permission, I could help you get dressed," said Fleur.
"Yeah, that's not happening," said Storm as he felt like the maid was just saying that as an excuse to possibly see him naked, especially when it was just them alone in a room. "All I need is a changing room."
The maid nodded as she pointed to another door inside of the room. The boy grabbed the huge stack in his arms as he entered the door and locked it to avoid the girl trying to sneak a peak. It took maybe about 30 minutes as the sounds of struggling could be heard from outside the door. All the while, Fleur did her maid duties as she tidy up the room that Storm was staying in. She had finished folding his sheets and making his bed when the door to the changing room unlocked.
"So, how do I look?"
Fleur turned around as she was now taking in Storm's new appearance. Out of all the clothes that Twilight had given him, the Jedi Knight seemed to have picked out pieces of clothing that caught his eye. The teen boy was sporting an unzipped hoodie colored black, with silver pauldron-like additions to his sleeve and white lining. His undershirt was navy blue with a red patch in the center. His pants, similar to chaps, were also colored black on the outside, and navy blue on the inside, lined with silver-white edging. His pants were held together with a dark blue belt with a silver belt buckle. The pants also had red pockets; his gloves were fingerless with them being black and yellow and having a grey shape in the center.
Safe to say, the boy's new appearance got Fleur to have her cheeks heat a bit as a shade of red formed.
"You look rather... handsome. And dashing," said the maid.
"It feels weird, but at the same time, I feel... cool," said Storm as he noticed the mirror near the bed and was now seeing his reflection. For the boy, he did admit, this new look did allow him to express in words he couldn't possibly put.
Fleur then took his Jedi robes as she said she would have them cleaned and would return them to his room while he was with the princess. With that, the boy soon made his way back to the stables as the stable boy was with Twilight as they had finished the final preparations. A horse was in between them as it gave a neigh. Storm then made his presence known.
"I'm back."
"Are you..." said Twilight as she saw her partner's new appearance as she couldn't help but stare at him. "Oh my. You... wow. How do you feel?"
"A bit weird not being in my normal clothes, but yet, daring. Bold even," answered Storm.
"Well, that kind of attitude is exactly the kind we're going to need for our activity."
"What activity?" asked Storm.
The townspeople were all walking in the square. Merchants and farmers were doing their best to sell their stuff while others were talking amongst themselves. Kids were shown running through the streets and dirt paths as they were having fun. One of the bakers in town was handing out a loaf of bread to one of his clients when suddenly the ground began to shake. It made a thud sound as the water well nearby rippled. The baker and the client then looked at the bread as soon they turned to the side in time to see a blazing figure run by.
"What the--"
"Sorry, Mr. Cake!" shouted Twilight. "Woo!" yelled the girl as she was currently riding on the back of one of the horses as she was racing through the town.
The rush in the girl's face, the sudden feel of adrenaline, all of it got Twilight to smile and laugh like she was a kid again. She was zooming and zagging making sure to avoid colliding with any people or obstacles as she made her horse go faster. They jumped over some wagons as they kept on picking up speed.
"Someone help me!!" shouted a voice behind the girl.
Turns out there was another rider racing through the town; however, this one had a more difficult time controlling its ride.
"Slow down, please!" shouted Storm to his horse as he didn't know how to control it.
The only advice he got from Twilight when she suddenly thrust him onto the horse was to form a bond with the creature. However, he didn't know how to control the living thing as he was just holding on for dear life while they trailed the princess.
"Sparky, where are the brakes on this thing!!" shouted the Jedi Knight.
They turned a corner as the horse screeched to a halt as the boy screamed as they were about to collide into a wagon of hay. The horse's instincts took over as it jumped over the obstacle and kept on running as Storm was almost flung from the seat.
"Come on, Storm! I thought you had plenty of experience riding speeders?" asked Twilight with a smile as she continued to race forward.
"Yeah, cause I knew how to stop and where the brakes were located. This I don't!!!" shouted the boy as his voice trailed as his horse caught up with Twilight's and then raced ahead of them.
