, her eyes trained on the floor as she listened to the Council discuss the decision regarding the Tatooine boy that Master Qui-Gon had brought back from his mission. Master Sola stood by the girl's side, her arms folded behind her back as she calmly looked over at the members of the Jedi Council, nodding her head every once in a while whenever she agreed with something a member had said, voicing out her opinions every now and then.

The Hale girl glanced over at her Master, whose piercing green eyes found hers when she sensed the girl's movement, and she immediately cast her eyes down on the floor once more. The young Padawan got an earful from her Master as soon as she got back, and she vowed to train the young girl immensely for the next few days, with challenges that would seem almost impossible for the small girl to accomplish. It was her punishment, her Master said, for sneaking onto Qui-Gon's spacecraft and embarking on a mission which was far too dangerous for her.

She was expecting an earful from the Council as well, but they quickly dismissed the issue regarding the girl's disobedience as she was a huge help in the mission and she did further her training while she was gone, which meant that there was no harm done. Master Sola didn't share the same opinion though, hence the severe challenges she was going to face due to her disobedience.

The girl had practically zoned out during the entire discussion, as this was meant for the ears of the Jedi Masters and Knights, but Master Sola did not trust the girl enough to leave her alone for the rest of the week. She demanded that she be present during the discussion, and the young girl had no choice in the matter.

"Then, made a decision we have," Master Yoda nodded, clasping his hands together as his golden eyes met those of the Council members'. Layna finally lifted her head, her eyes scanning the room for any signs of at least a hint of what their decision was supposed to be.

She knew that she should have listened during the discussion, but she could not concentrate at the moment. She was tired, exhausted even, but she had to push through it seeing as she, nor her Master, hasn't been dismissed yet. "Bring the boy in," Master Windu announced, and the doors opened after a few moments, revealing Master Qui-Gon along with his Padawan, Obi-Wan and the boy in question, Anakin Skywalker.

When Anakin caught the brunette girl's eye, he shot her a smile which she returned, and her mood lightened almost instantly at the sight of her friend. "Good luck," she mouthed at the blonde boy, and he nodded, shooting the girl a thumb's up causing her to stifle a giggle.

Anakin was brought to the center of the Council, with Master Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan standing a few feet away from him, as they presented the boy to the Council for the second time that night. The Council members exchanged glances, nodding at one another as if reading each other's thoughts.

"The Force is strong with him." One of the masters, Master Ki-Adi began, and Master Qui-Gon turned to the Master seated beside Master Yoda, bowing ever so slightly at him.

"He is to be trained, then?" Master Qui-Gon asked hopefully, with Anakin peering over at the Master behind his shoulder, swallowing nervously. He turned back around to face the head of the Council and breathed out a long sigh.

Master Windu was the one to deliver the blow, his expression calm as he informed the Jedi Master of the Council's decision. "No, he will not be trained." He shook his head slightly, and Layna found herself gaping, struggling to contain her disbelief upon hearing the Council's decision. "He is too old."

Master Qui-Gon rested his hands on his utility belt, staring at Master Windu in disbelief. "He is the Chosen One, you must see it." The Jedi Master gestured towards the boy standing in front of him, and the Council.

Master Yoda closed his eyes as he attempted to see through the Force to glimpse at the young Skywalker's future. Layna could remember when Master Yoda did that for her as well, when she was in Anakin's position three years ago. "Clouded, this boy's future is..." His eyes fluttered open as he said that, and Layna looked over at the Jedi Master standing behind Anakin, and watched as he approached the boy, resting his hands on the small boy's shoulders.

"I will train him, then," he looked around the room, into the eyes of the Jedi present and accounted for. "I take Anakin as my Padawan learner."

Master Yoda pointed towards the Padawan standing behind Anakin, his golden eyes settled on the blue eyed Master behind the young boy. "An apprentice you have, Qui-Gon. Impossible to take on a second!"

Obi-Wan knew what was coming. If his Master was to offer to take on a new Padawan learner, then it meant that he himself was ready to face the trials and finally become a Jedi Knight. He inhaled a deep breath, as his Master confirmed what he had already assumed. "Obi-Wan is ready to face the trials."

Master Yoda shook his head, his eyes slowly blinking as he kept his eyes on Master Qui-Gon. "Our own council we will keep on who is ready."

"He is headstrong, and he has much to learn of the living Force, but he is capable. There is little more he can learn from me," Qui-Gon glanced over at his Padawan for a brief moment, before returning his gaze to the Council.

Layna could sense that the Council still hasn't changed their mind about the entire thing, with Anakin's training and Obi-Wan's trials. They had so much to worry about now, with Queen Amidala's life at risk and the Senate electing a brand new Chancellor, it was too much for them to consider the boy and Obi-Wan's trials. She knew, she understood, but the Council refused to listen to Master Qui-Gon's demand, at least not now with all these problems piling up one after the other.

"Young Skywalker's fate will be decided later," Master Yoda finally said, nodding once more as he looked toward the dark skinned man seated beside him.

"Now is not the time for this, Master Qui-Gon. We need you to go with the Queen of Naboo and discover the identity of the dark warrior," the young girl's dark gaze flickered to Master Windu, swallowing as she felt herself tense at the mention of the man who almost killed Master Qui-Gon back in Tatooine. "That is the clue we need to unravel the mystery of the Sith."

