Little people can do big things. (Lime)

[Zeke]

Zeke is ready for Lime's next lesson. After the girl's successes with telekinesis, he's sure her successes in Force boost will be just as exciting for her. Especially when she manages to lift something twice her weight. He's got something special for her at the end of the lesson; he hopes she'll like it as much as he hopes she will.

[Lime]

Lime lurked in the shadows, a playful grin on her face. With Zeke she had become more attached, thus more friendly and fun-going.

Slowly crawling forward on all fours, she snuck closely up to Zeke without a mere sound! Then.. LEAP!

Lime wrapped her little hands around Zeke's eyes, blocking his veiw while she giggled. "Guess who!"

[Zeke]

Zeke puts a hand to his chin in an exaggerated pose of thoughtfulness.

"Well...is it...hm...who could it be...who could it be?"

After a moment he raises a finger with a knowing smile.

"Aha...I'll bet it's Master Tarkin."

[Lime]

"No, Silly!" Lime giggled, "Try again!"

[Zeke]

"It's...it's...Oh...I'll bet it's LIME!"

He twists his torso and catches her in his arms, bringing her around and into his lap with a big smile.

"Ya had me fooled for a minute there! How have you been, Lime?"

[Lime]

"Okay I guess..." She replied, grinning with her golden eyes. "But I keep getting lost in the li.. liiviing quaa... houses."

Lime then crawled out of Zeke's arms and sat before him on her shins, hands folded neatly in her lap from old ediqute lessions. "I've been floating stuff though! I've gotten really good!"

[Zeke]

"That's great! I'll get you a map later so you can find your way around. Today we won't be floating things, though. I'm going to teach you to Force boost."

[Lime]

She trembled with inner excitement, or a overdose of caffine - you pick - before speaking, "Force boo... booost?"

[Zeke]

"Yes..." Zeke says, "It's the ability to increase a person's natural abilities by using the Force. With Force boost, people have lifted speeders with a single hand, carried boulders about with ease, and have overcome the speed of Podracers."

[Lime]

Lime had seen a bout of podracing, and the high speeds that the racers acheived seemed impossible without having a machine for yourself!

"How can they be faster than poddies?" She was confused, very well so for her young mind.

[Zeke]

"By increasing their speed through the Force. It is simple enough. Draw the Force, like you did when we were practicing telekinesis. Go on. I'll teach you as we go."

[Lime]

Lime did so, repeating the technique practiced and played with for hours on end. She could feel a slight tingling in her hands, the force rolling over and through them.

"Okay!"

[Zeke]

"Very well. Now..."

Zeke gestures and a small storage crate slides across the floor. It's small enough for her to grip easily, but is far too heavy for her to lift on her own.

"Fill your body with the Force and lift the box."

[Lime]

Lime held her hands out, intent on doing Zeke's instruction. She concentrated on before, her golden eyes locked on the crate, when she was lifting and pushing and such with the paperweight.

Creaks from the crate echoed, but no other movement could be seen. She concentrated harder, brows furrowing and her hands closing, still no movement. She kept it up until her eyes were mere slits and fingertips nearly touching her palm.

Beads of sweat popped out on her forehead under the concentration.

Finally she relaxed, dropping her hands into her lap.

"It's too heavy.." Lime sighed out..

[Zeke]

"If you can't do it by telekinesis, then lift if physically. Fill your muscles with the Force and lift it with your arms."

[Lime]

Lime stood to her feet and dipped over the box, wrapping her arms over the sides to the loops for grip she heaved once without any luck.

She tried again, with the lifting techique and still the box did not budge. This time, she powered her arms with the force - letting them soak in the concentration and Force like she was taking a bath and the water flowed overed her arms.

With Lime's persistant pulling, the box lifted up slightly. As beads of sweat popped out on her forehead, the box reached about 2 inches off the ground before Lime dropped it from the pressure...

[Zeke]

Zeke smiles at her.