Twilight couldn't help but laugh as she flicked her reins to get her horse to go faster as the pair was now leaving the town as they entered a nearby forest. The sun's rays peaked through the trees as all around birds and small woodland creatures were shown. The two horses then splashed against some puddles and it created a cool effect as it made a small rainbow appear as they passed under it. For a while, the two teens were riding through the forest as they seemed to be enjoying themselves, well moreso for Twilight, as for Storm he only cared about living.
The pair exited the forest as they came to a meadow to which the girl had managed to take the lead as she got her horse to stop as she pulled back, and made a clinking sound as the creature responded to her command. Storm's horse soon slowed down as it passed the girl in which the Jedi Knight finally lost his grip on the reigns and fell onto the ground. He landed as he was run over by the horse's hooves as he got trampled with the creature stopping in front of him as the boy laid on the ground. The Jedi Knight tried to get up before immediately falling back down.
"Storm? Storm?" called out Twilight. "Very funny. You can get up now?" Once more, the girl called to her partner, but he wasn't moving. "Storm, this isn't funny!" Twilight was now concerned at how long her partner was staying on the ground.
"Oh, god! I killed him!" said Twilight as she got off her ride and ran towards the area in the grass where her partner was. The girl kneeled and began to shake her partner, to which he didn't respond. She then checked his pulse as she didn't feel or hear anything.
"Oh, god! I just killed my partner!" stated Twilight as she was now starting to panic. "Okay, okay, calm down, Twilight. You can figure this out. I'm sure Master Luna won't be mad that I got her student accidentally killed! Okay, first thing, hide the body! If no knows what happens, they can't pin it on me, right?"
Safe to say, the girl was now going mental and hyperventilating as she was starting to get a set of crazy eyes. Just as she was about to list her latest logic, she heard a sound as she looked at the body.
"Storm?"
The boy turned around as he was laughing. Turns out he was fine as he faked falling off as he wanted to mess with Twilight. His plan worked as it got the princess to be worried and had her starting to blame herself for accidentally killing him.
"Ha! Ha! Ha!"
"You... you... you idiot!" shouted Twilight.
The girl lightly hit his chest as the boy grabbed her arms. He laughed as he was now rolling with Twilight in his arms as the girl was also laughing a bit at the fun he had in getting her. The pair rolled in the meadow as they came to a stop as Twilight was on top of the boy. The princess couldn't help but smile as she got off of him and allowed him to sit up.
"I hate you're making fun of me," said Twilight as she couldn't help but smile and chuckle while saying that.
"Oh no, please. I'm much too frightened to tease a princess," replied Storm with the same actions as Twilight just tossed some flowers in his face. That both teens to laugh a bit more as they enjoyed the fun they were having with each other.
While the pair were laughing and enjoying each other, there was another person who was watching this from afar. Safe to say, the interaction the two teens had was something that intrigued them.
After a while, the pair had let the horses graze at the meadow before saddling up once more. The Jedi Knights gathered their horses and were now heading back to the castle as they trotted along. Twilight had given Storm some advice like verbal cues and gestures to get the horse to obey him.
"Be sure to take the time to soothe your mount... That's the only way it will know how you truly feel," said Twilight as she rubbed her horse's neck as it let out a nicker. "That's what my dad taught me when I first began to ride a horse. And it seems to be working for you."
"Yeah, me and this guy here are becoming fast friends," said Storm as he now petted his horse's neck as it gave a nicker and affection neigh.
"You know, when I was brought to the Jedi temple to begin my training, I was scared. Not having my family with me, being in a new place with new strangers, and just the idea of me being a Jedi. All of it was kind of overwhelming at first, but I knew what needed to be done. So I did my best to study hard. I aced all my classes and sessions with different Jedi instructors, I read every book I could get my hands on in the archives. I wanted to prove that I was worth something. So, when I became a Padawan, I felt a sense of dread. That whoever my assigned master was, I was afraid of letting them down. So, when Master Yoda called me over, he told me how proud he was to see a bright student in his class. Then he assigned me my master, which turned out to be Celestia. I couldn't begin to express how happy I was to be her personal protégé. So I made sure to show why I was deserving to be her star student."
"That's a lot of pressure on yourself," said Storm as he had been listening to his partner speak her hidden inner thoughts.
