Private Pick Six

[Zoar]

//That one... might take a bit longer,// Zoar said, his mech as still as a statue. //It's not that I don't want to... But... I-it's not that easy.//

The mech sat down, partially to take weight off the damaged legs, and partially out of some kind of mental fatigue. //How am I supposed to believe in myself if I'm not...// He reconsidered his next words, obviously dulling his bite. //If I haven't... y'know... done anything. Yet.//

If I'm not worth believing in.

- Aurorae -

 

[Aurorae]

"Weeeeell. Believe in me, then. Cause I believe in you." For the first time Iris gave the goofiest smile she'd ever had to Zoar. "You've done so much already, even if you're not really gonna be known for it. So we'll make you known, okay?"

Zoar

 

[Zoar]

Zoar tilted his faceplate up at Iris, stifling a giggle at her silly smile. He tried not to let the opinions of others influence him too much- his terror at how people would perceive him proved just how often he failed at that- but Iris' statement, that she believed in him, made the Padawan happier than he cared to show.

//Sure. Th-that could work.// He cleared his verklempt throat. //Thank you. Master.//

It was already getting easier to say.

- Aurorae -

 

[Aurorae]

"It'll work." She nodded once, seeming way too proud of herself for her suggestion. Then, she raised a hand. Pointed at the suit of armor.

"But! You need a new suit. I know you're not comfortable being outside one, but I don't want you relying just on technology. We're going to teach you how to fight in and out of your armor, okay? So a suit that works for both would be best."

Zoar

 

[Zoar]

//New suit. Yeah.// The Miln regarded his metal body. It had taken him a long time to get it in working order. But he'd been wanting to make a new armor anyways. His second go at making power armor would definitely be quicker.

//Just so you know, I'm... ah... really bad at fighting outside my mech. Like... really bad.// Zoar supposed she would see what he meant when they had their first training session.

//'A suit that works for both'? What do you mean by that?//

- Aurorae -

 

[Aurorae]

"I.. Don't actually know. I just don't want you neglecting yourself for your suit, you know?"

Iris shrugged, just a little.

"Does that make sense..?"

Zoar

 

[Zoar]

//Yes. Maybe. Not... really. N-no.//

He laughed to himself, or maybe at himself, the sound escaping from within his bulky armor.

//B-but... that's the point of all this, I think. Not knowing all the answers right away. Otherwise... padawans wouldn't need masters. R-right?//

- Aurorae -

 

[Aurorae]

"That's true! Alright. Yeah. We'll figure it out. Heh. First! New suit. .. And back home. Then! We'll start your formal training. Okay?"

Zoar

 

[Zoar]

Zoar studied the new Jedi Knight, his mood impossible to read within the power armor. Partially because he didn't know himself how he felt.

Masters usually took on apprentices that shared traits with them. Sure, sometimes that meant they shared surface-level things, like a species (Master Noble and Iris were both Keshian, for example), but more often, the master saw something familiar in the padawan. A reckless streak, talent, personal philosophy, so on and so forth.

From what Zoar could tell, he and Iris couldn't be further apart. She was fearless, he wasn't. She saw the Force in creative color, he perceived it as regimented clockwork. She was a shadow, he wanted to stomp around in power armor. The differences went on and on. What did she see in him?

She'd called him brave. When would she figure out he wasn't? Then what?

//Yeah. Okay!//

No harm in trying to be a little brave, at least.

- Aurorae -