"You did it. You lifted it by boosting yourself with the Force. It will take practice, but you will some day be able to lift the box with ease. Now, let's try something else. Lime, can you jump?"

[Lime]

"Jump? I can jump good!" Lime smiled, sitting in the box while she rested.

[Zeke]

"I want you to jump as high as you can, using the Force to boost yourself. Like this."

Zeke leaps, performing a double flip at the apex of his jump, ponytail brushing the high ceiling before landing nimbly on his feet.

"Boost your legs and jump!"

[Lime]

"Umn... okay.." Lime spoke, transfixed by Zeke's exellent display of aerodynamic performance. Standing to her feet, she bent slighly at the knees and jumped -without the aid of Force- and only went up a mere adverage height.

Landing quietly, she tried again with the Force at her legs - like Zeke instructed - and jumped up. The pent up force in her legs acted like a spring, propelling her thrice the last height before smacking apex and falling back to the ground with a hefty "thud".

"Oww!" Lime whined, cuddling the back of her head which struck the floor slightly from impact...

[Zeke]

Zeke kneels by her and rubs the small bump on the back of her head. His Force healing sucks, but he can at least lessen the pain.

"Try again. I'll catch you."

[Lime]

"Okay..." Lime said.

The pain in the back of her head had dulled by a considerable amount, which didn't faulter her determination for praise. She repeated the force channeling and leapt high into the air, the floor grew smaller and smaller as she acended torward the heavens until Coruscant's gravity pulled her lithe body back down.

Zeke caught her easily, and a bright smile of glee flickered across her young features. "Was that good? I went reaally high!"

[Zeke]

"You sure did. That was excellent Lime."

Zeke sets her down.

"Have you ever run a race before?"

[Lime]

"I don't think I did," Lime responded, slanting her head to the side slightly.

[Zeke]

"Well, can you run?"

What a stupid question. Rephrase is in order.

"Can you run fast, I mean."

[Lime]

"Not really..." Lime spoke, slumping her shoulders, "I get tired too quick.."

[Zeke]

Zeke smiles.

"I can change that. I want you to come and run with me. We won't go far, just out to the garden. What do you say?"

[Lime]

"Okay," Lime gave her own smile, wondering deep within where the 'garden' dwelt. "Um... What's a garden?"

[Zeke]

"A garden is a big place where lots of plants grow. I bet you'd like it. We're going to run there, the whole way. It's outside, between the Academy and the Living Quarters."

It's down the hall, out the door, and around back. Not that far. With the Force, she should be able to do it.

"Get your Force ready again. Tell me if you get tired from using it, ok?"

[Lime]

"Okay..." She said aloud then added a silent 'if I can do it.'

As Zeke turned and began to jog away, Lime jumped forward to follow. Her tiny stride had her double pacing just to keep up with the older, taller, Zeke and she felt the fatigue come on even though the Force pulsed through her veins.

But she held firm for the most part..

[Zeke]

Zeke keeps his pace to a low jog, but it seems she's still having trouble.

"Think positively. You can do this...have faith in yourself, and the Force will aid you."

[Lime]

'I think I can!' Lime repeated, remembering a book about the little choo-choo train that could. It was like a second wind beating through her small frame, a renewed energy source which drained from her mental reserves.

But she ran!

[Zeke]

Zeke slows to a walk without noticing, watching the girl run probably further than she ever had in her life. She makes the door and Zeke finds himself sprinting up the hall to catch her.

"Left turn," he says as he gets the door.

[Lime]

"Kay!" Before the door is even open, She darts through and continues through. Lime is having the time of her life, have never ran a distant greater than a few meters without tiring right out, and she's laughing the whole way!

"C'mon! I might beat you there!!"

[Zeke]

Zeke stumbles down the steps after her, paying less attention to himself than the little girl before him.

"That you might!"

He runs at his natural pace, coming up to hover just behind her shoulder.

"Keep on! Slow down and I'll pass you to win!"

[Lime]

She lets out a giggle and presses forward again, and the fatique is returning slightly. Rounding a corner, Lime jumps over a cleaning droid before barreling through the exit doors and into the artifical sunlight.