"What about you? How was it being Luna's Padawan?"
"Well, she... was bold, to say the least. According to her, she brought me to the Jedi Council when I was still the crying baby she stumbled upon. All the Jedi Masters didn't know what to do, since she told them that she couldn't find who my parents were. So they allowed me to stay in her care until I grew up for the first few years of my life. Guess they were hoping that I would become an afterthought. But once Luna saw that the Force flowed through me, that's when everything changed. This time I was brought before the council as they tested me to see where my powers stood. As they were about to put in a class to start my training, Luna asked them directly for me to become her apprentice and learn under her. They cast a vote among themselves with the deciding factor being none other than her own sister. Celestia supported her little sibling and in the end, I became Luna's protégé. And the rest... well, you know."
"Indeed, and then... we happen to meet each other. Look at how that turned out," smiled Twilight to Storm as the boy returned the gesture as the pair were thinking of the adventures they had encountered so far.
They continued to trot along as Twilight then saw something. She got her horse to stop as she got off quickly and kneeled on the meadow as she looked at the thing in front of her. Storm caused his steed to halt as he got off and approached behind the princess as he too kneeled.
"What is it, Sparky?"
"I don't believe it," said the girl as she now pulled out her personal journal and flipped it open as she scribbled some things down. "The flowers we have in Equis aren't just beautiful. They're also quite useful as ingredients for a variety of things."
"Such as?" asked Storm with a raised eyebrow.
"Alchemy, healing, potions, medicine, you name it," stated the princess with a smile as she was looking around in front of her as she was taking down notes as fast as she could.
"But this one," said the girl as she was now getting closer to a specific flower. "This one here is called Crepusculum Lumen. It's a rare, endangered species. Despite our efforts, we can't get them to grow domestically yet." said Twilight as she was now on her hands and knees as Storm started to get closer to the girl as he too saw the flower.
"The Crepusculum can only thrive out here in the wild," stated the princess as she gently touched the flower's petals. "All that we can hope... is that the species will be strong enough to prosper, on its own."
Twilight sat on her knees as she brought her hand close to her as she said that sentence. For the boy, he had been silent this whole time as he listened to the girl and was getting a sense that what she said didn't just apply to the flower, but something deeper.
"Is that what I think it is?" gasped Twilight as she noticed something moving in the grass nearby as she crawled towards it. She then grabbed it with her hands, and she closed them.
"Look at this! I don't believe it, but I actually caught one!" said Twilight in excitement. "This delicacy is known to have very, very potent effects under the proper circumstances. Ta-da." said the girl as she opened her hands to reveal a frog.
"Research from the castle shows ingesting one of these can actually augment certain abilities. We wouldn't be in a controlled environment out here, and with your level of physical fitness... you'd be a perfect candidate for the study!" said Twilight with wonder in her eyes as she looked at Storm. "Go on!"
"Sparky, I am not eating a frog!" said Storm as he backed his head away from Twilight trying to shove the amphibian in her hand towards him.
"Taste it!" said the lavender girl.
"Hell no, Sparky!" shouted the Jedi Knight as he didn't like that the girl was treating him like a science experiment for her own purpose.
The pair had finally made it back to the town as they passed by some folks. Some of the townspeople saw the princess as they gave a quick wave, to which the girl returned the gesture. They arrived back at the castle as they handed the horses back to the stable boy. Storm gave one last gentle petting on his horse's nose as he when he turned around, the creature bumped him forward and collided with Twilight as he caught the girl by her arms before she fell.
"You okay?" asked Storm.
"Yeah, I'm good," said Twilight, "Looks like you two are perfect; you're both troublemakers."
"Very funny, Sparky," smirked Storm as he turned to look at his horse as it let out a playful sound.
They soon entered the entrance hall when there was Night Light and Velvet as they were walking down the stairs.
"Where were you, sweetie?" asked Velvet as she was hoping to have had breakfast with her daughter, but when she and her husband entered the dining room, she wasn't present.
"Oh, well, I wanted to show Storm some fun. So after we ate, we went for a little ride on the horses," stated Twilight.
"Did you now?" said Night Light looking at the Jedi Knight as he remain silent throughout the whole discussion. "Did he keep you safe?"