Layna had read the books in the archives, and she has heard the stories from the Jedi in the Temple. She has heard the stories from her mother, who used to tell her bed time stories of Jedi whose sworn enemies were the Sith, an order equivalent to the Jedi, who utilized the Dark Side of the Force as opposed to the Jedi's Light Side. For thousands of years, the Jedi and the Sith have been fighting against each other, each side wanting nothing more than to eradicate the other.

It terrified Layna to know that they have finally decided to make their move, after years of absolutely nothing. It was highly likely that the Sith Lord has been using all this time to plan his moves carefully, placing each piece of his board in the proper spaces before finally advancing the very first piece of his game.

"Master Windu," the platinum haired Master spoke up, causing all of the heads to turn to Layna and Master Sola's direction. The female Padawan kept her head down as her Master began to speak. "With your permission, I'd also like to offer to come along on this mission. If we are to protect the Queen of Naboo, we will need all the help we can get. And I can offer you mine, as well as my Padawan's."

Master Windu narrowed his eyes at Master Sola, heaving out a sigh as he turned to Master Yoda. The green skinned Master nodded his head, turning to the female Jedi who bowed slightly. "Thank you, Master. We will now take our leave."

"May the Force be with you all." Master Sola, Master Qui-Gon and their respective Padawans bowed their heads, before finally exiting the room in order to prepare for their trip to Naboo.

+

Master Sola walked towards the Naboo spacecraft which was the Jedi were going to board, along with the Queen of Naboo and her companions, and they were to use it to head to the planet of Naboo. Her Padawan followed close behind her, no longer down as they were going to head to Naboo once more for one more final adventure. She knew that it was going to be dangerous, but the danger is what made the adventure fun and worthwhile.

Layna spotted Master Qui-Gon talking to Anakin near the spacecraft, and she tried to contain herself as she began to feel a surge of happiness upon realizing that she will be reunited with Anakin and Padmé for this trip. But there was also the possibility that one of them would die, and that made her choke back a gasp, biting down on her bottom lip as she approached the spacecraft with her Master.

"I don't understand," the brunette girl heard Anakin reply to whatever Master Qui-Gon had said to him. Anakin had drawn his eyebrows together as he stared at Master Qui-Gon in confusion, his lips etched into a frown as he tried to understand what the man had told him.

"With time and training, Ani, you will," the Jedi Master smiled at the young boy, pushing himself up so that he was standing once more, folding his arms behind his back as the two female Jedi walked up to them. "Greetings, Master Sola. It has indeed been quite some time."

The platinum haired woman gave the man a tight-lipped smile, her piercing green eyes flickering to the young boy standing beside him. She leaned down so she could get a good look at the boy's face, chuckling to herself as she continued to examine him. "Interesting. So this is the boy you believe to be the Chosen One, Qui-Gon?"

Qui-Gon glanced over at Anakin, who was staring at the woman in concern. "I know that this boy is the Chosen One, Sola. I can feel it. It was the will of the Force for us to find him in his home in Tatooine, and it is also its will to train this boy to become a Jedi and fulfill his prophecy."

Layna peered over at Anakin from behind her Master, and the two meet each other's gazes for what felt like the hundredth time these past few days. Layna cracked a smile, hoping to get one out of her friend today. He was rejected by the Council just a few hours ago, and she knew how hard that was on him. Becoming a Jedi was something he had dreamed of doing, and that dream was torn away from him within a single day. It was not a good day for Anakin, and she hoped that she could at least lift his spirits a little.

She didn't think it would work, but Anakin sent the Padawan a smile as well. It wasn't as bright as it used to be, like the way he used to smile at her back in Tatooine, but it was a start.

The four humans heard footsteps approaching from behind, and they all turned to see the Queen walking towards the spacecraft with her companions in tow. Master Qui-Gon approached the Queen and bowed to her slightly, "Your Majesty, it is our pleasure to continue to serve and protect you."

Queen Amidala walked briskly, her handmaidens following right after as they began to walk towards the spacecraft with the male Jedi Master. Layna didn't even get a chance to see Padmé, as the handmaidens kept their eyes on their Queen and did not bother focusing their attention on anything else other than the Queen. "I welcome your help. Senator Palpatine fears the Federation means to destroy me."

"I assure you, I will not allow that happen," Master Qui-Gon told the girl, as they entered the spacecraft first. Layna watched as the bearded man disappeared into the spacecraft with the Naboo, her lips curling upwards when Jar Jar let out a rather joyful shout as he knew he was going back to his planet.

"Better hurry, my young Padawan," Master Sola peered over her shoulder, her emerald green eyes narrowing ever so slightly and turned to begin strutting over to the spacecraft. Layna's Master soon disappeared into the ship as well, leaving the girl alone with Anakin, Jar Jar and Artoo.

The young Hale girl inhaled sharply before exhaling it all at once, growing anxious as she felt something in the Force. She wasn't sure what exactly it was, all she knew that it wasn't anything remotely pleasant. She hoped that this feeling would disappear soon, as she knew that she was only going to worry and affect the others if she continued to think of this dreadful feeling.

Turning to the blonde boy waiting on her, she steeled herself and began to mentally prepare herself for the battle that was going to occur in the planet of Naboo. "Are you ready, Layna?" Anakin asked the Padawan girl, who smiled at the boy in reply, shoving the negative emotions down in order to prevent them from interfering with her mission.

"As ready as I'll ever be, Ani."

+++