Now she is lost. Again.

Slowing down, Lime glanced back and forth quickly. "Oh bugger! I don't know which way it is!"

[Zeke]

"This way!"

Zeke overtakes her and rushes around the building. The natural stone arch that marks the entrance of the garden is within sight. Despite the feelings of worry and guilt, he doesn't look back for Lime. She must use the Force to overcome him.

[Lime]

"Hey!"

Lime dashes in Zeke's direction, skidding around the corner tightly and running as fast as her little legs could carry. She's sure Zeke's going to beat here, but nevertheless, Lime pumps the rest of the Force should could muster into her legs and shoots forward.

Just as they passed under the archway, Lime reached out a hand and gripped onto the back of Zeke's tunic. Grinning uncontrollibly, she laughs heartily.

"Got ya."

[Zeke]

Zeke grins at her.

"Good for you!"

She's light, so he picks her up and holds her with a big smile

"Way to go! You've learned to boost your strength and speed today!"

He pauses.

"What else is there to boost?"

[Lime]

"Weee!"
She calms down, hanging in the air by Zeke's strength.

"I dont know... what else is there?"

[Zeke]

"Um...boosting strength in arms and legs, boosting speed in legs...teaching you arm speed is redundant, it's the same as legs...I think we're done, actually."

Zeke sets her down.

"Just like with the telekinesis, you must practice this. Try practicing with other Padawans."

[Lime]

"I will!" She chirped, beaming.

[Zeke]

"Very good. You are dismissed. But first, I have something for you."

A small box floats from an obscure place behind the arch, guided to them by telekinesis.

"Open it."

Inside is the fruits of his labor; a green dress, new shoes, and a light blue shirt with matching pants.

"I hope ya like 'em..."

[Lime]

"Wow!!"

Lime nearly jumps out of her skin in excitement. New clothes!

The dress feels so soft in her hands, as do the striped blue shirt and pants. If she could fly, Lime would be doing dive bombs and barrel rolls and defying gravity at the same time!

"Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!" She chips out, brimming with happiness and joy. Lost in the intoxication of feeling... part of something.

[Zeke]

Zeke laughs.

"Take good care of them. I'll try to find you some fitting Jedi robes too," he says, adjusting the oversized uniform about her slight frame. "I'm glad you like them. Dae put me through the wringer trying to get them."

[Lime]

"I will, I will take lots of care!" Lime said. She ran her hands over the cloth, feeling the texture. "Who is Dae.. if you don't mind me asking?"

[Zeke]

"Dae is a friend of mine. She's a real nice lady. She helped me find these clothes for you. I was doing pretty terrible on my own."

He laughs somewhat, grin broadening so big his eyes squinted as he scratched his head.

"Yeah...I'd never have found 'em if not for her."

[Lime]

"She helped you good," Lime said, "Cause these are really nice! Can you tell her thanks from me next time you see her?"

[Zeke]

"I sure can."

Really nice? They cost him over three hundred credits. But well worth it for this one...well worth it indeed.

"Maybe you can meet her one day, and you can tell her yourself."

[Lime]

"That would be neat!" Another classic smile creaps onto Lime's face as she goes back to the gifts. The shoes fit perfectly, the shirt and pants are comfortable, and the dress safe in the box!

"I should take this to my room, so nobody can mess them up!"

[Zeke]

"Go for it. I'll come find you when your next lesson is ready. In the meantime, practice what I've taught you and make some friends, okay?"

[Lime]

"I'll try," Lime admitted, socialization being her weak point. Picking the box up in her arms, she gave a big grin and began traveling to her room with a big wave which almost tipped the box over onto the ground.

[Zeke]

Zeke watches the girl's retreating form. He likes to help her and teach her. It makes things worthwhile. This little girl keeps him tethered to the principles of the lightside, and maintains his position there though his views of light and dark are more hazy than muddied water. Lime may well be his saving grace in the end...