"I'm a Jedi Knight as well, Dad. I can take care of myself."
"So you can?" said the King making sure that the boy heard that fact. "By the way, there's someone here who wanted to see you."
"Who?" asked Twilight.
The King and Queen now stepped to the side as they revealed a girl. The person in question got Twilight to gasp as she had tears of happiness.
"It's nice to see you again, Twilight."
"Cadance!" shouted the girl as she ran into the arms of her former babysitter as they shared a lovely embrace.
Storm had been quietly watching this as he saw the girl Twilight ran to hug. No doubt the girl who held the princess was drop-dead gorgeous, despite being only a few years older than him. The girl had pale, light grayish-purple eyes. She had moderate violet with brilliant rose and pale gold streaks in her hair, as well as she had pale, light grayish cerise skin color.
The pair broke their hug as they began to do something.
"Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake. Clap your hands and do a little shake," said the girls dancing as they giggled.
"When did you get here?" asked Twilight.
"Oh, just a little while ago," said the girl. Though upon further inspection, there was a small smirk that could be seen on her face which meant something.
"Oh, who's this?" asked Cadance as she saw Storm silently watching this.
"Oh, right," said Twilight as she knew who was watching this.
"Storm, this is Cadance. She's a close friend to my family and used to babysit me when I was little."
"Babysitter? You never told me you had one, Sparky."
"Sparky?!!!" said all three adults.
Twilight was now looking at her partner with a strained look as she motioned her hand that he shouldn't have said that. Especially with the three adults present as they all had different looks on their faces. For Velvet, she had a slight smile on the name Storm used to call Twilight. For Night Light, he had a different look at hearing what the boy called his daughter. And for Cadance, she was giddy as a schoolgirl. Storm looked at Twilight as it dawned on him what he said.
"Aw, shit! I mean, sorry. Sorry, sorry. I meant, princess!" said the boy as he quickly bowed his head hoping that he wouldn't be executed for calling Twilight by the nickname he used for her. Especially in front of her parents.
"He already has a nickname for you," smiled Velvet as she put her hands on her daughter's shoulders.
"It's not like that, Mom!"
"What did you call my daughter?!!" asked Night Light in a slightly stern tone as Storm could see the king's shadow. He then lifted his head to look at the ruler.
"I'm sorry. I ask for your forgiveness and mercy, your highness."
"Do not let me hear you say that nickname for my daughter again. Not while you're in my home. You're a guest, so treat my home with respect. That includes what name you address my kids. Am I understood?"
"Yes, sir. It will not happen again."
"Make sure it doesn't, son," replied Night Light as he turned to look at Twilight as the girl looked away while clutching her arm.
"Now then, Twilight, we would like you to join me, your mother, and Cadance for the meeting we're about to attend."
"Yes, dad." said the princess as she saw the adults leave towards a door. She looked back at her partner as the boy had put his head back down when Night Light finished addressing him.
"Come along, Twily," said Night Light as the girl heard her father.
"I'll see you when I'm done, Storm."
With that, the princess left for the meeting as the Jedi Knight heard the doors close. He then let out a sigh as he lifted his head. He then turned to leave when he felt something on his leg. The teen boy looked down as in front of him was Spike. Safe to say, he was expecting him to have joined the others, but also remembered he was still a kid.
"Hey," greeted Spike.
Storm just walked around the small boy as he headed towards the entrance.
"Don't go," said the small prince as he now rushed in a cartoonish effect as he stopped in front of the Jedi. "I want to talk."
"Look, uh,"
What was his name again?
Storm was now trying to recall what the small prince's name was as he didn't want to offend Night Light once more by not calling his children by their proper name.
"S-Spike, right?"
"Yeah, that's my name. Spike the brave and glorious. Well, the last two parts I added myself," chuckled the boy sheepishly.
"Yeah, sure, whatever suits you," said the boy as he continued to walk past the boy.
"Hey, I really do wanna talk," said Spike as he ran again.
"Look, kid. It's best you probably don't. Just go have fun or something." said Storm as he exited the doors with Spike running behind him as the two boys headed towards the garden.
The pair was now walking along the garden pathway all the while, Spike kept trying to get Storm to talk to him. The Jedi Knight thought it best to just talk with the kid as it was also the fastest way to get him to stop annoying him.
"So, you're a Jedi?"
"Jedi Knight," corrected Storm to the small boy.
"Just like my sister. So, any cool tricks you can do?"
"They're not tricks. My Force powers are things I use in combat and survival," said Storm.
"So, if you got powers, does that make you a superhero?" asked Spike.
"What do you think, kid?"
"I'm thinking you can use your powers to help me get my ball from that tree," said Spike as he pointed at the nearby object.
"You couldn't get one of the servants to help you, instead of wasting my time?" complained Storm.
"Yeah, but with your powers, you can get it down no sweat. So, let me see them," said the boy with his tongue out in anticipation like he was a dog.
Storm just rolled his eyes as he grumbled to himself for the prince for annoying him. He took a deep breath as he approached the tree. He lifted his hand as Spike leaned in, waiting to see what incredible thing he was about to witness. The hand then landed on the tree as the boy pushed up as his foot got on the bark of the tree as he began to climb. The Jedi Knight now reached up to the branch that the item was on and grabbed it. He then descended as Spike this whole time had a raised eyebrow.
"Here's your ball, kid," said Storm as he tossed it to the prince as he caught it.
"Thanks," said Spike with an unenthusiastic tone as the teen was walking away. He dropped his ball as he went after him.
"Look, kid. I got your ball for you, so can you leave me alone?" stated Storm.
"Why didn't you, you know, use your powers? Are they broken?"
"No, they're not broken!" shouted the teen as he was starting to get slightly annoyed. "As I said, my powers are used for combat and survival. I'm not using them for daily tasks cause that abuses the purpose of having them."
"Okay, then can I hold your lightsaber?"
"You got to be sh--" Storm then stopped himself as he realized that he had a 6-year-old present, so that meant he couldn't curse in front of the child.
"Fine, knock yourself out," said the teen as he held his weapon above the boy's hands.
Spike was excited as the weapon dropped into his palms. The weight caused him to also fall as his hands slammed into the ground.
"Heavier than I expected," grunted the boy as he tried to pick his hands up but to no avail.
A few more moments passed as Spike was still trying to lift the weapon. All the while, Storm was chuckling to himself seeing the small kid struggle. Eventually, the small prince let out an exhausted breath as the Jedi Knight then bent down. He picked up his weapon and he twirled it in one hand before putting it onto his belt as looked at the kid.
"Okay, it's not as light as I thought it was."
"Or, you're just weak," said Storm flat out as the kid didn't have the muscles the teen had developed to lift his blade with ease.
"Alright, can you teach me how to use the Force to grab things in front?"
"Why?!"
"Fine, you don't have to show me, just tell me what to do. Tell me how I can move things with my mind. Do I just put my hand out? Or maybe I have to say some cool phrase, like, 'Jedi Powers Go'! You know, use the Force."
"That's not how the Force works!!!!" shouted Storm as he was offended by that statement. Especially that stupid phrase the small boy came up with that he thought would give him Force powers.
"Why not?"
"Cause for you to be a Jedi or have any kind of power, the Force needs to choose you. You don't choose it, it chooses you!" stated Storm as he put his finger into the boy's shirt.
"And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm glad Twilight's the only one in her family to have been gifted by the Force," said the Jedi Knight to himself.
He then let out a sigh as he looked at the small prince.
"Look, Spike. I get you want to have powers like your sister. But just because you have the Force, doesn't mean you can do what you want. Having these powers and being a Jedi, it's more of a responsibility, and in some cases, it's a burden. It's not fighting on the front lines, commanding troops, and saving people. That part for the most is fake. We fight for survival, we fight to win a war. We fight so that we can be here the next day. You think your sister or me isn't afraid every time we have to get right into the middle of the action. One false move, one. And that's it. We're here in a second and gone in the next."
Storm snapped his finger to emphasize his point as that got the message through to the small prince.
"Listen, your sister has a lot on her plate. Both professionally and personally. She doesn't need to add her little brother to that list of burdens. You, you still got your life ahead of you, kid. So don't waste it with wanting to be like someone else. As much as you admire your big sister being a Jedi, it's not something to be fully proud of. There are strict rules we have to follow or... we risk... destroying everything we work for and stand by. What I'm trying to say is... you got your life ahead of you. Don't waste it by constantly wanting what someone else has so that you can feel relevant. You're special in your own way, you just... got to find out what that is."
"I see," said the small boy as he put his head down.
"Look, I'm not trying to sound mean or anything. I'm just... looking out, is all."
"I understand. Promise me something?" asked the prince as he lifted his head to look at the Jedi Knight who bent down on a knee.
"What?"
"You take care of my big sister. Make sure she, you know, comes back from every battle. I missed not seeing her since she left to be a Jedi. I don't know how I can handle if... she never returns." said Spike as he let some tears out.
"I... promise. On my honor and word as a Jedi, I'll make sure your sister comes home," said Storm as he patted the boy's head.
"Thanks," responded Spike.
"No problem, now run along," gestured the Jedi Knight as Spike nodded. The small prince grabbed his ball as he left through the castle gates to go have fun with his friends.
"Promise. To not let harm come to Sparky. That's twice I've been told by her family." mumbled the boy to himself.
"I see you have a way with kids," spoke a voice.
The Jedi Knight turned his head as the person standing behind him was none other than Cadance.
"Miss," said the Jedi as he put his head down. "Forgive me. I didn't notice you."
"No need for that, Storm. I want to talk to you."
"About what?"
"If you would accompany me," said the girl as the boy nodded. He offered his arm as Cadance wrapped hers around his as the pair left.
They headed towards town as they entered a small restaurant. They were sat at a table near the window as the girl had wanted to have a moment to speak with the girl's partner. Storm was wondering why the woman who was Twilight's former babysitter wanted to speak with him. It was probably to address the nickname he called her out of habit when her parents were present. But yet the look on her face didn't seem like that. Moreso, she had a calm, gentle look as it made him sweat even more.
Cadance was enjoying herself a bit, due to them currently eating, and cause of how she knew Storm was acting by waiting for her to say something. The girl just took her time as she took a sip from her glass and let out a refreshing sound when it parted from her lips. She set it down as Storm was still waiting for what she might say about him disrespecting the princess.
"Must be difficult having sworn your life to the Jedi. Not being able to visit the places you like or do the things you like," said Cadance as she looked at Storm while using her fork to play with the food. "Or be... with the people you love?"
"What?" said Storm as he didn't expect that question.
"Are you allowed to love?"
"Why are you asking me that? I'm a Jedi," stated the boy.
"Exactly. You're a Jedi, so you're not allowed to love. It's forbidden." said Cadance.
"Okay, first of all, attachment is forbidden. Possession is forbidden. Compassion, on the other hand, well, that to me is defined as unconditional love. That's central to a Jedi's life. So in a way, you could say we're encouraged to love."
"That's your answer, huh," said Cadance keeping the smile. She then let out a sigh as she continued this little game they were playing. "Tell me, if you were ever attracted to someone in a romantic way, would you take that chance?"
"Okay, why are you so fixated on love?" asked Storm.
"Let's just say it's a special talent of mine," smirked Cadance. "My question is, say you met someone. You saw them, and over time, the more you bonded, the more time you spent with them, you started to develop feelings. Then say you wanted to act on those feeling, but your duty as a Jedi forbids it. So what do you do? Do you choose to break it off and continue being a Jedi? Or do you choose to leave, to be with that someone?"
"I can't just up and leave. I can't voluntarily leave the Jedi Order! That's not how it works. I... I have to remain a Jedi, even if I was to fall in love with someone. I'm needed in this war that we're fighting. Twilight has told you, that I'm on the front lines of every battle that me and my friends are in. If I choose to fall in love, I would lose all that. I would lose my title, my status, my lightsaber, and for what? A chance at love?"
"Is that a bad thing? Or are you just preaching the Jedi values that have been implemented into your brain by the others and your master?" countered Cadance.
"I'm a Jedi, and as powerful as I am. I can't have all the power that comes with it and someone who I care about deeply. It just can't happen or work." stated Storm.
"Are you so certain?"
"What?"
"When you took the oath of being a Jedi, they said don't form attachments. And you would agree to that statement cause in your head, you're thinking, that's not gonna happen. But... how hard is that? Especially when you form it anyways." stated Cadance.
"Huh?"
"Cause forming an attachment, you don't consciously make the decision. It just happens. It's a process, not a decision. I mean, how can you not have a crazy connection with someone who you're protecting as well as they're a similar age to you. It's bad. You both can't be together. Forbidden love. Those are always the most exciting ones."
"Alright, enough of this shit! What are you really asking?" said Storm as he had enough of Cadance's game.
"What do you think of Twilight having to be married before the deadline?"
"Why is Twilight's personal business being brought into this. That's hers, not mine."
"But you're her partner."
"Partner, as in training. As in sparring, as in someone who motivates you, who pushes you to get to that next level! As someone who supports you! As someone who is a..."
"Friend," interrupted Cadance. "A friend. Someone who will stand by you in tough times. Someone you can count on. Someone who you care about. Someone who holds a special place in your heart, whether conditional or unconditional. Someone who you put your trust in."
"Tell me. Twilight is the exception in that she can fall in love, not whether she will be a Jedi when that happens, that remains to be seen. So, how do you feel about that?"
"As I said, Twilight has enough on her plate right now. She doesn't need to be concerned with what her partner thinks about when it comes to her love life. That's for her and her alone. Me, I'm just here to hopefully guide her to where she doesn't have to be married by a specific date. Whether that happens or not, that remains to be seen. All I can do is simply offer my support to her."
"But what if, speaking outloud, what if she was to marry another Jedi? Would they be excepted from the rule? Could it mean that both could have what they want?"
"You can't have everything you want. It's not possible cause if it was, I would've wished for this war to be over. Wanting something doesn't give you the right to have it. Simple as that."
"I see. Well then, if you want to believe that statement. Then I shall speak no more of this matter for the rest of the day. I simply ask, take care of Twilight. Look after her, make sure that's she safe from any harm." asked Cadance.
"She can handle herself, she's proven it. But... I'll keep my word. I'll make sure she's safe."
"Good, oh, and your nickname for her. Sparky, it's really cute." smiled Cadance as Storm couldn't help but roll his eyes at how the girl thought what he called his partner was a term of affection.
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Ooh, i sense an Attack of the Clones vibe
I'm starting to see a spark. And Cadance can see that.
Boy was that a good chapter. and uh oh, the parents and former babysitter thinks it's a couple's nickname.
Storm's in hot water with the father. Overprotective dads can be quite the nightmare.
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Not to mention the talk Cadance had with Storm about Jedi and attachment. That's the big topic of discussion and how she was calling out the faults.
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She may not be a Jedi, but when it comes to love and attachment, she's an expert.
Are you going to show like any people Twilight might have to marry if she doesn't come a Jedi master at 18
Love is a powerful thing...but, it could also be a double edge sword. Jealousy is a strong emotion that could lead to fear, then anger, then...suffering. These emotions are the key to the Dark Side.
I see what you mean on the Cadance bit.
I liked the Spike bit as in what will happen for him down the line and such.
EDIT: Kind of wished he did become Force-sensitive honestly.
But hoping at least he gets to be part of the group(Storm and the girls)
Yeesh that guy needs to lighten up.
But in a strange way, i felt like before departing, i'd shake his hand, but then i would grip it and said with a threating voice 'But know this, Celestia may have kept your promise, but i kept tabs on her before she left her world, so your highness, if you ever, disrepect my friend because of a friendly nickname, or if you ever threaten my friend again. i'll make sure that every Republic and Separatist politician knows exactly where your homeworld is located.'
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The bottom line is that Storm was being real with Spike. He’s telling him the harsh reality that surrounds a Jedi’s life. People think that Jedi just show up and save the day when that’s not the case at all. The primary role of a Jedi is to be a peacekeeper.
As for Spike, well he’s just a kid. Plus, by the time the war ends, he’ll still be a kid so there’s not much he can do to prove Storm wrong. Especially, with what I already have planned for Storm when this story reaches it’s conclusion.